Any body is a Dying Bag of Bones! All formations, all constructions, mental as physical, are truly transient... It is their nature to arise and cease right there, where they arised... Having arisen these captivating discrete mental states instantly pass away! The calming, stilling & ceasing of these momentary appearances is happiness. Therefore: Even in the present every being dies millions of times per second! So also will they die in any possible future. So have they always died... In the same way then: I shall surely die! There is no doubt in me about this. Uncertain is life, but certain is death. I shall surely die. Death will be the termination of my life. Life is very insecure, but death is sure, death is sure! Not long, alas! and this my beloved puppet-like body will lie upon the earth! Rejected, void of consciousness, disgusting, and as useless as a rotten log... This very body, from the soles of the feet up to the the crown of the head, is a just a bag of bones surrounded by skin, full of various mean impurities: Hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, bowel, intestines, slime, excrement, brain, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, tallow, spit, snot, joint-fluid, and foul urine... Just a bag of bones, flesh and skin — skin, flesh and bones... A rotten log...
Comments: Keeping this precious and very realistic imagery in mind, will then gradually reduce and weaken these violent lusts, voracious greeds and uncontrollable wanton desires, that attract beings into self-destructive forms of suffering such as: Porno-mania, pedophilia, HIV-transmitting sexuality, over-eating, abuse of drugs, alcohol, and pills, all addictions to the manifold and diverse forms, feelings, perceptions, mental constructions and variants of (doped) consciousness... All this - though fascinating - remains just an ensnaring and enthralling Suffering (Dukkha), disguised as pleasure and satisfaction....
JUST A FORM OF FRAME This body is always worn out, a fragile form, a nest of disease, a rotting mass of deception, since its life surely and always ends in Decay and Death ... Dhammapada 148
A BAG OF BONES Like withered leaves scattered by the autumn wind are these pale and whitened bones. What happiness can there ever be in them? Dhammapada 149
MY PRECIOUS AND ADORED BODY! It is a bag held up by bones, plastered with skin, full of blood and flesh. In it lives only ageing, sickness, death, pride and petty self-deceit... Dhammapada 150
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt): The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts. By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo: http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance? The Bak Poya day is the full-moon of April. This holy day celebrates that the Buddha visits Ceylon for the second time to reconcile two local chiefs Mahodara and Culodara, uncle & nephew, who had fallen into war threatening hostility about a throne beset with Jewels... The story shows the Buddha as top diplomat & is given in full below!
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days: Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed white-clothed clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue, and bows first 3 times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees & head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha. I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma. I hereby take refuge in the Sangha. I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time. I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs. As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts... Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in/to this world! The journey towards Nibbana: The Deathless is started! This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness, initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha Observance day, where any lay Buddhist normally keeps also the Eight Precepts from sunrise until next dawn. If any wish official recognition by the BhikkhuSangha, they may easily forward the lines starting with "I hereby" signed by name, date, town, & country to me or join here. Public list of this new quite rapidly growing global web Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
Re-uniting those who are divided, by bringing harmony: Now the most compassionate Teacher, the Conqueror, rejoicing in the salvation of the whole world, when dwelling at Jetavana in the fifth year of his Buddhahood, saw that war, caused by a gem beset throne, was like to come to pass between the nagas Mahodara and Culodara, uncle and nephew and their followers! The SamBuddha, then on the Uposatha day of the dark half of the month Citta, in the early morning, took his sacred alms bowl and his robes, and, out of compassion for the nagas, sought the Nagadipa. At that time the same naga Mahodara was then king, gifted with miraculous powers, in a nagas kingdom in the ocean, that covered half a 1000 yojanas. His younger sister had been given in marriage to the naga king on the Kannavaddhamana mountain; her son was Culodara. His mothers father had given to his mother a splendid throne of jewels, then the naga had died and therefore was this war between nephew & uncle threatening! The nagas of the mountains were also armed with many miraculous powers. The deva Samiddhisumana took his rajayatana tree standing in Jetavana, his own fair habitation, holding it like a parasol over the Conqueror, he, with the Teachers leave, attended him to that spot where he had formerly dwelt. That very deva had been, in his latest birth, a man in Nagadipa. On the very spot where thereafter the rajayatana tree stood, he had seen PaccekaBuddhas taking their meal. And at the sight his heart was glad & he offered branches to cleanse their alms bowls. Therefore he was reborn in that very same tree in the pleasant Jetavana garden, outside of the gate rampart. The God of all gods saw in this an advantage for that deva, and, for the sake of the good which should spring therefrom for Ceylon, he brought him there together with his tree. Hovering there in midair above the battlefield, the Master, who drives away spiritual darkness, called forth dreadful darkness over the nagas!
Then comforting those who were distressed by terror he once again spread light abroad. When they saw the Blessed One, they joyfully did reverence to the Masters feet. Then the Vanquisher preached to them the Dhamma that makes concord, & both nagas gladly gave up the throne to the Sage. When the Master, having alighted on the earth, had taken his place on a seat there, and had been refreshed with celestial food and drink served by the naga kings, he, the Lord, established in the three refuges and in the 8 moral precepts eighty kotis of snake-spirits, dwellers in the ocean and on the mainland. The nagaking Maniakkhika of Kalyani, maternal uncle to this naga Mahodara, who had come there to take part in the battle, and who before, at the Buddhas first coming, having heard the true Dhamma preached, had become established in the 3 refuges & in the moral duties, prayed now to the Tathagata: Great is the compassion that you have shown us here, Master! Had you not appeared we had all been consumed to ashes. May your compassion yet settle also and especially on me, you who are rich in friendly loving kindness, please peerless one come again back here to my home country. When the Lord had consented by his silence to return, then he planted the rajayatana tree on that very spot as a sacred memorial, & the Lord of the Worlds gave over the rajayatana tree & the precious throne seat to the naga kings to do homage thereto: In remembrance that I have used these do homage to them naga kings! This, well beloved, will bring to pass many blessings & happiness to you for a long time! When the Blessed One had uttered this and other exhortations to the nagas, he, the compassionate saviour of all the world, returned to the Jetavana monastery.
Here ends the explanation of the Visit to Nagadipa.
From external Element to internal Urge to silly Search: There is the element of eye-sensitivity, the element of visual form, these induce the element of visual consciousness. The coincidence of these three, is eye Contact... In dependence on this element of visual-sensitivity, there arises eye-contact. In dependence on eye-contact, there arises a feeling, born of eye-contact. In dependence on feeling born of eye-contact, there arises instant craving... In dependence on the element of visual form, there arises perception. In dependence on this visual experience, tendency towards a form arises. In dependence on this inclination, desire for particular visible forms arises. In dependence on this specific desire, a fever for these specific forms arises. In dependence on this fever for form, search after these certain forms arises. In dependence on this search for form, reaching out, acquisition & panic clinging to a manifold of forms, comes into being... Such is the arising of this entire mass of ever frustrated suffering...
Similarly with the pairs of ear & sound, nose & smell, tongue & taste, body & touch, mind & mental states and their respective specific kinds of consciousness.
This search, this urge, this compulsive drive, is caused by that craving ! Craving that was born from feeling, which was arised from contact… Any Craving causes Suffering... Right here and now, later and much later... Right there at greeting Contact, is this Suffering therefore born... Right there at avoiding Contact, is this Suffering therefore left...
I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice-Cream... (Jim Jarmusch in the film: Down by Law)
This World is Messed Up! The Buddha once told a deity: This world is suffering from Death, Troubled by ageing, decay and sickness, Wounded by the Dart of constant Craving! Always is it burning with Desire and Lust... This world is addicted to Delight and Pleasure, Since dragged around by this urge and longing, Craving must be cut, to break free from bondage and reach the only absolute freedom: Nibbana...
Why do some beings attain Nibbãna, while others do not? Sakka, the king of the 33 Gods once asked the Blessed Buddha: Venerable Sir, what is the cause & reason, why some beings here do not attain Nibbana in this very life? And what is the cause and reason, why some beings here do indeed attain Nibbana in this very life? Knowing this being's addiction to divine delight the Buddha answered: There are, King of the thirty-three Devas, forms experiencable by the eye, sounds experiencable by the ear, smells experiencable by the nose, touches experiencable by the body, and mental phenomena experiencable by the mind, that all are attractive, charming, agreeable, pleasing, tempting, and tantalizing. If a bhikkhu hunts for delight in them, welcomes them, and remains holding on to them, his mind becomes addicted to them and clings to them. Any being mentally dominated by clinging cannot attain Nibbana! This is the cause & reason, King of the Devas, why many & most beings here do not attain Nibbana in this very life... There are, King of the Devas, forms experiencable by the eye, sounds experiencable by the ear, smells experiencable by the nose, touches experiencable by the body, and mental phenomena experiencable by the mind, that all are attractive, charming, agreeable, pleasing, enticing, tempting and tantalizing. If a wise Bhikkhu avoids seeking any delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain holding on to them, then his mind doesn't become addicted to them, Any being mentally wholly freed of clinging can indeed attain Nibbana! This is the cause and reason, King of the Devas, why some beings here can attain Nibbana in this very life, while most neither can, nor will....
Deva king Sakka and a few of his hundreds of dear nymphs...
How differs Death & Ceasing of Perception and Feeling ??? Venerable Mahakotthita once asked Venerable Sariputta: Friend, what is the difference between a dead body & a Bhikkhu, who has attained the state of cessation of perception & feeling?
Venerable Sariputta then answered: Friend, in a dead body the bodily activity is stilled & has all ceased. The verbal activity is stilled & has all ceased. The mental activity is stilled & has all ceased. The metabolic life activity is exhausted. The heat has dissipated, and the mental abilities have all broken up & been destroyed.
In the bhikkhu, who has attained to the cessation of perception & feeling, All bodily activity & breathing is stilled & has all ceased; All verbal activity & all thinking is stilled & has ceased; All mental activity & all sensing is stilled & has ceased; But the metabolic life activity is not exhausted. The heat has not dissipated. Furthermost: The mental abilities have then become exceptionally clear ... !!! Friend, this is the difference between a dead body & a Bhikkhu, who has attained to the meditative state of cessation of perception & feeling...
Five x Five Crucial Core Buddhist Categories: There are five Mental Abilities: 1: Faith, 2: Energy, 3: Awareness, 4: Concentration & 5: Understanding. There are five Rules of Training: 1: No Killing, 2: No Stealing, 3: No Lying, 4: No Sexual Abuse, 5; No Alcohol or Drugs. There are five Clusters of Clinging to: 1: Form, 2: Feeling, 3: Perception, 4: Construction & 5: Consciousness. There are five Mental Hindrances: 1: Sense-Desire, 2: Anger, 3: Lethargy & Laziness, 4: Regret & Restlessness 5: Doubt & Uncertainty.
There are five Destinations right after Death: 1: Hell, 2: Animal Womb, 3: Hungry Ghost, 4: Human Being or 5: Deity.
How not to Accumulate & Prolong Suffering? The Blessed Buddha once said: Friends, whoever recluse or priest now, in the past, or in the future regard whatever pleasant and attractive, there is in this world as permanent, as lasting, as happiness, as self, as healthy, as secure, they all thereby only stimulate craving! By stimulating craving they long, thirsts and hankers, thereby inducing production of sense desires, production of defilements, production of intentions, hopes, wishes and planning, and production of these 5 clusters of clinging! By nurturing uptake of such accumulation of fuel for becoming, fuel for existence, they indeed provoke continuation! Thus provoking prolongation, they are neither freed from birth, nor from decay & ageing, nor are they freed from death! They are therefore not released from sorrow, from depression, from despair, from misery, from pain, from frustration, from discontent, nor from hopelessness. I tell you: They are not freed from neither the present, nor from any future suffering! But friends, whoever recluse or priest now, in the past, or in the future regard whatever pleasant and attractive, there is here in this world as impermanent, as transient, as suffering, as no-self, as a disease, as danger, as fearful, as an empty terror, they thereby all reduce craving. After having gradually eliminated all craving, I tell you: They are thereby freed from all Suffering...
! Friend, this is the difference between a dead body & a Bhikkhu, who has attained to the meditative state of cessation of perception & feeling...
attained to the meditative state of cessation of perception & feeling...means Nirodha samapatti state but not pari-nirvana? the body of enlightened Bikkhu when pari-nirvana and a dead body are same?
Nirodha samapatti= deepest meditative state in this world = Nirodha samapatti is possible only for Non-returners and Arahants
the act or event of entering Nibbana is Arahnt
at Pari-Nibbana, in day-today-language, at the death of Arahnt there is only the body of Arahnts until cremation and there is nothing (simile-extinguishing a flame) or no more afterwards
There are these 5 Minor mental chains (Samyojana): The Blessed Buddha once emphasized: Bhikkhus, there are these five Lower mental chains. What five? 1: The mental chain of belief in 'my same identity' (sakkaya-ditthi) 2: The mental chain of skeptical doubt (vicikiccha) 3: The mental chain of clinging to rule & Ritual (silabbata-paramasa) 4: The mental chain of lust for sensuality (kama-raga) 5: The mental chain of anger & ill will (vyapada) There exist these 5 Lower mental chains! The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed for the direct experience of these five minor mental chains, for the full understanding and elimination of them, and for their final overcoming, destruction and leaving all behind! This Noble 8-fold Way is developed for the breaking asunder of these five minor mental chains!!!
Explanation: 1: Is belief in "my identity" construing an internal fake ‘stable same entity’. 2: Is sceptical doubt about the perfection of Buddha’s self-enlightenment. 3: Is blind superstition in rules & rituals projecting into them false efficacy. 4: Lust for sensing is addiction to all seen, heard, sensed, and cognized. 5: Ill will is all hate & derivatives such as anger, aversion, and irritation. These Chains bind beings to birth in the 6 lower worlds, where all beings are dominated by sense-desire!
Mental chains are not visible, yet quite real, & harder than any steel!
Brahmavihãra Meditation gives Infinite Joy! Training Universal Friendliness induces unalloyed Joy! Cultivating Boundless Pity enables tranquil Tolerance! Developing Mutual Joy produces deep Contentment! Refining Equanimity establishes calming Serenity!
The Blessed Buddha repeatedly explained: May all creatures, all breathing things, all beings one and all, without exception, experience joy and good fortune only. May they not fall into any harm! Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
With good will for the entire cosmos, Cultivate a limitless & infinite heart: Above, as below, across & all around, Unobstructed, without any hostility. Sutta Nipata I, 8
Overcome the angry by friendliness; Overcome the wicked by goodness; Overcome the miser by generosity; Overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
Train yourself in doing only pure good... That lasts and brings great happiness! Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living, and a mentality of infinite friendliness! Itivuttaka 16
Contemplation of the Ten Perfecting Qualities (Dasa Parami): 1: May I be generous and always helpfully giving service (Dana parami). 2: May I be morally pure, virtuous and well-disciplined (Sila parami). 3: May I be modest and withdrawing into simple living (Nekkhamma parami). 4: May I be wise by understanding what should be known (Pañña parami). 5: May I be enthusiastic, energetic, & never giving up the good (Viriya parami). 6: May I be patient, tolerant, and forgive other's wrongs (Khanti parami). 7: May I be honest, trustworthy, scrupulous, and truthful (Sacca parami). 8: May I be firm, resolute, determined, and immovable (Adhitthana parami). 9: May I be kind, gentle, compassionate and friendly (Metta parami). 10: May I be calm, balanced, serene and imperturbable (Upekkha parami). May I train to be mentally perfect. May I be perfect to keep training!
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt): The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts. By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo: http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
The Blessed Buddha once pointed out: All constructions are impermanent! When realizing that by understanding, one gets disgusted with suffering... This is the path to purity!
All constructions are miserable! When realizing that by understanding, one gets disgusted with suffering...This is the path to purity!
All states are no-self! When realizing that by understanding, one gets disgusted with suffering... This is the path to purity! Dhammapada 277-79
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt): The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts. By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo: http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
What is the Highest Blessing? Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Exalted One was dwelling at the monastery of Anathapindika, in Jeta’s grove, near Savatthi. Now when the night was far spent a certain deity, whose surpassing radiance illuminated the entire Jeta Grove, came to the presence of the Exalted One. After drawing near, he respectfully saluted Him and stood at one side. Standing thus, he addressed the Exalted One in verse: Many deities and men wishing to know what is good, have pondered on the blessings and auspicious signs of luck. Tell me what is the highest blessing? What is the best protection?
The Blessed Buddha responded: Not to associate with fools, but only with the wise. To honour only those who are worthy of honour. This is the highest blessing & also the best protection.
To live in a suitable place, to have done merits in the past, and to set oneself on the right path. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Great learning, good skills, a highly trained discipline, and a pleasant speech. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
The support of father and mother, the cherishing of wife and children, and a peaceful job. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Generosity, pure morality, the helping of relatives, and blameless behaviour. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
To avoid all evil action, to abstain from intoxicants, and firmness in virtue. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude & hearing the Dhamma in time. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Patience, respect, sight of calm recluses and suitable conversation in time. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Self-control, living the Noble life, realizing the Noble Truths and Nibbana. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
The be unmoved by the 8 worldly conditions # sorrowless, stainless, & safe. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Having fulfilled all these requirements, everywhere they are undefeated, everywhere they go in safety, fearing nothing, cooled, calmed and serene...
These are the highest blessings and also the best protections!
#: Gain and loss, fame and disrespect, praise and blame, happiness & sorrow.
Source: Sutta Nipata Sn 258-269 in BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt): The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts. By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo: http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
The 1st Noble Truth: This is Suffering! There is no pain, that does not torment! And nothing that is not pain torments... This certainty, that this being torments: Is what makes it an absolute truth... The 2nd Noble Truth: Craving is the Cause! No other source causes pain, than craving, Nothing else provides craving, than pain... This utter certainty in producing pain: Is why it is considered an absolute truth!
The 3rd Noble Truth: Suffering can End! There is no pure peace except Nibbana, Nibbana cannot be anything but peace... This certainty that it is perfect peace: Is what is reckoned as an absolute truth.
The 4th Noble Truth: By the Noble Way! No outlet is there other than the Noble Way, Nor fails the Noble Way ever to be escape... This sure status as the one and only exit: Has made it recognized as absolute truth.
This genuinely irrefutable infallibility, Which is their true essential core, Is what the wise declare to be The Truth's meaning common to all four! Vism 496
Buddha once explained the Advantages of Friendship (Mittanisamsa): He who maintains genuine friendship, never betraying anybody, will always whenever he goes far out of his home, receive abundance of hospitality. Many will obtain their benefit through him.
He who nurtures genuine friendship will be honoured in whatever country, village, town, house, group or family he visits.
He who perpetuates genuine friendship will triumph over all his enemies. Robbers cannot overpower him. Royalty will not look down upon him.
He who continues genuine friendship, returns home with feeling of amity, rejoices in the crowds of people, and becomes the chief among his kinsmen.
He who keeps up genuine friendship, being hospitable to all others, in turn, receives hospitality. Being respectful to others, in turn, receives respect. He enjoys both praise and fame.
He who sustains genuine friendship, a generous giver, receives gifts himself. Worshipping the worthy, will himself be worshipped gaining prosperity & fame.
He who upholds genuine friendship, shines gloriously like fire, radiant like a deity. Prosperity and good fortune will never forsake or leave him.
He who prolongs genuine friendship, will enjoy abundant wealth. What is sown in his field will flourish. The fruit of that which is sown he enjoys.
He who carries on genuine friendship, should he fall from a precipice or mountain or tree, he will be protected and will not be seriously harmed.
He who preserves genuine friendship cannot be overthrown by enemies even as the deep-rooted banyan tree cannot be overthrown by the gust of wind.
Source: These ten gathas (stanzas) recounting the beneficial effects of friendship, are found in the Mugapakkha (Temiya) Jataka, vol. vii. No. 538. Translated by Ven. Piyadassi Thero kindly forwarded by Seelagawesi Thero.
Good 4 All are The 4 Kinds of Right Speech! The Blessed Buddha once said: How, Cunda, is purity of verbal action fourfold? 1: Herein, one avoids lying, abstains from false. He speaks the truth, is devoted to the truth, reliable, trustable, never deceiving anyone. Being at a meeting, among family, in society, or in the court called upon and asked as witness to tell what he knows, he answers, if he knows nothing: I know nothing; & if he knows, he answers: I know! If he has seen nothing, he answers: I have seen nothing & if he has seen something, he answers: I have seen this and that. Thus he never deliberately speaks a lie, neither for his own advantage, nor for the advantage of others, nor for the sake of any trivial gain whatsoever. 2: He avoids divisive speech, spreading rumours, tale bearing, & gossip. What he has heard here, he does not repeat there wishing to cause dissension there by splitting those united. What he has heard there, he does not tell here so to cause conflict by splitting friends here.. Rather he unites those who are divided; and those who are united he encourages. Harmony, peace, agreement & concord gladdens him. He delights and rejoices in Harmony. He spreads & grows Harmony! 3: He avoids harsh & aggressive language, he abstains from all scolding. He speaks such words that are gentle, soothing to the ear, pleasing, heart-touching, polite, dear, considerate, interesting & agreeable.. 4: He avoids vain talk, empty & small talk, void speech and idle prattle! He abstains from all babble, chitchat, tittle-tattle and evil hearsay. He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the Dhamma and the Discipline; his speech is like a precious treasure, well timed, always reasoned by arguments, moderated, well formulated & full of sound reason & common sense. In this -for all- very good way, is purity of verbal action fourfold!
Kamma & Fruit = Cause & Effect! By Helping others, one thereby helps oneself! By Harming others, one also harms oneself! By Supporting others, one supports oneself! By Cheating others, one also cheats oneself! By Giving to others, one also gives to oneself! By Stealing from others, one steals from oneself!
Guarding oneself, one therefore protects others... Protecting others, one therefore guards oneself...
To avoid all Killing. To avoid all Stealing. To avoid all Abuse. To avoid all Lying. To avoid all Alcohol. Is thus to this world the Highest Offer!
Avoiding all Evil... Doing only Good!!! & Purifying the Mind: That all Buddhas Teach!
How does the Noble live in Alert Elevated Joy? The Blessed Buddha once said: How, Nandiya, does a Noble Disciple live in alert elevated joy? Here, Nandiya, any Noble Disciple is endowed with verified conviction in the Buddha thus: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha! Not satisfied with that verified conviction in the Buddha, he makes a further effort in solitude by day and seclusion at night! When thus enthusiastic, he is elevated by alertness! When thus elevated by alertness, then gladness is born! When he is gladdened, then a rapturous joy arises! When the mind is uplifted by joy, the body becomes all tranquil... One tranquil in body experiences a pure bliss of happiness! The mind of one who is happy becomes condensed and concentrated... When mind is concentrated, even subtle phenomena become plain & manifest. Since these subtle phenomena become plain and manifest, he becomes one, who lives and dwells in alert elevated joy...
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:398] Section 55 on Stream-Entry: Sotapattisamyutta. Thread 40: Nandiya.
There are these seven Latent Tendencies (Anusaya): The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of Latent Tendency. What seven?
1: The Latent Tendency to Sensual-Pleasure... 2: The Latent Tendency to Aversion & Ill-Will... 3: The Latent Tendency to Speculative Views… 4: The Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt… 5: The Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am”… 6: The Latent Tendency to Wanting to Become… 7: The Latent Tendency to Ignorance…
These are the seven kinds of Latent Tendency! The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed for the direct experience of these seven kinds of Latent Tendency, for the full understanding and elimination of them, and for their final overcoming, abandoning and leaving all behind…This Noble 8-fold Way is developed for the sake of the uprooting of all detrimental Latent Mental Tendency!
Explanation: Latent Tendency towards Pleasurable sights, sounds, smells, flavours, touches, & thoughts is fairly obvious… Latent Tendency to Aversion is all hate, anger, irritation, opposition, resistance, rigidity and stubbornness… Latent Tendency to Speculative Views is believing that action has no future effects & rituals are purifying… Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt is the lack of Faith and conviction in the Buddha’s Enlightenment… Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am” is assuming the hidden existence of a constant core identity: ‘I-Me’… Latent Tendency to Lust for Becoming is the hoping for a future existence as this or that kind of being… Latent Tendency to Ignorance is not seeing, not understanding, and not knowing the Four Noble Truths… Latent Tendency means lurking liability, hidden inclination, underlying readiness, a recurring dormant drive!
Buddha once emphasized a crucial Impossibility: That a person, without eliminating the latent tendency to lust for any pleasant feeling, without abolishing the latent tendency to aversion towards any painful feeling, without uprooting the latent tendency to neglect and ignorance accompanying any neutral feeling, without extirpating ignorance & developing clear & complete understanding, should ever, here & now, in this very life, be able to cease all suffering & awaken by enlightenment, that is indeed impossible… http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn148.html
The Empirical ALL is what can be Sensed or Thought! At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha pointed out a most Radical Empiricism: Bhikkhus, I will teach you the ALL. Listen to that... And what, Bhikkhus, is this ALL?
The Eye and the Forms; The Ear and the Sounds; The Nose and the Smells; The Tongue and the Tastes; The Body and the Touches; The Mind and the Mental States.
This is defines and establish this ALL... If anyone, Bhikkhus, should ever postulate this: 'Having denied this all, I will define & point another all ...!!!', that would be empty babble! If he were questioned, he would not be able to reply & he would become quite perplexed. Why? Because, Bhikkhus, that would be far out of his mental range! (since) This World both Begins and Ends within this 2 fathom frame of bones... SN I 62
Looks initially quite far & remotely 'out there'...
Yet IT IS actually rather close up, as inherently sensed 'in here'...
OUT = IN Wholeness: Inseparable are the internal and the external... Inseparable are the mental and the physical... Inseparable are the experience and experienced... Inseparable are the subject and the object... Inseparable are the naming and the forming... Inseparable are the mirror and the representation… The ‘Real’ World is a perceived Representation… Of what we will never know, since IT IS just & only that... A never-ending FILM in dire need of a Scissor!
Formless is the Fruit of the 4 Infinite States: The Blessed Buddha once pointed out some fine future fruits: I: The release of mind by universal friendliness developed linked with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the beautiful liberation as culmination!
II: The release of mind by compassionate pity developed all joined with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the infinitude of space, as culmination! This is the 1st formless absorption.
III: The release of mind by altruistic & mutual joy developed all linked with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the infinitude of consciousness, as ultimate culmination... This is the 2nd formless absorption.
IV: The release of mind by imperturbable equanimity developed combined with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the sphere of nothingness, as the absolute culmination... This is the 3rd formless absorption.
So do these 4 divine & infinite states of friendliness, pity, mutual joy and equanimity, when cultivated together with the 7 links to Enlightenment: Awareness, Investigation, Energy, Joy, Tranquillity, Concentration and Equanimity, lead to entry and absorption into these 4 sublime formless mental dimensions of supra-mundane consciousness...
The Blessed Buddha once explained: Who is welcoming and friendly, Generous, open and unselfish, A guide, an instructor, a leader, Such one will gain much honour! Digha Nikaya 31
The friend who is a helping companion, The friend both in happiness and misery, The friend who gives good & sound advice, The friend who really cares & understands... These four, the clever knows as good Friends! These 4 heroes, one should cherish devotedly, as a mother nurses her own only child. Digha Nikaya 31
If one finds a wise and intelligent friend, who lives a good, correct & fully pure life, Then, overcoming all obstacles, one should always keep his joyous and alert company... Dhammapada 328
The Blessed Buddha once said: May all creatures, all living things, all beings without any exception, experience good happiness only! May they not fall into any harm. Anguttara Nikaya 4.67
Solitude is happiness for one, who is content, who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees. Non-violence is happiness in this world: Harmlessness towards all living beings. Udana 10
The Noble is not one, who injures living beings. The Noble is one, who never injures living beings. Dhammapada 270
Ever are the true disciples of the Buddha well awake and quite aware. Constantly they meditate both day and night on Harmlessness! Dhammapada 296-301
The one who has left all violence, who never harms any being at all, whether they are moving or still, who neither kill, nor causes to kill, such one, harmless, is a Holy One! Dhammapada 405
Awareness by Breathing is a Unique Thing! Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this: "Bhikkhus, there is one unique thing, which when trained and cultivated, is of great fruit and great advantage. What is that one unique thing? It is Awareness by Breathing (Anapanasati)! And how, Bhikkhus, is this Awareness by Breathing trained, developed, cultivated and refined so that it is of really great fruit and immense long-term advantage? Bhikkhus, when a Bhikkhu, who have gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, then he sits down cross-legged, having straightened his body and back, and set up awareness around the nostrils, then just plain aware of only that itself, he breathes in, and then just solely aware of only that breathing itself, he breathes out... 1: Breathing in long, he knows, notes and understands: I inhale long! Breathing out long, he knows, notes and understands: I exhale long! 2: Breathing in short, he knows, notes and understands: I inhale short! Breathing out short, he knows, notes and understands: I exhale short! 3: He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe out! 4: He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe out! 5: He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe out! 6: He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe out! 7: He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe out! 8: He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe out! 9: He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe out! 10: He trains thus: Elating and satisfying the mind, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Elating and satisfying the mind, I will breathe out! 11: He trains thus: Concentrating and focusing mind, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Concentrating and focusing mind, I will breathe out! 12: He trains thus: Releasing, and liberating the mind, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Releasing, and liberating the mind, I will breathe out! 13: He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out! 14: He trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe out! 15: He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe out! 16: He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in! He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out! It is, Bhikkhus, when Awareness by Breathing is trained, developed and refined in exactly this way, that it is of great fruit and advantage!"
Comments: These 16 steps should be memorized fully. Print out and bring to pillow! Breath meditation produces both calm (Samatha) and insight (Vipassana) by stilling the bursts of distractions, which abrogates all directed thinking. It is capable of inducing all the four levels of mental absorption (Jhana). Continuous awareness can be established by this technique, which has no adverse side-effects, is simple yet profound, and especially well suited for those plagued by stress, agitation, restlessness, worries, speculation, anxiety, fear, hesitation, doubts, uncertainty and confusion. Nobody!, who have trained this technique, have ever regretted it! Most just smiles silently... ;-), not without reason, like the Buddha image illustrated below! Verily: Unique is Awareness by Breathing!
Running up & down the beach delays any crossing! The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, these 8 things, when cultivated and refined, lead to going beyond from this near shore, right here, to the far shore beyond all... What eight?
Right View (samma-ditthi) Right Motivation (samma-sankappa) Right Speech (samma-vaca) Right Action (samma-kammanta) Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva) Right Effort (samma-vayama) Right Awareness (samma-sati) Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
These 8 things, when cultivated and refined, lead to going beyond from this near shore, right here, to the far shore beyond. This is what the Blessed Buddha said. The Well-Gone-One, this supreme Teacher, then added this:
Few humans cross to that sublime far shore beyond all being. Mostly, people just run up and down along this barren bank! Those whose praxis is like this even and exact Dhamma, Will pass beyond the State of Death in quiet harmony! Having left all the dark and evil doing, any intelligence Seeks the luminous bright light by leaving this turmoil, and by going forth into solitary & silent homelessness. Secluded from lust, he experiences an unworldly bliss! Owing nothing, the wise and clever man thereby cleans himself of all these mental pollutions and defilements... Mentally well evolved by the 7 links to enlightenment, Delighting in non-clinging and relinquishment of all, Such luminous ones, having quenched fermentation, Are fully released even right here in this world!
Free from Fear by Release from all Anxiety: The young deity Subrahma once asked the Buddha: Always frightened is this Mind! Always agitated is this Mind! About present problems. About future problems. If there is a release from this worry & anxiety, please then now kindly explain it to me...
Whereupon the Blessed Buddha declared: I see no other real safety for any living being, except from control of the senses, except from the relinquishment of all, except from awakening into Enlightenment!
At this Fullmoon Day do all Buddhas Awaken: 2010 May 27 Vesak Day celebrates birth, Enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha Gotama. Rejoice! Keep clean, calm, cool, clever, and caring... About this Buddhist Vesak Festival: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak This May full moon also celebrates the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka in the eighth year after his Enlightenment where he journeyed to Kelaniya on the invitation of the Naga King Maniakkhika (Mahavamsa i,72ff.). The day also celebrates the crowning of king Devanampiyatissa (Mhv.Xi.42), and the laying of the foundation stone of the Maha Stupa (Mhv.Xxix.1)
Please Remember: At this very May full moon in year 528 BC the Blessed Buddha awakened by completely perfect and utterly unsurpassable self-Enlightenment! At that time a girl named Sujata Senani lived in Uruvela. When adult she prayed before a certain Banyan tree, that she might get a good husband equal to herself in caste & that her firstborn may be a son. Her prayer was successful. Since indeed it did happen. At the full moon day of the Wesak month, she rose at early dawn and milked the cows. As soon as new buckets were placed under the cows, the milk poured spontaneously in streams all by itself! Seeing this miracle, she knew something special was happening! That same night the Future Buddha dreamt 5 dreams making him conclude: "Surely, truly, without any doubt, today I will reach perfect Enlightenment!" His 5 colored radiance illuminated the whole tree. Then Sujata came and offered the cooked milk rice into the hands of this Great Being.
Later a local grass-cutter came going with a bundle of grass just harvested from nearby. He offered the Great Being 8 handfuls of Kusa grass, when he saw that this Sage was a Holy Man. The Future Buddha accepted the grass and proceeded to the foot of the Bodhi-tree. Reaching the imperturbable Eastern side, where all the Buddhas take their seat, he sat down saying to himself: This is the immovable spot, where all the prior supreme Buddhas have planted themselves! This is the place for destroying this net of desire! Then the Future Buddha turned his back to the trunk and thus faced east. Right there, he then resolutely settled on this mighty decision:
Let just blood and flesh of this body dry up & let skin and sinews fall from the bones. I will not leave this seat before having attained the absolute and Supreme Self-Enlightenment!
So determined did he seat himself in this unconquerable seat, from which not a 100 lightning strikes could make him waver from. At this very moment the rebel deity Mara -The Evil One- raised exclaiming: Prince Siddhattha will pass beyond my power, but I will never allow it! And sounding the Mara's war shout, he summoned his mighty army for battle. Then Mara warned his evil militia: This Sakyamuni, son of Suddhodana, is far greater than any other man, so we will never succeed to fight him up front. We must thus attack him from the rear. Frustrated, being unable even to touch this big wielder of power also with 9 mighty hurricanes of wind, rain, rocks, weapons, red coals, hot ashes, sand, mud, and darkness Mara somewhat in panic shouted at his army: "Why do you all stand still? Seize, kill & drive away this prince!"
Mara then yelled: "Siddhattha, leave this seat. It is not yours, but mine!" Hearing this, the Well-gone One replied: Mara, neither have you fulfilled the 10 perfections to the third degree, nor have you given the 5 great donations. Neither have you striven for insight, nor for the welfare of all the world, nor for supreme self-enlightenment! Therefore does this very seat surely not belong to you, but truly indeed only to me. Suddenly overpowered by fear Mara's followers fled helter-skelter in all directions. Not two went in the same direction, but leaving their weapons in a chaos, they all fled terrified by metaphysical panic. Seeing them flee thus, the great assembly of deities triumphantly shouted: Mara is defeated. Prince Siddhattha has won! Let us celebrate this truly sublime, wonderful and unique victory! It was before the sun had set that the Tathagata conquered Mara and defeated his army. That same night, after having bathed, while the Bo tree rained red sprigs onto his robe, The Consummate One gained knowledge of his prior lives during the 1st watch of the night: "With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unified, focused, tractable, compliant, steady & imperturbable, I directed mind to remembrance of my past lives. I recollected many past lives, i.e., one re-birth, two...five, ten... 50, a hundred, a thousand, 100 thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, & many eons of cosmic expansion: There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan & species, had such a body. Such was my food, such my life of pleasures and pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There I had such name, belonged to such a sort & family, had such a form. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasures & pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here. Thus I remembered my various past lives in all their various modes and manifold details. This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; the knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose as happens in one who is alert, aware, and determined. But the very pleasant feeling that arose by this did neither invade my mind, nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, intact, pliant, malleable, steady, and totally imperturbable, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. I saw by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human eye! I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, and I realized how & why they are high or low, beautiful or ugly, fortunate and unfortunate all in exact accordance with the intentions of their prior actions: These beings who were endowed with bad behaviour of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views & acted under the influence of wrong views, with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of misery, the bad painful destination, the lower realms, even in hell. But the beings who were gifted with good behaviour of body, speech and mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and acted under the influence of right views after the break-up of the body, after the death, have re-appeared in happy destinations, even in a divine world! Thus by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, all in accordance with their particular mixture of good and bad kamma... But the satisfaction that arose here did neither invade my mind, nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated and completely absorbed, I then directed it towards understanding the ending of mental fermentation. I realized how it actually comes to be, that: This is Suffering... Such is the Cause of Suffering... Such is the End of Suffering... Such is the Way to End Suffering...
Such was the mental fermentations... Such is the Cause of mental fermentation... Such is the End of mental fermentation... Such is the Way leading to the end of mental fermentation.
When my mind saw that, it was instantly freed of the fermentation of all sense-desire, it was released from the fermentation of becoming, and it became fully uncovered from the fermentation of ignorance. Thus fully and perfectly Enlightened - The Buddha - perceiving this immense glory, spoke these 2 solemn verses, which never has been omitted by any of countless billions of prior Buddhas:
Through this round of countless existences have I searched, but yet failed to find "the Creator", who framed this construction: What Suffering indeed is such endless birth, ageing, decay, sickness and ever repeated death! Now I see that "the Constructor" of this structure is Craving...!!! Never shall this construction be built again, since all the rafters are shattered and the main beam is busted and completely broken... At this calming of all Craving, the mind was finally, irreversibly and ultimately stilled… Then, friends, this revelation of certainty arose in me: This release is indeed immutable, this is the very last rebirth, this endless reappearance has finally come to a happy end...Nibbana is verily the Highest Bliss!
What is the Final Goal and Destination? The ascetic wanderer Nandiya once asked the Blessed One: Which things, Master Gotama, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their end destination, have Nibbana as their final goal? These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their last destination, have Nibbana as their final goal. Which eight?
Right View (samma-ditthi) Right Motivation (samma-sankappa) Right Speech (samma-vaca) Right Action (samma-kammanta) Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva) Right Effort (samma-vayama) Right Awareness (samma-sati) Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their target, have Nibbana as their final aim! When this was thus spoken, the wanderer Nandiya said to the Blessed One: Magnificent, Master Gotama! Marvellous, Master Gotama! Let the Master Gotama remember me as one, who has taken refuge in the Buddha for life…
The 8 spokes symbolizes the 8 Steps of the Noble Way!
The Blessed Buddha once said: Overwhelmed and obsessed by desire, anger, & confusion, one aims at one's own ruin, others' ruin, and at the ruin of both! One thereby suffers much mental pain and frustration... If, however, desire, anger, and confusion are eliminated, then one aims neither at one's own ruin, nor at others' ruin, nor at the ruining of both, and one therefore neither suffers any mental pain nor any frustration at all! Hence is Nibbana realizable right here and now in this very lifetime, immediate, inviting, intriguing, and intelligible to each intelligence! Exactly in so far as anyone has made real the complete ceasing of all greed, hate, and confusion, just in so far, to exactly that very degree, is Nibbana realizable right here and now in this very life, immediate, instant, inviting, interesting, and intelligible to each and every intelligent being...
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three?
1: The search for sense pleasure, 2: The search for becoming this and that, 3: The search for the pure, holy, & Noble Life.
These are the three searches. The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed: For the direct experience of these three searches… For the complete understanding of these three searches… For the utter destruction of these three searches… For the overcoming and leaving all behind of these three searches… And how does a Bhikkhu do so? Here, friends, the Bhikkhu develops: Right View based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, culminating in release. Right Motivation removing greed, hate and ignorance when succeeding. Right Speech having the deathless as its base, destination, & last resort. Right Action flowing into & inclining towards Nibbana, the Highest Bliss! Right Livelihood based upon solitude, detachment, and relinquishment. Right Effort having the immortal as its source, and its journey's final end. Right Awareness removing of lust, anger & confusion as its ultimate aim. Right Concentration descending into Nibbana, the Highest Happiness! It is in this way, friends, that a Bhikkhu, comes to directly experience, fully understand, utterly destroy, completely overcome & leave all behind these three otherwise perpetual and truly endless searches…
Searching by own light is easier especially when knowing what to look for!
Comment: Search for pleasure: "May I have more sex, food, music, porn, drugs" etc... Search for becoming: "May I become rich, praised, famous, beautiful" etc... Search for the Noble Life: "There must be something else and higher!"...
Craving => Clinging => Fear => Panic => Suffering! The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that can be clung to, that bind & their chain! Listen to that and pay attention: What, bhikkhus, are these phenomena, that can be clung to, that bind, and what is the very chain of this addictive slavery of sensing? The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind bhikkhus, are things that can be clung to, that binds, while the desire, lust, longing, urge, yearning for & wanting it, the fear & panic of loosing it, the clinging to it, is the very chain there... Only by directly knowing these 6 senses as they are, only by fully understanding these 6 sense sources, only by developing disgust towards and by leaving all behind these 6 originators of commotion & noise, is one capable of eliminating Suffering...
All Craving creates Clinging culminating in Panic!
No Agent or Actor exists! Only Impersonal Processes Unfolds! Question: Who is the Creator ??? Answer: Nobody is the Creator of anything!!!
Q: What then is Creating ??? A: Ignorance and Craving is Creating!!!
Q: What is Ignorance & Craving Creating ? A: Ignorance & Craving Creates Suffering!!!
Question: Who Perceives ??? Answer: Nobody Perceives anything!!!
Q: What then is Perceiving ??? A: The Perception process itself Perceives!!!
Q: What do Perception Perceive ??? A: Form, sound, smell, taste, touch & thoughts!!!
Question: Who Feels ??? Answer: Nobody Feels anything!!!
Q: What then is Feeling ??? A: The process of Feeling itself feels!!!
Q: What do Feeling feel ??? A: Feeling feels pleasure, pain & neutrality!!!
Question: Who is the Knower ??? Answer: Nobody is the Knower of anything!!!
Q: What then is Knowing ??? A: The state of Knowledge itself knows!!!
Q: What is Knowledge Knowing ??? A: Knowledge knows: Such is Pain, cause of Pain, End of Pain, Way to End all Pain!!! There exist no static entities anywhere. Entities implying stability is just language conventions. All phenomena are dynamic processes enacted by selfless, ownerless, and coreless conditions. More on this enigmatic doctrine of No-Self (Anatta), which is the very core of Buddhism: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY CREATOR!
Have a nice selfless day! Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka. http://What-Buddha-Said.net
How does Kamma cause Rebirth? In Majjhima Nikaya 135 a brahman raises the problem: There are found people who are short-lived, and those that are long-lived; there are found people who are very sick, and those that are healthy; there are found people who are ugly, and also those that are beautiful; there are found people who are powerless, and those that are powerful; there are found people who are poor, and those that are rich; there are found people who are of low family, and those that are of high family; there are found people who are stupid, and those that are intelligent. What then, Master Gotama, is the reason for this diverse inferiority & superiority among human beings?
The Blessed One replied: Beings are owners of their kamma, inherit their kamma, kamma is their maker and creator, they are born from and by their kamma, kamma is the womb from which they emerge, they are linked and associated to their past kamma as their friend and refuge... Therefore does kamma divide beings into the high and low, beautiful and ugly!
In Anguttara Nikaya III,40 it is said: "Killing, stealing, adultery, lying, backbiting, harsh angry speech and empty prattling, practiced, cultivated and frequently engaged in, will lead to hell, the animal world or the realm of ghosts." Further: "Whoso kills and is cruel, will either go to hell, or if reborn as a human, will be short-lived. Whosoever tortures other beings, will be afflicted with disease. The hater will be ugly & hideous, the envious will be without influence, the stubborn will be of low rank, the indolent will be ignorant. In the reverse case, a person will be reborn in a heavenly world; or, if reborn as a human being, and will be endowed with health, beauty, influence, riches, noble rank and intelligence."
In the Milindapañha the King asks the Arahat Nagasena: What is it, Venerable Sir, that will be reborn after death? O King: A psycho-physical combination of mentality-&-materiality (name-and-form = nama-rupa). But how? Is it the same psycho-physical name-and-form combination as this present one? No, O King. But the present psycho-physical combination produces kammically advantageous and disadvantageous intentional activities, and through such kamma a new psycho-physical combination will be created, conditioned and born. Source: The Milindapañha
Buddhaghosa explains in his Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification): Whosoever has no clear idea about death and does not know that death consists in the dissolution of the five groups of existence (i.e. form, feeling, perception, mental formations, & consciousness), he thinks that it is a person, or being, that dies and transmigrates to a new body in a new place. And whosoever has no clear idea about rebirth, and does not know that rebirth consists in the arising of the five groups of existence, he thinks that it is a person, or being, that is reborn, or that the person reappears in a new body. And whosoever has no clear idea about Samsara, the round of rebirths, he thinks that a real person wanders from this world to another world, comes from that world to this world, etc. And whosoever has no clear idea about the phenomena of existence, he thinks that the phenomena are his ego or something appertaining to the ego, or something permanent, joyful, or pleasant. And whosoever has no clear idea about the conditional arising of the phenomena of existence, and about the arising of kammic volitions conditioned through ignorance, he thinks that it is the ego that understands or fails to understand, that acts or causes to act, that enters into a new existence at rebirth. Or he thinks that the atoms or the Creator, etc., with the help of the embryonic process, shape the body, provide it with various faculties; that it is the ego that receives the sensuous impression, that feels, that desires, that becomes attached, that enters into existence again in another world. Or he thinks that all beings come to life through fate or chance. A mere phenomenon it is, a conditioned thing, that rises in the following existence. But not from a previous life does it transmigrate there, and yet it cannot arise without a previous cause. When this conditionally arisen bodily-mental phenomenon (the fetus) arises, one says that it has entered into a next existence. However, no being (satta), or life-principle (jiva), has transmigrated from the previous existence into this existence, and yet this embryo could not have come into existence without a previous cause. Source: Visuddhimagga (Chap. XVII)
Everywhere, in all the realms of existence, the noble disciple sees only mental and material phenomena kept going through the interlocking of causes and effects. No producer of the intentional act or kamma does he see apart from the kamma activity itself, and no recipient of the kamma-result apart from the result itself. And he is well aware that wise men are using merely conventional language, when with regard to a kammical act, they speak of a doer, or an agent, or with regard to a kamma-result, they speak of the recipient of the result. No doer of the deeds is found, No one who ever reaps their fruits; Empty phenomena roll on: Conditioned States: This only is the correct view. And while the deeds and their results roll on and on, all being conditioned by other phenomena. In this infinite causal matrix, there is no first beginning to be found, just as it is with seed and tree... No god, no Brahma, can be called The maker of this wheel of life: Only Empty phenomena roll on, all dependent on their causal conditions. Source: Visuddhimagga (Chap. XIX).
These 7 States are Focused on one single object: Nibbâna! The Awareness Link to Awakening is foremost, in the sense of rolling overall like a wheel. The Investigation Link to Awakening is the chief, in the sense of greatness like an elephant. The Energy Link to Awakening is the prime, in the sense of being swift & strong like a horse. The Joy Link to Awakening is vital, in the sense of giving brilliant radiance like a jewel. The Tranquillity Link to Awakening, is primary in the sense of soothing like a mild woman. The Concentration Link to Awakening, is best in the sense of giving wealth like a treasurer. The Equanimity Link to Awakening is supreme, in the sense of ballance like a good advisor. These seven links to awakening are thus like the 7 treasures of a wheel-turning monarch. They awaken beings into the state of entering the stream leading to the deathless Nibbana. They further awaken beings into the state of returning here as human only one more time. They furthermore awaken beings into the state of never returning here as human again. They finally fully awaken beings into the state of Arahatship by complete Enlightenment! When these seven states coincide simultaneously; fused into the same assemblage; all being joined focused on only one single and same object: Nibbana, then Awakening occurs... This 7-fold supreme culmination is the final Enlightenment!!! Yeah...
Awakening is 7 mental qualities focused on 1 single object...
Let us face the dry facts! Everything is impermanent! We can all understand impermanence superficially. But deep down in our subconscious mind a sense of permanence is lurking. So we keep patching up our broken teeth, wrinkled dry skin, brittle nails, grey hair, hunched backs, weak eyes, impaired hearing, becoming sick, breaking bones & many other things caused by the inevitable impermanence of this fragile body. Similarly do our moods, our feelings, our thoughts, our perceptions, and our memories all go through many changes in every moment. We take medicines, see mental health specialists, & do many other things, including meditation, to correct our restless flickering minds! While we are doing this, impermanence is still going on crushing everything both inside our body and mind and also outside in all the world relentlessly... While all the organs, all the cells, nervous system, quality of blood, capacity of oxygen content in the lungs and the bone structure are going through this very rapid and unmistakable change, no matter how much we patch up on the surface and beneath the skin, impermanence is working its due course quite persistently underground & inside the body and mind. Nothing on this earth, no science, no technology, can ever delay or stop this proceeding of change! Impermanence keeps burning everything up unstoppable and systematically!
Seeing impermanence (anicca) is the key that opens mind to see suffering, and non-self! The moment we understand this very clearly, our mind opens to the fact that things change without leaving a trace behind to follow the path that impermanence has taken. This is called voidness or signlessness... This awareness evaporates the desire for anything that is impermanent! It also evaporates all aversion growing from our disappointed expectations. Then naturally, this clean mind becomes fully aware of not having any agent, immovable mover, or controller, which sometimes is called "Self, I, Me, Ego" or even "Soul" by some people. This element of Dhamma, this basic intrinsic nature of all, this law of Dhamma is known in Buddhism as emptiness of self! The Blessed Buddha said: Sabbe Dhamma Anatta = All States are Selfless! Seeing impermanence with wisdom is the key to detachment, calming, stilling, ceasing, and releasing mental relinquishment. Joyous Freedom is the result!
In the Maha-suññata Sutta (MN 122) The Blessed Buddha points out that suffering arises from clinging and attaching to all impermanent things: "I do not see even a single kind of form from the change and alteration of which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in one who lusts for it and takes delight in it!" The same is true of all transient feeling, perception, mental construction=intention & sorts of consciousness! If we tenaciously cling to any of them, then we suffer, when they decay!
This passage clearly states, that suffering arises from the attachment to form, not because the form is impermanent, but because we are attached to impermanent form. When we attain full enlightenment, we do not suffer! This happens not because we make any impermanent things now everlasting! This happens only because we release our clinging to all impermanent things. Impermanent phenomena continue to be impermanent, whether we ever gain enlightenment or not. As the blessed Buddha also has explained exactly: "Bhikkhus, whether Tathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always this constantly established element of Dhamma, this fixed law of Dhamma: All that is conditioned and constructed is impermanent. To this aTathagata fully awakens and fully understands. So awakened and thus understanding, he announces, points it out, declares, establishes, expounds, and explains it, classifies and clarifies it: All that is conditioned is actually impermanent... Bhikkhus, whetherTathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always this precedent condition and absolute of Dhamma, this anchored law of Dhamma: All that is conditioned and constructed is unsatisfactory, & thus suffering! To this aTathagata fully awakens and fully understands. So awakened and thus understanding, he announces, points out, declares, establishes, explains, and clarifies it: All that is conditioned and constructed is indeed Suffering! Bhikkhus, whether Tathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always this situation present, a subtle truth of Dhamma, this safe doctrine of Dhamma: All states are without a self! To this fact anyTathagata fully awakens and fully understands. So awakened and understanding, he announces, points out, declares, establishes, explains, and clarifies it: All states are without self!" Anguttara Nikaya I 285
By seeing the impermanence, suffering & selflessness thus in all conditioned things in this and any other world, one naturally becomes disenchanted with everything constructed. Disenchantment leads to disillusion and dispassion towards everything. Within a dispassionate mind craving for everything will gradually fade away (viraga). With this insight one lets go of all attachment. Being dispassionate, one thereby liberates oneself from all this evil misery... Being liberated, one knows that one is liberated, has ended rebirth, has lived the Noble life, has done what should be done, and that there is nothing more to be done! This means that attaining full freedom from all suffering indeed begins with this very perfect and acute awareness of impermanence...!
Source: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana: From Impermanence to Liberation. Buddhist Publication Society http://www.bps.lk/ Newsletter #63: 2010-1.
The entire world is in flames, all the entire world is blazing up in smoke! The entire world is burning, the entire world is decaying and vanishing... But that which does not vanish or burn, which is experienced by the Nobles, where Death has no entry, in that stilled silence mind finds sweet delight. Samyutta Nikaya 1.168
Without sign, unknown, uncertain, is the life here of mortals, demanding, short, tied up with pain and misery. For there's no way by which those who are born will not die. All Beings will surely die even if they become very old!
Like ripe fruits, whose downfall, whose danger always is inevitable falling, so for mortals, once born, the constant danger is forever hereafter death!
As a potter's clay vessels, large & small, fired & unfired, all end up broken, so too life heads to death. Young & old, wise & foolish, rich & poor: Everyone come under the sway of death, all have death as their assured certain end.
Note the hands are taken the Head and Mind that suffers!
For those overcome by death, gone to the other world, father cannot protect son, nor relatives any family. See: Even while relatives are looking & wailing heavily, mortals are one by one led away like dumb cows to the slaughter...
In this way is the world afflicted with aging & death! Knowing this indeed inescapable and unavoidable nature of the world, the enlightened don't ever grieve! You don't know from where the dying came or where he is going... Seeing neither end, you lament uselessly in blind vain.. Helping nobody at all!
If, by lamenting, confused, harming yourself, any good use could be gained the prudent would do it as well. But not by weeping & grief do you gain peace of mind. Pain just arises all the more. Your body is hurt. You grow thin, pale, harming yourself by yourself. Not in that folly way, are the dead protected. Lamentations are all in pointless vain.
Not abandoning grief, a person suffers all the more pain. Bewailing one whose time is done, you fall under the sway of grief yourself. Look at others, going along, people arriving in line with their past actions: Falling under the sway of death, beings simply shivers here, for a short unstable waste of a life...
For however they imagine it to be, it always becomes quite other than that! That's a fate of their blinded estrangement. See this evil way of the world...
Even if a person lives a century, or even more, he will be separated from his community, friends & relatives. He leaves his life alone & naked right there!
So, having heard the Arahat, who have subdued all lamentation, seeing that the dead is one whose time is done, understanding: "I can't fetch him back." Just as one would extinguish a burning shelter with water, even so does the Enlightened One, intelligent, clever and wise, blow away any arisen sorrow, like a strong wind, a bit of cotton fluff!
Seeking your own happiness, you should pull out your own injuring arrow: All your own lamentation, longing, hoping, hungering producing only sorrow! With arrow pulled out, independent, attaining peace of awareness, all grief is transcended, griefless you are unbound, free, safe, at ease in peace...
The Buddha once epitomized a crucial, yet counter-intuitive fact by saying: "Sabbe Dhamma Anatta ", which means "All states are self-&-coreless...!"
This entails an absence or voidness of a stable same core in any phenomena: Internally exists there no "self", "soul", "I", "you" "me", "agent" anywhere! Externally exists there no "substance", "matter", or "real world" anywhere! Mentally is there no "controller", "speaker" or "experiencer" inside in mind... Physically is there no "reality" or "rock-solid-matter-stuff" outside in world...
Both inner "EGO" & outer "SUBSTANCE" are illusionary ideas!
Buddha emphasized that release from the Ego-Substance-concept was Bliss: "Blissful is solitude for one who is content, learned & who see the Dhamma. More blissful is harmlessness towards all living beings without exception. Even more blissful is freedom from any sensual urge & craving whatsoever. Yet, the supreme bliss, is the elimination of this abysmal conceit 'I Exists'" Udana – Inspiration: II – 1
No Substantial Object exists 'Out There', nor any Subject-Ego 'In Here'!
The Blessed Buddha once said: "In the seen is merely the process of seeing... In the heard is merely the process of hearing... In the sensed is merely the process of sensing... In the thought is merely the process of thinking... So knowing, you will not be connected 'with that'... So disconnected you will not be absorbed 'into that'... So neither with that, nor into that You Are Not created by that sensation! When there is no 'You' inferred or conjectured by that very experience, then 'You' are neither 'here', 'there', 'both', 'beyond' nor 'in between'...!
On realizing the importance of this incident the Blessed One exclaimed: Where neither solidity, fluidity, heat nor motion find any footing, there no sun, moon nor star ever shines. There is neither any light, yet nor is there any darkness! When the Noble, through stilling of all construction, through quieting of all mental formation, directly experiences this, then is he freed from both form & formlessness, then is he released from both pleasure and all pain ..." Udana – Inspiration: I - 10.
The Buddha insisted on a subtle and profound quasi-pseudo-real world: "The world is bound up by and shrouded in delusion. It appears as real and is regarded as if it were fine! The fool bound to his illusive acquisitions, blinded by darkness, assumes it as eternal, but for one who sees & really understands, there is nothing real, stable or same, neither here nor there..." Udana – Inspiration: VII – 10 "This World both Begins and Ends within this 2 fathom frame of bones..." SN I 62 "The ALL is thereby actually just a sensed & experienced representation..." SN IV 15
A crucial core question is: What is actually an experienced phenomenon? See the equally vital answer here! If mind is directly involved in creating the very "thing" or "state" it perceives, as an active participatory observer, then there cannot ever be any "objective observation" or "world out-there", which is independent of the mind that intends, selects, and manifests it...! It entails that 'mind' is inseparable from 'matter'. They are Siamese-Twins! In early Buddhism, the Buddha coined this subtle yet dual Unity: Nama-Rupa! Name-&-Form or Naming-&-Forming, since these are dynamic processes, that in mutual dependence creates each other like 2 creepers, that only can grow up, if growing up twisted & rotated around the other's stem like a DNA-helix.
The anthropic universe develops by conscious selection of many participating observers. Please note that the U symbolizing the universe gets "fatter" left by increased observation! American physicist John Archibald Wheeler said: "No phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is an Observed Phenomenon...!" "We are participators in bringing into being not only the near, but also the far away both in time and space! Symbolic representation of the Universe is a self-excited system brought into being by self-reference or auto-creation by consciously selecting observers over an immensely long period of time... Such a recursive-reflecting creative concept is similar to the endless series of receding reflections one sees in a pair of mirrors facing each others....” Reference: J.A. Wheeler in Isham et al., eds., Quantum Gravity (Clarendon, Oxford, 1975), pgs. 564-565. (Edited Extract.)
"No phenomenon is a phenomenon, until it is an observed phenomenon!" said by J.A. Wheeler from his delayed choice experiment ideas, is referenced in: The undivided universe: An ontological interpretation of quantum theory. p. 104 By David Bohm, and Basil J. Hiley.
"The path of the electron comes into existence, only when we observe it!" John S. Bell
"Fundamental to contemporary Quantum Theory is the notion that there is no phenomenon until it is observed! This is known as the 'Observer Effect'. The implications of the 'Observer Effect'are profound because, if true, it means that before anything can manifest in the physical universe it must first be observed! This Observer Effect clearly implies that all the physical Universe is the direct result of consciousness itself!" Alex Paterson.
HELP! Please Help Me Out of this Empty Illusion!
If you feel slightly weird or dizzy after reading this, you are right on track! Hihihi ;-) Keep on observing, studying, reflecting. Never give up Examination! It is not "reality" that seems to be evaporating under your feet, but rather the unseen, hidden, habitual and utterly false assumptions you had about it!
The 20 Kinds of False "Self"-Projection: What are the 20 invalid Theories of an only apparently existing "Ego-self"? 1: My "self" is identical with my Body: This physical matter is my "Ego". 2: My "self" has a Body, this physical matter is owned by my "Ego". 3: My "self" is hidden somewhere inside & included within this Body frame. 4: This Body form is hidden inside and included within a pervading "Ego".
5: My "self" is identical with my Feelings: Pain, pleasure & neutral feeling is my "Ego". 6: My "self" has Feelings, these sensations are owned by my very own "Ego". 7: My "self" is hidden inside among these Feelings, included within these emotions. 8: These Feelings are hidden inside and included within my all-pervading "Ego-self".
9: My "self" is identical with my Perceptions: These experiences are my "Ego". 10: My "self" has Perceptions: These experiences are owned by my very own "Ego". 11: My "self" is hidden inside these Perceptions, included among all these experiences. 12: These Experiences are hidden inside & included inherently within my "Ego-self".
13: My "self" is identical with my Mental Constructions: Ideas & intentions are my "Ego". 14: My "self" possess mental Constructions: These activities are owned by my "Ego". 15: My "self" is hidden inside among these mental Constructions, included as a core. 16: These Cogitations are hidden inside & included inherently within my "ego-self".
17: My "self" is identical with my Consciousness: This bare awareness is my "Ego". 18: My "self" has a Consciousness: This naked awareness is owned by my "Ego". 19: My "self" is hidden inside this Consciousness, included in all aware moments. 20: This Consciousness is hidden inside & included inherently within my "self".
The imagined EGO tragi-comically imprisons itself in overblown pride and ego-centrism! Even without noticing it, since it is so blindly fallen in love with this non-existent Myself! Enveloped in Egotism this Ego then systematically destroys itself by egoistic behaviour! The very conception of an 'Ego' is thus a catastrophic form of mental auto-cannibalism, which beings repeat life after life, resulting in immense pain for themselves & all others... Why are these 20 common assumptions invalid, erroneous, wrong and false? Because any concept of a "Self" inherently implies 3 criteria: 1 Sameness: It is something constant over time: An "identical same self"... 2 Control: That it is "self"-controllable: i.e. fully independent and autonomic... 3 Pleasant: That it is pleasant, since if self was not pleasant, & the "Self" really was in full power, then it would instantly make whatever is self, become pleasant! However, neither body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness is constant and the same, even for a moment... Therefore they cannot possibly ever qualify as a "same self", nor be identical with any stable and definable identity...!!! Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness fully controllable... Neither can they thus ever meet the control requirements of a self! Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness always pleasant... They can therefore never contain or coincide with any autonomic self!
Could the assumed ‘"self"’ be a combination of any of 1-20? Not so! Why not? If "self" is not found within any of 1-20, it cannot ever be a collection of them!
The 4 Mechanisms of unseen, assumed, and associative Ego-projection: 1+5+9+13+17 are examples of illusory identification with mere passing states... 2+6+10+14+18 are examples of fictitious immanence and invented ownership... 3+7+11+15+19 are examples of imagined inclusion in something becoming otherwise... 4+8+12+16+20 are examples of phony possessing as an invisible acquisition...
This doctrine of selflessness, Anatta, No-self, Not-Anyone-Anything-Anywhere is particular to the Buddhas. No other is able to discover, comprehend, nor teach this!
The Blessed Buddha once radically pointed out: "All phenomena is void of a "self" or of what belongs to any "self"! Within this frame is therefore nothing belonging to anyone, anywhere, nor is there anything owned by this frame in anyone, anywhere or elsewhere..."
Like a Scarecrow empty of self, soul, ownership & ego...
Who enters Nibbãna, Happy, Free in Peace? Wrong question! Why? There was no-one really there in the first place...! Nibbana is there. Beings attain it, but no-one is ever seen entering it... There was no 'entity' or 'person' there, but a process that simply stops!
Right question: Not Who, but What is then absolutely free? Right answer: Form is then free, Feeling is then free, Perception is then free, Mental Construction is then free, and Consciousness itself is then free! Cut short: The 5 clusters of clinging are instantly freed! When all craving and all clinging is completely relinquished and eliminated, then they are all completely irreversibly freed and they by that evaporate, disintegrate, fade away and vanish... This is the signless Nibbana...
The Blessed Buddha once explained: When past conditioning is exhausted, and no fresh causality is produced, then mind is no longer lead to future rebirth. When cravings no more arise, the seed is consumed! Still-minded ones cease like the flame of this lamp... Sutta Nipata 235
What actually stops burning right there? The Fire of Greed, Hate and Ignorance, is finally extinguished in Nibbana...
I: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Material Form (Rupa): Form or materiality is composed of these 4 Primary Elements: 1: Solidity based microscopically on the force of extension. 2: Fluidity based microscopically on the force of cohesion. 3: Heat based microscopically on the property of vibration. 4: Motion based microscopically on the property of energy. From these 4 can be derived all other formed phenomena... Form (Rupa) in Buddhism is a quality, but not a substance... Whatever there are of formed things, whether past, present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all these belong to this form group. Desire, lust craving and clinging to that, is the cluster of clinging to form!
II: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Feeling (Vedana): There are these five kinds of Feeling: 1: Bodily pleasant feeling and 2: Bodily painful feeling. 3: Mentally glad feeling and 4: Mentally sad feeling. And finally: 5: Indifferent feeling = Neither painful, pleasant, sad, nor glad. Feeling is born as effect of eye contact, or ear contact, or nose contact, or tongue contact, or body contact, or mental contact... Whatever there is of feeling, whether past, present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that belongs to this feeling group. Desire, lust, craving for, and clinging to these reactions, is the cluster of clinging to feeling!
III: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Perception (Sañña): There are these six kinds of Perception: 1: Visual perception of form and color. 2: Auditory perception of sound. 3: Olfactory perception of smell. 4: Gustatory perception of taste. 5: Tactile perception of touch. 6: Mental perception of ideas and states. Whatever there is of perception, whether past, present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that belongs to this perception group. Desire, lust, craving for and clinging to these perceived experiences, is the cluster of clinging to perception!
IV: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Construction (Sankhara): There are six kinds of mental construction dealing with visual objects, or hearable objects, or smellable, or tastable, or touchable objects, or thinkable objects. Whatever there is of mental construction, whether past, present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that belongs to this mental construction group. Desire, craving for and clinging to these objectives, is the cluster of clinging to construction! Wanting to see some special form is the mental construction of intention...
V: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Consciousness (Viññana): There are six kinds of consciousness: 1: The Visual Consciousness of seeing. 2: The Auditory Consciousness of hearing. 3: Olfactory Consciousness of smelling. 4: Gustatory Consciousness of tasting. 5: Tactile Consciousness of touching. 6: The Mental Consciousness of thinking. Whatever there is of consciousness, whether past, present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that belongs to this very consciousness group. Desire, craving for and clinging to this aware recognition, is the cluster of clinging to consciousness!
The Blessed Buddha said: Recluses and priests, who knows the causation, the ceasing, and the way leading to the ceasing of these five clusters of clinging, who are practicing for disgust towards these, for their fading away and dissolution, they are practicing well! They are later released and well liberated through this very non-clinging... Those who are well liberated are consummate ones, completed ones... There is no way of describing such utterly perfected ones...
There is nothing in this or any Universe apart from these 5 Clusters of Clinging...
No Sensing can ever be Satiated! The Blessed Buddha once said: The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body & the mind, Bhikkhus, is an ocean of attractive stimuli for any uninstructed ordinary person... Its streams are forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states, that all are seductive, gorgeous, alluring, agreeable, pleasing, enticing, tempting and tantalizing.... Here this entire world and its devas, its maras, and brahmas, this generation with its recluses & priests, its kings and all normal people, almost all are sunken and submerged, being like an entangled and knotted coil of thread, like intertwined weeds, who all are unable to pass beyond this dimension of misery, these painful destinations, these lower worlds, this ocean of Suffering by repeated death ever again, this Samsara! One who withstands that mighty and strapping current consisting of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states is said to have crossed this sensual ocean of the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind, with its great waves, whirlpools, terrifying sharks, and demons! Crossed over, gone all beyond, such a Hero now stands safe on high ground... Having extinguished all attraction, aversion and blinded ignorance, one has crossed this ocean so hard to cross with its dangers of terrifying sharks, scary whirlpools, waves and a vast variety of creepy demons... Such a chain-breaking death-forsaker, elevated all without accumulations, has eliminated all Suffering by leaving all behind any renewed existence... Transcended, he cannot ever be defined, measured or even recognized! I tell you, Bhikkhus: He has confused even the King of Death...
The Ocean of Sense Stimuli overcomes & drowns all beings!
Sense-Organs also implies Sensing Suffering! At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this: Bhikkhus, the arising, emergence, maintenance, creation, & manifestation of the Eye the Ear, the Nose, the Tongue, and the Body is also the arising of much Suffering, the continuation of disease, the very manifestation of ageing, decay and Death itself! The ceasing, all subsiding, and complete passing away of the Eye, the Ear, the Nose, the Tongue, and the Body is also the Final Ending of all Suffering, the abating of all disease, and the complete passing away of all ageing, decay and even the elimination of the process and necessity of death itself! Bhikkhus, the arising, emergence, maintenance, creation, & manifestation of the Mind is also the arising of Suffering, the long continuation of disease, the very manifestation of ageing, decay and Death itself! Therefore is the ceasing, subsiding, silencing and thus the complete passing away of the Mind and all mentality consequently also the final ending of all Suffering, the abating of all disease, & stopping the ageing, sickness, pain, suffering, & even the fact of death itself! Only this can end all Suffering!
Purity of Mental Action! Purity of Verbal Action! Purity of Bodily Action! Herein, what is purity of bodily action? It is complete abstention from killing any breathing being, avoidance of taking whatever is not freely given, & refraining from any misbehaviour in sense desires...
Herein, what is purity of verbal action? It is abstention from any false lies, avoidance of all aggressive speech, shunning all divisive slandering speech, & refraining from all idle & empty hear-say gossip...
Herein, what is purity of mental action? It is non-envious non-greediness, kind & gentle good-will, and Noble Right View...
These 3 behavioral purities are: Like the earth in property: A firm footing to those, who desire Freedom.. Like water are they, for they wash away all the stains of mental defilement.. Like fire are they, for they burn the whole forest of the mental obstructions.. Like wind are they, for they blow away all the dust of mental obscuration.. Like a ship are they, for they ferry those, who desire Peace across this Samsara.. Like a shelter, for they restore Faith in those frightened by Ageing & Death.. Like a guide are they, leading any wishing ease out of the jungle of wrong views.. Like a mirror are they, making any who want Bliss to see the Clusters of Clinging.. Like an umbrella, warding off incessant scorching of Greed, Hate & Ignorance.. Like the sun are they, for they dispel darkness and gloom of Deluded Confusion..
Who fully guards his speech, and is well controlled in mind, Who does nothing disadvantageous through the body's door, Who purifies this simple triple course of all acted-out behaviour, Will win both the path and the fruit, that all the Seers have enjoyed!
What is Mara: A Transient, Painful, and Selfless State? At Savatthi. While seated, the Venerable Radha asked the Blessed One: Venerable Sir, one says: Mara, Mara!! What is this Mara; the Evil One? Radha, form, feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness is Mara, is a state of Mara, is impermanent, is of an impermanent nature, is suffering, is of a painful nature, is no-self, is of an impersonal nature, is in a state of destruction, is in a state of vanishing, is an unstable state, is always in a state of momentary ceasing, vanishing right there and then... Radha, you should therefore leave behind desire, should leave behind lust, you should leave behind all desire and lust for whatever is a state of Mara, for whatever is impermanent, for whatever is only impermanent appearance, for whatever is suffering, for whatever is of a painful nature, for whatever is no-self, for whatever is of a ownerless nature, for whatever is a state of destruction, for whatever is a state of vanishing, for whatever is in a state of arising, for whatever that is a state of cessation... And what, Radha, is a state of cessation? Form is a state of cessation. Feeling, Perception, Mental Constructions, and this Consciousness is also a state of continuous ceasing... Understanding this, Radha, the well instructed Noble Disciple experiences disgust towards form, disgust towards feeling, disgust towards perception, disgust towards mental construction, & disgust towards consciousness itself! Experiencing disgust, he becomes disillusioned! Through disillusion his mind is released. When it is released, he instantly knows: This mind is liberated, and he understands: Extinguished is birth, this Noble Life is all completed, done is what should be done, there is no state of being beyond this one...
He is also called Namuci: Never letting any Escape his hypnotic hedonist powers! Any Deva can choose own body form. His favourite manifestations are as above..
The 7 Links to Awakening produce Final Enlightenment...
There are these 7 links leading to final Enlightenment...
1: Awareness is a link to Awakening. 2: Investigation of the states is a link to Awakening. 3: Energy is a link to Awakening. 4: Joy is a link to Awakening. 5: Tranquillity is a link to Awakening. 6: Concentration is a link to Awakening. 7: Equanimity is a link to Awakening.
They lead to and induce enlightenment! Thus are they links to awakening: They are themselves enlightened, in this way are they links to awakening. They are enlightened, since they embrace the root cause of awakening. They are enlightened, since they provide & equip the cause of awakening. They are enlightened, since they induce ripening of the cause of awakening. They are enlightened, since they enhance the root cause of awakening. They are enlightened, since they completely perfect the cause of awakening.
How do the 7 Links to Awakening remain established and anchored in mind? The Awareness link remains by no attention being given to other states. The Awareness link remains by the sign of being directed to continuously. The Awareness link remains by the sign-less state being given attention. The Awareness link remains by no attention given to mental construction. The Awareness link remains by attention being given to ceasing of craving. The Awareness link to Awakening indeed remains fixed & anchored in mind in these 5 ways. Exactly & similarly so with the other 6 links to Awakening.
Awareness Awakens!END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT=WORLD VIETNAMESE BUD-DHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUD-DHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.10/10/2013.NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUD-DHA.( 3 TIMES ).
Comments
Any body is a Dying Bag of Bones!
All formations, all constructions, mental as physical, are truly transient...
It is their nature to arise and cease right there, where they arised...
Having arisen these captivating discrete mental states instantly pass away!
The calming, stilling & ceasing of these momentary appearances is happiness.
Therefore: Even in the present every being dies millions of times per second!
So also will they die in any possible future. So have they always died...
In the same way then: I shall surely die! There is no doubt in me about this.
Uncertain is life, but certain is death. I shall surely die. Death will be the
termination of my life. Life is very insecure, but death is sure, death is sure!
Not long, alas! and this my beloved puppet-like body will lie upon the earth!
Rejected, void of consciousness, disgusting, and as useless as a rotten log...
This very body, from the soles of the feet up to the the crown of the head,
is a just a bag of bones surrounded by skin, full of various mean impurities:
Hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones,
marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, bowel, intestines,
slime, excrement, brain, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, tallow,
spit, snot, joint-fluid, and foul urine...
Just a bag of bones, flesh and skin — skin, flesh and bones... A rotten log...
Comments:
Keeping this precious and very realistic imagery in mind, will then gradually
reduce and weaken these violent lusts, voracious greeds and uncontrollable
wanton desires, that attract beings into self-destructive forms of suffering
such as: Porno-mania, pedophilia, HIV-transmitting sexuality, over-eating,
abuse of drugs, alcohol, and pills, all addictions to the manifold and diverse
forms, feelings, perceptions, mental constructions and variants of (doped)
consciousness... All this - though fascinating - remains just an ensnaring and
enthralling Suffering (Dukkha), disguised as pleasure and satisfaction....
More on this Buddhist ultra-realism regarding the Death of the Body:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Thorn.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Foul_Frame.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil-smelling_body.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Body_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Inevitable_but_not_the_End.htm
JUST A FORM OF FRAME
This body is always worn out, a fragile form, a nest of disease,
a rotting mass of deception, since its life surely and always
ends in Decay and Death ...
Dhammapada 148
A BAG OF BONES
Like withered leaves scattered by the autumn wind
are these pale and whitened bones. What happiness
can there ever be in them?
Dhammapada 149
MY PRECIOUS AND ADORED BODY!
It is a bag held up by bones, plastered with skin,
full of blood and flesh. In it lives only ageing, sickness,
death, pride and petty self-deceit...
Dhammapada 150
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt):
The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts.
By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo:
http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
A Bag of Bones!
How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance?
The Bak Poya day is the full-moon of April. This holy day celebrates
that the Buddha visits Ceylon for the second time to reconcile two
local chiefs Mahodara and Culodara, uncle & nephew, who had fallen
into war threatening hostility about a throne beset with Jewels...
The story shows the Buddha as top diplomat & is given in full below!
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the
Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed white-clothed clean bare feet,
one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue, and bows first 3 times,
so that feet, hands, elbows, knees & head touch the floor. Then, with
joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines in a loud,
calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's
own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much
better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in/to
this world! The journey towards Nibbana: The Deathless is started!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and
fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha Observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps also the Eight Precepts from sunrise until
next dawn. If any wish official recognition by the BhikkhuSangha,
they may easily forward the lines starting with "I hereby" signed by
name, date, town, & country to me or join here. Public list of this new
quite rapidly growing global web Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
The New Noble Community of Buddha's Disciples: Saddhamma Sangha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Can quite advantageously be Joined Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
May your journey hereby be light, swift, and sweet. Never give up !!
Bhikkhu Samahita: [email]what.buddha.said@gmail.com[/email]
For Details on The Origin of Uposatha Observance Days:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html
Re-uniting those who are divided, by bringing harmony:
Now the most compassionate Teacher, the Conqueror, rejoicing in
the salvation of the whole world, when dwelling at Jetavana in the
fifth year of his Buddhahood, saw that war, caused by a gem beset
throne, was like to come to pass between the nagas Mahodara and
Culodara, uncle and nephew and their followers! The SamBuddha,
then on the Uposatha day of the dark half of the month Citta, in the
early morning, took his sacred alms bowl and his robes, and, out of
compassion for the nagas, sought the Nagadipa. At that time the
same naga Mahodara was then king, gifted with miraculous powers,
in a nagas kingdom in the ocean, that covered half a 1000 yojanas.
His younger sister had been given in marriage to the naga king on
the Kannavaddhamana mountain; her son was Culodara. His mothers
father had given to his mother a splendid throne of jewels, then the
naga had died and therefore was this war between nephew & uncle
threatening! The nagas of the mountains were also armed with many
miraculous powers. The deva Samiddhisumana took his rajayatana
tree standing in Jetavana, his own fair habitation, holding it like a
parasol over the Conqueror, he, with the Teachers leave, attended
him to that spot where he had formerly dwelt. That very deva had
been, in his latest birth, a man in Nagadipa. On the very spot where
thereafter the rajayatana tree stood, he had seen PaccekaBuddhas
taking their meal. And at the sight his heart was glad & he offered
branches to cleanse their alms bowls. Therefore he was reborn in
that very same tree in the pleasant Jetavana garden, outside of the
gate rampart. The God of all gods saw in this an advantage for that
deva, and, for the sake of the good which should spring therefrom
for Ceylon, he brought him there together with his tree. Hovering
there in midair above the battlefield, the Master, who drives away
spiritual darkness, called forth dreadful darkness over the nagas!
Then comforting those who were distressed by terror he once again
spread light abroad. When they saw the Blessed One, they joyfully
did reverence to the Masters feet. Then the Vanquisher preached
to them the Dhamma that makes concord, & both nagas gladly gave
up the throne to the Sage. When the Master, having alighted on the
earth, had taken his place on a seat there, and had been refreshed
with celestial food and drink served by the naga kings, he, the Lord,
established in the three refuges and in the 8 moral precepts eighty
kotis of snake-spirits, dwellers in the ocean and on the mainland.
The nagaking Maniakkhika of Kalyani, maternal uncle to this naga
Mahodara, who had come there to take part in the battle, and who
before, at the Buddhas first coming, having heard the true Dhamma
preached, had become established in the 3 refuges & in the moral
duties, prayed now to the Tathagata: Great is the compassion that
you have shown us here, Master! Had you not appeared we had all
been consumed to ashes. May your compassion yet settle also and
especially on me, you who are rich in friendly loving kindness, please
peerless one come again back here to my home country. When the
Lord had consented by his silence to return, then he planted the
rajayatana tree on that very spot as a sacred memorial, & the Lord
of the Worlds gave over the rajayatana tree & the precious throne
seat to the naga kings to do homage thereto: In remembrance that
I have used these do homage to them naga kings! This, well beloved,
will bring to pass many blessings & happiness to you for a long time!
When the Blessed One had uttered this and other exhortations to
the nagas, he, the compassionate saviour of all the world, returned
to the Jetavana monastery.
Here ends the explanation of the Visit to Nagadipa.
Source: Mahavamsa I:44. The Great Chronicle of Ceylon.
Translated. By Wilhelm Geiger 1912; reprinted in 1980.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=130010I
Have a nice day!
Friendship is the Greatest
Bhikkhu Samahita Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
http://groups.google.com/group/Buddha-Direct
http://groups.google.com/group/What_Buddha_Said
Re-Uniting is Bak Poya Day!
From external Element to internal Urge to silly Search:
There is the element of eye-sensitivity, the element of visual form, these induce
the element of visual consciousness. The coincidence of these three, is eye Contact...
In dependence on this element of visual-sensitivity, there arises eye-contact.
In dependence on eye-contact, there arises a feeling, born of eye-contact.
In dependence on feeling born of eye-contact, there arises instant craving...
In dependence on the element of visual form, there arises perception.
In dependence on this visual experience, tendency towards a form arises.
In dependence on this inclination, desire for particular visible forms arises.
In dependence on this specific desire, a fever for these specific forms arises.
In dependence on this fever for form, search after these certain forms arises.
In dependence on this search for form, reaching out, acquisition & panic clinging
to a manifold of forms, comes into being... Such is the arising of this entire
mass of ever frustrated suffering...
Similarly with the pairs of ear & sound, nose & smell, tongue & taste, body & touch,
mind & mental states and their respective specific kinds of consciousness.
This search, this urge, this compulsive drive, is caused by that craving !
Craving that was born from feeling, which was arised from contact…
Any Craving causes Suffering...
Right here and now, later and much later...
Right there at greeting Contact, is this Suffering therefore born...
Right there at avoiding Contact, is this Suffering therefore left...
I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice-Cream...
(Jim Jarmusch in the film: Down by Law)
Source:
The Grouped Sayings on the Elements by the Buddha. Dhatu-Samyutta Nikaya XIV
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice relentless day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
I scream, U scream, We all Scream for Ice-Cream!
This World is Messed Up!
The Buddha once told a deity:
This world is suffering from Death,
Troubled by ageing, decay and sickness,
Wounded by the Dart of constant Craving!
Always is it burning with Desire and Lust...
This world is addicted to Delight and Pleasure,
Since dragged around by this urge and longing,
Craving must be cut, to break free from bondage
and reach the only absolute freedom: Nibbana...
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya I 40
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
On Craving as the Cause of Suffering see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3_kinds_of_Craving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering.htm
Freedom = Cut Craving!!
Why do some beings attain Nibbãna, while others do not?
Sakka, the king of the 33 Gods once asked the Blessed Buddha:
Venerable Sir, what is the cause & reason, why some beings here do not
attain Nibbana in this very life? And what is the cause and reason, why
some beings here do indeed attain Nibbana in this very life?
Knowing this being's addiction to divine delight the Buddha answered:
There are, King of the thirty-three Devas, forms experiencable by the eye,
sounds experiencable by the ear, smells experiencable by the nose, touches
experiencable by the body, and mental phenomena experiencable by the
mind, that all are attractive, charming, agreeable, pleasing, tempting, and
tantalizing. If a bhikkhu hunts for delight in them, welcomes them, and
remains holding on to them, his mind becomes addicted to them and clings
to them. Any being mentally dominated by clinging cannot attain Nibbana!
This is the cause & reason, King of the Devas, why many & most beings here
do not attain Nibbana in this very life... There are, King of the Devas,
forms experiencable by the eye, sounds experiencable by the ear, smells
experiencable by the nose, touches experiencable by the body, and mental
phenomena experiencable by the mind, that all are attractive, charming,
agreeable, pleasing, enticing, tempting and tantalizing. If a wise Bhikkhu
avoids seeking any delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not
remain holding on to them, then his mind doesn't become addicted to them,
Any being mentally wholly freed of clinging can indeed attain Nibbana!
This is the cause and reason, King of the Devas, why some beings here can
attain Nibbana in this very life, while most neither can, nor will....
Deva king Sakka and a few of his hundreds of dear nymphs...
More on the Deva King Sakka (Indra) of the 33 Gods (Tavatimsa):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/sa/sakka.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/t/taavatimsa.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 102
The 6 senses section 35. Thread on Sakka's Question: 118.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Why and Why not?
How differs Death & Ceasing of Perception and Feeling ???
Venerable Mahakotthita once asked Venerable Sariputta:
Friend, what is the difference between a dead body & a Bhikkhu,
who has attained the state of cessation of perception & feeling?
Venerable Sariputta then answered:
Friend, in a dead body the bodily activity is stilled & has all ceased.
The verbal activity is stilled & has all ceased.
The mental activity is stilled & has all ceased.
The metabolic life activity is exhausted. The heat has dissipated,
and the mental abilities have all broken up & been destroyed.
In the bhikkhu, who has attained to the cessation of perception & feeling,
All bodily activity & breathing is stilled & has all ceased;
All verbal activity & all thinking is stilled & has ceased;
All mental activity & all sensing is stilled & has ceased;
But the metabolic life activity is not exhausted. The heat has not dissipated.
Furthermost: The mental abilities have then become exceptionally clear ... !!!
Friend, this is the difference between a dead body & a Bhikkhu, who has
attained to the meditative state of cessation of perception & feeling...
More on the profound attainment of stilled Cessation (Nirodha-samapatti):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/9_Stillings.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Ceasing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Stilled_but_not_Dead.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_18_Principal_Insights.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anupubba_nirodha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/nirodha_samaapatti.htm
Source: MN 43 The Great Speech of Questions & Answers.
For definitions of the Terms: see: The Minor Speech of Questions & Answers. MN 44
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn044.html
Have a nice silent day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Profound Peace!
Five x Five Crucial Core Buddhist Categories:
There are five Mental Abilities:
1: Faith, 2: Energy, 3: Awareness, 4: Concentration & 5: Understanding.
There are five Rules of Training:
1: No Killing, 2: No Stealing, 3: No Lying, 4: No Sexual Abuse, 5; No Alcohol or Drugs.
There are five Clusters of Clinging to:
1: Form, 2: Feeling, 3: Perception, 4: Construction & 5: Consciousness.
There are five Mental Hindrances:
1: Sense-Desire, 2: Anger, 3: Lethargy & Laziness, 4: Regret & Restlessness 5: Doubt & Uncertainty.
There are five Destinations right after Death:
1: Hell, 2: Animal Womb, 3: Hungry Ghost, 4: Human Being or 5: Deity.
Source: The Exhaustive Speeches by the Buddha. Digha Nikaya 33
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25103
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html
More on these core concepts enabling comprehension:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Refuges_and_Precepts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Mental_Hindrances.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Five_Destinations.htm
Friendship is the Greatest
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Five x Five!
How not to Accumulate & Prolong Suffering?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Friends, whoever recluse or priest now, in the past, or in the future regard
whatever pleasant and attractive, there is in this world as permanent, as
lasting, as happiness, as self, as healthy, as secure, they all thereby only
stimulate craving! By stimulating craving they long, thirsts and hankers,
thereby inducing production of sense desires, production of defilements,
production of intentions, hopes, wishes and planning, and production of
these 5 clusters of clinging! By nurturing uptake of such accumulation of
fuel for becoming, fuel for existence, they indeed provoke continuation!
Thus provoking prolongation, they are neither freed from birth, nor from
decay & ageing, nor are they freed from death! They are therefore not
released from sorrow, from depression, from despair, from misery, from
pain, from frustration, from discontent, nor from hopelessness. I tell you:
They are not freed from neither the present, nor from any future suffering!
But friends, whoever recluse or priest now, in the past, or in the future regard
whatever pleasant and attractive, there is here in this world as impermanent,
as transient, as suffering, as no-self, as a disease, as danger, as fearful,
as an empty terror, they thereby all reduce craving. After having gradually
eliminated all craving, I tell you: They are thereby freed from all Suffering...
See also:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Leash.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/One_Idea.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Like_Foam.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya II 109-112
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
How not to Prolong Pain?
the body of enlightened Bikkhu when pari-nirvana and a dead body are same?
See furthermore:
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/The_2_Nibbanas.htm
the act or event of entering Nibbana is Arahnt
at Pari-Nibbana, in day-today-language, at the death of Arahnt there is only the body of Arahnts until cremation and there is nothing (simile-extinguishing a flame) or no more afterwards
this is what i have understood, am i correct?
There are these 5 Minor mental chains (Samyojana):
The Blessed Buddha once emphasized:
Bhikkhus, there are these five Lower mental chains. What five?
1: The mental chain of belief in 'my same identity' (sakkaya-ditthi)
2: The mental chain of skeptical doubt (vicikiccha)
3: The mental chain of clinging to rule & Ritual (silabbata-paramasa)
4: The mental chain of lust for sensuality (kama-raga)
5: The mental chain of anger & ill will (vyapada)
There exist these 5 Lower mental chains! The Noble 8-fold Way should be
developed for the direct experience of these five minor mental chains,
for the full understanding and elimination of them, and for their final
overcoming, destruction and leaving all behind! This Noble 8-fold Way is
developed for the breaking asunder of these five minor mental chains!!!
Explanation:
1: Is belief in "my identity" construing an internal fake ‘stable same entity’.
2: Is sceptical doubt about the perfection of Buddha’s self-enlightenment.
3: Is blind superstition in rules & rituals projecting into them false efficacy.
4: Lust for sensing is addiction to all seen, heard, sensed, and cognized.
5: Ill will is all hate & derivatives such as anger, aversion, and irritation.
These Chains bind beings to birth in the 6 lower worlds, where all beings
are dominated by sense-desire!
Mental chains are not visible, yet quite real, & harder than any steel!
How to Cut these Five mental chains or Fetters (Samyojana) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Nibbana_or_non-return.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Lower_Chains.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/samyojana.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:61] section 45: The Way. 179: The 5 Lower mental chains...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 5 minor mental chains!
Brahmavihãra Meditation gives Infinite Joy!
Training Universal Friendliness induces unalloyed Joy!
Cultivating Boundless Pity enables tranquil Tolerance!
Developing Mutual Joy produces deep Contentment!
Refining Equanimity establishes calming Serenity!
The Blessed Buddha repeatedly explained:
May all creatures, all breathing things,
all beings one and all, without exception,
experience joy and good fortune only.
May they not fall into any harm!
Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
With good will for the entire cosmos,
Cultivate a limitless & infinite heart:
Above, as below, across & all around,
Unobstructed, without any hostility.
Sutta Nipata I, 8
Overcome the angry by friendliness;
Overcome the wicked by goodness;
Overcome the miser by generosity;
Overcome the liar by truth.
Dhammapada 223
Train yourself in doing only pure good...
That lasts and brings great happiness!
Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living,
and a mentality of infinite friendliness!
Itivuttaka 16
Joy creating is Meditation on the 4 infinite Brahmaviharas:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Higher_Release.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Released_by_GoodWill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Grace_of_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unsurpassable_Radiance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_and_Divine_Classic.htm
Have a nice joyous day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Blazing Goodwill produces Infinite Joy!
The are 10 Perfect Mental Qualities!
Contemplation of the Ten Perfecting Qualities (Dasa Parami):
1: May I be generous and always helpfully giving service (Dana parami).
2: May I be morally pure, virtuous and well-disciplined (Sila parami).
3: May I be modest and withdrawing into simple living (Nekkhamma parami).
4: May I be wise by understanding what should be known (Pañña parami).
5: May I be enthusiastic, energetic, & never giving up the good (Viriya parami).
6: May I be patient, tolerant, and forgive other's wrongs (Khanti parami).
7: May I be honest, trustworthy, scrupulous, and truthful (Sacca parami).
8: May I be firm, resolute, determined, and immovable (Adhitthana parami).
9: May I be kind, gentle, compassionate and friendly (Metta parami).
10: May I be calm, balanced, serene and imperturbable (Upekkha parami).
May I train to be mentally perfect. May I be perfect to keep training!
More on these 10 Mental Perfections (Dasa Parami):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/paramii.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt):
The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts.
By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo:
http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
Have a nice, noble and utterly perfect day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 10 Perfect Qualities...
The Three Signs of all Existence!
The Blessed Buddha once pointed out:
All constructions are impermanent! When realizing that by understanding,
one gets disgusted with suffering... This is the path to purity!
All constructions are miserable! When realizing that by understanding,
one gets disgusted with suffering...This is the path to purity!
All states are no-self! When realizing that by understanding,
one gets disgusted with suffering... This is the path to purity!
Dhammapada 277-79
More on these 3 Absolute Characteristics (Ti-Lakkhana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_3_Ultimate_Facts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Anything_Whatsoever.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/ti_lakkhana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_3_Universal_Characteristics.htm
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt):
The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts.
By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo:
http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 3 Signs!
What is the Highest Blessing?
Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Exalted One was dwelling at the
monastery of Anathapindika, in Jeta’s grove, near Savatthi. Now when the
night was far spent a certain deity, whose surpassing radiance illuminated
the entire Jeta Grove, came to the presence of the Exalted One. After
drawing near, he respectfully saluted Him and stood at one side. Standing
thus, he addressed the Exalted One in verse:
Many deities and men wishing to know what is good, have pondered on the
blessings and auspicious signs of luck. Tell me what is the highest blessing?
What is the best protection?
The Blessed Buddha responded:
Not to associate with fools, but only with the wise. To honour only those who
are worthy of honour. This is the highest blessing & also the best protection.
To live in a suitable place, to have done merits in the past, and to set oneself
on the right path. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Great learning, good skills, a highly trained discipline, and a pleasant speech.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
The support of father and mother, the cherishing of wife and children, and
a peaceful job. This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Generosity, pure morality, the helping of relatives, and blameless behaviour.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
To avoid all evil action, to abstain from intoxicants, and firmness in virtue.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude & hearing the Dhamma in time.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Patience, respect, sight of calm recluses and suitable conversation in time.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Self-control, living the Noble life, realizing the Noble Truths and Nibbana.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
The be unmoved by the 8 worldly conditions # sorrowless, stainless, & safe.
This is the highest blessing and also the best protection.
Having fulfilled all these requirements, everywhere they are undefeated,
everywhere they go in safety, fearing nothing, cooled, calmed and serene...
These are the highest blessings and also the best protections!
#: Gain and loss, fame and disrespect, praise and blame, happiness & sorrow.
Source: Sutta Nipata Sn 258-269 in BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt):
The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts.
By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo:
http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Highest Blessing...
The 4 Noble Truths are Absolutes!
The 1st Noble Truth: This is Suffering!
There is no pain, that does not torment!
And nothing that is not pain torments...
This certainty, that this being torments:
Is what makes it an absolute truth...
The 2nd Noble Truth: Craving is the Cause!
No other source causes pain, than craving,
Nothing else provides craving, than pain...
This utter certainty in producing pain:
Is why it is considered an absolute truth!
The 3rd Noble Truth: Suffering can End!
There is no pure peace except Nibbana,
Nibbana cannot be anything but peace...
This certainty that it is perfect peace:
Is what is reckoned as an absolute truth.
The 4th Noble Truth: By the Noble Way!
No outlet is there other than the Noble Way,
Nor fails the Noble Way ever to be escape...
This sure status as the one and only exit:
Has made it recognized as absolute truth.
This genuinely irrefutable infallibility,
Which is their true essential core,
Is what the wise declare to be
The Truth's meaning common to all four!
Vism 496
More on these Four Noble Truths (Ariya-Sacca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Indeed_True.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_4_Truths_Meaning.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_1st_Noble_Truth_on_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3rd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Ceasing_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4th_Noble_Truth_on_The_Way_to_Cease_Suffering.htm
Have a nicely assured day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Absolute Certainty!
Friendship is Most Advantageous!
Buddha once explained the Advantages of Friendship (Mittanisamsa):
He who maintains genuine friendship, never betraying anybody, will always
whenever he goes far out of his home, receive abundance of hospitality.
Many will obtain their benefit through him.
He who nurtures genuine friendship will be honoured in whatever country,
village, town, house, group or family he visits.
He who perpetuates genuine friendship will triumph over all his enemies.
Robbers cannot overpower him. Royalty will not look down upon him.
He who continues genuine friendship, returns home with feeling of amity,
rejoices in the crowds of people, and becomes the chief among his kinsmen.
He who keeps up genuine friendship, being hospitable to all others, in turn,
receives hospitality. Being respectful to others, in turn, receives respect.
He enjoys both praise and fame.
He who sustains genuine friendship, a generous giver, receives gifts himself.
Worshipping the worthy, will himself be worshipped gaining prosperity & fame.
He who upholds genuine friendship, shines gloriously like fire, radiant like
a deity. Prosperity and good fortune will never forsake or leave him.
He who prolongs genuine friendship, will enjoy abundant wealth. What is
sown in his field will flourish. The fruit of that which is sown he enjoys.
He who carries on genuine friendship, should he fall from a precipice or
mountain or tree, he will be protected and will not be seriously harmed.
He who preserves genuine friendship cannot be overthrown by enemies even
as the deep-rooted banyan tree cannot be overthrown by the gust of wind.
Source:
These ten gathas (stanzas) recounting the beneficial effects of friendship,
are found in the Mugapakkha (Temiya) Jataka, vol. vii. No. 538.
Translated by Ven. Piyadassi Thero kindly forwarded by Seelagawesi Thero.
More on this mighty Friendliness (Metta) and Friendship:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unsurpassable_Radiance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/All-Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Symbiotic_Sympathy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_11_Advantages.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Genuine_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blazing_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Cosmic_Goodness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Unbounded_Mind.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Goodness_Galore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Loving-Kindness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Hey_Friend.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Most Advantageous is Friendship!
Good 4 All are The 4 Kinds of Right Speech!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
How, Cunda, is purity of verbal action fourfold?
1:
Herein, one avoids lying, abstains from false. He speaks the truth,
is devoted to the truth, reliable, trustable, never deceiving anyone.
Being at a meeting, among family, in society, or in the court called
upon and asked as witness to tell what he knows, he answers, if he
knows nothing: I know nothing; & if he knows, he answers: I know!
If he has seen nothing, he answers: I have seen nothing & if he has
seen something, he answers: I have seen this and that. Thus he never
deliberately speaks a lie, neither for his own advantage, nor for the
advantage of others, nor for the sake of any trivial gain whatsoever.
2:
He avoids divisive speech, spreading rumours, tale bearing, & gossip.
What he has heard here, he does not repeat there wishing to cause
dissension there by splitting those united. What he has heard there,
he does not tell here so to cause conflict by splitting friends here..
Rather he unites those who are divided; and those who are united
he encourages. Harmony, peace, agreement & concord gladdens him.
He delights and rejoices in Harmony. He spreads & grows Harmony!
3:
He avoids harsh & aggressive language, he abstains from all scolding.
He speaks such words that are gentle, soothing to the ear, pleasing,
heart-touching, polite, dear, considerate, interesting & agreeable..
4:
He avoids vain talk, empty & small talk, void speech and idle prattle!
He abstains from all babble, chitchat, tittle-tattle and evil hearsay.
He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what
is useful, speaks about the Dhamma and the Discipline; his speech is
like a precious treasure, well timed, always reasoned by arguments,
moderated, well formulated & full of sound reason & common sense.
In this -for all- very good way, is purity of verbal action fourfold!
Source (edited extract):
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 10:176
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm
More on Right Speech (Samma Vaca):
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/samma-vaca.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Splitting.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Scolding.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Deceiving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Gossiping.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Speech.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Fourfold_Right_Speech.htm
and Animal-like Talk:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/tiracchaana_kathaa.htm
Have a nice kind talking day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sweet Speech!
Kamma & Fruit = Cause & Effect!
By Helping others, one thereby helps oneself!
By Harming others, one also harms oneself!
By Supporting others, one supports oneself!
By Cheating others, one also cheats oneself!
By Giving to others, one also gives to oneself!
By Stealing from others, one steals from oneself!
Guarding oneself, one therefore protects others...
Protecting others, one therefore guards oneself...
To avoid all Killing.
To avoid all Stealing.
To avoid all Abuse.
To avoid all Lying.
To avoid all Alcohol.
Is thus to this world
the Highest Offer!
Avoiding all Evil...
Doing only Good!!!
& Purifying the Mind:
That all Buddhas Teach!
The mirror reflects, yet is itself empty!
Details on the causal mechanics of Kamma = Intentional Action:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_is_intention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_&_Sickness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_&_Ugliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_Action_(kamma)_is_Delayed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
The Mirror!
How does the Noble live in Alert Elevated Joy?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
How, Nandiya, does a Noble Disciple live in alert elevated joy?
Here, Nandiya, any Noble Disciple is endowed with verified conviction in the
Buddha thus: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha!
Not satisfied with that verified conviction in the Buddha, he makes a further
effort in solitude by day and seclusion at night!
When thus enthusiastic, he is elevated by alertness!
When thus elevated by alertness, then gladness is born!
When he is gladdened, then a rapturous joy arises!
When the mind is uplifted by joy, the body becomes all tranquil...
One tranquil in body experiences a pure bliss of happiness!
The mind of one who is happy becomes condensed and concentrated...
When mind is concentrated, even subtle phenomena become plain & manifest.
Since these subtle phenomena become plain and manifest, he becomes one,
who lives and dwells in alert elevated joy...
More on this blessed Bliss:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Joy_Piti.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_Beyond_This_World.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blessing_all_Beings_by_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_of_the_Flesch_and_Beyond.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:398]
Section 55 on Stream-Entry: Sotapattisamyutta. Thread 40: Nandiya.
Have a nice elevated day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Alert Elevated Joy!
There are these seven Latent Tendencies (Anusaya):
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of Latent Tendency. What seven?
1: The Latent Tendency to Sensual-Pleasure...
2: The Latent Tendency to Aversion & Ill-Will...
3: The Latent Tendency to Speculative Views…
4: The Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt…
5: The Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am”…
6: The Latent Tendency to Wanting to Become…
7: The Latent Tendency to Ignorance…
These are the seven kinds of Latent Tendency! The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed for the direct
experience of these seven kinds of Latent Tendency, for the full understanding and elimination of them,
and for their final overcoming, abandoning and leaving all behind…This Noble 8-fold Way is developed for
the sake of the uprooting of all detrimental Latent Mental Tendency!
Explanation:
Latent Tendency towards Pleasurable sights, sounds, smells, flavours, touches, & thoughts is fairly obvious…
Latent Tendency to Aversion is all hate, anger, irritation, opposition, resistance, rigidity and stubbornness…
Latent Tendency to Speculative Views is believing that action has no future effects & rituals are purifying…
Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt is the lack of Faith and conviction in the Buddha’s Enlightenment…
Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am” is assuming the hidden existence of a constant core identity: ‘I-Me’…
Latent Tendency to Lust for Becoming is the hoping for a future existence as this or that kind of being…
Latent Tendency to Ignorance is not seeing, not understanding, and not knowing the Four Noble Truths…
Latent Tendency means lurking liability, hidden inclination, underlying readiness, a recurring dormant drive!
Buddha once emphasized a crucial Impossibility:
That a person, without eliminating the latent tendency to lust for any pleasant feeling,
without abolishing the latent tendency to aversion towards any painful feeling,
without uprooting the latent tendency to neglect and ignorance accompanying any neutral feeling,
without extirpating ignorance & developing clear & complete understanding, should ever, here & now,
in this very life, be able to cease all suffering & awaken by enlightenment, that is indeed impossible…
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn148.html
More on the Latent Tendencies (Anusaya):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Conceit_I_Am.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Latent_Feeling.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anusaya.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Latent_Tendencies.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Latent_Tendencies.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Bodily_and_Mental_Feeling.htm
Any Latent Tendency is always ready to Raise, Bite & Kill!
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:60] section 45: The Way. 175: The 7 Latent Tendencies ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice noticing latency day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 7 Latent Tendencies!
The Empirical ALL is what can be Sensed or Thought!
At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha pointed out a most Radical Empiricism:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the ALL. Listen to that... And what, Bhikkhus, is this ALL?
The Eye and the Forms;
The Ear and the Sounds;
The Nose and the Smells;
The Tongue and the Tastes;
The Body and the Touches;
The Mind and the Mental States.
This is defines and establish this ALL... If anyone, Bhikkhus, should ever postulate this:
'Having denied this all, I will define & point another all ...!!!', that would be empty babble!
If he were questioned, he would not be able to reply & he would become quite perplexed.
Why? Because, Bhikkhus, that would be far out of his mental range!
(since)
This World both Begins and Ends within this 2 fathom frame of bones... SN I 62
Looks initially quite far & remotely 'out there'...
See also the ALL as the Sensed Source:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Out_in.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Source_of_All.htm
Yet IT IS actually rather close up, as inherently sensed 'in here'...
OUT = IN Wholeness:
Inseparable are the internal and the external...
Inseparable are the mental and the physical...
Inseparable are the experience and experienced...
Inseparable are the subject and the object...
Inseparable are the naming and the forming...
Inseparable are the mirror and the representation…
The ‘Real’ World is a perceived Representation…
Of what we will never know, since IT IS just & only that...
A never-ending FILM in dire need of a Scissor!
Insisting on Direct Experience never fails!
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 15
The Salayatana section 35. Thread on the ALL: Sabba Sutta (23)
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
What IS this ALL actually and factually?
:o
Formless is the Fruit of the 4 Infinite States:
The Blessed Buddha once pointed out some fine future fruits:
I: The release of mind by universal friendliness developed linked with
the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the beautiful liberation as culmination!
II: The release of mind by compassionate pity developed all joined with
the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the infinitude of space, as culmination!
This is the 1st formless absorption.
III: The release of mind by altruistic & mutual joy developed all linked
with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the infinitude of consciousness,
as ultimate culmination... This is the 2nd formless absorption.
IV: The release of mind by imperturbable equanimity developed combined
with the 7 links to Enlightenment, has the sphere of nothingness, as the
absolute culmination... This is the 3rd formless absorption.
So do these 4 divine & infinite states of friendliness, pity, mutual joy and
equanimity, when cultivated together with the 7 links to Enlightenment:
Awareness, Investigation, Energy, Joy, Tranquillity, Concentration and
Equanimity, lead to entry and absorption into these 4 sublime formless
mental dimensions of supra-mundane consciousness...
Final Entry after much meditation...
More on the infinitely divine states (Brahma-Viharas):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_Pity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm
From Delight in Diversity to Unification in Oneness...
Source:
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book V 115-21
Section 46: On The Enlightenment Factors. Linked with Friendliness: 54.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice and noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Four Fine Formless Fruits!
How is a Friend Good?
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Who is welcoming and friendly,
Generous, open and unselfish,
A guide, an instructor, a leader,
Such one will gain much honour!
Digha Nikaya 31
The friend who is a helping companion,
The friend both in happiness and misery,
The friend who gives good & sound advice,
The friend who really cares & understands...
These four, the clever knows as good Friends!
These 4 heroes, one should cherish devotedly,
as a mother nurses her own only child.
Digha Nikaya 31
If one finds a wise and intelligent friend,
who lives a good, correct & fully pure life,
Then, overcoming all obstacles, one should
always keep his joyous and alert company...
Dhammapada 328
More on the good in beautiful Friendship (Kalyanamittata):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Friendship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Good Friend!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
Harmlessness is the Best Protection!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
May all creatures, all living things,
all beings without any exception,
experience good happiness only!
May they not fall into any harm.
Anguttara Nikaya 4.67
Solitude is happiness for one, who is content,
who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees.
Non-violence is happiness in this world:
Harmlessness towards all living beings.
Udana 10
The Noble is not one, who injures living beings.
The Noble is one, who never injures living beings.
Dhammapada 270
Ever are the true disciples of the Buddha
well awake and quite aware. Constantly they
meditate both day and night on Harmlessness!
Dhammapada 296-301
The one who has left all violence,
who never harms any being at all,
whether they are moving or still,
who neither kill, nor causes to kill,
such one, harmless, is a Holy One!
Dhammapada 405
More on Harmlessness (Ahimsa = Non-Violence):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Harmlessness_and_Tolerance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blessing_all_Beings_by_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Selfless_and_Harmless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_I.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Happy_Harmlessness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Patient_is_Tolerance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Bon_Benevolence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Killing.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Holy is Harmlessness...
Awareness by Breathing is a Unique Thing!
Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this:
"Bhikkhus, there is one unique thing, which when trained and cultivated,
is of great fruit and great advantage. What is that one unique thing?
It is Awareness by Breathing (Anapanasati)! And how, Bhikkhus, is
this Awareness by Breathing trained, developed, cultivated and refined
so that it is of really great fruit and immense long-term advantage?
Bhikkhus, when a Bhikkhu, who have gone to the forest, or to the
root of a tree, or to an empty hut, then he sits down cross-legged,
having straightened his body and back, and set up awareness around
the nostrils, then just plain aware of only that itself, he breathes in, and
then just solely aware of only that breathing itself, he breathes out...
1: Breathing in long, he knows, notes and understands: I inhale long!
Breathing out long, he knows, notes and understands: I exhale long!
2: Breathing in short, he knows, notes and understands: I inhale short!
Breathing out short, he knows, notes and understands: I exhale short!
3: He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe out!
4: He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe out!
5: He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe out!
6: He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe out!
7: He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe out!
8: He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe out!
9: He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe out!
10: He trains thus: Elating and satisfying the mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Elating and satisfying the mind, I will breathe out!
11: He trains thus: Concentrating and focusing mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Concentrating and focusing mind, I will breathe out!
12: He trains thus: Releasing, and liberating the mind, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Releasing, and liberating the mind, I will breathe out!
13: He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out!
14: He trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe out!
15: He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe out!
16: He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in!
He trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out!
It is, Bhikkhus, when Awareness by Breathing is trained, developed
and refined in exactly this way, that it is of great fruit and advantage!"
Comments:
These 16 steps should be memorized fully. Print out and bring to pillow!
Breath meditation produces both calm (Samatha) and insight (Vipassana)
by stilling the bursts of distractions, which abrogates all directed thinking.
It is capable of inducing all the four levels of mental absorption (Jhana).
Continuous awareness can be established by this technique, which has no
adverse side-effects, is simple yet profound, and especially well suited
for those plagued by stress, agitation, restlessness, worries, speculation,
anxiety, fear, hesitation, doubts, uncertainty and confusion. Nobody!,
who have trained this technique, have ever regretted it! Most just smiles
silently... ;-), not without reason, like the Buddha image illustrated below!
Verily: Unique is Awareness by Breathing!
The Anapana-sati meditation technique is used by all Buddhas at Awakening:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_the_Breath.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Manual/Meditation.Manual.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Magnificent_Meditation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/anapanasati.pdf
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_IV.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_II.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_I.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:311]
section 54: Anapanasamyutta. Thread 1: A Unique Thing!
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Unique is Awareness by Breathing!
Running up & down the beach delays any crossing!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, these 8 things, when cultivated and refined, lead to going beyond
from this near shore, right here, to the far shore beyond all... What eight?
Right View (samma-ditthi)
Right Motivation (samma-sankappa)
Right Speech (samma-vaca)
Right Action (samma-kammanta)
Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva)
Right Effort (samma-vayama)
Right Awareness (samma-sati)
Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
These 8 things, when cultivated and refined, lead to going beyond from this near
shore, right here, to the far shore beyond. This is what the Blessed Buddha said.
The Well-Gone-One, this supreme Teacher, then added this:
Few humans cross to that sublime far shore beyond all being.
Mostly, people just run up and down along this barren bank!
Those whose praxis is like this even and exact Dhamma,
Will pass beyond the State of Death in quiet harmony!
Having left all the dark and evil doing, any intelligence
Seeks the luminous bright light by leaving this turmoil,
and by going forth into solitary & silent homelessness.
Secluded from lust, he experiences an unworldly bliss!
Owing nothing, the wise and clever man thereby cleans
himself of all these mental pollutions and defilements...
Mentally well evolved by the 7 links to enlightenment,
Delighting in non-clinging and relinquishment of all,
Such luminous ones, having quenched fermentation,
Are fully released even right here in this world!
Crossing...
To the Other Side...
More the Noble 8-Fold Way:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_View.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Motivation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Speech.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Livelihood.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Effort.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Concentration.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:24] section 45: The Way. 34: Gone to the other side ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice transcendent day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Other Side...
Free from Fear by Release from all Anxiety:
The young deity Subrahma once asked the Buddha:
Always frightened is this Mind!
Always agitated is this Mind!
About present problems.
About future problems.
If there is a release from this worry & anxiety,
please then now kindly explain it to me...
Whereupon the Blessed Buddha declared:
I see no other real safety for any living being,
except from control of the senses,
except from the relinquishment of all,
except from awakening into Enlightenment!
More on systematic relinquishment:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Leaving_All_Behind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Not_Resisting_Anything.htm
Source: The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya I 54
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Original deposited here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Free_from_Fear.htm
Have a nice relinquishing day Without Worry!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Fearless Safety!
At this Fullmoon Day do all Buddhas Awaken:
2010 May 27 Vesak Day celebrates birth, Enlightenment, and passing away
of the Buddha Gotama. Rejoice! Keep clean, calm, cool, clever, and caring...
About this Buddhist Vesak Festival: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak
This May full moon also celebrates the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka in
the eighth year after his Enlightenment where he journeyed to Kelaniya on
the invitation of the Naga King Maniakkhika (Mahavamsa i,72ff.).
The day also celebrates the crowning of king Devanampiyatissa (Mhv.Xi.42),
and the laying of the foundation stone of the Maha Stupa (Mhv.Xxix.1)
Please Remember:
At this very May full moon in year 528 BC the Blessed Buddha awakened
by completely perfect and utterly unsurpassable self-Enlightenment!
At that time a girl named Sujata Senani lived in Uruvela. When adult she
prayed before a certain Banyan tree, that she might get a good husband
equal to herself in caste & that her firstborn may be a son. Her prayer was
successful. Since indeed it did happen. At the full moon day of the Wesak
month, she rose at early dawn and milked the cows. As soon as new buckets
were placed under the cows, the milk poured spontaneously in streams all by
itself! Seeing this miracle, she knew something special was happening!
That same night the Future Buddha dreamt 5 dreams making him conclude:
"Surely, truly, without any doubt, today I will reach perfect Enlightenment!"
His 5 colored radiance illuminated the whole tree. Then Sujata came and
offered the cooked milk rice into the hands of this Great Being.
Later a local grass-cutter came going with a bundle of grass just harvested
from nearby. He offered the Great Being 8 handfuls of Kusa grass, when he
saw that this Sage was a Holy Man. The Future Buddha accepted the grass
and proceeded to the foot of the Bodhi-tree. Reaching the imperturbable
Eastern side, where all the Buddhas take their seat, he sat down saying to
himself: This is the immovable spot, where all the prior supreme Buddhas
have planted themselves! This is the place for destroying this net of desire!
Then the Future Buddha turned his back to the trunk and thus faced east.
Right there, he then resolutely settled on this mighty decision:
Let just blood and flesh of this body dry up & let skin and sinews fall from
the bones. I will not leave this seat before having attained the absolute and
Supreme Self-Enlightenment!
So determined did he seat himself in this unconquerable seat, from which
not a 100 lightning strikes could make him waver from. At this very moment
the rebel deity Mara -The Evil One- raised exclaiming: Prince Siddhattha will
pass beyond my power, but I will never allow it! And sounding the Mara's war
shout, he summoned his mighty army for battle. Then Mara warned his evil
militia: This Sakyamuni, son of Suddhodana, is far greater than any other
man, so we will never succeed to fight him up front. We must thus attack
him from the rear. Frustrated, being unable even to touch this big wielder
of power also with 9 mighty hurricanes of wind, rain, rocks, weapons, red
coals, hot ashes, sand, mud, and darkness Mara somewhat in panic shouted
at his army: "Why do you all stand still? Seize, kill & drive away this prince!"
Mara then yelled: "Siddhattha, leave this seat. It is not yours, but mine!"
Hearing this, the Well-gone One replied: Mara, neither have you fulfilled the
10 perfections to the third degree, nor have you given the 5 great donations.
Neither have you striven for insight, nor for the welfare of all the world,
nor for supreme self-enlightenment! Therefore does this very seat surely
not belong to you, but truly indeed only to me. Suddenly overpowered by fear
Mara's followers fled helter-skelter in all directions. Not two went in the
same direction, but leaving their weapons in a chaos, they all fled terrified
by metaphysical panic. Seeing them flee thus, the great assembly of deities
triumphantly shouted: Mara is defeated. Prince Siddhattha has won! Let us
celebrate this truly sublime, wonderful and unique victory! It was before
the sun had set that the Tathagata conquered Mara and defeated his army.
That same night, after having bathed, while the Bo tree rained red sprigs onto
his robe, The Consummate One gained knowledge of his prior lives during the
1st watch of the night: "With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright,
unified, focused, tractable, compliant, steady & imperturbable, I directed
mind to remembrance of my past lives. I recollected many past lives, i.e., one
re-birth, two...five, ten... 50, a hundred, a thousand, 100 thousand, many eons
of cosmic contraction, & many eons of cosmic expansion: There I had such
a name, belonged to such a clan & species, had such a body. Such was my food,
such my life of pleasures and pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away
from that state, I re-arose there. There I had such name, belonged to such
a sort & family, had such a form. Such was my food, such my experience of
pleasures & pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away from that state,
I re-arose here. Thus I remembered my various past lives in all their various
modes and manifold details. This was the first knowledge I attained in the
first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; the knowledge arose;
darkness was destroyed; light arose as happens in one who is alert, aware,
and determined. But the very pleasant feeling that arose by this did neither
invade my mind, nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright,
intact, pliant, malleable, steady, and totally imperturbable, I directed it to
the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. I saw by
means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human eye! I saw beings
passing away & re-appearing, and I realized how & why they are high or low,
beautiful or ugly, fortunate and unfortunate all in exact accordance with
the intentions of their prior actions: These beings who were endowed with
bad behaviour of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held
wrong views & acted under the influence of wrong views, with the break-up
of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of misery, the bad
painful destination, the lower realms, even in hell. But the beings who were
gifted with good behaviour of body, speech and mind, who did not revile the
Noble Ones, who held right views and acted under the influence of right
views after the break-up of the body, after the death, have re-appeared in
happy destinations, even in a divine world! Thus by means of the divine eye,
purified and surpassing the human I saw beings passing away & re-appearing,
all in accordance with their particular mixture of good and bad kamma...
But the satisfaction that arose here did neither invade my mind, nor remain.
With the mind thus concentrated and completely absorbed, I then directed
it towards understanding the ending of mental fermentation. I realized how
it actually comes to be, that:
This is Suffering...
Such is the Cause of Suffering...
Such is the End of Suffering...
Such is the Way to End Suffering...
Such was the mental fermentations...
Such is the Cause of mental fermentation...
Such is the End of mental fermentation...
Such is the Way leading to the end of mental fermentation.
When my mind saw that, it was instantly freed of the fermentation of all
sense-desire, it was released from the fermentation of becoming, and it
became fully uncovered from the fermentation of ignorance. Thus fully and
perfectly Enlightened - The Buddha - perceiving this immense glory, spoke
these 2 solemn verses, which never has been omitted by any of countless
billions of prior Buddhas:
Through this round of countless existences have I searched, but yet failed
to find "the Creator", who framed this construction: What Suffering indeed
is such endless birth, ageing, decay, sickness and ever repeated death!
Now I see that "the Constructor" of this structure is Craving...!!! Never shall
this construction be built again, since all the rafters are shattered and the
main beam is busted and completely broken... At this calming of all Craving,
the mind was finally, irreversibly and ultimately stilled…
Then, friends, this revelation of certainty arose in me: This release is indeed
immutable, this is the very last rebirth, this endless reappearance has finally
come to a happy end... Nibbana is verily the Highest Bliss!
About Absolute Awakening!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/buddha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/g/gotama.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/s/sujaataa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/bodhisatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/bodhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/bodhirukka.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/bodhimanda.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sammaa_sambodhi.htm
Source:
The Jataka Nidana. The story of Gotama Buddha.
Tr. by N.A. Jayawickrama, Pali Text Society 1990.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=132935
Happy Vesak to All Beings!
What is the Final Goal and Destination?
The ascetic wanderer Nandiya once asked the Blessed One:
Which things, Master Gotama, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana,
have Nibbana as their end destination, have Nibbana as their final goal?
These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined lead to Nibbana, have
Nibbana as their last destination, have Nibbana as their final goal. Which eight?
Right View (samma-ditthi)
Right Motivation (samma-sankappa)
Right Speech (samma-vaca)
Right Action (samma-kammanta)
Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva)
Right Effort (samma-vayama)
Right Awareness (samma-sati)
Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana,
have Nibbana as their target, have Nibbana as their final aim!
When this was thus spoken, the wanderer Nandiya said to the Blessed One:
Magnificent, Master Gotama! Marvellous, Master Gotama! Let the Master
Gotama remember me as one, who has taken refuge in the Buddha for life…
The 8 spokes symbolizes the 8 Steps of the Noble Way!
Further study on the Noble 8-fold Way:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Middle_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fulfilled_First_.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Noble_8_fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_3-fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Failed_by_Neglect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Noble_8-Fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fruits_of_the_Noble_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4th_Noble_Truth_on_The_Way_to_Cease_Suffering.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:11-2] section 45:10 Nandiya ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice targetted day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What is the Final Goal?
Realizable here & now in each & every Moment!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Overwhelmed and obsessed by desire, anger, & confusion, one aims at one's
own ruin, others' ruin, and at the ruin of both! One thereby suffers much
mental pain and frustration... If, however, desire, anger, and confusion are
eliminated, then one aims neither at one's own ruin, nor at others' ruin, nor
at the ruining of both, and one therefore neither suffers any mental pain
nor any frustration at all! Hence is Nibbana realizable right here and now
in this very lifetime, immediate, inviting, intriguing, and intelligible to each
intelligence! Exactly in so far as anyone has made real the complete ceasing
of all greed, hate, and confusion, just in so far, to exactly that very degree,
is Nibbana realizable right here and now in this very life, immediate, instant,
inviting, interesting, and intelligible to each and every intelligent being...
Follow this Golden Middle Way:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Golden_Middle_Way.htm
Light it up by probing it with a beam of scrutinizing examination!
Source:
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 3:55
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm
Have a nice and noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Intelligent Invitation!
The Noble 8-fold Way ends the 3 Searches:
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these three searches. What three?
1: The search for sense pleasure,
2: The search for becoming this and that,
3: The search for the pure, holy, & Noble Life.
These are the three searches. The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed:
For the direct experience of these three searches…
For the complete understanding of these three searches…
For the utter destruction of these three searches…
For the overcoming and leaving all behind of these three searches…
And how does a Bhikkhu do so? Here, friends, the Bhikkhu develops:
Right View based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, culminating in release.
Right Motivation removing greed, hate and ignorance when succeeding.
Right Speech having the deathless as its base, destination, & last resort.
Right Action flowing into & inclining towards Nibbana, the Highest Bliss!
Right Livelihood based upon solitude, detachment, and relinquishment.
Right Effort having the immortal as its source, and its journey's final end.
Right Awareness removing of lust, anger & confusion as its ultimate aim.
Right Concentration descending into Nibbana, the Highest Happiness!
It is in this way, friends, that a Bhikkhu, comes to directly experience,
fully understand, utterly destroy, completely overcome & leave all behind
these three otherwise perpetual and truly endless searches…
Searching by own light is easier especially when knowing what to look for!
Comment:
Search for pleasure: "May I have more sex, food, music, porn, drugs" etc...
Search for becoming: "May I become rich, praised, famous, beautiful" etc...
Search for the Noble Life: "There must be something else and higher!"...
Further study on the Noble 8-fold Way:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Middle_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fulfilled_First_.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Noble_8_fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_3-fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Failed_by_Neglect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Noble_8-Fold_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fruits_of_the_Noble_Way.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:54-5] section 45: The Way. 161: The Searches ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Searching for Something Else!
Craving => Clinging => Fear => Panic => Suffering!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the things that can be clung to, that bind & their chain!
Listen to that and pay attention: What, bhikkhus, are these phenomena, that can be
clung to, that bind, and what is the very chain of this addictive slavery of sensing?
The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind bhikkhus, are things
that can be clung to, that binds, while the desire, lust, longing, urge, yearning for &
wanting it, the fear & panic of loosing it, the clinging to it, is the very chain there...
Only by directly knowing these 6 senses as they are, only by fully understanding
these 6 sense sources, only by developing disgust towards and by leaving all behind
these 6 originators of commotion & noise, is one capable of eliminating Suffering...
All Craving creates Clinging culminating in Panic!
More on these 5 Clusters of Clinging (Khandha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Leash.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fingernail_of_Soil.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Acquisition_of_Fuel.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/khandha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_are_the_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 89-90
The 6 senses section 35. Thread on Clinging & Binding: 109-110.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice relinquishing day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Clinging to Noise & Panic!
No Agent or Actor exists! Only Impersonal Processes Unfolds!
Question: Who is the Creator ???
Answer: Nobody is the Creator of anything!!!
Q: What then is Creating ???
A: Ignorance and Craving is Creating!!!
Q: What is Ignorance & Craving Creating ?
A: Ignorance & Craving Creates Suffering!!!
Question: Who Perceives ???
Answer: Nobody Perceives anything!!!
Q: What then is Perceiving ???
A: The Perception process itself Perceives!!!
Q: What do Perception Perceive ???
A: Form, sound, smell, taste, touch & thoughts!!!
Question: Who Feels ???
Answer: Nobody Feels anything!!!
Q: What then is Feeling ???
A: The process of Feeling itself feels!!!
Q: What do Feeling feel ???
A: Feeling feels pleasure, pain & neutrality!!!
Question: Who is the Knower ???
Answer: Nobody is the Knower of anything!!!
Q: What then is Knowing ???
A: The state of Knowledge itself knows!!!
Q: What is Knowledge Knowing ???
A: Knowledge knows: Such is Pain, cause of Pain, End of Pain, Way to End all Pain!!!
There exist no static entities anywhere. Entities implying stability is just language conventions.
All phenomena are dynamic processes enacted by selfless, ownerless, and coreless conditions.
More on this enigmatic doctrine of No-Self (Anatta), which is the very core of Buddhism:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY CREATOR!
Have a nice selfless day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Who or rather What! is the Creator?
How does Kamma cause Rebirth?
In Majjhima Nikaya 135 a brahman raises the problem:
There are found people who are short-lived, and those that are long-lived; there are found people
who are very sick, and those that are healthy; there are found people who are ugly, and also those
that are beautiful; there are found people who are powerless, and those that are powerful; there
are found people who are poor, and those that are rich; there are found people who are of low
family, and those that are of high family; there are found people who are stupid, and those that
are intelligent. What then, Master Gotama, is the reason for this diverse inferiority & superiority
among human beings?
The Blessed One replied:
Beings are owners of their kamma, inherit their kamma, kamma is their maker and creator,
they are born from and by their kamma, kamma is the womb from which they emerge,
they are linked and associated to their past kamma as their friend and refuge...
Therefore does kamma divide beings into the high and low, beautiful and ugly!
In Anguttara Nikaya III,40 it is said:
"Killing, stealing, adultery, lying, backbiting, harsh angry speech and empty prattling, practiced,
cultivated and frequently engaged in, will lead to hell, the animal world or the realm of ghosts."
Further: "Whoso kills and is cruel, will either go to hell, or if reborn as a human, will be short-lived.
Whosoever tortures other beings, will be afflicted with disease. The hater will be ugly & hideous,
the envious will be without influence, the stubborn will be of low rank, the indolent will be ignorant.
In the reverse case, a person will be reborn in a heavenly world; or, if reborn as a human being, and
will be endowed with health, beauty, influence, riches, noble rank and intelligence."
In the Milindapañha the King asks the Arahat Nagasena:
What is it, Venerable Sir, that will be reborn after death?
O King: A psycho-physical combination of mentality-&-materiality (name-and-form = nama-rupa).
But how? Is it the same psycho-physical name-and-form combination as this present one?
No, O King. But the present psycho-physical combination produces kammically advantageous and
disadvantageous intentional activities, and through such kamma a new psycho-physical combination
will be created, conditioned and born. Source: The Milindapañha
Buddhaghosa explains in his Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification):
Whosoever has no clear idea about death and does not know that death consists in the dissolution
of the five groups of existence (i.e. form, feeling, perception, mental formations, & consciousness),
he thinks that it is a person, or being, that dies and transmigrates to a new body in a new place.
And whosoever has no clear idea about rebirth, and does not know that rebirth consists in the
arising of the five groups of existence, he thinks that it is a person, or being, that is reborn, or
that the person reappears in a new body. And whosoever has no clear idea about Samsara, the
round of rebirths, he thinks that a real person wanders from this world to another world, comes
from that world to this world, etc. And whosoever has no clear idea about the phenomena of
existence, he thinks that the phenomena are his ego or something appertaining to the ego, or
something permanent, joyful, or pleasant. And whosoever has no clear idea about the conditional
arising of the phenomena of existence, and about the arising of kammic volitions conditioned
through ignorance, he thinks that it is the ego that understands or fails to understand, that acts
or causes to act, that enters into a new existence at rebirth. Or he thinks that the atoms or the
Creator, etc., with the help of the embryonic process, shape the body, provide it with various
faculties; that it is the ego that receives the sensuous impression, that feels, that desires, that
becomes attached, that enters into existence again in another world. Or he thinks that all beings
come to life through fate or chance. A mere phenomenon it is, a conditioned thing, that rises in the
following existence. But not from a previous life does it transmigrate there, and yet it cannot arise
without a previous cause. When this conditionally arisen bodily-mental phenomenon (the fetus) arises,
one says that it has entered into a next existence. However, no being (satta), or life-principle (jiva),
has transmigrated from the previous existence into this existence, and yet this embryo could not
have come into existence without a previous cause. Source: Visuddhimagga (Chap. XVII)
Everywhere, in all the realms of existence, the noble disciple sees only mental and material
phenomena kept going through the interlocking of causes and effects. No producer of the
intentional act or kamma does he see apart from the kamma activity itself, and no recipient
of the kamma-result apart from the result itself. And he is well aware that wise men are using
merely conventional language, when with regard to a kammical act, they speak of a doer, or an
agent, or with regard to a kamma-result, they speak of the recipient of the result. No doer of
the deeds is found, No one who ever reaps their fruits; Empty phenomena roll on: Conditioned
States: This only is the correct view. And while the deeds and their results roll on and on, all
being conditioned by other phenomena. In this infinite causal matrix, there is no first beginning
to be found, just as it is with seed and tree... No god, no Brahma, can be called The maker of this
wheel of life: Only Empty phenomena roll on, all dependent on their causal conditions.
Source: Visuddhimagga (Chap. XIX).
The Excerpts here are from: Kamma and Rebirth by Nyanatiloka MahaThera:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanatiloka/wheel394.html#ch2
Reborn again!
Further Info on rebirth linking:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rebirth.htm
http://www.beyondthenet.net/dhamma/rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Rare_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divine_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Animal_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Endless_Round.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Samsaric_Dread.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Minor_Hells.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/One_BIG_Family.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Hell_Destiny.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Five_Destinations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Destinations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Kamma_and_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Samsaric_Round.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mad_Demon_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Human_Being_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hungry_Ghost_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_passes_on_by_Rebirth-Linking.htm
Kammic rebirth information entropy crystallizes in new location!
About intentional Action = Kamma & resulting effects (vipaka):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kamma_and_Fruit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_is_intention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/karma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/vipaaka.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_Action_(kamma)_is_Delayed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_&_Sickness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_&_Ugliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
Have a nice reborn day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Reborn Again!
These 7 States are Focused on one single object: Nibbâna!
The Awareness Link to Awakening is foremost, in the sense of rolling overall like a wheel.
The Investigation Link to Awakening is the chief, in the sense of greatness like an elephant.
The Energy Link to Awakening is the prime, in the sense of being swift & strong like a horse.
The Joy Link to Awakening is vital, in the sense of giving brilliant radiance like a jewel.
The Tranquillity Link to Awakening, is primary in the sense of soothing like a mild woman.
The Concentration Link to Awakening, is best in the sense of giving wealth like a treasurer.
The Equanimity Link to Awakening is supreme, in the sense of ballance like a good advisor.
These seven links to awakening are thus like the 7 treasures of a wheel-turning monarch.
They awaken beings into the state of entering the stream leading to the deathless Nibbana.
They further awaken beings into the state of returning here as human only one more time.
They furthermore awaken beings into the state of never returning here as human again.
They finally fully awaken beings into the state of Arahatship by complete Enlightenment!
When these seven states coincide simultaneously; fused into the same assemblage; all being
joined focused on only one single and same object: Nibbana, then Awakening occurs...
This 7-fold supreme culmination is the final Enlightenment!!! Yeah...
Awakening is 7 mental qualities focused on 1 single object...
More On these 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga):
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Investigation_Vicaya.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Energy_Viriya.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Joy_Piti.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Concentration_Samadhi.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm
Awakening is a phase transition of consciousness...
Local to => Universal + Discrete to => Continuous!!!
Enlightenment transcends both time and space & is thus inexpressible!
Have a nice awakening day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Focused and Fused!
Impermanence cannot ever be Stopped!
Let us face the dry facts! Everything is impermanent! We can all understand
impermanence superficially. But deep down in our subconscious mind a sense
of permanence is lurking. So we keep patching up our broken teeth, wrinkled
dry skin, brittle nails, grey hair, hunched backs, weak eyes, impaired hearing,
becoming sick, breaking bones & many other things caused by the inevitable
impermanence of this fragile body. Similarly do our moods, our feelings, our
thoughts, our perceptions, and our memories all go through many changes in
every moment. We take medicines, see mental health specialists, & do many
other things, including meditation, to correct our restless flickering minds!
While we are doing this, impermanence is still going on crushing everything
both inside our body and mind and also outside in all the world relentlessly...
While all the organs, all the cells, nervous system, quality of blood, capacity
of oxygen content in the lungs and the bone structure are going through this
very rapid and unmistakable change, no matter how much we patch up on the
surface and beneath the skin, impermanence is working its due course quite
persistently underground & inside the body and mind. Nothing on this earth,
no science, no technology, can ever delay or stop this proceeding of change!
Impermanence keeps burning everything up unstoppable and systematically!
Seeing impermanence (anicca) is the key that opens mind to see suffering,
and non-self! The moment we understand this very clearly, our mind opens
to the fact that things change without leaving a trace behind to follow the
path that impermanence has taken. This is called voidness or signlessness...
This awareness evaporates the desire for anything that is impermanent!
It also evaporates all aversion growing from our disappointed expectations.
Then naturally, this clean mind becomes fully aware of not having any agent,
immovable mover, or controller, which sometimes is called "Self, I, Me, Ego"
or even "Soul" by some people. This element of Dhamma, this basic intrinsic
nature of all, this law of Dhamma is known in Buddhism as emptiness of self!
The Blessed Buddha said: Sabbe Dhamma Anatta = All States are Selfless!
Seeing impermanence with wisdom is the key to detachment, calming, stilling,
ceasing, and releasing mental relinquishment. Joyous Freedom is the result!
In the Maha-suññata Sutta (MN 122) The Blessed Buddha points out that
suffering arises from clinging and attaching to all impermanent things:
"I do not see even a single kind of form from the change and alteration of
which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in
one who lusts for it and takes delight in it!" The same is true of all transient
feeling, perception, mental construction=intention & sorts of consciousness!
If we tenaciously cling to any of them, then we suffer, when they decay!
This passage clearly states, that suffering arises from the attachment to
form, not because the form is impermanent, but because we are attached
to impermanent form. When we attain full enlightenment, we do not suffer!
This happens not because we make any impermanent things now everlasting!
This happens only because we release our clinging to all impermanent things.
Impermanent phenomena continue to be impermanent, whether we ever gain
enlightenment or not. As the blessed Buddha also has explained exactly:
"Bhikkhus, whether Tathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always
this constantly established element of Dhamma, this fixed law of Dhamma:
All that is conditioned and constructed is impermanent. To this aTathagata
fully awakens and fully understands. So awakened and thus understanding,
he announces, points it out, declares, establishes, expounds, and explains it,
classifies and clarifies it: All that is conditioned is actually impermanent...
Bhikkhus, whetherTathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always this
precedent condition and absolute of Dhamma, this anchored law of Dhamma:
All that is conditioned and constructed is unsatisfactory, & thus suffering!
To this aTathagata fully awakens and fully understands. So awakened and
thus understanding, he announces, points out, declares, establishes, explains,
and clarifies it: All that is conditioned and constructed is indeed Suffering!
Bhikkhus, whether Tathagatas appear or do not appear, there is always this
situation present, a subtle truth of Dhamma, this safe doctrine of Dhamma:
All states are without a self! To this fact anyTathagata fully awakens and
fully understands. So awakened and understanding, he announces, points out,
declares, establishes, explains, and clarifies it: All states are without self!"
Anguttara Nikaya I 285
By seeing the impermanence, suffering & selflessness thus in all conditioned
things in this and any other world, one naturally becomes disenchanted with
everything constructed. Disenchantment leads to disillusion and dispassion
towards everything. Within a dispassionate mind craving for everything will
gradually fade away (viraga). With this insight one lets go of all attachment.
Being dispassionate, one thereby liberates oneself from all this evil misery...
Being liberated, one knows that one is liberated, has ended rebirth, has lived
the Noble life, has done what should be done, and that there is nothing more
to be done! This means that attaining full freedom from all suffering indeed
begins with this very perfect and acute awareness of impermanence...!
Source: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana: From Impermanence to Liberation.
Buddhist Publication Society http://www.bps.lk/ Newsletter #63: 2010-1.
More on Impermanence , Instability, Change and Transience (Anicca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Trap.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Rise_and_Fall.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Evident_Facts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hidden_Horror.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Flash_In_Flash_Out.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Burning_Turban.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Noting_the_Breakup.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Internal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
The Fact of Impermanence = Anicca...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Impermanence cannot ever be Stopped!
Suffering in this World is Inevitable!
The entire world is in flames, all the entire world is blazing up in smoke!
The entire world is burning, the entire world is decaying and vanishing...
But that which does not vanish or burn, which is experienced by the Nobles,
where Death has no entry, in that stilled silence mind finds sweet delight.
Samyutta Nikaya 1.168
Without sign, unknown, uncertain, is the life here of mortals, demanding,
short, tied up with pain and misery. For there's no way by which those who
are born will not die. All Beings will surely die even if they become very old!
Like ripe fruits, whose downfall, whose danger always is inevitable falling,
so for mortals, once born, the constant danger is forever hereafter death!
As a potter's clay vessels, large & small, fired & unfired, all end up broken,
so too life heads to death. Young & old, wise & foolish, rich & poor: Everyone
come under the sway of death, all have death as their assured certain end.
Note the hands are taken the Head and Mind that suffers!
For those overcome by death, gone to the other world, father cannot protect
son, nor relatives any family. See: Even while relatives are looking & wailing
heavily, mortals are one by one led away like dumb cows to the slaughter...
In this way is the world afflicted with aging & death! Knowing this indeed
inescapable and unavoidable nature of the world, the enlightened don't ever
grieve! You don't know from where the dying came or where he is going...
Seeing neither end, you lament uselessly in blind vain.. Helping nobody at all!
If, by lamenting, confused, harming yourself, any good use could be gained
the prudent would do it as well. But not by weeping & grief do you gain peace
of mind. Pain just arises all the more. Your body is hurt. You grow thin, pale,
harming yourself by yourself. Not in that folly way, are the dead protected.
Lamentations are all in pointless vain.
Not abandoning grief, a person suffers all the more pain. Bewailing one whose
time is done, you fall under the sway of grief yourself. Look at others, going
along, people arriving in line with their past actions: Falling under the sway
of death, beings simply shivers here, for a short unstable waste of a life...
For however they imagine it to be, it always becomes quite other than that!
That's a fate of their blinded estrangement. See this evil way of the world...
Even if a person lives a century, or even more, he will be separated from his
community, friends & relatives. He leaves his life alone & naked right there!
So, having heard the Arahat, who have subdued all lamentation, seeing that
the dead is one whose time is done, understanding: "I can't fetch him back."
Just as one would extinguish a burning shelter with water, even so does the
Enlightened One, intelligent, clever and wise, blow away any arisen sorrow,
like a strong wind, a bit of cotton fluff!
Seeking your own happiness, you should pull out your own injuring arrow:
All your own lamentation, longing, hoping, hungering producing only sorrow!
With arrow pulled out, independent, attaining peace of awareness, all grief
is transcended, griefless you are unbound, free, safe, at ease in peace...
Source: Salla Sutta: The Arrow. Snp 3.8, PTS: Sn 574-593
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Edited Extract)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.08.than.html
Kindly forwarded by our Friend Ivan Dhammavaro Wijaya:
More on Suffering, Misery, Dissatisfaction, Frustration & Stress (Dukkha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Source_of_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/SN/SN.III.196.1.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Origin_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/dukkha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ceasing_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3_kinds_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Suffering_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stopping_Mental_Frustration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_1st_Noble_Truth_on_Suffering.htm
More on this inevitable Death (Marana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_Thorn.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ageing_Again.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/End_Making.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Problem.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Bag_of_Bones.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Momentary_Life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ageing_and_Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/marana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Inevitable_but_not_the_End.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Suffering in this World is Inevitable!
No States have a Core, Self or Substance!
The Buddha once epitomized a crucial, yet counter-intuitive fact by saying:
"Sabbe Dhamma Anatta ", which means "All states are self-&-coreless...!"
This entails an absence or voidness of a stable same core in any phenomena:
Internally exists there no "self", "soul", "I", "you" "me", "agent" anywhere!
Externally exists there no "substance", "matter", or "real world" anywhere!
Mentally is there no "controller", "speaker" or "experiencer" inside in mind...
Physically is there no "reality" or "rock-solid-matter-stuff" outside in world...
Both inner "EGO" & outer "SUBSTANCE" are illusionary ideas!
Buddha emphasized that release from the Ego-Substance-concept was Bliss:
"Blissful is solitude for one who is content, learned & who see the Dhamma.
More blissful is harmlessness towards all living beings without exception.
Even more blissful is freedom from any sensual urge & craving whatsoever.
Yet, the supreme bliss, is the elimination of this abysmal conceit 'I Exists'"
Udana – Inspiration: II – 1
No Substantial Object exists 'Out There', nor any Subject-Ego 'In Here'!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
"In the seen is merely the process of seeing...
In the heard is merely the process of hearing...
In the sensed is merely the process of sensing...
In the thought is merely the process of thinking...
So knowing, you will not be connected 'with that'...
So disconnected you will not be absorbed 'into that'...
So neither with that, nor into that You Are Not created by that sensation!
When there is no 'You' inferred or conjectured by that very experience,
then 'You' are neither 'here', 'there', 'both', 'beyond' nor 'in between'...!
On realizing the importance of this incident the Blessed One exclaimed:
Where neither solidity, fluidity, heat nor motion find any footing,
there no sun, moon nor star ever shines. There is neither any light,
yet nor is there any darkness! When the Noble, through stilling of
all construction, through quieting of all mental formation, directly
experiences this, then is he freed from both form & formlessness,
then is he released from both pleasure and all pain ..."
Udana – Inspiration: I - 10.
Further comments and explanation here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/No_Substance_'Out_There'.htm
The Buddha insisted on a subtle and profound quasi-pseudo-real world:
"The world is bound up by and shrouded in delusion. It appears as real and
is regarded as if it were fine! The fool bound to his illusive acquisitions,
blinded by darkness, assumes it as eternal, but for one who sees & really
understands, there is nothing real, stable or same, neither here nor there..."
Udana – Inspiration: VII – 10
"This World both Begins and Ends within this 2 fathom frame of bones..."
SN I 62
"The ALL is thereby actually just a sensed & experienced representation..."
SN IV 15
A crucial core question is: What is actually an experienced phenomenon?
See the equally vital answer here! If mind is directly involved in creating
the very "thing" or "state" it perceives, as an active participatory observer,
then there cannot ever be any "objective observation" or "world out-there",
which is independent of the mind that intends, selects, and manifests it...!
It entails that 'mind' is inseparable from 'matter'. They are Siamese-Twins!
In early Buddhism, the Buddha coined this subtle yet dual Unity: Nama-Rupa!
Name-&-Form or Naming-&-Forming, since these are dynamic processes, that
in mutual dependence creates each other like 2 creepers, that only can grow
up, if growing up twisted & rotated around the other's stem like a DNA-helix.
See, dig and ponder also intensive over what Buddha taught as "Reality":
Maha-suññata Sutta: The Greater Discourse on Emptiness. MN 122 iii 109
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html
Mulapariyaya Sutta: The Root of all Things. MN 1 i 1
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html
Anatta-lakkhana Sutta: On the Characteristic of No-Self. SN 22.59 iii 66
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html
See also what contemporary Quantum Mechanics deposits as "Maybe-Real":
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/ontology.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Some_Clues.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Discrete_States.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Quantum_Buddhism.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Omniscient_Quantum_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/No_Substance_'Out_There'.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/wheeler_law_without_law.pdf
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Coincident_Cross-Consistency.htm
The anthropic universe develops by conscious selection of many participating
observers. Please note that the U symbolizing the universe gets "fatter" left
by increased observation! American physicist John Archibald Wheeler said:
"No phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is an Observed Phenomenon...!"
"We are participators in bringing into being not only the near, but also the
far away both in time and space! Symbolic representation of the Universe is
a self-excited system brought into being by self-reference or auto-creation
by consciously selecting observers over an immensely long period of time...
Such a recursive-reflecting creative concept is similar to the endless series
of receding reflections one sees in a pair of mirrors facing each others....”
Reference: J.A. Wheeler in Isham et al., eds., Quantum Gravity
(Clarendon, Oxford, 1975), pgs. 564-565. (Edited Extract.)
"No phenomenon is a phenomenon, until it is an observed phenomenon!" said
by J.A. Wheeler from his delayed choice experiment ideas, is referenced
in: The undivided universe: An ontological interpretation of quantum theory.
p. 104 By David Bohm, and Basil J. Hiley.
"The path of the electron comes into existence, only when we observe it!"
John S. Bell
"Fundamental to contemporary Quantum Theory is the notion that there is
no phenomenon until it is observed! This is known as the 'Observer Effect'.
The implications of the 'Observer Effect' are profound because, if true,
it means that before anything can manifest in the physical universe it must
first be observed! This Observer Effect clearly implies that all the physical
Universe is the direct result of consciousness itself!" Alex Paterson.
HELP! Please Help Me Out of this Empty Illusion!
If you feel slightly weird or dizzy after reading this, you are right on track!
Hihihi ;-) Keep on observing, studying, reflecting. Never give up Examination!
It is not "reality" that seems to be evaporating under your feet, but rather
the unseen, hidden, habitual and utterly false assumptions you had about it!
More on No-Self, impersonality, ego-lessness, No-I-Me-identity (Anatta):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Not_Who_but_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Invisible_Impersonlatity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Changing_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Self-less_Anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/We_Are_Not.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/No_Being_No_Person.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Deed_without_Doer.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Without_Controversy.htm
The Fact of No-Self = Anatta...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Fact_of_No-Self_Anatta.htm
Have a nice, noble and real day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
No Phenomenon is a Self, Ego or a Substance!
The 20 Kinds of False "Self"-Projection:
What are the 20 invalid Theories of an only apparently existing "Ego-self"?
1: My "self" is identical with my Body: This physical matter is my "Ego".
2: My "self" has a Body, this physical matter is owned by my "Ego".
3: My "self" is hidden somewhere inside & included within this Body frame.
4: This Body form is hidden inside and included within a pervading "Ego".
5: My "self" is identical with my Feelings: Pain, pleasure & neutral feeling is my "Ego".
6: My "self" has Feelings, these sensations are owned by my very own "Ego".
7: My "self" is hidden inside among these Feelings, included within these emotions.
8: These Feelings are hidden inside and included within my all-pervading "Ego-self".
9: My "self" is identical with my Perceptions: These experiences are my "Ego".
10: My "self" has Perceptions: These experiences are owned by my very own "Ego".
11: My "self" is hidden inside these Perceptions, included among all these experiences.
12: These Experiences are hidden inside & included inherently within my "Ego-self".
13: My "self" is identical with my Mental Constructions: Ideas & intentions are my "Ego".
14: My "self" possess mental Constructions: These activities are owned by my "Ego".
15: My "self" is hidden inside among these mental Constructions, included as a core.
16: These Cogitations are hidden inside & included inherently within my "ego-self".
17: My "self" is identical with my Consciousness: This bare awareness is my "Ego".
18: My "self" has a Consciousness: This naked awareness is owned by my "Ego".
19: My "self" is hidden inside this Consciousness, included in all aware moments.
20: This Consciousness is hidden inside & included inherently within my "self".
The imagined EGO tragi-comically imprisons itself in overblown pride and ego-centrism!
Even without noticing it, since it is so blindly fallen in love with this non-existent Myself!
Enveloped in Egotism this Ego then systematically destroys itself by egoistic behaviour!
The very conception of an 'Ego' is thus a catastrophic form of mental auto-cannibalism,
which beings repeat life after life, resulting in immense pain for themselves & all others...
Why are these 20 common assumptions invalid, erroneous, wrong and false?
Because any concept of a "Self" inherently implies 3 criteria:
1 Sameness: It is something constant over time: An "identical same self"...
2 Control: That it is "self"-controllable: i.e. fully independent and autonomic...
3 Pleasant: That it is pleasant, since if self was not pleasant, & the "Self" really
was in full power, then it would instantly make whatever is self, become pleasant!
However, neither body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness
is constant and the same, even for a moment... Therefore they cannot possibly ever
qualify as a "same self", nor be identical with any stable and definable identity...!!!
Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness fully
controllable... Neither can they thus ever meet the control requirements of a self!
Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness always
pleasant... They can therefore never contain or coincide with any autonomic self!
Could the assumed ‘"self"’ be a combination of any of 1-20? Not so! Why not?
If "self" is not found within any of 1-20, it cannot ever be a collection of them!
The 4 Mechanisms of unseen, assumed, and associative Ego-projection:
1+5+9+13+17 are examples of illusory identification with mere passing states...
2+6+10+14+18 are examples of fictitious immanence and invented ownership...
3+7+11+15+19 are examples of imagined inclusion in something becoming otherwise...
4+8+12+16+20 are examples of phony possessing as an invisible acquisition...
This doctrine of selflessness, Anatta, No-self, Not-Anyone-Anything-Anywhere is
particular to the Buddhas. No other is able to discover, comprehend, nor teach this!
More on this subtle, counter-intuitive, profound, baffling, yet liberating Selflessness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Fact_of_No-Self_Anatta.htm
The Blessed Buddha once radically pointed out:
"All phenomena is void of a "self" or of what belongs to any "self"!
Within this frame is therefore nothing belonging to anyone, anywhere,
nor is there anything owned by this frame in anyone, anywhere or elsewhere..."
Like a Scarecrow empty of self, soul, ownership & ego...
On clinging to "personality" view (Sakkaya Ditthi) and selflessness (Anatta):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/I-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Agent_is_Inside.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Anatta_Doctrine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Just_Passing_Bubbles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Neither_Agent_nor_Actor.htm
A Void Empty of anything REAL is the EGO...
Source: The Moderate Speeches of the Buddha.
Majjhima Nikaya 106 [ii 106] The Way to the Imperturbable.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25072X
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/index.html
Illusory I-dentification = Inner Ego-Prison...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
Who enters Nibbãna, Happy, Free in Peace?
Wrong question! Why? There was no-one really there in the first place...!
Nibbana is there. Beings attain it, but no-one is ever seen entering it...
There was no 'entity' or 'person' there, but a process that simply stops!
Right question: Not Who, but What is then absolutely free?
Right answer: Form is then free, Feeling is then free, Perception is then free,
Mental Construction is then free, and Consciousness itself is then free!
Cut short: The 5 clusters of clinging are instantly freed!
When all craving and all clinging is completely relinquished and eliminated,
then they are all completely irreversibly freed and they by that evaporate,
disintegrate, fade away and vanish... This is the signless Nibbana...
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
When past conditioning is exhausted, and no fresh causality is produced,
then mind is no longer lead to future rebirth. When cravings no more arise,
the seed is consumed! Still-minded ones cease like the flame of this lamp...
Sutta Nipata 235
What actually stops burning right there?
The Fire of Greed, Hate and Ignorance, is finally extinguished in Nibbana...
On this veritable "Fire of Painful Existence" see also:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Burning.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
Have a nice, noble and cool day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What actually stops burning right there?
Just this evil Greed, Hate and Ignorance!!!
Ceasing the Flame!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ceasing_the_Flame.htm
What are the 5 Primary Categories of Being?
I: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Material Form (Rupa):
Form or materiality is composed of these 4 Primary Elements:
1: Solidity based microscopically on the force of extension.
2: Fluidity based microscopically on the force of cohesion.
3: Heat based microscopically on the property of vibration.
4: Motion based microscopically on the property of energy.
From these 4 can be derived all other formed phenomena...
Form (Rupa) in Buddhism is a quality, but not a substance...
Whatever there are of formed things, whether past, present
or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low,
far or near, all these belong to this form group. Desire, lust
craving and clinging to that, is the cluster of clinging to form!
II: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Feeling (Vedana):
There are these five kinds of Feeling:
1: Bodily pleasant feeling and 2: Bodily painful feeling.
3: Mentally glad feeling and 4: Mentally sad feeling. And finally:
5: Indifferent feeling = Neither painful, pleasant, sad, nor glad.
Feeling is born as effect of eye contact, or ear contact, or nose
contact, or tongue contact, or body contact, or mental contact...
Whatever there is of feeling, whether past, present or future,
internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all
that belongs to this feeling group. Desire, lust, craving for, and
clinging to these reactions, is the cluster of clinging to feeling!
III: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Perception (Sañña):
There are these six kinds of Perception:
1: Visual perception of form and color. 2: Auditory perception of sound.
3: Olfactory perception of smell. 4: Gustatory perception of taste.
5: Tactile perception of touch. 6: Mental perception of ideas and states.
Whatever there is of perception, whether past, present or future,
internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that
belongs to this perception group. Desire, lust, craving for and clinging to
these perceived experiences, is the cluster of clinging to perception!
IV: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Mental Construction (Sankhara):
There are six kinds of mental construction dealing with visual objects,
or hearable objects, or smellable, or tastable, or touchable objects, or
thinkable objects. Whatever there is of mental construction, whether past,
present or future, internal or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or
near, all that belongs to this mental construction group. Desire, craving for
and clinging to these objectives, is the cluster of clinging to construction!
Wanting to see some special form is the mental construction of intention...
V: There is the Cluster of Clinging to Consciousness (Viññana):
There are six kinds of consciousness:
1: The Visual Consciousness of seeing. 2: The Auditory Consciousness of hearing.
3: Olfactory Consciousness of smelling. 4: Gustatory Consciousness of tasting.
5: Tactile Consciousness of touching. 6: The Mental Consciousness of thinking.
Whatever there is of consciousness, whether past, present or future, internal
or external, fine or gross, high or low, far or near, all that belongs to this very
consciousness group. Desire, craving for and clinging to this aware recognition,
is the cluster of clinging to consciousness!
The Blessed Buddha said:
Recluses and priests, who knows the causation, the ceasing, and the way leading
to the ceasing of these five clusters of clinging, who are practicing for disgust
towards these, for their fading away and dissolution, they are practicing well!
They are later released and well liberated through this very non-clinging...
Those who are well liberated are consummate ones, completed ones...
There is no way of describing such utterly perfected ones...
There is nothing in this or any Universe apart from these 5 Clusters of Clinging...
More on these 5 Clusters of Clinging (Khandha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Leash.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Like_Foam.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/House_on_Fire.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fingernail_of_Soil.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Acquisition_of_Fuel.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Clustered_Truths.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Burden_and_Prison.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breaking_the_Bonds.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stilling_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/khandha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
If Clinging: How can one ever be Free?
If Not Free: How can one ever be Happy?
Source: The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya XXII (56); [III 59-61]
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507 A Vast Ocean of True Dhamma Teaching!
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/index.html#Khandha On these Clusters!
Have a nice, noble and relinquished day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What are the 5 Clusters of Clinging?
No Sensing can ever be Satiated!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
The eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body & the mind, Bhikkhus,
is an ocean of attractive stimuli for any uninstructed ordinary person...
Its streams are forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states,
that all are seductive, gorgeous, alluring, agreeable, pleasing, enticing,
tempting and tantalizing.... Here this entire world and its devas, its maras,
and brahmas, this generation with its recluses & priests, its kings and all
normal people, almost all are sunken and submerged, being like an entangled
and knotted coil of thread, like intertwined weeds, who all are unable to
pass beyond this dimension of misery, these painful destinations, these lower
worlds, this ocean of Suffering by repeated death ever again, this Samsara!
One who withstands that mighty and strapping current consisting of forms,
sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states is said to have crossed
this sensual ocean of the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and
the mind, with its great waves, whirlpools, terrifying sharks, and demons!
Crossed over, gone all beyond, such a Hero now stands safe on high ground...
Having extinguished all attraction, aversion and blinded ignorance, one has
crossed this ocean so hard to cross with its dangers of terrifying sharks,
scary whirlpools, waves and a vast variety of creepy demons...
Such a chain-breaking death-forsaker, elevated all without accumulations,
has eliminated all Suffering by leaving all behind any renewed existence...
Transcended, he cannot ever be defined, measured or even recognized!
I tell you, Bhikkhus: He has confused even the King of Death...
The Ocean of Sense Stimuli overcomes & drowns all beings!
More on Sense-Desire (Hedonism = Kama):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Why_Not.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Charcoal_Pit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fisherman's_Hook.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Obstructing_Corruption.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fire_of_Sense-Desire.htm
Source (extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV [157-8]
Section 35 Salayatana: On The 6 Senses. The Ocean: Samudda 228-9.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice, noble and sense-moderated day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sensing can Never be Satiated!
Sense-Organs also implies Sensing Suffering!
At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this:
Bhikkhus, the arising, emergence, maintenance, creation, & manifestation
of the Eye the Ear, the Nose, the Tongue, and the Body is also the arising
of much Suffering, the continuation of disease, the very manifestation of
ageing, decay and Death itself!
The ceasing, all subsiding, and complete passing away of the Eye, the Ear,
the Nose, the Tongue, and the Body is also the Final Ending of all Suffering,
the abating of all disease, and the complete passing away of all ageing, decay
and even the elimination of the process and necessity of death itself!
Bhikkhus, the arising, emergence, maintenance, creation, & manifestation
of the Mind is also the arising of Suffering, the long continuation of disease,
the very manifestation of ageing, decay and Death itself!
Therefore is the ceasing, subsiding, silencing and thus the complete passing
away of the Mind and all mentality consequently also the final ending of all
Suffering, the abating of all disease, & stopping the ageing, sickness, pain,
suffering, & even the fact of death itself! Only this can end all Suffering!
More on these Sense Sources (The 12 Ayatana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Hands_and_Feet.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Source_of_All.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Mistaken_Reference.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/aayatana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sour_Sense_Sources.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fisherman's_Hook.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Guarding_the_Sense_Doors.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Things_that_can_be_clung_to.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 26:1 III 228-9
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice and noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sensors Senses Suffering!
Purity comes by Guarding the 3 Doors of Action:
Friends, there are these three purities:
Purity of Mental Action!
Purity of Verbal Action!
Purity of Bodily Action!
Herein, what is purity of bodily action?
It is complete abstention from killing any breathing being, avoidance of taking
whatever is not freely given, & refraining from any misbehaviour in sense desires...
Herein, what is purity of verbal action?
It is abstention from any false lies, avoidance of all aggressive speech, shunning
all divisive slandering speech, & refraining from all idle & empty hear-say gossip...
Herein, what is purity of mental action?
It is non-envious non-greediness, kind & gentle good-will, and Noble Right View...
These 3 behavioral purities are:
Like the earth in property: A firm footing to those, who desire Freedom..
Like water are they, for they wash away all the stains of mental defilement..
Like fire are they, for they burn the whole forest of the mental obstructions..
Like wind are they, for they blow away all the dust of mental obscuration..
Like a ship are they, for they ferry those, who desire Peace across this Samsara..
Like a shelter, for they restore Faith in those frightened by Ageing & Death..
Like a guide are they, leading any wishing ease out of the jungle of wrong views..
Like a mirror are they, making any who want Bliss to see the Clusters of Clinging..
Like an umbrella, warding off incessant scorching of Greed, Hate & Ignorance..
Like the sun are they, for they dispel darkness and gloom of Deluded Confusion..
Who fully guards his speech, and is well controlled in mind,
Who does nothing disadvantageous through the body's door,
Who purifies this simple triple course of all acted-out behaviour,
Will win both the path and the fruit, that all the Seers have enjoyed!
More on Mental Purification (Visuddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mental_Purity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ability_Purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Purifications.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Immaculate_Integrity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/visuddhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_8_Understandings.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Levels_of_Leaving_Behind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_purpose_of_purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_7_stages_of_Purification.htm
The Absolute Mental Manual: The Path of Purification. Visuddhimagga.
Excellent if not legendary translation by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli (1905-1960).
Written by 'The Great Explainer' Buddhaghosa on 5th century Ceylon.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100
Given as free book here:
http://www.budaedu.org/en/book/II-02main.php3
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 3 Doors!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Three_Doors.htm
Purity produces immaculate integrity!
What is Mara: A Transient, Painful, and Selfless State?
At Savatthi. While seated, the Venerable Radha asked the Blessed One:
Venerable Sir, one says: Mara, Mara!! What is this Mara; the Evil One?
Radha, form, feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness
is Mara, is a state of Mara, is impermanent, is of an impermanent nature,
is suffering, is of a painful nature, is no-self, is of an impersonal nature,
is in a state of destruction, is in a state of vanishing, is an unstable state,
is always in a state of momentary ceasing, vanishing right there and then...
Radha, you should therefore leave behind desire, should leave behind lust,
you should leave behind all desire and lust for whatever is a state of Mara,
for whatever is impermanent, for whatever is only impermanent appearance,
for whatever is suffering, for whatever is of a painful nature, for whatever
is no-self, for whatever is of a ownerless nature, for whatever is a state of
destruction, for whatever is a state of vanishing, for whatever is in a state
of arising, for whatever that is a state of cessation... And what, Radha, is a
state of cessation? Form is a state of cessation. Feeling, Perception, Mental
Constructions, and this Consciousness is also a state of continuous ceasing...
Understanding this, Radha, the well instructed Noble Disciple experiences
disgust towards form, disgust towards feeling, disgust towards perception,
disgust towards mental construction, & disgust towards consciousness itself!
Experiencing disgust, he becomes disillusioned! Through disillusion his mind
is released. When it is released, he instantly knows: This mind is liberated,
and he understands: Extinguished is birth, this Noble Life is all completed,
done is what should be done, there is no state of being beyond this one...
More on the individual deva personality Mara: The Evil One...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/maara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/ma/maara.htm
Mara attacks the Buddha in a failed attempt to frighten him.
More on the Universal Fact of Impermanence:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Internal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
Mara's daughters temptation of the Buddha also fails flatly!
More on the Mental Release induced by Disgust:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Released_by_Disgust.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disgust.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Constructive_Destruction.htm
He is also called Namuci: Never letting any Escape his hypnotic hedonist powers!
Any Deva can choose own body form. His favourite manifestations are as above..
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 23:24-34 III 199
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What is Evil?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Mara.htm
Any Transient, Painful, & Selfless State is Suffering!
The 7 Links to Awakening produce Final Enlightenment...
There are these 7 links leading to final Enlightenment...
1: Awareness is a link to Awakening.
2: Investigation of the states is a link to Awakening.
3: Energy is a link to Awakening.
4: Joy is a link to Awakening.
5: Tranquillity is a link to Awakening.
6: Concentration is a link to Awakening.
7: Equanimity is a link to Awakening.
They lead to and induce enlightenment! Thus are they links to awakening:
They are themselves enlightened, in this way are they links to awakening.
They are enlightened, since they embrace the root cause of awakening.
They are enlightened, since they provide & equip the cause of awakening.
They are enlightened, since they induce ripening of the cause of awakening.
They are enlightened, since they enhance the root cause of awakening.
They are enlightened, since they completely perfect the cause of awakening.
How do the 7 Links to Awakening remain established and anchored in mind?
The Awareness link remains by no attention being given to other states.
The Awareness link remains by the sign of being directed to continuously.
The Awareness link remains by the sign-less state being given attention.
The Awareness link remains by no attention given to mental construction.
The Awareness link remains by attention being given to ceasing of craving.
The Awareness link to Awakening indeed remains fixed & anchored in mind
in these 5 ways. Exactly & similarly so with the other 6 links to Awakening.
On these 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Sun.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Peak.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rare_Emergence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sequential_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Vast_Penetration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unsurpassable_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/When_7_becomes_14.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leading_to_Enlightenment.htm
Source (edited extract): Sariputta
Path of Discrimination: Patisambhidamagga. On the Links to Awakening XIII.
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Awareness Awakens! END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT=WORLD VIETNAMESE BUD-DHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUD-DHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.10/10/2013.NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUD-DHA.( 3 TIMES ).