Daily Dhamma Drops

samahita · March 2009

Friends:

Release of Mind by All Embracing Kindness!

This was spoken by the Blessed Buddha, the Perfectly Holy One...
Thus have I heard him saying it:
Whatever, Bhikkhus and Friends, there are here of worldly things
& merit making, all these are not worth 1/16 of the mental release
& liberation of the mind reached through All-Embracing Kindness...
The release of mind & the liberation of the heart by all-embracing
kindness radiates, emanates and shines, far surpassing it all...
Just as the light from all the stars is not 1/16th of the moonlight,
but the luminous light of the moon, radiating, beaming and shining,
surpasses them all, even & exactly so; whatever there are of simple
worldly and meritorious things, all these are not worth one 1/16th
of the mental deliverance of the heart by All-Embracing Kindness...
The release of mind by all-embracing kindness radiates, beams,
sparkles and shines, far surpassing it all... Just as in autumn, in the
last month of the rainy season, on a clear, cloudless day the sun rises
on the horizon & dispels all darkness of the entire surrounding space,
bright and brilliant, even & exactly so: Whatever there are of worldly,
meritorious, admirable, & attractive things, all these summed up are not
worth even one 1/16 of the release of mind by All-Embracing Kindness!
The release of mind, liberating the heart, by All-Embracing Kindness
radiates, dazzles and shines, far surpassing them all...

100.billion.earthlike.planets.in.our.galaxy.jpg

All-Embracing, Universal & Infinite Kindness dazzles & shines...!

Source Text: The Itivuttaka 27: Thus what it Said:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.024-027.irel.html

Have a nice All-Embracing Kind day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Blazing & Bright is release by Friendliness!

samahita · March 2009

Friends:

What are the Five Mental Abilities making one Safe?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these five abilities. What five?

The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)

When, Bhikkhus, a Noble Disciple understands as they really
are the gratification, the danger, and the escape regarding
these five abilities, then he is called a Noble Disciple, who is a
stream-enterer, no longer bound to the lower worlds, fixed in
destiny, with enlightenment as his assured future destination!

ability.eye.JPG

On these 5 Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Origin_of_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 193] 48 The Mental Abilities: 2 Stream-Enterer..

Have a nice able day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The 5 Abilities!

samahita · March 2009

Friends:

What are the 3 Supramundane Mental Abilities?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these three supramundane abilities. What three?
1: The ability of coming to know, what one did not yet know...
2: The ability of gradually achieving the highest & final wisdom...
3: The ability of one, who dwells in the highest and final wisdom...
These are the three supreme supramundane abilities. (añña-indriya)

For Details on the general Abilities (indriya) & Final Knowledge (añña) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/annaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Knowledge.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Final_Knowledge.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Final_Freedom.htm

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 204] 48 The Mental Abilities: 23 Final Wisdom..

Have a nice knowing day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Final Wisdom!

samahita · March 2009

Friends:

What did Buddha said about Faith (Saddha)?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
And even though a disciple of the Noble Ones lives off lumps of alms food and
wears rag-robes, still, because he is endowed with four qualities, then he is freed
from hell, freed from the animal womb, freed from the realm of hungry ghosts,
freed from all the planes of pain & deprivation, the bad and low destinations.

And what are the four? There is the case where the disciple of the Noble Ones is
endowed with verified faith, confidence & conviction in the Awakened Buddha like
this: Worthy, honourable and perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha! Fully
consummated in knowledge and behaviour, totally transcended, expert in all these
dimensions, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable trainer of those who can be tamed,
both teacher and guide of gods as well as of humans, blessed, exalted, awakened
and enlightened is the Buddha!!!

He/she is endowed with verified faith, confidence & conviction in the Dhamma like
this: Perfectly formulated is this Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here and now,
immediately effective, timeless, inviting each and everyone to come and see for
themselves, inspect, examine and verify. Leading each and everyone through
progress towards perfection. Directly observable, experiencable and realizable
by each intelligence...

He/she is endowed with verified faith, confidence & conviction in the Noble Sangha
like this: Perfectly training is this Noble Sangha community of the Buddha's Noble
disciples: Training the right way, the true way, the good way, the direct way!
Therefore do these 8 kinds of individuals, the four Noble pairs, deserve both gifts,
grants sacrifice, offerings, hospitality and reverential salutation even with joined
palms, since this Noble Sangha community of the Buddha's Noble disciples, is an
unsurpassable and forever unsurpassed field of merit, in this world, for this world,
to honour, respect, support, give to and protect.

He/she is endowed with long-term clean morality, which are dear to the Noble Ones:
Moral purity that is untorn, unbroken, unspotted, and impeccable, liberating, praised
by the wise, immaculate, and leading to concentration. SN 55.1
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn55/sn55.001.than.html

For a lay person, there are these five rewards of faith, confidence & conviction
Which five?
1: When truly good people in the world show compassion, they will first show true
compassion to people of faith, confidence & conviction, and not to people lacking
in faith, confidence & conviction...
2: When visiting, they visit people of faith, confidence & conviction, and not people
without faith, confidence & conviction...
3: When accepting gifts, they first accept gifts from people with faith, confidence
& conviction, & not from people lacking faith, confidence & conviction.
4: When teaching the Dhamma, they first teach those with faith, confidence and
conviction, & not those without faith, confidence & conviction .
5: A person of faith, confidence & conviction, on the break-up of the body, right
after death, will arise in a good destination, the heavenly world. For a lay person,
these are the five certain rewards of faith, confidence & conviction. AN 5:38
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.038.than.html

And how is the individual who is released through faith, confidence & conviction?
There is the case where a certain individual does not dwell immersed in those
peaceful states that has transcended all form, but having understood the Dhamma,
some of his mental fermentations are ended, and his faith, confidence & conviction
in the Tathagata is settled, well rooted, and established. This is called an individual,
who is released through faith, confidence & conviction. Regarding this monk, I say
that he has still a task to do. Why is that? Perhaps this Venerable, when staying at
suitable places, associating with admirable friends, while balancing all his mental
abilities, will reach & dwell in the supreme goal of the Noble life for which good men
rightly go forth from home into homelessness, directly realizing it for himself right
here & now. Envisioning this fruit of further effort for this monk, I say that he
still has a task to complete. MN 70
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.070.than.html

Any female disciple of the Noble Ones who grows by these 5 types of growth grows
a Noble growth, and thereby get a handle on what is essential, and what is excellent.
Which five?
She grows in terms of Faith...
She grows in terms of Morality...
She grows in terms of Learning...
She grows in terms of Generosity...
She grows in terms of Understanding....
Growing by these five types of growth, any female disciple of the Noble Ones grows
a Noble growth, and thereby gets hold on what is really essential, and what indeed is
quite and truly excellent. Growing in faith, morality, learning, generosity, and finally
understanding, a virtuous female lay disciple, such as this, establishes real essence
within herself. SN 37.34
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Three_Jewels.htm

Have a nice faithful day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Faith is the Seed!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Faith is the Seed, Hand, and Wealth of Beings!

What is real Richness?
Bhikkhus, when a Noble Disciple possesses 4 things, then he is said to be rich,
with much wealth and prosperous property. What four?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Noble Disciple possesses the faith of confirmed confidence
in the Buddha ... in the Dhamma ... and in the Sangha....
He possesses the moral purity that is praised by the Noble Ones, unbroken ...
untorn ... pure ... intact ... leading to absorbed concentration....
Any Noble Disciple, who possesses these 4 things is indeed really quite rich,
with much heavy wealth and a lush property.... SN V 402

Buddha to the Ploughman:
Faith is my seed, simplicity the rain,
Understanding my yoke and plough,
Modesty is pole, & mind is the strap,
Awareness is my ploughshare and goad!
Sn77

Suffering is the cause of Faith...
Elated Joy is the effect of Faith...
Entrance is the function of Faith...
Trusting is the characteristic of Faith...
Decisiveness is the manifestation of Faith...
Faith is the Hand, that lifts one out of Suffering...
Faith is the Seed, that makes one grow much good...
Faith is the Real Wealth, since it produces advantage...
Vism XIV 140

How does Faith save one from pain?
When one has faith in the Tathagata,
Unshakable and quite well established,
And good behaviour built on morality,
Liked by the Noble Ones and praised!
When one has confidence in the Sangha,
And a view, that has been made straight!
Then they say, that one is not poor,
That one's life is not wasted...
Therefore should any intelligent person,
aware of the Buddha-Dhamma, be devoted
to the fine faith & moral purity, which gives
confirmed conviction in this saving Dhamma.
SN V 405

Alavaka once asked the Blessed Buddha:
What wealth here is best for any man?
What well practiced brings happiness?
What is the sweetest of all the flavours?
How lived, is this life best?

The Buddha:
Faith is the best wealth here for any human!
Dhamma well practiced brings happiness!
Truth indeed is unsurpassable sweet!
A wise life lived in understanding is best...

Alavaka:
How does one cross the flood of ills?
How is the ocean of existence crossed?
How is all suffering stilled?
How is one purified?

The Buddha:
By Faith is the flood of evil crossed!
By attention is existence crossed!
By effort is all suffering stilled!
By wisdom one is purified!
Sn 182-184

For fine further Faith (Saddha) please see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Going_Forth_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Outstanding_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unwavering_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Power_of_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Faith_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Highest_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruitful_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leaping_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Mutual_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Dual_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fine_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rich_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Lay_Faith.htm

Have a nice confident day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Faith is therefore the only Real Richness!
The prime Mental Wealth...

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the Fruits of the 5 Mental Abilities?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these five mental abilities. What five?

The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)

These are the five abilities.
It is, Bhikkhus, because he has developed & cultivated these 5 abilities,
that a Bhikkhu, by the destruction of the fermentations, in this very life
enters and dwells in the stainless liberation of mind, released by wisdom,
realizing it for himself with direct experience and knowledge!

Comments:
The 4 mental fermentations are wrong, false & hidden assumptions associated with:
1: Sense-desire (kamasava). Ex: "Sensing is only & always pleasant. Pain exists not!"
2: Desiring becoming into new existence (bhavasava): Ex: "All life is good, Death exists not!"
3: Wrong views (ditthasava): Ex: "I am better, know better & what I think is thus never wrong!"
4: Ignorance (avijjasava): Ex: "Suffering, craving, ending craving & the Noble Way exists not!"

Blue.Buddha.jpg

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 203] 48 The Mental Abilities: 20 Fermentation free..

Have a nice fermentation-free day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Which ability uproots all mental Fermentation?

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 3 kinds of Buddhist Gifts?

Three kinds of gift are mentioned in Buddhism, namely:
1: Amisa dana: The gift of material things,
2: Abhaya dana: The fearless gift of life,
3: Dhamma dana: The gift of real Truth...

Amisa dana: – or the gift of material things is practised by people
of all religions and is very common. Food, clothes and houses are
given to people of little means or to refugees through various
religious and social organizations. It is, no doubt, a good thing to
satisfy the hunger of the starved & the yearning of the thirsty.
This type of donations is highly recommended in Buddhism and
is called the Amisa dana. (The donations of material things).

Next comes the Abhaya dana: - or giving life to those who are in
danger of life caused by fire, water or enemies. Sometimes we
hear of people, who are about to die due to lack of blood.
To donate blood and save another humans life is indeed a great
thing. Donation of eyes and kidneys is also highly appreciated
and they come under Abhaya dana – fearless donation of life.

The last one: Dhamma dana: - or the gift of Truth of the Doctrine
is said to be the highest of all donations on earth. Why so?
Because it opens the Door to the Deathless Dimension!
This no other giving is even remotely capable of...

Openhanded Giving is the 1st Mental Perfection...

Sabba danam Dhamma danam jinati
Sabbam rasam Dhamma raso jinati
Sabbam ratim Dhamma rati jinati
Tanhakkayo sabba dukkham jinati

The gift of Dhamma excels all other Gifts.
The flavour of Dhamma excels all other flavours.
The pleasure in Dhamma excels all other pleasures.
He who has destroyed craving overcomes all sorrow!
Dhammapada 354

Most Gods actually became Divine Beings as a result of Giving!

More on Generosity (Dana) = The 1st mental perfection:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Glad_Giving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_3_Gifts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kathina_Ceremony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/caaga.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/daana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Openhanded_Generosity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Generosity_Contemplation.htm

Sumedha_a_young_millionaire_giving_away_his_property_in_charity.jpg

Sumedha_a_young_millionaire_giving_away_his_property_in_charity.jpg

Sumedha - the young millionaire - gives away all his property!

Source:
Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero http://www.buddhist-book.com Singapore

Have a nice generous day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The 3 Golden Gifts!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

How is one well equipped with the Five Mental Abilities?

A certain, not very well known Bhikkhu once asked Blessed Buddha,
Venerable Sir, it is said: One well equipped with the mental abilities!
In what way, Venerable Sir, is one well equipped with these abilities?
When, Bhikkhu, a Bhikkhu thoroughly trains and fully develops:
The Ability of Faith, which leads to stilling, which leads to enlightenment..
The Ability of Energy, which leads to peace, which leads to awakening..
The Ability of Awareness, which leads to harmony, which leads to safety..
The Ability of Concentration, which leads to rest, which leads to ending..
The Ability of Understanding, which leads to ease, which leads to bliss..
Then he becomes one, who is well equipped with the 5 mental abilities!

On The Five Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Origin_of_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm

Stretch your mental Abilities by Training them!

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 203] 48 The Mental Abilities: 19 Equipped..

Have a nice able day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Nice Gear!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Some Sequential and Consequential Facts!

Whenever and wherever there is Ignorance of the 4 Noble Truths;
There is also Greed, Voracity, Lust, Desire, Craving and Longing!

Whenever and wherever there is Greed, Lust, Desire, and Craving;
There is also the Hate of Envy & of Jealousy, and Fear of Loosing!

Whenever and wherever there is Hate, Envy, Jealousy and Anger;
There is also Conflict, Clash, Opposition, Hostility & raging Violence!

Whenever and wherever there is Conflict, Hostility and Violence;
There is neither Peace, nor Harmony, nor any Relaxed Contentment!

Whenever and wherever there is neither Peace, nor any Harmony;
There is neither Gladness, nor Joy, nor Bliss, nor any Happiness!

Whenever and wherever there is neither Gladness, nor Happiness;
There is Suffering, Frustration, Misery, Distress and Discomfort!

Whenever and wherever there is Suffering, Frustration, & Misery;
There is no Concentration, nor any Mental Absorption of Mind!

Whenever and wherever there is no Well Focused Concentration;
There is no penetration into the real & true Nature of Phenomena!

Whenever and wherever there is no penetration into the Realities;
There is Ignorance of the 4 Noble Truths, Confusion and Doubt...

Friends, I tell you: It is in this way, that Ignorance grows Ignorance!

ignorance.kills.jpg

http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Ignorance.htm

Have a nice understanding day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Whenever and Wherever!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 8 Training Rules (Precepts), which brings Divinity?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
The habitual praxis of the observance day endowed with eight features
brings high reward and blessing, & is of sublime dignity and greatness.
And which are these eight features? Here, any Noble Disciple considers
within himself: Throughout their life the Arahats avoid the killing of any
living being, they do not hurt any of them. Without stick or any weapon,
tender-hearted, gentle, caring, & mild they think only of the welfare of
all living beings! So will also I, this day and night, avoid the killing and
hurting of all living and breathing beings. Without any cudgel or weapon,
tender-hearted, full of kindness, I will think only on the joyous welfare
of all living beings and creatures. In this regard I will follow the Arahats,
& I shall observe this observance day praxis perfectly! With this first
praxis is the observance day enriched. Observed in this very way, the
observance day endowed with eight features brings high - even divine -
reward & blessing & is of sublime dignity and immense greatness...

All sentient beings feel pain from violence...
All sentient beings fear death in panic!
Seeing other beings are like oneself;
Treating other beings like oneself;
One should never ever harm or kill ...
Dhammapada 129

Whoever never injures, neither with weapon nor stick,
beings searching for their happiness - when after death -
seeking same happiness, such gentle one always gains it!
Dhammapada 132

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 8 Training Rules (Precepts), which brings Divinity?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
The habitual praxis of the observance day endowed with eight features brings
high reward and blessing, & is of sublime dignity and greatness. And which are
these eight features? In this, any Noble Disciple considers within himself:
Throughout their life the Arahats avoid all stealing of others' property and
abstain from any cheating. Always waiting till whatever thing is freely and
only openly given, free from any thievish intent, they remain intact and pure
both in mind & moral! May also I, this day and night, avoid all stealing & not
cheat anyone. By that I will follow the traits of these perfected Arahats!
I shall then have observed the Uposatha observance day perfectly. With this
second praxis is the observance day enriched. Observed in this very way,
the observance day endowed with eight features brings high - even divine -
reward & blessing & is of sublime dignity and immense greatness...

The one, who never takes, what is not freely & openly given,
whether long or short, fine or foul, exquisite or ordinary,
such one is a Holy One.
Dhammapada 409

Behaviour that counts as ways of stealing:
Cheating with values, documents, weights or measures, embezzlement, corruption,
fraud, misappropriation, robbery, theft, swindling, trickery, forgery, counterfeit,
extortion, bribing, blackmail, tax-evasion, false accounting, double book-keeping,
over-prizing, pirating, deliberate false valuation of assets, and insurance fraud...!

More on Not Stealing:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Threefold_Right_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hungry_Ghost_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Virtue.htm

More on this Optimal Buddhist Behaviour of Observance:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fullmoon_Observance_Day.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/atthasila.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

Source (edited extract):
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 8:44

Have a nice & $honest day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Best Buddhist Behaviour: No Theft!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 8 Training Rules (Precepts), which brings Divinity?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
The habitual praxis of the observance day endowed with eight features brings high
reward and blessing, & is of sublime dignity and greatness! And which are these 8
features? In this, any Noble Disciple considers within himself: Throughout their life
the Arahats avoid lying & refrain from any falsehood. They speak only the factual &
actual truth, they are very devoted to valid accuracy, reliable, all honest, worthy of
trust & confidence, and never neither deceiving, nor pretending! May I also, this day
& night, avoid all lying & refrain from any fake falsehood... By that I will follow the
track & traits of these perfected Arahats! I shall then have observed the Uposatha
observance day perfectly. With this fourth praxis is the observance day enriched.
Observed in this very way, brings the observance day endowed with eight features
high - even divine - reward & blessing & is of sublime dignity and immense greatness...

Honest Facts:
There are those, who break the holy vows,
who speak false, deceive, and pretend,
who thus cannot hope for a good future,
There is no evil such ones cannot do ... !
Dhammapada 176

lying.letter.blue.jpg

Those who falsely declare: "That indeed happened",
about what did not happen or: "I did not do that",
about what they actually did, earn themselves
a hot ticket to a future in Hell...
Dhammapada 306

One can only convince the liar with truth....
Dhammapada 223

deceiving.letters.jpg

If one speaks only truth, one wins a divine future!
Dhammapada 224

pretending.letters.jpg

More on Neither Lying, nor Deceiving, nor Pretending:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/samma-vaca.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Truth_Triumphs.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Deceiving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Speech.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Fourfold_Right_Speech.htm

More on this Optimal Buddhist Uposatha Day Observance:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fullmoon_Observance_Day.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/atthasila.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

Source (edited extract):
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 8:44
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm

Have a nice honest & straight day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Neither Lying, nor Deceiving, nor Pretending!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

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 jewel-beset throne...
The story shows the Buddha as fine 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 for 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! A journey towards the deathless Nibbana is thus started!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and fully
completed 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 Bhikkhu-Sangha,
they may easily forward the lines starting with "I hereby" signed by
name, date, town, & country to me or join here. A Public list of this
new quite rapidly growing global 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: what.buddha.said@gmail.com
For Details on Uposatha Observance Days:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

Reuniting those who are divided, by inducing 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 mother's
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 Teacher's 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 divine 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 naga-king 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 for 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 worlds, 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 harmonious reuniting day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Reuniting is Bak Poya Day!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 8 Precepts, which brings Divinity?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
The habitual praxis of the observance day endowed with eight features brings high
reward and blessing, & is of sublime dignity and greatness! And which are these eight
features? In this, any Noble Disciple considers within himself: Throughout their life
the Arahats avoid all alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine, and liquor! May I also, this
day & night, avoid alcoholic & intoxicating drinks... By that I will follow the track and
traits of the perfected Arahats! I shall then have observed the Uposatha observance
day perfectly! With this fifth praxis is the observance day enriched. Observed in this
very way, the observance day endowed with eight features brings high - even divine -
reward & blessing & is of sublime dignity and immense greatness...

The innocent fluid down-the-drain-brain happy-maker: Alcohol!

Addiction to alcohol and drugs is often a need for tranquilization!
The side-effects are much worse than the restlessness they cure...
Drinking & drugging - though pleasant - leads to lazy carelessness...
This lax neglect of the real world problems are often catastrophic!
Bodily decay, social isolation and steady fall is inevitable, though
often violently denied or actively ignored by the addicted person...
Compared to the calm bliss of meditation is drugged sedation banal!
Many addicted persons may have experienced the serene bliss of
deep meditative states in an earlier life and is thus now prone to
search for, & become addicted to a similar chemical calm, which
however is a blurred haze lacking the cool clarity of meditation...

Tobacco => Lung-cancer and Marijuana => lazy no-brain zombie!

More on this common self-destructive behaviour: Drinking & Drugging:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Curing_Lethargy_and_Laziness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blurred_and_Blinded.htm

Ecstacy and Cocaine: High Tempo, but No genuine Emotions...

More on this Optimal Buddhist Uposatha Day Observance:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fullmoon_Observance_Day.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/atthasila.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

Pills: Chemical Calm Calamity!

Source (edited extract):
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 8:44
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm

addiction.skull.jpg

Synthetic Serenity spells Death!

Neither Drinking nor Drugging!

Have a nice clean day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Synthetic Serenity & Chemical Calm...

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Imperturbable Calm!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Knowing that the other person is angry,
The one who remains aware and calm
acts in and for his own best interest,
and for the other's interest, too!
Samyutta Nikaya I, 162

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware,
the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:
One who is such, calmed and ever mindful,
He has no sorrows!
Udana IV, 7

Serene.calmed.small.JPG

Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the tranquillity;
So is the equanimity;
of one freed by the insight
of right understanding...
Dhammapada 96

More on this sweetly silenced Tranquillity (Passaddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Tranquillity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm

Have a nice calm Sunday!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Sweet Serene Calm!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

How to reach the Certainty of Final Knowledge?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these 4 Foundations of Awareness.
What four? The ever calmly self reminding awareness of:

1: Body is just a mass of disgusting impurities...
2: Feelings are only a repeating emotional noise...
3: Mind is simply a conditioned set of weird moods...
4: Phenomena are mentally baked & faked appearances...

While always acutely alert and clearly comprehending, thereby removing all lust,
desire, envy, jealousy, frustration, & any kind of discontent rooted in this world...
When, Bhikkhus, these 4 Foundations of Awareness have been developed, trained
& well established, one of two fruits may be expected: Either Final Knowledge in
this very life, or if there is residual clinging, the exalted state of Non-Return...!

Awareness.Letters.jpg

Details On Four Foundations of Awareness (Sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Four_Foundations_of_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm

awareness.inj.jpg

Awareness is Always Advantageous!

4.frames.of.reference.jpg

The 4 Great Frames of Reference!

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 181] 47. Foundations of Awareness: 36 Final Knowledge..

Have a nice acutely ultra aware day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

4 x Ultra-Awareness!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What to Train when the Mind is High and Alert?

The Blessed Buddha once explained:
On any occasion, Bhikkhus, when mind is excited and high, then it is time
for training the Tranquillity Link to Awakening, the Concentration Link
to Awakening, and the Equanimity Link to Awakening. Why is it so?
Because when the mind is excited and high, Bhikkhus, then it is easy to
calm it down with exactly those mental states...
Imagine, Bhikkhus, a man wants to extinguish a great fire. If he throws
wet grass, wet cow-dung, wet timber into it, sprays it with water, and
scatters soil over it, would he be able to extinguish that great bonfire?
Yes, Venerable Sir.
Even so here, Bhikkhus, on any occasion when the mind is excited and high,
then it is convenient to train & develop the Tranquillity Link to Awakening,
the Concentration Link to Awakening, & the Equanimity Link to Awakening.
Why is it so? Because when the mind is excited and high, Bhikkhus, then it
is easy to calm it down & still it with the qualities of exactly those states!
Awareness, however, Bhikkhus, I tell you, is always useful & good to train!

Tranquillity.letters.jpg

On the training of these condensing mental abilities:
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

concentration.letters.jpg

Sources (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 114-5] 46: Links. 53: Fire....

Have a nicely composed day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Alert or Agitated?

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What is the One & Only Way to Purification of Being?

Just after enlightenment the Blessed Buddha stayed under a great Banyan
tree at Uruvela on the bank of the river Neranjara. There he reflected:
There is this single, one and only direct way for the purification of beings,
for the relief from all sorrow & grief, for the fading away of all pain and
frustration, for achieving the right method, for the realization of Nibbana,
that is, these Four Foundations of Awareness. What four? When a Bhikkhu
lives & dwells, aware & clearly comprehending, while always contemplating &
reflecting upon:

1: The Body merely as a disgusting & fragile accumulation..
2: The Feelings just as instantly passing conditioned reactions..
3: The Mind only as a set of recurring, banal & habituated Moods..
4: Phenomena only as mentally manifested artificial Appearances..

4.frames.of.reference.jpg

The 4 Great Frames of Reference...

He thereby removes any lust, urge, envy & frustration rooted in this world..
This is indeed verily the one & only direct way for the purification of beings,
for the relief from all sorrow & grief, for the fading away of all pain and
frustration, for achieving the right method, for the realization of Nibbana,
that is, these Four Foundations of Awareness... Then the Brahma Samapatti,
knowing this, instantly appeared before the Blessed One & having arranged
his upper robe over one shoulder, he raised his joined palms towards the
Blessed One, and said to him: So is it! Blessed One. So be it! Well-Gone One.
Venerable sir, this is the one & only direct way for purification of beings...

sati.sign.jpg

The Great Seer of the Silencing of all Becoming,
Compassionate, understands this unique 1 Way:
By which they all in the past crossed the flood,
By which they all cross now in the present, and
By which they all will cross ever in any future...

Comment: The 'Flood' (Ogha) here means:
The Flood of sense-desire (kama-ogha)
The Flood of wanting to become (bhava-ogha)
The Flood of wrong views (dittha-ogha)
The Flood of ignorance (avijja-ogha)

Awareness.Letters.jpg

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What is Wrong? The Mind or the World?

Is the world wrong? No the world is just as it is: Always a changing misery!
Are all the other people wrong? No there is just greed, hate and ignorance...
Is the society wrong? No, the kammic cause and effect is perfectly just & fair!
Is you yourself wrong? No, since there are just passing mental & material states...

What then is Wrong?
The aversive mind opposing and rejecting some reals, while accepting others is wrong!
This stubbornly defying mind defends a rigid stand & fight against any present reality...
Why is this resisting combat mind wrong? Because however much it clashes with both
the internal and external faults, it cannot ever cure them... Rather they grow stronger!
Opposition simply does not help anything at all! Rather it aggravates the problems...

What then is the specific cure for such opposing, antagonistic, bothered & irritated mind?
Daily Meditation on Universal Friendliness softens up this tense & exasperated mind:
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_Friendliness.htm
Cultivation of Boundless Pity equips the mind with tolerance, patience & forbearance:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Space_Compassion.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_Pity.htm
Rejoicing in Mutual Joy elevates, exalts, and satisfies this frustrated & irked mind:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
Remaining unperturbed in well ballanced Equanimity enables first stability, then peace:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Even_is_Equanimity.htm

Why do all the Buddhas always smile?

They simply accept it all as it really is!

Have a nice accepting day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Opposition Doesn't Help!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What are the 7 Sets, which produces Enlightenment?

Before the Blessed Buddha Gotama (563-483 BC) was the good Buddha Kassapa, and
before him were the Buddhas: Konagamana & Kakusandha all in this universal eon!
Before them were there Buddhas: Vessabhu, Sikhi, Vipassi, Phussa, and Tissa,
Siddhattha, Dhammadassi, Atthadassi, Piyadassi, Sujata, and Sumedha,
Padumuttara, Narada, Paduma, Anomadassi, Sobhita, Revata, and Sumana,
Mangala, Kondañña, Dipankara, Saranankara, Medhankara & Tanhankara!
Even before them were an endless number of Buddhas, who all explained
these Seven Sets of Qualities Producing Enlightenment! What Seven?

1: The Four Foundations of Awareness
2: The Four Best Efforts
3: The Four Ways to Force
4: The Five mental Abilities
5: The Five mental Powers
6: The 7 Links to Awakening
7: The Noble 8-fold Way

All Buddhas in the future beginning with Metteyya will also explain these!
Those who stay here and pays attention will learn each single set of ability
to an extent he/she will not easily forget.. Thus is lasting progress ensured!!!
When the mirror is polished, then it produces an entirely perfect reflection
of the original supreme absolute...Therefore: Hang on here! Never Give Up!
May all sentient beings awaken into the ultimate peace, freedom & happiness!
Yeah!

The next Future Buddha

Bodhisatta Ajita Metteyya

More on these 37 requisites for Enlightenment (bodhipakkhiya-dhamma):
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/index.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings.pdf

Have a nice & shiny day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 7 Sets!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

How to Cool the Slavery of Desire and Lust?

At Savatthi, the Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, when the perception of a human skeleton or a worm-infested,
bleeding or pus festering corpse, or a livid bluish black & rotting corpse,
or a cut up, gnawed and hacked corpse, or a bloated, inflated & swollen
corpse, is developed and cultivated, then it is of great fruit and benefit!
It leads to great good, it leads to great security from bondage, it leads
to a great sense of urgency, it leads to living in fearless ease & comfort!
How, Bhikkhus, is the perception of a skeleton developed & cultivated so
that it is of great fruit and benefit? Here, the Bhikkhu systematically
develops the:
Awareness Link to Awakening, joined with the experience of a skeleton.
Investigation of states Link to Awakening, while examining a cadaver.
Energy Link to Awakening, perceiving a worm-infested & rotting corpse.
Joy Link to Awakening, while laughing over a gnawed & hacked corpse!
Tranquillity Link to Awakening, accompanied by seeing a livid corpse...
Concentration Link to Awakening, focused on a bloated & swollen corpse.
Equanimity Link to Awakening, indifferent even near a hacked carcass...
Which is based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, & maturing in release...
It is in this way that the perception of a skeleton or a disgusting corpse
is developed & cultivated, so that it is of great advantage, and benefit...
Bhikkhus, when the perception of a skeleton is developed and cultivated
in this way fused & enhanced with the seven Links to Awakening, one of
two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or,
if there is a remaining residue of clinging, the state of non-returning...

Comments:
Meditating on disgusting signs is the only thing that can quell greed & lust!
For inspiration regarding such corpse-meditation see the corpse pics at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bhikkhu0/AsubhaDisgust?authkey=87KkpQSf1MM#
Should only be viewed by adults : Strong Warning!!!

This particular meditation on disgusting signs is especially well suited for:
Those characterized by greed, lust and desire as the dominant defilement:
Homosexual gays and lesbians, Pedophiles, Overweight Eaters, Porn-maniacs,
Bulimics, any compulsive mental disorder, anxiety, angst, worry, obsessions,
Phobias, and everybody in general overwhelmed by their yearning desires!
Whenever desire arises one can quell it by remembering a disgusting sign!

For details on Meditation on the Body as a mere form (KayagataSati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_9_Corpse_Meditations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil-smelling_body.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm

This eliminates fear of loosing body. Not afraid of loosing body means no
fear even of Death! When not afraid of Death, then one does not fear
anything at all in this world! Then one is relaxed by the gladness of ease!
When Death comes, one says: Come on in! Have a cup of tea before we go?

skull.p.jpg

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:129-32] section 46: The Links. 57-61: The Skeleton...

What to do when Tempted?

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

There is No Self, or Actor, but just Activities:

Question:
If there is neither any "I", nor Ego, nor separate identity, nor self , nor soul,
WHAT then thinks, reflects upon, & comes to understanding?
What is it that knows?

What reflects?
The impersonal process of reflection itself reflects...
There need be no 'wonderer' for the reflection activity to occur!

What understands?
The event, state and condition of understanding itself understands...!
There need not to be any one, who understands for understanding to emerge...

What knows?
The distinct impersonal phenomenon of knowledge itself knows...
There need not to be any 'knower' for the state of knowledge to occur!

The Blessed Buddha Said:
Sabbe Dhamma Anatta! All states are Impersonal!
There is no Agent, neither behind, nor within, nor without any Appearance...
This realization leads to the exquisite void mental release!!! (Suññata-vimokkha)!

Please let me out of this prison of assumed personality!
It is neither 'I', 'Me', 'Mine', nor 'Belonging to Me', nor 'What I Am'...!

anatta.letters.jpg

Atta = Self; Anatta = No-Self!

Anatta: There is no separate or core self. What appears separate, solid & enduring,
turns out to be changeable and "composite." What we experience as 'identity' turns
out to be a changing constellation of varying momentary influences and activities...
Which all are selfless, ownerless, egoless, & soulless passing momentary mental states!
& Paradoxically: Never the Same... If what we assume to be 'self' is never the 'same'
is this assumed 'self' then not the 'same', but always changed into something 'other'!
How can something 'other-than-the-same-self' ever be a real identical 'self'???

IMPERSONALITY!
self.love.jpg

Identical 'Identity' is not found inside,
but is just an external labelled badge!
A designed designation splashed on...

More on this enigmatic selflessness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm

selflessness.letters.jpg

Have a nice egoless day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Absent Agent!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

The smoky, deceptive & illusive Ego:

The idea or concept of 'Self' inherently assumes that a 'Same Constant Self':
'Self' is the 'Same' from one moment to the next. Belief in ‘self’ therefore
assumes that something is: ‘identical’ and there thus defines a core ‘identity’...
This is a hidden unseen form of Eternalism to believe that something remains
the 'Same' and 'Identical' from one moment to the next! This inherently hidden
Eternalism, the 'personalists=egoists=puggalavadins' often both overlook &/or deny!

Universal Impermanence: However, the invariably observable & undeniable fact is:
Nothing whatsoever remains the same from one moment to the next moment:
Form changes, whether own or other;
Feeling changes, whether internal or external;
Perception changes, whether experienced by eye, ear, nose, mouth, body or mind;
Mental Construction changes, whether it is intention, planning, wanting or wishing;
Consciousness changes, whether visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile or mental;
In short all name-&-form, whether internal or external changes momentarily…

There exists thus NOTHING unchanging whatsoever!
Neither within nor apart from The 5 clusters of clinging,
Neither within nor apart from the duality: Name-&-Form,
that ever could possibly qualify as an unchanging, same, constant & identical self…
Since both the 5 clusters of clinging and Name-&-Form notify ALL phenomena,
internal as external, there cannot truly be said to exist any self anywhere at all…

Ego-Adornment = Self-Aggrandizement is rooted in the deep desire to exist:
The ‘self’, ‘ego’, ‘I’, ‘me’ we cherish so much and love so deeply thus appears to ‘exist’
only in the conventional sense as an ‘idea’, as a mental construction: A ‘concept’…
This central notion nevertheless is the core of all ‘egoism’ and possess therefore
the power to drag beings into repeated birth, death, possessiveness, conflict & war…
Nothing is thus more Dangerous than the idea of a ‘Self’… A master serial killer!!!
The EGO-concept - though immaterial, false and unreal - is the very core of evil...

Self as linguistic invention... A pointer without any reference; pointing nowhere!
It is pragmatically practical in daily life to operate with notions of ‘I’, ‘Me’, ‘You’,
‘They’ etc. as if these existed as lasting entities, yet this is only a FEATURE of the
conventional structure of LANGUAGE & not a part of the factual & actual REALITY!
In the ultimate & absolute sense, however, there exist only ever-changing discrete
states of mentality and materiality, arising and ceasing every moment…
Just a blinking flux…As ephemeral as smoke… Or stroboscopic light…
Ceasing in the same moment as it arised! Right there & then!

There is No Agent, but there is Activity:
There is really the event of action, but no real actor; No one who acts!
The occasion of feeling exists, but no feeler exists; No one who feels!
The input of perception occurs, but there is no perceiver; No one who perceives!
The experienced phenomena IS, but no experiencer is; No one who experiences!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Who_or_what_is_the_Agent.htm

The Automatic Egoless Camera:
There is a camera filming, but no one who is 'behind' the camera...
There is a film projected up upon a screen, but no one who is 'inside' the cinema...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Selfless_Camera.htm

The invisible prison = EGO!
Those who are afraid of Nibbana, since it seems the be a loss of ‘Self’may be relieved
by understanding that one cannot loose something that never was there, that never
really existed in the first place…Nibbana is real and exists, but no self enters it…
The Noble path is real and liberating, but no self completes it…
If one does not wish to die – again and again – one must penetrate, comprehend and
relinquish this false conceptualization of ‘Self=Me=I’ ... Purging the Ego-Concept!

This No-self = Anatta Doctrine:
It is the core doctrine of Buddhism & the door to stream-entry!
It is particular to Buddhas and never revealed by any other!
It is liberating beyond any measure and imagination!
Keep digging. There is nothing down or in here!
One has to see that for ‘one-self’! Hehehe… ;-)

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Blissful is solitude for one who is content, learned & who see the True Dhamma.
Blissful is harmlessness towards all beings without exception.
Blissful is freedom from any sensual urge whatsoever.
Yet, the supreme bliss, is the elimination of the abysmal conceit “I am”!’
Udana – Inspiration: II – 1

Self-Aggrandizing puffed up Ego-Assuming!

See: The Conventional Concept: A Person = puggala:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/puggala.htm

empty.ego2.jpg

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Sweet is Verbal, Bodily and Mental Silence!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Kayamunim vacamunim,
manomunimanasavam,
munim moneyyasampannam.
Ahu ninhatapapakam.

Silent in body, silent in speech,
silent in mind, without agitation,
blessed with silence is the sage.
Such One is truly washed of evil.
Itivuttaka 3.67

SILENCED
If silent as a broken bell,
such one is close to Nibbana,
and far away from arrogance.
Dhammapada 134

More on this sweetly silenced Tranquillity (Passaddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Calm.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Silenced.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Tranquillity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm

Sweet is Muni Silence: Agitation never helps!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What is known about the next 10 Future Buddhas?

The next one is the last in this Universe! His name is Metteyya – The Friendly One!
see: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/me_mu/metteyya.htm and
indeed http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Metteyya/arimet00.htm and
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/How-2-Meet_Buddha_Metteyya.htm

The Bodhisatta (Lit: Being who will Awaken) Metteyya in Tusita Heaven.

Then follows a Universal Cycle (=Aeon=kappa=kalpa) empty of Buddhas!
In that aeon humans will act like animals or worse. Incest & cannibalism will
be the rule of the day. Terror, wars, torture & agony! So make effort NOW!

Then in the next eon 2 Buddhas will emerge: First Rama and later Dhammaraja
Buddha Dhammaraja was king Pasenadi of Kosala at Gotama Buddha’s time.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/pa/pasenadi.htm

Then in the next eon 1 Buddha Abhibhu will appear. He is now a king of devas. (4th from right above w. halo)
Then will come another empty eon.

Then will come an eon with 2 Buddhas: Dighasoni and Canki.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/c/cankii.htm
They will be called: Buddha Narada and Buddha Ramsimuni.

Then will come an eon with 2 Buddhas: Subha and Todeyya.
They will be called: Buddha Devadeva and Buddha Narasiha
Then will come another empty eon.

Then will come an eon with 2 Buddhas: Tissa and Sumangala.
Buddha Tissa was the elephant Nalagiri at Gotamas time. (see the 2 elephants left above)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/n/naalaagiri.htm
Buddha Sumangala was the elephant Parileyya at Gotamas time. (see the 2 elephants top below)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/pa/parileyya.htm

Source: Details on the 10 future Buddhas:
Dasabodhisattuppattikatha (English & Pali)
The Birth Stories of the Ten Bodhisattas. Ed. & Tr. Ven. H. Saddhatissa.
Sacred Books of the Buddhists Vol. XXIX. Pali Text Society.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=130894

See also the explanation of the future:
Anagatavamsa Desana. The sermon of the Chronicle to be.
Tr. Udaya Meddegama; Ed. John Clifford Holt. 1993
Buddhist Tradition Series. Vol. 21. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi.

Have a nice day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The 10 future Buddhas!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

What is the Mental Ability of Awareness (Sati)?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these five mental abilities (indriya). What five?

The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)

But what is the mental ability of Awareness (Sati)?
That which is Awareness, constant attention, recollection,
mental presence, mindfulness, remembering, bearing in mind,
alertness, watchful consciousness, non-neglect, non-oblivious,
non-forgetfulness, non-carelessness, and non-superficiality.
This is called the ability of Awareness, the Power of Awareness,
Right Awareness, and the Awareness link to Awakening!

But what is the Awareness link to Awakening?
Herein a Bhikkhu is mindful, furnished with excellent Awareness,
recollection, he remembers, remembers constantly, what has long
been done & long been said concerning release even very long ago.
This is called the Awareness link to Awakening...
There is Awareness of internal states and there is Awareness of
external states. Both Awareness of internal states & Awareness
of external states is an Awareness link to Awakening leading to
full knowledge, Enlightenment, & to complete emancipating release!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Establishing the 4 Foundations of Awareness!

Buddha once asked: What, friends, are the Four Foundations of Awareness?

1: Body as foul frame:
While always acutely alert & clearly comprehending, thus removing
any lust, urge, envy, frustration & discontent rooted in this world,
the intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Body as an alien frame of filthy & foul form... As something bound
to emerge, decay and vanish... Neither as mine, nor belonging to me,
nor as 'what I am', nor as a manifested representation of 'myself'!
Neither as lasting, stable safety! Nor as pleasant beauty and pride!

2: Feeling as annoying reaction:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Feeling as a remote ever recurring reactivity... As something bound
to arise, decay & fade away! Not as mine, felt by me, nor belonging
to me, nor as what 'I am', nor as something felt by my very self!
Neither as lasting, stable & safe! Nor as ever pleasure & only bliss!

3: Mind as passing moods:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Mind as a habituated set of bizarre mentalities of a weird nature,
that appears, dwindles, flutters & flickers... Neither as something
that 'I am', nor as a part of 'me', nor making up my ego or my self!
Neither as lasting, stable or same! Not as fascinating! Not as soul!

4: Phenomena as momentary appearances:
The intelligent Bhikkhu keeps contemplating & regarding any & all
Phenomena as mentally constructed appearances of momentary
manifestation always ending right where they arised. Not as mine,
belonging to me or any self! Not as something lasting, stable or real!
Not as existent, enduring, substantial, material, absolute or authentic!

This is the fourfold Foundation of Awareness...!!! This - only this -
is the sole way to the purification of beings!!! Why is it actually so?
It is an indispensable support for a presence, that has to stand near!
It has to be made manifest, to be of service as a guarding activity!
It has to be established, as a continuous dominance of comprehension!
It is essential & absolutely necessary for optimizing any behaviour!
It is a crucially needed key, imperative for preventing all mistakes!
It is a vitally fundamental prerequisite for guidance & self-control!
It is the only thing that can overcome relapses of careless neglect!
When not aware of what one is doing, serious mistakes is inevitable!

4.frames.of.reference.jpg

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Awareness of Body as mere Postures of Elements!

The Blessed Buddha said regarding noting The Four Postures:
Again, friends, when walking, a Bhikkhu notes and understands:
This body is walking; when standing, he notes and understands:
This body is standing; when sitting, he notes and understands:
This body is sitting; when lying down, he notes and understands:
This body is lying down or he notes and understands the attitude,
position and location of whatever way the body frame is positioned.
In this way he lives considering the body as internal, as external
as both something internal and external. And he lives therefore
dwelling independent, freed, not clinging to anything in this world...
He knows and understands that it is no real 'person', no real 'being',
not an 'I', 'me' or ego that goes, sits, stands and lies down, but that
it is only the 5 clusters of clinging & the 4 great elements of solidity,
fluidity, heat & motion, which arising & ceasing in adjacent locations
appears to be going, sitting, standing, and lying down, yet all these
elements naturally and instantly cease right wherever they arised!

Comment:
When experiencing the body as a remote, alien, and ownerless form,
an accumulated material circumstance, neither I-me-mine, nor what
'I am', nor what belongs to me, nor as safe, lasting or as something
that can be kept, then there is fearlessness of death, since fear
of death is closely related to fear of loosing the body...
Fearlessness elevates mind into an imperturbable bliss!

Source Text: Majjhima Nikaya 119: Kayagata-Sati Sutta
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm

Have a nice noting the position day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Noting the Posture!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Feeling is a Reaction to Contact!

The Blessed Buddha once explained Contemplation of Feeling thus:
How, Bhikkhus & Friends, does one reflect on feelings as reactions?
When feeling a pleasant feeling, one notes and clearly understands:
I feel a pleasant feeling! When feeling a painful feeling, one notes &
understands: I feel a painful feeling. When feeling a quite neutral &
neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, one notes and understands: I
feel a neutral neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. When feeling a
worldly pleasant feeling, one notes and understands: I feel a worldly
pleasant feeling. When feeling a pleasant feeling not of this world,
one notes & understands: I feel a pleasant feeling not of this world.
When feeling a worldly painful feeling, one notes and understands:
I feel a worldly painful feeling. When feeling a painful feeling not
of this world, one notes and understands: I feel a painful feeling
not of this world . When feeling a worldly neutral feeling, which is
neither-painful-nor-pleasant, one notes and understands: I feel a
worldly neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. When feeling a neutral
feeling not of this world, one understands: I feel a neutral feeling
not of this world. This is how a Bhikkhu abides reflecting on feelings
just as responses or reactions to various forms of sense contact...

Feeling is pleasant, painful or neutral!

Comments:
Worldly feeling arises from sense contact with this world...
Unworldly Feeling arises from meditative withdrawal from the world...
The cause of the emergence of momentary feeling is sense contact!
The cause of the ceasing of this feeling is the ceasing of that contact!
Contact is the meeting of 3: Object, sense-organ and consciousness!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Awareness of Mind just as changing Moods and Mentality!

The Blessed Buddha said regarding Contemplation of Mind:
How, Bhikkhus & Friends, does one reflect on Mind just as Moods?
Herein one notes when the mind is greedy or not greedy, angry or
not angry, confused or unconfused, cramped or scattered, exalted
or unexalted, surpassable or unsurpassable, concentrated or not
concentrated, & one knows when mind is released or not released!
Thus one lives while internally observing one's own mind, or externally
the mind of others, or the minds of both. One notices how any new
mood and mentality arises, and how it passes away. Or one is simply
aware: Mind is now in this or that mood; just enough for mindful and
clear comprehension of the present actual mental state. Caused by
this mindful mental presence and acute ultra clear comprehension of
the flow of momentary mental states, one comes to live independent,
unattached, not clinging to anything in this world whatsoever....
Thus does one dwell immersed in contemplation of the mind!

What is the Fuel on which any momentary event of Mind burns?
The proximate causes of arising of any mood and mentality are:
Presence of 1: Ignorance, 2: Craving, 3: Kamma, & 4: Name-&-Form..
The proximate causes of ceasing of any mood and mentality are:
Absence of: Ignorance, Craving, Kamma, & Name-&-Form..

mind.labyrinth.jpg

Prerequisite understanding:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3_kinds_of_Craving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Causes_of_Emergence.htm

More on the Mind:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/In_Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Core_Duality.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Magnificent_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm

Source Text: Majjhima Nikaya 10: Satipatthana Sutta:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html

Have a nice mood day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Mind = Mentality = Moods!

samahita · April 2009

Friends:

Awareness of Phenomena just as Mental States!

The Blessed Buddha said about Contemplation of Mental Objects:
How does one reflect on Phenomena just as Mental States?

The 5 Hindrances:
One notes & knows when mind is dominated by sense-desire, anger,
lethargy & laziness, restlessness & regret, & doubt and uncertainty!
One notes & knows when mind is released from sense-desire, anger,
lethargy & laziness, restlessness & regret, & doubt and uncertainty!
One understands how there is emergence of sense-desire, anger,
lethargy & laziness, restlessness & regret, & doubt and uncertainty.
One understands how there is overcoming of sense-desire, anger,
lethargy & laziness, restlessness & regret, & doubt and uncertainty.
One understands how there is elimination of sense-desire, anger,
lethargy & laziness, restlessness & regret, & doubt and uncertainty.

The 5 Clusters of Clinging:
One understands such is form, feeling, perception, construction,
and consciousness. One understands such is the causes of origin
of form, feeling, perception, construction, and consciousness.
One understands such is the causes of ceasing of form, feeling,
perception, construction, and consciousness....

The 6 Sense Sources:
One notes & understands such is the eye and the forms and the
consequent obsessive sense-addiction arising dependent on both.
One notes & understands such is the ear and the sounds, the nose
and the smells, the tongue and the flavours, the body and touches,
the mind & the thoughts & the consequent obsessive & compulsive
sense-addiction there arises dependent on both.

The 7 Links to Awakening:
One notes & knows when mind contains awareness, investigation,
energy, joy, tranquillity, concentration and equanimity.
One notes & knows when mind is without awareness, investigation,
energy, joy, tranquillity, concentration and equanimity.
One understands how there is arising of awareness, investigation,
energy, joy, tranquillity, concentration and equanimity.
One understands how there is complete fulfilment of awareness,
investigation, energy, joy, tranquillity, concentration & equanimity.

The 4 Noble Truths:
One notes, understands and knows as it actually is:
This is Suffering! This is the Cause of Suffering!
This is the End of Suffering! This is the Way to End Suffering!

Thus lives one while considering own internal mental states, or the
external mental states of others, or the mental states of both...
One notices how any new mental state arises, & how it passes away.
Or one is simply aware: There is this mental state now; just enough
for mindful and clear comprehension of the present mental state.
Caused by this acute aware presence and clear comprehension of
any current momentary mental state, one comes to live independent,
unattached, by not clinging to anything in this world whatsoever....
Thus does one dwell immersed in contemplation of the mental states!

Remembered easily after memorizing this Key: 5-5-6-7-4

On the 5 Hindrances:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Mental_Hindrances.htm

On the 5 Clusters of Clinging:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_are_the_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm

On the 6 Sense Sources:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Source_of_All.htm

On the 7 Links to Awakening:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm

One the 4 Noble Truths:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Noble_Truths.htm

On the nature of Phenomena:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_a_Phenomenon.htm

Source Text (extract): Majjhima Nikaya 10: Satipatthana Sutta:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.nysa.html

Have a nice observant day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Phenomena are Mental States!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

What is Right Understanding of the 3 Facts!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
It is impossible, Bhikkhus and Friends, and cannot ever happen,
that one possessed of right understanding should ever regard
any phenomenon as really permanent ... or
any phenomenon as lasting happiness ... or
any state as an identical, same, and own self...
But it is quite possible, that the ordinary worldling may indeed
have, entertain and act upon such naive and distorted beliefs...!

Source:
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 15:1-3
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm

Have a nice comprehending day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Understand the 3 Basics!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

The 10 Contemplations is Daily Buddhist Routine!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often
practised and developed leads to the complete turning away from
the world, to detachment, to stilling, to ceasing, to Peace, to final
penetrating knowledge, to Enlightenment, and thus to Nibbana...
Any Noble Disciple, who by progress have understood the Dhamma,
dwells frequently in this state. Which is that unique contemplation?
The Noble Disciple contemplates on the divine beings: There are the
divine beings on the plane of the Four Great Kings, the divine beings
of the World of the Thirty-three, Yama World, the Content Devas,
those enjoying own creation, those with power over others creations,
those of the Brahma world, and those still far above them...
Now, such faith, morality, knowledge, generosity, concentration &
understanding, which these divine beings acted upon & which made
them re-appear on a divine plane after leaving this world, such good
qualities as these, are also found in me! When a fine Noble Disciple
reflects thus, his mind is neither obsessed by any greed, nor by any
hate, nor by any confusion! Uplifted and elated is his mind, and this
makes the Noble Disciple gain further deeper understanding of the
Dhamma, and thus makes the Noble Disciple delight in the Dhamma!
Being delighted, there arises rapturous joy in him. Being filled with
rapture and joy, he is inwardly satisfied and he becomes quite calm.
Being calmed makes him enjoy bliss & happiness and the mind of the
Happy One becomes collected, condensed and concentrated...
Of this Noble Disciple, friends, it is said that among many misguided
humans, among suffering humankind, he lives freed from suffering!
And as one who has entered the stream to Nibbana, he cultivates
his contemplation. When, friends, a Noble Disciple has reached the
fruit of understanding the Dhamma, he dwells often in this state!
Source: AN 6:10

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Remembering Death is Daily Buddhist Routine!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Just as the mighty Himalayan mountains
Are high, all-expansive, & weighing heavily;
Just so do ageing & death suppress & defeat
All living beings in this world, whether divine,
rich, warrior, priest, trader, slave, or sweeper!
Not sparing anyone whatsoever,
Crushing anybody that is found!
Source: SN 3:25

The Most Precious Altar of our Temple:
Soon this fragile body will fall to the ground,
lifeless, cast aside, without any consciousness,
stiff, cold & useless like a rotten log of wood ...
Dhammapada 41

Momentary
Whosoever knows this body
to be as temporary as a bubble,
as insubstantial as a mirror image,
May break Mara's honey tipped arrows and
Can thus not be seen by this evil King of Death ...
Dhammapada 46

Big Surprise!
Death carries off the folly man while distracted
by gathering various flowers of sensual pleasure,
even & exactly so as the huge tsunami wave runs
all over and carries away the sleeping village.
Dhammapada 47

In the ultimate sense, beings have only a very short moment to live:
Only as long as one single moment of consciousness lasts!
Just as the cart wheel, in rolling forward as in standing still,
every time rests merely on one point of its rim: just so does any life
of any being last only as long as a single moment of consciousness lasts!
As soon as this moment is gone, that momentary being is also all gone...
One is therefore reborn millions of times in each second!
For as it was said by the ancient elders:
All life and all existence here is blinking & momentary,
All life's engaged involvement, its joy and all its pain,
Depends all only on one single discrete state of mind,
And quickly that moment passes by, for never to return...
Source: Visuddhimagga VIII,1

More on the inevitable fact of Death:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/amata.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Desireless_is_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm

Have a nice dying day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Game Over Ever Again!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

The Ten Contemplations is Daily Buddhist Routine!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often
practised and developed leads to the complete turning away from
the world, to detachment, to stilling, to ceasing, to Peace, to final
penetrating knowledge, to Enlightenment, and thus to Nibbana...
Any Noble Disciple who by progress have understood the Dhamma
dwells frequently in this state. Which is that one contemplation?
It is reflecting over the qualities of ultimate Peace like this:
This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all kammic
construction, the leaving all behind of all substrata of any being,
the complete vanishing of all sorts of craving, ceasing, Nibbana...
Whatever, Bhikkhus & friends, there are of both conditioned &
unconditioned things, dependent & independent constructions,
detachment is considered the highest of them, that is, the final
destruction of ego-belief, the overcoming of all desire & thirst,
the rooting out of clinging, the breaking out of this long round
of rebirths, the vanishing of craving, absolute release, Nibbana...

peace.blue.jpg

The Buddha emphasized:
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness!
Source: AN 1:16.10 + 10:60 + 4.34

More on the Deathless Dimension; Nibbana:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Peace.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Nibbana_Still.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2_Nibbanas.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/nibbaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm

PS: Recommended!
Whoever wish these messages as colour email with embedded links, simply
send an empty email to: What_Buddha_Said-subscribe@googlegroups.com
and confirm the response from google groups.

Have a nice, happy and peaceful day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Highest Happiness!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

How do the Effort to Avoid Protect against Evil?

The Blessed Buddha once said:
There are these four efforts, Bhikkhus and friends:
1: The effort to avoid all evil,
2: The effort to overcome wrong,
3: The effort to develop the good,
4: The effort to maintain any advantage...
What, Bhikkhus and friends, is the effort to avoid?
When experiencing a form with the eye, a sound with the ear,
a smell with the nose, a taste with the tongue, a touch with the body,
or a thought with the mind, the Bhikkhu neither fixes his attention on the
whole appearance, nor on any specific detail. He instead tries hard to dispel
all these evil and disadvantageous states, such as greed, lust and longing,
that would arise if he remained with his senses unguarded. He therefore
watches over his senses, control his senses, and restrains his senses.
This is called the effort to avoid evil.

Source (edited extract):
The Numerical Sayings of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 4:14
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm

More on the Avoiding Effort!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Avoiding_Effort.htm

Have a nice benevolent day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Avoid all Evil!

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samahita · May 2009

Friends:

How does Direct Experience confirm Faith?

Sariputta once said to the Buddha:
It is indeed to be expected, Venerable Sir, that a Noble Disciple who has faith,
who has aroused energy & established awareness, & whose mind is concentrated,
will understand the reality thus: This Samsara is without discoverable beginning!
Any first point for beings roaming & wandering on, blinded by ignorance & bound
by craving cannot ever be seen! But the traceless fading & ceasing of ignorance,
this massive of darkness: This is the peaceful state, this is the supreme state ... ;
that is, the stilling of all mental construction, the relinquishment of all acquisition,
the elimination of all craving, disenchanting disillusion, final ceasing, Nibbana!
That comprehension of his is rooted in his ability to understand Venerable Sir!
And, Venerable Sir, when he has again and again strived in such a way, repeatedly
recollected in that way, again & again concentrated his mind in exactly this way,
over and over again understood only this in this very way, then that Noble Disciple
gains complete faith thus: Regarding things that I previously had only heard about,
now I dwell having contacted them with my body, and having perforated them by
understanding; I now see & directly experience! That faith is his ability of faith...
Good, good. Sariputta! noted the Buddha...

More on Direct Experience:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/4_Realizations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Escape.htm

Venerable Sariputta

More on this mighty general of the Dhamma: Venerable Sariputta
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/sa/saariputta.htm

Venerable Sariputta

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Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:226] section 48: The Abilities. 50: At Apana ...

Have a nice direct day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Direct Experience!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

At this Fullmoon Day do all Buddhas Awaken:

2009 May 8 Wesak Day celebrates the birth, Enlightenment, & passing away
of the Buddha Gotama. Keep Clean, Calm, Clever, Kind, Generous, and Gentle!

Photo by K. Kawasaki.

Please Remember:
At this May full moon in year 534 BC the Blessed Buddha awakened
by completely perfect & 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 so indeed did it happen. At the full
moon day of the Wesak month, she rose at early dawn & milked the
cows. As soon as new buckets were placed under the cows, the milk
poured in streams spontaneously all by itself! Seeing this miracle,
she knew something special was going on. Now at that very night the
Future Buddha had 5 dreams that made him conclude: Surely, truly,
without any doubt, today is the very day, I will reach Enlightenment!
His 5 colored radiance illuminated the whole tree. Then Sujata came
and offered the cooked milk rice in the hands of the Great Being.

After that a 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 & proceeded to the foot of the Bo-tree.
Reaching the imperturbable Eastern side, where all the Buddhas take
their seat, he sat down saying to himself: This is verily the immovable
spot, where all the prior supreme Buddhas have planted themselves!
This is the very 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 & 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 supreme Enlightenment!

Serene.Buddha.jpg

So determined did he seat himself in this unconquerable seat,
which not a 100 strikes of lightning 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 raised
his army & went out for battle. Then Mara said to 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 will thus
have to attack him from behind. Frustrated, being unable even to
touch the Wielder of power with 9 mighty hurricanes of wind, rain,
rocks, weapons, red coals, hot ashes, sand, mud, and darkness Mara
somewhat in panic commanded his army: Why do you all stand still?
Mara.attacks.jpg

Seize, kill & drive away this prince. Mara 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
enlightenment! Therefore does this seat 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 the same way, but
leaving their weapons in a chaos all behind, they all fled terrified by
metaphysical panic. Seeing them flee, 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 thus conquered
Mara & defeated his army. That same night, after having bathed,
while the Bo tree rained red sprigs on his robe, the Consummate One
gained knowledge of his prior lives in the first watch of the night:
With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, fixed, unified,
focused, tractable, compliant, steady & imperturbable, I directed
it to remembrance of my past lives. I recollected many past lives, i.e.,
one birth, two...five, ten...fifty, 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 pleasure & pain, 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 pleasure & pain, 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 &
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, & determined. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way
did not invade my mind nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated,
purified, bright, intact, pliant, malleable, steady, & imperturbable,
I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away & 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 and why they are high and 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, & 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 these beings who were
gifted with good behaviour of body, speech & 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 & surpassing the human I
saw beings passing away & re-appearing, all in accordance with their
particular mixture of good & bad kamma. But the satisfaction that
arose in this way did not invade my mind nor remain. With the mind
thus concentrated, absorbed, I directed it towards understanding
the ending of the mental fermentations. I realized how it actually
comes to be, that:

Such 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 fermentation.

When my mind saw that, it was instantly freed of the fermentation
of sense-desire, it was released from the fermentation of becoming,
and it became fully unobstructed by the fermentation of ignorance.
Fully & perfectly Enlightened - The Buddha - perceiving this immense
glory, spoke these 2 solemn verses, which never has been omitted by
any of countless thousands of prior Buddhas:

Through this round of countless existences have I searched, but yet
failed to find "the Creator", who framed this construction: What a
Suffering is indeed such Endless Birth, Ageing, Decay & Death!
Now I see that "the Constructor" of this structure is Craving...!!!
Never shall this construction be build again, as all the rafters are
shattered and the main beam is busted & broken... At this calming
of all Craving, the mind was finally, irreversibly & ultimately stilled…
Then, friends, this revelation of certainty arose in me: This release
is immutable, this is the very last birth, this endless re-appearance
has finally ceased...

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

Have a joyous remembering day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

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Happy Wesak 2U!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Establishing Awareness gains Divine Hearing!

Once when the Venerable Anuruddha was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove,
in Anathapindika's Park, many Bhikkhus went to Anuruddha & exchanged polite
greetings with him. Then they sat down to one side & asked the Ven. Anuruddha:
Venerable Sir: What has the Venerable Anuruddha developed and cultivated so
that he has attained to his famous greatness of direct knowledge?
It is because I have developed & cultivated these 4 Foundations of Awareness
that I have won great direct knowledge. What four? Here, friends, I dwell always
constantly contemplating upon:
The Body only as a constructed group, neither as I, me, mine, nor as a self...
The Feelings only as passing responses, neither as I, as mine, nor as my self...
The Mind only as temporary moods, neither as I, mine, nor as any part of self...
All Phenomena only as appearing mental states, not as any real or absolute...
while eager, clearly comprehending, & fully aware, thereby removing all desire and
frustration rooted in this world! It is, friends, because I have developed and much
cultivated these Four Foundations of Awareness that I have become empowered
with suprahuman forces: With the divine ear element, which is purified, refined,
subtle and surpasses the human, I hear both divine and human sounds, both those
that are far away as well as those that are near.

Details for further study:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Four_Foundations_of_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/One_and_only_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/abhinna.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/sa/saavatthi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/j/jetavana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Sati_Studies.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:304]
section 52: Anuruddha. Thread 13: The Divine Ear!

Have a nice day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Divine Ear!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Seeing the Elements, Tendencies and Abilities!

Once when the Venerable Anuruddha was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove,
in Anathapindika's Park, numerous Bhikkhus went to the Venerable Anuruddha
& exchanged polite greetings with him. Then they sat down to one side& asked
the Ven. Anuruddha: Venerable Sir: What is it that the Venerable Anuruddha
has developed & cultivated so that he has attained to his famous greatness of
direct knowledge?
It is, because I have developed & cultivated these 4 Foundations of Awareness
that I have won great direct knowledge. What four? Here, friends, I dwell
constantly contemplating upon:
The Body only as a formed material frame, neither as I, me, mine, nor a self...
The Feelings only as passing sensations, neither as I, as mine, nor as my self...
The Mind only as temporary mentalities, neither as I, me, mine, nor any ego...
All Phenomena only as momentary mental states, not as reality or as existents...
while eager, clearly comprehending, & fully aware, thereby removing all desire
& frustration rooted in this world! It is, friends, because I have developed &
cultivated these 4 Foundations of Awareness that I have become empowered
with the suprahuman forces: I see & understand this entire universe with its
many & diverse elements as it really is. Furthermore, friends, this awareness
make me experience the diversity of possibilities and tendencies in all kinds
of beings... Furthermore, friends, it is, friends, because I have developed and
fully refined these Four Foundations of Awareness that I see & understand,
just as it really is, the degree of maturity in all mental abilities of all other
beings and persons...

The All Seeing Eye!

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:304]
section 52: Anuruddha. Thread 18-20: The elements and abilities!

Have a nice expanded seeing day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Seeing all possible States!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Energy is a Way to Suprahuman Force!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
When a Bhikkhu develops the Ways to Force that is enriched with
concentrated Energy, constructed by effort, by thinking:
In this way will my Energy, neither be too slack nor too tense, it will
neither be constricted internally, nor scattered externally, then he
dwells experiencing both what is in front & what is behind, so above,
so also below, so by day, so also at night! Therefore, with a mind all
open & unrestricted, he develops the dazzling bright mind, which is
pervaded by luminosity... However:
What is Energy that is too slack?
Energy joined with indifference. This is Energy, that is too slack...
What is Energy that is too tense?
It is restless & agitated Energy. That is Energy, that is too tense...
What is Energy that is constricted internally?
It is Energy joined with lethargy & laziness. Inwardly choked!
What is Energy that is scattered externally?
Energy directed & diverted externally for the 5 sense pleasures...
This is called Energy that is scattered & distracted externally...
How does one dwell experiencing both the front & what is behind?
The perception of front, & back, is well attended to, & thereby well
comprehended, well considered, & penetrated by understanding...
How does one dwell seeing as below, so above; as above, so below?
One reviews this very frame of body upwards from the soles of the
feet, & downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, as
full of many kinds of impurities: There are in this body: Head-hairs,
body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery,
vomit in the stomach, excrement, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat,
fat, tears, mucus, saliva, snot, fluid of the joints, and urine...
So does one come to see both, what is above, and what is below!
How does one dwell by day, so at night; as at night, so by day?
Here, at night a Bhikkhu trains the Ways to Force, that is enriched
with concentrated Energy, constructed by effort, using the same
techniques, qualities, features, & aspects, as he trains during the day.
And how, does one dwell with a mind, that is all open & unrestricted,
a dazzling bright mind, which is pervaded by luminosity...?
Here, always the perception of day-light is well attended to & well
resolved upon by determination. It is in exactly this way, that one
dwell with a mind, that is all open & unrestricted, a dazzling bright
mind, which is pervaded by its very own luminosity...

Mental Energy!

More on Energy (Viriya):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Energy_Viriya.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Ability_of_Energy.htm

Energy is a Way to Suprahuman Force!

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:278]
section 51: The 4 Forces: Thread 20: Analysis of the Ways.

Have a nice enthusiastic day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Energy is Force!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Investigation is a Way to Suprahuman Force!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
When a Bhikkhu develops the Ways to Force, that is enriched with
concentrated Investigation, constructed by effort, by thinking:
In this way will my Investigation, neither be too slack, nor too tense,
it will neither be constricted internally, nor scattered externally,
then he dwells experiencing both what is in front, & what is behind,
what is above, so also below, so by day, so also by night! Therefore,
with a mind all open & unrestricted, he develops the dazzling bright
mind, which is pervaded by its own internal luminosity... However:
What is Investigation, that is too slack? Investigation joined with
sloppy carelessness is called Investigation, that is too slack!
What is Investigation, that is too tense? Restless, hurried, agitated
Investigation is called an Investigation, that is too tense!
What is Investigation, that is constricted internally? Investigation
done in laziness. This is Investigation that is constricted internally!
What is Investigation, that is scattered externally? Investigation
that in craving & urge is directed towards the five sense pleasures.
This is called Investigation that is scattered & diverted externally!
How does one dwell experiencing both the front & what is behind?
The perception of front & back, is well attended to, & thereby well
comprehended, well considered, & well known by understanding...
This is Investigation, that knows both what is in the front & back!
How does one dwell seeing as below, so above; as above, so below?
One reviews this very frame of body upwards from the soles of the
feet, & downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed by skin, as
full of many kinds of impurities: There are in this body: Head-hairs,
body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery,
vomit in the stomach, excrement, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat,
tears, slime, spit, snot, joint fluid , and urine...This is Investigation,
that knows what is below, so also above; as above, so also below...
How does one dwell as by day, so at night; as at night, so by day?
Here, at night a Bhikkhu trains the Steps to Force that is enriched
with concentrated Investigation, constructed by effort, using the
same techniques, qualities, & aspects, as he trains during the day.
So does one abide as by day, so at night; as by night, so by day!
And how, does one dwell with a mind that is all open & unrestricted,
a dazzling bright mind, which is pervaded by its own luminosity...?
Here, friends, the perception of day-light is well attended to & well
resolved upon by determination. It is in exactly this way, that one
dwells with a mind, that is all open & unrestricted, a dazzling bright
mind, which is pervaded by its own luminosity...

Investigation=inquiry=scrutiny=analysis

More on The Four Steps to Force (iddhi-pada):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/abhinna.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/iddhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/iddhi_paada.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Immersing_the_Body_in_the_Mind.htm

Investigation is a Way to Suprahuman Force!

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:278]
section 51: The 4 Forces: Thread 20: Analysis of the Ways.

Have a nice curious day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Investigation is a Way to Force!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Breathing Fulfills the 4 Foundations of Awareness!

Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this: How, Ananda, is this fine
concentration by Awareness by Breathing (Anapanasati) developed and
cultivated so that it fulfils the Four Foundations of Awareness (Sati) ?
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu:
1: Breathing long, knows, notes & understands: I breathe in & out long!
2: Breathing short, knows, notes & understands: I breathe in & out short!
3: Trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in & out!
4: Trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in & out!
On that occasion the Bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body as a group,
keen, clearly comprehending, and aware, thereby removing all desire and
frustration rooted in this world! This is a certain kind of body, Ananda,
a kind of accumulation, just this breathing in and breathing out in itself...
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu:
5: Trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in & out!
6: Trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in & out!
7: Trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in & out!
8: Trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in & out!
On that occasion the Bhikkhu dwells contemplating feeling as a reaction,
keen, clearly comprehending, & aware, thereby removing all desire and
frustration rooted in this world! For what reason? Close attention to
breathing in & breathing out is also a certain kind of feeling, Ananda...
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu: :
9: Trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in & out!
10: Trains thus: Elating, & satisfying the mind, I will breathe in & out!
11: Trains thus: Concentrating, & focusing mind, I will breathe in & out!
12: Trains thus: Releasing, & liberating the mind, I will breathe in & out!
On that occasion the Bhikkhu dwells contemplating mind only as moods,
keen, clearly comprehending, & aware, thereby removing all desire and
frustration rooted in this world! I tell you, Ananda, there is no gaining
concentration by awareness by breathing for one, who is confused, and
who lacks clear comprehension of the actually present mentality & mood!
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu:
13: Trains thus: Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in & out!
14: Trains thus: Contemplating disillusion, I will breathe in & out!
15: Trains thus: Contemplating ceasing, I will breathe in & out!
16: Trains thus: Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in & out!
On that occasion the Bhikkhu dwells contemplating all phenomena as
mental states, keen, clearly comprehending, & aware, thereby removing
all desire and frustration rooted in this world! Having by understanding
seen what really is the elimination of greed and discontent, he is one
who just looks on, over-viewing carefully in imperturbable equanimity...
It is, Ananda, when Awareness by Breathing is trained, developed and
refined in this very way, that it fulfills the 4 Foundations of Awareness...

These 16 steps should be memorized fully. Print out & bring to pillow!

Anapanasati.speech.jpg

The Buddha explains Awareness by Breathing
(Anapanasati Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 118)

More on this sublime technique used by all Buddhas at Awakening:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Manual/Meditation.Manual.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_I.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_II.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_III.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_IV.htm
Full text and all classic commentarial explanations:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404502

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:329-31]
section 54: Anapanasamyutta. Thread 13: Ananda!

Have a nice noting the Breath day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Unique & Subtle Breathing!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

How are the Seven Links to Awakening Fulfilled?

Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this:
How, Ananda, are the Four Foundations of Awareness trained and developed
so that they fulfil the Seven Links to Awakening?
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu is reflecting upon body only as an accumulation,
right on that occasion, unconfused and undistracted awareness is established
in that Bhikkhu. Therefore on that occasion the Awareness Link to Awakening
is aroused, and as it gradually develops, it reaches fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
Dwelling thus aware, he investigates & examines that state by understanding,
Whenever, Ananda, a Bhikkhu dwells investigating a state, on that occasion the
Investigation Link to Awakening is aroused, & as it gradually develops by many
repetitions, it reaches fulfilment in that Bhikkhu. While he investigates states
with understanding, examines them, his energy is aroused without slackening!
On that occasion the Energy Link to Awakening is enlivened, & as it gradually
develops by many reiterations, it comes to reach fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
When his enthusiastic energy is aroused, there arises in him a rapturous joy!
On that occasion the Joy Link to Awakening is instigated, & as it gradually
develops by many renewals, it comes to reach fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
Both the body & mind becomes tranquil, in whoever is mentally elated by joy.
On that occasion the Tranquillity Link to Awakening is therefore induced, and
as it gradually develops by maturation, it reaches fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
In one whose body is tranquil & who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated!
On that occasion, the Concentration Link to Awakening is therefore stimulated,
& as it gradually develops by training, it reaches fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
He then just looks on this concentrated mind with imperturbable equanimity...
On that occasion the Equanimity Link to Awakening is therefore induced, and
as it gradually develops by rehearsal, it reaches fulfilment in that Bhikkhu.
It is, Ananda, when the four Foundations of Awareness are trained & refined
in exactly this very way, that they fulfill the Seven Links to Awakening...!

broken_chain.mega.jpg

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Final Release is Fulfilled by True Wisdom!

Once in Savatthi the Blessed Buddha said this:
How, Ananda, are the Seven Links to Awakening trained and developed
so that they fulfill True Wisdom and Final Release?
When a Bhikkhu, Ananda, develops the Awareness Link to Awakening,
based upon seclusion, disillusion, & ceasing, then it matures into release!
When he develops the Investigation Link to Awakening, based upon total
seclusion, disillusion, & ceasing, then it culminates into mental release!
When he develops the Energy Link to Awakening, based upon seclusion,
disillusioned disgust, & ceasing of craving, then it blossoms into release!
When he develops the Joy Link to Awakening, based on solitary seclusion,
detached disgust, and ceasing of craving, then it progresses into release!
When he develops the Tranquillity Link to Awakening, based upon complete
isolation, disillusion, & ceasing, then it comes to a climax of final release!
When he develops the Concentration Link to Awakening, while alone and
reclusive, undeceived, & cooled, there is breakthrough of mental release!
When he develops the Equanimity Link to Awakening, based upon seclusion,
disillusioned disgust, & ceasing of craving, then it flourishes into release!
It is, Ananda, when the Seven Links to Awakening are trained & refined in
this way, that they fulfil the causes of True Wisdom and Final Release!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

There is many folly ways, but only One really good Way!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Some priests postulate this as the way going upwards: "Get up early and walk facing east.
Do not avoid a pit, or a cliff abyss, or a stump, or a thorny place, or a village or a cesspool!
You should expect death wherever you fall. Thus, good man, with the breakup of the body,
after death, you will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world." This the praxis
of the priests, Bhikkhus, is a foolish & stupid way, since it does neither lead to revulsion,
to disillusion, to ceasing, to peace, to direct knowledge, to Enlightenment, nor to Nibbana!
However, Bhikkhus, I will explain the very way Going Upwards in the Noble One's Discipline,
that way, which leads to utter revulsion, to disillusion, to ceasing, to peace, to safe knowledge,
to Enlightenment, to Nibbana: Any Noble Disciple possesses a sure confirmed confidence
in the Buddha thus: Worthy, & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha!
in the Dhamma thus: Perfectly formulated is the Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here & now,
in the Sangha thus: Perfectly training is this Noble Sangha of the Buddha's disciples, and
He possesses the morality liked by the Noble Ones, unbroken ... which leads to concentration!
This, Bhikkhus & friends, is that way going upwards, which leads to utter revulsion, to disillusion,
to ceasing, to Peace, to direct knowledge and experience, to Enlightenment, and to Nibbana!

Have a nice ascending day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Going Upwards!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

The 4 Brahmaviharas deliver mind into a Higher State!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
The Noble Disciple, Bhikkhus & friends, freed from greed and grudge,
unconfused, alert, attentive and clearly comprehending, with mind full
of kind friendliness ... of compassionate pity ... of altruistic joy ... and of
imperturbable equanimity, pervades first one direction, then the second,
then the 3rd one, then the 4th one, just as above, so below, & all around!
Thus sympathetic with all, embracing all, he pervades the whole world, &
the entire universe with a vast mind, refined, infinite, freed from all hate
and any ill-will. And he understands: Formerly my mind was limited and
undeveloped. Now, however, is my mind unlimited and developed, and no
limited behaviour based on a narrow intention will remain here or persist!
What do you think, Bhikkhus & friends: If a boy from his early childhood
develops kind friendliness, compassionate pity, altruistic joy, and quite
imperturbable equanimity, will he then still be able to do bad evil deeds?
No, Venerable One...
But, if he no longer does bad deeds, will suffering then still attack him?
Certainly not. Venerable One.
How should anyone, doing no evil actions, still be attacked by suffering!
Therefore should kind friendliness .. compassionate pity .. altruistic joy
& imperturbable equanimity be developed, by all men, women & beings!
No man or woman, on leaving this life, can keep this body. Any mortal
has only his mind as base, mediator, creator, controller and protector!
The Bhikkhu, however, knows: Whatever formerly I have done of bad
deeds with this material body, all that I still have to atone for here, and
after that, then nothing of it will follow me. So developed, the release of
the mind by kind friendliness, by compassionate pity, by altruistic joy ... &
by imperturbable equanimity, leads to Never-Return, unless the wise monk
already during this life penetrates to a higher deliverance than that!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Self-Pity!
The man was much worried over having no shoes,
until he met the other man with no legs...!

Pure Politics!
The humanitarian needs an oppressed proletariat..
The professional saving angel lives of suffering...
The Meek only shines, when abused by the angry!

Cinderella Syndrome...
They made a party inviting Charity as a guest of honour!
However, she had only rags of humility to wear, and was
dismissed, when she came bare footed to the entrance!
Nobody ever noticed she was not there...

Source of Inspiration:
A Thinkers Notebook. Ñanamoli Thera 1950.

[img]http:/pics/What-Buddha-Said.net/Pics/nanamoli.jpg[/img]
Bhikkhu Ñanamoli (1905-1960) at the island hermitage.

Have a nice thoughtful day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Some Kicks!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Self-Pity!
The man was much worried over having no shoes,
until he met the other man with no legs...!

Pure Politics!
The humanitarian needs an oppressed proletariat..
The professional saving angel lives of suffering...
The Meek only shines, when abused by the angry!

Cinderella Syndrome...
They made a party inviting Charity as a guest of honour!
However, she had only rags of humility to wear, and was
dismissed, when she came bare footed to the entrance!
Nobody ever noticed she was not there...

Source of Inspiration:
A Thinkers Notebook. Ñanamoli Thera 1950.

Bhikkhu Ñanamoli (1905-1960) at the island hermitage.

Have a nice thoughtful day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Some Kicks!

samahita · May 2009

Friends:

Moderation when Eating is very Advantageous!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
How, Bhikkhus & friends, is material food to be considered?
Imagine, two persons, husband & wife, with only few provisions, are wandering
through a desert with their only child, their beloved and dear little son.
However in the middle of the desert, their food runs out! Then this husband &
wife think: Let us kill our only child, our loved dear little son, prepare dried flesh,
& thus while eating this cross the rest of the desert. But, while eating this flesh,
they beat their breasts, weeping and lamenting: Where is our own little son now?
Where is our only child? What do you think, Bhikkhus & friends: Do these two
people eat their food for amusement, or for pleasure, or to become beautiful?
No, Venerable Sir.
Do they eat this foul food, their only son's flesh only to escape the desert?
Indeed so, Venerable Sir.
Even and Exactly so, Bhikkhus & friends, should one regard all material food!
Once one has fully understood material food, one has also understood all and
any kind of greed for all five sense objects. Once one has fully understood
the greed for the 5 sense objects, then there exists no more any mental chain,
bound by which the Noble Disciple could ever return again to this world...!

The simile of the Son's Flesh!

More on disabling the craving, urge, and greed for food:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Food_Disgust.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 12:63

Have a nice moderate & vegetarian day!

Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

The Son's Flesch!

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