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Awesome replies everyone.. point taken. I guess when even thinking about reality anger DOES get the best of me, and I guess I shouldn't focus that much on the negative and hopeless but work toward achieving little victories myself. Being bitter isn't helping much.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Woah93 said:
No need to apologize dharmamom It IS hard to swallow... So much suffering, illness, hunger, thirst and why? Because some individuals fortunate enough to be born in a rich banking family are blinded by power and greed.
I just worry about this a lot since their sinister agenda seems to be working and there is so little I can do about that, it's just terrifying to picture what it would be like if the new world order really does pull through...
Sorry for kind of derailing the thread guys. And yes dharmamom there IS a brighter side to it, there ARE a LOT of people out there who are actively making positive changes out there and my heart warms up reading about it.
We aren't powerless, far from it. But most aren't AWARE of the power we actually have. Which is why I think it's important to share what is really going on. It might be gloomy, it might not be positive or uplifting but I think it's a great catalyst to get other people to wake up and make positive changes themselves. If only everybody meditated huh...
That being said you cannot fix the conditional with the unconditional other than seeing phenomenon with right view. But in general you can't fix samsara.
The Blessed Buddha said of this beautiful Friendship (Kalyanamittata):
By this following method, Ananda, it may be understood how the entire
Holy & Noble Life is sole good friendship, good companionship, and good
comradeship: By relying upon me as a good friend, Ananda, beings subject
to birth are freed from birth, ageing beings are freed from their ageing,
beings subject to disease are cured from illness, beings subject to death
escape death, and beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, & desperate
despair are freed from this grief, pain, frustration and endless Suffering!
Therefore, Ananda it may be emphasized, how this entire Noble Life is all
based on good friendship, beautiful amity, and benevolent harmony...
Comments:
Selfless friendship is the most deep, genuine, sincere and sweet!
Why so? It is not limited or tainted by any egoistic self-interest,
which otherwise interferes, as soon as an assumed 'self' suspects
even minor overstepping of its perceived territorial 'my' domain..
If there is no self present, how can it ever be possessive? ")
The Blessed Buddha often emphasized: Sabbe Dhamma Anatta... All states are selfless, egoless, ownerless, & void of any core "I"-dentity!
@Woah93 said:
Awesome replies everyone.. point taken. I guess when even thinking about reality anger DOES get the best of me, and I guess I shouldn't focus that much on the negative and hopeless but work toward achieving little victories myself. Being bitter isn't helping much.
That's a much better stance from which to start the changes you want to see. As @Jeffrey said, you can't fix samsara, but doing your little share will empower you instead of leaving you stewing in anger.
The absence of possessions and possessiveness...
Blameless daily begging of alms food...
Content, calm and composed with modest needs...
Detached ease regarding all phenomena...
Fearlessness of robbery, violence and loss...
Freedom from government, and taxation...
Freedom from bosses, and administrators...
Unobstructed in all directions and realms...
JOY
Oh let us live happily! Freed from aversion,
going even among those, who hate. Among
those in anger, let us live free from all anger. Dhammapada 197
CONTENTED
Oh let us live happily! Freed from discontent,
going easy among those, who want ever more.
Among those dissatisfied let us live free from
any discontent. Dhammapada 198
NOTHING
Oh let us live happily! Having nothing at all!
Let us feed on Joy, just like the bright shining Devas. Dhammapada 200
GREAT
Health is the greatest gain.
Contentment is the greatest treasure.
Confidence is the greatest company.
Nibbana is the greatest Bliss ... Dhammapada 204
SWEET
The one who has tasted the sweetness of solitude
in cooled calm, such one fears not, wrongdo not,
as so indeed is the sweetness of the joy of Dhamma. Dhammapada 205
The Blessed Buddha once explained the round of existence as this:
No first beginning of ignorance can be perceived, bhikkhus, before
which there was no ignorance, and after which ignorance had emerged.
Nevertheless ignorance has its specific causal conditions:
When there is mental fermentation, ignorance also comes into being.
When the 5 mental hindrances are present, ignorance grows & expands. AN V 113, MN I 54
No first beginning of craving for becoming can ever be perceived,
before which there was no craving for becoming, and after which
craving for becoming had emerged.
Nevertheless craving for becoming has its specific causal condition:
When there is ignorance of the 4 truths, craving for becoming arises. AN V 116
But why does the Blessed One give this exposition of the round with
those two things as starting points? Because they are the outstanding
causes of kammic action that leads to the happy and unhappy destinies!
Ignorance is prime cause of behaviour, that results in any unhappy destiny. Vism 525
Naturally: In no cyclic process can a beginning ever be pointed out...
Why not? There is neither beginning nor end of a fully closed circle!
The Blessed Buddha often said:
Whatever is to be done by a teacher out of compassion for the welfare of
his students, that has now been done by me out of kind compassion for you.
Here are many suitable roots of trees. Here are many silent empty places.
Sit down & meditate now. Practice jhana. Don't be lazy. Don't become one
who miss the opportunity again & later have to regret his heedless neglect!
This is my instruction to you. This is our message to you all... MN 106, SN 35.145, SN 47.10
For a period of about a year, when teaching part time, I had the opportunity to visit a local temple and meditate nearly every day. Sometimes in the summer, as I sat and the wind blew through chimes and sun shone on empty cushions, I thought how I could be out and about having fun.
Where would I rather be? Then I realised. Nowhere.
Not nowhere in some Empty sense but in the sense that Being in a real sense is where all the fun is . . .
When you learn how to sit. You learn how to be. You lucky people . . .
What actually are the Disadvantageous Mental States?
Cut Short:
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted hate are Disadvantageous!
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted greed are Disadvantageous!
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted ignorance are Disadvantageous!
In Detail:
At whatever occasion any disadvantageous thought pertaining to the sense sphere, accompanied
by gladness and associated with knowledge, pointed to any sense object, such as a visible form,
a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a mental object, then right at that time arises momentarily:
Contact, feeling, perception, intention, idea, directed thought, sustained thinking, joy, happiness,
one-pointedness of the mind, the ability of faith, energy, awareness, concentration, understanding,
the ability of mind & gladness, the ability of vitality, wrong view, wrong motivation, wrong effort,
wrong awareness, and wrong concentration. There arise the powers of conviction, enthusiasm,
acute awareness, focused concentration, understanding. There arise the evil effects of no-shame,
of no-fear of the results of wrong-doing! There arise greed, hatred, confusion, and possessiveness.
There arises then wrong view, but neither shame, conscience, nor any fear of wrongdoing...
Calm, insight and non-distraction is present. These and whatever formless immaterial mental
states these later causally produce: These are called Disadvantageous mental states...
Literally, there is neither beginning nor ending beyond the boundaries of mind (consciousness in individuality). When there is mind arising, the dependent nature arises. When there is mind ceasing, the dependent nature ceases. At the end of the day, mind is the forerunner of all states.
Birth in the world is an indispensable necessity for all kinds of suffering.
If no being were ever again reborn in hell, the unbearable scorching pain,
or other states of agony, grief or misery, then pain would have no chance!
Therefore the Sage explained that birth is pain! Multifarious are the many
sorts of pain, that creatures have to endure both the physical and mental...
Since birth does this pain procure, birth is pain: This consequence is sure!
While the hungry ghosts know pain in great variety through hunger, thirst,
& hopeless fear, no other, unless actually reborn there, knows this misery!
So this repeated and blind birth, the Sage indeed declared only pain to be.
In empty space, where demons dwell in searing cold, black and thick gloom,
their depressed despair requires rebirth there as well, just as an evil spell!
The horrible torment any being feels on coming out the womb is also pain...
Can there be a painful state anytime or anywhere if birth has not preceded?
Indeed this Sage so great, when he explained pain, took care first to point
out rebirth as pain, the condition always & unambiguously needed to suffer! Vism 501
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
The destroying and cruel killing of any living being, Bhikkhus and Friends,
committed, carried out, and often pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world,
or the realm of ghosts. Even the least result of killing living beings brings a
short future lifetime. Killing brings a bad and painful future & quick death!
The taking of other people's belongings, committed, carried out, and often
pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world, or the realm of hungry ghosts...
Even the slightest result of stealing other people's belongings brings the
future loss of one's own goods & property and induces thus future poverty!
Adultery and illegitimate sex, committed, carried out, and often pursued,
leads to Hell, rebirth as animal, or in realm of ugly ghosts. Even the minimum
result of unlawful sex brings future enmity, jealousy, envy & vicious rivalry!
Lying, committed, carried out, and often pursued, leads to Hell, the animal
world, or the realm of ghosts. Even the weakest result of lying brings future
false accusations, blame, condemnation, despise and evil-minded complaints!
Tale-bearing, slander, divisive speech of gossip & malicious rumours committed,
carried out, & often done, leads to Hell, animal world, or the realm of ghosts.
Even the slightest result of tale-bearing brings discord, disagreement and
splitting conflicts even with one's closest friends, family and associates.
Harsh, hurting and aggressive speech, committed, carried out, and often done,
leads to rebirth in Hell, rebirth in the animal world, or the realm of ghosts.
Even the smallest result of abusive language echoes back future relentless,
rude and ruthless rebuke, vicious verbal scolding and insulting insinuations!
Vain and empty gossip, prattle, and hearsay committed, carried out, & often
pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world, or the realm of ghosts. Even the least
result of vain and void prattle brings future hearing of unacceptable and
disagreeable stories, foul-mouthed speech, & offensive unpleasant words!
Drinking intoxicating drinks, such as wine and liquor, committed, carried out,
and often pursued, leads to rebirth in Hell, the animal world, or the realm of
hungry ghosts. Even the minutest result of drinking alcoholic drinks brings
future dementia and lunatic insanity either in this or in a future life!
Beings are owners of their actions (kamma), inheritor of their own actions,
are created and conditioned by their actions, and linked to their actions!
Their actions produce, shape, limit and prepare their future destiny...
Whatever action they perform; good as evil, the resulting reaction
and inevitable consequential effects will be theirs only! Be careful!
Kamma causes and creates a rebirth location! A shadow that never leaves!
I guess if I were a betting man that >50% do NOT believe in a hell after this life. Many don't believe in rebirth and are looking for happiness in this life. My view is that it is mysterious and it isn't like a linear next life rather it is a wave of the ocean rising and falling.
Having experienced most of my Buddhist teachings in Thailand -- where Buddhist hell is very much a living concept, and then plopping down here in what is essentially a Western Buddhist setting, I find myself open-minded about the issue. Could there be a real Buddhist hell? Perhaps. Could Buddhist hell be only in your own mind? Perhaps. Could we actually turn into an animal after rebirth...well, I doubt that almost totally. Is there even such a thing as rebirth? I remain unconvinced, but also won't discount it as a possibility.
I find it a bit hard to believe, too, literally. So, when I was a kid and taking communion at church, even that tiniest bit of wine is enough to guarantee birth in a lunatic mental state? It just doesn't make sense to me that things would work that way. Now, if I drink too much today, I might end up in a questionable mental state for sure!
I just don't worry about it much. My actions in my life right now don't have a thing to do on a conscious level with trying to create good karma, fix bad karma, or ensure a better rebirth. That isn't even a tiny percent of the reason why I practice, so it just doesn't appeal to me to worry about it.
that is akin to being thrown in prison and
saying i dont care how i got in prison,
i am just gonna be a good prisoner.
@karasti said:
I find it a bit hard to believe, too, literally. So, when I was a kid and taking communion at church, even that tiniest bit of wine is enough to guarantee birth in a lunatic mental state? It just doesn't make sense to me that things would work that way. Now, if I drink too much today, I might end up in a questionable mental state for sure!
I just don't worry about it much. My actions in my life right now don't have a thing to do on a conscious level with trying to create good karma, fix bad karma, or ensure a better rebirth. That isn't even a tiny percent of the reason why I practice, so it just doesn't appeal to me to worry about it.
We oftentimes approach topics like this with our own cultural biases. We think that before other realms of existence can be experienced, we must have physical death.
It's taught that birth, death and everything in between occurs in every moment. Physical death is just another moment. What follows is another moment.
The Buddha once explained:
Bhikkhus, this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The Tathagata is completely released from this world.
The origin of this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The origin of this world has been completely abandoned by the Tathagata.
The ceasing of this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The ceasing of this world has been completely realized by the Tathagata.
The way leading to the ceasing of this world has been fully understood by
the Tathagata and this way has been completely developed by the Tathagata.
Bhikkhus, in the world with its devas, maras, and brahmas, with its recluses
and priests, among humankind with its princes and people, whatever is seen,
heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and reflected upon by the mind,
all that is fully understood by the Tathagata. It is therefore he is called the
Tathagata. Bhikkhus, from the night when the Tathagata awakened to this
unsurpassable perfect enlightenment & until the night, when he passes away
into the Nibbana-element with no trace left, whatever he speaks, says, and
explains all that is true, correct, just and exactly so and not otherwise at all!
It is therefore he is called the Tathagata. As the Tathagata says, so he does.
As the Tathagata does, so he says. It is therefore he is called the Tathagata.
In the world with its devas, maras, and brahmas, with its recluses and priests,
among humankind with its princes and people, the Tathagata is the conqueror,
the undefeated, the all-seeing, the wielder of power.
It is therefore he is called the Tathagata! Itivuttaka 112
This piece is something from the mother of Allen Ginsberg (of the beat generation). She was a mental patient and this is something she said to him.
The recording is by Yann Tiersen. I think it was in the movie Amelie.
Naomi
"The key is in the window,
The key is in the sunlight
At the window-
The key is in the window,
The key is in the sunlight
At the window-
Get married Allen
Don't take drugs
Get married Allen
Don't take drugs
Don't take drugs
The key is in the bars,
In the sunlight
In the window.
Love,
Your mother
Which is
Naomi"
I dont understand.
Who are the people who kissed up to Samahita ???
@vinlyn said:
Well, this should be interesting. Some of you have often kissed up to samahita, but I know you don't believe in Buddhist hell (and other realms).
@hermitwin said:
I dont understand.
Who are the people who kissed up to Samahita ???
There were some folks that went after him for something he said. Others spoke up in his defence. Kind of a sh*tty time.
He is a million times the Buddhist that I'll ever be, but I don't think that this OP is skillful. It is not appropriate for everyone who might read it here, in my opinion.
@Chaz said:
We think that before other realms of existence can be experienced, we must have physical death.
My husband is agnostic and I'm a Buddhist, so my seven-year-old son is having a hell of a time with his Religion classes at school. In all honesty, his teacher too.
Only this morning he asked me "How do you call this beautiful place where you go when you die?"
"Heaven," I said but added "In fact, you don't need to die to experience Heaven and Hell. You are creating your own Heaven and Hell by the choices you make every day."
The poor little soul was totally stumped. Of course, I belaboured the point a bit, and his eyes were glimmering. I think this new idea, that he's responsible for his own actions and therefore, for his own happiness, will make some impact in his life.
The Blessed Buddha once said: Kayamunim vacamunim,
manomunimanasavam,
munim moneyyasampannam.
Ahu ninhatapapakam.
Silenced in body, silenced in speech,
silenced in mind, without inner noise,
blessed with silence is the sage!
He is truly washed of all evil... Itivuttaka 3.67
Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the tranquillity;
So is the serenity;
of one freed by the insight
of right understanding... Dhammapada 96
Meditation dampens the electroencephalographic brain-wave frequency almost 10 fold!
from ~30Hz to <3Hz and significantly suppresses the amplitude ("silent and almost flat"). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_meditation
I am not familiar with the higher jhanas myself. But I do not think you breath at all or only very slowly. All bodily processes are suspended. At least that is how I understand it.
Your body looks lifeless but not dead. Tissue is still soft and eyes look alive. No rigor mortis.
Look for fabrications on ATI if you want to investigate.
The difference between cessation of perception & feeling and death is that you are aware in meditation and can emerge from that state. (and obviously not when dead)
By its means they are greedy, this itself is greed.Greed and all its dilutions
such as desire, lust, urge, yearning, craving, wanting, longing, & hoping all has
the characteristic of grasping an object, like an adhesive glue attaching to it...
The function is sticking, binding, and clinging to it, like meat put in a hot pan.
It is manifested as not giving up, not releasing, & inability to drop the object.
Greed's proximate cause is seeing enjoyment in things, that lead to bondage!
Swelling with the current of craving, it should be regarded as taking beings
with it to the states of loss, as a swift-flowing river whirls to a great ocean...
Hate itself hates, by its characteristic ferocious, vicious and furious rage,
like a provoked snake. Its function is to spread, like a drop of poison, and
to grow up its own source, like a forest fire. Hate is manifested as a cruel
persecution, like an enemy who has got his chance. The proximate cause of
hate, anger, irritation, aversion, and opposition is any source of annoyance.
It should be regarded as like stale urine mixed with poison...
Ignorance has the characteristic of blindness, delusion or simply unknowing.
Its function and consequence is non-penetration, by concealment of the real
individual essence of an object. It is manifested as the absence of right view,
and a deep mental darkness. The proximate cause of ignorance is unreasoning
and wrongly directed attention neglecting all analysis of cause and effect...
It should be regarded as the deepest root of all, that is disadvantageous! Vism I 468
How does buddhism tackle ignorance? I am assuming that the ignorance that is an evil is the one that derives of lack of consideration especially for things we ignore through lack or negative concern. It is impossible to refrain from ignorance entirely.
Comments
I don't believe in idiot compassion because if you end up hurting yourself in the end, then it wasn't real to begin with.
That's what idiot compassion is.....
I stand corrected.
Awesome replies everyone.. point taken. I guess when even thinking about reality anger DOES get the best of me, and I guess I shouldn't focus that much on the negative and hopeless but work toward achieving little victories myself. Being bitter isn't helping much.
@Woah93..... "isn't helping much"....
Is it in fact,
even helping AT ALL....?
Cigars are not pleasing to me ... \ lol /...
Every time i read the thread title, my mind adds -
...."Or factually Actual".
(I gotta stop with the Spoonerisms.....)
That being said you cannot fix the conditional with the unconditional other than seeing phenomenon with right view. But in general you can't fix samsara.
Friends:
Without Ego, Friendship can even be Infinite:
The Blessed Buddha said of this beautiful Friendship (Kalyanamittata):
By this following method, Ananda, it may be understood how the entire
Holy & Noble Life is sole good friendship, good companionship, and good
comradeship: By relying upon me as a good friend, Ananda, beings subject
to birth are freed from birth, ageing beings are freed from their ageing,
beings subject to disease are cured from illness, beings subject to death
escape death, and beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, & desperate
despair are freed from this grief, pain, frustration and endless Suffering!
Therefore, Ananda it may be emphasized, how this entire Noble Life is all
based on good friendship, beautiful amity, and benevolent harmony...
Comments:
Selfless friendship is the most deep, genuine, sincere and sweet!
Why so? It is not limited or tainted by any egoistic self-interest,
which otherwise interferes, as soon as an assumed 'self' suspects
even minor overstepping of its perceived territorial 'my' domain..
If there is no self present, how can it ever be possessive? ")
The Blessed Buddha often emphasized: Sabbe Dhamma Anatta...
All states are selfless, egoless, ownerless, & void of any core "I"-dentity!
More on this very best good within beautiful friendship (Kalyanamittata):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Good-Will_Again.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Bon_Benevolence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Friendship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unique_Unity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 3(18): [I 88]
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
If animals despite differences can display so beautiful inter-species
friendship so more should we humans be kind towards all beings!'
Selfless is Friendship!
Friendship is the Greatest!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm
That's a much better stance from which to start the changes you want to see. As @Jeffrey said, you can't fix samsara, but doing your little share will empower you instead of leaving you stewing in anger.
Friends:
The 8 Pleasures of the Reclusive Sage:
The absence of possessions and possessiveness...
Blameless daily begging of alms food...
Content, calm and composed with modest needs...
Detached ease regarding all phenomena...
Fearlessness of robbery, violence and loss...
Freedom from government, and taxation...
Freedom from bosses, and administrators...
Unobstructed in all directions and realms...
JOY
Oh let us live happily! Freed from aversion,
going even among those, who hate. Among
those in anger, let us live free from all anger.
Dhammapada 197
CONTENTED
Oh let us live happily! Freed from discontent,
going easy among those, who want ever more.
Among those dissatisfied let us live free from
any discontent.
Dhammapada 198
NOTHING
Oh let us live happily! Having nothing at all!
Let us feed on Joy, just like the bright shining Devas.
Dhammapada 200
GREAT
Health is the greatest gain.
Contentment is the greatest treasure.
Confidence is the greatest company.
Nibbana is the greatest Bliss ...
Dhammapada 204
SWEET
The one who has tasted the sweetness of solitude
in cooled calm, such one fears not, wrongdo not,
as so indeed is the sweetness of the joy of Dhamma.
Dhammapada 205
On Joy (Piti):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_Beyond_This_World.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Alert_Elevated_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Joy_Piti.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Reclusive Bliss = Samana-Sukha!
Calm => Happy :-)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Samana-Sukha.htm
Friends:
The Samsaric Cycle has No first Beginning...
The Blessed Buddha once explained the round of existence as this:
No first beginning of ignorance can be perceived, bhikkhus, before
which there was no ignorance, and after which ignorance had emerged.
Nevertheless ignorance has its specific causal conditions:
When there is mental fermentation, ignorance also comes into being.
When the 5 mental hindrances are present, ignorance grows & expands.
AN V 113, MN I 54
No first beginning of craving for becoming can ever be perceived,
before which there was no craving for becoming, and after which
craving for becoming had emerged.
Nevertheless craving for becoming has its specific causal condition:
When there is ignorance of the 4 truths, craving for becoming arises.
AN V 116
But why does the Blessed One give this exposition of the round with
those two things as starting points? Because they are the outstanding
causes of kammic action that leads to the happy and unhappy destinies!
Ignorance is prime cause of behaviour, that results in any unhappy destiny.
Vism 525
Naturally: In no cyclic process can a beginning ever be pointed out...
Why not? There is neither beginning nor end of a fully closed circle!
For explanation of this wheel of becoming click here:
http://www.vimokkha.com/paticcasamuppada.html
More on these prime causes of the round (vatta) of being:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Causes_of_Ignorance.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/The_5_Mental_Hindrances.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/The_Three_Fermentations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/vatta.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/What_is_Ignorance.htm
Without any Beginning..
This Samsaric Cycle has No first Beginning...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/No_Beginning.htm
Friends:
Meditation Remoulds Mind into Magnificence!
The Blessed Buddha often said:
Whatever is to be done by a teacher out of compassion for the welfare of
his students, that has now been done by me out of kind compassion for you.
Here are many suitable roots of trees. Here are many silent empty places.
Sit down & meditate now. Practice jhana. Don't be lazy. Don't become one
who miss the opportunity again & later have to regret his heedless neglect!
This is my instruction to you. This is our message to you all...
MN 106, SN 35.145, SN 47.10
Manual on the 4 Main Meditation Methods taught by the Blessed Buddha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Manual/Meditation.Manual.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Magnificent_Meditation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_40_Meditations.htm
Mind-Moulding!
Meditation Purifies & Refines the Mind!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Mind_Moulding.htm
I'm not sure remoulding will be enough with my mind. A new one would be better.
Dear Friends,
For a period of about a year, when teaching part time, I had the opportunity to visit a local temple and meditate nearly every day. Sometimes in the summer, as I sat and the wind blew through chimes and sun shone on empty cushions, I thought how I could be out and about having fun.
Where would I rather be? Then I realised. Nowhere.
Not nowhere in some Empty sense but in the sense that Being in a real sense is where all the fun is . . .
When you learn how to sit. You learn how to be. You lucky people . . .
. . . and now back to the remoulding . . .
We have that since we all don't have a self!
Calm is calm. Happy is happy. Happy is not important when you are calm.
Let's not worry about beginning and ending. Just live.
Friends:
What actually are the Disadvantageous Mental States?
Cut Short:
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted hate are Disadvantageous!
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted greed are Disadvantageous!
Mental states mixed or joined with any form of even diluted ignorance are Disadvantageous!
In Detail:
At whatever occasion any disadvantageous thought pertaining to the sense sphere, accompanied
by gladness and associated with knowledge, pointed to any sense object, such as a visible form,
a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a mental object, then right at that time arises momentarily:
Contact, feeling, perception, intention, idea, directed thought, sustained thinking, joy, happiness,
one-pointedness of the mind, the ability of faith, energy, awareness, concentration, understanding,
the ability of mind & gladness, the ability of vitality, wrong view, wrong motivation, wrong effort,
wrong awareness, and wrong concentration. There arise the powers of conviction, enthusiasm,
acute awareness, focused concentration, understanding. There arise the evil effects of no-shame,
of no-fear of the results of wrong-doing! There arise greed, hatred, confusion, and possessiveness.
There arises then wrong view, but neither shame, conscience, nor any fear of wrongdoing...
Calm, insight and non-distraction is present. These and whatever formless immaterial mental
states these later causally produce: These are called Disadvantageous mental states...
More on Disadvantageous & Detrimental States (Akusala Dhamma):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evaporizing_Bad.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/akusala.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Advantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Advantageous2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Disadvantageous_Subject.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Latent_Tendencies.htm
Source:
The Classification of States. Dhammasangani. The 1st of the 7 Abhidhamma Books.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=130622
What is Disadvantageous?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Detrimental.htm
Literally, there is neither beginning nor ending beyond the boundaries of mind (consciousness in individuality). When there is mind arising, the dependent nature arises. When there is mind ceasing, the dependent nature ceases. At the end of the day, mind is the forerunner of all states.
Peace and joy
Friends:
Re-birth Reproduces Suffering ever Again!
Birth in the world is an indispensable necessity for all kinds of suffering.
If no being were ever again reborn in hell, the unbearable scorching pain,
or other states of agony, grief or misery, then pain would have no chance!
Therefore the Sage explained that birth is pain! Multifarious are the many
sorts of pain, that creatures have to endure both the physical and mental...
Since birth does this pain procure, birth is pain: This consequence is sure!
While the hungry ghosts know pain in great variety through hunger, thirst,
& hopeless fear, no other, unless actually reborn there, knows this misery!
So this repeated and blind birth, the Sage indeed declared only pain to be.
In empty space, where demons dwell in searing cold, black and thick gloom,
their depressed despair requires rebirth there as well, just as an evil spell!
The horrible torment any being feels on coming out the womb is also pain...
Can there be a painful state anytime or anywhere if birth has not preceded?
Indeed this Sage so great, when he explained pain, took care first to point
out rebirth as pain, the condition always & unambiguously needed to suffer!
Vism 501
On the 31 Planes of Existence:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html
More on Rebirth, Reincarnation, Reappearance, and Transmigration:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Rare_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divine_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Animal_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Samsaric_Dread.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Minor_Hells.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Five_Destinations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Hell_Destiny.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Hell_Destiny.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_is_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_is_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Destinations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Kamma_and_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Rebirth_and_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mad_Demon_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Samsaric_Round.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Human_Being_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hungry_Ghost_Rebirth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_passes_on_by_Rebirth-Linking.htm
Birth entails Suffering!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Birth_is_Suffering.htm
Friends:
Effect of Immoral Action is Inevitably Painful!
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
The destroying and cruel killing of any living being, Bhikkhus and Friends,
committed, carried out, and often pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world,
or the realm of ghosts. Even the least result of killing living beings brings a
short future lifetime. Killing brings a bad and painful future & quick death!
The taking of other people's belongings, committed, carried out, and often
pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world, or the realm of hungry ghosts...
Even the slightest result of stealing other people's belongings brings the
future loss of one's own goods & property and induces thus future poverty!
Adultery and illegitimate sex, committed, carried out, and often pursued,
leads to Hell, rebirth as animal, or in realm of ugly ghosts. Even the minimum
result of unlawful sex brings future enmity, jealousy, envy & vicious rivalry!
Lying, committed, carried out, and often pursued, leads to Hell, the animal
world, or the realm of ghosts. Even the weakest result of lying brings future
false accusations, blame, condemnation, despise and evil-minded complaints!
Tale-bearing, slander, divisive speech of gossip & malicious rumours committed,
carried out, & often done, leads to Hell, animal world, or the realm of ghosts.
Even the slightest result of tale-bearing brings discord, disagreement and
splitting conflicts even with one's closest friends, family and associates.
Harsh, hurting and aggressive speech, committed, carried out, and often done,
leads to rebirth in Hell, rebirth in the animal world, or the realm of ghosts.
Even the smallest result of abusive language echoes back future relentless,
rude and ruthless rebuke, vicious verbal scolding and insulting insinuations!
Vain and empty gossip, prattle, and hearsay committed, carried out, & often
pursued, leads to Hell, the animal world, or the realm of ghosts. Even the least
result of vain and void prattle brings future hearing of unacceptable and
disagreeable stories, foul-mouthed speech, & offensive unpleasant words!
Drinking intoxicating drinks, such as wine and liquor, committed, carried out,
and often pursued, leads to rebirth in Hell, the animal world, or the realm of
hungry ghosts. Even the minutest result of drinking alcoholic drinks brings
future dementia and lunatic insanity either in this or in a future life!
Beings are owners of their actions (kamma), inheritor of their own actions,
are created and conditioned by their actions, and linked to their actions!
Their actions produce, shape, limit and prepare their future destiny...
Whatever action they perform; good as evil, the resulting reaction
and inevitable consequential effects will be theirs only! Be careful!
Kamma causes and creates a rebirth location! A shadow that never leaves!
For details on the mechanics of Kamma = Intentional Action see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_is_intention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health&Sickness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty&_Ugliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_kammic_Action_is_Delayed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
Source:
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 10:208
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Kamma = Cause + Effect...
Inevitable are Consequence!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Inevitable_Consequences.htm
Well, this should be interesting. Some of you have often kissed up to samahita, but I know you don't believe in Buddhist hell (and other realms).
I believe in Buddhist hell. Maybe that is just your perception that people are kissing up to Samahita. Where does that view originate?
just some general responses, nothing specific
but would you agree that most of our posters here do not believe there is a Buddhist hell (other than in one's own mind)?
I guess if I were a betting man that >50% do NOT believe in a hell after this life. Many don't believe in rebirth and are looking for happiness in this life. My view is that it is mysterious and it isn't like a linear next life rather it is a wave of the ocean rising and falling.
Having experienced most of my Buddhist teachings in Thailand -- where Buddhist hell is very much a living concept, and then plopping down here in what is essentially a Western Buddhist setting, I find myself open-minded about the issue. Could there be a real Buddhist hell? Perhaps. Could Buddhist hell be only in your own mind? Perhaps. Could we actually turn into an animal after rebirth...well, I doubt that almost totally. Is there even such a thing as rebirth? I remain unconvinced, but also won't discount it as a possibility.
I do find some of the stuff in the OP hard to swallow but what would I know?
I find it a bit hard to believe, too, literally. So, when I was a kid and taking communion at church, even that tiniest bit of wine is enough to guarantee birth in a lunatic mental state? It just doesn't make sense to me that things would work that way. Now, if I drink too much today, I might end up in a questionable mental state for sure!
I just don't worry about it much. My actions in my life right now don't have a thing to do on a conscious level with trying to create good karma, fix bad karma, or ensure a better rebirth. That isn't even a tiny percent of the reason why I practice, so it just doesn't appeal to me to worry about it.
I have no doubt at all that Hell states exist.
I also have no doubt that we create them.
+1
...and we don't have to wait till we die to find ourselves in a hell realm
that is akin to being thrown in prison and
saying i dont care how i got in prison,
i am just gonna be a good prisoner.
No, its akin to finding ourselves in prison and finding that we have sleep -walked there, but that the key to our cell is in our hands.
+1 and +1 too.
>
@Citta.... There IS no key.
Because there actually isn't a lock....
We oftentimes approach topics like this with our own cultural biases. We think that before other realms of existence can be experienced, we must have physical death.
It's taught that birth, death and everything in between occurs in every moment. Physical death is just another moment. What follows is another moment.
Friends:
The One thus come & thus gone!
The Buddha once explained:
Bhikkhus, this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The Tathagata is completely released from this world.
The origin of this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The origin of this world has been completely abandoned by the Tathagata.
The ceasing of this world has been fully understood by the Tathagata.
The ceasing of this world has been completely realized by the Tathagata.
The way leading to the ceasing of this world has been fully understood by
the Tathagata and this way has been completely developed by the Tathagata.
Bhikkhus, in the world with its devas, maras, and brahmas, with its recluses
and priests, among humankind with its princes and people, whatever is seen,
heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought, and reflected upon by the mind,
all that is fully understood by the Tathagata. It is therefore he is called the
Tathagata. Bhikkhus, from the night when the Tathagata awakened to this
unsurpassable perfect enlightenment & until the night, when he passes away
into the Nibbana-element with no trace left, whatever he speaks, says, and
explains all that is true, correct, just and exactly so and not otherwise at all!
It is therefore he is called the Tathagata. As the Tathagata says, so he does.
As the Tathagata does, so he says. It is therefore he is called the Tathagata.
In the world with its devas, maras, and brahmas, with its recluses and priests,
among humankind with its princes and people, the Tathagata is the conqueror,
the undefeated, the all-seeing, the wielder of power.
It is therefore he is called the Tathagata!
Itivuttaka 112
Full text here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.106-112x.irel.html#iti-112
Comments:
The designation Tathagata has 2 (contracted) meanings:
Tatha + gata = Thus come (to Enlightenment)
Tath + agata = Thus gone (beyond to Nibbana)
More on the Buddha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sammaa_sambodhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/How-2-Meet_Buddha_Metteyya.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_10_Future_Buddhas.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddha_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/me_mu/metteyya.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sumedhas_Similes.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Metteyya/arimet00.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Blessed_One.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Master_Presence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Life_of_Buddha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/SammaSambuddho.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/buddha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Well_Gone.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha!
The Tathagata!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_Tathagata.htm
This piece is something from the mother of Allen Ginsberg (of the beat generation). She was a mental patient and this is something she said to him.
The recording is by Yann Tiersen. I think it was in the movie Amelie.
Naomi
"The key is in the window,
The key is in the sunlight
At the window-
The key is in the window,
The key is in the sunlight
At the window-
Get married Allen
Don't take drugs
Get married Allen
Don't take drugs
Don't take drugs
The key is in the bars,
In the sunlight
In the window.
Love,
Your mother
Which is
Naomi"
I dont understand.
Who are the people who kissed up to Samahita ???
There were some folks that went after him for something he said. Others spoke up in his defence. Kind of a sh*tty time.
He is a million times the Buddhist that I'll ever be, but I don't think that this OP is skillful. It is not appropriate for everyone who might read it here, in my opinion.
My husband is agnostic and I'm a Buddhist, so my seven-year-old son is having a hell of a time with his Religion classes at school. In all honesty, his teacher too.
Only this morning he asked me "How do you call this beautiful place where you go when you die?"
"Heaven," I said but added "In fact, you don't need to die to experience Heaven and Hell. You are creating your own Heaven and Hell by the choices you make every day."
The poor little soul was totally stumped. Of course, I belaboured the point a bit, and his eyes were glimmering. I think this new idea, that he's responsible for his own actions and therefore, for his own happiness, will make some impact in his life.
Friends:
Sweet is Verbal, Bodily & Mental Silence!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Kayamunim vacamunim,
manomunimanasavam,
munim moneyyasampannam.
Ahu ninhatapapakam.
Silenced in body, silenced in speech,
silenced in mind, without inner noise,
blessed with silence is the sage!
He is truly washed of all evil...
Itivuttaka 3.67
Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the tranquillity;
So is the serenity;
of one freed by the insight
of right understanding...
Dhammapada 96
More on Mental Tranquillity:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Tranquillity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Tranquil_One.htm
Meditation dampens the electroencephalographic brain-wave frequency almost 10 fold!
from ~30Hz to <3Hz and significantly suppresses the amplitude ("silent and almost flat").
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_meditation
3 Excellent & Complete Meditation Manuals are here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/anapanasati.pdf
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/Main_Meditation_Manual.pdf
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf
Triple Silenced...
Sweet Silence is Verbal, Bodily & Mental Calm!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/IV/Silenced.htm
I can't help thinking that if I successfully accomplished all three, people would think that I was dead....
Actually going into the higher jhana your bodily fabrications are halted.
But although they are halted, can you be in a higher jhana, and witness 'bodily fabrications'?
I am not familiar with the higher jhanas myself. But I do not think you breath at all or only very slowly. All bodily processes are suspended. At least that is how I understand it.
Your body looks lifeless but not dead. Tissue is still soft and eyes look alive. No rigor mortis.
There is a dokumentary that showed a tibetan monk doing death meditation. Which I cant find right now...
And there are a couple of suttas. Here is one.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn41/sn41.006.than.html
Look for fabrications on ATI if you want to investigate.
The difference between cessation of perception & feeling and death is that you are aware in meditation and can emerge from that state. (and obviously not when dead)
/Victor
Friends:
By Greed, Hate and Ignorance beings Suffer!
By its means they are greedy, this itself is greed.Greed and all its dilutions
such as desire, lust, urge, yearning, craving, wanting, longing, & hoping all has
the characteristic of grasping an object, like an adhesive glue attaching to it...
The function is sticking, binding, and clinging to it, like meat put in a hot pan.
It is manifested as not giving up, not releasing, & inability to drop the object.
Greed's proximate cause is seeing enjoyment in things, that lead to bondage!
Swelling with the current of craving, it should be regarded as taking beings
with it to the states of loss, as a swift-flowing river whirls to a great ocean...
Hate itself hates, by its characteristic ferocious, vicious and furious rage,
like a provoked snake. Its function is to spread, like a drop of poison, and
to grow up its own source, like a forest fire. Hate is manifested as a cruel
persecution, like an enemy who has got his chance. The proximate cause of
hate, anger, irritation, aversion, and opposition is any source of annoyance.
It should be regarded as like stale urine mixed with poison...
Ignorance has the characteristic of blindness, delusion or simply unknowing.
Its function and consequence is non-penetration, by concealment of the real
individual essence of an object. It is manifested as the absence of right view,
and a deep mental darkness. The proximate cause of ignorance is unreasoning
and wrongly directed attention neglecting all analysis of cause and effect...
It should be regarded as the deepest root of all, that is disadvantageous!
Vism I 468
More on the 3 Roots of all Good and Evil (Mula):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fading_Away.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Absence_of_Ill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/muula.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Proximate_Causes_of_the_Root_Defilements.htm
The 3 Root Evils...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_3_Evils.htm
How does buddhism tackle ignorance? I am assuming that the ignorance that is an evil is the one that derives of lack of consideration especially for things we ignore through lack or negative concern. It is impossible to refrain from ignorance entirely.