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@federica said:
Scarcely any mention is made at all of a mental illness being clinical. He mentions once, the term 'biological' (which I presume, is a reference to that) but then states that Depression is usually down to a feeling of Guilt or Remorse.
Traditionally metta is an antidote to ill-will or anger. Some say that depression is anger directed inwards, so presumably metta could reduce the likelihood of depressive thoughts arising. But if depressive thoughts are already well entrenched it's difficult to see how metta could be a "cure".
The Buddha once explained the profundity of causality like this:
Arising of Nutriment induces the emergence of the Body...
Ceasing of Nutriment induces the passing away of the Body...
Arising of Contact induces the emergence of Feeling...
Ceasing of Contact induces the passing away of Feeling...
Arising of Naming-&-forming induces the emergence of Mind...
Ceasing of Naming-&-forming induces the passing away of Mind...
Arising of Attention induces the emergence of Phenomena...
Ceasing of Attention induces the passing away of Phenomena...
Therefore is considering, contemplating, analyzing, and recollecting:
1: Body merely as a transient form grown up on food;
2: Feeling only as passing emotion arisen from sense-contact;
3: Mind just as changing mood emerged from naming-&-forming;
4: Phenomena only as momentary mental states created by attention...
a crucial necessity! Reflecting on these 4 facts repeatedly, & thoroughly,
is called initiating and developing the Four_Foundations_of_Awareness,
which, in itself, is the mental treasure par excellence, leading steadily,
and directly to the Deathless Element: Nibbana...
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Whatever meritorious action one performs, all these together are not worth
1/16th part of a mind released into friendliness, since the mind released into
friendliness blazes forth, & outshines all with an unsurpassable brilliance...
Just as the radiance from all the stars and planets does not match even a
1/16th part of the radiance from the moon, which thus outshines all the stars,
similarly; whatever good thoughts one fulfils by doing meritorious actions,
all these together are not worth one-sixteenth fraction of the mind released
by infinite friendliness! Since a mind released into friendliness - all alone -
blazes forth, and thus outshines all these with an incomparable radiance...
Just as the mighty sun rising at autumn dawn, by making any fog evaporate,
scattering any dark thundercloud, makes the sky all blue & clear, so it alone
freely shines, blazes in a blue brilliance, - exactly so - whatever thoughts
there may be for gaining merit, all these together are not worth one 16th
fraction, of a mind released into friendliness! Since the mind released into
friendliness - all alone - outshines all these with inestimable luminosity!
So did the Lord Buddha state this matter, and he further added:
For the Noble friend, who by will, who fully aware and deliberately brings
infinite, boundless and endless friendliness into being, this mountain-like
limitless goodwill makes all evil substrate evaporate, & the chains of mind,
these mental fetters become thin, slender and slack. If a friend without
ill will cares for even one single living being, such friend, through that,
becomes quite skilled and clever, so far more for the Noble Friend, who
by possessing a caring heart for all sentient beings, without even a single
exception, accumulates great, massive, and immense amounts of merit!
Those gurus and priests who sacrifice life, objects, or fire, who bathe
ceremoniously, devoted to mere forms and empty ritual, blindly attached
to and obsessed by culture, tradition of primeval & often unknown origin,
do never experience even a 16th of this release of mind by friendliness
fully brought into being, just like the vagueness of even all the stars cannot
either ever outshine the moon! Since there cannot exist any evil animosity
whatsoever, nor enmity at all, neither even an atomic trace of hate in a
Nobly Released One, who by caring indiscriminately and infinitely for all
living beings, who by possessing such treasure of a mind relinquished by
friendliness, simply cannot ever suppress, dominate, harm, or kill even the
smallest sentient breathing being! Luminous is such perfectly released mind!
Poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan
Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Asoka's son, the Arahat Mahinda, officially
introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to
the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a Poya day, on Poson day devotees
flock to Mihintale & Anuradhapura, the ancient holy capital city of the country, for
it was there that Arahat Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa,
and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally
made Sri Lanka the stronghold home of Theravada Buddhism.
On such Uposatha Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes
the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed,
with clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue,
and bows first three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees and
head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms in front of the heart,
one recite these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs. As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own
eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better
than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world!
This is the very start on the path towards Nibbana -the Deathless Element-
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Bliss, initiated by Morality,
developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist
normally keeps the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the next dawn...
If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply
forward the lines starting with "I..." signed with name, date, town & country
to me or join here. A public list of this new Saddhamma-Sangha is here!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
There are five obstructing obstacles and hindrances of the mind, which
weakens knowledge. What five? The mental hindrance of Sense-Desire is an overgrowing blocking insight.
The mental hindrance of Evil-Will is a fire-like mental stumbling block.
The mental hindrance of Lethargy & Laziness is a slowing interruption.
The mental hindrance of Restlessness & Regret is a stirring disturbance.
The mental hindrance of Doubt & Uncertainty is an wall-like embankment.
Without having overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, it is impossible
for any Bhikkhu whose understanding thus lacks both strength and power,
to understand what is to his own advantage, to other advantage, or to the
advantage of both. That he should be capable of attaining a supra-human
state: Noble Vision and Wisdom, that is indeed impossible...
But if a Bhikkhu has overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, these five
obstructing impediments, these overgrowths of the mind that dampen and
diminish any understanding, then it is very likely that he will understand
what is to his own advantage, others advantage, & the advantage of both.
Thus unhindered is he quite capable of attaining any supra-human state:
Noble Vision & Wisdom...
It is like a fast flowing canal where a man opens up 5 draining side-channels,
which then weakens, and diverts the strong midstream. Similarly is indeed
this understanding stream of insight weakened and diluted in anyone who
have not yet overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, which block knowing.
However, if the man closes down all the 5 draining side-channels, one by one,
then the midstream becomes stronger and can carry anything with it.
Similarly with one unhindered by these 5 mental hindrances, his now freely
flowing understanding stream of insight is neither weakened, nor polluted,
nor diluted any, so he can easily recognize what is good for himself, others
and both. That such unhindered friend should be capable of the state of
Noble supra-human Vision and Wisdom, that is indeed possible...
The blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, and friends, there are these 5 abilities (indriya). Which 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)
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the faith ability to be found?
Among the four factors of stream entry!* The faith ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the energy ability to be found?
Among the four best efforts! The energy ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the awareness ability to be found?
Among the four foundations of awareness! The awareness ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the concentration ability to be found?
Among the four jhanas! The concentration ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the understanding ability to be found?
Among the four Noble Truths! The understanding ability is to be found there.
Comments:
Quite logical actually and naturally. Note all 5 abilities are rooted in 4 aspects.
Like a ship having 4 anchors, one in each direction, lies all still, not drifting an inch.
* The 4 factors of stream entry are:
Having a Noble friend.
Hearing the True Dhamma.
Reflecting on this Dhamma.
Training according to this Dhamma.
Hey samahita would you say that Buddhism is based on logic, & it's just about doing the logical thing over & over again..So if a person does a lot of practice doing the logical thing they would end up with a logical neutral thinking mind, a logical neutral thinking mind as opposed to a mind that they identify with as their "i"..So as they see by practicing often, that they have sometimes/often been led controlled directed to act by their own emotional negative mind (by gaining control over their's), they will then see that everyone else is being sometimes led controlled by their own emotional negative mind..The logical thing for a person to do is obviously the right thing for themselves & others, & it's mainly the logical thing because it's what actually feels the best for us to do..So anyone who tries to offend or hurt me etc, is lost led controlled directed to act at the time by their emotional negative mind, so i now feel empathy rather than negative emotions towards them..I mean the big change for me in the last year, & I've done at least 1000 hours training/practicing/reading, is that i now find myself thinking logically & my negative thoughts that i had for years have almost vanished..So the key to me for learning Buddhism was to realize, that most people are controlled to some extent by their own negative emotional mind..& that they are mostly unaware of it themselves & also to realize, that i myself was being led controlled directed to act react by my own negative emotional mind..I just wondered what your thoughts we're, i just find it all fascinating stuff i honestly do.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Daveadams, Bhikku Samahita tends to post often, but respond more rarely.... You may get a reply, but it may serve you better if you wish to question him, or enter into dialogue, to send him an email....
Please note that when one points the accusing and blaming finger at another saying
"you did this wrong": Then ONE -1- finger points to him/her - the alleged offender,
BUT 3 -THREE - fingers points back at the accuser, the blamer, the finger-pointer!
Why so?
This blaming finger-pointer unknowingly him/herself does the whole of 3 wrongs:
1: Blaming = not forgiving,
2: Not Understanding Cause = ignorance,
3: Wanting to Punish = hate, cruelty and revengefulness!
Blaming, accusing and condemning won't and can’t ever help anybody with anything…
Why not? It simply does neither know, nor thus remove the cause of the problem…
Only understanding can and will remove this crucial underlying cause of the problem!
Why so: It knows and sees the impersonal roots of the problem, which always are
mixed derivatives of ignorance, greed and hate! This knowing and seeing enables total
elimination of this core cause and therefore the resulting problem: Thus is examining
leading to understanding much better than blaming! Understanding is the Chief!
It goes much further. The expression of interpreting another's behaviour always reveals and exposes far more about ourselves than the pointed out behaviour or person. In essence is self condemning, self congratulatory, self reinforcing etc, not just ignorant and unskilful. The objectivity of the awake treats self and other as Higher Self and is sufficiently independent to engage in assessment out of compassion, knowing the karmic ramifications.
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, when the Four Foundations of Awareness are developed and
cultivated well, then they lead to revulsion, to disillusion, to ceasing,
to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana itself...
What four? When an honest and devoted Bhikkhu keenly considers:
1: The Body just as frame, and neither as lasting, mine, nor attractive...
2: The Feeling as reaction, and neither as pleasant, my self, or stable...
3: The Mind merely as mood and neither as fine, I or Ego, or special...
4: Phenomena as states, and neither as nice, permanent, or substantial...
When the Four Foundations of Awareness are developed and trained well,
then they lead to revulsion, to disillusion, to ceasing, to stilling, to peace,
to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, and even to Nibbana!
Brief Comments:
Disillusion means comprehending impermanence, suffering, and no-self.
Ceasing means the gradual fading away of greed, aversion and ignorance.
Peace means absence of urge, craving, frustration and stirring activity.
Bliss means absence of pain and sadness, and presence of Happiness.
Nibbana means signless, not created, not conditioned, and not changing!
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 179] 47 The Foundations of Awareness: 32 Disillusion..
Something in my practice is making me recognise blaming in myself and others all the time, and it is so hard to remedy. However, I have started treating myself and people who blame me and people around me with a 5ml dose of a sense of humour, whenever blaming or condemnation occurs - doubling the dose when radical irrational statements indicate total lack of understanding. Whilst they may not get why or what I am doing, reflecting the folly of blame, makes eyes widen in some kind of cognition, or even recognition at times which is promising.
Now can the person who seriously scraped my car in the supermarket car park yesterday please own up so that my insurance company has someone to blame! It's not me you understand, I pay them to pay me when I have to repair the damn thing when people don't own up to their human failures.
Now this I do not get in the same way as I get the blaming the mirror thread. Is not revulsion (to revile (criticise for want of another word) just aversion - i.e. it leans toward an extreme, and therefore cannot lead to nirvana whilst revulsion reigns in the mind of the revolted bikkhu. It's the same with revulsion of food, eat because you have to then feel like you should vomit - that could be labelled bulimia nervosa, as asceticism may be labelled anorexia nervosa - 'eat wisely and be satisfied' sits between the extremes.
I get the imagery - and it's great imagery, I just think this message has not been as well thought out as it could have done. If I can pick holes in it and make it look like Swiss cheese, and I love Emmental btw, then, but this is a post from which will come no reply...
Trungpa Rinpoche said to give victory to others and take blame for oneself. The reason is that blame becomes this stinking goey 'football' or whatever that nobody wants to have and they are passing it back and forth. By just accepting the blame everyone calms down and they can see the nature of the problem because they are not in neurosis of avoiding blame. And you taking the blame is like increasing your ability to work constructively with negative material. I imagine you become less afraid and neurotic.
I can see the value of looking at the finger pointing back. Often the person who blames others, could be helped with a look into the mirror; with a look inside at his motives.
But it is one-sided to think of blaming in general as a folly.
Doctors don’t blame gallstones for causing pain; they just see them as the cause of the problem and they remove them.
People’s behavior can be like a gallstone. If we don’t react to it, the pain will continue and the problem will grow. The idea that blaming is a folly could prevent appropriate action.
Holding the mirror can be a way of ducking responsibility and playing the therapist.”I see that you are very angry with me. What does that tell you about yourself? Here’s a cushion. Now release all that anger onto the cushion.”
It’s probably a bad idea to wallow in feeling hurt and in blaming others but on the other hand; we are not doormats. We need compassion for ourselves too; and we must take appropriate action for the protection of our own wellbeing.
The Blessed Buddha once said:
And how, Bhikkhus, is the mental release by universal pity achieved?
What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination,
what is its sweet fruit, and what is the goal of release by universal pity?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a
mind imbued with infinite pity, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter. As above,
so below, across, and everywhere! To all beings and to himself, he dwells
pervading the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited pity,
immense, exalted, vast, measureless, without hostility, without enmity,
without any trace of ill will! Thus prepared & expanded he then develops: 1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with this limitless pity.
2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such vast pity.
3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with this infinite pity.
4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with this absolute pity.
5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with this spacious pity.
6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with this great pity.
7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with this endless pity.
While based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, & culminating in release.
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in the unrepulsive and tempting,
then he can dwell experiencing the repulsive therein. If he wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in the disgusting and repulsive,
then he dwells experiencing pleasing beauty in whatever is disgusting!
If he then wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both
unrepulsive and repulsive, he dwells experiencing repulsive disgust in it.
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both
unrepulsive and repulsive, he experiences only excessive beauty in it!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I dwell
in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he dwells in this
equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending. Or else, by completely
transcending of all experience of form, fully stilling any perception of all
sense-reaction, non attending to any experience of diversity, only aware
that space is infinite, he enters and dwells in the infinitude of space...
I tell you Bhikkhus, for a wise Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated
to an even more superior mental release, this release of mind by infinite
pity has the sublime sphere of the infinitude of space as its culmination!
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
Again I prefer this to the long thread that was hard to navigate. I enjoyed reading about pity.
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DavidA human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First NationsVeteran
I may be wrong but I don't think pity and compassion are the same thing.
DavidA human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First NationsVeteran
A translation or a mistranslation?
I've always known the term pity to have a touch of the "holier than thou" feel. I am truely grateful for any and all compassion tempered with wisdom but pity I can do without.
We have so may words to differentiate between meanings now whereas we didn't so long ago. I think the difference between the two words is the difference between feeling sorry for someone and actually having a desire to help.
I don't feel sorry for or have pity for my cut finger... I do the best I can to heal it because it is a part of me.
All Lay Buddhist do on suitable occasions, such as on the observance days,
wear an All White Dress to flag their stand, show their purity and unite in an
well ordered, yet open, directly visible and sweetly uniformed social harmony….
It is a quite good lesson in Awareness = Sati to keep this fragile white dress
spotlessly clean! On has to be continuously on the watch-out for any pollution.
It is associated with a very nice special worthy feeling of being Completely Pure!
It is not an inner state but a symbolic reinforcement by ritual observance . . . think that is right . . . Now I am off to wash my mouth out with soap for indulging in rite speech at the right time in the wrong place .
If we still point fingers at others it means we haven't learn't about ourselves yet, & where our emotions & feelings come from..So i don't point fingers at my wrong doers, because i have learn't why they do wrong things..I only learn't that by learning why i did the wrong things when i used to do them, & what i found was it was because of my emotional minds hold over my thinking..I still do some of the wrong things, but i am still learning about myself..But as far as pointing fingers & blaming or hating etc, that's not something i do anymore & never will again..In my opinion we need people to do bad things to us occasionally, & we need the odd unwanted experience..That's the only way we can learn how to deal with our vast array of emotions & feelings, so we shouldn't blame anyone but just hopefully learn from them about ourselves.
At Savatthi the blessed Buddha said:
Bhikkhus, when the perception of impermanence is developed & cultivated,
then it eliminates all sense desire, it eliminates all lust for becoming into
something else, it also eliminates all ignorance, and finally it uproots even
this deep self-deception that "I Am"...
Just as, bhikkhus, in the autumn, when the sky is ultra clear and cloudless,
then the rising sun dispels all darkness from all the space where it shines,
so too when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated,
then it eliminates all sense desire, it eliminates lust for renewed becoming
into something else, and it also evaporates and eliminates all ignorance...
Finally it even uproots this core conceit that "I Am"!
And how, bhikkhus, is perception of impermanence developed & cultivated
so that it eliminates all sense desire, lust for becoming, ignorance & egoism? Such is form, such is the arising of form, such is the ceasing of form..
Such is feeling, such is the arising of feeling, such is the ceasing of feeling..
Such is perception, such is the arising of perception, such is its cessation..
Such is construction, such is the arising of construction, & such its ceasing.
Such is consciousness, such is the arising of consciousness, & such its ceasing.
That is how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so
that it eliminates all sense desire, all lust for becoming something else,
all ignorance, and so that it finally uproots this conceit that "I Am"...
Causes cause emergence when present, while ceasing when they are absent:
Body is caused by food, ignorance, form lust, & intention resulting in form.
Feeling arises from contact, ignorance, desire for feeling, & prior intention.
Perception is caused by contact, ignorance, lust for perception, and kamma.
Mental Construction arises caused by contact, past ignorance, desire for
mental construction, and prior intention = kama resulting in construction.
The causes of consciousness are mentality-&-materiality, prior ignorance,
desire for being conscious, and kammic intention resulting in consciousness.
Ignorance is Not Knowing: Suffering, Craving as the cause of Suffering,
No Craving as the End of Suffering, and the Noble Way to end Suffering...
Whether going along, above, across or back, wherever he goes in this world
let him carefully scrutinize the arising & ceasing of all constructed things... Itivuttaka 120
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?
It is reflecting over the qualities of own charity exactly like this:
A Noble Disciple reviews & recollects his own generosity Caga thus:
Truly, blessed am I, highly lucky: Among beings all polluted by evil,
stingy and mean niggardliness, I am living with a mind freed from
avarice, open-handed, liberal, in high-minded largesse, all inviting to
all beggars, rejoicing in giving and sharing all I have with others! Source: AN 6:10
The blessed Buddha once said: Contentment is the highest Treasure! Dhammapada 204
Please imagine a state, where one always is Content…
If always content, what would one need, urge for, or ever want? Nothing!
What is the cause of contentment?
Mutual joy with others success is the proximate cause of contentment...
Lack of Mutual joy is therefore the cause of discontentment…
A: When did you last rejoice happily in someone else’s success?
B: When did you last enjoy the calm peace of satisfied contentment?
State-A causes state-B. Therefore: Non-state-A causes non-state-B...!
Mutual joy can be trained! Result => Calm Content!
The Buddha once explained how:
Listen well Bhikkhus, I will explain to you the very way to shake off all evil!
Let the one who sees the goal & is thoughtful cultivate only that behaviour,
which is advantageous for those who have gone forth: One should wander to
the village at the right time early in the morning, since attractions attach
easily to the one wandering at the wrong time... Forms, sounds and tastes,
smells and touches, which drive beings mad, dispelling all desire for these
captivating things, he should enter for his morning meal at the right time...
Having received early alms-food, having returned alone, he should sit down
in solitude. Thinking of internal things, he should not let his mind go outside,
having his body well-constrained. If he should converse with any disciple, or
anyone else, then he should speak only about the outstanding doctrine, and
never slander, nor blame any other! Those of little wisdom will fight against
any argument: We do not praise them, since they scatter their minds there!
Having heard the Dhamma taught by the Well-Gone-One, a disciple who has
excellent intelligence, will wisely reflect, and therefore resort to alms-food,
and a remote silent habitation, since to simple alms-food, lodging, and water
for removing dirt from his outer robe, to such frugal necessities any really
wise bhikkhu cannot cling, like a drop of water not clinging to a lotus leaf... Sn 385-392
@vinlyn said:
Ah, so there is such a thing as evil.
You iz evil to the holy one? I suppose it depends on whether the image provided is a selfie or not . . .
There is great merit, inspiration and ethical purity in being holy. More so than us lay folk with all our evil distractions, lusts after special enlightenment and half hearted path following (speaking for myself of course). Not to mention our evil rhetorical questioning of one of the three jewels . . .
Evil in the sense mentioned might be better thought of as 'shaking off dukkha' by virtue.
My comment was based on how many of this forum have always maintained that there is no such thing as "evil". Now a monk, whom quite a few of those same people seem to revere, says there is.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the state of relinquishment... Please pay attention.
And what, Bhikkhus, is the state of overcoming all by leaving it all behind?
The eye, form, visual-consciousness, eye-contact, and any feeling arisen from
seeing, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished and left.
The ear, sound, hearing-consciousness, ear-contact, any feeling arisen from
hearing, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished and left.
The nose, smell, smelling-consciousness, nose-contact, any feeling arisen from
smelling, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished & let go of.
The tongue, any flavour, tasting-consciousness, tongue-contact, and any feeling
arisen from tongue-contact, pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished.
The body, touch, tactile-consciousness, body-contact, any feeling arisen from
body-contact, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, should also be relinquished.
The mind, any mental state & phenomenon, mental-consciousness, mental-contact,
and whatever feeling arisen with mental-contact as origin, whether pleasant,
painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that indeed also should to be relinquished!
This is the radically released state of overcoming all by leaving all sensation behind..
Back-pack-burden of heavy dependencies all exploded!
Comments:
Logically can only relinquishment of all dependencies ever gain true freedom!
Only true freedom means absence of fear from all events from any corner...
Only freedom from fear and anxiety can ever open up for ease, peace & bliss!
Words is wikid bad . . . sometimes in a good sense, dependent on current vernacular. Getting the gist and implied meaning from the Theravadin position means allowing for rather archaic attitudes, terminology and evil hair styling . . . thus have I heard . . . :buck: .
Unless you experience evil you will not know good, and vice versa. Bikku samahita is demonstrating an extreme spiritual view, which makes us see that we are demonstrating our personal extreme materialistic involvement. I suggest we try and meet in the middle...
Comments
Friends:
Fight the Defilements and not the World!
CONQUEROR
Even after having defeated a million men,
one is better off by conquering oneself..
Dhammapada 103
VICTORY
Victory over self is superior to victory over others.
Win self-control and you are forever in true power!
Dhammapada 104
UNDEFEATABLE
Neither a God, nor a Demon, nor a Devil, nor even Maha-Brahma
can undo the victory of one who has gained self-control ....
Dhammapada 105
More on the mental Defilements (Kilesa):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/kilesa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Proximate_Causes.htm
The Wise Warrior!
Fight the Mental Defilements & not the World!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_Warrior.htm
Traditionally metta is an antidote to ill-will or anger. Some say that depression is anger directed inwards, so presumably metta could reduce the likelihood of depressive thoughts arising. But if depressive thoughts are already well entrenched it's difficult to see how metta could be a "cure".
Friends:
Emergence of the Four Frames of Reference:
The Buddha once explained the profundity of causality like this:
Arising of Nutriment induces the emergence of the Body...
Ceasing of Nutriment induces the passing away of the Body...
Arising of Contact induces the emergence of Feeling...
Ceasing of Contact induces the passing away of Feeling...
Arising of Naming-&-forming induces the emergence of Mind...
Ceasing of Naming-&-forming induces the passing away of Mind...
Arising of Attention induces the emergence of Phenomena...
Ceasing of Attention induces the passing away of Phenomena...
Therefore is considering, contemplating, analyzing, and recollecting:
1: Body merely as a transient form grown up on food;
2: Feeling only as passing emotion arisen from sense-contact;
3: Mind just as changing mood emerged from naming-&-forming;
4: Phenomena only as momentary mental states created by attention...
a crucial necessity! Reflecting on these 4 facts repeatedly, & thoroughly,
is called initiating and developing the Four_Foundations_of_Awareness,
which, in itself, is the mental treasure par excellence, leading steadily,
and directly to the Deathless Element: Nibbana...
More on these Four Foundations of Awareness (Satipatthana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Awareness_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/satipatthaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Four_Foundations_of_Awareness.htm
Source: The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya V 184
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Causes of Emergence...
The Four Frames of Reference
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Causes_of_sati.htm
Yes, the Satipatthana Sutta describes a set of origination factors for each frame of reference.
Friends:
Luminous is the Mind released by Friendliness!
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Whatever meritorious action one performs, all these together are not worth
1/16th part of a mind released into friendliness, since the mind released into
friendliness blazes forth, & outshines all with an unsurpassable brilliance...
Just as the radiance from all the stars and planets does not match even a
1/16th part of the radiance from the moon, which thus outshines all the stars,
similarly; whatever good thoughts one fulfils by doing meritorious actions,
all these together are not worth one-sixteenth fraction of the mind released
by infinite friendliness! Since a mind released into friendliness - all alone -
blazes forth, and thus outshines all these with an incomparable radiance...
Just as the mighty sun rising at autumn dawn, by making any fog evaporate,
scattering any dark thundercloud, makes the sky all blue & clear, so it alone
freely shines, blazes in a blue brilliance, - exactly so - whatever thoughts
there may be for gaining merit, all these together are not worth one 16th
fraction, of a mind released into friendliness! Since the mind released into
friendliness - all alone - outshines all these with inestimable luminosity!
So did the Lord Buddha state this matter, and he further added:
For the Noble friend, who by will, who fully aware and deliberately brings
infinite, boundless and endless friendliness into being, this mountain-like
limitless goodwill makes all evil substrate evaporate, & the chains of mind,
these mental fetters become thin, slender and slack. If a friend without
ill will cares for even one single living being, such friend, through that,
becomes quite skilled and clever, so far more for the Noble Friend, who
by possessing a caring heart for all sentient beings, without even a single
exception, accumulates great, massive, and immense amounts of merit!
Those gurus and priests who sacrifice life, objects, or fire, who bathe
ceremoniously, devoted to mere forms and empty ritual, blindly attached
to and obsessed by culture, tradition of primeval & often unknown origin,
do never experience even a 16th of this release of mind by friendliness
fully brought into being, just like the vagueness of even all the stars cannot
either ever outshine the moon! Since there cannot exist any evil animosity
whatsoever, nor enmity at all, neither even an atomic trace of hate in a
Nobly Released One, who by caring indiscriminately and infinitely for all
living beings, who by possessing such treasure of a mind relinquished by
friendliness, simply cannot ever suppress, dominate, harm, or kill even the
smallest sentient breathing being! Luminous is such perfectly released mind!
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/Luminous_is_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.8-10.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Magnificent_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm
Source:
The Itivuttaka 27: Thus was it Said:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/iti/index.html
Luminous Mind!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_and_Bright.htm
I like how you are posting these samahita. The long long long thread was hard to navigate. Thanks.
Friends:
How to be a True Buddhist through Observance?
Poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan
Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Asoka's son, the Arahat Mahinda, officially
introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to
the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a Poya day, on Poson day devotees
flock to Mihintale & Anuradhapura, the ancient holy capital city of the country, for
it was there that Arahat Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa,
and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally
made Sri Lanka the stronghold home of Theravada Buddhism.
Arahat Mahinda arrives
and tests the king's intelligence.
Mihintale, Sri Lanka.
Mahinda Thera's cave there.
Essays about the significance of Poson Poya Days in Theravada Buddhism:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_Day.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel1.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel3.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel4.htm
On such Uposatha Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes
the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed,
with clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue,
and bows first three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees and
head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms in front of the heart,
one recite these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own
eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better
than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world!
This is the very start on the path towards Nibbana -the Deathless Element-
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Bliss, initiated by Morality,
developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist
normally keeps the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the next dawn...
If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply
forward the lines starting with "I..." signed with name, date, town & country
to me or join here. A public list of this new Saddhamma-Sangha is here!
The New Noble Community of Disciples: The Saddhamma Sangha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Join Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
For Details on Poya Uposatha Observance Days
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html
May your journey hereby be eased, light, swift and sweet. Never give up!
Mihintale, Sri Lanka, where the Arahat Mahinda, arrived in 3rd century B.C.
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Arahat Mahinda arrives at Mihintale!
Today is Poson Poya day!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_Day.htm
Friends:
Mental Hindrances Block all Understanding!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
There are five obstructing obstacles and hindrances of the mind, which
weakens knowledge. What five?
The mental hindrance of Sense-Desire is an overgrowing blocking insight.
The mental hindrance of Evil-Will is a fire-like mental stumbling block.
The mental hindrance of Lethargy & Laziness is a slowing interruption.
The mental hindrance of Restlessness & Regret is a stirring disturbance.
The mental hindrance of Doubt & Uncertainty is an wall-like embankment.
Without having overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, it is impossible
for any Bhikkhu whose understanding thus lacks both strength and power,
to understand what is to his own advantage, to other advantage, or to the
advantage of both. That he should be capable of attaining a supra-human
state: Noble Vision and Wisdom, that is indeed impossible...
But if a Bhikkhu has overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, these five
obstructing impediments, these overgrowths of the mind that dampen and
diminish any understanding, then it is very likely that he will understand
what is to his own advantage, others advantage, & the advantage of both.
Thus unhindered is he quite capable of attaining any supra-human state:
Noble Vision & Wisdom...
It is like a fast flowing canal where a man opens up 5 draining side-channels,
which then weakens, and diverts the strong midstream. Similarly is indeed
this understanding stream of insight weakened and diluted in anyone who
have not yet overcome these Five Mental Hindrances, which block knowing.
However, if the man closes down all the 5 draining side-channels, one by one,
then the midstream becomes stronger and can carry anything with it.
Similarly with one unhindered by these 5 mental hindrances, his now freely
flowing understanding stream of insight is neither weakened, nor polluted,
nor diluted any, so he can easily recognize what is good for himself, others
and both. That such unhindered friend should be capable of the state of
Noble supra-human Vision and Wisdom, that is indeed possible...
More on these 5 Mental Hindrances (Nivaranas):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Mental_Hindrances.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fire_of_Sense-Desire.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Starving_the_Hindrances.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Restlessness_and_Regret.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Feeding_the_Hindrances.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Doubt_and_Uncertainty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Lethargy_and_Laziness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Suitable_Substitution.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Anger_and_Irritation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_5_Become_10.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Naturally_Radiant.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4c.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Numerical Sayings of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya.
The Book of Fives 51: Unhindered... [III: 63-4]
How to Open the Mental Canal?
Mental Hindrances...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Canal.htm
Friends:
The 5 Mental Abilities are what actually Awakens!
The blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, and friends, there are these 5 abilities (indriya). Which 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)
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the faith ability to be found?
Among the four factors of stream entry!* The faith ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the energy ability to be found?
Among the four best efforts! The energy ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the awareness ability to be found?
Among the four foundations of awareness! The awareness ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the concentration ability to be found?
Among the four jhanas! The concentration ability is to be found there.
And how and where, Bhikkhus and friends, is the understanding ability to be found?
Among the four Noble Truths! The understanding ability is to be found there.
Comments:
Quite logical actually and naturally. Note all 5 abilities are rooted in 4 aspects.
Like a ship having 4 anchors, one in each direction, lies all still, not drifting an inch.
* The 4 factors of stream entry are:
Having a Noble friend.
Hearing the True Dhamma.
Reflecting on this Dhamma.
Training according to this Dhamma.
More on the Five Mental Abilities (indriya) in general:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
Where are the Abilities found?
These 5 Mental Abilities are what actually Awakens!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Abilities.htm
Hey samahita would you say that Buddhism is based on logic, & it's just about doing the logical thing over & over again..So if a person does a lot of practice doing the logical thing they would end up with a logical neutral thinking mind, a logical neutral thinking mind as opposed to a mind that they identify with as their "i"..So as they see by practicing often, that they have sometimes/often been led controlled directed to act by their own emotional negative mind (by gaining control over their's), they will then see that everyone else is being sometimes led controlled by their own emotional negative mind..The logical thing for a person to do is obviously the right thing for themselves & others, & it's mainly the logical thing because it's what actually feels the best for us to do..So anyone who tries to offend or hurt me etc, is lost led controlled directed to act at the time by their emotional negative mind, so i now feel empathy rather than negative emotions towards them..I mean the big change for me in the last year, & I've done at least 1000 hours training/practicing/reading, is that i now find myself thinking logically & my negative thoughts that i had for years have almost vanished..So the key to me for learning Buddhism was to realize, that most people are controlled to some extent by their own negative emotional mind..& that they are mostly unaware of it themselves & also to realize, that i myself was being led controlled directed to act react by my own negative emotional mind..I just wondered what your thoughts we're, i just find it all fascinating stuff i honestly do.
@Daveadams, Bhikku Samahita tends to post often, but respond more rarely.... You may get a reply, but it may serve you better if you wish to question him, or enter into dialogue, to send him an email....
Thanks mate i didn't realize, i got carried away again..Great to meet you by the way, & i like a lot of the things you say.
Friends:
The folly of Blaming, Accusing and Condemning:
Please note that when one points the accusing and blaming finger at another saying
"you did this wrong": Then ONE -1- finger points to him/her - the alleged offender,
BUT 3 -THREE - fingers points back at the accuser, the blamer, the finger-pointer!
Why so?
This blaming finger-pointer unknowingly him/herself does the whole of 3 wrongs:
1: Blaming = not forgiving,
2: Not Understanding Cause = ignorance,
3: Wanting to Punish = hate, cruelty and revengefulness!
Blaming, accusing and condemning won't and can’t ever help anybody with anything…
Why not? It simply does neither know, nor thus remove the cause of the problem…
Only understanding can and will remove this crucial underlying cause of the problem!
Why so: It knows and sees the impersonal roots of the problem, which always are
mixed derivatives of ignorance, greed and hate! This knowing and seeing enables total
elimination of this core cause and therefore the resulting problem: Thus is examining
leading to understanding much better than blaming! Understanding is the Chief!
See also:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Pure_as_Gold.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Few_are_Fine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Understanding_is_the_Chief.htm
Ciñca-manavika making her false accusation with catastrophic results for herself... !
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/DPPN/c/cincaa_maanavikaa.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/Canon/Sutta/KN/Dhammapada.Verse_176.story.htm
Blaming the Mirror..
The folly of Blaming, Accusing and Condemning:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Blaming_the_Mirror.htm
Indeed.
It goes much further. The expression of interpreting another's behaviour always reveals and exposes far more about ourselves than the pointed out behaviour or person. In essence is self condemning, self congratulatory, self reinforcing etc, not just ignorant and unskilful. The objectivity of the awake treats self and other as Higher Self and is sufficiently independent to engage in assessment out of compassion, knowing the karmic ramifications.
:wave: .
Friends:
Disillusion => Ceasing => Bliss => Nibbâna!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, when the Four Foundations of Awareness are developed and
cultivated well, then they lead to revulsion, to disillusion, to ceasing,
to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana itself...
What four? When an honest and devoted Bhikkhu keenly considers:
1: The Body just as frame, and neither as lasting, mine, nor attractive...
2: The Feeling as reaction, and neither as pleasant, my self, or stable...
3: The Mind merely as mood and neither as fine, I or Ego, or special...
4: Phenomena as states, and neither as nice, permanent, or substantial...
When the Four Foundations of Awareness are developed and trained well,
then they lead to revulsion, to disillusion, to ceasing, to stilling, to peace,
to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, and even to Nibbana!
Brief Comments:
Disillusion means comprehending impermanence, suffering, and no-self.
Ceasing means the gradual fading away of greed, aversion and ignorance.
Peace means absence of urge, craving, frustration and stirring activity.
Bliss means absence of pain and sadness, and presence of Happiness.
Nibbana means signless, not created, not conditioned, and not changing!
Details On Foundations of Awareness (Sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 179] 47 The Foundations of Awareness: 32 Disillusion..
First Disillusion, then Delight...
Disillusion => Ceasing => Bliss => Nibbâna!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/First_Disillusion_then_Delight.htm
Now this post I get!
Something in my practice is making me recognise blaming in myself and others all the time, and it is so hard to remedy. However, I have started treating myself and people who blame me and people around me with a 5ml dose of a sense of humour, whenever blaming or condemnation occurs - doubling the dose when radical irrational statements indicate total lack of understanding. Whilst they may not get why or what I am doing, reflecting the folly of blame, makes eyes widen in some kind of cognition, or even recognition at times which is promising.
Now can the person who seriously scraped my car in the supermarket car park yesterday please own up so that my insurance company has someone to blame! It's not me you understand, I pay them to pay me when I have to repair the damn thing when people don't own up to their human failures.
Now this I do not get in the same way as I get the blaming the mirror thread. Is not revulsion (to revile (criticise for want of another word) just aversion - i.e. it leans toward an extreme, and therefore cannot lead to nirvana whilst revulsion reigns in the mind of the revolted bikkhu. It's the same with revulsion of food, eat because you have to then feel like you should vomit - that could be labelled bulimia nervosa, as asceticism may be labelled anorexia nervosa - 'eat wisely and be satisfied' sits between the extremes.
I get the imagery - and it's great imagery, I just think this message has not been as well thought out as it could have done. If I can pick holes in it and make it look like Swiss cheese, and I love Emmental btw, then, but this is a post from which will come no reply...
Spiritual Emmental anyone!
A family was having dinner and the little boy said, "Dad I don't like the holes in the cheese!"
The father replied, “Well son, eat the cheese and leave the holes on the side of the plate.”
http://www.jewishmag.com/144mag/humor/humor.htm
@anatman revulsion of what is false and unreliable is good because it leads to the true and satisfying.
Trungpa Rinpoche said to give victory to others and take blame for oneself. The reason is that blame becomes this stinking goey 'football' or whatever that nobody wants to have and they are passing it back and forth. By just accepting the blame everyone calms down and they can see the nature of the problem because they are not in neurosis of avoiding blame. And you taking the blame is like increasing your ability to work constructively with negative material. I imagine you become less afraid and neurotic.
I can see the value of looking at the finger pointing back. Often the person who blames others, could be helped with a look into the mirror; with a look inside at his motives.
But it is one-sided to think of blaming in general as a folly.
Doctors don’t blame gallstones for causing pain; they just see them as the cause of the problem and they remove them.
People’s behavior can be like a gallstone. If we don’t react to it, the pain will continue and the problem will grow. The idea that blaming is a folly could prevent appropriate action.
Holding the mirror can be a way of ducking responsibility and playing the therapist.”I see that you are very angry with me. What does that tell you about yourself? Here’s a cushion. Now release all that anger onto the cushion.”
It’s probably a bad idea to wallow in feeling hurt and in blaming others but on the other hand; we are not doormats. We need compassion for ourselves too; and we must take appropriate action for the protection of our own wellbeing.
Friends:
How is Release by Infinite Pity Achieved?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
And how, Bhikkhus, is the mental release by universal pity achieved?
What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination,
what is its sweet fruit, and what is the goal of release by universal pity?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a
mind imbued with infinite pity, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter. As above,
so below, across, and everywhere! To all beings and to himself, he dwells
pervading the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited pity,
immense, exalted, vast, measureless, without hostility, without enmity,
without any trace of ill will! Thus prepared & expanded he then develops:
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with this limitless pity.
2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such vast pity.
3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with this infinite pity.
4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with this absolute pity.
5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with this spacious pity.
6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with this great pity.
7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with this endless pity.
While based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, & culminating in release.
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in the unrepulsive and tempting,
then he can dwell experiencing the repulsive therein. If he wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in the disgusting and repulsive,
then he dwells experiencing pleasing beauty in whatever is disgusting!
If he then wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both
unrepulsive and repulsive, he dwells experiencing repulsive disgust in it.
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both
unrepulsive and repulsive, he experiences only excessive beauty in it!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I dwell
in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he dwells in this
equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending. Or else, by completely
transcending of all experience of form, fully stilling any perception of all
sense-reaction, non attending to any experience of diversity, only aware
that space is infinite, he enters and dwells in the infinitude of space...
I tell you Bhikkhus, for a wise Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated
to an even more superior mental release, this release of mind by infinite
pity has the sublime sphere of the infinitude of space as its culmination!
On this infinite Pity (maha-karuna):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_Pity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Karuna_is_Pity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Compassionate_Pity.htm
On these 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Sun.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Peak.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rare_Emergence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sequential_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Vast_Penetration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unsurpassable_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/When_7_becomes_14.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
Space Compassion ..
Infinite can Pity be!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Space_Compassion.htm
Again I prefer this to the long thread that was hard to navigate. I enjoyed reading about pity.
I may be wrong but I don't think pity and compassion are the same thing.
It's just a translation.
That's the problem with translation. Sometimes, even the right word isn't good enough....
Friends:
HappyandHolyisAbsoluteHarmlessness!
TheBlessedBuddhaonceexplainedHarmlessnesslikethis:
Mayallcreatures,manyallbreathingthings,
allbeingseveryoneandall,withoutexception,
experiencegoodfortuneonly!
Maytheynotfallintoanyharm.
AnguttaraNikayaII,72
Withgoodwillfortheentirecosmos,
cultivateaninfiniteheartandmind:
Beamingabove,below,andallaround,
unobstructed,withouttraceofhostility.
SuttaNipataI,8
Trainyourselfindoingonlythegood.
Thatlastsandbringsgreathappiness!
Cultivategenerosity,apeacefulliving,
andamentalityofinfinitefriendliness.
Ittivuttuka16
Solitudeishappinessforonewhoiscontent,
WhohasheardtheDhamma&clearlyunderstands.
Non-violenceishappinessinthisworld:
Harmlessnesstowardsalllivingbeings!
Udana10
OnthisholyandhappyHarmlessness(Ahimsa=Non-violence):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Never_Kill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Not_Killing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Holy_Harmlessness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Happy_Harmlessness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/May_all_be_Happy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/avihimsaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Selfless_and_Harmless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blessing_all_Beings_by_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Harmlessness_and_Tolerance.htm
Happy,Harmless,andHoly...
Non-violenceishappinessinallworlds!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Harmless_Happy_and_Holy.htm
A translation or a mistranslation?
I've always known the term pity to have a touch of the "holier than thou" feel. I am truely grateful for any and all compassion tempered with wisdom but pity I can do without.
We have so may words to differentiate between meanings now whereas we didn't so long ago. I think the difference between the two words is the difference between feeling sorry for someone and actually having a desire to help.
I don't feel sorry for or have pity for my cut finger... I do the best I can to heal it because it is a part of me.
Friends:
Immaculately Clean Pure Bright White!
All Lay Buddhist do on suitable occasions, such as on the observance days,
wear an All White Dress to flag their stand, show their purity and unite in an
well ordered, yet open, directly visible and sweetly uniformed social harmony….
It is a quite good lesson in Awareness = Sati to keep this fragile white dress
spotlessly clean! On has to be continuously on the watch-out for any pollution.
It is associated with a very nice special worthy feeling of being Completely Pure!
Links on and to Mental Purification (Visuddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mental_Purity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ability_Purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Purifications.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Immaculate_Integrity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/visuddhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_8_Understandings.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Levels_of_Leaving_Behind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_purpose_of_purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_7_stages_of_Purification.htm
The famous Visuddhimagga: The Path of Purification:
Complete Manual translated by Ñanamoli Thera. By Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf
White-Clothed Purity ...
Immaculately Clean Bright Shining Sweet!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Wearing_White.htm
I iz ready.
When do we strip off the toga party costumery?
Oh good grief... :facepalm: .
Always remember guys 'cleanliness is next to Buddliness.'
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleanliness
It is not an inner state but a symbolic reinforcement by ritual observance . . . think that is right . . . Now I am off to wash my mouth out with soap for indulging in rite speech at the right time in the wrong place
.
If we still point fingers at others it means we haven't learn't about ourselves yet, & where our emotions & feelings come from..So i don't point fingers at my wrong doers, because i have learn't why they do wrong things..I only learn't that by learning why i did the wrong things when i used to do them, & what i found was it was because of my emotional minds hold over my thinking..I still do some of the wrong things, but i am still learning about myself..But as far as pointing fingers & blaming or hating etc, that's not something i do anymore & never will again..In my opinion we need people to do bad things to us occasionally, & we need the odd unwanted experience..That's the only way we can learn how to deal with our vast array of emotions & feelings, so we shouldn't blame anyone but just hopefully learn from them about ourselves.
Friends:
The Experience of Change uproots Egoism!
At Savatthi the blessed Buddha said:
Bhikkhus, when the perception of impermanence is developed & cultivated,
then it eliminates all sense desire, it eliminates all lust for becoming into
something else, it also eliminates all ignorance, and finally it uproots even
this deep self-deception that "I Am"...
Just as, bhikkhus, in the autumn, when the sky is ultra clear and cloudless,
then the rising sun dispels all darkness from all the space where it shines,
so too when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated,
then it eliminates all sense desire, it eliminates lust for renewed becoming
into something else, and it also evaporates and eliminates all ignorance...
Finally it even uproots this core conceit that "I Am"!
And how, bhikkhus, is perception of impermanence developed & cultivated
so that it eliminates all sense desire, lust for becoming, ignorance & egoism?
Such is form, such is the arising of form, such is the ceasing of form..
Such is feeling, such is the arising of feeling, such is the ceasing of feeling..
Such is perception, such is the arising of perception, such is its cessation..
Such is construction, such is the arising of construction, & such its ceasing.
Such is consciousness, such is the arising of consciousness, & such its ceasing.
That is how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so
that it eliminates all sense desire, all lust for becoming something else,
all ignorance, and so that it finally uproots this conceit that "I Am"...
Causes cause emergence when present, while ceasing when they are absent:
Body is caused by food, ignorance, form lust, & intention resulting in form.
Feeling arises from contact, ignorance, desire for feeling, & prior intention.
Perception is caused by contact, ignorance, lust for perception, and kamma.
Mental Construction arises caused by contact, past ignorance, desire for
mental construction, and prior intention = kama resulting in construction.
The causes of consciousness are mentality-&-materiality, prior ignorance,
desire for being conscious, and kammic intention resulting in consciousness.
Ignorance is Not Knowing: Suffering, Craving as the cause of Suffering,
No Craving as the End of Suffering, and the Noble Way to end Suffering...
Whether going along, above, across or back, wherever he goes in this world
let him carefully scrutinize the arising & ceasing of all constructed things...
Itivuttaka 120
More on the Universal Fact of Impermanence:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Internal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 22:102 III 155-7
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Noticing the Impermanence produces Purity!
Perceiving the Transience...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm
I like how you are introducing 1 every so day rather than a whole hoard of them all in one thread. I liked this one samahita.
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 unique contemplation?
It is reflecting over the qualities of own charity exactly like this:
A Noble Disciple reviews & recollects his own generosity Caga thus:
Truly, blessed am I, highly lucky: Among beings all polluted by evil,
stingy and mean niggardliness, I am living with a mind freed from
avarice, open-handed, liberal, in high-minded largesse, all inviting to
all beggars, rejoicing in giving and sharing all I have with others!
Source: AN 6:10
Some Comments:
Giving is basic medicine against & training in relinquishing Clinging.
Exactly as much one is able to give now, will one get in the future!
The proximate cause of poverty vs. richness is thus stinginess vs. sharing!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_kinds_of_Clinging.htm
More on the many future blessings of open-handed Giving:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Openhanded_Generosity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/caaga.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Giving.htm
Friendship is the Greatest
Bhikkhu Samahita Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
http://groups.google.com/group/Buddha-Direct
http://groups.google.com/group/What_Buddha_Said
Open-handed Generosity Smiles :-)
What one has given, that one will get!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Generosity_Contemplation.htm
Friends:
What is the Cause of Contentment (Santutthi?)
The blessed Buddha once said:
Contentment is the highest Treasure!
Dhammapada 204
Please imagine a state, where one always is Content…
If always content, what would one need, urge for, or ever want? Nothing!
What is the cause of contentment?
Mutual joy with others success is the proximate cause of contentment...
Lack of Mutual joy is therefore the cause of discontentment…
A: When did you last rejoice happily in someone else’s success?
B: When did you last enjoy the calm peace of satisfied contentment?
State-A causes state-B. Therefore: Non-state-A causes non-state-B...!
Mutual joy can be trained! Result => Calm Content!
How? Please see here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Contentment.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Content.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Enjoy Elevated Rejoicing Mutual Joy! It cures!
When providing the cause, one gains the effect:
Calm content satisfaction :-)
What Causes Contentment?
How2 Get Calm Contentment?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Cause_of_Contentment.htm
Friends:
How to live the ideal Bhikkhu Life!
The Buddha once explained how:
Listen well Bhikkhus, I will explain to you the very way to shake off all evil!
Let the one who sees the goal & is thoughtful cultivate only that behaviour,
which is advantageous for those who have gone forth: One should wander to
the village at the right time early in the morning, since attractions attach
easily to the one wandering at the wrong time... Forms, sounds and tastes,
smells and touches, which drive beings mad, dispelling all desire for these
captivating things, he should enter for his morning meal at the right time...
Having received early alms-food, having returned alone, he should sit down
in solitude. Thinking of internal things, he should not let his mind go outside,
having his body well-constrained. If he should converse with any disciple, or
anyone else, then he should speak only about the outstanding doctrine, and
never slander, nor blame any other! Those of little wisdom will fight against
any argument: We do not praise them, since they scatter their minds there!
Having heard the Dhamma taught by the Well-Gone-One, a disciple who has
excellent intelligence, will wisely reflect, and therefore resort to alms-food,
and a remote silent habitation, since to simple alms-food, lodging, and water
for removing dirt from his outer robe, to such frugal necessities any really
wise bhikkhu cannot cling, like a drop of water not clinging to a lotus leaf...
Sn 385-392
On Clinging (Upadana) and how to release this intensified form of craving:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Cool_Calm.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stilling_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/upaadaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_kinds_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Clinging_to_the_notion_I_Am.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_are_the_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
Shaking off all Evil...
Like a water-drop not clinging to a lotus leaf...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Shaking_off_Evil.htm
Ah, so there is such a thing as evil.
You iz evil to the holy one? I suppose it depends on whether the image provided is a selfie or not . . .
There is great merit, inspiration and ethical purity in being holy. More so than us lay folk with all our evil distractions, lusts after special enlightenment and half hearted path following (speaking for myself of course). Not to mention our evil rhetorical questioning of one of the three jewels . . .
Evil in the sense mentioned might be better thought of as 'shaking off dukkha' by virtue.
Any such thing as virtue?
Shake off both evil and virtue. Shake off words, concepts and preferences.
May be "ill will"?
My comment was based on how many of this forum have always maintained that there is no such thing as "evil". Now a monk, whom quite a few of those same people seem to revere, says there is.
Er.... respect? Yes....
Listen to? I would agree....
Revere....?
Hold the phone.....
My thesaurus gives respect as a synonym for revere.
well lah-de-dah to you too.....
.
Friends:
Only Relinquishment Wins Freedom!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the state of relinquishment... Please pay attention.
And what, Bhikkhus, is the state of overcoming all by leaving it all behind?
The eye, form, visual-consciousness, eye-contact, and any feeling arisen from
seeing, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished and left.
The ear, sound, hearing-consciousness, ear-contact, any feeling arisen from
hearing, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished and left.
The nose, smell, smelling-consciousness, nose-contact, any feeling arisen from
smelling, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished & let go of.
The tongue, any flavour, tasting-consciousness, tongue-contact, and any feeling
arisen from tongue-contact, pleasant, painful or neutral, is to be relinquished.
The body, touch, tactile-consciousness, body-contact, any feeling arisen from
body-contact, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, should also be relinquished.
The mind, any mental state & phenomenon, mental-consciousness, mental-contact,
and whatever feeling arisen with mental-contact as origin, whether pleasant,
painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that indeed also should to be relinquished!
This is the radically released state of overcoming all by leaving all sensation behind..
Back-pack-burden of heavy dependencies all exploded!
Comments:
Logically can only relinquishment of all dependencies ever gain true freedom!
Only true freedom means absence of fear from all events from any corner...
Only freedom from fear and anxiety can ever open up for ease, peace & bliss!
More on systematic relinquishment:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Free_from_Fear.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Leaving_All_Behind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Not_Resisting_Anything.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 15-6
The Salayatana section 35. Thread on Leaving: Pahana Sutta (23)
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Radical Relinquishment!
Only Letting Go can ever set Free...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Leaving_All_Behind.htm
Words is wikid bad . . . sometimes in a good sense, dependent on current vernacular. Getting the gist and implied meaning from the Theravadin position means allowing for rather archaic attitudes, terminology and evil hair styling . . . thus have I heard . . . :buck: .
Unless you experience evil you will not know good, and vice versa. Bikku samahita is demonstrating an extreme spiritual view, which makes us see that we are demonstrating our personal extreme materialistic involvement. I suggest we try and meet in the middle...
Poop poop pee doo, to you, too.
BTW, as per our discussion the other day, you left out a comma.