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What are the 8 Advantageous Kinds of Consciousness?
1: Unprompted consciousness joined both with joy and understanding. Example: Knowing good merit one spontaneously gives a gift with joy!
2: Prompted consciousness joined both with joy and understanding. Ex: Understanding merit one, now urged by others, gives a gift with joy.
3: Unprompted consciousness joined with joy, but not understanding. Ex: Unaware of the good of merit one spontaneously gives a gift with joy.
4: Prompted consciousness joined with joy, but not understanding. Ex: Not understanding merit one, incited by others, gives a gift with joy.
5: Unprompted consciousness joined with equanimity and understanding. Ex: Knowing well good merit one spontaneously gives, yet in indifference.
6: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity and understanding. Ex: Understanding merit one, now urged by others, gives in indifference.
7: Unprompted consciousness joined with equanimity, but not understanding. Example: Unaware of any merit one spontaneously gives in indifference.
8: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity, but not understanding. Example: Unaware of merit, urged on by others, one gives in indifference.
These are the 8 kinds of Advantageous Consciousness of the Sensuous Sphere (lower worlds). 1 is the best, 8 the lowest. The kammic return in form of pleasure is largest for the spontaneous and unprompted actions, that is done by own initiative, and not after request by others. This is so, since then they are part of the cause and thus also will the partake of the advantageous delayed effect.
What are the 12 Detrimental Kinds of Consciousness?
Rooted in Greed (Lobha): 1: Unprompted consciousness joined with joy and false view. Example: Greedy & careless one spontaneously enjoys sense pleasure. 2: Prompted consciousness joined with joy and false view. Ex: Greedy & careless one urged by others enjoys sense pleasure. 3: Unprompted consciousness with joy, but not with false view. Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one spontaneously enjoys sense pleasure. 4: Prompted consciousness joined with joy, but not with false view. Ex: Greedy, though not careless, one incited enjoys sense pleasure. 5: Unprompted consciousness with equanimity and false view. Ex: Greedy & careless one spontaneously and indifferent takes pleasure. 6: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity & false view. Ex: Greedy & careless one, urged on, still indifferent takes pleasure. 7: Unprompted consciousness with equanimity, but not with false view. Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one spontaneously & bored takes pleasure. 8: Prompted consciousness with equanimity, but not with false view. Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one urged on takes pleasure indifferently.
The common false view is here: There is no danger in sense pleasure! Addicted to sensing beings have been drawn back into birth & death billions of times & thus killed by this sense pleasure billions of times! Therefore is this clinging to sense pleasure as detrimental as it comes...
Rooted in Hate (Dosa): 9: Unprompted consciousness joined with sorrow and aversion. Example: Angry and frustrated one spontaneously harms or kills . 10: Prompted consciousness joined with sorrow and aversion. Example: Angry and frustrated one, urged on by others, harms or kills.
Rooted in Ignorance (Moha): 11: Consciousness joined with indifference, doubt and uncertainty. Example: Confused one cannot make up one's mind, nor take any decision . 12: Consciousness joined with indifference, and restless agitation. Example: Confused one remains distracted, scattered & mentally unsettled.
These are the 12 kinds of Disadvantageous & detrimental Consciousness of the Sensuous Sphere (lower worlds). The delayed effect of all these is Pain! There are in total 89 kinds of Consciousness. They are all mapped here: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/table1.htm
Blissful is the overcoming of all sense-desires! Blissful is being without passions in this world! Blissful is being harmless towards all sentient beings... Udana II, 1
What are the Five Mental Abilities making one Safe?
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these five abilities. What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha) The ability of Energy (viriya) The ability of Awareness (sati) The ability of Concentration (samadhi) The ability of Understanding (pañña)
When, Bhikkhus, a Noble Disciple understands as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape regarding these five abilities, then he is called a Noble Disciple, who is a stream-enterer, no longer bound to the lower worlds, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his assured future destination!
Bhikkhus, there are these 5 mental abilities (indriya). What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha) The ability of Energy (viriya) The ability of Awareness (sati) The ability of Concentration (samadhi) The ability of Understanding (pañña)
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Faith ability? It is when the Noble Disciple is convinced by the reality of the unexcelled enlightenment of the Tathagata thus: The Blessed One is indeed an Arahat, perfectly self-enlightened, consummated in knowledge and behaviour, well transcended, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable trainer of those who can be tamed, teacher and guide both of devas and as well of humans, the self Enlightened Buddha, the all Blessed One... This is called the Faith ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Energy ability? It is when the Noble Disciple lives while enthusiastically eliminating any detrimental mental state and while gradually achieving advantageous mental states. In this he is strong, determined, not shirking any good opportunity to cultivate advantageous mental states... This is called the Energy ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Awareness ability? It is when the Noble Disciple is aware by possessing supreme awareness of the present and memory of the past. He is one who remembers and recollects both what actually was done and what was said long, long ago. This is called the ability of Awareness...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Concentration ability? It is when the Noble Disciple gains Concentration, gains absorption into the object, having made release the object. This is indeed called the Concentration ability...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Understanding ability? It is when the Noble Disciple is clever by possessing understanding of the continual arising & passing away, which is Noble & cutting through, leading to the complete destruction of Suffering. This is indeed called the Understanding ability...
These fine five qualities, Bhikkhus & Friends, are the 5 mental abilities!
Source of reference (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 197] 48 The Mental Abilities (Indriya): 9 Analysis..
Life is short, difficult, unknown and surely Lethal!
The Blessed Buddha once pointed out: The life of mortals here is difficult, brief, unknown, without any guarantees and it is always joined with the inherent misery of ageing, decay, sickness and death!!! For there is no chance, that one born will not die! To die is the nature of all beings. Just as for ripe fruit, there is constantly fear of falling, even so do all beings also constantly fear death. Just as clay-pots all break up sooner or later, even so is the life of all mortals. Whether young or old, foolish or wise, all of them will surely die! When they are overcome by death, going from here to the next existence, no one, neither father, son, or family can protect the mortal, who is led away like a cow to be slaughtered. And that even while the wailing relatives are actually looking on... This world is irreversibly infected by death, sickness and old age. Knowing this as unavoidable absolute, wise men do not grieve, but accept this very fact just as it is. Lamenting over a mortal is utterly useless. One whose path one cannot know, seeing neither from where he came, nor where he is going, cannot be helped by moaning! Any wise can realize, that lamentation just harms oneself, serving no good purpose.. And this is true, whether it is oneself or another who is dying: Weeping won't help! Sutta-Nipata verses 574-583 Edited excerpt.
Seeing the Transience in all Constructions Releases Mind!
The Blessed Buddha once said: What, Ananda, is the experience of the transience in all constructions? It is when the Bhikkhu feels horror, disgust, and repulsing repugnance with all formations, with all constructions, with all phenomena, with all states... This itself is the very experience of the transience of all constructions...
Instantly, Inevitably and Invariably: All States break up, fade away & vanish...
What should the clever one advantageously do: To attain this State called Peace, is this: He should be intelligent, straight, honest, Humble, gentle and never proud, Contented, and easy to support, Not busy, careful, and silenced… In abilities & senses, cautious, and modest, Neither flattering families, nor be demanding. He should not do even a minor trifle at all, That other wise men might criticize!
Then he should think: May all beings be joyous and safe! Let every creature's mind rejoice. Whatever breathing beings there are, No matter whether feeble or firm, With none excepted, whether long; Tall, big, medium, short or small; Whether seen or unseen, visible or not; Whether living far away or near, here or there; Whether existing or just about to come into being; Let every living being's mind be exultantly jubilant! Let no one ever kill or another one undo, Nor ever harm anyone anywhere at all... Let no one wish for another any even minor evil, neither from provocation, nor from revenge. Thus, as a mother with her own life Might guard her son, her only baby child, thus Should he maintain an infinite friendliness :-) for every living being, in gentle sympathy for this entire universe, unlimited, endless and vast! Above, below, and all around, unimpeded, without any hatred, purged of all enmity! Whether standing, walking, seated or lying down while slumbering, he should always maintain such Awareness of gentle and benevolent kindness... This is the Divine Abiding here, they say! He that do not traffic with various views, Perfected in seeing what is right and wrong, Purged of lust for sense-pleasures, he will surely not come back here to any womb...
The Blessed Buddha once said: Whoever in revenge repays Hate with Hate, Is even worse, than he who Hated first! Whoever to the Hater returns no Hate, Is winning a difficult mental Battle! Since he is saving both himself and the other being too from much pain. The Hero, when seeing others in anger, Remains calm & clearly comprehending... SN 7:2
Danger of Anger: The Hater does not understand what is good, Nor does he wish to see any of the real truth, For cruel gloom and darkness reign supreme, When fiery Hatred overpowers a man. Even when the Hater puts the brake, And with difficulty stop his outburst, He still suffers from frantic burning within. Agitated he looks, inflamed & smoking hot! Later again all-consuming Hate may burst And set ablaze all beings in fear & alarm. The Hater knows no shame, no moral fear, The Hater speaks hurting and impolite, And overpowered by his Hate, He nowhere any shelter or calm ever finds. Oneself is everyone's best friend, Everyone loves himself most, Yet in rage one kills oneself by Hate, Made blind by puffed pride & self-conceit! Who others deprive of life and joy, Will to his own good life put an end, Ruining his own future health and life, With Hatred poisoned and overpowered, Is all unaware of what atrocity he commits. Thus, of this crime of Hate there may result A deadly future real, yet now quite hidden! Therefore: Break all this Danger of Anger, hidden within mind, to pieces by self-control, With insight, with understanding, with effort! Any intelligent clearly seeing sound man will naturally try to subdue his own evil tendency, So should you practise all advantageous good, So that no resentment, or bitter anger may arise. Redeemed from Hate, recovered from Anger, Released from Despair, Rid of Greed, from Envy Freed, The Tamed Ones having eliminated and discarded Hate, Reach Nibbana saliently smiling and silenced, All freed from this vicious wrong.,, AN 7:60
Vap Poya day is the full-moon of October. This holy day celebrates the end of the Bhikkhu's three months rains retreat and marks the Kathina month of robes , where lay people donate a set of robes to the Sangha. This also celebrates the day that Buddha began to teach the Abhidhamma!
The Buddha descending from the Tusita Level after having spent a rains retreat there explaining the Abhidhamma to the assembled devas during a single three months long speech! His biological mother Mahamaya, who died 7 days after his birth, and was reborn there as a deva, was present. He is followed down by the deva rulers Sakka and Maha-Brahma.
The Kathina Ceremony of giving robes to the Maha-Sangha and receive blessing merit thereby!
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days: Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, 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 & head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha. I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma. I hereby take refuge in the Sangha. I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time. I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs. As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world! So is the start towards Nibbana: the Deathless Element! This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness, initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist normally keeps even 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 hereby ..." signed with name, date, town & country to me or join here. A public list of this new quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
The ability of Faith (saddha) The ability of Energy (viriya) The ability of Awareness (sati) The ability of Concentration (samadhi) The ability of Understanding (pañña)
These are the five abilities. One who has completed and fulfilled these five abilities is an Arahat. If they are weaker than that, then one is practising for the fruit of Arahat-ship; if still weaker, one is a non-returner; if still weaker, then one is practising for the reaching the fruit of non-returning; if still weaker, one is a once-returner; if still weaker, one is training for the realization of the fruit of once-return; if still weaker, one is a stream-enterer; if still weaker, one is striving for stream-entry! Thus, Bhikkhus, one who activates the 5 abilities fully succeeds fully; one who activates them partly succeeds partly. Therefore, I tell you: These five abilities, Bhikkhus, are not barren of resulting fruition... But, I tell you, that one in whom these five abilities are completely & totally absent is an outsider, one who remains an ordinary worldling!
In what sense is insight a power? Understanding impermanence, it is not disappointed by expecting endurance! Knowing suffering, it is not excited, even when experiencing sense pleasure! Comprehending no-self, it is not deceived by an apparent, yet imaginary ego! Apprehending disgust, it is not obsessed by the delight of the adored object. Appreciating disillusion, it does not get addicted, when influenced by greed.. Recognizing ceasing as peace, it does not get hooked on any form of arising.. Realizing relinquishment, it is not perturbed by any panic induced by clinging! Insight does neither waver, nor vacillate, nor hesitate, as if in ignorance... Nor is it indecisive, as if in doubt or uncertainty. Thus is insight a Power...!!! Vism 703
There are two principal kinds of mental development: 1: Development of mental tranquillity and calm (samatha-bhavana) culminating in the development of concentration (samadhi-bhavana) And! 2: Development of insight (vipassana-bhavana) culminating in the development of understanding (pañña-bhavana). Both qualities: Calm and Insight, are essential & crucial for release! Tranquil Calm (samatha) is the pleasant, peaceful, yet lucid state of a settled mind acquired as a preliminary to meditative absorption. It blesses the meditator with 3 things: Happy life, happy rebirth, & a mental purity suitable for gaining progressive penetrating insight! Concentration is a necessary prerequisite for such cutting insight.. Why so? It removes distractions that veil the investigating vision! Insight is that which leads to entrance of the 4 stages of Nobility.. Why so? It irreversibly removes gross & latent mental hindrances! The term samadhi literally means ~being firmly put evenly together (sam + a+ dha) & is mental state focused on only one single object= cittassaekaggata, which literally means ~ one-pointedness of mind. Any state of consciousness has a degree of mental concentration! One may distinguish these four stages or levels of concentration: 1: Momentary or transient concentration (khanika-samadhi), 2: Preliminary or preparing concentration (parikamma-samadhi), 3: Access or approaching concentration (upacara-samadhi), 4: Absorption or attainment concentration (appana-samadhi). Insight (vipassana) is the penetrative understanding, gained by only direct meditative experience of the inherent transience, misery, & selflessness (anicca, dukkha, anatta) of all physical & mental states of existence all included in these 5 clusters (khandha) of clinging: form, feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness. Bhavana is derived from the causative form of the verbal root bhu, bhavati = to be, to become, causing to be, making come into being, the calling into existence of, the production of or development of. When applied to Mental Training this simply means Meditation...
Simultaneous Calm and Insight! Photo: The Kawasakis
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
When sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes: May I radiate and meet only never-ending and mutually rejoicing joy! May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and find only celebration and elation in a never-ending mutually rejoicing joy! May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, and the formless plane develop and encounter this generous, infinite and mutually rejoicing joy! May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left, and below as above, develop and experience openhearted, sharing, & mutually rejoicing joy! May I and all beings within this city, country, planet and universe always: Be fully aware and deeply mindful of this content and mutually rejoicing joy! Examine all details & aspects of this satisfied and mutually rejoicing joy! Put enthusiastic effort in our praxis of this devoted mutually rejoicing joy! Enjoy enraptured jubilant gladness in this exulting mutually rejoicing joy! Be silenced by the tranquillity of quiet and all smiling mutually rejoicing joy! Be concentrated & absorbed into one-pointedness by genuine rejoicing joy! Dwell in an imperturbable equanimity of pure and mutually rejoicing joy... Yeah! May it be even so, since mutual joy causes the jewel of contentment!
Comment: Mutual Joy is the 3rd infinite mental state (Appamañña): This gradually reduces all envy, jealousy, possessiveness, stinginess, avarice miserliness, green covetousness and unhappiness related with all these states. The cause of Mutual Joy in rejoicing in your child's or boon companion's success. This same joy can then be beamed towards all liked, neutral and hostile beings. Mutual Joy is then the proximate cause of satisfied and fulfilled Contentment... Lack of mutual joy is thus the proximate cause of dissatisfied discontentment... Joined with the 7 links to Awakening it will later cause a formless jhana... Be happy at all and especially other being's success! Then calm comfort grows!
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these 5 mental abilities (indriya). What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha) The ability of Energy (viriya) The ability of Awareness (sati) The ability of Concentration (samadhi) The ability of Understanding (pañña)
These are the five abilities. When a Bhikkhu has understood as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these five abilities, then this Bhikkhu is released by non-clinging, then he is called an Arahat, one whose mental fermentations are eliminated, who has completed the Noble life, who has done what should be done, put down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly broken the chains of ever new rebecoming, one who is completely liberated through final knowledge...
In what sense is calm a power? In the 1st jhana this mental calm does not waver even when attacked by the 5 mental hindrances, thus is calm a power! In the 2nd jhana this serenity does not flicker even by thoughts or thinking, thus is calm a power... In the subtle mental sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, this tranquil composure does not hesitate being faced with void empty nothingness, thus is calm a power! Such silenced imperturbability can neither waver, nor vacillate, nor hesitate in any fluctuating indecisiveness despite being provoked by agitation, confusion, distraction or perturbation, therefore is calmness a power. Such is the power of calm: The calm power! Vism 703
Honesty is Trust Honesty is Truthful Honesty is Guarantee Honesty is Confidence Honesty is Consistence Honesty is Convincing Honesty is Certainty Honesty is Credibility Honesty is Reliability Honesty is Authenticity Honesty is Integrity Honesty is Accuracy Honesty is Commitment Honesty is Sincerity Honesty is Security Honesty is Reality Honesty is a Must!
Honesty characteristically never deceives, it's function is to verify what is actual and factual. Honesty's manifestation is sheer excellence... Sincere and exact truthfulness is the proximate cause of honesty! All evil states and crimes converge upon transgression of Truth... Devotion to Truth is the only reliable foundation of all Nobility!
Like The Buddha demand of your own mind: You have to give me an honest answer, understand! I won't accept anything phony. And once you've answered, you have to stick to that very answer and not slide or glide around. Don't be a traitor to yourself! Be sober & straight! Therefore: Accept now this 4th training rule of avoiding all false speech!
If one is not true to the Buddha's teachings, the Buddha's teachings will not be true to oneself, either! That Dhamma, which is used as a costume, surface, uniform or alibi, does not bear fruit, as it's intention is not true! True Honesty, however, makes you quite worthy of respect!
If one is painstakingly honest towards oneself, one thereby also becomes meticulously honest towards others. If one on the contrary deceives oneself, believing own lies, one automatically also deceives others, betraying them. Honesty, however, always makes you quite worthy of respect...
Make an island of yourself, be your own light and illumination, make yourself your only safe haven; there is no other protection. Make Truth your only island, make Truth your sole refuge; Make Truth your only lamp; there is no other luminosity. Digha Nikaya, 16
The straight person, self-controlled, keeping precepts, open and honest, is both worthy and fit for the yellow robe. The hiding person, imposting, immoral, keeping secrets, not honest, is neither worthy, nor fit for the yellow robe. Dhammapada 9+10
Overcome the furious by friendship. Overcome the evil one by goodness. Overcome the miser by generosity; Overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
The one who destroys life; The one who speaks false; The one who takes what is not given; The one who mates with another's partner; The one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol; Such one - even in this world - digs up his own root! Dhammapada 246-47
They who falsely declare: "That happened" about what did not happen, or: "I did not do that" about what they actually did, they earn themselves a ticket to grilling in Hell. Dhammapada 306
The characteristic of patience is acceptance, its function is to endure, and its manifestation is non-opposing tolerance! The cause of patience is understanding how things really are.. The effect of patience is calm tranquility despite presence of intensely stirring provocation.. Patience of the will produces forgiving forbearance! Patience of the intellect produces faith, confidence and certainty! Patience of the body produces resolute and tenacious endurance! Internal tolerance of states within oneself is patient endurance... External tolerance of other beings is forbearance and forgiveness...
He who patiently protects himself, protects also all other beings! He who patiently protects all other beings, protects also himself!
Not from speaking much is one called clever. The patient one is free from anger and free from fear, only such steady persisting one, is rightly called clever... Dhammapada 258
Patient tolerance is the highest praxis... Nibbana is the supreme Bliss! So say all the Buddhas. Dhammapada 184
The innocent one, who has done nothing wrong, Who endures abuse, flogging and even imprisonment, Such one, armed with stamina, the great force of tolerance, Such stoic one, who self-possessed can accept, I call a Holy One! Dhammapada 399
One should follow those who are determined, tolerant, and enduring, intelligent, wise, diligent, clever, good-willed and evidently Noble. One shall stick to them as the moon remains in its regular orbit. Dhammapada 208
Friends, even if bandits were to cut you up, savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, you should not get angry, but do my bidding: Remain pervading them and all others with a friendly Awareness imbued with an all-embracing good-will, kind, rich, expansive, and immeasurable! Free from hostility, free from any ill will. Always remembering this very Simile of the Saw is indeed how you should train yourselves. Majjhima Nikaya 21
The five ways of removing irritating annoyance: Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing annoyance, by which any irritation can be entirely removed by a Bhikkhu, when it arises in him. What are these five ways? 1: Friendliness can be maintained towards an irritating person or state.. 2: Understanding can be undertaken towards an irritating person or state.. 3: On-looking Equanimity can be kept towards an irritating person or state.. 4: One can forget and ignore the irritating person, mental or physical state.. 5: Ownership of Kamma of the irritating person can be reflected upon thus: This good person is owner of his actions, inherit the result his actions, is indeed born of his actions and only he is responsible for his actions be they good or bad. This too is how annoyance with the irksome can be instantly removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, and by which any irritation can be entirely removed in a friend, exactly when it arises... Anguttara Nikaya V 161
The Buddha once explained how: I will tell you the way of life of a householder, who becomes a good disciple. Laying aside all violence, he would not kill a living creature, nor cause to kill, nor allow others to kill. He should deliberately avoid taking anything, which has not been freely given. Neither should he cause to steal, nor allow others to steal. He should not transgress against another's wife. When gone to the audience hall, court or assembly, he should neither speak false himself, nor cause others to speak false, deceive or pretend. He should avoid all untruth. He should also avoid intoxicating drinks and drugs, nor cause to drink, nor allow others to drink or take drugs, since intoxication causes carelessness! Intoxication makes negligent fools commit evil deeds accumulating demerit. He should neither eat food at night, nor wear jewellery, nor use perfume... He should sleep on a low couch or on the ground on a mat. For this they say is the eight-fold fast day observance, declared by the Buddha, who has gone beyond all suffering. Having kept this fast day every fortnight, with a clear mind, rejoicing, he should in the morning share suitable food with the Sangha of Bhikkhus. He should support his mother & father by making honest trade. A vigilant householder living this Noble way of life is reborn among the devas who shines bright... Sn 393-404
Energy means enthusiasm, effort, exertion and interest! Energy means eagerness, endeavor, initiative and intensity! Energy means action, force, power, drive and hyper keenness! Energy means devotion, dedication, determination & commitment! Energy means enjoyment :-)
Energy pave the way for success in all and any project ... Energy is thereby instrumental for all the perfections! Without Energy no achievement can ever be accomplished.. The proximate cause for Energy is a sense of urgency! The characteristic of Energy is Striving, its function is Effort, and the manifestation of Energy is Endurance.
The Blessed Buddha said about the perfection of Energy:
Get up! Sit up! Of what use are your dreams ? How can you sleep, when mentally sick, stabbed by the arrow of urge and craving. Sutta Nipata 331
Get up! Sit up! Push on your training, until reaching pure peace! Don't let the king of death -Mara- see you sloppy and thus delude and dominate you like a stringed toy doll... Sutta Nipata 332
Possessed of Energy and Endurance be always Earnest in your training. The clever one is not satisfied before the final goal of ending all misery is completely achieved. Theragatha 585
It is too cold, it's too hot, it's too early, it is too late! Such bad excuses, makes one give up the training and miss one more precious opportunity to end suffering... DN 31
This straight and Noble Way has now been clearly shown: Don’t hesitate, walk forward and do not turn around. Urge yourself to advance further by your own Energy! Only thus will you obviously approach and attain Nibbana! Theragatha 637
The efforts to prevent and to eliminate all evil. The efforts to develop and to maintain all good. These are the 4 right efforts, taught by the Buddha. AN II 17
And what, friends, is feeding the Energy Link to Enlightenment, not yet arisen, & food too for boosting of any present Energy ? 1: The element of initial initiative, 2: The element of launching into action, 3: The element of persistent endurance. Systematic attention to these 3 aspects, is feeding your Energy and is boosting any already present Energy. Samyutta Nikaya XLVI 51 Bojjhanga-samyutta
When Moggallana where sitting nodding in the jungle night: Well then, Moggallana, whatever experience you had in mind when drowsiness demoralized you down, don't attend to that experience, don't follow it. Remember instead the Dhamma, as you have heard & memorized it, reflect on & examine it! Then raise up & repeat aloud the details of Dhamma, as you have learnt it! Then pull both your earlobes and rub your limbs with both your hands.! Then get up from your seat, and after washing your eyes with cold water, look around and upward in all directions and identify the major stars & planets! Then attend to the experience of inner light, resolve on the clear perception of daytime, by night as by day, and by day as by night! By means of an Awareness thus open, unhindered & vivid, develop the bright mind. Its possible, that by doing this, you will shake off your lethargy... But if by doing this you don't shake off your laziness, then continually noting what is both in front and behind set of a distance to meditate walking back and forth, your senses inwardly settled, while your mind is not getting lost outwards. It is possible that by doing this you will shake off all your mental sluggishness... Anguttara Nikaya VII 58
Training Universal Friendliness induces unalloyed Joy! Cultivating Boundless Pity enables tranquil Tolerance! Developing Mutual Joy produces deep Contentment! Refining Equanimity establishes calming Serenity!
The Blessed Buddha repeatedly explained: May all creatures, all breathing things, all beings one and all, without exception, experience joy and good fortune only. May they not fall into any harm! Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
With good will for the entire cosmos, Cultivate a limitless & infinite heart: Above, as below, across & all around, Unobstructed, without any hostility. Sutta Nipata I, 8
Overcome the angry by friendliness; Overcome the wicked by goodness; Overcome the miser by generosity; Overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
Train yourself in doing only pure good... That lasts and brings great happiness! Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living, and a mentality of infinite friendliness! Itivuttaka 16
How to cure these agonizing mental states of Envy & Jealousy:
1: Review the Danger in Envy and Jealousy like this: ThisAcidis eating up my mind from within! All joy & happiness is destroyed!
2: Know that Envy arises because one wants something that others have! The aversion towards these persons arise due to greed for a desired object. Wanting=greed is craving towards an object, while aversion=hate is craving away from an object. All forms of Craving causes Suffering! Know that Envy and Jealousy is the proximate cause of Discontent and Dissatisfaction!
3: Envy is cured by rejoicing in others success= Mutual Joy! (Mudita) like: How good that this being, having done good in the past, now earns the well deserved fruit!!! Thus one substitutes a disadvantageous mental state with an advantageous mental state. Know that this subtle Mutual Joy! (Mudita) is the proximate cause of Contentment! Contentment is the highest Treasure...
4: Begin and Cultivate meditation on Infinite Mutual Joy: Sit down a silent & empty place with closed eye and beam from the heart: May I be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, popular & praised! May my friends be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised! May my enemies be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised! May all in this village be successful, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised! May all in this country be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, & praised! May all on this earth be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised! May all in this galaxy be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised! May all in the universe be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised! Beaming this tender sympathy out from the heart first out in front, the right, left, back, above as below, so gradually expanding beyond the limitations of space and into the infinitude! When a cause is infinite, so will be the effect!
5: Keep on doing that 15-45 min every day. Note the difference in day joy! May all beings rejoice in Mutual Joy celebrating all beings success & progress!
One should not despise any giving. One should neither envy others. One who envy others cannot attain absorption and will never enter any concentrated trance. Dhammapada 365
Neither nice speech, nor serene behaviour Makes one accomplished, if one is still Possessed of envy, miserliness or deceit. Dhammapada 262
Absorbed in distractions, Not paying appropriate attention, Giving up the goal, following after the pleasant, One comes to envy those, who enjoy right effort! Dhammapada 209
Nibbana is: Total ease, complete calm, absolute freedom, perfect happiness & pure peace… Absence of any uncertainty, doubt, confusion, any delusion and all ignorance… Presence of confidence, certainty, understanding all, and direct experience… Absence of any greed, lust, desire, urge, attraction, hunger, and temptation… Presence of imperturbable and serene composure in an all stilled equanimity… Absence of all hate, anger, aversion, hostility, irritation, & stubborn rigidity… Presence of universal goodwill: An infinite & all-embracing friendly kindness… Nibbana is not a place, not an idea, not a fantasy deception, not a conceit, not a conception, not a cause, not an effect, not finite, not definable, not formed, not begun, not ending, not changing, not temporal, but lasting… Nibbana is unborn, unbecome, unmade, uncreated, uncaused, unconditioned, and unconstructed, yet ultimately real… Nibbana is void of eye, visible objects & visual consciousness, void of ear, sounds & auditory consciousness, void of nose, smells & smell consciousness, void of tongue, tastes & gustatory consciousness, void of body, touch & tactile consciousness and void of mind, thoughts and mental consciousness… Pure Peace @ Rest …
The Blessed Buddha once said: Hard it is to see the unconstructed, the undistorted! This independent state is not easily realized. Craving is all cut for the One, who knows, since he sees, that there is nothing to cling to ... !!! Udana – Inspiration: VIII - 2
In any dependence there is bound to be instability. In free independence there cannot be any instability. When there is no liable instability, no feeble wavering, there is a quiet calm, stillness, serenity and peace. When there is such solid tranquillity, then there is no tendency to drift, no attraction, neither any mental push, nor any pull, nor any strain of appeal or repulsion. When there is no attraction, no drift, no bending, then there is no movement, no development, and neither any coming, & much less any going. Neither any starting, nor any ending occurs... When there is neither any coming, nor any going, then there is neither any ceasing, nor any re-appearance... There being neither ceasing, nor reappearing, then there is neither any here, there, beyond, nor in between... This – just this – is the End of Suffering.
Udana – Inspiration: VIII - 4 Having understood this unconstructed state, released in mind, with the chain to becoming eliminated, they attain to the sublime essence of all states. Delighting in the calmed end of craving, those steady Noble Ones have left all being & becoming behind.
Nibbana is The Highest Bliss!
One, who so knows, sees, that there is nothing to cling to ...
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these three supramundane abilities. What three? 1: The ability to come to know, what one did not yet know... 2: The ability to gradually achieve the highest and final wisdom... 3: The ability of one, who dwells in the highest and final wisdom... These are the three supreme supramundane abilities. (añña-indriya)
Every friend is an extension of me. Every friend has taught me what I am. How can I not be thankful to those friends, who cared me, loved me, and gave me a warm experience of the feeling of love? How can I not be thankful to those friends, who made me feel that I am so beautiful, and given me the feeling of being on the top of the world? How can I not be thankful to those friends, who has given me the knowledge and helped me to stand in front of the world with the feeling of security. How can I not be thankful to those friends, who went away from me and gave me the experience of detachment from loved ones and loneliness? How can I not be thankful to those friends, who cheated me and thereby gave me the experience of the feelings of hate and anger? How can I not be thankful to those friends, who left me and found another friend and thereby gave me experience of jealousy? How can I not be thankful to those friends, who put me down and made me inferior by showing my weakness, giving me the experience of deprivation? How can I not be thankful to ALL those friends, who just made me think that my mind is in the control of others and nothing is in my own control? One day I sat in the corner of my room, thinking and thinking, looking here and there, and then saw what: A glance at a book of Buddha!
How can I not be thankful towards the Buddha who explained me compassion. My dear friend, destroy these mental seeds of those feelings that control your mind. Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of hate? Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of anger? Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of jealousy? Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of greed? Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of laziness? Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of clinging?
These emotions are very harmful to your mind… Reform your mind my dear friend! Dhamma will teach you, how to reform nothing other than your mind!
Poem by: Deepali Nandeshwar deepsee30@gmail.com
Wonderful it is to train the mind, so swiftly moving, seizing whatever it wants. Good is it to have a well-trained mind, for a well-trained mind brings happiness. Dhammapada 35
A Brahmin Priest once asked the Blessed Buddha: Master Gotama, what is the cause of being unable to remember even something that has been memorized over a long period & also that which has not been memorized? Brahmin, when mind is retarded by lethargy & laziness, dimmed, detained & dominated by lethargy and laziness, and one does not understand any actual safe escape from this arisen lethargy and laziness, in that very moment, one can neither see, nor understand, what is advantageous, neither for oneself, nor for others, nor for both oneself and others. Consequently, whatever have been memorized, cannot be remembered… Why is this neglect so? Imagine a bowl of water covered with moss, water plants and algae. If a man with good eye-sight were to inspect the reflection of his own face in it, he would neither see, nor recognize it, as it really is! So too, brahmin, when mind is slowed down by lethargy and laziness, dimmed, detained and handicapped by lethargy & laziness, on such occasions even texts long memorized do not recur to the mind, not to speak of those texts, events and information, that have not been actively memorized at all…
How to cure Laziness: Attention to these 3 elements of: initiative, launching and endurance!
Lethargy-&-Laziness may often be induced by self-destructive behaviour such as: Alcohol, drugs, dope, pills, marihuana, sniffing, over-eating, excessive masturbation and night-living. Such often life-long chemical or behavioural causes of Lethargy-&-Laziness should be eradicated... As long as this is not achieved one remains a phlegmatic & apathetic zombie, drifting downwards due to inability to initiate advantageous behaviour.
Noticing Lethargy-&-Laziness (thina-middha) emerge can make it evaporate: Herein, Bhikkhus, when Lethargy-&-Laziness is present in him, the bhikkhu notes & understands: There is Lethargy-&-Laziness in me, and when this Lethargy-&-Laziness is absent, he notes & understands: Now there is no Lethargy-&-Laziness in me. He indeed also understands how yet unarisen Lethargy-&-Laziness arises. He understands how to leave behind any arisen Lethargy-&-Laziness, and he understands how left Lethargy-&-Laziness will not arise again in the future. MN 10
What is the feeding cause that makes Lethargy-&-Laziness arise? There are boredom, apathy, tiredness, lazy stretching of the body, heavy drowsiness after too big meals, and mental sluggishness. Frequently giving irrational and unwise attention to these mental states, this is the feeding cause of the arising of yet unarisen Lethargy-&-Laziness, and the feeding cause of worsening and deepening of already present Lethargy-&-Laziness. SN 46:51
What is the starving cause that makes Lethargy-&-Laziness cease? There is the quality of initiative. There is the quality of launching action. There is the quality of tenaciously enduring persistence. Frequently giving rational & wise attention to these three mental elements, is the starving cause for the non-arising of unarisen Lethargy-&-Laziness, and the starving cause for the arousing and stirring of already present Lethargy-&-Laziness. SN 46:51
The Supreme Ideal: Before the Buddha sat down to meditate in order to attain enlightenment, he made this determination: May just all flesh and blood of this body dry up into a stiff frame of only bones, tendons and skin... Not a second before having achieved, what can be achieved by male strength, power, and energy, will I rise from this seat... MN 70
How to stimulate the mind: How does one stimulate the mind at a time when it needs stimulation? If due to slowness of understanding or due to not having yet reached the happiness of tranquillity, one's mind is dull, then one should rouse it through reflecting on the eight objects stirring urgency. These 8 objects are: birth, decay, disease & death; the suffering in hell, demon, ghost & animal world! The suffering in the past and the the future rooted in this Samsara. The suffering of the present rooted in the pursuit for food and living. Vism. IV,63
Whoever lives in search & urge only or pleasure and beauty, unguarded in senses, immoderately indulging in eating, lazy, lethargic, inactive, dulled into apathy; Such ones Mara sweeps away like breaking a branch of a tiny bush ... Dhammapada 7
Even if one should live a hundred years, if lazy and idle, better it would be to live but just a single day striving with all one got. Dhammapada 112
Rouse yourself! Sit up! Resolutely train yourself to attain peace. Do not let the king of death, seeing you lazy, lead you astray and dominate you. Sutta Nipata II, 10
Contemplation of the Ten Perfecting Qualities (Dasa Parami): 1: May I be generous and always helpfully giving service (Dana parami). 2: May I be morally pure, virtuous and well-disciplined (Sila parami). 3: May I be modest and withdrawing into simple living (Nekkhamma parami). 4: May I be wise by understanding what should be known (Pañña parami). 5: May I be enthusiastic, energetic, & never giving up the good (Viriya parami). 6: May I be patient, tolerant, and forgive other's wrongs (Khanti parami). 7: May I be honest, trustworthy, scrupulous, and truthful (Sacca parami). 8: May I be firm, resolute, determined, and immovable (Adhitthana parami). 9: May I be kind, gentle, compassionate and friendly (Metta parami). 10: May I be calm, balanced, serene and imperturbable (Upekkha parami). May I train to be mentally perfect. May I be perfect to keep training!
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt): The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts. By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo: http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
1st Perfection: Generosity (Dana): Just as a water pot turned upside down lets all its liquid run out, and takes none of it back, so is the perfection of generosity not having the slightest remorse over what has been given away, even when sacrificing everything! 2nd Perfection: Morality (Sila): Just as a yak whose tail is caught in bush will rather die than to tear it off, so consists the perfection of morality in being meticulously careful about keeping all precepts and promises & not breaking them in any circumstance, even if being threatened with death! 3rd Perfection: Withdrawal (Nekkhamma): Just as one imprisoned in jail does not desire anything more intensely than to get out of there, so the perfection of withdrawing renunciation consists in the longing to get out of the prison of transitory existence & having only this one wish: To spit out the impermanent, to be rid of it once and for all! 4th Perfection: Understanding (Pañña): Just as a monk on alms-round neglects no house, but goes to all the families without exception, so the perfection of understanding consists in leaving no gaps, leaving nothing out, & of being ready to learn from all wise people, who are more advanced, even though they may be younger than oneself. 5th Perfection: Energy (Viriya): Just as a lion marshals his strength whether standing, going, or sitting even so does the perfection of energetic & enthusiastic effort consist in keeping on striving with initiative launching into action, that endures until fulfilment! 6th Perfection: Patience (Khanti): Just as the great earth accepts even the most disgusting things thrown onto it, so consists the perfection of patience in accepting slander, disgrace and every disrespect without aversion, enduring them, while letting them pass. 7th Perfection: Honesty (Sacca): Just as a star never strays from its fixed orbit, so consists the perfection of honest truthfulness in not lying under any circumstances, not moving even an inch from the actual and real truth for any trivial advantage whatsoever. 8th Perfection: Determination (Adhitthana): Just as a mountain stands immoveable even in the strongest storm and is incapable of being thrown over, so consists the perfection of determination in remaining unshakeable in one's advantageous choices and not being able to be distracted by anything when pursuing something good and beneficial. 9th Perfection: Friendliness (Metta): Just as water refreshes and cleanses both just and unjust persons without discrimination, so does the perfection of friendliness include both friends and foes alike and doesn't display any distinction, favouritism, or partiality. 10th Perfection: Equanimity (Upekkha): Just as the great earth remains unmoved and equanimous, avoiding like and dislike whether one throws pure or impure things onto it, even so does the perfection of equanimity consist in always remaining, calm and composed, neither being repulsed nor attracted, whether by any pain or any pleasure. Imperturbable even in strong conflicts as well as in the greatest success!
Sujata perfecting generosity by giving The Buddha his last meal before Awakening!
Source: Buddhavamsa II verses 117-166 (Edited Excerpt): In: Similes of the Buddha: An introduction BP 427S by Hellmuth Hecker. Tr. Ven. Khantipalo and Ven. Piyadhammo. Ed. Ven. Nyanatusita. http://www.bps.lk Have a nice & noble day!
A Brahmin Priest once asked the Blessed Buddha: Master Gotama, what is the cause of being unable to remember something that has been memorized over a long period and also that which has not been memorized? Brahmin, when then mind is agitated by restlessness and regret, stressed, agitated, troubled and tyrannized by restlessness and regret, & one does neither know, nor understand any actual safe escape from this dominating restlessness and regret, in that moment, then one can neither see, nor ever understand what is advantageous, neither for oneself, nor for others, nor for both oneself and for others. Then, consequently, even texts, that have been long memorized, cannot be remembered. Why is this blind neglect so? Imagine a bowl of water with the surface stirred up by wind into ripples, undulations & small wavelets. If a man with good eye-sight were to inspect the reflection of his own face in it, he would neither see nor recognize it, as it really is! So too, brahmin, when the mind is distracted by restlessness and regret, excited, anxious, distressed, worried, perturbed and upset by restlessness and regret, on any such occasion even texts long memorized do not recur to the mind, not to speak of those texts, events & knowledge, that have not been memorized at all…
Curing the agitated Restlessness and the anxious Regret!
Noticing Restlessness-&-Regret arise can make it fade away: When Restlessness-&-Regret is present, the bhikkhu notes & understands: There is Restlessness-&-Regret in me, while when Restlessness-&-Regret is absent, then he notes & understands: No Restlessness-&-Regret is in me. He also understands well how unarisen Restlessness-&-Regret arises. He understands how to leave behind any arisen Restlessness-&-Regret, and he understands how left Restlessness-&-Regret will not arise again. MN 10
What is the feeding cause that makes Restlessness-&-Regret arise? There are unrest, unsettledness, nervous unease, agitation & anxiety, often giving irrational & unwise attention to such states, this is the feeding cause of the arising of unarisen Restlessness-&-Regret, & the feeding cause of worsening and exacerbation of already arisen Restlessness-&-Regret. SN 46:51
What is the starving cause that makes Restlessness-&-Regret cease? There is the mental state of serene tranquillity, calm, quietude, stillness, imperturbability, peace, frequently giving rational & wise attention to this exquisite mental state, is the starving cause for the non-arising of unarisen Restlessness-&-Regret, & the starving cause for the dampening and calming of Restlessness-&-Regret, that has already been stirred up. SN 46:51
Advantageous reflections whenever Restlessness-&-Regret is provoked: When the mind is restless, it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: Tranquillity, Concentration and Equanimity, because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them. SN 46:53
Restlessness-&-Regret is like Slavery: Just as when a man is a slave, not independent, but dependent on others, unable to go where he likes, exactly & even so is restlessness since it forces one into unwanted activity & destroys any ease & calm. Later he is set free from slavery, is now independent, no longer dependent, a freeman who can go where he wants. And at that he rejoices, is glad at heart... Such is also the blissful freedom from restlessness. DN 2
Deliberately Directing to a Conscious and Clever Center of Concentration: Herein, Ananda, a Bhikkhu attends to this single Focus: This is Real, this is Supreme, namely: The Stilling of all mental Construction, The Calming of all Restless Activity, The Fading of all Concern and Anxiety, The Cooling of all Temptation and Urge, The Ending of all Longing and Craving, The Exhaustion of all Fuel of Becoming, Ceasing, Peace, Bliss, Freedom, Nibbana … AN V 319
DOING GOOD = NO REGRET! Here and now the good-doer rejoices! :-) Even so after passing away and re-emerging, the doer of good reaps only Joy & ease... So both here and beyond, the wise with merit well done, enjoys the purity of own prior good behaviour. Dhammapada 15
DOING BAD = MUCH REGRET! Here and now the bad-doer suffers... :-( Even so after passing away and re-emerging, the doer of wrong reaps only pain and regret... So both here and beyond, the evil wrongdoing fool suffers the painful results of prior bad behaviour. Dhammapada 16
Restlessness-&-regret is followed by worry, anxiety, agitation and attention deficit!
The Blessed Buddha once said: And how, Bhikkhus, is release of mind by serene equanimity (Upekkha) achieved? What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination, what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal of mental release by universally neutral & imperturbable equanimity? Here, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading first the entire frontal quadrant, with a mind imbued with infinite equanimity, so the second quadrant, the 3rd quadrant, and the 4th quadrant. As above, so below, across, and everywhere, & as to all beings also to himself, he dwells pervading the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited equanimity, immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without any enmity, without any ill will! Thus prepared and expanded, he then develops:
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless equanimity. 2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such equanimity. 3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite equanimity. 4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute equanimity. 5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with serene equanimity. 6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with equanimity. 7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless equanimity. Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release.
If he then wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in any unrepulsive & tempting, then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting & repulsive, then he dwells experiencing pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting! If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both unrepulsive & repulsive, he dwells experiencing repulsive disgust in it. If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both unrepulsive & repulsive, he experiences only unrepulsive beauty by it! If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I dwell in equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending, then he dwells in equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! Or else, completely transcending the realm of infinitude of consciousness, only aware that there is nothing, he enters & dwells in the sphere of the void, empty & vacuous nothingness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a wise Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior mental release, the mental release by imperturbable equanimity has the subtle sphere of the nothingness as its final 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... Have a nice & noble day!
1: Mental Purification by Morality. 2: Mental Purification by Meditation. 3: Mental Purification via Right View. 4: Mental Purification by overcoming Doubt. 5: Purification by Knowledge & Vision of what is Path & non-Path. 6: Purification by Knowledge & Vision of the Noble 8-fold Way. 7: Purification by Directly Experienced Knowledge and Vision.
EXACT CUT: Avoiding all Harm; Doing only Good; Purifying the Mind; This do all Buddhas teach! Dhammapada 183
The Blessed Buddha once said: The flood of tears that all beings have shed, while weeping and wailing upon this loong way, hurrying and hastening through this endless round of rebirths, while forced together with the disliked, & separated from anything liked, is far greater than all the water of the four oceans! So long have you lamented the death of your father & mother, of sons, of daughters, brothers, & sisters. While you were thus wretched by all this misery, agony, & anguish you have surely shed more tears upon this immensely loong way, than there is water in the four oceans... The flood of blood that all beings have shed, having been beheaded, or stabbed, or injured during this long way, through billions of rebirths as punished killer, murderer, or soldier is far greater, than all the water in the 4 oceans! So long have you been caught as robber, thief, & adulterer, & beheaded as punishment, truly more blood has flowed along this vastly long way, than there is water in all the four oceans even when summed... But how is this possible? Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is any first beginning of beings, who, being blinded by ignorance and ensnared by craving, have been hurrying and hastening through many repeated rebirths... In this way have you & all other beings long been suffering, been tortured, experienced disasters and tragedies, and filled many graveyards full with bones! This truly, is long enough to be dissatisfied with all forms of existence, is long enough to turn away and free your self from all that suffering, that awaits in the future...
The Blessed Buddha once said: Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is any first beginning of beings, who, blinded by ignorance and ensnared by craving, are hurrying, and hastening through this round of rebirths... Source: (edited excerpt) SN 3:35
Some Comments: Samsara is the crushing wheel of existence, which literally is meaning 'perpetual wandering': A sea of life & death ever restlessly heaving up & down, the symbol of this never-ending process of ever again & again being born, growing old, becoming weak & sick, suffering, and dying... More precisely put: Samsara is the unbroken sequence of re-arisings of combinations of the momentary events of the 5-fold cluster of clinging, which constantly changing from moment to moment, follow continually one upon the other, through inconceivable periods of time. A single life constitutes only a tiny microscopic fraction of these trillions of eons... In order to comprehend the 1st noble truth, one must therefore gaze long and contemplate upon this Samsara, upon this frightful sequence of ever rebirth mostly in lower painful forms, and not merely upon one single lifetime, which may sometimes not seem very painful until aged... The term Suffering: Dukkha in the first noble truth therefore refers not only to painful bodily & mental feelings, caused now by displeasing contacts & impressions, but it comprises in addition every thing creating suffering or which is liable to produce it later... The truth of Suffering teaches that, owing to the universal law of impermanence, even high and sublime states of happiness are subject to change and destruction, and that all states of existence therefore ultimately are unsatisfactory... Without exception they all carry in themselves the seeds of suffering! 'Du' means bad. 'Kha' means state. Dukkha thus means 'Bad State'... Samsara is a Bad State of Suffering. Nibbana is a Good State of Peace!
Video illustrating life among humans, in heaven and in hell:
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes, one wishes: May I radiate and meet with only infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop & find only this genuine gentleness of infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, & the formless plane develop & encounter this tender infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left & below as above develop & experience caring infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe always be fully aware and deeply mindful of this warm infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe examine all details & subtle aspects of this benevolent infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe put enthusiastic effort in their praxis of this affectionate infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy & jubilant gladness in this fond infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe cultivate the tranquillity of quiet, silent, stilled, & endlessly merciful pity, sympathy, & compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated & absorbed one-pointedness by this infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion! May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe dwell in imperturbable equanimity joined with this loving infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion... Yeah! Print this out, dwell in each state until clear, use ~ 25-45 minutes.
Comment: All-Embracing Pity is the 2nd infinitely divine state (Appamañña) This gradually reduces all aggressiveness, cruelty, ferocity, viciousness, rage, inner & outer violence, and unhappiness related with these states. Joined with the 7 links to Awakening it will later cause formless jhanas...
The 1st Noble Truth: This is Suffering! There is no pain, that does not torment! And nothing that is not pain torments... This certainty, that this being torments: Is what makes it an absolute truth... The 2nd Noble Truth: Craving is the Cause! No other source causes pain, than craving, Nothing else provides craving, than pain... This utter certainty in producing pain: Is why it is considered an absolute truth!
The 3rd Noble Truth: Suffering can End! There is no pure peace except Nibbana, Nibbana cannot be anything but peace... This certainty that it is perfect peace: Is what is reckoned as an absolute truth.
The 4th Noble Truth: By the Noble Way! No outlet is there other than the Noble Way, Nor fails the Noble Way ever to be escape... This sure status as the one and only exit: Has made it recognized as absolute truth.
This genuinely irrefutable infallibility, Which is their true essential core, Is what the wise declare to be The Truth's meaning common to all four! Vism 496
Il Poya day is this full-moon day of November. This sacred day celebrates: 1: The Buddha Gotama's declaration of the next Buddha Metteyya. 2: The sending out in the world of the 60 missionary Arahats 3: The passing away of the general of the Dhamma: Sariputta. 4: The Buddha's 1st explanation of Anapanasati Breathing Meditation.
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days: Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, 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 & head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice: As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha. I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma. I hereby take refuge in the Sangha. I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time. I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs. As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world! So is the start towards Nibbana: the Deathless Element! This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness, initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist normally keeps even 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 hereby ..." signed with name, date, town & country to me or join here. A public list of this new quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
Morality is not a Prison, but the only Effective Protection!
What is Morality? Morality is the root cause of all success and all what is good. Morality is the intention behind avoidance of all wrongdoing. Morality is the mental combination of non-envy, goodwill and right view. Morality is the self-control enabled by awareness, tolerance & restraint. Morality is the non-breaking of the rules one have accepted and respects.
What is the Meaning of Morality? Morality means consistency between all mental, verbal & bodily actions. Morality means upholding the foundation of all advantageous states.
What is the Function of Morality? To STOP bad and evil behaviour and it’s painful future effects. To ATTAIN blameless mental purity and the blissful joy of innocence.
What is the Manifestation of Morality? The virtuous blameless innocence of mental, verbal and behavioural purity.
What is the Proximate Cause of Morality? The scrupulous shame within conscience is the cause of any moral ethics. The fear of the results of wrongdoing is the Cause of any moral ethics. Shame and fear of wrongdoing are therefore 2 protectors of the world!
Ultra-Cut: Doing Good creates Pleasure! Doing Evil creates Pain!
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often practiced 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 has understood the Dhamma dwells frequently in this state. Which is that one contemplation? It is reflecting regarding the qualities of ultimate Peace like this: This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all kammic construction, the leaving all behind of all substrata of any being, the complete vanishing of all sorts of craving, ceasing, Nibbana... Whatever, Bhikkhus & friends, there is of both conditioned & unconditioned things, dependent & independent constructions, detachment is considered the highest of them, that is, the final destruction of ego-belief, the overcoming of all desire & thirst, the rooting out of clinging, the breaking out of this long round of rebirths, the vanishing of craving, absolute release, Nibbana...
The Buddha emphasized: Nibbana is the Highest Happiness! Source: AN 1:16.10 + 10:60 + 4.34
Enthusiastic Energy Boosts Advantageous Right Effort!
By it one strives and struggles, thus is it energetic effort. Any advantageous exertion of endeavour is a right effort. By it one works in the right direction, thus is it right effort. It is right, because it eliminates all the ugly evil mentalities. It is effort, because it brings progress of well-being and bliss. Therefore is it called Right Effort. It is a name for Energy... Right Effort achieves these four functions: 1: Elimination of already arisen detrimental mental states! 2: Prevention of detrimental mental states not yet arisen! 3: Initiation of advantageous mental states not yet arisen! 4: Maintenance of already arisen advantageous mental states! Thus is it fourfold. That is why it is called the 4 right efforts...
The Blessed Buddha once explained: How is the release of mind by infinite mutual joy (Mudita) achieved? What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination, what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal of mental release by universally mutual, unselfish, altruistic, appreciative & rejoicing joy? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a mind imbued with infinite mutual joy, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quadrant. As above, so below, across, and everywhere to all beings as for himself, he dwells pervading the entire cosmos with a mind fully saturated with unlimited mutual joy, immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without any enmity, without any trace of ill will, of jealousy or of envy! Thus prepared and mentally quite expanded, he then develops: 1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless mutual joy. 2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such mutual joy. 3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite mutual joy. 4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute mutual joy. 5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with noble mutual joy. 6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with mutual joy. 7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless mutual joy. Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release...
If he then wishes: May I dwell experiencing repulsion by any attractive & tempting object, then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting and repulsive object, then he experiences pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting & ugly thing! If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive & the unrepulsive, may I dwell in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he experiences equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! When meditating he can completely transcend the realm of infinitude of space, only aware that consciousness is infinite, he can enter and dwell in the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a quite wise Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior mental release, the mental release by infinite, altruistic and mutual joy has the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as its culmination!
Comments: Are you Discontent? Here is Why! Mutual joy is the proximate cause of contentment. Consequentially: Lack of mutual joy produces frustrated discontent! Mutual joy also eliminates jealousy and envy! Absence of mutual joy therefore induces the acid like mental pain called envy and jealousy!
Source of reference (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
The Blessed Buddha once explained: How is the release of mind by infinite mutual joy (Mudita) achieved? What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination, what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal of mental release by universally mutual, unselfish, altruistic, appreciative & rejoicing joy? Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a mind imbued with infinite mutual joy, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quadrant. As above, so below, across, and everywhere to all beings as for himself, he dwells pervading the entire cosmos with a mind fully saturated with unlimited mutual joy, immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without any enmity, without any trace of ill will, of jealousy or of envy! Thus prepared and mentally quite expanded, he then develops: 1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless mutual joy. 2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such mutual joy. 3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite mutual joy. 4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute mutual joy. 5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with noble mutual joy. 6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with mutual joy. 7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless mutual joy. Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release...
If he then wishes: May I dwell experiencing repulsion by any attractive & tempting object, then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting and repulsive object, then he experiences pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting & ugly thing! If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive & the unrepulsive, may I dwell in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he experiences equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! When meditating he can completely transcend the realm of infinitude of space, only aware that consciousness is infinite, he can enter and dwell in the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a quite wise Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior mental release, the mental release by infinite, altruistic and mutual joy has the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness as its culmination!
Comments: Are you Discontent? Here is Why! Mutual joy is the proximate cause of contentment. Consequentially: Lack of mutual joy produces frustrated discontent! Mutual joy also eliminates jealousy and envy! Absence of mutual joy therefore induces the acid like mental pain called envy and jealousy!
Source of reference (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
Only determination can completely fulfill the other mental perfections! Its characteristic is an unwavering decision, its function is to overcome hesitation, and its manifestation is unfaltering persistence in this task...! The proximate cause of determination is strong willpower to succeed! Only the power of resolute determination lifts any praxis to perfection...
When the Future Buddha placed his back against the trunk of The Bodhi Tree, he right there made this mighty decision: "Let just the blood and flesh of this body dry up and let the skin & sinews fall from the bones. I will not leave this seat before having attained that absolute supreme Enlightenment!" So determined did he invincibly seat himself, from which not even 100 earthquakes could make him waver. Jataka Nidana
A female lay follower (Upasika) at the time of the Buddha kept pure the precepts, comprehended the nature of impermanence, the consequent fragility of the body and thereby won stream-entry (Sotapanna)... After passing away, she re-arose as the favourite attendant of Sakka, the king of Gods. Reviewing her own merit, she remembered her prior admonition to herself:
"Let this body break up as it may, herein will not be any excuse or relaxation of the effort...!"
Whose mind is like a rock, determined, unwavering, immovable, without a trace of lust of urging towards all the attractions, without a trace of aversion of pushing away all the repulsive, from what, can such a refined mind ever suffer? Udana IV - 4
Using the tools of Faith, Morality, Effort, Determination, Meditation and true Understanding of the Dhamma, one gradually perfects first knowing and then behaviour. So well equipped & always aware, one becomes capable of eliminating of this great heap of suffering once and for all ... Dhammapada 144
What is being determined by Right Motivation? The decision for always being motivated to withdrawal, The decision for always being motivated to good-will, The decision for always being motivated to harmlessness, This is being determined by Right Motivation... Samyutta Nikaya XLV 8
My mind is firm like a rock, unattached to sensual things, no shaking in the midst of a world, where all is decaying and vanishing... My mind has been thus well developed, so how can suffering ever touch me? Theragatha 194
The four determinations: One should not neglect the Dhamma, One should guard well the Truth, One should be devoted to Withdrawal, and one should always train only for Peace. Majjhima Nikaya 140
Fearing being predestined for Hell if he became a King, who had to punish criminals violently, the Bodhisatta determined not to show any intelligence, and played dumb, deaf and crippled for sixteen years, only showing his real abilities, when he was on the verge of being buried alive! This was his ultimate perfection of resolute determination... The Basket of Conduct: Cariyapitaka
So have I heard: After 7 days of non-stop sitting meditation in the bliss of Awakening, The Buddha in the last watch of the night directed his unified attention to dependent co-arising in both forward & reverse order in this very way:
If A leads to => B, then non-A leads to => non-B! When this is present, then that comes into being... When this emerges, that arises too... When this is absent, then that does not come into being... When this ceases, that vanishes too...
The forward causality: When ignorance arises, mental construction also appears.. When mental construction arises, consciousness also comes into being.. When consciousness arises, name-&-form also comes to be.. When name-&-form arises, then the six senses emerge too.. When the six senses arise, then contact is the consequence.. When contact arises, then feeling is assigned too.. When feeling arises, then urge and craving surely follows.. When craving arises, then clinging too becomes dominant.. When clinging arises, then the process of becoming is initiated.. When becoming arises, then rebirth inevitably also appears.. When rebirth arises, then aging and death, sorrow, distress, pain, grief and despair also arises. This verily is the origin, the causing, the arising of this entire mass of Suffering...
The reverse causality: Consequently, when this very same ignorance is utterly uprooted & eliminated, then mental construction is tranquilized, all stilled, and it ceases & dissolves.. When mental construction ceases, then consciousness itself fades away.. When consciousness ceases, then naming-&-forming also terminate.. When name-&-form ceases, then the six senses come to an end.. When the six senses cease, then contact closes down as well.. When contact ceases, then feeling stops out too.. When feeling ceases, then craving also evaporates.. When craving ceases, then clinging is relinquished too.. When clinging ceases, then the re-becoming process essentially ends! When becoming ceases, then this process of endless rebirth is exhausted too.. When birth ceases, then aging, death, sorrow, sadness, and pain also finishes. This verily is the cessation, and the final end of this whole mass of Suffering...!
Dispersing all Darkness...
Then, he, the Blessed One, on recognizing the profundity of that sequence, exclaimed: When the appearance of phenomena becomes clearly manifest to this very Noble Friend through rapt meditation, then he is constantly s cattering Mara’s - the Evil One's - army, exactly as the sun continuously disperses all darkness, when lighting up the bright sky...
Once when Venerable Girimananda was sick, the Buddha said to Ven. Ananda. What is the experience of acute Awareness by in-&-out Breathing? It is when a Bhikkhu, who have gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, having straightened his body and back, and set up awareness around the nostrils, then just plain aware of only that itself, he breathes in, and then just solely aware of only that breathing in itself, he then breathes out... 1: Breathing in-&-out long, he knows, notes & understands: I in-&-exhale long! 2: Breathing in short, he knows, notes & understands: I in-&-exhale short! 3: He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in-&out! 4: He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in-&out! 5: He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in-&out! 6: He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in-&out! 7: He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in-&out! 8: He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in-&out! 9: He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in-&out! 10: He trains thus: Elating & gladdening the mind, I will breathe in-&out! 11: He trains thus: Concentrating & focusing mind, I will breathe in-&out! 12: He trains thus: Releasing, & liberating the mind, I will breathe in-&out! 13: He trains thus: Considering impermanence, I will breathe in-&out! 14: He trains thus: Considering disillusion, I will breathe in-&out! 15: He trains thus: Considering ceasing, I will breathe in-&out! 16: He trains thus: Considering relinquishment, I will breathe in-&out! Having learnt and memorized these 16 simple steps from the Blessed One, the Venerable Ananda went to the Venerable Girimananda and recited these to him. Then as soon as Venerable Girimananda heard these 16 simple steps & the ten experiences his illness instantly subsided & he rose from his bed! This was thus the way Venerable Girimananda was cured from his sickness....
Not Knowing Nature & Cause of things causes Speculation to arise:
Once the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One & greeted him. Having concluded their compliments, he sat down & asked the Blessed Buddha: Master Gotama, what is the cause, condition & reason why all these various speculative views arise in the world: This Universe is eternal, or This Universe is not eternal. &; This Universe is finite, or This Universe is infinite. &; Vitality & the body are the same, or vitality is one thing, the body is another. &; A Tathagata exists after death, or a Tathagata does not exist after death. Or; The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death. Or; The Tathagata does neither exist, nor does not exist after death? The Blessed Buddha then replied: It is, Vaccha, because of neither knowing form, nor the cause of emergence of form (rupa), nor the cause of the ceasing of form, nor the Way to cease form, that those various speculative views, such as: "This Universe is eternal etc..." arise in the world...!!! This ignorance, this not seeing, this not understanding, Vaccha, is the cause, & reason, why those various speculative views keep arising in this world...!!!
The Blessed Buddha once said: On this occasion the Blessed One was staying at Gaya's Head, together with a thousand bhikkhus. There the Blessed One told these bhikkhus this: Bhikkhus, All this is burning! And what, bhikkhus, is that All that is burning? The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body & mind is burning. Forms, sounds, smells, flavours, touches, and mental states are also burning! Any eye, ear, nose, tongue, body & mental consciousness is also burning! Any eye, ear, nose, tongue, body & mental contact is also burning! Any feeling arised caused by eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mental contact, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, that too is indeed also burning... Burning with what? I say: Burning with the fire of lust, hate and confusion, birth, ageing, death, sadness, weeping, pain, frustration, & with desperation! Seeing this, bhikkhus, the instructed Noble disciple is disgusted with any eye, ear, nose, tongue, body & mind, he is disgusted with any form, sound, smell, flavour, touch, and any mental state, he is disgusted with any eye, ear, nose, tongue, bodily or mental consciousness & contact, and with whatever feeling, whether pleasant, painful or neutral, caused by whatever sensed contact, with that too is he dismayed, disgusted, sickened, revolted, and horrified! Understanding this, the intelligent Noble disciple is disgusted with this All ... Being disgusted creates disillusion... Disillusion evaporates clinging and this relinquishment of all forms of sensing and feeling induces mental release! When detached the mind is unagitated! Being all imperturbable one attains Awakening right there & instantly understands: This mind is forever freed! Rebirth is ended, the Noble Life is completed, done is what should be done, there is no state beyond or surpassing this...! This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those bhikkhus was pleased with the Blessed One's speech. While this teaching was being spoken, the minds of the thousand bhikkhus were released from fermentation by non-clinging...
Comments: The Fire Sermon! These bhikkhus were all prior fire-worshippers, who in blinded superstition sacrificed to the fire morning and evening! This fact made Buddha realize: If I teach them, that the 12 sense-sources are blazing & burning with pain, they will awaken right there in their seats by relinquishing all clinging...
Begin by extending Friendliness towards yourself: May I be free from ill-will. May I be free from hostility. May I be free from adversity. May I be happy. May I be free from suffering. May I not be separated from the good fortune I have attained. I am the owner of my kamma and must inherit its results.
May the guardian deities in this house be free from anger. May they be free from hostility. May they be free from adversity. May they be happy. May they be free from suffering. May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained. They are owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
Next, extend Friendliness to your parents, teachers, relatives, and friends: May my mother and father, teacher, relatives, and associates be free from anger. May they be free from hostility. May they be free from adversity. May they be happy. May they be free from suffering. May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained. They are owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
Then extend Friendliness to all kinds of living beings: May all sentient things, all breathing things, all beings, all persons, all individuals, all women, all men, all Noble Ones, all ordinary persons, all deities, all human beings, all those destined for the states of loss, may all these individualities be free from anger. May they be free from hostility. May they be free from adversity. May they be happy. May they be free from suffering. May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained. All beings are the owners of their kamma and must inherit its results.
Finally, extend Friendliness in all directions: In the east, the south, the west, the north, the south-east, the south-west, the north-west, the north-east, below, and above. May all sentient things, all breathing things, all beings, all persons, all individuals, all women, all men, all Noble Ones, all ordinary persons, all deities, all human beings, all those destined for the states of loss, be free from anger. May they be free from hostility. May they be free from adversity. May they be happy. May they be free from suffering. May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained. All beings are the owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
The Blessed Buddha once said: Knowing that the other person is angry, The one who remains aware and calm acts in and for his own best interest, and for the other's interest, too! Samyutta Nikaya I, 162
Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages: One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! Udana IV, 7
Calm is his mind. Calm is his speech. Calm is his action. So is the tranquillity; So is the equanimity; of one freed by the insight of right understanding... Dhammapada 96
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!
Comments
What are the 8 Advantageous Kinds of Consciousness?
1: Unprompted consciousness joined both with joy and understanding.
Example: Knowing good merit one spontaneously gives a gift with joy!
2: Prompted consciousness joined both with joy and understanding.
Ex: Understanding merit one, now urged by others, gives a gift with joy.
3: Unprompted consciousness joined with joy, but not understanding.
Ex: Unaware of the good of merit one spontaneously gives a gift with joy.
4: Prompted consciousness joined with joy, but not understanding.
Ex: Not understanding merit one, incited by others, gives a gift with joy.
5: Unprompted consciousness joined with equanimity and understanding.
Ex: Knowing well good merit one spontaneously gives, yet in indifference.
6: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity and understanding.
Ex: Understanding merit one, now urged by others, gives in indifference.
7: Unprompted consciousness joined with equanimity, but not understanding.
Example: Unaware of any merit one spontaneously gives in indifference.
8: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity, but not understanding.
Example: Unaware of merit, urged on by others, one gives in indifference.
These are the 8 kinds of Advantageous Consciousness of the
Sensuous Sphere (lower worlds). 1 is the best, 8 the lowest.
The kammic return in form of pleasure is largest for the spontaneous
and unprompted actions, that is done by own initiative, and not after
request by others. This is so, since then they are part of the cause and
thus also will the partake of the advantageous delayed effect.
The delayed effect of all these mental states is happiness, joy & pleasure!
There are in total 89 kinds of Consciousness! All of them are mapped here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/table1.htm
More on the Advantageous (Kusala):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/kusala.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Clever_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Advantageous2.htm
Source: The Path of Purification XIV 81ff:
Visuddhimagga by Ariya Buddhaghosa from the 5th century AC.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100
The Visuddhimagga is Online free here:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/zips/vism.zip
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf
Knowing the Good!
What is Advantageous Consciousness?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Advantageous.htm
What are the 12 Detrimental Kinds of Consciousness?
Rooted in Greed (Lobha):
1: Unprompted consciousness joined with joy and false view.
Example: Greedy & careless one spontaneously enjoys sense pleasure.
2: Prompted consciousness joined with joy and false view.
Ex: Greedy & careless one urged by others enjoys sense pleasure.
3: Unprompted consciousness with joy, but not with false view.
Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one spontaneously enjoys sense pleasure.
4: Prompted consciousness joined with joy, but not with false view.
Ex: Greedy, though not careless, one incited enjoys sense pleasure.
5: Unprompted consciousness with equanimity and false view.
Ex: Greedy & careless one spontaneously and indifferent takes pleasure.
6: Prompted consciousness joined with equanimity & false view.
Ex: Greedy & careless one, urged on, still indifferent takes pleasure.
7: Unprompted consciousness with equanimity, but not with false view.
Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one spontaneously & bored takes pleasure.
8: Prompted consciousness with equanimity, but not with false view.
Ex: Greedy, yet not careless, one urged on takes pleasure indifferently.
The common false view is here: There is no danger in sense pleasure!
Addicted to sensing beings have been drawn back into birth & death
billions of times & thus killed by this sense pleasure billions of times!
Therefore is this clinging to sense pleasure as detrimental as it comes...
Rooted in Hate (Dosa):
9: Unprompted consciousness joined with sorrow and aversion.
Example: Angry and frustrated one spontaneously harms or kills .
10: Prompted consciousness joined with sorrow and aversion.
Example: Angry and frustrated one, urged on by others, harms or kills.
Rooted in Ignorance (Moha):
11: Consciousness joined with indifference, doubt and uncertainty.
Example: Confused one cannot make up one's mind, nor take any decision .
12: Consciousness joined with indifference, and restless agitation.
Example: Confused one remains distracted, scattered & mentally unsettled.
These are the 12 kinds of Disadvantageous & detrimental Consciousness of
the Sensuous Sphere (lower worlds). The delayed effect of all these is Pain!
There are in total 89 kinds of Consciousness. They are all mapped here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/table1.htm
Blissful is the overcoming of all sense-desires!
Blissful is being without passions in this world!
Blissful is being harmless towards all sentient beings...
Udana II, 1
More on the folly vanity of desire for simple Sense Pleasure (Hedonism):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Why_Not.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.1-2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Charcoal_Pit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4c.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Catastrophic.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fire_of_Sense-Desire.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_of_the_Flesch_and_Beyond.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Happiness_of_the_Flesh_and_Beyond.htm
Source: The Path of Purification XIV 81ff:
Visuddhimagga by Ariya Buddhaghosa from the 5th century AC.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100
The Visuddhimagga is Online free here:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/zips/vism.zip
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/PathofPurification2011.pdf
Ignorance is not knowing and not understanding the 4 Noble Truths!
Knowing the Bad!
What is Disadvantageous?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
What are the Five Mental Abilities making one Safe?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these five abilities. What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)
When, Bhikkhus, a Noble Disciple understands as they really
are the gratification, the danger, and the escape regarding
these five abilities, then he is called a Noble Disciple, who is a
stream-enterer, no longer bound to the lower worlds, fixed in
destiny, with enlightenment as his assured future destination!
On these 5 Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Origin_of_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 193] 48 The Mental Abilities: 2 Stream-Enterer..
Have a nice able day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 5 Abilities!
The Mental Abilities Design your Future!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities.htm
What is Characteristic of the 5 Mental Abilities?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these 5 mental abilities (indriya). What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Faith ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is convinced by the reality of the unexcelled
enlightenment of the Tathagata thus: The Blessed One is indeed an Arahat,
perfectly self-enlightened, consummated in knowledge and behaviour, well
transcended, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable trainer of those who can
be tamed, teacher and guide both of devas and as well of humans, the self
Enlightened Buddha, the all Blessed One... This is called the Faith ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Energy ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple lives while enthusiastically eliminating any
detrimental mental state and while gradually achieving advantageous mental
states. In this he is strong, determined, not shirking any good opportunity to
cultivate advantageous mental states... This is called the Energy ability!
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Awareness ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is aware by possessing supreme awareness
of the present and memory of the past. He is one who remembers and
recollects both what actually was done and what was said long, long ago.
This is called the ability of Awareness...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Concentration ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple gains Concentration, gains absorption into
the object, having made release the object. This is indeed called the
Concentration ability...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the Understanding ability?
It is when the Noble Disciple is clever by possessing understanding of
the continual arising & passing away, which is Noble & cutting through,
leading to the complete destruction of Suffering. This is indeed called
the Understanding ability...
These fine five qualities, Bhikkhus & Friends, are the 5 mental abilities!
On These Five Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 197] 48 The Mental Abilities (Indriya): 9 Analysis..
The Ability Analysis!
What are the Characteristics of the 5 Abilities?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm
Life is short, difficult, unknown and surely Lethal!
The Blessed Buddha once pointed out:
The life of mortals here is difficult, brief, unknown, without any guarantees and
it is always joined with the inherent misery of ageing, decay, sickness and death!!!
For there is no chance, that one born will not die! To die is the nature of all beings.
Just as for ripe fruit, there is constantly fear of falling, even so do all beings also
constantly fear death. Just as clay-pots all break up sooner or later, even so is the
life of all mortals. Whether young or old, foolish or wise, all of them will surely die!
When they are overcome by death, going from here to the next existence, no one,
neither father, son, or family can protect the mortal, who is led away like a cow to
be slaughtered. And that even while the wailing relatives are actually looking on...
This world is irreversibly infected by death, sickness and old age. Knowing this as
unavoidable absolute, wise men do not grieve, but accept this very fact just as it is.
Lamenting over a mortal is utterly useless. One whose path one cannot know, seeing
neither from where he came, nor where he is going, cannot be helped by moaning!
Any wise can realize, that lamentation just harms oneself, serving no good purpose..
And this is true, whether it is oneself or another who is dying: Weeping won't help!
Sutta-Nipata verses 574-583 Edited excerpt.
More on this inevitable fact of Death (Marana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/End_Making.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ageing_Again.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Problem.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Momentary_Life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ageing_and_Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Inevitable_but_not_the_End.htm
Have a nice, noble and realistic day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Thorn!
Already naked: Dead, but not Proud...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Thorn.htm
Seeing the Transience in all Constructions Releases Mind!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
What, Ananda, is the experience of the transience in all constructions?
It is when the Bhikkhu feels horror, disgust, and repulsing repugnance with
all formations, with all constructions, with all phenomena, with all states...
This itself is the very experience of the transience of all constructions...
Instantly, Inevitably and Invariably: All States break up, fade away & vanish...
More on impermanence, inconstancy, & transience (Anicca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Internal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 10:60, AN V 108ff.
Girimananda Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The inevitable Transience!
Seeing the Impermanence of all Phenomena Releases the Mind!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
The Buddha's Speech on Friendliness:
What should the clever one advantageously do:
To attain this State called Peace, is this:
He should be intelligent, straight, honest,
Humble, gentle and never proud,
Contented, and easy to support,
Not busy, careful, and silenced…
In abilities & senses, cautious, and modest,
Neither flattering families, nor be demanding.
He should not do even a minor trifle at all,
That other wise men might criticize!
Then he should think:
May all beings be joyous and safe!
Let every creature's mind rejoice.
Whatever breathing beings there are,
No matter whether feeble or firm,
With none excepted, whether long;
Tall, big, medium, short or small;
Whether seen or unseen, visible or not;
Whether living far away or near, here or there;
Whether existing or just about to come into being;
Let every living being's mind be exultantly jubilant!
Let no one ever kill or another one undo,
Nor ever harm anyone anywhere at all...
Let no one wish for another any even minor evil,
neither from provocation, nor from revenge.
Thus, as a mother with her own life
Might guard her son, her only baby child, thus
Should he maintain an infinite friendliness :-)
for every living being, in gentle sympathy for
this entire universe, unlimited, endless and vast!
Above, below, and all around, unimpeded,
without any hatred, purged of all enmity!
Whether standing, walking, seated or lying down
while slumbering, he should always maintain such
Awareness of gentle and benevolent kindness...
This is the Divine Abiding here, they say!
He that do not traffic with various views,
Perfected in seeing what is right and wrong,
Purged of lust for sense-pleasures, he will
surely not come back here to any womb...
More on Friendliness (Metta) & Friendship: (The Pali root word is Mitta = Friend)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Symbiotic_Sympathy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The-Effective_Saw.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_11_Advantages.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Evaporated_Enemy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Genuine_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blazing_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Cosmic_Goodness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Unbounded_Mind.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Goodness_Galore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Loving-Kindness.htm
Source: Minor Readings and the Illustrator
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=130231
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Friendly is Mettaah :-)
The Buddha's Speech on Friendliness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Hatred Hurts all Beings, yet mostly the Hater!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Whoever in revenge repays Hate with Hate,
Is even worse, than he who Hated first!
Whoever to the Hater returns no Hate,
Is winning a difficult mental Battle!
Since he is saving both himself and
the other being too from much pain.
The Hero, when seeing others in anger,
Remains calm & clearly comprehending...
SN 7:2
Danger of Anger:
The Hater does not understand what is good,
Nor does he wish to see any of the real truth,
For cruel gloom and darkness reign supreme,
When fiery Hatred overpowers a man.
Even when the Hater puts the brake,
And with difficulty stop his outburst,
He still suffers from frantic burning within.
Agitated he looks, inflamed & smoking hot!
Later again all-consuming Hate may burst
And set ablaze all beings in fear & alarm.
The Hater knows no shame, no moral fear,
The Hater speaks hurting and impolite,
And overpowered by his Hate,
He nowhere any shelter or calm ever finds.
Oneself is everyone's best friend,
Everyone loves himself most,
Yet in rage one kills oneself by Hate,
Made blind by puffed pride & self-conceit!
Who others deprive of life and joy,
Will to his own good life put an end,
Ruining his own future health and life,
With Hatred poisoned and overpowered,
Is all unaware of what atrocity he commits.
Thus, of this crime of Hate there may result
A deadly future real, yet now quite hidden!
Therefore: Break all this Danger of Anger,
hidden within mind, to pieces by self-control,
With insight, with understanding, with effort!
Any intelligent clearly seeing sound man will
naturally try to subdue his own evil tendency,
So should you practise all advantageous good,
So that no resentment, or bitter anger may arise.
Redeemed from Hate, recovered from Anger,
Released from Despair, Rid of Greed, from Envy Freed,
The Tamed Ones having eliminated and discarded Hate,
Reach Nibbana saliently smiling and silenced,
All freed from this vicious wrong.,,
AN 7:60
The Cure is: Metta: 4 Infinitely Divine States (Appamañña Brahma-Vihara):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
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/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The-Effective_Saw.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Anger is Danger!
Why burn yourself up from inside?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hot_Hostile_Hate.htm
How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance?
Vap Poya day is the full-moon of October. This holy day celebrates the
end of the Bhikkhu's three months rains retreat and marks the Kathina
month of robes , where lay people donate a set of robes to the Sangha.
This also celebrates the day that Buddha began to teach the Abhidhamma!
The Buddha descending from the Tusita Level after having spent a rains
retreat there explaining the Abhidhamma to the assembled devas during
a single three months long speech! His biological mother Mahamaya, who
died 7 days after his birth, and was reborn there as a deva, was present.
He is followed down by the deva rulers Sakka and Maha-Brahma.
More about this Higher Abhidhamma Science:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/abhi/index.html
More about the Kathina Ceremony:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kathina_Ceremony.htm
The Kathina Ceremony of giving robes to the Maha-Sangha and receive blessing merit thereby!
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the
Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, 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 & head touch the floor.
Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines
in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's
own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much
better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to
this world! So is the start towards Nibbana: the Deathless Element!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and
fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps even 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 hereby ..." signed with
name, date, town & country to me or join here. A public list of this new
quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
The True Noble Community of Buddha's Disciples: Saddhamma Sangha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Can quite advantageously be Joined Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
May your journey hereby be light, swift and sweet. Never give up !!
Bhikkhu Samahita: what.buddha.said@gmail.com
For Details on The Origin of Uposatha Observance Days:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html
For the 2010 Calendar of Uposatha Observance Days:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/various/Poya.Uposatha.Observance_days.2010.htm
What are the Fruits of the 5 Mental Abilities?
The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)
These are the five abilities.
One who has completed and fulfilled these five abilities is an Arahat.
If they are weaker than that, then one is practising for the fruit
of Arahat-ship; if still weaker, one is a non-returner; if still weaker,
then one is practising for the reaching the fruit of non-returning;
if still weaker, one is a once-returner; if still weaker, one is training
for the realization of the fruit of once-return; if still weaker, one
is a stream-enterer; if still weaker, one is striving for stream-entry!
Thus, Bhikkhus, one who activates the 5 abilities fully succeeds fully;
one who activates them partly succeeds partly. Therefore, I tell you:
These five abilities, Bhikkhus, are not barren of resulting fruition...
But, I tell you, that one in whom these five abilities are completely &
totally absent is an outsider, one who remains an ordinary worldling!
On These Five Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Origin_of_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 202] 48 The Mental Abilities: 18 Training..
The 4 Able Fruits!
What are the Fruits of the 5 Mental Abilities?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
The Power of Insight Purifies any Mind!
In what sense is insight a power?
Understanding impermanence, it is not disappointed by expecting endurance!
Knowing suffering, it is not excited, even when experiencing sense pleasure!
Comprehending no-self, it is not deceived by an apparent, yet imaginary ego!
Apprehending disgust, it is not obsessed by the delight of the adored object.
Appreciating disillusion, it does not get addicted, when influenced by greed..
Recognizing ceasing as peace, it does not get hooked on any form of arising..
Realizing relinquishment, it is not perturbed by any panic induced by clinging!
Insight does neither waver, nor vacillate, nor hesitate, as if in ignorance...
Nor is it indecisive, as if in doubt or uncertainty. Thus is insight a Power...!!!
Vism 703
More on Insight (Vipassana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_18_Principal_Insights.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/vipassanaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Catching_the_Snake.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Insight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/In_this_very_Life.htm
Have a nice visionary day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Power of Insight!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Power_of_Insight.htm
Calm (samatha) & Insight (vipassana):
There are two principal kinds of mental development:
1: Development of mental tranquillity and calm (samatha-bhavana)
culminating in the development of concentration (samadhi-bhavana)
And!
2: Development of insight (vipassana-bhavana) culminating in the
development of understanding (pañña-bhavana).
Both qualities: Calm and Insight, are essential & crucial for release!
Tranquil Calm (samatha) is the pleasant, peaceful, yet lucid state of
a settled mind acquired as a preliminary to meditative absorption.
It blesses the meditator with 3 things: Happy life, happy rebirth, &
a mental purity suitable for gaining progressive penetrating insight!
Concentration is a necessary prerequisite for such cutting insight..
Why so? It removes distractions that veil the investigating vision!
Insight is that which leads to entrance of the 4 stages of Nobility..
Why so? It irreversibly removes gross & latent mental hindrances!
The term samadhi literally means ~being firmly put evenly together
(sam + a+ dha) & is mental state focused on only one single object=
cittassaekaggata, which literally means ~ one-pointedness of mind.
Any state of consciousness has a degree of mental concentration!
One may distinguish these four stages or levels of concentration:
1: Momentary or transient concentration (khanika-samadhi),
2: Preliminary or preparing concentration (parikamma-samadhi),
3: Access or approaching concentration (upacara-samadhi),
4: Absorption or attainment concentration (appana-samadhi).
Insight (vipassana) is the penetrative understanding, gained by only
direct meditative experience of the inherent transience, misery, &
selflessness (anicca, dukkha, anatta) of all physical & mental states
of existence all included in these 5 clusters (khandha) of clinging:
form, feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness.
Bhavana is derived from the causative form of the verbal root bhu,
bhavati = to be, to become, causing to be, making come into being,
the calling into existence of, the production of or development of.
When applied to Mental Training this simply means Meditation...
Simultaneous Calm and Insight! Photo: The Kawasakis
More on Insight (Vipassana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_18_Principal_Insights.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
Calm and Insight!
The Dual Advantage of Mental Training:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Insight.htm
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
How to train Rejoicing Joy in others Success?
When sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes:
May I radiate and meet only never-ending and mutually rejoicing joy!
May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and find
only celebration and elation in a never-ending mutually rejoicing joy!
May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, and the formless plane
develop and encounter this generous, infinite and mutually rejoicing joy!
May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left, and below as
above, develop and experience openhearted, sharing, & mutually rejoicing joy!
May I and all beings within this city, country, planet and universe always:
Be fully aware and deeply mindful of this content and mutually rejoicing joy!
Examine all details & aspects of this satisfied and mutually rejoicing joy!
Put enthusiastic effort in our praxis of this devoted mutually rejoicing joy!
Enjoy enraptured jubilant gladness in this exulting mutually rejoicing joy!
Be silenced by the tranquillity of quiet and all smiling mutually rejoicing joy!
Be concentrated & absorbed into one-pointedness by genuine rejoicing joy!
Dwell in an imperturbable equanimity of pure and mutually rejoicing joy...
Yeah! May it be even so, since mutual joy causes the jewel of contentment!
Comment: Mutual Joy is the 3rd infinite mental state (Appamañña):
This gradually reduces all envy, jealousy, possessiveness, stinginess, avarice
miserliness, green covetousness and unhappiness related with all these states.
The cause of Mutual Joy in rejoicing in your child's or boon companion's success.
This same joy can then be beamed towards all liked, neutral and hostile beings.
Mutual Joy is then the proximate cause of satisfied and fulfilled Contentment...
Lack of mutual joy is thus the proximate cause of dissatisfied discontentment...
Joined with the 7 links to Awakening it will later cause a formless jhana...
Be happy at all and especially other being's success! Then calm comfort grows!
More on Mutual Joy (Mudita):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Rejoicing_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Mutual Joy causes Contentment!
Rejoicing Joy!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
Which 5 Mental Abilities give Final Knowledge?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these 5 mental abilities (indriya). What five?
The ability of Faith (saddha)
The ability of Energy (viriya)
The ability of Awareness (sati)
The ability of Concentration (samadhi)
The ability of Understanding (pañña)
These are the five abilities.
When a Bhikkhu has understood as they really are the gratification,
the danger, and the escape in the case of these five abilities, then
this Bhikkhu is released by non-clinging, then he is called an Arahat,
one whose mental fermentations are eliminated, who has completed
the Noble life, who has done what should be done, put down the burden,
reached his own goal, utterly broken the chains of ever new rebecoming,
one who is completely liberated through final knowledge...
On These 5 Mental Abilities (indriya) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Origin_of_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Finding_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruits_of_the_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_the_Abilities.htm
For Details on the 3 or 4 Mental Fermentations (asava) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Naturally_Radiant.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/aasava.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Proximate_Cause.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Three_Fermentations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Freed_from_Fermentation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_9_Supremes_Explained.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 194] 48 The Mental Abilities: 4 Arahat..
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Final Knowledge!
Which Abilities induce Ultimate Understanding?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
Inner Tranquillity is a Mental Power!
In what sense is calm a power? In the 1st jhana this mental calm does not
waver even when attacked by the 5 mental hindrances, thus is calm a power!
In the 2nd jhana this serenity does not flicker even by thoughts or thinking,
thus is calm a power... In the subtle mental sphere of neither perception nor
non-perception, this tranquil composure does not hesitate being faced with
void empty nothingness, thus is calm a power! Such silenced imperturbability
can neither waver, nor vacillate, nor hesitate in any fluctuating indecisiveness
despite being provoked by agitation, confusion, distraction or perturbation,
therefore is calmness a power. Such is the power of calm: The calm power!
Vism 703
More on this Serene Calm (Samatha) Tranquil Ease:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Calm.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Silenced.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Insight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Tranquil_One.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
Have a nice calm day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Calm Power!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Calm_Power.htm
Honest Truth is the 7th Mental Perfection:
Honesty is Trust
Honesty is Truthful
Honesty is Guarantee
Honesty is Confidence
Honesty is Consistence
Honesty is Convincing
Honesty is Certainty
Honesty is Credibility
Honesty is Reliability
Honesty is Authenticity
Honesty is Integrity
Honesty is Accuracy
Honesty is Commitment
Honesty is Sincerity
Honesty is Security
Honesty is Reality
Honesty is a Must!
Honesty characteristically never deceives, it's function is to verify what
is actual and factual. Honesty's manifestation is sheer excellence...
Sincere and exact truthfulness is the proximate cause of honesty!
All evil states and crimes converge upon transgression of Truth...
Devotion to Truth is the only reliable foundation of all Nobility!
Like The Buddha demand of your own mind:
You have to give me an honest answer, understand! I won't accept anything
phony. And once you've answered, you have to stick to that very answer and
not slide or glide around. Don't be a traitor to yourself! Be sober & straight!
Therefore: Accept now this 4th training rule of avoiding all false speech!
If one is not true to the Buddha's teachings, the Buddha's teachings will
not be true to oneself, either! That Dhamma, which is used as a costume,
surface, uniform or alibi, does not bear fruit, as it's intention is not true!
True Honesty, however, makes you quite worthy of respect!
If one is painstakingly honest towards oneself, one thereby also becomes
meticulously honest towards others. If one on the contrary deceives oneself,
believing own lies, one automatically also deceives others, betraying them.
Honesty, however, always makes you quite worthy of respect...
Make an island of yourself, be your own light and illumination,
make yourself your only safe haven; there is no other protection.
Make Truth your only island, make Truth your sole refuge;
Make Truth your only lamp; there is no other luminosity.
Digha Nikaya, 16
The straight person, self-controlled, keeping precepts,
open and honest, is both worthy and fit for the yellow robe.
The hiding person, imposting, immoral, keeping secrets,
not honest, is neither worthy, nor fit for the yellow robe.
Dhammapada 9+10
Overcome the furious by friendship.
Overcome the evil one by goodness.
Overcome the miser by generosity;
Overcome the liar by truth.
Dhammapada 223
The one who destroys life;
The one who speaks false;
The one who takes what is not given;
The one who mates with another's partner;
The one who is addicted to drugs or alcohol;
Such one - even in this world - digs up his own root!
Dhammapada 246-47
They who falsely declare: "That happened" about what did not happen, or:
"I did not do that" about what they actually did, they earn themselves a
ticket to grilling in Hell.
Dhammapada 306
More of the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
Have a nice, honest and noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Truth always Triumphs!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Truth_Triumphs.htm
Patience is the 6th Perfection:
The characteristic of patience is acceptance, its function is to endure,
and its manifestation is non-opposing tolerance! The cause of patience
is understanding how things really are.. The effect of patience is calm
tranquility despite presence of intensely stirring provocation..
Patience of the will produces forgiving forbearance!
Patience of the intellect produces faith, confidence and certainty!
Patience of the body produces resolute and tenacious endurance!
Internal tolerance of states within oneself is patient endurance...
External tolerance of other beings is forbearance and forgiveness...
He who patiently protects himself, protects also all other beings!
He who patiently protects all other beings, protects also himself!
Not from speaking much is one called clever.
The patient one is free from anger and free from fear,
only such steady persisting one, is rightly called clever...
Dhammapada 258
Patient tolerance is the highest praxis...
Nibbana is the supreme Bliss!
So say all the Buddhas.
Dhammapada 184
The innocent one, who has done nothing wrong,
Who endures abuse, flogging and even imprisonment,
Such one, armed with stamina, the great force of tolerance,
Such stoic one, who self-possessed can accept, I call a Holy One!
Dhammapada 399
One should follow those who are determined, tolerant, and enduring,
intelligent, wise, diligent, clever, good-willed and evidently Noble.
One shall stick to them as the moon remains in its regular orbit.
Dhammapada 208
Friends, even if bandits were to cut you up, savagely, limb by limb,
with a two-handled saw, you should not get angry, but do my bidding:
Remain pervading them and all others with a friendly Awareness imbued
with an all-embracing good-will, kind, rich, expansive, and immeasurable!
Free from hostility, free from any ill will. Always remembering this very
Simile of the Saw is indeed how you should train yourselves.
Majjhima Nikaya 21
The five ways of removing irritating annoyance:
Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing annoyance, by which any
irritation can be entirely removed by a Bhikkhu, when it arises in him.
What are these five ways?
1: Friendliness can be maintained towards an irritating person or state..
2: Understanding can be undertaken towards an irritating person or state..
3: On-looking Equanimity can be kept towards an irritating person or state..
4: One can forget and ignore the irritating person, mental or physical state..
5: Ownership of Kamma of the irritating person can be reflected upon thus:
This good person is owner of his actions, inherit the result his actions, is
indeed born of his actions and only he is responsible for his actions be they
good or bad. This too is how annoyance with the irksome can be instantly
removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, and by which any
irritation can be entirely removed in a friend, exactly when it arises...
Anguttara Nikaya V 161
More on the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
How to be a Worthy Lay Disciple!
The Buddha once explained how:
I will tell you the way of life of a householder, who becomes a good disciple.
Laying aside all violence, he would not kill a living creature, nor cause to kill,
nor allow others to kill. He should deliberately avoid taking anything, which
has not been freely given. Neither should he cause to steal, nor allow others
to steal. He should not transgress against another's wife. When gone to the
audience hall, court or assembly, he should neither speak false himself, nor
cause others to speak false, deceive or pretend. He should avoid all untruth.
He should also avoid intoxicating drinks and drugs, nor cause to drink, nor
allow others to drink or take drugs, since intoxication causes carelessness!
Intoxication makes negligent fools commit evil deeds accumulating demerit.
He should neither eat food at night, nor wear jewellery, nor use perfume...
He should sleep on a low couch or on the ground on a mat. For this they say
is the eight-fold fast day observance, declared by the Buddha, who has gone
beyond all suffering. Having kept this fast day every fortnight, with a clear
mind, rejoicing, he should in the morning share suitable food with the Sangha
of Bhikkhus. He should support his mother & father by making honest trade.
A vigilant householder living this Noble way of life is reborn among the devas
who shines bright... Sn 393-404
More on the Best Buddhist Praxis:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/uposatha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Happy_Habbit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Best_Protection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Back_to_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Best_Buddhist_Praxis.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_I.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_II.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_III.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_IV.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_V.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_VI.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_VII.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_VIII.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddhist_Life_Standards_Law_1.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddhist_Life_Standards_Law_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddhist_Life_Standards_Law_3.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddhist_Life_Standards_Law_4.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Success is having Buddha as Teacher!
The Good Disciple...
Energy is the 5th Mental Perfection:
Energy means enthusiasm, effort, exertion and interest!
Energy means eagerness, endeavor, initiative and intensity!
Energy means action, force, power, drive and hyper keenness!
Energy means devotion, dedication, determination & commitment!
Energy means enjoyment :-)
Energy pave the way for success in all and any project ...
Energy is thereby instrumental for all the perfections!
Without Energy no achievement can ever be accomplished..
The proximate cause for Energy is a sense of urgency!
The characteristic of Energy is Striving, its function is
Effort, and the manifestation of Energy is Endurance.
The Blessed Buddha said about the perfection of Energy:
Get up! Sit up!
Of what use are your dreams ?
How can you sleep, when mentally sick,
stabbed by the arrow of urge and craving.
Sutta Nipata 331
Get up! Sit up!
Push on your training, until reaching pure peace!
Don't let the king of death -Mara- see you sloppy and
thus delude and dominate you like a stringed toy doll...
Sutta Nipata 332
Possessed of Energy and Endurance
be always Earnest in your training.
The clever one is not satisfied before the final
goal of ending all misery is completely achieved.
Theragatha 585
It is too cold, it's too hot, it's too early, it is too late!
Such bad excuses, makes one give up the training and
miss one more precious opportunity to end suffering...
DN 31
This straight and Noble Way has now been clearly shown:
Don’t hesitate, walk forward and do not turn around.
Urge yourself to advance further by your own Energy!
Only thus will you obviously approach and attain Nibbana!
Theragatha 637
The efforts to prevent and to eliminate all evil.
The efforts to develop and to maintain all good.
These are the 4 right efforts, taught by the Buddha.
AN II 17
And what, friends, is feeding the Energy Link to Enlightenment,
not yet arisen, & food too for boosting of any present Energy ?
1: The element of initial initiative,
2: The element of launching into action,
3: The element of persistent endurance.
Systematic attention to these 3 aspects, is feeding your Energy
and is boosting any already present Energy.
Samyutta Nikaya XLVI 51 Bojjhanga-samyutta
When Moggallana where sitting nodding in the jungle night:
Well then, Moggallana, whatever experience you had in mind when
drowsiness demoralized you down, don't attend to that experience,
don't follow it. Remember instead the Dhamma, as you have heard &
memorized it, reflect on & examine it! Then raise up & repeat aloud
the details of Dhamma, as you have learnt it! Then pull both your
earlobes and rub your limbs with both your hands.! Then get up from
your seat, and after washing your eyes with cold water, look around
and upward in all directions and identify the major stars & planets!
Then attend to the experience of inner light, resolve on the clear
perception of daytime, by night as by day, and by day as by night!
By means of an Awareness thus open, unhindered & vivid, develop the
bright mind. Its possible, that by doing this, you will shake off your
lethargy... But if by doing this you don't shake off your laziness,
then continually noting what is both in front and behind set of a
distance to meditate walking back and forth, your senses inwardly
settled, while your mind is not getting lost outwards. It is possible
that by doing this you will shake off all your mental sluggishness...
Anguttara Nikaya VII 58
Brahmavihãra Meditation gives Infinite Joy![/size]
Training Universal Friendliness induces unalloyed Joy!
Cultivating Boundless Pity enables tranquil Tolerance!
Developing Mutual Joy produces deep Contentment!
Refining Equanimity establishes calming Serenity!
The Blessed Buddha repeatedly explained:
May all creatures, all breathing things,
all beings one and all, without exception,
experience joy and good fortune only.
May they not fall into any harm!
Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
With good will for the entire cosmos,
Cultivate a limitless & infinite heart:
Above, as below, across & all around,
Unobstructed, without any hostility.
Sutta Nipata I, 8
Overcome the angry by friendliness;
Overcome the wicked by goodness;
Overcome the miser by generosity;
Overcome the liar by truth.
Dhammapada 223
Train yourself in doing only pure good...
That lasts and brings great happiness!
Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living,
and a mentality of infinite friendliness!
Itivuttaka 16
Joy creating is Meditation on the 4 infinite Brahmaviharas:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Higher_Release.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Released_by_GoodWill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Grace_of_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unsurpassable_Radiance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_and_Divine_Classic.htm
Have a nice joyous day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
[color=#0000FF]Blazing Goodwill produces Infinite Joy!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blazing_Goodwill.htm
Envy and Jealousy is a mix of Greed and Hate!
How to cure these agonizing mental states of Envy & Jealousy:
1: Review the Danger in Envy and Jealousy like this:
This Acid is eating up my mind from within! All joy & happiness is destroyed!
2: Know that Envy arises because one wants something that others have!
The aversion towards these persons arise due to greed for a desired object.
Wanting=greed is craving towards an object, while aversion=hate is craving
away from an object. All forms of Craving causes Suffering! Know that Envy
and Jealousy is the proximate cause of Discontent and Dissatisfaction!
3: Envy is cured by rejoicing in others success= Mutual Joy! (Mudita) like:
How good that this being, having done good in the past, now earns the well
deserved fruit!!! Thus one substitutes a disadvantageous mental state with
an advantageous mental state. Know that this subtle Mutual Joy! (Mudita) is
the proximate cause of Contentment! Contentment is the highest Treasure...
4: Begin and Cultivate meditation on Infinite Mutual Joy:
Sit down a silent & empty place with closed eye and beam from the heart:
May I be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, popular & praised!
May my friends be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised!
May my enemies be successful, rich, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised!
May all in this village be successful, beautiful, famous, intelligent, & praised!
May all in this country be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, & praised!
May all on this earth be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised!
May all in this galaxy be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised!
May all in the universe be successful, rich, beautiful, intelligent, and praised!
Beaming this tender sympathy out from the heart first out in front, the right,
left, back, above as below, so gradually expanding beyond the limitations of
space and into the infinitude! When a cause is infinite, so will be the effect!
5: Keep on doing that 15-45 min every day. Note the difference in day joy!
May all beings rejoice in Mutual Joy celebrating all beings success & progress!
One should not despise any giving.
One should neither envy others.
One who envy others cannot attain absorption
and will never enter any concentrated trance.
Dhammapada 365
Neither nice speech, nor serene behaviour
Makes one accomplished, if one is still
Possessed of envy, miserliness or deceit.
Dhammapada 262
Absorbed in distractions,
Not paying appropriate attention,
Giving up the goal, following after the pleasant,
One comes to envy those, who enjoy right effort!
Dhammapada 209
How to cure envy and jealousy by substitution with the opposite see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Rejoicing_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Wrong.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Have a nice rejoicing & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Envy and Jealousy is a Mix of Greed and Hate!
Envy and Jealousy!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Envy_and_Jealousy.htm
What are the qualities of Nibbâna?
Nibbana is:
Total ease, complete calm, absolute freedom, perfect happiness & pure peace…
Absence of any uncertainty, doubt, confusion, any delusion and all ignorance…
Presence of confidence, certainty, understanding all, and direct experience…
Absence of any greed, lust, desire, urge, attraction, hunger, and temptation…
Presence of imperturbable and serene composure in an all stilled equanimity…
Absence of all hate, anger, aversion, hostility, irritation, & stubborn rigidity…
Presence of universal goodwill: An infinite & all-embracing friendly kindness…
Nibbana is not a place, not an idea, not a fantasy deception, not a conceit,
not a conception, not a cause, not an effect, not finite, not definable,
not formed, not begun, not ending, not changing, not temporal, but lasting…
Nibbana is unborn, unbecome, unmade, uncreated, uncaused, unconditioned,
and unconstructed, yet ultimately real…
Nibbana is void of eye, visible objects & visual consciousness, void of ear,
sounds & auditory consciousness, void of nose, smells & smell consciousness,
void of tongue, tastes & gustatory consciousness, void of body, touch & tactile
consciousness and void of mind, thoughts and mental consciousness…
Pure Peace @ Rest …
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Hard it is to see the unconstructed, the undistorted! This independent state
is not easily realized. Craving is all cut for the One, who knows, since he sees,
that there is nothing to cling to ... !!! Udana – Inspiration: VIII - 2
In any dependence there is bound to be instability. In free independence there
cannot be any instability. When there is no liable instability, no feeble wavering,
there is a quiet calm, stillness, serenity and peace.
When there is such solid tranquillity, then there is no tendency to drift,
no attraction, neither any mental push, nor any pull, nor any strain of appeal
or repulsion. When there is no attraction, no drift, no bending, then there is
no movement, no development, and neither any coming, & much less any going.
Neither any starting, nor any ending occurs... When there is neither any coming,
nor any going, then there is neither any ceasing, nor any re-appearance...
There being neither ceasing, nor reappearing, then there is neither any here,
there, beyond, nor in between... This – just this – is the End of Suffering.
Udana – Inspiration: VIII - 4
Having understood this unconstructed state, released in mind, with the chain
to becoming eliminated, they attain to the sublime essence of all states.
Delighting in the calmed end of craving, those steady Noble Ones have left all
being & becoming behind.
Nibbana is The Highest Bliss!
One, who so knows, sees, that there is nothing to cling to ...
More on this uncreated state - Nibbana (Sanskrit = Nirvana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Peace.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Final_Freedom.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/climax_of_calm.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Reaching_Peace.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2_Nibbanas.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Nibbana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Proximate_Cause.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Nibbana_or_non-return.htm
Pure is Peace...
Nibbana is The Highest Bliss!
One, who so knows, understands that there is nothing to cling to...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Peace.htm
What are the 3 Supramundane Mental Abilities?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these three supramundane abilities. What three?
1: The ability to come to know, what one did not yet know...
2: The ability to gradually achieve the highest and final wisdom...
3: The ability of one, who dwells in the highest and final wisdom...
These are the three supreme supramundane abilities. (añña-indriya)
For Details on the general Abilities (indriya) & Final Knowledge (añña) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/annaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Knowledge.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Final_Knowledge.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Final_Freedom.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 204] 48 The Mental Abilities: 23 Final Wisdom..
Have a nice knowing day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Final Wisdom!
What are the 3 Supramundane Abilities?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Wisdom.htm
Hey Friend: Refine your Mind!
Every friend is an extension of me. Every friend has taught me what I am.
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who cared me, loved me,
and gave me a warm experience of the feeling of love?
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who made me feel that I am
so beautiful, and given me the feeling of being on the top of the world?
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who has given me the knowledge
and helped me to stand in front of the world with the feeling of security.
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who went away from me and
gave me the experience of detachment from loved ones and loneliness?
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who cheated me and thereby
gave me the experience of the feelings of hate and anger?
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who left me and found another
friend and thereby gave me experience of jealousy?
How can I not be thankful to those friends, who put me down and made me
inferior by showing my weakness, giving me the experience of deprivation?
How can I not be thankful to ALL those friends, who just made me think
that my mind is in the control of others and nothing is in my own control?
One day I sat in the corner of my room, thinking and thinking, looking here
and there, and then saw what: A glance at a book of Buddha!
How can I not be thankful towards the Buddha who explained me compassion.
My dear friend, destroy these mental seeds of those feelings that control your mind.
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of hate?
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of anger?
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of jealousy?
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of greed?
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of laziness?
Why don’t you try to destroy these mental seeds of clinging?
These emotions are very harmful to your mind…
Reform your mind my dear friend!
Dhamma will teach you, how to reform nothing other than your mind!
Poem by: Deepali Nandeshwar deepsee30@gmail.com
Wonderful it is to train the mind,
so swiftly moving, seizing whatever it wants.
Good is it to have a well-trained mind,
for a well-trained mind brings happiness.
Dhammapada 35
More on Friendliness (Metta):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Loving-Kindness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Unbounded_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Cosmic_Goodness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Genuine_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Grace_of_Goodwill.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
Hey Friend!
Friendship is the Greatest!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Hey_Friend.htm
How does Lethargy & Laziness Suppress Mind?
A Brahmin Priest once asked the Blessed Buddha:
Master Gotama, what is the cause of being unable to remember even
something that has been memorized over a long period & also that which
has not been memorized?
Brahmin, when mind is retarded by lethargy & laziness, dimmed, detained
& dominated by lethargy and laziness, and one does not understand any
actual safe escape from this arisen lethargy and laziness, in that very
moment, one can neither see, nor understand, what is advantageous,
neither for oneself, nor for others, nor for both oneself and others.
Consequently, whatever have been memorized, cannot be remembered…
Why is this neglect so? Imagine a bowl of water covered with moss,
water plants and algae. If a man with good eye-sight were to inspect
the reflection of his own face in it, he would neither see, nor recognize
it, as it really is! So too, brahmin, when mind is slowed down by lethargy
and laziness, dimmed, detained and handicapped by lethargy & laziness,
on such occasions even texts long memorized do not recur to the mind,
not to speak of those texts, events and information, that have not been
actively memorized at all…
How to cure Laziness:
Attention to these 3 elements of: initiative, launching and endurance!
More on curing this common mental defilement: Laziness (Thina-middha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Curing_Lethargy_and_Laziness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/thiina_middha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Arousal_Get_Up_and_Going.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Suitable_Substitution.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Enthusiastic_is_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:122-3] section 46: The Links. 55: To Sangarava...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Laziness imprisons the Mind!
Lethargic Laziness...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Lethargy_and_Laziness.htm
How to cure Heavy Lethargy and Laziness!
Lethargy-&-Laziness may often be induced by self-destructive behaviour
such as: Alcohol, drugs, dope, pills, marihuana, sniffing, over-eating,
excessive masturbation and night-living. Such often life-long chemical or
behavioural causes of Lethargy-&-Laziness should be eradicated...
As long as this is not achieved one remains a phlegmatic & apathetic zombie,
drifting downwards due to inability to initiate advantageous behaviour.
Noticing Lethargy-&-Laziness (thina-middha) emerge can make it evaporate:
Herein, Bhikkhus, when Lethargy-&-Laziness is present in him, the bhikkhu
notes & understands: There is Lethargy-&-Laziness in me, and when this
Lethargy-&-Laziness is absent, he notes & understands: Now there is no
Lethargy-&-Laziness in me. He indeed also understands how yet unarisen
Lethargy-&-Laziness arises. He understands how to leave behind any arisen
Lethargy-&-Laziness, and he understands how left Lethargy-&-Laziness will
not arise again in the future. MN 10
What is the feeding cause that makes Lethargy-&-Laziness arise?
There are boredom, apathy, tiredness, lazy stretching of the body, heavy
drowsiness after too big meals, and mental sluggishness. Frequently giving
irrational and unwise attention to these mental states, this is the feeding
cause of the arising of yet unarisen Lethargy-&-Laziness, and the feeding
cause of worsening and deepening of already present Lethargy-&-Laziness.
SN 46:51
What is the starving cause that makes Lethargy-&-Laziness cease?
There is the quality of initiative. There is the quality of launching action.
There is the quality of tenaciously enduring persistence. Frequently giving
rational & wise attention to these three mental elements, is the starving
cause for the non-arising of unarisen Lethargy-&-Laziness, and the starving
cause for the arousing and stirring of already present Lethargy-&-Laziness.
SN 46:51
The Supreme Ideal:
Before the Buddha sat down to meditate in order to attain enlightenment,
he made this determination: May just all flesh and blood of this body dry up
into a stiff frame of only bones, tendons and skin... Not a second before
having achieved, what can be achieved by male strength, power, and energy,
will I rise from this seat... MN 70
How to stimulate the mind:
How does one stimulate the mind at a time when it needs stimulation?
If due to slowness of understanding or due to not having yet reached the
happiness of tranquillity, one's mind is dull, then one should rouse it through
reflecting on the eight objects stirring urgency. These 8 objects are: birth,
decay, disease & death; the suffering in hell, demon, ghost & animal world!
The suffering in the past and the the future rooted in this Samsara.
The suffering of the present rooted in the pursuit for food and living.
Vism. IV,63
Whoever lives in search & urge only or pleasure and beauty,
unguarded in senses, immoderately indulging in eating,
lazy, lethargic, inactive, dulled into apathy;
Such ones Mara sweeps away like breaking
a branch of a tiny bush ...
Dhammapada 7
Even if one should live a hundred years,
if lazy and idle, better it would be
to live but just a single day
striving with all one got.
Dhammapada 112
Rouse yourself! Sit up!
Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.
Do not let the king of death, seeing you
lazy, lead you astray and dominate you.
Sutta Nipata II, 10
The are 10 Perfect Mental Qualities!
Contemplation of the Ten Perfecting Qualities (Dasa Parami):
1: May I be generous and always helpfully giving service (Dana parami).
2: May I be morally pure, virtuous and well-disciplined (Sila parami).
3: May I be modest and withdrawing into simple living (Nekkhamma parami).
4: May I be wise by understanding what should be known (Pañña parami).
5: May I be enthusiastic, energetic, & never giving up the good (Viriya parami).
6: May I be patient, tolerant, and forgive other's wrongs (Khanti parami).
7: May I be honest, trustworthy, scrupulous, and truthful (Sacca parami).
8: May I be firm, resolute, determined, and immovable (Adhitthana parami).
9: May I be kind, gentle, compassionate and friendly (Metta parami).
10: May I be calm, balanced, serene and imperturbable (Upekkha parami).
May I train to be mentally perfect. May I be perfect to keep training!
More on these 10 Mental Perfections (Dasa Parami):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/paramii.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm
Source: BPS Wheel no 54 (Edited Excerpt):
The Mirror of the Dhamma. A Manual of Buddhist Devotional Texts.
By Narada Thera and Bhikkhu Kassapa. Revised By Bhikkhu Khantipalo:
http://www.bps.lk/wh054-u.html
Have a nice, noble and utterly perfect day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Perfection is Possible!
The 10 Perfect Qualities...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_10_Perfect_Qualities.htm
The 10 Perfect Qualities Explained:
The 10 Perfect Qualities (Dasa Parami) are:
1st Perfection: Generosity (Dana):
Just as a water pot turned upside down lets all its liquid run out, and takes
none of it back, so is the perfection of generosity not having the slightest
remorse over what has been given away, even when sacrificing everything!
2nd Perfection: Morality (Sila):
Just as a yak whose tail is caught in bush will rather die than to tear it off,
so consists the perfection of morality in being meticulously careful about
keeping all precepts and promises & not breaking them in any circumstance,
even if being threatened with death!
3rd Perfection: Withdrawal (Nekkhamma):
Just as one imprisoned in jail does not desire anything more intensely than
to get out of there, so the perfection of withdrawing renunciation consists
in the longing to get out of the prison of transitory existence & having only
this one wish: To spit out the impermanent, to be rid of it once and for all!
4th Perfection: Understanding (Pañña):
Just as a monk on alms-round neglects no house, but goes to all the families
without exception, so the perfection of understanding consists in leaving
no gaps, leaving nothing out, & of being ready to learn from all wise people,
who are more advanced, even though they may be younger than oneself.
5th Perfection: Energy (Viriya):
Just as a lion marshals his strength whether standing, going, or sitting even
so does the perfection of energetic & enthusiastic effort consist in keeping
on striving with initiative launching into action, that endures until fulfilment!
6th Perfection: Patience (Khanti):
Just as the great earth accepts even the most disgusting things thrown onto
it, so consists the perfection of patience in accepting slander, disgrace and
every disrespect without aversion, enduring them, while letting them pass.
7th Perfection: Honesty (Sacca):
Just as a star never strays from its fixed orbit, so consists the perfection
of honest truthfulness in not lying under any circumstances, not moving even
an inch from the actual and real truth for any trivial advantage whatsoever.
8th Perfection: Determination (Adhitthana):
Just as a mountain stands immoveable even in the strongest storm and is
incapable of being thrown over, so consists the perfection of determination
in remaining unshakeable in one's advantageous choices and not being able
to be distracted by anything when pursuing something good and beneficial.
9th Perfection: Friendliness (Metta):
Just as water refreshes and cleanses both just and unjust persons without
discrimination, so does the perfection of friendliness include both friends
and foes alike and doesn't display any distinction, favouritism, or partiality.
10th Perfection: Equanimity (Upekkha):
Just as the great earth remains unmoved and equanimous, avoiding like and
dislike whether one throws pure or impure things onto it, even so does the
perfection of equanimity consist in always remaining, calm and composed,
neither being repulsed nor attracted, whether by any pain or any pleasure.
Imperturbable even in strong conflicts as well as in the greatest success!
Sujata perfecting generosity by giving The Buddha his last meal before Awakening!
More on these 10 Mental Perfections (Dasa Parami):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/paramii.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_10_Perfect_Qualities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm
Source: Buddhavamsa II verses 117-166 (Edited Excerpt):
In: Similes of the Buddha: An introduction BP 427S by Hellmuth Hecker.
Tr. Ven. Khantipalo and Ven. Piyadhammo. Ed. Ven. Nyanatusita.
http://www.bps.lk
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 10 Perfect Similes!
Perfecting the Mind Perfects the World!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_10_Perfections_Explained.htm
Restlessness and Regret Agitates the Mind!
A Brahmin Priest once asked the Blessed Buddha:
Master Gotama, what is the cause of being unable to remember something
that has been memorized over a long period and also that which has not
been memorized?
Brahmin, when then mind is agitated by restlessness and regret, stressed,
agitated, troubled and tyrannized by restlessness and regret, & one does
neither know, nor understand any actual safe escape from this dominating
restlessness and regret, in that moment, then one can neither see, nor ever
understand what is advantageous, neither for oneself, nor for others, nor
for both oneself and for others. Then, consequently, even texts, that have
been long memorized, cannot be remembered. Why is this blind neglect so?
Imagine a bowl of water with the surface stirred up by wind into ripples,
undulations & small wavelets. If a man with good eye-sight were to inspect
the reflection of his own face in it, he would neither see nor recognize it,
as it really is! So too, brahmin, when the mind is distracted by restlessness
and regret, excited, anxious, distressed, worried, perturbed and upset by
restlessness and regret, on any such occasion even texts long memorized
do not recur to the mind, not to speak of those texts, events & knowledge,
that have not been memorized at all…
On how to prevent Restlessness & Regret (=curable anxiety):
1: Frequent systematic attention both to bodily and mental Tranquillity!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4c.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Curing_Restlessness_and_Regret.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:123] section 46: The Links. 55: To Sangarava...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Restlessness and Regret Agitates the Mind!
Restlessness and Regret!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Restlessness_and_Regret.htm
Curing the agitated Restlessness and the anxious Regret!
Noticing Restlessness-&-Regret arise can make it fade away:
When Restlessness-&-Regret is present, the bhikkhu notes & understands:
There is Restlessness-&-Regret in me, while when Restlessness-&-Regret is
absent, then he notes & understands: No Restlessness-&-Regret is in me.
He also understands well how unarisen Restlessness-&-Regret arises.
He understands how to leave behind any arisen Restlessness-&-Regret, and
he understands how left Restlessness-&-Regret will not arise again. MN 10
What is the feeding cause that makes Restlessness-&-Regret arise?
There are unrest, unsettledness, nervous unease, agitation & anxiety, often
giving irrational & unwise attention to such states, this is the feeding cause
of the arising of unarisen Restlessness-&-Regret, & the feeding cause of
worsening and exacerbation of already arisen Restlessness-&-Regret.
SN 46:51
What is the starving cause that makes Restlessness-&-Regret cease?
There is the mental state of serene tranquillity, calm, quietude, stillness,
imperturbability, peace, frequently giving rational & wise attention to this
exquisite mental state, is the starving cause for the non-arising of unarisen
Restlessness-&-Regret, & the starving cause for the dampening and calming
of Restlessness-&-Regret, that has already been stirred up. SN 46:51
Advantageous reflections whenever Restlessness-&-Regret is provoked:
When the mind is restless, it is the proper time for cultivating the following
factors of enlightenment: Tranquillity, Concentration and Equanimity,
because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them.
SN 46:53
Restlessness-&-Regret is like Slavery:
Just as when a man is a slave, not independent, but dependent on others,
unable to go where he likes, exactly & even so is restlessness since it forces
one into unwanted activity & destroys any ease & calm. Later he is set free
from slavery, is now independent, no longer dependent, a freeman who can
go where he wants. And at that he rejoices, is glad at heart...
Such is also the blissful freedom from restlessness.
DN 2
Deliberately Directing to a Conscious and Clever Center of Concentration:
Herein, Ananda, a Bhikkhu attends to this single Focus:
This is Real, this is Supreme, namely:
The Stilling of all mental Construction,
The Calming of all Restless Activity,
The Fading of all Concern and Anxiety,
The Cooling of all Temptation and Urge,
The Ending of all Longing and Craving,
The Exhaustion of all Fuel of Becoming,
Ceasing, Peace, Bliss, Freedom, Nibbana …
AN V 319
DOING GOOD = NO REGRET!
Here and now the good-doer rejoices! :-)
Even so after passing away and re-emerging,
the doer of good reaps only Joy & ease...
So both here and beyond, the wise with merit well done,
enjoys the purity of own prior good behaviour.
Dhammapada 15
DOING BAD = MUCH REGRET!
Here and now the bad-doer suffers... :-(
Even so after passing away and re-emerging,
the doer of wrong reaps only pain and regret...
So both here and beyond, the evil wrongdoing fool
suffers the painful results of prior bad behaviour.
Dhammapada 16
Restlessness-&-regret is followed by worry, anxiety, agitation and attention deficit!
On Restlessness and Regret (uddhacca and kukkucca) versus Calm:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Suitable_Substitution.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Restlessness_and_Regret.htm
Have a nice, noble and calm day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Restlessness and Regret scatters the Mind!
How is Release by Equanimity Achieved?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
And how, Bhikkhus, is release of mind by serene equanimity (Upekkha)
achieved? What does this liberation have as its destination, what is
its culmination, what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal
of mental release by universally neutral & imperturbable equanimity?
Here, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading first the entire frontal quadrant,
with a mind imbued with infinite equanimity, so the second quadrant,
the 3rd quadrant, and the 4th quadrant. As above, so below, across,
and everywhere, & as to all beings also to himself, he dwells pervading
the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited equanimity,
immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without any enmity,
without any ill will! Thus prepared and expanded, he then develops:
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless equanimity.
2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such equanimity.
3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite equanimity.
4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute equanimity.
5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with serene equanimity.
6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with equanimity.
7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless equanimity.
Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release.
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in any unrepulsive & tempting,
then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes:
May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting & repulsive,
then he dwells experiencing pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting!
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive, he dwells experiencing repulsive disgust in it.
If he wishes: May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive, he experiences only unrepulsive beauty by it!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I
dwell in equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending, then he
dwells in equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! Or else,
completely transcending the realm of infinitude of consciousness,
only aware that there is nothing, he enters & dwells in the sphere of
the void, empty & vacuous nothingness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a wise
Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior
mental release, the mental release by imperturbable equanimity has
the subtle sphere of the nothingness as its final culmination !
More on this serene mental state of Equanimity (Upekkha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Even_is_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/High_and_Alert.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Serene_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Empty_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Exquisite_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/upekkhaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Imperturbable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Serene_Equanimity_and_Beyond.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/tatra_majjhattataa.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...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Imperturbability induces Peace...
Serene is Equanimity!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Empty_Equanimity.htm
Mental Purification comes in Seven Stages!
1: Mental Purification by Morality.
2: Mental Purification by Meditation.
3: Mental Purification via Right View.
4: Mental Purification by overcoming Doubt.
5: Purification by Knowledge & Vision of what is Path & non-Path.
6: Purification by Knowledge & Vision of the Noble 8-fold Way.
7: Purification by Directly Experienced Knowledge and Vision.
EXACT CUT:
Avoiding all Harm;
Doing only Good;
Purifying the Mind;
This do all Buddhas teach!
Dhammapada 183
More on Mental Purification (Visuddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mental_Purity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ability_Purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Immaculate_Integrity.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
Sources: The moderate speech on the relay wagons MN24:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn024.html
The Seven Stages of Purification and the Insight Knowledges:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404506
Have a nice, noble and pure day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Purification Entails the Elevated Joy of Innocence!
Mental Purification!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Purifications.htm
One can Escape the Suffering of Samsara!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
The flood of tears that all beings have shed, while weeping and wailing
upon this loong way, hurrying and hastening through this endless round
of rebirths, while forced together with the disliked, & separated from
anything liked, is far greater than all the water of the four oceans!
So long have you lamented the death of your father & mother, of sons,
of daughters, brothers, & sisters. While you were thus wretched by all
this misery, agony, & anguish you have surely shed more tears upon this
immensely loong way, than there is water in the four oceans...
The flood of blood that all beings have shed, having been beheaded, or
stabbed, or injured during this long way, through billions of rebirths as
punished killer, murderer, or soldier is far greater, than all the water in
the 4 oceans! So long have you been caught as robber, thief, & adulterer,
& beheaded as punishment, truly more blood has flowed along this vastly
long way, than there is water in all the four oceans even when summed...
But how is this possible? Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara;
not to be discovered is any first beginning of beings, who, being blinded
by ignorance and ensnared by craving, have been hurrying and hastening
through many repeated rebirths... In this way have you & all other beings
long been suffering, been tortured, experienced disasters and tragedies,
and filled many graveyards full with bones! This truly, is long enough to
be dissatisfied with all forms of existence, is long enough to turn away
and free your self from all that suffering, that awaits in the future...
For details on this Round of Rebirths: Samsara see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/samsaara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Samsara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Endless_Round.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Samsaric_Round.htm
Video illustrating life among humans, in heaven and in hell:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Vids/Samsara.heaven.and.hell.mp4
All in this World, whatsoever, is Suffering: This is the 1st Noble Truth:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_1st_Noble_Truth_on_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Noble_Truths.htm
Source: (edited excerpts) SN 15:1+3+13
From: The Word of the Buddha: Venerable Nyanatiloka Mahathera.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book_404201.html
Dreadful is Samsara!
Oceans of tears & blood have we all shed in Samsara!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Samsaric_Dread.htm
One can Escape the Suffering of Samsara!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Inconceivable is the beginning of this Samsara; not to be discovered is
any first beginning of beings, who, blinded by ignorance and ensnared
by craving, are hurrying, and hastening through this round of rebirths...
Source: (edited excerpt) SN 3:35
Some Comments:
Samsara is the crushing wheel of existence, which literally is meaning
'perpetual wandering': A sea of life & death ever restlessly heaving up
& down, the symbol of this never-ending process of ever again & again
being born, growing old, becoming weak & sick, suffering, and dying...
More precisely put: Samsara is the unbroken sequence of re-arisings of
combinations of the momentary events of the 5-fold cluster of clinging,
which constantly changing from moment to moment, follow continually
one upon the other, through inconceivable periods of time. A single life
constitutes only a tiny microscopic fraction of these trillions of eons...
In order to comprehend the 1st noble truth, one must therefore gaze
long and contemplate upon this Samsara, upon this frightful sequence
of ever rebirth mostly in lower painful forms, and not merely upon one
single lifetime, which may sometimes not seem very painful until aged...
The term Suffering: Dukkha in the first noble truth therefore refers
not only to painful bodily & mental feelings, caused now by displeasing
contacts & impressions, but it comprises in addition every thing creating
suffering or which is liable to produce it later... The truth of Suffering
teaches that, owing to the universal law of impermanence, even high and
sublime states of happiness are subject to change and destruction, and
that all states of existence therefore ultimately are unsatisfactory...
Without exception they all carry in themselves the seeds of suffering!
'Du' means bad. 'Kha' means state. Dukkha thus means 'Bad State'...
Samsara is a Bad State of Suffering. Nibbana is a Good State of Peace!
Video illustrating life among humans, in heaven and in hell:
For details on this Round of Rebirths: Samsara see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Samsara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Endless_Round.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/samsaara.htm
Source (edited excerpt):
The Word of the Buddha: Venerable Nyanatiloka Mahathera.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book_404201.html
Same, but not sane, rebirth repeat...
Samsara is an endless Time-Ocean of Suffering!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Samsaric_Round.htm
How to train endless Pity and Compassion!
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes, one wishes:
May I radiate and meet with only infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop & find
only this genuine gentleness of infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, & the formless plane
develop & encounter this tender infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left & below as
above develop & experience caring infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe always be fully aware
and deeply mindful of this warm infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe examine all details &
subtle aspects of this benevolent infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe put enthusiastic effort
in their praxis of this affectionate infinite pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy &
jubilant gladness in this fond infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, & universe cultivate the tranquillity
of quiet, silent, stilled, & endlessly merciful pity, sympathy, & compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated &
absorbed one-pointedness by this infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion!
May I & all beings in this city, country, and universe dwell in imperturbable
equanimity joined with this loving infinite pity, sympathy, and compassion...
Yeah! Print this out, dwell in each state until clear, use ~ 25-45 minutes.
Comment: All-Embracing Pity is the 2nd infinitely divine state (Appamañña)
This gradually reduces all aggressiveness, cruelty, ferocity, viciousness,
rage, inner & outer violence, and unhappiness related with these states.
Joined with the 7 links to Awakening it will later cause formless jhanas...
More on Pity (Karuna = Compassion):
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/IV/What_is_Wrong.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Great_Compassion.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Compassionate_Pity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Space_Compassion.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Cruelty_and_Revengefulness.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Karunã is All-Embracing Pity!
An Endless and Divine State...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/IV/Endless_Pity.htm
The 4 Noble Truths are Absolutes!
The 1st Noble Truth: This is Suffering!
There is no pain, that does not torment!
And nothing that is not pain torments...
This certainty, that this being torments:
Is what makes it an absolute truth...
The 2nd Noble Truth: Craving is the Cause!
No other source causes pain, than craving,
Nothing else provides craving, than pain...
This utter certainty in producing pain:
Is why it is considered an absolute truth!
The 3rd Noble Truth: Suffering can End!
There is no pure peace except Nibbana,
Nibbana cannot be anything but peace...
This certainty that it is perfect peace:
Is what is reckoned as an absolute truth.
The 4th Noble Truth: By the Noble Way!
No outlet is there other than the Noble Way,
Nor fails the Noble Way ever to be escape...
This sure status as the one and only exit:
Has made it recognized as absolute truth.
This genuinely irrefutable infallibility,
Which is their true essential core,
Is what the wise declare to be
The Truth's meaning common to all four!
Vism 496
More on these Four Noble Truths (Ariya-Sacca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Indeed_True.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_4_Truths_Meaning.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_1st_Noble_Truth_on_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3rd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Ceasing_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4th_Noble_Truth_on_The_Way_to_Cease_Suffering.htm
Have a nicely assured day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Absolute Certainty!
The 4 Noble Truths are Actual Absolutes!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Absolute_Certainty.htm
How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance?
Il Poya day is this full-moon day of November. This sacred day celebrates:
1: The Buddha Gotama's declaration of the next Buddha Metteyya.
2: The sending out in the world of the 60 missionary Arahats
3: The passing away of the general of the Dhamma: Sariputta.
4: The Buddha's 1st explanation of Anapanasati Breathing Meditation.
More on the Significance of Il Poya Day:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Importance_of_Il_Poya.htm
The next Buddha Metteyya (Maitreya): The Friendly One!
More on this last perfectly self-enlightened one in this universe: Metteyya!
The Coming Buddha: Ariya Metteyya. Sayagyi U Chit Tin: BPS Wheel 381/383
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Metteyya/arimet00.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Wheels/wh381.pdf
He says: You can come as you like, but you pay as you go!
On how to meet Buddha Metteyya in the future:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/How-2-Meet_Buddha_Metteyya.htm
On such Full-Moon Uposatha Poya Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the
Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, 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 & head touch the floor.
Then, with joined palms at the heart, one recites these memorized lines
in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's
own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much
better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to
this world! So is the start towards Nibbana: the Deathless Element!
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Ease, to Happiness,
initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and
fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay
Buddhist normally keeps even 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 hereby ..." signed with
name, date, town & country to me or join here. A public list of this new
quite rapidly growing global Saddhamma-Sangha is set up here!
The True Noble Community of Buddha's Disciples: Saddhamma Sangha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Can quite advantageously be Joined Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
May your journey hereby be light, swift and sweet. Never give up !!
For Details on The Origin of Uposatha Observance Days:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html
Have a nice Poya day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Il Poya day: The coming of the next Buddha Metteyya!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Il_Poya_Day.htm
Morality is not a Prison, but the only Effective Protection!
What is Morality?
Morality is the root cause of all success and all what is good.
Morality is the intention behind avoidance of all wrongdoing.
Morality is the mental combination of non-envy, goodwill and right view.
Morality is the self-control enabled by awareness, tolerance & restraint.
Morality is the non-breaking of the rules one have accepted and respects.
What is the Meaning of Morality?
Morality means consistency between all mental, verbal & bodily actions.
Morality means upholding the foundation of all advantageous states.
What is the Function of Morality?
To STOP bad and evil behaviour and it’s painful future effects.
To ATTAIN blameless mental purity and the blissful joy of innocence.
What is the Manifestation of Morality?
The virtuous blameless innocence of mental, verbal and behavioural purity.
What is the Proximate Cause of Morality?
The scrupulous shame within conscience is the cause of any moral ethics.
The fear of the results of wrongdoing is the Cause of any moral ethics.
Shame and fear of wrongdoing are therefore 2 protectors of the world!
Ultra-Cut:
Doing Good creates Pleasure!
Doing Evil creates Pain!
More on this basic first cause of all Good: Morality (Sila)!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Sila_1_to_5.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Happy_Habbit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Virtue.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Best_Protection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Five_Basics.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Best_Buddhist_Praxis.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sila_Contemplation.htm
Source: The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga.
Written by 'the great explainer' Ven. Buddhaghosa in 5th century AC.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100
The Best Protection!
Pure Morality is not a Prison, but a Safe Shield...
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Best_Protection.htm
The 10 Contemplations is Daily Buddhist Routine!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often
practiced 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 has understood the Dhamma
dwells frequently in this state. Which is that one contemplation?
It is reflecting regarding the qualities of ultimate Peace like this:
This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all kammic
construction, the leaving all behind of all substrata of any being,
the complete vanishing of all sorts of craving, ceasing, Nibbana...
Whatever, Bhikkhus & friends, there is of both conditioned &
unconditioned things, dependent & independent constructions,
detachment is considered the highest of them, that is, the final
destruction of ego-belief, the overcoming of all desire & thirst,
the rooting out of clinging, the breaking out of this long round
of rebirths, the vanishing of craving, absolute release, Nibbana...
The Buddha emphasized:
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness!
Source: AN 1:16.10 + 10:60 + 4.34
More on the Deathless Dimension: Nibbana!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Peace.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Nibbana_Still.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2_Nibbanas.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/nibbaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm
The Ultimate Peace!
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Peace_Contemplation.htm
Enthusiastic Energy Boosts Advantageous Right Effort!
By it one strives and struggles, thus is it energetic effort.
Any advantageous exertion of endeavour is a right effort.
By it one works in the right direction, thus is it right effort.
It is right, because it eliminates all the ugly evil mentalities.
It is effort, because it brings progress of well-being and bliss.
Therefore is it called Right Effort. It is a name for Energy...
Right Effort achieves these four functions:
1: Elimination of already arisen detrimental mental states!
2: Prevention of detrimental mental states not yet arisen!
3: Initiation of advantageous mental states not yet arisen!
4: Maintenance of already arisen advantageous mental states!
Thus is it fourfold. That is why it is called the 4 right efforts...
For a full Study on Energy (Viriya): The root Hero of all Success:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Definition_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Arising_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Ability_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Origin_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Enthusiastic_is_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Power_of_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Ballanced_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Chief_Hero.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Energetic_Effort.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Avoiding_Effort.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Energy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Energy_Viriya.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Dual_Energy.htm
Source: The Path of Purification:
Visuddhimagga by Ariya Buddhaghosa from 5th century AC.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100
Energy Boosts Endavour!
Energy Thrusts Advantageous Right Effort!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Energetic_Effort.htm
How is the Mental Release by Mutual Joy?
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
How is the release of mind by infinite mutual joy (Mudita) achieved?
What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination,
what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal of mental release
by universally mutual, unselfish, altruistic, appreciative & rejoicing joy?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a
mind imbued with infinite mutual joy, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quadrant.
As above, so below, across, and everywhere to all beings as for himself,
he dwells pervading the entire cosmos with a mind fully saturated with
unlimited mutual joy, immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility,
without any enmity, without any trace of ill will, of jealousy or of envy!
Thus prepared and mentally quite expanded, he then develops:
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless mutual joy.
2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such mutual joy.
3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite mutual joy.
4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute mutual joy.
5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with noble mutual joy.
6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with mutual joy.
7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless mutual joy.
Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release...
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing repulsion by any attractive & tempting object,
then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes: May I
dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting and repulsive object,
then he experiences pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting & ugly thing!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive & the unrepulsive, may I dwell
in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he experiences
equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! When meditating he
can completely transcend the realm of infinitude of space, only aware
that consciousness is infinite, he can enter and dwell in the sphere of the
infinitude of consciousness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a quite wise Bhikkhu
here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior mental release,
the mental release by infinite, altruistic and mutual joy has the sphere of
the infinitude of consciousness as its culmination!
More on Mutual Joy (Mudita):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Wrong.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Rejoicing_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
Comments: Are you Discontent? Here is Why!
Mutual joy is the proximate cause of contentment.
Consequentially: Lack of mutual joy produces frustrated discontent!
Mutual joy also eliminates jealousy and envy! Absence of mutual joy
therefore induces the acid like mental pain called envy and jealousy!
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
Rejoice!
Mutual joy is the cause of contentment!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
How is the Mental Release by Mutual Joy?
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
How is the release of mind by infinite mutual joy (Mudita) achieved?
What does this liberation have as its destination, what is its culmination,
what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal of mental release
by universally mutual, unselfish, altruistic, appreciative & rejoicing joy?
Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading the frontal quadrant with a
mind imbued with infinite mutual joy, so the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quadrant.
As above, so below, across, and everywhere to all beings as for himself,
he dwells pervading the entire cosmos with a mind fully saturated with
unlimited mutual joy, immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility,
without any enmity, without any trace of ill will, of jealousy or of envy!
Thus prepared and mentally quite expanded, he then develops:
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening joined with limitless mutual joy.
2: The Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such mutual joy.
3: The Energy Link to Awakening together with infinite mutual joy.
4: The Joy Link to Awakening accompanied with absolute mutual joy.
5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with noble mutual joy.
6: The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with mutual joy.
7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless mutual joy.
Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release...
If he then wishes:
May I dwell experiencing repulsion by any attractive & tempting object,
then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes: May I
dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in any disgusting and repulsive object,
then he experiences pleasing beauty in whatever disgusting & ugly thing!
If he wishes: Avoiding both the repulsive & the unrepulsive, may I dwell
in equanimity, just aware & clearly comprehending, then he experiences
equanimity, just aware and clearly comprehending! When meditating he
can completely transcend the realm of infinitude of space, only aware
that consciousness is infinite, he can enter and dwell in the sphere of the
infinitude of consciousness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a quite wise Bhikkhu
here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior mental release,
the mental release by infinite, altruistic and mutual joy has the sphere of
the infinitude of consciousness as its culmination!
More on Mutual Joy (Mudita):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Wrong.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Rejoicing_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm
Comments: Are you Discontent? Here is Why!
Mutual joy is the proximate cause of contentment.
Consequentially: Lack of mutual joy produces frustrated discontent!
Mutual joy also eliminates jealousy and envy! Absence of mutual joy
therefore induces the acid like mental pain called envy and jealousy!
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 115-21] 46: The Links. 54: Joined by Friendliness...
Rejoice!
Mutual joy is the cause of contentment!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Determination is the 8th Mental Perfection:
Only determination can completely fulfill the other mental perfections!
Its characteristic is an unwavering decision, its function is to overcome
hesitation, and its manifestation is unfaltering persistence in this task...!
The proximate cause of determination is strong willpower to succeed!
Only the power of resolute determination lifts any praxis to perfection...
When the Future Buddha placed his back against the trunk of The Bodhi
Tree, he right there made this mighty decision:
"Let just the blood and flesh of this body dry up and let the skin & sinews
fall from the bones. I will not leave this seat before having attained that
absolute supreme Enlightenment!" So determined did he invincibly seat
himself, from which not even 100 earthquakes could make him waver.
Jataka Nidana
A female lay follower (Upasika) at the time of the Buddha kept pure the
precepts, comprehended the nature of impermanence, the consequent
fragility of the body and thereby won stream-entry (Sotapanna)...
After passing away, she re-arose as the favourite attendant of Sakka,
the king of Gods. Reviewing her own merit, she remembered her prior
admonition to herself:
"Let this body break up as it may,
herein will not be any excuse or
relaxation of the effort...!"
Whose mind is like a rock, determined, unwavering, immovable,
without a trace of lust of urging towards all the attractions,
without a trace of aversion of pushing away all the repulsive,
from what, can such a refined mind ever suffer?
Udana IV - 4
Using the tools of Faith, Morality, Effort, Determination, Meditation and
true Understanding of the Dhamma, one gradually perfects first knowing
and then behaviour. So well equipped & always aware, one becomes capable
of eliminating of this great heap of suffering once and for all ...
Dhammapada 144
What is being determined by Right Motivation?
The decision for always being motivated to withdrawal,
The decision for always being motivated to good-will,
The decision for always being motivated to harmlessness,
This is being determined by Right Motivation...
Samyutta Nikaya XLV 8
My mind is firm like a rock,
unattached to sensual things,
no shaking in the midst of a world,
where all is decaying and vanishing...
My mind has been thus well developed,
so how can suffering ever touch me?
Theragatha 194
The four determinations:
One should not neglect the Dhamma,
One should guard well the Truth,
One should be devoted to Withdrawal,
and one should always train only for Peace.
Majjhima Nikaya 140
Fearing being predestined for Hell if he became a King, who had to punish
criminals violently, the Bodhisatta determined not to show any intelligence,
and played dumb, deaf and crippled for sixteen years, only showing his real
abilities, when he was on the verge of being buried alive!
This was his ultimate perfection of resolute determination...
The Basket of Conduct: Cariyapitaka
More of the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_10_mental_perfections_(parami)_in_three_levels.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Decisive is Determination!
Resoluteness resolves all hesitation...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Determination_Determines.htm
The Forward & Reverse Causality of Existence:
So have I heard:
After 7 days of non-stop sitting meditation in the bliss of Awakening,
The Buddha in the last watch of the night directed his unified attention to
dependent co-arising in both forward & reverse order in this very way:
If A leads to => B, then non-A leads to => non-B!
When this is present, then that comes into being...
When this emerges, that arises too...
When this is absent, then that does not come into being...
When this ceases, that vanishes too...
The forward causality:
When ignorance arises, mental construction also appears..
When mental construction arises, consciousness also comes into being..
When consciousness arises, name-&-form also comes to be..
When name-&-form arises, then the six senses emerge too..
When the six senses arise, then contact is the consequence..
When contact arises, then feeling is assigned too..
When feeling arises, then urge and craving surely follows..
When craving arises, then clinging too becomes dominant..
When clinging arises, then the process of becoming is initiated..
When becoming arises, then rebirth inevitably also appears..
When rebirth arises, then aging and death, sorrow, distress, pain, grief
and despair also arises. This verily is the origin, the causing, the arising
of this entire mass of Suffering...
The reverse causality:
Consequently, when this very same ignorance is utterly uprooted & eliminated,
then mental construction is tranquilized, all stilled, and it ceases & dissolves..
When mental construction ceases, then consciousness itself fades away..
When consciousness ceases, then naming-&-forming also terminate..
When name-&-form ceases, then the six senses come to an end..
When the six senses cease, then contact closes down as well..
When contact ceases, then feeling stops out too..
When feeling ceases, then craving also evaporates..
When craving ceases, then clinging is relinquished too..
When clinging ceases, then the re-becoming process essentially ends!
When becoming ceases, then this process of endless rebirth is exhausted too..
When birth ceases, then aging, death, sorrow, sadness, and pain also finishes.
This verily is the cessation, and the final end of this whole mass of Suffering...!
Dispersing all Darkness...
Then, he, the Blessed One, on recognizing the profundity of that sequence,
exclaimed: When the appearance of phenomena becomes clearly manifest
to this very Noble Friend through rapt meditation, then he is constantly s
cattering Mara’s - the Evil One's - army, exactly as the sun continuously
disperses all darkness, when lighting up the bright sky...
Chained Events...
Everything has a Cause: Conditioned Origination & Cessation:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Caused_by_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Cohesive_Co-Origination.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Collapsible_Co-Cessation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Causes_of_Emergence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/paticca_samuppaada.htm
Source:
The Udana: Inspired utterances by the Buddha: I – 3
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/udana/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
All Phenomena are Chained Events!
The Forward & Reverse Causality of Existence!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Assured_Ascertained_Awakening.htm
Special Experiences might cure illness instantly!
Once when Venerable Girimananda was sick, the Buddha said to Ven. Ananda.
What is the experience of acute Awareness by in-&-out Breathing?
It is when a Bhikkhu, who have gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree,
or to an empty hut, sits down cross-legged, having straightened his body and
back, and set up awareness around the nostrils, then just plain aware of only
that itself, he breathes in, and then just solely aware of only that breathing
in itself, he then breathes out...
1: Breathing in-&-out long, he knows, notes & understands: I in-&-exhale long!
2: Breathing in short, he knows, notes & understands: I in-&-exhale short!
3: He trains thus: Experiencing this entire body, I will breathe in-&out!
4: He trains thus: Calming all bodily activity, I will breathe in-&out!
5: He trains thus: Experiencing enraptured joy, I will breathe in-&out!
6: He trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will breathe in-&out!
7: He trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will breathe in-&out!
8: He trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will breathe in-&out!
9: He trains thus: Experiencing the present mood, I will breathe in-&out!
10: He trains thus: Elating & gladdening the mind, I will breathe in-&out!
11: He trains thus: Concentrating & focusing mind, I will breathe in-&out!
12: He trains thus: Releasing, & liberating the mind, I will breathe in-&out!
13: He trains thus: Considering impermanence, I will breathe in-&out!
14: He trains thus: Considering disillusion, I will breathe in-&out!
15: He trains thus: Considering ceasing, I will breathe in-&out!
16: He trains thus: Considering relinquishment, I will breathe in-&out!
Having learnt and memorized these 16 simple steps from the Blessed One,
the Venerable Ananda went to the Venerable Girimananda and recited these
to him. Then as soon as Venerable Girimananda heard these 16 simple steps
& the ten experiences his illness instantly subsided & he rose from his bed!
This was thus the way Venerable Girimananda was cured from his sickness....
The 10 Experiences are:
1: The experience of Impermanence, and Transience (Anicca-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
2: The experience of No-Self, and Egoless Impersonality (Anatta-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Egolessness.htm
3: The experience of Loathsome Foulness, and Disgust (Asubha-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disgust.htm
4: The experience of Danger, Damage, and Disadvantage (Adinava-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Danger.htm
5: The experience of Leaving Behind, Overcoming; Giving up (Pahana-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Elimination.htm
6: The experience of Disillusion, Dispassion, & Detachment (Viraga-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Fading_Away.htm
7: The experience of Ceasing, Stilling, and Final Finishing (Nirodha-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Ceasing.htm
8: The experience of Disgust with the Whole World (Sabbaloka-Anabhirati-Sañña).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disappointment.htm
9: The experience of Decay of all Formations (Sabbasankharesu Anicca-Sañña)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
10: The experience of Awareness by in-and-out Breathing (Anapanasati-Sañña)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_the_Breath.htm
Ven. Webu Sayadaw was a great promoter of Anapana-sati meditation.
On Awareness by Breathing:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_I.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/pdfs/anapanasati.pdf
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_II.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_IV.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/1_Producing_4.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_III.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Four_Fulfilling_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Magnificent_Meditation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_the_Breath.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Peaceful_and_Sublime_on_the_Spot.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unique_Thing_Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
Source (edited extract):
Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya AN 10:60, V 108ff.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/Index.Numerical.htm
Calming is Simple: Stay focused on the Breath!
Experiencing the Breath!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_the_Breath.htm
Not Knowing Nature & Cause of things causes Speculation to arise:
Once the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One & greeted him.
Having concluded their compliments, he sat down & asked the Blessed Buddha:
Master Gotama, what is the cause, condition & reason why all these various
speculative views arise in the world:
This Universe is eternal, or This Universe is not eternal. &;
This Universe is finite, or This Universe is infinite. &;
Vitality & the body are the same, or vitality is one thing, the body is another. &;
A Tathagata exists after death, or a Tathagata does not exist after death.
Or; The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death. Or;
The Tathagata does neither exist, nor does not exist after death?
The Blessed Buddha then replied:
It is, Vaccha, because of neither knowing form, nor the cause of emergence of
form (rupa), nor the cause of the ceasing of form, nor the Way to cease form,
that those various speculative views, such as: "This Universe is eternal etc..."
arise in the world...!!! This ignorance, this not seeing, this not understanding,
Vaccha, is the cause, & reason, why those various speculative views keep arising
in this world...!!!
More on Ignorance (Avijja):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/avijjaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Because_of_Not_Knowing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Causes_of_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Whenever_and_Wherever.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Because_of_Not_Examining.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Indifference_Creates_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_the_Cause_of_Ignorance.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book III 257-8
The Vacchagotta section 33. Thread on Not Knowing: Aññana Sutta (1)
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
When Not Knowing...
Knowledge Defeats Ignorance!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Because_of_Not_Knowing.htm
The Fire of Lust, Hate & Ignorance! [/size]
The Blessed Buddha once said:
On this occasion the Blessed One was staying at Gaya's Head, together
with a thousand bhikkhus. There the Blessed One told these bhikkhus this:
Bhikkhus, All this is burning! And what, bhikkhus, is that All that is burning?
The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body & mind is burning. Forms, sounds, smells,
flavours, touches, and mental states are also burning! Any eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body & mental consciousness is also burning! Any eye, ear, nose,
tongue, body & mental contact is also burning! Any feeling arised caused by
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mental contact, whether pleasant, painful or
neutral, that too is indeed also burning...
Burning with what? I say: Burning with the fire of lust, hate and confusion,
birth, ageing, death, sadness, weeping, pain, frustration, & with desperation!
Seeing this, bhikkhus, the instructed Noble disciple is disgusted with any eye,
ear, nose, tongue, body & mind, he is disgusted with any form, sound, smell,
flavour, touch, and any mental state, he is disgusted with any eye, ear, nose,
tongue, bodily or mental consciousness & contact, and with whatever feeling,
whether pleasant, painful or neutral, caused by whatever sensed contact,
with that too is he dismayed, disgusted, sickened, revolted, and horrified!
Understanding this, the intelligent Noble disciple is disgusted with this All ...
Being disgusted creates disillusion... Disillusion evaporates clinging and this
relinquishment of all forms of sensing and feeling induces mental release!
When detached the mind is unagitated! Being all imperturbable one attains
Awakening right there & instantly understands: This mind is forever freed!
Rebirth is ended, the Noble Life is completed, done is what should be done,
there is no state beyond or surpassing this...!
This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those bhikkhus was pleased with
the Blessed One's speech. While this teaching was being spoken, the minds
of the thousand bhikkhus were released from fermentation by non-clinging...
Comments: The Fire Sermon!
These bhikkhus were all prior fire-worshippers, who in blinded superstition
sacrificed to the fire morning and evening! This fact made Buddha realize:
If I teach them, that the 12 sense-sources are blazing & burning with pain,
they will awaken right there in their seats by relinquishing all clinging...
On Burning in the fire of existence:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ceasing_the_Flame.htm
On the 3 Roots of all Good and Evil (Mula):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_3_Evils.htm
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/drops/II/Proximate_Causes.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/muula.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 19-20
The 6 senses section 35. Thread on Burning: Adittam Sutta (28)
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Being is Burning...
All Existence is fueled by Lust, Hate and Ignorance!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Burning.htm
How to develop infinite Friendliness:
Begin by extending Friendliness towards yourself:
May I be free from ill-will.
May I be free from hostility.
May I be free from adversity.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I not be separated from the good fortune I have attained.
I am the owner of my kamma and must inherit its results.
May the guardian deities in this house be free from anger.
May they be free from hostility.
May they be free from adversity.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained.
They are owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
Next, extend Friendliness to your parents, teachers, relatives, and friends:
May my mother and father, teacher, relatives,
and associates be free from anger.
May they be free from hostility.
May they be free from adversity.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained.
They are owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
Then extend Friendliness to all kinds of living beings:
May all sentient things, all breathing things, all beings, all persons,
all individuals, all women, all men, all Noble Ones, all ordinary persons,
all deities, all human beings, all those destined for the states of loss,
may all these individualities be free from anger.
May they be free from hostility.
May they be free from adversity.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained.
All beings are the owners of their kamma and must inherit its results.
Finally, extend Friendliness in all directions:
In the east, the south, the west, the north, the south-east, the south-west,
the north-west, the north-east, below, and above. May all sentient things,
all breathing things, all beings, all persons, all individuals, all women, all men,
all Noble Ones, all ordinary persons, all deities, all human beings,
all those destined for the states of loss, be free from anger.
May they be free from hostility.
May they be free from adversity.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they not be separated from the good fortune they have attained.
All beings are the owners of their kamma and will inherit its results.
More on this shining, radiating through all everywhere beaming Friendliness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Harmlessness_and_Tolerance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/All-Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Friendship.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Forwarded by a good friend.
Infinite is Friendliness! :-)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_Friendliness.htm
Imperturbable Calm!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Knowing that the other person is angry,
The one who remains aware and calm
acts in and for his own best interest,
and for the other's interest, too!
Samyutta Nikaya I, 162
Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware,
the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:
One who is such, calmed and ever mindful,
He has no sorrows!
Udana IV, 7
Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the tranquillity;
So is the equanimity;
of one freed by the insight
of right understanding...
Dhammapada 96
More on this sweetly silenced Tranquillity (Passaddhi):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Tranquillity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm
Have a nice calm day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sweet Serene Calm!
Tranquillity Causes Happiness!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/III/Calm.htm
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