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The Blessed Buddha once explained: Overcome the angry with friendliness; Overcome the wicked with goodness; Overcome the miser with generosity; Overcome the liar with truth. Dhammapada 223
And what is the treasure of generosity? There is the case where a disciple of the Noble Ones, having cleaned his mind of the stain of stinginess, living at home, freely generous, and open-handed, delighting in being magnanimous, enjoying any request, delighting in the giving of alms to those needy & worthy... This is called the treasure of generosity! AN 7.6
There are these five future rewards of generosity: One is admired and liked by an overwhelming majority of the people. One is respected by the good, the intelligent and the wise persons. One's good reputation is spread easily, rapidly and far about. One fulfills the rightful duties of the householder, and With the break-up of the body, one will reappear in a good destination, in the heavenly and exquisitely divine worlds! AN 5.35
The Blessed Buddha once said this: Bhikkhus, imagine a man with a life span of a hundred years. If some ask him: Good man, morning, noon & evening you will be pierced with a 100 spears and despite being stabbed and impaled daily with 300 spears, you will survive a full 100 years, after which you will break through to the Four Noble Truths! Will you agree to go through that? Then, Bhikkhus, he should accept this offer as a good deal..! For what reason? Because since an inconceivable beginning of Samsaric time, all beings have been & will eternally continue to be hit by spears, cut by swords, & chopped by axes. Secondly: Breaking through to the Four Noble Truths is not joined by any pain or frustration. Breaking through to the Four Noble Truths is joined only by an extreme happiness, joy, bliss and peace...
What four Truths? The Noble Truth of Suffering is an in all being immanent misery! The Noble Truth on Craving as the primary Cause of all Suffering! The Noble Truth on Ceasing of Craving as the End of all Suffering! The Noble Truth on This Noble 8-fold Way as the method to End all Suffering!
Therefore, Bhikkhus, an effort should be dedicated to really understand: All this is Suffering! An effort should be made much of to truly comprehend: Craving is the Cause of Suffering! An effort should be aroused to realize: No Craving is the End of Suffering! Effort should be made to set in motion, to reinforce, and refine: This Noble 8-fold Way which Ceases all Suffering...
Comments: These 4 Noble Truths are really the crucial core of early & any Buddhism since, they open the doors to the Deathless Dimension: Nibbana !
As I am, so are others... As others are, so am I... Having thus identified self and others, Never Harm anyone, nor have any abused. Sutta Nipata 3.710
Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the jungle. No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone. Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest. Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude… Suvanna-sama Jataka 540
I am a friend of the footless, I am a friend of all bipeds, I am a friend of those with four feet, I am a friend of the many-footed! Anguttara Nikaya 4.67
May all creatures, all breathing things, all beings one and all, without exception, experience good fortune only. May they not fall into any harm. Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
Panda clings to saving Chinese Policeman after forest-fire :-)
Train yourself in doing good that lasts and brings happiness. Cultivate generosity, the life of peace, and a mind of infinite universal love. Itivuttaka 22
With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart & mind: Beaming above, below, & all around, unobstructed, without trace of hostility. Sutta Nipata I, 8
He who does not punish nor makes others punish, He who steals not nor makes others steal, who friendly shares with all that lives, finds enmity with none. Itivuttaka 27
Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through anger or irritation wish for another to suffer. Sutta Nipata I, 8
For one who deliberately & aware develops Universal Friendliness Seeing the fading away of clinging, All chains are worn down & broken. Itivuttaka 27
Overcome the angry by friendliness; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
Who is hospitable, open and friendly, Generous, gentle and unselfish, A guide, an instructor, a leader, Such a one to honour may attain. Digha Nikaya 31
The friend who is a helper and comrade, the friend in both good and bad times, the friend who gives good advice, the friend who never despises, these four as friends the clever keep and cherish with pure devotion as does a mother her only son. Digha Nikaya 31
Having killed anger you sleep in ease. Having killed anger you do not grieve. The noble ones praise the slaying of anger -- with its honeyed crest & poison root -- for having killed it you do not grieve. Samyutta Nikaya II, 70
Knowing that the other person is angry, one who remains mindful and calm acts for his own best interest and for the other's interest, too. Samyutta Nikaya I, 162
Train yourself in doing only good that lasts and brings great happiness. Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living, and a mentality of infinite friendliness. Ittivuttuka 16
Solitude is happiness for one who is content, who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees. Non-violence is happiness in this world: Harmlessness towards all living beings. Udana 10
What 5 Objects of Clinging are inevitable Suffering?
The Blessed Buddha once said this: Bhikkhus & Friends there are these Four Noble Truths. What 4? 1: The Noble Truth of Suffering; 2: The Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering; 3: The Noble Truth on the End of Suffering; 4: The Noble Truth on the Way to end Suffering... These are the Four Noble Truths!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 1st Noble Truth of Suffering? These Five Clusters of Clinging are Suffering! The cluster of clinging to Material Forms (Rupa) is Suffering... The cluster of clinging to Mental Feelings (Vedana) is Suffering... The cluster of clinging to Mental Perceptions (Sañña) is Suffering... The cluster of clinging to Mental Constructions (Sankhara) is Suffering... The cluster of clinging to kinds of Consciousness (Viññana) itself is Suffering... This is verily the 1st Noble Truth of Suffering!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering? It is this Craving, which leads to renewed becoming joined by delight and lust, seeking delight now here & later there! That is craving for sensual pleasures, craving for becoming (ex. rich) this & the craving for not-becoming that (ex. sick). This is indeed the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 3rd Noble Truth on the Ceasing of Suffering? It is the traceless fading away & complete Ceasing of that very same Craving, the giving up & relinquishing of it, the freedom from it, & non-dependence on it. This is actually the 3rd Noble Truth on the Ceasing of all Suffering!
What is the 4th Noble Truth on the Way leading to the ceasing of Suffering? It is solely this Noble 8-fold Way namely: Right View (samma-ditthi) Right Motivation (samma-sankappa) Right Speech (samma-vaca) Right Action (samma-kammanta) Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva) Right Effort (samma-vayama) Right Awareness (samma-sati) Right Concentration (samma-samadhi) This is the 4th Noble Truth on the Way leading to the ceasing of Suffering!
These, Bhikkhu and Friends, are the Four Noble Truths. Therefore, Bhikkhus and Friends, an effort should be made much of, so to completely understand: This is Suffering; This is the Cause of Suffering; This is the End of Suffering; This is the Way leading to the End of Suffering... An effort should be made to understand, comprehend, penetrate, recognize & realize these 4 Noble Truths!
The blessed Buddha once asked: What do you think, Bhikkhus & friends, is form, feeling, perception mental constructions, and consciousness permanent or impermanent? Impermanent, Venerable Sir. Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness? Suffering, Venerable Sir.. Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self"? No, Venerable Sir...! Therefore, Bhikkhus & friends, any kind of form whatsoever, any kind of feeling whatsoever, any kind of perception whatsoever, any kind of mental constructions whatsoever, & any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or fine, high or low, far or near, all this should be seen as it really is with true understanding thus: This is not mine, this is not me, this I am not, this is not my or any self... Seeing thus, bhikkhus & friends, the learned Noble Disciple experiences revulsion towards any form, towards any feeling, towards any perception, revulsion towards all mental constructions, revulsion towards all consciousness. While experiencing this revulsion, he becomes disillusioned and detached. Through this detaching disillusion his mind is released. When it is released there emerges this assurance: This mind is irreversibly released. He then understands: Destroyed is any new rebirth, this Noble life has been fully completed, what had to be done is done, there is no state beyond this...
Sakka - the king of the 33 divinities - once spoke these verses to the Blessed Buddha:
Having slain what, does one sleep in ease? Having slain what, does one never sorrow? What is the one thing 0ohh Gotama Whose killing you can approve?
The Blessed One: Having slain Anger, one sleeps in ease; Having slain Anger, one does not sorrow The killing of Anger, 0ohh Vasava With its poisoned root and honeyed tip: This is the killing, the Noble Ones approve. For having slain that, one does not grieve.
Sakka continued: I am not one easily upset in mind. Nor easily agitated by anger's whirl. I never become angry for long Nor does anger hang on in me. When angry, I do not despise. Nor do I praise own qualities. I keep myself well under control. Thus protecting my own good future!
Therefore: Bring Anger under control; Do not let your friendships waste away. Do not blame the one who is blameless; Do not speak splitting or divisive speech. Their own anger crushes enraged people. Like the roaring mountain avalanche!
Do not let Anger overpower you; Do not become angry with the angry. Noble Ones always remain harmless. Their own hate crushes angry people. Like a devastating mountain avalanche.
FUEL ON FIRE? Not by anger is Hate ever quenched. Only by Kind Friendliness is Hate always quenched. This Ancient Law is an Eternal Truth ... Dhammapada Illustration 5 Background Story 5
Buddha once said to Nandaka, the Licchavi minister. Nandaka, a Noble Disciple who possesses four things is a Stream-Enterer, who is no longer bound to the lower world, who is fixed in destiny, who has won enlightenment as his assured future destination. What four things? Nandaka, any Noble Disciple has unshakable Faith in the Three Jewels thus: 1: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha indeed! ... 2: Perfectly formulated is the Dhamma, visible right here & now, immediate ... 3: Perfectly training is this Noble Sangha of the Buddha's Noble disciples... 4: A Noble possesses Morality esteemed by the Noble Ones: Unbroken, pure... Any Noble Disciple, who is endowed with these 4 things is a Stream-Enterer, no longer bound to the painful worlds, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as his certain future destination. Furthermore, Nandaka, a Noble Disciple who possesses these four things gains a very long life, whether Divine or human! He becomes endowed with exquisite bodily beauty, whether Divine or human! He becomes endowed with a content happiness, whether Divine or human! He becomes endowed with honour and fame, whether Divine or human! He becomes endowed with a sovereign power, whether Divine or human! I explain this to you, Nandaka, not having heard it from any recluse or priest! Rather, I tell you just what I have known, seen, & understood directly myself! When this was said, a man said to Nandaka, the minister of the Licchavis: "It is time for your bath, Sir." Who promptly responded: Enough now, I say, with that fake external bath... This internal bath will suffice, namely, firm confirmed, confident conviction in this Blessed One...
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
At Savatthi. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Radha said to the Blessed One: Venerable sir, it is said, 'suffering, suffering', What now, venerable sir, is suffering? Radha, all form is suffering, all feeling is suffering, all perception is suffering, all intentional mental formation is suffering, and consciousness itself is suffering. Understanding this, Bhikkhu, a well instructed Noble Disciple experiences disgust towards any form, disgust towards any feeling, disgust towards any perception, disgust towards any mental construction, & disgust towards consciousness itself! Experiencing disgust, he becomes disillusioned! Through this disillusion his mind is released. When mind is released, one instantly knows: This mind is liberated, and one understands: Extinguished is rebirth, this Noble Life is all completed, done is what should be done, there is no state of being beyond this...
Comments: These 5 clusters of clinging are what denotes both the internal 'individual' and the 'external' real world. However as they continually change, no same internal 'self'= identity or external 'substance'= reality can ever be found! Since always changing they are always lost and therefore are they always ultimately speaking suffering! An inner mental prison of craving for something inevitably, unambiguously & spontaneously vanishing! A fever of folly obsession…
Whenever and wherever there is expectation, there is also hoping & longing! Whenever and wherever there is hoping & longing, there is also craving... Whenever and wherever there is craving, there is also suffering! This is the 2nd Noble Truth: Craving causes suffering... Whenever & wherever there is neither expectation, nor hoping, nor longing, nor any form of craving present, how can there ever be any suffering? This is the 3rd Noble Truth: Absence of craving ends all suffering...
Discontent Disappointment is NOT caused by the outside world! 'Loving' and 'liking' mixed with expectation => passion => suffering! 'Loving' and 'liking' without expectation = friendliness => elevation! These 2 forms of “love” lookalike, but are VERY different in outcome! Expectation is an often subconscious diluted derivative of greed, which nevertheless retains the ability to ruin any relationship and any life by inducing the mischievous and treacherous mental state called discontent! This discontent is NOT caused by the external object as often believed, but by the very 'own' internal hidden prejudgement inherent in expectation!
Awareness of Emerging Expectation Helps: If one notices expectation right when it arises, and also when it persists, this enables reflecting: "Now future suffering is created and maintained!"! This in itself gradually will reduce this diluted derivative of painful craving.
Poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Asoka's son, the Arahat Mahinda, officially introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a Poya day, on Poson day devotees flock to Mihintale & Anuradhapura, the ancient holy capital city of the country, for it was there that Arahat Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa, and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally made Sri Lanka the stronghold home of Theravada Buddhism.
On such Uposatha Observance days: Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed, with clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue, and bows first three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees and head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms in front of the heart, one recite these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha. I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma. I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty. I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs. As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world! This is the very start on the path towards Nibbana -the Deathless Element- This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Bliss, initiated by Morality, developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist normally keeps the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the next dawn... If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply forward the lines starting with "I..." signed with name, date, town & country to me or join here. A public list of this new Saddhamma-Sangha is here!
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
Generosity means willingness to give and share whatever. Generosity means magnanimous and open-handed liberality. Generosity means freedom from small and stingy pettiness. Generosity means practicing charity for the poor and unfortunate. Generosity means kind bigheartedness towards those worthy of it. Generosity means warmhearted and altruistic unselfishness. Generosity provides the kammic cause for later wealth.. Giving causes Getting... No Giving causes future Poverty!
The Blessed Buddha explained the treasure of generosity like this: When a disciple of the Noble Ones whose mind and mentality is all cleared of disgracing miserliness, living at home, is freely generous and open-handed, delighting in being magnanimous, responsive to every request and, is enjoying the giving of any alms. Such is this treasure called generosity. AN VII 6
Just as a filled pot, which is overturned, pours out all its water, leaving nothing back, even and exactly so should one give to those in need. whether low, middle or high, like the overturned pot, holding nothing back…!!! Jataka Nidana [128-129]
The Generosity of Giving, The Kindness in Speech, The Benefit of Service, The Impartiality of treating all Alike, These 4 threads of Sympathy upholds this world, like the axle do the cart! AN II 32
Giving food, one gives and later gets strength Giving clothes, one gives and later gets beauty Giving light, one gives and later gets vision Giving transportation, one gives and later gets ease. Giving shelter one gives all, Yet one who instructs in the True Dhamma - The supreme Teaching of the Buddhas - Such one gives the quite divine ambrosia! SN I 32
These are these five rewards of generosity: One is liked and charming to people at large, One is admired and respected by wise people, One's good reputation is spread wide about, One does not neglect a householder's true duty, and with the break-up of the body - at the moment of death - one reappears in a happy destination, in the plane of the divine worlds! AN V.35
There are these two kinds of gifts: material gifts and gifts of Dhamma. The supreme gift is that of Dhamma. There are these two kinds of sharing: material sharing and sharing of Dhamma. The supreme sharing is that of Dhamma. There are these two kinds of help: Material help and help with the Dhamma. This is the supreme of the two: help with this subtle Dhamma … It 98
The gift of Dhamma exceeds all other gifts. Dhammapada 354
The Bodhisatta once as king Sivi gave both his eyes to a beggar who was Sakka the king deity in disguise, who desired to test him. He remembered "While I was wishing to give, while I was giving and after this giving there was neither contrariety, nor opposition in my mind since it was for the purpose of awakening itself! Neither were these eyes, nor the rest of myself disagreeable to me. Omniscience was dear to me, therefore I gave both my eyes." The Basket of Conduct Cariyapitaka I-8 Full story: Sivi Jataka no. 499
The Bodhisatta once as the Wise Hare gave his roasted body as alms to a beggar by jumping into a fire: He remembered: "There came a beggar and asked for food. Myself I gave so that he might eat. In alms-giving there was none equal to me. In alms I had thereby reached the absolute ultimate perfection." From then and the rest of this world-cycle the moon will display a characteristic 'hare-in-the-moon' sign! Sasa-Jataka no. 316
Giving of things, treasures, external possessions, job, position, wife, and child is the first perfection of giving. Giving the offer of one's organs, limbs, and senses is the second higher perfection of giving. Giving the sacrifice of one's life is the ultimate perfection of giving. The clarifier of sweet meaning 89 (Commentary on Buddhavamsa) Madhuratthavilasini [59] Venerable Buddhadatta: 5th century.
Generosity is the first mental perfection (parami): Clinging and egoism creates internal panic and social tension. Giving and sharing creates internal elation and external harmony... What is gladly given, returns more than thousandfold! Giving requires Relinquishing! Giving is Anti-Clinging! Giving is the opposite mental state of Greed...
Avoiding all Harm! Doing only Good... Purifying the Mind: This is the True Dhamma of all the Buddhas! Dhammapada 183
Morality is the foundation, the initiator and the origin of all, that is fine, good and very beautiful... One must therefore purify true morality! Theragatha 612
All success is rooted in a clean morality, cultivated to purity! Theragatha 608
Morality is a mighty Power! Morality is a forceful Weapon! Morality is a supreme Jewel! Morality is a marvellous Protection! Theragatha 614
Harmlessness towards all living beings, Speaking only kind and wise truths, Taking nothing not freely given, Enjoying only one's own partner, Never abusing drinks or drugs. Having given up and left all behind these five harmful actions, such Good One truly possesses right morality... AN III 205-6
Ananda once asked the Buddha: "What, Venerable Sir, is the rewarding advantage of morality?" "Freedom from regret, Ananda!" "And what is the advantage of freedom from regret?" "Joy that produces bliss, Ananda. Bliss then generates happiness. Happiness enables concentration. Concentration facilitates vision and knowledge. Vision and knowledge brings disillusion and detachment Disillusion and detachment induces direct experience of certain and complete mental release, Ananda…" AN X.1
Intention always comes first! Intention is of all states the primer. By intention are all things initiated. By construction of mind are all phenomena formed. So - if with good intention one thinks, speaks or acts: Joy and pleasure surely follows one, like a never-leaving shadow However - if with evil intention one thinks, speaks or acts: Pain certainly follows one, like the wheel follows the car. Dhammapada 1+2
Both the moral and immoral doings: Both the good and the bad behaviour; That human beings do here; These are truly only their own possession...!!! These, they take along with them, when they die, go and rearise, These actions, good, neutral and bad are what follows them, like the shadow, that never ever leaves... So do only what is admirable and advantageous, as an accumulating investment for the future life! Good prior doings are the only support and help for all beings, when they re-arise in the world of the next state of being… SN III 4
Here and now the good-doer rejoices... Even so after passing away and re-emerging, the doer of good, reaps only joy, pleasure and satisfaction ... So both here and there, the wise with merit well done and stored, enjoys the moral purity of prior actions. Dhammapada 15
Here and now the bad-doer suffers... Even so after passing away and re-emerging, the doer of wrong and evil, reaps only pain, discontent, despair, and regret ... So both here and there, the fool with wrong views and bad behaviour, suffers agony as the inevitable effect of prior evil behaviour. Dhammapada 16
As the yak-ox watch her tail even onto death, without breaking through, when caught in thorns, guard your doings as your own life, by avoiding all overstepping of this fine line, between right and wrong. The Basket of Behaviour, Cariyapitaka
The Bodhisatta once as the Naga serpent King Sankhapala guarded his precepts of moral habit, even when tortured: Though pierced with sharp bamboo stakes and hacked with hunting knives, I raged no anger against these hunters, as this was my final perfection of Morality! Sankhapala Jataka no. 524
The 5 precious precepts (pañca-sila): I accept the training rule of avoiding all killing of breathing beings. I accept the training rule of not to take anything, that is not given. I accept the training rule of abstaining from any sexual misconduct. I accept the training rule of desisting from all incorrect speech. I accept the training rule of no drinks or drugs causing carelessness. True Buddhists undertake these precious precepts right here: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
These are timeless laws of only pure good, which all the mighty seers of the past have fully followed and made their Way!
This Virtue of Morality is like Rock: A solid foundation for all good states! Immorality creates regret, and thus destroys all joy... Purity creates calm, and thus the subtle concentration, which is necessary for gaining all higher understanding! Only higher Understanding can ever set one completely Free...
Withdrawal is Removal of Misery Withdrawal is Extraction of Disease. Withdrawal is Pulling out the splinter of Pain. Withdrawal is Retraction from Danger. Withdrawal is Renunciation of Ill. Withdrawal is Letting Go of what is Burning. Withdrawal is Turning Away from what is Sorrow. Withdrawal is Seclusion from what is Grief. Withdrawal is Clearing of Captivating Illusions. Withdrawal is Waking Up from Enthralling Trance. Withdrawal is Freedom from Enslaving Addiction. Withdrawal is Protection from what is Entrapping. Withdrawal is Giving Up what is Detrimental. Withdrawal is Discharge of what is Infested. Withdrawal is Breaking out of the Prison. Withdrawal is Release from all Suffering...
"Back to Nature" by Robert Storm Petersen. (1882 – 1949)
The Withdrawn, as the man newly freed from prison does not at all wish himself back in prison! The Basket of Conduct, Cariyapitaka
Infatuated with lust, impassioned and obsessed, they are caught in their own self-created net, like a spider, which spins its own web! Cutting through, the Noble Friend withdraw and go free, Without longing, without greed, leaving all misery behind. Dhammapada 347
The Bodhisatta as the King Culasutasoma gave up his whole kingdom. Knowing withdrawal to be an advantageous victory, he remembered: A mighty kingdom I possessed, as if it was dropped into my hands... Yet all this tantalizing luxury, I let fall and go without any even slight trace of longing or clinging. This was my perfection of Withdrawal... Jataka no. 525
Lust, I say, is a great flood, a whirlpool sucking one down, a constant yearning, seeking a hold, continually active, and difficult to cross is such morass of sense and sensual desire... A sage does not deviate from the good, but remains steady! A recluse stands on firm ground, when solitarily secluded: When withdrawn from all, truly he is calmed and silenced! Having directly touched the Dhamma, he is independent! He behaves right and does not envy anyone anywhere... He who has left behind all pleasure arisen from sensing, an attachment difficult to cut, is freed of both depression and longing, since he has cut across this great flood, and is released. Sutta Nipata IV.15
Any being, that cools down all desires and greedy lusts, by being alert and ever aware of the inherent danger, by directing attention only to the disgusting aspects of all phenomena, such a one withdraws from all craving and thereby wears down and breaks the bars of the inner prison. Dhammapada 350
If one gains an infinite ease by leaving a minor pleasure, the clever one would swap the luminous for what is a trifling sense delight, by withdrawing from this trivial banal boredom. Dhammapada 290
The one who has reached the sublime end all perfected, is fearless, freed of craving, freed of desire and detached.. Such a one has broken the chains of being and is certainly withdrawing into the final phase, wearing his last frame... Dhammapada 351
Prince Siddhattha Gotama reflected thus: "Why do I, being subject to birth, decay, disease, death, sorrow and defilement, thus search after things of the same nature? What if I, who am subject to things of such nature, realize their disadvantages and seek the unattained and unsurpassed, perfect security: Nibbana?"
"Cramped and confined is the household life, a den of dust, but the life of the homeless is in the free open air of heaven! Hard is it for him who abides at home to live the Holy Life as it should be lived, in all its true perfection, and in all its purity." "The household life is a cramped way, choked with dust. To leave it, is like coming out into the free space of open air! It is not easy for one, who lives at home, to live the Noble life completely perfect and pure, bright as mother-of-pearl. Surely I will now shave off my hair and go forth into homelessness."
Only Misery Arises. Only Misery Ceases. Nothing good is thus lost by withdrawing from it all...
Understanding penetrates, illuminates and guides right. Concentration is the proximate cause of Understanding. Understanding is the very manifestation of Concentration. Understanding is the proximate cause of Equanimity. Only understanding comprehends the meaning and essence. Understanding purifies all the other mental perfections: Energy acquires right purpose only, when guided by Understanding. Only fortified by Understanding, is determination unshakeable. Only Understanding can patiently tolerate other beings abuse. Only Understanding induces indifference towards gain and loss. Only Understanding can secure both own and other's welfare.
The Blessed Buddha said: Just as red sandalwood is reckoned as the best of all scented woods, even and exactly so is the ability to understand reckoned the supreme among all the 7 mental qualities, that are the links to self-awakening, by leading to enlightenment. SN V 48-55 Indriya-samyutta
And of what kind, friends, is this evaluating ability of Understanding ? In this, friends, The Noble learner is possessed of direct knowledge about the arising and ceasing of all phenomena, which is a Noble insight, a fully penetrating and ultimate understanding, that gradually realizes and leads to the utter elimination of all Suffering... The learner (sekha) understands, as it really is: Thus is Suffering. The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the Cause of Suffering. The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the End of Suffering. The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the Way to end Suffering. This, friends, is the discriminating ability of Understanding ... SN V 48-10 Indriya-samyutta
Of minor importance, is the loss of family and wealth... Catastrophic among losses is the loss of Understanding. Of minor consequence, is the increase of family and wealth. Supreme among all the gains is the increase of comprehension... Therefore, friends, you must train yourself to win that! AN I 14-5
When the Noble friend avoids ignorant persons, but instead cultivates, frequents and honors persons who comprehend, teach and review the effects of profound knowledge, then is the ability to understand refined in these three aspects... When the Noble friend is thus leaving ignorance all behind, there is development of the ability to Understand. When the Noble friend is developing the ability to understand, then ignorance is left behind. Thus mutual is this enhancement. The Path of Discrimination
A learned man, who due to his great understanding, despises those of little learning, is like a blind man walking around with a lamp in his high hand... [color=#800000]Theragatha 1026
Happy indeed are those possessing nothing... Those who have won Understanding, clings to nothing. While those attached to family, friends and property, both possessed and obsessed, are as tied to torture... !!! Udana II 6
What sort of person is released by Understanding (Panna-Vimutti) ? Here a person without experiencing all the 8 stages of absorption, anyway eliminates all mental fermentations completely, after having perceived them through insight. Such person is said to be released by Understanding. Designation of Human Types 31
Buddha once said: Just as the great Ocean slopes down gradually, deepens gradually, inclines gradually, and not abruptly like an abyss, even so Paharada, is this teaching and discipline: a gradual training (anupubba-sikkha), a gradual practice (anupubba-kiriya), and a gradual progress (anupubba-patipada); One does not suddenly penetrate to this highest Understanding... Anguttara Nikaya II 47
Asking Questions logically leads to Understanding: As a Bhikkhu walking for alms beg from both low, middle and high folks, if one search and ask both slightly, moderately and highly wise teachers, then the insight of the Buddhas shall come to shine inside the mind! The Basket of Conduct, Cariyapitaka
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
Buddha to his son Rahula: Develop an Imperturbable Mind like the elements: Rahula, develop a mind like earth, then contacts of arisen like and dislike will not obsess your mind! Rahula, on the earth is dumped both the pure and the impure: excreta, urine, saliva, pus, blood, but the earth does not detest any of those... Even and exactly so make your mind stable like the earth! Rahula, develop a mind like water, then contacts of arisen pleasure and pain will not seize your mind. Rahula with water both the pure and the impure are cleaned... Washed away with water are excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, yet the water does not despise any of that! Even so make the mind fluid and adaptable like the water! Rahula, develop a mind like fire, then the contacts of any arisen attraction or aversion will neither consume, nor hang on to your mind! Rahula, fire burns both the pure and the impure, burns excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, yet the fire does not loathe any of that.. In the same manner refine the mind into a tool like an all consuming and purifying fire! Rahula, develop a mind similar to space, then contacts of arisen delight and frustration does neither take hold of, nor remain in your mind. Space does not settle anywhere! Similarly make the mind unsettled and unestablished like open space. When you expand mind like space, contacts of delight and frustration will neither be able to dominate, nor obsess your mind... Majjhima Nikaya 62
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
When the Blessed One heard about the king’s spies, who for money stole information from others, he explained: One should not take just any job. One should not be another’s man. One should not depend on any other. One should not sell the truth for money… Udana VI-2
The Bodhisatta was once caught by a man-eater, which sat him free on the condition that he returned the next day. He kept his word and did so... Much later remembered: Protecting this way of truth, having given up my life and kingdom, I thereby set free 100 captured nobles, as the man-eater lost his nerve. In honesty I thereby reached the ultimate perfection! Mahasutasoma-Jataka no. 537
You can run from your mistake, but not from your regret. You can play with your drama, but not with your karma. Theravada Buddhist Chaiteet Heng, Malaysia
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
The Blessed Buddha once said: I am a friend and helper to all, I am sympathetic to all living beings. I develop a mind full of love & one who always delight in harmlessness! I gladden my mind, fill it with joy, and make it immovable and unshakable. I develop these divine states of mind not cultivated by simple men. Theragatha 648-9
I am a friend of the footless, I am a friend of the bipeds; I am a friend of those with four feet, I am a friend of the many-footed. May not the footless harm me, may not the bipeds harm me, may not those with four feet harm me, & may not those with many feet harm me. AN II 72
A friend, who always lends a hand, a friend both in sorrow and joy, a friend who offers good counsel, a friend who sympathizes too. These are the four kinds of true friends: One who is wise, who have understood much, will always cherish and serve such friends just as a mother tends her only child. DN III, 188
Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the jungle. No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone. Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest. Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude… Suvanna-sama Jataka 540
And how does a Bhikkhu abide with his mind imbued with friendliness extending over one direction? Just as he would feel friendliness on seeing a dearly favourite person, so he extends this same loving-kindness to all beings in all directions, one by one, & as above so below. Abhidhamma Pitaka: Appamañña-vibhanga
Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth one sixteenth part of the release of mind by universal friendliness; in shining, glowing and beaming radiance, in invisible shielding protection, such release of mind by universal friendliness far excels & surpasses them all... Itivuttaka 27
Balanced Equanimity is the Tenth Mental Perfection:
Equanimity characteristically induces & promotes impartial neutrality... Its function is to look upon things with an even unreactive indifference! Its manifestation is the gradual stilling of both attraction & repulsion.. Its proximate cause is seeing, that all inherit the results of their actions. Its effect is utter purification & perfection of all other mental qualities, by ending both discontent & delight, thereby providing the necessary equal calm required for their complete assessment & accomplishment.
Equanimity means Unaffectable.. Equanimity means Unprovokable.. Equanimity means Undisturbable.. Equanimity means Unexcitable.. Equanimity means Imperturbable.. Equanimity means Disengaged.. Equanimity means Disentangled.. Equanimity means Detached.. Equanimity means Immovable.. Equanimity means Unbeatable.. Equanimity means Untemptable.. Equanimity means Wholly Immune.. Equanimity means Indifferent.. Equanimity means Impartial.. Equanimity means Unbiased.. Equanimity means Disinterested.. Equanimity means Balanced.. Even like a smiling mountain! Cool Calm is the ultimate Balm!
The Threefold Equanimity (Upekkha): If Indifferent towards: Internal states & external phenomena, Living beings & lifeless things, Past, present & future events, How can one be hurt, upset, disturbed or distressed?
Calm is his mind. Calm is his speech. Calm is his action. So is the Tranquility; So is the Equanimity; Of one freed by the Insight Of right Knowledge. Dhammapada 96
Although a man is richly dressed and adorned, if he is in peace, at ease, in equanimity, calmed, composed, controlled, celibate and harmless towards all beings, then verily he is a Holy One, a recluse, a sage ... Dhammapada 142
Equanimity towards one's own internal states - that is indeed a link to Enlightenment. Equanimity regarding external phenomena & conditions - that is indeed also a link to Enlightenment. Samyutta Nikaya V Bojjhanga-samyutta.
Such noble friend finally develops the link to awakening that is Equanimity during Awareness of in-&-out breathing, which protects against damaging mental states, tends to detachment, to ceasing, tends to release & culminates in complete self-surrender... If, friends, Awareness of in-&-out breathing, is so cultivated and so made much of, it is indeed of great fruit, of great advantage! One whose Awareness of breathing in-&-out is perfected, well developed, and gradually brought to refined growth thus, according to the teaching of the Buddha, such one illuminates the entire world, just like the full moon freed from clouds. Samyutta Nikaya V Anapana-samyutta.
The Blessed One once said: Now how, Ananda, in the discipline of a Noble One is there the unsurpassable development of the senses? There is the case where, when seeing a form with the eye, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, or what is disagreeable, or what is both agreeable & disagreeable. He recognizes that: This agreeable thing has arisen in me, or this disagreeable thing... or this both agreeable & disagreeable thing, has arisen in me: And that is constructed, conditioned, coarse & dependently co-arisen! But this is peaceful, this is exquisite, namely even & equal equanimity! Instantly, that arisen agreeable or disagreeable thing ceases, and Equanimity takes its calm stance! Just as a man with good eyes, having closed them, might open them; or when open, might close them, that is how quickly, how rapidly, how easily, no matter what it refers to, Equanimity make whatever arisen agreeable thing... or disagreeable thing... or both agreeable & disagreeable thing cease right there, and Equanimity takes its even stance! In the discipline of The Noble One, this is called the unsurpassable development of the senses with regard to visible forms cognizable by the eye. Similar is the supreme development of the other senses. MN 152
With the fading of rapturous joy, he remains in equanimity, aware & alert, still physically sensitive to bodily pleasure. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare: 'In aware Equanimity, one abides in pleasure...' With the stilling of pleasure & pain as with the earlier disappearance of elation & frustration, he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: sole Awareness purified by equanimity, - neither pleasure nor pain - This is called Right Concentration... The elimination of both sensual desires & of discontent, the ejection of laziness, the calming of all regrets, just this pure Equanimity being aware of all mental properties exactly at the moment they appear: That I call the direct knowledge of release the breakthrough from ignorance. Sutta Nipata V 13: Udaya's Questions
Equanimity is 'Tatra-majjhattata', which designates the evenly balanced keeping to the moderate middle of all things. It has as characteristic, that it affects the balance of consciousness and mental properties as a single function of single taste, which prevents both overt excessiveness and any lack or insufficiency. Equanimity thereby puts an end to biased partiality by manifesting moderation well within range of the properly reasoned midway. Visuddhimagga XIV
The Buddha once explained: I would make my bed in a charnel ground, with a skeleton for my pillow.. And cowherd boys came up and spat on me, urinated on me, threw dirt at me, and poked sticks into my ears! While others, exultant & thrilled brought me offerings of food, caskets of perfume & incense and garlands of flowers! Yet I do not recall, that I ever showed any partiality towards any of them... I was the same to them all! Neither arousing any fondness nor any aversion! This was my ultimate perfection of equanimity... MN 12 Lomahamsanapariyaya The Hair-raising Presentation Cariyapitaka III 15
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!
Establishing Awareness Creates a Mighty Magic Power!
Venerable Sariputta
Saketa was the place where Venerable Sariputta said this to Venerable Anuruddha: Friend Anuruddha, by cultivating and making much of which conditions have you developed such mighty magic power and supreme majesty ?
Friend, it is by cultivating and making much of the Four Foundations of Awareness that I have done so. What four? Herein friend,
I dwell contemplating body just as a form ... & the rise and fall of body ... both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future! I dwell contemplating feeling just as reaction ... & the rise and fall of feeling ... both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future! I dwell contemplating all mind just as moods ... & the rise and fall of mind ... both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future! I dwell contemplating all phenomena just as mental states ... & rise and fall of mental states ... both own and other ... internal and external ... whether past, present and future!
Moreover, friend it is by cultivating and making much of these Four Foundations of Awareness that I have come to completely & directly experience this thousandfold galactic world-system. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness that the painful feelings that come upon my body make no contact on my mind. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness that I enjoy many forms of magic powers: From being one I become many, visible or invisible ... & even as far as the fine material Dark matter Brahma world do I exert power with my body. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I hear with divine hearing purified and supra-human the sound of both man and deva, far or near. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know the minds of other beings; the lustful as lustful ... the liberated as liberated. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as it really is, the cause of any given event and what is not the cause of this event. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know as they really are the cause and conditions of any given action, whether performed in the past, future or present time. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as it really is, the gradual and final result of any given practise. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as they really are, the diverse character of whatever being. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as they really are, the natures of other beings and persons minds. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as they really are, the corruption, purification and uprising of the attainments of any trance, mental release and concentration. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I can remember my past lives, as they really were: One, two ... thousand births in all their minutest detail and peculiarity. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know and see with divine supra-human sight, as they really are, the going & coming of beings, death & rebirth, transmigrating according to their behaviour. Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness, that I know, as it really is, in this very life, by my own unaided ability, the destruction of the mental fermentations, & the calm blissful dwelling in release & insight freed from all mental fermentation...
Venerable Anuruddha
Source:Samyutta Nikaya V Maha Vagga, Section on Anuruddha.
By seeing that: If only happy at one's own success, such egoistic Joy is rare and limited! If happy at others success also, the Joy is more frequent & even infinite!
By observing that: It starts with basic sympathy, develops into acceptance, genuine approval, & appreciation. It culminates in rejoicing altruistic sympathy by directing mind to initiation, much cultivation & boundless expansion of Mutual Joy!
By knowing that: Mutual Joy is the proximate cause of sweet, fully satisfied contentment! Lack of mutual joy is therefore the proximate cause of discontentment! Mutual Joy instantly eliminates acidic jealousy, grudge and green envy! Mutual Joy is an infinite, truly divine, elevating and sublime mental state! Mutual Joy is 1 of the 4 mental states of the Brahma-devas (Brahmavihara)
The Blessed Buddha pointed out: If it were impossible to cultivate this Good , I would not tell you to do so!
Buddhaghosa: See how this worthy being is very Happy! How fine! How excellent! How sweet!
Let there be Happiness. Let there be open Freedom. Let there be Peace. Let there be Bliss from cultivating this. Let there be Understanding of this mental state of Mutual Joy!
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…
The Blessed Buddha once explained: Whatever meritorious action one performs, all these together are not worth 1/16th part of a mind released into friendliness, since the mind released into friendliness blazes forth, & outshines all with an unsurpassable brilliance... Just as the radiance from all the stars and planets does not match even a 1/16th part of the radiance from the moon, which thus outshines all the stars, similarly; whatever good thoughts one fulfils by doing meritorious actions, all these together are not worth one-sixteenth fraction of the mind released by infinite friendliness! Since a mind released into friendliness - all alone - blazes forth, and thus outshines all these with an incomparable radiance... Just as the mighty sun rising at autumn dawn, by making any fog evaporate, scattering any dark thundercloud, makes the sky all blue & clear, so it alone freely shines, blazes in a blue brilliance, - exactly so - whatever thoughts there may be for gaining merit, all these together are not worth one 16th fraction, of a mind released into friendliness! Since the mind released into friendliness - all alone - outshines all these with inestimable luminosity! So did the Lord Buddha state this matter, and he further added: For the Noble friend, who by will, who fully aware and deliberately brings infinite, boundless and endless friendliness into being, this mountain-like limitless goodwill makes all evil substrate evaporate, & the chains of mind, these mental fetters become thin, slender and slack. If a friend without ill will cares for even one single living being, such friend, through that, becomes quite skilled and clever, so far more for the Noble Friend, who by possessing a caring heart for all sentient beings, without even a single exception, accumulates great, massive, and immense amounts of merit! Those gurus and priests who sacrifice life, objects, or fire, who bathe ceremoniously, devoted to mere forms and empty ritual, blindly attached to and obsessed by culture, tradition of primeval & often unknown origin, do never experience even a 16th of this release of mind by friendliness fully brought into being, just like the vagueness of even all the stars cannot either ever outshine the moon! Since there cannot exist any evil animosity whatsoever, nor enmity at all, neither even an atomic trace of hate in a Nobly Released One, who by caring indiscriminately and infinitely for all living beings, who by possessing such treasure of a mind relinquished by friendliness, simply cannot ever suppress, dominate, harm, or kill even the smallest sentient breathing being! Luminous is such perfectly released mind!
The Blessed Buddha once said: What, Ananda, is the experience of disgust? Here the Bhikkhu contemplates this body from the soles of the feet upward, and back again from the top of the hair downward, seeing it as frame of bones with a skin stretched over it, and filled with much filthy putrescence such as: head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, vomit, spleen, diaphragm, lungs, intestine, mesentery, stomach, excrement, brain, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin, tallow, spit, slime, snot, joint-fluid, & urine. This is the experience of disgust.
The rewards are: 1: Absence of greed, lust, desire, craving, urge, need, longing and discontent. 2: Fearlessness of Death & thereby Fearlessness of All! = Elevated Joy!
Any Body is just a painted puppet! A chain of bones plastered by skin with 9 oozing holes! A heap of sores & rotten excrement with evil intentions!
The Grace of Goodwill: A Meditation on Friendliness (Metta): May my mind be filled with the thought of Kind Friendliness & open Amity. May the minds of my good teachers be filled with the thought of Friendliness. May the minds of my parents and dear ones be filled with the thought of Friendliness. May the minds of all unfriendly persons be filled with the thought of Friendliness. May the minds of all living beings be filled with the thought of Friendliness. May the minds of all strangers be filled with the thought of Friendliness. May we be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness. May our hearts become soft. May our words be pleasing to others. May we be generous. May we be gentle. May we be relaxed. May we be happy and peaceful. May we be healthy. May we be a source of pure peace and happiness.
May the minds of everyone in this room be free from greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, and fear. May the peace and tranquillity of tender Friendliness pervade their entire bodies and minds. May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous. May they have really good friends May the minds of everyone in this building, in this street, in this city, in this nation on this continent, on this planet & in this universe be free from greed, anger, & doubt. May these thoughts of Friendliness embrace them, charge them and envelope them. May every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, be charged with kind amity. May the peace & tranquillity of goodwill pervade their entire bodies & minds. May they be happy-hearted. May they be free from worries and troubles. May all beings in all directions throughout this multiverse be happy. May they be filled with Friendliness, abundant, exalted, & infinite! May they be free from enmity affliction, and anxiety. May they live happily.
May all beings in all directions, all around the universe be happy. May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous. May they be famous. May they have good friends. May they be reborn in a happy destination. May they be reborn in the heavens. May all beings Awaken swiftly! May they become thus Happy!
The Buddha indeed pointed out Gratitude as an important mental quality: These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two? The one who is first to do a kindness, and the one who is grateful and thankful for a kindness done. Anguttara Nikaya 2.118
I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, & were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate and urinate right there on your shoulders, you would not thereby repay your parents. Even if you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way repay your parents! Why is that? Mothers and fathers do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them for long, and they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in faith; rouses his immoral mother & father, establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his unwise mother & father, settles & establishes them on a new level of understanding: It is in this way that one truly repays one's mother's and father's many longstanding services. Anguttara Nikaya 2.32
Mother & father, compassionate to their family, are called Brahma, first teachers, honour them with food & drink, clothing & bedding, and anointing, bathing, washing their feet. Performing these services to their parents, the wise are praised right here and after death rejoice in heaven. Itivuttaka 106
If this is what you think of me: The Blessed One, is sympathetic, is seeking our well-being, teaches us this Dhamma out of sympathy, then you should train yourself in being in harmony, cordial, and without conflict and train in yourselves cultivation of all the 37 best mental qualities: The 4_Foundations_of_Awareness, the 4 right efforts, the 4_Feet_of_Force, the 5 Abilities, 5 powers, the 7 Links to Awakening, & the Noble_8-Fold_Way. Majjhima Nikaya 103 A Tathagata is worshipped, honoured, respected, thanked & shown gratitude by any follower, who keeps practicing the Dhamma in accordance with true Dhamma, who keeps practicing masterfully, who lives in and by the Dhamma! Digha Nikaya 16
We will undertake & practice those qualities that makes one a contemplative, so that all those who helped us by services of robes, alms-food, lodging, and medicines will bring them great fruit and great future reward. Majjhima Nikaya 39
Comments: In Pali, the word for gratitude = kataññu literally means to have a sense of what was done for one in the past even when long ago. Remembering all help! A network of kindness and gratitude is what sustains whatever goodness there is and ever will be in this - otherwise destitute & impoverished - world!
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 ...
By means of Non-Greed , they are not greedy, lusty, desirous, yearning or longing. Non-greed has the characteristic of easy absence of desire for any given object. It does not cling, attach or adhere, but rolls off like a water drop on a lotus leaf! The function of non-greed is not to lay hold on, grasp, fasten or cling to anything. It is manifested as a state of not treating as a shelter, like one who leaves dirt...
Through Non-Hate , they do not react with hate, anger, irritation, or opposition. Non-hate has the characteristic of lack of cruelty. Gently, it does not oppose... Its function is to remove any fever of annoyance, and allay all fury exasperation. Non-hate is manifested as a pleasant and mild agreeableness, like the full moon!
Due to Non-Delusion , they are not ignorant, confused, in doubt, or perplexed... Non-delusion has the characteristic of seeing through, penetrating to the real nature of phenomena, understanding their essence, and not just their appearance. The function of non-delusion is to illuminate the object everywhere, like a lamp. Non-delusion is manifested as non-bewilderment, like a clever guide in a forest.
These three states should be regarded as the roots of all that is advantageous! Vism I 465 .
The Blessed Buddha once said: Monks, a Noble should dwell Aware and Composed… This is our instruction to you!
And how does a monk dwell Aware? Herein a friend dwells contemplating any body as a void frame only; as a transient, painful and impersonal neither-me-nor-mine appearance, while alert, ballanced and deliberately aware, thereby overcoming any mental rejection of reality, arised from coveting this world… Exactly so does he dwell with regard to any feeling.. with regard to any mood and mentality.. with regard to any phenomenon.. Only precisely so is this Noble One Acutely Aware!
And how does a monk dwell Composed? Herein a friend dwells fully aware of all feelings, that arise.. fully aware of all feelings, that settle.. fully aware of all feelings, that cease.. Such Noble One dwells fully aware of all thoughts, that arise.. fully aware of all thoughts, that remain.. fully aware of all thoughts, that stop.. Such clever one dwells fully aware of all perceptions, that arise.. fully aware of all perceptions, that persist.. fully aware of all perceptions, that end.. Just so is this Noble One Cool, Calm, and Composed!
Any disciple should dwell Aware and Composed. This is our instruction to you…
Intention has in future entangled physical effects outside the individual!
The Buddha to his son: How do you consider this, Rahula: What is a mirror for? Rahula: For reflection, Sir.
The Buddha: In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts are to be done with constant reflection. Whenever you want to do a bodily act, then you should reflect: This bodily act I want to do, would it lead to misery to myself, to the misery of others, or to both? Is this a detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results? If, on reflection, you come to know that it would lead to your own misery, to the misery of others, or to both, and it would be an harmful bodily act with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily act whatsoever of that sort is absolutely unacceptable for you to do! But if on reflection you know that it would not cause misery. That it would be an advantageous bodily action with happy consequences, & pleasant results, then any bodily act of that sort is proper for you to do.
Any intention produces a ladder into the future upon which one climbs!
While you are doing a bodily act, you should reflect: This bodily act I am doing now does it lead to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to both? Is it an detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results? If, on reflection, you come to know that it is leading to self-misery, or to the misery of others, or to both, then you should instantly stop doing it! But if on reflection you know that it is not disadvantageous to anybody, then you may continue with it.
Having done a bodily act, you should again reflect .... If, on reflection, you come to know that it led to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to both; that it was an detrimental bodily act with painful consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, and lay it open to the teacher or to a knowledgeable friend in the holy life. Having confessed it, you should exercise restraint and self-control regarding this in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to misery, that it was a advantageous bodily action with happy consequences, happy results, then you should stay mentally elated and joyful, training day and night in all the advantageous mental qualities.
...[similarly for verbal and mental acts]...
Intention is a choice, which reduces entropy, thus rolling out the future!
Rahula, all past bhikkhus and recluses who purified their bodily, verbal, and mental acts, did it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental acts in exactly this way. All the future bhikkhus and recluses, & all the bhikkhus and recluses, who at present purify their bodily, verbal, and mental acts, do it by repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental acts in exactly this way. Therefore, Rahula, you should train yourself: I will purify my bodily behaviour by repeated reflection. I will purify my verbal speech by repeated reflection. I will purify my mental thought by repeated reflection. Thus should you train yourself! reference MN 61
Faith comes mostly from the heart and less from the intellect. Faith - in itself - is blind, but it initiates repeated observation, that later grows into confidence and when fully confirmed it culminates in conviction. Then the Faith has become Knowledge!
What is the cause of Faith? Suffering is proximate cause of Faith! When in pain we seek! The 4 Factors of Stream-Entry is the Origin of Faith. What are the four factors of Stream-Entry leading to Nibbana?
Buddha once explained: Here, householder, the Noble Disciple possesses confirmed faith, confidence & conviction in the Buddha in this way: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha! Consummated in knowledge and behaviour, totally transcended, expert in all dimensions, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable trainer of those who can be tamed, both teacher & guide of gods as well as of humans, blessed, exalted, awakened & enlightened is the Buddha!!! He possesses confirmed confidence in the Dhamma in this way: Perfectly formulated is this Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here & now, immediately effective, timeless, inviting each and everyone to come and see for themselves, inspect, examine & verify. Leading each and everyone through progress towards perfection. Directly observable, experiencable and realizable by each intelligence... He also possesses confirmed confidence in the Sangha in this way: Perfectly training is the Noble Sangha of the Buddha's disciples: The right way, the true way, the good way and the direct way! Therefore do these eight kinds of individuals, the four Noble pairs, deserve gifts, self-sacrifice, offerings, hospitality & reverential salutation with joined palms, since this Noble Sangha community of the Buddha's Noble disciples, is an unsurpassable & forever unsurpassed Field of Merit, in this world, for this world, to honour, and support... He possesses the Morality esteemed by the Noble ones: Unbroken, untorn, unspotted, unmottled, freeing, praised by the clever, natural, leading to mental concentration, & absorption... These 4 factors of Stream-Entry does the Noble Disciple possess!
The Blessed Buddha once said: How, Nandiya, does a Noble Disciple live in alert elevated joy? Here, Nandiya, any Noble Disciple is endowed with verified conviction in the Buddha thus: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha! Not satisfied with that verified conviction in the Buddha, he makes a further effort in solitude by day and seclusion at night! When thus enthusiastic, he is elevated by alertness! When thus elevated by alertness, then gladness is born! When he is gladdened, then a rapturous joy arises! When the mind is uplifted by joy, the body becomes all tranquil... One tranquil in body experiences a pure bliss of happiness! The mind of one who is happy becomes condensed and concentrated... When mind is concentrated, even subtle phenomena become plain & manifest. Since these subtle phenomena become plain and manifest, he becomes one, who lives and dwells in alert elevated joy...
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:398] Section 55 on Stream-Entry: Sotapattisamyutta. Thread 40: Nandiya.
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
Once an illuminating deity asked The Buddha: Which good fortune is the best? Whereto he answered: Not associating with fools, but only with the wise, Honouring only those, who really deserves it, Living in suitable climatic and peaceful regions, Great learning, good discipline and exact speech, Service to mother and father, support of wife and sons, — this is supreme good fortune! Giving, and living the just and generous life supporting relatives, Avoidance from all evil behaviour through complete self-control, Abstinence from intoxicating drinks and drugs causing carelessness, Reverence, devoted faith in the Dhamma, humility, and contentment, Grateful hearing and study of the Dhamma, when one is ready for it, — this is supreme good fortune! Forbearance, patience, and humble yet keen attention, when corrected, Seeing ascetics, recluses, sages and bhikkhus, who explain the Dhamma, Living the Noble life, understanding the Noble Truths, & realising quenching, Being unperturbed, when contacted by the manifold phenomena of the world, Having established these exquisite states, one is unconquered everywhere, One goes in safety everywhere — this is verily the supreme good fortune! Sn 258-269
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, if anyone were to say about something, that it is a Mountain of Advantage, then it is about the Four Foundations of Awareness that one could rightly say this. For this is indeed an absolute accumulation of advantage, these Four Foundations of Awareness. What four? When an determined and devoted Bhikkhu considers: 1: The Body just as a transient frame: An empty container ... 2: The Feelings only as fleeting contacts: A short reactive blink ... 3: The Mind merely as temporary temper: A mentally habitual mood... 4: Phenomena as made up of and manifested by momentary mental states ... while always acutely aware and clearly comprehending, he thereby removes any greed, envy, jealousy, irritation and dissatisfaction rooted in this world... If, bhikkhus, one were to say of anything: A heap of pure advantageousness, it is about these four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly say this. For this is a complete and excellent mass of good uplifting future, that is, these Four Foundations of Awareness ...
Source of reference (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 187] 47 The Foundations of Awareness: 45 Accumulated Advantage..
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes: May I radiate and meet only infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and find only the genuine good of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material and the formless plane develop and encounter this fine infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left and below as above develop and experience high infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe always be fully aware and deeply mindful of this infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe examine all details and subtle aspects of this sublime infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe put enthusiastic effort into their praxis of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy and jubilant gladness in this infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe cultivate the tranquillity of quiet, silent and all stilled infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated and absorbed one-pointedness of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe dwell in undisturbable and imperturbable balance of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill! Yeah! (Print this out, dwell in each state until deep, use ~ 25-45 minutes.
Comment: Universal Friendliness is the 1st endless state (Appamañña) This gradually reduces all hate, anger, irritation, resentment, opposition, stubbornness, mental rigidity, and unhappiness related with these states. Release of Mind by Universal Friendliness (Metta-Ceto-Vimutti) is >16 times more worth, than any merit won by whatever worldly gift or gain... Joining with the 7 links to Awakening will later cause formless jhana...
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, just as this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in dependence on feeding and cannot survive without food, so are the 7 Links to Awakening also sustained by feeding, they can also only exist in dependence on feeding and they cannot survive without feeding... And what is the feeding of the emergence of any yet unarisen Energy and also feeding of the very completion by advance of any already arisen Energy Link to Awakening? There are these 3 elements of: Initiative, Launching into effort and Endurance ... Frequently giving careful and rational attention to them, is feeding the arising of any unarisen Energy Link to Awakening and also feeding of the fulfillment of any already arisen Energy Link to Awakening... And what, Bhikkhus, is the starving that obstructs the emergence of any yet unarisen Energy Link to Awakening & which also hinders any already arisen Energy Link from reaching any fulfillment by deliberate development? There are these three elements of: Initiative, Launching and Endurance ... Not giving frequent, careful and rational attention to them; not considering them much and often; is the starving that prevents any unarisen Energy Link to Awakening from arising and also blocks any already arisen Energy Link to Awakening from reaching any complete fulfillment by training & development.
Comments from the classical commentaries: Enthusiastic and eager exertion is the characteristic of the Energy Link to Awakening (Viriya-sambojjhanga). Effort producing advantage is the goal of the Energy quality. Activity overcoming mental slack is the manifestation of this Energy Link to Awakening. While too lazy to do what should be done simply ask yourself: What is missing here??? Is it the element of mental initiative wishing to get up that is missing here now, or is it the element of actual bodily launching into effort that is missing here, or is it the element of endurance, persistence, perseverance and stamina that is missing here now? This discrimination - in itself - has the capacity to gradually stir up and induce energy!
Further conditions helpful for the emergence of the Energy are: 1: Reflection on the long-term dangers of inactivity such as hell... 2: Reviewing the benefits to be gained by energetic praxis. 3: Remembering that no journey can ever be ended by a lazy one. 4: Giving credit to the good givers of the alms-food received. 5: Honouring the Greatness of the prior effort of the Master. 6: Honouring the Greatness of the prior effort of the Lineage. 7: Removing laxity by perceiving light, change of posture and open air. 8: Avoidance of slack, lazy, sluggish, negligent and careless people. 9: Friendship with enthusiastic, energetic and persistent people. 10: Reviewing the Four Right Efforts often and systematically. 11: Commitment and resolute determination to arouse more energy...
There is bodily energy and there is mental energy! Both are a crucial for all progress towards any advantageous state. Awakening is Waking Up from sloth and daydreaming!
Wrong question! Why? There was no-one really there in the first place...! Nibbana is there. Beings attain it, but no-one is ever seen entering it... There was no 'entity' or 'person' there, but a process that simply stops!
Right question: Not Who, but What is then absolutely free? Right answer: Form is then free, Feeling is then free, Perception is then free, Mental Construction is then free, and Consciousness itself is then free! Cut short: The 5 clusters of clinging are instantly freed! When all craving and all clinging is completely relinquished and eliminated, then they are all completely irreversibly freed and they by that evaporate, disintegrate, fade away and vanish... This is the signless Nibbana ...
The Blessed Buddha once explained: When past conditioning is exhausted, and no fresh causality is produced, then mind is no longer lead to future rebirth. When cravings no more arise, the seed is consumed! Still-minded ones cease like the flame of this lamp... Sutta Nipata 235
What actually stops burning right there? The Fire of Greed, Hate and Ignorance, is finally extinguished in Nibbana...
What are the 20 invalid Theories of an only apparently existing "Ego-self"? 1: My "self" is identical with my Body: This physical matter is my "Ego". 2: My "self" has a Body, this physical matter is owned by my "Ego". 3: My "self" is hidden somewhere inside & included within this Body frame. 4: This Body form is hidden inside and included within a pervading "Ego".
5: My "self" is identical with my Feelings: Pain, pleasure & neutral feeling is my "Ego". 6: My "self" has Feelings, these sensations are owned by my very own "Ego". 7: My "self" is hidden inside among these Feelings, included within these emotions. 8: These Feelings are hidden inside and included within my all-pervading "Ego-self".
9: My "self" is identical with my Perceptions: These experiences are my "Ego". 10: My "self" has Perceptions: These experiences are owned by my very own "Ego". 11: My "self" is hidden inside these Perceptions, included among all these experiences. 12: These Experiences are hidden inside & included inherently within my "Ego-self".
13: My "self" is identical with my Mental Constructions: Ideas & intentions are my "Ego". 14: My "self" possess mental Constructions: These activities are owned by my "Ego". 15: My "self" is hidden inside among these mental Constructions, included as a core. 16: These Cogitations are hidden inside & included inherently within my "ego-self".
17: My "self" is identical with my Consciousness: This bare awareness is my "Ego". 18: My "self" has a Consciousness: This naked awareness is owned by my "Ego". 19: My "self" is hidden inside this Consciousness, included in all aware moments. 20: This Consciousness is hidden inside & included inherently within my "self".
The imagined EGO tragi-comically imprisons itself in overblown pride and ego-centrism! Even without noticing it, since it is so blindly fallen in love with this non-existent Myself! Enveloped in Egotism this Ego then systematically destroys itself by egoistic behaviour! The very conception of an 'Ego' is thus a catastrophic form of mental auto-cannibalism, which beings repeat life after life, resulting in immense pain for themselves & all others... Why are these 20 common assumptions invalid, erroneous, wrong and false? Because any concept of a "Self" inherently implies 3 criteria: 1 Sameness: It is something constant over time: An "identical same self"... 2 Control: That it is "self"-controllable: i.e. fully independent and autonomic... 3 Pleasant: That it is pleasant, since if self was not pleasant, & the "Self" really was in full power, then it would instantly make whatever is self, become pleasant! However, neither body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness is constant and the same, even for a moment... Therefore they cannot possibly ever qualify as a "same self", nor be identical with any stable and definable identity...!!! Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness fully controllable... Neither can they thus ever meet the control requirements of a self! Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness always pleasant... They can therefore never contain or coincide with any autonomic self!
Could the assumed ‘"self"’ be a combination of any of 1-20? Not so! Why not? If "self" is not found within any of 1-20, it cannot ever be a collection of them!
The 4 Mechanisms of unseen, assumed, and associative Ego-projection: 1+5+9+13+17 are examples of illusory identification with mere passing states... 2+6+10+14+18 are examples of fictitious immanence and invented ownership... 3+7+11+15+19 are examples of imagined inclusion in something becoming otherwise... 4+8+12+16+20 are examples of phony possessing as an invisible acquisition...
This doctrine of selflessness, Anatta, No-self, Not-Anyone-Anything-Anywhere is particular to the Buddhas. No other is able to discover, comprehend, nor teach this!
The Blessed Buddha once radically pointed out: "All phenomena is void of a "self" or of what belongs to any "self"! Within this frame is therefore nothing belonging to anyone, anywhere, nor is there anything owned by this frame in anyone, anywhere or elsewhere..."
Like a Scarecrow empty of self, soul, ownership & ego...
The Blessed Buddha once said: The rewarding fruition of morality is freedom from regrets! The rewarding fruition of freedom from regret is gladness! The rewarding fruition of gladness is rapturous joy! The rewarding fruition of joy is serene tranquillity! The rewarding fruition of tranquillity is Happiness! The rewarding fruition of happiness is concentration! The rewarding fruition of concentration is knowing & seeing! The rewarding fruition of knowing & seeing is realism! The rewarding fruition of realism is disillusion! The rewarding fruition of disillusion is release! Step by step does morality thus lead to theHighest! Source: AN 10:1
There are these two kinds of Desire: 1: Advantageous Desire for unbinding, for release, for peace, for Nibbana... Why is this form of desire advantageous ? Because it leads towards ultimate safety, freedom, and lasting Happiness!
2: The Detrimental Desire for forms, for body, for feelings, for perceptions, for mental constructions, for sensing, & for the various types of consciousness. Why is this form of desire detrimental? Because it leads to repeated births, ageing, decaying, sickness & repeated death! Because it leads to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, misery & desperate despair. I tell you, because such desire leads to Suffering... These are the two kinds of Desire!
There are these two kinds of Disgust: 1: The Advantageous Disgust towards forms, towards body, towards feelings, towards perceptions, towards mental constructions, towards sensing, towards the manifold and various types of consciousness, towards all internal and all external ... Why is this form of disgust advantageous ? Because it leads towards ultimate safety, freedom, and lasting Happiness!
2: The Detrimental Disgust towards friends on the Noble life, towards morality, towards meditation, towards understanding, towards right view, towards right motivation, towards right speech, towards right behaviour, towards right livelihood, towards right effort, and towards right concentration... Why is this form of disgust detrimental? Because it leads to repeated births, ageing, decaying, sickness & repeated death! Because it leads to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, misery & desperate despair. I tell you, because such desire leads to Suffering... These are the two kinds of Disgust!
Comments: The autopilot monkey-mind runs with any desire, even if it is catastrophic... This same folly also runs away from any disgust, even if it is advantageous!
The Blessed Buddha once said: These six things are to be remembered in order to Unite any Community in Harmony: Which six? 1: Friendly Behaviour (metta-kaya-kamma=friendly bodily action) both in public and in private. 2: Friendly Speech (metta-vaci-kamma=friendly verbal action) both in public and in private. 3: Friendly Thought (metta-mano-kamma=friendly mental action) both in public and in private. 4: Sharing of Gains (sadharana-bhogi=common wealth) even down to any single lump of food. 5: Moral Harmony (sila-samannagato=uniform morality): All respect the same ethical rules. 6: Harmony in Views (ditthi-samannagato=uniform attitude): All share the same general views. These 6 things are to be considered & remembered both for individual & social Harmony...
Comments: So we can sleep with open doors and dance with the children in our arms :-)
Perfectly formulated is this Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here and now, immediately effective, timeless, inviting each & everyone to come and see for themselves, inspect, examine and verify. Leading each and everyone through progress towards perfection. Directly observable, experienceable and realizable by each intelligence...
When a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of the Dhamma, he thinks: I never in the past met a master, who taught a law that led onward thus, who possessed this talent, nor do I now see any such a master other than the Blessed One. Seeing the Dhamma's special qualities in this very way, he is respectful and deferential towards the Master. He entertains great reverence for the Dhamma and attains the fullness of faith and insight. He has much happiness and gladness. He conquers fear and dread. He is able to endure pain. He comes to feel as if he were living in the Dhamma's presence. When recollecting the Dhamma's special qualities, dwelling in this remembrance, his body becomes as worthy of worship as a shrine room. His mind tends towards the realization of the peerless Dhamma. When he encounters an opportunity for transgression, then he has vivid awareness of conscience and shame induced by recollecting the well-regulatedness of the Dhamma. And if he penetrates no higher, he is at least headed for a happy destiny...
Now when a man is truly wise, His constant task will surely be, This recollection of the Dhamma, Blessed with such mighty potency! Vism I 218
The blessed Buddha said: Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati; Sabbarasam dhammaraso jinati; Sabbaratim dhammarati jinati; Tanhakkhayo sabbadukkham jinati.
THE SUPREME GIFT The gift of Dhamma surpasses all other gifts. The taste of Truth excels all other tastes. The joy of Understanding exceeds all other joys. The Elimination of craving overcomes and quenches all ill, all pain, all sorrow, and all suffering ... Dhammapada 354
The Blessed Buddha once said: When attending rationally sense-desire neither arises, nor expand. When attending rationally evil-will neither arises, nor later expand. When attending rationally lethargy & laziness does neither emerge nor grow. When attending rationally restlessness & regret cannot arise or amplify. When attending rationally doubt & uncertainty do not begin or blow up. Furthermore, when attending carefully & rationally to cause and effect: The awareness link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The investigation link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The energy link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The joy link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The tranquillity link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The concentration link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed. The equanimity link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed!
What is the Concentration Ability (Samâdhi Indriya)?
Concentration is the ability to focus all mental factors on 1 object! Concentration (samadhi) is a mental ability & power when steady... Concentration is a Link to Awakening & a Factor on the Noble Way. Concentration is non-distraction, non-scatter, and non-diffusion... Concentration is collecting together, unifying, focusing, condensing! Making mental release the object the Noble Disciple gains Samadhi, achieves one-pointedness, & enters fixed unified mental absorption!
The Definition of these 4 subtle Mental Jhana Absorptions: Having eliminated the 5 mental hindrances, mental defects that obstruct understanding, quite secluded from all sensual-desires, protected from any detrimental mental state, one enters & dwells in the 1st jhana; full of joy & pleasure born of solitude, joined with directed & sustained thought. With the stilling of directed and sustained thought, one enters and dwells in the 2nd jhana, calmed assurance & unification of mind with joy & pleasure now born of concentration, devoid of any thinking! With the fading away of joy, in equanimity, clearly comprehending, one enters upon & remains in the 3rd jhana, still feeling pleasure in the body, about which the Noble Ones declare: In aware equanimity one dwells in Happiness... With the leaving behind of both pleasure & pain, and with the prior cessation of both joy and sorrow, one enters and dwells in the 4th jhana mental absorption, which is an entirely stilled mental state of awareness, purified by the equanimity of neither-pain-nor-pleasure!
The Entrance: As long as a Bhikkhu does not perceive the disappearance of the 5 hindrances in himself, he feels as if in debt, in sickness, in bonds, in slavery, on a desert journey. But when he perceives disappearance of the five hindrances in himself, it is as if he were freed from debt, from sickness, from bonds, slavery, & from the desert dangers... And when he knows that these 5 mental hindrances have left him, then gladness arises in him, from gladness comes joy, from the joy in his mind, his body is tranquillised! With a calm body he delights in happiness, & with this happiness his mind is concentrated into focus. Thus secluded from sense-desires, isolated from detrimental states, he enters and remains in the 1st jhana, which is of directed thought & sustained evaluation, born of seclusion, filled with pleasure & joy. And with this pleasure and joy born of seclusion, he so permeates, drenches, fills & pervades his whole body that there is not even a single spot in his entire body that is unsoftened by this pleasure & joy born of seclusion...
The Similes: As, your majesty, all rafters there are in a house with a ridge roof, they all lead to the ridgepole, incline towards the ridgepole, lean on the ridgepole & this ridge beam is termed their peak summit, even & exactly just so, your Majesty, whatever advantageous mental states there are, all of these are headed by concentration, incline towards concentration, lean on concentration, is based on concentration ... As, your majesty, a king might enter battle with an army of 4 parts, and the whole army, the elephants, horses, chariots & foot-soldiers would be headed by him, incline towards him, lean on him, and tend towards him, would follow after just him, even exactly so is indeed this unique concentration the chief, the captain, the commander, & the conductor of the orchestra of mental states.. Miln. 38
The Explanation: It is concentration in that it places & anchors the mind evenly on 1 same single object, it settles & collects mind rightly together there. Its characteristic is absence of wandering, dispersal & distraction. Its function is joining & binding together of co-arised mental states as water does for bath-powder. Its manifestation is calming down, tranquillization, stilling, ceasing and peace. Its proximate cause is especially happiness. It should be seen as fixed steadiness of mind, like the steadiness of candle-flames in absence of perturbing wind! Vism. XIV 139
The Buddha taught 40 principal meditation objects = kammatthana: kammatthana literally means: Place of work, basis of action leading to the various degrees of mental meditative absorption jhana:
These 40 meditation subjects are: I. The 10 kasina exercises: Kasina = 'Entirety'. All 4 jhanas possible: 1: Earth kasina, 2: Water kasina, 3: Fire kasina, 4: Wind kasina, 5: Blue kasina, 6: Yellow kasina, 7: Red kasina, 8: White kasina, 9: Light or consciousness kasina, 10: Space kasina.
II. The 10 perceptions of disgust : asubha-sañña:. 1st jhana possible: A swollen & bloated corpse, a bluish livid corpse, a rotting corpse, a cut-up & split corpse, a gnawed corpse, a hacked corpse, a spread scattered corpse, a bloody corpse, a corpse of maggots, a skeleton.
III. The 10 contemplations , remembrances or recollections anussati:: 1: On the Buddha, 2: The Dhamma, 3: Noble Sangha community, 4: Morality, 5: Generosity, 6: Heavenly divine beings, 7: Death, 8: Body, 9: In-and-out-breathing All 4 jhanas possible:, 10: Peace.
IV. Four divine abodes or infinite states brahma-vihara: 1: All-embracing friendliness = metta:, 2: Pity = karuna: 3: Mutual joy = mudita, 4: Equanimity = upekkha:
V. Four formless spheresarupayatana: based on the 4th jhana: 1: The infinitude of space, 2: The infinitude of consciousness, 3: Empty nothingness, 4: Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
VI. Perception of the disgust of food . ahare patikkula-sañña
VII. Defining Analysis of the four elementsdhatu-vavatthana
False perception of permanence arises from conceiving apparent continuity:
Buddha once said: Aniccanupassanam bhavento niccasaññam pajahati... When developing the contemplation of Impermanence (Anicca), one gradually overcomes the false perception of permanence...
One cannot easily observe the characteristic of Impermanence, since it is obscured and concealed by apparent continuity: Mind falsely conceives: This is the same as it was before... One then wrongly perceives all psycho-physical phenomena as existing permanently and not correctly as a sequence of discrete states ever arising and ceasing...
The stage of Viewing: By training one can observe the solidity, fluidity, heat and motion within ones own body or externally as changing states by noting their beginning, middle and end. Example: Noting the beginning, middle and end of the breath coming in or going out!
The stage of Comprehending: One then comprehends this breath, this materiality is not the same from moment to moment. Nor is any other solidity, fluidity, heat or motion, the same from moment to moment... Nor is any observing mind, thought or any mental state, the same from moment to moment... Whether internally or externally: All this is only discrete states arising and ceasing... Such cannot be lasting happiness... Such cannot be regarded as an essentially same self... Such change is therefore suffering... Such transience is therefore no-self...
The stage of Gaining Insight: By observing wisely and repeatedly one thus understands, that all formations, all phenomena, all conditioned constructions inherently are permeated with the 3 characteristics of: 1: Impermanence (Anicca), 2: Suffering (dukkha), and 3: Selflessness (anatta)... Insight dawns when noting & knowing the Dissolution of all phenomena (bhanga-ñana), which gives rise to noting & knowing the Danger within all existence (adinava-ñana)... By noting the impermanence of all internal form, feeling, perception, mental construction and consciousness, one can generalize and extend this observed impermanence to also be dominant in all external form, feeling, perception, mental construction and consciousness. One can furthermore infer, that all phenomena in the past was impermanent, and so also will all phenomena in the future be impermanent. This expands & matures the comprehension.
The result of contemplating Impermanence is absence of distortion (vipallasa): The false perception of permanence actually comes from an -a priori- conceptual notion: "All phenomena are permanent and endures as the same from moment to moment..." This distortion of perception (sañña-vipallasa) - arised from ignorance - then by repetition then distorts thinking (citta-vipallasa), which then later solidifies into a distortion of view (ditthi-vipallasa): One then perceives, thinks and views: Formations are all lasting! This false conviction have been reified and reinforced through numberless accounts of existence, since a indiscernible beginning, and is thus deeply ingrown and imbedded in mind. However this triple distortion of perception, thinking and viewing can be broken by repeated reasoned observation of & reflection on the universal aspect of impermanence. This requires rationally directed attention (yoniso manasikara) and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña) and leads to knowing and regarding all formations with a pleasant imperturbable equanimity... (sankhara-upekkha-ñana)...
Comments
How to Win the Social Game using Wisdom?
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Overcome the angry with friendliness;
Overcome the wicked with goodness;
Overcome the miser with generosity;
Overcome the liar with truth.
Dhammapada 223
And what is the treasure of generosity?
There is the case where a disciple of the Noble Ones,
having cleaned his mind of the stain of stinginess,
living at home, freely generous, and open-handed,
delighting in being magnanimous, enjoying any request,
delighting in the giving of alms to those needy & worthy...
This is called the treasure of generosity!
AN 7.6
There are these five future rewards of generosity:
One is admired and liked by an overwhelming majority of the people.
One is respected by the good, the intelligent and the wise persons.
One's good reputation is spread easily, rapidly and far about.
One fulfills the rightful duties of the householder, and
With the break-up of the body, one will reappear in a good destination,
in the heavenly and exquisitely divine worlds!
AN 5.35
On this Future Wealth Creating and Wisely Open-Handed Generosity (Dana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/giving.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Pure_Merit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Glad_Giving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_3_Gifts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kathina_Ceremony.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/caaga.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/daana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Openhanded_Generosity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Reviewing_Generosity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Generosity_Contemplation.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
How to Win the Social Game using Wisdom?
Winning Wisdom!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Winning_Wisdom.htm
Seeing the 4 Truths is of Primary Importance!
The Blessed Buddha once said this:
Bhikkhus, imagine a man with a life span of a hundred years. If some ask him:
Good man, morning, noon & evening you will be pierced with a 100 spears and
despite being stabbed and impaled daily with 300 spears, you will survive
a full 100 years, after which you will break through to the Four Noble Truths!
Will you agree to go through that?
Then, Bhikkhus, he should accept this offer as a good deal..! For what reason?
Because since an inconceivable beginning of Samsaric time, all beings have been
& will eternally continue to be hit by spears, cut by swords, & chopped by axes.
Secondly: Breaking through to the Four Noble Truths is not joined by any pain
or frustration. Breaking through to the Four Noble Truths is joined only by an
extreme happiness, joy, bliss and peace...
What four Truths?
The Noble Truth of Suffering is an in all being immanent misery!
The Noble Truth on Craving as the primary Cause of all Suffering!
The Noble Truth on Ceasing of Craving as the End of all Suffering!
The Noble Truth on This Noble 8-fold Way as the method to End all Suffering!
Therefore, Bhikkhus, an effort should be dedicated to really understand:
All this is Suffering! An effort should be made much of to truly comprehend:
Craving is the Cause of Suffering! An effort should be aroused to realize:
No Craving is the End of Suffering! Effort should be made to set in motion,
to reinforce, and refine: This Noble 8-fold Way which Ceases all Suffering...
Comments:
These 4 Noble Truths are really the crucial core of early & any Buddhism since,
they open the doors to the Deathless Dimension: Nibbana !
More on these 4 Noble Truths (Cattari Ariya Saccani):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Actually_So.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/True_Wisdom.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Four_but_One.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Clustered_Truths.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Stick.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ultimate_Fact.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Simple_yet_Complex.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Noble_Truths.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sour_Sense_Sources.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Perfectly_Enlightened.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_End_Suffering.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:440-1]
section 56: Saccasamyutta. Thread 35: 100 Spears ...
The 300 Spears!
Seeing the 4 Truths is Crucial...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/300_Spears.htm
Amity is Precious and Universal!
As I am, so are others...
As others are, so am I...
Having thus identified self and others,
Never Harm anyone, nor have any abused.
Sutta Nipata 3.710
Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the jungle.
No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone.
Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest.
Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude…
Suvanna-sama Jataka 540
I am a friend of the footless,
I am a friend of all bipeds,
I am a friend of those with four feet,
I am a friend of the many-footed!
Anguttara Nikaya 4.67
May all creatures, all breathing things,
all beings one and all, without exception,
experience good fortune only.
May they not fall into any harm.
Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
Panda clings to saving Chinese Policeman after forest-fire :-)
Train yourself in doing good
that lasts and brings happiness.
Cultivate generosity, the life of peace,
and a mind of infinite universal love.
Itivuttaka 22
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart & mind:
Beaming above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without trace of hostility.
Sutta Nipata I, 8
He who does not punish nor makes others punish,
He who steals not nor makes others steal,
who friendly shares with all that lives,
finds enmity with none.
Itivuttaka 27
Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.
Sutta Nipata I, 8
For one who deliberately & aware
develops Universal Friendliness
Seeing the fading away of clinging,
All chains are worn down & broken.
Itivuttaka 27
Overcome the angry by friendliness;
overcome the wicked by goodness;
overcome the miser by generosity;
overcome the liar by truth.
Dhammapada 223
Who is hospitable, open and friendly,
Generous, gentle and unselfish,
A guide, an instructor, a leader,
Such a one to honour may attain.
Digha Nikaya 31
The friend who is a helper and comrade,
the friend in both good and bad times,
the friend who gives good advice,
the friend who never despises,
these four as friends the clever keep
and cherish with pure devotion
as does a mother her only son.
Digha Nikaya 31
Having killed anger you sleep in ease.
Having killed anger you do not grieve.
The noble ones praise the slaying of anger
-- with its honeyed crest & poison root --
for having killed it you do not grieve.
Samyutta Nikaya II, 70
Knowing that the other person is angry,
one who remains mindful and calm
acts for his own best interest
and for the other's interest, too.
Samyutta Nikaya I, 162
Train yourself in doing only good
that lasts and brings great happiness.
Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living,
and a mentality of infinite friendliness.
Ittivuttuka 16
Solitude is happiness for one who is content,
who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees.
Non-violence is happiness in this world:
Harmlessness towards all living beings.
Udana 10
On Metta = Friendliness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Hey_Friend.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Mothers_Love.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unique_Unity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Loving-Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Across_Borders.htm
Metta Means Most!
Amity is Precious and Universal!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Metta_Means_Most.htm
What 5 Objects of Clinging are inevitable Suffering?
The Blessed Buddha once said this:
Bhikkhus & Friends there are these Four Noble Truths. What 4?
1: The Noble Truth of Suffering;
2: The Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering;
3: The Noble Truth on the End of Suffering;
4: The Noble Truth on the Way to end Suffering...
These are the Four Noble Truths!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 1st Noble Truth of Suffering?
These Five Clusters of Clinging are Suffering!
The cluster of clinging to Material Forms (Rupa) is Suffering...
The cluster of clinging to Mental Feelings (Vedana) is Suffering...
The cluster of clinging to Mental Perceptions (Sañña) is Suffering...
The cluster of clinging to Mental Constructions (Sankhara) is Suffering...
The cluster of clinging to kinds of Consciousness (Viññana) itself is Suffering...
This is verily the 1st Noble Truth of Suffering!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering?
It is this Craving, which leads to renewed becoming joined by delight and lust,
seeking delight now here & later there! That is craving for sensual pleasures,
craving for becoming (ex. rich) this & the craving for not-becoming that (ex. sick).
This is indeed the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering!
What, Bhikkhus & Friends, is the 3rd Noble Truth on the Ceasing of Suffering?
It is the traceless fading away & complete Ceasing of that very same Craving,
the giving up & relinquishing of it, the freedom from it, & non-dependence on it.
This is actually the 3rd Noble Truth on the Ceasing of all Suffering!
What is the 4th Noble Truth on the Way leading to the ceasing of Suffering?
It is solely this Noble 8-fold Way namely:
Right View (samma-ditthi)
Right Motivation (samma-sankappa)
Right Speech (samma-vaca)
Right Action (samma-kammanta)
Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva)
Right Effort (samma-vayama)
Right Awareness (samma-sati)
Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
This is the 4th Noble Truth on the Way leading to the ceasing of Suffering!
These, Bhikkhu and Friends, are the Four Noble Truths. Therefore, Bhikkhus
and Friends, an effort should be made much of, so to completely understand:
This is Suffering; This is the Cause of Suffering; This is the End of Suffering;
This is the Way leading to the End of Suffering... An effort should be made to
understand, comprehend, penetrate, recognize & realize these 4 Noble Truths!
More on these 5 Clusters of Clinging (Khandha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Leash.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fingernail_of_Soil.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Acquisition_of_Fuel.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/khandha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_are_the_5_Clusters_of_Clinging.htm
Suffering is an inevitable part of being!
More on these 4 Noble Truths (Cattari Ariya Saccani):
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Clustered_Truths.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sacca.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/index.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Noble_Truths.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/wings/part3.html#part3-h-1
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_End_Suffering.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:425-6]
section 56: Saccasamyutta. Thread 13: Clusters...
Clinging is Suffering!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Clustered_Truths.htm
Seeing the 5 Clusters of Clinging as Alien:
The blessed Buddha once asked:
What do you think, Bhikkhus & friends, is form, feeling, perception
mental constructions, and consciousness permanent or impermanent?
Impermanent, Venerable Sir.
Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness? Suffering, Venerable Sir..
Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded
thus: "This is mine, this I am, this is my self"? No, Venerable Sir...!
Therefore, Bhikkhus & friends, any kind of form whatsoever, any kind of
feeling whatsoever, any kind of perception whatsoever, any kind of mental
constructions whatsoever, & any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether
past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or fine, high or low, far or
near, all this should be seen as it really is with true understanding thus:
This is not mine, this is not me, this I am not, this is not my or any self...
Seeing thus, bhikkhus & friends, the learned Noble Disciple experiences
revulsion towards any form, towards any feeling, towards any perception,
revulsion towards all mental constructions, revulsion towards all consciousness.
While experiencing this revulsion, he becomes disillusioned and detached.
Through this detaching disillusion his mind is released. When it is released
there emerges this assurance: This mind is irreversibly released.
He then understands: Destroyed is any new rebirth, this Noble life has been
fully completed, what had to be done is done, there is no state beyond this...
More on impermanence, inconstancy, & transience (Anicca)
Anicca (Impermanence) According to Theravada (Bhikkhu Ñanamoli):
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html
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
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 24:71 III 223
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Just Transient Formations...
Never returning all states pass!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
The Only Clever Killing:
Sakka - the king of the 33 divinities - once spoke these verses to the Blessed Buddha:
Having slain what, does one sleep in ease?
Having slain what, does one never sorrow?
What is the one thing 0ohh Gotama
Whose killing you can approve?
The Blessed One:
Having slain Anger, one sleeps in ease;
Having slain Anger, one does not sorrow
The killing of Anger, 0ohh Vasava
With its poisoned root and honeyed tip:
This is the killing, the Noble Ones approve.
For having slain that, one does not grieve.
Sakka continued:
I am not one easily upset in mind.
Nor easily agitated by anger's whirl.
I never become angry for long
Nor does anger hang on in me.
When angry, I do not despise.
Nor do I praise own qualities.
I keep myself well under control.
Thus protecting my own good future!
Therefore: Bring Anger under control;
Do not let your friendships waste away.
Do not blame the one who is blameless;
Do not speak splitting or divisive speech.
Their own anger crushes enraged people.
Like the roaring mountain avalanche!
Do not let Anger overpower you;
Do not become angry with the angry.
Noble Ones always remain harmless.
Their own hate crushes angry people.
Like a devastating mountain avalanche.
FUEL ON FIRE?
Not by anger is Hate ever quenched.
Only by Kind Friendliness is Hate always quenched.
This Ancient Law is an Eternal Truth ...
Dhammapada Illustration 5 Background Story 5
More on Anger (A Diluted Derivative of Hate = Dosa):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Cruelty_and_Revengefulness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Anger_and_Irritation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Elimination_of_Anger.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Ill_Will.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Anger_and_Irritation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Subduing_Irritation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Appeasing_Anger.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Boiling_but_burnt.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Revenge.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Break_Anger.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Slaying_Anger.htm
Beasts in anger showing their teeth...
Source: The Grouped sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya I 237-40
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What is the only Clever Killing?
Kill Anger!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Slaying_Anger.htm
The Internal Bath that opens into Prime Divinity!
Buddha once said to Nandaka, the Licchavi minister.
Nandaka, a Noble Disciple who possesses four things is a Stream-Enterer,
who is no longer bound to the lower world, who is fixed in destiny, who has
won enlightenment as his assured future destination. What four things?
Nandaka, any Noble Disciple has unshakable Faith in the Three Jewels thus:
1: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha indeed! ...
2: Perfectly formulated is the Dhamma, visible right here & now, immediate ...
3: Perfectly training is this Noble Sangha of the Buddha's Noble disciples...
4: A Noble possesses Morality esteemed by the Noble Ones: Unbroken, pure...
Any Noble Disciple, who is endowed with these 4 things is a Stream-Enterer,
no longer bound to the painful worlds, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as
his certain future destination. Furthermore, Nandaka, a Noble Disciple who
possesses these four things gains a very long life, whether Divine or human!
He becomes endowed with exquisite bodily beauty, whether Divine or human!
He becomes endowed with a content happiness, whether Divine or human!
He becomes endowed with honour and fame, whether Divine or human!
He becomes endowed with a sovereign power, whether Divine or human!
I explain this to you, Nandaka, not having heard it from any recluse or priest!
Rather, I tell you just what I have known, seen, & understood directly myself!
When this was said, a man said to Nandaka, the minister of the Licchavis:
"It is time for your bath, Sir." Who promptly responded: Enough now, I say,
with that fake external bath... This internal bath will suffice, namely,
firm confirmed, confident conviction in this Blessed One...
More on gaining a surely safe future: Stream-Entry:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fine_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_6_Keys.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Doors.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divine_Tracks.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Enter.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Stream-Enterer.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Faith_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stream_Entrance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stream-Entry Tools.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Assured_Destination.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Impossible_Alteration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fruits_of_the_Noble_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Links_to_Stream_Entry.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Friends_and_Colleagues.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/ariya_puggala.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Helpers_to_Stream_Entry.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Entering_the_Stream_Supreme.htm
The Mental Bath!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Internal_Bath.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
What is Suffering?
At Savatthi. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Radha said to the Blessed One:
Venerable sir, it is said, 'suffering, suffering', What now, venerable sir, is suffering?
Radha, all form is suffering, all feeling is suffering, all perception is suffering,
all intentional mental formation is suffering, and consciousness itself is suffering.
Understanding this, Bhikkhu, a well instructed Noble Disciple experiences disgust
towards any form, disgust towards any feeling, disgust towards any perception,
disgust towards any mental construction, & disgust towards consciousness itself!
Experiencing disgust, he becomes disillusioned! Through this disillusion his mind
is released. When mind is released, one instantly knows: This mind is liberated,
and one understands: Extinguished is rebirth, this Noble Life is all completed,
done is what should be done, there is no state of being beyond this...
Comments:
These 5 clusters of clinging are what denotes both the internal 'individual'
and the 'external' real world. However as they continually change, no same
internal 'self'= identity or external 'substance'= reality can ever be found!
Since always changing they are always lost and therefore are they always
ultimately speaking suffering! An inner mental prison of craving for something
inevitably, unambiguously & spontaneously vanishing! A fever of folly obsession…
The Suffering and Imprisonment is NOT outside, but inside in our mind!
More on Suffering = Dukkha
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Source_of_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Origin_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3_kinds_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Suffering_2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_1st_Noble_Truth_on_Suffering.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 22:55 III 185
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Life comes at a price...
What is Suffering?
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Identity_View.htm
Expectation is bound to give Disappointment!
Whenever and wherever there is expectation, there is also hoping & longing!
Whenever and wherever there is hoping & longing, there is also craving...
Whenever and wherever there is craving, there is also suffering!
This is the 2nd Noble Truth: Craving causes suffering...
Whenever & wherever there is neither expectation, nor hoping, nor longing,
nor any form of craving present, how can there ever be any suffering?
This is the 3rd Noble Truth: Absence of craving ends all suffering...
About the 4 Noble Truths (Ariya-Sacca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4_Noble_Truths.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
Discontent Disappointment is NOT caused by the outside world!
'Loving' and 'liking' mixed with expectation => passion => suffering!
'Loving' and 'liking' without expectation = friendliness => elevation!
These 2 forms of “love” lookalike, but are VERY different in outcome!
Expectation is an often subconscious diluted derivative of greed, which
nevertheless retains the ability to ruin any relationship and any life by
inducing the mischievous and treacherous mental state called discontent!
This discontent is NOT caused by the external object as often believed,
but by the very 'own' internal hidden prejudgement inherent in expectation!
About Expectation: Always Different!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Always_Different.htm
Awareness of Emerging Expectation Helps:
If one notices expectation right when it arises, and also when it persists,
this enables reflecting: "Now future suffering is created and maintained!"!
This in itself gradually will reduce this diluted derivative of painful craving.
[color=#BF0040]On this poisonous Craving (Tanha) see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cut_Craving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Cause.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Origin_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ceasing_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Catastrophic.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_3_kinds_of_Craving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering.htm
Expectation is a Sandcastle...
Expectation = Disappointment = Suffering!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Expectation.htm
How to be a True Buddhist through Observance?
Poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan
Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Asoka's son, the Arahat Mahinda, officially
introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to
the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a Poya day, on Poson day devotees
flock to Mihintale & Anuradhapura, the ancient holy capital city of the country, for
it was there that Arahat Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa,
and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally
made Sri Lanka the stronghold home of Theravada Buddhism.
Arahat Mahinda arrives
and tests the king's intelligence.
Mihintale, Sri Lanka.
Mahinda Thera's cave there.
Essays about the significance of Poson Poya Days in Theravada Buddhism:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_Day.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel1.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel2.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel3.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_artikel4.htm
On such Uposatha Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes
the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed,
with clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue,
and bows first three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees and
head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms in front of the heart,
one recite these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:
As long as this life lasts:
I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.
I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma.
I hereby take refuge in the Sangha.
I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time.
I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time.
I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time.
I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!
I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules:
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...
Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own
eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better
than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world!
This is the very start on the path towards Nibbana -the Deathless Element-
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Bliss, initiated by Morality,
developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...
Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist
normally keeps the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the next dawn...
If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply
forward the lines starting with "I..." signed with name, date, town & country
to me or join here. A public list of this new Saddhamma-Sangha is here!
The New Noble Community of Disciples: The Saddhamma Sangha:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm
Join Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
For Details on Poya Uposatha Observance Days
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html
May your journey hereby be eased, light, swift and sweet. Never give up!
Mihintale, Sri Lanka, where the Arahat Mahinda, arrived in 3rd century B.C.
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Arahat Mahinda arrives at Mihintale!
Today is Poson Poya day!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Poson_Poya_Day.htm
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
Generosity is the first Perfection:
Generosity means willingness to give and share whatever.
Generosity means magnanimous and open-handed liberality.
Generosity means freedom from small and stingy pettiness.
Generosity means practicing charity for the poor and unfortunate.
Generosity means kind bigheartedness towards those worthy of it.
Generosity means warmhearted and altruistic unselfishness.
Generosity provides the kammic cause for later wealth..
Giving causes Getting... No Giving causes future Poverty!
The Blessed Buddha explained the treasure of generosity like this:
When a disciple of the Noble Ones whose mind and
mentality is all cleared of disgracing miserliness,
living at home, is freely generous and open-handed,
delighting in being magnanimous,
responsive to every request and,
is enjoying the giving of any alms.
Such is this treasure called generosity.
AN VII 6
Just as a filled pot, which is overturned,
pours out all its water, leaving nothing back,
even and exactly so should one give to those in need.
whether low, middle or high, like the overturned pot,
holding nothing back…!!!
Jataka Nidana [128-129]
The Generosity of Giving,
The Kindness in Speech,
The Benefit of Service,
The Impartiality of treating all Alike,
These 4 threads of Sympathy
upholds this world, like the axle do the cart!
AN II 32
Giving food, one gives and later gets strength
Giving clothes, one gives and later gets beauty
Giving light, one gives and later gets vision
Giving transportation, one gives and later gets ease.
Giving shelter one gives all,
Yet one who instructs in the True Dhamma
- The supreme Teaching of the Buddhas -
Such one gives the quite divine ambrosia!
SN I 32
These are these five rewards of generosity:
One is liked and charming to people at large,
One is admired and respected by wise people,
One's good reputation is spread wide about,
One does not neglect a householder's true duty,
and with the break-up of the body - at the moment
of death - one reappears in a happy destination,
in the plane of the divine worlds!
AN V.35
There are these two kinds of gifts:
material gifts and gifts of Dhamma.
The supreme gift is that of Dhamma.
There are these two kinds of sharing:
material sharing and sharing of Dhamma.
The supreme sharing is that of Dhamma.
There are these two kinds of help:
Material help and help with the Dhamma.
This is the supreme of the two:
help with this subtle Dhamma …
It 98
The gift of Dhamma exceeds all other gifts.
Dhammapada 354
The Bodhisatta once as king Sivi gave
both his eyes to a beggar who was Sakka the
king deity in disguise, who desired to test him.
He remembered "While I was wishing to give,
while I was giving and after this giving there
was neither contrariety, nor opposition in my mind
since it was for the purpose of awakening itself!
Neither were these eyes, nor the rest of myself
disagreeable to me. Omniscience was dear to me,
therefore I gave both my eyes."
The Basket of Conduct
Cariyapitaka I-8
Full story: Sivi Jataka no. 499
The Bodhisatta once as the Wise Hare gave his roasted body
as alms to a beggar by jumping into a fire:
He remembered: "There came a beggar and asked for food.
Myself I gave so that he might eat. In alms-giving there was
none equal to me. In alms I had thereby reached the absolute
ultimate perfection." From then and the rest of this world-cycle
the moon will display a characteristic 'hare-in-the-moon' sign!
Sasa-Jataka no. 316
Giving of things, treasures, external possessions, job,
position, wife, and child is the first perfection of giving.
Giving the offer of one's organs, limbs, and senses is
the second higher perfection of giving.
Giving the sacrifice of one's life is the ultimate
perfection of giving.
The clarifier of sweet meaning 89
(Commentary on Buddhavamsa)
Madhuratthavilasini [59]
Venerable Buddhadatta: 5th century.
Generosity is the first mental perfection (parami):
Clinging and egoism creates internal panic and social tension.
Giving and sharing creates internal elation and external harmony...
What is gladly given, returns more than thousandfold!
Giving requires Relinquishing! Giving is Anti-Clinging!
Giving is the opposite mental state of Greed...
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
More on Generosity (Dana) = The 1st mental perfection:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Glad_Giving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/caaga.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/daana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Generosity_Contemplation.htm
Have a nice, noble and generous day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sharing Elevates Your Future!
Glad is Generous Giving!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Openhanded_Generosity.htm
Morality is the 2nd Mental Perfection:
Avoiding all Harm!
Doing only Good...
Purifying the Mind:
This is the True Dhamma
of all the Buddhas!
Dhammapada 183
Morality is the foundation,
the initiator and the origin of all,
that is fine, good and very beautiful...
One must therefore purify true morality!
Theragatha 612
All success is rooted in a clean morality, cultivated to purity!
Theragatha 608
Morality is a mighty Power!
Morality is a forceful Weapon!
Morality is a supreme Jewel!
Morality is a marvellous Protection!
Theragatha 614
Harmlessness towards all living beings,
Speaking only kind and wise truths,
Taking nothing not freely given,
Enjoying only one's own partner,
Never abusing drinks or drugs.
Having given up and left all behind
these five harmful actions, such
Good One truly possesses right morality...
AN III 205-6
Ananda once asked the Buddha:
"What, Venerable Sir, is the rewarding advantage of morality?"
"Freedom from regret, Ananda!"
"And what is the advantage of freedom from regret?"
"Joy that produces bliss, Ananda.
Bliss then generates happiness.
Happiness enables concentration.
Concentration facilitates vision and knowledge.
Vision and knowledge brings disillusion and detachment
Disillusion and detachment induces direct experience of
certain and complete mental release, Ananda…"
AN X.1
Intention always comes first!
Intention is of all states the primer.
By intention are all things initiated.
By construction of mind are all phenomena formed.
So - if with good intention one thinks, speaks or acts:
Joy and pleasure surely follows one, like a never-leaving shadow
However - if with evil intention one thinks, speaks or acts:
Pain certainly follows one, like the wheel follows the car.
Dhammapada 1+2
Both the moral and immoral doings:
Both the good and the bad behaviour;
That human beings do here;
These are truly only their own possession...!!!
These, they take along with them, when they die, go and rearise,
These actions, good, neutral and bad are what follows them,
like the shadow, that never ever leaves...
So do only what is admirable and advantageous,
as an accumulating investment for the future life!
Good prior doings are the only support and help for all beings,
when they re-arise in the world of the next state of being…
SN III 4
Here and now the good-doer rejoices... Even so after
passing away and re-emerging, the doer of good,
reaps only joy, pleasure and satisfaction ...
So both here and there, the wise with merit well done
and stored, enjoys the moral purity of prior actions.
Dhammapada 15
Here and now the bad-doer suffers... Even so after
passing away and re-emerging, the doer of wrong and evil,
reaps only pain, discontent, despair, and regret ...
So both here and there, the fool with wrong views
and bad behaviour, suffers agony as the inevitable
effect of prior evil behaviour.
Dhammapada 16
As the yak-ox watch her tail even onto death,
without breaking through, when caught in thorns,
guard your doings as your own life, by avoiding all
overstepping of this fine line, between right and wrong.
The Basket of Behaviour, Cariyapitaka
The Bodhisatta once as the Naga serpent King Sankhapala
guarded his precepts of moral habit, even when tortured:
Though pierced with sharp bamboo stakes and hacked with
hunting knives, I raged no anger against these hunters, as this
was my final perfection of Morality!
Sankhapala Jataka no. 524
The 5 precious precepts (pañca-sila):
I accept the training rule of avoiding all killing of breathing beings.
I accept the training rule of not to take anything, that is not given.
I accept the training rule of abstaining from any sexual misconduct.
I accept the training rule of desisting from all incorrect speech.
I accept the training rule of no drinks or drugs causing carelessness.
True Buddhists undertake these precious precepts right here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm
These are timeless laws of only pure good,
which all the mighty seers of the past
have fully followed and made their Way!
This Virtue of Morality is like Rock:
A solid foundation for all good states!
Immorality creates regret, and thus destroys all joy...
Purity creates calm, and thus the subtle concentration,
which is necessary for gaining all higher understanding!
Only higher Understanding can ever set one completely Free...
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/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
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_IV.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Optimal_Observance_V.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
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_Good_Disciple.htm
More of these 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
Mighty is Morality!
Excellence in Ethics is Essential!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Mighty_is_Morality.htm
Withdrawal is the 3rd Mental Perfection:
Withdrawal is Removal of Misery
Withdrawal is Extraction of Disease.
Withdrawal is Pulling out the splinter of Pain.
Withdrawal is Retraction from Danger.
Withdrawal is Renunciation of Ill.
Withdrawal is Letting Go of what is Burning.
Withdrawal is Turning Away from what is Sorrow.
Withdrawal is Seclusion from what is Grief.
Withdrawal is Clearing of Captivating Illusions.
Withdrawal is Waking Up from Enthralling Trance.
Withdrawal is Freedom from Enslaving Addiction.
Withdrawal is Protection from what is Entrapping.
Withdrawal is Giving Up what is Detrimental.
Withdrawal is Discharge of what is Infested.
Withdrawal is Breaking out of the Prison.
Withdrawal is Release from all Suffering...
"Back to Nature" by Robert Storm Petersen. (1882 – 1949)
The Withdrawn, as the man newly freed from prison
does not at all wish himself back in prison!
The Basket of Conduct, Cariyapitaka
Infatuated with lust, impassioned and obsessed,
they are caught in their own self-created net,
like a spider, which spins its own web!
Cutting through, the Noble Friend withdraw and go free,
Without longing, without greed, leaving all misery behind.
Dhammapada 347
The Bodhisatta as the King Culasutasoma gave up his whole kingdom.
Knowing withdrawal to be an advantageous victory, he remembered:
A mighty kingdom I possessed, as if it was dropped into my hands...
Yet all this tantalizing luxury, I let fall and go without any even slight
trace of longing or clinging. This was my perfection of Withdrawal...
Jataka no. 525
Lust, I say, is a great flood, a whirlpool sucking one down,
a constant yearning, seeking a hold, continually active, and
difficult to cross is such morass of sense and sensual desire...
A sage does not deviate from the good, but remains steady!
A recluse stands on firm ground, when solitarily secluded:
When withdrawn from all, truly he is calmed and silenced!
Having directly touched the Dhamma, he is independent!
He behaves right and does not envy anyone anywhere...
He who has left behind all pleasure arisen from sensing,
an attachment difficult to cut, is freed of both depression and
longing, since he has cut across this great flood, and is released.
Sutta Nipata IV.15
Any being, that cools down all desires and greedy lusts,
by being alert and ever aware of the inherent danger,
by directing attention only to the disgusting aspects of
all phenomena, such a one withdraws from all craving and
thereby wears down and breaks the bars of the inner prison.
Dhammapada 350
If one gains an infinite ease by leaving a minor pleasure,
the clever one would swap the luminous for what is a trifling
sense delight, by withdrawing from this trivial banal boredom.
Dhammapada 290
The one who has reached the sublime end all perfected,
is fearless, freed of craving, freed of desire and detached..
Such a one has broken the chains of being and is certainly
withdrawing into the final phase, wearing his last frame...
Dhammapada 351
Prince Siddhattha Gotama reflected thus:
"Why do I, being subject to birth, decay, disease, death, sorrow and
defilement, thus search after things of the same nature? What if I,
who am subject to things of such nature, realize their disadvantages
and seek the unattained and unsurpassed, perfect security: Nibbana?"
"Cramped and confined is the household life, a den of dust, but the life
of the homeless is in the free open air of heaven! Hard is it for him who
abides at home to live the Holy Life as it should be lived, in all its true
perfection, and in all its purity."
"The household life is a cramped way, choked with dust. To leave it, is
like coming out into the free space of open air! It is not easy for one,
who lives at home, to live the Noble life completely perfect and pure,
bright as mother-of-pearl. Surely I will now shave off my hair and go
forth into homelessness."
Only Misery Arises.
Only Misery Ceases.
Nothing good is thus lost
by withdrawing from it all...
More of the 10 mental perfections (paramis) and Withdrawal (Nekkhamma)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Levels_of_Leaving_Behind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Withdrawn_and_Accomplished.htm
Nothing is Worth Clinging to!
Withdrawal Therefore Wins!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Witdrawal_Wins_Wisdom.htm
Understanding is the 4th Mental Perfection:
Understanding penetrates, illuminates and guides right.
Concentration is the proximate cause of Understanding.
Understanding is the very manifestation of Concentration.
Understanding is the proximate cause of Equanimity.
Only understanding comprehends the meaning and essence.
Understanding purifies all the other mental perfections:
Energy acquires right purpose only, when guided by Understanding.
Only fortified by Understanding, is determination unshakeable.
Only Understanding can patiently tolerate other beings abuse.
Only Understanding induces indifference towards gain and loss.
Only Understanding can secure both own and other's welfare.
The Blessed Buddha said:
Just as red sandalwood is reckoned as the best of all scented woods, even
and exactly so is the ability to understand reckoned the supreme among all
the 7 mental qualities, that are the links to self-awakening, by leading to
enlightenment.
SN V 48-55 Indriya-samyutta
And of what kind, friends, is this evaluating ability of Understanding ?
In this, friends, The Noble learner is possessed of direct knowledge about
the arising and ceasing of all phenomena, which is a Noble insight, a fully
penetrating and ultimate understanding, that gradually realizes and leads
to the utter elimination of all Suffering...
The learner (sekha) understands, as it really is: Thus is Suffering.
The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the Cause of Suffering.
The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the End of Suffering.
The learner understands, as it really is: Thus is the Way to end Suffering.
This, friends, is the discriminating ability of Understanding ...
SN V 48-10 Indriya-samyutta
Of minor importance, is the loss of family and wealth...
Catastrophic among losses is the loss of Understanding.
Of minor consequence, is the increase of family and wealth.
Supreme among all the gains is the increase of comprehension...
Therefore, friends, you must train yourself to win that!
AN I 14-5
When the Noble friend avoids ignorant persons, but instead cultivates,
frequents and honors persons who comprehend, teach and review the
effects of profound knowledge, then is the ability to understand refined
in these three aspects... When the Noble friend is thus leaving ignorance all
behind, there is development of the ability to Understand. When the Noble
friend is developing the ability to understand, then ignorance is left behind.
Thus mutual is this enhancement.
The Path of Discrimination
A learned man, who due to his great understanding, despises those of little
learning, is like a blind man walking around with a lamp in his high hand...
[color=#800000]Theragatha 1026
Happy indeed are those possessing nothing...
Those who have won Understanding, clings to nothing.
While those attached to family, friends and property,
both possessed and obsessed, are as tied to torture... !!!
Udana II 6
What sort of person is released by Understanding (Panna-Vimutti) ?
Here a person without experiencing all the 8 stages of absorption, anyway
eliminates all mental fermentations completely, after having perceived them
through insight. Such person is said to be released by Understanding.
Designation of Human Types 31
Buddha once said:
Just as the great Ocean slopes down gradually, deepens gradually, inclines
gradually, and not abruptly like an abyss, even so Paharada, is this teaching
and discipline: a gradual training (anupubba-sikkha), a gradual practice
(anupubba-kiriya), and a gradual progress (anupubba-patipada);
One does not suddenly penetrate to this highest Understanding...
Anguttara Nikaya II 47
Asking Questions logically leads to Understanding:
As a Bhikkhu walking for alms beg from both low, middle and high folks,
if one search and ask both slightly, moderately and highly wise teachers,
then the insight of the Buddhas shall come to shine inside the mind!
The Basket of Conduct, Cariyapitaka
More of the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
More on the supreme Understanding Ability:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Freed_by_Knowing.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Chief_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/pannaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Right_Understanding.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Understanding_is_the_Chief.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Supreme_Understanding.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Revealing_Understanding.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Understanding_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Outstanding_Understanding.htm
Understanding is the Chief!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Understanding_is_the_Chief.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
Buddha to his son Rahula: Develop an Imperturbable Mind like the elements:
Rahula, develop a mind like earth, then contacts of arisen like and dislike
will not obsess your mind! Rahula, on the earth is dumped both the pure and
the impure: excreta, urine, saliva, pus, blood, but the earth does not detest
any of those... Even and exactly so make your mind stable like the earth!
Rahula, develop a mind like water, then contacts of arisen pleasure and pain
will not seize your mind. Rahula with water both the pure and the impure
are cleaned... Washed away with water are excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and
blood, yet the water does not despise any of that! Even so make the mind
fluid and adaptable like the water!
Rahula, develop a mind like fire, then the contacts of any arisen attraction
or aversion will neither consume, nor hang on to your mind! Rahula, fire burns
both the pure and the impure, burns excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood,
yet the fire does not loathe any of that.. In the same manner refine the mind
into a tool like an all consuming and purifying fire!
Rahula, develop a mind similar to space, then contacts of arisen delight and
frustration does neither take hold of, nor remain in your mind. Space does
not settle anywhere! Similarly make the mind unsettled and unestablished
like open space. When you expand mind like space, contacts of delight and
frustration will neither be able to dominate, nor obsess your mind...
Majjhima Nikaya 62
More on the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
Have a nice, noble & patient day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Very Advantageous is Patience, Tolerance & Endurance!
Patience is the Highest Praxis!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Patient_is_Tolerance.htm
Truthful Honesty 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
When the Blessed One heard about the king’s spies, who for money stole
information from others, he explained: One should not take just any job.
One should not be another’s man. One should not depend on any other.
One should not sell the truth for money…
Udana VI-2
The Bodhisatta was once caught by a man-eater, which sat him free on the
condition that he returned the next day. He kept his word and did so...
Much later remembered: Protecting this way of truth, having given up my
life and kingdom, I thereby set free 100 captured nobles, as the man-eater
lost his nerve. In honesty I thereby reached the ultimate perfection!
Mahasutasoma-Jataka no. 537
More of the 10 mental perfections (paramis):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Ten_Perfections.htm
You can run from your mistake, but not from your regret.
You can play with your drama, but not with your karma.
Theravada Buddhist Chaiteet Heng, Malaysia
Truth always Triumphs!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/Truth_Triumphs.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
Decisive is Determination!
Resoluteness resolves all hesitation...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Determination_Determines.htm
Wise Company gives good Advantage:
The Blessed Buddha once said:
I am a friend and helper to all,
I am sympathetic to all living beings.
I develop a mind full of love & one
who always delight in harmlessness!
I gladden my mind, fill it with joy,
and make it immovable and unshakable.
I develop these divine states of mind
not cultivated by simple men.
Theragatha 648-9
I am a friend of the footless,
I am a friend of the bipeds;
I am a friend of those with four feet,
I am a friend of the many-footed.
May not the footless harm me,
may not the bipeds harm me,
may not those with four feet harm me, &
may not those with many feet harm me.
AN II 72
A friend, who always lends a hand,
a friend both in sorrow and joy,
a friend who offers good counsel,
a friend who sympathizes too.
These are the four kinds of true friends:
One who is wise, who have understood much,
will always cherish and serve such friends
just as a mother tends her only child.
DN III, 188
Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the jungle.
No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone.
Uplifted by such universal friendliness, I enjoyed the forest.
Finding great solace in such sweetly silenced solitude…
Suvanna-sama Jataka 540
And how does a Bhikkhu abide with his mind imbued with friendliness
extending over one direction? Just as he would feel friendliness on
seeing a dearly favourite person, so he extends this same loving-kindness
to all beings in all directions, one by one, & as above so below.
Abhidhamma Pitaka: Appamañña-vibhanga
Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth
one sixteenth part of the release of mind by universal friendliness;
in shining, glowing and beaming radiance, in invisible shielding protection,
such release of mind by universal friendliness far excels & surpasses them all...
Itivuttaka 27
Universal Friendliness (Metta) is 1 of 4 Infinite 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://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.024-027.irel.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html
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/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://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
The Buddha on Noble Friendship :-)
Infinite is All-Embracing Kindness!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm
Balanced Equanimity is the Tenth Mental Perfection:
Equanimity characteristically induces & promotes impartial neutrality...
Its function is to look upon things with an even unreactive indifference!
Its manifestation is the gradual stilling of both attraction & repulsion..
Its proximate cause is seeing, that all inherit the results of their actions.
Its effect is utter purification & perfection of all other mental qualities,
by ending both discontent & delight, thereby providing the necessary
equal calm required for their complete assessment & accomplishment.
Equanimity means Unaffectable..
Equanimity means Unprovokable..
Equanimity means Undisturbable..
Equanimity means Unexcitable..
Equanimity means Imperturbable..
Equanimity means Disengaged..
Equanimity means Disentangled..
Equanimity means Detached..
Equanimity means Immovable..
Equanimity means Unbeatable..
Equanimity means Untemptable..
Equanimity means Wholly Immune..
Equanimity means Indifferent..
Equanimity means Impartial..
Equanimity means Unbiased..
Equanimity means Disinterested..
Equanimity means Balanced..
Even like a smiling mountain!
Cool Calm is the ultimate Balm!
The Threefold Equanimity (Upekkha):
If Indifferent towards:
Internal states & external phenomena,
Living beings & lifeless things,
Past, present & future events,
How can one be hurt, upset,
disturbed or distressed?
Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the Tranquility;
So is the Equanimity;
Of one freed by the Insight
Of right Knowledge.
Dhammapada 96
Although a man is richly dressed and adorned,
if he is in peace, at ease, in equanimity, calmed,
composed, controlled, celibate and harmless
towards all beings, then verily he is a Holy One,
a recluse, a sage ...
Dhammapada 142
Equanimity towards one's own internal states -
that is indeed a link to Enlightenment.
Equanimity regarding external phenomena & conditions -
that is indeed also a link to Enlightenment.
Samyutta Nikaya V Bojjhanga-samyutta.
Such noble friend finally develops
the link to awakening that is Equanimity
during Awareness of in-&-out breathing,
which protects against damaging mental states,
tends to detachment, to ceasing, tends to release
& culminates in complete self-surrender...
If, friends, Awareness of in-&-out breathing,
is so cultivated and so made much of, it is
indeed of great fruit, of great advantage!
One whose Awareness of breathing in-&-out
is perfected, well developed, and gradually
brought to refined growth thus, according to the
teaching of the Buddha, such one illuminates the
entire world, just like the full moon freed from clouds.
Samyutta Nikaya V Anapana-samyutta.
The Blessed One once said:
Now how, Ananda, in the discipline of a Noble One is there
the unsurpassable development of the senses?
There is the case where, when seeing a form with the eye,
there arises in a monk what is agreeable, or what is disagreeable,
or what is both agreeable & disagreeable. He recognizes that:
This agreeable thing has arisen in me, or this disagreeable thing...
or this both agreeable & disagreeable thing, has arisen in me:
And that is constructed, conditioned, coarse & dependently co-arisen!
But this is peaceful, this is exquisite, namely even & equal equanimity!
Instantly, that arisen agreeable or disagreeable thing ceases,
and Equanimity takes its calm stance!
Just as a man with good eyes, having closed them, might open them;
or when open, might close them, that is how quickly, how rapidly,
how easily, no matter what it refers to, Equanimity make
whatever arisen agreeable thing... or disagreeable thing...
or both agreeable & disagreeable thing cease right there,
and Equanimity takes its even stance!
In the discipline of The Noble One, this is called the unsurpassable
development of the senses with regard to visible forms cognizable
by the eye. Similar is the supreme development of the other senses.
MN 152
With the fading of rapturous joy, he remains in equanimity,
aware & alert, still physically sensitive to bodily pleasure.
He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones
declare: 'In aware Equanimity, one abides in pleasure...'
With the stilling of pleasure & pain as with the earlier disappearance
of elation & frustration, he enters & remains in the fourth jhana:
sole Awareness purified by equanimity, - neither pleasure nor pain -
This is called Right Concentration...
The elimination of both sensual desires & of discontent,
the ejection of laziness, the calming of all regrets,
just this pure Equanimity being aware of all mental
properties exactly at the moment they appear:
That I call the direct knowledge of release
the breakthrough from ignorance.
Sutta Nipata V 13: Udaya's Questions
Equanimity is 'Tatra-majjhattata', which designates the evenly balanced
keeping to the moderate middle of all things. It has as characteristic, that
it affects the balance of consciousness and mental properties as a single
function of single taste, which prevents both overt excessiveness and any
lack or insufficiency. Equanimity thereby puts an end to biased partiality by
manifesting moderation well within range of the properly reasoned midway.
Visuddhimagga XIV
The Buddha once explained:
I would make my bed in a charnel ground, with a skeleton for my pillow..
And cowherd boys came up and spat on me, urinated on me, threw dirt at me,
and poked sticks into my ears! While others, exultant & thrilled brought me
offerings of food, caskets of perfume & incense and garlands of flowers!
Yet I do not recall, that I ever showed any partiality towards any of them...
I was the same to them all! Neither arousing any fondness nor any aversion!
This was my ultimate perfection of equanimity...
MN 12 Lomahamsanapariyaya
The Hair-raising Presentation
Cariyapitaka III 15
More on Equanimity (Upekkha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Serene_Equanimity_and_Beyond.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Imperturbable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Equanimity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Empty_Equanimity.htm
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
Even is Equanimity...
Balanced Equanimity is the 10th Mental Perfection!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Even_is_Equanimity.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
Establishing Awareness Creates a Mighty Magic Power!
Venerable Sariputta
Saketa was the place where Venerable Sariputta said this to Venerable Anuruddha:
Friend Anuruddha, by cultivating and making much of which conditions have you
developed such mighty magic power and supreme majesty ?
Friend, it is by cultivating and making much of the Four Foundations of Awareness
that I have done so. What four? Herein friend,
I dwell contemplating body just as a form ... & the rise and fall of body ...
both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future!
I dwell contemplating feeling just as reaction ... & the rise and fall of feeling ...
both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future!
I dwell contemplating all mind just as moods ... & the rise and fall of mind ...
both own and other ... internal and external ... past, present and future!
I dwell contemplating all phenomena just as mental states ...
& rise and fall of mental states ... both own and other ... internal and external ...
whether past, present and future!
Moreover, friend it is by cultivating and making much of these Four Foundations of Awareness
that I have come to completely & directly experience this thousandfold galactic world-system.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness
that the painful feelings that come upon my body make no contact on my mind.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness
that I enjoy many forms of magic powers: From being one I become many, visible or invisible ...
& even as far as the fine material Dark matter Brahma world do I exert power with my body.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I hear with divine hearing purified and supra-human the sound of both man and deva, far or near.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know the minds of other beings; the lustful as lustful ... the liberated as liberated.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as it really is, the cause of any given event and what is not the cause of this event.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know as they really are the cause and conditions of any given action, whether performed in
the past, future or present time.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as it really is, the gradual and final result of any given practise.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as they really are, the diverse character of whatever being.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as they really are, the natures of other beings and persons minds.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as they really are, the corruption, purification and uprising of the attainments of any
trance, mental release and concentration.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I can remember my past lives, as they really were: One, two ... thousand births in all their
minutest detail and peculiarity.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know and see with divine supra-human sight, as they really are, the going & coming of beings,
death & rebirth, transmigrating according to their behaviour.
Moreover, it is because of having cultivated & made much of these Four Foundations of Awareness,
that I know, as it really is, in this very life, by my own unaided ability, the destruction of the mental
fermentations, & the calm blissful dwelling in release & insight freed from all mental fermentation...
Venerable Anuruddha
Source: Samyutta Nikaya V Maha Vagga, Section on Anuruddha.
Anuruddha was first cousin of the Buddha & an eminently Aware master disciple:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/ay/anuruddha.htm
More on these crucial Four Foundations of Awareness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Four_Foundations_of_Awareness.htm
Mighty Majestic Magic!
Awareness cannot be underestimated ...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mighty_Magic_Majesty.htm
Unselfish Joy! How to Rejoice in Others Success:
By seeing that:
If only happy at one's own success, such egoistic Joy is rare and limited!
If happy at others success also, the Joy is more frequent & even infinite!
By observing that:
It starts with basic sympathy, develops into acceptance, genuine approval,
& appreciation. It culminates in rejoicing altruistic sympathy by directing
mind to initiation, much cultivation & boundless expansion of Mutual Joy!
By knowing that:
Mutual Joy is the proximate cause of sweet, fully satisfied contentment!
Lack of mutual joy is therefore the proximate cause of discontentment!
Mutual Joy instantly eliminates acidic jealousy, grudge and green envy!
Mutual Joy is an infinite, truly divine, elevating and sublime mental state!
Mutual Joy is 1 of the 4 mental states of the Brahma-devas (Brahmavihara)
The Blessed Buddha pointed out:
If it were impossible to cultivate this Good , I would not tell you to do so!
Buddhaghosa:
See how this worthy being is very Happy!
How fine! How excellent! How sweet!
Let there be Happiness. Let there be open Freedom.
Let there be Peace. Let there be Bliss from cultivating this.
Let there be Understanding of this mental state of Mutual Joy!
Cultivation of Mutual Joy is the specific medicine against Envy & Jealousy:
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/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Mudita: The Buddha's Teaching on Unselfish Joy: BPS Wheel Publication No. 170
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel170.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Rejoicing gives Bliss!
Mutual Joy in Other's Success...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.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
Luminous is the Mind released by Friendliness!
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
Whatever meritorious action one performs, all these together are not worth
1/16th part of a mind released into friendliness, since the mind released into
friendliness blazes forth, & outshines all with an unsurpassable brilliance...
Just as the radiance from all the stars and planets does not match even a
1/16th part of the radiance from the moon, which thus outshines all the stars,
similarly; whatever good thoughts one fulfils by doing meritorious actions,
all these together are not worth one-sixteenth fraction of the mind released
by infinite friendliness! Since a mind released into friendliness - all alone -
blazes forth, and thus outshines all these with an incomparable radiance...
Just as the mighty sun rising at autumn dawn, by making any fog evaporate,
scattering any dark thundercloud, makes the sky all blue & clear, so it alone
freely shines, blazes in a blue brilliance, - exactly so - whatever thoughts
there may be for gaining merit, all these together are not worth one 16th
fraction, of a mind released into friendliness! Since the mind released into
friendliness - all alone - outshines all these with inestimable luminosity!
So did the Lord Buddha state this matter, and he further added:
For the Noble friend, who by will, who fully aware and deliberately brings
infinite, boundless and endless friendliness into being, this mountain-like
limitless goodwill makes all evil substrate evaporate, & the chains of mind,
these mental fetters become thin, slender and slack. If a friend without
ill will cares for even one single living being, such friend, through that,
becomes quite skilled and clever, so far more for the Noble Friend, who
by possessing a caring heart for all sentient beings, without even a single
exception, accumulates great, massive, and immense amounts of merit!
Those gurus and priests who sacrifice life, objects, or fire, who bathe
ceremoniously, devoted to mere forms and empty ritual, blindly attached
to and obsessed by culture, tradition of primeval & often unknown origin,
do never experience even a 16th of this release of mind by friendliness
fully brought into being, just like the vagueness of even all the stars cannot
either ever outshine the moon! Since there cannot exist any evil animosity
whatsoever, nor enmity at all, neither even an atomic trace of hate in a
Nobly Released One, who by caring indiscriminately and infinitely for all
living beings, who by possessing such treasure of a mind relinquished by
friendliness, simply cannot ever suppress, dominate, harm, or kill even the
smallest sentient breathing being! Luminous is such perfectly released mind!
More on the Mind:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/In_Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-Control.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Luminous_is_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.8-10.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Magnificent_Mind.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Highway_to_Nibbana.htm
Source:
The Itivuttaka 27: Thus was it Said:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/khuddaka/iti/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Luminous Mind!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_and_Bright.htm
Disgust disables Greed, Lust and Voracity!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
What, Ananda, is the experience of disgust? Here the Bhikkhu contemplates
this body from the soles of the feet upward, and back again from the top of
the hair downward, seeing it as frame of bones with a skin stretched over it,
and filled with much filthy putrescence such as: head-hairs, body-hairs, nails,
teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, vomit, spleen,
diaphragm, lungs, intestine, mesentery, stomach, excrement, brain, bile, lymph,
pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin, tallow, spit, slime, snot, joint-fluid, & urine.
This is the experience of disgust.
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
More on this cooling Disgust whose purpose is evaporation of Greed, Lust and Desire:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_32_Parts.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil-smelling_body.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_9_Corpse_Meditations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Meditation_On_the_Body_Kayagata-Sati.htm
For Inspiration have a collection of Corpse Pictures Only for Adults been deposited here:
http://s914.photobucket.com/albums/ac350/Asubha/ Guest Password: corpses
The rewards are:
1: Absence of greed, lust, desire, craving, urge, need, longing and discontent.
2: Fearlessness of Death & thereby Fearlessness of All! = Elevated Joy!
Any Body is just a painted puppet!
A chain of bones plastered by skin with 9 oozing holes!
A heap of sores & rotten excrement with evil intentions!
The Painted Puppet!
Disgust Disables Greed, Lust and Voracity!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disgust.htm
How to Beam & Extend Amity Universally:
The Grace of Goodwill: A Meditation on Friendliness (Metta):
May my mind be filled with the thought of Kind Friendliness & open Amity.
May the minds of my good teachers be filled with the thought of Friendliness.
May the minds of my parents and dear ones be filled with the thought of Friendliness.
May the minds of all unfriendly persons be filled with the thought of Friendliness.
May the minds of all living beings be filled with the thought of Friendliness.
May the minds of all strangers be filled with the thought of Friendliness.
May we be free from fear, tension, anxiety, worry, and restlessness.
May our hearts become soft. May our words be pleasing to others.
May we be generous. May we be gentle. May we be relaxed.
May we be happy and peaceful. May we be healthy.
May we be a source of pure peace and happiness.
May the minds of everyone in this room be free from greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, and fear.
May the peace and tranquillity of tender Friendliness pervade their entire bodies and minds.
May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous. May they have really good friends
May the minds of everyone in this building, in this street, in this city, in this nation on
this continent, on this planet & in this universe be free from greed, anger, & doubt.
May these thoughts of Friendliness embrace them, charge them and envelope them.
May every cell, every drop of blood, every atom, be charged with kind amity.
May the peace & tranquillity of goodwill pervade their entire bodies & minds.
May they be happy-hearted. May they be free from worries and troubles.
May all beings in all directions throughout this multiverse be happy.
May they be filled with Friendliness, abundant, exalted, & infinite!
May they be free from enmity affliction, and anxiety.
May they live happily.
May all beings in all directions, all around the universe be happy.
May they have good fortune. May they be prosperous.
May they be famous. May they have good friends.
May they be reborn in a happy destination.
May they be reborn in the heavens.
May all beings Awaken swiftly!
May they become thus Happy!
Inspired by 2 really good friends.
More on this shining, radiating through all & everywhere beaming Friendliness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_Friendliness.htm
The Grace of Goodwill!
Fabolous Friendliness Frees :-)
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/IV/The_Grace_of_Goodwill.htm
Gratitude Appreciates all Assistance!
The Buddha indeed pointed out Gratitude as an important mental quality:
These two people are hard to find in the world. Which two?
The one who is first to do a kindness, and
the one who is grateful and thankful for a kindness done.
Anguttara Nikaya 2.118
I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay.
Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother
on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, & were
to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs,
and they were to defecate and urinate right there on your shoulders, you
would not thereby repay your parents. Even if you were to establish your
mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in
the seven treasures, you would not in that way repay your parents!
Why is that? Mothers and fathers do much for their children. They care for
them, they nourish them for long, and they introduce them to this world.
But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes
them in faith; rouses his immoral mother & father, establishes them in virtue;
rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity;
rouses his unwise mother & father, settles & establishes them on a new level
of understanding: It is in this way that one truly repays one's mother's and
father's many longstanding services.
Anguttara Nikaya 2.32
Mother & father, compassionate to their family, are called Brahma, first teachers,
honour them with food & drink, clothing & bedding, and anointing, bathing, washing
their feet. Performing these services to their parents, the wise are praised right
here and after death rejoice in heaven. Itivuttaka 106
If this is what you think of me:
The Blessed One, is sympathetic, is seeking our well-being, teaches us this
Dhamma out of sympathy, then you should train yourself in being in harmony,
cordial, and without conflict and train in yourselves cultivation of all the 37
best mental qualities: The 4_Foundations_of_Awareness, the 4 right efforts,
the 4_Feet_of_Force, the 5 Abilities, 5 powers, the 7 Links to Awakening,
& the Noble_8-Fold_Way. Majjhima Nikaya 103
A Tathagata is worshipped, honoured, respected, thanked & shown gratitude
by any follower, who keeps practicing the Dhamma in accordance with true
Dhamma, who keeps practicing masterfully, who lives in and by the Dhamma!
Digha Nikaya 16
We will undertake & practice those qualities that makes one a contemplative,
so that all those who helped us by services of robes, alms-food, lodging, and
medicines will bring them great fruit and great future reward.
Majjhima Nikaya 39
Comments:
In Pali, the word for gratitude = kataññu literally means to have a sense of
what was done for one in the past even when long ago. Remembering all help!
A network of kindness and gratitude is what sustains whatever goodness
there is and ever will be in this - otherwise destitute & impoverished - world!
Thus: Thank you for reading this!
Source (edited extract): The Lessons of Gratitude by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lessonsofgratitude.html
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Appropriate_Appreciation.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Appropiate Appreciation is Advantageous!
Gracious is Gratitude!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/The_Grace_of_Gratitude.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
The 3 Root States of all, that is Advantageous:
By means of Non-Greed , they are not greedy, lusty, desirous, yearning or longing.
Non-greed has the characteristic of easy absence of desire for any given object.
It does not cling, attach or adhere, but rolls off like a water drop on a lotus leaf!
The function of non-greed is not to lay hold on, grasp, fasten or cling to anything.
It is manifested as a state of not treating as a shelter, like one who leaves dirt...
Through Non-Hate , they do not react with hate, anger, irritation, or opposition.
Non-hate has the characteristic of lack of cruelty. Gently, it does not oppose...
Its function is to remove any fever of annoyance, and allay all fury exasperation.
Non-hate is manifested as a pleasant and mild agreeableness, like the full moon!
Due to Non-Delusion , they are not ignorant, confused, in doubt, or perplexed...
Non-delusion has the characteristic of seeing through, penetrating to the real
nature of phenomena, understanding their essence, and not just their appearance.
The function of non-delusion is to illuminate the object everywhere, like a lamp.
Non-delusion is manifested as non-bewilderment, like a clever guide in a forest.
These three states should be regarded as the roots of all that is advantageous!
Vism I 465 .
More on the 3 Roots of Good and Evil (Mula):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fading_Away.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/muula.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Proximate_Causes_of_the_Root_Defilements.htm
The 3 Roots
Absence of all ill!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Absence_of_Ill.htm
Aware and Composed Dwelling:
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Monks, a Noble should dwell Aware and Composed…
This is our instruction to you!
And how does a monk dwell Aware?
Herein a friend dwells contemplating any body as a void frame only;
as a transient, painful and impersonal neither-me-nor-mine appearance,
while alert, ballanced and deliberately aware, thereby overcoming
any mental rejection of reality, arised from coveting this world…
Exactly so does he dwell with regard to any feeling..
with regard to any mood and mentality..
with regard to any phenomenon..
Only precisely so is this Noble One Acutely Aware!
And how does a monk dwell Composed?
Herein a friend dwells fully aware of all feelings, that arise..
fully aware of all feelings, that settle..
fully aware of all feelings, that cease..
Such Noble One dwells fully aware of all thoughts, that arise..
fully aware of all thoughts, that remain..
fully aware of all thoughts, that stop..
Such clever one dwells fully aware of all perceptions, that arise..
fully aware of all perceptions, that persist..
fully aware of all perceptions, that end..
Just so is this Noble One Cool, Calm, and Composed!
Any disciple should dwell Aware and Composed.
This is our instruction to you…
More Awareness (Sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Awareness_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Seeing_the_Possible.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Crucial_Foundation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Winning_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sati_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sati_Acute.htm
Aware and Composed...
Cool Calm soothes like a Mental Balm...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Aware_and_Composed.htm
Reflecting on all one's Behaviour:
Intention has in future entangled physical effects outside the individual!
The Buddha to his son:
How do you consider this, Rahula: What is a mirror for?
Rahula: For reflection, Sir.
The Buddha: In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental
acts are to be done with constant reflection. Whenever you want to do a
bodily act, then you should reflect: This bodily act I want to do, would it
lead to misery to myself, to the misery of others, or to both?
Is this a detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results?
If, on reflection, you come to know that it would lead to your own misery,
to the misery of others, or to both, and it would be an harmful bodily act
with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily act whatsoever
of that sort is absolutely unacceptable for you to do! But if on reflection
you know that it would not cause misery. That it would be an advantageous
bodily action with happy consequences, & pleasant results, then any bodily
act of that sort is proper for you to do.
Any intention produces a ladder into the future upon which one climbs!
While you are doing a bodily act, you should reflect: This bodily act I am
doing now does it lead to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to both?
Is it an detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results?
If, on reflection, you come to know that it is leading to self-misery, or to
the misery of others, or to both, then you should instantly stop doing it!
But if on reflection you know that it is not disadvantageous to anybody,
then you may continue with it.
Having done a bodily act, you should again reflect .... If, on reflection,
you come to know that it led to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to
both; that it was an detrimental bodily act with painful consequences,
painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, and lay it open to the
teacher or to a knowledgeable friend in the holy life. Having confessed it,
you should exercise restraint and self-control regarding this in the future.
But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to misery, that it was a
advantageous bodily action with happy consequences, happy results, then
you should stay mentally elated and joyful, training day and night in all the
advantageous mental qualities.
...[similarly for verbal and mental acts]...
Intention is a choice, which reduces entropy, thus rolling out the future!
Rahula, all past bhikkhus and recluses who purified their bodily, verbal, and
mental acts, did it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and
mental acts in exactly this way. All the future bhikkhus and recluses, & all
the bhikkhus and recluses, who at present purify their bodily, verbal, and
mental acts, do it by repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and mental
acts in exactly this way. Therefore, Rahula, you should train yourself:
I will purify my bodily behaviour by repeated reflection.
I will purify my verbal speech by repeated reflection.
I will purify my mental thought by repeated reflection.
Thus should you train yourself!
reference MN 61
For details on the mechanics of Kamma = Intentional Action see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_&_Sickness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_&_Ugliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_kammic_Action_is_Delayed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
Using the Mirror...
Reflecting on own Behaviour!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Reflecting_on_own_Behaviour.htm
Faith is the Entrance to what later Enlightens!
Faith comes mostly from the heart and less from the intellect.
Faith - in itself - is blind, but it initiates repeated observation,
that later grows into confidence and when fully confirmed it
culminates in conviction. Then the Faith has become Knowledge!
What is the cause of Faith?
Suffering is proximate cause of Faith! When in pain we seek!
The 4 Factors of Stream-Entry is the Origin of Faith.
What are the four factors of Stream-Entry leading to Nibbana?
Buddha once explained:
Here, householder, the Noble Disciple possesses confirmed faith,
confidence & conviction in the Buddha in this way:
Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha!
Consummated in knowledge and behaviour, totally transcended,
expert in all dimensions, knower of all worlds, unsurpassable
trainer of those who can be tamed, both teacher & guide of gods
as well as of humans, blessed, exalted, awakened & enlightened
is the Buddha!!!
He possesses confirmed confidence in the Dhamma in this way:
Perfectly formulated is this Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here &
now, immediately effective, timeless, inviting each and everyone to
come and see for themselves, inspect, examine & verify. Leading
each and everyone through progress towards perfection. Directly
observable, experiencable and realizable by each intelligence...
He also possesses confirmed confidence in the Sangha in this way:
Perfectly training is the Noble Sangha of the Buddha's disciples:
The right way, the true way, the good way and the direct way!
Therefore do these eight kinds of individuals, the four Noble pairs,
deserve gifts, self-sacrifice, offerings, hospitality & reverential
salutation with joined palms, since this Noble Sangha community
of the Buddha's Noble disciples, is an unsurpassable & forever
unsurpassed Field of Merit, in this world, for this world, to honour,
and support... He possesses the Morality esteemed by the Noble
ones: Unbroken, untorn, unspotted, unmottled, freeing, praised by
the clever, natural, leading to mental concentration, & absorption...
These 4 factors of Stream-Entry does the Noble Disciple possess!
Links on Faith, Confidence, and Conviction (Saddha):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Lay_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fine_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rich_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Dual_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Raining_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Mutual_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leaping_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Highest_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fruitful_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Faith_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Full_Faith_Frees.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Power_of_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unwavering_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Devotion_is_Delight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Analysis_of_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Outstanding_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Going_Forth_Faith.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/saddhaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Buddha_on_Faith.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Hand_Wealth_and_Seed.htm
Faith is the Entrance!
Any Noble Disciple confirms faith into assured conviction..
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Fine_Faith.htm
How does the Noble live in Alert Elevated Joy?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
How, Nandiya, does a Noble Disciple live in alert elevated joy?
Here, Nandiya, any Noble Disciple is endowed with verified conviction in the
Buddha thus: Worthy, honourable & perfectly self-Enlightened is the Buddha!
Not satisfied with that verified conviction in the Buddha, he makes a further
effort in solitude by day and seclusion at night!
When thus enthusiastic, he is elevated by alertness!
When thus elevated by alertness, then gladness is born!
When he is gladdened, then a rapturous joy arises!
When the mind is uplifted by joy, the body becomes all tranquil...
One tranquil in body experiences a pure bliss of happiness!
The mind of one who is happy becomes condensed and concentrated...
When mind is concentrated, even subtle phenomena become plain & manifest.
Since these subtle phenomena become plain and manifest, he becomes one,
who lives and dwells in alert elevated joy...
More on this blessed Bliss:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Joy_Piti.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Joy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_Beyond_This_World.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Blessing_all_Beings_by_Bliss.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_of_the_Flesch_and_Beyond.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Infinitely_Joyous_Consciousness.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:398]
Section 55 on Stream-Entry: Sotapattisamyutta. Thread 40: Nandiya.
Have a nice elevated day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Joy Sweeps Mind into Bliss!
Alert Elevated Joy!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Alert_Elevated_Joy.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...
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Peace_Contemplation.htm
What is the Best Fortune that can be Gained?
Once an illuminating deity asked The Buddha:
Which good fortune is the best? Whereto he answered:
Not associating with fools, but only with the wise,
Honouring only those, who really deserves it,
Living in suitable climatic and peaceful regions,
Great learning, good discipline and exact speech,
Service to mother and father, support of wife and sons,
— this is supreme good fortune!
Giving, and living the just and generous life supporting relatives,
Avoidance from all evil behaviour through complete self-control,
Abstinence from intoxicating drinks and drugs causing carelessness,
Reverence, devoted faith in the Dhamma, humility, and contentment,
Grateful hearing and study of the Dhamma, when one is ready for it,
— this is supreme good fortune!
Forbearance, patience, and humble yet keen attention, when corrected,
Seeing ascetics, recluses, sages and bhikkhus, who explain the Dhamma,
Living the Noble life, understanding the Noble Truths, & realising quenching,
Being unperturbed, when contacted by the manifold phenomena of the world,
Having established these exquisite states, one is unconquered everywhere,
One goes in safety everywhere — this is verily the supreme good fortune!
Sn 258-269
On what is Advantageous (Kusala):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Clever_Action.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Advantageous.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Advantageous2.htm
Have a nice fortunate day!
[color=#800000]Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka .
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Best Fortune!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Best_Fortune.htm
How to Accumulate a Mountain of Advantage?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, if anyone were to say about something, that it is a Mountain
of Advantage, then it is about the Four Foundations of Awareness that
one could rightly say this. For this is indeed an absolute accumulation of
advantage, these Four Foundations of Awareness. What four?
When an determined and devoted Bhikkhu considers:
1: The Body just as a transient frame: An empty container ...
2: The Feelings only as fleeting contacts: A short reactive blink ...
3: The Mind merely as temporary temper: A mentally habitual mood...
4: Phenomena as made up of and manifested by momentary mental states ...
while always acutely aware and clearly comprehending, he thereby removes
any greed, envy, jealousy, irritation and dissatisfaction rooted in this world...
If, bhikkhus, one were to say of anything: A heap of pure advantageousness,
it is about these four establishments of mindfulness that one could rightly
say this. For this is a complete and excellent mass of good uplifting future,
that is, these Four Foundations of Awareness ...
The Four Frames of Reference!
Details On Foundations of Awareness (Sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Clear_Comprehension.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Clever_Presence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Thousand_Aeons.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sati_in_Solitude.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sati_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/1_Producing_4.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Causes_of_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sati_Acute.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Sati_Studies.htm
Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 187] 47 The Foundations of Awareness: 45 Accumulated Advantage..
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
A Mountain of Advantage!
The 4 Frames of Reference!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Accumulation_of_Advantage.htm
How to train and expand Universal Friendliness!
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes:
May I radiate and meet only infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and find
only the genuine good of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material and the formless plane
develop and encounter this fine infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left and below as
above develop and experience high infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe always be fully aware
and deeply mindful of this infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe examine all details and
subtle aspects of this sublime infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe put enthusiastic effort
into their praxis of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy and
jubilant gladness in this infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe cultivate the tranquillity
of quiet, silent and all stilled infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated and
absorbed one-pointedness of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
May I and all beings in this city, country and universe dwell in undisturbable
and imperturbable balance of infinite friendliness, kindness and goodwill!
Yeah! (Print this out, dwell in each state until deep, use ~ 25-45 minutes.
Comment: Universal Friendliness is the 1st endless state (Appamañña)
This gradually reduces all hate, anger, irritation, resentment, opposition,
stubbornness, mental rigidity, and unhappiness related with these states.
Release of Mind by Universal Friendliness (Metta-Ceto-Vimutti) is >16
times more worth, than any merit won by whatever worldly gift or gain...
Joining with the 7 links to Awakening will later cause formless jhana...
More on fine Friendliness (Metta):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unsurpassable_Radiance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/All-Embracing_Kindness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Symbiotic_Sympathy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/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/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Loving-Kindness.htm
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Goodness_Galore.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
Genuine is Goodwill :-)
Universal is Friendliness!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Universal_Friendliness.htm
How to Feed the Energy Link to Awakening?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, just as this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in dependence
on feeding and cannot survive without food, so are the 7 Links to Awakening
also sustained by feeding, they can also only exist in dependence on feeding
and they cannot survive without feeding...
And what is the feeding of the emergence of any yet unarisen Energy and also
feeding of the very completion by advance of any already arisen Energy Link
to Awakening? There are these 3 elements of:
Initiative, Launching into effort and Endurance ...
Frequently giving careful and rational attention to them, is feeding the arising
of any unarisen Energy Link to Awakening and also feeding of the fulfillment
of any already arisen Energy Link to Awakening...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the starving that obstructs the emergence of any yet
unarisen Energy Link to Awakening & which also hinders any already arisen
Energy Link from reaching any fulfillment by deliberate development?
There are these three elements of:
Initiative, Launching and Endurance ...
Not giving frequent, careful and rational attention to them; not considering
them much and often; is the starving that prevents any unarisen Energy Link
to Awakening from arising and also blocks any already arisen Energy Link to
Awakening from reaching any complete fulfillment by training & development.
Comments from the classical commentaries:
Enthusiastic and eager exertion is the characteristic of the Energy Link to
Awakening (Viriya-sambojjhanga). Effort producing advantage is the goal
of the Energy quality. Activity overcoming mental slack is the manifestation
of this Energy Link to Awakening.
While too lazy to do what should be done simply ask yourself:
What is missing here???
Is it the element of mental initiative wishing to get up that is missing here now,
or is it the element of actual bodily launching into effort that is missing here,
or is it the element of endurance, persistence, perseverance and stamina that
is missing here now? This discrimination - in itself - has the capacity to gradually
stir up and induce energy!
Further conditions helpful for the emergence of the Energy are:
1: Reflection on the long-term dangers of inactivity such as hell...
2: Reviewing the benefits to be gained by energetic praxis.
3: Remembering that no journey can ever be ended by a lazy one.
4: Giving credit to the good givers of the alms-food received.
5: Honouring the Greatness of the prior effort of the Master.
6: Honouring the Greatness of the prior effort of the Lineage.
7: Removing laxity by perceiving light, change of posture and open air.
8: Avoidance of slack, lazy, sluggish, negligent and careless people.
9: Friendship with enthusiastic, energetic and persistent people.
10: Reviewing the Four Right Efforts often and systematically.
11: Commitment and resolute determination to arouse more energy...
There is bodily energy and there is mental energy! Both are a crucial for
all progress towards any advantageous state. Awakening is Waking Up
from sloth and daydreaming!
Energy is the Fifth Mental Perfection:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Enthusiastic_is_Energy.htm
Curing Laziness and lethargy:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Curing_Lethargy_and_Laziness.htm
Get Moving Right Now:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Arousal_Get_Up_and_Going.htm
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
Sources (edited extracts):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V: 65-6+102-8] 46: Links. 2+51: Group & Nutriments....
Feeding the Enthusiasm!
By focusing on: Initiative, Launching and Endurance...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Energy.htm
Who enters Nibbãna, Happy, Free in Peace?
Wrong question! Why? There was no-one really there in the first place...!
Nibbana is there. Beings attain it, but no-one is ever seen entering it...
There was no 'entity' or 'person' there, but a process that simply stops!
Right question: Not Who, but What is then absolutely free?
Right answer: Form is then free, Feeling is then free, Perception is then free,
Mental Construction is then free, and Consciousness itself is then free!
Cut short: The 5 clusters of clinging are instantly freed!
When all craving and all clinging is completely relinquished and eliminated,
then they are all completely irreversibly freed and they by that evaporate,
disintegrate, fade away and vanish... This is the signless Nibbana ...
The Blessed Buddha once explained:
When past conditioning is exhausted, and no fresh causality is produced,
then mind is no longer lead to future rebirth. When cravings no more arise,
the seed is consumed! Still-minded ones cease like the flame of this lamp...
Sutta Nipata 235
What actually stops burning right there?
The Fire of Greed, Hate and Ignorance, is finally extinguished in Nibbana...
On this veritable "Fire of Painful Existence" see also:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Burning.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Burning_Five.htm
What actually stops burning right there?
Just this evil Greed, Hate and Ignorance!!!
Extinguishing the Fire!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Ceasing_the_Flame.htm
The 20 Kinds of False "Self"-Projection:
What are the 20 invalid Theories of an only apparently existing "Ego-self"?
1: My "self" is identical with my Body: This physical matter is my "Ego".
2: My "self" has a Body, this physical matter is owned by my "Ego".
3: My "self" is hidden somewhere inside & included within this Body frame.
4: This Body form is hidden inside and included within a pervading "Ego".
5: My "self" is identical with my Feelings: Pain, pleasure & neutral feeling is my "Ego".
6: My "self" has Feelings, these sensations are owned by my very own "Ego".
7: My "self" is hidden inside among these Feelings, included within these emotions.
8: These Feelings are hidden inside and included within my all-pervading "Ego-self".
9: My "self" is identical with my Perceptions: These experiences are my "Ego".
10: My "self" has Perceptions: These experiences are owned by my very own "Ego".
11: My "self" is hidden inside these Perceptions, included among all these experiences.
12: These Experiences are hidden inside & included inherently within my "Ego-self".
13: My "self" is identical with my Mental Constructions: Ideas & intentions are my "Ego".
14: My "self" possess mental Constructions: These activities are owned by my "Ego".
15: My "self" is hidden inside among these mental Constructions, included as a core.
16: These Cogitations are hidden inside & included inherently within my "ego-self".
17: My "self" is identical with my Consciousness: This bare awareness is my "Ego".
18: My "self" has a Consciousness: This naked awareness is owned by my "Ego".
19: My "self" is hidden inside this Consciousness, included in all aware moments.
20: This Consciousness is hidden inside & included inherently within my "self".
The imagined EGO tragi-comically imprisons itself in overblown pride and ego-centrism!
Even without noticing it, since it is so blindly fallen in love with this non-existent Myself!
Enveloped in Egotism this Ego then systematically destroys itself by egoistic behaviour!
The very conception of an 'Ego' is thus a catastrophic form of mental auto-cannibalism,
which beings repeat life after life, resulting in immense pain for themselves & all others...
Why are these 20 common assumptions invalid, erroneous, wrong and false?
Because any concept of a "Self" inherently implies 3 criteria:
1 Sameness: It is something constant over time: An "identical same self"...
2 Control: That it is "self"-controllable: i.e. fully independent and autonomic...
3 Pleasant: That it is pleasant, since if self was not pleasant, & the "Self" really
was in full power, then it would instantly make whatever is self, become pleasant!
However, neither body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness
is constant and the same, even for a moment... Therefore they cannot possibly ever
qualify as a "same self", nor be identical with any stable and definable identity...!!!
Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness fully
controllable... Neither can they thus ever meet the control requirements of a self!
Neither is body, feeling, perception, mental construction, nor consciousness always
pleasant... They can therefore never contain or coincide with any autonomic self!
Could the assumed ‘"self"’ be a combination of any of 1-20? Not so! Why not?
If "self" is not found within any of 1-20, it cannot ever be a collection of them!
The 4 Mechanisms of unseen, assumed, and associative Ego-projection:
1+5+9+13+17 are examples of illusory identification with mere passing states...
2+6+10+14+18 are examples of fictitious immanence and invented ownership...
3+7+11+15+19 are examples of imagined inclusion in something becoming otherwise...
4+8+12+16+20 are examples of phony possessing as an invisible acquisition...
This doctrine of selflessness, Anatta, No-self, Not-Anyone-Anything-Anywhere is
particular to the Buddhas. No other is able to discover, comprehend, nor teach this!
More on this subtle, counter-intuitive, profound, baffling, yet liberating Selflessness:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Fact_of_No-Self_Anatta.htm
The Blessed Buddha once radically pointed out:
"All phenomena is void of a "self" or of what belongs to any "self"!
Within this frame is therefore nothing belonging to anyone, anywhere,
nor is there anything owned by this frame in anyone, anywhere or elsewhere..."
Like a Scarecrow empty of self, soul, ownership & ego...
On clinging to "personality" view (Sakkaya Ditthi) and selflessness (Anatta):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/I-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Agent_is_Inside.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Anatta_Doctrine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Just_Passing_Bubbles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Neither_Agent_nor_Actor.htm
A Void Empty of anything REAL is the EGO...
Source: The Moderate Speeches of the Buddha.
Majjhima Nikaya 106 [ii 106] The Way to the Imperturbable.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25072X
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/index.html
Illusory I-dentification = Inner Ego-Prison...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
What is the Resulting Reward Fruit?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
The rewarding fruition of morality is freedom from regrets!
The rewarding fruition of freedom from regret is gladness!
The rewarding fruition of gladness is rapturous joy!
The rewarding fruition of joy is serene tranquillity!
The rewarding fruition of tranquillity is Happiness!
The rewarding fruition of happiness is concentration!
The rewarding fruition of concentration is knowing & seeing!
The rewarding fruition of knowing & seeing is realism!
The rewarding fruition of realism is disillusion!
The rewarding fruition of disillusion is release!
Step by step does morality thus lead to the Highest!
Source: AN 10:1
About Fruition (Phala):
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/phala.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/saamanna_phala.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/ariya_puggala.htm
Have a nice fruitful day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Rewarding Fruit!
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/IV/Rewarding_Fruitions.htm
The Advantageous & the Detrimental!
There are these two kinds of Desire:
1: Advantageous Desire for unbinding, for release, for peace, for Nibbana...
Why is this form of desire advantageous ?
Because it leads towards ultimate safety, freedom, and lasting Happiness!
2: The Detrimental Desire for forms, for body, for feelings, for perceptions,
for mental constructions, for sensing, & for the various types of consciousness.
Why is this form of desire detrimental?
Because it leads to repeated births, ageing, decaying, sickness & repeated death!
Because it leads to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, misery & desperate despair.
I tell you, because such desire leads to Suffering...
These are the two kinds of Desire!
There are these two kinds of Disgust:
1: The Advantageous Disgust towards forms, towards body, towards feelings,
towards perceptions, towards mental constructions, towards sensing, towards the
manifold and various types of consciousness, towards all internal and all external ...
Why is this form of disgust advantageous ?
Because it leads towards ultimate safety, freedom, and lasting Happiness!
2: The Detrimental Disgust towards friends on the Noble life, towards morality,
towards meditation, towards understanding, towards right view, towards right
motivation, towards right speech, towards right behaviour, towards right livelihood,
towards right effort, and towards right concentration...
Why is this form of disgust detrimental?
Because it leads to repeated births, ageing, decaying, sickness & repeated death!
Because it leads to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, misery & desperate despair.
I tell you, because such desire leads to Suffering...
These are the two kinds of Disgust!
Comments:
The autopilot monkey-mind runs with any desire, even if it is catastrophic...
This same folly also runs away from any disgust, even if it is advantageous!
More on this dual Desire (Chanda):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fire_of_Sense-Desire.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Desire_as_Way_to_Force.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Obstructing_Corruption.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Desireless_is_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Two_kinds_of_Desire.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/chanda.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Charcoal_Pit.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Desire_&_Lust.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Just_a_Flash.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Why_Not.htm
The 2 Blind Drivers...
Desire and disgust can be both advantageous and detrimental!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Two_kinds_of_Desire.htm
The 6 Things Uniting in Harmony to be Remembered:
The Blessed Buddha once said:
These six things are to be remembered in order to Unite any Community in Harmony:
Which six?
1: Friendly Behaviour (metta-kaya-kamma=friendly bodily action) both in public and in private.
2: Friendly Speech (metta-vaci-kamma=friendly verbal action) both in public and in private.
3: Friendly Thought (metta-mano-kamma=friendly mental action) both in public and in private.
4: Sharing of Gains (sadharana-bhogi=common wealth) even down to any single lump of food.
5: Moral Harmony (sila-samannagato=uniform morality): All respect the same ethical rules.
6: Harmony in Views (ditthi-samannagato=uniform attitude): All share the same general views.
These 6 things are to be considered & remembered both for individual & social Harmony...
Comments:
So we can sleep with open doors and dance with the children in our arms :-)
On Harmony:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unique_Unity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Milk_and_Water.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Numerical Sayings of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya.
The Book of Sixes 11: To be Remembered... [III: 288-9]
United in Harmony :-)
Blending like Milk and Water...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm
Contemplating the Qualities of the Dhamma:
Perfectly formulated is this Buddha-Dhamma, visible right here and now,
immediately effective, timeless, inviting each & everyone to come and see
for themselves, inspect, examine and verify. Leading each and everyone
through progress towards perfection. Directly observable, experienceable
and realizable by each intelligence...
When a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of the Dhamma, he thinks:
I never in the past met a master, who taught a law that led onward thus,
who possessed this talent, nor do I now see any such a master other than
the Blessed One. Seeing the Dhamma's special qualities in this very way,
he is respectful and deferential towards the Master. He entertains great
reverence for the Dhamma and attains the fullness of faith and insight.
He has much happiness and gladness. He conquers fear and dread.
He is able to endure pain. He comes to feel as if he were living in the
Dhamma's presence. When recollecting the Dhamma's special qualities,
dwelling in this remembrance, his body becomes as worthy of worship
as a shrine room. His mind tends towards the realization of the peerless
Dhamma. When he encounters an opportunity for transgression, then he
has vivid awareness of conscience and shame induced by recollecting the
well-regulatedness of the Dhamma. And if he penetrates no higher, he is
at least headed for a happy destiny...
Now when a man is truly wise,
His constant task will surely be,
This recollection of the Dhamma,
Blessed with such mighty potency!
Vism I 218
The blessed Buddha said:
Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati;
Sabbarasam dhammaraso jinati;
Sabbaratim dhammarati jinati;
Tanhakkhayo sabbadukkham jinati.
THE SUPREME GIFT
The gift of Dhamma surpasses all other gifts.
The taste of Truth excels all other tastes.
The joy of Understanding exceeds all other joys.
The Elimination of craving overcomes and quenches
all ill, all pain, all sorrow, and all suffering ...
Dhammapada 354
Remembering this perfect ever returning Dhamma Doctrine:
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Dhamma
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Three_Jewels.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/dhamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Dhamma_Contemplation.htm
In the Dhamma's Presence!
The Joy of Understanding exceeds all other Joys. :-)
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Dhamma_Presence.htm
Rational Causal Attention Breaks Mental Hindrances:
The Blessed Buddha once said:
When attending rationally sense-desire neither arises, nor expand.
When attending rationally evil-will neither arises, nor later expand.
When attending rationally lethargy & laziness does neither emerge nor grow.
When attending rationally restlessness & regret cannot arise or amplify.
When attending rationally doubt & uncertainty do not begin or blow up.
Furthermore, when attending carefully & rationally to cause and effect:
The awareness link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The investigation link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The energy link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The joy link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The tranquillity link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The concentration link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed.
The equanimity link to awakening arises, and is gradually developed!
More on Attention: (Manasikara):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Careful_Attention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/manasikaara.htm
Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya.
Book [V:93-4] section 46: The Links. 35: Careful Attention...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka.
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Rational Attention!
Noting cause and effect of any event is always clever.
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Careful_and_Rational_Attention.htm
What is the Concentration Ability (Samâdhi Indriya)?
Concentration is the ability to focus all mental factors on 1 object!
Concentration (samadhi) is a mental ability & power when steady...
Concentration is a Link to Awakening & a Factor on the Noble Way.
Concentration is non-distraction, non-scatter, and non-diffusion...
Concentration is collecting together, unifying, focusing, condensing!
Making mental release the object the Noble Disciple gains Samadhi,
achieves one-pointedness, & enters fixed unified mental absorption!
The Definition of these 4 subtle Mental Jhana Absorptions:
Having eliminated the 5 mental hindrances, mental defects that
obstruct understanding, quite secluded from all sensual-desires,
protected from any detrimental mental state, one enters & dwells
in the 1st jhana; full of joy & pleasure born of solitude, joined with
directed & sustained thought.
With the stilling of directed and sustained thought, one enters and
dwells in the 2nd jhana, calmed assurance & unification of mind with
joy & pleasure now born of concentration, devoid of any thinking!
With the fading away of joy, in equanimity, clearly comprehending,
one enters upon & remains in the 3rd jhana, still feeling pleasure in
the body, about which the Noble Ones declare: In aware equanimity
one dwells in Happiness...
With the leaving behind of both pleasure & pain, and with the prior
cessation of both joy and sorrow, one enters and dwells in the 4th
jhana mental absorption, which is an entirely stilled mental state of
awareness, purified by the equanimity of neither-pain-nor-pleasure!
The Entrance:
As long as a Bhikkhu does not perceive the disappearance of the 5
hindrances in himself, he feels as if in debt, in sickness, in bonds, in
slavery, on a desert journey. But when he perceives disappearance
of the five hindrances in himself, it is as if he were freed from debt,
from sickness, from bonds, slavery, & from the desert dangers...
And when he knows that these 5 mental hindrances have left him,
then gladness arises in him, from gladness comes joy, from the joy
in his mind, his body is tranquillised! With a calm body he delights in
happiness, & with this happiness his mind is concentrated into focus.
Thus secluded from sense-desires, isolated from detrimental states,
he enters and remains in the 1st jhana, which is of directed thought
& sustained evaluation, born of seclusion, filled with pleasure & joy.
And with this pleasure and joy born of seclusion, he so permeates,
drenches, fills & pervades his whole body that there is not even a
single spot in his entire body that is unsoftened by this pleasure &
joy born of seclusion...
The Similes:
As, your majesty, all rafters there are in a house with a ridge roof,
they all lead to the ridgepole, incline towards the ridgepole, lean on
the ridgepole & this ridge beam is termed their peak summit, even &
exactly just so, your Majesty, whatever advantageous mental states
there are, all of these are headed by concentration, incline towards
concentration, lean on concentration, is based on concentration ...
As, your majesty, a king might enter battle with an army of 4 parts,
and the whole army, the elephants, horses, chariots & foot-soldiers
would be headed by him, incline towards him, lean on him, and tend
towards him, would follow after just him, even exactly so is indeed
this unique concentration the chief, the captain, the commander, &
the conductor of the orchestra of mental states.. Miln. 38
The Explanation:
It is concentration in that it places & anchors the mind evenly on 1
same single object, it settles & collects mind rightly together there.
Its characteristic is absence of wandering, dispersal & distraction.
Its function is joining & binding together of co-arised mental states
as water does for bath-powder. Its manifestation is calming down,
tranquillization, stilling, ceasing and peace. Its proximate cause is
especially happiness. It should be seen as fixed steadiness of mind,
like the steadiness of candle-flames in absence of perturbing wind!
Vism. XIV 139
On how to attain the Jhana absorptions:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Details_of_the_Jhana_Absorptions.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Requisites_for_Jhana_Absorption.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Concentration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Concentration.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Concentration_Samadhi.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/jhaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Jhana_Absorption.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Samma-Samadhi.htm
What is Samâdhi Concentration?
Condensing, Collecting, Convening and Converging is Concentration!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm
What are the 40 Classic Meditation Objects?
The Buddha taught 40 principal meditation objects = kammatthana:
kammatthana literally means: Place of work, basis of action leading
to the various degrees of mental meditative absorption jhana:
These 40 meditation subjects are:
I. The 10 kasina exercises: Kasina = 'Entirety'. All 4 jhanas possible:
1: Earth kasina, 2: Water kasina, 3: Fire kasina, 4: Wind kasina,
5: Blue kasina, 6: Yellow kasina, 7: Red kasina, 8: White kasina,
9: Light or consciousness kasina, 10: Space kasina.
II. The 10 perceptions of disgust : asubha-sañña:. 1st jhana possible:
A swollen & bloated corpse, a bluish livid corpse, a rotting corpse,
a cut-up & split corpse, a gnawed corpse, a hacked corpse, a spread
scattered corpse, a bloody corpse, a corpse of maggots, a skeleton.
III. The 10 contemplations , remembrances or recollections anussati::
1: On the Buddha, 2: The Dhamma, 3: Noble Sangha community,
4: Morality, 5: Generosity, 6: Heavenly divine beings, 7: Death,
8: Body, 9: In-and-out-breathing All 4 jhanas possible:, 10: Peace.
IV. Four divine abodes or infinite states brahma-vihara:
1: All-embracing friendliness = metta:, 2: Pity = karuna:
3: Mutual joy = mudita, 4: Equanimity = upekkha:
V. Four formless spheres arupayatana: based on the 4th jhana:
1: The infinitude of space, 2: The infinitude of consciousness,
3: Empty nothingness, 4: Neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
VI. Perception of the disgust of food . ahare patikkula-sañña
VII. Defining Analysis of the four elements dhatu-vavatthana
More details on these 40 precious objects:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/l/DPPN/wtb/b_f/bhaavanaa.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/libraryibrary/DPPN/wtb/g_m/kasina.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/asubha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anussati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/b/buddha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/dhamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/sangha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/caaga.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/siila.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/deva.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/marana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/kaaya_gata_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/upasamaanussati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/jhaana.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/dhaatu_vavatthaana.htm
The 40 Classic Meditation Methods!
What are the 40 Early Buddhist Meditation Objects?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_40_Meditations.htm
False perception of permanence arises from conceiving apparent continuity:
Buddha once said: Aniccanupassanam bhavento niccasaññam pajahati...
When developing the contemplation of Impermanence (Anicca),
one gradually overcomes the false perception of permanence...
One cannot easily observe the characteristic of Impermanence, since it is obscured and
concealed by apparent continuity: Mind falsely conceives: This is the same as it was before...
One then wrongly perceives all psycho-physical phenomena as existing permanently and not
correctly as a sequence of discrete states ever arising and ceasing...
The stage of Viewing:
By training one can observe the solidity, fluidity, heat and motion within ones own body
or externally as changing states by noting their beginning, middle and end.
Example: Noting the beginning, middle and end of the breath coming in or going out!
The stage of Comprehending:
One then comprehends this breath, this materiality is not the same from moment to moment.
Nor is any other solidity, fluidity, heat or motion, the same from moment to moment...
Nor is any observing mind, thought or any mental state, the same from moment to moment...
Whether internally or externally: All this is only discrete states arising and ceasing...
Such cannot be lasting happiness... Such cannot be regarded as an essentially same self...
Such change is therefore suffering... Such transience is therefore no-self...
The stage of Gaining Insight:
By observing wisely and repeatedly one thus understands, that all formations, all phenomena,
all conditioned constructions inherently are permeated with the 3 characteristics of:
1: Impermanence (Anicca), 2: Suffering (dukkha), and 3: Selflessness (anatta)...
Insight dawns when noting & knowing the Dissolution of all phenomena (bhanga-ñana),
which gives rise to noting & knowing the Danger within all existence (adinava-ñana)...
By noting the impermanence of all internal form, feeling, perception, mental construction
and consciousness, one can generalize and extend this observed impermanence to also be
dominant in all external form, feeling, perception, mental construction and consciousness.
One can furthermore infer, that all phenomena in the past was impermanent, and so also
will all phenomena in the future be impermanent. This expands & matures the comprehension.
The result of contemplating Impermanence is absence of distortion (vipallasa):
The false perception of permanence actually comes from an -a priori- conceptual notion:
"All phenomena are permanent and endures as the same from moment to moment..."
This distortion of perception (sañña-vipallasa) - arised from ignorance - then by repetition
then distorts thinking (citta-vipallasa), which then later solidifies into a distortion of
view (ditthi-vipallasa): One then perceives, thinks and views: Formations are all lasting!
This false conviction have been reified and reinforced through numberless accounts
of existence, since a indiscernible beginning, and is thus deeply ingrown and imbedded
in mind. However this triple distortion of perception, thinking and viewing can be broken
by repeated reasoned observation of & reflection on the universal aspect of impermanence.
This requires rationally directed attention (yoniso manasikara) and clear comprehension
(sati-sampajañña) and leads to knowing and regarding all formations with a pleasant
imperturbable equanimity... (sankhara-upekkha-ñana)...
More on this universal impermanence, inconstancy, and inevitable Transience (Anicca):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm
Anicca (Impermanence) According to Theravada Buddhism (Bhikkhu Ñanamoli)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel186.html
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/The_Internal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm
All things break apart!
Nothing is thus worth clinging to...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm