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Bhikkhu Samahita Dhamma Posts
Comments
One of the wisest things I ever heard was, "Only if you've been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to stand on highest mountain."
I'd better not tell you who I heard say it.
Talking about the devil, is there evil in Buddhism?
Rather kusala (wholesome, meritorious, virtuous) actions and akusala (unwholesome, blameworthy) actions.
The former are conducive to self-fulfillment and spiritual growth, the latter perpetuate our suffering.
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/goodevil.html
There are many Buddhists who believe that Mara or rather the Maras plural, have literal existence.
And this is an idea not just held by ' traditional ' or ethnic Buddhists.
Just a reminder...We westerners who come to Dharma often do so because we cast Buddhism in a rational sceptical mode..Which we are free to do..
But it sometimes brings us face to face with Dharma as seen in Asia.
Where it does not always conform to our idea of the rational at all.
Most varieties of Buddhism in Asia feature exorcisms and Spirit divination etc..including the Theravada.
Asian Buddhists are often astonished to discover that western Buddhism does not.
Thank you, @Citta. I'm glad to see that there are those who are aware that Buddhism is not only what is represented in the West.
I do not fully share the view @vinlyn, but there are those who think that western Buddhism is a pale reflection of the Asian..That some of the essence has been rationalised away.
That's a good way of putting it, though.
How can the essence be lost in the East or West - it's all buddhism and it encompasses everything, nothing and it is bounded by the boundless. Tut!
The West's view just needs a little (lot of) fine tuning, but without the canned laughter.
No offense, but it's that kind of chatter that often makes me think that Buddhists think it's cool to be "clever".
Good source material from @dharmamom
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/goodevil.html
There are a lot of ignorant, irrational and superficial religionists. There are uneducated monks, steeped in superstition and unskilful nonsense. They ignorantly and sometimes arrogantly rather than with evil intent, foster ancient superstitions and cultural baggage as wisdom. As Buddhism comes West, we are discarding BUT also adding our own ignorance and cultural identity. Inevitable. Many western disciples adopt the cultural norms of an alien dharma without realising it must, will and is being adapted.
The Buddhist essence is good, present and correct. We can find, faff or favour. The choice as always a question of adopting good and discarding or shaking off the 'evil' distractions . . .
May be "ill will"?
>
Ill will would translate to hate rather than evil. Selfishness, arrogance, and conceit are more closely related to evil I'd say.
The dhammapada talks a lot about evil.
And there's the rub...one mans ' good '... because its suits an agenda, is another man's distractions.
We can strive all we want to produce a rational, hygienic, denatured, masculine,Protestant 'Dharma' ..but the magic from the dawn of time..the atavistic and ancient and chthonic will always find a way..
Friends:
What is the Cause of Defilement & Purification?
Venerable Mahali once asked the Buddha:
But, Venerable Sir, what is the causing condition of mental defilement?
By what reason, do beings become mentally defiled and degraded?
The Buddha then explained:
If, Mahali, this form, this feeling, this perception, this construction and
this consciousness were exclusively suffering, immersed only in frustration,
soaked solely in trouble and if it were not also sometimes soaked in pleasure,
beings would not become enamoured with it. But since this form, this feeling,
perception, construction & this consciousness is also occasionally pleasurable,
immersed now and then in pleasure, soaked momentarily in delight & it is not
soaked only & always in pain, beings become enamoured & enthralled with it!
By being enamoured with it, they are captivated by it and obsessed with it...
By being captivated by it and obsessed with it, they are defiled & degraded!
This, Mahali, is the causing condition for the mental defilement of beings...
By this reason, do beings become mentally defiled & detrimentally degraded!
Mental Defilement veils the light of the mind by obscuring it!
But, Venerable Sir, what is the causing condition of mental purification?
By what reason, do beings become mentally purified & released?
The Buddha then explained:
If, Mahali, this form, this feeling, this perception, this construction &
this consciousness were exclusively pleasurable, immersed only in pleasure,
soaked solely in satisfaction, and if it were not also quite soaked in suffering,
beings would not become disgusted with it. But because form, feeling, perception,
construction & consciousness is also pain, immersed in distress, soaked in agony,
and it is not soaked only in pleasure, beings are disgusted with it. Being disgusted,
they experience disillusion and through this disillusion, they are mentally purified!
This, Mahali, is the causing condition for the mental purification of beings...
By this reason, do beings become mentally purified and happily released!
More on mental purification:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mental_Purity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Ability_Purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Purifications.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_purpose_of_purification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_7_stages_of_Purification.htm
Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta NikayaIII 69-71
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Buddha said: Naturally the mind is pure and luminous all around!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.8-10.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What Causes Purity?
Pleasure vs. Pain causes Defilement vs. Purity...
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause.of.defilement.and.purification.htm
In the "Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism," the word papa (it has a tiny line over the first "a" but my keyboard does not have it), which has been translated as "evil" in the Dhammapada, is defined as "transgression: an unsalutary, unwholesome or nonvirtuous (akusala) deed that produces a correspondingly negative effect."
In this dictionary it is also stated that "the common translation of 'papa' as 'sin' is misleading because there is no divine being in Buddhism whose commandments can be broken. Rather, painful consequences of unsalutary actions befall the agent, according to the impersonal law of Karman and its retribution."
We naturally need a notion of 'evil' as opposed to 'good,' but this evil does not hark back to notions of sin.
Not agreeing or disagreeing, but that is a very western viewpoint of it.
Sin seems to me very Western.
Suggest you Google "Thai Buddhist Hell" and go to images. Virtually every photograph there is of Buddhist hell represented in authentic Thai Buddhist temples. There are MANY such places in Thailand. If that's not representing punishment for "sin", then I don't know what is. It is every bit as graphic -- perhaps more graphic -- than Dante's Inferno.
Defilement <- .!. -> Purity
No offence taken @vinlyn, I'm not trying to be cool or clever; however, this is a discussion forum, and whilst I respect all views (well almost all views) here, I came to this forum for a reason. There is much to be gleaned from the dialogue that occurs here, including all the indoctrinated views, the well-read views, the personal views of 'suffering' etc. and other important views, and unpalatable views, but all are held in the same regard.
I suspect you and all other contributors to this site have an intelligent mind, and respect it sees things in certain ways, but that is not necessarily my view or way of thinking, and value the interaction that occurs, and will always hold that interaction in the highest regard. My way of thinking and writing may appear alien and unorthodox, but hey, thats me!
well said
Or not. (That's in the same style).
And that comment appears to be in the style of @Citta @Vinlyn. I don't get it. There's not enough clarity to determine what was meant, and if nothing was meant, it was lost in translation.
Using language crisply and correctly (or at least trying to - and I know I don't always get it right, but I'm not writing a treatise, its just a commentary - I'll let you know when I really have thought it out) gives perspective; and yes some may call it being clever, but I have spent more than half my life trying to justify my existence in academic circles.
Being woolly and indeterminate just leaves one with an unsatisfactory taste in ones mouth. Surely as a teacher you know this, and perhaps now I come to think of it, you are just being a mischievous rascal.
Egads! Comparing me to Citta!!!!!
But to me saying, "it's all buddhism and it encompasses everything, nothing and it is bounded by the boundless" has no distinct meaning. And yes, I am being a bit of a mischievous rascal.
But make no mistake, I always read your posts and usually find them very interesting and well written, and I'm glad you're here and contributing. This one post just struck me wrong. And I am sure I strike others wrong every once in a while, myself. Proceed!
Yes @vinlyn I admit sometimes my comments are throw away comments - and that one was a bit of a supernatural statement now I come to think of it. ... :bowdown: ... Oooh it makes me shudder to think how evil I can appear to be.
Friends: [/size]
Awareness (Sati) is a Link to Enlightenment!
The Awareness Link to Awakening (sati-sambojjhanga) is basically the
same mental property (sati-cetasika), which inherently is included in:
The Four Foundations of Awareness (satipatthana)
The Ability of Awareness (satindriya)
The Power of Awareness (satibala)
The Right Awareness Path Factor (samma-sati-magganga)
Trained, developed and refined in a degree that gradually enlightens!
The Buddha once said: What mental fermentations (asava) should be
overcome by development? If a Bhikkhu by careful & rational attention
develops the Awareness Link to Awakening based on seclusion, disillusion,
ceasing, and culminating in relinquishment, neither can any fermentation,
nor any fever, nor any vexation ever arise in him. MN 2 [i 11]
The Ability of Awareness is to anchor attention on any chosen object and
when this ability is unshakable & well fixed, it is the Power of Awareness!
Awareness is a Foundation (patthana), when well established (upatthana)
continually - without distractions interrupting - on these four objects:
1: Body as mere form: Just a group of foul and fragile organs...
2: Feeling as a mere reactive response assigned to any contact...
3: Mind as only a changing set of habitual mentalities and moods...
4: Phenomena simply as appearances of momentary mental states...
Not lasting, but transient! Not pleasure, but pain! Not self, but impersonal!
Neither neglecting, nor forgetting that these universal characteristics are
relevant and true for absolutely all aspects of these four objects, the false
and distorted perception of beauty in what really is disgusting, of pleasure
in what really is painful, of self in what really is selfless and impersonal,
gradually fades away and the mental fermentations (asava) of sensing,
of views, of ignorance and of becoming are overcome by elimination.
Further inspirations on this lucid and penetrating quality of Awareness:
Training of Clear Comprehension (sampajanna):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Clear_Comprehension.htm
Training of the Four Foundations of Awareness (satipatthana):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Manual/Meditation.Manual.hm
What is Right and Noble Awareness? Answer and Details at:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
Further studies in this universally superb mental state:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Sati_Studies.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Causes_of_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sati_Summary.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sati_in_Solitude.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Clear_Comprehension.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Noble_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/One_and_only_Way.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Analysis.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sati_a_la_Anuruddha.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Careful_and_Rational_Attention.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Four_Foundations_of_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Clear_and_Aware_Comprehension.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samahita _/_
http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Noticing what is going on!
Awareness (Sati).
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
BTW, I actually like Citta a lot, also!
Not by me. I take into regard what, how and why people, including myself say things a certain way. Some interaction I consider ignorant or unskilful.
No it is not you. Nor is it skilful. It is an affectation or unskilful contrivance. Fortunately you seem to becoming out of this phase.
So consider yourself judged, in a way you might apply to just you . . . Evil as that might seem it is not 'just me'. Now we will find out the extent of what is real, what ignorance and what good natured unskillfulness or 'evil . . . '
:wave: .
Friends:
How is constant Awareness Established only by Breathing?
Sitting cross-legged, with straight back, elevated chin, in a silent place, the
yogi remains focusing all attention on the touch point of air in his nostrils:
Fully aware one inhales and fully aware one exhales...
When inhaling a long breath, one notices that...
When exhaling a long breath, one notices that...
When inhaling a short breath, one notices that...
When exhaling a short breath, one notices that...
Experiencing the whole body, one inhales...
Experiencing the whole body, one exhales...
Calming all bodily activity, one inhales...
Calming all bodily activity, one exhales...
One trains thus: Experiencing joyous rapture, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing joyous rapture, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing a happy pleasure, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mental activity, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Calming all mental activity, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mentality as mood, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Experiencing all mentality as mood, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Satisfying and gladdening the mind, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Satisfying and gladdening the mind, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Focusing the mind by concentration, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Focusing the mind by concentration, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Releasing the mind from hindrance, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Releasing the mind from hindrance, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering the impermanence of change, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the impermanence of change, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering the detachment in disillusion, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the detachment in disillusion, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering the stilling within cessation, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering the stilling within cessation, I will exhale...
One trains thus: Considering open and freed relinquishing, I will inhale...
One trains thus: Considering open and freed relinquishing, I will exhale...
This is how continuous Awareness is established just by breathing!!!
Breathing meditation can bring the yogi into 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Jhana...
It is a unique praxis used by all Buddhas at their very Enlightenment!!!
Anapanasati breathing meditation guided and explained:
As streaming audio
As mp3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b75hbanxcxf01e9/anapanasati.breathing.meditation.mp3
Details are found in this Meditation Manual:
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/anapanasati.pdf
More on Awareness by Breathing (Anapana-sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_I.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_II.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/1_Producing_4.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_IV.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_LAMP_III.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Four_Fulfilling_Seven.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Magnificent_Meditation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anapana_sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_the_Breath.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Peaceful_and_Sublime_on_the_Spot.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unique_Thing_Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
Source:
Middle Length Sayings of the Buddha. Majjhima Nikaya 118 Anapanasati:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25072X
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn118.html
Breath Meditation!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Awareness_by_Breathing.htm
there is no "me", "I", "Ego", "Self", "Soul", or "inner agent or actor or controller"
anywhere to be found neither internally, nor externally. never was. never will be...
On this subtle No-Self (Anatta) Doctrine: Self-&-Substance-lessness
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Pride.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Not_Yours.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Conceit_I_Am.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Ego-Projection.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/I-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Sandcastles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Prison_of_Pride.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Double_Problem.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Egoless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/We_Are_Not.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Changing_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anti-EGO-Tool.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Empty_of_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Anatta_No_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Self-less_Anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Uprooting_Egoism.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Mistaken_Refence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Deed_without_Doer.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/No_Being_No_Person.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Without_Controversy.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Mistaken_Reference.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Who_is_the_Creator.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Solo_Self-Deception.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/No_Agent_is_Inside.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Smoke_of_Self.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Non-'I'-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Just_Passing_Bubbles.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Anatta_Doctrine.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Not_Who_but_What.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Selfless_Camera.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Invisible_Impersonality.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Selfless_and_Harmless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Input_'I'-dentification.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/No-Agent_but_Dependence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Identity_View.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Egolessness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Neither_Agent_nor_Actor.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Who_or_what_is_the_Agent.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/The_Fact_of_No-Self_Anatta.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/First_I-dentification_then_Enmity.htm
Of course, and it increases exponentially the closer one gets to Colorado Springs, CO.
Yes, that's being clever. How cool is that?
Friends:
Contemplation on Death is Advantageous!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
The days and nights are flying past,
Life shrinks & dwindles hurriedly away,
The life of mortals ebbs, and runs away,
Vanishes, like water in a tiny stream.
SN 4:10
As every morning one may worry & fear
The sudden falling of the ripened fruits,
So all mortals in this and any other world,
Have to live in constant fear of abrupt dying.
Sn 576
Death looks over your shoulder to see how you fool around...
All beings are subject to death, will die
end in death, can never ever escape death.
As absolutely every earthen pot that has
been shaped & born by the potter's hand,
whether big or small, firm or frail, each one,
All will crack up & fall to pieces in the end!
Exactly so are all beings subject to death,
come to death, can never escape death...
All beings at due time have to pass away,
Their life one day will finish and perish,
Then they all fare according to their deeds,
Thus good or bad fruits they all will earn.
The evil-doer fares all screaming to hell,
The good man smiling to a happy world.
Hence, Noble deeds one should perform
As a supplying store for the next life!
For good deeds in the next world give
living beings their only strong support!
Without that there is only the free fall!
SN 3:22
END-MAKER
Neither in the distant space, nor in the deepest ocean,
nor in the darkest cave, can anyone escape the crushing
fact of Death ...!!!
Dhammapada 128
[color=#BF0040]More on the inevitable fact of Death:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Death.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/amata.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Death_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Desireless_is_Deathless.htm
Game Over!
Contemplation on Death is Advantageous!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Game_Over.htm
"Unindicated and unknown is the length of life of those subject to death. Life is difficult and brief and bound up with suffering. There is no means by which those who are born will not die. Having reached old age, there is death. This is the natural course for a living being. With ripe fruits there is the constant danger that they will fall. In the same way, for those born and subject to death, there is always the fear of dying. Just as the pots made by a potter all end by being broken, so death is (the breaking up) of life.
"The young and old, the foolish and the wise, all are stopped short by the power of death, all finally end in death. Of those overcome by death and passing to another world, a father cannot hold back his son, nor relatives a relation. See! While the relatives are looking on and weeping, one by one each mortal is led away like an ox to slaughter.
"In this manner the world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world. You do not know the path by which they came or departed. Not seeing either end you lament in vain. If any benefit is gained by lamenting, the wise would do it. Only a fool would harm himself. Yet through weeping and sorrowing the mind does not become calm, but still more suffering is produced, the body is harmed and one becomes lean and pale, one merely hurts oneself. One cannot protect a departed one (peta) by that means. To grieve is in vain.
"By not abandoning sorrow a being simply undergoes more suffering. Bewailing the dead he comes under the sway of sorrow. See other men faring according to their deeds! Hence beings tremble here with fear when they come into the power of death. Whatever they imagine, it (turns out) quite different from that. This is the sort of disappointment that exists. Look at the nature of the world! If a man lives for a hundred years, or even more, finally, he is separated from his circle of relatives and gives up his life in the end. Therefore, having listened to the arahant, one should give up lamenting. Seeing a dead body, one should know, "He will not be met by me again." As the fire in a burning house is extinguished with water, so a wise, discriminating, learned and sensible man should quickly drive away the sorrow that arises, as the wind (blows off) a piece of cotton. He who seeks happiness should withdraw the arrow: his own lamentations, longings and grief.
"With the arrow withdrawn, unattached, he would attain to peace of mind; and when all sorrow has been transcended he is sorrow-free and has realized Nibbana.
Salla Sutta: The Arrow
So the point is - remain detached from this self-represenatation you call 'I' or 'me', that you carry around in life as excess baggage, 'cause where death takes you, you are not going to need it.
Like they say, you can't take it with you when you go.
When it's curtain call time, let our skandhas gently bow out and get combined elsewhere...
I've heard death is a blessing. All birth ends in death. Without deaths there would be no births!
So what's there to hold onto?
Also that we have a precious human life and little time in said life, so it behooves us to use this time in dhamma practice and living skillfully:
Sn 2.10
PTS: Sn 331-334
Utthana Sutta: Initiative
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.10.than.html
"Get up! Sit up! What's your need for sleep? And what sleep is there for the afflicted, pierced by the arrow, oppressed? Get up! Sit up! Train firmly for the sake of peace, Don't let the king of death, — seeing you heedless — deceive you, bring you under his sway. Cross over the attachment to which human & heavenly beings, remain desiring tied. Don't let the moment pass by. Those for whom the moment is past grieve, consigned to hell. Heedless is dust, dust comes from heedlessness has heedlessness on its heels. Through heedfulness & clear knowing you'd remove your own sorrow."
Friends:
How to Dwell abiding in Successful Recollection:
The Blessed Buddha once told his cousin the Noble Layman Mahanama:
One who has faith is successful, Mahanama, not one who has no faith.
One who is energetic is successful, Mahanama, not one who is lax and lazy.
One who is acutely aware is successful, Mahanama, not one who is negligent.
One who is concentrated is successful, Mahanama, not one who is distracted.
One who understands is successful, Mahanama, not one of no understanding.
Having established yourself in these five things, Mahanama, then you should
always dwell recollecting:
1: The Blessed One
2: The Dhamma
3: The Sangha
4: Own Purity
5: Own Generosity
6: The Deities
Doing this, Mahanama, one wins the joy and special thrill that goes with the Dhamma.
From joy grows satisfaction. From satisfaction grows calm. From a calm body
grows happiness. From happiness grows concentration. Concentrated, Mahanama,
one dwells as serene among those agitated. One dwells joyous among those in anger...
Anguttara Nikaya V 329-32
More on these 6 Successful reviewing recollections:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Master_Presence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Buddha_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Dhamma_Presence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Dhamma_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Sangha_Presence.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sangha_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Reviewing_Virtue.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Sila_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Reviewing_Generosity.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Generosity_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Remembering_Deities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divinity_Contemplation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Remembering_Deities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divinity_Contemplation.htm
Successful Remembrance!
How to Dwell abiding in Reviewing:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Successful_Reviewing.htm
Ooohh @lobster - so cruel those words were, good job I can take it on the chin... Eeek I just got what you really said. ... :bawl: ... You are not in receipt of all the facts... :rant: ...
But I forgive you, if you can forgive me. ... ...
Friends:
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
.
Feel deep respect or admiration for (something):
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/revere
Revere might for many ex-religious co-dependents, have painful associations. Hence respect is a more appropriate word.
As a symbol of the three jewels and I would suggest skilful exemplar of the Theravadin tradition, I consider @samahita worthy of reverence. :bowdown: (we are not worthy etc . . .)
To revere something means one can be a little familiar . . . as Mr Cushion is want to do . . .
I would also suggest that those deserving spiritual reverence, rarely demand it, unless it improves the potential of the situation. It is the ignorant (so Mr Cushion tells me) who demand respect for their opinions, affectations, unskilful behaviour, gibbering, self inflicted and never ending suffering and other 'evil' . . .
@Vinlyn. Did you ever visit the Hell Garden while in Thailand? At the Alu Vihara in Sri Lanka there are some fairly gruesome depictions of the unhappy fate awaiting those who commited various offenses.
"The" hell garden? LOL. Dozens! Very entertaining!
The way I see the difference in view of the Buddhist notion of evil and a more theistic view is that in the Buddhist view something can be called evil because it results in something undesirable, namely pain and suffering. In the theistic view something is evil because it is on the "evil" list, it probably also causes pain and suffering but that is not the fundamental reason it is evil.
Seems like a plan.
Bringing the awareness to the breath can be extremely diagnostic. Is it harsh, forced or constrained? Tension or dukkha exists.
Is it light, free and natural? Ease and natural being is present . . .
When do you hold you breath? When exerting? Breath out.
When do you breath in? How does it seem?
Mindfulness of breath, a teacher always with us . . .
Friends:
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
Friends:
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
Winning Wisdom!
How to Win the Social Game using Wisdom?
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Winning_Wisdom.htm
Is "winning the social game" the point of Enlightenment? Please forgive a newcomer's ignorance ...
Hi SarahT :wave: .
No, not the point . . .
What is being discussed is responses that are attuned to improving social interaction to a higher imperative. In other words a more enlightened approach to social interaction. In engaged Buddhism the sangha are not the recipients of generosity, support and respect but bestowers.
These are different approaches.
.
Thanks Lobster. Just a bit confused that the rationale for generosity seems to be that:
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
To me, generosity is its own reward, whatever its impact on others or reputation. Sorry - all a bit confusing right now! Thanks for your clarification so far and for the wave
S