I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Rajagaha at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary. Now at that time Ven. Maha Kassapa was staying at the Pipphali Cave, afflicted, in pain, and seriously ill. Then, at a later time, he recovered from his illness. When he had recovered from the illness, the thought occurred to him: "What if I were to go into Rajagaha for alms?"
Now at that time 500 devatas were eager for the chance to give alms to Ven. Maha Kassapa. But Ven. Maha Kassapa, turning down those 500 devatas, early in the morning put on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Rajagaha for alms along the streets of the poor, the streets of the indigent, the streets of the weavers. The Blessed One saw that Ven. Maha Kassapa had gone into Rajagaha for alms along the streets of the poor, the streets of the indigent, the streets of the weavers.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
Maintaining no others,
unknown,
trained, established
in what is essential,
effluents1 ended,
anger disgorged:
He's what I call
a brahman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kassapa Sutta (Udana 3.7) : About Maha Kassapa
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Rajagaha at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary. Now at that time Ven. Maha Kassapa was staying at the Pipphali Cave, sitting for seven days in a single position, having attained a certain level of concentration. Then, with the passage of seven days, he emerged from that concentration. On emerging from it, the thought occurred to him: "What if I were to go into Rajagaha for alms?"
Now at that time 500 devatas were eager for the chance to give alms to Ven. Maha Kassapa. But Ven. Maha Kassapa, turning down those 500 devatas, early in the morning put on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Rajagaha for alms.
Now at that time Sakka, the king of the devas, wanted to give alms to Ven. Maha Kassapa. So, disguising himself as a weaver, he was working a loom, while Sujata, an asura-maiden, filled the shuttle. Then, as Ven. Maha Kassapa was going on an uninterrupted round for alms in Rajagaha, he arrived at Sakka's home. Sakka saw him coming from afar and, on seeing him, came out of house to meet him. Taking the bowl from his hand, he entered the house, took cooked rice from the pot, filled the bowl, and gave it back to Ven. Maha Kassapa. And that gift of alms included many kinds of curry, many kinds of sauces.
The thought occurred to Ven. Maha Kassapa, "Now, who is this being with such supranormal power & might?" Then the thought occurred to him, "This is Sakka, king of the devas, isn't it?" On realizing this, he said to Sakka, "Is this your doing, Kosiya?1 Don't ever do anything like this again."
"We, too, need merit, Ven. Kassapa. We, too, have use for merit."
Then, bowing down to Ven. Maha Kassapa and circumambulating him three times, Sakka rose up into the air and, while up in the sky, exclaimed three times:
"O the alms, the foremost alms, well-established in Kassapa!"
"O the alms, the foremost alms, well-established in Kassapa!"
"O the alms, the foremost alms, well-established in Kassapa!"
The Blessed One heard this with his divine hearing-property, surpassing that of the human. On realizing the significance of that, he on that occasion exclaimed:
The monk going for alms,
supporting himself and no other:
The devas adore one who is Such,
calmed & ever mindful.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Bhaddiya Kaligodha Sutta : About Bhaddiya Kaligodha
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Anupiya in the Mango Orchard. Now at that time, Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, would repeatedly exclaim, "What bliss!
What bliss!" A large number of monks heard Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaim, "What bliss! What bliss!" and on hearing him, the thought occurred to them, "There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't enjoy leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew the bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'" They went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
As they were sitting there, they told him: "Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, lord, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaims, 'What bliss! What bliss!' There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't enjoy leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew the bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, "Come, monk. In my name, call Bhaddiya, saying, 'The Teacher calls you, my friend.'"
"As you say, lord," the monk answered and, having gone to Ven. Bhaddiya, on arrival he said, "The Teacher calls you, my friend."
"As you say, my friend," Ven. Bhaddiya replied. Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, "Is it true, Bhaddiya that, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Yes, lord."
"What meaning do you have in mind that you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Before, when I was a householder, maintaining the bliss of kingship, I had guards posted within and without the royal apartments, within and without the city, within and without the countryside. But even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I dwelled in fear — agitated, distrustful, and afraid. But now, on going alone to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, I dwell without fear, unagitated, confident, and unafraid — unconcerned, unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my mind like a wild deer. This is the meaning I have in mind that I repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
In whom there exists
no provocation,
& for whom becoming & non-becoming
are overcome,
he is one — beyond fear,
blissful,
without grief,
whom the devas can't see.
What bliss!" A large number of monks heard Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaim, "What bliss! What bliss!" and on hearing him, the thought occurred to them, "There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't enjoy leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew the bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'" They went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
As they were sitting there, they told him: "Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, lord, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaims, 'What bliss! What bliss!' There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't enjoy leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew the bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, "Come, monk. In my name, call Bhaddiya, saying, 'The Teacher calls you, my friend.'"
"As you say, lord," the monk answered and, having gone to Ven. Bhaddiya, on arrival he said, "The Teacher calls you, my friend."
"As you say, my friend," Ven. Bhaddiya replied. Then he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, "Is it true, Bhaddiya that, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Yes, lord."
"What meaning do you have in mind that you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Before, when I was a householder, maintaining the bliss of kingship, I had guards posted within and without the royal apartments, within and without the city, within and without the countryside. But even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I dwelled in fear — agitated, distrustful, and afraid. But now, on going alone to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, I dwell without fear, unagitated, confident, and unafraid — unconcerned, unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my mind like a wild deer. This is the meaning I have in mind that I repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
In whom there exists
no provocation,
& for whom becoming & non-becoming
are overcome,
he is one — beyond fear,
blissful,
without grief,
whom the devas can't see.
Atthi Raga Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya XII.64) : Where There is Passion
Dwelling at Savatthi..."There are these four nutriments for the establishing of beings who have taken birth or for the support of those in search of a place to be born. Which four? Physical food, gross or refined; contact as the second, consciousness the third, and intellectual intention the fourth. These are the four nutriments for the establishing of beings or for the support of those in search of a place to be born.
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of physical food, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of contact...
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of consciousness...
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of intellectual intention, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Just as -- when there is dye, lac, yellow orpiment, indigo, or crimson -- a dyer or painter would paint the picture of a woman or a man, complete in all its parts, on a well-polished panel or wall, or on a piece of cloth; in the same way, where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of physical food...contact...consciousness...intellectual intention, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of contact...
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of consciousness...
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of intellectual intention, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.
"Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?"
"On the western wall, lord."
"And if there is no western wall, where does it land?"
"On the ground, lord."
"And if there is no ground, where does it land?"
"On the water, lord."
"And if there is no water, where does it land?"
"It does not land, lord."
"In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food...contact...consciousness...intellectual intention, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair."
(Access To Insight)
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of physical food, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of contact...
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of consciousness...
"Where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of intellectual intention, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Just as -- when there is dye, lac, yellow orpiment, indigo, or crimson -- a dyer or painter would paint the picture of a woman or a man, complete in all its parts, on a well-polished panel or wall, or on a piece of cloth; in the same way, where there is passion, delight, & craving for the nutriment of physical food...contact...consciousness...intellectual intention, consciousness lands there and grows. Where consciousness lands and grows, name-&-form alights. Where name-&-form alights, there is the growth of fabrications. Where there is the growth of fabrications, there is the production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is the production of renewed becoming in the future, there is future birth, aging, & death, together, I tell you, with sorrow, affliction, & despair.
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of contact...
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of consciousness...
"Where there is no passion for the nutriment of intellectual intention, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.
"Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?"
"On the western wall, lord."
"And if there is no western wall, where does it land?"
"On the ground, lord."
"And if there is no ground, where does it land?"
"On the water, lord."
"And if there is no water, where does it land?"
"It does not land, lord."
"In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food...contact...consciousness...intellectual intention, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or grow. Where consciousness does not land or grow, name-&-form does not alight. Where name-&-form does not alight, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair."
(Access To Insight)
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Dantabhumi Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 125) - The Discourse on the 'Tamed Stage'
Thus have I heard: At one time the Lord was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrels' feeding place. Now at that time the novice Aciravata was staying in the Forest Hut.1 Then prince Jayasena,2 who was always pacing up and down, always roaming about on foot, approached the novice Aciravata; having approached he exchanged greetings with the novice Aciravata; having exchanged greetings of friendliness and courtesy, he sat down at a respectful distance. While he was sitting down at a respectful distance, Prince Jayasena spoke thus to the novice Aciravata:
"I have heard, good Aggivessana, that if a monk is abiding here diligent, ardent, self-resolute, he may attain one-pointedness of mind."
"That is so, prince; that is so, prince. A monk abiding here diligent, ardent, self-resolute, may attain one-pointedness of mind."
"It were good if the reverend Aggivessana were to teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it."
"I, prince, am not able to teach you dhamma as I have heard it, as I have mastered it. Now, if I were to teach you dhamma as I have heard it, as I have mastered it, and if you could not understand the meaning of what I said, that would be weariness to me, that would be a vexation to me."
"Let the reverend Aggivessana teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it. Perhaps I could understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says."
"If I were to teach you dhamma, prince, as I have heard it, as I have mastered it, and if you were to understand the meaning of what I say, that would be good; if you should not understand the meaning of what I say, you must remain as you are: you must not question me further on the matter."
"Let the reverend Aggivessana teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it. If I understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says, that will be good; if I do not understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says, I will remain as I am; I will not question the reverend Aggivessana further on this matter."
Then the novice Aciravata taught dhamma to Prince Jayasena as he had heard it, as he had mastered it. When this had been said, Prince Jayasena spoke thus to the novice Aciravata:
"This is impossible, good Aggivessana, it cannot come to pass that a monk abiding diligent, ardent, self-resolute, should attain one-pointedness of mind." Then Prince Jayasena, having declared to the novice Aciravata that this was impossible and could not come to pass, rising from his seat, departed.
And soon after Prince Jayasena had departed, the novice Aciravata approached the Lord; having approached and greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, the novice Aciravata told the Lord the whole of the conversation he had with Prince Jayasena as far as it had gone. When this had been said, the Lord spoke thus to the novice Aciravata:
"What is the good of that, Aggivessana? That Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures, enjoying sense-pleasures, being consumed by thoughts of sense-pleasures, burning with the fever of sense-pleasures, eager in the search for sense-pleasures, should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known by renunciation, seen by renunciation, attained by renunciation, realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. It is as if, Aggivessana, among elephants or horses or oxen to be tamed, two elephants, two horses or two oxen are well tamed, well trained, and two are not tamed, not trained. What do you think about this, Aggivessana? Would these two elephants or horses or oxen that were to be tamed and that were well tamed, well trained — would these on being tamed reach tamed capacity, would they, being tamed, attain a tamed stage?"
"Yes, revered sir."
"But those two elephants or horses or oxen that were to be tamed but that were neither tamed nor trained — would these, not being tamed, attain a tamed stage as do the two elephants or horses or oxen to be tamed that were well tamed, well trained?"
"No, revered sir."
"Even so, Aggivessana, that Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures... should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known and realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. It is as if, Aggivessana, there were a great mountain slope near a village or a market-town which two friends, coming hand in hand from that village or market-town might approach; having approached the mountain slope one friend might remain at the foot while the other might climb to the top. Then the friend standing at the foot of the mountain slope might speak thus to the one standing on the top: 'My dear, what do you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might reply: 'As I stand on the top of the mountain slope I, my dear, see delightful parks, delightful woods, delightful stretches of level ground delightful ponds.' But the other might speak thus: 'This is impossible, it cannot come to pass, my dear, that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see... delightful ponds.' Then the friend who had been standing on top of the mountain slope having come down to the foot and taken his friend by the arm, making him climb to the top of the mountain slope and giving him a moment in which to regain his breath, might speak to him thus: 'Now, my dear, what is it that you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might speak thus: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.' He might speak thus: 'Just now, my dear, we understood you to say: This is impossible, it cannot come to pass that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see delightful... ponds. But now we understand you to say: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.' He might speak thus: 'That was because I, my dear, hemmed in by this great mountain slope, could not see what was to be seen.'
"Even so but to a still greater degree, Aggivessana, is Prince Jayasena hemmed in, blocked, obstructed, enveloped by this mass of ignorance. Indeed, that Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures, enjoying sense-pleasures, being consumed by thoughts of sense-pleasures, eager in the search for sense-pleasures, should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known... seen... attained... realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. Had these two similes occurred to you, Aggivessana, for Prince Jayasena, Prince Jayasena naturally would have acted in the manner of one having trust in you."
"But how could these two similes for Prince Jayasena have occurred to me, revered sir, seeing that they are spontaneous, that is to say to the Lord, and have never been heard before?"
"As, Aggivessana, a noble anointed king addresses an elephant hunter saying; 'You, good elephant hunter, mount the king's elephant and go into an elephant forest. When you see a forest elephant, tie him to the neck of the king's elephant.' And, Aggivessana, the elephant hunter having answered: 'Yes, sire,' in assent to the noble anointed king, mounts the king's elephant and goes into an elephant forest. Seeing a forest elephant, he ties him to the neck of the king's elephant. So the king's elephant brings him out into the open. But, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has this longing, that is to say for the elephant forest. But in regard to him the elephant hunter tells the noble anointed king that the forest elephant has got out into the open. The noble anointed king then addresses an elephant tamer, saying: 'Come you, good elephant tamer, tame the forest elephant by subduing his forest ways, by subduing his forest memories, and aspirations and by subduing his distress, his fretting and fever for the forest, by making him pleased with the villages and by accustoming him to human ways.'
"And, Aggivessana, the elephant tamer, having answered 'Yes, sire,' in assent to the noble anointed king, driving a great post into the ground ties the forest elephant to it by his neck so as to subdue his forest ways... and accustom him to human ways. Then the elephant tamer addresses him with such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, going to the heart, urbane, pleasant to the manyfolk, liked by the manyfolk. And, Aggivessana, the forest elephant, on being addressed with words that are gentle... liked by the manyfolk, listens, lends ear and bends his mind to learning. Next the elephant tamer supplies him with grass-fodder and water. When, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has accepted the grass-fodder and water from the elephant tamer, it occurs to the elephant tamer: 'The king's elephant will now live.' Then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task, saying: 'Take up, put down.' When, Aggivessana the king's elephant is obedient to the elephant tamer and acts on his instructions to take up and put down, then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task, saying: 'Get up, sit down.' When, Aggivessana, the king's elephant is obedient to the elephant tamer and acts on his instructions to get up and sit down, then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task; known as 'standing your ground': he ties a shield to the great beast's trunk; a man holding a lance is sitting on his neck, and men holding lances are standing surrounding him on all sides; and the elephant tamer, holding a lance with a long shaft, is standing in front. While he is doing the task of 'standing your ground' he does not move a fore-leg nor does he move a hind-leg, nor does he move the forepart of his body, nor does he move the hindpart of his body, nor does he move his head, nor does he move an ear, nor does he move a tusk, nor does he move his tail, nor does he move his trunk. A king's elephant is one who endures blows of sword, axe, arrow, hatchet, and the resounding din of drum and kettle-drum, conch and tam-tam, he is [like] purified gold purged of all its dross and impurities, fit for a king, a royal possession and reckoned as a kingly attribute.
Acquisition of faith
"Even so, Aggivessana, does a Tathagata arise here in the world, a perfected one, fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with right knowledge and conduct, well-farer, knower of the worlds, the matchless charioteer of men to be tamed, the Awakened One, the Lord. He makes known this world with the devas, with Mara, with Brahma, the creation with its recluses and brahmans, its devas and men, having realized them by his own super-knowledge. He teaches dhamma which is lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the ending, with the spirit and the letters; he proclaims the Brahma-faring,3 wholly fulfilled, quite purified. A householder or a householder's son or one born in another family hears that dhamma. Having heard that dhamma he gains faith in the Tathagata. Endowed with this faith that he has acquired, he reflects in this way: 'The household life is confined and dusty, going forth is in the open; it is not easy for one who lives in a house to fare the Brahma-faring wholly fulfilled, wholly pure, polished like a conch-shell. Suppose now that I, having cut off hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, should go forth from home into homelessness?' After a time, getting rid of his wealth, be it small or great, getting rid of his circle of relations, be it small or great, having cut off his hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, he goes forth from home into homelessness. To this extent, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple gets out into the open.
Morality
"But, Aggivessana, devas and mankind have this longing, that is to say, for the five strands of sense-pleasures. The Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be moral, live controlled by the control of the Obligations, possessed of [right] behavior and posture, seeing danger in the slightest faults; undertaking them, train yourself in the rules of training.'
Sense-Control
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is moral, lives controlled by the control..., undertaking them, trains himself in the rules of training, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs. Having seen a material shape with the eye...(as above). Having cognized a mental state with the mind, be not entranced by the general appearance, be not entranced by the detail. For if you dwell with the organ of mind uncontrolled, covetousness and dejection, evil unskillful states of mind, might flow in. So fare along with its control, guard the organ of mind, achieve control over the organ of the mind.'
Moderation in eating
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be moderate in eating...(as above)... abiding in comfort.'
Vigilance
"When, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is moderate in eating, the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, abide intent on vigilance...(as above)... you should cleanse the mind of obstructive mental states.
Mindfulness and clear consciousness
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is intent on vigilance, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be possessed of mindfulness and clear consciousness. Be one who acts with clear consciousness...(as above)... talking, silent.'
Overcoming of the five hindrances
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is possessed of mindfulness and clear consciousness, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, choose a remote lodging in a forest, at the root of a tree, on a mountain slope, in a wilderness, in a hill-cave, a cemetery, a forest haunt, in the open or on a heap of straw.' He chooses a remote lodging in the forest... or on a heap of straw. Returning from alms-gathering, after the meal, he sits down cross-legged, holding the back erect, having made mindfulness rise up in front of him, he, by getting rid of coveting for the world, dwells with a mind devoid of coveting, he purifies the mind of coveting. By getting rid of the taint of ill-will, he dwells benevolent in mind, compassionate for the welfare of all creatures and beings, he purifies the mind of the taint of ill-will. By getting rid of sloth and torpor, he dwells devoid of sloth and torpor; perceiving the light, mindful, clearly conscious, he purifies the mind of sloth and torpor. By getting rid of restlessness and worry, he dwells calmly the mind subjectively tranquilized, he purifies the mind of restlessness and worry. By getting rid of doubt, he dwells doubt-crossed, unperplexed as to the states that are skillful, he purifies the mind of doubt.
The four applications of mindfulness
"He, by getting rid of these five hindrances which are defilements of the mind and weakening to intuitive wisdom, dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly conscious [of it], mindful [of it] so as to control the covetousness and dejection in the world. He fares along contemplating the feelings... the mind... the mental states in mental states, ardent, clearly conscious [of them], mindful [of them] so as to control the covetousness and dejection in the world.
"As, Aggivessana, an elephant tamer, driving a great post into the ground, ties a forest elephant to it by his neck so as to subdue his forest ways, so as to subdue his forest aspirations, and so as to subdue his distress, his fretting and fever for the forest, so as to make him pleased with villages and accustom him to human ways — even so, Aggivessana, these four applications of mindfulness are ties of the mind so as to subdue the ways of householders and to subdue the aspirations of householders and to subdue the distress, the fretting and fever of householders; they are for leading to the right path, for realizing nibbana.
"The Tathagata then disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, fare along contemplating the body in the body, but do not apply yourself to a train of thought connected with the body; fare along contemplating the feelings in the feelings... the mind in the mind... mental states in mental states, but do not apply yourself to a train of thought connected with mental states.'
Jhana
"He by allaying initial thought and discursive thought, with the mind subjectively tranquilized and fixed on one point, enters on and abides in the second meditation4 which is devoid of initial and discursive thought, is born of concentration and is rapturous and joyful. By the fading out of rapture, he dwells with equanimity, attentive and clearly conscious, and experiences in his person that joy of which the ariyans say: 'Joyful lives he who has equanimity and is mindful,' and he enters and abides in the third meditation. By getting rid of joy, by getting rid of anguish, by the going down of his former pleasures and sorrows, he enters and abides in the fourth meditation which has neither anguish nor joy, and which is entirely purified by equanimity and mindfulness.
(The three knowledges, te-vijja)
(1. Recollection of former habitations)
"Then with the mind composed thus, quite purified, quite clarified, without blemish, without defilement, grown pliant and workable, fixed, immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge and recollection of former habitation: he remembers a variety of former habitations, thus: one birth, two births, three... four... five... ten... twenty... thirty... forty... fifty... a hundred... a thousand... a hundred thousand births, and many an eon of integration and many an eon of disintegration and many an eon of integration-disintegration: 'Such a one was I by name, having such a clan, such and such a color, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this, I came to be in another state where such a one was I by name, having such and such a clan, such and such a color, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this, I arose here.' Thus he remembers divers former habitations in all their modes and details.
(2. The Divine Eye)
"Then with the mind composed, quite purified, quite clarified, without blemish, without defilement, grown pliant and workable, fixed, immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge of the passing hence and the arising of beings. With the purified deva-vision surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they pass hence or come to be; he comprehends that beings are mean, excellent, comely, ugly, well-going, ill-going, according to the consequence of their deeds, the he thinks: Indeed these worthy beings who were possessed of wrong conduct in body, who were possessed of wrong conduct in speech, who were possessed of wrong conduct of thought, scoffers at the ariyans, holding a wrong view, incurring deeds consequent on a wrong view — these, at the breaking up of the body after dying, have arisen in a sorrowful state, a bad bourn, the abyss, Niraya hell. But these worthy beings who were possessed of good conduct in body, who were possessed of good conduct in speech, who were possessed of good conduct in thought, who did not scoff at the ariyans, holding a right view, incurring deeds consequent on a right view — these, at the breaking up of the body, after dying, have arisen in a good bourn, a heaven world.
(3. Destruction of Cankers: Sainthood)
"Then with the mind composed... immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the cankers.5 He understands as it really is: This is anguish,6 this is the arising of anguish, this is the stopping of anguish, this is the course leading to the stopping of anguish. He understands as it really is: These are the cankers, this is the arising of the cankers, this is the stopping of the cankers, this is the course leading to the stopping of the cankers. Knowing thus, seeing thus, his mind is freed from the canker of sense pleasures, is freed from the canker of becoming, freed from the canker of ignorance. In freedom the knowledge came to be: I am freed; and he comprehends: Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or such.
"That monk is able to endure, head, cold, hunger, thirst, the touch of mosquitoes, gadflies, wind, sun and creeping things, abusive language and unwelcome modes of speech: he has grown to bear bodily feelings which as they arise are painful, acute, sharp, severe, wretched, miserable, deadly. Purged of all the dross and impurities of attachment, aversion and confusion,7 he is worthy of oblations, offerings, respect and homage, an unsurpassed field of merit in the world.
"If, Aggivessana, a king's elephant dies in old age, untamed, untrained, the king's old elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed: And so, Aggivessana, of a king's elephant that is middle-aged. And too, Aggivessana, if a king's elephant dies young, untamed, untrained, the king's young elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. Even so, Aggivessana, if a monk who is an elder dies with the cankers not destroyed, the monk who is an elder that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. And so of a monk of middle standing. And too, Aggivessana, if a newly ordained monk dies with the cankers not destroyed, the newly ordained monk that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. If, Aggivessana, a king's elephant dies in old age, well tamed, well trained, the king's old elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. And so, Aggivessana of a king's elephant that is middle-aged. And too, Aggivessana, if a king's elephant dies young, well tamed, well trained, the king's young elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. Even so, Aggivessana, if a monk who is an elder dies with the cankers destroyed, the monk who is an elder that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. And so, Aggivessana, of a monk of middle standing. And too, Aggivessana, if a newly ordained monk dies with cankers destroyed, the newly ordained monk that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed."
Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, the novice Aciravata rejoiced in what the Lord had said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
1. A hut in a secluded part of the Bamboo Grove for the use of monks who wanted to practice striving, padhana — [Commentary].
2. A son of King Bimbisara.
3. Brahmacariyam: the pure life of a celibate recluse [Ed., The Wheel].
4. It is noteworthy that the section on the Four Applications of Mindfulness (satipatthana) is here followed by the second meditation (jhana) without mention of the first. This may either refer to a meditator who, already previously, has attained to the first jhana, or, which seems more probable, it is meant to indicate that the intensive practice of Satipatthana which, through emphasis on bare observation, tends to reduce discursive thought, and enables the meditator to enter directly into the second jhana, which is free from initial and discursive thought (vitakka-vicara). This latter explanation is favored by the facts that (1) in our text, the practice of Satipatthana is preceded by the temporary abandonment of the five Hindrances, which indicates a high degree of concentration approaching that of the jhana; (2) in our text, the meditator is advised not to engage in the thought about the body, feelings, etc. — that is, in discursive thinking, which is still present in the first jhana. [Ed., The Wheel].
5. Asava.
6. Dukkha: usually rendered by "suffering" or "ill" [Ed., The Wheel].
7. Raga, dosa, moha.
"I have heard, good Aggivessana, that if a monk is abiding here diligent, ardent, self-resolute, he may attain one-pointedness of mind."
"That is so, prince; that is so, prince. A monk abiding here diligent, ardent, self-resolute, may attain one-pointedness of mind."
"It were good if the reverend Aggivessana were to teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it."
"I, prince, am not able to teach you dhamma as I have heard it, as I have mastered it. Now, if I were to teach you dhamma as I have heard it, as I have mastered it, and if you could not understand the meaning of what I said, that would be weariness to me, that would be a vexation to me."
"Let the reverend Aggivessana teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it. Perhaps I could understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says."
"If I were to teach you dhamma, prince, as I have heard it, as I have mastered it, and if you were to understand the meaning of what I say, that would be good; if you should not understand the meaning of what I say, you must remain as you are: you must not question me further on the matter."
"Let the reverend Aggivessana teach me dhamma as he has heard it, as he has mastered it. If I understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says, that will be good; if I do not understand the meaning of what the good Aggivessana says, I will remain as I am; I will not question the reverend Aggivessana further on this matter."
Then the novice Aciravata taught dhamma to Prince Jayasena as he had heard it, as he had mastered it. When this had been said, Prince Jayasena spoke thus to the novice Aciravata:
"This is impossible, good Aggivessana, it cannot come to pass that a monk abiding diligent, ardent, self-resolute, should attain one-pointedness of mind." Then Prince Jayasena, having declared to the novice Aciravata that this was impossible and could not come to pass, rising from his seat, departed.
And soon after Prince Jayasena had departed, the novice Aciravata approached the Lord; having approached and greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, the novice Aciravata told the Lord the whole of the conversation he had with Prince Jayasena as far as it had gone. When this had been said, the Lord spoke thus to the novice Aciravata:
"What is the good of that, Aggivessana? That Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures, enjoying sense-pleasures, being consumed by thoughts of sense-pleasures, burning with the fever of sense-pleasures, eager in the search for sense-pleasures, should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known by renunciation, seen by renunciation, attained by renunciation, realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. It is as if, Aggivessana, among elephants or horses or oxen to be tamed, two elephants, two horses or two oxen are well tamed, well trained, and two are not tamed, not trained. What do you think about this, Aggivessana? Would these two elephants or horses or oxen that were to be tamed and that were well tamed, well trained — would these on being tamed reach tamed capacity, would they, being tamed, attain a tamed stage?"
"Yes, revered sir."
"But those two elephants or horses or oxen that were to be tamed but that were neither tamed nor trained — would these, not being tamed, attain a tamed stage as do the two elephants or horses or oxen to be tamed that were well tamed, well trained?"
"No, revered sir."
"Even so, Aggivessana, that Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures... should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known and realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. It is as if, Aggivessana, there were a great mountain slope near a village or a market-town which two friends, coming hand in hand from that village or market-town might approach; having approached the mountain slope one friend might remain at the foot while the other might climb to the top. Then the friend standing at the foot of the mountain slope might speak thus to the one standing on the top: 'My dear, what do you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might reply: 'As I stand on the top of the mountain slope I, my dear, see delightful parks, delightful woods, delightful stretches of level ground delightful ponds.' But the other might speak thus: 'This is impossible, it cannot come to pass, my dear, that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see... delightful ponds.' Then the friend who had been standing on top of the mountain slope having come down to the foot and taken his friend by the arm, making him climb to the top of the mountain slope and giving him a moment in which to regain his breath, might speak to him thus: 'Now, my dear, what is it that you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might speak thus: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.' He might speak thus: 'Just now, my dear, we understood you to say: This is impossible, it cannot come to pass that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see delightful... ponds. But now we understand you to say: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.' He might speak thus: 'That was because I, my dear, hemmed in by this great mountain slope, could not see what was to be seen.'
"Even so but to a still greater degree, Aggivessana, is Prince Jayasena hemmed in, blocked, obstructed, enveloped by this mass of ignorance. Indeed, that Prince Jayasena, living as he does in the midst of sense-pleasures, enjoying sense-pleasures, being consumed by thoughts of sense-pleasures, eager in the search for sense-pleasures, should know or see or attain or realize that which can be known... seen... attained... realized by renunciation — such a situation does not exist. Had these two similes occurred to you, Aggivessana, for Prince Jayasena, Prince Jayasena naturally would have acted in the manner of one having trust in you."
"But how could these two similes for Prince Jayasena have occurred to me, revered sir, seeing that they are spontaneous, that is to say to the Lord, and have never been heard before?"
"As, Aggivessana, a noble anointed king addresses an elephant hunter saying; 'You, good elephant hunter, mount the king's elephant and go into an elephant forest. When you see a forest elephant, tie him to the neck of the king's elephant.' And, Aggivessana, the elephant hunter having answered: 'Yes, sire,' in assent to the noble anointed king, mounts the king's elephant and goes into an elephant forest. Seeing a forest elephant, he ties him to the neck of the king's elephant. So the king's elephant brings him out into the open. But, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has this longing, that is to say for the elephant forest. But in regard to him the elephant hunter tells the noble anointed king that the forest elephant has got out into the open. The noble anointed king then addresses an elephant tamer, saying: 'Come you, good elephant tamer, tame the forest elephant by subduing his forest ways, by subduing his forest memories, and aspirations and by subduing his distress, his fretting and fever for the forest, by making him pleased with the villages and by accustoming him to human ways.'
"And, Aggivessana, the elephant tamer, having answered 'Yes, sire,' in assent to the noble anointed king, driving a great post into the ground ties the forest elephant to it by his neck so as to subdue his forest ways... and accustom him to human ways. Then the elephant tamer addresses him with such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, going to the heart, urbane, pleasant to the manyfolk, liked by the manyfolk. And, Aggivessana, the forest elephant, on being addressed with words that are gentle... liked by the manyfolk, listens, lends ear and bends his mind to learning. Next the elephant tamer supplies him with grass-fodder and water. When, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has accepted the grass-fodder and water from the elephant tamer, it occurs to the elephant tamer: 'The king's elephant will now live.' Then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task, saying: 'Take up, put down.' When, Aggivessana the king's elephant is obedient to the elephant tamer and acts on his instructions to take up and put down, then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task, saying: 'Get up, sit down.' When, Aggivessana, the king's elephant is obedient to the elephant tamer and acts on his instructions to get up and sit down, then the elephant tamer makes him do a further task; known as 'standing your ground': he ties a shield to the great beast's trunk; a man holding a lance is sitting on his neck, and men holding lances are standing surrounding him on all sides; and the elephant tamer, holding a lance with a long shaft, is standing in front. While he is doing the task of 'standing your ground' he does not move a fore-leg nor does he move a hind-leg, nor does he move the forepart of his body, nor does he move the hindpart of his body, nor does he move his head, nor does he move an ear, nor does he move a tusk, nor does he move his tail, nor does he move his trunk. A king's elephant is one who endures blows of sword, axe, arrow, hatchet, and the resounding din of drum and kettle-drum, conch and tam-tam, he is [like] purified gold purged of all its dross and impurities, fit for a king, a royal possession and reckoned as a kingly attribute.
Acquisition of faith
"Even so, Aggivessana, does a Tathagata arise here in the world, a perfected one, fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with right knowledge and conduct, well-farer, knower of the worlds, the matchless charioteer of men to be tamed, the Awakened One, the Lord. He makes known this world with the devas, with Mara, with Brahma, the creation with its recluses and brahmans, its devas and men, having realized them by his own super-knowledge. He teaches dhamma which is lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the ending, with the spirit and the letters; he proclaims the Brahma-faring,3 wholly fulfilled, quite purified. A householder or a householder's son or one born in another family hears that dhamma. Having heard that dhamma he gains faith in the Tathagata. Endowed with this faith that he has acquired, he reflects in this way: 'The household life is confined and dusty, going forth is in the open; it is not easy for one who lives in a house to fare the Brahma-faring wholly fulfilled, wholly pure, polished like a conch-shell. Suppose now that I, having cut off hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, should go forth from home into homelessness?' After a time, getting rid of his wealth, be it small or great, getting rid of his circle of relations, be it small or great, having cut off his hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, he goes forth from home into homelessness. To this extent, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple gets out into the open.
Morality
"But, Aggivessana, devas and mankind have this longing, that is to say, for the five strands of sense-pleasures. The Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be moral, live controlled by the control of the Obligations, possessed of [right] behavior and posture, seeing danger in the slightest faults; undertaking them, train yourself in the rules of training.'
Sense-Control
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is moral, lives controlled by the control..., undertaking them, trains himself in the rules of training, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs. Having seen a material shape with the eye...(as above). Having cognized a mental state with the mind, be not entranced by the general appearance, be not entranced by the detail. For if you dwell with the organ of mind uncontrolled, covetousness and dejection, evil unskillful states of mind, might flow in. So fare along with its control, guard the organ of mind, achieve control over the organ of the mind.'
Moderation in eating
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is guarded as to the doors of the sense-organs, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be moderate in eating...(as above)... abiding in comfort.'
Vigilance
"When, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is moderate in eating, the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, abide intent on vigilance...(as above)... you should cleanse the mind of obstructive mental states.
Mindfulness and clear consciousness
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is intent on vigilance, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, be possessed of mindfulness and clear consciousness. Be one who acts with clear consciousness...(as above)... talking, silent.'
Overcoming of the five hindrances
"And when, Aggivessana, the ariyan disciple is possessed of mindfulness and clear consciousness, then the Tathagata disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, choose a remote lodging in a forest, at the root of a tree, on a mountain slope, in a wilderness, in a hill-cave, a cemetery, a forest haunt, in the open or on a heap of straw.' He chooses a remote lodging in the forest... or on a heap of straw. Returning from alms-gathering, after the meal, he sits down cross-legged, holding the back erect, having made mindfulness rise up in front of him, he, by getting rid of coveting for the world, dwells with a mind devoid of coveting, he purifies the mind of coveting. By getting rid of the taint of ill-will, he dwells benevolent in mind, compassionate for the welfare of all creatures and beings, he purifies the mind of the taint of ill-will. By getting rid of sloth and torpor, he dwells devoid of sloth and torpor; perceiving the light, mindful, clearly conscious, he purifies the mind of sloth and torpor. By getting rid of restlessness and worry, he dwells calmly the mind subjectively tranquilized, he purifies the mind of restlessness and worry. By getting rid of doubt, he dwells doubt-crossed, unperplexed as to the states that are skillful, he purifies the mind of doubt.
The four applications of mindfulness
"He, by getting rid of these five hindrances which are defilements of the mind and weakening to intuitive wisdom, dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly conscious [of it], mindful [of it] so as to control the covetousness and dejection in the world. He fares along contemplating the feelings... the mind... the mental states in mental states, ardent, clearly conscious [of them], mindful [of them] so as to control the covetousness and dejection in the world.
"As, Aggivessana, an elephant tamer, driving a great post into the ground, ties a forest elephant to it by his neck so as to subdue his forest ways, so as to subdue his forest aspirations, and so as to subdue his distress, his fretting and fever for the forest, so as to make him pleased with villages and accustom him to human ways — even so, Aggivessana, these four applications of mindfulness are ties of the mind so as to subdue the ways of householders and to subdue the aspirations of householders and to subdue the distress, the fretting and fever of householders; they are for leading to the right path, for realizing nibbana.
"The Tathagata then disciplines him further, saying: 'Come you, monk, fare along contemplating the body in the body, but do not apply yourself to a train of thought connected with the body; fare along contemplating the feelings in the feelings... the mind in the mind... mental states in mental states, but do not apply yourself to a train of thought connected with mental states.'
Jhana
"He by allaying initial thought and discursive thought, with the mind subjectively tranquilized and fixed on one point, enters on and abides in the second meditation4 which is devoid of initial and discursive thought, is born of concentration and is rapturous and joyful. By the fading out of rapture, he dwells with equanimity, attentive and clearly conscious, and experiences in his person that joy of which the ariyans say: 'Joyful lives he who has equanimity and is mindful,' and he enters and abides in the third meditation. By getting rid of joy, by getting rid of anguish, by the going down of his former pleasures and sorrows, he enters and abides in the fourth meditation which has neither anguish nor joy, and which is entirely purified by equanimity and mindfulness.
(The three knowledges, te-vijja)
(1. Recollection of former habitations)
"Then with the mind composed thus, quite purified, quite clarified, without blemish, without defilement, grown pliant and workable, fixed, immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge and recollection of former habitation: he remembers a variety of former habitations, thus: one birth, two births, three... four... five... ten... twenty... thirty... forty... fifty... a hundred... a thousand... a hundred thousand births, and many an eon of integration and many an eon of disintegration and many an eon of integration-disintegration: 'Such a one was I by name, having such a clan, such and such a color, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this, I came to be in another state where such a one was I by name, having such and such a clan, such and such a color, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this, I arose here.' Thus he remembers divers former habitations in all their modes and details.
(2. The Divine Eye)
"Then with the mind composed, quite purified, quite clarified, without blemish, without defilement, grown pliant and workable, fixed, immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge of the passing hence and the arising of beings. With the purified deva-vision surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they pass hence or come to be; he comprehends that beings are mean, excellent, comely, ugly, well-going, ill-going, according to the consequence of their deeds, the he thinks: Indeed these worthy beings who were possessed of wrong conduct in body, who were possessed of wrong conduct in speech, who were possessed of wrong conduct of thought, scoffers at the ariyans, holding a wrong view, incurring deeds consequent on a wrong view — these, at the breaking up of the body after dying, have arisen in a sorrowful state, a bad bourn, the abyss, Niraya hell. But these worthy beings who were possessed of good conduct in body, who were possessed of good conduct in speech, who were possessed of good conduct in thought, who did not scoff at the ariyans, holding a right view, incurring deeds consequent on a right view — these, at the breaking up of the body, after dying, have arisen in a good bourn, a heaven world.
(3. Destruction of Cankers: Sainthood)
"Then with the mind composed... immovable, he directs his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the cankers.5 He understands as it really is: This is anguish,6 this is the arising of anguish, this is the stopping of anguish, this is the course leading to the stopping of anguish. He understands as it really is: These are the cankers, this is the arising of the cankers, this is the stopping of the cankers, this is the course leading to the stopping of the cankers. Knowing thus, seeing thus, his mind is freed from the canker of sense pleasures, is freed from the canker of becoming, freed from the canker of ignorance. In freedom the knowledge came to be: I am freed; and he comprehends: Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or such.
"That monk is able to endure, head, cold, hunger, thirst, the touch of mosquitoes, gadflies, wind, sun and creeping things, abusive language and unwelcome modes of speech: he has grown to bear bodily feelings which as they arise are painful, acute, sharp, severe, wretched, miserable, deadly. Purged of all the dross and impurities of attachment, aversion and confusion,7 he is worthy of oblations, offerings, respect and homage, an unsurpassed field of merit in the world.
"If, Aggivessana, a king's elephant dies in old age, untamed, untrained, the king's old elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed: And so, Aggivessana, of a king's elephant that is middle-aged. And too, Aggivessana, if a king's elephant dies young, untamed, untrained, the king's young elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. Even so, Aggivessana, if a monk who is an elder dies with the cankers not destroyed, the monk who is an elder that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. And so of a monk of middle standing. And too, Aggivessana, if a newly ordained monk dies with the cankers not destroyed, the newly ordained monk that has died is reckoned as one that has died untamed. If, Aggivessana, a king's elephant dies in old age, well tamed, well trained, the king's old elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. And so, Aggivessana of a king's elephant that is middle-aged. And too, Aggivessana, if a king's elephant dies young, well tamed, well trained, the king's young elephant that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. Even so, Aggivessana, if a monk who is an elder dies with the cankers destroyed, the monk who is an elder that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed. And so, Aggivessana, of a monk of middle standing. And too, Aggivessana, if a newly ordained monk dies with cankers destroyed, the newly ordained monk that has died is reckoned as one that has died tamed."
Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, the novice Aciravata rejoiced in what the Lord had said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
1. A hut in a secluded part of the Bamboo Grove for the use of monks who wanted to practice striving, padhana — [Commentary].
2. A son of King Bimbisara.
3. Brahmacariyam: the pure life of a celibate recluse [Ed., The Wheel].
4. It is noteworthy that the section on the Four Applications of Mindfulness (satipatthana) is here followed by the second meditation (jhana) without mention of the first. This may either refer to a meditator who, already previously, has attained to the first jhana, or, which seems more probable, it is meant to indicate that the intensive practice of Satipatthana which, through emphasis on bare observation, tends to reduce discursive thought, and enables the meditator to enter directly into the second jhana, which is free from initial and discursive thought (vitakka-vicara). This latter explanation is favored by the facts that (1) in our text, the practice of Satipatthana is preceded by the temporary abandonment of the five Hindrances, which indicates a high degree of concentration approaching that of the jhana; (2) in our text, the meditator is advised not to engage in the thought about the body, feelings, etc. — that is, in discursive thinking, which is still present in the first jhana. [Ed., The Wheel].
5. Asava.
6. Dukkha: usually rendered by "suffering" or "ill" [Ed., The Wheel].
7. Raga, dosa, moha.
Friday, April 04, 2008
An American monk in Charleston
Over the telephone, Buddhist monk Bhante Yogavacara Rahula sounds a little like a stranger in a strange land. There's a faint accent that suggests he learned English later in life and, of course, there's his name.
Bhante means "venerable sir," and is the polite way to address a Theravedan Buddhist monk. Rahula is a common name in India and Nepal and refers to the historical Buddha's only son. He is not, however, a stranger in a strange land.
Bhante Rahula was born Scott Joseph Duprez in 1948. He grew up in California, attending a Methodist church with his parents. His first Buddha statue decorated the top of an old television set. He used to hang a hat on it.
He went to junior college, smoked marijuana, then joined the military. After his tour in Vietnam, he wore his hair long, grew a beard, chased girls and did just about any drug he could get his hands on.
"Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll," said the monk, who visits Charleston today through Sunday to give several public presentations.
Bhante Rahula's story of how he went from typical hippie to clear-headed Buddhist monk is chronicled in his book, "One Night's Shelter: Autobiography of an American Monk." Two versions of the book exist. There's the "green" version, which catalogs his extensive drug use and sexual escapades. It details his time as a drug dealer, mentions his time in the Army stockade for being AWOL, as well as his arrest and detainment in an Afghan prison after trying to smuggle drugs into India.
"That's the toned-down version," said the 59 year-old monk, laughing. "The other version is much juicier. More sex, more drugs, more rock 'n' roll."
Bhante Rahula doesn't celebrate who he was in the 1960s, but he's not afraid of it. He's at peace with it. If not for the constant craving for chemically induced experiences, he might not have found his way to the dharma, the teachings of the Buddha. Wishing now to have been different then is pointless.
"It's all just grist for the mill," he said. "Taking all of those drugs. I didn't know any alternative."
He acknowledges that he got off pretty easy. He made it out alive.
Becoming a Buddhist, then a monk started with his craving. He was always on the lookout for the next high, the next profound experience. While he was traveling in the mountains of Asia, he heard about a meditation course in Katmandu. He went looking for another experience, but stayed for the enlightenment.
"That was the turnaround for me," he said. "I had this very deep insight, and I just wanted to pursue meditation and the dharma."
It didn't happen overnight, but in 1975, he was ordained as a monk in Sri Lanka. He lived in caves and huts, avoiding wild animals and poisonous snakes. He meditated to train his mind to shed fears and to focus his attention.
In 1985, Bhante Rahula heard about another monk's plans to build a Therevadan Buddhist monastery in the hills of West Virginia. He saw it as an opportunity to come back to the United States and bring some of what he'd learned.
He wrote to the monk, an internationally known meditation teacher named Bhante Gunaratana, who told him he should come. Rahula began to help build the monastery in 1987 on a plot of land in the Hampshire County backwoods.
Life at the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery near Wardensville is not entirely different from the simple life he lived in Sri Lanka. He continues to live in a small hut - called a 'kuti' - without electricity or running water (the main hall does have both).
He meditates, studies the Buddhist Sutras and books related to Buddhist thought and helps lead meditation retreats to people who come from around the world to Bhavana.
"We study and read some of the contemporary readings," Bhante Rahula said. "How science is relating to dharma teachings and Buddhism. We could read other things, I suppose, but I do not. We don't want to fill our minds with anything not on the dharma."
Occasionally, he does read a little about hiking in the Himalayas. He's been to Mount Everest several times with friends and gotten as far as the Everest base camp. "I do it mainly for the exercise, but also to push the envelope of discomfort."
He hikes some in the United States and usually takes a camping trip to Dolly Sods about once a year.
Bhante Rahula isn't the only American-born Buddhist monk. He wasn't even the first. Although he stops short of calling the vocation rare in this country, he agrees there aren't many.
"There are perhaps several hundred," he said. "Some stay with it, as I have. Others dabble with it for a few years."
Living in the United States again, Bhante Rahula is better able to keep in contact with his family and a few old friends. He visits his mother in California, where he also sees his brother and sister. His sister is a fundamentalist Christian, he says, and visits with her used to be tense.
"She's mellowed out, and I think she accepts what I am and what I do."
Living at the monastery affords him more opportunities to travel. Groups from different parts of the country and around the world sometimes invite him to visit with them and lead retreats.
The Meditation Circle of Charleston has been host for Bhante Rahula's visits in Charleston a few times, including a visit this weekend at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building. The visit will include talks about meditation, Buddhism and a slideshow of his spiritual trekking in the Himalayans.
He believes meditation is helpful for anyone, regardless of their particular spiritual path. Meditation helps people draw on resources they aren't even aware they have.
"It's a way to develop the mind," he said. "It can help you develop acceptance, patience, loving kindness toward others and deal with life on a more even keel."
Bhante means "venerable sir," and is the polite way to address a Theravedan Buddhist monk. Rahula is a common name in India and Nepal and refers to the historical Buddha's only son. He is not, however, a stranger in a strange land.
Bhante Rahula was born Scott Joseph Duprez in 1948. He grew up in California, attending a Methodist church with his parents. His first Buddha statue decorated the top of an old television set. He used to hang a hat on it.
He went to junior college, smoked marijuana, then joined the military. After his tour in Vietnam, he wore his hair long, grew a beard, chased girls and did just about any drug he could get his hands on.
"Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll," said the monk, who visits Charleston today through Sunday to give several public presentations.
Bhante Rahula's story of how he went from typical hippie to clear-headed Buddhist monk is chronicled in his book, "One Night's Shelter: Autobiography of an American Monk." Two versions of the book exist. There's the "green" version, which catalogs his extensive drug use and sexual escapades. It details his time as a drug dealer, mentions his time in the Army stockade for being AWOL, as well as his arrest and detainment in an Afghan prison after trying to smuggle drugs into India.
"That's the toned-down version," said the 59 year-old monk, laughing. "The other version is much juicier. More sex, more drugs, more rock 'n' roll."
Bhante Rahula doesn't celebrate who he was in the 1960s, but he's not afraid of it. He's at peace with it. If not for the constant craving for chemically induced experiences, he might not have found his way to the dharma, the teachings of the Buddha. Wishing now to have been different then is pointless.
"It's all just grist for the mill," he said. "Taking all of those drugs. I didn't know any alternative."
He acknowledges that he got off pretty easy. He made it out alive.
Becoming a Buddhist, then a monk started with his craving. He was always on the lookout for the next high, the next profound experience. While he was traveling in the mountains of Asia, he heard about a meditation course in Katmandu. He went looking for another experience, but stayed for the enlightenment.
"That was the turnaround for me," he said. "I had this very deep insight, and I just wanted to pursue meditation and the dharma."
It didn't happen overnight, but in 1975, he was ordained as a monk in Sri Lanka. He lived in caves and huts, avoiding wild animals and poisonous snakes. He meditated to train his mind to shed fears and to focus his attention.
In 1985, Bhante Rahula heard about another monk's plans to build a Therevadan Buddhist monastery in the hills of West Virginia. He saw it as an opportunity to come back to the United States and bring some of what he'd learned.
He wrote to the monk, an internationally known meditation teacher named Bhante Gunaratana, who told him he should come. Rahula began to help build the monastery in 1987 on a plot of land in the Hampshire County backwoods.
Life at the Bhavana Society Forest Monastery near Wardensville is not entirely different from the simple life he lived in Sri Lanka. He continues to live in a small hut - called a 'kuti' - without electricity or running water (the main hall does have both).
He meditates, studies the Buddhist Sutras and books related to Buddhist thought and helps lead meditation retreats to people who come from around the world to Bhavana.
"We study and read some of the contemporary readings," Bhante Rahula said. "How science is relating to dharma teachings and Buddhism. We could read other things, I suppose, but I do not. We don't want to fill our minds with anything not on the dharma."
Occasionally, he does read a little about hiking in the Himalayas. He's been to Mount Everest several times with friends and gotten as far as the Everest base camp. "I do it mainly for the exercise, but also to push the envelope of discomfort."
He hikes some in the United States and usually takes a camping trip to Dolly Sods about once a year.
Bhante Rahula isn't the only American-born Buddhist monk. He wasn't even the first. Although he stops short of calling the vocation rare in this country, he agrees there aren't many.
"There are perhaps several hundred," he said. "Some stay with it, as I have. Others dabble with it for a few years."
Living in the United States again, Bhante Rahula is better able to keep in contact with his family and a few old friends. He visits his mother in California, where he also sees his brother and sister. His sister is a fundamentalist Christian, he says, and visits with her used to be tense.
"She's mellowed out, and I think she accepts what I am and what I do."
Living at the monastery affords him more opportunities to travel. Groups from different parts of the country and around the world sometimes invite him to visit with them and lead retreats.
The Meditation Circle of Charleston has been host for Bhante Rahula's visits in Charleston a few times, including a visit this weekend at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building. The visit will include talks about meditation, Buddhism and a slideshow of his spiritual trekking in the Himalayans.
He believes meditation is helpful for anyone, regardless of their particular spiritual path. Meditation helps people draw on resources they aren't even aware they have.
"It's a way to develop the mind," he said. "It can help you develop acceptance, patience, loving kindness toward others and deal with life on a more even keel."
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Retreating amidst the Blue Mountains
Buddhism has been accepted as the fastest growing religion in Australia with more and more Australians showing an increasing interest, particularly in meditation. Forest monasteries have been established in the major cities for both the clergy and the laity to practise meditation in a peaceful atmosphere.
The lay people partaking of the dana
Going on Pindapatha: Ven. Kovida (at right) with another monk
Not often does a Buddhist monk gets invited to a wedding. It is a rare happening. When Venerable Kovida of the Katoomba forest hermitage in Sydney received an invitation to a wedding, he was a little puzzled. “What am I expected to do,” he wondered. “We want you to come and chant ‘pirith’ and bless the couple,” he was told.
An Australian couple who had embraced Buddhism was getting married. They were keen to get blessed the “Buddhist way”. The Thera obliged and joined the guests at the garden wedding. He distributed the printed text and they all accompanied the monk in the chanting.
Kovida Thera, who moved over from his temple in Kirulapone a few years back, is the resident monk at the Katoomba Aranyaya – the oldest Buddhist vihara in Australia situated in the cool climes of the Blue Mountains, one of the country’s most popular tourist centres around 100 km west of Sydney. Tourists throng to Echo Point to see the famous rock formation, the Three Sisters. According to Aboriginal legend, the Three Sisters was created when three sisters who had broken marriage laws by meeting three young men from another tribe were turned into stone by the tribal witch doctor!
Set amidst a quiet forest area, the temple basically serves as a meditation centre. “There are devotees who have been regularly coming over for the past 25 to 30 years. More and more Australians are getting interested in Buddhism and the numbers embracing Buddhism increase by the year,” Kovida Thera who hails from Kudagala near Elpitiya, says.
A 20-day meditation retreat was in progress when we visited the temple with the ‘dana’ on a Wednesday. Strict silence is observed in order not to disturb the meditators who occupy the meditation hall a little away from the alms hall. The participants are advised to refrain from talking to one another and they maintain silence (referred to as ‘noble silence’) except at Dhamma discussions. The monk guides them in their meditation and one to one discussions are held when specific issues are resolved. Experienced lay teachers too conduct classes.
There is one long (20-day) retreat during the year – in January to coincide with Duruthu full moon. Three seven-day retreats are also held – the autumn retreat in April, winter retreat in July and spring retreat in October. “The response to these is most encouraging. Devotees reserve their places months ahead, the monk says. No fee is charged. Meals are also provided free. With the participants observing ‘ata sil’, their meals are confined to the morning and afternoon ‘dana’. Sri Lankan and Australian ‘dayakas’ bring the ‘dana’ regularly according to a roster prepared at the beginning of the year. In fact, there is a waiting list to get a place.
The batch of 14 participants – 12 Australians and two Sri Lankans – was a mix of young and old, male and female. At ‘dana’ time, they walked in to the alms hall following the monks. We served them just as we did the monks and one of them offered us merit at the end of the ‘dana’.
Kovida Thera has planned a full programme of activities for the year. In addition to the daily one hour services – one in the morning and the other in the evening – a three- hour meditation class is held every Sunday morning with two-day meditation retreats every full moon Poya. He also conducts special programmes for school and university students.The annual Katina pinkama is an event eagerly looked forward to by the Sri Lankan community. Usually a few families get together in planning the ‘pinkama’. Monks are invited from nearby Sri Lankan and Thai temples. The task of conducting the main ceremony of accepting the Katina robe is done by a senior monk. Venerable Dhammagaveshi Thera from Lankaramaya performed this function at last year’s ceremony.
“While ours is essentially a meditation centre, we don’t ignore the requests, particularly by the Sri Lankan Buddhists, to assist them in attending to religious activities they have been used to back at home,” Kovida Thera stresses.
The lay people partaking of the dana
Going on Pindapatha: Ven. Kovida (at right) with another monk
Not often does a Buddhist monk gets invited to a wedding. It is a rare happening. When Venerable Kovida of the Katoomba forest hermitage in Sydney received an invitation to a wedding, he was a little puzzled. “What am I expected to do,” he wondered. “We want you to come and chant ‘pirith’ and bless the couple,” he was told.
An Australian couple who had embraced Buddhism was getting married. They were keen to get blessed the “Buddhist way”. The Thera obliged and joined the guests at the garden wedding. He distributed the printed text and they all accompanied the monk in the chanting.
Kovida Thera, who moved over from his temple in Kirulapone a few years back, is the resident monk at the Katoomba Aranyaya – the oldest Buddhist vihara in Australia situated in the cool climes of the Blue Mountains, one of the country’s most popular tourist centres around 100 km west of Sydney. Tourists throng to Echo Point to see the famous rock formation, the Three Sisters. According to Aboriginal legend, the Three Sisters was created when three sisters who had broken marriage laws by meeting three young men from another tribe were turned into stone by the tribal witch doctor!
Set amidst a quiet forest area, the temple basically serves as a meditation centre. “There are devotees who have been regularly coming over for the past 25 to 30 years. More and more Australians are getting interested in Buddhism and the numbers embracing Buddhism increase by the year,” Kovida Thera who hails from Kudagala near Elpitiya, says.
A 20-day meditation retreat was in progress when we visited the temple with the ‘dana’ on a Wednesday. Strict silence is observed in order not to disturb the meditators who occupy the meditation hall a little away from the alms hall. The participants are advised to refrain from talking to one another and they maintain silence (referred to as ‘noble silence’) except at Dhamma discussions. The monk guides them in their meditation and one to one discussions are held when specific issues are resolved. Experienced lay teachers too conduct classes.
There is one long (20-day) retreat during the year – in January to coincide with Duruthu full moon. Three seven-day retreats are also held – the autumn retreat in April, winter retreat in July and spring retreat in October. “The response to these is most encouraging. Devotees reserve their places months ahead, the monk says. No fee is charged. Meals are also provided free. With the participants observing ‘ata sil’, their meals are confined to the morning and afternoon ‘dana’. Sri Lankan and Australian ‘dayakas’ bring the ‘dana’ regularly according to a roster prepared at the beginning of the year. In fact, there is a waiting list to get a place.
The batch of 14 participants – 12 Australians and two Sri Lankans – was a mix of young and old, male and female. At ‘dana’ time, they walked in to the alms hall following the monks. We served them just as we did the monks and one of them offered us merit at the end of the ‘dana’.
Kovida Thera has planned a full programme of activities for the year. In addition to the daily one hour services – one in the morning and the other in the evening – a three- hour meditation class is held every Sunday morning with two-day meditation retreats every full moon Poya. He also conducts special programmes for school and university students.The annual Katina pinkama is an event eagerly looked forward to by the Sri Lankan community. Usually a few families get together in planning the ‘pinkama’. Monks are invited from nearby Sri Lankan and Thai temples. The task of conducting the main ceremony of accepting the Katina robe is done by a senior monk. Venerable Dhammagaveshi Thera from Lankaramaya performed this function at last year’s ceremony.
“While ours is essentially a meditation centre, we don’t ignore the requests, particularly by the Sri Lankan Buddhists, to assist them in attending to religious activities they have been used to back at home,” Kovida Thera stresses.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Noble Dukkha: How On Earth Suffering Is Noble?
This word was used by the Buddha in order to explain the nature of human kind. Although this word is simply translated by “suffering”, it does not express the philosophical meaning of the word dukkha. It is the human nature of Unsatisfactoriness. Man keeps desires in front of him and runs after them. He will never get satisfaction. Like the horse who gallops after the carrot fixed three inches ahead of him on the horse cart. (This metaphor is used to explain the nature of human beings by French Existentialists) By understanding that we suffer from a lack of satisfaction in life and that every thing in the world is impermanent and cannot bring lasting happiness the person can come to understand the true nature of the world. It is enlightenment. It is Wisdom.
“The Buddha teaches us that the actions people deliberately intend to do would have consequences for their future life. It is called Karma. There are two types of actions: Skilful Actions or positive Karma and Unskilful actions or Negative Karma. A Buddhist should treat all people and all living things with compassion so that they do not do anything to contribute to negative Karma in themselves.”
The Buddha teaches us that the actions people deliberately intend to do would have consequences for their future life. It is called Karma. There are two types of actions: Skilful Actions or positive Karma and Unskilful actions or Negative Karma. A Buddhist should treat all people and all living things with compassion so that they do not do anything to contribute to negative Karma in themselves. While in meditation one can come to a point where he or she understands that there is no separation between him or her and the rest of the world. He or she thus understands non-duality through which automatically arises compassion.
Buddha chooses words very carefully. He says that the DUKKHA is NOBLE! How on earth can Dukkha become noble? Sans Dukkha the world would be tasteless & dull! It would have been like a stone slab! It is Dukkha that guides us! For this reason Dukkha becomes Noble! Long live Noble Dukkha so that Human kind may comprehend the world & its impermanent nature!
“The Buddha teaches us that the actions people deliberately intend to do would have consequences for their future life. It is called Karma. There are two types of actions: Skilful Actions or positive Karma and Unskilful actions or Negative Karma. A Buddhist should treat all people and all living things with compassion so that they do not do anything to contribute to negative Karma in themselves.”
The Buddha teaches us that the actions people deliberately intend to do would have consequences for their future life. It is called Karma. There are two types of actions: Skilful Actions or positive Karma and Unskilful actions or Negative Karma. A Buddhist should treat all people and all living things with compassion so that they do not do anything to contribute to negative Karma in themselves. While in meditation one can come to a point where he or she understands that there is no separation between him or her and the rest of the world. He or she thus understands non-duality through which automatically arises compassion.
Buddha chooses words very carefully. He says that the DUKKHA is NOBLE! How on earth can Dukkha become noble? Sans Dukkha the world would be tasteless & dull! It would have been like a stone slab! It is Dukkha that guides us! For this reason Dukkha becomes Noble! Long live Noble Dukkha so that Human kind may comprehend the world & its impermanent nature!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Meditation and Medicine
"In Meditation you become an observer who does not judge! Just be an observer, as if you are standing by the side of the road watching the traffic-no judgment, no evaluation, no condemnation, no appreciation-just pure observation."
In the Western world of today there is a famous expression: “Living in the present moment” They also say: “In the here & in the now!” Most of the people who use these expressions do not know their origin. They come from the Satipatthana Sutta. In Sanskrit there is the word: KSHANA, the shortest possible moment. Life is a sum of KSHANAS. Past is gone & future has not yet come. The only moment that exists is the PRESENT. Therefore we should live in the present moment. Sages like Buddha who live in the present moment are not swayed by past worries & unending future projects. Meditation is living in the present moment.
We have to meditate because we need it. We need silence. Otherwise every one becomes mad. If a surgeon who is cutting open a skull of a patient happens to think of his home while the operation is being done the patient’s life would be in danger. He has to be absorbed in his action. He has to be mindful of what he is doing. That is meditation. This is being in Smruti or Sati.
A Brahmin comes to Buddha & asks about his spiritual practice. In response to his question Buddha says: we eat, we sleep, we walk etc. Then Brahmin replies: we also do the same thing. At the Brahmin’s answer Buddha says: But there is a difference; when we eat we know that we eat, when we sleep we know that we sleep, when we walk we know that we walk. This is meditation.
In Buddhism there are three words which are very important:
* Smruti; Samadhi; Prajna
1. Smruti is Mindful awareness
2. Samadhi is Concentration
3. Prajna is Transcendental wisdom
In meditation we should be mindful of our every action. In our daily life mindful awareness offers us tranquillity & inner peace. For instance, a housewife can chop her vegetables by being aware of chopping vegetables without being mentally vagabond. If she continues this way she practices meditation without thinking that she is in meditation! Some people are of the opinion that one has to be older to sit in meditation. This concept is utterly false & baseless. We have to meditate because we need it. We need silence. Otherwise every one becomes mad. If a surgeon who is cutting open a skull of a patient happens to think of his home while the operation is being done the patient’s life would be in danger. He has to be absorbed in his action. He has to be mindful of what he is doing. That is meditation. This is being in Smruti or Sati. While in meditation one can come to a point where he or she understands that there is no separation between him or her and the rest of the world. He or she thus understands non-duality through which automatically arises compassion. That is why in Buddhism Prajna & Karuna are complementary. (Wisdom & Compassion)It is noteworthy to mention that the word charity is derived from Karuna (Karuna-caritas-charity).
While you continue to be in Smruti (mindfully aware) automatically Samadhi (concentration) comes about. While you are in perfect Samadhi, one day Prajna (transcendental wisdom) arises. This is the realization of truth & then you are not shaken by ups & downs of the life. You are safe from all the vicissitudes of fortune. The face of the Buddha is always wreathed in a slight smile! He is not shaken by outside ups & downs.
Analysis & reasoning are not connected to meditation. In Meditation you become an observer who does not judge! Just be an observer, as if you are standing by the side of the road watching the traffic-no judgment, no evaluation, no condemnation, no appreciation-just pure observation. The meditator surpasses death and he experiences the eternity in the KSHANA.
Please read the following poem of William blake:
* To see a World in a Grain of Sand
* And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
* Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
* And Eternity in an hour
The Austrian scientist Erwin Schrödinger writes thus:
“Eternally & forever, there is only NOW; this one & immutable NOW; the Present is the only thing which has no end.”
In the Garden of the Prophet Khalil Gibran thus says:
“And he answered and said: “Take up now a handful of good earth. Do you find in it a seed, and perhaps a worm? If your hand were spacious and enduring enough, the seed might become a forest, and the worm a flock of angels. And forget not that the years which turn seeds to forests, and worms to angels, belong to this Now, all of the years, this very Now.”
It is interesting to know that Meditation & Medicine are from the same language root. In Sanskrit too Vyadhi & Samadhi are of the same root. Our ancestors had understood the fact that the meditation is a therapy. Today in many hospitals in the USA meditation is practised as a means of treatment.
At present, Neurotheology (a new science discipline) studies the changes that take place in the brain while in meditation. Scientists have found that simple change of thought process would bring about radical changes inside brain. In other words, the effects of meditation are scientifically proved. Enlightenment can be studied and is scientifically proved.
One easy meditation method is Anapanasati. You become aware of your breath. You can meditate on your in-breath & out-breath. While you continue this awareness your mind calms down.
Especially, we are not sufficiently attentive to our breathing. It is this breath that makes us grow, makes our bones solid, but we are not paying due attention to it. We are not grateful to our life-giver. We just let it happen. If you start to breathe mindfully then your mental & physical health ameliorates. Meditation relieves karma.
In many languages the word for the soul & mind is the same as breathing.
* 1. : ANIMA, SPIRITUS (Latin)
2. :PNEUMA, PSYCHE (Greek)
3. :RUAH (Hebrew)
Atman is the German verb for breathing! (Atman is soul in Sanskrit!)
Buddha: In this fathom long body I see the world, its birth & its extinction.
Socrates: Know yourself then you will know gods & the world.
Jesus: The Kingdom of God is in you.
Mohamed: One who knows himself will know the God.
Jalal Uddin Rumy: I looked around me to see the God, but He was not there, then I looked into me & He was there.
Nietzsche: The Kingdom of God is a state which forms itself inside heart.
In the Western world of today there is a famous expression: “Living in the present moment” They also say: “In the here & in the now!” Most of the people who use these expressions do not know their origin. They come from the Satipatthana Sutta. In Sanskrit there is the word: KSHANA, the shortest possible moment. Life is a sum of KSHANAS. Past is gone & future has not yet come. The only moment that exists is the PRESENT. Therefore we should live in the present moment. Sages like Buddha who live in the present moment are not swayed by past worries & unending future projects. Meditation is living in the present moment.
We have to meditate because we need it. We need silence. Otherwise every one becomes mad. If a surgeon who is cutting open a skull of a patient happens to think of his home while the operation is being done the patient’s life would be in danger. He has to be absorbed in his action. He has to be mindful of what he is doing. That is meditation. This is being in Smruti or Sati.
A Brahmin comes to Buddha & asks about his spiritual practice. In response to his question Buddha says: we eat, we sleep, we walk etc. Then Brahmin replies: we also do the same thing. At the Brahmin’s answer Buddha says: But there is a difference; when we eat we know that we eat, when we sleep we know that we sleep, when we walk we know that we walk. This is meditation.
In Buddhism there are three words which are very important:
* Smruti; Samadhi; Prajna
1. Smruti is Mindful awareness
2. Samadhi is Concentration
3. Prajna is Transcendental wisdom
In meditation we should be mindful of our every action. In our daily life mindful awareness offers us tranquillity & inner peace. For instance, a housewife can chop her vegetables by being aware of chopping vegetables without being mentally vagabond. If she continues this way she practices meditation without thinking that she is in meditation! Some people are of the opinion that one has to be older to sit in meditation. This concept is utterly false & baseless. We have to meditate because we need it. We need silence. Otherwise every one becomes mad. If a surgeon who is cutting open a skull of a patient happens to think of his home while the operation is being done the patient’s life would be in danger. He has to be absorbed in his action. He has to be mindful of what he is doing. That is meditation. This is being in Smruti or Sati. While in meditation one can come to a point where he or she understands that there is no separation between him or her and the rest of the world. He or she thus understands non-duality through which automatically arises compassion. That is why in Buddhism Prajna & Karuna are complementary. (Wisdom & Compassion)It is noteworthy to mention that the word charity is derived from Karuna (Karuna-caritas-charity).
While you continue to be in Smruti (mindfully aware) automatically Samadhi (concentration) comes about. While you are in perfect Samadhi, one day Prajna (transcendental wisdom) arises. This is the realization of truth & then you are not shaken by ups & downs of the life. You are safe from all the vicissitudes of fortune. The face of the Buddha is always wreathed in a slight smile! He is not shaken by outside ups & downs.
Analysis & reasoning are not connected to meditation. In Meditation you become an observer who does not judge! Just be an observer, as if you are standing by the side of the road watching the traffic-no judgment, no evaluation, no condemnation, no appreciation-just pure observation. The meditator surpasses death and he experiences the eternity in the KSHANA.
Please read the following poem of William blake:
* To see a World in a Grain of Sand
* And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
* Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
* And Eternity in an hour
The Austrian scientist Erwin Schrödinger writes thus:
“Eternally & forever, there is only NOW; this one & immutable NOW; the Present is the only thing which has no end.”
In the Garden of the Prophet Khalil Gibran thus says:
“And he answered and said: “Take up now a handful of good earth. Do you find in it a seed, and perhaps a worm? If your hand were spacious and enduring enough, the seed might become a forest, and the worm a flock of angels. And forget not that the years which turn seeds to forests, and worms to angels, belong to this Now, all of the years, this very Now.”
It is interesting to know that Meditation & Medicine are from the same language root. In Sanskrit too Vyadhi & Samadhi are of the same root. Our ancestors had understood the fact that the meditation is a therapy. Today in many hospitals in the USA meditation is practised as a means of treatment.
At present, Neurotheology (a new science discipline) studies the changes that take place in the brain while in meditation. Scientists have found that simple change of thought process would bring about radical changes inside brain. In other words, the effects of meditation are scientifically proved. Enlightenment can be studied and is scientifically proved.
One easy meditation method is Anapanasati. You become aware of your breath. You can meditate on your in-breath & out-breath. While you continue this awareness your mind calms down.
Especially, we are not sufficiently attentive to our breathing. It is this breath that makes us grow, makes our bones solid, but we are not paying due attention to it. We are not grateful to our life-giver. We just let it happen. If you start to breathe mindfully then your mental & physical health ameliorates. Meditation relieves karma.
In many languages the word for the soul & mind is the same as breathing.
* 1. : ANIMA, SPIRITUS (Latin)
2. :PNEUMA, PSYCHE (Greek)
3. :RUAH (Hebrew)
Atman is the German verb for breathing! (Atman is soul in Sanskrit!)
Buddha: In this fathom long body I see the world, its birth & its extinction.
Socrates: Know yourself then you will know gods & the world.
Jesus: The Kingdom of God is in you.
Mohamed: One who knows himself will know the God.
Jalal Uddin Rumy: I looked around me to see the God, but He was not there, then I looked into me & He was there.
Nietzsche: The Kingdom of God is a state which forms itself inside heart.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Death and “RE- INKARMATION”
The word Death is a taboo in the Western world. Usually the Westerner attempts to conveniently forget it, although it haunts around him every time! Why this fear? He does not believe in rebirth. He thinks every thing is finished with the demise of the body. If he understands that there is neither birth nor death his fear vanishes. Instead of death & birth, there are only manifestations in this world of inter-being. There is only impermanence & in this impermanence the manifestations come about. Nothing has its own existence in this Universe of inter-existence. No permanent self exists. There is only a combination of mental & physical energies. They do not remain the same for two consecutive moments.
"As we live in a world of inter-existence for the Buddhist, death is nothing but a simple transformation. At this moment I remember one documentary film made by a French director on Sri Lanka. I was invited for the release of the said film followed by a discussion. In the film there was a scene of a funeral where people were white-clad. The audience asked me why they were wearing white clothes during a sad moment like death. I explained to them that in our culture the death is not an unhappy incident. For a Buddhist, death is like a change of his or her clothing because he or she believes in rebirth."
We know what Heraclites said: “No person can bathe two times in the same river.” But a Buddhist may say no person can bathe even one time in the same river because the person and the river change in every shortest moment possible. It is a series that continues unbroken, but changes every moment. The series is nothing but movement.
The great Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran says: “You would know the secret of death but how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life.” He also says that the death can not be separated from life and the death and life are one like the sea and the river. Therefore, death and birth are inseparable. These two are nothing but one. According to Buddhism nothing can be created and nothing can be destroyed.
As we live in a world of inter-existence for the Buddhist, death is nothing but a simple transformation. At this moment I remember one documentary film made by a French director on Sri Lanka. I was invited for the release of the said film followed by a discussion. In the film there was a scene of a funeral where people were white-clad. The audience asked me why they were wearing white clothes during a sad moment like death. I explained to them that in our culture the death is not an unhappy incident. For a Buddhist, death is like a change of his or her clothing because he or she believes in rebirth. We take only what we have done with us! We reap what we have sown. It is called KARMA. A French philosopher proposes the word: RE-INKARMATION!
The famous French adage comes to my mind: “He who sows wind reaps tempest!” It is a clear definition for KARMA. Until very recent times death was rarely spoken of in public, in these countries. In France a psychologist who worked for accompaniment of dying people wrote a book called Intimate Death. Since then a lot of people seem to have taken an interest in the subject of death which once was a taboo. A commentary written on the Tibetan book of Death, by a Tibetan Lama has been a bestseller in every corner of the world for some time and I think that it has become an eye-opener for most people living in this hemisphere on the tabooed subject of death. Nowadays Westerners are talking in public on death. The creation of palliative care units was an indirect result of this book. Anyway it is a good sign that death is not purposely ignored.
Karma is what we create by thought, body & word. When we do by body, thought & word a negative act we emit a negative energy to the universe & it follows us! It is very simple. For Karma there is no space & time. Therefore it can easily follow the doer.
I throw a stone to a pond. It falls on water with a flash. It runs down to the bottom & touches the ground of the pond. With it a water ring is born & it goes becoming wider & wider towards the bank. Then it touches the bank & then returns to the stone & exerts force on the stone that made the trouble in the water. Karma is exactly the same.
Jean Paul Sartre has said “L’homme est la somme de ses actes.” (The man is the sum of his acts.) Hegel goes on: “The man is nothing but the series of his acts.” Without being aware they talk of KARMA.
Buddhist KARMA is not SIN. The words KUSALA & AKUSALA are skilful action & unskilful action. In Buddhism there are no original sins. The man is able to change & transcend KARMA. Hence it is not fatalism. Fatalism is the antipode of KARMA
Therefore be careful of RE-INKARMATION!
(Bhikkhu Mandawala Pannawansa Thero is well known Buddhist monk born in Sri Lanka, currently lives in France.)
"As we live in a world of inter-existence for the Buddhist, death is nothing but a simple transformation. At this moment I remember one documentary film made by a French director on Sri Lanka. I was invited for the release of the said film followed by a discussion. In the film there was a scene of a funeral where people were white-clad. The audience asked me why they were wearing white clothes during a sad moment like death. I explained to them that in our culture the death is not an unhappy incident. For a Buddhist, death is like a change of his or her clothing because he or she believes in rebirth."
We know what Heraclites said: “No person can bathe two times in the same river.” But a Buddhist may say no person can bathe even one time in the same river because the person and the river change in every shortest moment possible. It is a series that continues unbroken, but changes every moment. The series is nothing but movement.
The great Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran says: “You would know the secret of death but how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life.” He also says that the death can not be separated from life and the death and life are one like the sea and the river. Therefore, death and birth are inseparable. These two are nothing but one. According to Buddhism nothing can be created and nothing can be destroyed.
As we live in a world of inter-existence for the Buddhist, death is nothing but a simple transformation. At this moment I remember one documentary film made by a French director on Sri Lanka. I was invited for the release of the said film followed by a discussion. In the film there was a scene of a funeral where people were white-clad. The audience asked me why they were wearing white clothes during a sad moment like death. I explained to them that in our culture the death is not an unhappy incident. For a Buddhist, death is like a change of his or her clothing because he or she believes in rebirth. We take only what we have done with us! We reap what we have sown. It is called KARMA. A French philosopher proposes the word: RE-INKARMATION!
The famous French adage comes to my mind: “He who sows wind reaps tempest!” It is a clear definition for KARMA. Until very recent times death was rarely spoken of in public, in these countries. In France a psychologist who worked for accompaniment of dying people wrote a book called Intimate Death. Since then a lot of people seem to have taken an interest in the subject of death which once was a taboo. A commentary written on the Tibetan book of Death, by a Tibetan Lama has been a bestseller in every corner of the world for some time and I think that it has become an eye-opener for most people living in this hemisphere on the tabooed subject of death. Nowadays Westerners are talking in public on death. The creation of palliative care units was an indirect result of this book. Anyway it is a good sign that death is not purposely ignored.
Karma is what we create by thought, body & word. When we do by body, thought & word a negative act we emit a negative energy to the universe & it follows us! It is very simple. For Karma there is no space & time. Therefore it can easily follow the doer.
I throw a stone to a pond. It falls on water with a flash. It runs down to the bottom & touches the ground of the pond. With it a water ring is born & it goes becoming wider & wider towards the bank. Then it touches the bank & then returns to the stone & exerts force on the stone that made the trouble in the water. Karma is exactly the same.
Jean Paul Sartre has said “L’homme est la somme de ses actes.” (The man is the sum of his acts.) Hegel goes on: “The man is nothing but the series of his acts.” Without being aware they talk of KARMA.
Buddhist KARMA is not SIN. The words KUSALA & AKUSALA are skilful action & unskilful action. In Buddhism there are no original sins. The man is able to change & transcend KARMA. Hence it is not fatalism. Fatalism is the antipode of KARMA
Therefore be careful of RE-INKARMATION!
(Bhikkhu Mandawala Pannawansa Thero is well known Buddhist monk born in Sri Lanka, currently lives in France.)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Muni and Thinker
Muni is an oriental word which can approximately be translated as Sage. But the word Sage does not give to my mind the exact meaning of the word Muni.
Muni is a silent person. He does not think & instead is absorbed in silent meditation. Mainly in the oriental hemisphere there were Munis & in the Occident there were Thinkers. Socrates is usually presented as a Thinker, but for me he was a Muni who had attained a higher level of spiritual development.(in the morning of the day of his execution one of his disciples came to his prison cell & he found his Master was in a deep & smooth sleep! Several hours ahead of his execution he was sleeping, indeed he was in deep meditation)
"Mind keeps us away from our true nature. If we are lost in intellect & mind our true nature disappears & we become 'artificial'. As we know French surrealists were inspired by the African primitive art which was not guided by intellect. These African artists were "uneducated" "unintellectual". Therefore this primitive art was not corrupt by "intellectualism". It expressed itself without being reined by intellect. Through Silence one can go into his true nature."
The Silence invites us to embark upon an interior journey: a holistic peregrination. Silence is the true nature of man. The opposite of Silence is something which comes from outside.
Every great spiritual master has advocated Silence. Buddha spent 6 years in total silence. Mahavira of Jainism was a silent master. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, in total silence. Prophet Mohamed observed silence as well.
Dostoevsky writes about Silence:
"For a normal person the temporary solitude is more important than eating & drinking."
Nietzsche also has appreciated silence & solitude:
"He who knows ultimate solitude knows ultimate things."
When Descartes writes: "I think therefore I am" Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh writes: "I do not think, therefore I am." Yes, when we are away from our thoughts our true nature comes out. We can then truly be connected to nature & nature begins to express itself freely in us.
Mind keeps us away from our true nature. If we are lost in intellect & mind our true nature disappears & we become 'artificial'. As we know French surrealists were inspired by the African primitive art which was not guided by intellect. These African artists were "uneducated" "unintellectual". Therefore this primitive art was not corrupt by "intellectualism". It expressed itself without being reined by intellect. Through Silence one can go into his true nature.
Rishis or Munis in the past have discovered Ayurveda etc. through this innermost journey via silence.
One catholic sister named Hildegard Von Bingen in Germany who practised silence in the 13 th century was able to read properties of plants. Her music compositions are incomparable. These talents were exposed because of her silence. Those Munis who composed Ragas were in solitude. One Western musician says: "the silence which is manifest between two notes is more important than the composition!"
When you are in solitude, you become one with everything. To be in solitude does not mean that you are isolated; instead you are directly connected to others, to the Universe.
Every real artist, musician have created their great works while in solitude; in meditation. Einstein was said to be playing the violin when he discovered his famous formula of e=mc². He was in solitude & meditation.
Hence, spare some minutes from the day to be able to be in solitude. You can be in solitude even while travelling by bus or train!
Muni is a silent person. He does not think & instead is absorbed in silent meditation. Mainly in the oriental hemisphere there were Munis & in the Occident there were Thinkers. Socrates is usually presented as a Thinker, but for me he was a Muni who had attained a higher level of spiritual development.(in the morning of the day of his execution one of his disciples came to his prison cell & he found his Master was in a deep & smooth sleep! Several hours ahead of his execution he was sleeping, indeed he was in deep meditation)
"Mind keeps us away from our true nature. If we are lost in intellect & mind our true nature disappears & we become 'artificial'. As we know French surrealists were inspired by the African primitive art which was not guided by intellect. These African artists were "uneducated" "unintellectual". Therefore this primitive art was not corrupt by "intellectualism". It expressed itself without being reined by intellect. Through Silence one can go into his true nature."
The Silence invites us to embark upon an interior journey: a holistic peregrination. Silence is the true nature of man. The opposite of Silence is something which comes from outside.
Every great spiritual master has advocated Silence. Buddha spent 6 years in total silence. Mahavira of Jainism was a silent master. Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, in total silence. Prophet Mohamed observed silence as well.
Dostoevsky writes about Silence:
"For a normal person the temporary solitude is more important than eating & drinking."
Nietzsche also has appreciated silence & solitude:
"He who knows ultimate solitude knows ultimate things."
When Descartes writes: "I think therefore I am" Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh writes: "I do not think, therefore I am." Yes, when we are away from our thoughts our true nature comes out. We can then truly be connected to nature & nature begins to express itself freely in us.
Mind keeps us away from our true nature. If we are lost in intellect & mind our true nature disappears & we become 'artificial'. As we know French surrealists were inspired by the African primitive art which was not guided by intellect. These African artists were "uneducated" "unintellectual". Therefore this primitive art was not corrupt by "intellectualism". It expressed itself without being reined by intellect. Through Silence one can go into his true nature.
Rishis or Munis in the past have discovered Ayurveda etc. through this innermost journey via silence.
One catholic sister named Hildegard Von Bingen in Germany who practised silence in the 13 th century was able to read properties of plants. Her music compositions are incomparable. These talents were exposed because of her silence. Those Munis who composed Ragas were in solitude. One Western musician says: "the silence which is manifest between two notes is more important than the composition!"
When you are in solitude, you become one with everything. To be in solitude does not mean that you are isolated; instead you are directly connected to others, to the Universe.
Every real artist, musician have created their great works while in solitude; in meditation. Einstein was said to be playing the violin when he discovered his famous formula of e=mc². He was in solitude & meditation.
Hence, spare some minutes from the day to be able to be in solitude. You can be in solitude even while travelling by bus or train!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Meeting Ajahn Brahm in a relaxed mood
About an hour’s drive from Perth in Australia brings us to Serpentine, a quiet hilly suburb where renowned meditation master Ajahn Brahmavamso has his monastery. It’s around ten in the morning and the Thai devotees who had brought the alms spread them out on a table in the alms hall and move out with plates of rice in their hands. They form a queue to serve the monks as they come in. We also join them.
Sharp at 10.30, Ajahn Brahm appears with around 15 monks following him carrying alms bowls. Ever-smiling, he greets us with ‘ayubowan’ as he approaches and accepts a spoonful of rice. The monks walk into the alms hall to serve themselves and we walk upstairs and await their arrival to bless us before they eat. We move out as they start taking the ‘dana’.
“Have your meals and come up for a chat,” Ajahn Brahm tells me. We join the other lay visitors and share the food. The Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery is in a quiet natural forest - 100 acres in extent. The ‘kuti’ – 21 in all – are spread out amidst the trees. A ‘kuti’ is occupied by a single monk. The monks spend their time meditating.
As much as he preaches the need to lead a simple life, Ajahn Brahm practises what he preaches. A junior monk took us to Ajahn Brahm’s ‘kuti’, built in the style of a rocky cavern just sufficient for him to move about. He uses a thin cushion to sit and meditate. He sleeps by spreading four cushions on the floor. The sound-proof room gets ventilation through small pipes laid in the walls. “Aren’t there facilities for laymen to spend time at the monastery,” I ask Ajahn Brahm. “Not right now,” he says. “Very soon we will provide residential facilities for up to 60 guests in a nearby retreat centre we are building.” A 140-acre block of land has been purchased for this purpose.
Ten individual cottages are being built at the Jhana Grove Retreat Centre containing six bedrooms in each. They are being designed in a way that will allow a great degree of privacy thus maximising the benefit of meditation practice. Connected to the cottages by a central walkway will be a large air-conditioned meditation hall with three adjoining halls to practise walking meditation. A well equipped kitchen along with other facilities for laundry and storage are being provided.
Ajahn Brahm is keen to see that the elderly and the infirm are drawn to the Retreat Centre. “I have observed that those suffering from illnesses, cancer patients in particular, benefit through meditation. At the Retreat Centre we will provide facilities for such persons to learn meditation techniques and strategies in a peaceful environment that is also physically comfortable,” he explains. Serving as patron of the Retreat Centre is the former Premier of Western Australia, Dr. Geoff Gallop who used meditation to help recover from a recent illness.
“Stress has become a major factor throughout the world. It affects the lives of so many individuals. It leads to the break up of families. Meditation relieves stress and tension. It enhances one’s health,” Ajahn Brahm says. “I am hopeful that within 15 months we will have the Centre ready. Thereafter we will offer residential meditation retreats free of charge,” Ajahn Brahm assures.
The project is estimated to cost over Aus$ three million. Funds have been steadily flowing in. The project is undertaken by the Buddhist Society of West Australia. As we get up to leave the monastery, Ajahn Brahm invites us to “Ajahn Brahm’s new year’s eve party” on 31st night at the society’s headquarters. “There won’t be any alcohol but we can contemplate on the effects of alcohol. We will chant ‘pirith’ and bless everyone for the new year,” he assures us.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Burma: A monk's reflection by Bhikkhu Gavesako
In the last several days, we have seen reports from Burma showing brutal suppression of peaceful demonstrations led by Buddhist monks and nuns chanting the Metta Sutta, asking for social justice and a fair political system.
Many people are wondering now: How can such a thing happen in a country which is supposed to be devoutly Buddhist and a staunch guardian of the scriptural teachings of the Theravada tradition? Aren't monks supposed to be detached from worldly matters and not involved in politics?
As a matter of fact, monks have played a significant role in Burmese history for centuries. The kings have patronised the Sangha and received religious legitimation of their secular power in return.
But this royal patronage has been a mixed blessing for the Sangha: although monks have obtained material support from the rulers, they were also subject to their willful orders all the time. Sometimes the kings used their authority to purge the monastic order and restore its purity (according to their understanding of the concept), and they appointed selected monks as the Sangharajas or "Sangha rulers" to control and administer all the monks in the country, supervised by royal officials at the local level. Anyone who disobeyed was disrobed by force.
Senior monks acted as advisors for the king, but in some cases they became the object of his anger and were killed. Different factions also tried to win the king's favour and his support.
Although we may sometimes read about the "great Buddhist kings of the past" in idealized nationalistic accounts of Burmese history, in reality most of them were cruel and despotic rulers always intent on military campaigns, decimating their neighbours and enslaving the population, forcefully drafting their own people into the army.
They would wage war on other kingdoms in order to get for themselves Buddhist sacred objects (such as relics, scriptures or statues) thought to possess special power. Then they built magnificent religious monuments using slave labour to demonstrate the strength of their empire. In all this, they did not follow the actual Buddhist teachings, but rather used Buddhist icons and symbols to legitimize their absolute right to rule. A righteous king should be possessed of moral qualities such as gentleness (maddava), non-anger (akkodha), non-violence (avihimsa), tolerance (khanti) and uprightness (avirodhana).
"At such time, monks, as rulers are unrighteous (adhammika), their ministers are unrighteous, priests and householders are also unrighteous." (AN ii,74)
So the current situation is nothing new to Burma. Lacking the qualities of charity (dana), honesty (ajjava) and willingness to sacrifice (pariccaga), the current military junta mismanaged the country and then used Buddhist symbols -- imitating the model of previous kings -- to manifest to everybody that it has an absolute power and therefore the right to rule. The Buddha describes the mental process which gives rise to such corrupt behaviour and its inevitable results:
"Craving is dependent on feeling,
seeking is dependent on craving,
acquisition is dependent on seeking,
ascertainment is dependent on acquisition,
desire and passion is dependent on ascertainment,
attachment is dependent on desire and passion,
possessiveness is dependent on attachment,
stinginess is dependent on possessiveness,
defensiveness is dependent on stinginess,
and because of defensiveness, dependent on defensiveness, various
evil, unskillful things arise: the taking up of sticks and knives;
conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations, divisive speech, and
lies." (DN 15)
"A bad man, monks, is possessed of bad states of mind, he associates
with bad men, he thinks as do bad men, he advises as do bad men, he
speaks as do bad men, he acts as do bad men, he has the views of bad
men, he gives gifts as do bad men... And how, monks, does a bad man
act as do bad men? In this case, a bad man is one who kills creatures,
who takes what has not been given, who enjoys himself wrongly." (MN
110)
"He is malevolent in mind, corrupt in thought and purpose, and thinks:
'Let these beings be killed or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed
or may they not exist.'" (MN 41)
"There is the case where a woman or man is a killer of living beings,
brutal, bloody-handed, given to killing & slaying, showing no mercy to
living beings. Through having adopted & carried out such actions, on
the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane
of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell. If, on
the break-up of the body, after death — instead of reappearing in the
plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell —
he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is short-lived wherever
reborn. There is the case where a woman or man is one who harms beings
with his/her fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives. Through
having adopted & carried out such actions, on the break-up of the
body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation... If
instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is sickly
wherever reborn." (MN 135)
"Comparing oneself with others in such terms as 'Just as I am so are
they, just as they are so am I' one should neither kill nor cause
others to kill." (Snp v.705)
"When embraced,
the rod of violence
breeds danger and fear:
Look at people quarreling.
I will tell of how
I experienced
dismay.
Seeing people floundering
like fish in small puddles,
competing with one another --
as I saw this,
fear came into me.
The world was entirely
without substance.
All the directions
were knocked out of line.
Wanting a haven for myself,
I saw nothing that wasn't laid claim to.
Seeing nothing in the end
but competition,
I felt discontent.
And then I saw
an arrow here,
so very hard to see,
embedded in the heart.
Overcome by this arrow
you run in all directions.
But simply on pulling it out
you don't run,
you don't sink...
Whatever things are tied down in the world,
you shouldn't be set on them.
Having totally penetrated
sensual pleasures,
sensual passions,
you should train for your own
Unbinding." (Snp IV.15)
"I see in the world
people with wealth
who, from delusion,
don't make a gift
of the treasure they've gained.
Greedy, they stash it away,
hoping for even more
sensual pleasures.
A king who, by force,
has conquered the world
and rules over the earth
to the edge of the sea,
dissatisfied with the ocean's near shore,
longs for the ocean's
far shore as well.
Kings & others
-- plenty of people --
go to death with craving
unabated. Unsated,
they leave the body behind,
having not had enough
of the world's sensual pleasures. ...
His heirs take over his wealth,
while the being goes on,
in line with his kamma.
No wealth at all
follows the dead one --
not children, wives,
dominion, or riches. ...
Just as an evil thief
caught at the break-in
is destroyed
by his own act,
so evil people
-- after dying, in the next world --
are destroyed
by their own acts." (Thag 16.4)
The military rulers have committed many acts of violence against the general population, especially ethnic minorities, and now they turned their weapons also against the monks. At the same time they appeal to the "religious duties" of the Sangha: they should focus exclusively on the study and practice of the scriptural teachings (divorced from real life) and perform the required rituals (to legitimize the regime), not get involved in any activities that challenge the status quo.
Many of the young monks who were marching in the streets are sons of poor
families who are getting an education through the monastic system, so they are acutely aware of the hard economic situation of ordinary people and their families. "Overturning the bowl" (patta-nikkujjana-kamma) is a symbolic phrase signifying the refusal to accept offerings from a particular person, and thus having nothing
to do with them, which seems pefectly justified in this case.
"The bowl may be overturned for a lay follower endowed with (any of)
eight qualities: He/she strives for the monks' material loss, strives
for the monks' detriment, strives for the monks' non-residence,
insults and reviles monks, causes monks to split from monks, speaks in
dispraise of the Buddha, speaks in dispraise of the Dhamma, speaks in
dispraise of the Sangha. I allow that the bowl be overturned for a lay
follower endowed with (any of) these eight qualities." (Cv. V.20.3)
This will of course make the generals angry with the monks, because it exposes the fallacy of their claim to be practising Buddhism and deprives them of the source of political legitimization.
A Buddhist is someone who has faith in the principle of kamma -- "there are fruits and results of good and bad actions" -- which the military leaders and their hired thugs obviously don't pay any attention to. They try to use the monastic hierarchy (senior monks appointed by them and provided with appropriate status symbols) to suppress the dissenting movement, but formal acts of the Sangha such as this cannot be controlled from the top.
The procedure is that the monks' community meets and agrees to the statement, which -- in a motion and proclamation -- explains the person's wrong doing and announces that the community is overturning its bowl to him/her. The local community should then inform other communities that they, too, are not to accept alms or offerings from the household of that person, who should also be informed about it. It is an attempt to make them mend their ways, and if they do so, the Sangha can decide to turn its bowl upright again.
But it can happen that the worldly powers, having been humiliated, feel no scruples or shame and instead continue in their abusive behaviour towards the monks.
There is a story from the time of the Buddha, when someone from the royal court in Kosambi bore grudge against him and hired rogues to revile him publicly in the street, using coarse language. When the monks were collecting alms food in the morning, words of abuse were hurled at them by these people. So Ananda approached the Buddha and suggested that it might be better to leave the town and go somewhere else.
The Buddha replied:
"But suppose, Ananda, that we are ill-treated and abused in the next place we go, what shall we do then?"
"Then we shall go to some other place," said Ananda.
"And if we are reviled in that new place too, what shall we do then?"
"Then we shall go to some other place," replied Ananda.
"No, Ananda, that is not the proper way. Wherever a difficulty arises,
right there it should be resolved. Only then should one move. I am
like a battle elephant who patiently endures the arrows that are shot
from all directions. In the same way, I will endure these abusive
words. This will only continue for seven days and then the people will
know." (Dhammapada Commentary)
A similar case happened when the Brahman Akkosaka ("Insulter") Bharadvaja, angered and displeased, went to the Buddha and, on arrival, insulted and cursed him with rude, harsh words.
When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: "What do you think, Brahman: Do friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to you as guests?"
"Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to me as guests."
"And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple and non-staple
foods and delicacies?"
"Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple and non-staple foods and delicacies."
"And if they don't accept them, to whom do those foods belong?"
"If they don't accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine."
"In the same way, Brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who
is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not
taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating:
that I don't accept from you. It's all yours, Brahman. It's all yours.
"Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one
who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to
be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am
neither eating together nor sharing your company, Brahman. It's all
yours. It's all yours." (SN VII.2)
So in a way, the Buddha turned his bowl upside down to the brahman and did not receive his "offerings". As we can see from the following passages, these are the occasions for cultivating spiritual strength and even gaining insight into the nature of the body, because one's awareness is firmly in the present moment due to having been threatened.
"It doesn't matter
whether he thinks,
'He's forbearing
out of fear of me.'
One's own true good
is the foremost good.
Nothing better
than patience
is found.
Whoever, when strong,
is forbearing
to one who is weak:
that's the foremost patience.
The weak must constantly endure.
They call that strength
no strength at all:
whoever's strength
is the strength of a fool.
There's no reproach
for one who is strong,
guarding -- guarded by -- Dhamma.
You make things worse
when you flare up
at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up
at someone who's angry
wins a battle hard to win.
You live for the good of both
-- your own, the other's --
when, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both
-- your own, the other's --
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma." (SN XI.5)
"Monks, when liberation of the mind by friendliness (metta) is
ardently practiced, developed, unrelentingly resorted to, used as
one's vehicle, made the foundation of one's life, fully established,
well consolidated and perfected, then these eleven blessings may be
expected. What eleven?
One sleeps happily; one wakes happily; one does not suffer bad dreams;
one is dear to human beings; one is dear to non-human beings; the gods
protect one; no fire or poison or weapon harms one; one's mind gets
quickly concentrated; the expression of one's face is serene; one dies
unperturbed; and even if one fails to attain higher states, one will
at least reach the state of the Brahma world." (AN 11.16)
"Having killed what
do you sleep in ease?
Having killed what
do you not grieve?
Of the slaying
of what one thing
does Gotama approve?"
"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." (SN 1.71)
"Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may
address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner
hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They
may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address
you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a
beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a
mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you should train
yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a
mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him
with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we
will keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with
good will -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility,
free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves." (MN 21)
"Now if other people insult, malign, exasperate, & harass a monk, he
discerns that 'A painful feeling, born of ear-contact, has arisen
within me. And that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what?
Dependent on contact.' And he sees that contact is inconstant, feeling
is inconstant, perception is inconstant, consciousness is inconstant.
His mind, with the [earth] element as its object/support, leaps up,
grows confident, steadfast, & released.
And if other people attack the monk in ways that are undesirable,
displeasing, & disagreeable -- through contact with fists, contact
with stones, contact with sticks, or contact with knives -- the monk
discerns that 'This body is of such a nature contacts with fists come,
contacts with stones come, contacts with sticks come, & contacts with
knives come. Now the Blessed One has said, in his exhortation of the
simile of the saw, 'Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up
savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let
his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding.' So
my persistence will be aroused &
untiring, my mindfulness established & unconfused, my body calm &
unaroused, my mind centered & unified. And now let contact with fists
come to this body, let contact with stones, with sticks, with knives
come to this body, for this is how the Buddha's bidding is done." (MN
28)
"Well then, Punna. Now that I have instructed you with a brief
instruction, in which country are you going to live?"
"Lord, there is a country called Sunaparanta. I am going to live there."
"Punna, the Sunaparanta people are fierce. They are rough. If they
insult and ridicule you, what will you think?"
"If they insult and ridicule me, I will think, 'These Sunaparanta
people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with
their hands.' That is what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I
will think, O One Well-gone."
"But if they hit you with their hands, what will you think?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a clod'..."
"But if they hit you with a clod...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a stick'..."
"But if they hit you with a stick...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a knife'..."
"But if they hit you with a knife...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't take my life with a sharp knife'..."
"But if they take your life with a sharp knife...?"
"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'there are
disciples of the Blessed One who -- horrified, humiliated, and
disgusted by the body and by life -- have sought for an assassin, but
here I have met my assassin without searching for him.' That is what I
will think, Blessed One."
"Good, Punna, very good. Possessing such calm and self-control you are
fit to dwell among the Sunaparantans. Now it is time to do as you see
fit." (SN XXXV.88)
In the story of the arahant Adhimutta, he was surrounded by bandits who were threatening to kill him. The bandit chief was surprised to see no trembling and fear in him. Adhimutta explains why he has no fear:
"There are no painful mental states, chieftain,
in one without longing.
In one whose fetters are ended,
all fears are overcome.
With the ending of [craving]
the guide to becoming,
when phenomena are seen
for what they are,
then just as in the laying down of a burden,
there's no fear in death.
I've lived well the holy life,
well-developed the path.
Death holds no fear for me.
It's like the end of a disease.
I've lived well the holy life,
well-developed the path,
seen states of becoming
as devoid of allure,
like poison spit out
after it's drunk.
One gone to the far shore
without clinging
without effluent
his task completed,
welcomes the ending of life,
as if freed from a place of execution.
Having attained the supreme Rightness,
unconcerned with all the world,
as if released from a burning house,
he doesn't sorrow at death.
Whatever's compounded,
wherever a state of becoming's obtained,
all that has no one in charge:
so says the Great Seer.
Whoever discerns this,
as taught by the Awakened One,
would no more grasp hold of any state of becoming
than he would a hot iron ball.
I have no 'I was,'
no 'I will be.'
Fabrications will simply go out of existence.
What's to lament there in that?
For one who sees, as it actually is,
the pure arising of phenomena,
the pure series of fabrications,
there's no fear.
When seeing the world with discernment
as on a par with grass & twigs,
finding no 'mine-ness,'
thinking, 'There's nothing of mine,'
he feels no sorrow.
Dissatisfied with this carcass,
I'm unconcerned with becoming.
This body will break up
and there will not be another.
Do as you like with this carcass.
From that I will feel
neither hatred nor love." (Thag 16.8)
The nun Upacala also describes the dangers inherent in existence and
her motivation for transcending the round of rebirth:
"For one who is born there is death;
the cutting-off of hands and feet,
slaughter, bonds and calamity.
One who is born goes to pain." (Thig 191)
"May I never lie
with my head cracked open
again." (Thag 2.16)
"Furthermore, the monk living in the wilderness reminds himself of
this: I am now living alone in the wilderness. While I am living alone
in the wilderness, I might meet up with youths on their way to
committing a crime or on their way back. They might take my life. That
would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction
for me. So let me make an effort for the attaining of the
as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the
realization of the as-yet-unrealized.
This is the fourth future danger that is just enough, when considered,
for a monk living in the wilderness -- heedful, ardent, and resolute
-- to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of
the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized." (AN
5.77)
"Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present people are
in harmony, on friendly terms, without quarreling, like milk mixed
with water, viewing one another with eyes of affection. The time will
come, though, when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes.
Taking power, they will surround the countryside. When there is
danger, people will congregate where it is safe. There they will live
packed and crowded together. When one is living packed and crowded
together, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha's teachings.
It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwellings.
Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me
first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the
reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the
as-yet-unrealized, so that -- endowed with that Dhamma -- I will live
in peace even when there is danger.
This is the fourth future danger that is just enough, when considered,
for a monk -- heedful, ardent, and resolute -- to live for the
attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the
as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized." (AN 5.78)
Or as Sariputta puts it, we are in a situation with little choice:
"On both sides there is death, not non-death, either afterwards or before; enter
on the way; do not perish. Let not the opportunity pass you by." (Thag. 1004)
There is an urgent task to be done for those walking the path to liberation. These reflections can help us keep our goal in mind and "not let the moment (for practice) slip by". To be living in a "suitable country" (patirupa desa) is considered to be one of the highest blessings. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be living in freedom from fear and oppression should not forget that other people -- our friends in birth, aging, sickness and death -- are suffering at the same time, and we should do what we can to promote their freedom, too.
(http://www.buddhistchannel.tv)
Many people are wondering now: How can such a thing happen in a country which is supposed to be devoutly Buddhist and a staunch guardian of the scriptural teachings of the Theravada tradition? Aren't monks supposed to be detached from worldly matters and not involved in politics?
As a matter of fact, monks have played a significant role in Burmese history for centuries. The kings have patronised the Sangha and received religious legitimation of their secular power in return.
But this royal patronage has been a mixed blessing for the Sangha: although monks have obtained material support from the rulers, they were also subject to their willful orders all the time. Sometimes the kings used their authority to purge the monastic order and restore its purity (according to their understanding of the concept), and they appointed selected monks as the Sangharajas or "Sangha rulers" to control and administer all the monks in the country, supervised by royal officials at the local level. Anyone who disobeyed was disrobed by force.
Senior monks acted as advisors for the king, but in some cases they became the object of his anger and were killed. Different factions also tried to win the king's favour and his support.
Although we may sometimes read about the "great Buddhist kings of the past" in idealized nationalistic accounts of Burmese history, in reality most of them were cruel and despotic rulers always intent on military campaigns, decimating their neighbours and enslaving the population, forcefully drafting their own people into the army.
They would wage war on other kingdoms in order to get for themselves Buddhist sacred objects (such as relics, scriptures or statues) thought to possess special power. Then they built magnificent religious monuments using slave labour to demonstrate the strength of their empire. In all this, they did not follow the actual Buddhist teachings, but rather used Buddhist icons and symbols to legitimize their absolute right to rule. A righteous king should be possessed of moral qualities such as gentleness (maddava), non-anger (akkodha), non-violence (avihimsa), tolerance (khanti) and uprightness (avirodhana).
"At such time, monks, as rulers are unrighteous (adhammika), their ministers are unrighteous, priests and householders are also unrighteous." (AN ii,74)
So the current situation is nothing new to Burma. Lacking the qualities of charity (dana), honesty (ajjava) and willingness to sacrifice (pariccaga), the current military junta mismanaged the country and then used Buddhist symbols -- imitating the model of previous kings -- to manifest to everybody that it has an absolute power and therefore the right to rule. The Buddha describes the mental process which gives rise to such corrupt behaviour and its inevitable results:
"Craving is dependent on feeling,
seeking is dependent on craving,
acquisition is dependent on seeking,
ascertainment is dependent on acquisition,
desire and passion is dependent on ascertainment,
attachment is dependent on desire and passion,
possessiveness is dependent on attachment,
stinginess is dependent on possessiveness,
defensiveness is dependent on stinginess,
and because of defensiveness, dependent on defensiveness, various
evil, unskillful things arise: the taking up of sticks and knives;
conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations, divisive speech, and
lies." (DN 15)
"A bad man, monks, is possessed of bad states of mind, he associates
with bad men, he thinks as do bad men, he advises as do bad men, he
speaks as do bad men, he acts as do bad men, he has the views of bad
men, he gives gifts as do bad men... And how, monks, does a bad man
act as do bad men? In this case, a bad man is one who kills creatures,
who takes what has not been given, who enjoys himself wrongly." (MN
110)
"He is malevolent in mind, corrupt in thought and purpose, and thinks:
'Let these beings be killed or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed
or may they not exist.'" (MN 41)
"There is the case where a woman or man is a killer of living beings,
brutal, bloody-handed, given to killing & slaying, showing no mercy to
living beings. Through having adopted & carried out such actions, on
the break-up of the body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane
of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell. If, on
the break-up of the body, after death — instead of reappearing in the
plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, hell —
he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is short-lived wherever
reborn. There is the case where a woman or man is one who harms beings
with his/her fists, with clods, with sticks, or with knives. Through
having adopted & carried out such actions, on the break-up of the
body, after death, he/she reappears in the plane of deprivation... If
instead he/she comes to the human state, then he/she is sickly
wherever reborn." (MN 135)
"Comparing oneself with others in such terms as 'Just as I am so are
they, just as they are so am I' one should neither kill nor cause
others to kill." (Snp v.705)
"When embraced,
the rod of violence
breeds danger and fear:
Look at people quarreling.
I will tell of how
I experienced
dismay.
Seeing people floundering
like fish in small puddles,
competing with one another --
as I saw this,
fear came into me.
The world was entirely
without substance.
All the directions
were knocked out of line.
Wanting a haven for myself,
I saw nothing that wasn't laid claim to.
Seeing nothing in the end
but competition,
I felt discontent.
And then I saw
an arrow here,
so very hard to see,
embedded in the heart.
Overcome by this arrow
you run in all directions.
But simply on pulling it out
you don't run,
you don't sink...
Whatever things are tied down in the world,
you shouldn't be set on them.
Having totally penetrated
sensual pleasures,
sensual passions,
you should train for your own
Unbinding." (Snp IV.15)
"I see in the world
people with wealth
who, from delusion,
don't make a gift
of the treasure they've gained.
Greedy, they stash it away,
hoping for even more
sensual pleasures.
A king who, by force,
has conquered the world
and rules over the earth
to the edge of the sea,
dissatisfied with the ocean's near shore,
longs for the ocean's
far shore as well.
Kings & others
-- plenty of people --
go to death with craving
unabated. Unsated,
they leave the body behind,
having not had enough
of the world's sensual pleasures. ...
His heirs take over his wealth,
while the being goes on,
in line with his kamma.
No wealth at all
follows the dead one --
not children, wives,
dominion, or riches. ...
Just as an evil thief
caught at the break-in
is destroyed
by his own act,
so evil people
-- after dying, in the next world --
are destroyed
by their own acts." (Thag 16.4)
The military rulers have committed many acts of violence against the general population, especially ethnic minorities, and now they turned their weapons also against the monks. At the same time they appeal to the "religious duties" of the Sangha: they should focus exclusively on the study and practice of the scriptural teachings (divorced from real life) and perform the required rituals (to legitimize the regime), not get involved in any activities that challenge the status quo.
Many of the young monks who were marching in the streets are sons of poor
families who are getting an education through the monastic system, so they are acutely aware of the hard economic situation of ordinary people and their families. "Overturning the bowl" (patta-nikkujjana-kamma) is a symbolic phrase signifying the refusal to accept offerings from a particular person, and thus having nothing
to do with them, which seems pefectly justified in this case.
"The bowl may be overturned for a lay follower endowed with (any of)
eight qualities: He/she strives for the monks' material loss, strives
for the monks' detriment, strives for the monks' non-residence,
insults and reviles monks, causes monks to split from monks, speaks in
dispraise of the Buddha, speaks in dispraise of the Dhamma, speaks in
dispraise of the Sangha. I allow that the bowl be overturned for a lay
follower endowed with (any of) these eight qualities." (Cv. V.20.3)
This will of course make the generals angry with the monks, because it exposes the fallacy of their claim to be practising Buddhism and deprives them of the source of political legitimization.
A Buddhist is someone who has faith in the principle of kamma -- "there are fruits and results of good and bad actions" -- which the military leaders and their hired thugs obviously don't pay any attention to. They try to use the monastic hierarchy (senior monks appointed by them and provided with appropriate status symbols) to suppress the dissenting movement, but formal acts of the Sangha such as this cannot be controlled from the top.
The procedure is that the monks' community meets and agrees to the statement, which -- in a motion and proclamation -- explains the person's wrong doing and announces that the community is overturning its bowl to him/her. The local community should then inform other communities that they, too, are not to accept alms or offerings from the household of that person, who should also be informed about it. It is an attempt to make them mend their ways, and if they do so, the Sangha can decide to turn its bowl upright again.
But it can happen that the worldly powers, having been humiliated, feel no scruples or shame and instead continue in their abusive behaviour towards the monks.
There is a story from the time of the Buddha, when someone from the royal court in Kosambi bore grudge against him and hired rogues to revile him publicly in the street, using coarse language. When the monks were collecting alms food in the morning, words of abuse were hurled at them by these people. So Ananda approached the Buddha and suggested that it might be better to leave the town and go somewhere else.
The Buddha replied:
"But suppose, Ananda, that we are ill-treated and abused in the next place we go, what shall we do then?"
"Then we shall go to some other place," said Ananda.
"And if we are reviled in that new place too, what shall we do then?"
"Then we shall go to some other place," replied Ananda.
"No, Ananda, that is not the proper way. Wherever a difficulty arises,
right there it should be resolved. Only then should one move. I am
like a battle elephant who patiently endures the arrows that are shot
from all directions. In the same way, I will endure these abusive
words. This will only continue for seven days and then the people will
know." (Dhammapada Commentary)
A similar case happened when the Brahman Akkosaka ("Insulter") Bharadvaja, angered and displeased, went to the Buddha and, on arrival, insulted and cursed him with rude, harsh words.
When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: "What do you think, Brahman: Do friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to you as guests?"
"Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends and colleagues, relatives and kinsmen come to me as guests."
"And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple and non-staple
foods and delicacies?"
"Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple and non-staple foods and delicacies."
"And if they don't accept them, to whom do those foods belong?"
"If they don't accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine."
"In the same way, Brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who
is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not
taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating:
that I don't accept from you. It's all yours, Brahman. It's all yours.
"Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one
who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to
be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am
neither eating together nor sharing your company, Brahman. It's all
yours. It's all yours." (SN VII.2)
So in a way, the Buddha turned his bowl upside down to the brahman and did not receive his "offerings". As we can see from the following passages, these are the occasions for cultivating spiritual strength and even gaining insight into the nature of the body, because one's awareness is firmly in the present moment due to having been threatened.
"It doesn't matter
whether he thinks,
'He's forbearing
out of fear of me.'
One's own true good
is the foremost good.
Nothing better
than patience
is found.
Whoever, when strong,
is forbearing
to one who is weak:
that's the foremost patience.
The weak must constantly endure.
They call that strength
no strength at all:
whoever's strength
is the strength of a fool.
There's no reproach
for one who is strong,
guarding -- guarded by -- Dhamma.
You make things worse
when you flare up
at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up
at someone who's angry
wins a battle hard to win.
You live for the good of both
-- your own, the other's --
when, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both
-- your own, the other's --
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma." (SN XI.5)
"Monks, when liberation of the mind by friendliness (metta) is
ardently practiced, developed, unrelentingly resorted to, used as
one's vehicle, made the foundation of one's life, fully established,
well consolidated and perfected, then these eleven blessings may be
expected. What eleven?
One sleeps happily; one wakes happily; one does not suffer bad dreams;
one is dear to human beings; one is dear to non-human beings; the gods
protect one; no fire or poison or weapon harms one; one's mind gets
quickly concentrated; the expression of one's face is serene; one dies
unperturbed; and even if one fails to attain higher states, one will
at least reach the state of the Brahma world." (AN 11.16)
"Having killed what
do you sleep in ease?
Having killed what
do you not grieve?
Of the slaying
of what one thing
does Gotama approve?"
"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." (SN 1.71)
"Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may
address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner
hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They
may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address
you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a
beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may address you with a
mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you should train
yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a
mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him
with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we
will keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with
good will -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility,
free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves." (MN 21)
"Now if other people insult, malign, exasperate, & harass a monk, he
discerns that 'A painful feeling, born of ear-contact, has arisen
within me. And that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what?
Dependent on contact.' And he sees that contact is inconstant, feeling
is inconstant, perception is inconstant, consciousness is inconstant.
His mind, with the [earth] element as its object/support, leaps up,
grows confident, steadfast, & released.
And if other people attack the monk in ways that are undesirable,
displeasing, & disagreeable -- through contact with fists, contact
with stones, contact with sticks, or contact with knives -- the monk
discerns that 'This body is of such a nature contacts with fists come,
contacts with stones come, contacts with sticks come, & contacts with
knives come. Now the Blessed One has said, in his exhortation of the
simile of the saw, 'Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up
savagely, limb by limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let
his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding.' So
my persistence will be aroused &
untiring, my mindfulness established & unconfused, my body calm &
unaroused, my mind centered & unified. And now let contact with fists
come to this body, let contact with stones, with sticks, with knives
come to this body, for this is how the Buddha's bidding is done." (MN
28)
"Well then, Punna. Now that I have instructed you with a brief
instruction, in which country are you going to live?"
"Lord, there is a country called Sunaparanta. I am going to live there."
"Punna, the Sunaparanta people are fierce. They are rough. If they
insult and ridicule you, what will you think?"
"If they insult and ridicule me, I will think, 'These Sunaparanta
people are civilized, very civilized, in that they don't hit me with
their hands.' That is what I will think, O Blessed One. That is what I
will think, O One Well-gone."
"But if they hit you with their hands, what will you think?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a clod'..."
"But if they hit you with a clod...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a stick'..."
"But if they hit you with a stick...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't hit me with a knife'..."
"But if they hit you with a knife...?"
"...I will think, 'These Sunaparanta people are civilized, very
civilized, in that they don't take my life with a sharp knife'..."
"But if they take your life with a sharp knife...?"
"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'there are
disciples of the Blessed One who -- horrified, humiliated, and
disgusted by the body and by life -- have sought for an assassin, but
here I have met my assassin without searching for him.' That is what I
will think, Blessed One."
"Good, Punna, very good. Possessing such calm and self-control you are
fit to dwell among the Sunaparantans. Now it is time to do as you see
fit." (SN XXXV.88)
In the story of the arahant Adhimutta, he was surrounded by bandits who were threatening to kill him. The bandit chief was surprised to see no trembling and fear in him. Adhimutta explains why he has no fear:
"There are no painful mental states, chieftain,
in one without longing.
In one whose fetters are ended,
all fears are overcome.
With the ending of [craving]
the guide to becoming,
when phenomena are seen
for what they are,
then just as in the laying down of a burden,
there's no fear in death.
I've lived well the holy life,
well-developed the path.
Death holds no fear for me.
It's like the end of a disease.
I've lived well the holy life,
well-developed the path,
seen states of becoming
as devoid of allure,
like poison spit out
after it's drunk.
One gone to the far shore
without clinging
without effluent
his task completed,
welcomes the ending of life,
as if freed from a place of execution.
Having attained the supreme Rightness,
unconcerned with all the world,
as if released from a burning house,
he doesn't sorrow at death.
Whatever's compounded,
wherever a state of becoming's obtained,
all that has no one in charge:
so says the Great Seer.
Whoever discerns this,
as taught by the Awakened One,
would no more grasp hold of any state of becoming
than he would a hot iron ball.
I have no 'I was,'
no 'I will be.'
Fabrications will simply go out of existence.
What's to lament there in that?
For one who sees, as it actually is,
the pure arising of phenomena,
the pure series of fabrications,
there's no fear.
When seeing the world with discernment
as on a par with grass & twigs,
finding no 'mine-ness,'
thinking, 'There's nothing of mine,'
he feels no sorrow.
Dissatisfied with this carcass,
I'm unconcerned with becoming.
This body will break up
and there will not be another.
Do as you like with this carcass.
From that I will feel
neither hatred nor love." (Thag 16.8)
The nun Upacala also describes the dangers inherent in existence and
her motivation for transcending the round of rebirth:
"For one who is born there is death;
the cutting-off of hands and feet,
slaughter, bonds and calamity.
One who is born goes to pain." (Thig 191)
"May I never lie
with my head cracked open
again." (Thag 2.16)
"Furthermore, the monk living in the wilderness reminds himself of
this: I am now living alone in the wilderness. While I am living alone
in the wilderness, I might meet up with youths on their way to
committing a crime or on their way back. They might take my life. That
would be how my death would come about. That would be an obstruction
for me. So let me make an effort for the attaining of the
as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the
realization of the as-yet-unrealized.
This is the fourth future danger that is just enough, when considered,
for a monk living in the wilderness -- heedful, ardent, and resolute
-- to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of
the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized." (AN
5.77)
"Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present people are
in harmony, on friendly terms, without quarreling, like milk mixed
with water, viewing one another with eyes of affection. The time will
come, though, when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes.
Taking power, they will surround the countryside. When there is
danger, people will congregate where it is safe. There they will live
packed and crowded together. When one is living packed and crowded
together, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha's teachings.
It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwellings.
Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me
first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the
reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the
as-yet-unrealized, so that -- endowed with that Dhamma -- I will live
in peace even when there is danger.
This is the fourth future danger that is just enough, when considered,
for a monk -- heedful, ardent, and resolute -- to live for the
attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the
as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized." (AN 5.78)
Or as Sariputta puts it, we are in a situation with little choice:
"On both sides there is death, not non-death, either afterwards or before; enter
on the way; do not perish. Let not the opportunity pass you by." (Thag. 1004)
There is an urgent task to be done for those walking the path to liberation. These reflections can help us keep our goal in mind and "not let the moment (for practice) slip by". To be living in a "suitable country" (patirupa desa) is considered to be one of the highest blessings. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be living in freedom from fear and oppression should not forget that other people -- our friends in birth, aging, sickness and death -- are suffering at the same time, and we should do what we can to promote their freedom, too.
(http://www.buddhistchannel.tv)
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Five Hindrances by Ajahn Brahmavamso
The major obstacles to successful meditation and liberating insight take the form of one or more of the Five Hindrances. The whole practice leading to Enlightenment can be well expressed as the effort to overcome the Five Hindrances, at first suppressing them temporarily in order to experience Jhana and Insight, and then overcoming them permanently through the full development of the Noble Eightfold Path.
So, what are these Five Hindrances? They are:
KAMACCHANDA : Sensory Desire
VYAPADA : Ill Will
THINA-MIDDHA: Sloth and Torpor
UDDHACCA-KUKKUCCA : Restlessness and Remorse
VICIKICCHA : Doubt
1. Sensory desire refers to that particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling. It specifically excludes any aspiration for happiness through the sixth sense of mind alone.
In its extreme form, sensory desire is an obsession to find pleasure in such things as sexual intimacy, good food or fine music. But it also includes the desire to replace irritating or even painful five-sense experiences with pleasant ones, i.e. the desire for sensory comfort.
The Lord Buddha compared sensory desire to taking out a loan. Any pleasure one experiences through these five senses must be repaid through the unpleasantness of separation, loss or hungry emptiness which follow relentlessly when the pleasure is used up. As with any loan, there is also the matter of interest and thus, as the Lord Buddha said, the pleasure is small compared to the suffering repaid.
In meditation, one transcends sensory desire for the period by letting go of concern for this body and its five sense activity. Some imagine that the five senses are there to serve and protect the body, but the truth is that the body is there to serve the five senses as they play in the world ever seeking delight. Indeed, the Lord Buddha once said, "The five senses ARE the world" and to leave the world, to enjoy the other worldly bliss of Jhana, one must give up for a time ALL concern for the body and its five senses.
When sensory desire is transcended, the mind of the meditator has no interest in the promise of pleasure or even comfort with this body. The body disappears and the five senses all switch off. The mind becomes calm and free to look within. The difference between the five sense activity and its transcendence is like the difference between looking out of a window and looking in a mirror. The mind that is free from five sense activity can truly look within and see its real nature. Only from that can wisdom arise as to what we are, from where and why?!
2. Ill will refers to the desire to punish, hurt or destroy. It includes sheer hatred of a person, or even a situation, and it can generate so much energy that it is both seductive and addictive. At the time, it always appears justified for such is its power that it easily corrupts our ability to judge fairly. It also includes ill will towards oneself, otherwise known as guilt, which denies oneself any possibility of happiness. In meditation, ill will can appear as dislike towards the meditation object itself, rejecting it so that one's attention is forced to wander elsewhere.
The Lord Buddha likened ill will to being sick. Just as sickness denies one the freedom and happiness of health, so ill will denies one the freedom and happiness of peace.
Ill will is overcome by applying Metta, loving kindness. When it is ill will towards a person, Metta teaches one to see more in that person than all that which hurts you, to understand why that person hurt you (often because they were hurting intensely themselves), and encourages one to put aside one's own pain to look with compassion on the other. But if this is more than one can do, Metta to oneself leads one to refuse to dwell in ill will to that person, so as to stop them from hurting you further with the memory of those deeds. Similarly, if it is ill will towards oneself, Metta sees more than one's own faults, can understand one's own faults, and finds the courage to forgive them, learn from their lesson and let them go. Then, if it is ill will towards the mediation object (often the reason why a meditator cannot find peace) Metta embraces the meditation object with care and delight. For example, just as a mother has a natural Metta towards her child, so a meditator can look on their breath, say, with the very same quality of caring attention. Then it will be just as unlikely to lose the breath through forgetfulness as it is unlikely for a mother to forget her baby in the shopping mall, and it would be just as improbable to drop the breath for some distracting thought as it is for a distracted mother to drop her baby! When ill will is overcome, it allows lasting relationships with other people, with oneself and, in meditation, a lasting, enjoyable relationship with the meditation object, one that can mature into the full embrace of absorption.
3. Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. The Lord Buddha compared it to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell, unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside. In meditation, it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!
Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy. Energy is always available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were. Setting a goal, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate energy, as is deliberately developing interest in the task at hand. A young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy, because its world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's life, or one's meditation, with a 'beginner's mind' one can see ever new angles and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from sloth and torpor, alive and energetic. Similarly, one can develop delight in whatever one is doing by training one's perception to see the beautiful in the ordinary, thereby generating the interest which avoids the half-death that is sloth and torpor.
The mind has two main functions, 'doing' and 'knowing'. The way of meditation is to calm the 'doing' to complete tranquillity while maintaining the 'knowing'. Sloth and torpor occur when one carelessly calms both the 'doing' and the 'knowing', unable to distinguish between them.
Sloth and torpor is a common problem which can creep up and smother one slowly. A skilful meditator keeps a sharp look-out for the first signs of sloth and torpor and is thus able to spot its approach and take evasive action before it's too late. Like coming to a fork in a road, one can take that mental path leading away from sloth and torpor. Sloth and torpor is an unpleasant state of body and mind, too stiff to leap into the bliss of Jhana and too blinded to spot any insights. In short, it is a complete waste of precious time.
4. Restlessness refers to a mind which is like a monkey, always swinging on to the next branch, never able to stay long with anything. It is caused by the fault-finding state of mind which cannot be satisfied with things as they are, and so has to move on to the promise of something better, forever just beyond.
The Lord Buddha compared restlessness to being a slave, continually having to jump to the orders of a tyrannical boss who always demands perfection and so never lets one stop.
Restlessness is overcome by developing contentment, which is the opposite of fault-finding. One learns the simple joy of being satisfied with little, rather than always wanting more. One is grateful for this moment, rather than picking out its deficiencies. For instance, in meditation restlessness is often the impatience to move quickly on to the next stage. The fastest progress, though is achieved by those who are content with the stage they are on now. It is the deepening of that contentment that ripens into the next stage. So be careful of 'wanting to get on with it' and instead learn how to rest in appreciative contentment. That way, the 'doing' disappears and the meditation blossoms.
Remorse refers to a specific type of restlessness which is the kammic effect of one's misdeeds. The only way to overcome remorse, the restlessness of a bad conscience, is to purify one's virtue and become kind, wise and gentle. It is virtually impossible for the immoral or the self indulgent to make deep progress in meditation.
5. Doubt refers to the disturbing inner questions at a time when one should be silently moving deeper. Doubt can question one's own ability "Can I do This?", or question the method "Is this the right way?", or even question the meaning "What is this?". It should be remembered that such questions are obstacles to meditation because they are asked at the wrong time and thus become an intrusion, obscuring one's clarity.
The Lord Buddha likened doubt to being lost in a desert, not recognising any landmarks.
Such doubt is overcome by gathering clear instructions, having a good map, so that one can recognise the subtle landmarks in the unfamiliar territory of deep meditation and so know which way to go. Doubt in one's ability is overcome by nurturing self confidence with a good teacher. A meditation teacher is like a coach who convinces the sports team that they can succeed. The Lord Buddha stated that one can, one will, reach Jhana and Enlightenment if one carefully and patiently follows the instructions. The only uncertainty is 'when'! Experience also overcomes doubt about one's ability and also doubt whether this is the right path. As one realised for oneself the beautiful stages of the path, one discovers that one is indeed capable of the very highest, and that this is the path that leads one there.
The doubt that takes the form of constant assessing "Is this Jhana?" "How am I going?", is overcome by realising that such questions are best left to the end, to the final couple of minutes of the meditation. A jury only makes its judgement at the end of the trial, when all the evidence has been presented. Similarly, a skilful meditator pursues a silent gathering of evidence, reviewing it only at the end to uncover its meaning.
The end of doubt, in meditation, is described by a mind which has full trust in the silence, and so doesn't interfere with any inner speech. Like having a good chauffeur, one sits silently on the journey out of trust in the driver.
Any problem which arises in meditation will be one of these Five Hindrances, or a combination. So, if one experiences any difficulty, use the scheme of the Five Hindrances as a 'check list' to identify the main problem. Then you will know the appropriate remedy, apply it carefully, and go beyond the obstacle into deeper meditation.
When the Five Hindrances are fully overcome, there is no barrier between the meditator and the bliss of Jhana. Therefore, the certain test that these Five Hindrances are really overcome is the ability to access Jhana.
So, what are these Five Hindrances? They are:
KAMACCHANDA : Sensory Desire
VYAPADA : Ill Will
THINA-MIDDHA: Sloth and Torpor
UDDHACCA-KUKKUCCA : Restlessness and Remorse
VICIKICCHA : Doubt
1. Sensory desire refers to that particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling. It specifically excludes any aspiration for happiness through the sixth sense of mind alone.
In its extreme form, sensory desire is an obsession to find pleasure in such things as sexual intimacy, good food or fine music. But it also includes the desire to replace irritating or even painful five-sense experiences with pleasant ones, i.e. the desire for sensory comfort.
The Lord Buddha compared sensory desire to taking out a loan. Any pleasure one experiences through these five senses must be repaid through the unpleasantness of separation, loss or hungry emptiness which follow relentlessly when the pleasure is used up. As with any loan, there is also the matter of interest and thus, as the Lord Buddha said, the pleasure is small compared to the suffering repaid.
In meditation, one transcends sensory desire for the period by letting go of concern for this body and its five sense activity. Some imagine that the five senses are there to serve and protect the body, but the truth is that the body is there to serve the five senses as they play in the world ever seeking delight. Indeed, the Lord Buddha once said, "The five senses ARE the world" and to leave the world, to enjoy the other worldly bliss of Jhana, one must give up for a time ALL concern for the body and its five senses.
When sensory desire is transcended, the mind of the meditator has no interest in the promise of pleasure or even comfort with this body. The body disappears and the five senses all switch off. The mind becomes calm and free to look within. The difference between the five sense activity and its transcendence is like the difference between looking out of a window and looking in a mirror. The mind that is free from five sense activity can truly look within and see its real nature. Only from that can wisdom arise as to what we are, from where and why?!
2. Ill will refers to the desire to punish, hurt or destroy. It includes sheer hatred of a person, or even a situation, and it can generate so much energy that it is both seductive and addictive. At the time, it always appears justified for such is its power that it easily corrupts our ability to judge fairly. It also includes ill will towards oneself, otherwise known as guilt, which denies oneself any possibility of happiness. In meditation, ill will can appear as dislike towards the meditation object itself, rejecting it so that one's attention is forced to wander elsewhere.
The Lord Buddha likened ill will to being sick. Just as sickness denies one the freedom and happiness of health, so ill will denies one the freedom and happiness of peace.
Ill will is overcome by applying Metta, loving kindness. When it is ill will towards a person, Metta teaches one to see more in that person than all that which hurts you, to understand why that person hurt you (often because they were hurting intensely themselves), and encourages one to put aside one's own pain to look with compassion on the other. But if this is more than one can do, Metta to oneself leads one to refuse to dwell in ill will to that person, so as to stop them from hurting you further with the memory of those deeds. Similarly, if it is ill will towards oneself, Metta sees more than one's own faults, can understand one's own faults, and finds the courage to forgive them, learn from their lesson and let them go. Then, if it is ill will towards the mediation object (often the reason why a meditator cannot find peace) Metta embraces the meditation object with care and delight. For example, just as a mother has a natural Metta towards her child, so a meditator can look on their breath, say, with the very same quality of caring attention. Then it will be just as unlikely to lose the breath through forgetfulness as it is unlikely for a mother to forget her baby in the shopping mall, and it would be just as improbable to drop the breath for some distracting thought as it is for a distracted mother to drop her baby! When ill will is overcome, it allows lasting relationships with other people, with oneself and, in meditation, a lasting, enjoyable relationship with the meditation object, one that can mature into the full embrace of absorption.
3. Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. The Lord Buddha compared it to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell, unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside. In meditation, it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!
Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy. Energy is always available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were. Setting a goal, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate energy, as is deliberately developing interest in the task at hand. A young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy, because its world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's life, or one's meditation, with a 'beginner's mind' one can see ever new angles and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from sloth and torpor, alive and energetic. Similarly, one can develop delight in whatever one is doing by training one's perception to see the beautiful in the ordinary, thereby generating the interest which avoids the half-death that is sloth and torpor.
The mind has two main functions, 'doing' and 'knowing'. The way of meditation is to calm the 'doing' to complete tranquillity while maintaining the 'knowing'. Sloth and torpor occur when one carelessly calms both the 'doing' and the 'knowing', unable to distinguish between them.
Sloth and torpor is a common problem which can creep up and smother one slowly. A skilful meditator keeps a sharp look-out for the first signs of sloth and torpor and is thus able to spot its approach and take evasive action before it's too late. Like coming to a fork in a road, one can take that mental path leading away from sloth and torpor. Sloth and torpor is an unpleasant state of body and mind, too stiff to leap into the bliss of Jhana and too blinded to spot any insights. In short, it is a complete waste of precious time.
4. Restlessness refers to a mind which is like a monkey, always swinging on to the next branch, never able to stay long with anything. It is caused by the fault-finding state of mind which cannot be satisfied with things as they are, and so has to move on to the promise of something better, forever just beyond.
The Lord Buddha compared restlessness to being a slave, continually having to jump to the orders of a tyrannical boss who always demands perfection and so never lets one stop.
Restlessness is overcome by developing contentment, which is the opposite of fault-finding. One learns the simple joy of being satisfied with little, rather than always wanting more. One is grateful for this moment, rather than picking out its deficiencies. For instance, in meditation restlessness is often the impatience to move quickly on to the next stage. The fastest progress, though is achieved by those who are content with the stage they are on now. It is the deepening of that contentment that ripens into the next stage. So be careful of 'wanting to get on with it' and instead learn how to rest in appreciative contentment. That way, the 'doing' disappears and the meditation blossoms.
Remorse refers to a specific type of restlessness which is the kammic effect of one's misdeeds. The only way to overcome remorse, the restlessness of a bad conscience, is to purify one's virtue and become kind, wise and gentle. It is virtually impossible for the immoral or the self indulgent to make deep progress in meditation.
5. Doubt refers to the disturbing inner questions at a time when one should be silently moving deeper. Doubt can question one's own ability "Can I do This?", or question the method "Is this the right way?", or even question the meaning "What is this?". It should be remembered that such questions are obstacles to meditation because they are asked at the wrong time and thus become an intrusion, obscuring one's clarity.
The Lord Buddha likened doubt to being lost in a desert, not recognising any landmarks.
Such doubt is overcome by gathering clear instructions, having a good map, so that one can recognise the subtle landmarks in the unfamiliar territory of deep meditation and so know which way to go. Doubt in one's ability is overcome by nurturing self confidence with a good teacher. A meditation teacher is like a coach who convinces the sports team that they can succeed. The Lord Buddha stated that one can, one will, reach Jhana and Enlightenment if one carefully and patiently follows the instructions. The only uncertainty is 'when'! Experience also overcomes doubt about one's ability and also doubt whether this is the right path. As one realised for oneself the beautiful stages of the path, one discovers that one is indeed capable of the very highest, and that this is the path that leads one there.
The doubt that takes the form of constant assessing "Is this Jhana?" "How am I going?", is overcome by realising that such questions are best left to the end, to the final couple of minutes of the meditation. A jury only makes its judgement at the end of the trial, when all the evidence has been presented. Similarly, a skilful meditator pursues a silent gathering of evidence, reviewing it only at the end to uncover its meaning.
The end of doubt, in meditation, is described by a mind which has full trust in the silence, and so doesn't interfere with any inner speech. Like having a good chauffeur, one sits silently on the journey out of trust in the driver.
Any problem which arises in meditation will be one of these Five Hindrances, or a combination. So, if one experiences any difficulty, use the scheme of the Five Hindrances as a 'check list' to identify the main problem. Then you will know the appropriate remedy, apply it carefully, and go beyond the obstacle into deeper meditation.
When the Five Hindrances are fully overcome, there is no barrier between the meditator and the bliss of Jhana. Therefore, the certain test that these Five Hindrances are really overcome is the ability to access Jhana.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)