159 LESSON 05 02 2011 Kalama Sutta To the Kalamas FREE ONLINE eNΔlandΔ Research and Practice UNIVERSITY to VOTE for BSP ELEPHANT for Social Transformation and Economic Emancipation to attain Ultimate Bliss
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Awakeness Practices
All 84,000 Khandas As Found in the Pali Suttas
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Traditionally the are 84,000 Dharma Doors - 84,000 ways to get Awakeness. Maybe so; certainly the Buddha taught a large number of practices that lead to Awakeness. This web page attempts to catalogue those found in the Pali Suttas (DN, MN, SN, AN, Ud & Sn 1). There are 3 sections: |
The discourses of Buddha are divided into 84,000, as to separate addresses. The division includes all that was spoken by Buddha.βI received from Buddha,β said Ananda, β82,000 Khandas, and from the priests 2000; these are 84,000 Khandas maintained by me.β They are divided into 275,250, as to the stanzas of the original text, and into 361,550, as to the stanzas of the commentary. All the discourses including both those of Buddha and those of the commentator, are divided into 2,547 banawaras, containing 737,000 stanzas, and 29,368,000 separate letters.
Course Programs:
LESSON 159
Thai III.66
Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation: Soma
Translator’s note: Although this discourse is often cited as the Buddha’s carte blanche for following one’s own sense of right and wrong, it actually says something much more rigorous than that. Traditions are not to be followed simply because they are traditions. Reports (such as historical accounts or news) are not to be followed simply because the source seems reliable. One’s own preferences are not to be followed simply because they seem logical or resonate with one’s feelings. Instead, any view or belief must be tested by the results it yields when put into practice; and β to guard against the possibility of any bias or limitations in one’s understanding of those results β they must further be checked against the experience of people who are wise. The ability to question and test one’s beliefs in an appropriate way is called appropriate attention. The ability to recognize and choose wise people as mentors is called having admirable friends. According to Iti 16-17, these are, respectively, the most important internal and external factors for attaining the goal of the practice. For further thoughts on how to test a belief in practice, see MN 61,MN 95, AN 7.79, and AN 8.53. For thoughts on how to judge whether another person is wise, see MN 110, AN 4.192, and AN 8.54.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One, on a wandering tour among theKosalans with a large community of monks, arrived at Kesaputta, a town of the Kalamas. The Kalamas of Kesaputta heard it said, “Gotama the contemplative β the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan β has arrived at Kesaputta. And of that Master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: ‘He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy, & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, a knower of the cosmos, an unexcelled trainer of those persons ready to be tamed, teacher of human & divine beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known β having realized it through direct knowledge β this world with its devas, maras, & brahmas, its generations with their contemplatives & priests, their rulers & common people; has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.’”
So the Kalamas of Kesaputta went to the Blessed One. On arrival, some of them bowed down to him and sat to one side. Some of them exchanged courteous greetings with him and, after an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, sat to one side. Some of them sat to one side having saluted him with their hands palm-to-palm over their hearts. Some of them sat to one side having announced their name & clan. Some of them sat to one side in silence.
As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, “Lord, there are some priests & contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. And then other priests & contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain & in doubt: Which of these venerable priests & contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?”
“Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering’ β then you should abandon them.
“What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For harm, lord.”
“And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering.”
“Yes, lord.”
“Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For harm, lord.”
“And this aversive person, overcome by aversion, his mind possessed by aversion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering.”
“Yes, lord.”
“Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For harm, lord.”
“And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering.”
“Yes, lord.”
“So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?”
“Unskillful, lord.”
“Blameworthy or blameless?”
“Blameworthy, lord.”
“Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?”
“Criticized by the wise, lord.”
“When adopted & carried out, do they lead to harm & to suffering, or not?”
“When adopted & carried out, they lead to harm & to suffering. That is how it appears to us.”
“So, as I said, Kalamas: ‘Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, “This contemplative is our teacher.” When you know for yourselves that, “These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering” β then you should abandon them.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
“Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness’ β then you should enter & remain in them.
“What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For welfare, lord.”
“And this ungreedy person, not overcome by greed, his mind not possessed by greed, doesn’t kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person’s wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness.”
“Yes, lord.”
“What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For welfare, lord.”
“And this unaversive person, not overcome by aversion, his mind not possessed by aversion, doesn’t kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person’s wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness.”
“Yes, lord.”
“What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“For welfare, lord.”
“And this undeluded person, not overcome by delusion, his mind not possessed by delusion, doesn’t kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person’s wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness.”
“Yes, lord.”
“So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?”
“Skillful, lord.”
“Blameworthy or blameless?”
“Blameless, lord.”
“Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?”
“Praised by the wise, lord.”
“When adopted & carried out, do they lead to welfare & to happiness, or not?”
“When adopted & carried out, they lead to welfare & to happiness. That is how it appears to us.”
“So, as I said, Kalamas: ‘Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, “This contemplative is our teacher.” When you know for yourselves that, “These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness” β then you should enter & remain in them.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
“Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones β thus devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, & resolute β keeps pervading the first direction [the east] β as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth β with an awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.
“He keeps pervading the first direction β as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth β with an awareness imbued with compassion. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with compassion: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.
“He keeps pervading the first direction β as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth β with an awareness imbued with appreciation. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with appreciation: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.
“He keeps pervading the first direction β as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth β with an awareness imbued with equanimity. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.
“Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones β his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, & pure β acquires four assurances in the here-&-now:
“‘If there is a world after death, if there is the fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the break-up of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world.’ This is the first assurance he acquires.
“‘But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then here in the present life I look after myself with ease β free from hostility, free from ill will, free from trouble.’ This is the second assurance he acquires.
“‘If evil is done through acting, still I have willed no evil for anyone. Having done no evil action, from where will suffering touch me?’ This is the third assurance he acquires.
“‘But if no evil is done through acting, then I can assume myself pure in both respects.’ This is the fourth assurance he acquires.
“One who is a disciple of the noble ones β his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, & pure β acquires these four assurances in the here-&-now.”
“So it is, Blessed One. So it is, O One Well-gone. One who is a disciple of the noble ones β his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, & pure β acquires four assurances in the here-&-now:
“‘If there is a world after death, if there is the fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the break-up of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world.’ This is the first assurance he acquires.
“‘But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of actions rightly & wrongly done, then here in the present life I look after myself with ease β free from hostility, free from ill will, free from trouble.’ This is the second assurance he acquires.
“‘If evil is done through acting, still I have willed no evil for anyone. Having done no evil action, from where will suffering touch me?’ This is the third assurance he acquires.
“‘But if no evil is done through acting, then I can assume myself pure in both ways.’ This is the fourth assurance he acquires.
“One who is a disciple of the noble ones β his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, & pure β acquires these four assurances in the here-&-now.
“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One β through many lines of reasoning β made the Dhamma clear. We go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May the Blessed One remember us as lay followers who have gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”
BUDDHA (EDUCATE)! DHAMMA (MEDITATE)! SANGHA (ORGANISE)!
WISDOM IS POWER
Awakened One Shows the Path to Attain Eternal Bliss
Using such an instrument
The Free ONLINE e-NΔlandΔ Research and Practice University has been re-organized to function through the following Schools of Learning :
Buddhaβs Sangha Practiced His Dhamma Free of cost, hence the Free- e-NΔlandΔ Research and Practice University follows suit
As the Original NΔlandΔ University did not offer any Degree, so also the Free e-NΔlandΔ Research and Practice University.
The teachings of Buddha are eternal, but even then Buddha did not proclaim them to be infallible. The religion of Buddha has the capacity to change according to times, a quality which no other religion can claim to haveβ¦Now what is the basis of Buddhism? If you study carefully, you will see that Buddhism is based on reason. There is an element of flexibility inherent in it, which is not found in any other religion.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , Indian scholar, philosopher and architect of Constitution of India, in his writing and speeches
IKAMMA,REBIRTH,AWAKEN-NESS,BUDDHA,THUS COME ONE,DHAMMA II.ARHA ,FOUR HOLY TRUTHS,EIGHTFOLD PATH,TWELVEFOLD CONDITIONED ARISING,BODHISATTVA,PARAMITA,SIX PARAMITAS III.SIX SPIRITUAL POWERS,SIX PATHS OF REBIRTH,TEN DHARMA REALMS,FIVE SKANDHAS,EIGHTEEN REALMS,FIVE MORAL PRECEPTS IV. MEDITATION,MINDFULNESS,FOUR APPLICATIONS OF MINDFULNESS,LOTUS POSTURE,SAMADHI,CHAN SCHOOL,FOUR JHANAS,FOUR FORMLESS REALMS V. FIVE TYPES OF BUDDHIST STUDY AND PRACTICE,MAHAYANA AND HINAYANA COMPARED,PURE LAND,BUDDHA RECITATION,EIGHT CONSCIOUSNESSES,ONE HUNDRED DHARMAS,EMPTINESS VI. DEMON,LINEAGE
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POLITICS IS SACRED with GOOD GOVERNANCE
Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.
Behaviour of opposition parties specially that of SP members during Hon’ble Governor’s Address is open violation of Parliamentary decorum and traditionsβ Hon’ble Chief Minister ji
Samajwadi Party’s demand to release of Raja Bhaiyya indicated that it is now ‘Raja Bhaiyya Goonda Party’
People will give befitting reply to opposition parties talking about poor law and order of the State
Lucknow : 04 February 2011
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the National
President of Bahujan Samaj Party Ms. Mayawati Ji said that the behaviour of opposition parties, specially that of the members of the Samajwadi Party, during the address of the Hon’ble Governor on the opening day of the Budget Session of the State Vidhan Sabha, was totally against the Parliamentary decorum and traditions. She said that she herself and her party severely criticises the behaviour of SP and other opposition partiesduring the Joint Session.
Talking to media persons in her Vidhan Bhawan office here today, the Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that the way the SP members were showing placards for the release of Raja Bhaiyya, indicated that Samajwadi party had now become ‘Raja Bhaiyya Goonda Party’. She said that during the SP regime it always protected the criminals and its relationship with criminal elements were known to one and all. She said that the people had not forgotten the black phase of SP rule, when the criminals, mafia and goondas ridiculed law and derided constitutional institutions and democracy under the government protection. She said that it is this mentality of the SP that they were clamouring for the release of an accused like Raja Bhaiyya. She said that several criminal cases were registered against him, still the SP people were demanding his release and creating hurdle in the smooth functioning of Vidhan Sabha. She said that during the 2007 VidhanSabha elections, the people had dumped this party as they were fed up with the criminal activities and criminals of this party. This party had not mended its ways even today, she pointed out.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that the opposition parties, who
were making a hue and cry on the atrocities on women, should look at their own activities. She said that if we focus on the data, then it could be noticed that there was a fall in the crimes against women in the State. She said that on the basis of the crimes against women on a sample of one lakh, U.P. stood at 20th place all over the country. She said that during regime of every party crime against women took place, but these parties always tried to cover them up.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that Kareli Madarasa rape case took place in Allahabad during earlier SP Government’s regime in which persons of Samajwadi party were involved. She said that people still remembered the Kavita murder case of Meerut during SP Government, in which several names of SP Ministers came to light. She said that murder of BJP leader Mr. Laxmi Narayan and Mr. Mani Tripathi had been executed by SP Minister. During the regime of earlier SP Government an engineer belonging to Scheduled caste was murdered cruelly by hanging on the tree
in Azamgarh district. The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that the Congress had no right to shed tears over the cases of harassment against women. She said that harassment of Phulan Devi belonging to backward caste took place during Congress rule. If stringent action had been taken against the criminals related to the crime, then Phulan Devi would not have taken arms and several women could have been saved from becoming widow. She said these opposition parties’ leaders, who talk about crimes against women in Uttar Pradesh do not see the criminal cases against women in Delhi and Haryana ruled by Congress Party. The criminals involved in the crimes against women are roaming freely in these States, she added.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that her party government had not hesitated in taking stringent steps, wherever it found the cases of crime against women in Uttar Pradesh. She said that BSP is the only party which had sent the party Ministers, MPs and MLAs behind the bars on their involvement in crime against women and breaking of law. She said that no example of such type of action was found during the regime of oppositionparties’ government. She said that the people would themselves give reply to the opposition parties, who talk against BSP party government for poor law and order situation. She said that law and order of the State is good and people of the State are very much satisfied with it.
According to National Crime Record Bureau’s (NCRB) report crimes against SC/ST people have come down in U.P. considerably if compared to other States Disposal per cent of investigation in U.P. stood at 94.8 per cent, while it is 74.1 per cent in all 35 States/Union territories
Lucknow : 03 February 2011
A Spokesman of the State Government said that according to the
‘Crime in India’ report published by National Crime Record Bureau
(NCRB), Ministry of Home, Government of India, the crimes against the people of SC/ST in Uttar Pradesh had come down. According to the ‘Crime in India-2009′ data issued by NCRB, the rate of crimes against SC in Uttar Pradesh stood at 3.8, while the same was 7.5 in Rajasthan, 4.2 Orissa, 4.3 in Madhya Pradesh, 4.0 in Bihar and 5.4 in Andhra Pradesh.
The Spokesman said that the State Government had taken tough
steps to effectively check harassment of SC/ST people. The Uttar Pradesh police ensured 94.8 per cent disposal of investigations in the crimes related with the harassment of these sections, while the same stood at 74.1 per cent in all the 35 States/Union territories of the country. The charge sheet per cent stood at 85.5 per cent in the disposed of investigations.
The Spokesman said that special courts had been set up in 40
districts of the States to ensure effective action in the cases related with the people of these categories and to ensure that they got justice as well.
For the quick disposal of pending cases related with SC/ST, the 71 fast track courts of different districts of the State had also been authorised to dispose of the same at the earliest. Therefore, the districts had special courts as well as fast track courts.
The spokesman said that the State Government had appointed
special public prosecutors from prosecutor cadre to plead effectively in the courts for the cases under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocity) Act 1989. Besides, the State Government had not withdrawn any SC/ST under trial case, while 3 and 5 cases were withdrawn in 2009 in Karnataka and Maharashtra respectively.
The spokesman said that as many as 3217 cases of proved convicts pertaining to the crimes against SC/ST members were in Uttar Pradesh, while such type of cases were only 5934 in the entire country. In this way, the percentage of the cases having punishment in Uttar Pradesh is 54.2 percent out of the country and the rate of punishment remained 52.6, while average rate of proved convicts was only 29.6 in the country.
The spokesman said that the State Government had issued
Government order in July 2009 regarding spot inspection by the senior police officer in the cases of harassment of SC/ST and to send the report to headquarters. The divisional officers had been directed to visit the place of incident and to send the information regarding action taken to headquarters and the arrangement for providing sanctioned relief amount to the victim had been made. Effective implementation of this G.O. was being ensured, he added.
The spokesman said that keeping in view the sensitive nature of the crime against SC/ST, quick registration, time-bound investigation and effective pleading was being ensured, owing to which crimes against SC/ST people in Uttar Pradesh had decreased.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker seeks cooperation of leaders of all political parties in peaceful running of House
Chief Minister and Leaders of opposition parties assure Speaker Vidhan Sabha of full cooperation
Lucknow : February 03, 2011
The Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Mr. Sukhdev Rajbhar sought
the cooperation of leaders of all the political parties in the smooth and peaceful running of the House. At a meeting held at Vidhan Bhawan here today, he requested leaders of the political parties to cooperate in running the House according to the parliamentary traditions.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister and leader of the House Ms. Mayawati
ji, on behalf of the ruling party, assured the Vidhan Sabha Speaker of that her party would extend all cooperation in running the House smoothly. She said that the Hon’ble Governor would also address the Joint Session of the House, through which details of the decisions taken in favour of the people of the State by the State Government and its achievements would be presented. She said that the U.P.
Government would also present budget for the financial year 2011-12 in the House and owing to it this session has special importance. She expressed the hope that the opposition would cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House.
The Samajwadi Party leader Mr. Ambika Chaudhary, BJP leader
Mr. Om Prakash Singh, Congress leader Mr. Pramod Tiwari and R.L.D. leader Mr. Kokab Hameed assured of full cooperation in peaceful running of the House on behalf of their respective parties to the Vidhan Sabha Speaker.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Ji Verma and
Cooperative Minister Mr. Babu Singh Kushwaha were present on theoccasion.
*******
VOICE OF SARVAJAN HONEYLEAKS
Black money list revealed
After two years of debates and controversies the list of eighteen Indians who have stashed βblack moneyβ in the LGT bank of Liechtenstein is out.
The list which was officially handed over to the Indian Government on March 18, 2009 includes 12 trusts and 26 beneficiaries.
The list that Germany shared with India had 12 trusts out of which four belong to Indians. The beneficiaries are
1. Manoj Dhupelia
2. Rupal Dhupelia
3. Mohan Dhupelia
4. Hasmukh Gandhi
5. Chintan Gandhi
6. Dilip Mehta
7. Arun Mehta
8. Arun Kochar
9. Gunwanti Mehta
10. Rajnikant Mehta
11. Prabodh Mehta
12. Ashok Jaipuria
13. Raj Foundation
14. Urvashi Foundation
15. Ambrunova Trust
According to CNN IBN, the amounts in the twelve accounts totals nearly to Rs 52 Crores.
The list has been leaked out of various media houses across the country. However, experts are of the view that this could be a plant β while the real account holders are some where out there.
MANJUNATH wrote:
Indians black money in Swiss bank is Rs.358,569,863,300,000(estimatedto be 1.4 trillion dollars). This money belongs to 2000 Indians who have kept there to evadefrom tax,. This money is enough for our India to become one of the most powerful developedcountry in the world for next 100 years.