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01/11/08

Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 7:38 pm

47 Buddha’s Own Words

MOST IMPORTANT PRACTICE OF THE BLESSED, NOBLE, AWAKENED ONE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL TRUE FOLLOWERS

Noble Eightfold Path-Wisdom-

1) Right View

The Ten Fetters

(Sa.myojana)

2) Right Intention

Right Thought

(Sammaa-sankappa)

Ethical Conduct

3) Right Speech

(Sammaa-vaacaa)

4) Right Action

(Sammaa-kammanta)

5) Right Livelihood

(Sammaa-aajiva)

 

Mental Development

 

6) Right Effort

(Sammaa-vaayaama)

7) Right Mindfulness

(Sammaa-sati)

 

8) Right Concentration

(Sammaa-samaadhi)

hanas

 Stream-enterer

The Sotapanna or ‘Stream-Enterer’

Once-returner

 Non-returner

 

1) Right View

 

The Ten Fetters

(Sa.myojana)

There are ten ‘Fetters’-samyojana-by which beings are bound to the wheel of existence. They are:

Self-Illusion (sakkaaya-di.t.thi)

Scepticism (vicikicchaa)

Attachment to mere Rule and Ritual (siilabbata-paraamaasa)

Sensual Lust (kaamaraaga)

Ill-Will (vyaapaada)

Craving for Fine-Material Existence (ruupa-raaga)

Craving for Immaterial Existence (aruupa-raaga)

Conceit (maana)

Restlessness (uddhacca)

Ignorance (avijjaa).

The Noble Ones

(Ariya-puggala)

One
who is freed from the first three Fetters is called a ‘Stream -
Enterer’ (in Pali: Sotaapanna) i.e. one who has entered the stream
leading to Nibbaana. He has unshakable faith in the Buddha, Dhamma, and
Sangha, and is incapable of breaking the five Moral Precepts. He will be
reborn seven times, at the utmost, and not in a state lower than the
human world.

One
who has overcome the fourth and the fifth Fetters in their grosser
form, is called a Sakadaagaami, lit. ‘Once-Returner’ i.e. he will be
reborn only once more in the Sensuous Sphere (kaama-loka), and
thereafter reach Holiness.

An
Anaagaami, lit. ‘Non-Returner’, is wholly freed from the first five
Fetters which bind one to rebirth in the Sensuous Sphere; after death,
while living in the Fine-Material Sphere (ruupa-loka), he will reach the
goal.

An Arahat, i.e. the perfectly ‘Holy One’, is freed from all the ten Fetters.

Each
of the aforementioned four stages of Holiness consists of the ‘Path’
(magga) and the ‘Fruition’, e.g. ‘Path of Stream Entry’
(sotaapatti-magga) and ‘Fruition of Stream Entry’ (sotaapatti-phala).
Accordingly there are eight types, or four pairs, of ‘Noble Individuals’
(ariya-puggala).

The
‘Path’ consists of the single moment of entering the respective
attainment. By ‘Fruition’ are meant those moments of consciousness which
follow immediately thereafter as the result of the ‘Path’, and which
under certain circumstances, may repeat innumerable times during
life-time.

For further details, see B. Dict.: ariya-puggala, sotaapanna,etc.

Mundane And Super Mundane Understanding

M.117

Therefore, I say, Right Understanding is of two kinds:

1.
The view that alms and offerings are not useless; that there is fruit
and result, both of good and bad actions; that there are such things as
this life, and the next life; that father and mother, as also
spontaneously born beings (in the heavenly worlds), are no mere words;
that there are in the world monks and priests, who are spotless and
perfect, who can explain this life and the next life, which they
themselves have understood: this is called the ‘Mundane Right
Understanding’ (lokiya-sammaa-di.t.thi), which yields worldly fruits and
brings good results.

2.
But whatsoever there is of wisdom, of penetration, of right
understanding conjoined with the ‘Path’ (of the Sotaapanna,
Sakadaagaami, Anaagaami, or Arahat)-the mind being turned away from the
world and conjoined with the path, the holy path being pursued: this is
called the ‘Super mundane Right Understanding’
(lokuttara-sammaa-di.t.thi), which is not of the world, but is super
mundane and conjoined with the path.

Thus, there are two kinds of the Eightfold Path:

1.
The ‘mundane’ (lokiya), practiced by the ‘Worldling’ (puthujjana), i.e.
by all those who have not yet reached the first stage of Holiness; 2.
The ’super mundane’ (lokuttara) practiced by the ‘Noble Ones’
(ariya-puggala).

Conjoined With Other Steps

Now,
in understanding wrong understanding as wrong and right understanding
as right, one practices ‘Right Understanding’ (1st factor); and in
making efforts to overcome wrong understanding, and to arouse right
understanding, one practices ‘Right Effort’ (6th factor); and in
overcoming wrong understanding with attentive mind, and dwelling with
attentive mind in the possession of right understanding one practices
‘Right Mindfulness’ (7th factor). Hence, there are three things that
accompany and follow upon right understanding, namely: Right
Understanding, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness.

Free from All Theories

M. 72

Now,
if any one should put the question, whether I admit any theory at all,
he should be answered thus: The Perfect One is free from any theory, for
the Perfect One has understood what corporeality is, and how it arises
and passes away. He has understood what feeling is, and how it arises
and passes away. He has understood what perception is, and how it arises
and passes away. He has understood what the mental formations are, and
how they arise and pass away. He has understood what consciousness is,
and how it arises and passes away. Therefore I say, the Perfect One has
won complete deliverance through the extinction, fading-away,
disappearance, rejection, and getting rid of all opinions and
conjectures, of all inclination to the vain-glory of ‘I‘ and ‘mine‘.

The Three Characteristics

A. III. 134

Whether
Perfect Ones (Buddhas) appear in the world, or whether Perfect Ones do
not appear in the world, it still remains a firm condition, an immutable
fact and fixed law: that all formations are impermanent (Anicca), that
all formations are subject to suffering (dukkha); that everything is
without a Self (an-attaa).

In Pali: sabbe sankhaaraa aniccaa, sabbe sankhaaraa dukkhaa, sabbe dhammaa anattaa.

The
word ’sankhaaraa’ (formations) comprises here all things that are
conditioned or ‘formed’ (sankhata-dhamma), i.e. all possible physical
and mental constituents of existence. The word ‘dhamma’, however, has a
still wider application and is all-embracing, as it comprises also the
so-called Unconditioned (’unformed’, asankhata), i.e. Nibbana.

For
this reason, it would be wrong to say that all dhammas are impermanent
and subject to change, for the Nibbaana-dhamma is permanent and free
from change. And for the same reason, it is correct to say that not only
all the sankhaaras (=sankhata-dhamma), but that all the dhammas
(including the asankhata-dhamma) lack an Ego (an-attaa).

S. XXII. 94

A
corporeal phenomenon, a feeling, a perception, a mental formation, a
consciousness, which is permanent and persistent, eternal and not
subject to change, such a thing the wise men in this world do not
recognize; and I also say that there is no such thing.

A. I. 15

And it is impossible that a being possessed of right understanding should regard anything as the Self.

Views and Discussions About the Ego

D. 15

Now,
if someone should say that feeling is his Self, he should be answered
thus: ‘There are three kinds of feeling: pleasurable, painful, and
indifferent feeling. Which of these three feelings do you consider as
your Self?’ Because, at the moment of experiencing one of these
feelings, one does not experience the other two. These three kinds of
feeling are impermanent, of dependent origin, are subject to decay and
dissolution, to fading-away and extinction. Whosoever, in experiencing
one of these feelings, thinks that this is his Self, must after the
extinction of that feeling, admit that his Self has become dissolved.
And thus he will consider his Self already in this present life as
impermanent, mixed up with pleasure and pain, subject to arising and
passing away.

If
any one should say that feeling is not his Ego, and that his Self is
inaccessible to feeling, he should be asked thus: ‘Now, where there is
no feeling, is it then possible to say: “This am I?”

Or,
another might say: ‘Feeling, indeed, is not my Self, but it also is
untrue that my Self is inaccessible to feeling, for it is my Self that
feels, my Self that has the faculty of feeling’. Such a one should be
answered thus: ‘Suppose that feeling should become altogether totally
extinguished; now, if after the extinction of feeling, no feeling
whatever exists there, is it then possible to say: “This am I’?”

M. 148

To
say that the mind, or the mind-objects, or the mind-consciousness,
constitute the Self, such an assertion is unfounded. For an arising and a
passing away is seen there; and seeing the arising and passing away of
these things, one would come to the conclusion that one’s Self arises
and passes away.

S. XII. 62

1t
would be better for the unlearned worldling to regard his body, built
up of the four elements, as his Self, rather than his mind. For it is
evident that the body may last for a year, for two years, for three,
four, five, or ten years, or even for a hundred years and more; but that
which is called thought, or mind, or consciousness, arises
continuously, during day and night, as one thing, and passes away as
another thing.

S. XXII. 59

Therefore,
whatsoever there is of corporeality, of feeling, of perception, of
mental formations, of consciousness whether past, present or future,
one’s own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, far or near: of
this one should understand according to reality and true wisdom: ‘This
does not belong to me; this am I not; this is not my Self.’

To show the impersonality and utter emptiness of existence, Visuddhi-Magga XVI quotes the following verse:

Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found,

The deed is, but no doer of the deed is there.

Nirvana is, but not the man that enters it.

The path is, but no traveler on it is seen’.

Past, Present and Future

D. 9

If
now, any one should ask: ‘Have you been in the past, and is it untrue
that you have not been? Will you be in the future, and is it untrue that
you will not be? Are you, and is it untrue that you are not?’ - you may
reply that you have been in the past, and that it is untrue that you
have not been; that you will be in the future, and that it is untrue
that you will not be; that you are, and that it is untrue that you are
not.

In
the past only that past existence was real, but unreal the future and
present existence. In the future only the future existence will be real,
but unreal the past and the present existence. Now only the present
existence is real, but unreal, the past and future existence.

M. 28

Verily,
he who perceives the ‘Dependent Origination’ (pa.ticca-samuppaada),
perceives the truth; and he who perceives the truth, perceives the
Dependent Origination.

D. 8

For
just as from the cow comes milk, from milk curd, from curd butter, from
butter ghee, from ghee the skim of ghee; and when it is milk, it is not
counted as curd, or butter, or ghee, or skim of ghee, but only as milk;
and when it is curd, it is only counted as curd: just so was my past
existence at that time real, but unreal the future and present
existence; and my future existence will be at that time real, but unreal
the past and present existence; and my present existence is now real,
but unreal the past and future existence. All these are merely popular
designations and expressions, mere conventional terms of speaking, mere
popular notions. The Perfect One indeed makes use of these, without
however clinging to them.

S. XLIV 4

Thus,
he who does not understand corporeality, feeling, perception, mental
formations and consciousness according to reality (i.e. as void of a
personality, or Ego) nor understands their arising, their extinction,
and the way to their extinction, he is liable to believe, either that
the Perfect One continues after death, or that he does not continue
after death, and so forth.

The Two Extremes (Annihilation and Eternity Belief) and the Middle Doctrine

S. XII. 25

Truly,
if one holds the view that the vital principle (jiva; ‘Soul’) is
identical with this body, in that case a holy life is not possible; and
if one holds the view that the vital principle is something quite
different from the body, in that case also a holy life is not possible.
Both these two extremes the Perfect One has avoided, and he has shown
the Middle Doctrine, which says:

Dependent Origination

(Pa.ticca-samuppaada)

S. XII. 1

On Ignorance (avijjaa) depend the ‘Karma-formations’ (sankhaaraa).

On the Karma-formations depends ‘Consciousness’ (vi~n~naa.na; starting with rebirth-consciousness in the womb of the mother).

On Consciousness depends the ‘Mental and Physical Existence’ (naama-ruupa).

On the mental and physical existence depend the ‘Six Sense-Organs’ (sa.l-aayatana).

On the six sense-organs depends ‘Sensorial Impression’ (phassa).

On sensorial impression depends ‘Feeling’ (vedanaa).

On feeling depends ‘Craving’ (ta.nhaa).

On craving depends ‘Clinging’ (upaadaana).

On clinging depends the ‘Process of Becoming’ (bhava).

On the process of becoming (here: kamma-bhava, or karma-process) depends ‘Rebirth’ (jaati).

On rebirth depend ‘Decay and Death’ (jaraa-marana), sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.

Thus arises this whole mass of suffering. This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.

“No god, no Brahma can be called

The maker of this wheel of life:

Empty phenomena roll on,

Dependent on conditions all.”

(Quoted in Visuddhi-Magga XIX).

S. XII. 51

A
disciple, however, in whom Ignorance (avijjaa) has disappeared and
wisdom arisen, such a disciple heaps up neither meritorious, nor
de-meritorious, nor imperturbable Karma-formations.

The
term sankhaaraa has been rendered here by ‘Karma Formations’ because,
in the context of the Dependent Origination, it refers to karmically
wholesome and unwholesome volition (cetanaa), or volitional activity, in
short, Karma.

The
threefold division of it, given in the preceding passage, comprises
karmic activity in all spheres of existence, or planes of consciousness.
The ‘meritorious karma-formations’ extend also to the Fine-Material
Sphere (ruupaavacara), while the ‘imperturbable karma-formations’
(ane~njaabhisankhaaraa) refer only to the Immaterial Sphere
(aruupaavacara).

S. XII. 1

Thus,
through the entire fading away and extinction of this ‘Ignorance’, the
‘Karma-formations’ are extinguished. Through the extinction of
Karma-formations, ‘Consciousness’ (rebirth) is extinguished. Through the
extinction of consciousness, the ‘Mental and Physical Existence’ is
extinguished. Through the extinction of the mental and physical
existence, the ‘Six Sense-Organs’ are extinguished. Through the
extinction of the six sense organs, ‘Sensorial Impression’ is
extinguished. Through the extinction of sensorial impression, ‘Feeling’
is extinguished. Through the extinction of feeling, ‘Craving’ is
extinguished. Through the extinction of craving, ‘Clinging’ is
extinguished. Through the extinction of clinging, the ‘Process of
Becoming’ is extinguished. Through the extinction of the process of
becoming, ‘Rebirth’ is extinguished. Through the extinction of rebirth,
‘Decay and Death’, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are
extinguished. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of
suffering. This is called the noble truth of the extinction of
suffering.

Rebirth-Producing Kamma

M. 43

Truly,
because beings, obstructed by ignorance (avijjaa) and ensnared by
craving (tanhaa) seek ever fresh delight, now here, now there, therefore
fresh rebirth continually comes to be.

A. III. 33

And
the action (kamma) that is done out of greed, hatred and delusion
(lobha, dosa, moha), that springs from them, has its source and origin
in them: this action ripens wherever one is reborn, and wherever this
action ripens there one experiences the fruits of this action, be it in
this life, or the next life, or in some future life.

Cessation of Kamma

M. 43

However,
through the fading away of ignorance, through the arising of wisdom,
through the extinction of craving, no future rebirth takes place again.

A. III. 33

For
the actions which are not done out of greed, hatred and delusion, which
have not sprung from them, which have not their source and origin in
them: such actions, through the absence of greed, hatred and delusion,
are abandoned, rooted out, like a palm-tree torn out of the soil,
destroyed, and not able to spring up again.

A. VIII. 12

In
this respect one may rightly say of me: that I teach annihilation, that
I propound my doctrine for the purpose of annihilation, and that I
herein train my disciples; for certainly I do teach annihilation-the
annihilation, namely, of greed, hatred and delusion, as well as of the
manifold evil and unwholesome things.

The
Pa.ticca Samuppaada, lit, the Dependent Origination, is the doctrine of
the conditionality of all physical and mental phenomena, a doctrine
which, together with that of Impersonality (anattaa), forms the
indispensable condition for the real understanding and realization of
the Buddha’s teaching. It shows that the various physical and mental
life-processes, conventionally called personality, man, animal, etc.,
are not a mere play of blind chance, but the outcome of causes and
conditions. Above all, the Pa.ticca-Samuppaada explains how the arising
of rebirth and suffering is dependent upon conditions; and, in its
second part, it shows how, through the removal of these conditions, all
suffering must disappear. Hence, the Pa.ticca-Samuppaada serves to
elucidate the second and the third Noble Truths, by explaining them from
their very foundations upwards, and giving them a fixed philosophical
form.

The
following diagram shows at a glance how the twelve links of the formula
extend over three consecutive existences, past, present, and future:

The links 1-2, together with 8-10, represent the Karma-Process, containing the five karmic causes of rebirth.

The links 3-7, together with 11-12, represent the Rebirth-Process, containing the five Karma-Results.

Accordingly it is said in the Patisambhidaa-Magga:

Five causes were there in past,

Five fruits we find in present life.

Five causes do we now produce,

Five fruits we reap in future life.

(Quoted in Vis. Magga XVII)

For a full explanation see Fund. III and B. Dict.

Right Intention

Right Thought

(Sammaa-sankappa)

D. 22

What, now, is Right Thought?

1. Thought free from lust (nekkhamma-sankappa).
2. Thought free from ill-will (avyaapaada-sankappa).
3. Thought free from cruelty (avihimsaa-sankappa).

This is called Right Thought.

Mundane And Super Mundane Thought

M. 117

Now, Right Thought, I tell you, is of two kinds:

1. Thought
free from lust, from ill-will, and from cruelty-this is called ‘Mundane
Right Thought’ (lokiya sammaa-sankappa), which yields worldly fruits and
brings good rcsu1ts.

2. But,
whatsoever there is of thinking, considering, reasoning, thought,
ratiocination, application-the mind being holy, being turned away from
the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path being
pursued-these ‘verbal operations’ of the mind (vacii-sankhaaraa) are
called the ‘Super mundane Right Thought’ (lokuttara-sammaa-sankappa),
which is not of the world, but is super mundane, and conjoined with the
path.

Conjoined with Other Factors

Now, in understanding wrong thought as wrong, and right thought as right, one practices Right Understanding (1st factor); and in making efforts to overcome evil thought and to arouse right thought, one practices Right Effort
(6th factor); and in overcoming evil thought with attentive mind, and
dwelling with attentive mind in possession of right thought, one
practices Right Mindfulness (7th factor). Hence there are three
things that accompany and follow upon Right Thought, namely: Right
Understanding, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness.

Ethical Conduct

3) Right Speech

Right Speech

(Sammaa-vaacaa)

What now, is Right Speech?

Abstaining from Lying

A. X. 176

1. Herein
someone avoids lying and abstains from it. He speaks the truth, is
devoted to the truth, reliable, worthy of confidence, not a deceiver of
men. Being at a meeting, or amongst people, or in the midst of his
relatives, or in a society, or in the king’s court, and called upon and
asked as witness to tell what he knows, he answers, if he knows nothing:
‘I know nothing’, and if he knows, he answers: ‘I know’; if he has seen
nothing, he answers: ‘I have seen nothing’, and if he has seen, he
answers: ‘I have seen’. Thus he never knowingly speaks a lie, either for
the sake of his own advantage, or for the sake of another person’s
advantage, or for the sake of any advantage whatsoever.

Abstaining from Tale Bearing

2. He avoids
tale bearing, and abstains from it. What he has heard here, he does not
repeat there, so as to cause dissension there; and what he has heard
there, he does not repeat here, so as to cause dissension here. Thus he
unites those that are divided; and those that are united, he encourages.
Concord gladdens him, he delights and rejoices in concord; and it is
concord that he spreads by his words.

Abstaining from Harsh Language

3. He avoids
harsh language, and abstains from it. He speaks such words as are
gentle, soothing to the ear, loving, such words as go to the heart, and
are courteous, friendly, and agreeable to many.

In
Majjhima-Nicaaya No. 21, the Buddha says: ‘Even, O monks, should
robbers and murderers saw through your limbs and joints, whosoever
should give way to anger thereat would not be following my advice. For
thus ought you to train yourselves:

‘Undisturbed
shall our mind remain, no evil words shall escape our lips; friendly
and full of sympathy shall we remain, with heart full of love, and free
from any hidden malice; and that person shall we penetrate with loving
thoughts, wide, deep, boundless, freed from anger and hatred’.

Abstaining from Vain Talk

A. X. 176

4. He avoids
vain talk, and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in
accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks of the law and the
discipline: his speech is like a treasure, uttered at the right moment,
accompanied by arguments, moderate and full of sense.

This is called Right Speech.

Mundane and Super Mundane Speech

M. 117

Now, Right Speech. I tell you, is of two kinds:

1. Abstaining
from lying, from tale-bearing, from harsh language, and from vain talk;
this is called ‘Mundane Right Speech’ (lokiya-sammaa-vaacaa), which
yields worldly fruits and brings good results.

2. But the
avoidance of the practice of this fourfold wrong speech, the abstaining,
desisting. refraining there from-the mind being holy, being turned away
from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path being
pursued-this is called the ‘Super mundane Right Speech’
(lokuttara-sammaa-vaacaa), which is not of the world, but is super
mundane, and conjoined with the path.

Conjoined with Other Factors

Now, in understanding wrong speech as wrong, and right speech as right, one practices Right Understanding (1st factor); and in making efforts to overcome evil speech and to arouse right speech, one practices Right Effort
(6th factor); and in overcoming wrong speech with attentive mind, and
dwelling with attentive mind in possession of right speech, one
practices Right Mindfulness (7th factor). Hence, there are
three things that accompany and follow upon Right Speech, namely: Right
Understanding, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness.

 

4) Right Action

(Sammaa-kammanta)

A. X. 176

What, now, is Right Action?

Abstaining from Killing

1. Herein someone
avoids the killing of living beings, and abstains from it. Without stick
or sword, conscientious, full of sympathy, he is desirous of the
welfare of all living beings.

Abstaining from Stealing

2. He avoids stealing,
and abstains from it; what another person possesses of goods and
chattels in the village or in the wood, that he does not take away with
thievish intent.

Abstaining from Unlawful Sexual Intercourse

3. He avoids unlawful
sexual intercourse, and abstains from it. He has no intercourse with
such persons as are still under the protection of father, mother,
brother, sister or relatives, nor with married women, nor female
convicts, nor lastly, with betrothed girls.

This is called Right Action.

Mundane And Super Mundane Action

M. 117

Now, Right Action, I tell you, is of two kinds:

1. Abstaining from
killing, from stealing, and from unlawful sexual intercourse: this is
called the ‘Mundane Right Action’ (lokiya-sammaa-kammanta) which yields
worldly fruits and brings good results.

2. But the avoidance
of the practice of this threefold wrong action, the abstaining,
desisting, refraining there from-the mind being holy.  Being
turned away from the world, and conjoined with the path, the holy path
being pursued-this is called the ‘Super mundane Right Action’
(lokuttara-sammaa-kammanta), which is not of the world, but is super
mundane, and conjoined with the path.

Conjoined With Other Factors

Now in understanding wrong action as wrong, and right action as right, one practices Right Understanding (1st factor): and in making efforts to overcome wrong action, and to arouse right action, one practices Right Effort
(6th factor); and in overcoming wrong action with attentive mind, and
dwelling with attentive mind in possession of right action, one
practices Right Mindfulness (7th factor).  Hence,
there are three things that accompany and follow upon Right Action,
namely: Right Understanding, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness.

5) Right Livelihood

(Sammaa-aajiva)

What, now, is Right Livelihood?

D. 22

1. When the
noble disciple, avoiding a wrong way of living, gets his livelihood by a
right way of living, this is called Right Livelihood.

In
the Majjhima-Nikaaya, No. 117, it is said: ‘To practice deceit,
treachery, soothsaying, trickery, usury: this is wrong livelihood.’

And
in the Anguttara-Nikaaya, V. 1 77, it is said: ‘Five trades should be
avoided by a disciple: trading in arms, in living beings, in flesh, in
intoxicating drinks, and in poison’.

Included are the professions of a soldier, a fisherman, a hunter, etc.

Now, Right Livelihood, I tell you, is of two kinds:

Mundane and Super mundane Right Livelihood

M. 117

1. When the
noble disciple, avoiding wrong living, gets his livelihood by a right
way of living: this is called ‘Mundane Right Livelihood’
(lokiya-sammaa-aajiva), which yields worldly fruits and brings good
results.

2. But the
avoidance of wrong livelihood, the abstaining, desisting, refraining
there from-the mind being holy, being turned away from the world, and
conjoined with the path, the holy path being pursued-this is called the
‘Super mundane Right Livelihood’ (lokuttara-sammaa-aajiva), which is not
of the world,  but is super mundane, and conjoined with the path.

Conjoined with Other Factors

Now. in understanding wrong livelihood as wrong, and right livelihood as right, one practices Right Understanding (1st factor); and in making efforts to overcome wrong livelihood, to establish right livelihood, one practices Right Effort
(6th factor); and in overcoming wrong livelihood with attentive mind,
and dwelling with attentive mind in possession of right livelihood, one
practices Right Mindfulness (7th factor). Hence, there are
three things that accompany and follow upon Right Livelihood, namely:
Right Understanding, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness.

Mental Development

6) Right Effort

(Sammaa-vaayaama)

A. IV. 13, 14

What, now. is Right Effort?

There are Four Great Efforts; the effort to avoid, the effort to overcome, the effort to develop, and the effort to maintain.

I. The Effort to Avoid

(Sa.mvara-ppadhaana)

What, now is the effort to Avoid?
Herein the disciple rouses his will to avoid the arising of evil,
unwholesome things that have not yet arisen; and he makes efforts, stirs
up his energy; exerts his mind and strives.

Thus, when lie
perceives a form with the eye, a sound with the ear, and an odor with
the nose, a taste with the tongue, an impression with the body, or an
object with the mind, he neither adheres to the whole, nor to its parts.
And he strives to ward off that through which evil and unwholesome
things, greed and sorrow, would arise, if he remained with unguarded
senses; and he watches over his senses, restrains his senses.

Possessed of this noble ‘Control over the Senses’ he experiences inwardly a feeling of joy, into which no evil thing can enter.

This is called the effort to avoid

2. The Effort to Overcome

(Pahaana-ppadhaana)

What, now, is the effort to Overcome?
There the disciple rouses his will to overcome the evil, unwholesome
things that have already arisen; and he makes effort, stirs up his
energy, exerts his mind and strives.

He does not
retain any thought of sensual lust, ill-will or grief, or any other evil
and unwholesome states that may have arisen; he abandons them, dispels
them, destroys them. causes them to disappear.

Five Methods of Expelling Evil Thoughts

M. 20

If, whilst
regarding a certain object, there arise in the disciple, on account of
it, evil and unwholesome thoughts connected with greed, hatred and
delusion, then the disciple (1) should, by means of this object, gain
another and wholesome object. (2) Or, he should reflect on the misery of
these thoughts; ‘Unwholesome, truly, are these thoughts! Blamable are
these thoughts! Of painful result are these thoughts!’ (3) Or he should
pay no attention to these thoughts. (4) Or, he should consider the
compound nature of these thoughts. (5) Or, with teeth clenched and
tongue pressed against the gums, he should with his mind restrain,
suppress and root out these thoughts; and in doing so these evil and
unwholesome thoughts of greed, hatred and delusion will dissolve and
disappear; and the mind will inwardly become settled and calm, composed
and concentrated.

This is called the effort to overcome.

3. The Effort to Develop

(Bhaavanaa-ppadhaana)

A. IV. 13, 14

What, now, is the effort to Develop?
Herein the disciple rouses his will to arouse wholesome things that
have not yet arisen; and he makes effort, stirs up his energy, exerts
his mind and strives.

Thus he
develops the ‘Elements of Enlightenment’ (bojjhanga), based on solitude,
on detachment, on extinction, and ending in deliverance, namely:
‘Mindfulness’ (sati), ‘Investigation of the Law’ (dhamma-vicaya),
‘Energy’ (viriya), ‘Rapture’ (piiti), ‘Tranquility’ (passaddhi),
‘Concentration’ (samadhi). and ‘Equanimity’ (upekkhaa).

This is called the effort to develop.

4. The Effort to Maintain

(Anurakkha.na-ppadhaana)

What, now, is
the effort to Maintain? Herein the disciple rouses his will to maintain
the wholesome things that have already arisen, and not to allow them to
disappear, but to bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full
perfection of development (bhaavanaa); and he makes effort, stirs up his
energy, exerts his mind and strives.

Thus, for
example, he keeps firmly in his mind a favorable object of concentration
that has arisen, such as the mental image of a skeleton, of a corpse
infested by worms, of a corpse blue-black in color, of a festering
corpse, of a corpse riddled with holes, of a corpse swollen up.

This is called the effort to maintain.

M. 70

Truly, for a
disciple who is possessed of faith and has penetrated the Teaching of
the master, it is fit to think: ‘Though skin sinews and bones wither
away, though flesh and blood of my body dry up, I shall not give up my
efforts till I have attained whatever is attainable by manly
perseverance, energy and endeavor.’

This is called Right Effort.

A. IV. 14

The effort of Avoiding, Overcoming,

Of Developing and Maintaining:

These four great efforts have been shown

By him, the scion of the sun.

And he who firmly clings to them,

May put an end to suffering.

7) Right Mindfulness

(Sammaa-sati)

What, now, is Right Mindfulness?

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

(Satipa.t.thaana)

D. 22

The only way
that leads to the attainment of purity, to the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the entering upon the
right path and the realization of Nibbana, is by the ‘Four Foundations
of Mindfulness’. And which are these four?

Herein the
disciple dwells in contemplation of the Body, in contemplation of
Feeling, in contemplation of the Mind, in contemplation of the
Mind-Objects; ardent, clearly comprehending them and mindful, after
putting away worldly greed and grief.

1. Contemplation of the Body

(kaayaanupassanaa)

But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the body?

Watching Over In- and Out-Breathing

(aanaapaana-sati)

Herein the
disciple retires to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to a solitary
place, seats himself with legs crossed, body erect, and with mindfulness
fixed before him, mindfully he breathes in, mindfully he breathes out.
When making a long inhalation, he knows: ‘I make a long inhalation’;
when making a long exhalation, he knows: ‘I make a long exhalation’.
When making a short inhalation, he knows: ‘I make a short inhalation’:
when making a short exhalation, he knows: ‘I make a short exhalation’.
‘Clearly perceiving the entire (breath-) body, I shall breathe in’: thus
he trains himself; ‘Clearly perceiving the entire (breath-) body, I
shall breathe out’: thus he trains himself. ‘Calming this bodily
function (kaaya-sankhaara), I shall breathe in’: thus he trains himself;
‘Calming this bodily function. I shall breathe out’: thus he trains
himself.

Thus he dwells
in contemplation of the body, either with regard to his own person, or
to other persons, or to both, he beholds how the body arises; beholds
how it passes away; beholds the arising and passing away of the body. A
body is there-

‘A
body is there, but no living being, no individual, no woman, no man, no
self, and nothing that belongs to a self; neither a person. nor
anything belonging to a person. (Comm.)

this clear
awareness is present in him, to the extent necessary for knowledge and
mindfulness, and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the
world. Thus does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the body.

‘Mindfulness
of Breathing’ (aanaapaana-sati) is one of the most important meditative
exercises. It may be used for the development of Tranquility
(samatha-bhaavanaa), i.e. for attaining the four Absorptions (jhana; see
“The Four Absorptions” on page 67), for the development of Insight
(vipassanaa-bhaavanaa) or for a combination of both practices. Here, in
the context of satipa.t.thaana, it is principally intended for
tranquillization and concentration preparatory to the practice of
Insight, which may be undertaken in the following way.

After
a certain degree of calm and concentration, or one of the Absorptions,
has been attained through regular practice of mindful breathing, the
disciple proceeds to examine the origin of breath. He sees that the
inhalations and exhalations are conditioned by the body consisting of
the four material elements and the various corporeal phenomena derived
from them, e.g. the five sense organs, etc. Conditioned by fivefold
sense-impression arises consciousness, and together with it the three
other ‘Groups of Existence’, i.e. Feeling, Perception, and mental
Formations. Thus the meditator sees clearly: ‘There is no ego-entity or
self in this so called personality, but it is only a corporeal and
mental process conditioned by various factors’. Thereupon he applies the
Three Characteristics to these phenomena, understanding them thoroughly
as impermanent subject to suffering, and impersonal.

For further details about Ânaapaana-sati, see M. 118.62: Visuddhi-Magga VIII, 3.

The Four Postures

And further,
whilst going, standing, sitting, or lying down, the disciple understands
(according to reality) the expressions; ‘I go’; ‘I stand’; ‘I sit’; ‘I
lie down’; he understands any position of the body.

‘The
disciple understands that there is no living being, no real Ego, that
goes, stands, etc., but that it is by a mere figure of speech that one
says: “I go”, “I stand” and so forth’. (Comm.)

Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension

(sati-sampaja~n~na)

And further,
the disciple acts with clear comprehension in going and coming; he acts
with clear comprehension in looking forward and backward; acts with
clear comprehension in bending and stretching (any part of his body);
acts with clear comprehension in carrying alms bowl and robes; acts with
clear comprehension in eating, drinking, chewing and tasting; acts with
clear comprehension in discharging excrement and urine; acts with clear
comprehension in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, awakening;
acts with clear comprehension in speaking and keeping silent.

In
all that the disciple is doing, he has a clear comprehension: 1. of his
intention, 2. of his advantage, 3. of his duty, 4. of the reality.
(Comm.)

Contemplation of Loathsomeness

(pa.tikuula-sa~n~naa)

And further,
the disciple contemplates this body from the sole of the foot upward,
and from the top of the hair downward, with a skin stretched over it,
and filled with manifold impurities: ‘This body has hairs of the head
and of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, stomach, bowels,
mesentery, and excrement; bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, lymph, tears,
skin-grease, saliva, nasal mucus, oil of the joints, and urine.’

Just as if
there were a sack, with openings at both ends, filled with various kinds
of grain-with paddy, beans, sesamum and husked rice-and a man not blind
opened it and examined its contents, thus: ‘That is paddy, these are
beans, this is sesamum, this is husked rice’: just so does the disciple
investigate this body.

Analysts of Four Elements

(dhaatu)

And further,
the disciple contemplates this body, however it may stand or move, with
regard to the elements; ‘This body consists of the solid element, the
liquid element, the heating element and the vibrating element’. Just as
if a skilled butcher or butcher’s apprentice, who had slaughtered a cow
and divided it into separate portions, were to sit down at the junction
of four highroads: just so does the disciple contemplate this body with
regard to the elements.

In Visuddhi Magga XIII, 2 this simile is explained as follows:

When
a butcher rears a cow, brings it to the place of slaughter, binds it to
a post, makes it stand up, slaughters it and looks at the slaughtered
cow, during all that time he has still the notion ‘cow’. But when he has
cut up the slaughtered cow, divided it into pieces, and sits down near
it to sell the meat, the notion, ‘cow’ ceases in his mind, and the
notion ‘meat’ arises. He does not think that he is selling a cow or that
people buy a cow, but that it is meat that is sold and bought.
Similarly, in an ignorant worldling, whether monk or layman, the
concepts ‘being’, ‘man’, ‘personality’, etc., will not cease until he
has mentally dissected this body of his, as it stands and moves, and has
contemplated it according to its component elements. But when he has
done so, the notion ‘personality’, etc., will disappear, and his mind
will become firmly established in the Contemplation of the Elements.

Cemetery Meditations

1. And
further, just as if the disciple were looking at a corpse thrown on a
charnel-ground, one, two, or three days dead, swollen up, blue-black in
color, full of corruption-so he regards his own body: ‘This body of mine
also has this nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it.’

2. And
further, just as if the disciple were looking at a corpse thrown on a
charnel-ground, eaten by crows, hawks or vultures, by dogs or jackals,
or devoured by all kinds of worms-so he regards his own body; ‘This body
of mine also has this nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it.’

3. And
further, just as if the disciple were looking at a corpse thrown on a
charnel-ground, a framework of bones, flesh hanging from it, bespattered
with blood, held together by the sinews;

4. A framework of bone, stripped of flesh, bespattered with blood, held together by the sinews;

5. A framework of bone, without flesh and blood, but still held together by the sinews;

6. Bones,
disconnected and scattered in all directions, here a bone of the hand,
there a bone of the foot, there a shin bone, there a thigh bone, there a
pelvis, there the spine, there the skull-so he regards his own body:
‘This body of mine also has this nature, has this destiny, and cannot
escape it.’

7. And further, just as if the disciple were looking at bones lying in the charnel-ground, bleached and resembling shells;

8. Bones heaped together, after the lapse of years;

9. Bones
weathered and crumbled to dust-so he regards his own body: ‘This body of
mine also has this nature, has this destiny, and cannot escape it.’

Thus he dwells in contemplation of the body, either with regard to his own person, or to other persons, or to both.  He
beholds how the body arises; beholds how it passes away; beholds the
arising and passing away of the body. ‘A body is there’: this clear
awareness is present in him, to the extent necessary for knowledge and
mindfulness; and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the
world.  Thus does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the body.

Assured Of Ten Blessings

M. 119

Once the
contemplation of the body is practiced, developed, often repeated, has
become one’s habit, one’s foundation, is firmly established,
strengthened and perfected; the disciple may expect ten blessings:

1. Over
delight and discontent he has mastery; he does not allow himself to be
overcome by discontent; he subdues it, as soon as it arises.

2. He conquers
fear and anxiety; he does not allow himself to be overcome by fear and
anxiety; he subdues them, as soon as they arise.

3. He endures
cold and heat, hunger and thirst; wind and sun, attacks by gadflies,
mosquitoes and reptiles; patiently he endures wicked and malicious
speech, as well as bodily pains that befall him, though they be
piercing, sharp, bitter, unpleasant, disagreeable, and dangerous to
life.

4. The four
Absorptions’ (jhana), which purify the mind, and bestow happiness even
here, these he may enjoy at will, without difficulty, without effort.

Six ‘Psychical Powers’

(Abhi~n~naa)

5. He may enjoy the different ‘Magical Powers (id.dhi-vidhaa).

6. With the
‘Heavenly Ear’ (dibba-sota), the purified, the super-human, he may hear
both kinds of sounds, the heavenly and the earthly, the distant and the
near.

7. With the mind he may obtain ‘Insight into the Hearts of Other Beings’ (parassa-cetopariya-~naa.na), of other persons.

8. He may obtain ‘Remembrances of many Previous Births’ (pubbe-nivaasaanussati-~naa.na).

9. With the
‘Heavenly Eye’ (dibba-cakkhu), purified and super-human, he may see
beings vanish and reappear, the base and the noble, the beautiful and
the ugly, the happy and the unfortunate; he may perceive how beings are
reborn according to their deeds.

10. He may,
through the ‘Cessation of Passions’ (aasavakkhaya), come to know for
himself, even in this life, the stainless deliverance of mind, the
deliverance through wisdom.

The
last six blessings (5-10) are the ‘Psychical Powers’ (abhi~n~naa). The
first five of them are mundane (lokiya) conditions, and may therefore be
attained even by a ‘worldling’ (puthujjana), whilst the last Abhi~n~naa
is super-mundane (lokuttara) and exclusively the characteristic of the
Arhat, or Holy One. It is only after the attainment of all the four
Absorptions (jhana) that one may fully succeed in acquiring the five
worldly ‘Psychical Powers’. There are four iddhipaada, or ‘Bases for
obtaining Magical Powers’, namely: concentration of Will, concentration
of Energy, concentration of Mind, and concentration of Investigation.

2. Contemplation of the Feelings

(vedanaanupassanaa)

D. 22

But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the feelings?

In
experiencing feelings, the disciple knows: ‘I have an agreeable
feeling’; or: ‘I have a disagreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have an
indifferent feeling’; or: ‘I have a worldly agreeable feeling’, or: ‘I
have an unworldly agreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have a worldly disagreeable
feeling’, or: ‘I have an unworldly disagreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have a
worldly indifferent feeling’, or: ‘I have an unworldly indifferent
feeling’.

Thus he dwells
in contemplation of the feelings, either with regard to his own person,
or to other persons, or to both. He beholds how the feelings arise;
beholds how they pass away; beholds the arising and passing away of the
feelings. ‘Feelings are there’: this clear awareness is present in him,
to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness; and he lives
independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple
dwell in contemplation of the feelings.

The
disciple understands that the expression ‘I feel’ has no validity
except as a conventional expression (vohaaravacana); he understands
that, in the absolute sense (paramattha), there are only feelings, and
that there is no Ego, no experiencer of the feelings.

3. Contemplation of the Mind

(cittaanupassanaa)

But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the mind?

Herein the
disciple knows the greedy mind as greedy, and the not greedy mind as not
greedy; knows the hating mind as hating, and the not hating mind as not
hating: knows the deluded mind as deluded and the undeluded mind as
undeluded. He knows the cramped mind as cramped, and the scattered mind
as scattered; knows the developed mind as developed, and the undeveloped
mind as undeveloped; knows the surpass able mind as surpass able and
the unsurpassable mind as unsurpassable; knows the concentrated mind as
concentrated, and the unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated; knows the
freed mind as freed, and the un-freed mind as un-freed.

Citta
(mind) is here used as a collective term for the Cittas, or moments of
consciousness. Citta being identical with vi~n~naa.na, or consciousness,
should not be translated by ‘thought’. ‘Thought’ and ‘thinking’
correspond rather to the ‘verbal operations of the mind’: vitakka
(thought-conception) and vicaara (discursive thinking), which belong to
the Sankhaara-kkhandha.

Thus he dwells
in contemplation of the mind, either with regard to his own person, or
to other persons, or to both. He beholds how consciousness arises;
beholds how it passes away; beholds the arising and passing away of
consciousness. ‘Mind is there’; this clear awareness is present in him,
to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness; and he lives
independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple
dwell in contemplation of the mind.

4. Contemplation of the Mind-Objects

(dhammaanupassanaa)

But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of mind-objects?

Herein the disciple dwells in contemplation of the mind-objects, namely of the ‘Five Hindrances.’

The Five Hindrances

(niivara.na)

1. He knows
when there is ‘Lust’ (kaamacchanda) in him: ‘In me is lust’; knows when
there is ‘Anger’ (vyaapaada) in him: ‘In me is anger’; knows when there
is ‘Torpor and Sloth’ (thiina-middha) in him: ‘In me is torpor and
sloth’; knows when there is ‘Restlessness and Mental Worry’
(uddhacca-kukkucca) in him: ‘In me is restlessness and mental worry’;
knows when there are ‘Doubts’ (vicikicchaa) in him: ‘In me are doubts’.
He knows when these hindrances are not in him: ‘In me these hindrances
are not’. He knows how they come to arise; knows how, once arisen, they
are overcome; and he knows how they do not rise again in the future.

For
example, ‘Lust’ arises through unwise thinking on the agreeable and
delightful. It may be suppressed by the following six methods: fixing
the mind upon an idea that arouses disgust; contemplation of the
loathsomeness of the body; controlling one’s six senses; moderation in
eating; friendship with wise and good men; right instruction. Lust and
anger are for ever extinguished upon attainment of Anaagaamiiship;
‘Restlessness’ is extinguished by reaching Arhatship; ‘Mental Worry’, by
reaching Sotapanship.

The Five Groups of Existence

(khandha)

And further: the disciple dwells in contemplation of the mind-objects, namely of the five ‘Groups of Existence’.  He
knows what ‘Corporeality’ (ruupa) is, how it arises, how it passes
away; knows what ‘Feeling’ (vedanaa) is, how it arises, how it passes
away; knows what ‘Perception’ (sa~n~naa) is, how it arises, how it
passes away; knows what the ‘Mental Formations’ (Sankhara) are, how they
arise, how they pass away; knows what ‘Consciousness’ (vi~n~naa.na) is,
how it arises, how it passes away.

The Sense-Bases

(aayatana)

And further:
the disciple dwells in contemplation of the mind-objects, namely of the
six ‘Subjective-Objective Sense-Bases’. He knows the eye and visual
objects, ear and sounds, nose and odors, tongue and tastes, body and
bodily impressions, mind and mind-objects; and the fetter that arises in
dependence on them, he also knows. He knows how the fetter comes to
arise, knows how the fetter is overcome, and how the abandoned fetter
does not rise again in future.

The Seven Elements of Enlightenment

(bojjhanga)

And further:
the disciple dwells in contemplation of the mind-objects, namely of the
seven ‘Elements of Enlightenment’, He knows when there is in him
‘Mindfulness’ (sati), ‘Investigation of the Law’ (dhammavicaya),
‘Energy’ (viriya), ‘Enthusiasm’ (piiti), ‘Tranquility’ (passaddhi),
‘Concentration’ (samadhi), and ‘Equanimity’ (upekkhaa). He knows when it
is not in him, knows how it comes to arise, and how it is fully
developed.

The Four Noble Truths

(ariya-sacca)

And further:
the disciple dwells in contemplation of the mind-objects, namely of the
‘Four Noble Truths’. He knows according to reality, what Suffering is;
knows according to reality, what the Origin of suffering is; knows
according to reality what the Extinction of suffering is; knows
according to reality, what the Path is that leads to the extinction of
suffering.

Thus he dwells
in contemplation of the mind-objects either with regard to his own
person, or to other persons or to both. He beholds how the mind-objects
arise, beholds how they pass away, beholds the arising and passing away
of the mind-objects. ‘Mind-objects are there’: this clear awareness is
present in him, to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness;
and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does
the disciple dwell in contemplation of the mind-objects.

The only way
that leads to the attainment of purity, to the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, to the end of pain and grief, to the entering upon the
right path, and the realization of Nibbana, is by these four foundations
of mindfulness.

These
four contemplations of Satipa.t.thaana relate to all the five Groups of
Existence, namely: 1. The contemplation of corporeality relates to
ruupakkhandha; 2. the contemplation of feeling, to vedanaakkhandha; 3.
the contemplation of mind, to vi~n~naanakkhandha; 4. the contemplation
of mind-objects, to sa~n~naa- and sankhaara-kkhandha.

For further details about Satipa.t.thaana see the Commentary to the discourse of that name, translated in The Way of Mindfulness, by Bhikkhu Soma (Kandy 1967, Buddhist Publication Society).

Nibbaana Through Aanaapaana-Sati

M. 118

Watching over
In - and Out-breathing (aanaapaana-sati), practiced and developed,
brings the Four ‘Foundations of Mindfulness’ to perfection; the four
foundations of mindfulness, practiced and developed, bring the seven
‘Elements of Enlightenment’ to perfection; the seven elements of
enlightenment, practiced and developed, bring ‘Wisdom and Deliverance’
to perfection.

But how does
watching over In- and Out-breathing, practiced and developed, bring the
four ‘Foundations of Mindfulness’ (satipa.t.thaana) to perfection?

I. Whenever
the disciple (1) mindfully makes a long inhalation or exhalation, or (2)
makes a short inhalation or exhalation, or (3) trains himself to inhale
or exhale whilst experiencing the whole (breath-) body, or (4) whilst
calming down this bodily function (i.e. the breath)-at such a time the
disciple dwells in ‘contemplation of the body’, full of energy,
comprehending it, mindful, after subduing worldly greed and grief. For,
inhalation and exhalation I call one amongst the corporeal phenomena.

II. Whenever
the disciple trains himself to inhale or exhale (1) whilst feeling
rapture (piiti), or (2) joy (sukha), or (3) the mental functions
(cittasankhaara), or (4) whilst calming down the mental functions-at
such a time he dwells in ‘contemplation of the feelings’, full of
energy, clearly comprehending them, mindful, after subduing worldly
greed and grief. For, the full awareness of In- and Out-breathing I call
one amongst the feelings.

III. Whenever
the disciple trains himself to inhale or exhale (1) whilst experiencing
the mind, or (2) whilst gladdening the mind, or (3) whilst concentrating
the mind, or (4) whilst setting the mind free–at such a time he dwells
in ‘contemplation of the mind’, full of energy, clearly comprehending
it, mindful, after subduing worldly greed and grief. For, without
mindfulness and clear comprehension, I say, there is no Watching over
In- and Out-breathing.

IV. Whenever
the disciple trains himself to inhale or exhale whilst contemplating (1)
impermanence, or (2) the fading away of passion, or (3) extinction, or
(4) detachment-at such a time he dwells in ‘contemplation of the
mind-objects’, full of energy, clearly comprehending them, mindful,
after subduing worldly greed and grief. Having seen, through
understanding, what is the abandoning of greed and grief, he looks on
with complete equanimity.

Watching over In- and Out-breathing, thus practiced, and developed, brings the four Foundations of Mindfulness to perfection.

But how do the
four Foundations of Mindfulness, practiced and developed, bring the
seven ‘Elements of Enlightenment’ (bojjhanga) to full perfection?

1. Whenever
the disciple dwells in contemplation of body, feelings, mind and
mind-objects, strenuous, clearly comprehending them, mindful, after
subduing worldly greed and grief-at such a time his mindfulness is
undisturbed; and whenever his mindfulness is present and undisturbed, at
such a time he has gained and develops the Element of Enlightenment
‘Mindfulness’ (sati-sambojjhanga); and thus this element of
enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.

2. And
whenever, whilst dwelling with mindfulness, he wisely investigates,
examines and thinks over the ‘Law’ (dhamma)-at such a time he has gained
and develops the Element of Enlightenment ‘Investigation of the Law’
(dhammavicaya-sambojjhanga); and thus this element of enlightenment
reaches fullest perfection.

3. And
whenever, whilst wisely investigating, examining and thinking over the
law, his energy is firm and unshaken-at such a time he has gained and
develops the Element of Enlightenment ‘Energy’ (viriya-sambojjhanga);
and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.

4. And
whenever in him, whilst firm in energy, arises super-sensuous rapture-at
such a time he has gained and develops the Element of Enlightenment
‘Rapture’ (piiti-sambojjhanga); and thus this element of enlightenment
reaches fullest perfection.

5. And
whenever, whilst enraptured in mind, his spiritual frame and his mind
become tranquil-at such a time he has gained and develops the Element of
Enlightenment ‘Tranquility’ (passaddhi-sambojjhanga); and thus this
element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.

6. And
whenever, whilst being tranquillized in his spiritual frame and happy,
his mind becomes concentrated-at such a time he has gained and develops
the Element of Enlightenment ‘Concentration’ (samaadhi-sambojjhanga);
and thus this element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.

7. And
whenever he looks with complete indifference on his mind thus
concentrated-at such a time he has gained and develops the Element of
Enlightenment ‘Equanimity’ (upekkhaa-sambojjhanga); and thus this
element of enlightenment reaches fullest perfection.

The four
Foundations of Mindfulness, thus practiced and developed, bring the
seven elements of enlightenment to full perfection.

And how do the
seven elements of enlightenment, practiced and developed, bring Wisdom
and Deliverance (vijjaa-vimutti) to full perfection?

Herein the
disciple develops the elements of enlightenment: Mindfulness,
Investigation of the Law, Energy, Rapture, Tranquility, Concentration
and Equanimity, based on detachment, on absence of desire, on extinction
and renunciation.

The seven elements of enlightenment thus practiced and developed, bring wisdom and deliverance, to full perfection.

M. 125

Just
as the elephant hunter drives a huge stake into the ground and chains
the wild elephant to it by the neck, in order to drive out of him his
wonted forest ways and wishes, his forest unruliness, obstinacy and
violence, and to accustom him to the environment of the village, and to
teach him such good behavior as is required amongst men: in like manner
also should the noble disciple fix his mind firmly to these four
Foundations of Mindfulness, so that he may drive out of himself his
wonted worldly ways and wishes, his wonted worldly unruliness, obstinacy
and violence, and win to the True, and realize Nibbana.

8) Right Concentration

(Sammaa-samaadhi)

M. 44

What, now, is Right Concentration?

Its Definition

Having the mind fixed to a single object (cittekeggataa, lit. ‘One-pointed ness of mind’): this is concentration.

‘Right
Concentration’ (sammaa-samaadhi), in its widest sense, is the kind of
mental concentration, which is present in every wholesome state of
consciousness (kusala-citta), and hence is accompanied by at least Right
Thought (2nd factor), Right Effort (6th factor) and Right Mindfulness
(7th factor). ‘Wrong Concentration’ is present in unwholesome states of
consciousness, and hence is only possible in the sensuous, not in a
higher sphere.  Samadhi, used alone, always stands in the Sutta, for sammaa-samaadhi, or Right Concentration.

Its Objects

The four ‘Foundations of Mindfulness’ (7th factor): these are the objects of concentration.

Its Requisites

The four ‘Great Efforts’ (6th factor): these are the requisites for concentration.

Its Development

The practicing, developing, and cultivating of these things: this is the development (bhaavanaa) of concentration.

Right
Concentration (sammaa-samaadhi) has two degrees of development; 1.
‘Neighborhood Concentration’ (upacaarasamaadhi). which approaches the
first absorption without, however, attaining it; 2. ‘Attainment
Concentration’ (appanaasamaadhi), which is the concentration present in
the four Absorptions (jhana). These Absorptions are mental states beyond
the reach of the fivefold sense-activity, attainable only in solitude
and by unremitting perseverance in the practice of concentration. In
these states all activity of the five senses is suspended. No visual or
audible impressions arise at such a time, no bodily feeling is felt.
But, although all outer sense-impressions have ceased, yet the mind
remains active, perfectly alert, fully awake.

The
attainment of these Absorptions, however, is not a requisite for the
realization of the four Super mundane Paths of Holiness; and neither
Neighborhood-Concentration nor Attainment-Concentration, as such,
possesses the power of conferring entry to the four Super mundane Paths:
hence they really have no power to free one permanently from evil
things. The realization of the Four Supermundane Paths is possible only
at the moment of deep ‘Insight’ (vipassanaa) into the Impermanency
(aniccataa), Miserable Nature (dukkhataa) and Impersonality (anattataa)
of this whole phenomenal process of existence. This Insight, again, is
attainable only during Neighborhood-Concentration, not during Attainment
Concentration.

He
who has realized one or other of the Four Super mundane Paths without
ever having attained the Absorptions, is called Sukkha-vipassaka, or
Suddhavipassanaa-yaanika, i.e. ‘one who has taken merely Insight
(vipassana) as his vehicle’. He, however, who, after cultivating the
Absorptions, has reached one of the Super mundane Paths is called
Saniathayaanika, or ‘one who has taken Tranquility (samatha) as his
vehicle (yaana)’.

For samatha and vipassana see Fund IV. and B. Diet.

The Four Absorptions

(jhaana)

D.22

Detached from
sensual objects, detached from evil things, the disciple enters into the
first Absorption, which is accompanied by Thought Conception and
Discursive Thinking, is born of detachment, and filled with Rapture and
Happiness.

This
is the first of the Absorptions belonging to the Fine-Material Sphere
(rupaavacarajjhaana). It is attained when, through the strength of
concentration, the fivefold sense activity is temporarily suspended, and
the five Hindrances are likewise eliminated.

See B. Dict.: kasina, nimitta, samadhi.

M. 43

This first
Absorption is free from five things, and five things are present. When
the disciple enters the first Absorption, there have vanished (the five
Hindrances): Lust, Ill-Will, Torpor and Sloth, Restlessness and Mental
Worry, Doubts; and there are present: Thought Conception (vitakka),
Discursive Thinking (vicaara), Rapture (piiti), Happiness (sukha),
Concentration (citt’ekaggataa = samadhi).

These
five mental factors present in the first Absorption, are called Factors
(or Constituents) of Absorption (jhaananga). Vitakka (initial formation
of an abstract thought) and vicaara (discursive thinking, rumination)
are called ‘verbal functions’ (vaci-sankhaara) of the mind; hence they
are something secondary compared with consciousness.

In
Visuddhi-Magga, vitakka is compared with the taking hold of a pot, and
vicaara with the wiping of it. In the first Absorption both are present,
but are exclusively focused on the subject of meditation, vicaara being
here not discursive, but of an ‘exploring’ nature. Both are entirely
absent in the following Absorptions.

And further:
after the subsiding of Thought-Conception and Discursive Thinking, and
by the gaining of inner tranquility and oneness of mind, he enters into a
state free from Thought-Conception and Discursive Thinking, the second
Absorption, which is born of concentration (samadhi), and filled with
Rapture (piti) and Happiness (sukha).

In the second Absorption, there are three Factors of Absorption: Rapture, Happiness, and Concentration.

And further:
after the fading away of Rapture, he dwells in equanimity, mindful, with
clear awareness: and he experiences in his own person that feeling of
which the Noble Ones say: ‘Happy lives he who is equanimous and
mindful’-thus he enters the third Absorption.

In
the third Absorption there are two Factors of Absorption: equanimous
Happiness (upekkhaa-sukha) and Concentration (citt’ekaggataa).

And further:
after the giving up of pleasure and pain, and through the disappearance
of previous joy and grief, he enters into a state beyond pleasure and
pain, into the fourth Absorption, which is purified by equanimity and
mindfulness.

In the fourth Absorption there are two Factors of Absorption: Concentration and Equanimity (upekkhaa).

In
Visuddhi-magga forty subjects of meditation (kamma.t.thaana) are
enumerated and treated in detail. By their successful practice the
following Absorptions may be attained:

All
four Absorptions. through Mindfulness of Breathing (see Vis. M. VIII.
3), the ten Kasina-exercises (Vis. M. IV, V. and B. Dict.); the
contemplation of Equanimity (upekkhaa), being the practice of the fourth
Brahma-vihaara (Vis. M. IX. 4).

The
first three Absorptions: through the development of Loving-Kindness
(mettaa), Compassion (karunaa) and Sympathetic Joy (muditaa), being the
practice of the first three Brahma-vihaaras (Vis. M. IX. 1-3,).

The
first Absorption: through the ten Contemplations of Impurity
(asubha-bhaavanaa; i.e. the Cemetery Contemplations, which are ten
according to the enumeration in Vis. M. VI); the contemplation of the
Body (i.e. the 32 parts of the body; Vis. M. VIII, 2);
‘Neighborhood-Concentration’ (upacaara-samaadhi): through the
Recollections on Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, on Morality, Liberality,
Heavenly Beings, Peace (=Nibbana) and death (Vis. M. VI. VII); the
Contemplation on the Loathsomeness of Food (Vis. M. XI. I); the Analysis
of the Four Elements (Vis. M. IX. 2).

The
four Immaterial Absorptions (aruupa-jjhaana or aaruppa), which are
based on the fourth Absorption, are produced by meditating on their
respective objects from which they derive their names; Sphere of
Unbounded Space, of Unbounded Consciousness, of Nothingness, and of
Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception.

The entire object of concentration and meditation is treated in Vis M. III-XIII; see also Fund. IV.

8. XXII. 5

Develop your
concentration: for he who has concentration, understands things
according to their reality. And what are these things? The arising and
passing away of corporeality, of feeling, perception, mental formations
and consciousness.

M. 149

Thus, these
five Groups of Existence must be wisely penetrated; Ignorance and
Craving must be wisely abandoned; Tranquility (samatha) and Insight
(vipassana) must be wisely developed.

S. LVI. II

This is the
Middle Path which the Perfect One has discovered, which makes one both
to see and to know, and which leads to peace, to discernment, to
enlightenment, to Nibbana.

Dhp. 275

“And following upon this path, you will put an end to suffering.

Jhanas

 Stream-enterer

The Sotapanna or ‘Stream-Enterer’

And by thus considering, three fetters vanish, namely; Self-illusion, Scepticism, and Attachment to mere Rule and Ritual.

M. 22

But those disciples, in whom these three fetters have vanished, they all have ‘entered the Stream‘ (sotaapanna).

Dhp. 178

More than any earthly power,

More than all the joys of heaven,

More than rule o’er all the world,

Is the Entrance to the Stream.

Once-returner

• Once-returner: After you become a stream-enterer, your
  practice includes reminding yourself of your new realization of
  “no-self,” as well as paying attention to the ways that you’re still
  attached and your resistance to life as it unfolds. After a period of
  time (generally years of devoted practice) in which your concentration
  gets even stronger and your mind becomes even more tranquil, you have
  another direct insight into no-self. (Remember, knowing this truth as a
  concept or memory is one thing, but experiencing it directly, beyond the
  conceptual mind, is something else entirely.)

This insight (essentially the same as the first
but even stronger and clearer) brings a significant reduction in
attachment and aversion and the suffering that accompanies these states
of mind. For example, occasional irritation and preference replace
hatred and greed, which no longer have any hold over the once-returner.
Someone who reaches this stage has only one more rebirth before becoming
completely enlightened — hence the name once-returner.

 Non-returner










Bhikkhu Pesala Where Have You Come From?
The Buddha’s daily routine was extraordinary, he slept for only a few hours in the early hours of the morning. We divide the night into three watches: from 6pm to 10pm, from 10pm to 2am, and from 2am to 6am. In the first watch, after bathing, the Buddha taught the community of monks. At the end of the first watch, the monks would return to their quarters. Then celestial beings approached the Buddha to ask questions. The Buddha spent the middle watch answering their questions. During the first part of the last watch the Buddha practised walking meditation to relieve the stiffness caused by sitting since the morning. In the second part, the Buddha lay down mindfully and slept. In the third part, he enjoyed the bliss of nibbāna. After abiding in the absorption of great compassion in the fourth part, at dawn he considered who was ready to be taught the Dhamma.
The Weaver’s Daughter One morning he perceived in his divine eye the daughter of a poor weaver whose wife had just died. Realising that the young girl needed to hear his teaching, the Buddha went on foot to the village where she was staying. Seeing the Buddha arrive, the villagers invited him for the meal, and the Buddha gave a discourse after the meal to all the villagers, including the young girl. The essence of his teaching was as follows: “Death is certain, life is uncertain. Contemplate death constantly to overcome the fear of death. As one who enters the jungle armed with a stick is not afraid on seeing a snake, one who contemplates death constantly is not afraid if death comes suddenly.” The villagers all appreciated the Buddha’s discourse, and for several days meditated seriously on death. However, after a week or so every one of them had forgotten the Buddha’s advice, and was carrying on just as heedlessly as before — except, that is, for the young girl. Because her mother had recently died, she could not forget the Buddha’s words. She meditated constantly on death, for months and years afterwards. Three years later the Buddha reconsidered the situation of the weaver’s daughter and, seeing that she now had mature insight, he went to her village to teach her again. She was now sixteen, and had to work hard to help her father, who had no other children. On the day that the Buddha arrived, the weaver had been working all night to finish an urgent job, and his daughter was busy spinning more thread for her father. Hearing that the Buddha had arrived she considered what she should do. She decided to go to see the Buddha as soon as she had finished her spinning, then she would take the newly spun thread to her father. The villagers offered the meal to the Buddha, but as the girl was not present, the Buddha sat in silence after the meal waiting for her to arrive. The villagers were obliged to wait in silence too, out of respect for the Buddha. Finally, the young girl arrived, and the Buddha asked her the following four questions: “Young girl, where have you come from?” “I do not know, Lord” she replied. “Young girl, where are you going to?” “I do not know, Lord” she replied. “Do you not know?” “I know, Lord” she replied. “Do you know?” “I do not know, Lord” she replied. The villagers were baffled by her answers. Some thought she was being cheeky, and started scolding her, “Why don’t you tell the Buddha that you came from the spinning-shed, and are going to your father’s house?” The Buddha silenced them and asked the girl to explain her answers. The girl replied: “When you asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ you didn’t want to know that I came from the spinning-shed; you meant to ask from which existence I came to this one. So I replied that I do not know.” “When you asked, ‘Where are you going to?’ you meant to ask to which existence I am going after this one, so I again replied that I do not know.” “When you asked, ‘Do you not know?’ you meant to ask, ‘Do you not know that you will die?’ so I replied that I know I will die.” “When you asked, ‘Do you know?’ you meant to ask, ‘Do you know when you will die?’ so I replied that I do not know when I will die.” The Buddha praised the girl for her intelligent answers, and the villagers were amazed. The Buddha then spoke the following verse: “Blind is this world, only a few can see clearly. Like birds that escape from a net, only a few go to a blissful state.” The girl realised nibbāna and became a Stream-winner on hearing this verse.

The
young girl then went to her father’s house and put the newly spun skein
of thread down by the loom. After working the whole night, her father
had fallen asleep at the loom. When his daughter came in, he woke up
with a start, and accidentally swung a heavy beam on the loom. The beam
struck the girl hard, and she died on the spot. The father was totally
distraught, and hurried to the Buddha to seek consolation. The Buddha
explained the truth of suffering to him, and the weaver asked for
ordination, later attaining Arahantship.

The
Buddha’s love and compassion was unlimited. For the benefit of one poor
girl and her father, he twice went on a long journey to teach the
Dhamma, and he did not forget about the girl after the first visit, but
returned as soon as he knew that she needed his help. Though he had many
thousands of disciples including kings and ministers, and also taught
celestial beings, the Buddha always had time for anyone who would
benefit from his teaching, even including beggars and slaves.

This
story is very interesting for the Buddhist because it shows that
although we do believe in rebirth we do not need to remember our
previous lives to gain nibbāna, the goal of Buddhism. The weaver’s
daughter could not tell the Buddha from which existence she had come to
be reborn as a weaver’s daughter, but the Buddha was pleased with her
answers. She had understood about the uncertainty of life and the
certainty of death after three years of meditation. That understanding
enabled her to attain nibbāna while listening to the verse.

One
who has attained nibbāna no longer has any doubts such as “Am I?” “Am I
not?” “What am I?” “How am I?” since the egocentric way of thinking has
been removed by insight. It is not unlike the case of someone who has
grown up and lost interest in football. He is no longer disappointed
when his football team loses, or elated when they win. Even if he hears
that his former football team has been relegated to the second division,
it no longer matters since he doesn’t follow the team avidly any more.

Self-view
is hard to remove entirely. We identify with our family, our school,
our neighbourhood, our local football team, our country, or our racial
group. If we hear any good or bad news about anything that we regard as
ours then we feel elated or depressed. If we hear someone say something
critical about us personally, then we may feel terrible. However, we
should not take it too much to heart. There is a saying in the
Dhammapada:

“They blame those who speak too much,
They blame those who speak too little,
They blame those who remain silent.
No one escapes blame in this world.”

Similarly,
if someone praises us we should not become conceited because of that.
If we work hard we will get a good result, that is only natural, but
there is always someone who can do better than us, at least in other
ways. It is hard to remove pride and conceit, but we must do it if we
want to gain the highest happiness. The Buddha described how his pride
and intoxication vanished, when he was still an unenlightened
bodhisatta. “On seeing an old man, all pride and intoxication in youth
vanished. On seeing a sick man, all pride and intoxication in health
vanished. On seeing a dead man, all pride and intoxication in life
vanished.”

How
can we remove self-view, pride, and conceit? We must develop
mindfulness or awareness. Whatever thoughts or feelings arise within us
should be observed as they occur from moment to moment. We should not
allow ourselves to be heedless even for an instant. Heedlessness allows
defilements like self-view, pride, and conceit to enter the mind and
dominate it. Perhaps you have enjoyed watching a cartoon like Tom and
Jerry. How did the ideas “Tom” and “Jerry” arise? When one watches a
cartoon, one become absorbed in the story and soon begins to believe and
feel what one imagines Tom and Jerry are feeling. Actually, Tom and
Jerry exist only in our imaginations. A cartoon is only drawings that
are displayed on the screen in rapid succession. However, the mind
arises and passes away much more rapidly than the cartoon pictures, so
it can put together the dialogue, sound effects, and pictures to create
the illusion that Tom really is bashing Jerry over the head with a
frying-pan, so we are emotionally affected by what we see.

Real
life is like this too. We see and hear things so rapidly that our mind
constructs a mental picture, which we regard as real. If someone abuses
us, we may feel like they are bashing us over the head, they are making
bad kamma, but we suffer. Why is this? It is due to the mental
formations that we create. We cannot easily stop this natural process
because it is the result of previous kamma. Having abused others in the
past, we have to suffer abuse in the present. However, we can sharpen
our awareness of the process to the point where we can separate the
mental impressions from the experience of hearing. Eventually, we will
realise that all these impressions do not happen to anyone, they just
happen. Then we will realise that the idea of a self, a person, a ‘me’,
or a ‘you’, is just an illusion.

Self-view
is deeply rooted and cannot be removed by the unmindful person. The
average, unmindful person dwells with self-view dominating his or her
mind for the entire life. The mindful meditator can disrupt it
temporarily while engaged in meditation, but after stopping meditation
it will gradually reassert itself unless the meditator has gained deep
insight. If a meditator gains deep insight and attains the first path of
a Stream-winner, self-view is completely destroyed, and will never
arise again. Such a person may be heedless to some extent, but can never
be careless enough to break any of the five precepts. He or she is
absolutely free from rebirth in the four lower realms of hell, hungry
ghosts, demons, and animals, and will attain final nibbāna (Arahantship)
within seven lives at the most. Having seen nibbāna personally, he or
she has unshakeable confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, and is
truly worthy of offerings and homage. The weaver’s daughter was a
Stream-winner.

After
attaining nibbāna, the Dhamma becomes central to the life of a
Stream-winner. They are not yet free from sensual desire and anger, so
they can lead a fairly normal family life. Whenever they wish to enjoy
the peace of nibbāna they can meditate again, developing concentration,
and attaining the fruition of the first path. If their concentration is
strong, they may remain in the attainment of fruition for quite long
periods, say, an hour or two. If they wish to attain the higher path,
they should go into retreat for meditation and resolve not to attain the
fruition of the first path during that period, and strive to attain the
higher path. If they are successful and attain the second path of a
Once-returner, they will be reborn on this earth only once more at the
most before attaining the final liberation of Arahantship.

The
second path destroys strong forms of lust and anger, but some of these
deep-rooted defilements remain, so they still have some sensual
attachment and ill-will. If the Once-returner strives again in
meditation and attains the third path of a Non-returner, all traces of
lust and anger are uprooted. Since they have no sensual attachment at
all they will not be born in the womb again, and will take rebirth only
in the Suddhāvāsa Brahmā realms. These realms are the Theravāda ‘Pure
Land’ because only Non-returners are reborn there. The bodhisattas are
not reborn there either, because they are still worldlings who have not
yet gained even the first path of a Stream-winner.

Non-returners
seem to be extremely rare these days. Saya Thetgyi, a Burmese lay
meditation teacher, who taught U Ba Khin (Goenkaji’s teacher), was
reputed to be a Non-returner. The Venerable Ledi Sayādaw praised him and
asked him to teach meditation to his own monk disciples. A Non-returner
will be naturally inclined to lead a monastic life, having no sexual
desire at all, but may be obliged to remain as a lay person to support
relatives. The potter honoured by Buddha Kassapa in the Ghatīkāra Sutta
(Majjhimanikāya, Sutta 81) was a Non-returner. Though he was a humble
potter, he was the chief supporter of Buddha Kassapa, and looked after
his own blind and aged parents. He did not use money, but let people
take his pots, leaving whatever goods they wished to in exchange.
Knowing that he was a good supporter of the Buddha, they donated
generously so he didn’t need any other source of income. Refusing to dig
the earth himself, he gathered clay from river banks or that had been
dug up by animals. Thus, though a layman, he lived on ten precepts like
one gone forth.

The
Non-returner has to strive again in meditation to attain the final goal
of Arahantship. Only then is all rebirth and suffering finally
destroyed. Not even the subtlest defilements remain, so the Arahant is
worthy of the highest honour. The word ‘Araham’ means ‘worthy’. There
have been a few monks in Burma and Thailand in recent years who are
reputed to have attained the final path. Venerable Ledi Sayādaw was
thought to be one, but it is hard to be sure, since Arahants are
extremely modest about their attainments.

A
certain monk was living in dependence on an elder who was an Arahant.
Living in dependence meant in those days that the pupil shared a cell
with his teacher, looked after his robes, studied at his feet, and
accompanied him on the daily almsround. Teacher and pupil lived liked a
good father and devoted son. One day, while walking for alms, the pupil
asked his teacher, “Venerable Sir, how can one know an Arahant?” The
elder, who was an Arahant, replied, “It is not easy friend, to know an
Arahant. Even if one were to live in dependence on an Arahant, doing all
the duties for him, and accompany him on his daily almsround, one might
not know that he was an Arahant.” Yet even when given such a broad hint
by his teacher, the pupil did not realise that the elder was an
Arahant.

Due
to excessive devotion, pious people are inclined to elevate their
revered teacher to the status of an Arahant, though he may still be a
worldling or Stream-winner at best. To eradicate all lust, anger,
conceit, and attachment to life is no easy task. First one should aim to
attain the stage of Stream-winning in this very life. If one succeeds
in doing that, one may perhaps then be able to distinguish between a
worldly person and a saint, since one will be free from doubt and
superstition.

It
is my belief that most intelligent people could attain Stream-winning
in this very life if they really tried hard. However, very few really
strive hard in meditation. Since confidence and effort are lacking, the
goal cannot be attained. Though she was only thirteen years old, the
weaver’s daughter practised meditation relentlessly for three years to
attain the path. These days, people think that a ten-day intensive
vipassanā course is really a bit over the top, but striving in
meditation throughout the whole day and late into the night is not
self-mortification. It is the minimum amount of effort required to
attain deep insight or nibbāna. If we want to sleep at least six or
seven hours, the goal is still far away.

To
motivate oneself, one should meditate seriously on death. There is no
guarantee that one will not die today. Perhaps one can avoid paying
taxes if one lives like a monk, but no one can avoid death. Each breath
brings death nearer. Please think seriously about this — do not imagine
for one minute that it will never happen to you. If you postpone
meditation until you are old — assuming that you live to old age — your
attachment will have grown stronger, and your health and vitality will
have grown weaker. It is best to meditate in the prime of youth, before
the clutter of household life traps you in its vice-like grip. In
Burmese, the expression for getting married means, literally, “to fall
into house prison.” The Burmese have the right attitude. Married life is
a comfortable prison from which it is hard to escape. Even if one
partner freely permits the other to go to meditate for a few weeks, or
to ordain permanently, most will not want to go.

When
the bodhisatta heard that his son had been born he murmured “A fetter
has arisen” so his father Suddhodana named his new grandson ‘Rāhula’
meaning fetter, hoping that the baby would prove an impediment to the
bodhisatta’s renunciation of household life. Fortunately for us, the
bodhisatta’s mind was already made up, and the news of Rahula’s birth
was the final spur to make him decide, “It must be done at once, before I
get attached.” So he left the palace on the same night without even
setting eyes on his newborn son.

Attachment
is very sticky stuff. Many monks who fall back to household life do so
because of sexual desire. To get free from sensual attachment, one must
meditate either on death or on the repulsive aspects of the body. One
should consider what all human bodies contain. If we opened one up and
took a look inside, it would be hard to become lustful. It is just a
foul smelling carcase of meat, blood, and bones that we have to carry
around the whole day and night. If there was no skin or clothes to cover
it up, what a horrible sight it would be. One would need to carry a
stick to drive off the dogs and crows that would come sniffing around
looking for something to eat. Yet people think very highly of their own
bodies, and those of others. What folly it is to lust after another
person’s body, but delusion fools us completely when we are heedless.

At
one time a certain nun fell in love with the Venerable Ānanda and,
pretending to be ill, she arranged for him to visit her in her quarters.
Venerable Ānanda was then still only a Stream-winner, so he was not yet
free from lust, but he was wise enough not to allow desire to arise. He
did not get angry with her either, but admonished her, “Sister, sexual
intercourse is the cause of birth. From birth, old age, disease, and
death arise.” Realising that Venerable Ānanda knew about her ulterior
motives, she confessed her offence to him, and regained her sense of
shame.

To
gain liberation from suffering, there has to be renunciation at some
point. Desire and attachment will not just disappear of their own
accord. We have to pluck them out as we remove a splinter or thorn stuck
under the skin. It is painful, but when it is done we can dwell at ease
again. The most effective way to remove desire is to practise
mindfulness meditation relentlessly throughout the whole day without a
break until insight knowledge arises. On seeing things as they really
are, desire and attachment will vanish.

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Ambedkar , Jai Bhim {Majya jati che jaati che}

 

Arahant

Arhat: At this stage, the path bears ultimate fruit
in nibbana — any residual trace of a separate self falls away for good.
The experience, frequently accompanied by unimaginable bliss, has been
compared to falling into the depths of a cloud and disappearing. At this
point, the circumstances of life no longer have the slightest hold over
you; positive or negative experiences no longer stir even the slightest
craving or dissatisfaction. As Buddha said, all that needed to be done
has been done. There’s nothing further to realize. The path is complete,
and no further rebirths are necessary.

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Majjhima Nikaya 72

Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta

To Vacchagotta on Fire

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

Introduction:  Does
an arahant reborn or does he reappear some where after his death. Why
are we paying reverence to him, since he has passed away? Buddha refused
to answer to this question stating that it is beyond our layman
knowledge to perceive what happened to Arahat after his death. The
simile given here is a fire and after you extinguished the fire, no body
knows where that fire has gone. It is for the wise to comprehend what
happened after the arahant passed away.

Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta
went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings
with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat
to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: “How is
it, Master Gotama, does Master Gotama hold the view:

‘The cosmos is eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘The cosmos is not eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘The cosmos is finite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘The cosmos is infinite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then
does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘The soul and the body are the same:
only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then
does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘The soul is one thing and the body
another: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘After death a Tathagata exists: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then
does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘After death a Tathagata does not
exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then
does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘After death a Tathagata both exists
and does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is
worthless’?”

“…no…”

“Then
does Master Gotama hold the view: ‘After death a Tathagata neither
exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is
worthless’?”

“…no…”

“How
is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if he holds the view
‘the cosmos is eternal…’… ‘after death a Tathagata neither exists
nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless,’
he says ‘…no…’ in each case. Seeing what drawback, then, is Master
Gotama thus entirely dissociated from each of these ten positions?”

“Vaccha,
the position that ‘the cosmos is eternal’ is a thicket of views, a
wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a
fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and
fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to
calm, direct knowledge, full Awakening, Unbinding.

“The position that ‘the cosmos is not eternal’…

“…’the cosmos is finite’…

“…’the cosmos is infinite’…

“…’the soul and the body are the same’…

“…’the soul is one thing and the body another’…

“…’after death a Tathagata exists’…

“…’after death a Tathagata does not exist’…

“…’after death a Tathagata both exists and does not exist’…

“…’after
death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist’… does not lead
to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge,
full Awakening, Unbinding.”

“Does Master Gotama have any position at all?”

“A
‘position,’ Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with.
What a Tathagata sees is this: ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its
disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance;
such is perception… such are mental fabrications… such is
consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.’ Because of
this, I say, a Tathagata — with the ending, fading out, cessation,
renunciation, and relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations,
all I-making and mine-making and obsession with conceit — is, through
lack of clinging/sustenance, released.”

“But, Master Gotama, the monk whose mind is thus released: Where does he reappear?”

“‘Reappear,’ Vaccha, doesn’t apply.”

“In that case, Master Gotama, he does not reappear.”

“‘Does not reappear,’ Vaccha, doesn’t apply.”

“…both does and does not reappear.”

“…doesn’t apply.”

“…neither does nor does not reappear.”

“…doesn’t apply.”

“How
is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if the monk
reappears… does not reappear… both does and does not reappear…
neither does nor does not reappear, he says, ‘…doesn’t apply’ in each
case. At this point, Master Gotama, I am befuddled; at this point,
confused. The modicum of clarity coming to me from your earlier
conversation is now obscured.”

“Of
course you’re befuddled, Vaccha. Of course you’re confused. Deep,
Vaccha, is this phenomenon, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil,
refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by
the wise. For those with other views, other practices, other
satisfactions, other aims, other teachers, it is difficult to know. That
being the case, I will now put some questions to you. Answer as you see
fit. How do you
construe this, Vaccha: If a fire were burning in front of you, would you
know that, ‘This fire is burning in front of me’?”

“…yes…”

“And
suppose someone were to ask you, Vaccha, ‘This fire burning in front of
you, dependent on what is it burning?’ Thus asked, how would you
reply?”

“…I would reply, ‘This fire burning in front of me is burning dependent on grass and timber as its sustenance.’”

“If the fire burning in front of you were to go out, would you know that, ‘This fire burning in front of me has gone out’?”

“…yes…”

“And
suppose someone were to ask you, ‘This fire that has gone out in front
of you, in which direction from here has it gone? East? West? North? Or
south?’ Thus asked, how would you reply?”

“That
doesn’t apply, Master Gotama. Any fire burning dependent on a
sustenance of grass and timber, being unnourished — from having
consumed that sustenance and not being offered any other — is
classified simply as ‘out’ (unbound).”

“Even
so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata
would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root
destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of
existence, not destined for future arising. Freed from the
classification of form, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard
to fathom, like the sea. ‘Reappears’ doesn’t apply. ‘Does not reappear’
doesn’t apply. ‘Both does and does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘Neither
reappears nor does not reappear’ doesn’t apply.

“Any feeling… Any perception… Any mental fabrication…

“Any
consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him:
That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, like an uprooted
palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for
future arising. Freed from the classification of consciousness, Vaccha,
the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea.
‘Reappears’ doesn’t apply. ‘Does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘Both does
and does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘Neither reappears nor does not
reappear’ doesn’t apply.”

When
this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One:
“Master Gotama, it is as if there were a great sala tree not far from a
village or town: From inconstancy, its branches and leaves would wear
away, its bark would wear away, its sapwood would wear away, so that on a
later occasion — divested of branches, leaves, bark, and sapwood — it
would stand as pure heartwood. In the same way, Master Gotama’s words
are divested of branches, leaves, bark, and sapwood and stand as pure
heartwood.

“Magnificent,
Master Gotama! 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 were to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes
could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama has — through many
lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for
refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Gotama
remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this
day forward, for life.”

The Ten Fetters

The ten fetters referred to in Buddhist scriptures are what
bind beings to the cycle of birth and death. The first five are referred
to as the ‘lower fetters’ and the second five as the ‘higher fetters’.

1. Personality-Belief
This refers to the mistaken belief -
from a Buddhist perspective - that the self is a permanent, unchanging
essence or soul. Buddhism teaches that what we call the self or
personality is made up of five factors - corporeality, feeling,
perception, mental formations (including volition or will) and
consciousness. To cling to the idea of a permanent self, therefore, is
erroneous. (See teaching on Not-Self or Anatta)

2. Skeptical Doubt
This is to have doubts about the three jewels,
namely the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha; about what is morally
wholesome and what is not; about the nature of religious training
outlined by the Buddha and about the conditionality of all things.

3. Clinging to Rites and Rituals
Although rites and
rituals form a part of Buddhist practices in various schools, the Buddha
taught that there was no point in clinging to them for their own sake.
Rites and rituals are a means of giving form to the expression of heart
and mind, otherwise they are empty vessels.

4. Sensuous Craving
On one level this refers to lust but
it has a broader meaning in terms of craving for pleasant sensations,
those that our senses bring to us: sounds, sights, smells, tastes and
touch.

5. Ill-will
This encapsulates feelings of enmity, even hatred, towards others. It is the opposite of loving-kindness (metta).

6. Craving for Fine-Material Existence
In the development of meditation, refined, rapturous states known as jhanas
can be experienced. But even attachment to these is ultimately
unwholesome to progress. This relates to the first four of eight jhanas.

7. Craving for Immaterial Existence
This fetter calls for the abandonment of subtle attractions to those states of mind experienced in the final four jhanas .

8. Conceit
This is sometimes interpreted as pride but it
is likely something more subtle is intended, namely, attachment to the
idea of self on an experiential level, even if the belief in an enduring
self has been abandoned intellectually.

9. Restlessness
Restlessness or agitation suggests that
true peace and contentment have still not been achieved in full.The mind
is still unsettled.

10. Ignorance
At the core of the Buddha’s teaching is the
idea that we live in a state of unknowing, of sleep, of ignorance. The
whole Buddhist approach is aimed at dispelling our ignorance which is
synonymous with waking up to truth. It is not surprising then that this
is the final fetter.

The removal of the first three fetters makes one a
’stream-enterer’, one whose final awakening is assured within seven
further rebirths. The removal of the first three fetters and the
dilution of the next two makes one ‘a once-returner’; in other words,
there will only one more rebirth as a human being before enlightenment.
The compete abandonment of the first five fetters makes one a
‘non-returner’ and therefore leads to rebirth in one of the Buddhist
‘Pure Abodes’ where final awakening will be assured. An arahat or
’saint’ is one in whom all ten fetters have been destroyed.

Buddhist Publication Society
Newsletter

2^nd Mailing 1995                                                                                                        No. 30

Towards a Threshold of Understanding - I

Pope
John Paul II’s recent book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope is a
collection of reflections primarily on issues of Christian faith; but
the book also features the Pope’s assessment of other religions,
including a short chapter on Buddhism. The Pontiff s words in this
chapter are far from appreciative. The release of the book in Sri Lanka
on the eve of the Pope’s visit to this country this past January stirred
up waves of indignation in the Buddhist community that spread as far as
the Vatican. The Buddhist prelates announced that they would not attend
an inter-religious meeting requested by the Pope unless he formally
retracted his unfavourable remarks about Buddhism. Although on arrival
the Pope tried to appease the feel­ings of Buddhist leaders by declaring
his esteem for their religion, even quoting the Dhammapada, he fell
short of proffering a full apology, and this did not satisfy the Sangha
elders.

The
following essay is intended as a short corrective to the Pope’s
demeaning characterization of Buddhism. It addresses the issues solely
at the level of ideas, without delving into the question whether
ulterior motives lay behind the Pope’s pronouncements. The essay is
based on an article written for a Polish publisher, Source (Katowice),
which is presently compiling a book on the Buddhist response to the
Pope’s book.

The Pope states that
“the Buddhist tradition and the methods deriv­ing from it have an
almost exclusively negative soteriology (doc­trine of salvation).”
Such a view of the Buddhist teachings was widespread among Christian
missionaries in Asia during the 19th century, serving to justify their
evangelical incursions into the heartlands of Buddhism. Serious scholars
of comparative religion have long recognized this view to be a
misrepresentation, rooted, in the case of the early missionaries, partly
in misunderstanding, partly in deliberate distortion. It
is therefore puzzling that the present head of the Catholic Church,
otherwise so well informed, should repeat these worn-out lines,
particularly at a time when greater mutual understanding is expected
from the leaders of different religions.

The
Pope does not explain exactly why he regards Buddhist soteriology as
negative. Most likely, he takes this view because the Buddhist
path of deliverance does not recognize a personal God as the agent and
end of salvation. Like beauty, however, what is nega­tive and what is
positive lies in the eye of the beholder, and what is negative for one
may turn out to be another’s supreme ideal. If one seeks an everlasting
union between one’s eternal soul and a creator God, then a doctrine that
denies the existence of an eternal soul and a Divine Creator will
inevitably appear negative. If one regards everything conditioned as
impermanent and devoid of self, and seeks deliverance in Nibbana, the
Deathless Element, then a doctrine of everlasting union between God and
the soul will seem-not nega­tive perhaps—but founded upon wishful
thinking and unacceptable articles of faith. For the ordinary reader,
however, the word “nega­tive,” when applied to Buddhism, will suggest
something far differ­ent from a philosophically acute way of approaching
the Ultimate, conjuring up pictures of a bleak doctrine of escapism
aimed at per­sonal annihilation. Behind the Pope’s words we can detect
echoes of the ancient texts: “There are, monks, some recluses and
brahmins who charge me with being an annihilationist, saying that the
recluse Gotama teaches the annihilation of an existent being. That is
false misrepresentation. What I teach, in the past as also now, is
suffering and the cessation of suffering” (MN 22).

Even
more worrisome than the Pope’s characterization of the Bud­dhist
doctrine of salvation as negative is his contention that “the Buddhist
doctrine of salvation constitutes the central point, or rather the only
point, of this system.” The conclusion implied by this pro­nouncement,
left hanging silently behind the lines, is that Buddhism is incapable of
offering meaningful guidance to people immersed in the problems of
everyday life; it is an otherworldly religion of escape suited only for
those of an ascetic bent.

While
Western scholars in the past have focused upon the Buddhist doctrine of
salvation as their main point of interest, the living tradi­tions of
Buddhism as practised by its adherents reveal that this atti­tude, being
one-sided to begin with, must yield one-sided results. The Buddhist
texts themselves show that Buddhism addresses as wide a range of
concerns as any other of humanity’s great religions. Nibbana
remains the ultimate goal of Buddhism, and is certainly “the central
point” of the Dhamma, but it is by no means “the only point” for which
the Buddha proclaimed his Teaching.

According
to the Buddhist texts, the Dhamma is intended to pro­mote three types
of good, each by way of different but overlapping sets of principles.
These three goals, though integrated into the frame­work of a single
internally consistent teaching, enable the Dhamma to address individuals
at different stages of spiritual development, with varying capacities
for comprehension. The three goods are:

(i)
the good pertaining to the present life (ditthadhammattha), i.e. the
achievement of happiness and well-being here and now, through ethical
living and harmonious relationships based on kind­ness and compassion;

(ii)
the good pertaining to the future life (samparayikattha), i.e. a
favourable rebirth within the round of existence, by practising
generosity, observing the precepts, and cultivating the mind in
meditation; and

(iii)
the ultimate good (paransattha), i.e. the attainment of Nib­bana, by
following the complete training defined by the Noble Eightfold Path.

For
most Buddhists in their day-to-day lives, the pursuit of Nibbana is a
distant rather than an immediate goal, to be approached gradu­ally
during the long course of rebirths. Until they are ready for a direct
assault on the final good, they expect to walk the path for many lives
within samsara, pursuing their mundane welfare while aspiring for the
Ultimate. To assist them in this endeavour, the Bud­dha has taught
numerous guidelines that pertain to ethically upright living within the
confines of the world. In the Sigalovada Sutta, for example, he
enumerates the reciprocal duties of parents and children, husband and
wife, friends and friends, employers and em­ployees, teachers and
students, religious and laity. He made right livelihood an integral part
of the Noble Eightfold Path, and explained what it implies in the life
of a busy lay person. During his long ministry he gave advice to
merchants on the prudent conduct of business, to young wives on how to
behave towards their husbands, to rulers on how to administer their
state. All such guidance, issu­ing from the Buddha’s great compassion,
is designed to promote the welfare and happiness of the world while at
the same time steer­ing his followers towards a pleasant rebirth and
gradual progress towards final liberation.

Yet,
while the Buddha offers a graduated teaching adjusted to the varying
life situations of his disciples, he does not allow any illu­sion to
linger about the ultimate aim of his Doctrine. That aim is Nibbana,
which is not a consoling reconciliation with the world but irreversible
deliverance from the world. Such deliverance cannot be gained merely by
piety and good works performed in a spirit of social sympathy. It can be
won only by renunciation, by “the relin­quishment of all acquisitions”
(sabb’upadhipatinissagga), includ­ing among such “acquisitions” the
bodily and mental processes that we identify as our self. The
achievement of this end is necessarily individual. It must be arrived at
through personal purification and personal insight, as the fruit of
sustained effort in fulfilling the en­tire course of training. Hence the
Buddha did not set out to found a church capable of embracing all
humanity within the fold of a sin­gle creed. He lays down a path—a path
perfect in its ideal formula­tion—to be trodden by imperfect human
beings under the imperfect conditions that life within the world
affords. While the quest for the highest goal culminates in deliverance
from the world, this same ideal “bends back” towards the world and
spells out standards of conduct and a scale of values to guide the
unenlightened manyfolk in their daily struggles against the streams of
greed, hatred, and delusion. Nibbana remains the “chief point” and the
omega point of the Dhamma. But as this goal is to be experienced as the
extinction of greed, hatred, and delusion, it defines the condition for
its reali­zation as a life devoted to overcoming greed through
generosity, to overcoming hatred through patience and loving kindness,
and to overcoming delusion through wisdom and understanding.

Bhikkhu Bodhi

Part II of this essay will appear in the next BPS newsletter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
** New teaching and mediation series with Lama Rabten Tshering **
“The Six Paramitas” begins Sunday, January 6 @ Maitrivana
4610 Earles Street in Vancouver
Everyone welcome - by donation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nalandabodhi Vancouver is pleased to announce a new series of
teachings and mediation sessions with our resident lama,
Lama Rabten Tshering.

The series begins on Sunday morning, January 6, and will run every
second Sunday thereafter (please see our on-line calendar to confirm
dates). The format for Sunday sessions is:

9:30 am -10:30 am: Meditation
10:30 am -12:00 pm: Teaching on the Paramitas

** The Paramitas **
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche has asked the Nalandabodhi sangha to
continuously practice the six Paramitas, the transcendent actions
or virtues that are the basis of Mahayana practice.

The Paramitas are:
Generosity, Morality (Discipline), Patience, Diligence, Mediation,
and Wisdom (Prajna).

Rinpoche suggests that we study, practice, and meditate on one
Paramita per month, repeating the cycle in the second half of the year.

In January, Lama’s teachings will focus on Generosity; in February on
Morality, and so forth.

The purpose of Paramita practice and contemplation is to develop a
strong sense of compassion and loving kindness, as well as mental
discipline.

The Paramita teachings originate in the Sutras, the original teachings
of Buddha Sakyamuni.

All are welcome to the Sunday morning sessions. Lama Rabten’s
approach will be beneficial to both beginners and more seasoned
practitioners.

We especially welcome newcomers to the dharma - Lama’s teachings will
be a wonderful opportunity to meditate and learn with others. The
sessions are by donation, and you are welcome to attend all or some
of them.

** Check Out Nalandabodhi’s On-Line Calendar **
Please visit our calendar at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=J1mcq&m=1fX9oQuIZEWy09&b=uG5wvFdGNRd5wXTSx3cikA

You’ll find information about Lama Rabten’s future teaching dates,
plus other programs and special events at Maitrivana, Nalandabodhi’s
Garden of Loving Kindness.

To view pictures of past events, go to our slideshow at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=J1mcq&m=1fX9oQuIZEWy09&b=xcRHnRKnhMwEI5RRO3Cftw.

Hope to see you on Sunday morning! And feel free to pass this
message on.

Sincerely,

Sanghatoday.org team

800 Kelly Road Victoria, BC V9B 6J9, Canada