The way of living

Chúng ta đang sống vì điều gì?

2011-05-28T00:16:00.001+07:00

Chúng ta đang sống vì điều gì?

Vì hạnh phúc? Mọi người trên khắp thế giới đang kiếm sống để vì thể xác của mình vì họ nghĩ rằng nó có thể mang lại hạnh phúc cho họ. Quý vị có đồng ý không ạ? Tất cả quý vị đều cần thức ăn, tất cả đều cần chỗ ở, tất cả đều cần y phục, tất cả đều cần sức khỏe. Đây là những lí do mà quý vị đang sống. Quý vị có thể nghĩ rằng quý vị cần y phục, quý vị có thể nghĩ rằng quý vị cần chỗ ở, quý vị có thể nghĩ rằng quý vị cần thức ăn, quý vị có thể nghĩ rằng quý vị cần sức khỏe. Thật sự theo như Đức Phật của chúng ta, đây không phải điều chúng ta cần, nhưng vì quý vị có cái thân thể này, chính cái thân thể này cần y phục, cái thân thể này cần mạnh khỏe, cái thân thể này cần chỗ ở. Quý vị đang sống vì chính mình hay quý vị đang sống vì cái thân thể này? Quý vị nghĩ như thế nào? Đây chính là lý do tôi đến Việt Nam để giúp quý vị biết được sự thật. Quý vị là nô lệ hay là ông chủ? Nhưng lúc này khi quý vị đang sống cho cái thân này, quý vị chỉ là một tên nô lệ. Trong vòng sanh tử luân hồi, quý vị rất bận rộn, bận rộn vì chính cái xác thân này. Từ sáng đến tối lúc nào tất cả quý vị cũng bận rộn cho cái thân này. Đây có phải là mục đích của cuộc sống? Liệu quý vị sẽ chết vì cái xác thân này? Nếu chỉ bằng việc cung phụng những nhu cầu của thể xác, mọi người đều chết cả. Đó là lí do vì sao chúng ta cần phải sống ý nghĩa hơn là cuộc sống mà ta đang có.

"Không bao lâu thân này,

Sẽ nằm dài trên đất,

Bị vất bỏ, vô thức,

Như khúc cây vô dụng."

Bởi vì quý vị có sự tồn tại, nên quý vị thực hiện trách nhiệm với sự tồn tài của mình. Nói cách khác, chúng ta có thể nói rằng quý vị biết trách nhiệm của mình với kiếp sống này. Chính xác là quý vị biết được trách nhiệm của mình đối với thân xác này. Bởi ..., nên chúng ta cần sống không chỉ cho thân xác này của ta, mà chúng ta cần sống cho cuộc sống của mình. Nếu chúng ta chỉ nghĩ về thân xác này, chúng ta sẽ không thể nghĩ nhiều về cuộc sống của bản thân. Quý vị có tin quý vị sẽ có sự tồn tại sau kiếp sống này? Sau khi quý vị chết, sẽ có những sự tồn tại mới đang đợi quý vị. Quý vị đã làm gì cho kiếp sống tiếp theo đang chờ đợi mình? Liệu quý vị có làm một điều gì đó cho những kiếp tới hay là quý vị đều chuẩn bị cho điều đó trong từng ngày? Thật chứ? Nếu quý vị đang thực hiện, tôi cảm thấy hoan hỉ tất cả quý vị. So với kiếp sống này, nếu chúng ta không thể đoạn tận khổ đau, có nhiều kiếp sống tương lai đang chờ đợi mỗi người. Vào giây phút cận tử của kiếp này, một cận tử nghiệp sẽ xuất hiện. Nghiệp này sẽ là nhân cho kiếp tiếp theo của quý vị. Quý vị có nghĩ rằng tất cả tài sản của quý vị có thể mang lại hạnh phúc cho quý vị vào cận tử nghiệp?

Vậy thì, loại hạnh phúc nào thì giá trị hơn và quan trọng hơn? Chúng ta cần phải suy tư về điều này trong cuộc sống của mình. Khi chúng ta hành thiền, tâm ta phóng dật rất nhiều. Hầu hết trong số những suy nghĩ mông lung đó của quý vị là gì, là những suy nghĩ tốt hay xấu? Hãy trung thực, tốt hay xấu? Xấu. Vậy vào sát na cận tử, đối tượng xuất hiện sẽ tương tự như đối tượng khi quý vị thực hành thiền. Bây giờ quý vị còn trẻ, chưa già, quý vị vẫn còn sức khỏe, quý vị có được niệm, ngay cả trong những điều kiện như vậy quý vị vẫn không thể tập trung trên đối tượng thiền mà quý vị mong muốn. Vào lúc cận tử, khi quý vị đau ốm trầm trọng, thể lực quá suy kiệt, quý vị không có sức mạnh, không có chánh niệm, thì quý vị nghĩ thế nào, liệu quý vị có thể tập trung trên đối tượng mà mình muốn hay không? Quá khó. Vì lí do này, Đức Phật dạy rằng khi một người chết, hay khi nhiều người chết, hay khi chúng sinh chết, họ đều rớt vào bốn cảnh khổ. Có những người đang cố rèn luyện tâm của mình bằng việc thực hành, liệu số người này có nhiều không? Còn những người mà không huân tập tâm của mình bằng việc thực hành thì lớn hơn rất nhiều. Nếu quý vị không huân tập tâm mình khi quý vị còn trẻ, khỏe và có sức lực, quý vị sẽ không thể đối mặt với cái chết của mình. Chắc chắn quý vị sẽ sầu khổ vào lúc đó. Quý vị có nghĩ rằng loại sầu khổ này lại là hạnh phúc của quý vị?

Lý do đầu tiên mà chúng ta thực hành là để đối mặt với cái chết của mình. Đây là điều khó nhất ta phải đối mặt trong cuộc đời. Dù cho quý vị hiện nay có xinh đẹp thế nào, dù cho quý vị hiện nay có thông minh thế nào, dù quý vị có giàu có thế nào, hay dù quý vị có thành công thế nào, nếu quý vị không huân tập tâm mình thì quý vị không thật sự là giàu có. Quý vị chỉ giàu có về vật chất, không phải về tinh thần. Dù điều kiện sống của quý vị có cao cấp đến thế nào, nếu quý vị không huân tập tâm mình, thì thật sự quý vị không phải đang có được điều kiện cao cấp, và điều kiện sống cao cấp không phải được quyết định bằng việc nhìn vào vị thế của người đó. Đẳng cấp của một người cần được quyết định khi xem xét về độ trưởng thành của tâm vị ấy. Nếu quý vị đang sống vì thân xác mình, quý vị sẽ phấn đấu nhiều vì tài sản vật chất. Quý vị sẽ quên việc phát triện tài sản tinh thần. Tôi nghe nhiều người Việt than phiền rằng họ rất mệt mỏi vì phải làm việc quá nhiều. Có phải không ạ? Đó là lí do mà quý vị cần phất triển sự trưởng thành của tâm mn à. Điều dễ làm thì tốt cho tất cả quý vị, tôi nghĩ như vậy. ình. Có nhiều việc tập luyện trên thế giới này, trong số những việc tập luyện này, việc tập luyện tâm là khó khăn nhất. Quý vị thích cái nào hơn? Cái khó khăn hay cái dễ dàng hơn? Cái dễ dàng hơNhưng Đức Phật lại dạy rằng những điều khó làm lại mang về lợi lạc cho người thực hiện. Việc dễ làm thì không mang lại lợi lạc nhiều cho mỗi người. Quý vị có thật sự yêu quý bản thân mình? Quý vị có thể thực hiện những điều khó khăn hay không? Có hai điều quý vị phải lựa chọn, nghe nhạc và nghe Pháp, quý vị sẽ chọn điều nào? Nếu quý vị trả lời tôi câu mà tôi thích, tôi sẽ thấy hoan hỉ, nhưng trung thực thì, quý vị thích nghe nhạc, quý vị sẽ chọn việc dễ làm, điều sẽ không mang lại lợi lạc gì cho mình.

Thực hành thiền thì khó khăn nhưng rất lợi lạc để có được an lạc trong hiện tại và cho tương lai. Dó là điều chúng ta sẽ trải nghiệm nhưng nó không phải là mục đích. Lý do mà chúng tôi xuất gia Tỳ-kheo và thực hành thiền là vì chúng tôi muốn thanh tịnh tâm. Ai là người trung thực? Chính những vị không còn ô nhiễm là những người trung thực. Không ai có thể thực sự trung thực khi còn ô nhiễm. Nếu quý vị có tâm tham, tâm sân và tâm si, ngay cả khi quý vị cố gắng trung thực, nhưng vì ô nhiểm trong tâm ảnh hưởng mình, những ý nghĩ không tốt vẫn sinh ra. Đó là lí do vì sao với ô nhiễm chúng ta sẽ không thể là những người trung thực. Chúng ta không thể sống an lành nếu chúng ta có nhiều ô nhiễm. Đó là mục đích thực hành thiền để diệt trừ mọi ô nhiễm. Nếu quý vị muốn an lạc thật sự và một cuộc sống tương lai tốt đẹp, quý vị cần huân tập tâm mình. Liệu là do một cơ thể đẹp mà chúng ta sẽ có được một cuộc sống tương lai tốt đẹp hay là do một tâm tốt đẹp mà chúng ta có được điều ấy? Nếu quý vị muốn có được một cái tâm tốt đẹp, quý vị cần phải tập luyện. Hàng ngày thì quý vị làm sạch tâm mình hay làm sạch khuôn mặt mình? Tất cả quý vị đều muốn làm đẹp khuôn mặt mình chứ không phải tâm mình. Tất cả quý vị cần phải thanh tịnh tâm mình rất rất nhiều hơn nữa. Quý vị có nghĩ đời là khổng không? Đúng vậy. Quý vị có muông thoát khỏi khổ đau? Nếu quý vị muốn thoát khỏi khổ đau, tất cả mọi người đều cần thực hành thiền. Đây chính là một đích thật sự của chúng ta khi hành thiền, nhằm đoạn tận khổ đau. Và đây chính là sự an lạc thật sự mà chúng ta tìm kiếm trong cuộc đời này.

Món quà cao thượng cuối cùng của tôi dành cho quý vị. Tôi muốn chia sẻ món quà cao thượng này đến tất cả quý vị, quý vị có cần không ạ? Nếu quý vị không thiện xảo trong việc đọc thói quen của tâm của các vị khác, hãy thiện xảo trong việc đọc thói quen của chính tâm quý vị. Có dễ để biết tâm của người khác chăng? Hay có dễ trong việc nhận biết tâm của mình? Ngay cả việc nhận biết tâm mình cũng là không dễ dàng, chỉ những ai nhiệt tâm mới có thể thể thiện xảo trong việc đọc tâm của mình. Nếu quý vị muốn làm nhiều việc thiện quý vị cần phải biết tâm của mình. Tại sao? Vì tất cả thân ác hành, khẩu ác hành, đều vì sự điều khiển của thân. Đó là vì sao nếu quý vị không thiện xảo trong việc đọc tâm của mình, quý vị sẽ làm nhiều việc bất thiện thay vì làm việc thiện. Đó là lí do vì sao ta phải thiện xảo trong việc thói quen của chính tâm quý vị trong phần đời còn lại.

Cầu chúc quí vị có thể tu tập thiền tin tấn nhiều và nhiều hơn nữa trong thời gian còn lại của cuộc sống quí vị. Mong cầu cho quí vị có thể sớm đoạn tận được mọi khổ đau trong kiếp sống hiện tại này.

387. "Mặt trời sáng ban ngày,

Mặt trăng sáng ban đêm.

Khí giới sáng Sát lỵ,

Thiền định sáng Phạm chí.

Còn hào quang đức Phật,

Chói sáng cả ngày đêm."

Đừng cho phép phóng dật dễ duôi. Đừng nuông chiều theo các dục lạc. Chỉ có nhiệt tâm và tĩnh giác mói có thể đạt được sự an lạc cao thượng.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! Lành thay! x3

Almsgoers

2011-04-19T16:51:00.000+07:00

Artist: Aung Kyaw Htet

"Monks, this is the lowliest form of livelihood, that of an almsgoer. A term of abuse in the world is, 'You go about as an almsgoer with a bowl in your hand!' And yet sons of good family take up [this livelihood] with compelling reason, in dependence on a compelling reason — not coerced by kings nor coerced by thieves nor from debt nor from fear nor to earn a livelihood, but [with the thought]: 'I am oppressed with birth, aging, & death, with sorrows, lamentations pains, distresses, & despairs. I am oppressed with stress, overcome with stress. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering & stress might be found!'

“Này các Tỷ-kheo, đây là nghề sinh sống hèn hạ nhất, tức là nghề khất thực. Ðây là một lời nguyền rủa trong đời, này các Tỷ- kheo, khi nói: "Ông, kẻ khất thực với bát trên bàn tay, Ông đi chỗ này, chỗ kia và đấy là nghề sinh sống". Này các Tỷ-kheo, điều mà các thiện gia nam tử chấp nhận là những vị sống vì lý tưởng mục đích, duyên với lý tưởng mục đích; không phải vì ma cưỡng ép, không phải vì trộm cướp cưỡng ép, không phải vì thiếu nợ, không phải vì sợ hãi, không phải vì không có nguồn sinh sống, mà với ý nghĩ: "Ta bị chìm đắm trong sanh, già chết, sầu, bi, khổ, ưu, não; bị chìm đắm trong đau khổ, bị đoanh vây bởi đau khổ. Rất có thể, sự chấm dứt toàn bộ khổ uẩn này được tìm ra".

Quoted: SN 22.80 PTS: S iii 91 CDB i 918 - Pindolya Sutta: Almsgoers;

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.080.than.html

What are we searching for?

2011-04-09T22:46:00.005+07:00

Today, we have bigger houses and smaller families;more conveniences, but less time.We have more degrees, but less common sense. We have more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We read too little, watch TV too often, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too little and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. Are these the things which we are searching?
We are going through this inconceivable round of rebirth, spending our time filled with worries, searching for four things to satisfy our hunger for peacefulness. Wanting to get married is the first thing. We want to live our life with our beloved wife and children in order to have peacefulness. However,we are using so much of our efforts in so many ways to face so many uncountable difficulties which are all nothing but suffering. Wealth is the second thing that we’re looking for. Although we may have become rich enough, we always think that we need something more to achieve peacefulness. However we try to remain contented much, we still try to bear the crisis as part of our search for peacefulness, too. But, this will never end even right up to the moment of our death.
As human nature and human instinct go, although we might have committed wrongdoings during our struggles for family and business, we want to consider ourselves as persons who are fair and straight - in other words, a mature and virtuous person. That is what we can call trying to find the Dhamma, which is the third thing that we keep searching for. Another word we may use to describe a virtuous person is GENTLEMAN. So, the real gentleman is not wealthy in riches but wealthy in Dhamma.That is what makes us fair and virtuous in order to become a real gentleman. Even though we may have come to be billionaire gentlemen with a nice and happy family in this world due to right livelihood, we still do not like to face sorrow, lamentation, pain and displeasure. That means we long to be free from such suffering and to find the true freedom with renunciation for our peacefulness. This is the fourth and the last thing which we wish and search for along this inconceivable round of rebirth. In actual fact, only wise attention and a mature mind can bring true peacefulness. Everyone realizes that no one can live forever, or stay young forever,or remain healthy forever. Actually, we are searching for Nibbana which is the supreme, true and ultimate peace because there is no aging, sickness and death there. That is why the Buddha said that LIFE IS always full of DISSATISFACTION. This is not pessimism but the truth. If there is life, there is sorrow, pain, grief, lamentation and displeasure. So,what do we do? The Four Foundations of Mindfulness can develop wise attention and make your mind mature. Thus the Buddha said:

Sorrow and lamentation’s overcoming,

for pain and displeasure’s disappearance,

for the true way’s attainment,

for Nibbana’s realization:

that is, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

(D.ii.9 ‘Maha•Sati•Patthana•Sutta_’ (‘Great Sutta on Mindfulness-Foundation’)

Today, we are gathered here in searching for true peacefulness through practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. We wish that everyone will be able to realize the Buddha’s Teaching and that everyone will possess wise attention and a mature mind in their search. And, we also wish true peacefulness for the person who kindly invited me to come here. Furthermore, to those persons who took the responsibility in issuing the legal permission from the government, may they find peacefulness through practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to attain wise attention and mature mind.

May everyone gain supreme Bliss through all that we are searching for!

With Metta,

Venerable Dhammapala

(Samathi-Vipassana meditation retreat opening ceremony speech in Long An, Vietnam, 2011)

For one who is born

2011-02-11T21:32:00.001+07:00

"Once, monks, there was a teacher named Araka, a sectarian leader who was free of passion for sensual pleasures. He had many hundreds of students and he taught them the Dhamma in this way: 'Next to nothing, brahmans, is the life of human beings — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a dewdrop on the tip of a blade of grass quickly vanishes with the rising of the sun and does not stay long, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a dewdrop — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as when the rain-devas send rain in fat drops, and a bubble on the water quickly vanishes and does not stay long, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a water bubble — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a line drawn in the water with a stick quickly vanishes and does not stay long, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a line drawn in the water with a stick — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a river flowing down from the mountains, going far, its current swift, carrying everything with it, so that there is not a moment, an instant, a second where it stands still, but instead it goes & rushes & flows, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a river flowing down from the mountains — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a strong man forming a drop of spit on the tip of his tongue would spit it out with little effort, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a drop of spit — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a sliver of meat thrown into an iron pan heated all day quickly vanishes and does not stay long, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a sliver of meat — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.

"'Just as a cow to be slaughtered being led to the slaughterhouse, with every step of its foot closer to its slaughtering, closer to death, in the same way, brahmans, the life of human beings is like a cow to be slaughtered — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.'

"Now at that time, monks, the human life span was 60,000 years, with girls marriageable at 500. And at that time there were [only] six afflictions: cold, heat, hunger, thirst, defecation, & urination. Yet even though people were so long-lived, long-lasting, with so few afflictions, that teacher Araka taught the Dhamma to his disciples in this way: 'Next to nothing, brahmans, is the life of human beings — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.'

"At present, monks, one speaking rightly would say, 'Next to nothing is the life of human beings — limited, trifling, of much stress & many despairs. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, follow the holy life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.' At present, monks, one who lives a long time is 100 years old or a little bit more. Living 100 years, one lives for 300 seasons: 100 seasons of cold, 100 seasons of heat, 100 seasons of rain. Living for 300 seasons, one lives for 1,200 months: 400 months of cold, 400 months of heat, 400 months of rain. Living for 1,200 months, one lives for 2,400 fortnights: 800 fortnights of cold, 800 fortnights of heat, 800 fortnights of rain. Living for 2,400 fortnights, one lives for 36,000 days: 12,000 days of cold, 12,000 days of heat, 12,000 days of rain. Living for 36,000 days, one eats 72,000 meals: 24,000 meals in the cold, 24,000 meals in the heat, 24,000 meals in the rain — counting the taking of mother's milk and obstacles to eating. These are the obstacles to eating: when one doesn't eat while angered, when one doesn't eat while suffering or stressed, when one doesn't eat while sick, when one doesn't eat on the observance day, when one doesn't eat while poor.

"Thus, monks, I have reckoned the life of a person living for 100 years: I have reckoned the life span, reckoned the seasons, reckoned the years, reckoned the months, reckoned the fortnights, reckoned the nights, reckoned the days, reckoned the meals, reckoned the obstacles to eating. Whatever a teacher should do — seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them — that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you all."

(AN 7.70 PTS: A iv 136 Arakenanusasani Sutta: Araka's Teaching ) http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.070.than.html

Purpose of Mirror

2011-01-19T11:14:00.000+07:00

I heard thus.

At one time the Blessed One was living in the squirrels’ santuary in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha. At that time venerable Rahula lived in Ambalatthika. Then the Blessed One getting up from his seclusion in the evening approached venerable Rahula in Ambalatthika. Venerable Rahula saw the Blessed One coming in the distance, prepared a seat and administered water. The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat and washed his feet. Venerable Rahula too worshipped the Blessed One and sat on a side.

Then the Blessed One retained a little water in the vessel and addressed venerable Rahula. ‘Rahula, do you see this little water left over in the vessel?’ ‘Yes, venerable sir.’’So little is his recluseship, that has no shame, to tell lies, aware’ Then the Blessed One threw away that little bit of water and addressed venerable Rahula. ‘Rahula, did you see that little water thrown away? ‘Yes, venerable sir’’Thus thrown away is the recluseship of one who has no shame, to tell lies with awareness’. Then the Blessed One turned that vessel upside down and addressed venerable Rahula‘Rahula, do you see this vessel turned upside down?’’Yes, venerable sir’’Thus turned upside down is the recluseship of one who has no shame to tell lies with awareness’. Then the Blessed One put the vessel upright and addressed venerable Rahula. ‘Rahula, do you see this vessel empty and deserted?’’Yes, venerable sir’ ‘So empty is the recluseship of one who has no shame to tell lies with awareness.

Rahula, the king’s huge well trained tusker, gone to the battle field, would work with his fore feet, hind feet, the fore part of his body, the hind part of his body, the head, his ears, tusks and with his tail, while protecting his trunk. Then it occurs to the elephant driver: This kings’ elephant the huge tusker gone to the battle field works with his fore feet and hind feet, fore part of the body and hind part of the body, with head, ears, tusks and tail, while protecting its trunk. There is nothing more to do to him. Rahula, just as there is nothing the king’s huge tusker gone to the battle field could not do with is limbs large and small, in the same manner, there is nothing that could not be done by one who has no shame to tell lies with awareness. Therefore you should train, I will not tell lies even for play.

Rahula, what is the purpose of a mirror?’ ‘Venerable sir, for the purpose of reflection.’ ‘Rahula in the same manner reflecting you should do bodily actions, reflecting you should do verbal actions, reflecting you should do mental actions

Rahula, when a desire arises to do some bodily action, you should reflect. Doing this bodily action, will I be troubled, will others be troubled, will both be troubled. Is this bodily action demerit?Is it unpleasant? When reflecting if you know. This bodily action will bring trouble to me, to others and to both It is demerit, it is unpleasant. If possible you should not do it. Rahula, when, reflecting, if you know. This bodily action I desire to do, will not bring me, trouble, others trouble, nor trouble to either. It’s merit and brings pleasantness. Rahula, you should do such bodily actions. Even while doing that bodily action, you should reflect. Does this bodily action give me trouble, give others trouble or does it give trouble to either? Is it demerit? Is it unpleasant? Rahula, when reflecting if you know this bodily action is unpleasant, give up such bodily actions. If you know, this bodily action does not give me, others or either, trouble. It is merit, and it brings pleasantness, Then follow up that bodily action. Rahula, having done such actions too you should reflect. Did this bodily action cause me, others, or either, trouble? Was it demerit? Did it arouse unpleassantness?. When reflecting if you know, this bodily action caused me and others, trouble, it isn’t merit, aroused unpleasantness. Then you should declare it to the Teacher or a wise co-associate in the holy life, manifest it and make amends for future restraint. Raahula, when reflecting, if you know, this bodily action did not cause me, others or either trouble. It was merit and pleasant. Then you should abide delighted pursuing such things of merit day and night..

Rahula, when a desire arises to you to do some verbal action, you should reflect thus: Doing this verbal action, will I trouble my self, others or both? Is this verbal action demerit? Is it unpleasant? When reflecting if you know, this verbal action will bring me, others and both trouble it is demerit and unpleasant. If possible you should not do it. Rahula, when, reflecting, if you know. This verbal action, if done, would not trouble either. It is merit and is pleasant. Then Raahula, you should do such verbal actions. Even while doing that verbal action, you should reflect. Does this verbal action give me, others, or either, trouble? Is it demerit? Is it unpleasant?Rahula, if it is unpleasant, give up, such verbal actions. If you know, this verbal action does not bring me, others, or either, trouble. It is merit and is pleasant. Follow up such verbal actions. Rahula, having done such verbal actions too you should reflect. Did this cause me, others, or either, trouble? Was it demerit? Was it unpleasant? When reflecting if you know, this verbal action caused me, others, and both, trouble. It is demerit, and unpleasant. It should be declared to the Teacher or a wise co-associate in the holy life, manifest it and make amends for future restraint. Rahula, when reflecting you know, this verbal action, did not cause me, others or either trouble. It was merit and it was pleasant. Then you should abide delighted pursuing such things of merit day and night..

Rahula, when you desire to do some mental action, you should reflect. In doing, this mental action, will I trouble myself? Is it demerit? Is it unpleasant? When reflecting if you know, this mental action will trouble me. It is demerit and unpleasant. Then, if possible you should not do it. Rahula, when reflecting if you know, this mental action will not bring me trouble. It is merit and pleasant. Then Rahula, you should do such mental actions. Even while doing that mental action, you should reflect. Does this mental action give me, others, trouble? Is it demerit and unpleasant? Rahula, if that is so, give up that mental action. If you know, this mental action does not bring me, others trouble. It’s merit, and pleasant Then follow it up. Having done such mental actions too you should reflect. Did it cause me, others, trouble? Was it demerit? Was it unpleasant? When reflecting if you know, this mental action caused me, others, trouble. It is demerit and unpleasant. Then you should be disgusted and loathe such mental actions. Rahula, when reflecting if you know, this mental action did not cause me, others, trouble, it was merit and it was pleasant. Then you should pursue such things of merit day and night delightedly..

Rahula, whoever recluses or brahmins purified their bodily actions, verbal actions and mental actions in the past, did by reflecting.Whoever recluses or brahmins will purify their bodily, verbal and mental actions in the future will do so reflecting. Whoever recluses or brahmins purify their bodily, verbal, and mental actions at present do so reflecting. Therefore Rahula, you should train thus. Reflecting I will purify my bodily, verbal and mental actions.

The Blessed One said thus and venerable Rahula delighted in the words of the Blessed One. .

MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA II
II. 2.1. Ambala.t.thikaaraahulovaadasutta.m-(61) Advice to Venerable Raahula At Ambalatthika.

Modern Lodestars

2011-01-19T11:12:00.001+07:00

Further to a request for talks on lust, hatred and delusion, we shall today begin by looking at some distinctions The Buddha makes between the three.
The Buddha says: Lust is a lesser fault and fades away slowly; hatred is a great fault and fades away quickly; delusion is a great fault and fades away slowly.
The Texts explain that greed or lust is a lesser fault in two ways: 1. In the eyes of the world (loka), and 2. In terms of kamma-vipāka. The Texts explain that according to the world there is nothing wrong in, for example, parents giving consent to their children getting married, even though lust is involved. And the Texts explain that if when married one observes the third precept, kāmesu micchācārā veramanī sikkhāpadaŋ samādiyāmi, which means that one is content with one’s partner, then there is for that reason no rebirth in the lower worlds. In other words, there is greedy and lustful conduct that according to the standards of civilized society is acceptable, and that kind of conduct does not lead to serious akusala kamma-vipāka; it does not prevent us from having a good rebirth.

Thus, a man may work very hard because he wants to become rich and have a big house, big car, big business, and be a big shot: so long as he fulfills his ambition in honorable ways, and his general conduct too is honorable, the world does not condemn his greed for wealth and prestige, in fact, the world praises him. The Buddha too explains that honorably earned wealth is the first of the four types of bliss available to a layman, namely the bliss of having. And the bliss of having is, of course, requisite to the second bliss, namely the bliss of giving. Many of The Buddha’s patrons were rich, some of them kings, and all over the world, even today, there are rich people who do good with their wealth, for example, the king of Saudi Arabia.

But greed is only a lesser fault within the limits allowed by civilized society. In societies that are less civilized, or in uncivilized people, greed and lust is very dangerous. This can also happen with the man who works hard in an honorable way. As he gets richer so can he get greedier, and as he gets greedier so can he begin to forget to be civilized. With money comes also power, and then there are further dangers.

Although The Buddha explained that lust is a lesser fault, He also explained that it fades away slowly. The Texts explain that lust is as hard to remove as oily soot, and that lust for particular objects or a certain person may persist throughout life, even through several lives. That is why people can follow each other through many lives: it is because of attachment and clinging. Lust is eradicated only at arahantship.

Hatred, on the other hand, was explained as being a great fault that fades away quickly. It is in the Texts explained as a great fault in the eyes of the world. It causes anger and because of anger we misbehave in body, speech and mind towards other people, such as our parents, brothers and sisters and even monks. In terms of kamma-vipāka, the mind that is consumed with hatred is a sub-human mind, and that is why if we die in anger we will have a sub-human rebirth. And hatred is why we commit the five garuka kammas (weighty kammas):killing father, mother, an arahant, with malice wounding a Buddha or causing a schism in the Sangha. The kamma-vipāka of acts of hatred can be an unhappy rebirth, and the weighty kammas are certain to lead to eons in the hottest of hells.

Usually, however, hatred fades away quickly because it has immediately unpleasant results. The intelligent person who has done something out of hatred will have remorse and know that his hatred does not make him feel happy: hence the universal and very wholesome institution of saying ‘I am sorry’. But very often people do not say: ‘I am sorry’, and ‘Please forgive me’, because of pride. For example, the proud mother or father may expect their children to apologize for being rude to them, but they will never themselves apologize for being rude to their children. Their pride is rooted in the third unwholesome root, delusion.

The Buddha explained that delusion is a great fault and fades away slowly. Delusion is, of course, the most serious of the three, because delusion accounts for acts committed out of lust and greed; delusion accounts for acts committed out of hatred; and delusion accounts for acts committed out of delusion. The Texts explain that acts of delusion are, as in the case of hatred, condemned by the world and lead to unhappy rebirths.

When the Texts say that greed and lust bridled by the third precept is accepted by society, and that acts of hatred and delusion are condemned by society, they are referring to the civilized societies of the Ganges valley in ancient India. When we read the ancient Pāli Texts, we notice that the people in those societies, whoever they were, kings and queens, ministers, headmen, Brahmins, farmers, fathers and mothers, housewives, even prostitutes, executioners and bandits, they knew what was kusala and what was akusala. That is why we read about prostitutes who offered food to monks, and who ordained as nuns; bandits who offered food to monks and who ordained as monks; Brahmins who went to argue with The Buddha and then touched their proud head to the ground and took refuge in Him; and even King Ajjātasatu, who had killed his own father, King Pasenadi, one of The Buddha’s chief patrons, he went to see The Buddha, and became a chief patron like his father. In the civilized societies of ancient India, people did evil things just as people do it today, but they knew it was evil. They had the wise men as their lodestars, and they would seek out the wise men, ask them questions, listen and reflect. That is the difference between a civilized and uncivilized society. How can a society call itself civilized if it has no wise men or women, or if it does, but does not listen to them?

The world can only condemn acts of delusion if the world can discriminate between kusala and akusala: that is, if the world possesses some degree of right view (sammā ditthi). Four of the factors that constitute right view are namely

1. To know what is akusala,

2. To know the root of akusala,

3. To know what is kusala, and

4. To know the root of kusala.

If the world has no idea about or respect for these things, if it has too much wrong view (micchā ditthi), it may instead of condemning acts of akusala praise them. When our delusion is aggravated by wrong view, we do wrong, thinking it is right. That is infinitely more dangerous to us and our fellow human beings than when our delusion is not aggravated by wrong view, and we do wrong, knowing it is wrong. If, for example, the world we live in views alcohol as a good thing, people will deludedly praise us for serving champagne at our children’s weddings. And in such a world, liquor is viewed as stylish and sophisticated, indeed, in some parts of the world it is considered indispensable to good and normal living. If the world we live in regards tax evasion as not being theft, then people will not condemn the man whose wealth depends on deception, but ask for his advice. If the world we live in views the embryo or foetus in the womb as something other than human life, then doctors and social workers will out of what they think is compassion advise some mothers to have an abortion, and the electorate will for the same reason have made such a practice legal and acceptable.

Wrong view is always associated with greed and lust. Wrong view feeds on sensuality, and the Texts say it is the most reprehensible of all akusala mind states.2 Why? Because how is one to better oneself if one thinks that the wrong is right and the right is wrong? It is like taking poison, thinking it is medicine: indeed, insisting that it is medicine. Knowing poison to be poison is right view, and when there is right view the drinking of alcohol is not praised or admired, or considered stylish and ‘cool’. Wise people know that alcohol leads to muddle-mindedness, which leads to akusala kamma. That is why abstinence is the fifth precept. If we are drunk, it is much more likely that we will kill or harm other beings, that we will steal, commit adultery etc. and tell lies. The person who drinks will even deny that he drinks.

Even among thieves there used to be a certain element of right view, in that they had a ‘code of thieves’. They considered it unacceptable, for example, to steal from children or to use threats or violence. Why? Because, although they were thieves, they knew theft was wrong. When caught, they would not call in the psychologist and sociologist to say that they were the innocent victims of past circumstances. They would go to gaol, serve their sentence, and when released would either give up theft, or be extra careful not to get caught again. In so far as they committed acts of theft, thieves in the past were deluded, but insofar as they knew it was wrong, they were not deluded, did not have wrong view. This means that there is akusala kamma and kusala kamma: one with wrong view and one without. Let us then look at the time when The Buddha explained this to the actor Tālaputa. Tālaputa was the director of a famous troupe of actors. He told The Buddha that in the acting profession there was the ancient view that an actor is reborn among the laughing devas.

Tālaputa asked The Buddha what he had to say about that view. The Buddha told him not to ask. But Tālaputa insisted, and when he asked a third time, The Buddha said: In the theatre or at a festival, beings who are not yet free from lust, who are bound by the bondage of lust, are entertained by an actor with things of a lustful nature (rajanīyā), which excite them even more strongly to lust (rāga). Here, The Buddha is analysing the actor’s craft. In this case, the actor excites his audiences with lust.

The Buddha said, in the theatre or at a festival, and we can today say, ‘In the theatre, at a festival, on film in a cinema, on videos and CDs and on TV.’ Just as actors and actresses in ancient India made a living by exciting their audiences with lust, so do actors and actresses today make a living that way: it is called ‘entertainment’, includes pop singers etc. and is a multi-billion and multinational industry. The excitement of lust is indispensable also in the fashion and advertising industry. All these industries excite their audiences with lust for material things such as the actor and model’s material bodies, their clothes, their hairdo etc. But excited is also lust for their feelings and other mental states. The modern soap opera, for example, focuses on only the emotional goings-ons of the characters: that is why people all over the world become addicted to soap operas. But lust is not the only mind state that actors excite in their audience. In the next part of His analysis the Buddha said: In the theatre or at a festival, beings who are not yet free from hatred, who are bound by the bondage of hatred, are entertained by an actor with things of a hateful nature (dosanīyā), which excite them even more strongly to hatred.

The excitement of hatred is high priority in the modern entertainment industry. Cinema audiences pay hard-earned money to delight in fear loathing, dislike etc. excited in them by scenes of explicit and gratuitous graphic violence, of people on the screen who are frightened, screaming, crying, running, getting wounded and killed because of fires, floods, earthquakes, drought and famine, war, dinosaurs, spiders, snakes, sharks, cannibals, bandits, lunatics etc. The more fear excited in the audience, the better the ratings, and it is not uncommon now for children to have nightmares because of a film they have seen.

But lust and hatred are not the only mind states that actors excite in their audiences. Closing His analysis of the actor’s craft, The Buddha says: In the theatre or at a festival, beings who are not yet free from delusion, who are bound by the bondage of delusion, are entertained by an actor with things of a delusive nature (dosanīyā), which excite them even more strongly to delusion.

Delusion is also excited in the case of lust and hatred, of course, but there are elements in entertainment that are purely delusive, such as fantastical, imaginary things. A very large proportion of modern entertainment is far removed from reality: fantastical, futuristic worlds with technological time-travel and visits to other universes, and fantastical beings like Superman, Batman, superhuman masters of martial arts.

Fantastical entertainment by imaginary non-human actors is colossal, that is, in the fantasy worlds of the animated cartoons industry. Here, the professionals work on the drawing board. The fantastical characters of Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry etc. have proliferated into thousands of cartoon characters that pervade every aspect of modern life and inhabit the minds of modern citizens, particularly modern children. Go into the room of a child in one of the sensually developed countries and be overwhelmed by the volume of commercially produced delusion that is such a child’s world: toys, pictures, music, videos, games, even clothes and food. The results of this culture exist already in the form of children, youths

and former children and youths who have become mentally disturbed: who have lost touch with reality.

The advertising industry uses fantastical beings to make their customers believe the sales products have a friendly little self. Computer programs are made to look as if the computer has a self, with beings inside who help us, communicate with us, and have feelings; processed food is sold in packages with little beings on, who also communicate with us, and the multinational fast-food restaurants all have fantastical beings that welcome the customers and make them feel at home. Grown-up people decorate their homes, their cars and even their clothes with such toys, because they are ‘cute’. But, every time we look at a ‘cute’ toy, watch a cartoon or smile at the being in the computer, the mind is darkened by delusion.

This massive development is global; helps keep people’s mind intoxicated with fantasy far removed from reality, and is considered one of the many blessings of science and technology. Fantasy is by modern child-psychologists considered paramount to a happy child. As we can see, the only difference between modern entertainment and the entertainment in ancient India is volume, depth and sophistication. But the elements of entertainment, and the effect they have on people’s minds remain unchanged. People who are involved in entertainment are excited by lust, hatred and delusion, and excite lust, hatred and delusion in their audiences. What is the kamma vipāka? It depends. The Buddha said to Tālaputa: Thus, being intoxicated and careless himself, having made others intoxicated and careless, with the break-up of the

body, after death, he [the actor] is reborn in the ‘Hell of Laughter’. And remember, The Buddha is not speculating here, He is talking about what He has seen for Himself.

Here, The Buddha is talking about the actor who is intoxicated with the delight of entertainment, and who for that reason is careless in his conduct of body, speech and mind. For that, he is reborn in the ‘Hell of Laughter’. But this is not all. The kamma performed by the actor can be aggravated by wrong view. The Buddha says: But should he [the actor] hold such a view as this: ‘If an actor, in the theatre or at a festival, entertains and amuses people by counterfeiting the truth, then with the break-up of the body, after death, he is reborn among the laughing devas’, that is a wrong view on his part.

The wrong view is not a question of believing that one will be reborn in such-and-such aplace; it is a question of believing that it is kusala to entertain people by counterfeiting the truth, exciting lust, hatred and delusion in them, and making them intoxicated and negligent of good conduct in body, speech and mind: it is, in other words, to not know how harmful such activities are to oneself and the world. That is why The Buddha closed his analysis by saying to Tālaputa: For a person with wrong view, I say, there is one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm. At these words, Tālaputa burst into tears, and The Buddha said: ‘I told you not to ask.’ But Tālaputa’s answer was: ‘I am not crying, Venerable Sir, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but because I have been tricked, cheated and deceived for a long time by those actors of old in the lineage of teachers . . . .’

Why had Tālaputa been tricked, cheated and deceived? Because his lodestar had been the wrong view brought down through the lineage of actors. He had allowed his livelihood to be guided by a lodestar that would lead him to hell or the animal kingdom. Some of the prominent lodestars in the modern age are film stars, pop stars and other stars in the entertainment industry. Actors, who on screen kill, steal, commit adultery, tell lies and drink alcohol, become rich and famous, win prizes, and are praised, admired, emulated and even interviewed in newspapers, magazines and on TV. They are in the modern world viewed as ‘cool’. Not only can one buy a T-shirt with a picture of one’s favourite film star, indeed one can wear the T-shirts in public. Film stars and pop stars generate fan clubs and even cults, especially among children, but also among youths who attend university and among adults who hold a job, have children, vote at the elections and can stand for election.

The news, which might educate us about the realities of saŋsāra, tends also towards entertainment. For the global networks, the news is not so much a question of education as a question of the latest sensational images to excite lust, hatred and delusion in the viewers, with the enumeration of bald facts as legitimacy: in-depth analyses do not excite. And scenes from wars and natural and unnatural disasters are fitted in between advertisements for the latest flashy car, the latest trendy beer, the latest junk-food, and the latest fantastical film. The viewers’ minds remain gripped by delusion. The goings-ons on TV account for a very large proportion of modern social intercourse, even in the family, and the minds and lives of modern children are practically ruled by the media: the television is the modern universal altar that cuts across the creeds. Sitting in front of the box with images and sounds that excite lust, hatred and above all delusion is considered a good and normal way to make use of one’s rebirth as a human being. Indeed, a society where most people do not spend many mindless hours every day in front of the box is viewed as ‘backward’, ‘underdeveloped’, ‘primitive’, ‘uncivilized’ and poor: a ‘third world’ country.

But one of the first things that happen to people who have done some serious meditation is that they stop enjoying such entertainment. Why? Because once one has meditated the arising of lustful, hateful and delusory mind states becomes as clear as an inkblot on white paper. The meditator acquires the ability to see the akusala elements that are entertainment, and see how the mind becomes drugged with excitement and delusion.

And Tālaputa? What happened to him? Well, the very fact that he had been reborn in one of the civilized societies of ancient India, at a time when a Buddha was there; that he sought out The Buddha and asked him a question; that he listened with respect and attention; and that he understood the truth of The Buddha’s analysis to such an extent that he burst into tears, tells us that his pāramīs were ripe. And indeed, Tālaputa took The Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha as his new lodestar: he requested ordination, received ordination, and after a number of years of hard work, and much struggle, Tālaputa became one of the arahants. There are in the Pāli Texts, fifty-five verses that are Tālaputa’s, wherein he describes his struggles and subsequent success. I shall close this talk by quoting the thirty-fifth verse. This is Tālaputa the arahant speaking:

Tanhā, avijjā ca, piyāpiyañca;
Subhāni rūpāni, sukhā ca vedanā;
Manāpiyā, kāmagunā ca vantā.
Vante ahaŋ āvamituŋ na ussahe.

Craving, unknowing, the liked and the disliked;
Delighting in forms and pleasing feelings too;
Dear pleasures of the senses: all have been vomited.
Never to that vomit can I make myself return.
(Tag.XIX, v. 35 (Forest Meditations, by Bhikkhu Khantipalo: BPS)

May we all choose the right lodestar, and be led to vomit, and led to never return to the vomit of, lust, hatred and delusion.
Thank you.
(Talks by Ekacco Bhikkhu)

DO YOU REALLY SICK!

2010-12-31T22:42:00.000+07:00

The Blessed Buddha once noted:

There are these three kinds of bodily sick people:

One will recover by himself, even without any doctor or any medicine..

One will never recover, even if treated by the best doctor & best medicine..

One will only recover if treated by right medicine and a good doctors advice..

It is for the sake of this last person, that doctors work and medicine is made!

Similarly with those mentally infected by illness of greed, hate & ignorance!

There are these three kinds of mentally sick people:

One will cure & free himself, even without meeting this Buddha-Dhamma...

One will never be cured, even if taught this Dhamma by the Buddha himself...

One will be cured & freed, if & only if, taught & learning this Buddha-Dhamma...

It is for the sake of this last type of person, that this Dhamma should be shared!

SUNSETS

2010-12-31T22:39:00.001+07:00

Yet another sunset towards Death’s domain.
Think not that one will ne’er die.
Inevitable it is
That many sunsets to Death’s lie shall lead!
(Translated from the Myanmar)
U Pandita,
The Most Venerable Ledi Sayadaw

LIFE AND EMOTIONS

2010-12-31T22:37:00.002+07:00

All those who go through life with firm resolve (determination) are those who are not in the habit of indulging their mind (senses). `Going through life without indulging one’s senses’ should be understood to mean `going through life without (yielding to) one’s emotions (or feelings)’.

Today, many people are wending (making) their way through life with much emotion. That is why they tremble (shudder) when they are faced with the good, the bad and the many and varied ways of this mundane world.

So, in converse, it must be understood that all those who go through life with their emotions (feelings) in the forefront are those without any firm resolve (determination) in life.

All those who place their emotions (feelings) in the forefront will be incapable of distinguishing between that which is right and that which is wrong. So, it is an example of having inferior (inadequate) wisdom, is it not? That is why if you consider yourself to be a person who is going through your life with firm resolve (determination), it is necessary for you to try and avoid putting your emotions (feelings) in the forefront. In other words, unlike the habit (nature) of people with inferior wisdom, you should never indulge your senses under any circumstances.

In that way, by placing wisdom in the forefront, you will be able to distinguish between right and wrong and thus lead a worthy life with strong and firm resolve (determination).

24-05-2010

5:00 p.m.

Cittala-taung Monastery,

Pa-Auk Tawya

Do You Really Respect On Buddha?

2010-12-31T22:36:00.002+07:00

And the Lord said: "Ananda, prepare a couch facing the mark between these two sal trees, for I am uneasy and wish to lie down." So Ananda did as the Lord asked, and then the Lord lay down on his right side, resting one foot on another in the position of the lion, mindful and clearly conscious. Then suddenly, the two sal trees burst into full bloom out of season and the flowers rained down out of respect for the Tathagata. Celestial blossoms and heavenly sandalwood powder rained down, and heavenly music and voices could be heard, all out of respect for the Tathagata.

Then the Lord addressed Ananda and said: "Look at these sal blossoms and heavenly flowers, sandalwood powder, music and voices. Yet, it is not like this that the Tathagata is respected, venerated, esteemed, worshipped and honoured with the highest respect. But the monk and nun, the layman and the laywoman, who abide by the Dhamma, walk the way of Dhamma, practise the Dhamma - it is they who respect, venerate, esteem, worship and honour the Tathagata with the highest respect. Therefore, abide by the Dhamma, walk the way of the Dhamma and practise the Dhamma. This is how you should train yourself." ( Digha Nikaya II.137 )

NOBILITY

2010-12-31T22:34:00.000+07:00

Only those who are able to relinquish attachments are worthy of being described as "noble."

If the Dhamma (Truth) can be fully realized with intelligence …

If wordly possessions, prestige (rank) and status are not employed to determine one's true worth or ability, i.e., truth.

It can then be said that the virtues/pleasantness of relinquishment have been well comprehended (fully grasped).

In that case, such person is worthy of being (deserves to be) called "noble."

What else is there in the world that is more satisfying (gratifying) than to be seen as a "noble" person?

What else can be there more satisfying in the world than to realize the true meaning of "nobility?"

At this opportune time in this life, may all be endowed with stronger qualities/abilities to make the right choice.

Are you a man?

2010-10-22T17:01:00.000+07:00

[Alavaka]

Unknown author

What wealth here is best for man?
What well practiced will happiness bring?
What taste excels all other tastes?
How lived is the life they say is best?

[The Buddha:]

Faith is the wealth here best for man;
Dhamma well practiced shall happiness bring;
Truth indeed all other tastes excels;
Life wisely lived they say is best.

(Alavaka Sutta: Discourse to Alavaka SN 10.12)

Mum!

2010-10-04T15:21:00.003+07:00

Unknown Artist

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you. You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.

You thanked her by running away when she called.

When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.

You thanked her bu tossing your plate on the floor.

When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.

You thanked her buy screaming, “ I”M NOT GOING!”

When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball.

You thanked her by throwing it through the next- door-neighbor's window.

When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.

You thanked by dripping it all over your lap.

When you are 9 years old she paid for piano lessons.

You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.

When you were 10 years old she drove you all day, from soccer to gymnastic to one birthday party after another.

You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.

When you were 11 years old, she took you and you friends to the movies.

You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.

When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.

You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.

When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp.

You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.

When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug.

You thanked her by having your bedroom door looked.

When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her car.

You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.

When you were 17, she was expecting an important, call.

You thanked her by being on the phone all night.

When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.

You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to campus carried you bags.

You thanked her by saying good-bye out side the dorm so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were 20, she ask whether you were seeing anyone.

You thanked her buy saying, “Its none of your business.”

When you are 21, she suggested certain careers for you future.

You thanked her by saying, “ I don't want to be like you.”

When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.

You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.

When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.

You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.

When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future.

You thanked her by glaring and growling, “Muuhh-ther. Pleeeeeeeaaaazzzzeeeee!”

When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you.

You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.

You thanked her bu telling her, “Things are different now.”

When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative's birthday.

You thanked her by saying you were “really busy right now.”

When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.

You thanked her buy reading about the burden parents become to their children.

And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did came crashing down like thunder on your HEART....

( Unknown Writer )

Nearer and Dearer

2010-10-04T15:17:00.002+07:00

Unknown Artist

Nearer and Dearer

Whosoever they be that are near me,

Know not that nearer to me is the Truth.

Whosoever they be that talk with me,

Know not that mute in my heart smiles the Truth.

Whosoever they be that walk with me,

Know not I'm walking alone with the Truth.

Whosoever they be that so love me,

Know not that dearer to me is the Truth.

Nearer and Dearer, alone,

The fourth immutable Truth. ( Patrick Wakefield )

HELL IS THE REAL HOME OF A FOOL

2010-10-03T09:58:00.001+07:00

The foolish and ignorantindulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps his heedfulness...
as his best treasure.
(Buddha Dhammapada Verse: 26)

Good habit is a wholesome Kamma and bad habit is unwholesome Kamma. Please ask your self . Which habit is strong in yours ? The tiger which always catches and eats small and weak animals,must be doing unwholesome Kammas continually, will always reap the bad results, and has very little chance to be reborn in the happy existence. That is why in the Balapandita Sutta ( Wise and Fool Sutta) the Buddha says that there is no practicing of the Dhamma in the woeful states, no practicing of what is righteous, no doing of what is wholesome, no performance of merit. There, mutual devouring and the slaughter of the weak prevail.The commentary to the Dhammapada says that hell is the real home of a fool. After suffering in the great hell for a long time, a fool will be reborn in a minor hell. After suffering for a long time there, he will be reborn in another minor hell. After suffering thus for a long time in various hells, he will be reborn in the Peta world. Again he has to suffer for a long time there, and then he may be reborn as an animal. In the animal world, mutual devouring and the slaughter of the weak prevail, and he performs a lot of unwholesome Kammas. After death he is again reborn in hell. After going in such a cycle for many times, he may be reborn as a human being. But due to his bad habit, again he performs a lot of unwholesome Kammas, and after death he is reborn in hell. Thus we call a fool as a permanent inhabitant of hell.Only after a long time in hell they take a short vacation in the human world. And after the short vacation, he will go back to hell. That is why The Buddha says that it is difficult to be born as a human being. However many people do not really appreciate being born as a human being. They live heedlessly, enjoying various sensual pleasures as they like. They cohabit with their lovers, seduce others' wife or husband, abort their own foetus for a higher standard of living, order many chicken and pigs to be killed for their wedding and various kinds of parties, earn money unlawfully, and do many other unwholesome deeds. Nowadays, human society had been defeated by such kind of bad habits as tradition. They regret that they did not make a proper use of human life only when they are reborn in the woeful states, but then it is too late.Which habit do u have?

Do you want to go back home?

What are we living for?

2010-10-02T10:33:00.001+07:00

Artist By Tae Park

For the happiness? People all over the world, they are living for their body because of they think that it can brings happiness for them. Do you agree? We all need food, all you need shelter, we all need clothes, we want to be healthy. This all the reason why we all are living. We may think that we need clothes; we may think that you need shelter; we may think that you need food; we may think that we need to be healthy, actually according to our Buddha, this is not our need, because we have the body, it is the body that needs clothes, this body wants to be healthy, this body wants shelter. Are you living for yourself or are you living for the body? What do you think? This is the reason to come to Vietnam and to let you know the truth. Are you slave or master? But now you are living for your body, you are just a slave. Within birth and death, you all are very busy, being busy for your body. Morning till night you all are very busy for your body. Is this the purpose of life? Will you die for your body? Just by fulfilling the needs of your body, all people die. That is why we need to live more than what we are now living for.

Ere long, alas
this body will lie upon the earth,
unheeded and lifeless, like a useless log. (Dhammapada : 41)

Because you have existences, you do your responsibility for your existences. In other words, we can say that you know your responsibility for this present life. Truly to say you know your responsibility of your body. Because all of you are going back today for your body, that’s why we need to live not only for our body, we need to live for our life. If we think about this body, we will not think much of our life. Do you believe you have new existences after this life? After you pass away, there are new existences waiting for you. Have you done something for your new existences waiting for you? Have you done something for your new existences or are you doing for your new existences every day? Truly? If you are doing, I am happy for all of you. Compare for this present life, if we cannot make the end of suffering, there are many future lives waiting for us. After this present life there are many future lives, if we cannot make an end of suffering. At the near death of this present life, a near death object will appear. This object will be the cause of your future life. Do you think that all of your wealth can bring happiness when you are in death moment? So, which kind of happiness is more valuable and important? We need deep consider in our life. When we are practice meditation, the mind is wandering a lot. What’s are the most of your wandering thoughts, good or bad wandering thoughts? Be honest, good or bad? Bad. So at the near dead moment, the object that appears, it looks like the object while you are practicing meditation. Now you are young, not old, still strong, you have strength, you have mindfulness, even in such condition you can’t focus on the meditation object as you like. At the near death moment, you are seriously ill, you are very weak, you have no strength, you have no mindfulness, what do you think, can you focus on the object as you want ? So difficult. Because of this reason, Buddha said when a person dies, when people die, when beings die, they fall into four woeful states. Those who are training their mind through practicing, which are more? Those who are not training their mind through practicing are much more. If you don’t train your mind when you are young, strong and you have strength, you cannot face your death. Sure that you will be sad at that time. Do you think that that kind of sadness is your happiness?

The first reason why we need to practice is to be able to face our death. This is the most difficult thing to face in our life. However beautiful you are now, however high intelligent you are now, however rich you are now, however successful you are now if you are not training your mind, you are not rich. You are rich but materially, not mentally. However high is your living standard, if you are not training your mind, really you are not in high standard, and high standard of life cannot be decided by seeing the position of someone. The standard of one person should be decided through looking at the maturity of mind. If you are living for the body, you will try much material wealth. You will forget to improve spiritual wealth. I heard of many Vietnamese people who are so exhausted because of working too hard. That’s true? That’s why you need to improve your maturity of mind. It’s through practicing meditation; meditation practice is the training of the mind. There are many trainings in the world, among all training the training of mind is the most difficult training. Which one do you like? Difficult one or easier one ? Easier one. Easy going is better for all of you. I think. But the Buddha said difficult to do is what beneficial for one sake. Easy to do is not beneficial for one’s sake. Do you really love yourself? Are you going to do the difficult thing? There are two things you have to choose, listening the music and listening the Dhamma, which one do you want to choose? If you answer me the answer I like. I am happy with you, but be honest, you are like listen music, you all choose easy thing to do, what is not really beneficial for you.

Meditation practice is difficult but very beneficial for the present happiness and for the future happiness. That is what we are going to experience but it is not our goal. The reason why we ordain as Bhikkhus practicing meditation because we want to purify of mind. Who is honest? Those who have no defilements are honest. No one could be as honest with their defilements. If you have greed, if you have lust, if you have hatred, even you try to be honest, because of your defilements in your mind still influencing, improper thoughts still arise. That’s why with defilement we cannot be really honors one. We can live peacefully if we have a lot of defilements. That’s why the purpose of practicing meditation is to eradicate all the defilements. If you want pure happiness and a good future life, you need to train your mind. Is it because of physical beauty that we get a good future life or because of beautifying our mind that we get a good future life? If you want to be beautifying your mind, you need to practice. You all everyday purify your mind or your face? You all beautify your face but not your mind. You all need to purify your mind much much more. Do you think life is suffering? Yes. Do you want to free from suffering of life? If you all want to be free from suffering of life you all need to practice meditation. This is our real goal of practicing meditation, to make an end of suffering. And this is the pure happiness which we searching in our life.

My last supreme gift to all of you. I will give you a last supreme gift for all of you, do you want it? If you are not skillful in reading the habits of others minds, please be skillful in reading the habits of your own mind. Is it easy to know others mind? Is it easy to know your own mind? Even to know your own mind is not easy, only those who are heedful can be skillful in reading their own mind. If you want to do more wholesome deed you need to know your own mind. Why? All the bodily wrong actions, all the verbally wrong actions, occur because mental instructions. That’s why if you are not skillful to reading your own mind, you will do many unwholesome deeds, you will not do wholesome deed. That’s why be skillful in reading the habit of your own mind for the rest of your life.

May you be able to practice meditation more and more in the rest of your life. May you all make an end of suffering in this very life time!

The sun shines by day,
the moon shines by night.
The warrior shines in armor,
the holy man shines in meditation.
But the Buddha shines resplendent all day and all night. ( Dhammmapada : 387 )

Do not give way to heedlessness.

Do not indulge in sensual pleasures.

Only the heedful and meditative attain great happiness.

The Vinaya is the life-blood of the Sāsana

2010-09-29T20:37:00.007+07:00

Question: "A monk/nun should not accept money". In this century, some monks/nuns may say, sometimes they have to make a trip to another country for the sake of dhamma by self, then they have to keep the money in self when they make a trip. Whether this include breaking the vinaya?"

Answer: Yes! This is breaking the Vinaya. We better wait until some one has to be arrange for us if they want to abroad another country. We better try ourself first not for the sake of Dhamma.

He is indeed virtuous,

wise and righteous

who neither for his own sake

nor for the sake of another

(does any wrong),

who does not crave for sons,

wealth or kingdom,

and does not desire

success by unjust means. ( Buddha Dhammapada Verse: 84)

Question: I mean.. 'when a monk/nun traveling from one country to another country.. like a monk/nun was finish their study in one country or maybe they are invited at out country to make some chanting/ritual, then they have to get a flight alone, so at that time, they have to keep money .. in this trip, right? (I mean only when they are in trip/traveling).. is it allowing to bring money in the trip/when in traveling?

Answer: No way to accept money in any situation even while they are traveling.

Question: Is it written on Vinaya? and any commentary about it?

I mean, why they should not keep money, only when they are traveling, 'cos sometimes it is really easier for the monk/nun.. and other people/lay people for no need to spent their time to... accompany them.

Answer: Please read the following explanation.

What devotees should know about

BHIKKHUS AND MONEY/ GOLD/ SILVER...

The life-blood of the Sāsana (Dispensation).....

"Vinayo nāma Sasanassa āyu" means "The Vinaya is the life-blood of the Sāsana" It was thus declared by the mahātheras of ancient times at the Buddhist Councils. We can therefore see the immense importance of the Vinaya in the dispensation. According to the Vinaya, Bhikkhus are forbidden to accept money/ gold/ silver in any way whatsoever. However, the Buddha permitted the acceptance of (material) requisites derived from the offerings of money, gold or silver.

An incident from the days of the Buddha.....

At one time a virtuous gentleman by the name of Maniculaka asked the Buddha whether the statement he had made at a meeting, `Bhikkhus ought not to accept the offering of money,' was true or not. To that the Buddha replied, "Headman, that which you stated is, indeed, true. Bhikkhus must not accept money. If money is allowable, it will be the same as allowing the enjoyment of the five sensual pleasures (including that of having a spouse and offspring). The person who accepts (such) money/ gold/ silver is one who is not a true Bhikkhu: he will definitely not be considered as one who is a son of the Sakkyan prince (The Buddha)."

However, should the monastery be with a leaking roof or some such, then Bhikkhus are permitted to don robes and do the rounds in the towns and villages to receive grass, thatch and other such materials in the same way as they receive offerings in their alms-food rounds. If at such time devotees who understand should ask, "Bhante, what is it that you need?", then it is permitted for the Bhikkhu to ask for grass, thatch, etc. that is required. The Bhikkhu must not ask for or make any hints in to receive money, gold or silver. Thus did the Buddha make a proclamation. (Gāmani Samyutta Pāli, 509-510.)

[If, while standing(waiting) in front of the devotees, they do not ask anything, the Bhikkhu, on his part, must not start to make any demands (except in the case of a Bhikkhu who is ill, he may ask for suitable medicines for his illness.) Otherwise, he should simply move on and stop at the next devotee's house.

Refusing the offering (of money/ gold/ silver).....

It remains the duty of any Bhikkhu to clearly indicate his refusal to accept, either verbally or by action, any offering of money/ gold/ silver. Also, Bhikkhus shall not direct such offering to be placed in a suitable/ secure location; nor shall he point to the Kappiya to hand over the offering; nor shall he ask the Kappiya to receive the offering. [Even though one may not have the desire or the intention to enjoy such offering, failure to show indication of refusal (either verbally or by action or manner) amounts to a Dukkata offense.

Inappropriate ways in offering money/ gold/ silver.....

Offering of money/ gold/ silver delivered with statements such as:

`I/we wish to offer 10 dollars/bahts, etc., (or),

`I/we wish to offer 10 dollars/bahts, etc. of allowable requisites': (or),

`I/we wish to offer 10 vatthu (objects/things)': (or),

`I/we wish to offer 10 navakamma (new work)'-

These statements are inappropriate/invalid ways in making the offering of money/ gold/ silver.[Even though the term `allowable requisites' may have been used, the appropriate term(s) `(monetary unit) worth (Bhikkhus' allowable requisites)/(Bhikkhus' allowable requisites) to the value of (monetary unit)'have not been uttered, and therefore, direct reference to money/ gold/ silver/ cash has been implied.] (See following paragraph for appropriate ways.)

Appropriate ways of offering allowable requisites to the value of money/ gold/ silver

In the offering, the donor himself must say,

"Bhante, please accept from me/us the offering of (say, 10 dollars) worth bhikkhus' allowable requisites whenever bhante wants /needs them.", (or),

"Bhante, please accept from me the offering of Bhikkhus' allowable requisites to the value of (say, 10 dollars)," (or),

"I/we have put in the care of Bhante's Kappiya (say, 10 dollars) worth Bhikkhu's allowable requisites. Please ask of him those Bhikkhus' allowable requisites whenever Bhante wants /needs them."

If the offering has been made accordingly, then it is appropriate and acceptable up to no more than the value of the specified amount offered.

If a donor says, "Bhante, I would like to offer Bhikkhus' allowable requisites to the value of that derived from this gold/silver/valuables", or, "I wish to offer for Navakamma (new work). Please direct me to the Kappiya. Please direct me to a suitable place for safekeeping", then the Bhikkhu may point to the Kappiya and/or to a suitable place. In so doing, the Bhikkhu is permitted to say only,"So-and-so is the Kappiya," and/or, "Such-and-such is a safe place." He must not say,"Give it to So-and-so", (or) "Keep it with So-and-so", (or), "Put it at such-and-such place."

If a devotee says, "Bhante, please consider me as your supporter of the four requisites", the Bhikkhu needs simply to regard him as such - meaning, the Bhikkhu is not allowed to ask for any requisites.

If the devotee/ donor says, " Bhante, please consider me as your supporter of the four requisites. Please ask for the allowable requisites when you need them', only then is the Bhikkhu permitted to ask for the requisites.

*NOTE : .....

*If devotees are desirous of supporting the Sangha in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya, they need to study and practice the valid/allowable way of making offerings of money/ gold/ silver. It should be realized that a Bhikkhu who, even unknowingly, happens to accept requisites derived from money/ gold/ silver that has been offered in an unallowable way (with inappropriate words of speech), he would be committing an offense which may result in rebirth in the woeful realms. (Sārattha.3-379)

It should be noted that cheques, credit cards, money orders, bank drafts, saving certificates and bank account books also fall into the category of money/ gold/ silver.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that devotees be especially careful in making allowable (in words/verbally) those offerings concerning money/ gold/ silver. In this way, not only will Bhikkhus be prevented from committing any offenses but, devotees also will enjoy the benefits of their dāna in the present as well as in Samsāra, the round of rebirths.

Bliss [ Ud 2.10]

2010-09-29T20:25:00.001+07:00

[The Buddha:] "Is it true, Bhaddiya that, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?

[Ven. Bhaddiya:] "Yes, lord."

"What meaning do you have in mind that you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"

"Before, when I was a householder, maintaining the bliss of kingship, I had guards posted within and without the royal apartments, within and without the city, within and without the countryside. But even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I dwelled in fear — agitated, distrustful, and afraid. But now, on going alone to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, I dwell without fear, unagitated, confident, and unafraid — unconcerned, unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my mind like a wild deer. This is the meaning I have in mind that I repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:In whom there exists no provocation, & for whom becoming & non-becoming are overcome, he is one — beyond fear, blissful, without grief, whom the devas can't see. [Ud 2.10]

How You Balance the Five Controlling Faculties

2010-09-29T20:18:00.004+07:00

To avoid dropping into bhavaṅga and to develop further, you need the help of the five controlling faculties (pañcindriyā) to push the mind and fix it on the paṭibhāga-nimitta. The five controlling faculties are:

Faith (saddhā)
Effort (vīriya)
Mindfulness (sati)
Concentration (samādhi)
Understanding (paññā)

The five controlling faculties are the five powers that control the mind, and keep it from straying off the path of Samatha (tranquillity) and Vipassanā (insight) that leads to Nibbāna. If one or more of the controlling faculties are in excess, there will be an imbalance.

The first controlling faculty is faith in what one should have faith in, such as the Triple Gem, or faith in kamma and its results. It is important to have faith in the enlightenment of The Buddha, because without it, a person will regress from his work in meditation. It is also important to have faith in the teaching of The Buddha, namely the Four Paths, the Four Fruits, Nibbāna, etc. The teaching of The Buddha shows us the way of meditation, so at this stage it is important to have complete faith in it.

Let us say the yogi thinks, 'Can jhāna really be attained by just watching the in-breath and out-breath? Is it really true that the uggaha-nimitta is like white cotton wool, and the paṭibhāga-nimitta like clear ice or glass?' If these kinds of thought persist, they result in views such as, `Jhāna cannot be attained in the present age,' and the yogi's faith in the teaching will decline, and he will be unable to stop himself from giving up the development of Samatha.

So a person who is developing concentration with a meditation subject like ānāpānasati needs to have strong faith. He should develop ānāpānasati without any doubts. He should think, `Jhāna can be achieved if I follow the instructions of The Fully Enlightened Buddha systematically.'

If, however, a person lets his faith become excessive, and here it is faith in the meditation paṭibhāga nimitta, his concentration will decrease. Excessive faith contains excessive joy (piti), which leads to emotions. This means the yogi's mind is disturbed by joyful excitement, and wisdom is unable to understand the paṭibhāga nimitta. Then, because excessive faith has decided on the object, wisdom is not clear and firm, and also the remaining faculties, effort, mindfulness and concentration are weakened: effort is unable to raise associated mental formations to the paṭibhāga nimitta, and keep them there; mindfulness is unable to establish knowledge of the paṭibhāga nimitta; concentration is unable to prevent the mind from going to another object; and wisdom is unable to see the paṭibhāga nimitta penetratively. Thus excessive faith leads actually to a decrease in faith.

If effort is too strong, the remaining faculties, faith, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom, will be unable to respectively decide, establish, prevent distraction, and develop penetrative discernment. Thus excessive effort causes the mind not to stay calmly concentrated on the paṭibhāga-nimitta.

This can be illustrated by the case of the Venerable Soṇa. In the city of Rājagaha, he heard the Buddha teach, and winning faith, he got his parents' consent and ordained. The Buddha taught him a subject for meditation, and he went to the monastery Sītavana. He worked very hard, but pacing up and down in meditation with great energy, he developed painful sores on his feet. He did not lie down and sleep, and when he could no longer walk, he crawled on his hands and knees. He worked so hard that his meditation path was stained with blood. Even so, he won no attainment and was filled with despair.

The Buddha, on Gijjhakūta (Vulture Peak mountain), became aware of his despair and visited him. And The Buddha reminded him that when he as a layman had played the vīṇā (a type of Indian lute), the lute was not tuneful or playable if the strings were strung either too tight or too loose: they had to be strung evenly. The Buddha explained that in the same way, too much energy or effort ends in flurry, and too little energy or effort ends in idleness. The Venerable Soṇa profited from the lesson, because not long afterwards, having reflected on the lesson, he became an Arahant.

To balance faith with wisdom, and concentration with effort, is praised by the wise. If, for instance, faith is strong and wisdom is weak, a person will develop faith in, and respect for objects without use and essence. For instance, he will develop faith in, and reverence for objects revered and respected by religions outside orthodox Buddhism, such as guardian spirits or protective deities.

If, on the other hand, wisdom is strong and faith is weak, a person can become quite crafty. Without meditating, he will spend his time simply passing judgements. This is as difficult to cure as to cure a disease caused by an overdose of medicine.

If faith and wisdom are balanced, however, a person will have faith in objects he should have faith in: the Triple Gem, kamma, and its effects. He will believe that if he meditates in accordance with The Buddha's instructions, he will be able to attain the paṭibhāga-nimitta, and jhāna.

Again, if concentration is strong and effort is weak, a person can become lazy. For example, if, when the yogi's concentration improves, he pays attention to the ànàpàna paṭibhāga-nimitta with a relaxed mind, without knowing it penetratively, he may become lazy. The five jhāna-factors will in that case not be strong enough to maintain the high level of concentration, which means his mind will very often fall into bhavaṅga.

But if effort is strong, and concentration weak, however, he can become agitated. When concentration and effort are balanced, he will become neither lazy, nor agitated, and will be able to attain jhāna.

When a person wishes to cultivate a Samatha subject, it is in any case good to have very strong faith. If he thinks, `I will certainly reach jhāna, if I develop concentration on the paṭibhāga-nimitta', then by the power of that faith, and by concentrating on the paṭibhāga-nimitta, he will definitely achieve jhāna. This is because jhāna is based primarily on concentration.

For a person developing Vipassanā it is good that wisdom be strong, because when wisdom is strong he will be able to know and see the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and non-self penetratively.

Only when concentration and wisdom are balanced can mundane jhānas (lokiya jhāna) arise. The Buddha taught that this applies equally to supramundane jhānas (lokuttara jhāna), which further require that concentration and wisdom be balanced with effort and faith.

Mindfulness is necessary under all circumstances, because it protects the mind from agitation due to excess faith, effort, or wisdom, and from laziness due to excess concentration. It balances faith with wisdom, concentration with effort, and concentration with wisdom.

So mindfulness is always necessary, as is the seasoning of salt in all sauces, and a prime minister for all the king's affairs. Hence the ancient commentaries say the The Blessed One said, `Mindfulness is always necessary in any meditation subject.' Why? Because it is a refuge and protection for the meditating mind. Mindfulness is a refuge, because it helps the mind arrive at special and high states it has never reached or known before. Without mindfulness the mind is incapable of attaining any special and extraordinary states. Mindfulness protects the mind, and keeps the object of meditation from becoming lost. That is why to one discerning it with insight-knowledge, mindfulness appears as that which protects the object of meditation, as well as the mind of the yogi. Without mindfulness, a person is unable to lift the mind up or restrain the mind, which is why The Buddha said it is necessary in all instances.^¹

1 Please see also Vs.iv `Dasavidha-appanā Kosallaṁ' B62 ('The Ten Kinds of Skill in Absorption' Ñ45-49) and VsTi.ibid.

Whether wisely chose a monk/nun which do not implement the Vinaya as a teacher?

2010-09-27T18:25:00.001+07:00

Our journey through the round of rebirth (samsara) has been arduous and unrelenting because we have not penetrated the Four Noble Truths (Dhammas) with the three kinds of Full Understanding (Pariveda). Although the journey through samsāra is so extremely long that its beginning is inconceivable it is known, however, that its termination is, indeed, possible. The important thing in trying to penetrate the Four Noble Truths is the teacher. The Buddha exhorted again and again to seek a teacher. In actual fact, though, The Buddha is the most superior of all teachers. Unfortunately, The Buddha is now no longer here with us. Since the Parinibbāna of our Buddha, the Tipitaka has come to be our teacher as well as trustworthy companion. We are now wholly dependent upon this trustworthy companion for our liberation from samsāra.

Good companions can be sorted into four categories:

1. the friend that is the power of the teachings as emanated from The Buddha's own lips:

2. the friend that is the rulings promulgated by the Buddhist Councils' Theras on the record of words to be in accordance with those spoken by The Buddha;

3. the friend that is the collection of commentaries of the words of The Buddha and,

4. the friend that is the rulings made by those renowned Mahatheras such as the Mahasivathera, Mahapadumathera and others of the Sinhalese era.

Of these four categories of friends the first one, i.e., the power of the precious words (recorded/documented in Pali) that emanated directly from The Buddha's own lips is, undoubtedly, the best friend. However, the dhammas are extremely profound. The dhammas are very transcendental. For those who do not have the capability to intellectualise, it would be like a little rabbit trying to fathom the ocean. So, it is for certain that we will need the help of the other three friends as well. Our Most Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw had realized all of the above mentioned factors and therefore, all of his Dhamma talks and writings are replete with indispensable references to the Pali Commentaries. All of these texts are aimed at revealing to us how to approach such friends. The Sayadaw has told us that they are meant to act as a bridge or stepping-stone to the Visuddhimagga Commentary. It is the Sayadaw's wish that his students and disciples come to rely on these good friends just as he himself has been relying.If it is so, we need to understand who are the necessary qualifications for a qualified meditation teacher.

A meditation teacher should be good in pratice, well versed in the Tipitaka, and has mastered the skill at teaching. The highest qualification is , of course, the knowledge of a Buddha, which is out of our domain. Since The Buddha and his great disciples are no longer available, the best teacher you can now look for is an Arahant who is well versed in the Tipitaka; the second best is a non-returner; the third best is a once-returner; the fourth best is a stream-enterer.So how could we recognize is he really stream-enterer or not. This is the important thing to do consider. So following questions would make sence of us how to recognize does he reached stream-enterer or not according to the Theravada Monastic codes.

Question : Can a monk or a nun who takes money attain the stream-entry path and fruition?

Answer : According to Theravada teaching, if a Bhikkhu is a real Bhikkhu and takes money, he cannot attain the stream-entry path and fruition.Some Bhikkhus who take money say that they have attained the stream-entry path and fruition. If they are real Bhikkhus it is impossible. Regarding this I need to explain about some Theravada monastic codes. For a person to become a real Bhikkhu, he must fulfill five factors.

The first is a valid case (Vatthusampatti): which means the applicant must be free from faults. He must not killed his father, his mother, and Arahant, wounded The Buddha with evil intention, caused schism in the Sangha, committed sexual intercourse with a Bhikkhuni or Samanari, must not have fixed wrong view and he must be at least twenty years old.

The second factor is a valid chapter of Bhikkhus(Parisasampatti): When he is ordained there must be at least five real Bhikkhus if outside India, and at least ten real Bhikkhus is inside India, including his preceptor, to perform the formal act. If one, two or three of those Bhikkhus have committed a parajika, or if when one or some of those Bhikkhus were ordained not in accordance with the Vinaya rules, then the formal act is invalid.

The third factor is a valid boundary (Simasampatti): The boundary (sima ) must be valid. If the boundary is invalid, for example, the Uposatha hall in it is connected with any building outside the boundary with wires, water pipes etc,then the formal act is also invalid. And the distance between the Bhikkhus who participate in the formal act must be within an extended arm-length (hatthapasa ).

The fourth factor is a valid motion (Battisampatti): One of the Bhikkhus must recite the motion to inform the rest that the applicant is asking for Upasampada with whom as his preceptor. Then it must be followed by three announcements.If the motion and announcements are recited in the wrong order or not recited in full, then the formal act is invalid.

The fifth factor is a valid formal act (Kammavacasampatti): The formal act (Kammavaca) must be recited in correct grammer. If the grammer used is wrong, then the formal act is invalid and the applicant cannot become a real Bhikkhu.

When the five factors just mentioned are fulfilled, then the formal act is valid and the applicant becomes a real Bhikkhu. If a real Bhikkhu takes money and practise Samatha and Vippasana meditation, he cannot attain the stream-entry path and fruition, then he is certainly not a real Bhikkhu. Nowadays in Theravada tradition there is no more Bhikkhuni and Samaneri, so we cannot discuss about them. Now we have only Silashins; we may call them nuns: usually they observe only the eight precepts, which means they can accept money. Many Mahathera say that they should observe ten precepts because they wear robes, so they also should not accept money.

Hopefully these above answer could easily to recognize the teacher is noble one or not. If you cannot find a noble person to be your teacher, you may look for one who is well versed in the Tipitaka, or at least well versed in two or three Nikayas. Actually it is not easy to fulfil the qualifications to be a good meditation teacher; it takes many years of hard work. Some people can practise well but are not good teaching. Many of you speak good English or Indonesian or Mandarin or French, but can all of you teach to someone these languages effectively? Likewise some meditation teachers do not know how to teach effectively. They do not check the meditators' experiences properly, consequently the meditators do not gain the true knowledge and some even become very confused.This answer might be depicts how to approach good teachers and friends in striving to know the Four Noble Truths. May you seek good teachers and friends very soon.

(Quoted and re-edit from Pa Auk Sayadaw's some Questions and answers during his all overseas retreats).

DANGERS

2010-09-27T18:19:00.001+07:00

DANGERS

Monks, uneducated run of the mill people describe three things as mother & child separating dangers. Which three?

"There comes a time when a great fire conflagration breaks out. When a great fire-conflagration breaks out, it burns villages, towns, & cities. When it is burning villages, towns, & cities, a mother there can't get to her child, and the child can't get to its mother. This is the first thing that uneducated run of the mill people describe as a mother & child separating danger.

"Then again there comes a time when a great cloud arises. When a great cloud arises, a great flood of water is produced. When a great flood of water is produced, it floods villages, towns, & cities. When it is flooding villages, towns, & cities, a mother there can't get to her child, and the child can't get to its mother. This is the second thing that uneducated run of the mill people describe as a mother & child separating danger.

"Then again there comes a time when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes. Taking power, they surround the countryside. When this happens, a mother there can't get to her child, and the child can't get to its mother. This is the third thing that uneducated run of the mill people describe as a mother & child separating danger.

"These are the three things that uneducated run of the mill people describe as mother & child separating dangers.

"But there are these three things that are mother & child uniting dangers, yet run of the mill people describe them as mother & child separating dangers. Which three?

"There comes a time when a great fire conflagration breaks out. When a great fire conflagration breaks out, it burns villages, towns, & cities. When it is burning villages, towns, & cities, there are times when it so happens that a mother can get to her child, and the child can get to its mother. This is the first thing that is a mother & child uniting danger, yet run of the mill people describe it as a mother & child separating danger.

"Then again there comes a time when a great cloud arises. When a great cloud arises, a great flood of water is produced. When a great flood of water is produced, it floods villages, towns, & cities. When it is flooding villages, towns, & cities, there are times when it so happens that a mother can get to her child, and the child can get to its mother. This is the second thing that is a mother & child uniting danger, yet run of the mill people describe it as a mother & child separating danger.

"Then again there comes a time when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes. Taking power, they surround the countryside. When this happens, there are times when it so happens that a mother can get to her child, and the child can get to its mother. This is the third thing that is a mother & child uniting danger, yet run of the mill people describe it as a mother & child separating danger.

"These are the three things that are mother & child uniting dangers, yet run of the mill people describe them as mother & child separating dangers.

"There are these three things that are (genuine) mother & child separating dangers. Which three? The danger of aging, the danger of illness, the danger of death.

"A mother can't get (her wish) with regard to her child who is aging, 'I am aging, but may my child not age.' A child can't get (its wish) with regard to its mother who is aging, 'I am aging, but may my mother not age.'

"A mother can't get (her wish) with regard to her child who is growing ill, 'I am growing ill, but may my child not grow ill.' A child can't get (its wish) with regard to its mother who is growing ill, 'I am growing ill, but may my mother not grow ill.'

"A mother can't get (her wish) with regard to her child who is dying, 'I am dying, but may my child not die.' A child can't get (its wish) with regard to its mother who is dying, 'I am dying, but may my mother not die.'

"These are the three things that are (genuine) mother & child separating dangers.

"There is a path, there is a practice, that leads to the abandoning and overcoming of these three mother & child uniting dangers and these three mother & child separating dangers.

"And which is that path, which is that practice...? Just this very noble eightfold path, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

"This is the path, this the practice, that leads to the abandoning and overcoming of these three mother &child uniting dangers and these three mother & child separating dangers." (AN 3.62)

Mindfulness of Breathing (ānāpānassati)

2010-09-27T17:58:00.000+07:00

Mindfulness of Breathing (ānāpānassati)

Introduction

Here we should like to explain very briefly how one meditates using mindfulness of breathing, in Pāḷi called ānāpānassati. Our explanation is based mainly on the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta' ('The Mindfulness of Breathing Sutta') of the Majjhima Nikāya (The Middle Length Discourses). There the Buddha explains why one should practise mindfulness of breathing:

When, bhikkhus, mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it is of great fruit and great benefit.

Then The Buddha explains how mindfulness of breathing is of great fruit and great benefit:

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it fulfils the four foundations of mindfulness. When the four foundations of mindfulness are developed and cultivated, they fulfil the seven enlightenment factors. When the seven enlightenment factors are developed and cultivated, they fulfil True Knowledge and Liberation.

Here, the Buddha explains that when ānāpānassati, (mindfulness of breathing) is developed and cultivated, the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment (sattatiṃsabodhipakkhiyadhammā), are thereby also developed and cultivated.

We shall now explain how it is done. We shall refer section by section to the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta'. Let us then take The Buddha's next explanation:

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu gone to the forest, or gone to the foot of a tree, or gone to a secluded place, sits down, having crossed his legs, set his body straight, having mindfulness established before him. He breathes in mindfully; he breathes out mindfully.

Places for Meditation

The Buddha said the bhikkhu has gone to the forest, or gone to the foot of a tree, or gone to a secluded place. That refers to places suitable for practising ānāpānassati: quiet places. In such places, there is little noise and other disturbance. That means one can easily calm one's mind down. But if there are no such places, one must simply ignore all noise and other disturbances. Then does any place become like a forest, the foot of a tree, or a secluded place, which means one can practise ānāpānassati anywhere.

Posture for Meditation

The Buddha said also the bhikkhu sits down, having crossed his legs, set his body straight. That refers to the posture most suitable for ānāpānassati. Although ānāpānassati can and should be practised in every bodily posture, sitting is usually the best posture for developing deep concentration. And in sitting, one must keep one's body naturally straight: not too straight and stiff, and not too relaxed. A straight and comfortable sitting posture allows one to sit for a long time without developing tension or tiredness in the body.

Breathing Mindfully

The Buddha said also the bhikkhu has mindfulness established before him, and, he breathes in mindfully, he breathes out mindfully. That refers to ānāpānassati, mindfulness of breathing: being mindful of the breath. To be mindful of the breath is to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out at one's nostrils or at one's upper lip. When breathing in, one knows one is breathing in; when breathing out, one knows one is breathing out. That is how one breathes in mindfully, and breathes out mindfully.

Whenever one's mind wanders, one brings it calmly it back to the breath. One does not get upset when one's mind wanders. And if one has trouble keeping one's mind on the breath, one counts the breaths:

On one in-and-out breath, one counts 'one'.
On the next in-and-out breath, one counts 'two'.
On the next in-and-out breath, one counts 'three'.
And so on, up to eight.

One counts the breaths until one's mind settles down calmly with the breath. Then one stops counting and is just mindful of the breath.

After this introductory explanation, The Buddha continues with four sets of four explanations.

The First Set of Four

With the first set of four explanations The Buddha explains:

When he [the bhikkhu] breathes in long, he understands: 'I breathe in long.' When he breathes out long, he understands: 'I breathe out long.'
When he breathes in short, he understands: 'I breathe in short. 'When he breathes out short, he understands: 'I breathe out short.'
'I shall breathe in experiencing the whole [breath] body': thus he trains. 'I shall breathe out experiencing the whole[breath] body': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in tranquillizing the body-formation': thus he trains. 'I shall breathe out tranquillizing the body-formation': thus he trains.

Here, mindfulness of breathing fulfils body-contemplation (kāyānupassanā), the first foundation of mindfulness. Here, The Buddha explains it for attainment of the four ānāpāna jhānas, which is samatha (tranquility meditation).

Practising Samatha

The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out understanding that his breath is long or short. As one's mindfulness of breathing develops, this comes naturally: one comes naturally to understand that one's breath is sometimes long, sometimes short. It is not important whether it is long or short; what is important is that one is calmly aware that it is either long or short.

Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out experiencing the whole body. By the whole body (sabbakāya), The Buddha means the whole body of breath. This understanding also comes naturally. As one's mindfulness of breathing develops further, one becomes naturally aware of the beginning, middle, and end of each in-breath and each out-breath as it passes by the nostrils or at the upper lip. Here again, it is not important whether one's breath is long or short; what is important is that one all the time knows the whole body of each in and out breath; that one knows the whole body of breath from beginning to middle to end.

Lastly, The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out tranquillizing the bodily formation. By the bodily formation(kāyasaṅkhāra), The Buddha means the breath passing in and out through the nose.

Tranquillizing the breath also comes naturally, because as one's mindfulness of breathing develops, one's breath becomes more and more subtle, more and more tranquil. So, all one does is try all the time mindfully to comprehend the subtle breath.

If one is able in that way to be aware of the subtle breath for a long time, say for two or three hours, one's concentration will become even deeper than before. Eventually, one may experience the nimitta (sign of concentration).

Three Kinds of Nimitta

To different meditators the sign of concentration, the nimitta, may appear differently: it is because of their different perception of the breath. To one the nimitta may appear as a mist, to another it may appear as smoke, to another as cotton wool, or simply as light, etc. In the beginning, however, the nimitta is usually grey: that is the parikamma-nimitta (preparatory sign). Then, as one's concentration develops, it becomes white, which is the uggaha-nimitta (learning sign). And as one's concentration develops further, it becomes bright and transparent, which is the paṭibhāga-nimitta (counterpart sign). The ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta is the object of absorption concentration based on in-and-out breath: it is the object of the ānāpāna jhānas.

The Five Jhāna Factors

When the nimitta first appears, it comes and goes. But as one continues to be mindful of the breath, one's concentration deepens further, and the nimitta remains for longer and longer. When the nimitta joins the breath, and one's mind of itself fixes onto the nimitta, one pays no longer attention to the breath, only to the nimitta. Then, as one's concentration becomes deeper and deeper, so does the nimitta become brighter and brighter. That light is the light of wisdom (paññāloko).

One continues to focus on the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta for longer and longer periods. One may then experience absorption concentration. It will first be the ānāpāna first jhāna.

Once one can maintain the first jhāna for about two or three hours, one may try to discern the five jhāna factors. Whenever one emerges from jhāna, one discerns the area in one's heart where the bhavaga-consciousness rests: that is the heart-materiality. The bhavaṅga-consciousness is bright and luminous, and looks like a mirror in the heart: that is the mind-door.And when one discerns the mind-door, one will see the ānāpāna-paṭibhāga-nimitta appear there. Then one discerns the five jhāna factors:

Initial application (vitakka): it applies one's attention onto the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta.
Sustained application (vicāra): it sustains one's attention on the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta.
Rapture (pīti): it likes and is rapturous about the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta.
Bliss (sukha): it feels bliss at experiencing the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta.
One-pointedness (ekaggatā): it concentrates the mind into one point on the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta.

First one discerns the jhāna factors one by one, afterwards all five at once.

The Five Masteries

Next one develops the five masteries of the first jhāna:

Mastery in entering the first jhāna when one wants to.
Mastery in remaining in the first jhāna for as long as one has determined.
Mastery in emerging from the first jhāna at the determined time.
Mastery in adverting one's attention to the factors of the first jhāna after one has emerged from it.
Mastery in reviewing the factors of the first jhāna.

The Four Jhānas

After that, to attain the ānāpāna second jhāna, one reflects on the disadvantages of the first jhāna and the advantages of the second jhāna: the one has the two gross factors of initial and sustained application, which the other does not have. And determining to remove the two grosser factors, one concentrates on the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta again, to enter into jhāna. Then one emerges from that jhāna, and if one sees only three jhāna factors (rapture, bliss, and one-pointedness), it means one has successfully attained the ānāpāna second jhāna. Then one develops the five masteries of that jhāna.

In the same way, one removes the factor of rapture to attain the third jhāna, which has only bliss and one-pointedness. And one removes the factor of bliss to attain the fourth jhāna, which has only one-pointedness and equanimity. One develops the five masteries for all the jhānas.

As one progresses through the jhānas, one's breath becomes more and more tranquil, more and more subtle. With the fourth jhāna, one's breath stops: that is how one fully tranquillizes the bodily formation.

The Requisites of Enlightenment in Tranquility

When one attains the four ānāpāna jhānas, one is practising samatha (tranquility meditation). That means one is actually developing the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment. How?

To be mindful of the breath body, in the way we have explained, is body-contemplation; to be mindful of the jhāna factors of pleasant and neutral feelings is feelings contemplation; to be mindful of the exalted mind is mind-contemplation; and to be mindful of things such as the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta and the jhāna factors is dhammas contemplation. That is to develop the four foundations of mindfulness (cattāro satipaṭṭhānā).
Furthermore, to make effort to remove unwholesome things such as the five hindrances (sensual desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and scepticism); and to make effort to develop wholesome things such as the five controlling faculties (faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom), that is to develop the four right efforts(cattāro sammappadhānā).
Furthermore, to enter into jhāna with either predominantly zeal, or predominantly effort, or mind, or investigation, is to develop the four bases of spiritual power (cattāro iddhipādā).
Furthermore, to have strong faith in ānāpānassati; to make constant effort to concentrate on the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta; to be mindful of the paṭibhāga-nimitta; to concentrate on the paṭibhāga-nimitta; and to comprehend the paṭibhāga-nimitta, is to develop the five controlling faculties (pañca indriyāni). To develop them in this way, is also to develop the five powers (pañca balāni).
Furthermore, to be mindful of the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta; to investigate the paṭibhāga-nimitta; to make constant effort to focus on the paṭibhāga-nimitta; to be rapturous upon focussing on the paṭibhāga-nimitta; to tranquillize one's mind upon the paṭibhāga-nimitta; to concentrate on the paṭibhāga-nimitta; and to look upon the paṭibhāga-nimitta with equanimity, is to develop the seven enlightenment factors (satta bojjhaṅgā).
Lastly, to understand the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta is Right View; to apply one's mind to the paṭibhāga-nimitta is Right Thought; to abstain from wrong speech, wrong action, and wrong livelihood by having undertaken the precepts, is Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood; to make effort to concentrate on the paṭibhāga-nimitta is Right Effort; to be mindful of the paṭibhāga-nimitta is Right Mindfulness; and to have jhāna is Right Concentration. To develop those eight things is to cultivate the eight factors corresponding to the Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo): at this stage the factors are only mundane.

That is how to develop samatha using ānāpānassati (mindfulness of breathing) is to develop all thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment.

Discerning the Objects for Vipassanā

Having developed the four ānāpāna jhānas, one is now able to practise vipassanā. Because with the light of wisdom one has developed with ānāpānassati (mindfulness of breathing), one is now able to discern ultimate materiality, ultimate mentality, and their causes. They are the objects of Vipassanā.

Discerning Ultimate Materiality

To discern ultimate materiality, one begins with four elements meditation (catudhātuvavatthānaṁ). That is, one discerns the four elements in one's body, including one's breath. One discerns the four elements by way of twelve characteristics:

Earth Element

hardness
roughness
heaviness
softness
smoothness
lightness

Water Element

7. flowing

8. cohesion

Fire Element

9. heat

10. cold

Wind Element

11. supporting

12. pushing

One discerns these twelve characteristics first in one part of one's body, and then in another. With practice, one will be able to discern all twelve characteristics throughout one's body quite quickly: about two to three rounds a minute. Then, to develop one's concentration further, one takes an overview of the body to discern each characteristic in the body as a whole. With practice, one will be able to discern all twelve characteristics almost at once. And with yet further practice, one will then be able to discern the twelve characteristics as just the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. Then, as one's mindfulness of and concentration on the four elements develops, one will perceive one's body in different ways. It will first appear as a grey body, then as a white body, and then as a transparent body like a block of ice. When one discerns the four elements in that transparent body, it emits brilliant light, and then breaks into tiny particles that arise and pass away at great speed: they are in Pāli called rūpa kalāpas (clusters of materiality). But they are not ultimate materiality.

To discern ultimate materiality, one discerns the four elements in single råpa kalāpas, one element after the other. Afterwards, one discerns the various kinds of derived materiality (upādā rūpa): for example, colour, odour, flavour, and nutritive essence. Altogether one discerns and analyses twenty-eight types of materiality. They are ultimate materiality, arising and passing away. Then one analyses the ultimate materiality of the external world: that of other beings, and that of inanimate things.

Discerning Ultimate Mentality

Having discerned ultimate materiality, one then discerns ultimate mentality. One begins with the four jhānas. One enters into jhāna, and emerges. Then as before, one discerns the ānāpāna paṭibhāga-nimitta in the mind-door. And then one discerns the jhāna cognitive-process's individual mental formations. For example, one discerns the thirty-four mental formations of the ānāpāna first-jhāna cognitive process:

consciousness
contact
feeling
perception
volition
one-pointedness
life-faculty
attention
initial application
sustained application
decision
effort
rapture
desire
faith
mindfulness
shame of wrongdoing
fear of wrongdoing
non-greed
non-hatred
neutrality of mind
tranquility of mental body
tranquility of consciousness
lightness of mental body
lightness of consciousness
malleability of mental body
malleability of consciousness
wieldiness of mental body
wieldiness of consciousness
proficiency of mental body
proficiency of consciousness
rectitude of mental body
rectitude of consciousness and
wisdom faculty

One discerns these thirty-four mental formations systematically: one by one. First, one emerges from the ānāpāna first jhāna, and discerns the mental formation consciousness of each of the jhāna cognitive process's consciousness-moments. Then again one enters the first jhāna, again emerges, and now one discern both the mental formation consciousness as well as the mental formation contact. Then again one enters the first jhāna, again emerges, and again discerns consciousness and contact, and now also feeling. In that way, one adds one mental formation at a time, till one in the end is able to discern all thirty-four mental formations of the first jhāna.

In the same way one discerns the thirty-two mental formations of the second jhāna; and the thirty-one mental formations of the third and fourth jhānas. That is ultimate mentality, arising and passing away.

The four ānāpāna jhānas are fine-material realm cognitive processes, and they are only wholesome. But there are also other kinds of mentality. So one discerns also the various mental formations of sensual realm cognitive-processes: of the eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-door, wholesome and unwholesome. Afterwards, one discerns the ultimate mentality of the external world: that of other beings.

When this stage of the meditation is complete, one will have done four things:

One will have discerned one's own ultimate materiality (internally), and all other materiality (externally).
One will have discerned ultimate mentality internally and externally.
One will have discerned ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality together internally and externally.
One will have distinguished ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality internally and externally to see that there is no self, no person, and no being, but only materiality and mentality arising and passing away.

When one has completed these four things, one will have attained the Knowledge of Defining Mentality-Materiality(Nāmarūpaparic chedañāṇa).

Discerning Dependent Origination

Now one is able to discern dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda). Gradually recollecting one's past materiality and mentality, one is able to recollect the first moment of one's present life: at conception. Then one goes further back, to recollect the last moments of one's past life. There one goes along the continuity of mentality-materiality, backwards and forwards, to find the causes for one's present rebirth.

One's present mentality-materiality is the result of mainly five things.:

Ignorance (avijjā): ignorantly believing that there exists a real human being.
Craving (taṇhā): craving for that human being's life.
Clinging (upādāna): clinging to that human being's life.
Volitional formations (saṅkhārā): the volitional formations responsible for one's present rebirth. When it is a human rebirth, the volitional formations are always wholesome.
Existence of kamma (kammabhava): the kammic force that produced one's present rebirth.

Having discerned these five main causes for one's present life, one then discerns the relationship between the five past causes and the present results. Then, in the same way, one discerns the relationship between causes and results in more past lives, and in future lives. And systematically one discerns all twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance, formations, consciousness, mentality-materiality, the six bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, coming into existence, birth, and ageing&death. One discerns their causal relationship in past lives, the present life, and in future lives.

When one has discerned the relationship between causes and results in this way, one will have attained the The Knowledge of Apprehending the Condition (Paccayapariggahañāṇaṃ).

Practising Vipassanā

With the two knowledges we just mentioned (the Knowledge of Defining Mentality-Materiality, and the Knowledge of Apprehending the Condition), one will have discerned ultimate materiality, ultimate mentality, and their causes. They are altogether called formations (saṅkhārā). Formations are ultimate reality, which, as explained before, is the object of vipassanā. Based upon the two knowledges, and using the light of the fourth ānāpāna jhāna, one now practises vipassanā.

Vipassanā is to know and see the true nature of all formations. How to practise vipassanā? One discerns all the formations that one discerned before, but this time, one contemplates them in three ways:

Knowing and seeing formations arise and pass away, one contemplates them as impermanent (anicca).
Knowing and seeing how formations are oppressed by arising and passing away, one contemplates them as suffering(dukkha).
Knowing and seeing that they possess nothing permanent, no eternal essence, one contemplates them as non-self(anatta).

Contemplating ultimate materiality, ultimate mentality and their causes in this way, again and again, one comes to understand that formations are nothing more than three things: impermanence, suffering, and non-self. That is their intrinsic nature; their true nature. And contemplating ultimate reality in this way, one attains higher and higher insight knowledges (vipassanā ñāṇa).

As one's vipassanā knowledge increases, one contemplates also the vipassanā knowledges themselves as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. That is called reflective insight (paṭivipassanā). A vipassanā knowledge appears in a mind-door cognitive process. In each such mind-door cognitive process there is a mind-door adverting-consciousness and seven impulsions. Usually, each of the seven impulsions comprises thirty-four mental formations: the same as the thirty-four mental formations we mentioned in connection with the ānāpāna first jhāna.

The Requisites of Enlightenment in Vipassanā

When one uses ānāpānassati to practise vipassanā (insight meditation), one is also cultivating the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment. How?

To practise vipassanā is (as we have explained) mindfully to contemplate the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self in four things: materiality, feelings, mind, and dhammas. That is to cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness (cattāro satipaṭṭhānā).
Furthermore, to make effort to remove unwholesome things such as the perverted perceptions of permanence, pleasure, and self; and to make effort to develop wholesome things such as the perceptions of impermanence, suffering, and non-self, to attain the vipassanā knowledges, is to cultivate the four right efforts (cattāro sammappadhānā).
Furthermore, to practise vipassanā with either predominantly zeal, or predominantly effort, or mind, or investigation, is to cultivate the four bases of spiritual power (cattāro iddhipādā).
Furthermore, to have strong faith in vipassanā (which is to have strong faith in the usefulness of knowing and seeing that the true nature of formations is impermanence, suffering and non-self); to make continuous effort to know and see the true nature of formations; to be mindful of their true nature; to concentrate on the true nature of formations; and to comprehend their true nature, is to cultivate the five controlling faculties (pañca indriyāni). To cultivate them in this way is to also to cultivate the five powers (pañca balāni).
Furthermore, to be mindful of the true nature of formations (their nature of impermanence, suffering, and non-self); to investigate their true nature; to make constant effort to know and see the true nature of formations; to be rapturous at knowing and seeing their true nature; to tranquillize one's mind upon the true nature of formations; to concentrate upon their true nature; and to look upon their true nature with equanimity, is to cultivate the seven enlightenment factors (satta bojjhaṅgā).
Lastly, rightly to understand the true nature of formations (their nature of impermanence, suffering, and non-self) is Right View; to apply one's mind to the true nature of formations is Right Thought; to abstain from wrong speech, wrong action, and wrong livelihood by having undertaken the precepts is Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood; to make effort to know and see the true nature of formations is Right Effort; to be mindful of their true nature is Right Mindfulness; and to concentrate on the true nature of formations is Right Concentration. To cultivate those eight things is to cultivate the eight factors corresponding to the Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo): at this stage they are only mundane.

That is how to cultivate vipassanā using ānāpānassati (mindfulness of breathing) is to develop all thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment.

That was the first set of explanations in the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta'.

The Second Set of Four

The second set of explanations by The Buddha is:

'I shall breathe in experiencing rapture': thus he trains; 'I shall breathe out experiencing rapture': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in experiencing bliss': thus he trains; 'I shall breathe out experiencing bliss': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in experiencing the mental formation': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out experiencing the mental formation': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in tranquillizing the mental formation': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out tranquillizing the mental formation': thus he trains.

Here, mindfulness of breathing fulfils feelings-contemplation (vedanānupassanā), the second foundation of mindfulness. It is both samatha and vipassanā meditation.

The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out experiencing rapture (pīti). Rapture is one of the jhāna factors of the first and second jhāna. So one enters those two jhānas, emerges, and emphasizing rapture, one discerns their mental formations, and contemplates them as impermanent, suffering and non-self. That vipassanā knowledge will then also be associated with rapture. It is a law of nature that when there is rapture in the object of vipassanā, there is also rapture in the vipassanā knowledge. That is how one breathes in and out experiencing rapture.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out experiencing bliss (sukha). Bliss is one of the jhāna factors of the first, second, and third jhāna. So, as before, one discerns the mental formations of those three jhānas (now emphasizing bliss), and contemplates them as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Here, one's vipassanā knowledge will be associated with bliss. That is how one breathes in and out experiencing bliss.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out experiencing the mental formation. By mental formation(cittasaṅkhāro), He means here perception (saññā) and feeling (vedanā). Perception and feeling are associated with all four jhānas. So, as before, one discerns the mental formations of the four jhānas (now emphasizing perception and feeling), and contemplates them as impermanent, suffering and non-self. That is how one breathes in and out experiencing the mental formation.
Lastly, The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out tranquillizing the mental formation: tranquillizing perception and feeling. One does that automatically when one enters the four ānāpāna jhānas in succession. Why is that? Because the higher the jhāna, the more tranquil perception and feeling. So, here again, discerning the increasingly tranquil mental formations of the four jhānas, and contemplating them as impermanent, suffering, and non-self, one's vipassanā knowledge will also be increasingly tranquil. That is how one breathes in and out tranquillizing the mental formation.

We have now explained the second set of instructions given by The Buddha in the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta'.

The Third Set of Four

The third set of instructions by The Buddha is:

'I shall breathe in experiencing the mind': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out experiencing the mind': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in gladdening the mind': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out gladdening the mind': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in concentrating the mind': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out concentrating the mind': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in liberating the mind': thus he trains:'I shall breathe out liberating the mind': thus he trains.

Here, mindfulness of breathing fulfils mind-contemplation (cittaānupassanā), the third foundation of mindfulness. Here too, it is both samatha and vipassanā meditation.

The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out experiencing the mind. When one abides in any of the four ānāpānajhānas, one's mind is focussed on the ānāpāna-paṭibhāga-nimitta with mindfulness and comprehension. That is how one breathes in and out experiencing the mind in samatha. Emerging from jhāna, and emphasizing the mind, one then contemplates its mental formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. That is how one breathes in and out experiencing the mind in vipassanā.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out gladdening the mind. Gladdening the mind is the same as rapture, and as explained before, rapture is one of the jhāna factors of the first and second jhāna: that is how one breathes in and out gladdening the mind in samatha. Emerging from one of the two jhānas, and emphasizing raptrue, one then contemplates its mental formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. That is how one breathes in and out gladdening the mind in vipassanā.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out concentrating the mind. All jhānas have the factor one-pointedness: it makes one's mind concentrate on the paṭibhāga-nimitta. That is how one breathes in and out concentrating the mind in samatha. Emerging from jhāna, and emphasizing one-pointedness, one then contemplates its mental formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Doing so, one's mind concentrates on the three characteristics. That is how one breathes in and out concentrating the mind.
Lastly, The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out liberating the mind. In the first jhāna, one's mind is liberated from the five hindrances; in the second jhāna, one's mind is liberated from initial- and sustained application; in the third jhāna, one's mind is liberated from rapture; and in the fourth jhāna, one's mind is liberated from bliss. That is how one breathes in and out liberating the mind in samatha. Emerging from any of the four jhānas, one contemplates its mental formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. In doing so, one's mind is liberated from the perverted perceptions of permanence, pleasure, and self. That is how one breathes in and out liberating the mind in vipassanā.

We have now explained the third set of instructions given by The Buddha in the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta'.

The Fourth Set of Four

The fourth set of instructions by The Buddha is:

'I shall breathe in contemplating impermanence': thus he trains; 'I shall breathe out contemplating impermanence': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in contemplating fading away': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out contemplating fading away': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in contemplating cessation': thus he trains;'I shall breathe out contemplating cessation': thus he trains.
'I shall breathe in contemplating relinquishment': thus he trains; 'I shall breathe out contemplating relinquishment': thus he trains.

Here, mindfulness of breathing fulfils dhammas contemplation (dhammānupassanā), the fourth foundation of mindfulness. Here, it is only vipassanā meditation.

The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out contemplating impermanence. One emerges from any of the four ānāpāna jhānas, and discerns the arising and passing away of ultimate materiality, ultimate mentality and their causes, and contemplates them as impermanent. That is how one breathes in and out contemplating impermanence.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out contemplating fading away. There are two kinds of fading away: fading away as destruction and absolute fading away. Fading away as destruction is the momentary destruction of formations. Absolute fading away is Nibbāna. When one's vipassanā knowledge has become sharp, one contemplates the momentary passing away of formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. That is how one breathes in and out contemplating the fading away of formations as destruction. When one attains a Noble Path and Noble Fruition, one realizes the absolute fading away, Nibbāna. That is how one breathes in and out contemplating the fading away of formations as absolute fading away.
Then The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out contemplating cessation. As with fading away, contemplating cessation means either that one breathes in and out contemplating the momentary cessation of formations as impermanent, suffering and non-self, or it means one breathes in and out contemplating the absolute cessation of formations, Nibbāna.
Lastly, The Buddha said the bhikkhu breathes in and out contemplating relinquishment. Relinquishment is also of two kinds: relinquishment as giving up and relinquishment as entering into Nibbāna. When, in developing vipassanā meditation, one attains to the Knowledge of Dissolution (bhaṅgañāṇa), one's perception of impermanence is very strong and suspends conceit; one's perception of suffering suspends attachment; and one's perception of non-self suspends wrong view. That is how one breathes in and out contemplating relinquishment as giving up defilements. Doing so, however, one is at the same time contemplating relinquishment as entering into Nibbāna, because one's vipassanā knowledge inclines the mind towards Nibbāna.

Then, when one's vipassanā knowledge matures, and one realizes Nibbāna, one's Path Knowledge gives up defilements completely, and enters into the Nibbāna Fruition Knowledge. That is how, again, one breathes in and out contemplating relinquishment.

We have now explained the fourth set of instructions given by The Buddha in the 'Ānāpānassati Sutta'.

Path and Fruition

To realize Nibbāna is also to realize the Four Noble Truths. How?

Ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality, the five aggregates, are the First Noble Truth: the Noble Truth of Suffering(Dukkhasacca).
The causes for ultimate materiality and mentality, their dependent origination, is the Second Noble Truth: the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudayasacca).
Nibbāna is the Third Noble Truth: the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodhasacca).
The Noble Eightfold Path that is the Path Knowledge is the Fourth Noble Truth: the Noble Truth of the Path (maggasacca).

After the arising of the consciousness that takes the Path Knowledge as object, two or three consciousnesses arise that take the Fruition Knowledge. Then has one realized the Four Noble Truths, and the first stage of enlightenment, stream-entry(sotāpatti). And as one continues to practise vipassanā based on ānāpānassati, one may attain the higher stages of enlightenment. Eventually, one destroys all defilements and becomes an arahant, a Worthy One, a Perfect One.

The Requisites of Enlightenment in Path and Fruition

When one attains the Path and Fruition Knowledges, and realizes Nibbāna, one is also developing and cultivating the thirty-seven constituents of enlightenment. How?

One's Path Knowledge destroys the delusion that concealed the true nature of the body, of feelings, of mind, and of dhammas. That is to develop and cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness (cattāro satipaṭṭhānā).
Furthermore, one's Path Knowledge removes defilements (which are unwholesome things), and develops the Path Dhammas that realize Nibbāna (which are wholesome things). That is to develop and cultivate the four right efforts (cattāro sammappadhānā).
Furthermore, the first time one's Fruition Knowledge arises, and whenever one later enters into the Fruition attainment, it is associated with either predominantly zeal, or predominantly effort, or mind, or investigation. That is to develop and cultivate the four bases of spiritual power (cattāro iddhipādā).
Furthermore, when one attains the first Noble Path, one becomes fully confident that The Buddha was fully enlightened, that Nibbāna exists, and that there exists a Noble Saṅgha, disciples of The Buddha. In other words, when one attains the Noble Path, one gains unshakeable faith in The Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha. And one will have made effort to realize Nibbāna; one is mindful of Nibbāna; one is concentrated upon Nibbāna; and one comprehends Nibbāna. That is to develop and cultivate the five controlling faculties (pañca indriyāni). To develop and cultivate them in this way is to also to develop and cultivate the five powers (pañca balāni).
Furthermore, to be mindful of Nibbāna; to investigate Nibbāna; to make effort to realize Nibbāna; to be rapturous upon realizing Nibbāna; to tranquillize one's mind upon Nibbāna; to concentrate upon Nibbāna; and to look upon Nibbāna with equanimity, is to develop and cultivate the seven enlightenment factors (satta bojjhaṅgā).
Lastly, to understand Nibbāna is Right View; to apply one's mind to Nibbāna is Right Thought; with one's Path Knowledge to destroy all the defilements that cause wrong speech, wrong action, and wrong livelihood means one's realization of Nibbāna is associated with Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood; to make effort to realize Nibbāna is Right Effort; to be mindful of Nibbāna is Right Mindfulness; and lastly, to concentrate on Nibbāna means one has attained either the first jhāna or a higher jhāna with Nibbāna as object, which is Noble Right Concentration. To develop and cultivate those eight things is to develop and cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo): now the factors are supramundane, which means they are Noble.

That is how to develop and cultivate ānāpānassati (mindfulness of breathing) is to develop all thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment.

Conclusion

In this talk we explained how one develops ānāpānassati, up to the attainment of arahantship. First one develops the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment with samatha meditation: they are mundane, having the paṭibhāga nimitta as object. The samatha meditation gives one the light of wisdom, which enables one to cultivate the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment with vipassanā meditation: they are mundane, having formations as object. The samatha and vipassanā requisites of enlightenment then enable one to develop and cultivate the thirty-seven requisites of enlightenment with the Path Knowledge: they are supramundane, having Nibbāna as object. That is what The Buddha was referring to, when He in the beginning of the'Ānāpānassati Sutta' said:

When, bhikkhus, mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it is of great fruit and great benefit.

If we practise ānāpānassati (mindfulness of breathing) according to The Buddha's instructions, we are sure to reap great fruit and great benefit. That is what The Buddha was referring to when He said:

When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it fulfils the four foundations of mindfulness.

When the four foundations of mindfulness are developed and cultivated, they fulfil the seven enlightenment factors.

When the seven enlightenment factors are developed and cultivated, they fulfil True Knowledge and Liberation.

True Knowledge and Liberation is to realize Nibbāna, the Unformed Element. The Buddha explains that it is the Deathless, and the Supreme Happiness.

May you all attain the Supreme Happiness, the highest in the Buddha's teaching: for your own great benefit, and for the great benefit of all beings.

No difference between the method taught in the ānāpāna section of the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta' and that in the 4 ānāpāna tetred

2010-09-22T16:22:00.000+07:00

The `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta' mentions four stages of ānāpānasati, but in some other Suttas and commentaries, sixteen stages are mentioned. We need to understand what is the difference between these two Suttas that help not to deviate from correct practicing which the Buddha's taught.

Actually there is no difference between them. In the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta', The Buddha taught four stages of ānāpānasati only for Samatha practice, for the attainment of Jhāna. In some other Suttas, such as the `ĀnnāpānaSati Sutta' of the Majjhima Nikāya, The Buddha taught sixteen stages.

These sixteen stages are divided into four tetrads:

1. The first tetrad is contemplation of the body (kayanupassana),

2. the second tetrad is contemplation of feeling (vedananupassana)

3. the third tetrad is contemplation of mind (cittanupassana) and

4. the fourth tetrad is contemplation of dhamma-objects (dhammanupassana).

The first tetrad:

It has consists of four stages. These are long breath, the short breath, the whole breath body, and the subtle breath. If you practise it systematically, you will see the nimitta, the sign. If you concentrate on it well, gradually it will become the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta, the counterpart sign of breath. If you concentrate on it systematically, you will attain the first Jhāna up to the fourth Jhāna. After attaining the fourth Jhāna, how should you continue to practise? According to the ĀnnāpānaSati Sutta, you must practise the second tetrad, changing to practise Vipassanā . According to the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta', as we have explained, you have to discern three types of body:

1. the body of in-and-out breath (assassa-passassa-kaya),

2. the produced body (karaja-kaya), and

3. the body of mentality (nama-kaya).

The body of in-and-out breath is the ultimate materiality in the breath; the produced body is the four types of materiality, i.e. materiality produced by kamma, mind, temperature and nutritive essence, in other words, twenty-eight types of materiality. These two bodies are also called the body of materiality (rupa-kaya). The body of mentality is ultimate mentality consisting of the four mental aggregates, aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Jhāna dhammas are also included in these four mental aggregates. Then you should discern the causal arising and passing away and momentary arising and passing away. Then you must practise Vipassanā to attain higher and higher Vipassanā knowledges. Then you will realize Nibbāna with your path knowledge and fruition knowledge.

The second tetrad:

1. `He trains thus: “experiencing joy I will breathe in; experiencing joy I will breathe out.”'Then when you change to practise Vipassanā , you should enter the first Jhāna. Emerging from it, you should discern the first Jhāna dhammas. There are thirty-four mental formations in the first Jhāna, including joy. You should systematically contemplate them as impermanent, suffering and non-self. When you are contemplating in this way, there is joy in your Vipassanā knowledge. Just like when you see your dear friend smiling at you, you will also smile at him. So too, while taking the first Jhāna dhammas with joy as object, there also will be joy in your Vipassanā knowledge. At that time, you are experiencing joy while breathing in and out. After that you should enter the second Jhāna. Emerging from it, you should contemplate the second Jhāna dhammas, which consist of thirty-two mental formations, including joy, as impermanent, suffering and non-self. In your Vipassanā knowledge there is also joy. At that time, also, you are experiencing joy while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Vipassanā.

2. `He trains thus, “experiencing pleasure I will breathe in; experiencing pleasure I will breathe out.”' We can explain this also in both ways, by ways of Samatha and Vipassanā . Pleasure exists in the first, second and third Jhānas. When you are staying in any of them, you are experiencing pleasure while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , emerging from any of the first, second and third Jhānas, you should contemplate its Jhāna dhammas, including pleasure, as impermanent, suffering and non-self. There is also pleasure in your Vipassanā knowledge then. Therefore, we say that you are experiencing pleasure while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Vipassanā .

3. `He trains thus, “experiencing mental formations I will breathe in; experiencing mental formations I will breathe out.”' In this case, we also can explain by way of Samatha and Vipassanā . When you are staying in any of the four Jhāna attainments, you are experiencing mental formations, especially Jhāna factors, while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , emerging from any of the four attainments, you should contemplate its Jhāna dhammas as impermanent, suffering and non-self. At that time, you will experience thirty-four mental formations of the first Jhāna, thirty-two of the second Jhāna, thirty-one of the third Jhāna and thirty-one of the fourth Jhāna. At that time, you are experiencing mental formations while breathing in and out. Why did The Buddha teach mental formations (citta-sankhara) in this stage? What are mental formations? It is mentioned in one Sutta thus: `sabba ca vedana ca cittasankharo.' – `perception and feeling are mental formations.' When you are discerning mental formations, you should emphasise perception and feeling, especially feeling. Because of this, this tetrad is called contemplation of feeling (vedananupassana).

4. `He trains thus, “tranquilizing the mental formations I will breathe in; tranquilizing the mental formations I will breathe out.”' In this case also we should explain by ways of Samatha and Vipassanā . If you enter the first, second, third, and fourth Jhāna attainments taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object, at that time you are tranquilizing the mental formations. Why? The first Jhāna is quieter than access concentration; the second Jhāna is quieter than the first Jhāna; the third Jhāna is quieter than the second Jhāna; the fourth Jhāna is quieter than the third Jhāna. In this way, the higher Jhāna is quieter than the lower one. Because of this, we say that you are tranquilizing mental formations while breathing in and out. If you change to practise Vipassanā , you must contemplate the Jhāna dhammas of the first, second, third and fourth Jhānas as impermanent, suffering and non-self systematically and separately. When you are contemplating the first Jhāna dhammas as impermanent, suffering and non-self, your Vipassanā knowledge is quiet. When you are contemplating the second Jhāna dhammas in the same way, your Vipassanā knowledge is quieter. When you are contemplating the third Jhāna dhammas in the same way, your Vipassanā knowledge is even quieter. When you are contemplating the fourth Jhāna dhammas in the same way, your Vipassanā knowledge is still even quieter. That is why we say that you are tranquilizing mental formations while breathing in and out. In this stage also you must emphasise feeling. That is why this stage is also called contemplation of feeling (vedananupassana). So in this tetrad, Jhāna dhammas of all the four Jhāna attainments are mentioned. In the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta' The Buddha also teaches, `Thus he abides contemplating the body as a body internally, etc.' Among the three types of body, these four Jhānas are included in the mentality body (group), nama-kaya. So the second tetrad is the same as what is explained in the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta'.

The third tetrad:

1. `He trains thus, “experiencing the mind I will breathe in; experiencing the mind I will breathe out.”' You should understand two types of experiencing the mind, by way of Samatha and Vipassanā . You should enter the first, second, third and fourth ānāpāna Jhānas step by step. After emerging from each Jhāna, you should contemplate with emphasis on consciousness. Then we say that you experience the mind while you are breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , you should enter the first Jhāna, taking ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. After emerging from it, you should contemplate its thirty-four mental formations, with emphasis on consciousness, as impermanent, suffering and non-self. You should comtemplate in the same way the second, third and fourth Jhānas. Then we can say that you experience the mind while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Vipassanā .

2. `He trains thus, “gladdening the mind I will breathe in; gladdening the mind I will breathe out.”' In this case, we may explain by ways of Samatha and Vipassanā . You should enter the first Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. After emerging from it you should reflect on its five Jhāna factors, including joy. Because of that joy, your mind is glad. Therefore, when you are staying in the first Jhāna, you gladden your mind while breathing in and out. The similar condition occurs in the second Jhāna. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , you should contemplate the Jhāna dhammas of the first and second Jhānas, including joy, as impermanent, suffering and non-self. When you are contemplating in this way, joy is present in your Vipassanā knowledge because there is joy in its object. At that time, you gladden your mind while breathing in and out. This is the conditaion of Vipassanā .

3. `He trains thus, “concentrating the mind I will breathe in; concentrating the mind I will breathe out.”' You should enter all the four Jhānas taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. In each Jhāna there is one-pointedness (ekaggata), also called concentration (samadhi). So when you are staying in any Jhānas, you are concentrating the mind while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , you should contemplate Jhāna dhammas of these Jhānas as impermanent, suffering and non-self. When you are contemplating in this way, your mind is concentrating on their three natures. At that time, you are concentrating the mind while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Vipassanā .

4. `He trains thus, “liberating the mind I will breathe in; liberating the mind I will breathe out.”' When you are staying in the first Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object, you are liberating your mind from the five hindrances while breathing in and out. Then you should enter the second Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. At that time you are liberating your mind from applied thought (vitakka) and sustained thought (vicara) while breathing in and out. Then you should enter the third Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. At that time, you are liberating your mind from joy (piti) while breathing in and out. Then you should enter the fourth Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. At that time, you are liberating your mind from bliss (sukha) while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Samatha. If you change to practise Vipassanā , you should enter the first Jhāna, taking the ānāpāna patibhaga-nimitta as object. After emerging from it, you should contemplate the first Jhāna dhammas as impermanent, suffering and non-self. When you see clearly these three natures of the first Jhāna dhammas with your Vipassanā knowledge, your mind is liberated from the perception of permanence, happiness and self. You should contemplate the remaining three Jhānas in the same way. When you see the natures of impermanence, suffering and non-self clearly with your Vipassanā knowledge, you are liberating your mind from the perception of permanence, happiness and self while breathing in and out. This is the explanation by way of Vipassanā . So this tetrad emphasizes the mind. That is why it is called cittanupassana. However, you should not discern only mind, but should contemplate also its associated mental formations. In the ānāpāna section of the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta', when you are discerning the five aggregates, or the bodies of in-and-out breath, materiality and mentality, these Jhāna dhammas also are included. So the practices introduced in these two Suttas are basically the same.

The fourth tetrad:

1. `He trains thus, “contemplating impermanence I will breathe in; contemplating impermanence I will breathe out.”' In this section, The Buddha taught only Vipassanā . Here you should distinguish four cases: impermanence (anicca), the nature of impermanence (aniccata), contemplation of impermanence (aniccanupassana), and aniccanupassi. What is impermanence? `Aniccanti pancakhandha.' – `Impermanence is the five aggregates.' The five aggregates are impermanent because they are fading away as destruction. What is the nature of impermanence? It is the impermanent nature of the five aggregates. What is contemplation of impermanence? It is the Vipassanā knowledge that sees the impermanent nature of the five aggregates. What is aniccanupassi? It means the meditator who sees the impermanent nature of the five aggregates. You must first discern the five aggregates, and then contemplate their impermanent nature. In the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta', The Buddha teaches the higher practice after the attainment of the fourth Jhāna thus: `Thus he abides contemplating the body as a body internally. Or he abides contemplating the body as a body externally. Or he abides contemplating the body as a body both internally and externally.' This means that you must discern both the internal and external five aggregates. In this tetrad of the ĀnnāpānaSati Sutta, The Buddha also teaches to discern the five aggregates. Therefore, the methods taught in these two Suttas are the same.

2. `He trains thus, “contemplating fading away I will breathe in; contemplating fading away I will breathe out.” There are two types of fading away, viraga: khayaviraga and accantaviraga. Khayaviraga means fading away as destruction of the five aggregates. Accantaviraga means absolute fading away, Nibbāna. First you must contemplate the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering and non-self systematically. Then you must emphasise their passing away, fading away. When your Vipassanā knowledge becomes mature, you will realize Nibbāna, which is the absolute fading away of the five aggregates, because there are no five aggregates in Nibbāna. Here you should distinguish between the Vipassanā knowledge, the path knowledge and the fruition knowledge. If you contemplate only the passing away of the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering and non-self, you are contemplating fading away of the five aggregates while breathing in and out. When you realize Nibbāna and enter the fruition attainment, you are contemplating the absolute fading away of the five aggregates while breathing in and out.

3. `He trains thus, `contemplating cessation I will breathe in; contemplating cessation I will breathe out.”' There are two types of cessation, nirodha: khananirodha and accantanirodha. Khananirodha means the momentary cessation of the five aggregates. Accantanirodha means the complete cessation of the five aggregates, Nibbāna. After contemplating the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering and non-self systematically, you will see only their momentary cessation. This Vipassanā knowledge will temporarily remove defilements, and you are then contemplating momentary cessation of the five aggregates while breathing in and out. After realizing Nibbāna, you should enter the fruition absorption, taking Nibbāna as object. In Nibbāna there are no five aggregates. So when you are staying in the fruition absorption, you are contemplating the complete cessation of the five aggregates while breathing in and out. So this tetrad emphasizes the Dhamma.

Conclusion

Altogether there are four tetrads. In each stage of each tetrad, there are in-breath and out-breath. So there are sixteen types of in-breath and sixteen types of out-breath. Altogether there are thirty-two types of breath. This is The Buddha's instruction showing how you should breathe in and out to realize Nibbāna.Now we are breathing in and out at every moment every day. You should ask yourself whether you are breathing according to The Buddha's instruction. If so, some day you will attain Arahantship, and all defilements will completely cease. After PariNibbāna, all the five aggregates and suffering will completely cease. So please breathe according to The Buddha's instruction.

In conclusion, there is no difference between the method taught in the ānāpāna section of the `MahāSati Paṭṭhāna Sutta' and that in the four ānāpāna tetrads of the ĀnnāpānaSati Sutta. The Buddha taught in different ways according to listeners' temperament. The meanings of these two methods are the same. May you be prevent the wrong practicing and reach Nibbana soon!!!

How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation

2010-09-22T16:09:00.000+07:00

Introduction

To develop the sublime abiding of...loving-kindness (mettà), you need first of all be aware that it should not be developed towards a person of the opposite sex (lingavisabhàga), or a dead person (kàlakatapuggala).

A person of the opposite sex should not be used as object, because lust towards him or her will probably arise. After you have attained jhàna, however, it is possible to develop loving-kindness towards the opposite sex as a group with, for example, `May all women be happy.' A dead person should at no time be used, because you cannot attain loving-kindness jhàna with a dead person as object.

The people you should develop loving-kindness towards are:

1. Yourself (atta)

2. A person you like and respect (piya puggala).

3. A person you are indifferent to (majjhatta puggala)

4. A person you hate (verã puggala).

In the very beginning, though, you should develop loving-kindness towards only the first two, yourself and the person you like and respect. This means that in the very beginning, you should not develop loving-kindness towards the following types of person: a person you do not like (appiya puggala), a person very dear to you (atippiyasahàyaka puggala), a person you are indifferent to (majjhatta puggala), and a person you hate (verã puggala). A person you do not like is one who does not do what is beneficial to you, or to those you care for. A person you hate is one who does what is detrimental to you, or to those you care for. They are in the beginning both difficult to develop loving-kindness towards, because anger may arise. It is in the beginning also difficult to develop loving-kindness towards a person to whom you are indifferent. In the case of a person who is very dear to you, you may be too attached to that person, and be filled with concern and grief, and even cry if you hear something has happened to him or her. So these four should not be used in the very beginning. Later, though, once you have attained loving kindness jhàna, you will be able to develop loving kindness towards them. You cannot attain jhàna using yourself as object even if you were to develop that meditation for a hundred years.

So why begin by developing loving-kindness to yourself? It is not to attain even access concentration, but because when you have developed loving-kindness towards yourself, with the thought, `May I be happy', then are you able to identify yourself with others; to see that just as you want to be happy, do not want to suffer, want to live long, and do not want to die, so too do all other beings want to be happy, not want to suffer, want to live long, and not want to die. Thus you are able to develop a mind that desires the happiness and prosperity of other beings. In the words of The Buddha:(1)

Sabbà disà anuparigamma cetasà,

Nevajjhagà piyatara mattanà kvaci.

Evam piyo puthu attà paresam,

Tasmà na himnse paramattakàmo.

(Having searched in all directions with the mind, one cannot find anyone anywhere whom one loves more than oneself. In this same way do all beings in all directions love themselves more than anyone else, therefore, one who desires his own welfare should not harm others.)

So in order to identify yourself in this way with others and make your mind soft and kind, you should

first develop loving kindness towards yourself with the following four thoughts:

1. May I be free from danger (aham avero homi)

2. May I be free from mental pain (abyàpajjo homi)

3. May I be free from physical pain (anãgho homi)

4. May I be well and happy (sukhã attànam pariharàmi)

If one's mind is soft, kind, understanding, and has empathy for others, one should have no difficulty developing loving kindness towards another. So it is important that the loving kindness you have developed towards yourself be strong and powerful. Once your mind has become soft, kind, understanding, and has empathy for other beings, then can you begin to develop loving kindness towards them.

How You Develop Loving kindness Person by Person

If you have attained the fourth ànàpàna-, or white kasina-jhàna, you should re-establish it so the light is bright, brilliant, and radiant. With the light of particularly the fourth white-kasina jhàna, it is really very easy to develop loving-kindness meditation (mettà bhàvanà).(2)

The reason is that with the concentration of the fourth jhàna the mind is purified of greed, anger, delusion, and other defilements. After having emerged from particularly the fourth white-kasina jhàna, the mind is pliant, workable, pure, bright, brilliant and radiant, and because of this, you will in a very short time be able to develop powerful and perfect loving kindness (mettà). So, with the strong and bright light, you should direct your mind towards a person of your own sex, whom you like and respect: maybe your teacher or a fellow yogi. You will find that the light spreads out around you in all directions, and that whomever you pick as object becomes visible. You then take an image of that person, sitting or standing, and select the one you like most, and which makes you the happiest. Try to recall the time when he or she was the happiest you ever saw, and choose that image. Make it appear about one yard in front of you. When you can see the image clearly before you, develop loving-kindness towards him or her with the four thoughts:

1. May this good person be free from danger (ayam sappuriso avero hotu)

2. May this good person be free from mental pain (ayam sappuriso abyàpajjo hotu)

3. May this good person be free from physical pain (ayam sappuriso anãgho hotu)

4. May this good person be well and happy (ayam sappuriso sukhã attànam pariharatu).

Extend loving kindness towards that person with these four phrases three or four times, and then select the one you like most, for example, `May this good person be free from danger'. Then, with a new image of that person, in this case free from danger, extend loving kindness using the corresponding thought, in this case, `May this good person be free from danger may this good person be free from danger'. Do it again and again, until the mind is calm and steadily fixed on the object, and you can discern the jhàna factors. Then, keep practicing until you reach the second, and third jhànas. After that take each of the other three phrases and develop loving kindness up to the third jhàna. You should have an appropriate image for each of the four phrases, that is, when thinking `May this good person be free from danger', you should have a particular image of that person as free from danger; when thinking `May this good person be free from mental pain', you should have another image, one of that person as free from mental pain, and so on. In this way you should develop the three jhànas, and remember in each case to practice the five masteries (vasã-bhàva). When you have succeeded with one person you like and respect, do it again with another person of your own sex whom you like and respect. Try doing this with about ten people of that type, until you can reach the third jhàna using any of them.

By this stage you can safely go on to people, still of your own sex, who are very dear to you (atippiyasahàyaka). Take about ten people of that type, and develop loving kindness towards them one by one, in the same way, until the third jhàna. Then you can also take about ten people of your own sex whom you are indifferent to, and in the same way develop loving kindness towards them until the third jhàna.

You will by now have mastered the loving kindness jhàna to such an extent that you can in the same way develop it towards about ten people of your own sex whom you hate. If you are a type of Great Being like the bodhisatta when he was Mahàkapi, the monkey king, who never hated anyone who harmed him, and you really neither hate, nor despise anyone, then do not look for someone to use here. Only those who have people they hate or despise can develop loving kindness towards that type.

Practicing loving kindness in this way, that is, by developing concentration up to the third jhàna on each type of people, progressively from one to the next, from the easiest to the more difficult, you make your mind increasingly soft, kind and pliant, until you are finally able to attain jhàna on any of the four types: those you respect, those very dear to you, those you are indifferent to, and those you hate.

How You Break Down the Barriers

As you continue to thus develop loving kindness, you will find that your loving kindness towards those

you like and respect, and those very dear to you, becomes even, and you can take them as one, as just people you like. Then you will be left with only these four types of person:

1. Yourself

2. People you like

3. People you are indifferent to

4. People you hate

You will need to continue developing loving kindness towards these four, until it becomes balanced and without distinctions. Even though you cannot attain loving kindness jhàna with yourself as object, you still need to include yourself in order to balance the four types.

To do this, you need to re-establish the fourth ànàpàna-, or white kasina-jhàna. With the strong and bright light, extend loving kindness to yourself for about a minute or even a few seconds; then towards someone you like, then someone you are indifferent to, and then someone you hate, each one up to the third jhàna. Then again yourself briefly, but the other three types must now each be a different person. Remember to develop them with each of the four phrases, `May this good person be free from danger' etc. each, up to the third jhàna. Thus you should every time change the person of each of the three types: a person you like, one you are indifferent to, and one you hate. Do this again and again, with different groups of four, many times, so that your mind is continuously developing loving kindness without interruption, and without distinctions. When you are able to develop loving kindness jhàna towards any of the four without distinction, you will have achieved what is called `breaking down the barriers' (simàsambheda). With the barriers between types and individuals broken down, you will be able to further develop your loving-kindness meditation, by taking up the method taught by the Venerable Sàriputta; recorded in the Patisambhidàmagga.(3)

The Twenty-Two Categories

The method in the Patisambhidàmagga involves twenty-two categories by which to extend one's loving-kindness: five unspecified categories (anodhiso pharanà), seven specified categories (odhiso pharaõà), and ten directional categories (disà pharanà).

The five unspecified categories are:

1. All beings (sabbe sattà)

2. All breathing things (sabbe pànà)

3. All creatures (sabbe bhutà)

4. All people (sabbe puggalà)

5. All individuals (sabbe attabhàvapariyàpannà)

The seven specified categories are:

1. All women (sabbà itthiyo)

2. All men (sabbe purisà)

3. All enlightened beings (sabbe ariyà)

4. All unenlightened beings (sabbe anariyà)

5. All devas (sabbe devà)

6. All human beings (sabbe manussà)

7. All beings in the lower realms (sabbe vinipàtikà)

The ten directional categories are:

1. To the east (puratthimàya disàya)

2. To the west (pacchimàya disàya)

3. To the north (uttaràya disàya)

4. To the south (dakkhiõàya disàya)

5. To the south-east (puratthimàya anudisàya)

6. To the north-west (pacchimàya anudisàya)

7. To the north-east (uttaràya anudisàya)

8. To the south-west (dakkhiõàya anudisàya)

9. Downwards (heññhimàya disàya)

10. Upwards (uparimàya disàya)

How You Develop the Unspecified and Specified Categories

To develop this method of loving kindness meditation, you should as before re-establish the fourth jhàna with the white kasina, and develop loving kindness towards yourself, a person you respect or who is dear to you, one you are indifferent to, and one you hate, until there are no barriers between them and you. Then use the bright and brilliant light to see all the beings in as big an area as possible around you, around the building or monastery. Once they are clear, you can develop loving kindness towards them according to the five unspecified categories, and seven specified categories: twelve in total. You should at each category pervade loving kindness in four ways:

1. May they be free from danger,

2. May they be free from mental pain,

3. May they be free from physical pain,

4. May they be well and happy.

`They' is in each case one of your twelve categories, all beings, all devas, etc. Thus you will be pervading loving kindness in a total of forty-eight ways ((7+5) x 4 = 48).

The beings in each category should be clearly visible in the light of concentration and understanding. For example, when you extend loving kindness to all women, you should actually see, in the light, the women within the determined area.(4) You should actually see the men, devas, beings in lower realms etc., in the determined area.4 You must develop each category up to the third jhàna before moving on to the next. You should practice in this way until you become proficient in pervading loving kindness in all forty-eight ways. Once proficient, you should expand the determined area to include the whole monastery, the whole village, the whole township, the whole state, the whole country, the whole world, the whole solar system, the whole galaxy, and the whole of the infinite universe. Develop each of the expanded areas in the forty-eight ways up to the third jhàna. Once proficient you may proceed to the ten directional categories.

How You Develop the Ten Directional Categories

The ten directional categories of loving-kindness involve the previously discussed forty-eight categories in each of the ten directions. You should see all beings in the whole of the infinite universe to the east of you, and extend loving-kindness to them in the forty-eight ways. Then do the same thing to the west of you, and so on in the other directions. This gives a total of four hundred and eighty ways to extend loving kindness (10 x 48 = 480). When we add the original forty-eight categories of pervasion, we get five hundred and twenty-eight ways to extend loving kindness (480 + 48 = 528).

Once you master these five hundred and twenty-eight ways of pervading loving kindness, you will experience the eleven benefits of practicing loving kindness, which The Buddha taught in the Anguttara Nikàya:(5) Bhikkhus, when the mind-deliverance of loving kindness is cultivated, developed, much practiced, made the vehicle, made the foundation, established, consolidated, and properly undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. What are the eleven?

1. A man sleeps in comfort; wakes in comfort;

2. and dreams no evil dreams;

3. he is dear to human beings;

4. he is dear to non-human beings;

5. devas guard him;

6. fire, poison and weapons do not affect him;

7. his mind is easily concentrated;

8. his complexion becomes bright;

9. he dies unconfused;

10. and if he penetrates no higher, he will be reborn in the Brahma World.

May you have all of these categories very soon !

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Quoted ~~

(1) S.I.III.i.8 `Mallikà Sutta' (`Mallikà Sutta')

(2) In this regard, please read these Question & Answer ....

Question: Why don't we, after attaining the fourth jhàna, go straight to discern the five aggregates, their nature of impermanence, suffering, and non-self, and attain Nibbàna? Why do we before attaining Nibbàna need to practise meditation on the thirty-two parts of body, skeleton, white kasina, four-elements, materiality, mentality, dependent-origination, and Vipassanà?

Answer: The Buddha taught the five-aggregates method of practising Vipassanà to three types of person:

those who have sharp wisdom,

those whose insight-knowledge of mentality is not clear,

and those who prefer to practise Vipassanà in the brief way.

What are the five aggregates? What is the difference between the five aggregates and mentality-materiality? Do you know the answer? Before answering your second question, let us discuss mentality-materiality and the five aggregates. There are four ultimate realities (paramattha): consciousnesses (città), associated mental factors (cetasikà), materiality (rupa), and Nibbàna. To attain Nibbàna, the fourth ultimate reality, we must see the impermanent, suffering and non-self nature of the other three, that is, we must see: Eighty-nine types of consciousness Fifty-two associated mental factors

Twenty-eight types of materiality. The eighty-nine types of consciousness are called the consciousness-aggre gate (vinnànakkhandha). Of the fifty-two associated mental factors, feeling is the feeling-aggregate (vedanàkkhandha); perception is the perception-aggregate (sanàkkhandha); and the remaining fifty associated mental factors are the formations-aggregate (sankhàrak-khandha). Sometimes the consciousnesses (città) and associated mental factors (cetasikà) together are called mentality (nàma). Sometimes they are seen as four aggregates, the feeling-aggregate, the perception-aggregate, the formations-aggregate and the consciousness-aggre gate, which together are the mentality-aggregate (nàma khandha). The materiality-aggregate (rupakkhandha) is the twenty-eight types of materiality. The consciousnesses, associated mental factors and materiality together are called `mentality-materiality' (nàmarupa). They are sometimes also called the five aggregates: materiality, fee ling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Their causes are also only mentality-ma teriality. These five aggregates subject to clinging are Dukkha sacca Dhammà: the dhammas of the Noble Truth of Suffering. They need to be understood as such. In the `Mahànidàna Sutta' of the Dãgha Nikàya, The Buddha explains:

This dependent origination is profound, Ananda, and profound it appears. And, Ananda, it is through not knowing, through not penetrating this Dhamma, that this generation has become become a tangled skein, a knotted ball of thread, matted as the roots in a bed of reeds, and finds no way out of the round of rebirths with its states of loss, unhappy destinations perdition.

With regard to this statement, the commentaries explain: There is no one, even in a dream, who has got out of the fearful round of rebirths, which is ever destroying [beings] like a thunderbolt, unless he has severed with the knife of knowledge, well whetted on the stone of sublime concentration, this Wheel of Becoming [Dependent-Origination], which offers no footing owing to its great profundity and is hard to get by owing to the maze of many methods. This means that the yogi who does not know, and has not penetrated Dependent-Origination by the different stages of insight knowledge, cannot escape from the round of rebirths. And in the `Titthàyatana Sutta' of the Anguttara Nikàya, this was said by The Buddha:

And what, bhikkhu, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering? With ignorance as condition, [there are] volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense-bases; with the six sense-bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, ageing-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. This, bhikkhus, is called the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.

This is also called dependent origination. And The Buddha says dependent origination is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca). The Noble Truth of Suffering, which is the five clinging aggregates, and the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering, which is dependent origination, are called formations (sankhàrà). They are the object of Vipassanà, insight knowledge. At the different stages of insight knowledge you comprehend these formations as impermanence (anicca), as suffering (dukkha), and as non-self (anatta). Without knowing and penetrating them, how can you comprehend them that they are impermanent etc.? That is why we teach Vipassanà systematically. To know ultimate materiality, the materiality-aggregate of clinging, you must practise four-elements meditation till you see that materiality consists of small particles that we call rupa-kalàpas, and you need to see the four elements in those small particles. And you need to discern both the base and its object together. Without discerning materiality this way, you cannot discern mentality, the four mental aggregates of clinging. That is why we teach Vipassanà stage by stage.

Now your second question. According to the Theravàda tradition, there are two types of meditation subject (kammaññhàna): pàrihàriya kammaññhàna and sabbatthaka kammañ ñhàna. Pàrihàriya kammaññhàna is the meditation subject by which the individual yogi develops concentration to be used for Vipassanà. The yogi must always use that meditation subject as his foundation. Sabbatthaka kammaññhàna, on the other hand, is the meditation subjects to be developed by all yogis alike. They are the four protective meditations:

1. Loving-kindness meditation (mettà bhàvanà)

2. Recollection-of-The-Buddha (Buddhànussati)

3. Recollection-of-death (maraõànussati)

4. Foulness meditation (asubha bhàvanà)

So although a yogi uses ànàpànasati (mindfulness-of-breathing) as his pàrihàriya kammaññhàna, he must practise the four protective meditations before going on to Vipassanà. This is the orthodox procedure. To develop loving-kindness meditation up to jhàna, it is better if the yogi has already developed the white-kasina meditation up to the fourth jhàna. An example of this is the five hundred bhikkhus to whom The Buddha taught the `Kara nã yamettà Sutta'. Those bhikkhus were expert in the ten kasiõas and eight attainments (samàpatti), had practised Vipassanà up to the Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away (udayabbaya nàna), and had gone to the forest to meditate further. But they returned to the Buddha, because the devas resident in the forest had become annoyed and had frightened the bhikkhus. The Buddha taught the bhikkhus the `Kara nã yamettà Sutta' both as a meditation subject and as a protective chant (paritta). As a meditation subject it is for those who have already attained loving-kindness jhàna (mettà jhàna), and have broken down the barriers between the different types of person. The `Karanãyamettà Sutta' is a more specialized practice of loving-kindness, in which one practises up to the third jhàna by extending loving-kindness to eleven categories of beings with the thought: `Sukhino và khemino hontu, sabbe sattà bhavantu sukhitattà' (May all beings be happy and secure etc.). The Texts say The Buddha knew those five hundred bhikkhus would very easily be able to do this, because they were already expert in the ten kasinas. And how is loving-kindness jhàna made easier by kasina meditation? In the Anguttara Nikàya, The Buddha taught that of the four colour kasinas, the white kasina is best. The white kasiõa makes the yogi's mind clear and bright. A clear and tranquil mind is superior and powerful. If a yogi practises loving-kindness meditation with a clear mind, free from defilements, he usually attains loving-kindness jhàna within one sitting. So if one enters the fourth white-kasina jhàna, and after emerging from it, practises loving-kindness jhàna, it is very easy to succeed. In order to attain the fourth white-kasina jhàna, a yogi should first practise skeleton meditation internally and externally, because this makes the white-kasina meditation very easy. Therefore, after the fourth ànàpàna jhàna we usually teach yogis to do the thirty-two parts of the body, skeleton meditation and white-kasina meditation. In our experience, most yogis say that the fourth white-kasina jhàna is better than the fourth ànàpàna jhàna, because it produces a clearer, brighter and more tranquil mind, which is also very helpful for practising other meditation subjects. So we usually teach white-kasina meditation before loving-kindness meditation. There is also a problem common to beginners. You may have practised loving-kindness meditation. Did you attain jhàna? In practice, if a yogi wants to extend loving-kindness to someone of the same sex, he should first take the smiling face of that person as object, and then develop loving-kindness towards him with: `May this good person be free from mental suffering, etc.' With a beginner that smiling face very soon disappears. He cannot continue his loving-kindness meditation, because there is no object, and so he cannot attain loving kindness jhàna or anything. If he uses the fourth white-kasina jhàna, it is different. He emerges from the jhàna, and when he develops loving-kindness, then because of the preceding concentration the smiling face will not fade away. He is able to concentrate deeply on that image, and able to attain up to the third loving-kindness jhàna within one sitting. If he practises systematically up to the breaking down of barriers between the different types of person, he can even prac tise the eleven ways of the `Karaniyamettà Sutta', and five hun dred and twenty-eight ways mentioned in the Pañisambhidà-magga Pàli Text.

For this reason too, we usually teach the white-kasina meditation before loving-kindness meditation. You may also have practised recollection-of-The-Buddha (Buddhànussati). Did you attain access concentration? When those who have succeeded in loving-kindness jhàna practise recollection-of-The-Buddha, they are able to reach access concentration within one sitting, again because of the preceding concentration. Foulness meditation (asubha) too becomes easy. If a yogi practises foulness meditation up to the first jhàna, and then recollection-of-death (maranànussati), he is able to succeed within one sitting. That is why we teach the white-kasina meditation before the four protective meditations. If, however, a yogi wants to go straight to Vipassanà, without practising the four protective meditations, he can do so: no problem.

(3) Ps.II.iv `Mettà Kathà' (`Loving-kindness Explanation')

(4)This does not mean that the yogi can actually see every single woman, man, deva etc. within the determined area: it means that the yogi should extend loving-kindness with the intention that it is for every single woman, man, deva etc., and that insofar as he can, he should see them all.

(5) A.XI.ii.5 `Metta Sutta' (`Metta Sutta')