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NobleDhamma is Dhamma learning forum. We are trying to learn Sakyamuni Gautama the Buddha's Noble Teachings based on Tipitaka. We Invite you all for join with us and lets take a step to realize NobleDhamma as soon as we possible.
Subject: Soothing & serene is Tranquillity :-) Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:38 am
Friends:
Tranquillity is a Link to Awakening!
The Tranquillity Link to Awakening (passaddhi-sambojjhanga) has the characteristic of peace, and the function of stilling, which manifests as absence of restless trembling. Stillness of feeling, perception and mental construction is the factor that induces bodily Tranquillity. Stillness of consciousness itself induces mental Tranquillity. The proximate cause of Tranquillity is the satisfaction within Joy! The resulting effect of Tranquillity is the bliss within Happiness!
The Buddha once said: What mental fermentations (asava) should be overcome by development? If a Bhikkhu by careful & rational attention develops the Tranquillity Link to Awakening based on seclusion, based on disillusion, based on ceasing, and culminating in cool relinquishment, then neither can mental fermentation, nor any fever, nor any discontent ever arise in him. MN2 [i 11]
In one who is joyous, the body becomes calm & the mind becomes calm. The Tranquillity Link to Awakening emerges right there. He develops it, & for him it goes to the culmination of its development. MN118 [iii 85]
CALM Calm is his thought, calm is his speech, and calm is his deed, such one who truly is knowing, is indeed wholly freed, perfectly tranquil and wise. Dhammapada 96
CONTENT The one who eliminates discontent, tearing it out by the roots, utterly cuts it out, such one spontaneously becomes absorbed in the calm of tranquillity both day & night. Dhammapada 250
COMPOSED The one who is tranquil in movement, calmed in speech, stilled in thought, collected and composed, who sees right through and rejects all allurements of this world, such one is truly a 'Peaceful One'. Dhammapada 378
Inspirations on the soothing serene Tranquillity (Passaddhi) & the related Calm (Samatha): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/samatha.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Tranquil_One.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Insight.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/High_and_Alert.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/forest_bliss.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Calm_Power.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Silenced.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Calmed.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Calm.htm
Soothing & serene is Tranquillity :-)
Tranquillity is a Link to Enlightenment! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Tranquillity_Passaddhi.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: The Clothes... Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:21 am
[size=200]Friends:[/size]
[size=150]Sariputta explains the 7 Links to Awakening![/size]
Venerable Sariputta once said: Friends! Friend; the Bhikkhus replied. Venerable Sariputta then explained this: Friends, there are these Seven Links to Awakening. What seven?
1: The Awareness Link to Awakening: sati-sambojjhanga. 2: The Investigation Link to Awakening: dhammavicaya-sambojjhanga. 3: The Energy Link to Awakening: viriya-sambojjhanga. 4: The Joy Link to Awakening: piti-sambojjhanga. 5: The Tranquillity Link to Awakening: passaddhi-sambojjhanga. 6: The Concentration Link to Awakening: samadhi-sambojjhanga. 7: The Equanimity Link to Awakening: upekkha-sambojjhanga.
These are the Seven Links to Awakening! In whichever of these 7 Links to Awakening, I wish to dwell in the morning, in that I abide in the morning; in whichever I wish to dwell at noon, in that I abide at noon; in whichever I wish to dwell in the evening, in that I abide in the evening... Suppose a king or a minister had a cupboard full of clothes of many various colours, then whichever pair of clothes he wished to put on in the morning, that he would put on in the morning; whichever clothes he wished to put on at noon, that he would put on at noon; & whichever clothes he wished to put on in the evening, that he would put on in the evening: so too, in whichever of these 7 Links to Awakening, I wish to abide in for whatever period, in that indeed I easily abide dwelling fully absorbed by that aspect... If it occurs to me that now there is The Awareness Link to Awakening present in me, then it occurs to me that it is measureless, & it occurs to me that it is well established; and while it is remaining I know that it remains; and if it falls away in me, then I know instantly that it faded away caused by this or that specific condition or definable circumstance! So too with the other six links to awakening. I notice and know both their presence, ceasing and absence!
Venerable Sariputta Thera On the 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Sun.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Peak.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rare_Emergence.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sequential_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Vast_Penetration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unsurpassable_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/When_7_becomes_14.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leading_to_Enlightenment.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Cause_of_Knowledge_and_Vision.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Meaning_of_the-7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 70-1] section 46: The Links.4: The Clothes...
Venerable Maha Moggallana Thera and Venerable Sariputta Thera The Clothes... Dressing yourself in Mental Quality! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Absorption Unifies Mind... Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:55 am
Friends:
What is the Concentration Link to Awakening?
Fixed Focus is the characteristic of the Concentration Link to Awakening (Samadhi-Sambojjhanga). Ceasing of distraction, disturbance, diversion, agitation, mental instability and wavering is the purpose of the quality of Concentration (Samadhi). Incisive certainty is the manifestation of the concentration link to awakening. This stability enables breakthrough to understanding! Some concentration is present in all consciousness. Training that anchors attention on only 1 object condenses this focus. The proximate cause of concentration is happiness! The resulting effect of concentration is knowledge and vision!
Concentration comes in increasing grades of intensity: 1: Momentary concentration with few seconds of one-pointedness. 2: Preparatory concentration of longer, yet still unstable quality. 3: Access concentration which approaches the 1st jhana absorption. 4: Absorption concentration with fixed and unified mental one-pointedness.
Fourfold is the blessing of Concentration: 1: Sublime happiness here and now through the 4 absorptions. 2: Assured knowledge and true vision of things as they really are. 3: Awareness and clear comprehension of all transient phenomena. 4: Ceasing of all mental fermentation by absence of clinging. DN 33
The Buddha once said: What mental fermentations (asava) should be overcome by development? If a Bhikkhu by careful and rational attention develops the Concentration Link to Awakening based on seclusion, based on disillusion, based on ceasing, culminating in renouncing relinquishment, then neither can mental fermentation, nor any fever, nor any discontent ever arise in him. MN2 [i 11]
In one whose body is calm and who enjoys a pleasurable happiness the mind becomes concentrated. The Concentration Link to Awakening arises right there. He develops it, and for him repeatedly meditating it goes gradually to the culmination of its development. MN118 [iii 85]
Further inspirations on the condensing quality of Concentration (Samadhi): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/9_Stillings.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Samma-Samadhi.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/High_and_Alert.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Jhana_Absorption.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Art_of_Absorption.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Ending_Physical_Pain.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Concentrated_Truth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stopping_Physical_Pain.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Concentration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Concentration_Samadhi.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_Beyond_This_World.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Concentration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Stopping_Mental_Frustration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Requisites_for_Jhana_Absorption.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Details_of_the_Jhana_Absorptions.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, when the 7 Links to Awakening have been developed, completed and refined, the winning of the seven fruits is indeed to be expected. What are the benefits of these 7 fruits?
They are, either: 1: One attains final knowledge early in this very life. Or: 2: One attains final knowledge at the moment of death. Or: Having destroyed the five lower chains and spontaneously re-arisen; 3: One attains Nibbana in the first half of the life as a divine brahma. Or: 4: One attains Nibbana in the second half of the life in these pure abodes. Or: 5: One attains Nibbana as a Noble non-returner without effort. Or: 6: One attains Nibbana as a Noble non-returner with some effort. Or: 7: One is bound upstream, surely heading towards the highest Akanittha realm. When, bhikkhus, these Seven Links to Awakening have been thoroughly developed and cultivated exactly in this way, these seven fruits & benefits may be expected....
On the 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Sun.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Peak.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rare_Emergence.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sequential_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Vast_Penetration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unsurpassable_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/When_7_becomes_14.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leading_to_Enlightenment.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Cause_of_Knowledge_and_Vision.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Meaning_of_the-7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
On the 31 Planes of Existence: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V:69-70] section 46: The Links.
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
The 7 Fruits!
Winning a Transcendental Victory... http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Imperturbable is Equanimity... Wed May 02, 2012 5:22 am
Friends:
What is the Equanimity Link to Awakening?
Even evaluation is characteristic of the Equanimity Link to Awakening. (Upekkha-Sambojjhanga). Preventing both deficiency & excess and securing impartiality is the function of Equanimity. Imperturbable ballance is the manifestation of the Equanimity Link to Awakening. Equanimity just looks on whenever new phenomena arises and ceases. This stable yet plastic patience purifies all the other advantageous mental states, which reach maximum, when joined with Equanimity...
Equanimity (Upekkha) is a moderating mental construction. Equanimity is also a mood of neither gladness nor sadness. Equanimity is also a feeling of neither pain nor pleasure. Equanimity is also the neutral ability to be indifferent. Equanimity is also the 4th infinitely divine dwelling. Equanimity is also a quite high form of happiness. Equanimity is also a refined mental purification. Equanimity is therefore a Link to Enlightenment...
There is Equanimity both regarding live beings and dead things. There is Equanimity both regarding all internal & external states. There is Equanimity both regarding all past, present and future. There is Equanimity both regarding all mentality & all materiality.
The Buddha once said: What mental fermentations (asava) should be overcome by development? If a Bhikkhu by alert & rational attention develops the Equanimity Link to Awakening based on seclusion, based on disillusion, on ceasing, culminating in full renouncing relinquishment, then neither can mental fermentation, nor any fever, nor discontent ever arise in him. MN2 [i 11]
When mind is concentrated one can observe all closely in equanimity. The Equanimity Link to Awakening arises right there. He develops it, and for him repeatedly meditating it goes gradually to the completion of its development. MN118 [iii 85]
Further inspirations on the imperturbable quality of Equanimity: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Even_is_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/High_and_Alert.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Serene_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Empty_Equanimity.htm http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Exquisite_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/upekkhaa.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Imperturbable_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Serene_Equanimity_and_Beyond.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/tatra_majjhattataa.htm
"I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, just like somebody out of a 1940's movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos & glassware. 'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the cab. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.' 'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice. I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice.. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 'What route would you like me to take?' I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom, where she had gone dancing as a young girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a way that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said. 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.' I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was like the sound of the closing of a life.. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick dry review: I don't think that I have done anything more important in my entire life! We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small nothing..."
Compassionate Pity (Karuna), which cures all cruelty, is a divine state! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Endless_Pity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Safe_Medicine.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Karuna_is_Pity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Wrong.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Great_Compassion.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Compassionate_Pity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Space_Compassion.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/How_to_Cure_Cruelty_and_Revengefulness.htm
Cab Compassion!
NYC Taxi driver made compassion shine in action. http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Cab_Compassion.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: When 7 becomes 14... Fri May 04, 2012 5:17 am
Friends:
How are there Fourteen Links to Awakening?
The Blessed Buddha once said: There is awareness of all internal states, & awareness of all external states. Both kinds of awareness are leading to Enlightenment (sati-sambojjhanga). There is investigation of both all internal states, and of all external states. Both these investigations are links to Enlightenment (vicaya-sambojjhanga). There is energy of body (strength), and energy of the mind (enthusiasm). Both kinds of energy are leading to Enlightenment (viriya-sambojjhanga). There is joy associated with thinking, and there is joy without any thinking. Both kinds of joy are links leading to Enlightenment (piti-sambojjhanga). There is tranquillity of the body, and there is tranquillity of the mind. Both these calms are links to Enlightenment (passaddhi-sambojjhanga). There is concentration during thinking and concentration without thinking. Both concentrations are links to Enlightenment (samadhi-sambojjhanga). There is equanimity both regarding internal states and external states. Both these kinds are links to Enlightenment (upekkha-sambojjhanga). This can only a Buddha, or a true disciple of a Buddha see, and explain...
Comments: Awareness of all internal mental states is the most important, and highest. Investigation of all internal mental states is the primary, and most fruitful. Energy of the mind is the most advantageous, effective, and most enabling. Joy without any thinking is the most rapturous, ecstatic, and all-pervading. Tranquillity of the mind is the deepest, most calm, serene, and imperturbable. Concentration without any thinking is the most one-pointed and absorbed. Equanimity regarding internal mental states is the best guard and protection.
On the 7 Links to Awakening (Sambojjhanga): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Sun.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Peak.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Clothes.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Rare_Emergence.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Sequential_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Vast_Penetration.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Fruits.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Unsurpassable_Seven.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Leading_to_Enlightenment.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Seven_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Cause_of_Knowledge_and_Vision.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Meaning_of_the-7_Links_to_Awakening.htm
Sources (edited extracts): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 111] 46: Links. 52: A way of Explaining...
When 7 becomes 14...
What only a few can explain! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/When_7_becomes_14.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Happy Vesak to All Beings! Sat May 05, 2012 2:07 am
Friends:
At this Fullmoon Day do all Buddhas Awaken:
5th May 2012 Vesak Day celebrates birth, Enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha Gotama. Rejoice! Keep clean, calm, cool, clever, and caring... About this Buddhist Vesak Festival: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak This May full moon also celebrates the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka in the eighth year after his Enlightenment where he journeyed to Kelaniya on the invitation of the Naga King Maniakkhika (Mahavamsa i,72ff.). The day also celebrates the crowning of king Devanampiyatissa (Mhv.Xi.42), and the laying of the foundation stone of the Maha Stupa (Mhv.Xxix.1)
Please Remember: At this very May full moon in year 528 BC the Blessed Buddha awakened by completely perfect and utterly unsurpassable self-Enlightenment! At that time a girl named Sujata Senani lived in Uruvela. When adult she prayed before a certain Banyan tree, that she might get a good husband equal to herself in caste & that her firstborn may be a son. Her prayer was successful. Since indeed it did happen. At the full moon day of the Wesak month, she rose at early dawn and milked the cows. As soon as new buckets were placed under the cows, the milk poured spontaneously in streams all by itself! Seeing this miracle, she knew something special was happening! That same night the Future Buddha dreamt 5 dreams making him conclude: "Surely, truly, without any doubt, today I will reach perfect Enlightenment!" His 5 colored radiance illuminated the whole tree. Then Sujata came and offered the cooked milk rice into the hands of this Great Being.
Later a local grass-cutter came going with a bundle of grass just harvested from nearby. He offered the Great Being 8 handfuls of Kusa grass, when he saw that this Sage was a Holy Man. The Future Buddha accepted the grass and proceeded to the foot of the Bodhi-tree. Reaching the imperturbable Eastern side, where all the Buddhas take their seat, he sat down saying to himself: This is the immovable spot, where all the prior supreme Buddhas have planted themselves! This is the place for destroying this net of desire! Then the Future Buddha turned his back to the trunk and thus faced east. Right there, he then resolutely settled on this mighty decision:
Let just blood and flesh of this body dry up & let skin and sinews fall from the bones. I will not leave this seat before having attained the absolute and Supreme Self-Enlightenment!
So determined did he seat himself in this unconquerable seat, from which not a 100 lightning strikes could make him waver from. At this very moment the rebel deity Mara -The Evil One- raised exclaiming: Prince Siddhattha will pass beyond my power, but I will never allow it! And sounding the Mara's war shout, he summoned his mighty army for battle. Then Mara warned his evil militia: This Sakyamuni, son of Suddhodana, is far greater than any other man, so we will never succeed to fight him up front. We must thus attack him from the rear. Frustrated, being unable even to touch this big wielder of power also with 9 mighty hurricanes of wind, rain, rocks, weapons, red coals, hot ashes, sand, mud, and darkness Mara somewhat in panic shouted at his army: "Why do you all stand still? Seize, kill & drive away this prince!"
Mara then yelled: "Siddhattha, leave this seat. It is not yours, but mine!" Hearing this, the Well-gone One replied: Mara, neither have you fulfilled the 10 perfections to the third degree, nor have you given the 5 great donations. Neither have you striven for insight, nor for the welfare of all the world, nor for supreme self-enlightenment! Therefore does this very seat surely not belong to you, but truly indeed only to me. Suddenly overpowered by fear Mara's followers fled helter-skelter in all directions. Not two went in the same direction, but leaving their weapons in a chaos, they all fled terrified by metaphysical panic. Seeing them flee thus, the great assembly of deities triumphantly shouted: Mara is defeated. Prince Siddhattha has won! Let us celebrate this truly sublime, wonderful and unique victory! It was before the sun had set that the Tathagata conquered Mara and defeated his army. That same night, after having bathed, while the Bo tree rained red sprigs onto his robe, The Consummate One gained knowledge of his prior lives during the 1st watch of the night: "With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unified, focused, tractable, compliant, steady & imperturbable, I directed mind to remembrance of my past lives. I recollected many past lives, i.e., one re-birth, two...five, ten... 50, a hundred, a thousand, 100 thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, & many eons of cosmic expansion: There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan & species, had such a body. Such was my food, such my life of pleasures and pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There I had such name, belonged to such a sort & family, had such a form. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasures & pains. Such was the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here. Thus I remembered my various past lives in all their various modes and manifold details. This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; the knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose as happens in one who is alert, aware, and determined. But the very pleasant feeling that arose by this did neither invade my mind, nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, intact, pliant, malleable, steady, and totally imperturbable, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. I saw by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human eye! I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, and I realized how & why they are high or low, beautiful or ugly, fortunate and unfortunate all in exact accordance with the intentions of their prior actions: These beings who were endowed with bad behaviour of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views & acted under the influence of wrong views, with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of misery, the bad painful destination, the lower realms, even in hell. But the beings who were gifted with good behaviour of body, speech and mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and acted under the influence of right views after the break-up of the body, after the death, have re-appeared in happy destinations, even in a divine world! Thus by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, all in accordance with their particular mixture of good and bad kamma... But the satisfaction that arose here did neither invade my mind, nor remain. With the mind thus concentrated and completely absorbed, I then directed it towards understanding the ending of mental fermentation. I realized how it actually comes to be, that: This is Suffering... Such is the Cause of Suffering... Such is the End of Suffering... Such is the Way to End Suffering...
Such was the mental fermentations... Such is the Cause of mental fermentation... Such is the End of mental fermentation... Such is the Way leading to the end of mental fermentation.
When my mind saw that, it was instantly freed of the fermentation of all sense-desire, it was released from the fermentation of becoming, and it became fully uncovered from the fermentation of ignorance. Thus fully and perfectly Enlightened - The Buddha - perceiving this immense glory, spoke these 2 solemn verses, which never has been omitted by any of countless billions of prior Buddhas:
Through this round of countless existences have I searched, but yet failed to find "the Creator", who framed this construction: What Suffering indeed is such endless birth, ageing, decay, sickness and ever repeated death! Now I see that "the Constructor" of this structure is Craving...!!! Never shall this construction be built again, since all the rafters are shattered and the main beam is busted and completely broken... At this calming of all Craving, the mind was finally, irreversibly and ultimately stilled… Then, friends, this revelation of certainty arose in me: This release is indeed immutable, this is the very last rebirth, this endless reappearance has finally come to a happy end... Nibbana is verily the Highest Bliss!
Source: The Jataka Nidana. The story of Gotama Buddha. Tr. by N.A. Jayawickrama, Pali Text Society 1990. http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=132935
VESAK FESTIVAL VIDEOS, COLOMBO 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLScBZ1tW0A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KFAG3OCJQI&NR=1
Happy Vesak to All Beings! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Wesak_2012.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Tranquillity slides into Bliss! Sun May 06, 2012 5:37 am
Friends:
One becomes Calmed by Stilling all Agitation!
The brahmin Magandiya asked the Buddha about how to become calmed: Not dwelling in the past, stilled in the present, one prefers no kind of future! Without irritation, without agitation, without regrets, without worry, neither boasting, nor proud, but humble and modest, one is indeed a restrained sage... Withdrawn, not opposed to anything, not wanting anything, all unconcerned, aloof, gentle, independent, for such one there exists neither craving or fear for any kind of existence, nor craving or fear for any form of non-existence... Such calmed one is indifferent to sense pleasures, detached, not clinging to any kind of property! For him there is nothing more to take up or lay down! For whatever others might accuse him, he remains tranquil and not agitated! Neither opposing anything, nor attracted to anything, with nothing of his own, not perturbed by what does not exist, such tranquil one is truly calmed! Sutta-Nipata 849-861 Edited excerpt.
More on Calm (Samatha) = Tranquil Ease: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Calm.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Forest_Bliss.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Silenced.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Calm_Power.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Calm_and_Insight.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Tranquil_One.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/samatha.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Breathing_Calm_and_Insight.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ Sri Lanka http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Calmed...
Tranquillity slides into Bliss! http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/V/Calmed.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Genuine Goodwill Shines :-) Mon May 07, 2012 5:41 am
Friends:
Entering and Dwelling in All-Embracing Goodwill!
The Blessed Buddha once said: How does the monk whose mind is filled with all-embracing kindness pervade one direction? Just as, at the sight of a dear and agreeable childhood friend, one may feel kindness, exactly so does he pervade all living beings with his kind friendliness... Vibh Xlll,643
May all beings live in happiness and peace. Filled with joy and delight! Sn 145
I found no one whom I loved better than myself. Exactly so to do all other beings also love their self most dearly. Thus, wishing well to all, one should do No Harm to anyone! SN 3.8
Mental release by all-embracing friendliness is practiced in five ways with unspecified extension: May all beings be free from anger, anxiety and frustration, and may they pass their life in happiness! May all living beings ... all creatures ... all individuals ... all those included in existence be free from anger, anxiety and frustration and may they be all happy! Pts 11/130
More on these 4 Infinitely Divine States (Appamañña Brahma-Vihara): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/brahma_vihaara.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Buddha_on_Noble_Frienship.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Selfless_Friendship_is_Sweetest.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.1.024-027.irel.html http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel007.html http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Rejoicing_Bliss_is_Mudita.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_Friendliness.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/United_in_Harmony.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Good_Friend.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Friendliness_Frees.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kalyanamitta.htm http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=404214 http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Metta.htm
Subject: Invariable Law: Do no Harm! Tue May 08, 2012 4:44 am
Friends:
Any Cause produce an Effect:
Therefore: Never do any Evil! Neither openly nor in Secret... If having done bad or is doing wrong now, pain surely returns, even though one flee by flying away... The effect of any action, good as bad, follows the doer like a shadow that never leaves... Consequence is Certain... Why so ? Because one cannot hide anything for one's own mind! It knows & remembers! Mind is thus forerunner of all phenomena...
The Blessed Buddha on non-violence: I am a friend of the footless, I am a friend of the bipeds; I am a friend of those with four feet, I am a friend of the many-footed. May not the footless harm me, may not the bipeds harm me, may not those with four feet harm me, and may not those with many feet harm me. AN. II, 72
Among tigers, lions, leopards & bears I lived in the wood. No one was frightened of me, nor did I fear anyone. Uplifted by such universal friendliness I enjoyed the forest. Finding great solace in sweet silent solitude. Suvanna-sama Jataka 540
On Harmlessness: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Harmlessness_and_Tolerance.htm
Have a nice day!
Friendship is the Greatest Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka. http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Invariable Law: Do no Harm! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Invariable_Fact.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: The Ultimate Peace! Wed May 09, 2012 4:19 am
Friends:
The 10 Contemplations is Daily Buddhist Routine!
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus & friends: There is one contemplation, which when often practiced and developed leads to the complete turning away from the world, to detachment, to stilling, to ceasing, to Peace, to final penetrating knowledge, to Enlightenment, and thus to Nibbana... Any Noble Disciple who by progress has understood the Dhamma dwells frequently in this state. Which is that one contemplation? It is reflecting regarding the qualities of ultimate Peace like this: This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all kammic construction, the leaving all behind of all substrata of any being, the complete vanishing of all sorts of craving, ceasing, Nibbana... Whatever, Bhikkhus & friends, there is of both conditioned & unconditioned things, dependent & independent constructions, detachment is considered the highest of them, that is, the final destruction of ego-belief, the overcoming of all desire & thirst, the rooting out of clinging, the breaking out of this long round of rebirths, the vanishing of craving, absolute release, Nibbana...
The Buddha emphasized: Nibbana is the Highest Happiness! Source: AN 1:16.10 + 10:60 + 4.34
More on the Deathless Dimension: Nibbana! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Peace.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Nibbana_Still.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2_Nibbanas.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/n_r/nibbaana.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Deathless_Dimension.htm
The Ultimate Peace!
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness...
Nibbana is the Highest Happiness... http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Peace_Contemplation.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Running in circles... Thu May 10, 2012 5:10 am
Friends:
There are these seven Latent Tendencies (Anusaya):
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of Latent Tendency. What seven?
1: The Latent Tendency to Sensual-Pleasure... 2: The Latent Tendency to Aversion & Ill-Will... 3: The Latent Tendency to Speculative Views… 4: The Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt… 5: The Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am”… 6: The Latent Tendency to Wanting to Become… 7: The Latent Tendency to Ignorance…
These are the seven kinds of Latent Tendency! The Noble 8-fold Way should be developed for the direct experience of these seven kinds of Latent Tendency, for the full understanding and elimination of them, and for their final overcoming, abandoning and leaving all behind…This Noble 8-fold Way is developed for the sake of the uprooting of all detrimental Latent Mental Tendency!
Explanation: Latent Tendency towards Pleasurable sights, sounds, smells, flavours, touches, & thoughts is fairly obvious… Latent Tendency to Aversion is all hate, anger, irritation, opposition, resistance, rigidity and stubbornness… Latent Tendency to Speculative Views is believing that action has no future effects & rituals are purifying… Latent Tendency to Skeptical Doubt is the lack of Faith and conviction in the Buddha’s Enlightenment… Latent Tendency to Conceiving “I Am” is assuming the hidden existence of a constant core identity: ‘I-Me’… Latent Tendency to Lust for Becoming is the hoping for a future existence as this or that kind of being… Latent Tendency to Ignorance is not seeing, not understanding, and not knowing the Four Noble Truths… Latent Tendency means lurking liability, hidden inclination, underlying readiness, a recurring dormant drive!
The unaware monkey mind automatically runs in the local minima of least dissatisfaction. Needless to say: This can hardly by called "freedom", but better "blinded conditioning"... The 7 Latent Tendencies Drives the Mind from the Backseat! Makes U Running in circles...
Buddha once emphasized a crucial Impossibility: That a person, without eliminating the latent tendency to lust for any pleasant feeling, without abolishing the latent tendency to aversion towards any painful feeling, without uprooting the latent tendency to neglect and ignorance accompanying any neutral feeling, without extirpating ignorance & developing clear & complete understanding, should ever, here & now, in this very life, be able to cease all suffering & awaken by enlightenment, that is indeed impossible… http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn148.html
More on the Latent Tendencies (Anusaya): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Conceit_I_Am.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Latent_Feeling.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/anusaya.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Latent_Tendencies.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Latent_Tendencies.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Bodily_and_Mental_Feeling.htm
Any Latent Tendency is always ready to Raise, Bite & Kill!
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V:60] section 45: The Way. 175: The 7 Latent Tendencies ... http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice noticing latency day!
Running in circles...
The 7 Latent Tendencies Drives the Mind from the Backseat! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_7_Latent_Tendencies.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Where R U Going? Fri May 11, 2012 10:59 am
Friends:
Buddha himself explained The 5 Rebirth Destinations!
The Blessed Buddha once explained: Sariputta, there are these five destinations. What are the five? Hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, human beings, and gods... I fully understand hell, the animal, ghost, human, and the divine realm, and the various paths and ways leading to these realms of existence... I also understand, know and directly see how any one who has entered a path to hell, on the breakup of the body, right at death, will reappear in a state of deprivation, in a painful destination, in purgatory, in hell... Similarly do I understand, know and see directly how any one, who has entered such path on the breakup of the body, right after death, will reappear as animal, ghost, human or divine being... I understand Nibbana, the path and very way leading to this Nibbana... And I also understand & see directly how one who has entered this path realising it himself by direct experience, will right there and then enter and dwell in that release of mind & that release by understanding, which is fermentation-free after the elimination of the mental fermentations!
Source (edited extract: The Middle Length Sayings of the Buddha. Majjhima Nikaya. MN 12. i 73-4:The great lions roar: http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25072X http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html
Comments: Ancient Manual on these 5 destinations: Pañcagatidipani. Translated by Ann Appleby Hazlewood. In Journal of the Pali Text Society. Vol. XI 1987: http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=13271
Comment: Seeing beings die and reappear is an ability of the Divine Eye, which is an ability connected with gaining suprahuman force & with Awakening: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Divine_Eye.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Suprahuman_Force_V.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/b_f/dibba_cakkhu.htm
More details on the five Rebirth Destinations: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Destinations.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Hell_Destiny.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Minor_Hells.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Animal_Rebirth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Hungry_Ghost_Rebirth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mad_Demon_Rebirth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Human_Being_Rebirth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Divine_Rebirth.htm
On The Thirty-one Planes of Existence: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html
Where R U Going?
The Five Rebirth Destinations! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Five_Destinations.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Most Common is Low Rebirth! Sat May 12, 2012 4:22 am
Friends:
Breakthrough to the Truths safeguards against Downfall Rebirth!
The Blessed Gotama Buddha once explained: Bhikkhus and friends, see this little dust, I have taken up upon the nail of my little-finger, what do you think is most: This tiny amount dust or this great planet Earth? The Bhikkhus then responded: Venerable Sir, this great planet Earth is much more, incomparable more... The minute speck of dust is trifling, microscopic, negligible in comparison! The Blessed Gotama Buddha then succinctly pointed out: Similarly and exactly so too, Bhikkhus and friends, those beings are few & quite rare, who are reborn among humans or devas! Beings who are reborn elsewhere, lower, as non-humans, in the screaming hell, as scared animals, as hungry ghosts, or as mad demons are much more numerous and common... Why is it so? Because, these beings have not understood the 4 Noble Truths! What four? The 1st Noble Truth: This is Suffering; The 2nd Noble Truth: Craving is the Cause of Suffering; The 3rd Noble Truth: No Craving is the End of Suffering; The 4th Noble Truth: The Noble 8-fold Way ceases all Suffering. Therefore, Bhikkhus & friends, exertion should be made Now to understand: All This is Suffering; This Greedy Craving is the sole Cause of all Suffering; No Craving is the End of Suffering; The Noble 8-fold Way Ends all Suffering, Therefore should effort to fathom these 4 Noble Truths be made NOW!
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. [V:474-5] section 56: Saccasamyutta. Thread 102-5: Elsewhere & etc...
Comments: The actions that result in rebirth in the five destinations are described in detail in the work: Pañcagatidipani. Translated by Ann Appleby Hazlewood. in Journal of the Pali Text Society. Vol. XI 1987: http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=132714
Video illustrating life among humans, in heaven and in hell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QDBHCxvX-Q
For relation between cause & effect = action & result = kamma & fruit see: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_is_intention.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kamma_and_Fruit.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Kamma_is_improvable.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_&_Ugliness.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_&_Sickness.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_kammic_Action_is_Delayed.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
Most Common is Low Rebirth!
The 4 Noble Truths protect against Downfall Rebirth! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_5_Destinations.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: MAY all CRITTERS be HAPPY :- Mon May 14, 2012 11:01 am
Subject: The All is an internal Experience! Tue May 15, 2012 5:51 am
Friends:
The Empirical ALL is what can be Sensed or Thought!
At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha pointed out a most Radical Empiricism: Bhikkhus, I will teach you the ALL. Listen to that... And what, Bhikkhus, is this ALL?
The Eye and the Forms; The Ear and the Sounds; The Nose and the Smells; The Tongue and the Tastes; The Body and the Touches; The Mind and the Mental States.
This is defines and establish this ALL... If anyone, Bhikkhus, should ever postulate this: 'Having denied this all, I will define & point another all ...!!!', that would be empty babble! If he were questioned, he would not be able to reply & he would become quite perplexed. Why? Because, Bhikkhus, that would be far out of his mental range! (since) This World both Begins and Ends within this 2 fathom frame of bones... SN I 62
Looks initially quite far & remotely 'out there'...
Yet IT IS actually rather close up, as inherently sensed 'in here'...
See also the ALL as the Sensed Source: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Out_in.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Source_of_All.htm
OUT = IN Wholeness: Inseparable are the internal and the external... Inseparable are the mental and the physical... Inseparable are the experience and experienced... Inseparable are the subject and the object... Inseparable are the naming and the forming... Inseparable are the mirror and the representation… The ‘Real’ World is a perceived Representation… Of what we will never know, since IT IS just & only that... A never-ending FILM in dire need of a Scissor!
Insisting on Direct Experience never fails!
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book IV 15 The Salayatana section 35. Thread on the ALL: Sabba Sutta (23) http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
What IS this ALL actually and factually? http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_ALL.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: What is the Final Goal? Wed May 16, 2012 7:20 am
Friends:
What is the Final Goal and Destination?
The ascetic wanderer Nandiya once asked the Blessed One: Which things, Master Gotama, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their end destination, have Nibbana as their final goal? These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their last destination, have Nibbana as their final goal. Which eight?
Right View (samma-ditthi) Right Motivation (samma-sankappa) Right Speech (samma-vaca) Right Action (samma-kammanta) Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva) Right Effort (samma-vayama) Right Awareness (samma-sati) Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)
These eight things, Nandiya, when developed and refined, lead to Nibbana, have Nibbana as their target, have Nibbana as their final aim! When this was thus spoken, the wanderer Nandiya said to the Blessed One: Magnificent, Master Gotama! Marvellous, Master Gotama! Let the Master Gotama remember me as one, who has taken refuge in the Buddha for life…
The 8 spokes symbolizes the 8 Steps of the Noble Way!
Further study on the Noble 8-fold Way: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Middle_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Fulfilled_First_.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Noble_8_fold_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_3-fold_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Failed_by_Neglect.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Noble_8-Fold_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Fruits_of_the_Noble_Way.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_4th_Noble_Truth_on_The_Way_to_Cease_Suffering.htm
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V:11-2] section 45:10 Nandiya ... http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice targetted day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka. http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What is the Final Goal?
Nibban is the Highest and only Lasting Happiness! http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/The_Final_Goal.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Make an island of yourself! Thu May 17, 2012 6:52 am
Friends:
Can an Almighty God or Divine Power save you?
Question: >Can one be saved by an Almighty God or Divine Power?
Answer: India has always had two holy traditions:
Brahmana: Priests, who by rituals and worship of assumed almighty ‘gods’, and ‘divinity’ believe that they can be saved by these divine other-powers, which they then rely on. Depending thus on something they cannot see or contact their search is often blind…
Sramana: Recluses, who only trust themselves and that every-one has to purify and thereby save themselves by themselves. They trust intense meditation & study after guidance of a teacher, who usually is a Buddha.
No Brahmana have ever – so far reported – reached any Noble State… That is, come within 7 rebirths of Nibbana – the only lasting safety! No Brahmana have – so far reported – ever reached Nibbana… No Brahmana, priest, guru, swami this or that will ever reach Nibbana! Emptiness can also be tantalizing and have even been worshipped also as a transcendental divine state … (That leads also to no safety…)
Conclusion: There are gods (devas) out there. But they cannot save U or anyone else… So there is no need or gain by looking ‘out there’ after an almighty ‘saviour’… Rather moral and mental purification can only come by looking inward. One has to do the job oneself! Most can only do it by taking a Teacher, who is either a Noble or an Awakened Buddhist… Not so easy to find...
The blessed Buddha Gotama once said:
NO OTHER By self alone, is harm done. By self alone, does one suffer from own evil. By self alone, is harm left undone. By self alone, is one purified & thereby saved. Both destruction and salvation is the work of oneself. No-one can purify another! Dhammapada 165
SAVIOUR Self is indeed self's only saviour! Who else can save you ? With oneself well tamed, one gains a saviour hard to otherwise find. Dhammapada 160
NOW OR NEVER Make an island for yourself. Strive quickly now in exerting effort. Be the wise one. Not a naive fool… When your defilement have been blown away and you have freed yourself from evil passions; Never will you again be Ageing! Never will you again be Dying! Dhammapada 238
ISLAND Make an island of yourself, haste to exert effort, be clever. When your mental defilements have been cleaned & you have cleared yourself of passion, then yours will be the divine state of exquisite choice. Dhammapada 236
Make an island of yourself!
Be your own Lamp… There is no other safety! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Make_an_island.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Friendly + Unselfish = Honourable! Fri May 18, 2012 5:02 am
Friendly + Unselfish = Honourable! Who is hospitable, and friendly, Generous and unselfish, A guide, a teacher, a leader, Such one will to honour attain. Digha Nikaya 3.273
What is Mara: A Transient, Painful, and Selfless State?
At Savatthi. While seated, the Venerable Radha asked the Blessed One: Venerable Sir, one says: Mara, Mara!! What is this Mara; the Evil One? Radha, form, feeling, perception, mental construction, and consciousness is Mara, is a state of Mara, is impermanent, is of an impermanent nature, is suffering, is of a painful nature, is no-self, is of an impersonal nature, is in a state of destruction, is in a state of vanishing, is an unstable state, is always in a state of momentary ceasing, vanishing right there and then... Radha, you should therefore leave behind desire, should leave behind lust, you should leave behind all desire and lust for whatever is a state of Mara, for whatever is impermanent, for whatever is only impermanent appearance, for whatever is suffering, for whatever is of a painful nature, for whatever is no-self, for whatever is of a ownerless nature, for whatever is a state of destruction, for whatever is a state of vanishing, for whatever is in a state of arising, for whatever that is a state of cessation... And what, Radha, is a state of cessation? Form is a state of cessation. Feeling, Perception, Mental Constructions, and this Consciousness is also a state of continuous ceasing... Understanding this, Radha, the well instructed Noble Disciple experiences disgust towards form, disgust towards feeling, disgust towards perception, disgust towards mental construction, & disgust towards consciousness itself! Experiencing disgust, he becomes disillusioned! Through disillusion his mind is released. When it is released, he instantly knows: This mind is liberated, and he understands: Extinguished is birth, this Noble Life is all completed, done is what should be done, there is no state of being beyond this one...
More on the individual deva personality Mara: The Evil One... http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/maara.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/ma/maara.htm
Mara attacks the Buddha in a failed attempt to frighten him.
More on the Universal Fact of Impermanence: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Transient_formations.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Perceiving_Transience.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Impermanence_Anicca.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Internal_Transience.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_External_Transience.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Impermanence.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Contemplating_Impermanence_2.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Universal_Transience.htm
Mara's daughters temptation of the Buddha also fails flatly!
More on the Mental Release induced by Disgust: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Any_Kind.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Released_by_Disgust.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disgust.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Constructive_Destruction.htm
He is also called Namuci: Never letting any Escape his hypnotic hedonist powers! Any Deva can choose own body form. His favourite manifestations are as above..
Source: The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya 23:24-34 III 199 http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
What is Mara?
Any Transient, Painful, & Selfless State is Suffering! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/What_is_Mara.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Friendliness Shines Everywhere! Sun May 20, 2012 4:14 am
Friends:
Brahmavihãra Meditation gives Infinite Joy!
Training Universal Friendliness induces unalloyed Joy! Cultivating Boundless Pity enables tranquil Tolerance! Developing Mutual Joy produces deep Contentment! Refining Equanimity establishes calming Serenity!
The Blessed Buddha repeatedly explained: May all creatures, all breathing things, all beings one and all, without exception, experience joy and good fortune only. May they not fall into any harm! Anguttara Nikaya II, 72
With good will for the entire cosmos, Cultivate a limitless & infinite heart: Above, as below, across & all around, Unobstructed, without any hostility. Sutta Nipata I, 8
Overcome the angry by friendliness; Overcome the wicked by goodness; Overcome the miser by generosity; Overcome the liar by truth. Dhammapada 223
Train yourself in doing only pure good... That lasts and brings great happiness! Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living, and a mentality of infinite friendliness! Itivuttaka 16
Joy creating is Meditation on the 4 infinite Brahmaviharas: http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Mutual_Joy.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Higher_Release.htm http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Blazing_&_Bright.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Goodwill_Encore.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Released_by_GoodWill.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_Grace_of_Goodwill.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unsurpassable_Radiance.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/All_Embracing_Kindness.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Infinite_and_Divine_Classic.htm
Have a nice joyous day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita, Sri Lanka. http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Subject: Feeding the Equanimity! Mon May 21, 2012 6:48 am
Friends:
Feeding the Serene Equanimity!
The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, just as this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in dependence on feeding and cannot survive without food, so are the 7 Links to Awakening also sustained by feeding, they can also only exist in dependence on feeding and they cannot remain without feeding... And what, bhikkhus, is the feeding of the emergence of any yet unarisen equanimity and also feeding of the completion by condensation of any arisen Equanimity? There are states that are the basis & source Equanimity! Frequently pointing careful and rational attention to them, is feeding the emergence of unarisen equanimity & also feeding of the gradual fulfillment of any arisen Equanimity Link to Awakening... And what, Bhikkhus, is the starving that obstructs all emergence of a yet unarisen equanimity and which also hinders any already arisen Equanimity Link from reaching complete fulfillment by development? There are states that are the basis and source for the equanimity! Not giving frequent, careful and rational attention to them; not considering them much and often; is the starving that prevents an unarisen equanimity from arising and also blocks any already arisen equanimity from reaching any complete fulfillment through training in the form of frequent meditation!
Comments from the classical commentaries: Imperturbable onlooking ballance is characteristic of the equanimity. (Upekkha-Sambojjhanga). Moderation, seeking the neutral middle, composure and control is the purpose of the quality of Equanimity (Upekkha). Imperturbability is the manifestation of the equanimity. This stable yet still plastic patience purifies all the other advantageous mental states, which thus reach their maximum, when joined with Equanimity...
Further conditions helpful for the emergence of the equanimity are: 1: Impartiality regarding all living & sentient beings... 2: Indifference regarding all inanimate constructions... 3: Avoiding biased people who prefer favouritism & one-sided partiality... 4: Friendship with well ballanced people unmoved by both pleasure & pain... 5: Commitment to ballance the mind into even & imperturbable Equanimity!
There is Equanimity towards living beings and regarding material things! There is Equanimity towards internal states & regarding external states! There is Equanimity towards all past, present, and future times, and events! There is Equanimity towards all mentality and regarding all materiality!
Sources (edited extracts): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V: 65-6+102-8] 46: Links. 2+51: Group & Nutriments.... Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Subject: Exquisite is Equanimity! Tue May 22, 2012 7:04 am
Friends:
How to train and purify Imperturbable Equanimity!
Sitting alone, in silence, each early morning, with closed eyes one wishes: May I radiate and meet only calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all the various beings on the 31 levels of existence develop and find only the composure and poise of calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings on the sense-desire, fine-material, and the formless plane develop and encounter this serene, calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in the front, to the right, the back, the left and below as above develop and experience cool, calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country, and universe always be fully aware and deeply mindful of this steady, calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country, and universe examine all details and subtle aspects of this unstirred, placid, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country, and universe put enthusiastic effort into their training of this solid, calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe find enraptured joy and jubilant gladness in this unmovable, calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country, and universe cultivate the tranquillity of quiet, silent, stilled, and all smiling calm, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country and universe attain concentrated and absorbed one-pointedness by stoic, deep, imperturbable, and even equanimity! May I and all beings in this city, country, and universe dwell in undisturbable and imperturbable equanimity of unexcitable and unreactive detachment... Yeah! Print this out, dwell in each state until pure, use ~ 25-45 minutes.
Comment: Imperturbable Equanimity is the 4th infinite state (Appamañña): This gradually reduces all desire, attraction, drift, tendency, bias, preference, favouritism, one-sided partiality and unhappiness related with all these states. Equanimity is the proximate cause of any knowing and seeing leading to Wisdom... Equanimity is an extremely subtle form of solid, calm and peaceful Happiness... Equanimity purifies all other advantageous states and brings them to Perfection... Equanimity is unresponsive indifference, unstirred, unaffected, and untroubled!!! There is Equanimity both regarding all live beings and all dead things! There is Equanimity both regarding all internal and all external states! There is Equanimity both regarding all past, all present and all future events! There is Equanimity both regarding all what is mental and all which is physical! There is Equanimity both regarding all what is material and all which is immaterial! There is Equanimity both regarding all formed and all formless phenomena! Cultivating such six-fold equanimity brings this supreme state to completion.
Even is also: Equanimity (Upekkha): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Even_is_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/High_and_Alert.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Divorced_Freedom.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Serene_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Empty_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/V/Exquisite_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Equanimity_Upekkha.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/u_v/upekkhaa.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_7_Links_to_Awakening.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Imperturbable_Equanimity.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Serene_Equanimity_and_Beyond.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/s_t/tatra_majjhattataa.htm
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Exquisite is Equanimity!
Unshakable is Equanimity (=Upekkhã)! http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Unshakable_Equanimity.htm
Bhikkhu_Samahita
Subject: Is Hedonism Happiness? Wed May 23, 2012 6:17 am
Friends:
How does Sense-Desire Muddle the Mind?
A Brahmin Priest once asked the Blessed Buddha: Master Gotama, what is the cause of being unable to remember something that has been memorized over a long period & also that which has not been? Brahmin, when the mind is obsessed, beset, and dominated by sense-desire, and one does not understand any safe escape from this arisen sense-desire, in that moment, one neither sees nor understands, what is advantageous, neither for oneself, nor for others, nor for both... On such occasions, even texts, that have been long memorized, cannot be recalled by mind. Why is this neglect so? Imagine a bucket of water mixed with dyes or paints: Yellow, blue, and crimson red. If a man with good eyes were to inspect the reflection of his own face in it, he would neither see nor recognize his own face! So too, brahmin, when the mind is obsessed, beset, and dominated by sense-desire, on that occasion those texts, that have been long memorized does not recur to the mind, not to speak of those texts, events and things, that have not been memorized at all…
More on the folly vanity of desire for simple Sense Pleasure (Hedonism): http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Why_Not.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.1-2.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Charcoal_Pit.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/Canon/Sutta/AN/AN.I.3-4c.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Catastrophic.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Fire_of_Sense-Desire.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/What_is_Disadvantageous.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Joys_of_the_Flesch_and_Beyond.htm http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Happiness_of_the_Flesh_and_Beyond.htm
Hieronymus Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights...
Blissful is being without passions in this world, Blissful is the overcoming of all sense-desires! Udana II, 1
Source (edited extract): The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikaya. Book [V:121-2] section 46: The Links. 55: To Sangarava...
Have a nice & noble day!
Friendship is the Greatest! Bhikkhu Samahita _/\_ http://What-Buddha-Said.net
Sense pleasure cannot ever give lasting Happiness!
Is Hedonism Happiness? http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Colourful_but_Muddy.htm
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