Reply To: Anaññātaññassāmītindriya at the Sōtapanna Anugāmi stage

#41457
TripleGemStudent
Participant

Saddhu saddhu saddhu Lang and others for guiding / teaching others the Buddha dhamma. May you, the one’s you’re guiding and all of us living beings attain the Supreme peace and freedom of Nibbana.

Hi Lang,

I agree with your assessment that the chart in the “What is Unique in Buddha Dhamma” post can definitely help to explain more easily the various stages of liberation or enlightenment and give an idea where one is on the path. Someone that’s competent in the Buddha dhamma or an ariya that explains the different parts of the chart, I believe it can help the listener / learner to understand the processes involved and differences between the mundane and transcendental Noble 8 Fold Path. This chart can also give the learner a road map to follow and can be used as a comparison of one’s past and current experiences while one is walking either on the mundane or transcendental Noble 8 Fold Path. The chart (used as a road map or a reflection of one’s current and past experiences) can also possibly increase the readers / listeners / learners confidence and motivation by showing them that they are indeed walking / following on the right path in either achieving their mundane spiritual goals or to attaining Nibbana.

I’ll also add the chart can also be used to explain the difference between the “real” Buddhism and other religions. When someone that can give give a proper / good explanation of the chart like the written materials included in the post of this discussion. I believe it makes it very clear to see the differences between the “real” Buddhist and other religions practices. As well it would be difficult for listeners / learner to refute what’s being explained. But of course people can always think of foolish refutes.

My view / opinion is that the English words awakening, enlightenment, and nibbana are still a bit abstract for the majority of today’s spiritual practitioners and can possibly lead to some confusion, especially to people that are not familiar with the Buddha dhamma. For example, the majority of non-Buddhist today would automatic incline to think the word “awakening” applies to any spiritual person or yogis or anyone that can spew some esoteric or obscure teachings or have proclaimed some form of attainments such as jhana’s. This was my experience anyways while I was learning “new age” materials and sometimes still see it today. I believe it would be beneficial to try to clarify those words and come up with ways according to our understanding of the Buddha dhamma to try to sort out these words for the learner. Trying to explain what nibbana is or why one should put effort into attaining nibbana to a puthujjana, is not an easy task, but can be done partially with the right mundane wordings. As well nibbana is something that only an ariya would have some or full understanding depending on their ariya attainments. I don’t fault people for not understanding it properly or why one should strive to attain Nibbana. It’s like from a sutta, where a householder said to the Buddha. (My wording might not be the most accurate, but my general understanding was this) “For householders giving up sensual pleasure, is unappealing as jumping off a cliff”

– “This is also why Lal had a post about how a sotapanna is better off than a king or a billionaire.”

If I were to mention some details on how the majority of billionaires, people in power, famous people, etc get into their positions in our current times this becomes more apparent. What I have come to learn / seen / understood / know is that in our current times and going forward millions to billions of years from now on this planet. Anyone that lives a regular life, even though one might be poor, struggling to make ends meet or even being homeless, the majority of time one is still better off than being a king, billionaire, in power or being famous in this world. This can change (mundanely) though when the majority of humanity on this planet thoughts, speech, and actions inclines towards the wholesome side. But this doesn’t really matter since no matter what direction the world heads in, it’s still anicca, dukkha, anatta. The word “decadence” is actually a pretty good word to describe the current state of affairs of humans on this planet and about anicca nature.

I can’t remember exactly when and who wrote a post that I came across here in the forums, but someone mentioned / hinted (very subtly) of some very mundane dark things that’s taking place in this world that people have no idea about or can even imagine it’s happening, even for people with intelligence and wisdom. I’m not sure if others understood fully what was being said, it’s not essential to the path anyways. But I exactly knew what this person was saying. Now that I think about it, I should’ve at least replied to show that person he / she is not alone on here that has some idea what’s the current mundane state of affairs of this world. I don’t know how that person feels with what they know, but from my own experience, it’s one of the most saddest, frustrating experience that one has to goes through. Imagine not really being able to say anything to protect / help your love one’s, the people you care about or even people you come across in our everyday lives what’s really being done to them, their families and pretty much 90% plus of this world’s population. The thing is even if people knew, there’s really nothing one can do about it, besides practicing the Buddha dhamma. The Buddha dhamma is the only refuge, protection, shelter one has in / from this world.

I’m not sure if these inputs are what you and others are looking for but hopefully it can help in any way possible.