May 18, 2024 at 10:17 am
#49826
Keymaster
Pathfinder: “I have read the posts, and my understanding is that moral conduct and good deeds are required to attain Nibbana. Howver, it still seems that the main reason behind doing good deeds is to work towards Nibbana. Again I raise the example of Ariya Metta Bhāvana. I would think that people do it to progress, or at least start off this habit to progress on the path, more so than relieving all beings of suffering. Hence the intention becomes more of “I want to do good deeds and make my mind suitable for learning dhamma” more so than “I want to rid all beings of suffering” when doing Metta Bhāvana. Why else would people start doing Metta Bhāvana?
- Yes. That is quite correct.
- There are two major steps to Nibbana: (i) One must cultivate “moral conduct” (mundane sila) and also get rid of the ten wrong views. (ii) After that one can start comprehending the Four Noble Truths. The point is without believing in rebirth or the existence of other realms, it is not possible to grasp the deeper concepts like the Four Noble Truths and Paticca Samuppada.
- See “What is Unique in Buddha Dhamma?“
Pathfinder: “Why do Arahants still do good?”
- They do that out of compassion. They have fully understood what suffering is (it is not limited to this life.)
- In fact, it would be better for them to terminate life and end their “remaining suffering arising from the physical body they were born with.” But they don’t do that out of compassion. They want to help others as much as they can, as long as they live.
- There were a couple of Arahants who had unbearable bodily suffering (due to illnesses). They got permission from the Buddha to commit suicide. There was no point in them bearing that suffering since they could not help anyone.