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I am opening a new thread to post selected essays from the “DRARISWORLD” website.
I previously posted a few selected essays from that website sent to me by Gad (Shakyamuni’s son). Our thanks to both the website’s author (Dr. Ari Ubeysekara) and Gad; much merit for their efforts.
One of those essays was “The Eight Worldly Conditions.” The following are some highlights from the discussion there:
- These essays use the conventional translations of anicca, dukkha, and anatta (impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not-self). MOST current Theravada texts (especially in English) must be “handled with care.” Most invariably translate “anicca” as “impermanence,” “anatta” as “no-self,” etc. See “Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta“ There could be other similar issues.
- However, they have helpful information too.
The following is another essay recommended by Gad: “Twenty Eight Sammā Sambuddhas in Theravada Buddhism.”
The link at the top lists all articles on that website.
- If there are other noteworthy essays from that website (or any other), links to them can be posted on this thread if they seem especially valuable or if someone has questions about them.
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Thank you !! Hope that information would be usefull for many in the pratice of Dhamma. 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
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Hello everyone, I just read a story about Arahant Santati who became an arahant while still a layman after hearing some verses from Lord Buddha, developed all abhinnas and attained parinibbana on the same day. The major detail was his alcoholism during seven days before his parinibbãna. It’s incredible and it shows that Lal was right, the fifth precept is not just about alcohol. Also Lord Buddha smiled when he saw him for the first time. It is known that the smile of a Lord Buddha is extremely rare.
Here is the link for his story
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Thank you, Gad.
Of course, it does not mean drinking alcohol is good.
- However, any past misdeed can be overcome by cultivating wisdom (panna.) For example, Angulimala killed almost a thousand people and attained Arahanthood in that life: “Account of Angulimāla – Many Insights to Buddha Dhamma.”
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Hello everyone I found this also. That’s interesting the previous Pacceka Buddha that appeared in this world was Matanga. He attain parinibbãna shortly before the birth of Lord Buddha Gautama. Also, a person can become a Pacceka Buddha as a layperson. Of course, he will become an ascetic before attaining Pacceka Buddha status.
Private or Solitary Buddha (Pacceka Buddha) in Theravada Buddhism
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“Six stages of the passage of Theravāda Pali Canon -From the Buddha’s mouth to digitalization“
This article shows how the Dhamma came to us throughout the age. Of course, this article didn’t talk about the bad interperetation like the real signification of Tilakkhana and other crucial them of the Dhamma. But is still interesting.
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In this sutta, the Lord Buddha warns venerable Ananda about judging the spiritual progress of someone else. He said only a Buddha can judge appropriately about that. He also talks about six kinds of people in this world. In this sutta, we can also see two brothers, isadatta and Purana. Both of them becomes Sakadagamin and are reborn in Tusita heaven after their death. During his life, Isadatta had a great pānna but still craved kama and stayed married. During his life, Purana was single and had a great sīla but not enough pānna. That shows everyone has his own gati but still can progress on the path. We cannot judge someone with our limited perception.
“Migasālā Sutta: Discourse on Migasālā“
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“Bāhiyadārucīriya’s Arahantship after listening to one verse from the Buddha“
Even with this little verse, if we have the right comprehension of the key concepts, we can go from puthujjana status to the Arahantship in a few seconds.
Recorded as the 101st verse of the Dhammapada:
“Sahassamapi ce gāthā,
anatthapadasamhitā,
ekam gāthāpadaṁ seyyo,
yaṁ sutvā upasammati.”
“Better than a thousand verses,
which are useless,
is a single useful verse,
hearing which one attains Peace.”
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Only a few people can get to Nibbana by hearing a single verse like that. Furthermore, such people are born only at the time of a Buddha. Even during Buddha Gotama’s life, only a few people like Bāhiyadārucīriya could grasp the teachings with a single verse.-
- Even for such people, learning did not come with that single verse. They had spent much time learning/practicing Budha Dhamma in their previous lives.
- The point is that even if someone cannot get to a magga phala in this life, their efforts will NOT go to waste.
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Unlike in the days of the Buddha, it is not easy to become a Sotapanna, let alone an Arahant.
- We are not aware of any living Arahants. Of course, there can be one or two.
- I hope (and believe) that there are many Sotapannas (probably hundreds or thousands, spread worldwide). Of course, we can only guess.
- I don’t think many people living today will be in the human realm when Buddha Maitreya is born in several (or many) million years. The lifetime in the human bhava is less than a million years for sure, and as the Buddha pointed out, rebirth again in the human realm is close to zero for most humans. See “Manussacutiniraya Sutta (SN 56.102).”
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Wishing by itself is not enough to achieve anything. One must make an effort. Even when one makes the effort, we do not know when we will get there. It depends on the effort one has made over the past lives (pāramitā), too.
- Very few people (like Bāhiyadārucīriya) could get there very quickly since they had completed most of the Path in past lives. Others could be making slow progress.
- We just don’t know. All we can do is to make our best effort. One thing is a certainty. That effort will not go to waste, as I mentioned above.
- The following post could be helpful to clarify some issues: “Pāramitā and Niyata Vivarana – Myths or Realities?“
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“Pancha Verabhaya Sutta: Discourse on five types of Hate and Fear“
Householder, when a noble disciple has quelled five types of hate and fear, and is endowed with the four factors of a Stream Enterer, and has clearly seen and thoroughly penetrated the noble way with wisdom, if he wishes, he may declare of himself: ‘I have finished with further rebirth in hell, the realm of animals, the realm of hungry ghosts, finished with the plane of misery, the bad destination, the suffering state. I am a Stream Winner, no longer bound for the underworld, sure of reaching enlightenment as my destination’.”
What are the five types of hate and fear that he has quelled?”
Householder, one who kills any living beings generates hate and fear in this life, and generates hate and fear in the next life too, and experiences pain and sadness. But for one who abstains from killing any living beings, that hate and fear are quelled.”
“Householder, one who steals generates hate and fear in this life, and generates hate and fear in the next life too, and experiences pain and sadness. But for one who abstains from stealing, that hate and fear are quelled.”
“Householder, one who engages in sexual misconduct generates hate and fear in this life, and generates hate and fear in the next life too, and experiences pain and sadness. But for one who abstains from engaging in sexual misconduct, that hate and fear are quelled.”
“Householder, one who tells lies generates hate and fear in this life, and generates hate and fear in the next life too, and experiences pain and sadness. But for one who abstains from telling lies, that hate and fear are quelled.”
“Householder, one who indulges in strong drinks, distilled drinks, and fermented drinks that lead to heedlessness, generates hate and fear in this life, and generates hate and fear in the next life too, and experiences pain and sadness. But for one who abstains from indulging in strong drinks, distilled drinks, and fermented drinks that lead to heedlessness, that hate and fear are quelled.”
“These are the five types of hate and fear that he has quelled.”
4 qualities of an sotāpanna
1.Unshakable confidence with wisdom (aveccappasāda) in the Awakened One (Buddha).
2.Unshakable confidence with wisdom (aveccappasāda) in the Buddha’s teaching (Dhamma).
3.Unshakable confidence with wisdom (aveccappasāda) in the Buddhist Monastics (Sangha).
4.Unbroken and perfect morality that is pleasing to the Noble ones (Ariya kanta sīla). (4)
I suspect a misinterpretation in traductions of this sutta. Maybe Sir Lal can read and clear this if he had the time.
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Yes. You are right, Gad.
- It is incorrect to say that a Sotapanna abstains (will never do) those five deeds.
- The correct way to say it is: “A Sotapanna would not do those five things with a liking for doing them. But there may be instances where they may become unavoidable for a Sotapanna.”
- Only an Arahant is capable of abstaining from those five deeds, i.e., will NEVER DO those deeds.
The Sutta Central translation of the sutta “Pañcaverabhaya Sutta (SN 12. 41)” also gives that wrong idea.
- The problem is with the translation of.”pāṇātipātā paṭiviratassa,” for example, as “refrains from killing” or “abstains from killing.”
- The word “paṭivirata” means “will not do with liking for it,” but there could be instances where it may become unavoidable.
The deeds a Sotapanna WILL NEVER DO are listed here: “A Sōtapanna is incapable of doing only six “bad kamma“: Killing mother, killing father, killing an Arahant, injuring a Buddha, Saṅgha Bheda (teaching adhamma as Buddha Dhamma), having niyata micchā diṭṭhi; see, “Bahudhātuka sutta (MN 115)“.
- The above quote is from the post “Myths about the Sotāpanna Stage.”
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Thank you for the clarification, Sir. I didn’t know this sutta. I see how the bad translations can lead to confusion. For example, I used to think if I became a Sotapanna, I would never break my precepts. Now it is totally clear it is not the truth. I am really glad to learn from Pure Dhamma thank you very much for your efforts, Sir much merit for you🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
Sorry, Sir what I am going to say is not relevant to the present discussion. I read the sutta entirely Bahudhātuka sutta (MN 115). Something else captured my attention. The sutta said Sakka Mara and Brahma can only be men. I agree on Sakka and Mara, since they belong to the kamā loka. But Brahmas are in the rūpa loka and in the rūpa loka there is no gender distinction. A Brahma is asexual. A woman can also attain all the Jhanas and abhinnas and be reborn as Brahma.
Is that another bad interpretation?
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Yes. You are absolutely right.
- Brahmas are asexual, i.e., they don’t have different sexes since they have given kama raga. Thus, Brahmas do not participate in sexual intercourse (or other sensory pleasures with “close contact” of taste and smell).
- That is why anyone needing to cultivate jhanas must give up kama raga.
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I read a post, some time back at this site that mentions Brahmas does not have sex organs, but may have different type of gati like purisa gati (male) or itthi gati (female).
Venerable Lai, hope you can further elaborate on brahmas characteristics(gati).
Metta .
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Yes, angwllm. You probably refer to the post, “Sexual Orientation – Effects of Kamma and Gati (Saṅkhāra).”
The word “purisa” does not necessarily mean “male” in the sense of male/female biological bodies.
- The word “purisa” can also mean “higher status” or “distinguished,” and there can be females in that category too.
- For example, the eight types of Noble Persons are referred to as ” Aṭṭha Purisa Puggalā.” As we know, females are included in that category. There have been many female Arahants, too.
Even though it is not necessary to know the details, the eight types of Noble Persons are discussed in detail in “Aṭṭha Purisa Puggalā- Eight Noble Persons.”
Therefore, Brahmas can be said to have “purisa gati” in the sense of “better gati” compared to average humans. However, most Brahmas are not Noble Persons; thus, they DO NOT belong in the ” Aṭṭha Purisa Puggalā” category.
P.S. The Search Box on the top right is useful for finding relevant posts with a keyword or multiple keywords. For example, I entered “attha purisa” and got the following results: “Search Results for: attha purisa.”
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“Friend (mitta) in Theravada Buddhism“
Having a good friend can lead someone to the Sotapanna stage. This friend needs to have a great understanding of the Dhamma. Our great friend is the Lord Buddha himself. He left us a generation of Ariya Sangha for our liberation. In modern times, anyone who teaches the correct Dhamma is a good friend. Many people on this forum and the founder, sir Lal are examples. They do their best to preserve the Dhamma.
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Yes. When Ven. Ananda asked whether the cultivation of the spiritual path (Noble Path) for an average person (puthijjana) depends 50% on having “kalyāṇa mittatās,” the Buddha told Ven. Ananda that it TOTALLY depends on “kalyāṇa mittatās.”
- Note that these are not just “friends” but “Noble friends,” those who have understood Dhamma and thus can teach the correct Dhamma. We need to try to maintain that “chain of Noble friends” so that a future generation will take over when we die.
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“Satta Jatilā Sutta: Discourse on Seven Matted-hair Ascetics (Jatilā)“
In this sutta, the Lord Buddha warns about the impostors. Some people claim they are arahants, but they are not. That reminds me a lot of fake Bhikkhus today. The Buddha said we must associate with someone for a long time and observe his behavior before trusting him.
“Great king, as a layman enjoying worldly sense pleasures, living in a home with wives and children, enjoying the use of sandalwood, decorating the body with flowers, scents, and perfumes, and using gold and money, it is difficult for you to know who are Arahants and who are practicing the path to becoming Arahants.”
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“Nāvā Sutta: Discourse on the Ship“
“Suppose, monks a carpenter, or a carpenter’s apprentice has an axe and sees the marks of his fingers or the thumb on its handle. But, he will not know that so much of the handle had worn today, so much had worn yesterday, or so much had worn on the day before yesterday. But, he will still know from what is worn away that it has worn away.”
“In the same way, monks, when a monk engages himself in the development of the mind, he does not know, so much of the fermentations had worn today, so much had worn yesterday, or so much had worn on the day before yesterday. But, he will still know from what is worn away that they have worn away.”
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Most bhikkhus who teach incorrect versions of Buddha Dhamma today believe they teach the correct version. They do not even want to listen to anyone else. That is a sad situation.
Here is the original sutta Gad’s post refers to: “Sattajaṭila Sutta (SN 3.11)“
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Thank you for the reference Sir. Yes is a sad situation. I even talk about your site and venerable Waharaka Thero with a monk and he told me do not follow him gandhabba is a wrong view. I didn’t said anything i really respect this monk but is sad. They don’t want to try. My teacher agree with many concept of pure dhamma even if he don’t agree with certain the most he agree. He reading your site sir. He told me is really shameful the Theravada don’t want to include the gandhabba concept nowdays.
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“What a wandering mind can do“
In this sutta, Bhikkhu Sangharakkhita became sotāpanna after seeing why it is useless to have many expectations in this world with 31 plans. Before that, he had too many desires like getting a job, possessing much wealth, and living comfortably. He became sotāpanna after hearing this discourse from the Lord Buddha: 37th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Dūrangamaṁ ekacaraṁ,
Asariraṁ guhāsayaṁ,
ye cittaṁ saññamessanti,
mokkhanti mārabandhanā.”
“The mind wanders far alone,
without a body, hidden in the cave of the heart,
those who restrain the mind,
will be released from the bonds of the Māra. (1)
That reminds me of a post of Sir Lal when he talks about future expectations in point 10
10. There are many types of kamma viññāṇa that we can have. The minor ones are expectations of getting something done, buying something, getting a new job, etc.
- Sankhāra, or “thinking of that expectation and making plans to get it done by speaking and doing things (that includes vaci saṅkhāra and kāya saṅkhāra),” will make that viññāṇa grow. This comes via the “saṅkhāra paccayā viññāṇa” step.
“Viññāṇa – Consciousness Together With Future Expectations“
Also, I want to know, Sir does the Drarisworld post above have the correct explanation?
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The word “saññamessanti” does not appear in that verse. The correct term is “saṁyamissanti“:
Translations in the Darisworld and Sutta Central versions are good enough to get the basic idea.
- Basically, the verse says our mind (thoughts) can travel far, even though the seat of the mind (in the gandhabba kaya) is trapped inside our physical body (referred to as a “cave” in the verse).
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