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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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TALKING MUCH ABOUT THE TEACHING DOES NOT MEAN ONE IS VERSED
Then the Buddha recited the following verse which is recorded as the 259th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Na tāvatā dhammadharo – yāvatā bahu bhāsati,
yo ca appampi sutvāna – dhammaṁ kāyena passati,
sa ve dhammadharo hoti – yo dhammaṁ nappamajjati.”
“One who talks much, is not one versed in the teaching on that account,
one who hears only a little, but comprehends the teaching,
and is not unmindful is indeed, one versed in the teaching.”
“One should practice first, what one teaches others to practice“
Sometimes a simple word can resume the Dhamma Venerable arahant Ekudana are the perfect example
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Thank you, Gad.
Yes. This is the same sutta that I discussed in the recent post, “Dukkha – Previously Unknown Truth About Suffering.”
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SIGNIFICANCE OF CONTACT (PHASSA) IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM
” Four nutriments (āhāra)
1)Physical food (kabalinkāhāra)
2)Contact (phassāhāra)
3)Volitional thoughts (mano sancetanāhāra)
4)Consciousness (viññānāhāra)
Feelings that arise dependent on contact would inevitably lead to suffering. Feelings that are considered as pleasant will lead to suffering when they cease to exist due to their very transient nature while the unpleasant feelings cause suffering by their very nature. Neutral feelings will lead to suffering due to their bland nature and boredom. Because contact conditions feeling that lead to suffering and because feeling also conditions craving (tanhā), clinging (upādāna), becoming (bhava) and re-birth (jāti), contact has a most significant role as a mental nutriment. (11)
In the Puttamansa sutta, the Buddha has advised the monks to reflect on the simile of a skinned cow when considering the nutriment of contact. When a skinned cow is standing near a wall it is bitten by the insects living on the wall, standing near a tree it is bitten by the insects living on the tree, standing in the water it is bitten by the insects living in the water, and standing in the open space it is bitten by insects living in the air. So, wherever the skinned cow stands it will be bitten by the insects causing suffering. Similarly, one is constantly in danger of being bombarded with sensory contact through the six sense doors which will inevitably lead to suffering. According to the Buddha, when the nutriment of contact is comprehended, it will lead to comprehension of the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feelings resulting in the eradication of the fetters that keep beings bound to the cycle of birth and death (samsāra) with no re-birth.
Contact or sense impression (phassa) within the Buddhist teaching is the coming together of three factors: an internal sense door, an external sense object and the respective sense based consciousness. There are six types of contact based on the six sense doors. Contact plays a crucial role in producing mental defilements and suffering in unenlightened beings, as it is from contact that the mental processes such as feeling, perception and volitions arise. Hence, the Buddha has named it as a nutriment (āhāra) that sustains the life of living beings and support those who are to be born within the cycle of birth and death (samsāra). Through the development of wisdom by comprehending into the real nature of contact, the enlightened ones continue to experience contact through the six sense doors, but there is no arising of any mental defilements as they have given up any subjectivity with regard to their sense doors and sensory experiences. “
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The first two meanings:
1)Physical food (kabalinkāhāra)
2)Contact (phassāhāra)
Those are not correct.
1. All four types of “food” (āhāra) are “food for the mind to be engaged in the rebirth process. An Arahant does not take in any of the four types. An Anagami does not “consume kabalinkā āhāra” even though they (and Arahants) eat food.
2. Kabalinkāhāra (kabalinkā āhāra) is not physical food. It is the CRAVING for tastes, smells, and body touches in general. As we know, those three senses are available only in kama loka (the lower 11 realms, including the human realm and six Deva realms.)
- When craving for the three types of “close contact sensual pleasures” is stopped, kabalinkā āhāra ceases (nirodha).
- At that point, one is freed of rebirths in kama loka (the lower 11 realms, including the human realm and six Deva realms.)
- The other three types of “āhāra intake” by the mind stop at the Arahant stage.
3. “Phassa” in “phassa āhāra” refers to “samphassa.” That is not merely contact but “contact with san” or “san phassa,” which rhymes with “samphassa.”
4. See “Āhāra (Food) in Udayavaya Ñāna” This is an old post and may need to be revised. I see that I have mainly discussed kabalinkā āhāra.
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1. Many people are not aware of these subtle issues. Don’t worry, Gad.
- Unless explained by a Buddha or a true disciple of the Buddha, no human can figure those by themselves, no matter how intelligent one is.
- I was lucky to find the correct explanations from a Noble Person.
2. It is always a good idea to keep in mind that the Buddha mostly talked about the mind, not the structure of the physical world.
- All the terms in the Paticca Samuppada are mind phenomena, even though they may relate to external things.
- That is why āhāra do not refer to physical food but “food for the mind” (not in a good sense, but to extend the suffering.)
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I just read your post. Thank you very much sir, it gave me a good basic idea. You also talked about the *danger of contemplating the unpleasant aspect of food* I know this type of meditation. I even tried to practice it a few times!! To be honest, you’re right, for an ordinary person it’s not a good idea.
However, I think it could be a tool for a person who is close to the anagami stage, right?? One of the results of this stage is the permanent loss of the desire for tastes and delicious food, in this human life. If this same person is reborn as a brahma, then it will be in the literal sense. That person will never eat again, even to support her body.
I don’t know if what I’m saying is wrong! Please correct me if you see any mistakes on my part!
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You refer to the following portion of that post about the patikūla manasikara bhavana. By the way, I just revised that post a bit.
- A good example of the wrong way to meditate is what many people are doing with the patikūla manasikara bhavana. Many translate “patikūla” as “pilikul” in Sinhala, which means “to be rejected because it is repulsive”. They meditate on contemplating the repulsiveness of the body (sweat, urine, and feces generated by the body) and also the fact that once one chews on even the most delicious food, it becomes “vomit.”
- But the Buddha did not advise that. Just as we should not desire extreme sense pleasures, we also should not be repulsed by the things that we mentioned in the above paragraph. They both generate taṇhā, in the first instant by attachment (craving) and in the second by aversion (paṭigha). The neutral mindset (upekkha) comes from understanding the true nature of things.
You wrote: “However, I think it could be a tool for a person who is close to the Anagami stage, right??”
- An Anagami doesn’t need to contemplate rotting bodies to see the “anicca, dukkha, anatta nature.”
- As I mentioned in my first comment, an Anagami has overcome attachments to sensual pleasures.
I don’t think it is helpful for anyone to contemplate rotting bodies.
- A key point to remember is that one must see the dangers of attaching to mundane PLEASURES. Anyone can see that death is inevitable and rotting bodies are unpleasant. Furthermore, generating “patigha” or “domanassa” is not conducive to contemplation. One must cultivate Bhavana (meditate) with a “cooled mind,” not an “agitated mind.”
- But it is not easy to overcome the mindset to “enjoy sensual pleasures while living.” The point is to see the dangers of THAT mindset, i.e., the more one attaches to such “mundane temporary pleasures,” one moves away from Nibbana with the “pure mind,” which is free of any suffering. See “Anicca Nature- Chasing Worldly Pleasures Is Pointless.”
- This is why the Buddha said his teachings have never been known to the world. Humans do not see anything other than sensory pleasures that allow them to overcome suffering/depression. That is why people get hooked on drugs. But they have to keep increasing the dose to get the needed relief, and then end up killed by those drugs. See the video below (highly disturbing! Don’t watch if you are about to start meditating.)
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In relation to food yes we must understand the true meanings. I’ll use myself as an example. I have a bad relationship with food. I often act with extreme greed. I have a penchant for fruits, especially mangoes and citrus fruits. I happily share when others want it. However when no one wants it I enjoy it. The social context also plays a crucial role. Sometimes the craving for food is amplified under the influence of others. During a dinner with family or friends, for example. I must now contemplate your post in more depth.
For your video don’t worry sir. I’m used to seeing worse! We could even apply it to food, too. Some depressed people tend to overeat. It is said that excessive food cravings can be a sign of depression!
I knew someone like that when I was 15 16 year old. It was sad to see she was constantly eating. Whether in class or during breaks. She was depressed. It’s a memory that comes back to me sometimes, because I was part of his problem. It sometimes causes me agitation. I had bad kamma after that.
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I found an interesting site (laws of the nature). This site contains a lot of reading material on the Dhamma. Of course, like many Dhamma sites, it uses poor translations and misinterpretations of key concepts. This is an inevitable situation. However, some information may be useful.
This site is a decade old. The author is Mr. Martin Barua. It seems like he hasn’t updated it in a very long time. I tried to contact the author by email but his address is having problems.
Long after Lord Gautama’s teaching has disappeared from the human world, many beings will attain Nibbāna. As long as the relics of Lord Buddha remain. However, it will only be divine beings such as devas and brahmas. The relics will come to life temporarily and teach the Dhamma to a multitude of devas and brahmas. The vast majority will have varying levels of magga phala. The relics will be destroyed and that will be the end of Lord Gautama’s sasana. Those who remain will be reborn in the time of Lord Metteya.
Here the link for this information The duration of Gotama sasana (Dispensation)
Here information on the apayas
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THE BODY: WANTED BY MANY WHEN LIVING; WANTED BY NONE WHEN DEAD
The young monk who was in love with Sirimā and had developed a desire to have her, was unaware that she had died. So when he heard that the Buddha and the other monks were going to see Sirimā, he also joined them and arrived at the cemetery. By now, the Buddha and the accompanying monks were on one side of Sirimā’s dead body while King Bimbisāra with his men and the other lay people were on the other side of the dead body. The Buddha then asked the king to call a drummer and to send him around the city announcing that Sirimā is available for anyone who is willing to pay one thousand pieces of money per night. No one came forward to pay one thousand pieces of money to have Sirimā for one night. Then the price to be paid per night was gradually brought down to almost nothing and because no one was coming forward to have her, finally it was announced that anyone can have her for nothing. Even then no one came forward to have Sirimā’s body and the king informed the Buddha that nobody wants Sirimā’s body even if it is given for nothing.
Then the Buddha said: “Monks, when Sirimā was living, there were many men in this city, who were willing to pay even one thousand pieces of money for the privilege of spending one night with her. But now, there is no one who wants her even if she is given for nothing. Monks, this body is subject to decay and deterioration”.
Then the Buddha recited the following verse which is recorded as the 147th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ,
arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ,
āturaṁ bahusankappaṁ,
yassa natthi dhuvaṁ thiti.”“Look at this decked body,
a mass of sores, a heaped up entity,
diseased, imagined in many ways,
which has nothing stable or firm.”It is said that at the end of the Buddha’s discourse, the young monk who was in love with Sirimā and desired to have her, attained the first supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpanna).
My thought: I think that the general idea taught that one must meditate “on the repugnance of the body” comes from this story. However, I think that this monk’s attainment of the sotāpanna stage was through realizing the fruitless nature of the body.
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That is correct.
- Even if she did not die, no one would want her at her old age if she lived to old age.
- It happens to all of us!
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It’s quite incredible how we are fooled by our appearance in our youth and how society fuels this illusion. People have even told me that I am too young to practice Dhamma or religious things. 22 is the age when you must use all your energy to enjoy the beautiful things in life and to be at the top of society (finish your studies, have a good job, a partner, a good social status). Morality and philosophy will come later. The famous phrase “we only have one life, we must make the most of it” comes up very often in their speeches. It’s sad if they knew the danger they expose themselves to by having these erroneous beliefs.
I had also thought a lot about the meaning of asubha that you brought to me the other time sir. If we only had to contemplate the corpse or the repugnance of the body, without the correct understanding; All these surgeons, doctors and cemetery workers would be free from Kāma ragā.
The other day I learned the story of a surgeon, through a show, who cheated on his wife with one of these patients. He had operated on this patient and seen the disgusting appearance of her body. Unfortunately, it was not enough to calm his passion and break this precept. There is also the story of people who sleep with corpses. In this case, we can perhaps speak of mental disorders. All these cases remind me of the importance of proper understanding before engaging in any meditation.
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SACCA VIBHANGA SUTTA: DISCOURSE ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRUTHS
“Monks, follow Sāriputta and Moggallāna; associate with Sāriputta and Moggallāna. They are wise and helpful to their companions in the holy life. Sāriputta, monks is like a mother; Moggallāna is like a nursing mother. Sāriputta, monks, trains others in the path of the fruit of Stream Winner, and Moggallāna for the highest goal. Sāriputta, monks is able to proclaim, teach, define, establish, clarify, analyse, and elucidate the four Noble Truths in detail.”
[Arahant Sāriputta and Arahant Mahā Moggallāna were the two chief disciples of the Buddha. It is said that Arahant Sāriputta would train the newly ordained monks till they attain the first supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpanna), and from then on, Arahant Mahā Moggallāna would teach them until they gain full enlightenment as Arahants. Hence, the Buddha has referred to Arahant Sāriputta as a mother and Arahant Mahā Moggallāna as a nursing mother.]
I believe this verse means that; “to reach the sotāpanna stage one requires great wisdom.” The jhanas make it easier to reach the higher stages. The venerable arahant Sariputta was the best in wisdom among the monks. With his wisdom, he brought many to the sotāpanna stage. Of course, he could also guide others to the higher stage. Venerable Maha Mogallana was the best in abhinnas and jhanās. He guided the others directly to the arahant stage.
I believe many people misinterpret this verse. They think that having jhanas is proof of being an arahant. (There are anariya yogis with all the jhanās and abhinnas). However, we find in the suttas arahants liberated solely through wisdom.
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Yes. Arahanthood can be attained via two paths: (i) with (Ariya or anariya) jhanas cultivated on the way or (ii) without jhanas.
- One can attain any magga phala up to full Nibbāna (Arahanthood) from ANY of the anāriya jhāna. This is how the 89 cittas become 121 citta; see “The 89 (121) Types of Citta“.
Further details at “Ascendance to Nibbāna via Jhāna (Dhyāna).”
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Yes.
- For example, one can be in the first jhana and get to Sotapanna magga (Anugami), Sotapanna, Sakadagami magga (Anugami), Sakadagami, …to Arahant magga (Anugami) to Arahant (8).
- The same can be done from all five jhanas, leading to 40 possibilities.
- Note that four jhanas in the Sutta Pitaka become five in the Abhidhamma because the first jhana of the Sutta Pitaka is split into two in the Abhidhamma.
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CHANNOVADA SUTTA: DISCOURSE ON ADVICE TO VENERABLE CHANNA
“Then when Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahā Cunda had advised Venerable Channa, they rose from their seats and departed. Then, soon after they had departed, Venerable Channa used the knife to end his life.
Then Venerable Sāriputta went to the Buddha and having paid homage to the Buddha, sat to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Buddha. “Venerable Sir, Venerable Channa has used the knife. What is his destination, what is his future course?”
“Sāriputta, didn’t the monk Channa declare to you his blamelessness?”
“Venerable Sir, there is a Vajjan village called Pubbajira. There Venerable Channa had friendly families, close families, approachable families.”
“True, Sāriputta, Channa had friendly families, close families, approachable families. But Sāriputta, I do not say that he was blameworthy on that account. Sāriputta, when one lays down this body and takes up a new body, then I say one is blameworthy. This did not happen with the monk Channa; he used the knife blamelessly.”
This is what the Buddha said. Venerable Sāriputta satisfied and delighted in the Buddha’s words.”
“The Buddha has stated that Venerable Channa’s death was blameless as he has defeated death, meaning that Venerable Channa has died as an Arahant. In the days of the Buddha, two other monks named Venerable Godhika and Venerable Vakkali too died in a similar way and in those events too the Buddha stated that they died as Arahants. Unsurprisingly, there is much discussion and debate in the Buddhist literature as to whether Venerable Channa was really an Arahant when he ended his life with a knife and whether it is possible for an Arahant to end one’s own life in such a way.”
Another arahant who committed suicide: Godhika Thera
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Yes. There is no point for an Arahant to live in pain.
- While living the rest of their lives, Arahants have to bear any pain and suffering that comes to their physical body that was born due to a kamma vipaka.
- Arahants live to help others attain Nibbana.
- Thus, if the pain is intense (like in the cases of those Arahants) there is no point in going through the rest of their lives.
This issue was discussed also in “Advice to Channa – Channovādasutta; MN 144“
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PATODA SUTTA: DISCOURSE ON GOAD STICK
“Monks, there are these four kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses existing in the world.
In the Patoda sutta, the Buddha has used the simile of four kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses to describe four kinds of individuals in the world who develop spiritual urgency (samvega) and cultivate the Buddhist path of liberation in four different circumstances. The first individual becomes stirred and agitated and develops spiritual urgency just by hearing the news of someone who is suffering or has died. The second individual responds in a similar way when he sees a person unrelated to him who is suffering or has died. The third individual responds when someone in his own family is afflicted or has died, while the fourth individual responds when he himself is afflicted with severe pain or a life-threatening illness.
When spiritual urgency arises in a person, it may inspire the person to begin a spiritual journey with energy and courage while remaining in lay life or by becoming a monastic. Spiritual urgency will help one to avoid negligence and practice harder with more vigor, diligence, and perseverance to achieve one’s spiritual goal of being free from suffering.
One of the most significant examples of the arising of spiritual urgency is what Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha aspirant (Bodhisatta), felt when he was exposed to old age, sickness, and death for the first time at the age of 29 years. Until then, he had been protected from such experiences by his father, King Suddhodana, who had been alarmed by the prediction of some wise men that one day, the young prince may leave domestic life to become an ascetic and would eventually become a Buddha. When Prince Siddhartha realized that old age, sickness, death, and associated suffering are common to himself, his loved ones, and every human being, the prince was overwhelmed by spiritual urgency and decided to renounce the domestic life and royal comforts in order to search for a way out of human suffering.”
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My psychology teacher says that the brain becomes fully mature at 30. Ordinary people don’t even know what being mature means. For them, maturity means being able to enjoy sensual pleasures independently. Of course, others see the jhanas. It is already a good start but it is not enough. However, in the Buddha Dhamma, maturity is realizing at least one stage of magga phala. Full maturity is at the arahant stage. A seven years old sotāpanna child is more mature than a 100 year old puthujanas. Lord Buddha said: “It is better to live one day seeing the deathless (Nibbāna) than to live 100 years not seeing it.” A sotāpanna saw the deathless, briefly. The novice monk Pandita became an arahant at the age of 7!!
THE MIND CAN BE TAMED WITH DILIGENT PRACTICE
Dhammapada contains 423 verses said by the Buddha in different contexts. Most of the verses have been taken from the discourses of the Buddha. It has been noted that more than two thirds of the verses are taken from the discourses contained in the two collections of the Buddha’s discourses known as the Samyutta Nikāya and Anguttara Nikāya. The 423 verses are divided into 26 chapters or vaggas each with a particular heading. The sixth chapter is named “Pandita vagga” meaning the chapter on “The wise”, which contains 14 verses said by the Buddha. The back ground story of the 80th verse which is the fifth verse of the Pandita vagga, is about a seven year old novice monk who meditated with determination and diligence and enlightened as an Arahant only a few days after becoming a novice monk.
Background story of verse 80
At one time, the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatti which was donated to the Buddha by the chief benefactor named Anāthapindika.
A wealthy person residing in Sāvatti had a young son named Pandita who ordained as a novice monk in the dispensation of the Buddha at the very tender age of only seven years. On the eighth day after becoming a novice monk, as he was following Arahant Sāriputta the Buddha’s chief disciple on the alms round, he witnessed some farmers channeling water into their fields. He then asked Arahant Sāriputta:
“Can water which has no consciousness, be guided to wherever one wishes?”
Arahant Sāriputta replied:
“Yes, it can be guided to wherever one wishes.”
As they continued on their alms round, the novice monk next witnessed some fletchers heating their arrows with fire and straightening them. As they further continued on their alms round, the novice monk next witnessed some carpenters cutting, sawing and planing timber to make into things such as cart wheels. Then he thought to himself:
“If water which has no consciousness can be guided to wherever one wishes, if a crooked bamboo which has no consciousness can be straightened, and if timber which has no consciousness can be made into useful things, why should I who has consciousness, be unable to tame my mind and practise tranquility and insight meditation?”
As soon as he had that thought in his mind, he obtained permission from Arahant Sāriputta and returned to his own room in the Jetavana monastery. Having arrived in his room, he started meditating ardently and diligently contemplating on the body. Sakka the chief of the heavenly deities and the other deities noticed the novice monk meditating ardently and diligently, and helped him to meditate properly by making sure that the monastery and it’s precincts were quiet and still. By meditating with such ardency and diligence, the novice monk Pandita was able to attain the Anāgāmi fruition, which is the third supra mundane stage of the Buddhist spiritual path of liberation from suffering even before his noon meal time.
At that time, Arahant Sāriputta was bringing food to the novice monk for his noon meal. Just then, the Buddha saw through the Buddha’s supernormal power that the novice monk Pandita has already attained Anāgāmi fruition and that if he continued with his meditation, he would soon be fully enlightened as an Arahant. Hence, the Buddha decided to stop Arahant Sāriputta entering the room where the novice monk was meditating. The Buddha went to the door of the room and engaged Arahant Sāriputta in a conversation by asking him some questions. While this conversation was going on between the Buddha and Arahant Sāriputta, the novice monk gained enlightenment as an Arahant. So, the novice monk Pandita became an Arahant on the eighth day after becoming a novice monk at the age of seven years.
While addressing the congregation of monks at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha said to them:
“When one is earnestly practising the Dhamma, even Sakka the chief of the deities and the other deities give protection and keep guard. I myself kept Arahant Sāriputta engaged in a conversation at the door so that the novice monk Pandita will not be disturbed practising his meditation. The novice monk Pandita, having witnessed the farmers irrigating their fields, the fletchers straightening their arrows, and carpenters making cart wheels and other things, tamed his mind and practised the Dhamma; he has now become an Arahant.”
Then the Buddha recited the following verse which is recorded as the 80th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Udakaṁ hi nayanti nettikā,
usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ,
dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,
attānaṁ damayanti panditā.”
“Farmers channel water,
fletchers straighten arrows,
carpenters work with the wood,
the wise men restrain themselves.”
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Nicely done, Gad! Thank you!
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Sometimes we tell ourselves we will do this and we will do that, thinking that things are under our control (atta). The perfect example is life for a person in the prime of his youth. We believe we are invincible and even immortal. We don’t even suspect that death could come and find us at any moment. It’s easy to see, you just have to look around us at how people live. I often hear, “you have life ahead of you”. Such distorted thinking can only arise in a puthujunas and it will inevitably lead to more suffering (dukkha). Death can come at any time. If we are still puthujunas, it is very dangerous because we do not know if we will fall into apayas or not. It doesn’t matter whether we have done merits or not, the nimitta at the time of death is unknown. A sotāpanna is assured of not falling into apayas. Even the laziest among them (the one who attains Nibbāna in the seventh bhava) has no worries about his destination during the seven bhava. Understanding tilakkhana will help us eradicate this false view. A sense of urgency must emerge within us. We must put the study and practice of the Dhamma as a priority. The story of the merchant Mahadhana is a perfect example. He reaches the sotāpanna stage just before he dies.
DON’T DELAY DOING GOOD THINGS, DEATH COULD COME ANY DAY ANYTIME
The 423 verses are divided into 26 chapters or vaggas each with a particular heading. The twentieth chapter is named “Magga vagga” meaning the chapter on “The path,” which contains 17 verses said by the Buddha. The background story of the 286th verse, the fourteenth verse of the Magga Vagga, is about a merchant named Mahadhana who was planning to stay at a certain place and sell his goods for a whole year, without knowing that he will face death in seven days.
The background story of verse 286
At one time, the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatti, which was donated to the Buddha by the chief benefactor named Anāthapindika.
Once, there was a certain festival in the city of Sāvatti. A merchant named Mahadhana from the city of Baranasi, came with five hundred carts fully loaded with textiles and other merchandise hoping to sell his goods at the festival. On his way to Sāvatti, he had to cross a river. But when he reached the river bank near Sāvatti, he discovered that the river was flooding and was unable to cross the river with his five hundred cart loads. He was held up at the river bank for seven days as it rained for seven days and as a result the water in the river did not subside. There was no need for him to cross the river anyway, as the festival in Sāvatti was over by then.
Since he had traveled a long distance from Baranasi to Sāvatti, he did not want to return to Baranasi with his five hundred carts loaded with unsold merchandise. He decided to stay near the river bank for the next three seasons: the rainy season, the cold season, and the hot season, hoping to sell his goods, and said so to his assistants who were accompanying him. On that day, the Buddha was on his morning alms round in Sāvatti, and when the Buddha saw the merchant, the Buddha knew of the merchant’s decision to stay on for one year and smiled. Venerable Ānanda was accompanying the Buddha on his alms round and when he saw the Buddha smile, he inquired as to why the Buddha smiled. The Buddha replied:
“Ānanda, do you see that merchant? He plans to stay here for the whole year and sell his goods. He does not know that he is going to die here in seven days.”
“What should be done, should be done today,
who would know that one would die tomorrow?
we have no date fixed with the King of Death,
for one who is mindful by day or by night,
who is not disturbed by moral defilements and is energetic,
to live for just one night is a well spent life.”
Then the Buddha sent Venerable Ānanda to go and speak to the merchant. Venerable Ānanda went and explained to the merchant that time was running out for him and hence he should practise mindfulness instead of being negligent. When the merchant came to know about his impending death in seven days, he became alarmed and frightened. So, for the next seven days, he invited the Buddha and the monks and offered alms food. On the seventh day, the Buddha delivered a short sermon to him in appreciation of offering alms food to the Buddha and the accompanying monks. Then the Buddha recited the following verse which is recorded as the 286th verse of the Dhammapada.
“Idha vassaṁ vasissāmi,
idha hemantagimhisu,
iti bālo vicinteti,
antarāyaṁ na bujjhati.”
“Here shall I live in the rainy season,
here shall I live in the cold season and the hot season,
so imagines the fool,
not realising the danger (of approaching death).”
It is recorded that at the end of this short sermon by the Buddha, the merchant attained the supra mundane stage of Stream Enterer (Sotāpañña). As the Buddha was leaving, the merchant followed the Buddha for some distance and returned. Soon afterwards, he developed a severe headache and passed away. He is believed to have been reborn as a deity in the heavenly world named Tusita.
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Hello Yash RS. I read your bio and you say you are a 20 year old sotāpanna. You are even aiming for the Anagami stage!! I am very happy to see someone in my age group progressing in magga phala. As you know most people in our group age are not interested in Dhamma. Is it possible to contact me on my email to discuss your experience of the Dhamma? This is my email :[email protected]
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Sure . [email protected] is my email
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Hello Yash RS. I read your bio and you say you are a 20 year old sotāpanna. You are even aiming for the Anagami stage!! I am very happy to see someone in my age group progressing in magga phala. As you know most people in our group age are not interested in Dhamma. Is it possible to contact me on my email to discuss your experience of the Dhamma? This is my email :[email protected]
Sure Gad🙏
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KUTHŪHALASĀLĀ SUTTA: DISCOURSE ON THE DEBATING HALL
“And, Master Gotama, when a being has laid down this body, and is not yet reborn in another body, what would you declare it’s fuel to be?”
“Vaccha, when a being has laid down this body, and is not yet reborn in another body, I declare that it is fueled by craving. For, Vaccha, at that time, craving is the fuel.”
I think this is an implicit proof of Gandhabba, in the suttas.
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Yes. A gandhabba is a human without a physical body.
– When an average human dies, only the physical body dies, and the gandhabba comes out of the physical body. Unless the kammic energy fueling the human existence (bhava) is exhausted, that gandhabba will be drawn into another womb at a later time and will be reborn as a human baby.
– During the gandhabba existence, it can see, hear, and think. Thus, it can accumulate kamma via mano and vaci sankhara (with vitakka/vicara). The same ten samyojana and even anusaya are still with the gandhabba, and thus it can think just like a human, and thus will accumulate kamma with tanha. That is what is meant by “craving is the fuel.”
– It cannot accumulate “kaya sankhara” since it has no physical body. -
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Most “haunting stories” are made up of one’s mind.
– There can be some rare cases. But those are more likely to be from petas (hungry ghosts).The best way to avoid such effects is to live a moral life and keep the household clean.
– Think about it this way. The “gati attracting similar gati” plays a role in all these situations. If the sink is not cleaned for days and food gets rotted
that attracts not only insects and bacteria but also beings in lower realms like petas (hungry ghosts).
– If one genuinely lives a moral life AND keeps the household clean, most such situations can be avoided. -
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