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I wrote: “It is a very superficial explanation.”
- This video does not change that.
P.S. Please post videos only if they explain Paticca Samuppada, including the concept of “bhava.”
P.P.S. I just saw a video by Bhante entitled “Breathing Meditation – New Perspective: Sattipathana Sutta – Part1.” Of course, I did not watch it.
- I don’t think I need to see more videos or anything else on this topic.
- Anyone who called Satipatthana “Breathing Meditation” would not know much about Buddha’s teachings.
I forgot to explain how I concluded Bhante did not understand Paticca Samuppada (Dependent Origination.)
- He discussed it starting at 35 minutes in the video Lang posted: “What is a Jhana? Commentaries vs Suttas – Meaning?“
- It is a very superficial explanation. In particular, at 37 minutes, he describes “bhava.” I don’t think he understands it.
- He says bhikkhu Bodhi translates “bhava” as “experience,” and bhikkhu Silananda translates it as “habitual tendencies.” None of them seem to understand it, even though bhikkhu Silananda’s translation is better.
- “Bhava” is the “kammic energy” or “kammic potential” that can bring rebirths or “various mental states during a life.” That energy is generated via “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra; saṅkhāra paccayā viññāna; viññāna paccayā nāmarūpa” steps once getting to the “taṇhā paccayā upādāna” step he just went through. See “Taṇhā Paccayā Upādāna – Critical Step in Paṭicca Samuppāda” and “Upādāna Paccayā Bhava – Two Types of Bhava.”
- If there is another video where he explains Paticca Samuppada (and “bhava“) better, I would like to watch it.
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Trying to resolve these “philosophical issues” is a waste of time.
- Do you not remember past suffering? Do you not see that there will be future suffering that one will inevitably perceive as “mine”?
- The Buddha taught the following: Understand that there is suffering, and also understand that it can be stopped.
Of course.
- “Kamaguna” arises in a puthujjana‘s mind because they think the “sweetness of sugar” is real and not mind-made.
- The tricky part is that no experiments within the world can deny that the “sweetness of sugar” is in sugar. Scientists will say a specific type of molecule causes the sweetness. Those molecules are made by kammic energy to provide that “sanna of sweetness” in humans!
- P.S. Even for an Ariya who has understood this process (janato), it will take time to overcome the attachment to that sanna (“passato“). That is what I explained above.
- This is also why the Buddha said his Dhamma would be difficult to comprehend. Even the “janitor” part may not be easy, but that is the “core” of the Buddha Dhamma. To become “sanditthiko” (i.e., how “san” arises), one needs to comprehend this process.
Take the time to read the comments and relevant posts.
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This is a complex issue. Some (a few) enjoy it, too. I think over-analyzing such cases may cause more questions without much benefit.
- Some questions will be answered as one makes progress.
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For anyone who has not understood how the “sweetness of sugar” gets “embedded in sugar,” “kamaguna” is in sugar.
- However, one who understands the process knows that the “sweetness of sugar” is “embedded in sugar” due to a mental process. Only those who have similar mindsets taste sugar to be sweet (a lion does not taste sugar to be sweet.)
- Thus, one who understands the process will not attach to the “sweetness of sugar” even though they still taste “sugar to be sweet.” That is mainly because they also understand that such attachments lead to more suffering.
- Just that understanding, by itself, (janato) does not remove the craving for sweet things or more desirable sensory experiences. That is why one needs to contemplate that incessantly. That is why Satipatthana must be cultivated by those who understand the process to get to the “passato” stage. See “Jānato Passato” and Ājāniya – Critical Words to Remember.”
- These “kama sanna” are deeply engraved in our minds through countless lives. It is not easy to lose that “distorted sanna.” In the “Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN 22)“, the Buddha said it could take seven days to seven years if cultivated properly.
Thanks, Lang.
- I watched the video until Bhante started talking about Paticca Samuppada. I am afraid he does not understand it.
- That is all I needed to know.
So, this is not any better than Goenka Vipassana!
- I get depressed when I see how little of Buddha Dhamma is being taught. It is a sad situation.
- Whether people can get to anariya jhana is not a factor at all. We all had attained the highest jhanas uncountable times in our past.
Thanks, Lang.
I watched the second video, which does give the instructions. They are very simple (six R’s): Recognize (bad thoughts), Release, Relax (with mundane metta), Re-assemble?, Return, Repeat.
- So, it is another variation of the breath mediation. Instead of focusing the mind on the breath, focus on “spreading metta.”
- In a way, it is an improvement over the neutral breath.
How easy is it to get a jhana using this method? Please comment if anyone other than Amin has used this method. Amin says it is easy.
- Is one supposed to do “insight meditation” to attain magga phala? That is the next question.
- If there is an instruction video on that, please post it. I would like to see what that involves.
Thank you for your descriptions.
- I would like to know how you get into a jhana. What is the procedure?
- The easiest way would be to post the link to a video of your instructor providing instructions.
Taryal: “One could ask why A should worry about B’s suffering if they’re not the same.”
Let us recall that Yash started this discussion with: “Let’s say A has done a bad deed and after dying ,many births later, it has been born as B.”
- So, A cannot worry about B because B will be in the future.
Now, we can see the truth of Taryal’s subsequent statement: ” In a way, the same thing happens in a single lifetime too, right? Each citta arises and passes away but the “momentary perception” of self is always there. When a toddler grows into an adult human, it becomes a totally different person but there is a continuity (since it is the same life stream) which is why when a human thinks about their past, there is the perception that it is the same person.”
What is the ultimate goal for you?
- Is it to enjoy the jhanic experiences?
- Can you describe your jhanic experience? Which jhana can you get to?
It is just he is saying stuff. Can you or he answer the following questions:
1. Where is the evidence? Do they show the brain scans?
- If the brain scans show no activity, he is experiencing an “asanna state” where one does not feel anything.
- That is not Nibbana or nirodha samapatti.
2. Does he say he is an Anagami or Arahant?
- Does he say he has lost “kama raga“? For example, can he watch an adult movie without getting sexually aroused?
“The teacher is Anagami, probably.”
- How can an Anagami get into nirodha samapatti?
- One must be an Arahant to get into nirodha samapatti.
Can you provide the time stamps in the video where he gives evidence that he can get into nirodha samapatti?
- More importantly, where (what time in the video) does he talk about what is meant by nirodha samapatti?
I guess all those are discussed in the second video.
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Taryal: “These days when I hear such news like rape case in India, mass shooting in USA, etc., I just say “Well, that’s sad. Let’s move on.” Is there a better way of reacting?”
- No. You are right. That is the nature of this world.
- The Buddha described eight “worldly conditions/situations” (aṭṭha lokadhammā) that everyone (Ariyas or anariyas) encounters: Gain and loss, fame and disgrace, blame and praise, pleasure and pain.
- While an anariya may be exhilarated by four of them and saddened by the other four, Ariyas understand that is the true nature of this world and are not as affected. An Arahant is entirely unaffected by any of them.
- See “Dutiyalokadhamma Sutta (AN 8.6).”
Of course, we should have empathy for those who are suffering. But we must also understand that suffering (or joy) comes due to causes and conditions.
- What is critical to understand is that some “bad outcomes” can be avoided by being mindful, i.e., by ensuring not to facilitate conditions that can bring “bad kamma vipaka” to materialize. But some are unavoidable, and we must learn to ‘bear them” with a neutral mind.
- In the same way, one must do one’s best to create conditions for “good outcomes.” One must also enable others to strive for and reach “good outcomes.” (All in a mundane sense.)
- Those unaware of Buddha’s teachings try to blame others for their situations. It is not possible to make “everyone the same.” That is why socialism/communism failed in every country it was tried on.
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