Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Christian wrote: “..when we speak about Buddha’s meditation we always speak about Three marks, 8-fold Path, Paticca Samupadda etc.’
Yes. You can do that while in all four postures.
– In addition to contemplating on those (and even before being able to do that), one must get into the habit of being mindful of one’s actions. See the post referred below.In Buddhist temples, there are walking paths. In some old temples, there are designated “walking paths” between two statues of a Buddha facing the walkway.
We need to remember that Anapanasati and Satipatthana meditations are supposed to be done at all times, especially to determine if one’s action is wise or not.
– See, “Kāyānupassanā – Section on Postures (Iriyāpathapabba)”P.S. By the way, Ven. Ananda attained the Arahanthood while in none of the above four postures. He was contemplating a Dhamma concept while getting ready to go to bed. The phala moment came when he was in the process of lying down. He was not standing but had not got to the lying down position on the bed.
– So, he was contemplating that concept, and the “clarification” came in that particular instant where his feet were off the ground, but he had not yet fully landed on the bed!
– If anyone remembers the sutta, please post. If I come across it, I will post it here.Hello Aniduan,
It is a short sutta, and the following is my translation:
“Bhikkhus, there are these five benefits of walking meditation. What five?
– One becomes capable of undertaking long journeys.
– Helps with making effort.
– Makes one healthy.
– It helps with the digestion of food.
– The level of concentration attained through walking meditation is long-lasting.Those are the five benefits of walking meditation.”
Contrary to the perception that one needs to sit and stay like a statue during mediation is a myth.
– The Buddha said one should meditate in all four postures: sitting, standing, walking, and lying down.
– Depending on one’s activity, it is POSSIBLE to meditate in all four postures.
– Walking meditation is especially helpful after a meal or when one is feeling lethargic.However, one needs to be prudent about it. For example, while driving one needs to fully concentrate on that, and NOT contemplate on anicca, dukkha, anatta!
No.
– One has sassata ditthi if one believes that there is a permanent soul (as in Christianity).
– One with uccheda ditthi believes that there is nothing after the death, not even rebirth. Many scientists believe thoughts arise in the brain (material body) and therefore when the body dies, that is the end of the story.All of them believe that it is the same “person” that goes through various stages as a child, adult, old person, etc.
But in the absolute sense (per Buddha Dhamma) “a person” is a sankata that arose due to past causes and will last until that kammic energy wears out. During its existence it will be subjected to unexpected changes too.
– When that “person” does good or bad kamma, he/she would make causes for more future births (in good and bad existences).
– Thus, that “person” can be reborn a Deva or an animal, for example. There is no “essence” in a “person.” It is all a series of causes and their effects.It is basically good.
There is not much on anicca, dukkha, anatta.
– The description of types of citta, cetasika, etc are all good.If there is any doubt, please feel free to ask.
Tobias wrote: “In ultimate terms these asava, gati, anusaya do not exist. Just citta, cetasika, rupa exist.”
The Buddha said it is not correct to say whether something in this world “exists” or “does not exist.”
– Things in this world exist ONLY based on appropriate causes and conditions.This is also related to the question of whether a “self” exists or not. A “self” exists only based on appropriate causes and conditions. When such causes and conditions are not there, a “self” ceases to exist in this world.
– That is what happens to an Arahant at the time of death. Since there are no more causes and conditions for existence, that Arahant ceases to exist in this world.We should understand citta, cetasika, rupa as just basic building blocks of this world. That is what is meant by “paramattha dhamma” in that case.
– Those things also cease to exist for an Arahant after death.Anusaya, asava, and gati are just combinations of those basic building blocks, just like a physical body is an aggregate of four great elements (which of course belong to rupa).
– They all exist as long as appropriate causes and conditions are there.The following post is from Tobias:
In the post Āsava, Anusaya, and Gati (Gathi) it is said under #2: “…That is like āsava bubbling up when we are disturbed by a strong sense event. When that happens, we display our real character/habits or gati (gati). …”
In ultimate terms these asava, gati, anusaya do not exist. Just citta, cetasika, rupa exist. Thus in the Abhidhamma language those words are concepts. The mind/nature connects citta, cetasika based on an arammana (rupa/namarupa) and other conditions (paccaya, rupa?). How can we understand anusaya as “deep down defilements” and asava as “bubbling up” to “display gati”? All three are the same: defilements in form of citta/cetasika/namarupa.
You are right, Tobias.
– Anusaya are the “hidden defilements>”
– They can come to the surface as asava when triggered by an arammana (sensory input) matching that anusaya.I just revised the post, “Āsava, Anusaya, and Gati (Gathi)”
Hopefully, everything is consistent now. Thanks for pointing that out.
The following post is from Tobias:
Please see the Waharaka Thero discourse (pdf):
“10:13 Asava means our expectations. They remain hidden as anusaya and come to
the surface (based on strong arammana) as asava…”That is vice versa to the explanation in the post Āsava, Anusaya, and Gati (Gathi):
#2
Āsava are indeed “mental fermentations” that lie deep down in us. That is comparable to mud sitting at the bottom of a glass of water.
If that glass of water is disturbed with a straw, then some of that mud comes to the surface. That is like anusaya bubbling up when we are disturbed by a strong sense event. When that happens, we display our real character/habits or gati (gati).Which one is correct?
Yes. I think one can get a good idea about this point of having a “stable mind” (like a post embedded firmly in the ground) after realizing the true meaning of the First Noble Truth on suffering or Dukkha Sacca.
– That understanding comes with the comprehension of Tilakkhana: anicca, dukkha, anatta.I just posted the following document in another thread at the forum. You may want to read that too:
The Way to NibbānaI have completed the document on the first transcribed discourse by Waharaka Thero. There are four in the series as of today (see the above post). I will keep adding future ones as I receive from Janith Fernando.
Here is the full text of the FIRST transcribed discourse;
The Way to NibbānaFeel free to make comments or to ask questions.
– I do not plan to do the same for the other discourses in the series, at least not in the near future.
– Instead, I am thinking about the possibility of expanding this document (and adding references to relevant posts at puredhamma.net).P.S. July 6, 2020: I have updated the above link to a revised version.
Vera is actually a bit specific than dosa.
It is more personal. When a person deliberately does something specifically to INSULT, that is when one forms vera SPECIFICALLY for that person.
– When there is vera, the tendency is to retaliate at every opportunity, even with deliberate planning.The best way to get rid of vera is to cultivate metta (or loving kindness) for that person.
– Since it is in a short verse (poem), “love” is not bad usage.Yes. The deeper meanings are not apparent until one is well on the way on the Path.
– In fact, the Buddha recommended the Satipatthana bhavana to those have comprehended Tilakkhana.
– Once one gets to Ariya Samma Ditthi by comprehending Tilakkhana, that is when Satipatthana bhavana becomes really effective to get to the higher stages of magga phala.I need to add a post on that to the series of posts on Satipatthana.
In any case, you are correct that the deeper meanings are in the Ānāpānassatikathā in the paṭisambhidāmagga commentary.
In the 1.3.5. Satokāriñāṇaniddesa section of the above link, The following explanation is given for Araññanti: “Araññanti nikkhamitvā bahi indakhīlā sabbametaṃ araññaṃ.”
Now, this is still a brief explanation. The word indakhīlā means to “get into an unmovable state of mind.”
– That is explained in the Indakhīla sutta (SN 56. 39).
– One’s mind becomes unperturble like an “indakhīla” when one is staying away from the “battles” and ‘struggles” in the mundane life.
– Indakhīla is a post that is deeply embedded in the ground. It cannot be moved even by a strong hurricane.The other terms are also discussed in that first link above.
P.S. By the way, rukkhamūla gatova means the same as “arañña gatova“.
– A rukkhamūla (base of a tree) is like an immovable post or indakhīla.Good question.
Let us go through the sequences of events for the first experiment. The correct explanation, of course, involves the gandhabba (our mental body).
The mental body is what decides. The physical body moves according to those decisions made by the mind. Specifically, muscle activity of hands controlled by the brain carries our the button press.
The time sequence is as follows:
1. The mind (the mind-base is hadaya vatthu located close to the physical heart) decides to press, say with the right hand (T0).
2. The decision is conveyed to the brain. This happens possibly via electromagnetic waves propagating from the area of the heart to the brain. (T1)
3. The brain activates the muscles in the right hand and the button is pressed (T2)This experiment is not as good as the second experiment, since each individual may also take some time deliberating which hand to use to press the button. I think that is why this time delay in this particular case was 6 seconds, unusually large compared to the delays in the second set of experiments.
– So, if we take that large uncertainty out, then the steps in 1 through 3 would be similar to those in the second set of experiments. Of course, the second set of experiments involves a different set of a time sequence.P.S. A suggestion to improve posting links:
To provide a link to a post, please follow the following procedure.
– Open the web page on a new browser window. Copy the title of the post and paste it in the posting where you want to put the link.
– Now go back and copy the URL of the web page.
– Come back to the posting, highlight the title, and click the “link” button on the format panel just above the comment area.
– A new window will open up and paste that copied link to the “URL” slot. Also, select “Open link in a new tab”, and click the “Add Link” button at the bottom.This way, one reading the post will be able to open the post in question in a new window, so that he/she can go back and forth between the post and the web page in question.
Thanks, Tobias!
Yes. That was an old post, which did not have it right.
I just revised the post (see new #1 and #2): “The Cooling Down Process (Nibbāna) – How Root Causes are Removed”
Please check the “open link in a new tab” checkbox when you put in a link.
– That way, the link will open in a new tab, and one would be able to see both the comment and post in question.
