[Lal]

Aniduan asked: “If the followers instead made the food with the intention of offering it to the Buddha, not handing the food to the Buddha but keeping in mind when the food is being prepared that it will be offered to the Buddha by their guru Saccaka. In this case will they earn merits?”

Yes. I have highlighted the key part.
– If they had the intention, that is what counts.
– Even if they did not offer that food to the Buddha, they MADE AN EFFORT in preparing the food with the INTENTION that food will be offered to the Buddha.

The easiest way to remember is the following: Kammic energy is created in citta (one’s thoughts), specifically in javana citta.
– Javana cittas arise with intention. Here if the intention includes good mental factors (non-greed, compassion, etc) then those give rise to good kamma. If the intention includes bad mental factors (greed, anger, etc) then those give rise to bad kamma.
– Those are also vaci sankhara and kaya sankhara: “Saṅkhāra – What It Really Means” Good sankhara (punnabhi sankhara create good kamma. Bad sankhara (apunnabhi sankhara create bad kamma.

[Lal]

“Is it correct to say that if there is cakkhuviññāṇaṃ then the rupa is registered in rūpakkhandha?”

The easiest way to remember is the following way.

In “Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhuviññāṇaṃ” cakkhu viññāṇa arises MEANS the “seeing event” was registered in the mind.
– For example, when you look up from the desk and see person X standing at the door.
– The registration of X’s figure in the mind is cakkhu viññāṇa.
– The picture of X (and whatever is in the background, i.e., all you see at that moment) gets added to rūpakkhandha. That is just one “snapshot” added.
– As you talk to X and keep watching him, you are adding MANY such “snapshots” to the rūpakkhandha. That is why it is called a “collection” or “khandha” of rupa.

“Memories are dhammā, correct? and that recalling memories is: manañca paṭicca dhamme ca uppajjāti manoviññāṇaṃ”
– Yes. That is correct.

[Lal]

“Cūḷasaccaka Sutta (MN 35)”

Here is an English translation of the sutta:

Cula-Saccaka Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Saccaka

The verses that Raja refers to are at the end of the sutta.
– The first part of the sutta describes a conversation of the Buddha with Saccaka.
– Saccaka was a “guru” and had a large following. People brought offerings to him.

Once Scakkaka comprehended Buddha Dhamma, he invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus to a meal the next day.
– Then he asked his followers to prepare the meal.
– Once they brought the food to him, Saccaka offered that food to the Buddha and the accompanying bhikkhus.

At the end of the meal, Saccaka said, “Master Gotama, may the merits of this offering be exclusively for the happiness of the donors (his followers).”
– But the Buddha explained that the meal to him was offered by Saccaka and NOT by his followers, and thus the merits will go only to Saccaka.

Note that it was not the desire of the Buddha, but how nature works.
– One accrues his own kamma based on his intention. In the Nib­bedhi­ka Sutta (AN 6.63): “Cetanāhaṃ (cetanā aham), bhikkhave, kammaṃ vadāmi.”
– The intention of the followers of Saccaka was to make the offering to Saccaka. They prepared the meal on the request of Saccaka, and NOT because they wanted to make the offering to the Buddha.
– But it was Saccaka who had the desire and intention to make the offering to the Buddha. Thus he gets the merits for his kamma (done with the intention).

P.S. It is NOT the physical action that matters. What matters is the kammic energy generated in one’s thoughts (citta).

[Lal]

Here is an interesting video on how scientists find information about planetary systems based on faraway stars:

There is no ending to this process. It will take many years — if ever– scientists can find whether life exists on such planets.
– They are making very crude measurements right now.
– No information is available on whether any of these planets support life.

[Lal]

Many sutta chantings at:
“Sutta Chanting (with Pāli Text)”

– All are by Waharaka Thero.

[Lal]

There is ‘sensory experience” in ALL jhana.
– But arupa jhanas have ONLY “mental experiences.”

Average human lives in kama loka and experiences ALL SIX sensory experiences: FIVE physical (sight, sound, taste, smell, touch) and ONE mind-only (mano).

In RUPA jhanas, the physical senses gradually fade away as one proceeds to higher rupa jhanas.
– At the transition from the fourth (and highest) rupa jhana to the first ARUPA jhana (akasanancayatana) ALL FIVE physical sensory experiences stop.

[Lal]

Yes. Ego and all other defilements are in vinnana.
However, we need to differentiate between vipaka vinnana and kamma vinnana.
– We experience the world with Vipaka vinnana. They are of six types: Cakkhu, sota, ghana, jivha, kaya, and mano vinnana. Even an Arahant experiences the world and has those vinnana.
– A kamma vinnana is a mano vinnana that arises via “avijja paccaya sankhara” and “sankhara paccaya vinnana.”

That kamma vinnana is purified as one cultivates the Path.
– Lobha, dosa, moha are gradually removed as one cultivates Panna (wisdom). Dasa samyojana (including sakkaya ditthi, mana, etc) are removed with stages of magga phala. All those can ONLY be removed via Panna.
– However, moral conduct (sila) is NECESSARY to be able to comprehend the Noble Truths and to cultivate Panna.

Thus, an Arahant WILL NOT generate kamma vinnana via “avijja paccaya sankhara.” But he/she would still have the vipaka vinnana, i.e., is able to see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and think.

[Lal]

That is quite correct, Christian.

If I try to answer some of these questions, those answers may either not sit well, or are not easy to comprehend.
– That is why the Buddha refused to answer some questions, as I pointed out in another thread recently. The following is what I wrote there:

So, you are still being bothered by other people’s actions in an indirect way. This time you are worried about their OPINION of you.
– Of course, it is human nature to be liked and praised. But we need to be realistic.
– We know that there are all kinds of people with vastly differing opinions. Some have correct opinions based on correct views/knowledge. Others have wrong opinions based on wrong views and misunderstandings.

When those people, who may have wrong opinions of your views, figure out that they had looked at those issues incorrectly, they will turn around. They may even start having a high opinion of your views.

There is a good example in the Tipitaka. Vacchagotta used to visit the Buddha frequently and asked many questions. There is a whole set of suttas based on his questions.
– During the initial interactions with the Buddha, Vacchagotta was building confidence in the teachings of the Buddha. But on several occasions, the Buddha refused to answer some questions or gave answers that did not sit well with Vacchagotta. One time, he told the Buddha that he was displeased with the answers given by the Buddha.
– Yet, letter on, Vacchagotta started comprehending the correct world view, became a bhikkhu, and attained the Arahanthood.

The only thing you need to worry about is whether YOUR own views are correct or not.
– Keep learning and you will build confidence.
– Then you will not be bothered by the opinions of others.

For example, I know that I may offend some people when I answer questions. But I cannot just “go with the flow” and try to please others. I have to say what I see to be correct. Of course, in some cases, I would have to change my statements. Anyone can make a mistake.
– We all will make fewer mistakes as we learn more. Keep learning!

Again, here is a post that discusses some of these issues:
“Misconceptions on the Topics the Buddha “Refused to Answer”

[Lal]

I read the “Cūḷanikā Sutta (AN 3.80)” and made a correction to my March 25, 2021 comment above.
– A “cūḷanikā lokadhātu” or a “small world system” has 1000 planetary systems like our Solar system.

A “dvisahassī majjhimikā lokadhātu” has 1000 of such “cūḷanikā lokadhātu”.
– A “tisahassī mahāsahassī lokadhātu” has 2000 of such “dvisahassī majjhimikā lokadhātu“.

So, a Buddha has “access” to a “tisahassī mahāsahassī lokadhātu” or 2 million planetary systems like ours.
– But all others (with abhinna powers) are limited to our “cūḷanikā lokadhātu” or a MAXIMUM of 1000 planetary systems like ours.

Now regarding your question: “But do you know how to explain what seems to me to be a contradiction between the claim that a Buddha is limited to a dasasahassi lokadhātu and the fact that nama loka has no space dimension..”
– What is the contradiction?

Just because nama loka (vinnana plane) has “no space dimension” does not make anyone have access to ALL nama loka everywhere. The access of an average human is limited to just the kama loka in our Solar system.
– For example, we know that many Arahants at the time of the Buddha (and even later) had the ability to visit certain Brahma realms. But they certainly could not access anything beyond our “cūḷanikā lokadhātu”. At least, there is no such account in Tipitaka. The above sutta says that the Buddha could access much bigger “tisahassī mahāsahassī lokadhātu“. That is all we know.

P.S. However, the following is probably a good explanation.
1. The vinnana plane also has ENERGY.
– As I have explained, “material things” are made of suddhatthaka. A suddhatthaka is also energy ABOVE a certain level. As we know, Einstein confirmed that mass is related to energy via the equation, E = mc^2. See, “The Origin of Matter – Suddhāṭṭhaka”
– Therefore, accessing the vinnana plane corresponding to different realms is NOT trivial. One needs abhinna powers to access them.
– A Buddha with the highest abhinna powers can access more.

2. For example, the vinnana plane for the kama loka “resides” at kama loka. the Vinnana plane for the rupa loka “resides” at the rupa loka, and the same for arupa loka.
– All three lokas in our planetary system are interlinked.
– That is why a human grasping a Brahma existence (bhava) at the end of the human bhava is reborn INSTANTANEOUSLY in that Brahma realm.

I will discuss this more in the current series of posts on “Paṭicca Samuppāda – Essential Concepts.”

[Lal]

There is no ending to answering these types of questions.
– While it is good to some understanding, most of these types of questions just lead to more questions.
– I am trying to strike some balance. It is true that getting answers to some questions helps build faith in Buddha Dhamma.
– However, it is far more beneficial to spend time learning about how to stop future suffering, as the Buddha advised.

For example, you say ” If there is no life in the Alpha Centauri system..” But we cannot prove whether there is life there or not.
– science cannot even prove whether there is life in ANY of the billions of planets they have discovered in recent years.
– Even 100 years ago, the only planets that science knew about were the planets in our Solar system.
– With time, science may or may not be able to determine whether there is life outside the Solar system. As I mentioned above, the enormous distances to planetary systems around other stars make that task very difficult.

Anyway, here is a post that discusses some of these issues:
“Misconceptions on the Topics the Buddha “Refused to Answer””

[Lal]

“If there are an infinite amount of Buddhas in the universe at any given time, does this mean that someone with iddhi powers could theoretically communicate with one of them?”

No. That is not possible.
– Edited March 26, 2021: Our Solar system centered on the Sun is one of 1,000 such systems in what is called a “cūḷanikā lokadhātu” or a “small world system”.
– Therefore, our Sun is one of 1,000 stars with planets and life.
– This “small world system” of 1,000 planetary systems is HUGE. For example, the closest star to us is 4-5 light-years away. That means it takes light traveling at 3×10^8 m/s to reach that closest star 3-4 years! To put it in perspective, it takes only 8 minutes for the light from the Sun to reach Earth.
– For most of us (even with iddhi powers), there can be no type of “communication” outside this “small world system”.
– For example, Brahmas from other planetary systems can even visit Earth to listen to a Buddha.
– But not even they can travel or communicate with other “small world systems” external to our “small world system”.
– A Buddha is for just one “small world system”. Of course, there can be many Buddhas over long times, appearing periodically in a given “small world system”.

There are an uncountable number of such “small world systemS” in the universe.
– For example, modern science says there are billions of stars in a galaxy, and there are billions of such galaxies!
– So, there are MANY “small world systems” in our Milky Way galaxy.

[Lal]

Tanha in not ego.
– I think that teacher was unkind. There should not be any significance attached to one’s name. You had nothing to do with you being named Gabriel.
– It is sad to see that many Dhamma teachers (even Theravada) have not grasped Buddha’s teachings.

Tanha arises with cravings for worldly things. Greed is the first manifestation.
– When one does not get what one desires, greed turns to anger.
– Therefore, tanha involves both greed and hate/anger.

“Tanhā – How We Attach Via Greed, Hate, and Ignorance”

The Pāli word for ego is “māna.”
– It is reduced in stages and is completely removed ONLY at the Arahant stage.
– At a deeper level ego is the view of “me” and “mine.”
– The first stage of REDUCTION is at that Sotapanna stage with the removal of sakkaya ditthi;

“Sakkāya Diṭṭhi – Wrong View of “Me” and “Mine”

[Lal]

“– I’m starting to find having long drawn out mundane conversations causes distress to my mind.”

Yes. Those are vain/frivolous talk or sampappalāpā, one of the ten akusala kamma.

“Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala)“

[Lal]

That section of the Vinaya Pitaka is an account of the timeline just after the Buddha attained the Buddhahood.

The meaning becomes very clear in the context. The Buddha realized that it is going to be VERY difficult to explain to the humans, Devas, and Brahmas the perils of attachment to sensual pleasures.

“All living-beings are blinded by attachment to sensual pleasures.”
– That is the basic meaning of the verse that you quoted.
– But in word-by-translations, the meaning is not so clear.

Here is the relevant section:
“5. Brahmayācanakathā
Atha kho bhagavā sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhahitvā rājāyatanamūlā yena ajapālanigrodho tenupasaṅkami. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā ajapālanigrodhamūle viharati. Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi—

“adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo. Ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā. Ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo; idampi kho ṭhānaṁ sududdasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ. Ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ, so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.”

Translation (with my edits of the first part):

“After seven days, the Buddha came out from that stillness and went from the ape-flower tree to a banyan tree, and he stayed there. Then, while in seclusion, the Buddha thought this:

“I have discovered this profound truth, so hard to see, so hard to comprehend. It’s peaceful and sublime, subtle, beyond the intellect, and knowable only to the wise. For living-beings who delight in sensual pleasures, find pleasure in them, rejoice in holding on to them, will find it hard to comprehend this deep Dhamma..”

I have skipped some unnecessary words and have translated only the meaning of the first part of the verse.

[Lal]

TripleGemStudent wrote: “Even if an infinite number attain Nibbana, there ALWAYS will be an infinite number left.”
– I wonder why is that so.”

I have re-written an old post that addresses this and related issues:

“The Infinity Problem in Buddhism”

If there are any questions, please refer to bullet #s.

[Author]

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