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1. Yes. “Idappaccayā” comes from “ida” + “paccayā,” meaning “based on the conditions at that time.“
2. At the beginning of the post, it says, “Idappaccayatā Paṭicca Samuppāda explains the accumulation of kammic energies within the current life.”
- Bhava, jati, jara, marana,.. all refer to entities that arise within this life.
- However, part of the kammic energies accumulated via that process can contribute to future bhava, jati, jara, marana,. See #13 of the post you quoted.
3. Idappaccayatā Paṭicca Samuppāda can also explain “grasping a “new existence/bhava” that will lead to births and deaths within that new bhava.
- Suppose a human bhava ends, and that lifestream grasps an animal existence (animal bhava.); let us say it is a deer. That will also take place with an Idappaccayatā Paṭicca Samuppāda process taking place at that time. At the “upadana paccaya bhava” step, the mind of the dying human gandhabba will grasp the “animal bhava,” and a “deer gandhabba” will be born. Then, that “deer gandhabba” will be pulled into the womb of a female deer, and a baby deer will be born.
4. More details in “Upādāna Paccayā Bhava – Two Types of Bhava.”
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I think you are over-analyzing with unreasonable assumptions: “Let’s say the person has some superstition against cash, and does not feel good receiving the $100.”
- Try sticking to reasonable assumptions. Don’t make things more complicated.
- We are trying to understand Buddha’s teachings to remove future suffering. You seem more focused on making “lawyer-type” arguments to see whether Buddha Dhamma is “logical enough.”
- That type of approach may not be conducive to learning. Furthermore, I don’t have the time to analyze all kinds of hypotheticals.
The best approach is to analyze your own scenarios/experiences rather than try to come up with far-fetched hypotheticals. If you do that, I would be happy to help.
1. What kind of kamma one engages in is unrelated to kamma vipaka.
- One could do an akusala kamma based on a good kamma vipaka. For example, suppose a poor person gets a hundred dollars as a gift. That is a good kamma vipaka. But that poor person could use that money to buy a gun and shoot his enemy.
2. Kamma generation must not be attached to a kamma vipaka.
- In the “Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.63)“: “Cetanāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kammaṁ vadāmi. Cetayitvā kammaṁ karoti—kāyena vācāya manasā” OR “Bhikkhus, I say one does kamma with intention. One does a kamma via thoughts, speech, and body based on intention.”
- That “word-by-word” translation does not convey the true meaning of the verse. A better translation (that provides the meaning is: “Bhikkhus, I say one does kamma with defiled intention. One does a kamma via defiled thoughts, speech, and body based on defiled intention.”
- Therefore, it is essential to note that “cetanā” is “sancetanā” or “with raga, dosa, moha in mind.” With a defiled mind, one engages in defiled actions, speech, and thoughts.
- See “What is “San”? Meaning of Sansara (or Samsara)“
3. Therefore, the easiest way to assess whether a given kamma can bring a “bad vipaka” is to see whether that action, speech, or thought was based on greed, anger, or ignorance.
4. Let us analyze your example.
- You wrote: “Let’s say in my country giving apples to people is an insult, and I intentionally give apples to other people to insult them.” In that case, you know you will insult someone if you give them apples. Thus, you know that person will be offended if you do it. So, it is a “bad kamma” on your part.
- You will not receive apples in the future just because you gave apples to someone.
- Now, suppose you are in a different country where giving apples to people is NOT an insult. You see a hungry person and give them apples, expecting that will help quench their hunger. That is a good kamma. But the vipaka may not necessarily be to receive apples in the future. There will be a good vipaka corresponding to that good deed, but it does not have to be “receiving apples.”
5. Arahants can experience both good and bad kamma vipaka until their physical body dies.
- But they will not do either good kamma or bad kamma (that can bring vipaka in the future.)
- All their actions are categorized as “kriya” (or mere actions) that do not generate any kammic energy.
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1. In general, dreams do not have predictive capability.
- There could be exceptional cases, but the Buddha did not discuss such aspects.
- For example, it is reported that Queen Mahamaya (mother of the Bodhisatta) had some dreams about the Bodhisatta entering her womb.
2. However, there is the following account in the Tipitaka regarding a different aspect of dreams.
- Once, a bhikkhu had a dream where he had sex with a woman. Since having sex is a “parājikā” (breaking of a Vinaya rule) and makes a bhikkhu ineligible to keep his “bhikkhu status,” that bhikkhu got highly depressed. He went to the Buddha, reported the incident, and said he was sorry and would leave.
- But the Buddha explained that dreams do not represent our thoughts. No javana cittas (with raga, dosa, moha) can arise while dreaming. Thus, he told the bhikkhu not to leave and to continue practicing.
- Even modern mundane laws follow the same basic principle. For example, one is not criminally liable for any crime done while “sleepwalking.”
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Sammā Samādhi can be defined in many ways.
- For someone who cultivates Ariya jhana, Sammā Samādhi is equivalent to the fourth Ariya jhana.
- Another way to describe Sammā Samādhi is in the “Sammāsamādhi Sutta (AN 5.113).”
- But the most general definition is the following: one who has fulfilled the preceding seven factors of Sammā Diṭṭhi through Sammā Sati would have Sammā Samādhi. See “Mahācattārīsaka Sutta (MN 117).”
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Yes. The video provides a glimpse into Buddha’s teachings. Even though a video cannot explain the fundamentals, it provides some insights.
1. “Sexual urge” is built into our physical body as well as the human psyche.
- In the same way, the sweetness of honey or the appealing smell of a rose is also built into our physical body and the human psyche in general.
- However, those are “distorted perceptions (saññā)” that get incorporated into our mental and physical bodies via Paticca Samuppada.
- For those who have not read them, I have discussed that for about a year. See the posts after 8/5/23 in “New / Revised Posts.”
2. The deeper aspect of Buddha’s teachings is that we can overcome those “distorted saññā.”
- First, one must understand how it arises “naturally” via Paticca Samuppada.
3. The Buddha called saññā a mirage in the “Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95).”
- When a thirsty animal sees the mirage of a “body of water” ahead on a hot Summer day, that is a “distorted saññā” arising in its mind. It is tempted by it, runs toward it, and ultimately may die of exhaustion. A human may get that same wrong perception. But a human is capable of disregarding it by logical thinking.
- “Sexual urge” or the “sweetness of honey” are also mirages. However, unlike the “distorted saññā” of a “body of water” on a hot Summer day, the sexual urge is not easy to dismiss.
- It is extremely hard to overcome that “built-in mirage” because we have all cultivated it through countless lives. The best way to overcome it is to understand how it gets “built-in” to our physical and mental bodies via Paticca Samuppada.
- Finalizing that analysis could take a few more months, but I can vouch that “distorted saññā” can be overcome.
4. That “distorted saññā” cannot be removed (at least while living day-to-day life), but one can stop being tempted by it.
- Furthermore, that distorted saññā “goes underground” (or stays hidden) when one gets to samadhi and experiences the “sappabhāsa citta” or the “bright mind.” I have not yet discussed the “sappabhāsa citta,” but that is the closest we can get to the “pabhassara citta” or the “suffering-free mind” until we attain the Arahant stage.
5. On a practical level, we know that sex is not essential for healthy living. Buddhist monks practice celibacy (they have taken a vow to abstain from sex), and I am confident that they are much healthier than average people.
- Of course, 99+% of them practice celibacy without even having heard of the concept of “distorted saññā.” They do that with faith.
- When one can see that it is made up by our own minds, it becomes much easier to disregard it.
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I have revised the Pathfinder’s link to where to start reading about this issue.
1. Venerables Sariputta and Moggalana were the chief disciples of the Buddha.
- They excelled in two different areas. Ven. Sariputta excelled in Dhamma, the core teachings, and Ven. Moggalana excelled in cultivating Ariya jhana and supernormal (iddhi) powers.
2. A bhikkhu‘s first goal is to attain the Sotapanna stage and “be born in the Ariya lineage.” Once “born an Ariya,” a bhikkhu needs to get to higher magga phala mostly via cultivating insight meditation (the same as Satipatthana/Anapanasati).
- Some (born with relevant gati) also cultivated iddhi powers (via cultivating jhana).
- Thus, Ven. Sariputta helped in the “(Ariya) birth-giving process,” and Ven. Moggallana helped in the latter stages.
3. One should read the sutta with that background.
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Welcome to the forum, Lagrade!
- I was born into a Theravada Buddhist family (and was brought up that way), so I will leave it to those who were either born non-Buddhist or had a minimal Buddhist background to answer Lagrade’s questions.
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Lagrade wrote: “This is very interesting. I would like to ask you how a “puthujjana” could start seeing the drawbacks of sensual pleasures and thus remove the cravings?”
- Yes. This is at the core of Buddha’s teachings (Paticca Samuppada.)
- I will be starting a new series of posts by next weekend, which could help you understand it.
- In the meantime, see whether you can get some ideas from the post “Is It Necessary for a Buddhist to Eliminate Sensual Desires?“
Lagrade wrote: “There is a loneliness epidemic going on in countries like USA and Japan for some years now, and many people are suffering from touch deprivation which can lead to depression and PTSD.”
- That holds only for puthujjana (humans who are not Buddha’s disciples or Noble Persons/Ariyas.)
- When one starts comprehending the “true nature of the world,” the desire for contact with “pleasurable experiences” and interactions with others diminishes. In fact, one would prefer less of a “social life” and more of “deep contemplation.” That is why most meditators seek seclusion. Again, this requires a lengthy explanation, and I hope to address it to some extent in the upcoming posts.
- However, I must emphasize that contact with parents and others is essential for young children. Babies require cuddling and loving care, which are necessary for their mental and physical development.
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1. One becomes an Anagami by realizing the drawbacks and adverse consequences of being born with a physical body that can cause ailments and diseases. In addition, kama raga generates incessant subtle levels of dissatisfaction and a sense of non-fulfillment. Even when reborn in a Deva realm, that second aspect is there, even though Devas do not have ailments or diseases.
- The drawbacks of rupa loka Brahma realms are even more challenging to comprehend. The mental states there do not have much suffering and mostly “jhanic pleasures.”
- The “samapatti pleasures” of arupa loka Brhamas are even more subtle and long-lasting.
- Thus, it is harder to lose rupa raga and even harder to lose arupa raga.
2. The key is to realize that none of those “births/existences” are permanent. Unless one becomes a Sotapanna by comprehending the “big picture,” all those rebirths become useless because even the arupa loka Brahmas can be reborn later in the apayas.
- That high level of “possible suffering” at the Sotapanna stage is easier to understand. That is what one must tackle first. P.S. One can easily see the level of suffering in the apayas, at least in the animal realm.
- It is difficult for a puthujjana to see the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, let alone those of jhanic and samapatti pleasures. That is why the Buddha realized it would not be easy to teach his Dhamma to humans.
3. Still, seeing the “big picture” with all the realms can be beneficial. That way, one can start grasping the concept of “distorted sanna,” which clearly shows that all existences are “mind-made” (via Paticca Samuppada) and not real; they are all mirages in the sense they provide only “temporary relief” (in the higher realms) and do not lead to the elimination of suffering.
- However, one must first focus on removing the “immediate level of suffering.”
- Only a Sotapanna can start perceiving the drawbacks of jhanic pleasures, and even that happens only after grasping the concept of “distorted sanna” well.
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OK. Thank you! I changed the sub-heading to: “Three Lower Levels” Have distorted Saññā”
- I also made a few more changes to #3 and #4 of the post.
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Good suggestion. Thank you!
- If anyone comes across a post(s) that need revision, please send me the link or its title: [email protected].
Taking any “lokiya nimitta” (an object belonging to the world) as a meditation object (nimitta) is an anariya meditation (as Christian emphasized).
- Once Ven. Ananda asked the Buddha about that, and the Buddha explained it in detail. See “Saññā Sutta (AN 11.7).”
- Ven. Ananda asked: “Siyā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhuno tathārūpo samādhipaṭilābho yathā neva pathaviyaṁ pathavisaññī assa, na āpasmiṁ āposaññī assa, na tejasmiṁ tejosaññī assa, na vāyasmiṁ vāyosaññī assa, na ākāsānañcāyatane ākāsānañcāyatanasaññī assa, na viññāṇañcāyatane viññāṇañcāyatanasaññī assa, na ākiñcaññāyatane ākiñcaññāyatanasaññī assa, na nevasaññānāsaññāyatane nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasaññī assa, na idhaloke idhalokasaññī assa, na paraloke paralokasaññī assa, yampidaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā, tatrāpi na saññī assa; saññī ca pana assā”ti?
- The translation there can be improved as., “Could it be, bhante, that a bhikkhu might gain a samādhi like this? They would not focus their minds on pathavi (as using a clay ball in kasina meditation) by “taking in” the “pathavi saññā” OR āpo (as using a water bowl in kasina meditation) by “taking in” the “āpo saññā” OR tejo (as using a fire in kasina meditation) by “taking in” the “tejo saññā” OR vāyo (as using air in breath meditation) by “taking in” the “vāyo saññā” ..
- For example, “breath meditation” takes the saññā of air as the nimitta: “vāyosaññī assa.”
- The rest of the verse similarly is on arupa samapatti. For example, to cultivate ākāsānañcāyatana arupa samapatti, an Ariya will not focus their mind on “infinite space.”
- P.S. At the end of the verse, Ven. Ananda asked whether a samādhi can be attained without taking any nimitta associated with this world (this realm or any other realm). The answer is yes.
- @marker 5.1, the Buddha explains that an Ariya (Noble Person) takes the “cooling down/ultimate calmness of Nibbana” as the nimitta: “‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ, yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti.”
P.P.S. This is also why saññā is a critical concept in Buddha Dhamma. All saññās associated with this world are illusions or mirages, as we have discussed: “Sotapanna Stage via Understanding Perception (Saññā).”
Regarding the birth of the first few elephants or dinosaurs on Earth in a new eon, it happens as opapatika births. Humans who have degraded their gati are gradually reborn in the animal and other realms, according to the gati they develop. That happens after a very long time (probably around a billion years) when the conditions on Earth have changed so that vegetation has emerged.
- Even now, opapatika births can happen even in the human realm, but they are extremely rare. There is an account in the Tipitaka about at least one such birth.
- See “Four Types of Births in Buddhism.”
