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Wise thoughts! Thank you, y not.
1. As long as one thinks that happiness can be achieved within this world (for humans, it is the pursuit of sensual pleasures), one is not in a position to “show true love/compassion” for another.
- Once one realizes that the “pursuit of sensual pleasures” only leads to more suffering, one can genuinely “show true love/compassion” for another by explaining “how to overcome the suffering in an absolute way.”
2. Only a Buddha can figure out “how to overcome the suffering in an absolute way.”
- See, for example, “Introduction – What is Suffering?“
- One will have true confidence in the “Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha” only when comprehending the above.
3. I believe that is what y not expressed as follows:
“Having confidence in the best, the result is the best”
The Best of Beings (buddhe aveccappasāda; here, aveccappasāda means to have “unbreakable confidence”; thus having “unbreakable confidence” in the Buddha. )The Best Teaching (dhamme aveccappasāda; having “unbreakable confidence” in the teachings or Dhamma.) The Best Community (saṅghe aveccappasāda; having “unbreakable confidence” in the teachings or Sangha.) “Having confidence in the best, the result is the best”- Those verses are in many suttas. See, for example, “Ānandatthera Sutta (SN 55.13).”
- Also see #3 of “Sotapatti Aṅga – The Four Qualities of a Sotāpanna.”
- Only when one has such “unbreakable confidence” in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha can one “truly love others” by explaining how to get there. Note: Sangha here does not mean “bhikkhu,” but anyone at or above the Sotapanna stage, i.e., a Noble Person.
- Also see “5. Ariya Metta Bhavana (Loving Kindness Meditation)“
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Zapper wrote: “Yes, I did read the post, but I am confused on why simply enjoying a sense object causes suffering.”
- So, you did not understand the discussion there.
- Of course, it is not easy to understand. We are used to thinking in terms of “human logic.” But Buddha’s teachings are based on a different set of fundamentals/axioms.
I tried to explain that recently, in another thread: “Tipitaka Validity.”
- Specifically, see my comment on August 18, 2024 at 10:35 am.
P.S. The following post has a simpler explanation: “Is It Necessary for a Buddhist to Eliminate Sensual Desires?“
Supporting Dhamma centers and monasteries is a good cause.
- However, this website is focused on teaching Dhamma. It would be impossible to sort out and list specific ones.
- Anyone can make their own recommendations. However, please DO NOT list bank accounts to which to send money. Just provide names, website links, contact phone numbers/emails (if providing that information is acceptable to those Dhamma centers and monasteries.)
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Yes.
- The reason is subtle, but the main point is the following: We all have a “suffering-free” (pabhassara) state of mind deep inside us. Until we comprehend that fact and learn how to “uncover” that “suffering-free” (pabhassara) state of mind, ALL our actions move our minds away from it.
- That was discussed in the following thread: “Validity of current interpretation of Satipatthana Sutta.”
- You (or anyone who has not understood that) should read that thread, at least from my comment on July 30, 2024 at 9:26 am.
That issue is at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings.
I think you are asking the following: We attach to sukha vedana with greed (raga) and dukkha vedana with anger or resentment (patigha.) We also like to “enjoy” a neutral vedana because it gives us “peace of mind.”
- So, it is a subtle point, but a puthujjana attaches to a neutral vedana with ignorance (avijja.) That is because a puthujjana does not understand the “true nature” of the evolvement of a citta to the vinnanakkhandha stage, which we discussed in the current post “Citta Evolving To Viññāna And Viññākkhanda In Nine Steps.”
Of course. What else?
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“What I meant was not on the teachings itself, but rather the historicity, whether such events did happen, and whether the tipitaka is faithful to historic events.”
- I understood what you meant. However, that is covered if one can see the truth in the current version of the Tipitaka.
- There is no other way to check the “validity of the teachings” in Tipitaka.
- Of course, I have written posts showing the consistency and inconsistencies of modern science with Buddha Dhamma. That is to point out that science is always “catching up” with Buddha Dhamma in the long term. I have also made predictions about which “scientific theories” will be proven incorrect, possibly within our lifetimes: “Dhamma and Science” and “Quantum Mechanics and Dhamma.”
You may be able to get some ideas by reading the following post:
“5. Ariya Metta Bhāvana (Loving Kindness Meditation).”
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At the beginning of this thread Pathfinder wrote the following:
“I think it is important to analyse on the validity of the tipitaka itself to build faith in the dhamma.We have been referencing the tipitaka, and whenever we do so we have the following assumptions:
- Whatever is stated in the tipitaka is factually right, though not for word, the events did happen, and they are words of the Buddha himself, and they are not made up by anyone else.
- The words of the Buddha are true, the Buddha did not make them up.”
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1. Using that approach, one will NEVER make any progress toward verifying the validity of the Tipitaka (i.e., Buddha’s teachings).
- The reason is simple: Buddha’s teachings cannot be verified within any theories or arguments based on human knowledge.
- Understanding Buddha Dhamma requires a “paradigm change.”
2. The Buddha stated the above using the verse, “adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo.”
- Soon after attaining the Buddhahood, the Buddha uttered that verse: “Brahmāyācana Sutta (SN 6.1).”
- The translation is that link: “This principle I have discovered is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute.”
- There, “adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo” means “This Dhamma that I uncovered.” “gambhīro” means “profound.” The rest of the translations are good, but “atakkāvacaro” does not mean “beyond the scope of logic.”
- “Atakkāvacaro” means “beyond the scope of the logic of the humans or the world in general.”
3. That is why Pathfinder’s proposed scheme will not work.
- The validity of Buddha Dhamma cannot be tested within the theories or logic known to humans. It requires a paradigm change in thinking.
- All philosophies and religions are based on the assumption that happiness can be achieved somewhere within this world, whether in this life or a “heavenly realm.”
- Buddha taught that the above assumption is wrong. One can eliminate sakkaya ditthi only by seeing that it is indeed true.
4. That verse “adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo” appears in many suttas, including DN 1, DN 14, MN 26, MN 72, MN 95.
- In the “Brahmāyācana Sutta (SN 6.1)” the Buddha explained why it is difficult for average humans (puthujjana) to see the validity of his teachings.
- starting at marker 1.5, he explains why. That verse is better translated as, “But people like clinging to sensory pleasures, they love it and enjoy it.”
- @ marker 1.6: “It’s hard for them to see the truth, i.e., idappaccayatā paṭicca samuppāda.
- @ marker 4.1; “And as the Buddha reflected like this, his mind inclined not to teach the Dhamma to the world.” Of course, that was not going to happen. He strived for the Buddhahood for the sake of himself and others. Even though the sutta states he accepted Brahmā Sahampati’s invitation to teach Dhamma, that was a formality. He had an obligation to help others, which he started doing soon afterward: “Animisa Lōcana Bōdhi Poojā – A Prelude to Acts of Gratitude.”
5. This is why engaging in debates with those with wrong views is futile.
- The only way to eliminate wrong views is to examine Buddha’s teachings with an open mind.
- Each individual must decide whether or not to take that approach.
- Engaging in debates on this issue is a waste of time.
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“The Hadean Eon, named after the Greek god and ruler of the underworld Hades, is the oldest son and dates from 4.5–4.0 billion years ago. This time represents Earth’s earliest history, during which the planet was characterized by a partially molten surface, volcanism, and asteroid impacts.”
- These are mere conjectures (or “theories”) by the scientists.
- There is no way to prove or disprove such conjectures.
- It is similar to the idea of a “Creator God.” No one can prove or disprove that conjecture either.
No. An anariya yogi‘s (or any puthujjana‘s) mind ALWAYS gets to the ajjhatta stage. The mind can be stopped at the bahiddha stage, only by a Sotapanna practicing Satipatthana. P.S. When a Sotapanna successfully does that, he becomes an Anagami. P.P.S. However, understanding this process (even without stopping at the bahiddha stage) can help a puthujjana reach the Sotapanna stage because now one becomes a “sandiṭṭhiko.”
- Simply focusing the mind on a neutral object forces the mind NOT to focus on immoral thoughts (i.e., avoid such arammana) at the beginning of a “meditation session.” This avoids vitakka/vicara with immoral thoughts.
- Then, he must also focus on “mundane moral thoughts” (savitakka/savicara) to force the mind (vinnana) in the upward direction (in the “nava kamma” stage) in the charts I discussed on August 13, 2024, at 8:50 pm, above. Usually, they practice “mundane meditations” like “mundane metta” (may all beings be happy and free of suffering, etc.)
- That forces the mind to latch onto the higher rupa loka mindset at some point. It could take years of effort. Furthermore, they must avoid “mind-pleasing sensory inputs” that trigger kama raga.
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Arahants do not have panca upadana khanda (i.e., do not generate craving for anything in this world) because they have understood anicca nature.
- You need to read and think more about the concept of anicca. See “Anicca – True Meaning“
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“1). Is it right to think those humans lived in the 4.5 billion span of this earth, or would it be a previous formation?”
- The Buddha taught that “humans with subtle bodies like those of Brahmas” lived on this Earth from the beginning of this Earth. See “Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27)“
I think that answers the second question, too.
- Scientists have very different theories, of course. They believe the Earth was devoid of any life for at least a billion years. They don’t know how the Earth acquired so much water or how the first life form arose on Earth.
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That is hard to say. All we know is that a Sotapanna is incapable of doing an “apayagami deed,” i.e., one can lead to rebirth in an apaya.
- Since they still have kama raga, they may be tempted to engage in some inappropriate behavior.
- If one has not fully grasped the concept of “distorted sanna,” temptations triggered by kama raga can be strong.
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Yes! Even though we can talk about “impermanence/decay” of external things (which is also true), the main point is the anicca nature of the panca upadana khanda.
- Those rupas that the mind makes (“cakkhu vinneyya rupa“) are of the anicca nature. Those are the types of rupa that we hope to attain/acquire. Even if such a material rupa is acquired, we cannot keep it forever, or even until death, most of the time. for example, we like to eat tasty food, and most of the time, we can accomplish that. (But in reality, all that effort was in vain because the “tastiness” is an illusion!) Furthermore, if we want more of that food, we have to do it all over, too. There are many implications to contemplate.
- Thus, our efforts (sankhara) are of the anicca nature (pointless, fruitless); our expectations for such rupa (vinnana) are of the anicca nature.
P.S. The mind-made “cakkhu vinneyya rupa” is made with the “distorted sanna.” Of course, Arahants do not get to that step, even though they also get the “distorted sanna” (of tasty food, for example.)
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