Lal

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  • in reply to: About manomaya kaya #50771
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Hadaya vatthu can generate suddhatthaka and also kammic energies below the suddhatthaka level (dhammā.

    • Those at or above the suddhatthaka level are released to the physical world as utuja rupa while javana cittas arise. 
    • Those below the suddhatthaka level are released to vinnana dhatu as dhammā while javana cittas arise. Then such kammic energies (dhammā) stay in vinnana dhatu until their vipakas are brought; they decay with time, and some become nullified without bringing vipaka.

    Regarding the question: “I would like to know how the manomaya kaya gives commands to the physical body.”

    • The manomaya kaya has a blueprint of the physical body. The physical body grows according to that blueprint. As the physical body grows, manomaya kaya (also called a “kirana kaya” because it is a subtle body, essentially the gandhabba) also “expands.” The brain in the physical body overlaps “the brain” in the manomaya kaya and transfers the processed information on sensory inputs to the manomaya kaya. The hadaya vatthu gets that information via the manomaya kaya.
    • It would be the reverse process when the hadaya vatthu sends commands to the brain, for example, to move body parts.
    in reply to: Compilation of my thoughts #50770
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Yes. Those are good summaries.

    #6 can be improved.

    • Vinnanakkhandha synthesizes the above four (nama and rupa).
    • Bahidda vinnana (vipaka vinnana) = only nama;  ajjhatta vinnana (kamma vinnana) is the beginning of making namarupa.
    • That “namarupa formation” enhances as the mind gets further contaminated in subsequent steps.

    #7: Rupakkhandha and vinnanakkhandha help distinguish between nama, rupa, and namarupa (with kamma vinnana).

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    Lal
    Keymaster

    Yes. That is a good point. 

    • All five entities in pancupadanakkhandha (rupa, vedana, sanna, sankhara, vinnana) are of 11 types: “Yaṁ kiñci, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ vā sukhumaṁ vā hīnaṁ vā paṇītaṁ vā yaṁ dūre santike vā, ayaṁ vuccati rūpakkhandho.” There, “ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā” refers to the ajjhatta rupa and bahidda rupa. The same applies to the other four entities. All those ajjhatta and bahidda entities occur in the ajjhatta and bahiddha stages at the beginning of a sensory attachment process.
    • See “Khandha Sutta (SN 22.48).”
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    in reply to: Compilation of my thoughts #50762
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Dosakhayo asked: “So, the altered rupa is bahidda rupa, and cakkuvinneyya rupa is ajjhatta rupa?”

    Yes. That can be understood as follows.

    1. The “Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhu viññāṇaṃ“ includes both the bahiddha viññāṇa and the ajjhatta viññāṇa stages. 

    2. In #10 of that post, one way to describe the gradual attachment process (within a citta vithi) is stated: “Kāma dhātuṁ, bhikkhave, paṭicca uppajjati kāma saññā, kāma saññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāma saṅkappokāma saṅkappaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāmacchando,..” Here, ““Kāma dhātuṁ, bhikkhave, paṭicca uppajjati kāma saññā” represent the bahiddha viññāṇa. Then, “kāma saññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāma saṅkappo” is the ajjhatta viññāṇa stage. That ajjhatta viññāṇa stage will occur for anyone with kāma rāga anusaya/samyojana, i.e., anyone below the Anagami stage.

    3. That same process is described differently in the “Chachakka Sutta (MN 148)” (as described in the other post I mentioned “Indriya Make Phassa and Āyatana Make Samphassa”) as “Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhu viññāṇaṃ, tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso.”

    4. Both the bahiddha viññāṇa and the ajjhatta viññāṇa stages are included in the Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhu viññāṇaṃ” step in that representation.

    5. After the kāma saññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāma saṅkappo” step comes kāma saṅkappaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāmacchando.” This is the second step (tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso) in the other representation of the same event: “Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhu viññāṇaṃ, tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso.” This step happens based on the “saṅ gati” present at that moment. Thus, even for the same person, the level of attachment depends on the state of the mind at that moment.

    6. Note the difference in #2 and #5.

    • #2: Regardless of the mindset, ANYONE below the Anagami stage WILL generate the ajjhatta viññāṇa.
    • #5: However, a strong attachment to the sensory input with kāmacchanda may not happen for someone in a calm mindset trying to be mindful. Controlling this step with “mindfulness” (sila) can gradually eliminate kāma rāga anusaya/samyojana. Of course, cultivating wisdom (paññā) is also needed. As one cultivates paññā and sila, one’s mind will get to samādhi. That, in turn, will help further cultivate paññā and sila, and so on to elevate all three: sila, samādhi, paññā. Eventually, it is paññā that breaks the kāma rāga anusaya/samyojana. That is the Satipatthana/Anapanasati Bhavana!
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    in reply to: Saññā #50755
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Yes. Saññā can be of many types.

    • Some (kāma saññā) can lead to “defiled actions, speech, and thoughts” or “kamma accumulation” that can bring their vipaka in the future.
    • However, some saññā depend on our viewing angle (like in the case of your pictures), and they do not necessarily lead to kamma accumulation. Of course, such confusion can be a hindrance to “samadhi.”
    in reply to: Saññā #50710
    Lal
    Keymaster

    The first two pictures of Tobi provide good examples of how the same picture can lead to two different saññā.

    • Labeling in the second set makes it easier to “see” (i.e., provide the saññā) of a young man and a young woman.
    • Now, replace the two labels “ear” and “chin” with “eye” and “nose.” Then you can “see” an old man and an old woman.

    I have seen the “young/old woman” picture in a book. I don’t remember the name of the book.

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    in reply to: Compilation of my thoughts #50695
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Cakkhu viññāṇa in “Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjāti cakkhu viññāṇaṃ“ is already an ajjhatta viññāṇa. However, nava kamma (with strong kammic energy) accumulation starts after the “tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso” step.

    It is explained better in the newer post, “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.” See #6 of that post.

    • I need to go out for a few hours. You can read those two posts carefully and ask further questions. I will have more time later to explain it better if you have questions.

     

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    Lal
    Keymaster

    “I think this types of saññā can be called bahidda saññā.”

    • Yes. That is exactly right.
    • Bahidda” comes from “bahira” + “iddha,” where “bahira” is external and “iddha” means “get established.” Note that “iddhi” is different and means “supernormal powers.”
    • Thus, “bahidda sanna” is a sanna that arises due to external sensory inputs and automatically “established” or ‘manifested’  in a sentient being. Kama sanna (like the taste of food or the beauty of a woman) is built into our human bodies. They give rise to “mind-made vedana” or “samphassa-ja-vedana.”
    • Puthujjana (or even a Sotapanna) may attach to such “mind-made vedana” because they do not understand that they are not “real” at a deeper level. Once that mechanism is understood, one realizes that one has been “tricked” by nature!

    The “bahidda sanna” evolves into “ajjhatta sanna” for all those who have not fully grasped the above.

    • Here “ajjhatta” comes from “ajjha” + “atta” where “ajjha” means “oneself” and “atta” means “beneficial/meaningful.” 
    • Those below the Anagami stage (who have not fully grasped how “bahidda sanna” arises, would automatically be attached to that “bahidda sanna,” thinking it would benefit oneself.
    • That is what I tried to explain in that post. Yes. You seem to have gotten the idea!

     

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    Lal
    Keymaster

    You are making progress. 

    You wrote: ” I still have a sexual appetite and am still a bit lazy about formal meditation,..”

    • Sexual apatite goes away only at the Anagami stage. Our bodies are “made’ (via Paticca Samuppada) to generate sexual urges. Our minds (more accurately, the seat of the mind or hadaya vatthu) are also “made” to create a sanna of “sweetness of sugar” or “pleasant smell of a rose.” Read and understand the new post: “Saññā Gives Rise to Most of the Vedanā We Experience.”
    • The tendency to engage in meditation will increase as you gain more understanding. Remember, meditation is not restricted to sitting down and doing a “formal meditation session.” While that should be done too, one must constantly think about how defilements arise in everyday situations and avoid harmful actions, i.e., “being mindful all the time.”

    You wrote: “I’m not picky about eating as long as it’s appropriate, my clothes are simple, the important thing is neat and polite, I don’t use hair or body perfume, everything is simple and I think it reduces my attachment and makes me much more relaxed. “

    • Yes. That happens naturally and gradually as one’s understanding increases.
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    in reply to: Is my understanding of Tilakkhana correct? #50655
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Question 1: “Magga here means Path?”

    • Yes.

    By the statement, “As we know the solution to the calculation 3×2 = 3+3 or 2+2+2” if you mean 2 for magga and phala, then there are 8 for the four stages of Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami, Arahant.

    Question 2: Yes. The description is generally correct.

    You are making progress. Keep it up!

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    in reply to: Body of hell beings, their location and detection #50654
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Yash wrote: “True ! but  such people can counter question the Dhamma by asking the same question.

    “If you are a Sakadagami and will be born in a Heavenly plane, why don’t you die?”

    • But we know that a Sakadagami who dies will be reborn as a Sakadagami. He will not attain Arahanthood by dying! So it is not the same.
    in reply to: Conversation with Meta AI #50653
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Essentially, any realm in this world has anicca, dukkha, and anatta nature. Sometimes, asubha is also used to characterize the world. 

    The following summarizes it all. Only a pabhassara mind does not have any of those characteristics.

    The above chart is from the post “Vipariṇāma – Two Meanings.”

    Yash asked: “Are Jhanas also of Asubha Nature?”

    • Yes. They do. The mindset of jhanas is the sama as those in rupa loka realms. 
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    in reply to: Conversation with Meta AI #50646
    Lal
    Keymaster

    Pathfinder wrote: “Let’s say we can be born a brahma and live as a brahma permanently (no rebirth), would you still say that this is anicca?”

    • But impermanence is a part of anicca nature.
    • Any existence in this world (including a Brahma) is a sankhata, and every sankhata has a finite lifetime. At a deeper level, any existence arises via kammic energy generated in the mind. That cannot give rise to a permanent entity because it was created by a finite energy. When that energy runs out, any existence comes to an end.
    • So, Yash’s particular statement you quoted is not entirely correct. We cannot even assume a sankhata to be permanent.
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    Lal
    Keymaster

    I don’t understand your questions in your first comment. In the second comment, you seem to indicate that there are contradictions in my post, but I can’t sort them out.

    • First, please copy and paste your first comment into a word processor and correct the grammar.
    • Then, break that one paragraph into questions if you have multiple questions.
    • Under each question, ask the question and point out any issues with my statements in my post that could be relevant. 

     

    Lal
    Keymaster

    An Anagami (who has removed kama raga and patigha samyojana) will be born in a  suddhāvāsa” (“pure abodes”) reserved for them, and NOT in any other realm in rupa loka. See #6 of the post below.

    • A Sotapanna/Sakadagami who has cultivated Ariya or anariya jhana will be reborn in a Brahma realm (according to the jhana cultivated), and those are NOT  suddhāvāsa” (“pure abodes”). However, they also do not “come back” to kama loka.
    • Those anariya yogis who do not have magga phala but cultivated anariya jhana will be reborn in a Brahma realm (according to the jhana cultivated), but they “come back” to kama loka, i.e., they will be reborn in the human realm at the end of that Brahma existence.
    • Details in “Ariya Jhāna and Anariya Jhāna – Main Differences.”
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Viewing 15 posts - 826 through 840 (of 4,338 total)