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Excellent. You are on the right track. Let me highlight some critical issues.
1. You like to eat ice cream and smoke because that gives you “mind-made” pleasure. If ice cream has an innate “deliciousness,” all living beings should have the desire to eat it. Not even all humans like to smoke. These are habits (part of gati) that we cultivate.
- Even the desire for sex is the same. Only those in kama loka see it as “giving pleasure.” To cultivate jhana and to be born a Brahma, one must see it as a hindrance to getting to a “higher stage.”
- As long as we crave those things, we will be trapped in the kama loka. Paticca Samuppada (“pati icca leading to sama uppada” means such cravings are perpetuated in the rebirth process.)
2. Such cravings can lead to worse outcomes if we engage in immoral deeds to “have more of them.”
- For example, some people take bribes to make more money in seeking more sensory pleasure. Since that is an immoral deed, it could lead to a birth matching that lowly deed by being born a pig. Since that birth corresponds to “distasteful actions,” pigs crave feces. They get to reap the fruits of their actions.
- Those who commit violent deeds (killing) are likely to be born lions, tigers, etc., who have to depend on the flesh of other animals. Rebirths are, according to gati.
3. The release from cravings comes from developing a deeper understanding of these Paticca Samuppada processes.
- It is not easy to give up cravings because those are built into our births. But the only way out is to fully understand this vicious cyclic process: Births are according to gati, and gati are hard to break, so one gets trapped!
- As one’s understanding grows, it becomes easier to give up cravings. I know by experience.
- When one begins to understand why the Buddha called “sanna a mirage” and “vinnana a magician,” one’s mind will voluntarily give up those cravings. Here, “sanna” is the “innate sense/feeling” that ice cream or smoking can provide pleasure.
- Again, I refer to the post “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā)” and other posts in the section “Sotapanna Stage via Understanding Perception (Saññā).”
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Excellent.
- You wrote: “Sakkaya ditthi refers to the belief in an unchanging and permanent soul, which can be controlled and passed on from one life to another or can perish with the body depending on the ditthi. A sotāpanna has eliminated these views, but the perception of self still lingers like a bad smell on a washed cloth.”
- That is the explanation I was looking for.
There are three related concepts that the Buddha taught.
- A puthujjana attaches to things with mana (or asmi mana), tanha, and ditthi, in that order. All three arise based on the “distorted sanna” that is built-in to ALL births via Paticca Samuppada.
- Asmi mana is the “sense of self or me,” which is the “deepest layer.” That is eliminated at the Arahant stage.
- Next is tanha (in the form of kama raga, rupa raga, and arupa raga, which value existences in kama, rupa, and arupa loka.) Here, kama raga is removed at the Anagami stage. Rupa raga and arupa raga are removed while on the Arahant magga, i.e., after attaining the Anagami stage.
- The outermost layer is “sakkaya ditthi.” That is the VIEW that worldly things have kama guna and thus can bring happiness. That is the first layer of ignorance to be removed at the Sotapanna stage
They are summarized in the verse: “etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti.” It is discussed in the post “Etaṁ Mama, Esohamasmi, Eso Me Attā’ti – What Does It Mean?”
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Yes. Depending on one’s actions and lifestyle (based on one’s mindset), one will have certain gati (character/habits).
- One will become that in the upcoming life/rebirth.
- If one lives like a preta (greedy), one will likely be reborn a preta (hungry ghost.) If one lives a moral life and cultivates anariya jhana, one will be reborn a Brahma. Both are useless, but a Brahma will at least have a peaceful life while it lasts.
- It is the same lifestream that lives the life of a human, Deva, animal, preta, Brahma, etc. The rebirth process is just moving back and forth between “good realms” and “bad realms.”
You are still quoting standard phrases: “No, he still has this wrong perception but he will never fall into the views related to Sakkaya ditthi.” That does not say anything about the meaning of “sakkaya ditthi.” I asked a couple of direct questions above.
- What do you understand by “sakkaya ditthi“? If you can explain in your own words, I can comment.
- I am not trying to “get you.” If you genuinely want to learn Dhamma, you need to try to understand what you don’t know. If you don’t want to answer, that is fine.
One problem I have is that I don’t know how much of what I write people understand. I can write many posts, but if I am not addressing issues that people don’t understand, then it is a waste of time.
Gad wrote: “Sakkaya ditthi is the wrong view that mistakenly identifies with one of the five aggregates of clinging that constitute the Psycho-physical complex described as a being or personality as “self”.”
- So, a Sotapanna does not have the sense of a “me”? Would not consider the house, car, or anything else as his?
1. Those ideas (Dosakkhayo‘s) about sakkaya ditthi are good but mostly mundane.
- At the root level, sakkaya ditthi means the view that “pursuing worldly things can bring happiness.”
- Once one can see the “big picture of the Buddha” that spans over the rebirth process and the fact that a “suffering-free mind” is hidden under layers of defilements, that view will be eliminated. Sakkaya ditthi will disappear, and the tendency to pursue worldly things will diminish when one comprehends that.
- I have been discussing that in recent posts and tried to summarize it in the latest post: “Ārammaṇa (Sensory Input) Initiates Critical Processes.”
2. Silabba Paramasa
- I may not have discussed “silabbata paramasa” sufficiently.
- “Paramasa” means a “conviction” that some way of doing things can DEFINITELY get one to the goal.
- When the goal is to attain Nibbana, “silabbata paramasa” means “following a specific set of precepts/rituals” can get one there. However, while moral conduct is necessary to attain Nibbana, it is NOT sufficient. Nibbana is attained by cultivating wisdom (panna), and morality is a necessary CONDITION.
3. The various categories of “conditions to attain Nibbana” (seven types of anusaya, ten samyojana, four yogā, four Asava, etc) are discussed in the post “Conditions for the Four Stages of Nibbāna.” To categorize into raga, dosa, moha would be as follows:
Raga categories:
- kama raga
- rupa raga
- arupa raga
Dosa categories:
- patigha
- uddacca
Moha categories:
- sakkaya ditthi
- vicikicca
- silabbata paramasa
- mana
- avijja
Under the moha category, sakkaya ditthi, vicikicca, and silabbata paramasa are ditthi (wrong views). Mana (the idea of “me/myself”) and avijja arise due to avijja. Uddacca (“unsettled mind”) could be categorized under avijja or dosa.
- Of course, everything will eventually be due to avijja!
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This question requires a lengthy explanation. I will try to provide a summary.
1. A critical factor in rebirth is gati. One’s gati is determined by sankhara (kamma) they engage in.
2. Paticca Samuppada determines not only future rebirths but also the environments where sentient beings with the majority of gati can be reborn.
- For example, at the beginning of a “new Earth,” all sentient beings on Earth have fine bodies like those of Brahmas. Initially, there is no vegetation, animals, etc. and also no males/females. They have just descended from Abhassara Brahma realm and are mostly like Brahmas.
- With time, their “manussa gati” (with raga, dosa, and moha) slowly emerge. Their bodies become dense, and initially, there is “free food” in terms of natural rice-like vegetation that can be eaten without any preparation.
- Then sexes emerge and more incentive to engage in defiled activities.
- With time, those with worse gati are reborn as animals. By that time, there is more vegetation, rivers, etc.
- With time, the nirayas inside the Earth take shape, and some humans/animals are born there.
- That is an example of how the environment changes as the dominant gati of sentient beings change.
3. Toward the end of the Earth (and the Sun and surrounding stars), the environment changes drastically again.
- The Sun (and the Earth) start getting hot, and gradually, rivers dry over millions of years. Mind-pleasing things, as well as food start to become scarce, and people naturally become “more moral.” They start cultivating (anariya) jhana and migrating back to the Abhassara Brahma realm over millions of years. By that time, apayas would have been destroyed, and beings there also gradually moved to the Abhassara Brahma realm (via the human realm).
4. That is the “life cycle” on a grand scale. That cycle has been repeating from a “beginning-less time.” More details in “Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27)“
5. Another point is the following: On that time scale, the overall gati of sentient beings (and thus the environment or the “structure of Earth”) remains roughly the same. For example, the main continents, oceans, etc., are re-formed similarly, not the same, but roughly the same.
- People with similar gati are born in similar places/countries. All Buddhas are born in the “same” geographical area of India/Sri Lanka. They speak similar languages, have similar names, etc.
- That does not mean the same people recycle back to their original places of birth. Rather, people with similar gati AT THAT TIME are reborn in similar geographical locations. Even now, as gati changes, one’s birth location can change.
That is a brief summary, but it should be enough to get the general idea. It is not worthwhile to spend time on these issues, but it is good to have a general idea. The task at hand is to cultivate the path and be free of suffering because no one knows how long one will live.
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A satta is any living being without at least the Sotapanna Anugami stage of Nibbana.
- Sotapanna Anugami is the “lowest” of the eight Noble Persons (Ariyas). All Ariyas are guaranteed to attain Nibbana (Arahanthood) within seven bhava (existences.)
- Any other living being (including all Devas and Brahmas) belong to the “satta” category.
- That is explained in the “Satta Sutta (SN 23.2)” you quoted. I have linked to the exact place in the sutta: “Rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati” OR “Anyone who has cravings for sensory inputs (rupa) is a “satta.”
- In the strict sense, only an Arahant is not a “satta.” However, all other Ariyas are guaranteed to attain Arahanthood within seven bhava (existences). Thus, an Ariya is usually not included in the category of “satta.”
I discussed that sutta in “Five Aggregates and Tilakkhaṇa – Introduction” and “Aniccaṁ Vipariṇāmi Aññathābhāvi – A Critical Verse.”
- I am not quite sure whether that is what you tried to explain in your analogy.
There are several Radha Suttas.
- It would be helpful to provide a link or more specifications, such as SN 22.71, which is one of the Radha Suttas.
It seems to be a readjustment in the brain, allowing recalling different memory records.
- There is another well-documented account of Dorothy Eady, who started recalling her past life in Egypt thousands of years ago.
“Rebirth Account of Dorothy Eady“
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Memories are in vinnana dhatu. The brain retrieves them.
- If the brain becomes defective, memory recall will be poor. Depending on the extent of the damage to the brain, memory recall can even stop, for example, for those with Alzheimer’s.
There are several posts on this subject. Following are only a few:
“Where Are Memories Stored? – Viññāṇa Dhātu“
“Brain – Interface between Mind and Body”
“Autobiographical Memory – Preserved in Nāma Loka.”
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Yoniso mansikara has a deeper meaning than “wise attention” because “wise attention” could be taken in a mundane way. The question is: “What is wise?”
- See “Yoniso Manasikāra and Paṭicca Samuppāda“
- One needs to understand Paticca Samuppada to have “wise attention.”
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That is interesting! They seem to convey at least the mundane meanings.
“We use Viparinamam if that “which has come to be” is a development or a change for the worse. “
- Yes. That is the correct meaning.
“In the example, the sitting position which I relied upon as comfortable, is now the very reason for my pain. It has become completely “other” or “the otherwise” (Annathabhava). Right from the start it was not something to be relied upon. To be craved for. I put my expectations and hopes on it, while it (without any heed to me and my hopes on it) became the other.”
- As I mentioned above, that is a mundane interpretation of “viparinama.” No posture can provide comfort for too long. It is said that even a Brahma (with no dense physical body like ours) cannot remain in the “same position” for too long.
The deeper meaning of “viparinama” is that pursuing any “rupa” with vedana, sanna, sankhara, or vinnana cannot lead to the “perfect state with no suffering” or “pabhassara mind” or Nibbana. That is the critical idea in the post “Vipariṇāma – Two Meanings.” There, “viparinama” means to move away from the “perfect state with no suffering.”
P.S. I edited the title of the thread.
