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There is King Pasenadi of Kosala who heard the voices of 4 beings trapped in a niraya, in his dreams. These 4 beings were humans at the time of Lord Buddha Kassapa. He was not able to fully understand what they were saying due to their agonies, however, he heard four Pali syllables and asked Lord Buddha for an explanation.Annatarapurisa Vatthu
Bāla Vagga V. 1. The King and the Poor Man with a Beautiful Wife Aññatarapurisavatthu (60)
The four syllables : ‘Du, Sa, Na, So.’
The following quote comes from lawsofthenature.com
Q. What language do they speak in heavens and hells?A. Pali, the universal language, spoken by every past Buddha and will speak by every future Buddha.
- I don’t know if there is a solid proof to this statement.
Hello Waisaka 😁! These are things we don’t know. Maybe (Y not) is not at the end of his bhava or he still has several human jati (births) left. I believe that this kind of action will prevent fatal diseases in a future life. Kamma vipāka will give results sooner or later. I think that’s what my teacher meant.
- See the story of Ven Arahant Bākula Mahāthera“Etadaggaṃ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ appābādhānaṃ yadidaṃ Bākulo.” “Bhikkhus, among My bhikkhu-disciples who enjoy good health, who are free from disease, Bhikkhu Bākula is the foremost (etadagga).”
- He remained an arahant for 80 years before entering parinibbānna at the age of 160. He said he never used any medicine in his life and he had imperturbable health!! This is an example of a good Kamma Vipāka.
Y not, I remember a teaching that my teacher monk told us in Thailand. He says that when we are in situations of illness and disaster we should turn to the Dhamma and the practice of Dana. For example, if you have an illness, you must make donations to the sick, to hospitals and to research against this illness. If you are suffering from a natural disaster, you should donate to organizations that help people recover from these disasters. Of course, one must prioritize the giving of Dhamma.
I’m really sorry to hear that, Y not. I hope you recover and at least aren’t in too much pain🙏🏿. Thank you very much for your message. The nature of this body is unpredictable and uncontrollable. I am sure that if anything happens to you, you will have accumulated enough Kusulas to continue in magga phala or even reach Parinibbāna. I wish you to lead a happy life and quickly achieve Nibbāna the end of all suffering. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu🙏🏿🌸☸️☸️☸️
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Some lay people or bhikkhus choose to become Buddhist yogis or ascetics. They wear robes of other colors to distinguish them from the bhikkhus. They have bowls and they live on alms and offerings given to them by people. Their code of conduct is Dasa Sīla(10 precepts). Some of them practice the dhutaṅgas. They let their hair grow or they shave their heads. They choose to live this way because the life of a bhikkhu has a lot of constraints (227 rules) and the life of a layman with 5 or 8 precepts is not enough for them. The creator of the site Dhammadana.org (my teacher) is this type of person. He was initially a bhikkhu but decided to leave the sangha to adopt this lifestyle. Nowadays, they are found more in Thailand and Burma.
- In Sri Lanka, there are also the Dasa Sīla Mata (Sinhala: දස සිල් මාතා ) who follow the 10 precepts. In other Theravada countries, they have other names.
The samanera, or novices, are monks in training, typically under the age of 20 and have not yet received full ordination. At the age of 20, they are eligible to become a bhikkhu with full ordination, although some may choose to remain as samaneras even after turning 20. This choice is personal and is often seen as a way for individuals with a proud or arrogant temperament to improve themselves. A samanera is required to obey the bhikkhus and heed their advice.
They have a pātimokkha similar to that of the bhikkhus, consisting of the 10 basic precepts and the 75 sekhiyas. This means that their pātimokkha is comprised of 85 rules. If a novice breaks the first 5 precepts out of the 10, he loses his status until he resumes his vows with a fully ordained bhikkhu. If he breaks the other 5, he is subject to punishment, which often involves additional chores. It’s important to note that Lord Buddha forbade physical punishment.
Even if they are subordinate to the bhikkhus, they are part of the Sangha and deserve homage and offerings. They lead a life conducive to the development of Dhamma. They deserve to be honoured by us lay people, regardless of their age. Even if a samenera is 5 years old we must join hands and treat them as if they were bhikkhus. We do not know the spiritual level of others. Maybe this 7-year-old samanera has developed all the jhanas, arupavacara samapatti, and iddhis and reached a stage of magga phala. Disrespecting them can have devastating kammic consequences. Just like the bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, they are beings who deserve our greatest hommage. By paying homage and humbly listening to the advice of a samanera, it is possible to achieve Nibbāna like the Venerable Pothila.
- See also the story of the Venerable novices Samkicca samenera, Sumana samanera, Pandita samanera.They all became arahants.
Here are the 10 basic precepts (Dasa Sīla) of all bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. Some lay people choose to observe them.
The Ten Precepts (Dasa Sīla) :
1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from all sexual activity.
4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
5. Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness. (It’s not just that. See #8 of The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them.)
6. Vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., afternoon).
7. Nacca-gita-vadita-visuka-dassana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments.
8.Mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.
9. Uccasayana-mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.
10. Jatarupa-rajata-patiggahana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain from accepting gold and silver (money).
- See the 75 Sekhiya. (Please at the top right of the site page you will see arrows. Click on the one on the right to see the second part. The first page stops at 40 Sekhiya and the second page continues from Sekhiya 41 to 75.)
- See Who is a novice?
We must continue to listen further. He specified that the Dhamma must be learned from an ariya. One must listen to the correct Dhamma. It is impossible to learn the Dhamma alone without learning it from an ariya. Personally, I agree with him. The perfect example is an arupa brahma. It is impossible for any ariya, even a Lord Buddha to teach them the Dhamma. They don’t have the 5 senses necessary to learn it. Of course, an ariya who is reborn in arupa loka will attain Nibbāna. The reason is that he learned the Dhamma before losing these 5 senses. I believe that a person who learned the Dhamma before becoming deaf can realize Nibbāna. However, a person who is born deaf will have some disability. Once again this is my personal opinion.
There is a context for many rules. For example, there is a rule which prohibits bhikkhunis from residing outside towns and villages. The reason is the rape of the Venerable Arahant Theri Uppalavanna(She is one of the female chief disciples of Lord Buddha. Her rapist fell straight into the nirayas. She is an arahant so she was not afraid, she was perfectly equanimous and understands that it is a kammic debt. Arahants feel nothing on the mental level. Of course, she must have felt the physical pain of the rape.Dhammapada Verse 69 Uppalavannattheri Vatthu
“The Buddha next sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala and told him about the dangers that bhikkhunis living in forests had to face from irresponsible persons obsessed with sex. The king then promised to build monasteries for bhikkhunis only in towns or close to the towns.”
- There are dhutaṅgas which are forbidden to bhikkhunis because of the contradiction with their pātimokkha. For example, residing in forests and cemeteries
- There is an excellent Buddhist author who has written books on the pātimokkha of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis. His name is Môhan Wijayaratna. He is a Sri Lankan French anthropologist specializing in Buddhism. I have his book on the background of the establishment of the order of Bhikkhunis.
Here his books
The Buddhist Monk according to the Theravada texts, Éditions du Cerf, 1983, Éditions Lis, 2016.
Buddhist Nuns, Editions du Cerf, 1991, Editions Lis, 2016.
- You can find his books online in pdf version. You can also find them on Amazon and other sites.
- The following links talk about the rules of Bhikkhunis Pātimokkha. The Bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) have 84 rules more than their male counterparts. Which comes to 311.
The Bhikkhunīs’ Code of Discipline
- Bhikkhunis have a total of 8 pārājika. As a reminder, pārājika are faults which lead to expulsion for life from the Sangha. The 4 Pārājikas of Bhikkhus are the same as those of Bhikkhunis. Here are the other 4 that are specific to Bhikkhunis only.
5. Should any bhikkhunī, lusting, consent to a lusting man’s rubbing, rubbing up against, taking hold of, touching, or fondling (her) below the collar-bone and above the circle of the knees, she also is defeated and no longer in affiliation for being “one above the circle of the knees.” [See Bhikkhus’ Saṅghādisesa 2]
6. Should any bhikkhunī, knowing that (another) bhikkhunī has fallen into an act (entailing) defeat, neither accuse her herself nor inform the group, and then — whether she (the other bhikkhunī) is still alive or has died, has been expelled or gone over to another sect — she (this bhikkhunī) should say, “Even before, ladies, I knew of this bhikkhunī that ‘This sister is of such-and-such a sort,’ and I didn’t accuse her myself nor did I inform the group,” then she also is defeated and no longer in affiliation for being “one who concealed a fault.” [See Bhikkhus’ Pācittiya 64]
7. Should any bhikkhunī follow a bhikkhu who has been suspended by a united Community (of bhikkhus) in line with the Dhamma, in line with the Vinaya, in line with the teacher’s instructions, and who is disrespectful, has not made amends, has broken off his friendship (with the bhikkhus), the bhikkhunīs are to admonish her thus: “Lady, that bhikkhu has been suspended by a united Community in line with the Dhamma, in line with the Vinaya, in line with the teacher’s instructions. He is disrespectful, he has not made amends, he has broken off his friendship. Do not follow him, lady.” And should that bhikkhunī, thus admonished by the bhikkhunīs, persist as before, the bhikkhunīs are to rebuke her up to three times for the sake of relinquishing that. If while being rebuked up to three times she relinquishes that, that is good. If she does not relinquish that, then she also is defeated and no longer in affiliation for being “a follower of a suspended (bhikkhuī).”
8. Should any bhikkhunī, lusting, consent to a lusting man’s taking hold of her hand or touching the edge of her outer robe, or should she stand with him or converse with him or go to a rendezvous with him, or should she consent to his approaching her, or should she enter a hidden place with him, or should she dispose her body to him — (any of these) for the purpose of that unrighteous act (Comm: physical contact) — then she also is defeated and no longer in affiliation for “(any of) eight grounds.”
- There’s an interesting discussion on this. Why are there more rules for bhikkhunis than for bhikkhus?
- The following quote is from a bhikkhunis on the discussion forum.
“I think the whole thread is based on a misunderstanding on the evolution of the ancient texts. The patimokkhas are not the only collections of rules, we have thousands more rules in the khandhakas.
Historically, the Buddha laid down rules in the patimokkhas, but after he entered Nibbana, more rules needed to be made, as new situations came up, and the sangha spread to new locations with different climates and local customs. For the bhikkhus, the patimokkha was closed quite early and additional rules were collected in the khandhakas. For the bhikkhunis, additional rules were added to their patimokkha for centuries after the Buddha’s passing, until eventually, it became too long. From then on, more rules were put into the bhikkhuni khandhaka. Therefore, there’s a large discrepancy in size of the patimokkhas.
There are also other factors, such as decisions on how to organize the texts made by the monks at the first council.
Vinaya is a complex matter and best discussed with a knowledgeable monastic face-to-face. If you ask Vinaya questions on an online forum, there are going to be a lot of incorrect answers.”
- Vinaya is extremely complex. This is why there is even a disciple specialized in this subject. Venerable Arahant Upali was the best in explaining the Vinaya after Lord Buddha. “Monks, among my disciple monks who strictly live by the Vinaya Rules, monk Upāli is the foremost (Etadagga).”
Devadatta used some dhutaṅgas to create a schism in the Sangha. He proposed to Lord Buddha to make some of these practices obligatory. Of course, Lord Buddha refused and said that it is up to each person to decide whether they want to follow them or not. See Saṅghabhedakakkhandhaka
The Buddha replied, “No, Devadatta.
“Alaṁ, devadatta.
Those who wish may stay in the wilderness and those who wish may live near inhabited areas.
Yo icchati, āraññiko hotu; yo icchati, gāmante viharatu.
Those who wish may eat only almsfood and those who wish may accept invitations.
Yo icchati, piṇḍapātiko hotu; yo icchati, nimantanaṁ sādiyatu.
Those who wish may wear rag-robes and those who wish may accept robe-cloth from householders.
Yo icchati, paṁsukūliko hotu; yo icchati, gahapaticīvaraṁ sādiyatu.
I have allowed the foot of a tree as resting place for eight months of the year,
Aṭṭhamāse kho mayā, devadatta, rukkhamūlasenāsanaṁ anuññātaṁ;
- See the Dhutaṅga #8,3,1,9 on my post above this reply.
I highly recommend reading this sutta, as it discusses Devadatta’s wrongful actions. The sutta is particularly interesting because it delves into Sangha Bheda, which is one of the 5 anantariya kamma. It’s worth noting that lay people, nuns (bhikkhunis), and novices are unable to cause Sangha Bheda, even if they attempt to do so.
A nun cannot cause a schism in the Sangha, even if she makes an effort to do so. A trainee nun,
Na kho, upāli, bhikkhunī saṅghaṁ bhindati, api ca bhedāya parakkamati, na sikkhamānā saṅghaṁ bhindati …pe…
a novice monk, a novice nun, a male lay follower, or a female lay follower cannot cause a schism in the Sangha, even if she makes an effort to do so.
na sāmaṇero saṅghaṁ bhindati, na sāmaṇerī saṅghaṁ bhindati, na upāsako saṅghaṁ bhindati, na upāsikā saṅghaṁ bhindati, api ca bhedāya parakkamati.
- Lord Buddha said that there are cases where a sangha bheda does not lead to rebirth in nirayas. The key is intention whether wholesome or unwholesome.
What sort of person who causes a schism in the Sangha isn’t irredeemably destined to an eon in hell?”
“Katamo pana, bhante, saṅghabhedako na āpāyiko, na nerayiko, na kappaṭṭho, na atekiccho”ti?
“In this case, a monk proclaims what’s contrary to the Teaching as being in accordance with it.
“Idhupāli, bhikkhu adhammaṁ dhammoti dīpeti.
He has the view that what he says is legitimate and the view that the schism is legitimate. He doesn’t misrepresent his view of what’s true, his belief of what’s true, his acceptance of what’s true, or his sentiment of what’s true. He makes a proclamation and distributes ballots, saying,
Tasmiṁ dhammadiṭṭhi, bhede dhammadiṭṭhi, avinidhāya diṭṭhiṁ, avinidhāya khantiṁ, avinidhāya ruciṁ, avinidhāya bhāvaṁ, anussāveti, salākaṁ gāheti—
‘This is the Teaching, this is the Monastic Law, this is the Teacher’s instruction; take this, approve of this.’
‘ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanaṁ, imaṁ gaṇhatha, imaṁ rocethā’ti.
When such a person causes a schism in the Sangha, he’s not irredeemably destined to an eon in hell.
Ayampi kho, upāli, saṅghabhedako na āpāyiko, na nerayiko, na kappaṭṭho, na atekiccho.
- All this information is in the same sutta Saṅghabhedakakkhandhaka.
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The 13 dhutaṅgas are the only ascetic practices authorized by Lord Buddha. It is important to note that they are not obligatory. Each bhikkhu is free to practice this or not. We can compare the 13 dhutaṅga to the 8 precepts of the laity. Lay people don’t need to follow the 8 precepts. We must know that Lord Buddha has a perception that is beyond anything we can imagine. He never allows unnecessary things. Jhanas, Abhidamma and dhutaṅga are not obligatory to reach the magga phala stages. However, they are necessary for some people. One can completely ignore these things and become an arahant. The only obligatory thing is the understanding of Tilakkhana and the 4 noble truths. Lord Buddha taught these things because of the diversity of gāti among beings. Some people inevitably have to go through these things to reach Nibbāna. Even among arahants, there is always a difference in gāti. Some prefer to live alone, others in a community. See the story of Venerable Arahant Kondanna. He asked Lord Buddha for permission to live alone in the forest. There were anariya masters who lost disciples and they saw that Lord Buddha had many disciples who respected him. They concluded that it was because he lived a very simple life. Lord Buddha said that they were wrong. Some disciples live an even simpler life. He listed 5 dhutangas. Mahāsakuludāyisutta
In a sutta, the Lord Buddha asked the Venerable Arahant Maha Kassapa to abandon the dhutaṅgas. He refused and said he does this to encourage those in the future who want to follow his example and because he prefers to live like that. Jiṇṇasutta
Venerable Arahant Maha Kassapa was designated by Lord Buddha as the best practitioner of the 13 dhutaṅga.”Etadaggaṃ bhikkhave mama sāvakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ dhutavādānaṃ yadidam Mahākassapo.”
Lord Buddha warned against the arrogance that some bhikkhus may develop while practicing dhutaṅgas. Sappurisasutta
There are 5 reasons which push a person to practice the 13 dhutaṅgas.
A person may be wilderness dweller because of stupidity and folly. Or because of corrupt wishes, being of wishful temperament. Or because of madness and mental disorder. Or because it is praised by the Buddhas and their disciples. Or for the sake of having few wishes, for the sake of contentment, self-effacement, seclusion, and simplicity.
Mandattā momūhattā āraññiko hoti, pāpiccho icchāpakato āraññiko hoti, ummādā cittakkhepā āraññiko hoti, vaṇṇitaṁ buddhehi buddhasāvakehīti āraññiko hoti, appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti.
These are the five kinds of wilderness dwellers.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca āraññikā.
But the person who dwells in the wilderness for the sake of having few wishes is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the five.
Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ yvāyaṁ āraññiko appicchataṁyeva nissāya santuṭṭhiṁyeva nissāya sallekhaṁyeva nissāya pavivekaṁyeva nissāya idamatthitaṁyeva nissāya āraññiko hoti, ayaṁ imesaṁ pañcannaṁ āraññikānaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.
- The same is said for the other Dhutaṅgas.
Here is a list of suttas that mention dhutaṅgas. Take note that the 13 are not mentioned together; they are scattered throughout the nikayas. Araññavagga
- Some people wrongly associate the 13 dhutaṅgas with the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa. This is a mistake. The Dhutaṅgas are indeed mentioned in the suttas. Buddhaghosa is a bhikkhu commentator it is normal that he is interested in that. However, it is important to note that the 13 dhutaṅgas were not invented by Buddhaghosa, and it is incorrect to claim so. This is similar to those who argue that the Abhidhamma is not the words of Lord Buddha. The 13 dhutaṅgas are addressed to bhikkhus and not to lay people. These practices are for bhikkhus inclined toward simplicity and hermit life. This is not an invention.
Thirteen ascetic practices (dhutaṅga) in Theravada Buddhism
1. The refuse rag wearer’s practice (pamsukūlikanga)
2. The triple robe wearer’s practice (tecīvarikanga)
3. The alms food eater’s practice (pindapātikanga)
4. The house-to-house seeker’s practice (sapadānikanga)
5. The one sessioner’s practice (ekāsanikanga)
6. The bowl food eater’s practice (pattapindikanga)
7. The later food refuser’s practice (khalu pacchā bhattikanga)
8. The forest dweller’s practice (āraññikanga)
9. The tree root dweller’s practice (rukkhamūlikanga)
10. The open-air dweller’s practice (abbhokāsikanga)
11. The charnel ground dweller’s practice (susānikanga)
12. The any bed user’s practice (yathā santhatikanga)
13. The sitter’s practice (nesajjikanga)
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See also the story of Khujjuttara which shows this inability of sotāpannas to hide bad deeds.
Khujjuttarā, in her daily purchase of flowers for Queen Sāmāvatī, usually bought only four ticals worth of flowers and pocketed four ticals out of the Queen’s daily allowance of eight ticals for flowers. But on the day she became an ariya (as Stream-Enterer), Khujjuttarā had no mind to steal the money entrusted to her and bought eight ticals worth of flowers, which now filled her basket. Queen Sāmāvatī, seeing an unusually large quantity of flowers in Khujjuttarā’s basket, asked her: “Why dear Uttarā, you have such a big basket of flowers today, unlike the previous days! Did the King increase my allowance for flowers?”
Khujjuttarā, as an ariya, was now incapable of telling lies, and so confessed her previous misconduct. The Queen asked her: “Why, then, have you brought such a big quantity of flowers today?” And Khujjuttarā replied: “Because I do not steal the money today. I cannot do so because I have realized Nibbāna. I have comprehended the Deathlessness, after hearing the Buddha’s discourse.”
