[Jittananto]

Hi Taryal,

I want to sincerely apologize for my harsh words towards you. My manner of speaking was arrogant, and is not a good way to pass a message. I also apologize to anyone else I may have offended. Since none of us can be certain that we are ariyas, we will inevitably make mistakes. Our goal should be to eliminate our micchādiṭṭhis, maintain complete confidence in the noble association of the Noble Maha Sangha, and strive towards Nibbāna (In the long run, no religion or scientific views can help us to do that. Only the Buddha Dhamma can help us). 

May the noble Triple Gem bless us all. 🙏🏿☸️🌸

 

• Criticizing monks is appropriate when they teach wrong views and when they do not respect the Vinaya.
• However, different methods of teaching with the 4 Brahma viharas and Tilakkhana work in the long run. The Venerable monks of Jethavaranama seem to have these qualities.

 

[Jittananto]

“I have searched far and wide and have yet to come across anything that is in the same ballpark as Waharaka Thero and Pure Dhamma. In my opinion, Jethavanarama Monastery is no exception. “

• Please, I don’t think we can talk about Venerable Waharaka Thero if we have never seen him. No one in this forum or website has seen Venerable Waharaka Thero in real life. The Venerable Abbot of Jethavaranama Monastery, Bhante Nivanthapa Thero, is a direct disciple of Venerable Waharaka Thero. Everything he has learned comes from him and he is the best person to talk about his master. None of us here can claim to know Venerable Waharaka Thero or understand his teaching better than Bhante Nivanthapa Thero. If we really mastered the Dhamma, we would have given up lay life. That was to answer you, Dawson. Please don’t take it the wrong way. As I said, it would be better to not discuss this subject again.

[Jittananto]

Sir, it is derogatory to accuse the monastery of sugarcoating or to associate them with political views like saying, “They sound liberal.” I personally don’t think it is appropriate to say that to people who dedicate their lives 24/7 to the Dhamma. That is my personal opinion, Sir. I have been in the company of monks in Thailand and I was one. I have a lot of respect for the Maha Sangha. I am personally sensitive on this subject. Please, I do not want to dwell on this subject any longer. 

[Jittananto]

Well, that is a bit of a stretch of argument, same with Pothila – I think you using those arguments in the wrong way. Still, they are irrelevant to the actual situation as their situation and story are different, by stretch I mean you trying to make the argument as you take two different things and try to make them look like they are the same while they are whole other things and positions are not relatable to what you are saying. Those Bhikkus were in a very unique scenarios that had nothing to do with what you trying to convey through those arguments.

• You are free to see this like that. I am not there to win something. What I says is without the 4 Brahma viharas you cannot teach the Dhamma. If you are arrogant your path is defiled.

Dhamma is not really “missionary” but I understand the position of Bhikkus in the modern day, they need to do “something” to bring people to their place which is not bad – especially in the case if promoting real things.

• False. See : Dutiyamārapāsasutta

Wander forth, mendicants, for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.

Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.

Let not two go by one road.

Mā ekena dve agamittha.

Teach the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

Desetha, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsetha.

There are beings with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching.

Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti.

There will be those who understand the teaching!

Bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro.

• The last thing I want to say on this subject is this: Whether you believe it or not, criticizing the work of the Sangha leads to demerit and creates a blockage on your path to Nibbāna. Accusing the monastery of sugarcoating is inappropriate. Unlike us, these noble monks live the Dhamma 24/7 and strive to maintain the Sasana. How many of you would be willing to give up your home, family, money, and possessions to live the Dhamma? If you cannot make that sacrifice, it is better not to criticize the Sangha; we owe them great respect.

I have personally experienced the life of a bhikkhu, and I can guarantee that few people can support this way of life. If I could, I would not be on this forum; it is only for the wise and resilient.  In Sinhala, these monks delve deeply into the Dhamma and offer extremely detailed teachings. Sir Lal and anyone who speaks Sinhala can attest to this. 

It is best to maintain respect for the Maha Sangha. I will not speak further on this subject. Again, if I have offended anyone, I apologize.

[Jittananto]

3 billion humans are either Christians or Muslims. Some became so through spiritual experiences. Of course, they remain in micchādiṭṭhis. However, it is wrong to say that it is based on fables. Personally, I believe that certain passages from the Bible or other religious books can come from elements of the Buddha Dhamma. The famous phrase “the truth will set you free” can lead Christians to ask themselves deeper questions. It is possible through these elements to lead them to explore the Buddha Dhamma and eventually to free themselves.

• The monks of the Jethavaranama monastery are extremely experienced and advanced. It would not be surprising to discover that many are ariyas. I have complete confidence in them and I am sure that their work will bring a large number of people to Nibbāna regardless of their path in life. With wisdom, kusalas and noble association one can attain Nibbāna no matter what religion one practiced in the past.
• They don’t need to do anything superficial to survive. When one practices the Dhamma seriously without arrogance one is naturally protected and supported by others. The anagarikas in the monastery are also extremely advanced in their practice and are naturally protected and supported as the monks. I don’t see anything that will worry them.

Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacāriṁ

He who takes care of the dhamma, the dhamma takes care of him.

• This is why Jethavaranama lacks nothing not because of sugarcoating.

One thing a monk from the monastery told me. He says that it is easier to teach non-Buddhists than born Buddhists. He says this because most Buddhists are arrogant and think that they don’t need to listen to what they have to say “We already know all that.” The non-Buddhists who come to see them are more open and attentive to the sermon because is a new vision of the world.They don’t take it for granted. They also tell them the truth. They tell them that if they want to attain Nibbāna, they must leave all wrong beliefs, including their religion. THEY SAY THIS WITH COMPASSION without showing that they are superior. They tell them that their religion is right only up to a certain point. THEY TELL THEM THAT ONLY BUDDHA DHAMMA LEADS TO NIBBĀNA IN THE LONG RUN. I have confidence in the noble sangha of Lord Buddha. If they say that they can show elements useful for liberation in other religious books, I believe them completely. Venerable Arahant Culapanthaka became an arahant with the help of a cloth. This does not mean that the rag is the truth. It means that it can be a tool leading to the truth with the help of the noble association. Not everyone becomes an ariya in the same way. It doesn’t matter if you people on the forum see this as sugarcoating; what is certain is that it works, and people are becoming bhikkhus or anagarikas there. I know a forum member who lives there now. He said he is in heaven. With all this noble association, he doesn’t want to leave. He wants to stay there for the rest of his life.

See also the story of Bhikkhu Pothila who knew the teachings of Lord Buddha by heart but was so arrogant that he refused to listen to others. How many Buddhists are like him today? He became an arahant with the help of a child arahant. Let us not be like Bhikkhu Pothila. As long as we are not free from our defilements, we are fools.

Many people who practice Buddha Dhamma lack compassion and kindness. What makes Jethavaranama successful is not the sugarcoating but the KINDNESS AND COMPASSION they express to others. Their mission of preserving the Sasana of Lord Buddha is what makes them successful. Qualities that many lack. It is all well and good to teach the Dhamma, but if you do not have the 4 Brahmas viharas, your Dhamma is empty. Instead of insulting others and showing ourselves to be superior, maybe if we develop the 4 Brahmas viharas and progress in the path, they will be more likely to listen to us, right?

1 user thanked author for this post.

dosakkhayo

[Jittananto]

I forgot to say one thing. A noble person is not necessarily a bhikkhu or a bhikkhuni. It is also a layman or a laywoman who has attained one of the 4 stages of Nibbāna. If we have this noble association at home, no need for a monastery. However, our best chance to have this noble association is in a monastery. We, as lay people, are constantly surrounded by ignoble people in place of work, public transportation, social media and even family. Also, look at billboards and commercials on TV. These are things that encourage wrong views. How can a puthujunas attain Nibbāna in such an environment? An ignoble person is a person who thinks that the world can give us true happiness. He is a person who has views contrary to the Dhamma. This is the main disadvantage of lay life. We are also constantly surrounded by sensual temptations. If we are at least sotāpanna, it does not matter, nothing can deviate us from the Dhamma. If we have doubts about our attainment of magga phala, it is better to go to a noble environment like a monastery. In this place, we will have the chance to take the right view and be in contact with ariyas. Otherwise, we will be constantly bombarded by wrong views and will never attain Nibbāna.

• Let us not make the mistake of Venerable Bahiya who was in a great illusion. He thought he was an ariya but, he was not. It took an anagami Brahma to tell him that he was not even on the path of the ariyas. Thanks to the noble association of Lord Buddha, he became an arahant in a few seconds. That is why it is important to always seek the noble association.

Bāhiyasutta

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,

Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

“I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”

“ye kho keci loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro”ti.

Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said:

Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa purāṇasālohitā devatā anukampikā atthakāmā bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bāhiyo dārucīriyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ etadavoca:

“Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection.

“neva kho tvaṁ, bāhiya, arahā, nāpi arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno.

You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”

Sāpi te paṭipadā natthi yāya tvaṁ arahā vā assa arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno”ti.

[Jittananto]

Sir Lal : That is not correct. Only a Buddha can discover the ultimate truth, and we have discussed this in many posts: “pubbe ananussutesu Dhammsu” or “previously unknown teachings.”

Again, I am not sure what the objective of the discourse was. It may have been for beginners to the Buddha’s teachings.

• He gave this talk to help Christians and Muslims in the audience feel more comfortable. While it is impossible to attain Nibbana outside of the Buddha Dhamma, a sufficiently experienced ariya can recognize elements of the Dhamma in other sacred texts and share this understanding with others. If these individuals possess the necessary merits, they may achieve Nibbana by associating with a disciple of Lord Buddha. If not, they can cultivate additional merit and attain Nibbana later on.
• A perfect example is Venerable Bhante Maitri (Daniel St). Like me, he comes from a very Christian background. He has also had the fortune of encountering the Buddha Dhamma. We discuss these topics regularly, and he tells me that his relatives are increasingly interested in the Buddha Dhamma. He uses passages from the Bible to teach them, as he is not yet able to reference the Tipitaka directly. We need to be compassionate and recognize that not everyone shares the same level of understanding as we do. The best approach to teaching is to communicate in a way that resonates with their level of comprehension.
• Now, let’s consider how I could become your student in advanced mathematics, Sir Lal. I must be alert and ready to learn. While I know how to count and calculate, that alone is not sufficient. You would need to evaluate my calculation skills, right? You would likely introduce me to increasingly complex calculations, taking familiar examples and expanding upon them with more complicated ones. This is a methodical process. In your class, some students may progress faster than I do and might not require additional examples, while others may take longer. As a teacher, you would want us all to succeed, adapting your teaching to each student’s abilities.
• This approach is similar to teaching the Buddha Dhamma. Consider Brahmāyu the Brahmin and compare him to Venerable Arahant Bahiya. Brahmāyu had faith in Lord Buddha because of the Vedās, and Lord Buddha strengthened that foundation before he make him a sotāpanna. In contrast, Venerable Bahiya needed no such reinforcement or sacred text; he attained arahantship on the spot. For most people, Lord Buddha begins with moral teachings, guiding them towards rebirth in a deva or Brahma realm, and finally towards Nibbāna. They became sotāpanna. However, Venerable Bahiya did not require this foundational teaching.

See Brahmāyusutta

He had mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knew them word-by-word, and their grammar……

Then the Buddha taught him step by step, with

Atha kho bhagavā brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—

a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven.

dānakathaṁ, sīlakathaṁ, saggakathaṁ;

He explained the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation.

kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.

And when the Buddha knew that Divinityyu’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas:

Yadā bhagavā aññāsi brahmāyuṁ brāhmaṇaṁ kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—

suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.

Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye,

in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the brahmin Brahmāyu:

evameva brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:

“Everything that has a beginning has an end.”

“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.

Bāhiyasutta

Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma!

Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ;

That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”

desetu sugato dhammaṁ, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.

“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this:

“Tasmātiha te, bāhiya, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’

‘diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissatī’ti.

That’s how you should train.

Evañhi te, bāhiya, sikkhitabbaṁ.

When you have trained in this way,

Yato kho te, bāhiya, diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati,

you won’t be ‘by that’.

tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena.

When you’re not ‘by that’,

Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena;

you won’t be ‘in that’.

tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha.

When you’re not ‘in that’,

Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha,

you won’t be in this world or the world beyond or between the two.

tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena.

Just this is the end of suffering.”

Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.

 

Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.

Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa bhagavato imāya saṅkhittāya dhammadesanāya tāvadeva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.

• Not everyone learns in the same way. Only a Lord Buddha knows perfectly how to teach a being every time. Lord Buddha is constantly in the 4 Brahma viharas, which is also why beings feel peaceful in his presence. If we give the Dhamma without having this in mind, others will not be mentally incomfortable. Being compassionate and benevolent means taking into account the mental predispositions of others. Of course, we can make mistakes about what to do. Only a Lord Buddha does not make mistakes. The monastery tries its best to make the audience comfortable regardless of each person’s religion. The goal is to show them the ultimate truth and this can never be done without compassion.

[Jittananto]

If I have offended anyone, please forgive me. 🙏🏿 I am not perfect, and we are here because we believe in the Noble Triple Gem. I believe that truth and supreme happiness cannot be discovered without the help of the Lord Buddha or his disciples. However, the ultimate truth is always present, and one only needs to learn it through the noble association with the Triple Gem. 

Once a person has acquired this Dhamma and has become at least a sotāpanna, they can recognize this truth everywhere and discern it from erroneous beliefs. Most Venerable Waharaka Thero is an example. I am very sure that without him the majority of us will continue to take Annica for impermanence. He recognized the misinterpretations of Tilakkhana and other concepts of the Tipitaka. A knowledgeable ariya can illustrate Nibbāna found in other sacred texts while separating micchādiṭṭhi (wrong views). The Lord Buddha demonstrated Nibbāna through the Vedas to Māgandhiya. See Vedās Originated With Buddha Kassapa’s Teachings

When one is wise enough and established in magga phala (the path and its fruition), one can teach the Dhamma through various examples, including texts from other religions. This is what Venerable Bhante Nivanthapa Thero meant when he stated that he could find Nibbāna in the Bible or the Quran. 

I have shared this message for the sake of any non-Buddhist readers. Even though I strongly disagree with Taryal and Yash’s remarks, I apologize to him as well. I should not have labelled him as a toxic person; I went too far in my comments, even though my intentions seemed right to me. I spoke angrily. Taryal, please forgive me🙏🏿.

[Jittananto]

• As long as you have not reached Nibbāna you are not able to really talk about others. This is what the monks of the monastery said, and this is what the Lord Buddha will also say. These people whom you despise and whom you accuse of being ignorant can you really judge their spiritual level?? The Venerable Arahant Mahapanthaka thought that his little brother, the Venerable Culapanthaka, could not reach Nibbāna and was harsh with him and was mistaken about him. However, he is an arahant and, therefore, has no bad intentions in his mind. We on this forum are subject to our defilements, and therefore, our intentions are based on ignorance of reality. Knowing that a Venerable Arahant like Mahapanthaka was mistaken about the spiritual faculties of a person imagine us when we judge others. If Lord Buddha were here today, many of these non-Buddhists would have the best chance of reaching Nibbāna. A Lord Buddha knows perfectly how to teach everyone according to their spiritual level.
• Other ariyas have this ability but, it is not perfect like that of a SammāsamBuddha. The monks of the monastery use this ability.
• We do not possess this quality so we must be careful not to discourage others, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE NOT FREE FROM ALL DEFILEMENTS. Some people among them are Bodhisattas, some will attain Nibbāna in future Sasanas, and others will be paccekabuddhas. WE DO NOT HAVE THE INFINITE KNOWLEDGE OF A LORD BUDDHA TO JUDGE.
• Another thing. Knowing that this cycle of rebirth is infinite and that we have committed all kinds of akusalas in the past. Maybe you two who are judging these people were religious masters who propagated these religions. We have been the worst radicals and extremists in this cycle of rebirth how can we not understand this simple fact? If you suffer the inconveniences of their presence then you are reaping the kammic seeds of the past. If you truly believe in Buddha Dhamma you should know this.

Cultivate Metta, Karuna and Tilakkhana until you become ariya and you will not be disturbed by them.

[Jittananto]

TARYAL : “You know nothing about me so I think you should refrain from making such silly accusations. I will continue to stand by what I believe and do not care how it makes you feel. If Bible/Quran/Bhagavad Geeta can lead you to “Nibbana”, why bother looking into the Pali Canon (Buddha’s teachings)? Making a statement like that can be misleading and that is what I’ve seen in some of the Jethavanarama discourses.”

• It seems to me that you prefer direct language, so I will be straightforward with you. Your presence has made this forum toxic. Your rudeness and use of profanity, along with remarks that verge on religious hatred, tarnish the reputation of this forum. Who do you think you are, insulting others as “bastards” and “idiots”? Have you freed yourself from your own defilements? If not, it would be wise to mind your language, as it will only harm others and yourself. I now understand why some members of the forum are less active than before; they have noticed that hateful and derogatory comments are becoming the norm for some.

A person with noble friend and proper merits can achieve Nibbāna, even in unlikely circumstances. For instance, Venerable Arahant Culapanthaka attained arahantship with the help of a rag and a sermon from the Buddha. If a disciple of the Buddha can explain Dhamma concepts using examples from another holy book, why should it be considered impossible? Personally, I find the Pali Canon sufficient and do not feel the need for any other books. However, I recognize that others may require different sources of support. This may be difficult for someone who disregards the feelings of others to comprehend.

 

Good luck on your journey toward magga phala with an attitude of “I don’t care about others feelings, and I will speak as I please.”

Kokālikasutta

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

 

“A man is born

“Purisassa hi jātassa,

with an axe in his mouth.

kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;

A fool cuts themselves with it

Yāya chindati attānaṁ,

when they say bad words.

bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.

 

 

[Jittananto]

What does that mean *Sound liberal*???

You don’t have the skills to teaching people according to their life experience. Of course you will find strange.

[Jittananto]

Sir, listen to this video from 13 min to 14 min. https://youtu.be/ShNhaycQXik?si=l42Plr5z3K5RT0Vq

Also, listen to this video at 1 hour 36 minutes

 

Nibbāna is the Supreme truth. It cannot be only found in the Tipitaka. A noble friend(ariya) with special knowledge can help other people to see this truth in their life experience. Even if the Tipitaka disappear, as long as an ariya teaches Nibbāna in the world, it doesn’t matter. If the last ariya dies, even if the Tipitaka is there, nobody will achieve Nibbāna. This is how a Sasana end. The Kalyāṇamittasutta give hint to this idea. 

[Jittananto]

If Buddha Dhamma increases your hatred towards non-Buddhists you are no better than all these radicals. You will have to watch your language for the sake of the forum and your own good. I am not one to tell anyone what to do, but the forum will become more and more toxic if we do not denounce this type of degrading and anti-Dhamma behaviour.

[Jittananto]

“People who wrote those “holy books” had no clue about “distorted perception” so instead of pointing out the delusions of the mind, they blame the women instead. Little did the so-called “prophet” know that an anagami could be swarmed by naked women and not generate a trace of lust.”

• One thing I notice on this forum, some insult other religions as idiots and imbeciles. This is a wrong speech and, therefore, an Akusala Kamma. You accumulate demerit no matter the target of your insult. 
• I see a lot of hatred towards non-Buddhist religions. My question to you is how will this advance you towards Nibbāna?? Do you know that Puredhamma is public on the internet? If non-Buddhists like Muslims and Christians come to this site to learn the Dhamma and see that you insult their religion what will they think?? I find it dangerous because this kind of behaviour will scare away people who could have had the merit to understand the articles on this site. Your rhetoric is the same that the Buddhist radicals in Sri Lanka and Burma use to hate non-Buddhists. Your own path to Nibbāna will be blocked. What do you know about Jesus and Muhammad?? I know that many Indians and Nepalese have hatred towards everything related to Islam and Arabs. How will this hatred lead you to Nibbāna?! I understand that according to Buddha Dhamma, they are wrong, but can you say with certainty that you are free from micchādiṭṭhi and that you are sotāpanna??!

The Buddha Dhamma is indeed the ultimate and supreme truth of nature. Nothing and no one can reach the infinite wisdom of a Lord Buddha. Even an arahant cannot completely describe a Lord Buddha. Only another SammāsamBuddha is capable of doing so. I had read somewhere that even a Maha Kappa would not be enough for a SammāsamBuddha to describe another. One can only accept this with faith, wisdom and the practice of Dhamma. However, if the ultimate truth, that is, the Dhamma, has been twisted, do you think that other religions are free from misinterpretation??? Islam is 1400 years old and Christianity is 2000 years old. The Buddha Dhamma is 2500-2600 years old. The distortion of the Dhamma happened only less than 500 years after the Parinibbāna of Lord Buddha. In 2000 years and 1400 years, many things can change, and the truth can be distorted. I sincerely believe that Islam today and Christianity today have lost their real meaning. Why do I think this? Jethavaranama Monastery said something that shocked me during a sermon. Most Venerable Bhante Nivanthapa Thero (Abbot of the monastery) told the audience, “Give me the bible, the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita, and I will show you Nibbāna.”

• That is why a large majority of Jethavaranama’s audience are non-Buddhists. Many Christians and Muslims come to their sermon in Colombo. They enjoy their sermon and come back again and again. Their detractors are other Buddhists who do not agree with their interpretation of Tilakkhana. You want to know why they are successful? They have a quality that many Buddhists today seem to lack; Metta loving-kindness and Karuna compassion. Many Buddhists today want to have an academic knowledge of the Dhamma and delude themselves about their level on the path. They teach the Dhamma coldly and arrogantly. I admit I am like that. I have learned that one must put aside this arrogance and be a listener. Bhante Maitri (Daniel St) told me that Bhante Amadassana Thero can attract many non-Buddhists to the Dhamma with his loving-kindness. He radiates great loving-kindness. In the monastery, they have Bible and other religious book classes to show elements of the Dhamma to the non-Buddhist.

Calling people idiots, bastards and saying that they have lived their lives in lies does not help at all. In this Samsāra, we have all been idiots. The worst is that you develop a demerit. One important thing everyone has to start somewhere and do not forget that all these religious leaders Jesus, Prophet Muhammad can be Bodhisattas. Most Venerable Waharaka Thero said that Jesus came to him when he was in meditation. Of course, everyone can doubt but, what is certain is that a bodhisatta starts somewhere. Bodhisattas have always been great religious leaders and great seekers of truth before becoming SammāsamBuddhas. I do not believe that sotāpannas insult other religions even if they know that they are micchādiṭṭhi. 

• Most Venerable Bhante Waharaka Thero said that sotāpannas can even be among Muslims and Christians and act like such.
• Of course, they will not believe in this religion, but they will do the rituals like going to the mosque or church to appease their family. This is not sīlabbata-parāmāsa because they do not believe in these rituals. There might be sotāpannas in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan. In their hearts, they worship the Triple Gem and have eradicated all micchādiṭṭhis.

 

[Jittananto]

For a fortnight he practiced discernment of phenomena one by one. 

sāriputto, bhikkhave, aḍḍhamāsaṁ anupadadhammavipassanaṁ vipassati.

And this is how he did it.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputtassa anupadadhammavipassanāya hoti.

Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Idha, bhikkhave, sāriputto vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

And he distinguished the phenomena of the first absorption one by one: placing and keeping and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and application of mind. 

Ye ca paṭhame jhāne dhammā vitakko ca vicāro ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti. 

 

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