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One’s number of teeth has absolutely nothing to do with the ability to attain a magga phala.
- Buddha’s teachings are focused on the mind, not the physical body.
Thank you for the reply sir. So I am also capable of attaining magga-phala within this same lifetime. It’s a relief. I understood now. 🙏🙏🙏
I have declared myself free of the apayas (per my understanding). It is permitted by the Buddha; see #11 of
Haha I knew this must be the case venerable sir. I am aware that ariyas can declare their attainment if they feel it is appropriate. Wow I am happy and rejoice in this confirmation. So yes I can confidently say that I have interacted with 2 living ariyas in my life. First is my teacher and then it is you as far as I can understand. How fortunate I am wow! The moment I read your first post in 2023, I felt that you are ariya. By no means I can identify the ariyas but I felt the vibe of pure dhamma or purity atleast and felt some form of pull as I felt I could hear the ariyakantha. I can’t believe I am literally talking with someone who knows buddha dhamma on this partly broken mobile of mine. Wow good luck of mine. I have read many many posts from your site, some even more than once because I could taste the nectar of truth coming directly from buddha there. So I read the posts on your website like a very thirsty and deprived for water traveller who found a source of water directly.
I used to participate in the Dhamma Wheel forum, but I have stopped.
I will never again seek to engage in debates with others. Those who are interested can read my website and ask questions to clarify any unclear points.Yes sir I read your some of dharma wheel forum points. I went there to search only the posts written by you. I felt sad for all those who were arguing with you because their egos were getting hurt.
Btw out of above 5 links you provided I have read 2nd and 3rd and remaining I’ll read now.
I know I talk too much unnecessary stuff but I cannot contain my happiness when I meet people like you!
Thank you for replying sir. I somewhat understand the value of your words and your work if not completely. Thank you for the instructions.
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I just saw your posts. I am a bit busy these days, as I am traveling.
- I will try to respond today or tomorrow.
Sure sir. Whenever you get time!
Sir, my another following question which could be somewhat personal is, how does one reduce the attachment to one’s own body? I mean I had one experience if I am allowed to share, it was during the afternoon nap. I laid down and slept then I woke up because of my alarm but then I stayed sitting there only on bed because I was still somewhat feeling sleepy so I was debating with myself that should I again go to sleep or not and then I decided to again take a nap for some more minutes and I again lied back down. What happened is that I was awake while falling asleep and i realized that I felt asleep. I could literally see my surrounding wall, the bed I was lying on and during all this time I was in my body only. I felt like I messed up and shouldn’t have been awake while falling asleep I felt like I am trapped in my body…I was literally trapped inside my body…because I tried to wake myself up by moving my body such as hands and limbs but when I tried that I realised that they are not moving. I was trying to move my limbs like I was giving signals to move to my limbs but they were not responding. I tried to move all of the body but couldn’t. I felt I was stuck in my body and I didn’t have any thoughts. I started to panic a bit but I felt I couldn’t even panic so I tried to say something and then after saying some words I felt unconscious and then after some moments I woke up and realised that I slept very deep at that moment!
Another related experience, this experience also happened when I slept after waking up but in the morning. This happened yesterday only actually. I woke up in the morning, did some study on my laptop and did exercise and stuff and then went to sleep again because I was getting drowsy during study so thought of taking quick nap. So I laid down on my bed and then I was in dream where I was in my house only. But suddenly I realised that I am in dream and the moment I realised that I am in dream i started falling asleep in my dream and in my dream itself immediately, I tried to prevent myself from falling asleep and thought what should I do so I couldn’t come up with anything so I just tried to choke myself thinking that this time I will explore surroundings without going back but I failed and felt asleep then and there in my dream and immediately afterwards I woke up and got up on bed. Its like when I dream i realise that I am in a dream. Many times I realised that I am in my dream during dream itself. So what is happening am I progressing or is it the opposite sir? Or I am just wasting my time about these things and should dismiss them as not worthwhile things to give time for? What do you think respected lal sir? Or should I ask this question on personal experience section?
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I just saw your posts. I am a bit busy these days, as I am traveling.
- I will try to respond today or tomorrow.
Sure sir. Whenever you get time!
My another following question is that, why many people such as many from suttacentral website and dharma wheel or some other sites are of a general opinion that puredhamma site is distorting buddhist teachings? I don’t mean to create debate and fight, just want to know what lal sir has to say to this.
Is it because the people are more focused on knowledge and not dhyana? Because in India, particularly in Maharashtra state I see many many monks are busy giving sermons and invest most of their time in sermons and programs. I have seen only 2 monks in my life who talked about dhyana/meditation. One of them died sadly during corona outbreak. But remaining almost every monk focuses on giving sermons on jataka tales or some kind of stories and paritta or sutta chanting and sometimes on uposatha and about moral conduct related stuff. Almost none of the talk about meditation/dhyana or of its importance. Major chunk of monks literally believe that there are not arhants alive right now. My understanding is that this earth cannot survive without the presence of arhats or ariyas so ariyas are definitely present, it’s just the lack of sufficient good karma that it’s hard to come by them.
I have one incident to share, I was in another city for my graduation/college so at that time one monk came to the colony where I live. He walked on the path literally in front of our house and in our colony. The colony I live there monks are always greeted by people always! Sadly but on that day not a single person came to even just fold hand or greet him. Literally noone greeted him noone even looked at him. Later I heard from another monk that that monk who came to our colony was arhat monk. I was not in my city I was in another city for my education, my bad luck. But after knowing this I felt maybe noone including me had enough punna kamma to meet that arhant monk atleast at that time.
another question is that, is it the case that too much knowledge (useful and useless both) can be a big obstacle for dhyana or meditation or I may say forprogressing on the path to sotapanna or sakadagami?
To become a Sotapanna, it is essential to understand Paticca Samuppada. You may want to peruse this section: “Paṭicca Samuppāda in Plain English“
Sir I have started this section today. I think it will take me many days to go through all the posts including posts which are linked within those posts!
Another approach is to get an idea about anicca, dukkha, anatta (Tilakkhana). You could start here: “Anicca – True Meaning.” The following section has audio files I recorded some time back: “Three Marks of Existence – English Discourses“
I have gone through some of these posts but not all. In any case I’ll complete them. Earlier I used to aspire for heavenly future rebirth but now the suffering associated with such heavenly rebirth(anariya being in heaven surely falls in lower realms afterwards) has become apparent to me. So my goal now is no more rebirth after this life.
Thank you sir!To complete your comment, Christian. It is simply impossible to become sotāpanna alone. A puthujunas must associate with a person who is at least sotāpanna, to become one. Your suggestion of a master who follows our progress is perfect!
Yes sir and I believe following sir lal sort of fulfils that requirment. (atleast for me)
Thank you for pointing this out sir!
There are two versions of the “eightfold path,” “seven factors of enlightenment,” “Satipatthana,” etc. There is a mundane version and a Noble version.
Understood sir.
The Buddha discussed that in the “Mahācattārīsaka Sutta (MN 117).” I have written a post “Mahā Cattārisaka Sutta (Discourse on the Great Forty)” to discuss it, but I think a simpler discussion is probably needed. Anyway, you can read both and ask questions.
I read both versions sir. In that sutta buddha says that right view, right effort and right mindfulness and all three of these things are kind of go/grow together(in non-linear way) and keep circling and running around right view only. I don’t have any questions about that, I accepted that and now I am trying to understand and apply it.
Most people practice the mundane versions. The Noble versions can be practiced only after understanding the world’s “anicca nature.”
To become a Sotapanna and start on the noble path, one must practice the mundane versions and live a moral life. So, one should practice regardless. The practice automatically turns to the Noble version as one starts grasping the “anicca nature” and gradually removing sakkaya ditthi.I think this answers my question sir! So I will have to stick with practice which is off course mundane version and eventually if I practice with enough wisdom I may reach their noble version some day! I believe as one continues to live with right view aniccha nature will surely become apparent step by step. Atleast I hope so.
Buddha’s actual teachings have been underground for a long time. Most translators of the Pali Tipitaka (including suttas) today understand only the mundane versions. We cannot blame ourselves or the translators because that is what we have been taught for generations. Waharaka Thero (who has now passed away) was born a Sotapanna (meaning he had attained the Sotapanna stage in a previous life) and was responsible for uncovering the true meanings of many concepts.
Wow I am glad that he was born…if he weren’t born I don’t think I would have gotten this opportunity of taking guidance from you or anyone here sir Lal. Thank you so much. 🙏
Before whenever I had any query about dhamma I used to directly search it on Google and would try to read many answers from many links. But now whenever I have any such doubt I search it on Google only, but I add the word ‘puredhamma’ during searching so that I will get explanation from this website only this website truly shows pure dhamma of nobles as if any noble being directly talking and I am confident about this.
So my aim now is to study all the posts from this website and that way I will definitely not go wrong.
I hope you read my comment above carefully before starting on the seven awakening factors. It appears that you read through my comment in a few minutes. Reading and understanding are two different things.
Sir actually I asked my above 2 questions about if seven factors of awakening lead to nibbana and about how to cultivate them before I could see your following post…
Summary: Nibbāna cannot be reached by following a set of rituals. It requires understanding how the Buddha described the world that we live in. That worldview vastly differs from all the worldviews humans (no matter how intelligent) have ever proposed. Attaining Nibbāna requires a mindset change.
Too Many Myths/Misconceptions About Nibbāna
The page took time to update. I could see your latest detailed post only after I posted my 2 questions about 7 factors.
But after that I carefully read it and only then I posted my following replies.
I’ll keep on contemplating above quote now!
Now Sir I have some questions regarding your detailed post..
6. Thus, a mind can get to “samadhi,” or a “peaceful state of mind,” if the mind is prevented from being exposed to sensory experiences of daily life. The longer one can stay in such an “isolated environment” (like a meditation retreat), the longer the experience can last. This is why ancient yogis went into deep jungles to be away from sesnory inputs that can trigger “saṁyojana” or “gati” and trigger rāga, dosa, and moha defilements come to the surface.
Sir I perfectly understood above part of your post along with analogy of a glass of water given by you.
if we consider what happens in the world over a long time, it becomes clear that everything in the world is “impermanent” and is on an “unstable foundation.” We all get old and die; the same applies to all animals, trees, or structures we build. Scientists now confirm that even the stars like our Sun and planets like Earth will be destroyed.
I feel I should keep on reflecting on this above part of post regularly because I should understand that first. I feel like I have just accepted it from surface but it hasn’t reached to my very core. I hope reflecting upon it and carefully studying through the topics you mentioned in above post will help me in that. I am gonna read your above detailed post again many times and I’ll ask questions if there are any. But what else I should do other than reflecting and reading and trying to understand those topics in detail??
Btw Thank you very much for that detailed post sir!The seven awakening factors (at least the Noble version leading to Nibbana) can be cultivated only by a Sotapanna.
So sir, is it wrong if I am trying to practice anything to develop any of the 4 factors of awakening without being sotapanna? I mean I am not sotapanna so I should not try to understand/study about those 7 factors now right?
These days, most English translations translate “anicca” and “impermanence,” which is a grave error! By the way, the Sanskrit word “anitya” means “impermanence,” but it is not the same as the Pāli word “anicca.”
I perfectly understood this part sir.
if we consider what happens in the world over a long time, it becomes clear that everything in the world is “impermanent” and is on an “unstable foundation.” We all get old and die; the same applies to all animals, trees, or structures we build. Scientists now confirm that even the stars like our Sun and planets like Earth will be destroyed.
In other posts, we have discussed how this world of “impermanence of things” arises (or is maintained) via the collective minds of all sentient beings defiled with rāga, dosa, and moha. As discussed in many posts, the “impermanence of things in the world” is a consequence of not comprehending the anicca nature of the world. Instead, we have a mindset of “nicca nature,” i.e., a “distorted/false saññā” about things in the world.I’ll keep on contemplating above quote now!
Do I need to answer any other questions in your above comment? If so, please point them out. I think they are all related to this issue
Sir, it’s alright, you don’t have to answer them as I have started to get what you are saying. Can you just answer another related question please!
1) Can developing all the seven factors of awakening lead one to nibbana?
2) If it can lead one to nibbana then how do I develop all of them? Is there any practice for that?
If one cannot attain nibbana solely by developing all the 7 factors of awakening then anyways I am sticking with your previously given answers.
In any case I wish to know how do I reach/cultivate the path to nibbana in this life only. So I am seeking answers in this context only.Can you see how easy it is to generate a better comment?
Please compose your comments (especially the lengthy ones) in Google Docs. It is free. There are other free word-processing software, too. I hope others will follow this advice, too.Yes sir I have downloaded it and I’ll definitely use that for my next lengthy comments. Thank you!
Each person is different. So, explore some of the ideas suggested above. Take your time. Feel free to ask questions as you proceed. You can ask your questions in this thread to keep track of your progress. Of course, others are also welcome to comment or ask related questions on this thread.
Yes sir I am exploring topics you suggested above. There are many many of them! I was searching for something like ‘do it daily and you will reach nibbana’. But I guess that’s not how it works.
Sir thank you for giving your time. I’ll try to answer each of your questions one by one.
I can see how one could think “focusing on the breath” could be equated to “mindfulness.” (It is not. I will explain in a future comment.)
Since focusing on the breath keeps a mind away from defiled thoughts (those with raga, dosa, moha), it also provides a “relief to the mind” (which one may experience as “piti/sukha.”), and that may give an incentive to do more (i.e., viriya.) (But that effect is temporary. I will explain in a future comment.)Sir, in my opinion, by focusing on breathing it may lead one away from thoughts and towards temporary relief but being mindful of breathing forces one to deal with all those thoughts and know their impermanent nature and weakens the tendency of ‘holding on’ or tendency of ‘clinging’ on to them. This is just my opinion.(Btw I haven’t experienced pitisukha yet in my life)
But in any case I don’t think even mindfulness of breathing gives permanent eradication of defiled thoughts. It’s more of temporary solution.
So I completely accept what you said in above 2 points.
Can you explain how “focusing on the breath” leads to a “keen investigation of the dhamma”?
Sir by ‘keen investigation of dhamma’ I believe it means ‘seeing the impermanence of all the thoughts/distractions’. Am I right here sir?
Also, what do you mean by “dhamma”?
I meant the ‘nature of impermanence’ ‘anityabodh’ by the word ‘dhamma’. I guess I am wrong here, ain’t I sir?
Is that what you mean by dhamma? “contemplation of impermanence of thoughts”?
Yes exactly sir. I guess I am wrong here as well??
If so, how would that lead to Nibbana?
No sir I don’t think it will(help to) lead to nibbana(not directly atleast)and that is why I am asking here how to practice in order to reach nibbana. But I believe this is preparatory step? Am I right sir?
In a related question, what do you understand by “Nibbana“?
Highest wellbeing… when mind is freed from three poisons of raga, dvesha and moha? For example one becomes arhat when one’s volition/intention becomes free. In my understanding I believe after one glimpses nibbana for the first time, one becomes unable to do those akusala kammas which will lead him to apaya realms as one has understood what action or thought will take one where. I mean anriya person like me who has read some suttas may understand that there is no ‘I’ present in me but my cetana does not know that. It’s like I believe fire burns but I have never touched fire ever so I merely believe fire burns but my cetana is not aware of that. So my cetana is not free but an arhat person’s cetana has become free. Am I right sir?
In other words, what is the goal of your practice?
To have glimpse of nibbana in this life only.
Please correct me sir!🙏
P.S. There are still many grammar issues. You can ask a free AI program like ChatGPT or Grok to check your grammar. It is not hard, making it easier for the readers to understand your comments.
Sorry about that sir. From next post I’ll definitely do that.
It is hard enough to express our thoughts in words, so we need to make an effort to convey our ideas as clearly as possible. The message/ideas can get lost with grammar errors.
Hello sir I will explain my question again in simple and concise manner now.
1) I have heard that ‘mindfulness of breathing’ meditation helps in developing first four ‘bodhyangas’ (factors of awakening):
>Mindfulness (sati)
>Keen investigation of the dhamma
(dhammavicaya)
>Energy (viriya)
>Rapture or happiness (piti)And Vipassana-insight meditation helps in developing remaining last three ‘bodhyangas’ (factors of awakening):
>Calm (passaddhi)
>Concentration (samadhi)
>Equanimity (upekkha)(Let me ignore this Vipassana insight meditation part and instead talk about breathing meditation part, for now, at least)
2) Mindfulness of breathing (as I know it) involves witnessing breathing in and breathing out by staying aware of breathing at the area of nostrils…all distractions will (in the form of thoughts and doubts) come but still one is supposed to bring one’s mind again and again back to awareness of breathing. Process should be continued till one can constantly be aware of breathing without any distractions. It is a constant fight against all the thoughts and distractions.
3) In another case When one makes one’s mind thoughtless by trying not to focus it anywhere and suppressing distractions and then one (can) starts to experience some form of happiness above the happiness from 5 sense organs, which is also kind of ‘pitisukha'(this is not the same as 4th factor of awakening but something like that)(this is how anariya jhana starts I suppose because in anariya jhana one suppresses thoughts without realising the truth of their impermanence)(same as anariya gods who achiev birth in heaven by directly doing punna kamma without getting rid of tendencies to do papa kamma), then in order to start and attain and experience anariya jhana one is supposed to focus on that pitisukha like happiness or rather an anariya being naturally at this point by default latches onto that pitisukha like happiness as soon as it arises because it is also some overwhelming happiness. Now this can be done/reached by initially taking the help of mindfulness of breathing meditation also.
4) Through mindfulness of breathing meditation initially one can make one’s mind concentrated and can(without having to deal with distractions of mind) start to directly experience some kind of pitisukha by moving focus away from breathing and directing it to becoming thoughtless (by suppressing thoughts with force initially) to focus mind(achieve ekaggata) and make it more & more empty of distractions/thoughts resulting in experience of some kind of pitisukha.
So generally when one starts mindfulness of breathing meditation ..with practice, first many many thoughts/distractions come and they are suppressed or forcibly ignored and then they fade away(due to suppression) then breathing fades away and then as a result pitisukha arises in such focused mind and then anariya person latches onto it.(But this is not the proper way of mindfulness of breathing meditation). This is how anariya jhana is started I suppose.5) Now true mindfulness of breathing meditation involves continuously staying aware of in-out breathing and even pitisukha is not to be latched on and when pitisukha arises still one is supposed to stay aware of one’s breathing only. Actually it’s very very very hard to reach pitisukha if one practices proper mindfulness of breathing meditation. (I am talking this in the case when general anariya persons practices “proper/true” mindfulness of breathing meditation and I am not talking about ariya people sirs). So one is supposed to not let breathing fade away(by default it starts to fade away by becoming smaller and smaller as mind becomes less and less distracted). When breathing starts to fade away one is supposed to apply slight force to breathing (which has become so small now) just enough to increase the awareness of breathing and not let it fade away. Now as one works to constantly stay aware of breathing, first factor of awakening which is –
>mindfulness or ‘sati’ starts to develop and as one continues one is forced to deal with all the impure thoughts/doubts that arise in mind as we continue. So one’s observation of one’s thoughts actually increases and they are seen as ‘anitya'(impermanent) as they fade away after arising continuously and this is what I believe helps in developing the second ‘bodhyanga'(factor of awakening) which is –
>keen investigation of the dhamma (dhammavicaya) in the form of contemplation of impermanence of thoughts and then as one practices regularly one simultaneously develops 3rd factor of energy or ‘viriya’ as one is practicing continuously, fighting continuosly and after working like that only then one reaches the pitisukha(which is the 4th factor of awakening).
*Because of doing this kind of proper mindfulness of breathing meditation (I believe) one reaches a state when one is constantly aware of his breathing without any thoughts or distractions and simultaneously one’s mind is filled with pitisukha also!* But to reach this state one has to get rid of/be done away with all the deeper and deeper distractions and doubts that come to one’s mind on the way by seeing their impermanence. And this is actually very easier said than done!So my first question is this… Is there any mistake in my above all the 5 points? If yes then please clarify and kindly correct me 🙏
My second question is, considering above 5 points, is it right to say that ‘mindfulness of breathing’ meditation if done truly(as I tried to explain above), it can, help in developing first 4 factors of awakening instead of reaching anariya jhana??
It is a good idea to quote part of a comment (like in your last comment above) and express your thoughts about it.
In other cases, refer to someone’s quote by indicating his/her name (as I have revised your other two comments above.)Sorry about that sir I got it now. I ll keep it in mind from now on.
Ok sir it’s alright reply whenever it’s possible for you I’ll wait.
Others are also welcome to comment. Thank you!
You are probably in India.
Yes exactly sir.
