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Much merits to LDF, DanielSt and others for their meritorious intentions and deeds in disseminating the Pure / true dhamma !!!
May their and others wholesome intentions and deeds help us all living beings to attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana !!!
Saddhu saddhu saddhu !!!
No issues with desktop/laptop and the website does load faster than before the transition.
I got the website working again on my mobile phone. Maybe there was something wrong with my cell phone, browser or myself when I tried earlier to access the website, but now everything is working fine again. Sorry for the false alert.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but this / the puredhamma.net website is not working properly on my mobile phone.
The menu and search button is not working properly. No drop down menu list appears (nothing happens) when I click the menu button from my mobile phone browser.
The only way that I can access the other pages / posts when accessing puredhamma.net on my mobile phone is to scroll down to all the way of the main page and use the sitemap link.
I’ll definitely look into the video and the other animated stories from the YT channel.
Thanks for sharing Saket!
– “If a person were to learn anything about the Dhamma, what would be at the top of the list?“
This is just from my own personal journey and experiences. At the beginning when I first started learning from this website, I was reading and learning whatever seem interesting to me at that time. I could say I was all over the place, but then I thought to myself that I should build a solid foundation understanding of the Buddha dhamma and should put more focus on certain teachings. What that meant to me at that time was focusing on the Tilakkhana, specifically on anicca, then onto dukkha and anatta. The amount of time and effort that I have put into learning and practicing the Tilakkhana is approximately anicca 50%, dukkha 35%, anatta 15%. I believe by learning / understanding the Tilakkaha, it would also help me with understanding of the other dhamma teachings as well, such as the four noble truths.
What helped me with learning and understanding the Tilakkhana besides reading / learning from the Puredhamma website is watching / learning from Venerable Waharaka Thero subtitled desana’s.
Venerable Waharaka Thero know the Tilakkhana series
Even though I don’t understand what’s being said besides from the English subtitled, but listening to Venerable Waharaka Thero teach / speak increased my faith and confidence in I was learning from the right teachers / source (Venerable Waharaka Thero, Lal and others). I have mentioned this many times before, but I have never come across any dhamma teacher in my life that teaches / can teach like Venerable Waharaka Thero.
Another important dhamma teaching one should at least get the general idea is Paticca Samuppada. Initially one doesn’t need to know or understand everything about P.S. but very beneficial to at least get the general idea / understanding of it.
What’s mentioned and emphasized here on Puredhamma is that one should stay away from akusala kamma and initial kusala or moral / wholesome deeds as much as possible. From what I have seen you mentioned before about yourself, I’m sure you’re already doing this.
What I found to be beneficial on the path as well is to be flexible with one’s learning and contemplation. What this mean to me is that there are times when I want to focus on a specific dhamma teachings or subjects during contemplation or meditation. But at times no matter how hard I try or want to, nothing comes to mind or my mind doesn’t want to focus on certain dhamma teachings at that time. So I just keep trying to find a dhamma teaching that my mind is willing to latch onto at that moment and go from there. As well everyone has their own characteristic / traits of learning, there might be certain dhamma subjects / topics that’s more suitable to each individual learning at the time.
– “what are the top subjects that a Sotapanna (not a Sotapanna Magga Anugami) undertands?“
Without going into further details, a Sotapanna would know yoniso manasikara. See’s / understands this world as anicca, dukkha, anatta and nibbana as nicca, sukha, atta. Besides contemplating on the tilakkhana, I can’t stress enough the importance of focusing the mind on nibbana as well.
I haven’t / didn’t share everything that would completely answer your questions, but I’m sure others can mention additional insights / information that can benefit you.
LDF mentioned:
– “To understand how rebirth is full of suffering read this single page document”
– “Even 9 months of pleasure vacation pales in comparison to one day of harsh intense suffering“
It’s kinda interesting that this was brought up because several years back on here, I mentioned and we discussed something similar.
In addition to what has been mentioned by LDF and others, I thought I would share a recent realization / understanding that I have come to that’s related to this discussion and hope it can help others in any way.
– “Suffering due to unsatisfactory experiences“
– “sense objects nor senses themselves are satisfactory or can be satisfied“
I’m currently on vacation traveling aboard. On a long distance flight, I was able to fly business class due to my wife work benefits. For the last few days, I have been living in luxury, doing luxurious things. I’m sure many others would like to be in the position that I’m currently in on this trip and in my lay life.
I would rate my lay life a 9 / 10, with 10 being the best life one could possibly live. It’s somewhat difficult for me to express everything that I would like to in words on how I exactly feel about all of this. What I can say is that I still carry out kama raga due to my anusaya’s, asava’s and gati. Even experiencing all the assada’s and sukha vipaka’s on my current trip and in my lay life, a part of me finds it all stressful, vexing, unfulfilling and meaningless.
– “All pleasures in saṁsāra are filled with dukkha“
Based on “part of me or in back of my mind” I really don’t see the point of hoping or wanting to continue seeking pleasant / pleasurable experiences or sukha vipaka’s in this world, even from the heavenly realms. If I could spend 99.99% of my “all” my bhava’s / jati’s in the sugati’s (rupa and arupa loka’s) instead of attaining nibbana, I would not want to make such deal / trade. But that’s only possible when I have broken all the 10 fetters.
Why I would say something like this is because my current understanding / view is that any assada or sukha vedana / vipaka’s experienced doesn’t really relieve one of dukkha. It only temporary relieves or covers up the hidden or not evident dukkha that one goes through. It’s like taking a pain killer for chronic pain.
I believe it’s evident, easy to see and understand dukkha and sukha based on vedana, but more difficult with wisdom. To me, seeing and understanding dukkha with wisdom means to see dukkha as a process or mechanism rather than just based on (vedana) feelings. Based on this scrutiny, to me it doesn’t really make sense that I would want to continue the samsara journey even if I could spend 99.99% of my bhava’s / jati’s in the sugati’s.
I believe the only time when one is really free from dukkha is when one’s thoughts are of kusala (with lokuttara samma ditthi) or on nibbana. So even if one is vacationing or existing in the sugati’s without thoughts of kusala or nibbana, are they really free from dukkha during those times / moments? Thinking or seeing based on vedana would seem so but if it’s based on wisdom, I would not believe so.
Thank you both Sengkiat and Lal for your insights and assistance! If both of you don’t mind, I’ll be requesting more of it in the future and thank you both in advance.
I ended up deciding to and just finished watching the Forbidden Archeology with Michael Cremo. All I got to say is “wow”.
For anyone that come across this post, rather one is interested in the topic or not, I highly recommend that one check out the video. Definitely not a waste of one’s 43 minutes of time.
Lal mentioned:
“More evidence will hopefully emerge. The main problem is that metals, when submerged in the Earth, decay and do not last even a million years. So, if a human civilization built rockets many millions ago, there will be no trace of that left. “
16:45 – 18:20 of the video.
If what he says is true, there’s some evidence.
I just did a quick search and found a lecture by Michael Cremo that exhibits visuals as well.
Michael Cremo: Evidence for Extreme Human Antiquity FULL LECTURE
I don’t think I’ll be watching this one though since it’s not really necessary for me to see any further evidence. My mind was already opened to such possibilities before even coming across the Buddha dhamma. The first video was already enough for me.
Before coming across the Buddha dhamma, these kinds of subjects are things that I have looked into. For me, I don’t really need or be given much evidence to believe or be open to the idea that there are past technologically advance and ancient civilizations.
I hope the following videos which I just looked up today will help on your endeavor Venerable Sir.
MYSTERIOUS UNDERWATER CITIES DISCOVERED ALL AROUND THE WORLD: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Forbidden Archeology with Michael Cremo
The second link to the video is a must watch. I only watched 10 minutes of it but it was enough for me. Even for me, it was an eye opener and mentioned things that I didn’t know about and this was only from watching 10 minutes of the video.
DEBATING A BUDDHIST BUDDHIST MONK ABOUT ADVANCED ANCIENT GLOBAL CIVILIZATIONS
Once again I only watched about 10 minutes of the video, but it was kinda interesting that the scientist was actually trying more to validate some of the teachings in the sutta’s on past civilizations than the Buddhist monk. Or that’s what I believe anyways from the 10 minutes that I watched.
Theruwan saranai all,
Thank you Saket for mentioning of the video! I didn’t know about the video.
While we’re on the topic of Venerable Waharaka Thero’s desana’s. I recently came across two newer English subtitled video’s related to Venerable Waharaka Thero. I’m believe some of you already might have come across them. I’m not sure if they have been brought up here, but I thought I would mention them here as well.
Ingraining the powers of the nine noblities
metta, muditha, karuna, upekkha
So glad to see points #1 – 6 in the post! It’s additional details and information for me. Some of the materials in those points reminds me of a desana given by Venerable Waharaka Thero given on anicca khayatthena.
In regards to what I have mentioned in this thread and the two questions that I have brought up. I believe now I have mostly figured things out and able to answer my own two questions. It’s possible though that what I’m about to mention might have some gaps of misunderstandings or inconsistencies. If one notice any, you can really help me and us out by bringing them up or correct any possible mistakes that I might have made. Much thanks!
After some contemplation and as of this moment. I now believe that there are no 1st, 2nd, 3rd jhana samapatti, only 4th jhana samapatti.
I asked:
#1. Is there any differences between the samapatti in each of the four jhana’s?
#2. Does one need to attain samapatti in each of the jhana’s before being able to progress to the next jhana or they can still progress to the higher jhana’s without needing to attain samapatti in those jhana’s?
My answer to my question #1. is that there are no 1st, 2nd, 3rd jhana samapatti. If there are no jhana samapatti from 1st to 3rd jhana, than my question #2. is invalid. How did I arrive to such conclusions?
This is something I’m not totally sure about, but thought to bring it up for scrutiny and advice. The definition given for samapatti on SC is “attainment”, while here on PD glossary is “meditative attainment”. If we take the word “attainment” (samapatti) literally, it would sound like 1st jhana “attainment”, 2nd jhana “attainment” and so on. Besides one of the meanings for samapatti is that there are no pancadvara citta vithi that runs through the mind, what if “meditative attainment” (samapatti) also means attaining all the 4 jhana’s or when one is able to enter the 4th jhana at will?
From teaching materials here on Puredhamma:
(“Therefore, the main difference between any samāpatti and jhānā is that jhānā citta do not run continuously. When one is in a jhānā, jhānā citta vithi are interrupted by pañcadvāra citta vithi running in between. Pañcadvāra citta vithi are those coming through the five physical senses. Therefore, when one is in jhānā, one can see, hear, etc.”)
(“But when one is in any samāpatti, corresponding manōdvāra citta vithi runs continuously.”)
At my current understanding, it makes most sense to me that when one is in samapatti, only manodvara citta vithi runs through the mind. Based on this understanding, it doesn’t seem correct to me calling or saying one is in jhana samapatti when there are pancadvara citta vithi’s still running through the mind in any levels of jhana’s.
Why I believe there’s no 1st to 3rd jhana samapatti is due to my belief that in the 3rd jhana, pañcadvāra citta vithi are still running through the mind. What makes me believe that pancadvara citta vithi still flows through the mind in the 3rd jhana is from the jhanic experience in detail post
(“Thus he enters and dwells in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare: He dwells happily with equanimity and mindfulness”)
(“Similarly, the great king, the bhikkhu, drenches, steeps, saturates and suffuses his body with happiness free from rapture so that this happiness suffuses his entire body. This too, great king, is a visible fruit of a life abstaining from kāma and akusala”)
Although I could be wrong, but seeing the word “happiness”, to me it seems like there’s still body feelings and possibly pancadvara citta vithi still coming in the 3rd jhana.
Now I compare with the 4th jhana description.
(“He sits suffusing his body with a pure bright mind so that there is no part of his entire body not suffused by a pure bright mind (one’s physical body no longer is felt, and only a “white light” is discerned; that white light is the only “rupa” left to be cognized”).
(“the bhikkhu sits suffusing his body with a pure bright mind, so that there is no part of his entire body not suffused by a pure bright mind”)
(“One’s physical body is no longer felt”)
To me, this sounds like no more pancadvara citta vithi runs through the mind and only manodvara citta vithi’s.
(“Initially, only 2-3 jhānā citta vithi flow before a pañcadvāra citta vithi comes in. As one cultivates the jhānā, there will be less and less pañcadvāra citta vithi coming in between successive jhānā citta vithi.”)
(“This point explains why it is so peaceful not to have any citta running through the mind. That is the closest explanation that can be given to an average human as to how having no citta can be so peaceful. But this is hard even to imagine for an average human, as I mentioned at the beginning. Those who cultivate jhānā, and get to higher rupāvacara jhānic and arupāvacara samāpatti states, can start seeing that this is true. That is why they cultivate arupāvacara samāpatti up to the nēva saññā nā saññā state.”)
Based on what I just quoted, I believe and it makes a lot of sense that as one moves up into higher jhana’s. Less and less pancadvara citta vithi’s comes in and finally in the 4th jhana ,all pancadvara citta vithi’s stops and only manodvara citta vithi’s remain and one enters jhana samapatti (4th jhana).
(“Today, many English texts incorrectly label the “higher rupāvacara samāpatti” as the fifth through the eighth jhāna. In the Tipiṭaka, they are labeled as ākāsānañcāyatana, viññāṇañcāyatana, ākiñcaññāyatana, and nevasaññānāsaññāyatana samāpatti.”)
I believe what’s mentioned in the sutta below confirms that 1st to 3rd or 4th jhana? is just “jhana” while the arupa jhana’s are labeled as samapatti?
paṭhamassa jhānassa lābhīti vā dutiyassa jhānassa lābhīti vā tatiyassa jhānassa lābhīti vā catutthassa jhānassa lābhīti vā ākāsānañcāyatanasamāpattiyā lābhīti vā viññāṇañcāyatanasamāpattiyā lābhīti vā ākiñcaññāyatanasamāpattiyā lābhīti vā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasamāpattiyā lābhīti vā, ayaṁ kittīti – yaso kitti ca yā pubbe.
I also found some possible additional information on samapatti in the following sutta below that I believe might be relevant, but I don’t fully understand it.
Samāpattī”ti ekattatā. Tattha katamā samāpatti? Saññāsamāpatti asaññāsamāpatti, nevasaññānāsaññāsamāpatti. Vibhūtasaññāsamāpatti nirodhasamāpattīti. Ayaṁ vemattatā.
To conclude, I believe the labels given here on Puredhamma for Nirodha samapatti, phala samapatti, jhana, jhana samapatti are accurate / correct and I’m glad to see how it’s differentiate here on Puredhamma. It really helps to clear things up. The issue was that I was mistaken by thinking that there are samapatti in 1st to 3rd jhana.
This is what I’m able to think off for now, please feel free to comment.
!!!
So glad that I mentioned about this subject / sutta. I learned that I didn’t understand the sutta mentioned properly and could’ve continued to error without the explanation that was just given. The answer was blindsiding to me.
I’ll borrow material to add to this line: “Ven. Saripuatta was in Arahant phala samadhi! There only pure, undefiled citta (pabhassara citta) would arise.”
“Nibbānā is the thought object made contact with phassa cētasika, and vēdana and saññā are based on that (we have no idea about that)”
I was wondering what is this “Nibbana” thought object making contact with the phassa cetasika? I looked through an older forum thread “Difference between Arahant Phala Samapatti and Nirodha Samapatti. I saw the mention of asankata dhatu and nibbana dhatu (I was thinking nibbana dhatu) as being the possible thought object making contact with the phassa cetasika, but I’m not certain.
Regardless this was a beneficial learning experience for me.
