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This is how one can grasp the true nature of the Sansara
Firstly, Everything in this universe is a manifestation of energy, the cars, the trees, the food, etc. all have atoms as the fundamental structure according to science. If we go deep,we get up to the quark level. In Buddha Dhamma it’s the Suddhataka.
Now this energy is manifested in the Rupa as mentioned above and sentient beings in Kama loka give the highest priority to these Rupa i.e, Kama raga or prioritising Sensual pleasures derived from such a Rupa
Anicca- nothing can satisfy permanently. It can be studied in 2 ways.
First, material objects deteriorate with time and if someone is attached to such a thing, he will suffer.
Second , even if that object is prevented from deterioration, it won’t provide permanent satisfaction.
That is, No Rupa, vedana, Sanna, Sankhara, vinnana has the essence to provide permanent happiness/satisfaction.
And why is it so?
It’s because all these things are Neutral in nature.
Now let’s see why we pursue material things.
We perceive that there is beauty, fragrance, melody(in sound), taste, and touch( pleasure touch). And if any object provides such things, one would want to pursue it.
But the reality is these are creations of the mind! No beauty/ ugliness is present, no good smell nor bad smell, no good taste or bad taste, every material is of neutral nature. Here we see distorted Sanna, how our bodies create these things for the mind.
So if something has no beauty and we pursue it, will we be ever satisfied? Don’t “beautiful women” get divorced by their husbands? Why is the husband leaving that woman? he is probably bored of that face, the perception has changed, and now he might feel beauty in some other woman. The point is some other man would still find that woman beautiful who is being divorced by her husband!
Beauty is subjective and is not an intrinsic property of matter/ energy.
This is Anicca. Nothing has permanent happiness.
Even for taste and others.
So if one is running behind a mirage, will he be satisfied ever? Never. He will only suffer as no permanent happiness and constant wanting (Dukkha), therefore he is helpless (Anatta).
If one realises this , one attains the Sakadagami stage and doesn’t want to hold on to material things. He/she may still want to enjoy the feelings associated with those objects like taste for example.
If one realises it at a deeper level, one attains the Anagami stage. Now the person doesn’t crave for any sensual feelings. Note that pleasure can only be felt if you have the wanting for it, that is ,vexation in the mind, as pleasure is nothing but relief from vexation.
If you want to eat chocolate and then you eat it, you will feel the taste as well as pleasure.
If you don’t want to eat chocolate and then you eat it, you will only feel the taste and no pleasure! Same for any sensual feeling!
Even if you experience Orgasm, the same principle Applies, if you want that feeling and then you feel it, you will feel pleasure too. But if you don’t want that feeling and then you feel it , there is no pleasure at that moment but only the feeling.
The mind intentionally creates wanting, so that it can feel pleasure!
There is nothing of essence in Anything!
This is Anicca at a much deeper level .
The bottom line is, you don’t even need to include time for Anicca. Even if someone earns a lot by selling drugs and is Enjoying sensuality, Anicca is there even at that moment.
I hope you got the idea🙏
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“The energy to move a hand does not come directly from kammic energy generated in the mind. In fact, no kammic energy is generated to move a hand if that action is a “neutral action,” like picking up a glass of water to drink.”
So it means that some other energy is generated to signal the brain which then moves the arm?
Because a signal must be sent to the brain to move that body part the way the mind wants.
That “seperation” part was about how mind creates a seperate entity as “me” and “others”. Thero was teaching about why there is a perception of a self, as the mind wants seperation, he then proceeded with the things that @pathfinder had written.
I too think that was unnecessary as it doesn’t take us anywhere. It doesn’t tell us how to solve the hidden problem.
I too when was unaware of the Buddha Dhamma used to go to a church, and I asked some questions. That pastor looked so calm but when he couldn’t answer my questions, anger was evident on his face.
When I asked related questions to the Muslims online recently, they said that I am mad, and Allah knows everything.
They couldn’t really answer my questions without contradictions, and called me stupid instead!
That too caused a lot of disturbance in my mind, but now I have realised that it’s a waste of time. I no longer argue with people on such matters, even if someone asks me what religion do I follow, I try to change the topic.
If someone has the merits, he/she will automatically come across the true Buddha Dhamma.
Every religion claims they know everything, yet their believers suffer mentally and are unhappy. What an irony!
The Highly Religious people could be the Highly immoral people as well!
It’s better not to generate hateful thoughts towards such people, rather have sympathy towards them. Have kindness towards them. And stay away from them. Otherwise they might even harm us.
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I guess Taryal, in #3 was asking about the perception of a self. Wont an Arahant realise that there is no “me”?
The arahant would perceive the world based on distorted Sanna, but not a self, right?
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So it means that the offering is made to the Qualities of the Sangha which the Bhikkus represent, not to that Bhikku as an individual, but to the quality.
If a female gives alms to a Bhikku who has lustful thoughts towards that female, if the female is giving to the Qualities that the Bhikku is representing, she would receive immense merits.
But if she gives the alms to the Bhikku as an individual, to only that person, then the merits would be not that great as his mind is corrupted, purity is not there.
Am I right?
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It would be the same, the difference is that someone who hasn’t realised Nibbana, would engage in Punna Kamma
But someone who has realised what Nibbana is, all the meritorious deeds become Kusala Kamma as they help in purifying one’s mind, leading that person to Nibbana
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What I understand is that the intention to give should be there because you truly want to give, out of compassion and kindness for the receiving party . And after that it should be reflected that ” May all beings including me have the benefits of this merit and attain Nibbana”.
If someone gives only to expect some benefit in return, that is a stained thought as it doesn’t really involve compassion and kindness, it involves greed.
Cultivating a mindset of compassion and kindness is Nibbana.
Kammic law will give the giver, that’s bound to happen depending upon the conditions. But it’s all about the mindset.
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When I first came across the bhara sutta, I couldn’t really grasp the essence, it didn’t internalise, I couldn’t understand it fully.
But as the wisdom grew, I was able to understand it automatically. It automatically came into my mind. It was an “Ahh” moment for me. I can feel some realisation. I hope I will attain my goal sooner!
This also proves that if someone has attained the magga phala, he will understand the Dhamma entirely without anyone’s help upto the Arahant stage. That happens automatically, the mind Will progress.
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Is there any easiest way to attain jhanas? I mean we know that sensual cravings should be atleast suppressed, but what should be the meditation technique? Should we just focus on the peace of mind while in the meditation and jhanas will appear?
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How do people have birth marks from past life injuries?
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I would suggest that everyone ( if possible) should also listen to the Sermons as well( Jethavanarama Buddhist Monastery sermons is one such helpful place). I have experienced that listening to them have accelerated my understanding than just reading.
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When the mind is focused on a neutral object, the mind is temporarily free from Panca Nivarana(which includes kama raga, and dosa). So the mind is suppressing these things on the one hand and focusing (concentration) on the other. This leads to the Jhanas( Anariya)
För Ariya, one already knows about Anicca, Anatta, Dukha and also the Asubha nature of the kama raga. So the object in this case would be Nibbana ( which is the relief one feels when such things are not present in the mind) . The ariya has experienced some “Cooling Down”, so he/she can recall that state of mind and focus on that. If the Ariya is an Anagami, then the Jhanas will be Ariya Jhanas as they are now permanent ( Anagami never craves for sensuality). This is my overall understanding.
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