Yawares Daily Dhamma Thread

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Cittasanto
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Re: DailyDhamma 16: Contemporary Buddhist Attitudes

Post by Cittasanto »

I was talking about this not long ago here
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p195759" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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yawares
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Re: DailyDhamma 16: Contemporary Buddhist Attitudes

Post by yawares »

Cittasanto wrote:I was talking about this not long ago here
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p195759" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Dear Cittasanto,

Yes, I did read them all...I like your views/comments :candle:
yawares
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yawares
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Daily Dhamma 17:Becoming Stream-winner

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

:candle: Daily Dhamma 17:Becoming Stream-winner :candle:
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri @ SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]

Udakupama Sutta (AN 7.15) emphasizes the utmost importance of five kinds of wholesome (kusala dhammas) that are necessary for successful self-awakening (beginning at Stream-entry) -- not "falling away" in the Dhamma again. Falling away in the Dhamma is comparable to sinking down into a deep water.

"There is the case where an individual comes to the surface, seeing:
'Conviction(saddha) in skillful qualities is good, conscience(hiri) is good, concern(ottappa) is good, persistence(viriya) is good, discernment(pa~n~naa, right understanding) with regard to skillful qualities is good.' His conviction neither remains nor grows, but simply wanes away. His conscience, his concern, his persistence, his discernment neither remain nor grow, but simply wane away. That's how an individual, on coming to the surface, sinks down again.

"And how does an individual, on coming to the surface, open his eyes & look around? There is the case where an individual comes to the surface, seeing:
'Conviction in skillful qualities is good, conscience is good, concern is good, persistence is good, discernment with regard to skillful qualities is good.' With the total ending of [the first] three fetters, he becomes a stream-winner, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening. That's how an individual, on coming to the surface, opens his eyes & looks around."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
................

The three fetters that must be eradicated in order to become a stream-winner are: 1. self-identity views, 2. uncertainty, 3. grasping at precepts & practice.

****************
Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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yawares
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Daily Dhamma 18: Non-return Attainment

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

Daily Dhamma 18: Non-return Attainment
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri @SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]

After becoming a stream-winner, eradication of two more fetters, i.e. sensual desire and ill will, will lead to Non-return.

The 'Simile of the Cloth' discourse(Vatthupama Sutta) of Majjhima Nikaya 7 describes the Non-return path attainment as follows.

"Knowing, monks, covetousness and unrighteous greed to be a defilement of the mind, the monk abandons them. [Note4]
"Knowing ill will to be a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing anger to be a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing hostility to be a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. ... etc.
"When in the monk who thus knows that covetousness and unrighteous greed are a defilement of the mind, this covetousness and unrighteous greed have been abandoned. When in him who thus knows that ill will is a defilement of the mind, this ill will has been abandoned; ... etc.
"When he has given up, renounced, let go, abandoned and relinquished [the defilements] in part,[Note7] he knows: 'I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha... in the Dhamma... in the Sangha; and he gains enthusiasm for the goal, gains enthusiasm for the Dhamma, [Note8] gains gladness connected with the Dhamma. When he is gladdened, joy is born in him; being joyous in mind, his body becomes tranquil; his body being tranquil, he feels happiness; and the mind of him who is happy becomes concentrated.[Note9]
......................................

Commentarial Notes:

Note 4: Abandons them (pajahati). "He abandons the respective defilement through (his attainment of) the noble path where there is 'abandoning by eradication' (samucchedappahana-vasena ariya-maggena)," which according to Sub.Comy. is the "final abandoning" (accantappahana). Before the attainment of the noble paths, all "abandoning" of defilements is of a temporary nature.

Note 7: Bhikkhu Ã`anamoli translates this paragraph thus: "And whatever (from among those imperfections) has, according to the limitation (set by whichever of the first three paths he has attained), been given up, has been (forever) dropped, let go, abandoned, relinquished. etc.

Note 8: "When reviewing (paccavekkhato) the abandonment of the defilements and his unwavering confidence, strong joy arises in the non-returner in the thought: 'Such and such defilements are now abandoned by me.' It is like the joy of a king who learns that a rebellion in the frontier region has been quelled." etc.

Note 9: The Pali equivalents for this series of terms are: 1. pamojja (gladness), 2. piti (joy or rapture), 3. passaddhi (tranquillity), 4. sukha (happiness), 5. samadhi (concentration). Nos. 2, 3, 5 are factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga). The function of tranquillity is here the calming of any slight bodily and mental unrest resulting from rapturous joy, and so transforming the latter into serene happiness followed by meditative absorption. etc.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nypo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

***************
Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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yawares
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Daily Dhamma 19:A Brief Nibbana Formula

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

This Uposatha Day I proudly present:

:candle: Daily Dhamma 19:A Brief Nibbana Formula :candle:
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri @SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]

The following short excerpt of MN 144 is about a brief advice for the permanent cessation of suffering(dukkha): for attainment of arahantship. It may be worthwhile to compare this advice with the famous Bahiya instruction : "In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself." [Ud 1.10 Bahiya Sutta].
...................

MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III (5.2) Channovaadasutta.m
144. Advice to Venerable Channa.

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One lived in the squirrels' sanctuary in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha. At that time, venerable Sariputta, venerable Mahacunda and venerable Channa lived on the Gijjha peak.

At that time venerable Channa was seriously ill. Venerable Sariputta getting up from his seclusion in the evening approached venerable Mahacunda and said. `Friend Chunda, let's approach venerable Channa to inquire about his health.' Venerable Mahacunda accepting venerable Sariputta's suggestion, both approached venerable Channa.

After exchanging friendly greetings with venerable Channa they sat on a side and venerable Sariputta said. ` Friend Channa, how are you feeling? Would you survive? Are the unpleasant feelings decreasing or increasing? Do the feelings show the increasing end or the decreasing end?'

`Friend Sariputta, I do not feel well, will not survive. My unpleasant feelings are severe and increasing, not decreasing. ... Friend Sariputta, I will take a weapon to end life.’ etc.

Then venerable Mahacunda said to venerable Channa: `Friend Channa, constant attention should be given to this too in the dispensation of the Blessed One. To the settled there is change, to the not settled there is no change.
When there is no change, there is delight.
When there is delight, there is no inclination.
When there is no inclination, there is no coming and going.
When there is no coming and going, there is no disappearing and appearing
When there is no disappearing and appearing, there is no here or there, or
in between.
That is the end of unpleasantness.
...................

The "unpleasantness" here is a rendition of 'dukkha' (the most well-known rendition of dukkha is "suffering"). The end of unpleasantness is Nibbana! Thus this Arahant Mahacunda's 'formula for Nibbana' is a brief advice for the cessation of suffering.

[Please read the Sutta commentarial notes (1) - (6) that explain Mahacunda's advice in layman's terms. Click here: http://www.dhammaweb.net/Tipitaka/read.php?id=178" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]
*****************
Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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yawares
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Daily Dhamma 20: Desire Originates the World

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

:candle: Daily Dhamma 20: Desire Originates the World :candle:
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri @SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]

We have read in Mulaka Sutta [AN 10.58] that 'sabbe dhamma' means "all phenomena" or "all things". It further states that the origin of 'sabbe dhamma' is 'chanda' (desire, interest) and that 'all things arise with contact'. Here, contact(phassa) is the coming together of three things: a sense-object, a sense medium("sense door"), and a consciousness.

" Friends, the origin of all things is interest, its beginning is attention, all things arise with a contact, they move with feelings, the foremost for all things is concentration, the authority for all things is mindfulness, all things are ennobled in wisdom, and the essence for all things is release. ..." [Metta.net's translation of AN 10.58]
...........

From the cessation of contact through the Noble Eightfold Path ("the way") five other dhammas also cease: sensuality, perception, taints (cankers, asava) and, importantly, kamma! [See AN 6.63 Nibbedhika Sutta
...........

All phenomena are also called 'the world' (see Loka Sutta, SN 35.82). Since desire, which is the origin of 'the world', no longer arises in arahants; therefore, conditioned phenomena do not originate in their unconditioned mind. It should be noted that wholesome ordinary people can abandon desire, but only temporarily.
***************
:heart: Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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yawares
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Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri@Sariputta/JTN/Mult]

There is a nice sutta, the Sankha Sutta, that explains, in black-and-white, that one's past kamma, no matter how unwholesome(akusala) it seems, can be transcended <undone> by upholding the precepts, developing right view, and practicing awareness-release(ceto-vimutti) that is imbued with good will, compassion, appreciation and equanimity.
.................

[Excerpt, SN 42.8 Sankha Sutta:]

"A disciple has faith in that teacher and reflects: 'The Blessed One in a variety of ways criticizes & censures the taking of life, and says, "Abstain from taking life." There are living beings that I have killed, to a greater or lesser extent. That was not right. That was not good. But if I become remorseful for that reason, that evil deed of mine will not be undone.' So, reflecting thus, he abandons right then the taking of life, and in the future refrains from taking life. This is how there comes to be the abandoning of that evil deed. This is how there comes to be the transcending of that evil deed.

"Having abandoned the taking of life, he refrains from taking life. Having abandoned stealing, he refrains from stealing. Having abandoned illicit sex, he refrains from illicit sex. Having abandoned lies, he refrains from lies. Having abandoned divisive speech, he refrains from divisive speech. Having abandoned harsh speech, he refrains from harsh speech. Having abandoned idle chatter, he refrains from idle chatter. Having abandoned covetousness, he becomes uncovetous. Having abandoned ill will & anger, he becomes one with a mind of no ill will. Having abandoned wrong views, he becomes one who has right views.

"That disciple of the noble ones, headman � thus devoid of covetousness, devoid of ill will, unbewildered, alert, mindful � keeps pervading the first direction [the east] with an awareness imbued with good will, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, & all around, everywhere, in its entirety, he keeps pervading the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will � abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. Just as a strong conch-trumpet blower can notify the four directions without any difficulty, in the same way, when the awareness-release through good will is thus developed, thus pursued, any deed done to a limited extent no longer remains there, no longer stays there.
[Repeat by replacing ill-will(metta) by compassion(karuna), appreciation(mudita) and equanimity(upekkha).]http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
.................
The above excerpt gives one explanation why Angulimala, who had killed 999 people before meeting the Buddha, turned around and later became an arahant.
************
Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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johnny
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by johnny »

Beautiful. Is there anything the Dhamma doesn't cover? love it!
The time would not pass. Somebody was playing with the clocks, and not only the electronic clocks but the wind-up kind too. The second hand on my watch would twitch once, and a year would pass, and then it would twitch again.
There was nothing I could do about it. As an Earthling I had to believe whatever clocks said -and calendars.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five
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yawares
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by yawares »

johnny wrote:Beautiful. Is there anything the Dhamma doesn't cover? love it!
Dear Johnny,

Me too...I love this article/Thanks for your comment,
yawares
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waimengwan
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by waimengwan »

I love the story of Angulimala!

The articles sounds like if we abandon negative actions and I sense there is regret in it as well then we will overcome our negative karma? Am I getting it right? If i get that right then just with regret and not doing those actions again I will purify my karma?

Coz Angulimala though he regret and stopped completely at some villages he was beaten to pulp. Do share if I have gotten it wrong.
santa100
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by santa100 »

"Bear it, brahmin! Bear it, brahmin! you are experiencing here and now the result of deeds because of which you might have been tortured in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years" ~~ MN 86 ~~ (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

From Ven. Thanissaro's note #3, also check AN 3.99 (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) for more detail explanation..
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yawares
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by yawares »

waimengwan wrote:I love the story of Angulimala!

The articles sounds like if we abandon negative actions and I sense there is regret in it as well then we will overcome our negative karma? Am I getting it right? If i get that right then just with regret and not doing those actions again I will purify my karma? [/color]
Dear waimengwan,
I think the Buddha's advice in this sutta is to acknowledge our wrong deeds and repent, Once the acknowledgement is open-mindedly made, we then proceed to abandon the kamma effect through the Noble Eightfold Path development. Of course, no more wrong doing again, once we have understood that it is wrong/evil.
----------
Coz Angulimala though he regret and stopped completely at some villages he was beaten to pulp. Do share if I have gotten it wrong.

Dear friend.....I'll post ANGULIMALA story tomorrow morning @Dhammic story....

Thanks for reading my article,
yawares
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yawares
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by yawares »

[quote="santa100"Bear it, brahmin! Bear it, brahmin! you are experiencing here and now the result of deeds because of which you might have been tortured in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years" ~~ MN 86 ~~ (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

From Ven. Thanissaro's note #3, also check AN 3.99 (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) for more detail explanation..[/quote]
Dear santa100,

Thanks for your quote..very very nice indeed!
yawares
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by sattva »

Thank you, Yawares :namaste:
http://www.chatzy.com/25904628501622
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yawares
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Re: Daily Dhamma 21:How to Transcend Bad Kamma

Post by yawares »

sattva wrote:Thank you, Yawares :namaste:
Dear Sattva,
You're mostly welcome,
yawares
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