Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Did Buddha sleep or did he not sleep?
Webu sayadaw never slept, he was an arahant.

Where do you get these questions from?

According to the pali it could be interpreted as slept or rested, either way he was in a state which could be called sleep from an outside perspective, but that doesn't really matter for our immediate practice here and now.

villkorkarma wrote:Webu sayadaw never slept.

Yes, he did.

Greetings villkorkarma,

Ben wrote:

villkorkarma wrote:Webu sayadaw never slept.

Yes, he did.

And given this isn't the first instance of possible misinterpretation or misrepresentation on your part, it really would be appreciated if you could endeavour to provide direct quotations or links to substantiate such comments where possible.

Thanks.

Metta,
Retro.

Sources here:

From his biography on Pariyatti:

..it is said that he never slept.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www. ... gY7x1FZoeQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck: The Teachings and Writings of Sayagyi U Ba Khin:

He was reputed to be an arahant (fully enlightened one), and it is said that he never slept.

http://books.google.com/books?id=gUN3o9 ... gX3U&hl=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One of the early disputes was whether an arahant could have a wet dream; it was assumed that sleeping occurred in the natural course of events for arahants, and was therefore a null point. How does it come to have importance now?

bodom wrote:Sources here:

From his biography on Pariyatti:

..it is said that he never slept.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www. ... gY7x1FZoeQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From The Clock of Vipassana Has Struck: The Teachings and Writings of Sayagyi U Ba Khin:

He was reputed to be an arahant (fully enlightened one), and it is said that he never slept.

http://books.google.com/books?id=gUN3o9 ... gX3U&hl=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks Nevin
However much I revere and respect Sayagi U Ba Khin and teachers within my own tradition, I think on this point may have been concocted as a result of misunderstanding, mistranslation or hagiography. Secondary sources, inc. biographical information on highly esteemed monks, need to be taken with a grain of salt from time to time.
Webu Sayadaw, from his compilation of discourses in Way to Ultimate Calm, and from John Coleman's Quiet Mind was a life-long practitioner of the dhutanga of not ever lying down, not even to sleep. He did sleep, but did so the sitting position. That is not to say that he slept regularly nor that it may have been of an altogether different qualitative experience but sleep he did.
kind regards,

Ben

Greetings,

Ben wrote:Webu Sayadaw, from his compilation of discourses in Way to Ultimate Calm, and from John Coleman's Quiet Mind was a life-long practitioner of the dhutanga of not ever lying down, not even to sleep. He did sleep, but did so the sitting position. That is not to say that he slept regularly nor that it may have been of an altogether different qualitative experience but sleep he did.

For what it's worth, that was my understanding too.

Like Dave, I would like to know what significance this matter holds to villkorkarma.

Metta,
Retro.

Ben wrote: Thanks Nevin
However much I revere and respect Sayagi U Ba Khin and teachers within my own tradition, I think on this point may have been concocted as a result of misunderstanding, mistranslation or hagiography. Secondary sources, inc. biographical information on highly esteemed monks, need to be taken with a grain of salt from time to time.
Webu Sayadaw, from his compilation of discourses in Way to Ultimate Calm, and from John Coleman's Quiet Mind was a life-long practitioner of the dhutanga of not ever lying down, not even to sleep. He did sleep, but did so the sitting position. That is not to say that he slept regularly nor that it may have been of an altogether different qualitative experience but sleep he did.
kind regards,

Ben

Thanks Ben

Just to clarify I didnt post the sources to substantiate villakormas claim that the Sayadaw never slept but merely to show where exactly he may have come across this idea.

No problem, Nevin!
with metta,

Ben

villkorkarma wrote:Did Buddha sleep or did he not sleep?

The Buddha did sleep.
http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=385" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'The enlightened one, done with sensual pleasures, free from acquisitions and with a cool heart, always sleeps happily. When attachments are chopped off, the heart is carefree, and the mind is at peace, and the serene one sleeps well.’ (SN I,212).

I am sure it was only a few hours at the most and with perfect awareness (he was the samma-sam-buddha after all).

And I think most of us find that we can function well on less sleep the more we progress and the more we meditate. Meditation is not sleep, but does provide a relaxed state of mind which probably 'makes up' for some time, allowing less sleeping time.

And since the Buddha did sleep, well all the more reason the rest of us need it too . . .

Thank you for all You are all very kindly