Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

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mettafuture
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Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by mettafuture »

If I were to fall gravely ill, or need an extra push to join a monastery, I'd like to have some strong texts within reach to help me cut off worldly attachments. The Girimananda Sutta (AN 10.60), brought to my attention by pegembara in another thread, works very well. It doesn't just detail the benefits of renunciation, but it also eloquently explains how renunciation is done.
vi. "And what, Ananda, is contemplation of detachment? Herein, Ananda, a monk having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to a lonely place, contemplates thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all conditioned things, the giving up of all substratum of becoming, the extinction of craving, detachment, Nibbana.' This, Ananda, is called contemplation of detachment.

vii. "And what, Ananda, is contemplation of cessation? Herein, Ananda, a monk having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree, or to a lonely place, contemplates thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, the stilling of all component things, the extinction of craving, cessation, Nibbana.' This, Ananda, is called contemplation of cessation.

viii. "And what, Ananda, is contemplation of distaste for the whole world? Herein, Ananda, (a monk) by abandoning any concern and clinging to this world, by abandoning mental prejudices, wrong beliefs, and latent tendencies concerning this world, by not grasping them, but by giving them up, becomes detached. This, Ananda, Is called contemplation of distaste for the whole world.
The Sañña Sutta (AN 7.46) could be seen as a counterpart. And the Abhaya Sutta describes the qualities of the 4 types of people who live without fear.

Does anyone know of any other suttas that provide explicit and systematic instructions on renunciation, or on how to cultivate sabbaloka anabhiratisaññā?
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Kamran
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by Kamran »

Thanks for pointing out this sutta. I was happy to find that it is also available as an audio download ( www.audtip.org ) so that I can listen to it as I go for a walk tonight :)
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mettafuture
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by mettafuture »

Kamran wrote:Thanks for pointing out this sutta. I was happy to find that it is also available as an audio download ( http://www.audtip.org ) so that I can listen to it as I go for a walk tonight :)
You're welcome. :hello:

And thank you for the audio. I love listening to dhamma just before I go to bed.
dhammapal
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by dhammapal »

Majjhima Nikaya 14 wrote:Mahanama: “The thought occurs to me: What mental quality is unabandoned within me so that there are times when the mental quality of greed invades my mind and remains, when the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades my mind and remains?"

The Buddha: "Mahanama, that very mental quality[2] is what is unabandoned within you so that there are times when the mental quality of greed... the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades your mind and remains.[3] For if that mental quality were abandoned in you, you would not live the household life and would not partake of sensuality. It's because that mental quality is not abandoned in you that you live the household life and partake of sensuality.

"Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality (jhana), apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that[4] — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality.

"I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, but as long as I had not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, I did not claim that I could not be tempted by sensuality. But when I saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and I had attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, that was when I claimed that I could not be tempted by sensuality.
From: Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
With metta / dhammapal.
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Zom
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by Zom »

The best thing to keep in mind is those things that are to be fulfilled before "going into renunciation".
That is MN 107. Read carefully and enjoy -)
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ground
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by ground »

Zom wrote:The best thing to keep in mind is those things that are to be fulfilled before "going into renunciation".
The nature of samsara is that there is always something to do before ... :sage:
daverupa
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by daverupa »

ground wrote:
Zom wrote:The best thing to keep in mind is those things that are to be fulfilled before "going into renunciation".
The nature of samsara is that there is always something to do before ... :sage:
I feel that Zom has given good advice; many people seem to want to sit down and meditate without having developed mindfulness, without an understanding of the hindrances, with no experience guarding the sense gates, perhaps even without an inkling that these things are foundational to everything that follows.

:pig:
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Zenainder
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by Zenainder »

dhammapal wrote:
Majjhima Nikaya 14 wrote:Mahanama: “The thought occurs to me: What mental quality is unabandoned within me so that there are times when the mental quality of greed invades my mind and remains, when the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades my mind and remains?"

The Buddha: "Mahanama, that very mental quality[2] is what is unabandoned within you so that there are times when the mental quality of greed... the mental quality of aversion... the mental quality of delusion invades your mind and remains.[3] For if that mental quality were abandoned in you, you would not live the household life and would not partake of sensuality. It's because that mental quality is not abandoned in you that you live the household life and partake of sensuality.

"Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality (jhana), apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that[4] — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality.

"I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, but as long as I had not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, I did not claim that I could not be tempted by sensuality. But when I saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and I had attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, that was when I claimed that I could not be tempted by sensuality.
From: Cula-dukkhakkhandha Sutta translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
With metta / dhammapal.
If I may, without disrupting this engaging conversation, what reference was this taken from? I've been wanting to get my hands on a direct copy of the sutras, but remain confused on what to actually get (considering the many books and collections). Are there sutras with minimal commentary that I can purchase on amazon or find on the internet? Any on the kindle yet?

Thanks,

Zen
santa100
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Re: Explicit and Systematic Instructions on Renunciation

Post by santa100 »

Zenainder wrote:If I may, without disrupting this engaging conversation, what reference was this taken from? I've been wanting to get my hands on a direct copy of the sutras, but remain confused on what to actually get (considering the many books and collections). Are there sutras with minimal commentary that I can purchase on amazon or find on the internet? Any on the kindle yet?
Some resources:
online text:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
http://tipitaka.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

online lectures:
http://bodhimonastery.org/a-systematic- ... ikaya.html
http://www.noblepath.org/audio.html

books:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Middle-Length ... ima+nikaya
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