What are you always getting ready for ?

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thang
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What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by thang »

For what are you always getting ready-
eating and drinking and adorning yourself?
Where are you going to take this body?
Be diligent at all times in doing merits.
Isn't that what takes you beyond the ocean of existence?


(Lo-wáda Sangarava' - A poem of the 15th century by Venerable Vidagama Maitreya Mahathera
Translated by: Bhikkhu K. Nanananda.)
It seems the 15th century is far more better than this century.
"Bhikkhus, whatever the Tathāgata speaks, _ all that is just so and NOT otherwise."
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Wizard in the Forest
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by Wizard in the Forest »

Nibbana or death.
"One is not born a woman, but becomes one."- Simone de Beauvoir
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Sam Vara
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by Sam Vara »

Many thanks for the verse - it's a very beautiful sentiment well expressed.

As for how the fifteenth century compares to now, I'm not so sure. We both have access to that verse, but they also had smallpox.
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DooDoot
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by DooDoot »

thang wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:32 pm
For what are you always getting ready-
eating and drinking and adorning yourself?
Where are you going to take this body?
Be diligent at all times in doing merits.
Isn't that what takes you beyond the ocean of existence?


(Lo-wáda Sangarava' - A poem of the 15th century by Venerable Vidagama Maitreya Mahathera
Translated by: Bhikkhu K. Nanananda.)
It seems the 15th century is far more better than this century.
I personally did not find the poem inspiring, at all. To me, it sounds like dualistic egoism, where the body is separated from the soul or mind. Its not Dhamma but a religious doctrine used to egotistically criticise others. It sounds like the wicked sinfulness of "exalting oneself and disparaging others" mentioned in MN 139.

In reality, the body is created by and for "eating, drinking and adorning (for sexual reproduction)". All and each physical life form, day after day, month after month, year after year, generation after generation, is designed by nature merely for eating, drinking (defecating, urinating) and sexual reproduction. There is no "you" doing this. It is how the body is designed, including its associated mentality. Craving arises mostly merely for the purpose of finding food, drink and sex; for either the individual organism or its offspring. If what I wrote can be clearly seen, this will reach disenchantment (nibbida) and dispassion (viraga) because this physical body & its associated mentality will be discerned as essentially utterly meaningless (per SN 22.95). But the poem won't reach disenchantment and dispassion because it keeps referring to a "you" or "soul" that is somehow separate from the physical body. I think my 21st century post-9/11 Dhamma (written by a Westerner) is much wiser & better than this merit-making 15th century poem.

:anjali:
And what is right view? Right view, I tell you, is of two sorts: There is right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions [of becoming]; there is right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path.

And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the other world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously arisen beings; there are contemplatives & brahmans who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the other after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions.

And what is the right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path? The discernment, the faculty of discernment, the strength of discernment, analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening, the path factor of right view in one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without effluents, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right view that is noble, without effluents, transcendent, a factor of the path

MN 117
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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thang
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by thang »

DooDoot wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:16 pm To me, it sounds like dualistic egoism, where the body is separated from the soul or mind. .. There is no "you" doing this.
Getting stuck with words is not appreciated by the wise.
We should be wise enough to distinguish the conventional truth and the ultimate truth.

If what you are saying is true, then what is 'me' in your post.
DooDoot wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:16 pm To me, it sounds like dualistic egoism, ....
Is this 'me' not sound like dualistic egoism ?
You have done the same.

Anyway, this word 'you' is not found in the original poem. It is how the translator have interpreted it in to English.
"Bhikkhus, whatever the Tathāgata speaks, _ all that is just so and NOT otherwise."
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DooDoot
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by DooDoot »

thang wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:10 pmIs this 'me' not sound like dualistic egoism ?
Not, it is not. It is merely convention and skillful means to not make the post sound dogmatic.

The bottom line is the poem posted by Vidagama is not lokuttara Dhamma connected to emptiness. Instead, it sounds like common Asian culture.
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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SarathW
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by SarathW »

I personally did not find the poem inspiring, at all.
@DD
I agree to you with reservation.
Have you read Lo-wadsangarawa?
Lo-wada means Lokiya Sammadithi. Sangrawa means the publication or the book.
This monk was well aware of what he was doing.
The challenge for a Sri Lankan monk is not to make people Arahant.
Getting people to observe the five precepts is enough to challenge.
This book contains a wealth of wisdom.
http://www.beyondthenet.net/calm/lowada ... -final.pdf



viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31075&p=455008&hil ... wa#p455008
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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robertk
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by robertk »

thang wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:32 pm ]For what are you always getting ready
eating and drinking and adorning yourself?
Where are you going to take this body?
Be diligent at all times in doing merits.
Isn't that what takes you beyond the ocean of existence?[/size]

(Lo-wáda Sangarava' - A poem of the 15th century by Venerable Vidagama Maitreya Mahathera
Translated by: Bhikkhu K. Nanananda.)
love it!
.
Bundokji
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by Bundokji »

I think it depends on the mindset. For example, if the poem is reflecting a sense of self righteousness (only this is right, everything else is wrong) then i don't think it would be inline with the Buddha's teachings, even if appears to be so.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
budo
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by budo »

It is a great poem because it gets to existentialism at the end of the day.

Reminds me of the story between Diogenes and Alexander the great. Diogenes asked Alexander the great “What are you going to do after you have conquered the whole world?” and Alexander said “After I have conquered the whole world, I am going to relax, just like you.” so Diogenes said “If after conquering the whole world you are just going to relax like me, why not relax right now? Is conquering the whole world a precondition for relaxation? I have not conquered the whole world.”

No matter what you do, you'll always be back to square one when you're done: your self. Anything that you do is just not-self and a distraction.
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WindDancer
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by WindDancer »

budo wrote: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:54 am It is a great poem because it gets to existentialism at the end of the day.

Reminds me of the story between Diogenes and Alexander the great. Diogenes asked Alexander the great “What are you going to do after you have conquered the whole world?” and Alexander said “After I have conquered the whole world, I am going to relax, just like you.” so Diogenes said “If after conquering the whole world you are just going to relax like me, why not relax right now? Is conquering the whole world a precondition for relaxation? I have not conquered the whole world.”

No matter what you do, you'll always be back to square one when you're done: your self. Anything that you do is just not-self and a distraction.
Thanks for your reply. :namaste:
Live Gently....
Bundokji
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by Bundokji »

budo wrote: Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:54 am It is a great poem because it gets to existentialism at the end of the day.

Reminds me of the story between Diogenes and Alexander the great. Diogenes asked Alexander the great “What are you going to do after you have conquered the whole world?” and Alexander said “After I have conquered the whole world, I am going to relax, just like you.” so Diogenes said “If after conquering the whole world you are just going to relax like me, why not relax right now? Is conquering the whole world a precondition for relaxation? I have not conquered the whole world.”

No matter what you do, you'll always be back to square one when you're done: your self. Anything that you do is just not-self and a distraction.
Diogenes was a cynic though. Not sure if his actions and world view is considered wise according to the teachings of the Buddha.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
SarathW
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by SarathW »

I request you to read Lowada Sangarawa in full.
There is nothing but the teaching of Tipitaka in there.
He clearly mentioned this merit making is for the people who are not wise enough to understand the Buddhas teaching.
His effort is to encourage people to not to fall to a woeful state.

https://authorzilla.com/xZEnd/lowada-sa ... final.html
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
SarathW
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by SarathW »

thang wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:32 pm
For what are you always getting ready-
eating and drinking and adorning yourself?
Where are you going to take this body?
Be diligent at all times in doing merits.
Isn't that what takes you beyond the ocean of existence?


(Lo-wáda Sangarava' - A poem of the 15th century by Venerable Vidagama Maitreya Mahathera
Translated by: Bhikkhu K. Nanananda.)
It seems the 15th century is far more better than this century.
Could you provide the link to full text?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
thang
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Re: What are you always getting ready for ?

Post by thang »

Merits do not accrue also to those who adhere to wrong views,
which are comparable to a citadel within the city of samsara,
or to a parasitic root which throws out a flush of sprouts in the bush of evil deeds,
or to poisonous thorns on the pathway to heaven and Nibbana.
Lo_Wada_Sangarava
"Bhikkhus, whatever the Tathāgata speaks, _ all that is just so and NOT otherwise."
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