Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

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SarathW
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Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by SarathW »

Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?
Interesting article.
============
Nanavira Thera attained Sotapatti [Path entry] on 27 June 1959 and wrote the following letter in classical Pali, sealed it, 'To be opened after my death' and sent to the senior monk at the Island Hermitage: -

'Homage to the Auspicious One, Worthy, Fully Awakened.

At one time the monk Nanavira was staying in a forest hut near Bundala Village. It was during this time, as he was walking up and down in the first watch of the night, that the monk Nanavira made his mind quite pure of constraining things, and kept thinking and pondering and reflexively observing the Dhamma as he had heard and learnt it. Then, while the monk Nanavira was thus engaged in thinking and pondering and reflexively observing the Dhamma as he had heard and learnt it, the clear and stainless Eye of the Dhamma arose in him: 'Whatever has the nature of arising, all that has the nature of ceasing'. Having been a teaching-follower for a month, he became one attained to right view. [27.

https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha256.htm

Could someone give me the link to "Notes on Dhamma" by Ven. Nanavira?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Polar Bear
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Polar Bear »

"I don't envision a single thing that, when developed & cultivated, leads to such great benefit as the mind. The mind, when developed & cultivated, leads to great benefit."

"I don't envision a single thing that, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about such suffering & stress as the mind. The mind, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about suffering & stress."
SarathW
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by SarathW »

Thanks, PB.
:anjali:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Ontheway
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Ontheway »

People can say what they want to say, doesn't make them right.

A Sotapanna can't bring himself/herself to deprive a life knowingly. If he/she did so, then definitely not a Sotapanna.

And if he/she is not a Sotapanna yet claimed to be, seeking recognition and fame, much demerits accumulated by this person.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
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confusedlayman
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by confusedlayman »

Ontheway wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:50 am People can say what they want to say, doesn't make them right.

A Sotapanna can't bring himself/herself to deprive a life knowingly. If he/she did so, then definitely not a Sotapanna.

And if he/she is not a Sotapanna yet claimed to be, seeking recognition and fame, much demerits accumulated by this person.
Did he kill anything?
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Ontheway
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Ontheway »

He committed suicide.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
Lombardi4
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Lombardi4 »

He did NOT commit suicide.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Ceisiwr »

Lombardi4 wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 1:44 pm He did NOT commit suicide.
How then did he die?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Ontheway
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by Ontheway »

https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/d ... 1207250413

Apparently he took his life not because of the illness of amoebiasis, but rather unable to calm down his craving for sex. A tragedy indeed. :candle: :candle: :candle:
However Ven Nanavira Thera wrote lengthily and cautiously on Dhamma, his health issues, and suicide, especially in his regular correspondence with friends, which divulged the truth, the real reason for his decision. It was not the severity of the amoebiasis; but a very unusual and extremely rare physical discomfort called satyriasis.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
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mikenz66
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by mikenz66 »

Ontheway wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:32 pm
... a very unusual and extremely rare physical discomfort called satyriasis.
Excessive sexual desire is rare? :thinking:
EmptyShadow
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by EmptyShadow »

Ontheway wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:50 am A Sotapanna can't bring himself/herself to deprive a life knowingly. If he/she did so, then definitely not a Sotapanna.
Taking someone else's life is not the same as taking your own life. There are examples in the suttas about enlightened ones, including arahants, who ended their own lives. For example: Channa, Vakkali, Santati the King's Minister
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SDC
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by SDC »

Lombardi4 wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 1:44 pm He did NOT commit suicide.
He absolutely did. A long line of people who cherish his work and his memory have made sure that the absolute most accurate information about his death has been made available. If you want to make the claim that he didn’t commit suicide it would respectful for you to provide some evidence.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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SDC
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by SDC »

mikenz66 wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:55 pm
Ontheway wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:32 pm
... a very unusual and extremely rare physical discomfort called satyriasis.
Excessive sexual desire is rare? :thinking:
The condition was apparently the result of a mixture of medications he was taking for amoebiasis, but that can never be known for sure IMO. However it should noted that the condition came on abruptly after already having spent years living alone.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by DNS »

mikenz66 wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:55 pm
Ontheway wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:32 pm
... a very unusual and extremely rare physical discomfort called satyriasis.
Excessive sexual desire is rare? :thinking:
:lol: If it were rare, our species would have gone extinct long ago. As Yuval Harari noted; the pleasure and desire for sex is ingrained in evolution; otherwise no one would be doing it and the species would die off.
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mikenz66
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Re: Venerable Nanavira - Sotapanna or Arahant?

Post by mikenz66 »

I was just querying the statement which suggested that such with sexuality are rare. As I understand it, this is a relatively common problem, and many bhikkhus disrobe for just this reason.

:heart:
Mike
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