Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

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SecretSage
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Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by SecretSage »

While having my own personal experiences the thought occurred to me "if I figure out how to achieve arahantship I'll reveal the fastest most efficient method in ways that cannot be misinterpreted, an exact step-by-step procedure based on my direct experience. If what works for me doesn't work for others I'll examine the different types of individuals that exist in the world and their different kamma and come up with methods that work for everyone".

Certainly the teacher Gautama and the other arahants must have realized that their are methods for almost anyone to achieve arahantship within a short time-period...but why was the method not revealed? Was it suppressed?

There are some hints here and there on things that have big effects in a finger-snap or few moments but I can't find any exact method revealed...like something was suppressed or disappeared.

The minimum time-period given to achieve arahantship seems to be within half a day or 12 hours, so this means The Buddha must have been aware of some types of methods:
When he had spoken, Prince Bodhi said to the Buddha, “Sir, when a mendicant has the Realized One as trainer, how long would it take for them to realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life?”
...
When a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in seven years.

Let alone seven years, they could realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in six years, or as little as one year.

Let alone one year, when a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could realize the supreme end of the spiritual path in seven months, or as little as one day.

Let alone one day, when a mendicant with these five factors that support meditation has the Realized One as trainer, they could be instructed in the evening and achieve distinction in the morning, or be instructed in the morning and achieve distinction in the evening.”
- MN 85
So what happened? Why didn't The Buddha or other arahants reveal a method?

I can only think of a few possibilities:
  • The world's kamma was too bad
  • No one asked or requested
  • Since Ananda's requests allowed women to enter the order the pure dhamma had to cease quickly
  • Since Ananda refused to ask The Buddha to remain alive for the eon after The Buddha relinquished his life force the agreement he made with Mara prevented anyone from asking
"You yourselves must strive; the Buddhas only point the way"
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robertk
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by robertk »

The minimum time-period given to achieve arahantship seems to be within half a day or 12 hours, so this means The Buddha must have been aware of some types of methods
:

Bahiya Dārucīriya attained arahat while listening to a short teaching by the Buddha.
Ontheway
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by Ontheway »

Different people different capabilities and Paramis/merits.


Only a Sammasambuddha knows and can judge.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
SarathW
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by SarathW »

Arahantship also another thought moment.
Once you have it you will have it forever.
However do not look for short cut for Arahantship.
This will prolong more for your final attainment.

A person asked a similar question from Buddha.
But I can't find the Sutta reference.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Bundokji
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by Bundokji »

Most people would disagree with the underlying assumption, by presenting suttas as instructive and descriptive which would lead to liberation if pursued to their rightful end. When an end is not achieved by following the instructions, then the instructions cannot be blamed, but could be that the individual practitioner is not ripe enough, and more lives are needed to master the instructions due to the accumulated kammic history. This is akin to the endless human attempt to find a solution to death by breeding, where each generation hands over the "torch" so to speak to the next generation, with the noble aim of overcoming death, and in search for peace and happiness. Until the method is perfected, you cannot blame someone who advises you to eat healthy, to exercise. to choose wise friends, to avoid evil, to do good ...etc

Other possibilities might include:

1- the higher teachings are not for everyone
2- the Buddha determined those who he is going to covert since the outset, through his divine eye while sitting under the Bodhi tree
3- There could be cosmological reasons, such as earth is incapable of inhabiting too many ariyas under certain conditions
4- That the whole mystique of enlightenment is no different than the mystique of god, carefully designed to use human curiosity and limitations to give them a goal or a path to walk in.
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.
TRobinson465
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by TRobinson465 »

The answer is simple really. what is easy for you is hard for someone else, and not everyone can do the same thing. One of the reasons people were able to enlighten just by listening to the Buddha was because people in ancient India were already spiritually and mentally developed. Buddhism is a practice, not a theory. You cannot "fully" understand certain concepts until you have practiced it and developed your mind to a certain level first. Nobody fully understands impermanence, non-self, or the 8 fold path perfectly just by intellectually hearing about it, they have to understand it on a deeper level based thier own spritual development. Those who did understand it right away and enlightened were spiritually developed already. Its not like one size fits all. Everyone has differing levels of merit, parami, and existing spirtiual/mental levels.

There are also people who cannot become arahants at all, they just dont have the parami level in this life. So its not like, you just follow step-by-step instructions on how to do theoretical physics and you solve the problem. Its more like, instructions on how to do Karate. Read the technique on how to do the advanced backflip moves all day everyday and you still wont be able to do it until you get out and practice for a while. People who are already physically fit or have some training in gymastics or something ancillary would be able to learn the backflip easier, those without such a background, they have to go out and train.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
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SDC
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by SDC »

Yeah, as some already mentioned, it’s a matter of developed faculties, and the amount of dust in one’s eyes. Everyone doesn’t start from the same place.
“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
justindesilva
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by justindesilva »

TRobinson465 wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 4:38 am The answer is simple really. what is easy for you is hard for someone else, and not everyone can do the same thing. One of the reasons people were able to enlighten just by listening to the Buddha was because people in ancient India were already spiritually and mentally developed. Buddhism is a practice, not a theory. You cannot "fully" understand certain concepts until you have practiced it and developed your mind to a certain level first. Nobody fully understands impermanence, non-self, or the 8 fold path perfectly just by intellectually hearing about it, they have to understand it on a deeper level based thier own spritual development. Those who did understand it right away and enlightened were spiritually developed already. Its not like one size fits all. Everyone has differing levels of merit, parami, and existing spirtiual/mental levels.

There are also people who cannot become arahants at all, they just dont have the parami level in this life. So its not like, you just follow step-by-step instructions on how to do theoretical physics and you solve the problem. Its more like, instructions on how to do Karate. Read the technique on how to do the advanced backflip moves all day everyday and you still wont be able to do it until you get out and practice for a while. People who are already physically fit or have some training in gymastics or something ancillary would be able to learn the backflip easier, those without such a background, they have to go out and train.
When lord budda was asked how he crossed the samsara in ogatarana sutta lord budda made an analogy to the effect that crossing the samsara is similar to overcoming four tides . He expressed that when I tried to push forward I was whirled about and when I tried to float I sank down . He declared that the four tides to overcome are avidya oga , ditthi oga , bhava oga and kama oga . This explains such overcoming does not happen in a moment , but takes a long time and is at training with perfection over a long time like a skilled swimmer who will swim in a rough ocean .
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SDC
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by SDC »

SecretSage wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:31 am The minimum time-period given to achieve arahantship seems to be within half a day or 12 hours, so this means The Buddha must have been aware of some types of methods:
This is not true. It was immediate for some, most notably Bāhiya (Ud 1.10). And it wasn’t that he got lucky or got some fast lane teaching. He was doing almost everything right for many years, but having not heard the Dhamma from the Buddha, he needed a description to make use of the peace he had established.
“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
Joe.c
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by Joe.c »

Easy method is N8FP. This is the shortest way already.

But majority of people still do the same old way again and again. Go to work find more money, buy houses, go to school, attach to family; these things only lead to birth, old age, sick and death over and over.

If you can't let go yet, then please practice 5 precepts 24/7 and keep hearing true dhamma. That is the most easiest way to enter stream first.

:-)
May you be relax, happy, comfortable and free of dukkhas from hearing true dhamma.
May you gain unshakable confidence in Buddha, Dhamma and (Ariya) Sangha.
Learn about Buddha/Dhamma Characters.
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cappuccino
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by cappuccino »

SecretSage wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:31 am So what happened? Why didn't The Buddha or other arahants reveal a method?
Just understand Dependent Arising


Realize what it’s saying
dharmacorps
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by dharmacorps »

To suggest there are short cuts to the Buddha's method implies that the Buddha wasn't a very good teacher. If you give the teachings a chance on their own, then you may see results. If you try to re-invent the wheel you will likely waste precious time.
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Radix
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by Radix »

SecretSage wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:31 amSo what happened? Why didn't The Buddha or other arahants reveal a method?
Because they were really old-fashioned people who believed in the value of hard work.
Western Buddhism is the perfect ideological supplement to rabid consumerist capitalism.
Glenn Wallis
Pulsar
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by Pulsar »

Radix wrote
Because they were really old-fashioned people who believed in the value of hard work.
That is about one of the wisest things you have said on the forum.
I know the method, but O Dear! seriously it is so hard to limit the craving in my mind, at times. My mind craves for things seen, things heard, things sensed, things cognized in the past...and I get entangled in them.. leading to worlds of new identifications.
When Bahia heard those words, he had the heroism to stop all those
cravings immediately it seems. Not only Bahia when Sariputta heard a few words of Dependent Origination, from Assaji, all his cravings ceased, according to Mahavagga of Vinaya Pitaka.
I wish I could. Out of samsara? I don't think there is any other method.
  • Only the old fashioned hard word, of constant mindfulness, not identifying with forms that craving brings about.
Who can live without grasping, the forms that arise in the mind? or block craving from giving rise to forms related to the 6 senses, there you find the stream crosser.
With love :candle:
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balive
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Re: Why didn't The Buddha or the arahants reveal an easy method to achieve arahantship?

Post by balive »

Any discussion like this on what is required to reach arahantship is incomplete without a reference to Maya Bua.

This is a recorded talk by Luangta Maha Bua: "The citta of the Arahant is empty"



But this is his most extraordinary book that gives the most rare, specific step by step path to take in order to achieve arahantship.
I'm sure you too will find this exceptional text unlike any other piece in Theravada Buddhism, or perhaps anywhere in any form of Buddhism.

Some monks and Buddhists got very disturbed at the complete, highly detailed nature of everything that Maha Bua revealed in this text.
And so this widely respected Thai arahant got an amount of criticism before he passed away in 2011. Especially because of his own self proclamation of his acheiving arahantship.
However, he did make it clear that this book was never penned by himself.
Rather it was taken as a secret recording from a private talk he gave one time only to a certain group of monks. And it is allowed in the canon to declare your achievements to your fellow monks. But one among them recorded this secretly, and then it was "leaked" in some way eventually reaching lay people, who presumably had it transcribed into the PDF book we now have.

Once it was literally brought to Maha Bua, he of course owned it, saying that yes, those were his words, and that was his talk. What else could do, given the deed was already done, and the word on the precise and exact steps on what to do to become an arahant had been so clearly revealed in this 113 page step by step guide.

The Path to Arahantship: Arahattamagga Arahattaphala
Maha Boowa (Maha Bua)
https://buddhistuniversity.net/content/ ... la_mahabua

This most controversial part of this text is of course everything he says about the eternal citta.

You have here an extremely profound and exceptionally rare book, Arahattamagga gives an unfiltered first-hand account of what it’s actually like to walk the entire Path—from its tumultuous beginning to its extraordinary finish.

The book includes detailed descriptions of the qualia of the different stages of enlightenment, along with the insights and practices relevant to each stage. Far from a technical manual though, this book is a hugely inspiring and approachable series of straightforward conversations. A beginning practitioner will benefit immensely from hearing how possible enlightenment is, but it is the most advanced practitioners (think: sakadāgāmī / anāgāmī already) who will reap the highest reward from Arahattamagga: Arahattaphala.
If you're still unsure, take the first step... read Jed
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