u/AwakenTheWisdom

I am open for debate and discussion. Any questions or concerns that you’d like to talk about concerning Buddhism?

The Catumahārājasutta says:

On the eighth day of the fortnight, mendicants, the ministers and councillors of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit.’

And on the fourteenth day of the fortnight, the sons of the four great kings wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit.’

‘And on the fifteenth day sabbath, the four great kings themselves wander about the world, thinking: ‘Hopefully most humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit.’

If only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit, the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right: ‘Only a few humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit’. Then the gods of the thirty-three are disappointed, thinking, ‘The heavenly hosts will dwindle, while the titan hosts will swell!’

But if many humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit, the four great kings address the gods of the thirty-three, seated together in the Hall of Clear Right: ‘Many humans are paying due respect to their parents, ascetics and brahmins, honoring the elders in their families, observing and keeping vigil on the sabbath, and making merit’. Then the gods of the thirty-three are pleased, thinking,’The heavenly hosts will swell, while the titan hosts will dwindle!’

Once upon a time, Sakka, lord of gods, guiding the gods of the thirty-three, spoke this verse:

‘Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays’.

But that verse was poorly sung by Sakka, lord of gods, not well sung; poorly spoken, not well spoken. Why is that? Sakka, lord of gods, is not free of greed, hate, and delusion.

But for a mendicant who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment—it is appropriate to say:

‘Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays’.

According to the Buddha’s teachings, birth in the human realm is rare. You’re more probable to birth in the animal realm, ghost realm, and hell realm. But the question is why it’s more probable to be born in realms lower than the human realm? It’s because the state of mind in those lower realms are not in favor of a human birth.

In those lower realms, your mind is almost always inclined to killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, deception, and various states of intoxication whether it’s anger, hatred, or other things. That said, it’ll take a very long time for one to shed lower realm births before getting the opportunity for a human birth.

A monk stood before a gate marked Liberation. He searched everywhere for the key. An old woman passing by asked…

“Who is locked out?”

I love discussing about various religions; especially the ones I’ve practiced, and the one I currently practice—-which for me, is home. Anyone have any questions about Buddhism?

Because the mind doesn’t know the path. Using rites n rituals for liberation are akin to being given something without proper effort.

That which was given is liable and vulnerable to be lost. Thus, without knowing the path, you’re always at risk of losing that liberation which has a 99.99% lost rate.

When the mind knows the path to liberation then liberation is possible. The mind can never not know that path. And if it walks that path with proper effort it will reach liberation. This is the only way to liberation.

Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four?

Painful progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with slow insight.

Painful progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. And these five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with swift insight.

Pleasant progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Pleasant progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four?

Painful progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with slow insight.

Painful progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. And these five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with swift insight.

Pleasant progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Pleasant progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

~ Vitthārasutta

Mendicants, there are four ways of practice. What four?

Painful progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with slow insight.

Painful progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. And these five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the painful practice with swift insight.

Pleasant progress with slow realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them weakly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Pleasant progress with swift realization - It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring. These five faculties manifest in them strongly: faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life. This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

Don’t stress yourself. Try walking meditation. You will be able to build the focus necessary to sit in the present.

The Buddha said,”Mendicants, there are five benefits of walking meditation. What five? You get fit for traveling, fit for striving in meditation, and healthy. What’s eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. And samadhi gained while walking lasts long. These are the five benefits of walking meditation”.

Try walking meditation to develop that “foreground” which is bringing your awareness to the present. Then bring that energy to your sitting meditation.

Don’t stress yourself. Try walking meditation. You will be able to build the focus necessary to sit in the present.

The Buddha said,”Mendicants, there are five benefits of walking meditation. What five? You get fit for traveling, fit for striving in meditation, and healthy. What’s eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. And samadhi gained while walking lasts long. These are the five benefits of walking meditation”.

Try walking meditation to develop that “foreground” which is bringing your awareness to the present. Then bring that energy to your sitting meditation.

Don’t stress yourself. Try walking meditation. You will be able to build the focus necessary to sit in the present.

The Buddha said,”Mendicants, there are five benefits of walking meditation. What five? You get fit for traveling, fit for striving in meditation, and healthy. What’s eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. And samadhi gained while walking lasts long. These are the five benefits of walking meditation”.

Try walking meditation to develop that “foreground” which is bringing your awareness to the present. Then bring that energy to your sitting meditation.

I’ve contemplated this question a year or so ago. Here’s what I got:

() Sakkaya Ditthi - The understanding that existence is not in your control. The understanding that there’s a lack of ownership and permanence of phenomena.

() Asmimāna - The understanding that there’s no being “doing” something. It’s the understanding that there’s just phenomena taking place. There’s just biofeedback. There’s no being making intentions and doing actions. In other words, there’s no ego.

What do you say?

I’ve contemplated this question a year or so ago: Here’s what I got:

() Sakkaya Ditthi - The understanding that existence is not in your control. The understanding that there’s a lack of ownership and permanence of phenomena.

() Asmimāna - The understanding that there’s no being “doing” something. It’s the understanding that there’s just phenomena taking place. There’s just biofeedback. There’s no being making intentions and doing actions. In other words, there’s no ego.

What do you say?

~ Mahārāhulovādasutta

Rahula, develop the cultivation of loving-kindness. For, Rahula, for you—cultivating the cultivation of loving-kindness—whatever ill will, that will be abandoned.

Traditionally, Mettā is taught where you focus directly on Mettā itself; radiating it to your loved ones first and then to those that you’re averse to. However, does that really work?

You naturally radiate Mettā to your loved ones because there’s no hatred towards them. As a result, Mettā naturally arises. But what happens when you start focusing on those you hate; radiating Metta to them. Wouldn’t that be creating/engineering the feeling and effect rather than letting Mettā naturally arise?

In truth, to truly cultivate the cultivation of Mettā, you must cultivate non-hatred. Doing that, Mettā naturally arises. This approach is held by Hillside Hermitage, and Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and it’s the approach that makes the absolute sense.

In my Uposatha observance today, I’ve gained insight into the differences between Extreme Penances, and the Middle Way, and why one doesn’t lead to liberation, and the other one does.

Extreme Penances: Starvation of mind. Assumption of control. Supports the suppression of mind. Doesn’t support the cooling/extinguishment of the mind. Doesn’t lead to liberation.

The Middle Way: Doesn’t starve the mind. Doesn’t assume control. Removal of the mind from the sensual domain. Removal of fuel and nutriment. Eventually cooling of the mind. Leads to liberation.