86
8787 having no suffering having less suffering having gotten rid of most suffering …Though, one did not earn any medal but at least.. one would gain good (mental) health.
So how necessary is it to practice Dhamma? If working out is to look after one’s physical health to the extent of being free from diseases, Dhamma practice is to take care of one’s mental health to the extent of having no suffering. The ultimate goal of exercise is to get a gold medal; of dhamma practice, Nibbāna. If one did not win a gold medal, at least, one would be healthy and disease-free. If one did not attain Nibbāna, at least, one’s suffering would be lessened. To take care of one’s health, it is not necessary to be a national athlete. To practice Dhamma, one does not need to be a monk. (However, attaining Nibbāna is almost impossible, if one is not in a monkhood, just so you know.) Many people may ask: Can a householder (gharāvāsa) attain awakening? One may have to look back whether one wants to be freed from suffering or not. One may have to rely on the causes from lessening, abstaining, and quitting. The answer probably does not depend on being a layperson or a monk, but on one’s intention to relinquish and let go of all attachment or not.
Sukha (Happiness)
90 The above-mentioned is the “introduction” to Dhamma practice or Bhāvanā. That should be blended together with how one lives one’s life, not just practising at a meditation center or a monastery. Dhamma practice is not just walking and sitting meditation as everyone understands, Rather, it relies on Paññā, Sīla, and Samādhi as a path. The method is not difficult but one needs some training. The driving force which will get you to walk the walk is.... “understanding Dukkha (suffering)”
Investment has a risk. you should as well diversify the risk by practicing: gift giving / alms offering, observing precepts and mind cultivating. but... That’s fine. Howdy? Luang Pi! (Brother Monk!)
I am thinking… I would like to divide some money to buy gold. Finance analysts, investors, and moguls said cash would become depreciated. One needs to diversify one’s investment risk. One needs to rebalance one’s portfolio well. That could be called you are investing across existences and births. How? Please explain.
Only a few good people in this world can cultivate their minds. Villains can also give gifts; but only the virtuous can keep moral commitment. Even though we have tried our best in everything, Finally… Well...even if your saved money keeps increasing, do not forget that … the remaining life is getting shorter every second. Giving “gifts” will make you set for life in the next cycle of birth.
that doesn’t mean everything would be as we would desire. “Mind cultivation” is the only way to go beyond “suffering”. Even if you were born as a celestial being, you still would not succeed in escaping from suffering. Well... Even though, one will not be born again as a human being, the fruit of the gift giving will still be in effect. Have you ever seen dogs sleep in air-conditioned rooms? That’s it ! They must have given a lot of gifts, but did not keep the “morality”. It would be much better if the next round of rebirth would be in the realm of human or celestial beings, right? Hence, you must keep the “Five Precepts” as a habit. ,
...... Blissful states of existence = human beings, celestial beings, brahma. Woeful states of existence = hell creatures, hungry ghosts, demons, animals. The rich are way fewer than the poor because the rich know what the poor don’t. So...how would I know whether your words are truthful?
Well! I would like to ask you back... How would you know that ... the gold price will not fall? ...... ...... Sandiṭṭhiko = Dhamma can be practiced and realized by its ractitioners. Would you still like to rebalance your investment portfolio? Those who died and went to “blissful states of existence”, are fewer than those to “woeful ones”. That is because they knew what most people didn’t. Indeed, dhamma “can be practiced and realized by the dhamma practitioners (sandiṭṭhiko)”. Luang Pi, what would you like to have? I would like to offer you something. Umm ... All of the investors and moguls would know what the others would not, Luang Pi.
98 Actually, there are no wanderers.
(Buddha’s Words) This body is neither ours nor anyone’s. Bhikkhus, this body neither belongs to you nor to anyone else. Bhikkhus, old kamma is this body that all of you see as concocted by conditioning factors; as what all factors make us feel; and as what responds to emotion. All bhikkhus, regarding the body, noble disciples who heard this should consider ingeniously on the Paticca-Samuppāda (Dependent origination cycle) that when this exists, that comes to be; when this arises, that also arises; when this does not exist, that does not come to be; when this ceases, that also ceases. This Paticca-Samuppāda is as follows: depending on Avijjā (ignorance), there arises Sankhāra (concoction); depending on Sankhāra, there arises Viññāṇa (consciousness); depending on Viññāṇa, there arises Nāma-Rūpa (body-mind); depending on Nāma-Rūpa, there arises Salāyatana (six sense bases); depending on Salāyatana, there arises Phassa (contact); depending on Phassa, there arises Vedanā (feeling); depending on Vedanā, there arises Tanhā (craving); depending on Tanhā, there arises Upādāna (clinging/attachment); depending on Upādāna, there arises Bhava (continued existence);
100 Ref: https://suttacentral.net/sn12.37 depending on Bhava, there arises Jāti (birth); depending on Jāti, there arise the following completely: Jarā (ageing), Maraṇa (death), Soka (sorrow), Parideva (lamentation), Dukkha (pain), Domanassa (grief), and Upāyās (despair). All of these (above-mentioned) arise together with entire mass of suffering in this fashion. When Avijjā ceases, Sankhāra also ceases. When Sankhāras ceases, there ceases Viññāṇa. When Viññāṇa ceases, Nāma-Rūpa also ceases. When Nāma-Rūpa ceases, there cease Salāyatana. When Salāyatana cease, there ceases Phassa. When Phassa ceases, there ceases Vedanā. When Vedanā ceases, there ceases Tanhā. When Tanhā, there ceases Upādāna. When Upādāna ceases, there ceases Bhava. When Bhava ceases, there ceases Jāti. When that Jāti ceases, all of these cease: Jarā, Maraṇa, Soka, Parideva, Dukkha, Domanassa, and Upāyās. The cessation of the entire mass of Dukkha occurs in this fashion. So to speak.
You might feel that “I” am the owner of “my” life. “My” world is such a broad and free one. “I” can do anything I wish. “I” am the one who controls my thoughts, speeches, and actions. “My” life is such a precious and meaningful one. “I” am really lucky to be born as “me” Are you really sure whether “I” exist?
102 had no = we would not see anything; had no = we would not hear anything; had no = we would not smell anything; had no = we would not taste anything; had no = we would not touch anything; had no = we would not have emotion and thoughts at all. Let’s try to imagine if we…
Let’s think: What will the world be? … The answer is The world doesn’t “seem” to exist; and where are “we” ? and what are “we” ?
104
If we simply think inversely, we shall understand that “the world” we know is
106 *Using hand signals to represent every part of the body.
We perceive things via these Salāyatana* (six sense bases). All information which passes through will be translated, interpreted, and, then, assembled to be our “world” (in mind). Important questions are: what is this ? and what caused this to arise ? * Salāyatana = Six Āyatanas
108 *Using hand signals to represent every part of the body
109 Citta If one goes back to the original state, one will find nothing but...
Citta is the original natural element which has not been concocted. However, due to various factors including Avijjā (ignorance), there arise Sankhāra (concoction) that create the feelings called heart/ mind, but, to be more specific, that will be called Viññāṇa. That is a nature which understands emotion thoroughly through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Let’s look at the metaphor on the next page …
By analogy, “citta” is like bright and shiny stars which fill up the sky from the beginning. Until... they are made obscured so much that they are invisible in the bright sunlight.
112 When sunrays appear, that is like “the concoction” which makes the stars obscure. Even though, in reality...the stars have never gone away to anywhere.
113 All the Buddhas and all sentient beings are nothing but the One Mind, beside which nothing exists. This mind, which is without beginning, is unborn and indestructible. It is neither green nor yellow, and has neither Rūpa nor appearance. It neither belongs to the categories of things which exist nor do not exist, neither can it be thought of in terms of new nor old. It is neither long nor short, neither big nor small, for it transcends all limits, measures, names, traces and comparisons. It is the thing you see with your own eyes but when you try to use reasoning with it, you will fall into error. It is like the boundless-void which cannot be fathomed or measured. The Primordial Mind (One Mind)
This One Mind is the Buddha, and there is no distinction between the Buddha and sentient things, but that sentient beings are attached to forms and so seek externally for Buddhahood. By their very seeking they lose it, for that is using the Buddha to seek for the Buddha and using mind to grasp Mind. Even though they do their utmost for a full aeon, they will not be able to attain to it. They do not know that, if they put a stop to conceptual thought and forget their anxiety, the Buddha will appear before them, for this Mind is the Buddha and the Buddha is all living beings. It is not the less for being manifested in ordinary beings, nor is it greater for being manifested in the Buddhas. The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind (Translated by John Blofeld)
Depending on Avijjā (ignorance), there arises the attachment that … Sankhāra (concoction through body, speech, and mind) is “I/mine”. Citta (primordial mind) then becomes.............................................. Viññāṇa
116 Citta (primordial mind) then becomes.............................................. Viññāṇa which fuels the birth of “self”.
From there, a life, gradually develops and consists of Rūpa and Nāma. From a tiny life..............towards evolution. Rūpa Wherever “Nāma” is, “Rūpa must be there; wherever “Rūpa” is, “Nāma” must be there as well. Nāma
118 From a tiny life..............towards evolution. To survive, lives must be connected with the outside world. “Six Āyatanas” (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) were, therefore, evolved. Nāma Rūpa
“Six Āyatanas” bridge perception of information from the outer- to the inner world; between “matter” (Rūpa) and “ mentality” (Nāma) The “Six Viññāṇas” are the interpreters and perceivers of this information.
120 Six Āyatanas Six Viññāṇas Cakkhu-Viññāṇa (eye-consciousness) Sota-Viññāṇa (ear-consciousness) Ghāna-Viññāṇa (nose-consciousness) Jivhā-Viññāṇa (tongue-consciousness) Kāya-Viññāṇa (body-consciousness) Mano-Viññāṇa (mind-consciousness)
121 Bhikkhus! Depending on Eyes (the internal sense bases) and all Rūpas (external sense bases), there arises the Cakkhu Viññāṇa (eye consciousness). The confluence of the three elements (Eyes + Rūpas+ Cakkhu Viññāṇa) causes Phassa (contact). Depending on contact, there arises Vedanā which can sometimes be happinesss, or suffering, or neither suffering nor happiness. When one experiences Sukha-Vedanā (pleasant feeling) one may enjoy it, praise it, and be indulged in it; the Anusaya to form lust (Raka) will be added to one’s habits. When one experiences Dukkha-Vedanā (unpleasant feeling), one can have sorrow, heart sore, lamentation, and hysterical wailing. One would attain obsessive delusion. The Anusaya to form irritation (Patigha) will be added to one’s habits. (Buddha’s Words) The Three Anusayas (latent tendencies to form defilements) are paired with the three Vedanā (feelings)
When one experiences Adukkhamasukha-Vedanā (indifferent feeling), one may not really know the truth which is the cause of that feeling; the extinction of it; the savour (Assāda) of it; the penalties (Ādīnava) of it; and the wise means to remove it (Nissarana). The Anusaya to form ignorance (Avijjā) will be added to one’s habits. Bhikkhus! One who is still neither able to discard the latent tendency to form sensual passion (Rāgānusaya) which arises from pleasant feeling; nor to lessen the latent tendency to form irritation (Paṭighānusaya) which arises from unpleasant feeling; nor to uproot the latent tendency to form ignorance (Avijjānusaya) caused by indifferent feeling; nor able to abandon Avijjā, and nor able to build up Vijjā (The extinction of Avijjā), that person will not be eligible to strive to cease the suffering in this present moment. (By the same token, the cases of ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are the same as that of the eyes.) Ref: https://suttacentral.net/mn148
The origin of life and the “world” (in our mind) is roughly like this. From now on, a detailed explanation of the occurrence of the “world” (in our mind) will be explained by using “The Buddha’s Words” as a reference. First, the “world in the mind” formed by vision will be magnified.
This is how the “world (in the mind)” is created via eye sense organ. Cakkhu (Internal sense base) Rūpa (External sense base) CakkhuViññāṇa (Eyeconsciousness) Phassa (Contact) “Cakkhu” means a vision process; It cannot be translated as “the eyes”.
Material existence (Rūpa) Object Reflection of light Eyes Brain External sense bases Internal sense base (Buddha’s Words) Relying on the “internal” and “external sense bases”, there arises “Cakkhu-Viññāṇa”. The confluence of the three dhamma creates “Phassa” (eye contact).
126 Mentality existence (Nāma) Cakkhu-Viññāṇa (Eye consciousness) Cakkhu-Viññāṇa functions to interpret the imagery (virtual images), which the brain processes and transmits to the mind, called “contact (via the eyes)”. Cakkhu (Internal sense bases) Rūpa (External sense bases) CakkhuViññāṇa (eye consciousness) Phassa (Contact) Contact (Phassa)
“Rūpa” and “Nāma” function very fast to create a world (in the mind). The reader might be puzzled right now. I would like to explain this in more detail by subdividing and chronological ordering the moments as follows: First, the eye is off, meaning the internal sense bases exist but one has no intent to look at anything in particular. That means, one sees nothing. Second, the eye is on, meaning one possesses the internal sense base and has intent to look at reflecting light from an object (an external sense base). The photoreceptor cells in the retina transmit the information (The image will be upside down at this stage) in the form of electrical signals to the brain. The brain will function to turn the image signals upside down again. At the same time it will process those electrical signal inputs by composing them altogether while considering, at each moment, how bright it should be; and what color it should appear (in the mind). Reflections from the object External sense bases Light
128 Eye Brain Internal sense bases Electrical signals
Material existence (Rūpa) External sense bases Internal sense bases Reflecting light Electrical signals Object Eyeball Brain Third, Viññāṇa rises up. Having discarded the previous perception (of whatever), the Viññāṇa will be interpreting the data from the vision process (Cakkhu) at this moment. Then, it will perceive imagery, arising in the mind (Mano), called eye contact (Cakkhu-Samphassa). In reality, there may not be only three steps and the function of Rūpa and Nāma may not be like this. I have only simulated the situation to make it easier to understand the basic. The one who practices must cultivate the mind until it is so concentrated that one is able to see them by oneself. In the end, one will understand that it is hard to elaborate on mentality existence (Nāma-Dhamma).
130 Mentality existence (Nāma) Cakkhu-Viññàṇa Phassa (Contact) (Buddha’s Words) A person depends on “Cakkhu” and “Rūpa” to rise up the Cakkhu Viññāṇa. The confluence of these three dhamma causes “phassa”. Cakkhu (Internal sense bases) Rūpa (External sense bases) CakkhuViññāṇa (eye consciousness) Phassa (Contact)
131 During the evolutionary span of the long rebirth cycles (Saṃsāra), “lives” are not able to sustain themselves; they have to adjust their balances by “attracting” and “repelling” elements and all sorts of energy at all times.
These natural basic needs have become parts of life for a long time till they have instilled and deep-rooted in the mind. That is called “Kilesas (defilements)”. Lobha (raka) Dosa Moha Greed (Lust) Desire for gratification via the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind (loves the loveable) Hatred When it was not what one hoped for either via the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or the mind. (dislikes the dislikeable) Delusion Hesitation, indulgence in pleasure, absent-mindedness, lost in thought, and unconsciousness. Once deluded, greed and hatred will follow.
Anusayas (Latent tendencies) When one has built up more and more Kilesas in the mind, one would be addicted to the familiarity of them. They are seeds of “the habitude of rising up Kilesas”, called “Anusayas”, which is deep-seated in the mind. When they are triggered by sufficed conditions and factors, Kilesas: Lobha, Dosa and Moha, will be ready to surface automatically (uncontrollably). The habit of rising up Lobha (greed) is called “Rāgānusaya” (sensual pleasure). The habit of inducing Dosa (hatred) is called “Paṭighānusaya” (irritation). The habit of forming Moha (delusion) is called “Avijjānusaya” (ignorance). Every life in each Bhava-Bhūmi is subject to the power, dominance and bonds of these tough habits. Characters, behaviors, traits, and the self are the repercussions of the “Anusayas” or seeds of Kilesas which have ingrained themselves in the mind for so long.
134 Rāgānusaya (Sensual pleasure) Paṭighānusaya (Irritation) Avijjānusaya (Ignorance)
135 Pañca-Khandha (Five aggregates) are Nāma-Rūpa (mentality-materiality) that are subdivided into smaller parts to make it easier to understand. The subdivision is 1 Rūpa and 4 Nāmas: Vedanā (feeling), Saññā (perception), Saṅkhāra (concoction), Viññāṇa (conciousness). Rūpa Viññāṇa arising-cessation, perception of emotion, relying on each aggregate at each moment.