“When mind and body have been corrupted by pleasure, nothing seems bearable—not because the things which you suffer are hard, but because you are soft.”
Posted by: Michael | 01/13/2020
Seneca on The Danger of Pleasure
Posted by: Michael | 01/09/2020
Kusita-Arambhavatthu Sutta – Travel & Laziness
“Then there is the case where a monk has to go on a journey. The thought occurs to him: ‘I will have to go on this journey. But when I have gone on the journey, my body will be tired. Why don’t I lie down?’ So he lies down. He doesn’t make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. This is the third grounds for laziness.
“Then there is the case where a monk has gone on a journey. The thought occurs to him: ‘I have gone on a journey. Now that I have gone on a journey, my body is tired. Why don’t I lie down?’ So he lies down. He doesn’t make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. This is the fourth grounds for laziness.
Kusita-Arambhavatthu Sutta: The Grounds for Laziness & the Arousal of Energy
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Kusita-Arambhavatthu Sutta, laziness
Posted by: Michael | 01/08/2020
Bālapaṇḍita Sutta MN 129
Having done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind, when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
And if there’s anything of which it may be rightly said that it is utterly unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable, it is of hell that this should be said. So much so that it’s not easy to give a simile for how painful hell is.”
When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha, “But sir, is it possible to give a simile?”
“It’s possible,” said the Buddha.
“Suppose they arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying, ‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal. Punish him as you will.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the morning with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told. Then at midday the king would say, ‘My men, how is that man?’ ‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the midday with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told. Then late in the afternoon the king would say, ‘My men, how is that man?’ ‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’ The king would say, ‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the late afternoon with a hundred spears!’ The king’s men did as they were told.
What do you think, mendicants? Would that man experience pain and distress from being struck with three hundred spears?”
“Sir, that man would experience pain and distress from being struck with one spear, let alone three hundred spears!”
Then the Buddha, picking up a stone the size of his palm, addressed the mendicants, “What do you think, mendicants? Which is bigger: the stone the size of my palm that I’ve picked up, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”
“Sir, the stone you’ve picked up is tiny. Compared to the Himalayas, it doesn’t even count, it’s not even a fraction, there’s no comparison.”
“In the same way, compared to the suffering in hell, the pain and distress experienced by that man due to being struck with three hundred spears doesn’t even count, it’s not even a fraction, there’s no comparison.
https://suttacentral.net/mn129/en/sujato
Lately I have been feeling beaten down and sorry for myself. It can be hard to live with someone who constantly berates and criticized and who shows no love or affection. I’m not angry with her, but I do wonder how it could be possible to be unceasingly resentful of someone. It seems incredibly unhealthy and patently absurd.
Regardless, I had the thought that this suffering is nothing compared to what beings suffer in the states of woe. In terms of the length of time and the severity of the suffering, my present human condition can’t be compared with the dukkha of the animal or hell realms. No, that’s not always encouraging but it is true and understanding reality is our only hope for escape.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Dukkha, Family Life, Theravada | Tags: animal realm, Bālapaṇḍita Sutta, Hell, naraka
Posted by: Michael | 01/07/2020
A Wilderness Dweller Araññaka Sutta (AN 4:263)
“Endowed with (any of) four qualities, a monk isn’t fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness lodgings. Which four? (He is endowed) with thoughts of sensuality, with thoughts of ill will, with thoughts of harmfulness, and he is a person of weak discernment, dull, a drooling idiot. Endowed with (any of) these four qualities, a monk isn’t fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness dwellings.
“Endowed with four qualities, a monk is fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness lodgings. Which four? (He is endowed) with thoughts of renunciation, with thoughts of non-ill will, with thoughts of harmlessness, and he is a discerning person, not dull, not a drooling idiot. Endowed with these four qualities, a monk is fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness dwellings.”
Suffice it to say that I am far from having the qualities of even the lowliest city monks but suttas such as the one above are excellent for pointing out where we should be going. May I aspire to embody the resolves needed to make one fit to stay in an isolated forest.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Anguttara Nikaya, Araññaka Sutta
Posted by: Michael | 01/06/2020
Mindfulness of Breathing – Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)
Mindfulness of in-&-Out Breathing
“Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit?
“There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and establishing mindfulness to the fore.1 Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
“[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, ‘I am breathing in long’; or breathing out long, he discerns, ‘I am breathing out long.’ [2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing in short’; or breathing out short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing out short.’ [3] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.’2 He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.’ [4] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.’3 He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.’
“[5] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.’ [6] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.’ [7] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.’4 He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.’ [8] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.’
“[9] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.’ [10] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in gladdening the mind.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out gladdening the mind.’ [11] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in steadying the mind.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out steadying the mind.’ [12] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in releasing the mind.’5 He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out releasing the mind.’
“[13] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in focusing on inconstancy.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out focusing on inconstancy.’ [14] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in focusing on dispassion [or: fading].’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out focusing on dispassion.’ [15] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in focusing on cessation.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out focusing on cessation.’ [16] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in focusing on relinquishing.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out focusing on relinquishing.’
“This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit.
Meeting with the Venerable Mahathero Dhammavuddho’s teachings as a result of his death has been a great boon for my practice and is the reason for my re-enchantment with the suttas. I appreciate the Venerable’s approach and am now turning to his commentary on the Ānāpānasati Sutta to see if I can make more headway in terms of my own practice.
Posted in Anapanasati, Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Theravada | Tags: Ajahn Dhammavuddho, anapanasati sutta
Posted by: Michael | 01/06/2020
Fearless – Abhaya Sutta
“Then there is the case of the person who has done what is good, has done what is skillful, has given protection to those in fear, and has not done what is evil, savage, or cruel. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have done what is good, have done what is skillful, have given protection to those in fear, and I have not done what is evil, savage, or cruel. To the extent that there is a destination for those who have done what is good, what is skillful, have given protection to those in fear, and have not done what is evil, savage, or cruel, that’s where I’m headed after death.’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.
“Then there is the case of the person who has no doubt or perplexity, who has arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have no doubt or perplexity. I have arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma.’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.
“These, brahman, are four people who, subject to death, are not afraid or in terror of death.”
Who of us doesn’t fear death? I know my mind immediately returns to all of the unskillful things I have done when I consider its inevitability. But, I have at least arrived at certainty with regard to the truth of the Dhamma. For as long as this like lasts, may I maintain my Precepts free of blemish and unbroken.
Posted by: Michael | 01/04/2020
The Importance of Discipline
Whoever through desire, hate or fear,
Or ignorance should transgress the Dhamma,
All his glory fades away
Like the moon during the waning half.
Whoever through desire, hate or fear,
Or ignorance never transgresses the Dhamma,
All his glory ever increases
Like the moon during the waxing half.
I’ve been thinking a lot about discipline and how much my wellbeing depends upon it. I remember when I was giving up intoxicants that I had the thought that indulging in them would only make me weaker and less able to deal with the difficulties of life; I now feel the same about akusala and adhammic behavior.
In other words, I am noticing that my well-being and happiness is directly related to my lack of remorse that comes as a result of assiduously keeping the Precepts and doing my best to cultivate the mind and being generous. Dāna, sīla, bhavana.
I’ve found that when I’ve broken a precept it is harder to keep up my self-discipline overall. I lack the energy and actually feel dirty or poisoned. I suspect this is exactly what it’s meant in the Suttas when they speak of a lack of remorse as being a requisite for samadhi. Mettacittena!
Posted in bhavana, Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dana, Dhamma, Sila, Theravada | Tags: discipline, layman, sigalovada sutta
Posted by: Michael | 01/03/2020
Akkosa Sutta – Being Hard to Offend
This version of the text might be out of date. Please click here for more information
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then the brahman Akkosaka[1]Bharadvaja heard that a brahman of the Bharadvaja clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One. Angered & displeased, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted & cursed him with rude, harsh words.
When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “What do you think, brahman: Do friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to you as guests?”
“Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to me as guests.”
“And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies?”
“Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies.”
“And if they don’t accept them, to whom do those foods belong?”
“If they don’t accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine.”
“In the same way, brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don’t accept from you. It’s all yours, brahman. It’s all yours.
“Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It’s all yours. It’s all yours.”
This sutta often comes to mind when I feel I’m being insulted or verbally attacked. And, although I don’t have the unshakeable peace of the Lord Buddha, the lesson remains: one should leave the insult with the one who spoke it.
The idea of becoming a person who’s hard to offend is very attractive to me and has been on my mind quite often lately. Not only did it seem like the perfect defense against insult but it also allows one to think not clearly and avoid creating akusala kamma. I have found many techniques for cultivating indifference in the face of invective in the writings of the Stoics (both ancient and contemporary) but I believe the ability to sit with hurtful speech has a lot to do with the practice of formal meditation. Regardless, I hope to strive on to become hard to offend and almost impossible to provoke. Mettacittena.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada, Upekkha, Uposatha | Tags: Akkosa SUtta, Hard to insult
Posted by: Michael | 01/02/2020
Sariputta Passes Away
“Why, Ānanda, when Sāriputta attained final Nibbāna, did he take away your aggregate of virtue, or your aggregate of concentration, or your aggregate of wisdom, or your aggregate of liberation, or your aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation?”
-SN 47.13
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Ananda, samyutta nikaya, Sariputta
Posted by: Michael | 01/01/2020
Samma Sankappo – Right Resolve in the New Year
“And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, ‘O, that what belongs to others would be mine!’ He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] ‘May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!’ He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: ‘There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.’ This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action.”
Each day in 2020 I hope to post a passage or full sutta that I’ve read and reflected on. I’m inspired by my kalyanamitta Van as well as by the recently deceased Ajahn Dhammavuddho who exhorted is to listen to and read the words of Lord Buddha.
If I am unable to enter jhāna in this life may I at least prepare the conditions for it in the next.
Wishing you much growth in wisdom and compassion in 2020.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, samma sankappo, Theravada | Tags: Ajahn Dhammavuddho, Anguttara Nikaya, right intention, Right Resolve
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