1        The meaning of God's name is"Breath". So breathe and be balanced, in harmony, in equilibrium, presence, awareness, consciousness and love.

2        What is given to You is given back. As ground supports, so You carry. What goes in eventually comes out. Life is one single breath,

          although it does not end where matter meets the limits of the body, but after having transformed from one stage to the other, transmutes.

3        This wave is called Samsara. This pulsation is called heart beat. This action gives birth to a life form, producing interactions, reactions and side effects.

4        All effects follow the path of Karma, Dharma and Samsara. Pure actions and intent, shall be free of echo and give birth without asking for

          something in return.

5        Since the name of God teaches this truth, the path that diparts from it, shall meet disequilibrium, disharmony, waste and disergy.

6        Not taking care of this fair exchange and simple truth, shall produce loss, sufference, pain, ignorance and dishonesty.

7        Those who do not pronounce the name of God correctly, shall have to work harder to reach, fight with great effort and correct their path.

8        Those who breathe correctly, shall meet fortitude, attention, intelligence and wisdom, clarity of vision, purity and simpaty.

9        This art is called Pranayama Mindfulness Breathing. Siddhis, natural gifts, talents and beauty shall follow this balanced cycle.

10      Those who sit, lay, stand or walk, not taking care of  their asana, position, comfort and moves, shall miss the path of

          mindfull presence, consequently forcing upon themselves the exceptional tasks that shall forge them into new beings.

11      Steeper mountains and a longer karmic path await those who do not breathe correctly, because in the eyes of creation, waste is blasphemy.

12      We should pay attention to the correct posture as soon as illusions capture our attention and carry it elsewhere.

13      Actions, methods, techniques, sciences, arts, thoughts, creativity, brainstorming, study and work shall poorely pay back those who

          do not follow the balanced path of wisdom. Scientifical ignorance brings to unbalanced trasformations that produce unsustainable waste.

14      Limited consideration of the outcomes and effects induced by our miscomprehensions, misunderstanding  and spiritual incompleteness,

          produce a lack of clearnesness, precision and acuety of thought, which result in the sudden end of the games made to abuse rather than to serve.

15      Immense losses and sufference, follow this wrongdoing. Learning to breathe in and breathe out mindfully, respectfully

          and within the laws of creation, enables ascension, evolution and condivision of resources, goods, richness and wonders of the world.

16      By breathing correctly and continually focusing on balanced actions, by giving and taking, using and sharing, rightful conduct shall replace

          the needs of the eGO putting an end to the abuses of the instinctual and lower bodies, subservient to the hungry ghosts that infest mind, body

          and what is left of the spiritually corrupted "self" imprisoned within the limits of the projections of illusion ( I ), ownership ( mine )

          and the masks we wear ( me and company ). Unconditional love is the key to the sky. Hold back the tongue, and breathe before reaction is present.

17      Consciously guide Your step before it departs from the right path, and focus on the paths that push and pull You out of balance.

18      Going upstream reach the source and hold in, moving downstrem reach the sea and hold out.

19      Four cornes, letters and positions make up the name of God. Practice it wisely and You shall be one with creation.

20      The weaponization of ignorance, disables the enhancement of further faculties. Unite the dots, connect them and comprehend.

21      Division and scarsity run the games of the steelers. Penetrate, permeate and permutate all the pieces, rules and manouvers of the game.

22      Clearly notice that unfulfilled desires entrapped within soul cages, infest them. Conscience enlightens. Shine upon them rainbows of love.

          They shall depart never to be seen again.

                                                                                                                                                                                                Jedi Simon

          
    

                                                                                      

72 Names of God ( 4 letters each )

 

Lord Shiva Nataraja (Sanskrit: “Lord of the Dance”) the Hindu god Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer.

In the most common type of image, Shiva is shown with four arms and flying locks dancing on the figure of a dwarf, who is sometimes identified as Apasmara (a symbol of human ignorance; apasmara means “forgetfulness” or “heedlessness”). Shiva’s back right hand holds the damaru (hourglass-shaped drum); the front right hand is in the abhaya mudra (the “fear-not” gesture, made by holding the palm outward with fingers pointing up); the back left hand carries Agni (fire) in a vessel or in the palm of the hand; and the front left hand is held across his chest in the gajahasta (elephant-trunk) pose, with wrist limp and fingers pointed downward toward the uplifted left foot. The locks of Shiva’s hair stand out in several strands interspersed with flowers, a skull, a crescent moon, and the figure of Ganga (the Ganges River personified as a goddess). His figure is encircled by a ring of flames, the prabhamandala. In classic Sanskrit treatises on dance, this form, the most common representation of Nataraja, is called the bhujungatrasa (“trembling of the snake”).

In the Nataraja sculpture, Shiva is shown as the source of all movement within the cosmos and as the god whose doomsday dance, represented by the arch of flames, accompanies the dissolution of the universe at the end of an eon.

The gestures of the dance represent Shiva’s five activities (panchakritya): creation (symbolized by the drum), protection (by the “fear-not” pose of the hand), destruction (by the fire), embodiment (by the foot planted on the ground), and release (by the foot held aloft).

 

Nataraja Shiva

 

 

Transcriptions from Dr. Ari Ubeysekara presentations 10 lessons to help You understand the thought, mind structure, architecture and vision of the Buddha.

0:00
good it's nice to see you all again and talk to you and over the last series of talks we
0:10
spoke about Lord Gautama Buddha his background
0:17
Buddha's teachings the dispensation and
0:24
Buddhist Doctrine in general and we covered the specific teams of
0:30
the Buddhist Doctrine with the final intention of
0:37
liberating from suffering and the sons are and last time we spoke about
0:46
concentration meditation the stepping stone step to uh
0:54
real Buddhist path of liberation and today we are going to be talking
1:00
about Insight Meditation that is vipassana bhavana and that is really the Pinnacle
1:07
of the Buddhist practice appears in the world
1:15
to discover this part the Insight Meditation and teach us
1:22
what it is so that we can also practice it and eradicate all our mental
1:29
defilements and attain enter Enlightenment and Nippon
1:36
so let us begin
1:44
now I like to uh talk a bit about Buddhist Meditation
1:50
though we talked about it last time the the meditation no it's called bhavana in
1:55
Pali and that's a cultivation of the Mind the wholesome cultivation of the mind and
2:03
mental development and that is really an essential aspect of the the Buddhist path of Liberation
2:09
and as we know there are two types of meditation concentration meditation and Insight
2:17
Meditation and as we talked about last time the aim
2:23
of the concentration meditation is to develop a calm a tranquil mind concentration
2:30
and the unified mind but the aim of the inside meditation
2:35
is really to gain a direct understanding of the reality of all phenomena
2:43
in the universe including us and our own experiences
2:49
now when we talked about concentration meditation and Insight Meditation uh
2:54
separately but in reality Buddha did not describe these two aspects as two separate
3:02
practices the Buddha describe them as two components of the same practice
3:09
and the division into concentration meditation and Insight Meditation
3:14
seems to have a period later and the concentration meditation of
3:21
course existed even before the time of Lord Buddha and as you know when Princess Darth left
3:30
home to become an aesthetic he first went to two of the meditation
3:36
Masters at that time called
3:42
and was an expert of concentration meditation up to the 7th of the eight
3:49
janas that one can attain mastered them quickly
3:57
and then move to ramaputra was an expert in attaining the Janus all
4:05
the journals after the eighth Jana anesthetic Gautama mastered that quickly
4:11
but then he was disappointed because concentration of the mind and the janas
4:17
were not what he was looking for he was looking for a path of liberation to eradicate suffering and attain
4:25
Enlighten any burn so while concentration meditation is
4:30
practiced by both Buddhists and non-bodhis meditators
4:36
the Insight Meditation the personal meditation most discovered by the Buddha
4:42
himself and in the Buddhist path of Liberation we know that the concentration
4:48
meditation and inside meditation complement each other
4:54
so as I said the aim of the concentration meditation is to develop janas and for worldly benefit like a
5:03
calm tranquil mind to enjoy the mental Bliss some may develop John asked to develop
5:10
supernormal powers and some expect to be reborn in Brahma World Celestial worlds
5:18
but wherever they are born they are still in the Sansa they have not got out
5:24
of the cycle of birth and death so they are bound to face birth death birth
5:29
death and all the suffering involved and again in concentration meditation
5:35
the mental hindrances the negative aspects of the the mind are only
5:40
temporarily suppressed they are not eradicated and similarly the mental defilements
5:46
like the craving the hatred the delusion and all the other mental defilements may
5:53
be temporarily suppressed but they are not eradicated either the advantage of developing
6:00
concentration meditation is that it we can use it as a base as the stepping
6:06
stone to go on to develop inside meditation so the aim of the inside meditation is
6:14
really for Liberation from suffering Liberation from samsar cycle of rebirth
6:21
and death and in inside meditation the mental
6:26
hindrances the negative aspects of the Mind are gradually eradicated completely
6:32
not suppressed eradicated and again the mental defilements like
6:37
the ragada the craving the ill will and
6:42
delusion ignorance they are gradually eradicated completely
6:47
and finally when we complete the Insight Meditation and that leads to attainment
6:54
of wisdom through the four stages of Enlightenment we will talk about it later
7:01
so inside meditation is generally known as vipassana
7:07
and uh dipasana is the Pali word for insight
7:13
in vipassana we means intensive deep clear
7:19
foreign
7:31
perceiving in the precisement to see what the true reality of
7:38
phenomena including ourselves and our experience from moment to moment
7:44
so through inside meditation we are hoping to gain an insight into physical
7:51
and mental phenomena as they really happen not as Terriers appear to be because
7:59
whatever we see and experience we experience as they appear to be but
8:05
that is not the reality that's not the true aspects of phenomena and it's only
8:11
through vipassana that we will gain an insight into what reality is
8:18
and what the reality the reality of all phenomena in this universe
8:24
is that they are impermanent a nature
8:30
and somewhere other it will lead to suffering
8:35
and there is no person I owe me there is no self in any of this another so the
8:42
final three characteristics that we will realize through inside meditation is
8:47
that all phenomena are impermanent and the elite suffering and there is no
8:55
something called self there and in Buddhist teaching three types of
9:02
knowledge are being described and the first type of knowledge is the acquired
9:08
knowledge that's called and that's what happens when we listen
9:14
to a talk like this so we read or we discussed the
9:19
Buddhist Doctrine and whatever knowledge that we get through hearing reading or
9:26
discussing and that knowledge is called sutamayana the acquired knowledge
9:32
once we have gained that acquired knowledge then we start thinking about those that knowledge and start reasoning
9:41
pondering analyzing and come to some kind of a conclusion about that aspect
9:47
of teaching and that knowledge is called chintaman because that's the second
9:52
level but the final knowledge is required
9:59
really for The Liberation and that's called that knowledge acquired through
10:05
contemplation that's called in party and that final knowledge the
10:11
real knowledge the bhavana Milana can only be gained through Insight Meditation so the three types of
10:18
knowledge the acquired knowledge the chintamanian the knowledge that we
10:25
acquired by thinking pondering reasoning analyzing investigating and the final
10:31
knowledge is the knowledge we get through contemplation meditation through
10:38
inside meditation and that's called
10:44
and mindfulness of course is a key aspect of Insight Meditation and that's
10:51
why uh vipassana bhavana is often referred to as mindfulness meditation
10:57
and the Pali word Sati has several meanings such as memory mindfulness recollection wakefulness
11:05
but mindful awareness is to be honest the content of one's
11:11
experience as it happens from moment to moment in the immediate present
11:17
and without reacting to it without making any judgment just to observe be
11:24
aware to learn the reality of phenomena
11:29
now again in concentration meditation the meditator has to maintain the
11:35
concentration on a single object of meditation and we talked about 40
11:41
objects of meditation last time so the meditator chooses one of the 40-minute
11:46
meditation objects pay attention to that object and in order to develop the
11:52
concentration but in inside meditation the meditation has to pay attention to all the mental
12:00
and physical processes not concentrating on one particular object we may begin
12:07
meditation uh using the single object in order to develop some concentration but
12:14
when we move on to incite meditation we focus our attention to things as they
12:21
happen from moment to moment and there's no right mindfulness
12:27
is one of the eight factors of the noble Eightfold Path
12:32
so the the path to Liberation in Buddhism is the noble is for past and it
12:39
has eight factors right to be right intention right speech right
12:44
action right livelihood right effort right mindfulness Sati and then right
12:52
concentration and again Buddha has talked about five
12:57
spiritual faculties that we need to develop during our path of Liberation
13:03
and they are called spiritual faculty so punch Indra
13:08
and their faith sadda effort very and mindfulness again Sati then
13:15
concentration and wisdom and Buddha also spoke about seven
13:22
factors of Enlightenment they of course and again they begin with mindfulness
13:29
the first factor is mindfulness Sati and once you have developed mindfulness
13:35
we start investigating and we have to put a lot of effort and then joy and
13:42
Tranquility will arise and concentration and finally Equanimity so mindfulness is
13:50
also the first factor of the seven factors of enlightenment
13:56
the mindfulness meditation was taught by the Buddha in the satipatana
14:03
there are two discourses of satipatnam one in the Maji manika the collection of
14:09
the Middle East courses and it also appears in the diganika the
14:15
collection of the long discourses means mindfulness
14:22
and patana means foundation so Sati patan means foundations of mindfulness
14:30
and Buddha described the satipatan and the foundations of
14:35
mindfulness as the direct way to purify all our mental defilements to overcome
14:43
sorrow to overcome lamentation to eradicate suffering
14:48
to eradicate mental grief and that is it is through Sati pattan
14:54
that enter the Noble Path of liberation and finally through satipatan we can
15:01
attain realization of nepala and Buddha describe four foundations of
15:08
mindfulness the first one is contemplating on our body
15:15
second aspect is completing on our feelings
15:21
third aspect is contemplating on our mind States
15:27
and finally contemplating on the Mind objects
15:32
so let us look at the first aspect of contemplating on the body
15:38
and Buddha has to described five different aspects that we can follow in
15:44
order to contemplate on our body and the first aspect of course is mindfulness
15:49
breathing mindfulness of in-breath and out breath called Anna panasati uh we
15:57
are going to look at it in detail later on so I'll skip that for the Timely and the second aspect is maintaining
16:05
mindfulness of the four body postures and throughout our life we spent our
16:12
life in four postures we sit we lie we
16:18
stand or we walk those are the four main postures so in inside meditation in
16:24
mindfulness meditation we are maintaining mindfulness awareness of
16:30
each posture that we maintain at any particular moment this time if I am
16:36
standing I am standing if I am sitting I am aware that I am sitting if I am lying I am aware that I
16:43
am lying and if I walk I am aware that I am walking so the mindfulness of the
16:50
four body postures and then the third aspect is the clear comprehension champagne
16:57
and this is to maintain mindfulness in each and every action that we do from
17:04
the time we wake up in the morning till we go to bed each and every action we do
17:09
with mindfulness and with awareness so we get up in the morning get up from the
17:16
bed mindfully we brush our teeth mindfully wash our face mindfully we
17:23
dress mindfully we go to the kitchen mindfully make a cup of tea mindfully
17:29
everything we everything we do we do it mindfully dressing undressing going to
17:35
the toilet walking doing our work driving walking whatever action is done
17:41
in clear comprehension you perform that with full awareness and mindfulness
17:48
and the fourth aspect is the mindfulness repulsiveness of the body and as we know
17:54
about though we can see a one physical body this physical body consists of 32
18:00
Parts there are twenties solid parts and there are 12 liquid bars and the solid
18:08
parts are something like head hair the body hair the nails the tooth and the
18:16
skin the muscles the tendons the bone bone marrow kidneys
18:21
and then the heart and then the abdomen we got the liver spleen diaphragm and we
18:30
got the lungs and go on like that there are 20 solid parts including the brain
18:35
and there are 12 liquid Parts with bile and phlegm and the blood and
18:42
the sweat and pus and tears saliva like that so in this aspect of mindful
18:49
meditation we become mindful of the repulsiveness because all this part eventually uh
18:57
age and rot so we are mindfulness the repulsiveness
19:03
of the the body parts and the fifth aspect is they are going into even
19:09
deeper aspects of the body even these 32 aspects are made of four base elements
19:16
of patavia potato that's the element of solidity element of liquidity element of
19:23
heat and element of air and we become mindfulness even those
19:29
elements material elements and finally the sixth aspect of contemplating on the
19:35
body is to contemplate on various stages of decaying cogs and of course in the
19:42
days of the Buddha the bodies were left on the symmetries so meditators could
19:48
find dead bodies in various stages of decomposition and the Buddha has described nine stages
19:55
of decomposition so in contemplating on the body first the mindfulness of the
20:03
breathing then the mindfulness the four body postures then clear comprehension mindfully com
20:11
completing all of actions mindfulness the repulsiveness of our
20:16
body parts mindfulness of the four base elements and then finally the nine stages of the
20:23
decaying dead body so that's the contemplating on the body and the second aspect is we complete on
20:31
contemplate on our feelings and we as we know we there are three
20:37
types of feelings the pleasant feelings the unpleasant feelings and neutral feelings
20:42
so when we experience a pleasant feeling we are aware we are mindful that I am
20:49
experiencing a pleasant feeling when I am experiencing unpleasant
20:54
feeling I am aware I'm mindful that I am experiencing an unpleasant feeling and
20:59
similarly when I feel a neutral feeling I am mindful of that
21:04
and I am also mindful whether those feelings are coming from my sensory
21:11
organs like the eye the ear the nose tongue body or they are coming from sex
21:17
like concentration meditation so there's a difference between feelings that arise
21:22
from the sensory organs and the feelings that arise through meditation
21:30
and the third aspect is the contemplating on the Mind state because from moment to moment our mind
21:37
space keeps changing and one tries to be aware and Buddha has described 16 mind
21:44
states that we can be aware of so at any given moment is my mind
21:51
consisting of lust or not lust has my mind got hit or no hatred is it
22:00
ignorant or not ignorant is it a lazy mind distracted mind develop undeveloped
22:06
like that but Buddha has described 16 states of mindstase and when during the
22:12
waking hours we become aware mindfulness of our mind State at that particular
22:19
moment and the fourth aspect is the contemplating on the Mind objects the
22:26
mental factors and the Buddha has described five categories the first
22:31
category is the fire mental hindrances function neighborhood these are the
22:37
mental hindrances that appear whenever we try to meditate and concentrate our
22:42
mind and then we become mindful of of the five Aggregates of clinging that we are
22:49
made of then the internal and external sense basis
22:55
and the Seven Enlightenment factors and finally the Four Noble Truth so
23:01
there are five categories and the first category is the five mental hindrances
23:08
as we start meditating as you know all sort of mental
23:14
defilements appear in our mind and they could be sensual desired
23:20
or it could be ill will hate right anger or it will be laziness drowsiness
23:27
or it could be agitation of the mind or remorse and regrets about various things
23:32
we have done or not done and all types of skeptical doubt about the Buddha the dhamma the Sangha the
23:39
training that we have the meditation techniques so all this when they appear
23:45
that we are mindfulness each and every of them and the second category
23:51
are the five Aggregates that we are made of and all of us are made of a body and
23:56
the mind so the body is the corporeal body the Rope
24:02
and our mental aspects got four aspects that the feelings the perception and our
24:09
thinking mental formation and our Consciousness so we become aware and
24:14
mindfulness of these factors and the third category are the six internal and external sense
24:21
spaces the IE and whatever we see through the eyes the year and what we
24:27
hear through the years the nose and the smells that they smell tan and The Taste
24:33
we experience the body and the sensations the touch Sensations and the mind and the mental objects the thoughts
24:40
and Imagination so we become aware of them and then the seven Enlightenment factors
24:48
I have already mentioned mindfulness investigation of the dhamma effort Joy
24:53
Tranquility concentration they're all uh mental factors mental objects that we
25:00
can contemplate on during Insight Meditation and finally we contemplate on
25:05
the four noble truths the truth of suffering the such the truth of the
25:11
origin of the Suffering The craving the Noble Truth of cessation of
25:16
suffering the Nepal and the path to cessation of suffering the noble Eightfold
25:23
so those are the the four aspects for foundations of mindfulness that's
25:29
contemplating on the body contemplating on the feelings contemplating on the
25:35
Mind State and contemplating on the Mind objects and there are four approaches that
25:41
meditator can take when one goes into inside meditation some meditators may
25:49
find it convenient to begin with concentration meditation first and then
25:54
go on to Insight practice and that's called means a vehicle
26:00
so one begins with concentration meditation and then go on to inside practice or some meditators will prefer
26:08
to start with inside practice and then go on to develop concentration
26:14
and some meditations do it in parallel they practice both concentration and
26:19
inside practice parallel that's called Yogananda or some meditations will do away with
26:27
the full concentration meditation and go straight into inside practice alone
26:33
and when we do that we are supposed to develop what's called momentary
26:38
concentration called and that seems to be enough for an
26:44
experience inside meditation to go into inside practice so therefore has
26:51
approaches concentration followed by inside practice inside practice followed
26:57
by concentration practice combine them both in parallel or go
27:03
straight into Insight practice and when we do the Insight Meditation
27:10
and try to realize the reality what we realize first is all everything
27:19
in this universe is impermanence so first we realize the perception of
27:25
impermanence and if everything is impermanent that is
27:32
not pleasant that is not satisfactory so the second aspect is where we perceive
27:38
the unsatisfactions the dukkah nature and then finally if everything is
27:44
impermanent if everything is unsatisfactory I cannot be in charge of them there is
27:50
no me or I who is in charge so that's the annexation absence of herself
27:56
and a meditator who attains Enlightenment obviously cannot uh
28:04
realize all three at the same way in the same way so some meditators tend to
28:10
reflect mainly on the aspect of impermanence and some meditators reflect
28:16
mainly on the unstatic system sunsatisfactoriness and some uh they
28:21
predominantly meditate on the lack of self the three aspects and depending on
28:29
what aspect of the the three characteristics the practice the nibban has been described
28:37
as three types of so if one meditator is is predominantly practices the
28:43
impermanence aspect is called animita nibandh if one predominantly focuses on
28:51
unsatisfactoryness that's called and if you meditator focuses mainly on
28:58
the non-self nature and the nibbana that that person attains
29:04
is called and Buddha described this in his second
29:10
as you remember the when Buddha became the Buddha the first discourse he delivered was
29:17
to the five disciples and the second discourse was
29:25
and in this Buddha was questioning the fire Aesthetics is formed the body is it
29:32
permanent or impermanent impermanence so what is some if something is
29:38
impermanent is it Pleasant or unpleasant unpleasant and if something is impermanent and
29:45
unpleasant can it be considered as me or I or this is I no sir
29:52
and this the Buddha applied same questioning in relation to the failing perception uh mental formation and
29:59
consciousness so when we develop wisdom through
30:07
Insight Meditation we develop wisdom and we we get rid of ignorance
30:15
and what is ignorance the ignorance through ignorance we have mental
30:21
perversions we see things not as real with accept things as they appear to be
30:30
so whenever we see things hear things what is impermanent we take it as
30:36
permanent and what is unsatisfactory and unpleasant we take it as pleasant and
30:42
satisfactory and what is not self we consider ourselves and what is
30:48
unattractive is considered attractive so when we develop wisdom
30:55
we take we consider impermanent things as impermanent we take unsatisfactory
31:03
and present is as things as unpleasant and when there is no self we accept
31:09
there is no self and we take unattractive things as
31:14
unattractive so through wisdom we get rid of the four mental perversions and
31:23
begin to see things as they really are
31:28
at the moment there are three popular vipassana meditation methods
31:35
the all three came from Burma and they are all popular in the East and
31:42
the West and the first is the vipassana taught by
31:47
mahasa saidao mahasa Saida was a well-known meditator and a monk in Burma
31:54
and in his technique we pass in our technique there's no formal development of concentration
32:00
and begins with observing the rising and falling of the abdomen
32:06
and the throughout the meditation there is sitting and walking meditation during
32:12
the day so that's called mahasi method and the second method the popular one in
32:19
especially in the Westies uh vipassana stored by Mr goyanka and Mr
32:25
goyanka was a disciple of Yuba King in Burma and this technique was introduced
32:32
by lady saidau and uh and again it's uh it starts with
32:40
some concentration uh based on the breath in breath and out breath and then
32:45
it goes on to contemplating on the feelings the the vedana and vasana and
32:51
body scanning and then finally vipassana stored by a
32:57
vulnerable power oxide and he in his method one has to develop
33:03
concentration meditation first right up to the fourth deep absorbs and Jana and
33:10
then focus on the base elements and dependencies so there are three popular
33:16
personal techniques at the moment and I like to go into a bit detail of
33:25
the anapana sativa and the test mindfulness of the in-breath and out
33:31
breath and as we discussed it was the first technique uh introduced by Buddha
33:38
in the satipatan and is
33:46
breath in in breath our partner means outbreak and Sati means mindfulness
33:53
so in anapana we used the breadth as the focus or frame of reference
34:02
and to develop a collected mind
34:07
from practicing on the in-breath and our breath and in there Buddhism it's a
34:15
co-meditation practice the most popular meditation practice in theater other Buddhism and as we know Prince
34:22
Siddhartha when he was just aged five years or something he practiced this
34:30
and on the night that he became the Buddha when he got enlightened again he began practicing
34:38
and I am told that I have read that every summer Buddha on the day of the
34:45
Enlightenment they practice so it's a core practice
34:53
and the good thing about this in-breath and outbreak meditation is that it can
34:59
be used both for concentration meditation and inside meditation
35:06
and the mind is obviously a Wandering and a distracted mind
35:11
and both the compare at our mind to a wild monkey jumping from One Tree to
35:17
another Non-Stop so what happens what we try to do in in breath meditation
35:23
is to try to tame this monkey mind using our breath as the focus
35:30
and it's similar to Buddha said is similar to taming a wild animal a wild elephant or a wild bull we catch one
35:37
wild elephant and bring it home and then we tie it a post with a rope or
35:44
something and that is what we are trying to do in in breadth and out breath meditation so here the mind is while
35:51
animal is the mind the Rope is mindfulness and the post is the breadth so it's
36:00
similar to taming a while animals and Anna Buddha described the the anapan
36:08
Sati bhavana and the anapana satis that's the discourse in the Dominica
36:14
collection of the middle length discourses and they are with the describe both the
36:21
practice and the benefits of the Anna Panasonic so one who has who has the intention of
36:28
doing the anapana Sati first they have to find an appropriate
36:34
place to meditate and in those days the Buddha of they
36:40
advised the monks to go into the forest uh go to go and sit at the root of
36:45
Australia or go to a solitary place so in Pali with the said Aran nikatawa
36:55
but obviously it's not practical for all of us to do that so a quiet comfortable
37:01
a clean place in our own house with no distractions
37:07
or no we are not disturbed by other people or external events so quiet place
37:12
in our own office or House or wherever we are can be used for anapana
37:20
I find it helpful to have a dedicated place to meditate if I am practicing in
37:27
the house I dedicate one prayer this is my meditation place and that helps and
37:34
also to have a regular time of the day to get into the habit of that and that
37:40
adhered to that regular time can also be helpful and Buddha described the the posture
37:48
that is helpful in Anna upana is to sit down cross-legged with the body in the
37:54
erect position and if it is difficult and one could
38:00
assume another sitting position and keeping a straight back obviously
38:05
self helps with the respiration the breathing and at the same time if you maintain a
38:12
crooked bag that will cause pain and maintaining a first to keep the the
38:19
straight back can maintain our alertness during meditation
38:24
so sitting position should not be too uncomfortable or painful because that
38:31
doesn't help the medication and on the other hand it shouldn't be too comfortable either because if the posture is too
38:37
comfortable then inevitably we might go into a drowsiness and tends to sleep
38:44
and if uh helpful one could use the meditation cushion or even sit on a
38:49
chair if one cannot sit on the floor and one settled in the sitting poster we
38:57
generally cross our eyes and fix our Awareness on our in-breath and our
39:02
breath and why do we use the breath test the
39:08
meditation object because the breath is always the eyes and naturally occurring meditation object we don't need to make
39:14
one we don't need to find one it is already there in us with us all the time
39:20
and it's mobile wherever we are wherever we go the breath is with us so anywhere
39:26
we can practice and the breath is also a good reflection
39:31
of our state of our body and the mind and the emotions
39:36
so as you know if you are tired or relaxed
39:41
so if you are angry or if you are happy or whatever our emotions and mind and
39:47
the body the our breath will reflect that
39:52
and it's a living experience at the present moment at every moment of Life
39:59
the breath is there and it's also constantly changing
40:05
and it's pure it's not linked to any mental defilements greed hatred or
40:10
delusions so breath is one of the best meditation objects
40:17
so we have found the place to meditate and
40:23
we have shut down and we are maintaining our posture erect and we are seated
40:29
comfortably and we have closed our eyes then try we try to locate where the
40:38
breath is the focus the location of the breath and we can do that by taking a
40:44
deep breath in and out so we take a deep breath in or out and then we notice
40:51
where is the the focus that I can feel the sensation of the in and out air
40:59
and one tip is as you know when we take a breath in we will yeah feels a bit
41:06
cooler and when the breath goes out from the body due to the body temperature it
41:11
feels a little warmer so you even using that tool so we can try to locate where
41:18
is in the skin that we Face the in-breath and out
41:24
breath and for some people it may be just inside the nose
41:29
but for most people it is in the Triangular between the tip of the nose
41:34
and the upper lip So within that triangle one should be able to locate
41:40
we are the the AR touches the skin as we breathe in and as we breathe out
41:47
and if it is difficult to start with sometimes it helps you to take a few
41:53
hard breads to try to locate where the the AI is touching the skin and once we
42:01
have located the spot then we just watch in breadth and out breath passing
42:06
through that spouse and it may take some while for some people to locate that
42:12
place but of course when we start anapan Sati
42:17
we have to expect problems and it happens to every meditator every meditator
42:23
because as I said the mind is like a wild monkey and this nature is to wander
42:29
off go back to the past go into the future dream day dream and all sort of
42:35
things so if the Mind keeps wondering when we start anapana Sati don't get
42:41
disappointed don't get upset don't get irritated don't get angry just not the
42:48
distraction and especially in the mahasi technique they are advised to not every
42:55
distraction so some thoughts coming into our mind we're just not thinking not the
43:01
content of the thought if we feel something we acknowledge feeling or
43:07
hearing not what we hear of or daydreaming or planning or remembering
43:13
so we not the distraction and then gently and firmly bring the Mind back to
43:19
the breath and eventually it will take time obviously but eventually the breath
43:25
will settle the mind will settle on the breath and once the mindfulness firmly
43:31
established on the in-breath and out breath then in the anapana Buddha has given 16 contemplation 16
43:40
steps that we can practice and the 16 steps are given in four
43:45
tetrades groups of four and the each group represent an aspect of the
43:52
satipatana remember in the Sati pattern Buddha gave four foundations the
43:58
contemplation of the body contemplation of the feelings contemplation of the Mind State and
44:06
contemplation of the Mind objects so the four tetrats in the anapana
44:11
satibhavan correspond the first four correspond with the foundation the samayan version
44:19
of the body the second Tetra contemplation of the feelings the third Tetra contemplation
44:26
of the mind and the fourth that corresponds to the uh
44:32
mine objects so I will just briefly go through them not
44:37
in detail so once we have settled our mind on the breath
44:43
and when we keep breathing generally we begin to realize that my in-breath has a
44:50
certain length certain length and my out breath has a
44:56
certain length and that I take it as the average length of my inbred and the
45:01
outbreak and when we start meditating on the breath occasionally we may find that
45:07
one particular inbred is longer than my average or one particular out breath is
45:13
longer than my usual average output and we mind become mindfulness just be aware
45:20
of that occasionally one breath will be shorter or one out breath will be
45:25
shorter and we just note it and become there and in the third stage we become
45:31
sensitive to the entire body now this entire body is interpreted in two ways
45:37
some teachers interpret as become aware of the whole physical body
45:44
while meditating and other teachers interpreters meant being aware of the
45:52
whole body of the breath as you as you feel and when you breathe
45:57
in and out there's a beginning of the breath there's a middle and there's an end then
46:04
again out breath there's a beginning a middle and end so the entire body here
46:10
means the entire body of the breath and that is what I am practicing rather than
46:15
focusing on the whole physical body while breathing and we become aware of that
46:21
and then as we keep breathing then obviously the breath becomes finer and
46:26
finer and finer and that's a calming calming of the breath and we become aware of that so that is the first tetra
46:35
and then the in the second Tetra the score on the contemplation the feeling
46:40
whatever Rapture or pleasure that we feel in our mind we become aware and and
46:47
the third third is the Mind State becoming we are sensitive to the Mind
46:53
States while we are breathing and finally uh the mental objects and here
47:01
we are focusing on things like the anicha the impermanence and lack of
47:08
craving things like that and Buddha says that when we fully cultivate the anapana
47:17
Sati and it's equal to completing on the four foundations in satipatana
47:25
and when we complete the foundations of mindfulness and that leads to the
47:31
perfect in the seven factors of enlightenment and when the seven Enlightenment factors
47:37
are perfected and that is really getting we are had to attaining the wisdom and
47:44
The Liberation the nibhag so through anapan satibhavana one can really attain
47:51
enlightenment now I will not go into details but
48:00
Buddha has said during when we practice Insight Meditation
48:05
we develop certain Insight knowledges they are called vipassana and Buddha has
48:12
described 16 of them at various stages and I will just just to mention
48:21
bypassing the first is the knowledge that there is a difference between Nam
48:27
and rupe the material aspects and the mental aspects and that's called Nama Rupa Paris
48:32
[Music] and then the cause and effect conditionality
48:39
and I would suggest if someone is interested to to read about them rather
48:45
than going into details uh into all the 16 so
48:51
there are 16 inside knowledges they are called
48:56
vipassana knowledges and the final knowledges are really the knowledge that
49:03
one has attained show upon the first stage that one has attained the second
49:08
stage the third stage one has attend uh
49:16
let me yeah the first stage so one when we
49:22
practice inside meditation and we attain all the inside knowledges and we get rid
49:29
of mental defilements gradually and realize the four noble truths and
49:36
attain the first stage of Enlightenment and that's called stream enter or
49:43
and when we one becomes a sought upon remember we have talked about 10 Fetters
49:49
and the first three Fetters are person personally to be used
49:54
uh skeptical doubt and attachment rights and ritual one get rid of those three
50:01
Fetters and attain the first stage of uh
50:09
and that again there are three knowledges when you become a South upon the first is the the path the knowledge
50:16
of the path the knowledge that you have attained the fruit of the path and then
50:22
the Reviving knowledge so at every each stage there are three knowledges
50:28
and then we go on to Second Stage so having eradicated the first three
50:33
Fetters uh then in the second stage we kind of
50:39
weaken the next two Fitters called kamrag and ilvil patiga
50:46
and again there are three knowledges of the sahadarami the path knowledge the
50:52
fruit knowledge and the reviewing knowledge and then the third stage uh we eradicated the remaining two
51:01
Fetters of the sense desire and ill will and then one becomes a non-returner
51:07
that's anaga then again there are three knowledges the path fruit and reviewing
51:14
knowledge and finally one eradicates all the ten Fitters and becomes an uh
51:28
all right so the the direct path obviously to to Liberation is the noble
51:35
eight four part and with the describe the eight factors in three stages the
51:42
Silas samadhi and Patna so one needs to develop right morality
51:48
first and with right morality we go on to develop concentration of the Mind
51:53
samadhi and with the concentration of the mind we go on to Insight Meditation to
52:00
develop right wisdom so seal samadhi pratna and with wisdom we eradicate all
52:08
our mental defilements and we realize the four noble truths and attain
52:13
Enlightenment and finally born so thank you very much

 

Second teaching

well nice to uh see you again and talk to you and today also we are going to talk about an important topic in
0:09
tarot the Buddhism that's come and find me I will begin the talk with
0:18
the short story from the days of the Buddha Lord Buddha was residing in
0:27
a monastery in savati in India and a senior Monk named chakupal
0:36
he was an arhand he came to visit and pay homage to the Buddha
0:42
and while he was residing in the jaethwana Maharashtra he was doing uh
0:48
practicing walking meditation on a walking path and during his walking meditation
0:56
because what happened with the terror was actually a blind he was a blind
1:02
senior Monk and while he was doing walking meditation accidentally he has killed
1:10
several insects who happened to be on the Walking path
1:15
and a group of monks saw that the senior monk who is
1:22
practicing walking meditation has killed several insects on his path and he's
1:28
supposed to be an arahant so they went and reported this to the Buddha
1:35
and the Buddha asked them did you see this senior monk killing this insects no
1:41
sir well similarly he didn't see them either because he was he is blind
1:49
to start with he didn't know that there were insects on the Walking path
1:54
and there was no intention to harm or kill the insects and being another hunt who has
2:02
eradicated all mental defilements he would never get an intention to harm any
2:08
living being so arahan chakupal has not committed any
2:15
come any come and then Buddha chanted this recited
2:23
this verse [Music]
2:33
foreign [Music]
2:40
foreign [Music]
2:53
[Music]
3:00
[Music]
3:11
they have a mind as their Chiefs they are mind made if one speaks or acts with
3:18
an evil mind suffering will follow him just as the wheel follows the footprint of the ox
3:25
that draws the car so if someone has done
3:31
any action with an evil mind the results the suffering will follow on
3:37
just like a wheel follows the footprint of the Oxford and this is the first verse of the
3:44
dhamma pada I hope if not all of you some of you may
3:50
be familiar with the dhammapada and that is really supposed to be the
3:56
Buddhist handbook Buddhist disciples handbook which contains
4:02
423 verses like this uttered by the Buddha and it's very important for a
4:09
Buddhist to know or probably all of them very very significant and in the second verse this is the
4:16
first verse of them in the second verse of the father Buddha gives the opposite
4:21
that if one has done a good deed if one has done a deed with the good intention
4:28
happiness will follow like the shadow of Allah so the negative and the positive
4:35
side so Kama in Pali means action doing act
4:41
deed but Buddha said karma is actions only
4:48
when they are intentional when they are volitional when they are done with Will
4:54
so any action that's done unintentionally accidentally or unconsciously
5:01
is not considered as common now this concept is different from a
5:07
concept of Kama in some other religions let us take if if you take the Jainism
5:13
in Jainism any action is common whether they are intentional willful or
5:20
not every action one commission is come and Buddha disagree Buddha said no only
5:27
if there is an intention volition who will to do an act that becomes a come
5:34
not if something is done unintentionally accidentally or unconsciously
5:39
so like other Concepts like rebirth and particular the karma is also quite a
5:46
central fundamental aspects of the the Buddhist Doctrine and it's a natural
5:51
process of course an effect for every course there's an effect
5:56
and that operates with all the intentional and willful actions
6:03
and that's a natural process that does not need any external agency or super power or Almighty sitting somewhere in
6:11
judgment you have done this you deserve this you have done that you deserve this no it's a natural process of course and
6:18
effect and Karma is really not a thing on in in tedious such but it's a process it's a
6:26
sort of energy and an invisible force and if someone has done something good
6:33
or bad with an intention and consequences will follow sooner or later
6:39
but there is a a
6:46
difference here when I say consequent soon or later we'll as we'll discuss
6:51
later on Buddha said not every Karma will lead to a sick it depends on what
6:57
has been done later on and the conditions that are prevalent at the time and if you take the example of
7:04
harvesting one could say in general if one shows good seeds one will reap a
7:11
good robust if one shows bad seeds one will reap a bad Harvest
7:18
now if you remember at the age of 35 ascetic Siddharth the SAT under the boat
7:26
Tree in both and started meditating and this was on the night that he became
7:32
a Buddha and he developed three particular super mental powers
7:39
during the first part of the night he developed us mental power
7:45
through which he could see his own past lives being reborn died reborn death
7:52
reborn and that's called and during the second part of the night
7:58
he developed a mental power through which he could see the other human beings and all the other beings
8:06
been born and dead and that depended on the karma they have
8:12
done if someone has done a good karma he will be reborn in a good place if
8:19
someone has done a Bad Karma the rebirth will be in a bad place and obviously
8:25
that in the third part of the night he saw his Allah
8:31
eradicated and that's called so when Buddha talked about uh come
8:39
he did not save because he has heard it from someone else he did not imagine it
8:46
he just did not thought about it no through his super mental power he
8:51
actually saw that beings who have done good karma
8:57
resulted in rebirth in good places beans we have done Bad Karma were reborn
9:05
in bad places and then only he discloses to the world about the the Buddhist
9:10
concept of Karma now there's a discourse in the majima
9:16
nikaya which is the collection of the middle and discourses of the Buddha it's called
9:24
and abrahamian youth names he approached the Buddha
9:29
and US sir why is there so much inequality in among human beings
9:36
and some people have got the short life some have a long life
9:41
some are sickly and vulnerable to be ill and some are healthy
9:46
some people are ugly and some people are beautiful some people are influential and some are
9:53
not influenced some people happen to be poor While others are rich
9:59
some are born to a low-caste and cleanse and some are born to a high class
10:04
and summer of low intelligence and some of high intelligence and he was asked in
10:10
the Buddha why is there so much inequality in the human society
10:16
and the Buddha said all living beings are the owners of
10:21
their actions he asked to the actions they originate from their actions they are related
10:28
through their actions they have the actions as their refuge and it is action
10:34
of karma that distinguishes being as inferior or infused so so Buddha
10:41
explained in the inequality of the society has been due to their previous
10:46
commas and the mind
10:52
by itself cannot actually perform any mental verbal or physical actions
10:59
the Mind needs an intention of will the volition is the volition or the
11:04
intention that carries out any any action either mental or verbal or physical actions
11:11
and in another discourse of the anguthara nikaya which is the collection of Buddha's numerical resources
11:19
foreign
11:25
foreign
11:35
[Music] by volition wonders come come through
11:42
body word or mind so clearly here the Buddha makes a declaration that what he
11:48
calls Kama is intention it's a will it's
11:54
a volition associated with an action
11:59
but everything that happens to us so everything happens in the world is not due to Karma
12:05
there are several other forces that can work and one force is what's called they are
12:12
called niyamas niyamas the natural forces that works in the in the universe
12:18
one is called utunia and that is the season the seasonal differences the
12:24
temperature differences and so if we consider
12:30
climate change it's the winter the summer the spring and the Autumn or the
12:36
rains or winds or disasters like floods earthquakes or tsunamis and they are due
12:43
to this changes in the seasonal of climate change
12:49
and the second force is the beaten here and this is the kind of physical
12:55
biological that is uh if if we if we plant the
13:02
mango seeds we will get only a mango plant if we plant a coconut seed we will get a
13:09
coconut plant and similarly if you get a chicken egg it will when it hatches only a chicken
13:17
will be born that's a kind of beginner physical biological look
13:22
and the third force is chitanya and what happens in our mind our Consciousness
13:29
and the mental factors and they have their own Force it's not cannot may not
13:35
be due to come with itself and the fourth force is the Dominion
13:41
and this is the order of nature like the gravity magnetic forces they all
13:46
happened by itself they are natural forces they are not due to come
13:52
and the fifth force is the communion so when some when we consider some
13:58
something happening we have to look at the post other possibilities rather than jumping into
14:06
like Dr Danny mentioned if anything happens people will say that's Kama that's due to Karma no Kama is one of
14:14
the possibilities and there are other possibilities that we need to consider as well
14:20
during the Buddhism the Buddha there were three theories as to what causes
14:26
things that happen to us and one theory was that what happened to
14:33
us now is always due to our previous Karma due to always actions that were done in
14:40
the past and this is called karmic determinism
14:46
and if that is the the belief then obviously that can lead to fatalism
14:51
because there is we can't we are helpless we can't do anything ourselves because we are already decided
14:56
determined by our previous come and the second theory was what happens
15:03
to us now is due to the wish or the command of a Creator Supreme Creator
15:09
Almighty your God or some Divine Authority and that's known as theistic determinism
15:15
it is and the third
15:20
theory was what happens to us now is not due to any cause but merely by chance or
15:27
by accident and that's called ahead Apache and you may know that in the days of the
15:34
Buddha there were six other sectarial teachers and one of them was called
15:40
purana and this purana did not believe in karma
15:46
and at one time he was saying that if
15:51
you get a racist sharp disc and go around the world and kill every being
15:59
that you can find and make a big heap of Flesh nothing happens there's no come
16:07
and on another occasion he said if you go to uh the the banks of the river
16:13
Ganges in India and you go on the Left Bank of the River
16:19
from bottom to the top taking a sharp weapon
16:24
and kill and torture every being that you come across and he said nothing happens there's no
16:31
come up and then he said if you walk on the right side of the Ganges River
16:38
from the bottom to the top and you doing do you do all sort of meritorial
16:46
Elections uh given done giving metha and karuna all sorts of things giving all
16:53
meritorious wholesome action then he said nothing happens there's no good in
16:58
them so he did not believe in karma good or bad
17:04
and the problem is if we believe in one of these theories then obviously Buddha
17:11
said in one of the discourses because if you believe in any of these theories
17:18
then you can kill you can still you can engage in sexual misconduct
17:26
you can tell lies and all do all sort of unwholesome things and it's not your
17:31
fault because they're all determined by previous Karma or determined by a
17:38
Creator or a Divine Authority and again there is no use of doing any
17:45
good things because if there is no Karma what's the point of doing any good things and so
17:52
Buddha rejected all these three three theories
17:57
now when we consider our actions depending on the channel or the path
18:03
that an action takes place we can divide them into three types
18:08
so the first type is called kayakama our bodily actions the physical actions
18:15
and the second type is the actions that we do through our
18:21
speech and the third one is mental actions that we do things in our own mind
18:28
and after the three really the mental action is the most morally significant because
18:35
now moral action we mental action we can do even without verbal or bodily action
18:40
so we can do good or bad karma in our own mind
18:46
and then if you are going to do any verbal action through speech
18:51
that also need first the mental action because we do first think about it and
18:57
then only we that goes into the speech and similarly when we do some physical
19:02
action that's also preceded by the mental action so really in all three actions
19:09
the mental action is there so the mental action is the most important part of the three
19:16
and then our actions can be uh divided into two types depending on whether they
19:24
are good or bad unholes someone's unskillful actions or they are good wholesome and
19:31
skillful actions and the first group called apusola Kama in Pali these are
19:38
bad and wholesome unskillful actions and as you know Buddha has described three
19:44
unwholesome roots called the great love hatred those and
19:51
delusion Mohan and all our unwholesome unskillful bad actions are based on
19:59
three these three unwholesome rules so any of the actions whether they are
20:05
mental actions or verbal actions or physical actions if they are based on
20:12
these three unforced some rules they are unworthsome actions
20:18
while any actions that are based on wholesome rules like non-great non-hate
20:25
and non-delution and they are good actions wholesome skillful good actions
20:32
and they are called kusala so if we consider both the psychological
20:39
root of unwholesome and wholesome and the three channels mental verbal and
20:45
physical we got six types of commas six type of actions
20:50
firstly hold some bodily actions
20:56
then we got all some verbal action then we have all some mental actions
21:06
and on the negative side we got unholesome bodily action
21:13
unhaul some verbal action and unhaul some mental action
21:24
now in another discourse called again in the majikai the collection of
21:30
the Buddhas a middle-lands discourses a Buddha classified Karma into four groups
21:36
and the first group he called Dark Kama
21:41
with the dark results and what would the Mentos unwholesome
21:47
actions giving rise to unholesome unhappy results and the second group bright come with
21:55
the bright results the horrors and actions with the happy result bright
22:01
results and the third group a mixture of dark and bright with a dark and bright
22:08
results so these actions which may have both wholesome and unwholesome
22:13
intentions and the fourth group with the described as neither dark nor bright Karma with
22:20
neither dark nor bright effect results and that these are the karmas if you
22:25
take an arahan to a Buddha they have eradicated all the roots
22:33
wholesome and number so any action done by an arahant or Buddha is not a comma
22:39
because there is no bad intention there and similarly Buddha said that when we
22:46
cultivate the nobelite for path remember nobody four part is called good
22:53
Beavis samadhiti Sama sankapa good intentions like there
23:00
are eight steps and when we cultivate the eight noble fall path this again
23:07
there's no bad no good karma there
23:13
Buddha has to described 10 Untold some actions
23:18
and out of the ten three are done by physical actions and the first one is
23:26
killing any living beings living beings included not only human beings any living creature any animals
23:35
big or small killing any of them is an unwholesome action
23:43
second stealing or taking what is not given and that is
23:50
unwholesome action sexual misconduct the Third
23:55
physical action that Buddha named as an unwholesome
24:01
and Buddha then describe four verbal actions which are unwholesome actions
24:07
for speech telling lies foreign
24:13
speech dividing speech divisive speech backbiting to divide people divide
24:20
friends and that is an unwholesome action High speech shouting screaming all sort
24:29
of things bad speech heart speech that is an unwholesome action Idol chattering
24:36
either chatter gossip they are all included in unhole some actions so out
24:43
of the ten non-holesome actions three Buddha has described as physical actions
24:49
and four verbal actions and Buddha also describe three mental
24:54
actions as unwholesome actions the first one is covetousness and that's called
25:00
abhija and this is a craving craving for things that belong to others
25:08
so if I see someone else having something good I crave to have that
25:15
and that's called covetousness and Buddha described that as an unwholesome
25:22
and then all sort of ill will anger hatred
25:28
they are all unwholesome mental actions and wrong
25:36
and Buddha describe what this is
25:42
is one doesn't believe that there is any Merit in arms giving
25:48
one does not believe that there is any Merit in making large offerings
25:54
one does not believe there is any Merit in making small offerings
25:59
one one does not believe in karma that whether you do bad or good things
26:04
there are no results of that and there is no special person called a
26:10
mother so there is no need to treat the mother in any special way
26:15
similarly there is no special person called father and then one does not believe that
26:22
there's this there's a world here and the world Beyond us so that means if you
26:27
don't believe in income and if you don't believe in rebirth for then there is no this word or that word
26:34
and they also don't believe in instantaneous birds I may have discussed
26:40
it before but they describe four types of birds in this universe and one is
26:46
through X second is through wombs fourth is through extraneous sources
26:54
like in moisture and rotting things and finally instantaneous words
26:59
now we see in the Buddhist cosmology there are 31 planes of existence
27:05
and out of the 31 Place of Extinction existence in the human and the animal
27:12
world you got the first three types of birth but in the rest of the clients of
27:19
existence like in the suffering worlds like papayas or in the heavens or in the
27:25
Brahma Worlds the birds are instantaneous and the police people with wrong we
27:33
don't believe that it is possible to have instantaneous or opapathic births
27:39
and they also don't believe there are ascetics who can meditate and develop their mind like the arhands and Buddhas
27:47
and rishis they can see the other words and come and tell us look here there are
27:52
other words people are reborn and people are reborn according to their come and
27:57
they don't believe that so Buddha included these 10 things as the bad
28:03
wrong View now in another discourse called
28:11
Buddha expanded this 10 unwholesome actions into 40. into 40. so let us take
28:19
the if you take the first one was
28:27
if we take the first unholesome action physical that's killing any living
28:32
beings so like that there are 10 unwholesome actions here killing any living beings
28:39
stealing sexual misconduct so there are 10 unhole some actions
28:44
and then next Buddha expanded that into 20. so killing any living beings is a
28:52
Bad Karma and encouraging others to kill is also a bad calm so Buddha expanded a
28:59
10 unwholesome actions into 20. and then Buddha expanded that into 30
29:06
unwholesome actions so killing any living beings encouraging others to kill and approving
29:14
The Killing by others that's also an unwholesome actions and then in this discourse Buddha
29:22
expanded into 40. so killing any living beings is an unwholesome act encouraging
29:29
others to kill is an unwholesome action approving killing by others is an
29:35
unwholesome action and praise in the Act of Killing is an unwholesome action and
29:42
similarly you can refer to other nine assets so stealing is an unwholesome
29:47
action encouraging others to steal is an unwholesome act approving stealing by
29:54
others is approved and unwholesome and praise in the act of stealing is
30:00
unwholesome and similarly engaging in sexual misconduct is
30:05
unwholesome encouraging others to engage in mixed sexual misconduct is
30:11
unwholesome approving the act of sexual misconduct is unwholesome and the praise
30:18
in the act of sexual misconduct is unable so so like that Buddha expanded
30:24
the 10 types of unwholesome Acts to 40.
30:31
and then would they describe wholesome actions what the good karmas
30:37
and they are the Opposites of the 10 unwholesome actions
30:42
so abstaining from killing or harming and living beings is a wholesome action
30:49
abstaining from stealing or taking what is not given is wholesome action
30:54
abstaining from sexual misconduct is wholesome action
31:00
abstaining from Forced speech or lying is a wholesome abstaining from slanderous devices
31:07
speech is a wholesome night abstaining from harsh speech is wholesome and
31:14
abstaining from idler chatter is wholesome and then the three holes are
31:19
mental like non-covetousness that is not developing craving for things that belong to others
31:26
the non-hatred loving kindness Mehta is wholesome and the right way the opposite
31:34
of the ten wrong views is right to it so these 10 Buddha described as wholesome
31:40
action and in addition to that now those 10 wholesome actions are
31:48
absence from the ten unhaul selections but with those who describe 10 acts 10
31:55
actions that we can do and which are wholesome and not meritorious
32:01
and the first one is generosity given done giving done to other people to
32:09
people who don't have or for the religious people or giving uh in
32:16
material form or giving our time or giving dhamma or offering teachings like
32:23
this and all sort of giving done is a
32:28
wholesome meritorious and then the second one with the describe morality Sheila
32:35
living a moral life is wholesome so whether as lay people we observe five
32:42
precepts or eight precepts or the monks and nuns follow various other precepts
32:48
they are all whole sometimes morality and the third meritorious action is
32:55
meditation any form of meditation is a wholesome act whether we do concentration some of
33:02
the meditation or mindfulness so Insight vipassana Meditation they're all
33:07
wholesome actions and the fourth meritorious active reverence to the
33:12
elders and monks is called Apache paying respect reverence to people who
33:18
deserve respect said to clergy respect our parents
33:24
respect to Elders respect to people who are more virtuous than us so paying
33:30
respect to people who deserve respect is a wholesome night and the fifth one service to others
33:40
giving service to others in any form to individually or to the society and that
33:47
is wholesome Act and the sixth one probably is unique maybe unique to Buddhism maybe not a
33:54
transference of Merit in Buddhist practice when we accumulate Merit we
34:01
transform it to people especially to people who are deceased to our parents to our relatives or to deities and the
34:10
transference of Merit that one has earned that is a wholesome night
34:15
and the seventh meritorious Act is rejoicing in others Merit so when someone else does a meritorious
34:23
act like this generosity morality meditation reverence of Elder strong any
34:30
any meritorious act done by somebody else when we rejoice in that tag that's
34:37
also a meritorious wholesome act which will bring Merit to ourselves and listening to dhamma like this the
34:45
Buddha's teaching that's the wholesome right and the preach in the dhamma
34:50
preach in the Buddha's teaching and spreading the Buddhas dhamma either verbally or in print form or in any
34:57
Buddhist discussion they are all wholesome nights and the tenth meritorious act with the describe was
35:03
correcting one's weaves and this refers to the 10 wrong views that I talked
35:09
about first before and correcting those wrong 10 wrong views to the right view
35:16
is also a meritorialism so let us go into as Dr Danny mentioned
35:25
come up with you know because when usually people talk about only come
35:31
and they mean come and we park but come and vipaka do different things the karma
35:37
is the cause and the vipata is the result so any come either mental a verbal or
35:47
physical done with an intention with a will and that's the cause
35:52
if there is no intention is there no motive if there is no will
36:00
that's not a comma and when that come gives rise to the
36:05
effect when that come ripens based on the law of cause and effect and that is
36:12
the path so we power cause karma is the cause and we Parker is the effect the
36:19
result of that action and [Music]
36:25
generally most most of the actions will give rise to the effect
36:32
but not necessary Buddha defined five
36:37
actions which will definitely bring effect and they are called panchan and
36:43
they are called five highness actions if you are if one kills one's mother
36:49
if one kills one father if one kills and enlightened
36:56
if one wounds the body of the Buddha or if one creates a Schism in the community
37:02
of Buddhist monastics monks and nouns they will definitely lead to a bad
37:07
effect but when this effect happens
37:13
uh it cannot be changed by the influence of anybody else so there is no higher
37:20
authority who can influence the effect and once we have done a comma it can be
37:27
effective from any time from the time it is done as long as we exist in the samsara the
37:36
cycle of birth and so in reality in the Buddhist concept until one attains
37:42
nibbana one can experience the results of one's come
37:48
even when you are enlightened as an arahant or Buddha you can still suffer
37:55
the consequences of the park of your previous Karma now as I said in my short
38:00
story The arahant chakrupal and how he became blind but they
38:07
explained in that story because the monks asked the Buddha even being an
38:13
arhand how did he become blind and then the Buddha gave the first story
38:18
Buddha said in a previous life this Chaco palat era happened to be a doctor
38:24
specializing in eye diseases and once a woman patient came to him who
38:32
was losing her side due to an eye disease and and she told the doctor please cure
38:40
my blindness and if you can cure it I and my children will come and be
38:46
servants to you for the rest of my life and so the doctor gave and I put an eye
38:52
ointment into her eyes and she recovered her sights that eye
38:59
disease was cured but now she's changed her mind she did not want to go back and work as
39:05
servants to the doctor so she went back to the doctor and said Doctor my eye
39:12
problem is not right in fact it is worse now and when the doctor examined he found
39:18
that actually her eyesight is perfect and then he developed a bad intention
39:24
and he wanted to teach a lesson and take revenge and he put an eye ointment another eye
39:31
ointment and that made her blind again and Buddha said and the result of that
39:37
action was that even when he became arahant in this life he became a blind
39:45
and similarly you may have heard about one of the Two Chief Disciples of the
39:50
buddhaas to Chief disciples and second one was mogalan
40:00
in the previous birth had killed both his mother and father
40:06
and as a result of that he has suffered a lot in a world of suffering but even
40:12
having become an arhand he was murdered by 500 people so that
40:19
again put the said was the result of him carrying his own mother and father
40:24
and not only arounds and Buddha himself had to suffer there is a discourse
40:29
called Sutra or something and in that Buddha
40:36
gives 12 instances 12 examples of incidents when he had to suffer as a
40:44
Buddha due to bad karma that he has performed in previous life so even when
40:50
one becomes a Buddha or araha you have to still suffer the vipaka the effects
40:57
of the previous come but only thing is when you and araha Buddha you don't make
41:03
any new Kama so
41:10
I I I said the when I said the every Karma will result in effect I said it
41:16
was conditional because the karma really does not operate with mechanical rigidity that if something if
41:25
something is done there will be definitely a effect for that and with the exception of those fire
41:34
cameras that I mentioned killing your mother father arahan wound in the Buddha
41:40
and Schism in the Buddha all the other uh actions
41:45
is the unwholesome actions can be listened or sometimes even neutralized
41:52
by the and actions that are done afterwards yes so the final result the
41:59
vipak will depend not only the original Karma but also the karma the actions
42:06
performed afterwards subsequently so hence we should not develop a kind of a
42:12
fatalistic attitude towards the the concept of Buddha that if you have done something we I will definitely suffer no
42:20
it can be neutralized uh by wholesome actions and one of the discourses the
42:27
Buddha mentioned is called Lorna Palace and the Buddha said if the results of
42:34
the Kama are to take effect in the same strength as it was performed one will
42:40
never get the chance to be enlightened and get out of suffering
42:45
because throughout our samsara during our previous millions of billions of
42:51
lives we may have committed so much of Bad Karma
42:56
that if every of thing every karma is going to be effective we will never get
43:02
a chance to be enlightened and in the same discourse Buddha said
43:10
let us take two people there is one person
43:15
who has accumulated lot of wholesome actions he has been in lot of
43:21
meritorious and wholesome actions so he got a lot of positive energy
43:27
and there's another person who has done a lot of unwholesome actions so he is full of negative energy
43:34
and if the same unwholesome action a minor cornhole some action is done by
43:41
these two people the same thing is done by the two people the the person who has
43:46
done lot of on a lot of wholesome actions before will experience only
43:53
minor unwholesome bad results whereas the person who has accumulated a
44:00
lot of unwholesome actions unwholesome energy even the same Act done by this person
44:07
will suffer more and might end up in a lower blood test and the Buddha gave an
44:14
example to simulate Buddha said if you take a crystal of soul
44:20
and put that into a glass of water and that water will become salty
44:27
immediately because a small amount of water and the salt of Crystal will make
44:33
it salty and that was similar to a person who has done lot of unwholesome
44:39
actions and very little wholesome actions whereas if you put the same crystal of
44:46
salt into a river Ganges a big river and it will dissolve immediately and it
44:53
will have no effect at all on the water the water will not affect become salty
44:59
so Buddha said like that a person who has done lot of and actions if a
45:06
minor unwholesome action is done by him the results may not be that significant
45:13
so that means the company is the correct conditions to Manifest this effect now
45:18
if you take the karma let us take a mango seed now mango seed has the energy
45:26
within the mango seed to produce a mango tree and through the mango tree it can
45:33
produce hundreds and thousands of mango fruits but the mango seeds needs the
45:39
correct conditions if you keep the mango seed in the Box in the house it won't do
45:45
anything no effect so the mango seed has to be planted in soil you have to provide the good manure
45:53
you have to in give water to you have to water it and it needs sunlight so there
46:00
are so many conditions that are needed by the mango seeds to be effective as a
46:06
mango tree and produce mango and the same way Buddha said a Karma that one
46:11
has done also need certain conditions at the time for that to be effective
46:20
and in another discourse again in the Maja manikai the collection of the middle and discourses called
46:28
and Buddha happened to visit a village called Salah Village and the brahamians householders visited
46:36
the Buddha and they asked about the sir now after that why are some people born
46:43
in world of deprivation like in the nireya papayas or animal kingdom
46:49
and while after death some people are born in Heavenly worlds
46:54
and the Buddha's answer was Those who commit any of the ten unwholesome acts
46:59
that I talked about and they end up being born in verse of
47:05
deprivation and Those who commit the ten whole sometimes they are this time for
47:11
heavens now we can divide the the park
47:18
they come depending on the vipath into four types four types now one form of
47:27
comma can decide where we are going to be next and that's called reproductive thumb
47:35
and that what happens is at the time of our death a certain action we have done will
47:43
appear in our mind and that will decide the where we are going to be born and
47:50
that's called reproductive come so at the time of our death if we
47:56
recollect or if we do or remember good action
48:02
and that will decide that we are born in a good place
48:08
whereas at the time of death if we remember and bad action physical verbal
48:14
or mental action any of them and that will decide and take us to a bad birth so that's
48:22
called reproductive and there's another group of come of
48:28
course supportive supportive combo and they cannot decide on a rebirth itself
48:34
but when rebirth is decided by the first one reproductive comma this supportive
48:41
the other Kamas will go and support it and help it so if a person uh had a good
48:49
uh memory or has done good thing at the time of the death he is born in a good
48:55
place so all his good commas that he has done before will come and support him to
49:01
enjoy the The Good the happiness in that life and it can it can work the other way
49:07
around as well if a bad come appeared in the mind at the time of death and ended up in a bad
49:14
birth and then all the previous bad commas we have done will come and
49:19
support that individual to suffer so therefore support you come
49:24
the third type is called obstructive or counteractive Karma
49:29
and what they do is they weaken the effect of the reproductive let us say
49:35
that someone who has done good things all his life unfortunately some bad
49:40
action came to his mind at the time of death and he ended up in being born in a
49:46
bad place and he doesn't deserve it so all the
49:51
good commas he has done before will come and obstruct his suffering
49:57
so the example I gave sometimes is that let us say someone has done good things
50:03
in his life unfortunately end up being born as a dog or something
50:09
but all his previous wholesome come they will come and work to counteract that
50:16
effect and the example I gave is that even if one is born as a dog probably the dog will end up in somewhere like a
50:23
Buckingham Palace in London and enjoy all the Royal Comforts so they are called obstructive or counteractive and
50:31
the fourth type is called destructive they are very strong commas very strong actions we have done
50:38
and they can take the Life Away uh the them stronger than the obstruct you come
50:44
let us say someone has done uh Very Bad Things unwholes transactions all his
50:51
life for some reason at the time of death some minor good action came his mind and
50:58
was born in a good place and he doesn't deserve it so all the bad karmas the strong comers one of them
51:06
will come and and take his life away and this is probably an explanation why
51:13
after conception you know sometimes fetus is lost after one week two weeks
51:20
three weeks at the time of birth or very young children so this probably if it is
51:26
due to a thumb and it is due to one of this destructive Karma and coming and
51:31
taking the life away and sending him to a place that they deserve they're there
51:37
so four types reproductive come support you come obstructive or counteractive comma and
51:45
destructive compound and again I said at the time of death
51:52
action that we have done a physical or verbal or mental action will act on our
51:58
mind to decide the next birth and there are four types of karma
52:04
depending on how what priority they think in deciding the next birth
52:12
and the first type is called vaticama the vedicum means something very serious
52:19
or strong good or bad that we have done at the time of death that will come into
52:27
our mind and decide the next person so they are called vedicum
52:33
if there is no strong Karma like that that we have done
52:38
then the proximate Karma the thing we have done immediately before our birth
52:45
or thing that we have remembered immediately after death will decide the
52:51
next word and that's called proximate Karma the most recent coming we have got
52:57
and if that is also not there then the habitual come the habitual things we
53:03
have been doing in our lives one of them will come and decide become a
53:08
reproductive let us say if you if someone who has been uh killing all his
53:13
life and the killing of course that will come someone has been stealing or on the
53:20
positive side some has been meditating or observing precepts or giving dhana
53:26
and things like that wholesome that will come so one something that one has been
53:32
habitually doing in their life will come and become the reproductive one
53:37
and if none of those so there is no strong comma there's no proximate comma
53:42
there's no habitual come then we all have a reserve a store room of our Karma
53:49
that we have accumulated during our samsara and one of them will come and
53:55
decide our future birth and again depending on when the effects
54:03
of a come happens there are four types of karma the first type is called immediately
54:10
effective comma and this is called
54:16
from the time of committing a Karma in this life any time in this life it
54:23
can give rise to effects so getting caught by law ending up in courts and if
54:29
I'm ending up in prison this is this happens in this life itself and not only
54:35
that if somebody kills somebody if some steal something if someone sexually
54:42
misconduct from the time it is done till death there will always be in fear will
54:50
I be discovered will people know about this will I get caught
54:56
will I have to face consequences so that person is ever in fear and anxiety and
55:02
these are called uh if the immediately effective in this life itself
55:07
and there are other commas which will effect be effective in the next lives in
55:13
their subsequent they are called now the the five crimes highness crimes
55:20
that Buddha talked about killing mother father and things like that the definitely effective in the next birth
55:26
next birth and on the on the on the horizon side if one has meditated and
55:33
developed janas deep absorptions and the
55:38
janas are effective at the time of death then definitely that will result in a
55:44
birth and good birth in the next and then the the third group is
55:51
indefinitely effective so the khammas that are not effective in this life itself commas that are not
55:59
effective in the next life all the remaining commas go into a reserve and
56:05
they are called and they can be effective from any time up to the time that we attend nibbon
56:14
and the fourth group is called ineffective Kama so some commas actually can become null
56:21
and void so let us say that one becomes a short upon the first stage of the
56:29
Enlightenment when one becomes a sought upon that person if he has done any Karma
56:36
before which might take him to a lower birth they become ineffective because he
56:43
will never be born in a lower birth and if you take another hunt or Buddha
56:49
and if any come has done before becoming an arahant they will all
56:57
become ineffective null and void at the time of day of death because they are
57:03
not reborn again so the remaining all the remaining commas become ineffective
57:11
so depending on the on the where we are going to be born
57:17
in the next birth there are four types so one are the unwholesome the bad Kamas
57:26
Bad Karma and they will that will result in the birth in a suffering world like
57:32
the hell or animal world like that and then the kusalakam on the horse and
57:40
actions there are three types some whole selections will result in the birth in
57:46
either human world or in the sensual heavens and then if we develop uh Janus through
57:53
concentration meditation the rupajan called methi sign material absorption
58:00
that will result in a birth in a material uh Brahma Celestial words and
58:08
if we develop immaterial uh janas that will result in rebirth in
58:15
immaterial brahmavas so why why do we need to know about the
58:22
come what are the benefits if we know about come that then we can take
58:29
individual responsibility for ourselves that we are our own masters nobody else
58:34
can help us if we do good we will enjoy the good results if we do bad we have to
58:40
suffer the bad results so we are responsible for our actions and at the
58:46
same time we can become self-reliance because if we know that my what happens
58:52
to me depends on what they have done then I don't have to rely on any Almighty or I don't have to pray to any
58:59
superpower or Almighty for help because it all depends on what I have done so
59:06
one can become self-reliant if one understands how the karma works
59:12
and be when we know about the good and bad qualities wholesome and wholesome actions and the people hopefully become
59:20
a moral and decide to do only wholesome things so when there are wholesome
59:26
things done that individual becomes wholesome a good person and more and more people doing good things than the
59:33
whole society will become more moral and wholesome and if we know that any bad come will
59:41
result in unwholesome actions and if you do good it will result in wholesome
59:47
results then people develop the tendency to avoid doing any unholescentness and to
59:54
engage in wholesome actions and this will encourage the free will to
1:00:00
act against any negative effects so we know people who are in a very difficult
1:00:07
situations who are people who are blind and deaf and can't talk people who are
1:00:14
born into very poor families you know then they can through free will they can
1:00:22
try work hard and defeat the results of the the karma so there and there are so
1:00:28
many individuals who have become Millionaires and scientists from a very poor background and that is used in the
1:00:34
free field in spite of the bad effects of previous commas
1:00:40
and obviously people if people become wholesome and skillful and show more
1:00:45
kindness and more compassion and empathy then that will increase and improve the
1:00:50
social relationships and an understanding of the karma is
1:00:56
very important to understand the other Buddhist Concepts like rebirth and dependent
1:01:04
origination and things like that and obviously it will help in our spiritual journey towards Nippon
1:01:11
so the basic groups and simple message of Buddhism
1:01:16
is wholesome intentional X lead to favor favorable and good results
1:01:24
unwholesome intentional actually to unfavorable or bad results
1:01:30
and but the process is not totally deterministic because wholesome acts
1:01:37
that we do afterwards can affect the final results
1:01:42
and the karma places the ultimate responsibility for our destiny in our
1:01:48
own hands and the karma is not a cosmic Cosmic
1:01:54
Criminal Justice System it's a natural system of course and effect and there is no occult power Supernatural force of
1:02:02
God directing it but the problem is it's extremely
1:02:08
difficult for us to fully comprehend how Karma works out and Buddha said so
1:02:15
Buddha said so and in one of the discourses called
1:02:20
Buddha describe four things that we should not try to
1:02:25
try hard to understand and Buddha said if you try hard to understand these four
1:02:31
you will end up being mentally deranged you will develop a mental illness but
1:02:37
you will never find the result answer what first the range of powers of the
1:02:44
Buddha Buddha one should not go into details to to
1:02:50
find out what are the range because it's impossible we will never find the answer
1:02:55
and the Buddha said the the range of powers when one develops Jana through meditation again it's very difficult to
1:03:03
comprehend and the third one knows Buddha said the exact mechanism of how Kama works and
1:03:10
that only a Buddha a samma sambud will be able to find out how exactly nobody
1:03:18
else will be and if one tries hard we might end up mentally deranged but we
1:03:24
will never find the answer and the fourth one with the said those that speculation of the world how did the
1:03:30
world arise how how did the world going to end up that's another subject so Kama
1:03:36
is one of the four subjects that would that drives us against uh trying very
1:03:42
hard to find out uh thank you very much I will stop here

Third teaching

0:00
well it's nice to uh see you all and talk to you again and today we are going to be talking
0:07
about the concept of rebirth in uh Tera or the Buddhism
0:16
a complex subject as Dr Danny suggested
0:21
I like to start talking about Lord Gautama Buddhas
0:27
Enlightenment first as we know he uh was born as Prince
0:34
Siddhartha left home at age 29
0:39
to look for a way out of suffering and for six years
0:45
he experienced
0:50
austerity and self-mortification believing that the torturing himself
0:56
will bring enlightenment and after six years he realized that it
1:03
was not going to so he gave up the austerity and decided
1:08
to follow the middle part and went to this place called both Gaya
1:14
in India and on the night of the full moon
1:21
of the month of May exactly
1:26
2610 years ago he sat under this boat tree called uh
1:35
and started meditating he remembered that when he was a child
1:43
he had meditated on his in-breath and out breath Anna panasati
1:49
so on this night also he decided to uh meditate on his breath
1:56
and as he meditated he uh went into Janos the Deep mental
2:05
absorptions and during the first night first part of
2:13
the night he developed a special psychic power
2:19
to is called and through that mental power he could
2:25
see his own previous births and where he was born in which family
2:32
his name what he did and all that he was able to see through his this mental
2:39
power and during the second part of the night he developed another mental power called
2:45
chutupatana and through that mental power he could see all the other beings also
2:53
being born and dead in various planes of existence
2:58
and not only that he was able to see that the beings of being born dependent on their karma if
3:06
they had done good things they were born in good places and if they have done bad things unhaul
3:14
some things they were born reborn in bad places and obviously in the third part of the
3:20
night he developed the final mental power called through that he realized that I have
3:28
this eradicated all my mental defilements and I have enlightens
3:33
so we can see that when Buddha told us about the rebirth
3:40
it's not because he has heard it from someone else it's not because he just thought about
3:46
it or imagine about it but on the night of the Enlightenment he
3:52
actually saw through his mental power his own previous words and the births of
3:59
other beings as well now at that time in India there were two
4:06
weeks about what happens to us after our death
4:11
and one of the waves is called eternalism
4:18
and according to the there is a permanent entity called a
4:24
soul and the soul and the physical body are
4:29
two different things so when one dies at the end of one's life the physical body dies
4:37
by the soul moves on transmigrates to another body in the next birth and when
4:44
that body dies the soul will keep moving on from body to body so that was the
4:50
sastava the eternalism the second theory was called
4:56
annihilationism or materialism or nihilism in pal it's called
5:02
they also believed that there is a soul but they believe that the body and the
5:07
Soul are one and the same so when one dies at the end of one's life
5:13
both the body and the Soul dies so there's no rebirth and there is no
5:19
consequences of any Karma we do good or bad because there is no rebirth
5:25
so both theories believe that there is this entity called soul
5:31
Buddha rejected both these Concepts and Buddha presented the the middle part
5:38
and he showed that the reap their history birth but it's following the natural laws of
5:46
cause and effect that come and dependent origination we have talked about them
5:51
before and the Buddha said there is no need for an enduring or permanent entity called itself for the soul
6:01
so the Pali word for rebirth is actually Puna Bower and the Puna bhava the meaning is re
6:08
becoming not exactly rebirth re becoming but in Buddhist literature Buddhist
6:14
writings is generally referred to as rebirth and like Karma and uh
6:21
depend on origination the rebirth is also quite Central and key principle in
6:28
the Buddha's teaching and we need to differentiate between rebirth and reincarnation because even
6:36
at the time of the Buddha in the other religions the the principle of
6:41
reincarnation was there but there's a difference between rebirth and reincarnation
6:49
because in reincarnation they believe in a permanent soul
6:54
permanent entity called this Soul so that sort of we can say
7:00
so when the body dies the soul transmigrates to another body in the
7:06
next birth and it goes moving but in rebirth in the Buddhist River
7:14
there is no soul moving or transmigrating from birth to bird but
7:19
there is a process which involving a constantly changing stream of consciousness
7:26
so one stream of consciousness gives rise to another stream of
7:31
Consciousness during life and the same happens when we die a new Consciousness
7:39
starts in the next life is not a soul it's not the same entity
7:44
and if you look at the consciousness from the time we are born until the
7:49
moment we die we are conscious that means there is consciousness
7:55
continuous consciousness but there is no one Consciousness Buddha
8:00
said it's a series a stream of Consciousness one conscious one unit of
8:06
Consciousness arises and it ends so there are three stages
8:12
unit of Consciousness originates that's called upada and it burst is not not very long and
8:21
then it sees us and as soon as that unit of Consciousness sees us another units
8:27
begins Rises so there is the origin and Rise Of Consciousness after
8:33
Consciousness another Consciousness and what happens when one unit of Consciousness seizes is that the karmic
8:41
energy that this unit possessed will transmit to the next one so it the
8:48
economic energy keeps being transferred from unit to
8:53
unit and at the end of the life same thing happens
8:58
so at the time of death there is a Consciousness and when that
9:04
Consciousness sees us a new Consciousness influence in the next next
9:09
life so it's that stream of Consciousness according to Buddhist teaching that influences another stream
9:16
of Consciousness not a permanent entity called Soul or self
9:23
and we have talked about the three Universal characteristics of all mental and physical phenomena before
9:31
and everything in this universe their impermanence they are subject to change
9:38
and in a constant state of flux so that's in particle an itcha
9:44
and everything because of this impermanent it's not satisfactory and
9:50
this causes suffering so dukkah and if we cannot control the the
9:58
permanency and the kasuka nature then we have no control of them so there is no
10:04
autonomous or independent self enough so all mental and physical phenomena in
10:11
the universe got these three features
10:17
so in Buddhism there is no self or a permanent soul
10:22
and Buddha said the belief in a self is really a delusion illusion created by
10:29
one's mind and once we develop this illusion of self
10:35
it it's that's the reason for creating all sorts of problems like craving
10:40
ill-real haters selfishness concept these are all caused by believing that
10:47
there is a self there's a soul and this self-identific identification
10:53
wave is called Sakaya diti
10:59
the self-identification view is one of the ten Fetters
11:05
the 10 Fetters or some yojana the the chains and shackles that keep us bound
11:12
to this cycle of birth and death the samsara so Buddha described ten Fetters and we
11:19
say we can see the self-identity is really the the first one
11:24
very first fitter
11:30
and Buddha said there are two truths in this world one is conventional truth and
11:36
the second is ultimate truth now the conventional truth we use a lot
11:43
of con conventional terms to communicate and through convention we say it's IO me
11:51
or let us take a car a car is a conventional term
11:58
but if you look at it from an ultimate truth if you take let us take you take
12:04
the wheels out and put them on the floor you take the steering wheel out you take
12:10
the seats out you take the engine out you take the body out and there is no calm
12:17
so only when they are put together conventionally we call it a car and same thing applies to us
12:24
so Buddha said even though we call ourselves a being or
12:31
person or individual or I or me or they or these are all conventional terms but
12:37
if you look at it through an ultimate truth there is only a psychophysical
12:43
complex called Nam Roop and this consists of five aggregates
12:50
and the fire Aggregates again we have talked about them before materiality the Rope
12:58
and there is a so there's a physical aspect to us and the mental aspects
13:03
the physical aspect is the materiality that's the rope and then there are four
13:10
aspects to our mental aspects there's feeling vedana perception sannya mental
13:18
formations that's thinking Sankara and consciousness
13:23
and this the physical aspects and the mental aspects the interact and the
13:28
interdependent on each other so without the the materiality the physical aspect
13:34
the mental aspects cannot survive and without the mental aspects the physical aspects cannot survive and all
13:42
the five factors are in a constant state of flux so there is no permanency at all
13:50
so and it's the identification with any one or more of these five factors that
13:56
Buddha said is what's called self identification or self-belief
14:03
I talked about the Buddha the night of uh the Buddha's Enlightenment so when he
14:09
uh finally in in attained Enlightenment that night and he uttered two verses of joy
14:18
and the first verse
14:26
um
14:41
[Music]
14:47
I who have been sick in the Builder of this house this body
14:53
fail into attain Enlightenment which would enable me to find
14:59
me have wandered through innumerable birth in some sorrow
15:05
to be born again and again is indeed and the second verse
15:16
[Music]
15:33
[Music] um
15:38
[Music]
15:44
[Music] you are seen you will not build a house again
15:52
all your Rafters are broken the rich poor dismantled
15:58
immersed in dismantling the mind has attained to the end of craving
16:05
so Buddha called the Builder the builder of the house this body us is craving
16:14
and Buddha said I have broken all the red Rafters and the rafters are all the
16:20
mental defilements that he eradicated and finally he said the rich Paul
16:25
dismantled and the rich pole is ignorance so Buddha recognized
16:31
the causes of this birth the body is ignorance craving and mental
16:40
defilements so ignorance really ignorance is the main culprit of
16:48
our rebirth and Buddha defined ignorance as the lack of correct understanding of the Four
16:54
Noble Truths and we know the four noble truths are the truth of suffering that there is
17:00
universal suffering in the universe and the second truth there is a reason
17:05
for suffering and thus craving and the third truth is that suffering
17:12
can be eradicated when craving is eradicated and the fourth Noble Truth
17:18
there is a process to eradicate suffering and that's a noble Eightfold
17:23
Path and Buddha said in one of the discourses called patama in the sanctuary that's a
17:31
collection of the Buddhas connected these courses Buddha said oh thanks
17:37
it is through not understanding not penetrate in these four noble truths
17:43
that we have run on wandered on this long long road both you and I so Buddha
17:51
said it's not through understanding that ignorance is
17:56
through ignorance that all of us have wandered through the sansar birth
18:03
after birth after birth and because of the in the ignorance we
18:10
develop what are called mental perversions and in politics
18:16
and as I discussed about the three characteristics before
18:21
everything is impermanent suffering and not self and because of the ignorance and this
18:28
mental perversions we see what is impermanent as permanent
18:34
we see suffering as pleasure and we see not self as self
18:40
and the result is craving conceit wrong weaves everything results from ignorance
18:47
and this mental perversions and the next because of the ignorance
18:54
we have craving and in the first sermon the dhamma
19:00
of the Buddha the Buddha as the second Noble Truth told us the craving is of
19:07
three types craving for sensual pressures
19:13
We crave for things that we see through our eyes
19:19
We crave for sound tree here through our ears We crave for smells through the
19:25
nose We crave for Taste through the tongue We crave for the touch Sensations
19:31
through the body and We crave for ideas and thoughts in our minds so sensual
19:36
pleasure We crave for the sin that's the first second type of the describe is
19:42
craving for becoming our existence the craving to keep existing
19:49
and the third type of craving goes craving for non-becoming or
19:55
non-existence so as we can see craving is caused by
20:02
ignorance and ignorance and craving operate through Karma
20:08
so finally the Kamai really is the deciding factor in rebirth
20:15
we talked about Kama last time but for those who may have missed the
20:20
karma in Pali means action and
20:26
but only intentional actions volitional only if there is the intention volition
20:33
will and act become come so if something is done unintentionally
20:41
accidentally or unconsciously it's it's not a Karma according to Buddha's
20:47
teaching and we do things in three channels
20:52
we do bodily actions through our body
20:58
we commit actions throughout speech verbal actions and we commit things through our mental
21:04
actions there are three channels and the actions we commit can be good or
21:11
bad and if an action is performed based on our unwholesome roots of greed hatred
21:19
and delusion they are unwholesome unskillful they are called
21:25
and they will give rise to bad research and if what we do is based on wholesome
21:32
roots of non-grade non-hatred loving kindness or wisdom and they are
21:39
wholesome and skillful actions and they are called and they will lead to good research
21:46
so in this this course I put the declared
21:54
Ami
21:59
come on [Music]
22:05
it is volition intention that I call Karma and by volition one commits come through
22:13
body word and mind so according to Buddha's teaching the karma is intention
22:20
abolition will
22:26
now to be reborn of kc1 has to die first so let us talk about the depth now in
22:34
Buddhism there are three types of death the first type of death is that due to
22:42
impermanency transcends all physical and mental matter
22:48
really begins senses begin senses moment to moment so there's a momentary death
22:54
throughout our life of everything physical and mental and that's the first
23:00
type of death the momentary death that happens from the time we are born until
23:05
the time of our death and the second type of death is the conventional death that we experience at
23:13
the end of one's lifespan with the physical body and the mental phenomena they all disintegrate
23:20
and if the life the remaining common energy as I said through the last
23:27
Consciousness will pass on to the the next existence so that the second type of death but there is rebirth after that
23:34
death and the third type of death is the death of a Buddha and arahant who have
23:40
attained Nippon who are enlightened and after that death there is no further
23:46
reverse so there is a momentary death that we experience throughout our life
23:51
and there is the conventional death at the end of our lifespan in one existence
23:57
and then the final death is the death of an Enlightenment when there is no
24:03
rebirth and there are four causes of death
24:09
the first is that when we are born we are born with a
24:18
determined lifespan based on our previous come
24:23
so as I said this is a comma that decides on the rebirth and whatever
24:28
Karma that was responsible for deciding our rebirth really decides how long we
24:37
are going to be living as well and that called so when that comic energy comes to an
24:44
end we die and the second is uh
24:50
in the in addition to the common energy when we are born in a particular plane
24:57
of existence so let us say uh if you are born as a a human being we have a life
25:04
expectancy for a human being let us say uh I don't know 70 78 for a woman or 75
25:12
or a man or something like that or if you are born as an elephant or a horse or a dog or a cat or a bird or
25:20
whatever it is there is a life expectancy for that uh type of bird
25:27
so and that's called are you here and when that life expectancy is
25:33
exhausted even if there is karma energy one can die
25:39
and very occasionally these two can coincide so the the the lifespan decided by our
25:46
by our Karma and the life expectancy of the the the life that we possess can
25:54
coincide and cause the death and that's called Uber
26:00
but sometimes what happens is due to some unexpected or not unnatural causes
26:06
even though the karma life is still there and the life expectancy due to our birth
26:14
existence is there both are there but something happens and one dies and
26:20
that's called so the first three types due to the
26:25
extortion of the karmic energy due to the exhaustion of the life's expectancy
26:31
and the the combinations the two and they are called timely death
26:38
but the fourth one untimely death is called
26:44
and this this come this is caused by we talk when we talked about Karma a strong
26:50
negative or positive come will come behind us and take our life away and that's
26:57
unexpected and if it if we can compare this with
27:04
the let us say an oil lamp so in an oil lamp there's a wick there's oil and there's a flame
27:12
let us say the weak is the karmic energy so when the karmic energy expires even
27:20
though the oil is still there the flame will go oh
27:26
uh when the oil is still there that means
27:31
the the reproduct the life expectancy he is still there but the karmic energy
27:38
has expired so like that so the Vic burns out first but the oil is still
27:45
there the oil can get burned out when the wick is still their flame goes out
27:50
and occasionally both the wick and the oil can get burned out at the same time
27:55
and the flame can go out oh when the wick and the oil are still
28:01
there the gust of wind can come and take the flame of it and that's the the the
28:08
fourth possibility so three ways one due to the extortion
28:15
of the karmic energy second due to the excess excess exhaustion of the life
28:21
expectancy third when the two are coincided at the
28:26
same time and the fourth is an unexpected untimely death
28:33
now I talked about the the consciousness uh arising and ceasing throughout our
28:41
body and the last Consciousness in this life is called death consciousness
28:48
to teach it and the last thought moment of this life
28:54
and that thought moment the Consciousness will be influenced
28:59
by an action that we have done a come and that karma is called reproductive
29:06
Karma and that reproductive Karma decides we are we are going to be born
29:12
next and at the time of death they said
29:18
Buddha said we can develop three signs they are called Death science three
29:25
one whatever we have done the reproductive come that's going to be affected we can
29:32
actually experience or we can see that Karma the action itself
29:37
so if you have done let us say uh and we have done an arm Givens about this monk
29:43
so we have visited both Gaya or we have meditated or on the unhaul some size
29:51
someone has killed or has been stealing or or some other act unwholesome act
29:58
that one could see that act itself so that Karma itself can appear in the
30:05
mind or else we may not remember or experience the karma itself but the
30:13
symbol present in that action can appear as a death sign
30:18
so if we uh let us say the come with action is giving arms to Buddhist monks
30:24
we may not see the action itself but we might see a symbol like a yellow robe or
30:31
an arms ball or something or the if the action was a murder we may
30:38
not see or remember the murder itself but there's there may be a symbol either
30:44
like a knife or a gun or something like that and that's called come and nimid a
30:49
symbol represented that action which is going to affect our next world
30:56
and the third death sign is we said that
31:01
we can actually see signs of where we are going to be born next so if we are
31:07
going to be born let us say in Hell or in the upayas we could see the signs of
31:13
high temperature or suffering or on the other hand if you are going to be born in heaven or Celestial world we could
31:20
experience the Heavenly music and things like that or if you are going to be born in a womb we could see a sign of crawl
31:29
space and things so there are three types of death signs that we may experience at the last moment of our
31:38
life and I said that the last Consciousness
31:44
will be affected by one of the actions come that we have done good or bad
31:50
and depending on the priority of the khammas we have done I explained last time yesterday there
31:58
are four types and the first type is called vedicum that is that this very
32:04
strong good or bad things that we have done can overpower all the other commas and come
32:12
and influence our last consciousness and if there is no such strong action we
32:18
have done then the proximate action just before our death whatever we have done
32:26
either good or bad that can become the reproductive come and decides the next
32:32
birth or if there is no proximate comma either
32:38
then some action that one has been habitually doing during voice will come
32:44
up so if fun has been doing wholesome actions meditating giving arms or more
32:50
seal or anything that will come or on the other hand if someone has been killing stealing or sexual misconduct or
32:58
all that and one's habitual actions will come up and be the reproductive Karma
33:05
and decides the next birth and if there is no habitual come either
33:11
then we all have a reserve of our Karma that we have accumulated throughout our
33:17
samsar and one of those Kamas will come up at the last moment at the last
33:23
Consciousness and decides the next birth so there are four types of karma that
33:29
can affect our next birth
33:35
so the the khamma energy I said when the unit of Consciousness sees us it
33:42
transfers the karmic energy to the next unit of consciousness and the similarly the karmic energy from
33:50
the death Consciousness the last Consciousness will influence the first consciousness of the next life and
33:58
that's called rebirth Consciousness so death Consciousness will pass on the
34:03
covemic energy to the rebirth Consciousness that's called Partition
34:08
and that results in the in the new birth of existence and in thehra the Buddhism there is no
34:16
gap between the death Consciousness and the bereave birth Consciousness so the
34:21
death and the rebirth happens immediately without the gap
34:27
and as you can see the force of the karma is the most significant factor
34:33
and if you take a human birth for an example for the human birth Buddha said
34:39
there are three factors one the mother needs to be in the fertile period
34:46
second the union has there has to be Union between the sperm from the father and they from the mother
34:52
plus the karma energy from the previous birth needs to be
34:58
there through rebirth Consciousness so three factors for human conception
35:06
and again according to Buddhist teaching there are four types of conceptions so when we are reborn
35:13
one can be reborn as a conception in an egg so for example
35:20
is the burst reptiles fish insects and amphibians and they are all conceived
35:26
and born through an egg they're called under oh the conception can take place in the
35:32
mother's womb like human beings the mammals is called
35:38
the third type is extraneous conception some says and this is where
35:45
the beans appear in places where there's moisture or when Foods rot and things like that maggots
35:52
and worms and they are supposed to be born according to this extraneous
35:57
conception and then we have the spontaneous conception of a particle so the deities
36:04
in the heavens and Celestial worlds or beams in the papayas
36:11
ghost and things like that they are born through
36:16
spontaneous conception there so there are four types of conception conception
36:22
in an egg conception in a mother's womb
36:27
extraneous conception some said it and spontaneous conception of particle
36:35
and when we talked about the Consciousness one unit of Consciousness
36:41
gives rise to another unit of consciousness and the second unit of Consciousness is
36:48
not the same as the first is different but it's not completely different either
36:54
because the karma energy from the previous unit has transferred to the second
36:59
and the same thing happens from Life To Life so the new life which is Reborn
37:05
is not the same life as before but it's not altogether different either
37:11
because that was influenced by the karmic energy of the previous life
37:18
and where are we going to be born so according to Buddhist cosmology there
37:23
are 31 planes of existence there are 11 planes of sensual existence
37:30
Karma local There are 16 planes of fine material
37:35
existence called roperlock where there are very fine physical
37:40
bodies and there are four planes of immaterial like sense existence whereas
37:45
there's no physical world so if you take the 11 planes of sensual existence
37:52
there are four planes of deprivation for papayas and then the human world
37:59
and the six planes of sensual Heavens they are put together eleven they are
38:05
the sensual world and these are the four planes of
38:10
deprivation Apollos uh the first one is called niraya the plane of immerse immense suffering and
38:19
the second is the animal world the third is Hungry Ghost the PETA
38:27
and the fourth is the plane of demons and Titans
38:33
and the Buddha said that the majority of humans of human beings are distinct for
38:40
one of these four and in this course called
38:49
collection of the Buddhas connected discourses Buddha was with a group of
38:54
monks and the book put the picks up a little dust with the tip of a fingerprint fingernail
39:01
and he asked the monks monks which is greater the dust on the tip of my
39:07
fingertips or the soil on the great Earth
39:12
and the monk said sir the dust on the tip of the fingerpillar fingernail is
39:18
next to nothing it doesn't even count there's no comparison at all
39:24
the great Earth is far greater and the Buddha said similarly amongst
39:30
the so few of the human beings are reborn as human beings similar to the
39:36
dust on my fingers and the far more of the human beings are
39:42
born elsewhere and Buddha mentors foreign
39:48
and these are the six planes of sensual heavens uh there are plenty enough for Grace
39:56
Guardians chatra Maharaja plain of the 33 God Tower teams
40:03
plain of Yama Devas that's called Yama plane of contender Davis to Sita
40:10
plane of Devas or Delight in creating they call nimana rati and the sixth
40:16
Heaven sensual Heavens these are all sensual Heavens the plane of Devas enjoying the sense Pleasures created by
40:23
others so there are 11 sensual world where one can be reborn
40:30
the four papayas the human world and the six
40:36
sensual heavens And Then There are 16 fine material
40:41
brahmos called Rupa brahmalok and this is where people who have
40:49
developed janas through meditation concentration meditation they develop the first John second John third John
40:57
fourth John we'll talk about them in the future so if one uh has developed the first
41:05
genre at the time of the death they will be reborn in the first one of
41:11
the three first material existence these three and then
41:17
there are three Brahma words for people who have developed the second John
41:23
and there are three Brahma words for people who are developed the third John
41:29
and the rest of the seven are for people who have developed the fourth genre
41:36
and out of the the seven the last five that from 12 to 16 they are called po
41:43
abodes we have talked about them before let us
41:49
say there's an anagami a non-returner and someone becomes a non-written in
41:58
this life and dies without becoming an arahant
42:03
when they expire they will be reborn in one of these six po awards called
42:10
sudhavasas and they will become arahans they are and attainable
42:16
and finally there are four planes of existence called immaterial existence arupa world where there is no physical
42:23
body only the Mind exists so there's a possibility that any of us can be reborn
42:30
in any of these 31 planes of existence the four papayas the human world the six
42:38
sensual words and the 16 immaterial 16 material
42:44
Brahma worlds and the four immaterial arupa Brahma was
42:51
so the ultimate goal of a Buddhist practices practitioner is obviously to
42:56
end rebirth and that is through nibban by attaining enlightened one day
43:05
and we know that one attains at Enlightenment through four stages
43:10
the first stage a stream enter one becomes
43:15
by eradicating three of the ten fitters and then one becomes a once returner
43:23
called by weakening the two further Fetters
43:29
and then the third stage is non-written anaga that I talked about
43:35
and the final stage is around and that is
43:41
enlightened and we know that the path to attain enlightened is the noble
43:48
Eightfold Path and the noble Eightfold Path we know consists of right waves some Aditya
43:55
right intentions bright speech some more water right
44:01
action summer Command right livelihood
44:06
right efforts right mindfulness summer Sati and right
44:12
concentration let us look at a few analogies that have
44:20
been described in the Buddhist literature to explain that when one is
44:26
reborn there's nothing solid moves from One Life to the next life
44:32
and one example is when a Candle is lit from another oh a lamb any lamp is lit
44:38
from another land there's nothing substantial passes from one candle to
44:44
the next candle and it's only the energy that crosses from one lamb to the next
44:51
land and the second analogy that has been described is when someone learns from
44:58
something so let us say a pupil learned something from a teacher that pupil has received new knowledge
45:06
but nothing has moved from the teacher to the pupil in a material sense
45:15
and the third analogy that he's been described is when one billion ball
45:20
strikes another billiard poles the first one will direct the speed and direction
45:27
of the second ball uh but again nothing moves
45:33
from the first ball to the second ball apart from the energy
45:39
and the fourth analogy is ourselves let us say myself
45:46
at some I was a baby I was a toddler I was a teenager I was a young man I was a
45:53
middle age and I'm in Old National and every stage the influences the next
46:01
stage and so when I consider myself am I the same person who was the baby or
46:09
turtle oh I am I a different person and it's neither it's not the same person and I
46:16
am not a different person either
46:21
next I like to uh talk briefly about this professor Ian Stevens
46:29
son who did some research on children who remembered their past lives
46:35
and Ian Stevens and so as a professor of Psychiatry at the University of Virginia
46:40
and in the 60s she got interested in this children who started talking about
46:46
their previous lives and during his career he investigated over 3 000 children
46:53
from all over the world and in 1966 he published his first paper
46:59
about the 20 cases suggestive of reincarnation
47:05
and at that time there were a lot of criticisms about his research he said there's a cultural bias these cases are
47:12
coming from Buddhists and Hindu countries they all already they believe in reincarnation and rebirth and the
47:21
people who were interpreters were also biased and so there were a lot of PC
47:27
systems but then later someone looked at his cases and at that time there were over three 1
47:35
300 cases and when they broke it down they discovered that actually the the
47:41
most number of cases were in America uh 324 and then the Burma and India
47:48
turkey Great Britain so uh and the other interesting thing
47:54
was that out of this 3 000 children there were 25 225 children
48:00
who were reborn with birthmarks or birth defects that linked to injuries in the
48:08
previous world and he investigated now I am not doing a critical analysis
48:15
or the pros and cons of Professor Stevenson's research why I am talking
48:20
about this I want to talk briefly about one of the cases one of the children
48:26
from his 3000 not children and that's
48:32
a boy called dhamma Ruan he was born in Sri Lanka
48:39
he was born on 18th of November in 1968. in a place called matali Sri Lanka as
48:46
you can remember the fourth Buddhist Council was held in matali
48:52
and this Dharma run this little boy at the age of two years he would sit on the floor cross-legged
48:59
in the poster of meditation and he would start meditating and Chand Pali sutras two-year-old
49:09
when he was three years old he was able he was chanting
49:15
the Buddha's first sermon and the monks and others who witnessed
49:22
his chanting they decided that really it was not the extent of chanting that was
49:28
chanted by the Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka it was quite different from the current accent that's used by buddhisms
49:38
and then this Dumber one disclosed that he in a previous life he was born in
49:44
India in the Brahmin family and asked as abrahamian student he
49:49
learned Vedas then he became a monk under venerable
49:55
Buddha goes in nalanda University and those of you who know who may have
50:01
read Buddha gosa's writings he is the famous commentator
50:06
who went from India to Sri Lanka and wrote the the famous book The Path of
50:12
purification and he translated most of the commentaries Buddhist commentaries into
50:19
Pali vulnerable Buddha goes in the fifth Century A.D and damaruan disclosed that he was a
50:27
pupil of vulnerable Buddha goes and he learned Pali chanting from him
50:33
and he became a Pali reciter now Pali reciters are called barnacles
50:41
if you remember from the first Buddhist Council that was held say three months
50:47
after the Buddha was passing away until the fourth Buddhist Council in Sri Lanka
50:52
when the tripitaka the palikanan was written down on Palm leaves the whole of
50:59
the tripitaka was maintained through oral tradition so monks will memorize
51:05
the tripitaka keep chanting recite in them and then teach the Next Generation
51:11
and they are called barnacas and this boy disclosed that he also
51:16
became a barnacle that's learning Pali the Canon and repeating it
51:23
and he discovers that when he actually went to Sri Lanka with when Buddha goes
51:29
in the 5th Century Aid
51:38
was the temple that was started after the visit of arahan Mahindra who took
51:46
Buddhism to Sri Lanka so dhamaru and disclosed that he stayed with venerable
51:51
Buddha goes in anuradhapur in this mahaviha so at that I I remember actually I
51:58
remember hearing about this boy in the early 70s and at that time uh
52:05
he became so famous that the president and the Prime Minister took a personal interest in this world
52:12
and the president of Sri Lanka at that time was uh gentleman
52:20
and the president took this boy to anuradhapur and to check whether what he was telling
52:27
was true and when he was taken to anuradhapura damaruan identified the exact locations
52:34
where he used to stay and the president got people to excavate and they found
52:40
archaeological evidence of the Kutis and places where he said he used to stay
52:46
so he was interviewed personally by Professor Yen Stevenson and also by the
52:52
present Buddhist Scholars like bikubody and Biko analia they have both written about this boy
52:59
and the recordings of his chanting are available online anybody can listen to it and it's amazing because he's
53:06
chanting as a little child they're very complex and complicated and
53:15
then the the usual Maha mangala and karanya Sutra and then the girimananda
53:25
and the passages from abhidham they were all chanted as a little child
53:32
and this is uh Dumber one as a child when he started chanting and this was
53:40
when he grew up and then he became a Buddhist monk
53:46
in Sri Lanka he is still there he's I think about 53 years old
53:52
now if I can manage to play let us see whether we can listen to
53:58
a bit of his chanting let us see
54:13
thank you probably yes it's coming
54:32
[Music] um
54:41
foreign [Music]
54:56
[Music]
55:11
foreign [Music]
55:47
foreign
55:56
were able to listen a bit uh and finally I I like to discuss uh some evidence
56:03
that have been presented uh with regard to rebirth uh the firstly as I spoke
56:11
before during the night of the Enlightenment the Buddha again gained
56:17
this speech through mental powers and through the mental Powers Buddha declared that I saw my own previous
56:25
rebirth and the rebirths of other beings and there are numerous examples in the
56:33
scriptures in the discourses uh where the other monks or other people we will
56:39
come and ask with the uh so-and-so died uh so where was he born where was she
56:45
born and then he would declare that so and so is in the heaven or so and so in
56:50
the upay or his reborn somewhere so there are examples in the sutthas
56:56
and uh great other hands like
57:02
they had the the mental power to see their own past as well and there are uh
57:09
discourses where they recollect their own previous words
57:15
and in Nick in Nick inequality in the society as I remember we talked about it
57:22
last time Buddha was asked why is there so much inequality in the society people
57:29
Rich poor shorts or uh ugly beautiful
57:34
wise not wise and the Buddha said is due to Karma and for come to ACT there has
57:42
to be reborn rebirth and obviously the instance of young
57:48
children recollecting memories of past lives that I have just discussed and
57:54
also there are a lot of instances of child prodigies I remember I believe the Mozart the
58:01
music genius started writing music when he was five years old and there was another instance of a
58:09
three-year-old golf tragedy in United States and he is believed to have
58:16
earned won 13 golf championships in the previous life in States so there are a
58:22
lot of mathematicians scientists and musicians I remember
58:29
watching a three-year-old Indian boy playing a Tabla in a master living so
58:35
there are a lot of child prodigies which will also explain that they would have learned it in a previous life and not in
58:43
this life and then this feeling of dejao that when
58:48
we go to a certain place we feel as if we have been there before and similarly
58:53
when we meet some people we we feel as if we have seen them before or that we
59:00
we like them a great deal without having seen them before or that we don't like
59:05
somebody as soon as we see so these are probably explainable through our experiences in the previous birth
59:14
and then finally we see that people who are very Pious moral working hard
59:21
sincere honest uh are not going up in life they are suffering whereas the
59:27
crooks and robbers and people who do all bad things they have a luxurious
59:33
Wonderful Life and again the explanation could be that probably even if one does
59:40
good things now uh effects of some bad karma in the
59:45
previous birth may be effecting now but the results of the good things that one
59:50
does now obviously will come after us and I think I will stop there and have a
59:59
discussion thank you
 

Fourth teaching

well uh it's nice to be uh talking to you again I'm sorry about the uh the
0:07
problem in getting the the shared screen uh as Dr Dennis said we are going to be
0:13
talking about a very complex and large topic this morning this today about the
0:19
37 requisites of enlightenment I hope most of you have had the chance
0:25
to have a quick look at my paper in the blog
0:30
and have some idea on this understanding about what these 37 factors are
0:37
if not unfortunately when I talk about them it they may sound a bit Technical
0:43
and kind of full of jargon Buddhist jargon so I'll try my best
0:50
let us now we talked about Buddha's Enlightenment in the previous sessions
0:58
Buddha became the Buddha at the age of 35 by realizing the
1:05
Four Noble Truths and the Four Noble Truths that the
1:11
Buddha realized that there is universal suffering the first truth
1:18
and there is a cause for this suffering and this suffering can be eradicated and
1:25
that is the the best news that we get from the the Buddha so the Third
1:33
Noble Truth is that suffering can be eradicated by eradicating all the
1:40
unwholesome roots like the greed and the hatred and delusion
1:46
and through Enlightenment one can attain nibhana which is a kind of state beyond
1:52
all suffering complete peace happiness and best of all the there's no rebirth
2:00
in this samsara so Enlightenment and nibbana is
2:06
something that we can attain in this life itself not after death
2:11
and of course in The Terror at the Buddhism the the ultimate goal of every uh the practitioner is to gain
2:20
Enlightenment and nibbana in this life itself
2:26
and and Buddha in many discourses has described these 37 factors
2:34
that we are supposed to cultivate and develop in order to attain uh enlightenment
2:40
and in pal language we they are called both
2:45
and in Sanskrit they are called pakshadharma so both the park here Dharma body means
2:52
Awakening or enlightenment that is the realization of the Four
2:57
Noble Truths and the park here means related to kind
3:02
of helpful and dhamma means request requisites or qualities
3:07
so the third there are the 37 qualities or requisites that needs to be
3:14
cultivated in order to gain enlightenment
3:19
and in many discourses the Buddha has emphasized how important these 37
3:24
factors are for example if we take the the mahaparini banasutra that is from
3:31
the collection of the Buddhas long discourses the the
3:36
uh before passing away the Buddha was addressed in the monks and the Buddha
3:42
told the monks monks you should thoroughly learn ing cultivate you should thoroughly
3:49
develop and frequently practice them so the life of Purity the holy life can be
3:56
established so that was the Buddha's advice about the 3700 requisites and then another
4:03
discourse again in the deaconica a collection of the law and discourses
4:10
and to avoid any discrepancies or misinterpretations of the 37 factors the
4:16
Buddha told the monks you should uh get together and recite them and compare
4:22
meaning with meaning and compare text with text without any dissension so that
4:28
this path will last long so Buddha has emphasized quite a lot
4:33
about the importance of cultivating this 37.
4:38
and the within the 37 requisites there are seven groups of factors
4:46
and the first group is the four foundations of mindfulness so there are four factors in that group
4:54
foundations second group is the four types of right efforts four
5:00
factors third group four bases of mental power
5:06
four factors fifth the fourth group is five spiritual faculties
5:14
five factors fire spiritual powers firefactors
5:21
seven factors of enlightenment seven factors and finally again the
5:28
noble Eightfold Path also included here eight factors so total of 37 and how I
5:36
try to remember is there are three groups of four that's 12
5:42
two groups of five that's 22 ONE Group of Seven 29 and finally
5:50
final group of 837 so let us look at them so 37 factors in seven groups
6:02
and the first group is the foundation of mindfulness
6:08
Sati means mouthfulness and patana means foundation and this obviously come from
6:15
the greatest probably of the discourse of the Buddha called mahasa and that's in the collection of
6:23
the long discourses in the digha nikaya it's also present in the the Middle East
6:30
courses called majemanikai so it is this this course is present in two collections in the Diya and Madrid
6:38
and the four foundations are contemplation of the body
6:43
contemplation of the feelings contemplation of the mind and
6:49
contemplation of the Mind objects this really represents what we call ourselves isn't it so we've got the body
6:56
contemplation of the body the physical body be mindful of that and then the
7:02
mental body we are talking about the mind the feelings and the main objects
7:08
so really maintaining mindfulness of the whole of ourselves there's four
7:15
foundations of mindfulness and Buddha said how important this is
7:21
and in fact probably out of the 17 000 plus discourses probably this is the
7:28
only discourse where the Buddha has given the results of the practice before giving the
7:34
practice
7:41
Buddha tells us if you practice this if you practice this as I tell you this is
7:48
the only way to purify yourself this is the only way to overcome sorrow
7:54
and lamentation this is the way to get rid of physical mental pain this is the way to get
8:02
attain the noble parts and this is for the realization of Nippon and this
8:08
details before actually giving the the instructions on the satyapatan
8:16
so let us go on to the contemplation of the body and there are six six areas that Buddha
8:23
has prescribed where we can maintain mindfulness on the on the body the first
8:30
one obviously is the most popular one is the mindfulness on in and out breathing
8:35
that's so this is one of the six areas of
8:42
maintaining mindfulness on in-breath and out breath and the second area is to
8:49
maintain mindfulness of our postures and in every waking seconds we are in
8:56
one of these four postures we are either walking standing sitting or lying down
9:03
so in each posture when we walk stand sit online be mindfulness of our posture
9:10
at that at that moment so that's the second area the third area is a clear understanding
9:18
of all activities so in addition to be mindfulness of the postures everything
9:23
that we physically do from the time we wake up in the morning till we go to sleep
9:28
we wake up in the morning we brush our teeth wash our face
9:35
dressed make a cup of tea have a cup of tea eat dressing undressing walking
9:42
running standing everything that we do during the day do them mindfully and by
9:50
with wisdom so that is the third group some the fourth group is to be mindfulness
9:58
about the 32 impurities of the body now as you know according to Buddhist
10:04
teaching our body is consists of 32 different parts uh starting with the
10:09
head hair body hair nails teeth skin
10:15
muscles blood vessels bone bone marrow kidney like that it goes on there are 32
10:22
parts and to be mindfulness of all these 32 parts and how impure they are that's
10:30
the fourth group the fifth group put the ghost into even deeper to because the body consists of
10:37
the four elements the solid elements the Earth element is called patavi the
10:43
liquid element the water elements is called Apo the heat element the stageo
10:48
and the Air elements so to be mindful enough of these four basic elements and the last group is the
10:57
mindfulness of the nine stages of a decaying corpse obviously this this this is not possible at the moment but in the
11:04
Buddhas days people used to just throw away the dead bodies into open sort of
11:10
symmetries and the monks are able to go and meditate on different stage of decaying of the dead bodies and reboot
11:17
the described nine stages is called namaste and you as you can see Within These six
11:25
groups there are 14 techniques of meditation
11:30
so if you take the mindfulness in an out breathing one technique
11:36
second uh one technique postures third
11:42
clear understanding of all activities then fourth impurities fifth four
11:50
elements and then the nine stages of the decaying body are considered as nine
11:56
techniques so the first five plus this 9 makes 14
12:01
there are 14 techniques of meditation included in this contemplation of the
12:06
body and in every every area when we contemplate on mindfulness we
12:13
contemplate them as just physical and mental phenomena physical phenomena there's no self there's no I there's no
12:21
I myself there's no mind let us go into the
12:27
second area of contemplation is that contemplation of feelings
12:33
and the feelings as we know are of three different kinds we have pleasant
12:38
feelings we have unpleasant or painful feelings and we have neutral Foods
12:46
and with each feeling Buddha wants us to be mindfulness whether each feeling is
12:51
sensual feelings whether the feeling is coming from the sensual organs like the
12:57
eye the ear the nose the tongue the body or whether the feeling is non-sensual
13:02
that is these are the feelings we get when we are doing meditation and when we
13:08
are in deep absorption so Jana the feelings we are getting during the journals are non-sensual they are not
13:15
coming from the the sense organs then again when we con contemplate on
13:20
feelings we contemplate feelings as just feelings it's not my feeling it's not me
13:27
there is no self in there the third from mindfulness is the Mind
13:35
contemplation of the Mind and this is at every moment we are
13:41
mindfulness of our state of our mind and Buddha has described 16 different states
13:48
so if you can see whether my mind has greed at the moment or there is no greed
13:55
in my mind whether there is anger in my mind where there is no anger in mind
14:00
whether it is delusion in my mind whether there is no delusion or is my
14:06
mind is lazy or whether it's distracted develop undeveloped so there are 16
14:11
different mind States whenever it happens we are just mindfulness without reacting and again
14:19
I'm not identifying the Mind state with me or I or myself
14:27
and the final one within the foundation is the foundation of the contemplation
14:32
of the Mind objects and Buddha has described five groups of mine objects
14:38
these are dhammas that appear in the mind so the first group are called the five the mental hindrances they are
14:45
called Never Enough second group are the five Aggregates I will go into it next and then the sixth
14:52
internal and external organs send spaces then again seven factors of
14:58
Enlightenment and four noble truths they also included I should have warned you before before going into details within
15:05
the 37 factors of n item there's a lot of repetition some of the factors are repeated again
15:12
and again so maybe the the explanation is Buddha has given them in different contexts to
15:19
different audiences so if you take the effort I'll talk
15:24
about it later let us go into these groups first so the first group are the five mental
15:31
hindrances so whenever we try to meditate with the sitting or walking or whatever meditation we try to do these
15:39
five will come and disturb our mind sensual desires will come and disturb
15:44
our mind or ill will anger hatred feelings will come oh I will feel uh
15:51
lazy and sleepy sloth and top or our
15:57
mind can get restless and Disturbed or various doubts can come up in our
16:03
mind so these are called The Never Enough and again when we meditate we
16:08
have to be mindful whether any of this is there or whether this is not there
16:14
whether it has come and gone so just be mindfulness
16:19
there is a sensual feeling in my mind there is anger in my mind I feel lazy I
16:28
feel Restless just be mindful without reacting without reacting so those are
16:34
the four foundations of mindfulness and the sorry the sixth internal and
16:42
external sense spaces are the I and the visual objects the ear and the sounds
16:48
the nose and the smells ton and The Taste body and the touch and the mind
16:53
and the mind objects and the Seven factors of Enlightenment
16:58
uh because we will be discussing it again I will not describe it now and
17:04
then again the Four Noble Truth we all know about it we have discussed them the
17:09
truth of suffering cause of suffering cessation and the path
17:14
so so out of that seven groups we have discussed the four Foundation of
17:21
mindfulness let us go into the second group and that's the four types of effort four
17:27
factors and the four factors of effort are we
17:34
have to put effort to prevent any unhaul some states arising or appearing
17:41
second we have to put effort to abandon or eradicate or get rid of any
17:48
unwholesome mental states that have arisen third we have to put effort to cultivate
17:55
any wholesome states that have not Arisen yet and the fourth we have to put effort to
18:03
maintain any wholesome mental stress that have already Arisen so four aspects
18:09
of effort and the third group is the four basis of
18:15
mental power now mental power means spiritual powers
18:21
and we have heard that when you meditate uh let us say when you meditate down
18:27
concentration meditation you can develop certain deep left absorption so janas
18:33
the first John 2nd John a third John and fourth John and when mandible of the fourth genre
18:40
one can develop certain powers certain Idis and these are refers to in this
18:48
four basis of mental power and they are called Idis in party in
18:54
this in part and the Buddha mentioned four uh factors of mental power and that is the
19:03
desire now not only in in the spiritual path in everyday life whatever we try to do we
19:10
want to do we want to learn we want to work we want to learn some new skills one must have a desire to do it a will
19:18
to do it and that's called Chand but having the desire to do is not
19:23
enough you have to put some effort into it so the second factor is the effort
19:29
but the effort also needed to be maintained you see because you need
19:34
effort to start something and that's with the course [Music]
19:40
this is the effort that you have to put in before when we start doing something
19:46
but then you need the effort to continue doing it in spite of any obstacles and
19:53
thus the second type of effort Nick kamadasu and the finally you need to put effort
20:00
to complete anything that we have started doing and that's called so really the effort and energy is
20:08
needed right throughout any task not only in the spiritual path
20:13
and then the third factor is chitta that's called consciousness of mind this
20:19
is really being mindful attentive and have determination to continue anything
20:25
that we have started doing and the fourth factor is the investigation or discrimination the
20:31
amounts of and right through any any task we have to keep uh investigating
20:37
and analyzing and discriminating uh what is needed what is not needed which way
20:43
we have to go which way we should not go so the investigation this is kind of wisdom wisdom
20:50
and these four factors are needed to develop both mundane and
20:55
Supra mundane mental for us and let us go what this mental powers are
21:02
the scene
21:14
I'm stuck again go stuck okay
21:19
now these are the the spiritual Powers there are six groups
21:26
the first group is the ability to perform miracles and as I said now this is really this
21:34
not not Buddha you don't have to be a buddhistorian these superpowers where they are before the Buddha's time during
21:41
the Buddha's time and obvious even now probably people who develop the janas they can develop these powers and the
21:49
ability to perform Miracles is kind of they say that you can fly you can walk
21:54
on water you can go through the walls and all sorts of things and the second power is the the Divine
22:02
ear that one could hear things that one could know not normally hear
22:08
and the third one is divine you there's a power that you can develop to read
22:15
others mind it's called Cheto pariah and the fourth one is one could
22:21
recollect one's own previous births and it's called
22:28
and the fifth one is the Divine I where you could see the birth and deaths of
22:35
other people and now all these the first five powers
22:41
anybody can develop whether you are Buddhist or not but this the sixth one is unique to Buddha's teaching the asava
22:49
canal the knowledge the power to know that you have destroyed all your mental
22:54
defines now if you can remember on the night that the Buddha became the Buddha he got the enlightenment
23:00
in the first part of the night he developed this this wisdom to see his
23:07
own previous Birds and in the second part of the night he developed this this
23:13
wisdom to see the the birth and death of other people depending on their karma
23:21
and in the final part of the night he he's developed this wisdom Asana and
23:28
that is when he realized I have destroyed all my mental defilements I am
23:33
enlightened I am a Buddha so those six the four factors help in
23:40
development of this powers and the fourth group is the the
23:47
spiritual faculties and there are five factors and the five Factor these five factors
23:54
they are present to some degree in all of us I think to all of us but we have
24:00
to keep developing them and they are completely developed when we become an
24:05
araha so the first factor is one need to have faith or conviction
24:12
and Buddha has to described two types of saddha the one this amulika Sada this is
24:18
this called This is a blind faith Blind Faith you just believe in anything through fear through respect but what
24:26
Buddha advice is us to have the second type of and this is evidence-based confidence
24:34
through experience through practice you develop Faith so Buddha doesn't approve
24:41
of this uh uh and Blind Faith in fact Buddha says the Blind Faith can actually
24:48
work against the spiritual path and the second factor is the energy the
24:55
effort various and as I said there are three stages of behavior aarambaka that
25:00
is you need effort to start something you need effort to continue doing
25:06
something in spite of obstacles and you need effort really to complete the task
25:12
that you have undertaken and the third factor is the mindfulness Sati Sati and this is coming from the
25:20
truth for satipatanas that we talked about and the fourth uh spiritual faculty is
25:26
concentration this is one point and this of the mind that we practice there are
25:32
40 objects of meditation and selecting any object we start meditating and
25:39
develop the one-pointed muscle mind and that is needed in the in the Buddhist path and the fifth factor is the wisdom
25:48
so the five faculties that we have to develop uh the faith or conviction
25:54
energy or effort mindfulness samadhi Patna they're calling
26:02
Sati samadhi now Buddha Buddha pointed out that there
26:08
are two pairs Within These five factors this uh if you take the faith and then
26:15
wisdom these two factors have to be in balance in Balance because if you have
26:21
too much of faith and not much of wisdom you you keep
26:27
doing lot of things that are not necessary that does not help whereas if
26:32
you have too much wisdom and no faith you become very critical
26:38
and uh kind of questioning everything and you don't advance so the Buddha says there has to be a
26:44
balance between the faith and the wisdom and similarly there has to be a balance
26:50
between the effort and concentration if you put too much effort in meditation
26:56
without not much of concentration then your mind become Restless
27:02
whereas if you develop too much of concentration with no effort then you
27:08
will feel sleepy and lazy and things like that and the Buddha said this mindfulness
27:14
Sati is the moderator so the this mindfulness is always keeping an eye
27:21
to see whether the faith and the wisdom are imbalance and energy and concentration are in
27:27
balance so the mindfulness is really the main factor out of the the five factors
27:35
now we have discussed four groups and we will go to the fifth group and
27:41
that is called five spiritual powers and as you can see the five spiritual
27:47
powers are same as the five spiritual faculties faith
27:54
effort mindfulness concentration and wisdom
27:59
what happens is as we cultivate the path as we develop further and further the
28:06
spiritual faculties also become Advanced and when you complete the path when you
28:12
become an arahant they have become Powers the faculties become powers and
28:17
the powers means that nothing can disturb your faith nothing can disturb
28:23
your effort nothing can disturb your mindfulness concentration or wisdom
28:28
and because of that the same five spiritual faculties become spiritual
28:35
powers
28:40
and the sixth group are the seven factors of Enlightenment and this they
28:46
are called and the Seven factors of Enlightenment
28:52
are again mindfulness Sati investigation of dhammas this
28:58
analysis investigation is called dhamma whichever again effort or energy Behavior
29:06
Rapture pretty tranquility concentration samadhi equanimity
29:15
now mindfulness we have discussed under the four Foundation of mindfulness now
29:20
dhamma which year that is analysis and investigate so throughout the path we we
29:27
need to investigate the the elements to the physical and the mental phenomena
29:32
and the effort again I discussed the four types of efforts in three stages
29:39
so the four types of efforts is effort to make sure that unwholesome factors do
29:44
not develop effort to make sure that any unwholesome stress that have developed we try to
29:51
eradicate them you need effort to develop wholesome mental States and you
29:57
you need efforts to get deep further develop wholesome steps and they are
30:03
again done in three stages the effort to start something
30:08
effort to maintain something in spite of any obstacles an effort to
30:14
complete the tasks we have undertaken and as we go on meditating we feel uh
30:21
Rapture or Joy within nonsense and this is the nonsensual This Joy the spirit is
30:27
coming through meditation not from the sensual organs like the the eye the ear
30:33
the nose the tongue and the body so it's a non-sensual happiness Rapture and this
30:40
is followed by the tranquility tranquility of the mind and the Tranquility of the body this calm
30:46
tranquility and then comes the concentration one pointedness
30:51
and then the final factor is the Equanimity you pick now and that is perfect neutrality that
31:00
is in life we are confronted with always there are there are what are called Eight Lok Adamas
31:07
world uh experience that is uh called labo alabo that is uh we gain things we
31:16
lose things ISO was we become famous popular we become our popularity goes
31:25
answer we get praise we get blame
31:31
we feel happiness we feel unhappiness so in if whatever condition that we we are
31:38
confronted with we maintain total Equanimity and that is called
31:48
and the Seven factors are called means seven body means Enlightenment and
31:57
nangam is causative factors so and they are also described as qualities of an enlightened person and what is
32:04
interesting uh is that the Buddha says that the this seven factors they work in
32:13
progression so you need good mindfulness perfect mindfulness before you can do
32:20
the investigation of dhamma and then from there you can develop energy or
32:26
effort from there the pity comes from there the Tranquility comes from they
32:32
are the concentration comes and finally the the upeka so there's a progression of the seven factors mindfulness gives
32:41
rise to investigation of dhammas energy then rapture
32:47
Tranquility concentration Equanimity it works in in the Progressive order like
32:53
that and the seventh group is the noble eight
33:00
four parts that we have discussed before as well but let us quickly have a look at them so the noble eight four part is
33:07
the right way samadhity right intention
33:12
right speech samavacha right action
33:18
right livelihood right effort
33:25
right mindfulness right samma Sati and right concentration
33:31
I warned you there are a lot of repetitions and these eight eight normal eight four
33:37
part Buddha has divided into three in the into a morality group the sealer
33:45
the sealer group contains the right speech right action and right livelihood then the second group calls
33:52
concentrations samadhi which is the right effort right mindfulness right
33:58
concentration and the third group panya and that is right understanding and right interests
34:04
so this we have to when we develop the path we have to progress from Sheila to
34:11
samadhi and pratna and the Right View right wave in the in
34:18
the nobel84 part is really correct understanding of the noble truths the
34:24
Sama dity right we and the right intention there are three
34:29
types of right intentions right intention of renunciation letting go
34:35
right intention of Goodwill metha loving kindness and the right intention of
34:41
harmlessness against compassion karuna
34:48
try speech abstinent from telling lies abstinent from malicious backbiting
34:56
device you talk accident from harsh blameful hurtful
35:01
speech and abstinence from Gossip Wayne idler chatter so the right speech
35:07
right action Buddha has said abstinent from killing any living beings
35:13
abstinence from stealing and abstinent from many sexual misconduct
35:19
right livelihood that's an honest ethical livelihood with no direct indirect harm to anybody
35:26
and Buddha has said that for Lay people to avoid five types of Trades trading in
35:32
human beings trading in animals trading in arms and weapons
35:37
trading in intoxicants alcohol illicit drugs and trading in poisons
35:45
and the right effort again is repeated the same four types of right effort I
35:50
have already discussed to prevent unhorse some Cactus arising to abandon
35:58
any unwholesome states that had Arisen effort to develop wholesome mental
36:03
States and effort to develop further any wholesome mental state that have already
36:08
arrived in and right mindfulness again this satipatan the four contemplation so the
36:16
body the feelings the mind and the mind objects
36:22
right concentration again uh one pointedness of the Mind focusing
36:27
attention on one object there are 40 objects that are described in the
36:32
Buddhist literature suitable for samata bhavana concentration meditation and
36:38
selecting that one start meditating and then as we go on meditating as our
36:45
concentration develops we suppress our the five mental hindrances and uh with a well-concentrated mind OPC
36:55
then Buddha says we are in a city we are in a good position to go into Insight
37:00
Meditation to realize the three characteristics
37:08
and these are the four janas that we can develop through the the concentration
37:15
the first John second third and fourth genre
37:21
foreign requisites
37:27
and the four foundations of mindfulness
37:34
for right efforts four bases of mental power
37:43
then five spiritual faculties five spiritual powers
37:52
for seven factors of Enlightenment and finally Noble Eightfold Path eight
37:59
so all together and the enlightened obviously we have discussed before when we cultivate the
38:06
Buddhist path cultivate in these 37 factors then Enlightenment comes in four
38:12
stages in the first stage that's called stream entry or sothapan
38:18
we eradicate three types of defilements called samyogenas
38:24
self-identity skeptical doubt Vegeta and adhere into
38:31
any rituals and rights that's called once become a sotapana and Buddha said
38:38
once you become a South Apartment you can become Enlightenment either in the same birth or within the maximum of
38:45
seven Birds and then the second stage of Enlightenment is called one's return so
38:53
and in this stage having this eradicated this fetus
38:59
one weakens the next two phases of sensual desire and ill will and they are
39:05
called once written because they are born only once more before becoming
39:12
enlightened and then the third group is non-returner they are called anaga means and anagami
39:20
has eradicated these two con Fitness as well so an anagami has eradicated five
39:27
out of the ten Fitters that we discussed last week and the anagami is a
39:32
non-written and Ron Ritter no to the sensual world anagam is born once more in one of the
39:41
Brahma world's Celestial worlds where he becomes he or she becomes enlightened
39:46
and attainable and the final stage of enlightened office
39:52
and the remaining five hitters the teams all the ten Fortress Fitters have been
39:57
eradicated an enlightened person is that is an iban there is no rebirth
40:05
and in one of the discourses in the anguthara if you can remember dangote is
40:11
the collection of Buddha's numerical discourses there are over 9 000 discourses in one of the discourses
40:17
called sambodia Buddha has described certain prerequisites that helps to develop the
40:25
the enlightenment factors and the first one is called having good friends
40:30
admirable friends good companions comrades and the second is the seal the moral
40:38
Behavior virtuous behavior of observing if we are if they are lay people
40:44
observing the five precepts or eight precepts or if they are monks or nuns uh
40:50
observing their own uh linear disciplinary rules and then listening to
40:56
the dumb listening to the teaching hearing talk and the fourth is obviously the effort
41:03
again you need effort and to have some understanding of the
41:09
rising and passing away of all the phenomena that everything uh origin
41:15
there's origin and cessation of everything and then to have some experience of
41:22
developing contemplation on Annette this is to abandon lust like the
41:27
contemplation of the 32 parts of the body and some experience of loving and my
41:34
kindness meditation to get rid of any feelings of ill will and to have some experience of anapana
41:42
Sati bhavana that is a mindfulness in Britain outbreak and to have developed some understanding
41:50
of the impermanence the Anita and the Buddha says these factors if one has
41:55
developed they will help to finally develop the 37 requisites of
42:01
enlightenment so I think I'll stop here and if there
42:09
are any questions we can discuss thank you
 

 

Fifth teaching

okay good afternoon it's nice to be with you again we have had three talks uh already and
0:09
in the first talk we talked about the life story of Lord Gautama Buddha
0:15
who lived and taught in India in the 6th and fifth centuries before Christ
0:22
in the second talk we talked about the Buddha's dispensation in different forms
0:27
the Buddhist Theory the Practical aspects and the results of the Buddhist practice
0:33
and in the last talk we talked about how the Buddhist teaching at least in the in
0:39
the form of the Thera the Buddhism managed to survive for 26 centuries and
0:44
that was mainly with the use of the Buddhist Council six Buddhist councils
0:50
so having talked about the background the Buddha and the Buddha's teaching from today I'm hoping to talk about the
0:57
bread and butter of kind of Buddha's teaching not all of the teaching but the
1:03
main themes of the therawada Buddhist teaching and in the let us see
1:20
when I was talking about the Buddha I did mention that Buddha was born as
1:27
Prince Siddhartha in a place called lombini in the present Nepal
1:34
somewhere here and he grew a pastor Royal Prince so
1:39
with all the Royal Comforts got married at age 16. and age 29 he was confronted with
1:48
suffering of the the human life in the form of an old man
1:54
a sick man and a dead body he became disenchanted with the him the
2:01
human suffering and the the domestic life so at the age of 29 he left home to
2:07
become an ascetic he wanted to find a way out of human suffering and for six years he tortured himself
2:14
believing that austerity will bring Enlightenment it didn't work for six
2:20
years and then he gave up the austerities and moved to a place called both Gaya
2:27
in Bihar somewhere here and so at age 35
2:35
he meditated under a broad tree and became enlightened by realizing the Four
2:41
Noble Truths and from there he went to a place called
2:47
sarnath near Warren FC to give his first sermon
2:53
and he preached for 45 years and at the
2:58
age of 80 he traveled to this place called kushinaga and he passed away
3:04
so let us now scope go back to
3:10
how Buddha became a Buddha so at the age of 35 he sat under this
3:18
boat tree this is how it looks like today and started meditating on in-breath and
3:26
out breath is called anapan of Sati and during that night he realized the
3:33
Four Noble Truths and one becomes enlightened by big by
3:39
realizing the Four Noble Truths having realized the four noble truths he
3:45
wanted to teach this teaching to others and he thought Whom Shall I teach
3:51
if you can remember when he became an ascetic he went to two meditation teachers the first one called
3:58
and the second teacher was so he thought let me teach to my first
4:06
teacher but then unfortunately he discovered that that teacher has passed
4:12
away a week early and then he decided to preach to his second teacher called
4:21
had passed away the night before so then what he thought was that during
4:29
the six years of his austerity he had five acidic friends called
4:38
ascetic friends and he thought that okay let me teach
4:43
them what I realized and he discovered that the five ascetics were living at
4:49
that time in the place called saranath so from Buddha
4:56
he traveled to uh sarnath near Varanasi
5:01
and he gave his very first sermon and his long name is called dhamma
5:09
and that was his very first discourse to this five aesthetic friends
5:16
and in that first sermon only he for the first time
5:21
taught what he realized to someone else and that was the Four Noble Truths
5:28
so what are these four noble truths the first Noble Truth is that there is
5:34
universal suffering the second Noble Truth is that the cause
5:43
of this suffering third Noble Truth he realized or thus
5:51
this can be eradicated suffering can be eradicated and that's the third truth
5:57
and the fourth Noble Truth is there's a path there is a mechanism the process to
6:03
eradicate uh suffering
6:09
and this in party language the four noble truths are described as
6:15
uh uh chatur Arya Sacha
6:20
chatur in pal language means for Arya means Noble and Sacha means truth
6:30
so in Pali is the Four Noble Truths
6:37
and why are they called Noble there is an explanation given by
6:42
vulnerable Buddha goes in his famous book called vishuddinaga The Path of
6:48
purification is worth reading if someone hasn't read it and in that book venerable Buddha Gosha
6:57
says the four noble truths are called Noble because they were rediscovered by
7:03
a noble one this Buddha so as you remember this uh Four Noble
7:09
Truth are Universal Damas they exist in the world that there's a Buddha or not
7:16
but when there is there's no Buddha or the Buddha's teaching unfortunately you'll get lost in the world so when the
7:23
Buddha reappears the Buddha rediscovers the Four Noble Truth and teaches that to
7:28
the world so it is called Noble because this rediscovered by a noble one the summer
7:37
the second reason why they are called Noble is because they can be fully realized only by the noble ones such as
7:45
Buddhas a Pache Buddha silent Buddhas or arahant or disciple Buddhas
7:53
and the third reason why they are called Noble is because there is about reality reality in the world the truth
8:01
so because these three reasons they are called Noble Four Noble Truths
8:09
and that four noble truths really is the heart the core of the Buddha stage
8:18
and Buddha said in his first sermon that until life fully realized the four
8:24
noble truths I did not believe that I was enlightened or I became a Buddha
8:30
it's only when he when I fully realized the Four Noble Truths I knew that I was
8:37
enlightened and that I had become a Buddha so only even the Buddha
8:45
admitted that until one fully realized the form of no four noble truths one is
8:51
not enlightened and Buddha compared the the phone number truth the footprint of an elephant
8:59
because if you look at all the animals the footprints of all the animals that
9:05
one can find all the footprints of all those animals can be put within the footprints of an
9:13
animal elephant so Buddha in this discourse in the majaminikai the collection of the middle
9:19
and discourses said that similar to a footprint of an
9:25
elephant within which all the footprints can be included
9:31
everything that I have said in the Buddha so the Buddha's teaching all of the Buddha's teaching really can be
9:39
included in the four noble truths so it's the bread and butter the heart and
9:45
the core of the Buddha's teaching now when we say someone is a Buddha
9:52
that means someone has attained body someone who has attained body is a
9:59
Buddha and both means realization of the Four Noble Truths
10:05
and there are three types of people who have realized the Four Noble Truths
10:10
first like like Gautama Buddha or previous
10:17
Buddha or scholarships
10:23
because they realize the Four Noble Truth with their own effort with no
10:29
teacher or no teaching available before and having realized the phone number of
10:35
Truth they can teach it to others so samasam Buddhas realized the phone of
10:41
our truths through their own effort and then they are able to teach it to others so that others can also realize the Four
10:48
Noble Truths the second group of Buddhas are called Buddhas or silent Buddhas
10:55
and like samasam Buddhas they also realize the Four Noble Truth through their own effort with no teacher but
11:03
unfortunately they cannot teach anyone anybody else so that's why they are called Silent Buddhas
11:09
and the third group of Buddhas are savaka Buddhas and they are the arahans
11:15
the Disciples of the Buddha they realized the the four noble truths haven't listened to the teachings by a
11:23
samasam with them and they can teach so there are three groups of Buddhas and the Buddha means attaining body and
11:31
attain in both the means realization of the Four Noble Truths
11:36
so let us look at the first Global truth the first Noble Truth is the Buddha said
11:43
there is universal suffering unevitable inevitable is universal
11:50
and with the name the few things that can cause suffering birth is suffering birth is suffering
11:57
and why is birth is suffering because it's because of birth
12:02
and for all the rest of the suffering and having been born
12:09
we get old that is suffering video of illnesses we become ill that is
12:16
suffering we die that is suffering all these are physical sufferings and then
12:22
Buddha goes on to describe the mental suffering all types of Sorrow
12:28
lamentation crying wailing weeping mental grief mental pain despair
12:36
and when we have to associate with people we don't like the suffering when
12:42
we have to separate from our loved ones friends relatives family that is suffering
12:47
not getting one desires is suffering and not what desires the desires are not
12:55
for these things to happen we desire not to be born we desire not
13:00
to get old we desire not to get ill we desire not to die we desire not to
13:08
experience any sorrow lamentation grief pain despair but no it won't help we
13:14
have to suffer so not getting one desires resource of suffering and then put their dirt in short the
13:22
file Aggregates of clinging is suffering five Aggregates of clinging let us look
13:29
at what these five Aggregates are now what what we call ourselves you and
13:37
me consists of two parts we we consist of a physical part and we consist of a mental
13:44
part and our physical part is called this
13:49
material form Rupa group that's our body our physical study
13:55
and our mental thought consists of these four the feelings what we feel
14:02
perception what we've perceived mental formation our thinking and our
14:08
consciousness so these are the five Aggregates that we are consist of
14:14
and Buddha said all these five is suffering and why is it suffering
14:21
because be real we don't realize what we call ourselves is nothing but
14:29
this five but through delusion we identify with them as I this is me this is mine
14:39
but because these five things the Rope away then
14:44
they arise they cease they arise this is
14:50
constantly moment to moment they don't last more than a moment but if we
14:56
identify with them as me or I when they change because they are not permanent
15:02
there is no self in that that causes suffering so Buddha said the five FPS of
15:09
clinging itself is suffering
15:18
now Buddha said very often he used to say in discourses look here I I teach
15:25
only two things I teach suffering and the end of suffering it is suffering
15:32
and the end of suffering now the problem we have is what Buddha talked about was dukkha
15:41
and there is no English translation for dukkah the best translation they have found is
15:48
suffering the nearest is suffering but dukkah does not mean just the
15:54
suffering that we talk about which is kind of pain the misery the sorrow and
16:01
be it includes everything else like any dissatisfaction any imperfection any
16:09
unsatisfactory in us any frustration any disappointment any disharmony any fear
16:17
any insecurity all this other not only the suffering that we defined as pain
16:25
and sorrow and misery and Buddha did not deny that there is
16:30
happiness and there is pressure obvious if you see something nice it is Pleasant if you hear something a good noise good
16:37
sound it is Pleasant Buddha did not deny but what would the said to us that all
16:44
these are transient transient at the moment of feeling it we may feel
16:50
that oh we are going to enjoy this happiness and pressure for our life no they are also transient
16:57
and unfortunately because of this translation of sufferings the dukkah into suffering
17:03
people outside the Buddhist the people who don't know the Buddhist teaching have often and still criticizing that
17:10
Buddhist Buddhism is a very negative pessimistic they talk only about suffering suffering suffering nothing
17:16
else but they are wrong they can be right if the Buddha talked only about the
17:24
first two truths if Buddha said just look here there is universal suffering you can't avoid it
17:31
and if Buddha said okay like nobody can help you go on suffering
17:37
then it is a fair criticism that Buddhism is a negativity no but they
17:43
didn't stop there but they said the suffering can be got rid of and he gave the mechanism the process
17:51
the method the path to get rid of so it's really Buddhism is not a
17:57
pessimistic or negative religion but it's a realistic one realistic that
18:02
there is a suffering and it gives optimism and Hope that we can get out of
18:08
the suffering and there is a path there is a mechanism to follow to come out of
18:14
the suffering and we're not one of the discourses of the Buddha uh called that's in the
18:22
collection of the Buddhas connected discourses there Buddha describes three types of
18:28
suffering dukkah the first type is and that is the suffering that we all
18:35
know the physical and mental pain that we all experience it's obvious to us and
18:41
that's because the second type of is called
18:46
and that is because things change things change so even happiness the
18:53
pleasures that we enjoy they finish and when they finish it leads to suffering
19:01
and the third type of suffering is called which is the most difficult thing
19:06
to understand now Sankara Sankara means condition things condition things now
19:13
when we when I talked about the five Aggregates of clinging they are themselves sankaras because they are
19:20
made of something else and they constantly start stop start
19:26
stop origin Seas origin C's origin Seas
19:31
so because of that there is in build suffering in the Aggregates so the three
19:38
types of the cause the obvious physical and mental pain the
19:44
vipari Namath due to the nature of change even in Pleasant experiences and
19:50
the third type is the Shankar dukkah that is due to change in condition
19:55
things like the aggregation that we are made of
20:01
foreign to the second Noble Truth so the second
20:07
Noble Truth that said there is a cause for suffering and the Buddha said the cause of
20:12
suffering is craving tanha and Buddha describe three qualities of
20:18
this so tanha the craving is a craving that gives rise to birth death birth death so
20:27
it creates rebirth again and again and the craving is bound off with
20:34
pleasure attachment so the craving to start with is very pleasant very happy and you get attached
20:42
to that and it's because of that attachment the craving and clicking that gives rise to rebirth and suffering
20:49
and the other things quality of the the craving is that wherever you are
20:57
it's gratifying integration and the thing with the craving is that once you
21:03
get a pleasant experience you want to have it again
21:08
when you have a pleasant experience you want to have more of it again so the craving multiplies when you have
21:16
one pleasant experience and Buddha describe three types of grain
21:23
the first type of craving for a kamathana that is craving for our sensual Pleasures that the pleasures
21:31
that we receive through our eyes through our ears through our nose the tongue the
21:37
body and the mind so the the sensual experiences We crave
21:42
for them that's called and the second type of craving is the
21:49
craving to exist to become to to go continue to exist to be someone
21:56
to be something so always craving for something which is not here now and the
22:02
third type is called the craving to not exist we are so fed up with life we fed
22:09
up suffering and one can say that probably suicide is an ultimate of uh
22:15
vibhavatana not to craving not to exist there are three types of craving
22:23
then the third Noble Buddha said this suffering can be
22:29
eradicated if one can eradicate the craving and the cessation of suffering that is
22:36
the attainment of nibban by totally abandoning and eliminating
22:42
eradicating this craving which is the main reason for suffering
22:48
and the Nippon is a Beyond stage beyond all suffering
22:54
and it's the state of Peace state of Joy state of happiness
23:00
and once we have attained if we born there is no rebirth there's no continued
23:06
rebirth in the cycle of birth and death and one good thing about nibban is that
23:12
we can attain it in this life itself we don't have to wait till we die to
23:19
attain newborn and enjoy it the nibbana comes within this life itself the
23:25
problem is the nibban is such an abstract concept
23:30
that it cannot be explained by any language that we have
23:35
so the one who has attained nibban only knows what nibandh means really means so
23:43
it's very difficult and it has been compared if once when you try to explain
23:48
nibbon it is like trying to explain a color like blue or red to a blind person
23:55
from blind from birth who has never seen a color and when when I look here the blue color
24:03
is like this red color is this there's no way we can explain a color to a
24:08
person who has been blind from birth and trying to explain nibban to someone who
24:13
has not experienced nibbana has been compared to a similar explanation
24:20
and as we know we have there are three named unwholesome roots
24:27
in body staging and these are called great the rug hatred ill will they are called those
24:34
and the ignorance and when one attains the nibbana one has
24:40
eliminated all these three completely the great the hatred and ignorance
24:47
and within Buddhism obvious to the ultimate goal is to to attend nibbon
24:56
and nibban is called by so many names last time I counted 54 different names
25:03
different phrases for the neighbor and it's called cessation of suffering
25:12
is called abandonment abandon of craving renunciation letting go
25:19
Liberation from suffering and rebirth detachments unconditioned there are so
25:26
many words to describe the nibban and is attained by cultivating the noble
25:32
Eightfold Path which we are going to discuss in a moment the only thing is we have to do it by
25:40
ourselves there's nobody else who can do it not even the Buddha so we cannot pray and
25:47
give become we have to follow the noble light for path if we are to attend nibbana and
25:56
eradicate suffering and once obviously once we are in nibbana there is no rebirth
26:04
is really not a place it's not a Heavenly Paradise so this is not a place it's a state it's a state of Nepal not a
26:13
place now if one if one needs to uh
26:18
eradicate some mental defilements Buddha said that in order to attend nibbana we
26:25
have to eradicate all mental defilements that we have and Buddha
26:31
selected 10 of them and call them fetus some yojana ten
26:37
Fitters the first fitter is the self-identity V the sakayadithis
26:43
remember I said the five Aggregates of playing we cling to them saying that that's me that's I and that's a delusion
26:51
so that's one mental defilement we have to get rid of if we are to attend the
26:57
bond and skeptical doubt doubt about the Buddha dhamma about the doubt about the
27:02
Buddha's teaching and sort of doubts like that and the third feta is attachment to
27:08
rituals and rights if one believes that Bindu is this so This ritual that ritual
27:14
one can go to nibban that is a fit if anyone believes that one can go to
27:21
nibhana apart from following the noble Eightfold Path that is safety because
27:29
that's the only part that the Buddha has described as the only way to Nepal
27:34
sensual desires of it again mentally fine that we have to get rid of
27:40
ill will anger hatred is called patiga that's of it
27:46
and in Buddhist cosmology there are 31 planes of existence and out of them
27:52
there are 20 Celestial worlds and after the celestial World There are 16
27:58
Celestial verse where there's a fine physical body called ropa local
28:04
and there are some people who got a desire they meditate concentration meditation and attain
28:10
journals in order to be born in this world so even that desire is
28:17
and some people decide to be born in the celestial worlds where there is no
28:22
physical body only the Mind mentals mental state is there and that desire
28:27
also put the call of fitter and obstacle to become
28:34
and the eighth one is called conceit the arrogance the man restlessness mental restlessness and the
28:42
tenth feta is ignorance and the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths so if
28:48
one needs to realize the third Noble Truth that's the nibana one needs to get
28:54
rid of these 10 Fetters and this happens in four stages
29:02
when we when we cultivate when we develop the noble Eightfold part that
29:08
the Buddha has asked us to follow we realize nibana through four stages
29:15
and the first stage is called stream entry and the Sota Panna
29:21
stream entry means we have entered the path of Liberation path of liberation
29:27
and in order to attain the first stage we need to get rid of the first three
29:34
Fetters self-identity skeptical doubt and attachment to
29:41
rituals and rights so when we eradicate those three one becomes a stream entry
29:49
interest and when we become a sought upon the Buddha has guaranteed
29:55
that there's no turning back one will end up becoming an arhand and attaining nibban
30:03
within a maximum of seven rebirths one can attain nibhana in the same life
30:10
itself but the within a maximum of seven Birds a sword upon the will attained
30:17
and there's another guarantee that they have said when you are sought upon you will never be reborn again in the world
30:24
of suffering you see out of the 31 planes of existence the law was four uh a Pirates
30:31
score including the animal kingdom and those Buddha says once you are short upon you will never be reborn in any of
30:39
those four worlds so a SWAT upon continues to develop the
30:45
noble light for path and when he weaken the next two fitters
30:52
next two Fitters that is the sensual desire and the ill will not completely
30:59
eradicated but you weaken them and one becomes once written and that's Saturday
31:05
that's the second stage of attaining neighbor and when when one is a sakadaga
31:12
again one will never be reborn in any of the worlds of suffering and the Buddha said
31:19
is called once written there is only one more rebirth if one does not attain
31:26
nibhana in the same birth there's only one more rebirth either in the human
31:31
world or in this in the heavens one of the heavens and there he will attend he
31:38
or she will attend nibandh so that's the second stage then when one develops when Once return
31:46
continues to develop the noble light for path then the third stage comes that's
31:51
the non-written or another in the second stage
31:57
we can sense your desire and ill will and in the third stage you completely
32:04
eradicate these two so when you attain the third stage
32:09
we one has eradicated the first five of the ten fitters
32:16
self-ident review skeptical doubt attachment to me rights and ritual
32:21
sensual desire and ill will and anagam is called a non-written
32:29
because he or she will never be reborn in the sensual world again
32:35
and there are certain Heavenly words called Brahma words there
32:41
are five of them [Music] in the same word will be reborn in one
32:50
of those Celestial worlds and attain the banana there so they are non-returners
32:56
and then they continue to develop further the nobelied fog and finally
33:01
attained arahuntu and that's the final enlightenment and arhant has
33:10
eradicated all the ten Fitters remember a soda Panna has eradicated the first
33:17
three Fetters second stage has weakened the next two fitters
33:25
the third stage anagam in non-return has eradicated those two
33:31
and the other hand has eradicated all the 10 factors
33:43
now let us go to the fourth Noble Truth and that is
33:50
the path lead into the cessation of suffering and it's all called
33:58
Arya means Noble means path
34:04
now why is it called a path it's called a part because when one can not call a path
34:13
anywhere where nobody has worked before a path is created when someone has
34:20
cleared the plants and the rubbish and one has walked at least somebody has
34:26
walked over that before and then it becomes a path and this Noble Eightfold Path is part
34:33
because someone or some others have walked on that path the previous Buddhas
34:40
previous they have walked in this path so it has
34:46
become a path and the Buddha said I have gone along that path
34:52
and going along that path I came to know suffering first truth a writing of
34:59
suffering second truth satiation of suffering third truth and
35:04
the way I lead into the cessation of suffering for through so this is not
35:09
something that Buddha imagine this is not something that Buddha heard or read somewhere no he traveled the path
35:18
he he enjoyed the results of that part he
35:23
realized the fourth for Noble Truth and then he told us the path look here this
35:28
is the path to nibbon so and this is the dhamma wheel that we
35:35
are all familiar with and in fact the the the the first sermon
35:43
of the Buddha is called then that is the Turning of the Buddha
35:49
movie turning so in this there are various types of the movies and this
35:56
Dumber wheel has eight spokes so this represent the noble Eightfold
36:01
Path right understanding right intention
36:07
right speech right action right living
36:13
right effort write attentiveness right mindfulness and right concentration
36:21
so Noble Eightfold paths consists of these eight factors
36:27
now if we can go back to the Nobel for Noble Truth so the first Noble Truth is
36:34
suffering second Noble Truth cause of suffering
36:39
third Noble Truth cessation of suffering and the fourth Noble Truth is the path
36:45
and that is the noble lightfall part
36:51
so the Nobel eight four part the first one is called right B samaditi
36:58
second right intentions third right speech samawacha
37:06
fourth right actions fifth right livelihood
37:14
sixth right effort seventh right mindfulness summer Sati
37:21
and right concentration and from a practical point of view this
37:28
this eight can be divided into three stages and the first stage is is morality seal
37:35
and right speech right action and right livelihood and they composed morality
37:42
and Buddha said without morality there is no concentration no wisdom so
37:49
morality is the foundation of a house foundation of the house without morality
37:55
Buddha said you cannot develop concentration and the second stage of the training
38:00
once you have developed morality the seal you go to the next stage and that
38:06
is developing concentration and the next three the right effort right mindfulness and right
38:12
concentration and they compose concentration so you must have developed
38:19
cultivated morality shield in order to develop proper right concentration
38:27
and you need the right concentration to develop wisdom so in the wisdom part contains the right
38:35
understanding and right intention so if you if you are building a house
38:40
you have to put the foundation first seal modality then we have to build the
38:47
walls concentration and then finally we have to put the roof
38:53
on so if we try to retrace try to put the roof on without the foundation or or
39:00
walls is not going to happen and you have to gradually build up the morality the concentration and wisdom
39:08
and that eight are really not independent they are interrelated they are all inter related so see
39:15
all three are interrelated and let us go on to the first right View
39:22
samadhi and the this is really the clear understanding correct understanding of
39:30
all the physical and mental phenomena that we experience and there are two
39:35
types of writing the first type of Right View is to have some understanding of
39:41
karma that if we do good it will lead to good results if we do bad it will due to
39:48
bad results so really to go on to the correct understanding of the the right
39:54
the Four Noble Truth first one need to develop this type of right to you if you
39:59
don't believe in in karma there is nothing all good nothing all bad and there are 10 types of uh wrong leaves
40:07
then then it's difficult to go on to the next try to be which is the correct understanding of the phone number not
40:15
the complete understanding in at this stage in the right way some
40:20
understanding because the complete understanding of the four noble which happens only when you become enlightened
40:27
and become another hand so at this stage see it's really one when one develops
40:32
the right to be one has attained the first stage and that is
40:41
and the second Noble Truth the the noble hateful path factor is right in tension
40:47
right thought right thinking and this happens because you have a right to be
40:52
good understanding and the Buddha has described right three types of good intention right intention
41:00
the right intention of renunciation and that is the
41:07
getting rid of bad thought of sensual pressures so instead of wishing for sensual
41:13
pressures you let go and that is thinking of renunciation the second type
41:20
of in good intention is Good Will so instead of ill will hatred anger you
41:28
develop feelings of meta loving Communists good intentions
41:33
and the third type of right intention is harmlessness and that is instead of Cruelty due
41:40
develop compassion karuna so there are three types of right intention intention
41:46
of renunciation intention of good bill and intention of
41:52
harmlessness the third factor of the normal 84 part
41:58
is Right speech and these are all dry speech remember is
42:03
in Morality and there are four aspects to write speech the first one abstinent
42:10
from false speech or telling lies and that means telling the truth second
42:16
abstinent from malicious talked backbiting device is slander stock and
42:22
that means using harmonious reuniting uniting type of speech
42:28
third abstinence from harsh blameful hearseful pitch and that is using
42:34
Pleasant speech Pleasant speech and the fourth type is abstinent from Gossip
42:40
when talk Idol chatter and that is engaging in only useful talks so there
42:46
are four aspects to right speech abstinent from telling lies abstinent
42:52
from malicious backbiting dividing talk
42:57
hurtful speech and abstinent from Gossip Idol chatter veinto four types of Christ
43:04
speech let us go to right action the next one
43:09
in the right action there are three aspects first one abstinent from killing
43:14
any living beings abstain and from stealing taking what is
43:19
not given the word doesn't belong to oneself an accident from any type of
43:25
sexual misconduct so there were four aspects to uh
43:32
Christ speech and three aspects to the right action
43:39
and then write livelihood the next Factor this is really an honest ethical
43:46
livelihood making and a once living causing no harm directly or indirectly
43:53
anyone else and Buddha has kind of mentioned five traits that we should
44:00
avoid if one is to follow a right livelihood and that is trading in human
44:05
beings trading in animals trading in arms and weapons
44:11
trading in and intoxicants alcohol illustri drugs and trading in poisons
44:17
and would they describe this for you as not right kind of livelihood
44:25
and the next one is right effort and the effort really is needed to
44:32
provide the energy to even to maintain the other seven factors and Buddha has described four aspects of
44:39
effort the first one should put effort to make sure that
44:45
unhaul some things don't develop either physical or mental
44:50
and the second type of effort is if one has developed opinion wholesome things
44:56
get rid of it you have to put effort to get rid of them third aspect
45:02
is to try to develop wholesome mental and physical States wholesome things skillful
45:08
and the right type the fourth one is if we have developed certain wholesome
45:13
things try to improve them cultivate them so there are four types of efforts
45:20
and the seventh factor of the Nobel Eightfold Path is the right mindfulness
45:25
Sati and this is really becoming aware becoming fully aware from moment to
45:32
moment what happens from moment to moment any thoughts any emotions any feelings
45:38
in the present non-judgmentally not craving not rejecting with equanimity
45:45
and Buddha has described the the practice of the mindfulness in a discourse called and
45:52
hopefully in the future we are going to be talking about it in these five details but basically in the in the
45:59
mindfulness meditation Buddha has advised to be mindfulness on our body
46:07
physical body and that's called kayanupasana be mindful of our feelings as they
46:15
happen as we experience them and that's called vedana
46:20
be mindful be aware of our mind States from moment to moment that's called
46:25
chitana prasanna and then the fourth one is contemplation of the mind of this whatever comes to
46:32
mind the objects be aware of them there are four aspects to the mindfulness training
46:39
and the eighth is Right concentration
46:45
and this is really the the developing one-pointedness of the Mind
46:51
and uh you you you put your attention on one object in in Buddhist literature
46:57
there are 40 meditation objects that one can use to develop concentration again we will be talking about them in detail
47:05
in the future and the right concentration has to be wholesome not any concentration not any
47:11
contribution remember if if if a cat wants to get off a kill the mouse the
47:17
cat has to maintain full concentration but that is not wholesome concentration
47:23
if the people that wants to steal a bag in the bus or train the big pot has to
47:28
maintain very good concentration on the on the on the victim but that's not
47:34
wholesome concentration and here Buddha is talking about concentration on wholesome objects also like meta karuna
47:42
you know compassion and even one's own breath and when you develop concentration
47:50
then what happens is there are certain mental defilements called mental
47:55
hindrances Winters and they get suppressed they get
48:01
processes and what are they these are the five mental hindrances so so
48:06
whenever they sit down to meditate any type of meditation these five come and
48:13
trouble us sensual desires anything that anything pleasant we have
48:19
experienced through the eye through the ear through the North through the tongue through the body anything that comes to
48:25
our mind that disturb our meditation feelings of ill will hatred anger will
48:30
come we become lazy sleepy yeah again they
48:39
will disturb then the the Mind become Restless mental restlessness and remorse
48:46
every anything that we have anything bad we have done will come back to our mind
48:52
any good thing that we have not done we will regret about them so they will come and disturb our mind
48:58
and then all sort of doubts will appear doubt about the Buddha the Buddha's
49:03
teaching I am I practicing the right technique I am am I the right person to
49:09
meditate you know also is my teacher a good teacher all sort of doubts will come
49:14
so when we develop the concentration of the Mind these five will get suppressed
49:22
and when they get suppressed and as a concentration develops we develop what
49:28
are called absorption States and therefore janas Janus and there are four
49:33
genres that Buddha has mentioned under the form the noble Eightfold part we'll
49:38
talk them about them in the future but just remember there are four janas first
49:43
John or second third and fourth and this concentration of Mind really is
49:51
essential to practice mind the the wisdom inside
49:57
meditation the vipassana concentrating on the Anita
50:03
and it is the meditation on the impermanence The Suffering and the
50:10
absence of the Soul those are the three things that we need to finally realize
50:15
but to meditate on them we need a good well concentrated mind
50:23
foreign
50:29
if you talk about Kama it's about cause and effect if you talk about rebirth is
50:35
cause and effect if you talk about dependent origination is cause and effect and you can see that
50:41
among the the Four Noble Truth says now if you take the first pair remember
50:46
the first Noble Truth is suffering the second Noble Truth is the cause of
50:52
suffering so it's this here it is depicted in a river sword so the second truth is the
50:59
cause the craving and the result effect is suffering so
51:05
cause and effect then if you take the third and fourth troops the third truth is the
51:11
eradication of suffering and the fourth truth is the noble Eightfold Path so
51:16
nobody late for past is the cause and the nibban is the result
51:21
so again there are two pairs of course and effect within the Four Noble Truths
51:30
now we can compare the phone number to really to seen a doctor
51:36
every day when we feel ill when we are not well
51:42
we go to the doctor and the doctor examine us take the history all the details and the doctor
51:49
says okay yeah you got this you got an illness number one truth
51:55
there is a problem and then the doctor investigates blood test urine tests x-rays scans yeah
52:04
and that and discuss the cause for the illness the second truth
52:10
and the doctor says yes this if he can remove this course you will get better
52:16
third truth and then the doctor gives a prescription do this do that take this take that so
52:24
the fourth truth so an a problem first truth
52:30
cause of the problem second truth if the course is removed the problem is removed
52:36
third truth and there is a there's something to done to be done to get rid
52:42
of the problem for truth so it's just like going to the doctors but the problem is that the first thing is the
52:52
first truth we have to accept that we are ill that I have a problem
52:57
and a lot of people don't recognize that there is suffering
53:02
and the second is even if you accept that you have a problem you are not
53:07
interested in find out finding out what caused the problem
53:12
and the third is even if you if you are tall that if
53:18
you do this you can get rid of it you don't do what you are told so we can
53:24
we can we can learn we can memorize the Buddha's teaching the
53:29
most part but unless we practice the prescription
53:35
we are given we will not attain newborn or get rid of suffering
53:41
and Buddha said in one of these discourses in the sanghithanikai OR monks
53:46
it is because we didn't understand the Four Noble Truths that we have come all
53:53
this way suffering from birth to birth to birth to birth both you and I
54:00
so the main reason for our existence in this suffering and the samsad is really
54:07
not realizing the Four Noble Truths and Buddha said how should we put effort
54:15
into realizing that Buddha said as if one's head is on fire
54:20
as if one's cloth Sound fire yeah just imagine if my head is on fire
54:27
yeah would I say I am tired I want to rest I want to have a rest before I get
54:32
rid of the fire would I say I am hungry I will eat something before I put out the fire
54:38
I am thirsty I will have a drink before I get into the fire I'll have to wait for your wife for my
54:44
children to come to get rid of now you forget everything else and put out the fun
54:50
and the same way if we realize that there is suffering and we want to get
54:55
rid of the suffering we will not postpone it yeah we won't say I will do it when I
55:02
finish work when I retire I will do it when my children grow up I
55:09
will do it when my children are educated then married yeah or postpone you know Buddha says as
55:16
if you had this on fire as if your Crow sound fine yeah do it
55:22
now do it now thank you I think I'll stop

 

    Sixth teaching

okay good afternoon to everybody it's nice to be back talking to you
0:07
and it's an enormous stand vast subjects that depend on origination
0:14
extremely deep and difficult to understand I know it's one of Dr Mariano's favorite
0:21
topics when we had a conversation he was particular about dependent origination
0:28
and I'll try to talk about it just touch the surface of it in one hour
0:35
uh it will take ages for one to really go into dependent origination in depth
0:42
so let us let us have a look at it dependent origination
0:51
and in Pali it's known as particular
0:57
means dependent upon and some upada means rising or origination
1:04
so generally it's in English it's known as dependent origination and when you check the Buddhist literature there are
1:10
so many other terms uh dependent arising depend on
1:16
co-arising condition the rising interdependent origination lot of other
1:22
terms and the basic the key message from dependent origination
1:28
is nothing in this world arises on their own accord nothing
1:34
living beings you me humans non-humans plants objects thoughts of emotions the
1:43
universe the world everything according to this Theory arises due to other
1:50
causes and conditions so they are all relative and conditioned States
1:55
up and probably it's I think it's true to say that probably is the most
2:02
profound and Central aspect of the Buddhist Doctrine the cause and effect
2:08
and the dependent origination there's a discourse in called
2:15
titanikai of the palikanan and in that discourse
2:21
Buddha refers to three theories that are prevalent in India at that time about
2:28
what happens to us and the first theory was that whatever
2:33
happened to us is always due to past come good or bad
2:39
and that's called karmic determinism
2:45
the second theory was that what happens to us is due to the wish of a Creator
2:51
Supreme Creator Almighty and of cases that's that is still there and it's
2:57
called theistic determination is and the third theory was what happens to
3:04
us is nothing to do with anything no of course that just happened by chance randomly by accident and that's that's
3:13
called Apache so these are the three theories and Buddha went and spoke to
3:18
all these people who were teaching this and asked them do you believe in them they said yes
3:24
then Buddha said right sorry
3:34
foreign [Music]
3:40
[Applause] [Music]
3:46
and they said yes well they said well then
3:52
there's no no one will take responsibility if everything is due to pass come
3:59
if everything we do is due to a creator if it everything we do is just happens
4:05
by chance then people can kill people can steal people can sexually misconduct
4:12
people can tell lies use harsh words backbiting idle chatter and all sort of
4:19
things and no one is responsible because it was all determined before
4:24
so Buddha rejected all these three theories and then presented the dependent origination as the possibility
4:34
and there were two other theories in India at that time with regard to existence
4:40
and one was called eternalism and they believed that in US
4:47
there is a soul there's a body and this the soul and the body are two different
4:53
things and when we die at the end of this life our body dies but our soul
4:58
goes on to another body the next birth when that body dies it goes to another
5:03
body and this Eternal Soul going on and on is Eternal Soul
5:14
they also believe that since there's a sword but they believe the body and the Soul
5:20
are one and the same so at the end of this life when we die both our body and the Soul died nothing
5:27
remain so there is nothing to go on and so there's no Karma whether we do good
5:33
or bad there are no consequences and again Buddha rejected both these
5:38
extremes and presented the dependent origination as a kind of middle path and Buddha said there is no fixed entity
5:45
in US passing from One Life to another but there is a condition arising
5:51
condition becoming uh after this depending on cause and
5:57
effect
6:03
that's the collection of lobuddas long discourses and yeah it's Buddha
6:09
experience dependent origination in in quite detail really and they are whenever Ananda that was
6:16
Buddha's Chief attendant went to the Buddha and said sir this dependent original origination appears to me as
6:22
very clear simple and very easy to understand and Buddha said [Music]
6:30
don't say that don't say that dependent origination is very deep it appears deep
6:38
and it is because of ignorance of this dependent origination that beings keep
6:44
roaring in the in the samsara cycle of birth and death going through all the
6:49
suffering so Buddhas describe it as a very deep
6:54
very deep concept and Buddhists that did not give a first
7:01
course for our existence and Buddha did not describe the
7:08
dependent origination as the origin so it's a cyclical one and it's so deep that when Buddha became
7:15
enlightened he was quite reluctant to preach because the Buddha thought all
7:20
these human beings are full of mental defilements they will not be unable to understand dependent origination so he
7:27
was reluctant and then the story says that there was a Brahma called sahampati and when he knew that Buddha was
7:35
reluctant he came and pleaded with the Buddha the police preached the dhamma there are people who
7:41
can understand there are people who got little dust in their eyes and then the
7:46
Buddha looked at the world through his mental power and so that there are people it's like kind of lotus butts in
7:54
a pond of water that there are certain Birds which will take days to blossoms
8:00
some less some less but there are some Lotus boards which will Blossom as soon
8:05
as the sun falls on them so then with the decided teach the
8:11
dhamma there's another story we know Buddha has two main Chief
8:17
disciples and they were called upati San quality
8:23
during their life lay life they were disenchanted with life and suffering and
8:29
they were looking for a way out of suffering and went to a teacher called Sanjaya Bella
8:34
and they discovered that he was not really teaching the real dhamma so they
8:40
decided to go different ways and look for a teacher and promise that if one
8:46
discovers a teacher they will immediately come in he will tell the other person
8:54
and he saw this monk going on his armed rounds very quiet very Serene and he
9:02
thought he must be enlightened so when the monk finishes meal or what is
9:07
approached him and sir you must be enlightened who is your teacher and what
9:12
is your teacher's teaching and this happened to be arahan asaji remember the
9:18
five disciples that the Buddha gave his first talk to cond
9:24
so this was actually and he said I am sorry I have just become a monk only very recently I don't
9:31
know much about the Buddha's teaching then the party said no no don't worry just tell me in brief then I will
9:38
understand and then he chanted
9:45
that everything that happens from a course
9:52
that said the cause of that
9:58
and their cessation and that was about my teachers teaching
10:03
even mahasamana so he gave in brief the Buddha's
10:09
teaching is about cause and effect when there's a course there's an effect when
10:14
there is no cause there is no effect and this is the central formula of
10:21
dependent origination and that is
10:28
when there is a course there's an effect you must subpada
10:36
when the when the course arises and effect arises it must mean
10:46
when there is not this this not does not come to be so this is the central formula of
10:54
dependent origination when there is a cause there's an effect when the course arises and effect is
11:01
there when there is no cause there is no effect when the cause disappears the
11:07
effect also disappears this is a central formula of dependent origination
11:15
so and there is a commonality between dependent origination and four noble
11:21
truths because the Four Noble Truth is also about cause and effect and if you look at the Four Noble Truths
11:28
the first is the truth of universal suffering second the cause of suffering
11:34
third the cessation of suffering and the fourth thought lead into the cessation
11:39
of suffering so you can see the cause is the second truth
11:45
uh cause of suffering that is craving due
11:51
to craving you got suffering cabin effect cause and effect and then the
11:58
fourth and the third the path leading to the cessation of suffering Noble late for apart is the
12:04
cause and nibban is the effect so there
12:10
are two pairs of cause and effect craving causes suffering when there is
12:16
no craving no suffering Noble it for path when you cultivate it
12:22
it leads to nibandh if not no need one so this again the commonality between
12:28
the Four Noble Truth and the dependent origination
12:34
and what happened was on the night that Buddha got enlightened
12:41
he started contemplating to see what causes this suffering the
12:49
Aging and the death and in fact it is said that every summer
12:55
every summer on the night of the enlightened they contemplate and
13:01
discover the dependent origination and same with the Gautama Buddha also
13:07
contemplated what causes all this suffering the aging and death
13:14
and then he discovered when there is birth there is aging and death
13:20
only when we are born we are exposed to aging and death and then he looked back so what causes
13:27
the the birth jati The Becoming I will discuss that in
13:33
detail that become empowered forces at the birth and then look back again so
13:39
what causes becoming it's a playing that causes becoming so what causes clinging
13:45
is craving Tanya causes claiming and what causes craving it's the feeling
13:52
vedanap was a script so what causes failing it's a contact
13:57
called person and then he goes on like that so what causes past is the sixth sense organs
14:06
and what is the cause of sixth sense organs is a minor matter
14:12
and what's the cause of mind and matter is consciousness and what's the cause of Consciousness is
14:19
Fabrications and what is the cause of fabrication ignorance ignorance
14:26
so he went back from suffering aging and death and ended up with ignorance as of
14:34
course and this is the the dependent origination in the forward change the
14:39
course of suffering conditioned by ignorance arises mental
14:46
Fabrications conditioned by mental fabrication arises
14:53
consciousness foreign conditioned by Consciousness arise mind
15:00
and matter Naman conditioned by mine and matter arise
15:07
Sixth Sense spaces conditioned by Sixth Sense bases Rises
15:15
contact condition by contact arises feeling
15:25
condition by feeling Rises screaming foreign
15:45
birth and then
15:55
it's when we are birth born conditioned by birth rise age King death sorrow
16:01
lamentation pain despair everything so there are 12 factors of dependent
16:07
origination ignorance abhija mental fabrication Shankar
16:18
consciousness
16:23
Sixth Sense basis contact pastor
16:29
feeling vedana craving tanha
16:36
foreign becoming above birth
16:41
and then aging and death so 12 factors produced by dependent origination
16:48
let us look at them one by one ignorance of which
16:54
an ignorance refers to a lack of proper understanding of the Four Noble Truths
17:02
so that we know the four noble truths are the there is universal suffering the kasatya
17:08
and there is a cause for suffering some of their such the cause is craving
17:13
and this if this craving is removed the suffering can be eradicated that's the
17:20
third truth leading to nibban and there's a path leading to nibbana
17:25
and that is the noble Eightfold part so it's a proper unders No Lack of proper
17:32
understanding of the Four Noble Truths is ignorance and because of the ignorance we don't
17:40
see things in reality in reality so we see things impermanent things as
17:47
permanent with things suffering as pleasure and
17:53
happiness we think when there is no no self we believe there is a self the permanent
18:00
self so because of this ignorance we don't see reality as reality and
18:05
continue to commitment to collect mental defilements and continue in the samsara
18:12
the cycle of birth and death so the second Factor
18:17
Sankara that's Fabrications and there's a discourse in the sangathanika called
18:24
vibhanga where Buddha explains the different factors the 12 factors
18:30
and they are the Buddha says the the Fabrications uh what we do bodily physically
18:37
what we do through our speech and what we do mentally
18:42
so the actions that we do through our body the speech and the mind
18:49
and they are Fabrications and they are daily to us we call Karma and then
18:55
continue the existence in the in the cycle of birth and death foreign
19:01
consciousness and Buddha described Consciousness the
19:07
Consciousness basically is awareness awareness so when let us say when some visual
19:15
objects falls on the eye we become aware and that is consciousness and that's
19:22
called eye Consciousness when a sound falls on the ear we become aware there
19:29
is a sound for falling on my ear and that's the ear Consciousness
19:35
when some smell reaches our nose we become aware there is a smell in my nose
19:41
and that's called Norse consciousness when the test falls on our tongue we
19:48
become aware we don't identify them it's just awareness of a presence of a taste
19:54
is called tongue Consciousness when we feel some touch in our body we become
20:00
aware that my body is feeling something and that's called body Consciousness and
20:07
then the Mind Consciousness when a thought or something arises in our mind we become aware and that's called Mind
20:14
Consciousness and then obviously there's a real linking Consciousness this is the
20:19
Consciousness at the end of our life the Consciousness that causes the arrival of
20:26
the next Consciousness in the next birth and that's called Partition so Buddha describe the Consciousness in
20:34
terms of The Sixth Sense basis eye Consciousness yeah Consciousness
20:40
Consciousness tongue Consciousness body Consciousness mind Consciousness and
20:46
obviously Consciousness that's called re-linking that's the link between this
20:51
birth and the next birth so that's partition
20:57
and the next factor of dependent origination is mine and matter
21:04
and the Rope is the physical aspect the bodily aspects the matter the form
21:11
and which is consistent of the four basic elements the Earth element the
21:19
solidity fatavi the liquid watery elements APO the heat element the thejo
21:26
and the AI element the wire and in its second reforms that are derived from
21:32
this and that they compose what called method and this then the mental respects
21:51
five factors related to the Mind Factor
22:00
and that and the contact against kind of sense impression and management
22:09
foreign
22:43
all uh sense objects are received through any of these six sense spaces
22:53
next one is called Contact that's faster pasta means sense impression
23:00
so as I said we got the I and the visual object falls on the eye
23:07
and then we become aware of it and that's I said I consciousness
23:12
and the three of them together is what what makes the contact sense
23:19
impression so we got the ear and we a sound falls on the year
23:26
and we become aware of that sound that's called Consciousness yeah consciousness
23:32
so the three of them together the ear the sound and the Consciousness and
23:37
those three make up the ear contact so like that with regard to the sixth sense
23:42
organs there are six contacts here eye contact here contact nose contact tongue
23:51
contact body contact and mind contact
23:56
and it is from contact that the feeling arises
24:01
so again there are six types of feelings based on the contact
24:07
so a feeling arising from the eye contact feeling arises from the ear contact
24:14
Norse contact tongue contact body contact and mind contact
24:21
so how we develop this we got the eye and the visual object falls on the eye
24:28
we become aware of that that's it is called eye consciousness
24:34
and the eye and the visual object and the eye conscious together is called the
24:40
contact and from contact arises the feeling so there are six sources of feeling the
24:47
sixth sense organs and obviously the type of feeling arising from each could
24:53
be a pleasant feeling a sukhavedana it could be a unpleasant or painful
25:00
feeling or it could be a neutral feeling neutral
25:09
and the feeling gives rise to craving so whenever there is a pleasant feeling
25:15
naturally it released to craving and then again Buddha said there are six sources types of
25:23
craving tanha so we can develop craving
25:28
for the visual objects we see through the eye we can develop craving for the
25:34
sounds that we hear we can develop craving for the smells that we feed
25:40
we can develop craving for The Taste we feed we can develop craving for fine touches
25:47
that the body feels and we can develop craving for ideas thoughts mental
25:52
objects that arises in the mind so there are six types of craving
25:58
and the craving leads to clinging so
26:04
clinging with the described four types of clinging the first we cling to
26:11
pleasurable experiences so we become attached we grasp
26:19
present visual objects that we through the eye and we grasp we cling to nice sound
26:28
space here or the nice smells nice taste nice touches nice ideas
26:35
so that Buddha said attachment to pleasurable experiences
26:42
and the second type of claim that Buddha described was to cling to wrong believes
26:47
we all got different opinions different decisions our own ideas beliefs
26:53
everything and we are stuck to them we are we cling to them we grasp them and
27:00
that's called upada clinging to wrong views
27:05
and then the third type of clinging is we cling to rush rituals and rules and
27:11
rituals for everything if we if I have to do this I have to do that unless I do
27:17
this I can't get that and there are rituals and rights even with regard to
27:22
nibbon that only if I do this I'll go to nibbar so getting attached to those rights and
27:28
rituals Buddha said that's also clinging and finally Buddha said the clicking to
27:35
the belief of herself that there's an eye there's a me it's mine so when there
27:41
is no self and there is no soul clinging to a belief that there's I there is me
27:47
there is somebody and that's also claiming so there are four types of clinging that Buddha describe being
27:53
dependent origination and the playing then gives rise to
27:59
becoming power this is the setting the stage for
28:05
re becoming rebirth and Buddha described three types of
28:10
becoming when we do Karma we do come that will
28:15
take us to the next rebirth in a sensual world
28:21
and here the sensual World include 11 remember according to Buddhist cosmology
28:27
there are 31 different planes of extension existence and 11 of them
28:33
belongs to the sensual becoming and the four apias the four words are suffering
28:40
they are in the Calm above sensual then the Fifth Harmony the human
28:45
existence and there are six Heavens sensual heavens so when we do a certain type of uh come
28:56
sensual Karma we end up in a Calm above a sensual World in one of those 11. and
29:04
the second type of becoming is the fine material Rope Rope and this is when we
29:11
meditate and develop certain janas deep absorptions uh the first second third and fourth
29:19
dhanas material deep absorptions developed through meditation
29:25
they take us to a rebirth in this fine material becoming and there are 16 of
29:30
them so there are 11 planes of existence sensual world
29:37
There are 16 planes of extensions fine material they are called Rupa rupable
29:44
and the third type of becoming Buddha describe was immaterial or formless and
29:50
that's and this again is attained by developing foreigners
30:01
so all together there are 31 planes of existence according to Buddhist cosmology and in becoming
30:08
one could be born in one of the 11 sensual worlds one could be born in one
30:15
of the 16 fine material words or one could be born in one of the
30:22
immaterial formless worlds so of course so that is the set interest set in the
30:28
stage to for rebirth and then becoming leads to jati birth
30:35
well and be Buddha describe in one of the discourses what he meant by birth that's
30:43
The Descent Rising appearance appearance of the
30:48
khandas remember the khandas fire Aggregates
30:55
and that's again a bird or the acquisition of the the base of
31:00
Sixth Sense spaces the the eye the ear the nose the tongue the body and the
31:05
mind so Buddha describe birth as appearance of those and Buddha has also
31:10
described four types of birth how living beings can be born
31:16
the first is under that's the conception through an egg like birds and things
31:22
like that or conception in the mother's womb like us and mammals
31:28
or extraneous conception this is when there is something rotting or something moist little ants and little creatures
31:37
appears that's called some and then spontaneous conception called
31:42
opopathic so out of the the 31 planes of existence
31:48
that the Buddha describe uh in the human world and the animal world
31:56
you you have this first three conception in an egg
32:01
concession in the mother's womb and extraneous conception so these three
32:06
forms of birth takes place in those two planes of existence human and animal and
32:15
in all the other 29 of planes existence is spontaneous conception so whether we
32:21
are talking about the papayas the suffering world or whether we are talking about the heavens the sensual
32:28
Heavens the six or whether we are talking about the 20 uh
32:33
Brahma words the all the birds taking place there are spontaneous so four
32:39
types of birth conception in the egg mother's womb
32:45
extraneous and spontaneous Auto particle
32:51
and then aging and death is Buddha describe aging as decrepitive Brokenness
32:58
graying wrinkling decline of flying Force life force weakening of the
33:04
faculties and the depth whatever is decreasing passing away breaking up disappearing
33:11
death completion of time break off of the Aggregates all sorts of things all
33:17
definitions of death so the going back to the 12
33:31
okay so the first factor of the 12 Factor
33:37
dependent origination is ignorance second the comma the X we do due to
33:44
ignorance physical mental and verbal and then that Consciousness then the mind and matter
33:53
then the sixth sense organs then that from the six organs you get contact
33:59
faster and because of the contact feeling arises when there's feeling
34:05
there's craving craving leads to clinging clinging sets the stage for rebirth
34:12
becoming and then the birth and ends up in age age in Death and All the
34:17
suffering so 12 factors of dependent origination
34:29
now when Buddha said dependent origination depend on Origin as he always said it is
34:36
in relation to two factors remember first I said there's a central formula for dependent origination and
34:44
that is when there is a cause there's a effect when there is no cost there is no
34:50
effect that's the dependent origination Central formula
34:55
now the dependent origination is in relation to two factors
35:00
so let us say avicha pachya Shankar ignorance leads to fabrication and that
35:09
is the dependent origination then the Mental effects
35:17
Fabrications leads to Consciousness that is dependent origination so that means in
35:26
in 12 factors of dependent other nations there are 11 examples of dependent
35:33
origination the 11 links between the the 12 factors
35:38
so there are 12 individual factors and 11 chains 11 Links of the depend on
35:47
origination now then what Buddha said did was having
35:53
gone back from suffering and death back to ignorance then he again started
36:01
contemplating what is what has to not be there for
36:07
they are to be not be their death or suffering and he contemplated and
36:12
discovered if there is no birth there's no aging or no death
36:18
and then he thought okay what if what has not to be there for
36:25
they are not to be birth and bhava that means if there is no
36:30
becoming there's no birth if there's no clinging there's no becoming if there's
36:36
no craving there's no clinging if there is no feeling there's no claim if there
36:43
is no contact there is no feeling if there are no six sense objects
36:50
no contact if there are no Nama rope or mine and matter there are no sense organs
36:57
and if there is no consciousness there is no mind and matter and if there are no fabric Fabrications
37:03
there's no mine and matter and if there is no ignorance there is no Fabrications
37:09
so this is the reverse cycle this is right that means
37:16
if when there is no ignorance that's when there is wisdom there's not no
37:22
Fabrications when there are no Fabrications no consciousness when there
37:29
is no consciousness there is no mind and matter when there is no mind and matter there
37:35
are no six sense bases and when there are no six sense bases no
37:42
contact when there is no contact no feeling when there's no feeling there's no
37:49
craving when there's no craving there's no clinging when there is no clinging there is no
37:56
becoming when there's no becoming there is no birth if there is no birth there is no
38:03
suffering no aging no death no suffering so so the original the first one was
38:09
dependent origination in forward change where the Buddha explain how the
38:14
suffering arises and the in the reverse change Buddha explains how the suffering can be
38:21
eradicated by eradicating ignorance whoops
38:31
so it does School yeah there's another discourse called uh
38:40
that's in the match the collection of the middle length discourses
38:45
which is actually preached by arahant sariputta and in that discourse the arhansari
38:54
describes 16 ways of developing samadhiti and be developing some adity is becoming
39:02
soda Panna and out of the 16 ways of developing
39:09
samaditi he described 12 means of developing samadit so we can really if
39:17
we really understand one length of the dependent origination whether it's
39:24
ignorance leading to Fabrications or Fabrications lead to Consciousness if
39:33
we can link really understand one link
39:38
[Music] for example let us take aging and death if he can realize what aging and death
39:46
is if he can realize what the origin of aging and death is
39:52
if we can realize the cessation how the aging and death can be eradicated and if
39:59
he can realize the way to do it then we can develop some of it now you can see
40:04
in this formula what we are really seeing is the four noble truths yeah so
40:10
what is aging and death the first Noble Truth suffering
40:15
origin of 18 and death the cause of suffering the second Noble Truth
40:21
cessation of aging and third Noble Truth cessation of suffering
40:27
partly into cessation fourth Noble Truth Noble Eightfold Path
40:33
so in each link of the dependent origination there is really four noble truths to be
40:41
realized realize so that means there are 11
40:46
11 opportunities in the dependent origination for us to develop samaditi
40:53
and become a South according to this discourse
40:58
now there are different interpretations of dependent originations the famous is
41:05
obviously in this book called part of purification this was written by
41:11
vulnerable Buddha who went from India to Sri Lanka and wrote this book and he
41:17
wrote a number of commentaries to the Pali canal and he uh described that
41:24
these 12 factors can be spread over three lifetimes that is he put ignorance
41:30
and fabrications the two point factors into the past life which gives rise to
41:36
birth in this life and then the eight factors from Consciousness to becoming
41:43
in the present life and the remain in three the birth aging
41:48
and death to Future life so it's so he divided the 12 factors into three
41:54
lifetimes and then he also same with the ghost he
42:00
divides he there showed that there are three definite links between in the the
42:06
12 factors and the first link is between the past courses and the present effect
42:12
so the past courses in the in the past were between the Fabrications because of
42:18
the fabrication the karma we did during the last birth led to the the re-linking Consciousness
42:26
in this life so there was a link between the Fabrications and consciousness
42:32
and then in this life the feeling leads to craving
42:38
and that's again a link there this again a link and then the last factor of this
42:45
life called becoming and the first factor of next life birth there's a link
42:50
so he he presented Three Links among the 12 factors
42:58
and again he divides them into uh four sections the this all cause and effect the past
43:06
the course in the previous South the effect in this life and the course that
43:11
we create in this life and the effect of that course as birth in the next life so there are
43:21
but there are there's another theory another present interpretation is that the 12 Links of dependent
43:29
origination can happen moment to moment moment to moment in this life it doesn't have to
43:37
be spread over three Lifetime and that's mainly brought by a Buddhist scholar
43:43
from Sri Lanka called and that's there's a
43:49
school of thought like that so so there are two main interpretations of uh
43:56
dependent origination now the Buddha said that dependent
44:04
origination is really Buddha's teaching and in this uh this course called Maha
44:11
Sutra also in the matches
44:20
if one sees dependent origination he is seeing the teaching Buddha's teaching
44:31
if one sees the teaching he sees dependent origination so really what is
44:38
said here is that the Buddha's teaching is dependent origination and dependent
44:43
origination is Buddha's teaching so the final goal of the Buddhist
44:50
practice has to be to escape from the cycle of
44:55
dependent origination so that there is no rebirth and there is
45:01
no more suffering and that's the end thank you very much
 

 

    Seventh teaching

well good afternoon to everybody and it's very nice to uh see you again and
0:06
talk to you so today we are going to talk about the five Aggregates of cleaning and in Pali
0:14
it's called Pancha upada
0:20
and as we have discussed before Lord Buddha existed in India in 6th and fifth
0:26
centuries before Christ he left home at the age of 29 and became
0:32
the Buddha at the age of 35 in meditating on the laboratory in both
0:39
in India and during the process of Enlightenment
0:45
he realized the Four Noble Truths
0:51
having become the Buddha he decided to preach to others
0:57
and spread and teach the part of Liberation that he
1:04
found and decided to teach his
1:10
five aesthetic companions who had helped and supported him during his six years
1:15
struggle to become the Buddha so from both Gaya
1:21
the Buddha walk to sarnath in varanasia
1:27
the five ascetics were presiding at that time
1:36
and in sarna the Buddha gave his very first
1:41
sermon called the dhamma
1:48
to the five Aesthetics and in that first sermon
1:54
the Buddha told the world the four noble truths that he has realized and
2:00
discovered rediscovered and as we know the four noble truths the
2:05
first truth is that there is universal suffering
2:11
the second truth is the origin of suffering
2:18
referred to as craving of three forms and the third Noble Truth is that this
2:27
is the craving is eradicated the suffering can be eradicated and that's
2:32
nibbon Enlightenment and the fourth truth was the path leading to the
2:39
cessation of suffering and that is the noble Eightfold Path
2:44
we will just take the first truth and the first Noble Truth according to
2:51
Buddha was this Universal suffering and Buddha named few of them what is
2:58
this suffering the birth is suffering aging getting all this suffering
3:05
getting ill deceased is suffering death is suffering
3:11
mental again in the form of Sorrow lamentation grief pain despair they're
3:18
all suffering if we have to associate with people you don't like that is suffering
3:25
if you have to separate from people you like that is suffering and Buddha said not getting what you
3:32
desire that is suffering and the most important thing with the said goes that
3:37
in short in a sense the value Aggregates of clinging uh suffering
3:44
so in essence for Buddha the suffering was the five
3:50
Aggregates of suffering and at the time of the Buddha in India
3:56
there were two theories about this self the soul and the one theory was called the theory
4:04
of eternalism that in Pali sastra and in this Theory
4:10
they believed that there is a permanent entity called a self-autumn or soul
4:18
and the body and the Soul are different so when at the time of death our body
4:25
dies the soul moves on to an expert
4:30
into a new body and when that body dies the soul continues and is reborn into
4:37
another bodies so there is a soul a permanent entity and is different from the body and it
4:44
goes on continue from birth to birth the other theory that was in India at
4:50
that time was the was called theory of annihilationism and gold so I'll call them materialism
4:59
and they also believe that there is a soul or permanent entity but
5:05
the body and the Soul are the same remember in the in the in the first one
5:12
eternalism they believed in the soul but they believed the soul and the body are two different things and when the body
5:18
dies this all moves on whereas in this Theory they believe the soul and the body are the one and the
5:25
same and when the body dies the soul also dies so there is nothing after
5:30
after death and Buddha rejected both these theories
5:37
and Buddha said there is no metaphysical self called Soul Atman
5:45
and this individual or the personality is nothing but a psychophysical
5:51
combination is called Nam and Rupa consisting of the five aggregates
5:57
which are interdependent and none of them can exist without them so now Buddha has approached the five
6:04
Aggregates from two angles first he told us that is the first truth of suffering
6:13
that fire Aggregates are suffering and now Buddha says that there is no soul
6:21
and what is called an individual or personality is nothing but the five
6:26
aggregates and what are they so the five Aggregates the first is the
6:32
material form if we take ourselves that's our body the Rupa and then the mental aspects the second
6:40
aggregate is feeling vedana third perception identification that's
6:47
called sannya fourth the mental formation or thinking that's called sankhar and the fifth
6:54
aggregate is consciousness so the psychophysical complex
7:00
combination that we are made of is material form rope
7:07
feeling vedana perception Sanya mental
7:12
formation Sankar and consciousness been known
7:19
now Buddha of course taught us all this in
7:24
Pali language so the fire Aggregates of clinging he called Pancha upadhana
7:31
so in Pali Pancha means five
7:37
and kandas means Aggregates heaps bundles groupings
7:43
so the five Aggregates of cling in Pali language is Pancha upadhana
7:50
and out of this five aggregates the form the matter represents the material
7:56
aspects of our body and the mental aspects is represented by
8:02
feeling vedana perception and mental
8:07
formation our thinking and our consciousness so one physical aspect one and there are
8:13
four Aggregates in the mental aspects and they all arise due to various
8:19
physical and mental causes and when they when the courses cease to exist then the
8:26
Aggregates also receives to exist so that means it's in a constant state of
8:32
flux and there's nothing stable nothing permanent in any of these five aggregates
8:40
so because they keep changing they are impermanent and itcha
8:46
and if anything is impermanent that is not sight that's not right that's not unsatisfactory that's not happening so
8:53
that is and if it is a nature impermanent and if
8:59
it is suffering where we have no control over them so that means there's no
9:04
permanent entity and there's no self there's another there's no ownership in that
9:12
and in this world the Buddha said there are two types of Truth
9:17
one is called the ultimate truth and that's the paramata so if if we look at
9:23
something or somebody there is really no permanent unchanging
9:29
entity in that and that is the ultimate truth but there is a conventional truth
9:35
this Converse so this this psychophysical complex this
9:40
empirical self we gave it we give it a name just to identify conventionally an
9:47
individual or person or I or you or me or B or something because for
9:54
conventional purposes we have to name something because if I am saying that say if I am
10:01
talking to uh Dr Danny if I say one heap
10:06
of five Aggregates is talking to another heap of five Aggregates it doesn't make any sense in the conventional sense so
10:13
this because of that we have to conventionally name that Dr Ari is
10:20
speaking to Dr Danny but in the ultimate truth there is no person there there's
10:25
no entity there's no soul and Buddha said Buddha said after
10:33
enlightenment as long as I did not have the direct knowledge
10:39
of these five Aggregates in four ways four ways I did not claim that I was
10:45
awakened oh I became the Buddha so each of the five Aggregates with the
10:51
realized what is the aggregate what is the aggregate so Rupa vedana
10:58
Sanya so Sankara and how do they arise how do
11:05
they arise and how do they cease to exist and what is the path you can see
11:12
is actually the four noble truths yeah so what an Aggregates is the first Noble
11:18
Truth suffering and the origin of the Aggregates that's
11:24
the origin of suffering second Noble Truth the cessation of the aggregate
11:30
that's the cessation of suffering the third Noble Truth and the path leading
11:35
to the cessation of aggregate and that is the fourth Noble Truth Noble
11:40
Eightfold Path so this is this comes in uh discourse in the Sangha Tanika I call
11:46
a collection of the connected discourses
11:53
so it really isn't Four Noble Truths in relation to the five aggregates
12:01
foreign
12:19
at one time Buddha was sitting with monks on the bank of the river Ganges
12:31
can you see those lumps of fro or form floating down the Ganges River yes banti
12:39
Buddha said if anyone with good eyesight examine this froth carefully and wisely
12:46
he will find out that his form of froth is empty there's no substance in it and
12:53
Buddha said this material form the Rope is just like that it's empty there is no
13:00
substances so Buddha compared the material form to a lump of form of froth
13:07
and then the Buddha said during the heavy rains when the water falls on the
13:13
ground water bubbles are found so the water bubbles appear disappear appear
13:20
break disappear appear break disappear and Buddha says if anyone with good
13:26
eyesight examine this water bubble carefully and wisely you'll find out
13:31
that the water bubble is empty there is no substance in it and Buddha said just
13:37
like that this feeling the vedana is also empty there is no substance in it
13:43
and thirdly with the said in the in the high in the uh hot season
13:50
in the middle of the day when this when the sun is at the top of the sky and people could see a mirage at the
13:57
distance Mirage and if someone with good eyesight examine this Mirage care of it and
14:04
wisely he will find out that there is this empty there is no substance there's no water in it in the Mirage and Buddha
14:12
said just like that perception Sanya this is empty there's no
14:18
substances and then Buddha said that a man let us say a carpenter wants to make some
14:25
furniture he wants to find a good hard good and goes he goes into the jungle
14:30
with the ax and he sees a plant and tree a banana tree a big tall one he crushed
14:37
the banana tree brings it home and keeps peeling the outer skin and he goes on
14:42
peeling out of skin and there is no hard wood in the in the banana tree and the
14:48
Buddha said similarly mental formation is empty and there is no substance
14:55
and the finally Buddha said in the discourse there is a mediation who is
15:00
showing magic tricks at the junk at the center of the four Junctions Four Road
15:05
Junctions and someone with good eyesight and wisdom he looks carefully at the tricks
15:12
and he finds out that in this magician's trick it's empty there's nothing
15:17
substance so both the compared the five aggregates
15:23
to material form to a lump of froth of form feeling to a water bubble
15:30
perception or Sanya to a mirage mental formation no thoughts to a plant
15:37
and tree trunk and Consciousness to an illusion a medic trick
15:48
in the danger with the five Aggregates is when we identify with them as I O me
15:56
and Buddha said that's an illusion it's a delusion and that is the reason
16:02
the for us to develop all these ego problems arrogance conceit craving
16:09
attachment selfishness ill will hatred all these are because we identify with
16:16
the five Aggregates of this as me or I and Buddha said that is the reason for
16:23
committing crimes and the karma and continued rebirth in the samsara's cycle
16:29
of birth and death and how do we identify this Buddha said there are three ways first through craving
16:37
this is mine this body is mind craving this is me this is I am due to conceit
16:46
man and this is myself wrong with delusion
16:51
so Buddha said the identification with the five ways the aggregation is due to craving
16:58
conceit and wrongly and there is another way that we
17:04
identify with the with the five aggregates and there are 20 types of that Buddha
17:10
said when let us take the body we identify with this body in four ways
17:17
first this body is me this is me this is I
17:23
this body and the second this body belongs to me this body is
17:29
mine this is Buddhism third my body is Within Myself
17:35
Within Myself and the fourth myself is within this body
17:41
so like that with each of the five aggregates we identify in four ways so four times
17:50
five is twenty so Buddha said there are 20 types of self-identification and as
17:56
you know as Paul is called the wrong view about the self
18:03
and we talked about this before there are four chains or shackles called fetus
18:10
and these Checkers and the stains are the ones that bind us to this samsar
18:16
cycle of birth and there are 10 of them and who is the main culprit I
18:24
Sakai which is the main culprit and that is wrongly identified with any of the
18:31
five Aggregates as me or I and all the others arise from this uh
18:38
wrong identification let us go to the First Act we get and
18:43
that's called form or matter or Rope Rope in party and Buddha said the form consists of the
18:52
four best elements primary elements and anything derived from the four primary
18:58
elements and what are the four primary elements solidity the Earth elements
19:04
called patavi there's fluidity water elements Apple
19:09
the Heat or the fire elements and the motion or AI elements y so the
19:16
four primary elements the Earth element the water elements the fire elements
19:25
everything that is exists in this universe living non-living they are all
19:31
made of these four basic elements and they are interdependent they cannot
19:37
exist without the other and when described in the form elements
19:43
would they describe it in 11 days wherever there is some matter whether it
19:50
was in the past in the present future whether it's within us internal outside
19:57
us whether they are gross course or subtle or fine whether they are superior
20:04
or inferior whether there are far or near so can you see there are 11 ways any material because in the past present
20:13
future three four five internal external gross or subtle inferior Superior far
20:20
only if it is connected with any of the mental defilements that is craving
20:27
ragdisham or craving ill will and delusion and if there is any clinging
20:32
towards any of them with this material and that Buddha said that is the form
20:37
aggregate of clinging so let us take if we take our own
20:43
physical body there are 20 parts of solidity and 12 parts of liquidity and
20:51
there are four types of heat and six types of Air elements so they're all together 42 basic elements that
21:00
are within our body and for an example if you take the 20
21:05
parts of the solidity and put the name them the solidity 20 part starts with
21:10
the head here the body here the nails the teeth the skin the muscles the blood
21:18
vessels the bone bone marrow kidney heart liver then diaphragm then
21:29
spleen lungs all if there are 20 solid
21:36
so our body the physical aspects the matter rope is consisting of these four
21:43
basic elements
21:48
and we talked about we haven't yeah let me see whether I missed any yeah okay so now we go on to the ceiling
21:57
the second aggregates vedana and the the vedana the feeling is what
22:05
feels any object that we receive through our sense of organs so we got
22:11
sixth sense organs we got the eye we got the ear the nose the tongue the body and
22:18
the mind any object that is received by any of the sixth sense organs is felt
22:25
felt by the segregated feeling and again Buddha described in terms of
22:32
those 11 types that I said in relation to uh
22:37
in relation to yeah so Buddha said any feeling that was
22:44
in the past present future internal external gross subtle inferior Superior
22:52
far or near any feeling on so that pretty much covers any
23:00
feeling that we can think about so any of that feeling Buddha said is feeling
23:06
and what they said is conditioned it's conditioned because the feeling depends
23:13
on something else feeling is not created by anybody feeling doesn't happen by
23:18
chance it happens due to some reasons we'll talk about it later and the
23:23
feeling is subject to change subject to cessation and there's no substance there's no feeling that we can
23:30
call IO mine or mine and uh Buddha divided the feeling first
23:38
into two categories the first one is to call Body feeling
23:45
and the mental feeling mental feeling
23:51
so there are two types physical physical feeling and mental feeling and then he
23:56
divided into three feelings so whenever we received an object
24:03
either it there are three types of fish so it can create either Pleasant feeling
24:09
it can create an unpleasant feeling or it can create a neutral signal
24:16
neutral so let us say if if I see someone uh very nice very present
24:22
someone I like and that creates a pleasant feeling
24:28
and with the same eye I see someone I don't like and that creates unpleasant
24:33
feelings oh my I will see a lot of other things trees and stones and soils and all these
24:41
things and it's a neutral field so the feeling can be divided first into body
24:47
physical feeling and mental feeling and then into three a pleasant
24:52
unpleasant and neutral and the problem is if the feeling is
24:58
Pleasant then we develop craving I want it again I want it more
25:04
and if the feeling is unpleasant I develop anger
25:12
ill will and aversion and if it's a neutral feeling there's indifference
25:20
and next Buddha divide the feeling into five types and that's the body and the mental
25:27
feeling so the physical body feeling can be either Pleasant body feeling or
25:33
unpleasant body feeling so two types then the mental Feeling Again is divided
25:40
into Pleasant mental feeling and that's called soma NASA in palik and unpleasant
25:46
mental feeling and then the neutral feeling is common to physical so the
25:51
first book that divided into two then the three types then the five types
25:57
actually both the goes on dividing feeling into 108 times but there is no
26:02
time for me to go into all the 108 types of feeling
26:08
and how does the feeling arise the feeling arises due to contact is called
26:15
self-sense impression or pastor now what happens is that let us take an object
26:23
the sense door because six cents stores the eye the ear the nose the tongue the
26:29
body and the and the mind and when one of these sense does receives an an
26:34
object uh let us take the I so we we got the I
26:40
and the I receives a visual object and when they saw a sub visual objects
26:46
falls on my I I become aware of it and that's called eye consciousness
26:52
and these three together is called eye contact or sense impression sensory
26:58
pressure and it sits only from this eye contact the feeling arises feeling
27:03
arises and civility we got the year and and a sound falls on
27:10
the air then I am aware of that ear consciousness then the ear and the sound and the ear
27:17
consciousness is the ear contact and the feeling arises from that contact
27:25
so this if there is no contact no feeling only when there is contact there is
27:31
feeling so it is really impermanent transient
27:39
next we'll go on to the third Aggregates that's the perception aggregate that's
27:44
called sannya sanyas that's now the feeling
27:50
and the Consciousness they cannot recognize what we see or what we hear and it is done by this aggregate the
27:57
perception so whenever we see it or hear or something it's the perception that
28:04
identifies that and register and labels any object that we see so if
28:11
we see something through our eye whether it's it's a perception which recognized where there is a man or a
28:19
woman or tree or a car or a bus or it's a red blue a shape form they are all
28:25
done by the perception and the perception also arises from the
28:31
contact so you got the I ICS and I object visual
28:37
object then there's awareness eye Consciousness then the three of them of
28:44
them together we call eye contact and from the eye contact we said feeling
28:49
arises and the perception also arises from context
28:54
if there is no contact there is no perception so that's also in permanent there's nothing permanent about the
29:02
perception and that's also described in the 11 ways that I described before with this past
29:10
present future internal external cause fine then Superior inferior near of any
29:19
perception in of those situations they are impermanent they are and it can be
29:25
the perception can be either wholesome or unwholesome if we are correct if you are identifying
29:31
it as a career as correctly wholesome it is a correct one correct wholesome
29:37
perception otherwise it's unwholesome persons
29:43
and Buddha divided the perception into six types and it depends on the contact the sense organs so the perception bone
29:51
of the eye contact perception Bond of the ear contact perception Bond of the Norse conduct
29:59
perception bone of the tongue contact perception bone of the body contact and
30:04
perception bone of the Mind contact and in pal is called Rupa sannya Sada sannya
30:10
Ganda sannya rasa sannya Pota basanya and damasana
30:18
let us go to the fourth Aggregates and this is the mental formation Aggregates
30:25
and the Sankar mental formation is our reaction to anything that we see here
30:32
they smell anything any of our mental reaction is called the mental thing
30:38
and the Sankar mental formation also rise of some sense contact
30:44
so the feeling arises from the sense contact if there is no contact no
30:50
feeling perception start from the conduct if there is no contact no perception
30:58
then mental formation Sankara Also Rises From contact if there is no contact
31:04
there is no mental formation and the mental formation is also what we call
31:09
our thoughts our volition Our intention and what we call Karma is also mental of
31:17
nothing but mental formation because Buddha said foreign
31:22
[Music] foreign
31:38
mental formation and through volition through mental
31:43
formation that we performs either bodily verbal or mental commas and if we do
31:50
good commas obviously we get the good results if you do bad come on we get the
31:56
bad Commerce and there are three ways that the mental
32:02
formation can work so we can either work through the body
32:07
they are called bodily action or Kaya Shankar or verbal action
32:14
or mental action Manu Shankar let let me explain let us explain how this works
32:20
let us see that my eye my eye sees a person
32:26
and then I come to be aware of that so that is eye consciousness
32:33
so the eye is there the person I have seen and I am aware of it and the three
32:40
of them together we call it sense eye contact sense impression yeah
32:45
so from the eye contact a feeling arises I feel that object
32:52
and then as soon as I feel the object I identify it let us say I'd identified
32:59
this someone a man who has let us say who has attacked me or physically or
33:07
verbal is some years ago yeah so my perception says look here
33:12
that's the guy who attacked you 10 years ago my perception says and then that my thinking comes mental
33:20
formation I think I I don't like him yeah I hate him yeah
33:27
I want to kill him I want to chase him away now I am forming mental actions
33:33
mental karma in my own mind and this is for the object that I saw through my eye
33:39
but if if my anger is too much for that person I go I go and verbally attack him
33:46
it's called him yeah you rascal you do you did all sort of thing now verbal
33:51
action and forming and making Karma through verbal action but my anger is even more than that here
34:00
and I hit him I slap him yeah now this I'm I'm from making Karma through the
34:06
bodily action so this mental formation sankhar is a very dangerous one because
34:13
that is what leads to our mental action come verbal action Machi Sankar and
34:21
bodily action and again depending on the outcome with
34:27
regard to the rebirth there are three types of mental formations and first one is called punyavishankar
34:34
those are the wholesome kusal good ones which will create the wholesome birth
34:40
hopefully next in the next birth either in the human or the heaven heavens
34:47
then the apunjabi Sankara are the bad unwholesome unskillful actions we do due
34:52
to mental formation and the the importable actions are the
34:58
janas the mental deep absorption that we attain through meditation and through
35:03
that we are reborn in Celestial worlds and again both the divided then the
35:10
mental formation again into two there's intention from the six sense objects so
35:18
the intention with regard to the form that we saw through the eye Rupa Sanchez
35:24
intention with regard to sounds intention with regard to smell intention
35:30
with regard to taste intention with regard to tactiles objects and intention
35:35
with regard to ideas mental Ops and then the fourth and the fifth and
35:41
the fifth aggregate is the Consciousness consciousness and the Consciousness is what cognizes
35:48
or know an object when we receive it through uh
35:53
through uh the eye the ear the nose the tongue the body and the and the mind
35:59
and it is bear awareness the Consciousness doesn't know doesn't recognize what the object is the
36:07
Consciousness is aware that the eye has seen something the ear has heard
36:13
something the nose has smelled something the tongue has tasted something the body
36:19
has touched something and the mind has thought something but the Consciousness
36:24
doesn't know what it is because it's as I said it's the perception which
36:31
recognizes what it is by sanna and the Consciousness again is
36:37
impermanent it rises goes Rises goes constantly it arises and passes and in
36:44
fact the Buddha uh compared it it's a monkey is with the said the Consciousness is just like a monkey
36:50
which jumps from One Tree to another keep jumping from One Tree to another and just like that our consciousness
36:57
jump from one sense organs that's other sense of and Buddha said at any
37:03
particular moment there can be only one Consciousness in relation to one of the
37:08
sixth sense organs there can't be two consciousness so and it keeps moving from ear
37:15
Consciousness eye Consciousness space body but at any one given time there can
37:20
be only one consciousness and again the divided the Consciousness
37:27
into six types based on the sense organs so the awareness in the eye is called
37:33
eye Consciousness the Consciousness with regard to The
37:38
Sounds in the ear is called ear Consciousness Consciousness tongue Consciousness body
37:45
Consciousness and mind consciousness so the the five aggregates
37:54
there can be either just the five Aggregates they are called panchak khand
37:59
or five Aggregates of clinging now the fire Aggregates are really
38:05
harmless they are harmlessness it's only when we attach
38:12
ourselves to them cling to them as I or me then they become
38:19
and that is the cause of suffering
38:24
by themselves no problem no suffering because when one becomes an arant over
38:32
Buddha until they die they also got the same fire Aggregates
38:38
but there is no suffering because there's no craving there's no clinging
38:43
there's no attachment there's no attachment to Aggregates saying this I
38:48
this me this mind so even in arahans and Buddhas the five
38:54
Aggregates continue to exist until they die so that's nibbon that when when one
39:01
becomes enlightened that nibban is called nibbana with residue saupadi says
39:08
that means you are enlightened but you are still with five Aggregates with
39:15
residue but they are not upada there is no attachment clinging to them so if
39:21
there's no suffering foreign
39:27
next we'll go to the three Universal characteristics
39:32
and the three Universal characteristics are impermanence a nature suffering or unsatisfactoriness
39:41
and not self another and they are they are interdependent
39:46
they are linked really they are linked and they are common to every being if
39:52
who exist in this universe these three characteristics are there everything in this universe everybody is
40:00
impermanent and a child and the universe is suffering
40:06
and there is no person sore or Atman or self in them
40:12
and this characteristic of impermanence and suffering that was already there in
40:19
the among the religious teachings in India but they all believed in a self
40:26
and it's it was a Buddha who introduced the concept of not know self so that is
40:33
something unique to Buddhism and the three characteristics
40:41
they exist whether there is a Buddha or not but it's the Buddha who rediscovers it
40:48
each time Buddha samasam Buddha appears he rediscovers the three Universal
40:53
characters especially the no self-concept another and then introduce it to the birth
41:00
the problem is through our ignorance and delusion we cannot understand these true
41:06
characteristics and continue to suffer continue to be reborn again and again
41:11
and again so we in one day if we need to realize
41:16
the truth we have to realize the three Universal characters not like this not
41:22
not hearing not learning not thinking but through experience through meditation because Buddha there are
41:28
three types of wisdom if you remember there are three first one is called uh
41:37
is the knowledge like this knowledge we developed by hearing listening reading
41:44
that the very superficial knowledge is called and the second level of panda is called
41:51
chintamaya Panna and that is once we have heard or read something we think
41:57
about it we analyze we investigate and we come to some opinion and that knowledge is called chintaman
42:04
but what Buddha is talking about this experiential knowledge
42:11
you have to practice it through meditation and then realize the three
42:16
Universal characteristics the problem is because we are mentally
42:23
pervert that we got mental purpose and they are called vipal losses we see everything impermanent as
42:31
permanent we see suffering as pleasurable happiness and we see no self as self
42:40
and the result is the craving aragons conceit delusions Illusions all sorts of
42:48
problems develop from that so let us take the impermanence a nature
42:54
it's a poly word ah means absent no Niche means continuity of permanence so
43:01
ah nature means absence of continuity of permanence
43:07
and the permanence is the basis for the other two as well the suffering and not
43:12
self it is because things are impermanent that is suffering and because it's impermanent we have no
43:19
control over them there's no self there's ownership
43:24
at The Superficial level we see everything as kind of stable isn't it
43:31
but if you examine anything at a deeper level you can see uh its things are
43:37
changing now now uh if the change can
43:43
happen at microscope microcosmic and macro Cosmic level so macro Cosmic level
43:49
we can see changes outside in in our environment and if you see someone let
43:55
us say after six months or two years you can see a change in that person
44:00
but we cannot see change in our own self that happens from moment to moment
44:06
moment alone because it's happened so quickly now if I say that I think it's
44:13
uh is eight eight fifty five we have been together for about an hour now
44:19
at the microscopic microcosmic level all of us are different people now
44:27
we are not the people who joined this meeting now because we have changed so
44:32
much but outside we feel that we are the same people we can't see so at the macro
44:40
Cosmic level we don't recognize this impermanence but it's according to
44:45
Buddha it happens moment to moment moment to moment and if we can compare
44:51
it let us say a film a cartoon film or something yeah and I believe a cartoon
44:56
films consists of at least 30 or 32 still photographs and because they are
45:02
run so fast we see as a continuous film and the same thing happens in the
45:08
electric bulb now we see the electric light as continuous but in the electric
45:14
light it it burns so I think it's 50 or 60 times per second or something
45:21
so but we can't see that impermanence and we see it as something stable
45:30
so as Buddha said nothing arises through creation no by chance
45:36
everything arises due to causes and conditions I think we are discussing dependent originations uh very soon so
45:44
we will discuss that in details and nothing stays the same for two consecutive moments and everything is in
45:51
a kind of constant flux constant Vlogs and that is why Buddha the Buddha's last statement because
45:58
before he passed away he said monks via them Sankara
46:06
monks all formations are subject to dissolutions attain Perfections of
46:13
religion so Buddha said everything is impermanent everything is important
46:20
an impermanence applies to the whole universe Buddha said there are 31 words
46:26
existing isn't it including the human world and wherever we are born wherever we are
46:33
born if we are born in heaven so Celestial worlds we may live Force
46:39
innumerable kalpas but at the end of that again there is an end it's
46:44
impermanent it's simple so until one day we attend nibban we have to face impermanence
46:51
impermanence whether if anything is personal or impersonal
46:56
internal external physical Mentor all our thoughts feelings opinions emotions
47:02
relationships possessions everything we have everybody we know yeah impermanent
47:08
subject to change there's no exception there is no affection and because of this if we cling to our
47:17
opinions thoughts yeah or people our possessions our relationships it can
47:23
only result in suffering so we need to eventually Europe the
47:29
proper understanding of impermanence
47:35
I was interested recently to find these two course is very interesting there was a Greek philosopher called
47:42
hereticus eroticus and as you can see he
47:47
was in born in 535 BC Buddha became the Buddha at 528 BC
47:57
so hereticus was what seven years old when the Buddha became the Buddha yeah
48:04
but see what the Heritage what the hereticus has said no man ever steps in
48:10
the same river twice for it is not the same river and it's
48:15
not the same man yeah so if we put if I put one hand into a
48:22
river and by the time I put my second hand in the river yeah as the river is a
48:29
different River and me is a different person so the second hand come from a different
48:35
person and it goes into a different so I am still curious to find out whether he
48:41
had he was influent because he was actually in Greek though is the present turkey I believe
48:47
so it's a long way from both girl so I I wonder whether he he was
48:53
influenced by the Buddha's teaching or whether he said this Independence Day and he got another quote the only thing
49:00
that is constant in this universe is change everything is else is inconstant
49:07
it's very interesting very similar to Buddha's thoughts okay the second characteristics is
49:15
suffering we have already talked about it so I don't need to go into details but aging sickness deaths are all
49:22
everything is suffering this Universal suffering
49:27
and suffering is because things are impermanent if their things are imperative permanent probably there may
49:34
not be that much of suffering so and the dukkah includes not only this physical and mental suffering but any
49:41
dissatisfaction and satisfactiveness disappointment any type of they're all dukkas they're all
49:47
and we're not the one of the discourses again in the sanghita was the Buddha divided the dukkha into three
49:55
types the first type is called is the suffering that we all know our
50:03
physical and mental suffering that's called and the second type of the is called
50:09
viparina maduka and that is even the pleasure happiness that we experience
50:16
because it's impermanent transient that leads to suffering eventual suffering and that's called
50:22
due to change and the most complex dukkah is called
50:27
the Sankara and this is because our egg the four agree the Aggregates because
50:34
they are transient impermanent and everything conditioned and because of
50:40
that change it causes suffering so the three types of the name
50:51
and the last permanent characteristic is not self another again we have mentioned
50:57
about that before and that means there is no permanent independent Atman or
51:03
Soul or anything like that and we talked about the two theories eternalism and inhalism
51:10
and and instead of that put that or the dependent knowledge generation that everything there's no self everything is
51:17
dependently Horizon and even when we are reborn there is no
51:22
fixed entity that's moving from this life to next life and hopefully we'll talk about it again
51:29
in the in the future the difference between reincarnation and re-becoming because in other religions when when
51:37
they talk about reincarnation there's a soul which transmigrates from life to life but in Buddhism there is no
51:44
reincarnation it's called re-becoming and again this is uh uh
51:51
there there's a book called uh Melinda Melinda Pan and the Melinda was a king
51:58
and I think about the first century BC and there was called nagasen and they
52:05
discuss about this self thing and uh Reverend nagasena Compares ourselves to
52:13
a a chariot chariot so and let us take a car now when we
52:20
when we see a car we call it a car but let us take the the steering wheel away
52:26
put it on the floor we removed the seats put put them on the floor we removed the
52:31
engine put it on the floor and we will remove the wheels put put them on the
52:37
floor remove all the mental pieces and there is no card in there's no car you
52:42
can't call the wheels a car the steering wheel a car the engine no when they are
52:49
put together we call it a car and and likewise said
52:57
that when the four five aggregates
53:03
matter feeling perception mental formation
53:08
consciousness when they are by themselves there's no person when they are put together we
53:15
just call it the person but there is no real person in that
53:21
foreign
53:28
and this is remember I first I started with the the
53:35
Buddha's first sermon uh and this is the Buddha's second sermon
53:40
and this is about the the not self and this was again delivered to the five
53:47
companions so the fire ascetic Companions
53:53
and if you may have heard that after the first sermon the kondanya became a
53:59
sodapana show the button and then during the next three to four days
54:05
are the other four also became sodapan and on the fifth day Buddha preached the
54:11
anata and in that Buddha said each aggregate
54:16
each aggregate the matter the feeling the perception mental formation
54:22
Consciousness they are impermanent and because they are impermanent it is
54:27
unpleasant suffering and because they are impermanent and suffering there is
54:32
no self-honesty so Buddha said Rupa matter is no self feeling vedana there's
54:41
no self perception sannya there's no self mental formation Sankara no self
54:48
consciousness now self and all of them together no self apart from these five
54:56
no self so that means there is no self in any of the Aggregates in your
55:02
practices that an aggregation is permanent the
55:10
aggregate should have three qualities three characters each one it should be permanent yeah
55:18
and it should lead to happiness and there should be ownership yeah
55:26
and if you take any of them any of them yeah
55:31
let me see if let us take let us take the body the
55:37
the matter yeah is it permanent no it's not permanent it changes every
55:43
day we were children at one time we were young people now we are old and then one day we are going to die
55:49
so there's no permanency it should lead to happiness have we eternally been happy since we
55:57
are born no this they're suffering a lot of suffering have you got control of our body no control at all I cannot say I
56:05
must stay young my hair shouldn't go gray my shouldn't I shouldn't feel my
56:12
eyesight should be perfect there shouldn't be Wrinkle in my skin I have no control at all over my body
56:20
so that means if any of the ingredients they're all impermanent It All Leads to
56:27
suffering and we have no control over them and when one day one day Buddha says
56:35
when one day realizes that in all the five Aggregates they're all Anita can
56:42
another and that's the day we feel disappointment
56:48
disillusion and disenchantment and that's Buddha called nibbida
56:54
and the day we realized this we lose any desire passion clinging
57:00
craving to any of this and that's called virag and the day we lose any passion any
57:07
craving any cleaning and that is liberation
57:13
and when we will attain that we know that we have attended we have attended
57:20
so whenever someone become an araha they feel but this exhausted I have finished
57:28
death and birth no me no more rebirth the whole life has been lived I have
57:35
completed the noble eight four part I have complete the holy path what can be done is done what has to be
57:43
done has been done and there is nothing more to be done here and the five
57:50
Aesthetics at the end of this became our hands all five of them
57:55
so my request my plea let us work hard and hope that one day we will also get
58:03
there we will also hopefully sooner than later thank you very much

 

    Eight teaching

okay it's very nice to uh see you all and talk to you again and today we are going to have a look at
0:06
the morality The Shield uh extremely important because
0:12
seal of the morality is the basic Foundation of all the Buddhist practice
0:21
so it's very important that we talk about it
0:28
let us talk first about the positive aspects of morality
0:34
[Music] uh according to Buddha's discourses there's a discourse called upon
0:43
which is the collection of Buddha's numerical discourses and there the Buddha has introduced the
0:51
three grounds for making merits these uh the effects of our halls and
0:57
positive actions that uh that will benefit us from for in this life as well
1:03
as future lives so would they introduce three grounds for making Merit the first fund is
1:11
giving than and the second one is moral conduct the
1:17
ethical Behavior the moral uh aspect of our Behavior seal
1:23
and that also makes Merit for us not only uh the the
1:28
basic foundation of the Buddhist practice and the third is the meditation
1:34
power now so there are three grounds for making merits giving more or less
1:41
conduct and mental development
1:46
and then these three grounds of uh making merits have been expanded into
1:52
10. the first three are the same uh giving
1:58
moral conduct and bhavana the meditation and none of the seven have been
2:04
introduced they are also uh bring a lot of memories to us and that is paying
2:09
reverence to uh holy persons and Elders service to others
2:15
sharing of Merit with others and rejoicing in others Merit when they do
2:21
mandatory elections listening to the doctrine the teachings
2:27
teaching the doctrine and also straightening our views about various
2:33
things so again uh the second of the ten meritorial days is again moral conduct or seal
2:43
and then we know about the 10 Perfections the thusap armies that
2:48
anyone who is uh hoping to gain Enlightenment as an arahanto uh
2:55
Buddha or as a summer one has to develop certain positive
3:01
qualities called the Perfections and there are 10 Perfections we have briefly
3:07
talked about them before and that's a perfection in charity and the second
3:12
morality Perfection so we have to perfect our morality in order to proceed in our path of
3:22
liberation and the others uh pronunciation wisdom effort tolerance truthful illness
3:29
resolution loving kindness and equanimity
3:34
so again the morality comes in the second place in out of the ten
3:41
Perfections let us briefly go back and look at the
3:47
Four Noble Truth that the Buddha preached in the first sermon the dhamma
3:54
and as you know the four noble troops Buddha realized on the night of the
4:01
Enlightenment and that noble truths are the first truth is truth of suffering
4:06
that there is universal suffering and the second truth is there's a cause
4:12
for suffering and we know that it is craving and then the Buddha said well suffering
4:19
can be eradicated so once we eradicate craving the suffering can be eradicated and that is
4:26
uh nibbana enlightenment nirodha and the most important is the fourth
4:33
Noble truth the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering
4:39
so Buddha gave us the way the mechanism the process that we need to follow in
4:46
order to get out of suffering and at the end of God so let us have a look at this path lead into cessation of suffering
4:54
and that we know Eastern over late fall path that's the only part that the Buddha said one is to
5:01
develop in order to attain Nippon and we know that the noble Eightfold
5:07
Path consists of eight factors right wave some adity right intention
5:17
right speech a right action
5:23
right livelihood right effort
5:31
right mindfulness summer Sati and right concentration
5:38
and you'd have already noticed that there are aspects of morality contained
5:43
within the eight aspect of the Nobel Eightfold Path
5:48
so we can see the eight factors are divided into three group of practice
5:54
and the first is morality sealer and that can consists of the first three
6:01
uh this third fourth and fifth factors
6:06
of the noble Eightfold Path are put together as morality seal
6:12
so the seal has right speech right action and right livelihood
6:18
and the second aspect of the training within the noble 84 path is concentration samadhi
6:28
and that has again three aspects as the right effort right mindfulness and right
6:33
concentration and then finally wisdom panya consisting
6:39
of the right understanding and right intention so the eight factors of the
6:44
noble Eightfold Path for training purposes can be divided
6:49
into three stages and the first stage is morality sealer second stage is
6:55
concentration samadhi and the third and final stage is wisdom so Sheila samadhi
7:02
panya and what is the right speech right
7:08
speech in the noble hateful part is abstinent from false speech for telling
7:15
lies abstinent from malicious backbiting divisive or slanderous speech
7:24
blameful or hurtful speech and abstinent from Gossip van Togo Idol chatter so
7:32
that is right speech and next comes right action
7:37
and the right action according to Buddha is abstinent from killing any living beings
7:44
abstain and from scaling accident from sexual misconduct so there
7:50
were four aspects to rights speech and three aspects to write action
7:56
and the third aspect of Sila is Right livelihood and that is to make one's living by
8:03
ethical legal and honest means causing no harm or suffering to other living
8:09
beings directly or indirectly and put the advice there are certain traits that a lay person should avoid
8:19
and that is trading in living beings including human beings and animals
8:25
trading in arms and weapons trading in intoxicants including alcohol
8:30
and illicit drugs trading in poisons and trading in Meats so there are five s
8:38
five traits that the Buddha has advised us to avoid
8:44
I will actually know the Buddhas teaching is not a system of salvation by
8:52
faith or through prayer uh the only way with the said to attend
8:57
a partner is to cultivate the noble hateful path consisting of the three aspects the
9:04
moral discipline Shield concentration samadhi and wisdom
9:11
and the interesting thing is each of the three divisions depends on it is
9:16
preceding division so the concentration samadhi depends upon the moral
9:24
discipline and the third stage of wisdom depends upon the good
9:31
concentration so we can see the in the foundation for the entire path of the Buddhist practice
9:38
is moral disciplined Shield and unless there is rice mortality
9:45
morality there can't be right concentration and unless there is right concentration
9:51
there can't be right wisdom so right morality leads to right concentration
9:57
and right concentration leads to write wisdom so again the basic Foundation is
10:03
the mortality Shield
10:09
let us look at a few other discourses we are put the talks about the importance
10:14
of seal the morality and in this course called
10:21
again a collection of Buddhas numerical discourses
10:27
Buddha talked about four conditions that are helpful for our spiritual progress
10:33
and future happiness and the first one is accomplishment of
10:39
Faith saddha sampada Sada and that is having faith or conviction in the Buddha
10:46
in the dhamma the Buddha's teaching and the Sangha
10:51
and the second Factor accomplishment of virtue again
10:57
so the morality is again important for one spiritual progress and future
11:03
happiness and the third factor is accomplishment of Charity charges
11:09
sampada and the fourth accomplishment of wisdom the panels so the four conditions
11:16
that are helpful for our spiritual progress and future happiness uh Faith virtue charity and wisdom
11:28
in another discourse called again of the gangutra nikaya Buddha has
11:35
talked about Seven Treasures for the noble ones and the first treasure is to gain faith
11:42
faith in the Buddha in the dhamma and the Sangha and next comes moral virtue
11:49
and then comes moral shame shame in committing unwholesome actions
11:54
a moral fear the fear in committing any unwholesome actions
12:00
learning that is listening or learning the Buddha's teaching
12:05
charity giving dhana and finally wisdom so again the second among the Seven
12:11
Treasures for the noble ones Buddha has described Sheila the moral virtue
12:17
foreign
12:27
four qualities of a spiritual friend now the spiritual friend is an important
12:35
factor in our in a Buddhist path and the First Quality is virtue Sila
12:43
of a spiritual friend will develop his own morality ethical Behavior
12:50
and then encourage others to develop their shield and motive morality
12:56
a spiritual friend will develop Sada Faith conviction in the Buddha dhamma
13:02
and Sangha and encourage others to develop faith in the Buddha
13:09
a spiritual friend will cultivate generosity giving dhana
13:14
and then encourage others also to develop generosity and give
13:20
and a spiritual friend will develop wisdom panja through meditation and he
13:27
will encourage others also to develop wisdom through meditation
13:32
so the out of the four qualities of a spiritual friend again put the place
13:38
virtue as the very first quality
13:44
and as we know the Buddha's disciples can be divided into four groups
13:51
we got the two basic groups we got the labor list and the monastic Buddhist
13:59
and the monastic Buddhists consists of the two groups Buddhist monks because
14:05
and Buddhist nuns bikinis and the labor is again are divided into
14:12
two groups the male disciples they are called upasaka in Pali and female lay
14:20
disciples who passed sikka and there are separate veneer rules
14:25
disciplinary rules for the monks and nuns that we are not going to talk about
14:31
and it's suffice to say that Buddha has formulated
14:36
227 rules of discipline for Buddhist monks
14:42
and there are even more 311 disciplinary rules for Buddhist nouns and then
14:48
Buddhists put the approved certain precepts for Lay disciples
14:54
now we we need to remember that this precepts of lab
14:59
modality were not invented by the Buddha they already existed before the time of
15:07
the Buddha and if you can remember when
15:12
his mother princess mahama conceived with the Buddha on the full moon day of
15:19
the month of July it said that she he was already observing eight precepts of morality
15:27
that we are going to talk about so the the precepts of lay modernity existed before the Buddhas but but the
15:35
Buddha did was to approve them that these are suitable for the moral aspects
15:42
of the Buddhist practices now let us look at uh what what the
15:50
precepts of the labor is are that I have done quite a bit of uh search in the
15:55
Buddhist scriptures and Buddhist literature and found that there are
16:01
eight sets of precepts that we can observe as laborers
16:08
and the first one is the fire preset the Pancha serial that we are already aware of and that is our basic moral code
16:18
and there's another group for five precepts including celibacy in the we
16:24
are we are going to talk about them in the five reasons The punchest Shield the third precepts is abstinent from sexual
16:31
misconduct but there is another set of five research where the third precepts
16:37
is replaced by celibacy there's another set of presets uh this
16:44
as which has six precepts and then there are three sets of eight
16:50
precepts uh eight precepts that we can observe on a regular basis like the five
16:56
precepts and again there are there's a set of eight precepts uh on a regular basis
17:04
including celibacy instead of sexual misconduct and then the set of eight precepts that
17:12
we observe on special days like the full moon days and there's also a set of nine precepts
17:19
and a set of 10 previous so there there are all together eight sets of precepts that we can
17:27
observe as laborest and I will of course talk mainly about
17:33
our basic code of practice which is the five precepts and briefly mention the
17:38
the rest in past so considering the fireplace if the
17:45
puncher seal and that's the minimal minimal ethical code for the labor list
17:52
and if you are familiar with anybody's ceremony or any Festival attended by
18:00
Buddhist the the five trees of the panchafilla is
18:06
regularly administered by the monks for the for the audience and uh it's always it's always follows
18:14
three refuges so whenever a Buddhist monk administers five precepts first he
18:22
will uh administer three refuges of the Buddha
18:27
Damas Sangha that is Buddha saranam gachami damang Saruman gachami sangam
18:36
saranam gacham which is repeated three times and then follows the the five
18:42
precepts and the laborest most of the laborers
18:48
who just do daily worships including myself and we recite the three refuges
18:56
and the five precepts each time we do the worship
19:02
and we have to remember that the five precepts in the Buddhist teaching is not
19:08
a set of Commandments or rules imposed by someone some higher authority or
19:14
Almighty that who will punish us uh if we didn't follow them or who will reward
19:20
us if we follow them no it says a set of
19:27
precepts that we undertake voluntarily having understood their benefit
19:34
having understood the the the the effects bad the effects of not following
19:40
them so having that understanding we voluntarily undertake
19:46
uh to follow the five precepts and that is why in each precepts in the
19:53
Pali it's the translation is I undertake the training the rule to abstain from
20:00
so it's not because some high Authority has made a commandment for us that we
20:05
should do it
20:12
now the Buddha has described unwholesome and wholesome roots
20:20
that's the basic reason for our wholesome and unwholesome behavior
20:27
and Buddha said whatever unwholesome immoral unethical unskillful behavior
20:35
that we commit is based on three unwholesome roots
20:40
and that is great lobe hatred those and delusions
20:49
so all the behaviors that we are talking about in the five precept that we are
20:55
going to abstain from uh based on three three unwholesome groups the greed
21:02
hatred and delusion and when we hope when we observe the
21:11
five precepts correctly these three and wholesome Roots can be gradually brought under control
21:19
and the benefit of that is why we control the three unwholesome groups we
21:25
gradually facilitate the three wholesome roots and that will encourage us to engage in
21:33
more and more wholesome actions so the three wholesome Roots uh the
21:39
non-great aloeb non-hatred are those and non-delutions
21:45
but in order to observe the five research correctly obviously when we
21:52
start in the beginning that may require a lot of efforts it's not easy but as you keep observing them on a gradual
22:00
basis they become one's natural practice
22:05
so I hope you are all familiar with the five princes but let me again go through
22:11
them anyway so I'll say the Pali one first and then
22:16
translation the first precepts in the five precepts is
22:27
I undertake the training rule to refrain from killing any living beings
22:34
second precepts
22:42
I undertake the training rule to refrain from stealing
22:48
third precepts
22:57
I undertake the training rule to refrain from sexual misconduct
23:04
fourth precepts samadhya
23:11
I undertake the training rule to refrain from telling lies
23:16
and the fifth precepts
23:26
I undertake the training rule to refrain from alcohol and intoxicants that lead
23:34
to delay and carelessness so those are the five precepts The Punchy now let us
23:42
take each one of them so the five the first precept is to
23:47
abstain from killing any living beings and living beings include not only human
23:52
Deeds but all living beings big or small who share the world the environment with
23:59
us and in the in all the five precepts of the intentions
24:05
is an important factor now it is tests uh there are five
24:12
factors that involved in a killing a living being and that is
24:20
first Factor there has to be a living being of course second factor that we should be aware
24:28
that there is life in that living being so he said living beings
24:33
and then we have the intention of volition to kill and that's the most important factor
24:40
and then we apply a certain method to kill that living being and then the
24:45
death of that particular living being through that action so for the first precept there are five factors there has
24:52
to be a living being we are we should be aware that there is life
24:58
we have the intention to kill and we apply a method to kill and that living
25:05
being is killed if you can remember I think I did mention about the importance of the intention
25:11
that during the time of the Buddha uh there was a blind arahan called chakupal
25:17
and as he was walking doing walking meditation accidentally he killed
25:23
some insects and then the other monks who noticed
25:28
that went and reported to the Buddha uh saying that that monk is supposed to be an Iran but he's killing these insects
25:36
while doing uh walking meditation and but they said no he's blind he doesn't
25:42
know that the insects are there and certainly as an around there is no
25:48
intention at all so he has not done any bad karma with the said so the intention
25:54
is a significant aspect of all the five precepts
26:00
second precepts is to abstain from stealing and that is taking what is not
26:06
given to oneself by by its own again there are five factors
26:11
uh obviously some object has to be there that belongs to somebody else
26:17
and that we should know that you know it belongs to someone else not to myself
26:24
and then we have the intention of audition to steal it and then we apply a process to steal it
26:33
and then we take possession of that object so there again five factors and
26:40
again the intention is the important factor third precepts is to abstain from sexual
26:48
misconduct and Buddha has described proper and improper sexual relationships
26:55
and the improper relationships are for a man to have a sexual relationship with
27:02
anyone any other any woman who is looked after by parents by brothers sisters
27:08
friends but basically Buddha is talking about apart from the your marital partner any
27:16
other sexual relationship is improper and also sexual relations that involve
27:23
Force violence a blackmail trickery threats bribery they're all included in
27:29
this precepts of sexual misconduct and there are four factors
27:36
uh sexual partner considered illegal or illicit so the
27:41
person is aware that I should not have a sexual relationship with that person
27:47
and then he develops the intention to engage in a sexual activity and he engages in a sexual activity and
27:56
then he gains enjoyment from the cell so there are four factors in the three third precepts
28:04
the fourth precept is to abstain from false speech now fourth speech
28:10
with the deliberate intention of deceiving another person and obviously
28:15
it can be verbal as well as non-verbal with all the other techniques of communication one could lie in other
28:23
ways and the dangerous thing according to Buddha said in one of the discourses is
28:31
if one can violate this precept of telling lies that he can break all the
28:37
other four precepts as well and there are four factors
28:42
there is an untruth that one knows that it's an untruth it's
28:48
a lie and then one develops the intention to tell that lie and deceive another person
28:55
then he makes the effort to convey that lies the untrust the other person
29:01
and the the untruthists understood and believed by the other person so there
29:06
are four aspects to the fourth precincts and the fifth precepts is to abstain
29:14
from alcohol and other intoxications and as we know alcohol and intoxications
29:20
can affect one's Consciousness senses attention mental physical control it can lead to
29:27
health heedlessness mindlessness yeah and again Buddha said one who violates
29:35
these Spirits one who uh gets intoxicated he is capable of violating
29:41
the other four so one who is intoxicated can kill
29:47
uh can still can sexually misconduct and cantal
29:52
license so it can affect all the other four priesthoods and there are four
29:58
factors there's an alcohol or intoxicant that is available
30:04
and one develop the intention to take it and the process of taking it and then
30:11
the ingestion of alcohol or the intoxicants so again the intention is
30:16
important in US now uh Buddha in this this course called
30:25
that's in the Sangeeta nikaya there's a collection of the Buddhas connected
30:30
discourses Buddha has given I I like this it's an extremely significant
30:35
discourse and advice Buddha tells us how to
30:41
observe the precepts with self-reference with reference to
30:47
oneself one's own self and with regard to let us take the first precepts Buddha
30:53
says now I want to live I don't want to die
31:00
I like pressure I don't like pain and similarly other people also want to
31:08
live others also don't want to die and they also don't like they also like pressure
31:14
and they don't like pain so if someone were to take my life if
31:20
someone comes to kill me I won't like it and similarly if I were to kill somebody
31:27
else they don't like it either so a state that I don't like myself how
31:34
can I inflict upon another person and Buddha says reflecting like that
31:40
one should try to abstain from killing any living beings and similarly let us take the second
31:47
precepts I don't like my things stolen by someone else
31:55
and others don't like the other things stolen either
32:00
so if I don't like my things stolen and if others don't like their things
32:06
stolen how can I inflict that on somebody else and similarly reflecting
32:13
like that once it refrain from Steel and if you take the third precepts
32:19
I don't like others misbehaving with my wife others don't like
32:26
me misbehaving with their words so how can I inflict what I don't like
32:33
on others and similarly it goes on so it's very very useful uh advice from
32:41
the Buddha how to observe the presets now in under the discourse called be
32:47
Parker nikai Buddhist described the negative results
32:54
of violating the the five precepts and Buddha says if you violate the
33:00
precepts it's possible that you can be reborn in the health
33:06
it's possible that you can be reborn in Hungry Ghost it's possible that one could be reborn
33:13
in the animal kingdom but if by chance if you are born in the
33:19
human world and there are certain negative aspects so after having violated the five
33:27
presets any of them if you are born as a human being if one has violated the first precepts
33:34
of killing the result will be a short life span in
33:39
this life if one has violated the second precept
33:44
of stealing that results in the loss of one's things successors
33:50
if one has to violate the third precepts of sexual misconduct
33:55
and it will results in rivalry and revenge in this life
34:01
if one has violated the fourth precepts of telling lies in this human life it
34:09
will lead to false accusations and if one has violated the fifth
34:14
precept of taking alcohol intoxications and that will results in mental
34:20
derangements and on the other hand on the positive
34:25
side Buddha has said if you do observe the five priest steps
34:36
human or Heaven diverse and if you are reborn in a human human
34:42
world if you have observed the five first precepts of not killing
34:48
properly and that will result in longer lifespan if you have observed the second preset
34:55
for not stealing that results in prosperity if you have observed the third precepts
35:03
of sexual not engaging in sexual misconduct it will be played to your popularity
35:11
if he had observed the fourth precept was not telling lies you will develop
35:16
good reputation and if you have observed the fifth precepts of not taking alcohol
35:21
or intoxications and that will lead to Clarity of mind and wisdom so rather a
35:28
negative and positive benefits of observing five presets
35:35
and put again use the five precepts to
35:40
define the persons of Integrity uh in partly a suppression or a person of
35:47
integrity that's in this
35:54
and Buddha said if one engages in killing human beings if one engages in stealing
36:03
sexual misconduct for speech or consumption of alcohol and intoxication
36:09
he is a person of no Integrity he has no integrity
36:15
and not only that Buddha said if one engages in this unwholesome actions and
36:22
encourage others to do they may as well and then there was this person is worse
36:28
than a person of knowledge so the the one who breaks the five precepts
36:35
himself is a person of no integrity and having broken them if he encourage
36:41
others to engage them Buddha said he is worse than a person of no integrity
36:48
and on the positive side a person of your interview with the Integrity Buddha
36:53
said if one follows the five Priestess of not killing not stealing
36:59
not to engaging in sexual misconduct avoiding false speech and avoiding
37:05
alcohol and intoxicants and Buddha said he is a man of Person of integrity not
37:11
only that if he follows them properly and also encourages others to follow the five
37:20
precepts and he said that person is a better person than a person of intricity
37:27
so breaking the five precepts by himself makes one person of no integrity
37:35
and having broken them if one encourages others to do them he is worse than a
37:40
person of integrity one who follows the five precepts is a person of integrity
37:47
and having followed them if he encourages others to follow the five precepts and Buddha said he is a better
37:53
person better than a percent of integrity
37:58
so that was about the the basic chord the basic uh five precepts the punch
38:04
seed for the Liberties let us briefly look at the the rest
38:10
there's another set of five presets uh if you can remember in the basic five
38:16
precepts is to abstain from killing abstain from stealing abstain from
38:23
sexual misconduct abstained from telling lies and abstain from alcohol and
38:29
intoxicants in this set of five precepts the third repress the precepts of sexual
38:37
misconduct is replaced by celibacy sexual no sexual activity at all so in
38:45
this set of five precepts abstain from killing abstain from stealing
38:52
as abstaining from any sexual activity at all abstaining from telling lies and
38:59
abstaining from alcohol and and people in the Buddha's place also have observed this set of five precepts so only
39:06
difference between the basic set of five presets and this is in the third precepts in the basic funny sexual
39:14
misconduct and this in this set it is replaced by celibacy no sexual activity
39:20
at all and that there is another set of six precepts
39:26
so if you take the the five precepts that I have just mentioned
39:33
that is abstained from killing abstaining from stealing
39:39
abstaining from sexual activity any that's observing cerebracy abstaining
39:45
from telling lies abstaining from alcohol and intoxicants and at that
39:51
sixth one is we call about
39:57
so that is to refrain from eating after the new afternoon and this shall come
40:02
again in the eight precepts but that precepts is added to the the five
40:07
presets to make it the set of six trees and that can be observed as late
40:14
disciples and there are next there are three sets
40:20
of eight three steps now this is called Eight pretress that
40:25
can be observed on a regular basis so I know quite a significant uh group of Sri
40:32
Lankan Buddhists who follow the these eight precepts on a regular basis uh
40:38
instead of the five precepts I'm not sure about the other countries but this country but certainly I know in Sri
40:43
Lanka uh Buddhists do follow these eight precepts instead of the five precepts uh
40:50
so the the regular eight presets again the first
40:56
the first four are the same that is abstained from killing abstained
41:05
from stealing abstain from sexual misconduct and abstaining from telling
41:11
lies and if you can remember when we talked about the noble eight fall path right speech there were four aspects to
41:19
write speech and that is not telling lies not engaging slander speech not
41:25
engaging heart speech and not gaining engaging in idle speech and those four
41:31
are brought into these eight principles so whereas in the set of five precepts
41:37
it's only refrained from telling lies in this set of eight precepts we refrain
41:44
from all the four aspects of telling lies slanderous speech heart speech idle
41:50
speech so the first three uh bodily aspects killing stealing sexual
41:57
misconduct and then we got the four aspects of verbal speech and the eighth
42:03
precepts is I undertake the training rule to refrain from wrong livelihood
42:09
remember that again appeared in the novel for Eightfold part as Miss samajiv
42:15
and that's brought into this set of eight presets so the 856 on a regular
42:21
basis is abstaining from killing abstaining from stealing abstaining from
42:27
sexual misconduct abstaining from their lives abstaining from slander speech
42:33
abstaining from harsh speech abstaining from idle speech and abstaining from
42:40
wrong livelihood
42:45
and the same eight precepts remember in the five precepts two states the third
42:52
precept Source replace the sexual misconduct was replaced by sexual uh
42:59
celibacy and it's similar way in this set of eight precepts again the third
43:05
precepts is replaced by no sexual activity at all
43:10
so in this set again it's very similar different from killing referring from
43:17
stealing but here refraining from any sexual activity at all and the rest of
43:24
the fire you are same as the other set of HP set refrain from telling lies for
43:31
under a speech heart speech idle speech and wrong livelihood
43:39
and then this is the opposite this is the eighth preset that we observe on
43:45
Full Moon days or in the Buddhas days or even
43:52
few centuries until six centuries ago people used to observe this four times a
43:59
month actually not in all the poetries so let us take it's very similar
44:06
the first five are fairly similar to the the rest of the precepts so the first
44:12
precept this is the opposite on the on the full moon this I refrained from
44:18
killing refrain from stealing and the third is again celibacy refrain
44:26
from any sexual activity at all and the fourth precepts is refrained
44:32
from telling lies and the fifth precepts is refrained from
44:38
alcohol and intoxicants and now the sixth precepts is refraining
44:44
from eating afternoon the kalabojana and the seventh applies to uh
44:52
entertainment and beautifying oneself so I I undertake the
44:59
training route to refrain from dancing singing and all kind of music entertainments wearing Gardens using
45:06
perfumes Cosmetics to beautify the body and that's the seventh precepts and the
45:12
eighth precepts is I undertake the training rule to refrain from sleeping on the high and luxurious space so this
45:19
is the set of eight precepts that we observed on uh posted the days full moon
45:25
days and then there is a set of nine precepts
45:31
and the set of nine precepts is identical to the eight precepts that we
45:37
observed that I talked about before with an added ninth spaceships and that
45:44
is to undertake to radiate loving kindness to all living creatures
45:49
so as you can remember in the eighth preset we abstain from all eight
45:54
behaviors and in the ninth uh pre-steps the first Editor to abstained and the
46:02
ninth one is to take do show loving kindness meta so this is the
46:09
set of nine presets and then that there's a set of ten
46:14
precepts and this set is undertaken by the the monastic sets of the temperatures and
46:21
that can be observed by the labor distortion so it is similar to the eight
46:29
precepts only the abstaining from killing abstaining from stealing
46:35
abstaining from any sexual activity abstaining from telling lies abstaining
46:41
from alcohol and intoxicants abstaining from eating afternoon
46:47
and again the the the [Music] seventh precepts of the eight precepts
46:53
you see a broken into two uh in the eight precepts the
47:00
entertainments and beautifying were included in the same precepts here is broken into two
47:06
uh seventh one is to refrain from dancing singing music and then the eighth one is to refrain
47:13
from beautifying and the ninth one is similar to the eight precepts refrained from sleeping
47:21
on high luxurious bed and the tenth precepts is to undertake the training
47:28
rule to refrain from accepting or handling money so this is the 10th set
47:35
of 10 precepts which can be observed by the labor disaster
47:41
let us briefly look at the benefits of the modernity Shield and of course if you have not broken any
47:50
precepts we have clear conscience no chance of developing any guilt or
47:57
anxiety or remorse about our Behavior and if You observe precepts we develop a
48:03
good reputation with respect and Trust from other people and if you follow the morality ethical
48:11
Behavior we are able to live in peace and harmony with others in the society
48:17
and there's very little chance of getting into any problems with the law legal authorities if we follow the five
48:23
precepts and the the morality ethical behavior is
48:29
the basic foundation for concentration registration and if you can remember
48:35
we talked about five enemies five mental hindrances that can develop whenever we
48:42
sit in meditation desire
48:49
thought of ill will uh laziness drowsiness
48:59
is remorse remorse of things that the
49:05
bad things that we have done or the remorse and guilt for good things that
49:11
we have not done and if we follow these basic precepts
49:16
when we meditate that mental hindrance is unlikely to develop
49:23
and again according to Buddha's Noble it fall apart uh the the ethical Behavior the morality
49:30
is the basic foundation for the nobel84 path and then obviously as Buddha said if we
49:38
follow the five precepts there's a good chance that we will be reborn in human
49:43
or Heavenly worlds so when it comes to any precepts with these
49:52
five basic precepts or other precepts just by merely taking the set of
49:57
precepts or reciting them will not bring any benefit and I know most of the people I know uh
50:06
even people who take the precepts regularly they just recite them but they
50:11
don't actually observe them properly and only meticulous observation and
50:17
practice will bring benefit not just by muttering or repeating or reciting the
50:23
precepts uh thank you I will stop there
 

 

    Ninth teaching

okay good afternoon it's nice to be with you again we have had three talks uh already and
0:09
in the first talk we talked about the life story of Lord Gautama Buddha
0:15
who lived and taught in India in the 6th and fifth centuries before Christ
0:22
in the second talk we talked about the Buddha's dispensation in different forms
0:27
the Buddhist Theory the Practical aspects and the results of the Buddhist practice
0:33
and in the last talk we talked about how the Buddhist teaching at least in the in
0:39
the form of the Thera the Buddhism managed to survive for 26 centuries and
0:44
that was mainly with the use of the Buddhist Council six Buddhist councils
0:50
so having talked about the background the Buddha and the Buddha's teaching from today I'm hoping to talk about the
0:57
bread and butter of kind of Buddha's teaching not all of the teaching but the
1:03
main themes of the therawada Buddhist teaching and in the let us see
1:20
when I was talking about the Buddha I did mention that Buddha was born as
1:27
Prince Siddhartha in a place called lombini in the present Nepal
1:34
somewhere here and he grew a pastor Royal Prince so
1:39
with all the Royal Comforts got married at age 16. and age 29 he was confronted with
1:48
suffering of the the human life in the form of an old man
1:54
a sick man and a dead body he became disenchanted with the him the
2:01
human suffering and the the domestic life so at the age of 29 he left home to
2:07
become an ascetic he wanted to find a way out of human suffering and for six years he tortured himself
2:14
believing that austerity will bring Enlightenment it didn't work for six
2:20
years and then he gave up the austerities and moved to a place called both Gaya
2:27
in Bihar somewhere here and so at age 35
2:35
he meditated under a broad tree and became enlightened by realizing the Four
2:41
Noble Truths and from there he went to a place called
2:47
sarnath near Warren FC to give his first sermon
2:53
and he preached for 45 years and at the
2:58
age of 80 he traveled to this place called kushinaga and he passed away
3:04
so let us now scope go back to
3:10
how Buddha became a Buddha so at the age of 35 he sat under this
3:18
boat tree this is how it looks like today and started meditating on in-breath and
3:26
out breath is called anapan of Sati and during that night he realized the
3:33
Four Noble Truths and one becomes enlightened by big by
3:39
realizing the Four Noble Truths having realized the four noble truths he
3:45
wanted to teach this teaching to others and he thought Whom Shall I teach
3:51
if you can remember when he became an ascetic he went to two meditation teachers the first one called
3:58
and the second teacher was so he thought let me teach to my first
4:06
teacher but then unfortunately he discovered that that teacher has passed
4:12
away a week early and then he decided to preach to his second teacher called
4:21
had passed away the night before so then what he thought was that during
4:29
the six years of his austerity he had five acidic friends called
4:38
ascetic friends and he thought that okay let me teach
4:43
them what I realized and he discovered that the five ascetics were living at
4:49
that time in the place called saranath so from Buddha
4:56
he traveled to uh sarnath near Varanasi
5:01
and he gave his very first sermon and his long name is called dhamma
5:09
and that was his very first discourse to this five aesthetic friends
5:16
and in that first sermon only he for the first time
5:21
taught what he realized to someone else and that was the Four Noble Truths
5:28
so what are these four noble truths the first Noble Truth is that there is
5:34
universal suffering the second Noble Truth is that the cause
5:43
of this suffering third Noble Truth he realized or thus
5:51
this can be eradicated suffering can be eradicated and that's the third truth
5:57
and the fourth Noble Truth is there's a path there is a mechanism the process to
6:03
eradicate uh suffering
6:09
and this in party language the four noble truths are described as
6:15
uh uh chatur Arya Sacha
6:20
chatur in pal language means for Arya means Noble and Sacha means truth
6:30
so in Pali is the Four Noble Truths
6:37
and why are they called Noble there is an explanation given by
6:42
vulnerable Buddha goes in his famous book called vishuddinaga The Path of
6:48
purification is worth reading if someone hasn't read it and in that book venerable Buddha Gosha
6:57
says the four noble truths are called Noble because they were rediscovered by
7:03
a noble one this Buddha so as you remember this uh Four Noble
7:09
Truth are Universal Damas they exist in the world that there's a Buddha or not
7:16
but when there is there's no Buddha or the Buddha's teaching unfortunately you'll get lost in the world so when the
7:23
Buddha reappears the Buddha rediscovers the Four Noble Truth and teaches that to
7:28
the world so it is called Noble because this rediscovered by a noble one the summer
7:37
the second reason why they are called Noble is because they can be fully realized only by the noble ones such as
7:45
Buddhas a Pache Buddha silent Buddhas or arahant or disciple Buddhas
7:53
and the third reason why they are called Noble is because there is about reality reality in the world the truth
8:01
so because these three reasons they are called Noble Four Noble Truths
8:09
and that four noble truths really is the heart the core of the Buddha stage
8:18
and Buddha said in his first sermon that until life fully realized the four
8:24
noble truths I did not believe that I was enlightened or I became a Buddha
8:30
it's only when he when I fully realized the Four Noble Truths I knew that I was
8:37
enlightened and that I had become a Buddha so only even the Buddha
8:45
admitted that until one fully realized the form of no four noble truths one is
8:51
not enlightened and Buddha compared the the phone number truth the footprint of an elephant
8:59
because if you look at all the animals the footprints of all the animals that
9:05
one can find all the footprints of all those animals can be put within the footprints of an
9:13
animal elephant so Buddha in this discourse in the majaminikai the collection of the middle
9:19
and discourses said that similar to a footprint of an
9:25
elephant within which all the footprints can be included
9:31
everything that I have said in the Buddha so the Buddha's teaching all of the Buddha's teaching really can be
9:39
included in the four noble truths so it's the bread and butter the heart and
9:45
the core of the Buddha's teaching now when we say someone is a Buddha
9:52
that means someone has attained body someone who has attained body is a
9:59
Buddha and both means realization of the Four Noble Truths
10:05
and there are three types of people who have realized the Four Noble Truths
10:10
first like like Gautama Buddha or previous
10:17
Buddha or scholarships
10:23
because they realize the Four Noble Truth with their own effort with no
10:29
teacher or no teaching available before and having realized the phone number of
10:35
Truth they can teach it to others so samasam Buddhas realized the phone of
10:41
our truths through their own effort and then they are able to teach it to others so that others can also realize the Four
10:48
Noble Truths the second group of Buddhas are called Buddhas or silent Buddhas
10:55
and like samasam Buddhas they also realize the Four Noble Truth through their own effort with no teacher but
11:03
unfortunately they cannot teach anyone anybody else so that's why they are called Silent Buddhas
11:09
and the third group of Buddhas are savaka Buddhas and they are the arahans
11:15
the Disciples of the Buddha they realized the the four noble truths haven't listened to the teachings by a
11:23
samasam with them and they can teach so there are three groups of Buddhas and the Buddha means attaining body and
11:31
attain in both the means realization of the Four Noble Truths
11:36
so let us look at the first Global truth the first Noble Truth is the Buddha said
11:43
there is universal suffering unevitable inevitable is universal
11:50
and with the name the few things that can cause suffering birth is suffering birth is suffering
11:57
and why is birth is suffering because it's because of birth
12:02
and for all the rest of the suffering and having been born
12:09
we get old that is suffering video of illnesses we become ill that is
12:16
suffering we die that is suffering all these are physical sufferings and then
12:22
Buddha goes on to describe the mental suffering all types of Sorrow
12:28
lamentation crying wailing weeping mental grief mental pain despair
12:36
and when we have to associate with people we don't like the suffering when
12:42
we have to separate from our loved ones friends relatives family that is suffering
12:47
not getting one desires is suffering and not what desires the desires are not
12:55
for these things to happen we desire not to be born we desire not
13:00
to get old we desire not to get ill we desire not to die we desire not to
13:08
experience any sorrow lamentation grief pain despair but no it won't help we
13:14
have to suffer so not getting one desires resource of suffering and then put their dirt in short the
13:22
file Aggregates of clinging is suffering five Aggregates of clinging let us look
13:29
at what these five Aggregates are now what what we call ourselves you and
13:37
me consists of two parts we we consist of a physical part and we consist of a mental
13:44
part and our physical part is called this
13:49
material form Rupa group that's our body our physical study
13:55
and our mental thought consists of these four the feelings what we feel
14:02
perception what we've perceived mental formation our thinking and our
14:08
consciousness so these are the five Aggregates that we are consist of
14:14
and Buddha said all these five is suffering and why is it suffering
14:21
because be real we don't realize what we call ourselves is nothing but
14:29
this five but through delusion we identify with them as I this is me this is mine
14:39
but because these five things the Rope away then
14:44
they arise they cease they arise this is
14:50
constantly moment to moment they don't last more than a moment but if we
14:56
identify with them as me or I when they change because they are not permanent
15:02
there is no self in that that causes suffering so Buddha said the five FPS of
15:09
clinging itself is suffering
15:18
now Buddha said very often he used to say in discourses look here I I teach
15:25
only two things I teach suffering and the end of suffering it is suffering
15:32
and the end of suffering now the problem we have is what Buddha talked about was dukkha
15:41
and there is no English translation for dukkah the best translation they have found is
15:48
suffering the nearest is suffering but dukkah does not mean just the
15:54
suffering that we talk about which is kind of pain the misery the sorrow and
16:01
be it includes everything else like any dissatisfaction any imperfection any
16:09
unsatisfactory in us any frustration any disappointment any disharmony any fear
16:17
any insecurity all this other not only the suffering that we defined as pain
16:25
and sorrow and misery and Buddha did not deny that there is
16:30
happiness and there is pressure obvious if you see something nice it is Pleasant if you hear something a good noise good
16:37
sound it is Pleasant Buddha did not deny but what would the said to us that all
16:44
these are transient transient at the moment of feeling it we may feel
16:50
that oh we are going to enjoy this happiness and pressure for our life no they are also transient
16:57
and unfortunately because of this translation of sufferings the dukkah into suffering
17:03
people outside the Buddhist the people who don't know the Buddhist teaching have often and still criticizing that
17:10
Buddhist Buddhism is a very negative pessimistic they talk only about suffering suffering suffering nothing
17:16
else but they are wrong they can be right if the Buddha talked only about the
17:24
first two truths if Buddha said just look here there is universal suffering you can't avoid it
17:31
and if Buddha said okay like nobody can help you go on suffering
17:37
then it is a fair criticism that Buddhism is a negativity no but they
17:43
didn't stop there but they said the suffering can be got rid of and he gave the mechanism the process
17:51
the method the path to get rid of so it's really Buddhism is not a
17:57
pessimistic or negative religion but it's a realistic one realistic that
18:02
there is a suffering and it gives optimism and Hope that we can get out of
18:08
the suffering and there is a path there is a mechanism to follow to come out of
18:14
the suffering and we're not one of the discourses of the Buddha uh called that's in the
18:22
collection of the Buddhas connected discourses there Buddha describes three types of
18:28
suffering dukkah the first type is and that is the suffering that we all
18:35
know the physical and mental pain that we all experience it's obvious to us and
18:41
that's because the second type of is called
18:46
and that is because things change things change so even happiness the
18:53
pleasures that we enjoy they finish and when they finish it leads to suffering
19:01
and the third type of suffering is called which is the most difficult thing
19:06
to understand now Sankara Sankara means condition things condition things now
19:13
when we when I talked about the five Aggregates of clinging they are themselves sankaras because they are
19:20
made of something else and they constantly start stop start
19:26
stop origin Seas origin C's origin Seas
19:31
so because of that there is in build suffering in the Aggregates so the three
19:38
types of the cause the obvious physical and mental pain the
19:44
vipari Namath due to the nature of change even in Pleasant experiences and
19:50
the third type is the Shankar dukkah that is due to change in condition
19:55
things like the aggregation that we are made of
20:01
foreign to the second Noble Truth so the second
20:07
Noble Truth that said there is a cause for suffering and the Buddha said the cause of
20:12
suffering is craving tanha and Buddha describe three qualities of
20:18
this so tanha the craving is a craving that gives rise to birth death birth death so
20:27
it creates rebirth again and again and the craving is bound off with
20:34
pleasure attachment so the craving to start with is very pleasant very happy and you get attached
20:42
to that and it's because of that attachment the craving and clicking that gives rise to rebirth and suffering
20:49
and the other things quality of the the craving is that wherever you are
20:57
it's gratifying integration and the thing with the craving is that once you
21:03
get a pleasant experience you want to have it again
21:08
when you have a pleasant experience you want to have more of it again so the craving multiplies when you have
21:16
one pleasant experience and Buddha describe three types of grain
21:23
the first type of craving for a kamathana that is craving for our sensual Pleasures that the pleasures
21:31
that we receive through our eyes through our ears through our nose the tongue the
21:37
body and the mind so the the sensual experiences We crave
21:42
for them that's called and the second type of craving is the
21:49
craving to exist to become to to go continue to exist to be someone
21:56
to be something so always craving for something which is not here now and the
22:02
third type is called the craving to not exist we are so fed up with life we fed
22:09
up suffering and one can say that probably suicide is an ultimate of uh
22:15
vibhavatana not to craving not to exist there are three types of craving
22:23
then the third Noble Buddha said this suffering can be
22:29
eradicated if one can eradicate the craving and the cessation of suffering that is
22:36
the attainment of nibban by totally abandoning and eliminating
22:42
eradicating this craving which is the main reason for suffering
22:48
and the Nippon is a Beyond stage beyond all suffering
22:54
and it's the state of Peace state of Joy state of happiness
23:00
and once we have attained if we born there is no rebirth there's no continued
23:06
rebirth in the cycle of birth and death and one good thing about nibban is that
23:12
we can attain it in this life itself we don't have to wait till we die to
23:19
attain newborn and enjoy it the nibbana comes within this life itself the
23:25
problem is the nibban is such an abstract concept
23:30
that it cannot be explained by any language that we have
23:35
so the one who has attained nibban only knows what nibandh means really means so
23:43
it's very difficult and it has been compared if once when you try to explain
23:48
nibbon it is like trying to explain a color like blue or red to a blind person
23:55
from blind from birth who has never seen a color and when when I look here the blue color
24:03
is like this red color is this there's no way we can explain a color to a
24:08
person who has been blind from birth and trying to explain nibban to someone who
24:13
has not experienced nibbana has been compared to a similar explanation
24:20
and as we know we have there are three named unwholesome roots
24:27
in body staging and these are called great the rug hatred ill will they are called those
24:34
and the ignorance and when one attains the nibbana one has
24:40
eliminated all these three completely the great the hatred and ignorance
24:47
and within Buddhism obvious to the ultimate goal is to to attend nibbon
24:56
and nibban is called by so many names last time I counted 54 different names
25:03
different phrases for the neighbor and it's called cessation of suffering
25:12
is called abandonment abandon of craving renunciation letting go
25:19
Liberation from suffering and rebirth detachments unconditioned there are so
25:26
many words to describe the nibban and is attained by cultivating the noble
25:32
Eightfold Path which we are going to discuss in a moment the only thing is we have to do it by
25:40
ourselves there's nobody else who can do it not even the Buddha so we cannot pray and
25:47
give become we have to follow the noble light for path if we are to attend nibbana and
25:56
eradicate suffering and once obviously once we are in nibbana there is no rebirth
26:04
is really not a place it's not a Heavenly Paradise so this is not a place it's a state it's a state of Nepal not a
26:13
place now if one if one needs to uh
26:18
eradicate some mental defilements Buddha said that in order to attend nibbana we
26:25
have to eradicate all mental defilements that we have and Buddha
26:31
selected 10 of them and call them fetus some yojana ten
26:37
Fitters the first fitter is the self-identity V the sakayadithis
26:43
remember I said the five Aggregates of playing we cling to them saying that that's me that's I and that's a delusion
26:51
so that's one mental defilement we have to get rid of if we are to attend the
26:57
bond and skeptical doubt doubt about the Buddha dhamma about the doubt about the
27:02
Buddha's teaching and sort of doubts like that and the third feta is attachment to
27:08
rituals and rights if one believes that Bindu is this so This ritual that ritual
27:14
one can go to nibban that is a fit if anyone believes that one can go to
27:21
nibhana apart from following the noble Eightfold Path that is safety because
27:29
that's the only part that the Buddha has described as the only way to Nepal
27:34
sensual desires of it again mentally fine that we have to get rid of
27:40
ill will anger hatred is called patiga that's of it
27:46
and in Buddhist cosmology there are 31 planes of existence and out of them
27:52
there are 20 Celestial worlds and after the celestial World There are 16
27:58
Celestial verse where there's a fine physical body called ropa local
28:04
and there are some people who got a desire they meditate concentration meditation and attain
28:10
journals in order to be born in this world so even that desire is
28:17
and some people decide to be born in the celestial worlds where there is no
28:22
physical body only the Mind mentals mental state is there and that desire
28:27
also put the call of fitter and obstacle to become
28:34
and the eighth one is called conceit the arrogance the man restlessness mental restlessness and the
28:42
tenth feta is ignorance and the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths so if
28:48
one needs to realize the third Noble Truth that's the nibana one needs to get
28:54
rid of these 10 Fetters and this happens in four stages
29:02
when we when we cultivate when we develop the noble Eightfold part that
29:08
the Buddha has asked us to follow we realize nibana through four stages
29:15
and the first stage is called stream entry and the Sota Panna
29:21
stream entry means we have entered the path of Liberation path of liberation
29:27
and in order to attain the first stage we need to get rid of the first three
29:34
Fetters self-identity skeptical doubt and attachment to
29:41
rituals and rights so when we eradicate those three one becomes a stream entry
29:49
interest and when we become a sought upon the Buddha has guaranteed
29:55
that there's no turning back one will end up becoming an arhand and attaining nibban
30:03
within a maximum of seven rebirths one can attain nibhana in the same life
30:10
itself but the within a maximum of seven Birds a sword upon the will attained
30:17
and there's another guarantee that they have said when you are sought upon you will never be reborn again in the world
30:24
of suffering you see out of the 31 planes of existence the law was four uh a Pirates
30:31
score including the animal kingdom and those Buddha says once you are short upon you will never be reborn in any of
30:39
those four worlds so a SWAT upon continues to develop the
30:45
noble light for path and when he weaken the next two fitters
30:52
next two Fitters that is the sensual desire and the ill will not completely
30:59
eradicated but you weaken them and one becomes once written and that's Saturday
31:05
that's the second stage of attaining neighbor and when when one is a sakadaga
31:12
again one will never be reborn in any of the worlds of suffering and the Buddha said
31:19
is called once written there is only one more rebirth if one does not attain
31:26
nibhana in the same birth there's only one more rebirth either in the human
31:31
world or in this in the heavens one of the heavens and there he will attend he
31:38
or she will attend nibandh so that's the second stage then when one develops when Once return
31:46
continues to develop the noble light for path then the third stage comes that's
31:51
the non-written or another in the second stage
31:57
we can sense your desire and ill will and in the third stage you completely
32:04
eradicate these two so when you attain the third stage
32:09
we one has eradicated the first five of the ten fitters
32:16
self-ident review skeptical doubt attachment to me rights and ritual
32:21
sensual desire and ill will and anagam is called a non-written
32:29
because he or she will never be reborn in the sensual world again
32:35
and there are certain Heavenly words called Brahma words there
32:41
are five of them [Music] in the same word will be reborn in one
32:50
of those Celestial worlds and attain the banana there so they are non-returners
32:56
and then they continue to develop further the nobelied fog and finally
33:01
attained arahuntu and that's the final enlightenment and arhant has
33:10
eradicated all the ten Fitters remember a soda Panna has eradicated the first
33:17
three Fetters second stage has weakened the next two fitters
33:25
the third stage anagam in non-return has eradicated those two
33:31
and the other hand has eradicated all the 10 factors
33:43
now let us go to the fourth Noble Truth and that is
33:50
the path lead into the cessation of suffering and it's all called
33:58
Arya means Noble means path
34:04
now why is it called a path it's called a part because when one can not call a path
34:13
anywhere where nobody has worked before a path is created when someone has
34:20
cleared the plants and the rubbish and one has walked at least somebody has
34:26
walked over that before and then it becomes a path and this Noble Eightfold Path is part
34:33
because someone or some others have walked on that path the previous Buddhas
34:40
previous they have walked in this path so it has
34:46
become a path and the Buddha said I have gone along that path
34:52
and going along that path I came to know suffering first truth a writing of
34:59
suffering second truth satiation of suffering third truth and
35:04
the way I lead into the cessation of suffering for through so this is not
35:09
something that Buddha imagine this is not something that Buddha heard or read somewhere no he traveled the path
35:18
he he enjoyed the results of that part he
35:23
realized the fourth for Noble Truth and then he told us the path look here this
35:28
is the path to nibbon so and this is the dhamma wheel that we
35:35
are all familiar with and in fact the the the the first sermon
35:43
of the Buddha is called then that is the Turning of the Buddha
35:49
movie turning so in this there are various types of the movies and this
35:56
Dumber wheel has eight spokes so this represent the noble Eightfold
36:01
Path right understanding right intention
36:07
right speech right action right living
36:13
right effort write attentiveness right mindfulness and right concentration
36:21
so Noble Eightfold paths consists of these eight factors
36:27
now if we can go back to the Nobel for Noble Truth so the first Noble Truth is
36:34
suffering second Noble Truth cause of suffering
36:39
third Noble Truth cessation of suffering and the fourth Noble Truth is the path
36:45
and that is the noble lightfall part
36:51
so the Nobel eight four part the first one is called right B samaditi
36:58
second right intentions third right speech samawacha
37:06
fourth right actions fifth right livelihood
37:14
sixth right effort seventh right mindfulness summer Sati
37:21
and right concentration and from a practical point of view this
37:28
this eight can be divided into three stages and the first stage is is morality seal
37:35
and right speech right action and right livelihood and they composed morality
37:42
and Buddha said without morality there is no concentration no wisdom so
37:49
morality is the foundation of a house foundation of the house without morality
37:55
Buddha said you cannot develop concentration and the second stage of the training
38:00
once you have developed morality the seal you go to the next stage and that
38:06
is developing concentration and the next three the right effort right mindfulness and right
38:12
concentration and they compose concentration so you must have developed
38:19
cultivated morality shield in order to develop proper right concentration
38:27
and you need the right concentration to develop wisdom so in the wisdom part contains the right
38:35
understanding and right intention so if you if you are building a house
38:40
you have to put the foundation first seal modality then we have to build the
38:47
walls concentration and then finally we have to put the roof
38:53
on so if we try to retrace try to put the roof on without the foundation or or
39:00
walls is not going to happen and you have to gradually build up the morality the concentration and wisdom
39:08
and that eight are really not independent they are interrelated they are all inter related so see
39:15
all three are interrelated and let us go on to the first right View
39:22
samadhi and the this is really the clear understanding correct understanding of
39:30
all the physical and mental phenomena that we experience and there are two
39:35
types of writing the first type of Right View is to have some understanding of
39:41
karma that if we do good it will lead to good results if we do bad it will due to
39:48
bad results so really to go on to the correct understanding of the the right
39:54
the Four Noble Truth first one need to develop this type of right to you if you
39:59
don't believe in in karma there is nothing all good nothing all bad and there are 10 types of uh wrong leaves
40:07
then then it's difficult to go on to the next try to be which is the correct understanding of the phone number not
40:15
the complete understanding in at this stage in the right way some
40:20
understanding because the complete understanding of the four noble which happens only when you become enlightened
40:27
and become another hand so at this stage see it's really one when one develops
40:32
the right to be one has attained the first stage and that is
40:41
and the second Noble Truth the the noble hateful path factor is right in tension
40:47
right thought right thinking and this happens because you have a right to be
40:52
good understanding and the Buddha has described right three types of good intention right intention
41:00
the right intention of renunciation and that is the
41:07
getting rid of bad thought of sensual pressures so instead of wishing for sensual
41:13
pressures you let go and that is thinking of renunciation the second type
41:20
of in good intention is Good Will so instead of ill will hatred anger you
41:28
develop feelings of meta loving Communists good intentions
41:33
and the third type of right intention is harmlessness and that is instead of Cruelty due
41:40
develop compassion karuna so there are three types of right intention intention
41:46
of renunciation intention of good bill and intention of
41:52
harmlessness the third factor of the normal 84 part
41:58
is Right speech and these are all dry speech remember is
42:03
in Morality and there are four aspects to write speech the first one abstinent
42:10
from false speech or telling lies and that means telling the truth second
42:16
abstinent from malicious talked backbiting device is slander stock and
42:22
that means using harmonious reuniting uniting type of speech
42:28
third abstinence from harsh blameful hearseful pitch and that is using
42:34
Pleasant speech Pleasant speech and the fourth type is abstinent from Gossip
42:40
when talk Idol chatter and that is engaging in only useful talks so there
42:46
are four aspects to right speech abstinent from telling lies abstinent
42:52
from malicious backbiting dividing talk
42:57
hurtful speech and abstinent from Gossip Idol chatter veinto four types of Christ
43:04
speech let us go to right action the next one
43:09
in the right action there are three aspects first one abstinent from killing
43:14
any living beings abstain and from stealing taking what is
43:19
not given the word doesn't belong to oneself an accident from any type of
43:25
sexual misconduct so there were four aspects to uh
43:32
Christ speech and three aspects to the right action
43:39
and then write livelihood the next Factor this is really an honest ethical
43:46
livelihood making and a once living causing no harm directly or indirectly
43:53
anyone else and Buddha has kind of mentioned five traits that we should
44:00
avoid if one is to follow a right livelihood and that is trading in human
44:05
beings trading in animals trading in arms and weapons
44:11
trading in and intoxicants alcohol illustri drugs and trading in poisons
44:17
and would they describe this for you as not right kind of livelihood
44:25
and the next one is right effort and the effort really is needed to
44:32
provide the energy to even to maintain the other seven factors and Buddha has described four aspects of
44:39
effort the first one should put effort to make sure that
44:45
unhaul some things don't develop either physical or mental
44:50
and the second type of effort is if one has developed opinion wholesome things
44:56
get rid of it you have to put effort to get rid of them third aspect
45:02
is to try to develop wholesome mental and physical States wholesome things skillful
45:08
and the right type the fourth one is if we have developed certain wholesome
45:13
things try to improve them cultivate them so there are four types of efforts
45:20
and the seventh factor of the Nobel Eightfold Path is the right mindfulness
45:25
Sati and this is really becoming aware becoming fully aware from moment to
45:32
moment what happens from moment to moment any thoughts any emotions any feelings
45:38
in the present non-judgmentally not craving not rejecting with equanimity
45:45
and Buddha has described the the practice of the mindfulness in a discourse called and
45:52
hopefully in the future we are going to be talking about it in these five details but basically in the in the
45:59
mindfulness meditation Buddha has advised to be mindfulness on our body
46:07
physical body and that's called kayanupasana be mindful of our feelings as they
46:15
happen as we experience them and that's called vedana
46:20
be mindful be aware of our mind States from moment to moment that's called
46:25
chitana prasanna and then the fourth one is contemplation of the mind of this whatever comes to
46:32
mind the objects be aware of them there are four aspects to the mindfulness training
46:39
and the eighth is Right concentration
46:45
and this is really the the developing one-pointedness of the Mind
46:51
and uh you you you put your attention on one object in in Buddhist literature
46:57
there are 40 meditation objects that one can use to develop concentration again we will be talking about them in detail
47:05
in the future and the right concentration has to be wholesome not any concentration not any
47:11
contribution remember if if if a cat wants to get off a kill the mouse the
47:17
cat has to maintain full concentration but that is not wholesome concentration
47:23
if the people that wants to steal a bag in the bus or train the big pot has to
47:28
maintain very good concentration on the on the on the victim but that's not
47:34
wholesome concentration and here Buddha is talking about concentration on wholesome objects also like meta karuna
47:42
you know compassion and even one's own breath and when you develop concentration
47:50
then what happens is there are certain mental defilements called mental
47:55
hindrances Winters and they get suppressed they get
48:01
processes and what are they these are the five mental hindrances so so
48:06
whenever they sit down to meditate any type of meditation these five come and
48:13
trouble us sensual desires anything that anything pleasant we have
48:19
experienced through the eye through the ear through the North through the tongue through the body anything that comes to
48:25
our mind that disturb our meditation feelings of ill will hatred anger will
48:30
come we become lazy sleepy yeah again they
48:39
will disturb then the the Mind become Restless mental restlessness and remorse
48:46
every anything that we have anything bad we have done will come back to our mind
48:52
any good thing that we have not done we will regret about them so they will come and disturb our mind
48:58
and then all sort of doubts will appear doubt about the Buddha the Buddha's
49:03
teaching I am I practicing the right technique I am am I the right person to
49:09
meditate you know also is my teacher a good teacher all sort of doubts will come
49:14
so when we develop the concentration of the Mind these five will get suppressed
49:22
and when they get suppressed and as a concentration develops we develop what
49:28
are called absorption States and therefore janas Janus and there are four
49:33
genres that Buddha has mentioned under the form the noble Eightfold part we'll
49:38
talk them about them in the future but just remember there are four janas first
49:43
John or second third and fourth and this concentration of Mind really is
49:51
essential to practice mind the the wisdom inside
49:57
meditation the vipassana concentrating on the Anita
50:03
and it is the meditation on the impermanence The Suffering and the
50:10
absence of the Soul those are the three things that we need to finally realize
50:15
but to meditate on them we need a good well concentrated mind
50:23
foreign
50:29
if you talk about Kama it's about cause and effect if you talk about rebirth is
50:35
cause and effect if you talk about dependent origination is cause and effect and you can see that
50:41
among the the Four Noble Truth says now if you take the first pair remember
50:46
the first Noble Truth is suffering the second Noble Truth is the cause of
50:52
suffering so it's this here it is depicted in a river sword so the second truth is the
50:59
cause the craving and the result effect is suffering so
51:05
cause and effect then if you take the third and fourth troops the third truth is the
51:11
eradication of suffering and the fourth truth is the noble Eightfold Path so
51:16
nobody late for past is the cause and the nibban is the result
51:21
so again there are two pairs of course and effect within the Four Noble Truths
51:30
now we can compare the phone number to really to seen a doctor
51:36
every day when we feel ill when we are not well
51:42
we go to the doctor and the doctor examine us take the history all the details and the doctor
51:49
says okay yeah you got this you got an illness number one truth
51:55
there is a problem and then the doctor investigates blood test urine tests x-rays scans yeah
52:04
and that and discuss the cause for the illness the second truth
52:10
and the doctor says yes this if he can remove this course you will get better
52:16
third truth and then the doctor gives a prescription do this do that take this take that so
52:24
the fourth truth so an a problem first truth
52:30
cause of the problem second truth if the course is removed the problem is removed
52:36
third truth and there is a there's something to done to be done to get rid
52:42
of the problem for truth so it's just like going to the doctors but the problem is that the first thing is the
52:52
first truth we have to accept that we are ill that I have a problem
52:57
and a lot of people don't recognize that there is suffering
53:02
and the second is even if you accept that you have a problem you are not
53:07
interested in find out finding out what caused the problem
53:12
and the third is even if you if you are tall that if
53:18
you do this you can get rid of it you don't do what you are told so we can
53:24
we can we can learn we can memorize the Buddha's teaching the
53:29
most part but unless we practice the prescription
53:35
we are given we will not attain newborn or get rid of suffering
53:41
and Buddha said in one of these discourses in the sanghithanikai OR monks
53:46
it is because we didn't understand the Four Noble Truths that we have come all
53:53
this way suffering from birth to birth to birth to birth both you and I
54:00
so the main reason for our existence in this suffering and the samsad is really
54:07
not realizing the Four Noble Truths and Buddha said how should we put effort
54:15
into realizing that Buddha said as if one's head is on fire
54:20
as if one's cloth Sound fire yeah just imagine if my head is on fire
54:27
yeah would I say I am tired I want to rest I want to have a rest before I get
54:32
rid of the fire would I say I am hungry I will eat something before I put out the fire
54:38
I am thirsty I will have a drink before I get into the fire I'll have to wait for your wife for my
54:44
children to come to get rid of now you forget everything else and put out the fun
54:50
and the same way if we realize that there is suffering and we want to get
54:55
rid of the suffering we will not postpone it yeah we won't say I will do it when I
55:02
finish work when I retire I will do it when my children grow up I
55:09
will do it when my children are educated then married yeah or postpone you know Buddha says as
55:16
if you had this on fire as if your Crow sound fine yeah do it
55:22
now do it now thank you I think I'll stop

 

    Tenth teaching

0:00
so today I hope to talk about uh how the
0:05
Buddha's teaching has survived now it's exactly
0:11
2565 years since the Buddha's death
0:17
and Buddha's teaching has survived all this time and I am going to have a look at how it
0:25
managed to survive I'm I'm talking from the uh
0:31
perspective of course and this was mainly done through
0:37
Buddhist councils Buddhist councils are sort of convention
0:42
so Assemblies of buddhisms and there has been a number of Buddhist
0:50
Council which is recorded in the therawada Buddhist literature starting from three months after the Buddha's
0:57
death and right up to 65 years ago the last
1:02
one was in 1956 so let us see
1:09
what the Buddhist council is now a Buddhist council is a kind of
1:15
large assembly of senior monks convention conference
1:21
and they are specially chosen
1:27
to participate in the Buddhist Council not only because they happen to be senior monks but they are proficient in
1:36
all aspects of the Buddha's teaching and at least during the first few
1:44
Buddhist councils most of the monks who are participating were enlightened monks
1:50
so and the numbers have varied from the first one first Buddhist Council had 500
1:58
or 100 months and the last one in 1956 has 2500 months
2:06
so the numbers have varied from between 500 to 2500 and usually a Buddhist council is
2:14
sponsored by a king at least the first five Buddhist comes
2:21
they will come to discuss that it because when there is a royal Patron
2:28
it has acceptability status dignity for the Buddhist Council
2:36
and not only that to hold a Buddhist council is extremely expensive you have
2:42
to have say between 500 to 2 500 months staying together in one place
2:49
from about let us say six months to up to two to three years
2:55
and you have to find accommodation you have to find conference Halls you have
3:01
to provide food and all the requests requisites of the the Buddhist monks for
3:07
so long so it most of the Buddhist councils had a king as a sponsor for
3:14
this Buddhist Council and when they decide to have a Buddhist
3:20
councils it's because there has been certain issues certain issues with regard to the
3:27
Buddha's teaching certain issues with regard to the disciplined rules of the monks and nuns
3:34
or certain issues regarding the Buddhist texts so when there has been a serious
3:40
issue which threatened the survival of the Buddha staging the the senior
3:45
amongst decide to hold the Buddhist Council
3:52
and the whole Central purpose of a Buddhist council is to really make sure
3:59
that the Buddha's teaching is preserved in a pure form for the benefit of the
4:05
the future Generations so when the monks assemble in a Buddhist
4:11
Council first they will recite the whole of the Buddhist text
4:17
and they will discuss the Buddha's teaching and if there are any disagreements they
4:23
will discuss and debate and agree on a final
4:28
text of the Buddhas teaching and once they have agreed on a text they
4:35
will recite it again and then decide how can we maintain this
4:40
either in the in the past it does maintained through oral tradition and then of course of course of course it
4:47
was written down so let us go
4:59
so during the last uh 26th centuries also there has been six
5:06
Buddhist councils recorded in the therawada Buddhist literature
5:12
and the first Buddhist Council was held in India in 483 BC that was just three
5:19
months after the Buddha's death there was a second Buddhist Council held
5:24
again in India in around 383 BC that was
5:29
100 years after the Buddha's death then there was a third Buddhist Council
5:34
again in India around 250 BC
5:40
the fourth Buddhist Council was held in Shalon now Sri Lanka in the first
5:46
century BC uh there is there has been another fourth uh Buddhist Council held in India
5:54
which is not recorded in the theorem of the literature but I believe it is recorded in the Mahayana literature I'll
6:01
briefly mention about it uh later on and then a fifth Buddhist Council was
6:08
held in Burma Myanmar that was in 1871
6:15
and the last Buddhist Council the sixth one was held again in Burma in Rangoon
6:20
in ninth it went on for two years from 1954 to 1956 so there has been uh six
6:29
Buddhist countries recorded in the therawada Buddhist literature uh let us
6:37
so let us talk about the first Buddhist Council now Buddha passed away in 483 on the
6:46
full moon day of May and one of his senior most arhant monks
6:55
called kashipur as you remember the the tomb Chief disciples
7:01
had already passed away was residing in a jungle Monastery and
7:09
he was coming to attend the Buddha's funeral and on his way he overheard among
7:19
called subada subada was he became a monk in his old age didn't like the
7:26
Buddha's disciplinary rules so when the monks who were not enlightened kept crying waiting and
7:34
wailing about the Buddha's death this
7:41
told them look here don't cry be happy be happy when this big man was here he
7:49
used to tell us to do this don't do that we were not allowed to do what we can do
7:55
we we want to do now and now that he's gone we can behave whichever way
8:01
possible we can do things we want we don't want to if we don't want to do
8:07
things we don't have to do so don't be happy don't worry and this
8:12
all heard this conversation and he got alarmed my God now the is
8:19
still the funeral has not been held yet and even before the funeral if this is
8:26
what some Buddhist monks are saying what will happen in the future so after the Buddha's funeral he spoke
8:34
to several other monks arhand monks about his concern and they all agreed that we need to get
8:41
together as soon as possible go through the whole of Buddha's teaching
8:46
agree on the teaching and the disciplinary rules so that we can
8:53
maintain them for the future so uh they decided to have the first
9:00
Buddhist conference three months after the Buddha's death and it was decided that it is better if
9:08
the council was attended only by enlightened monks who had Direct contact with the Buddha
9:14
so they tossed 500 other hunt months and at that time vulnerable Anand who
9:22
was the the Buddha's Chief attendant had attained only shot upon he was not an
9:27
argument so they encouraged him to work hard and become an arhand and in fact he became
9:34
our hunt on the eve of the the Buddhist Council
9:39
so the Buddhist Council of cell the first one three months after the Buddha's death attended by 500 other
9:47
hand monks including
9:53
was the senior most surviving disciple at that time
9:59
so he was rather sort of considered as the father figure at that time
10:04
and they spoke to King ajasat he was the ruler by then if you remember
10:12
he's the one who killed his father bimbisar and became the king
10:17
so the monks spoke to King adasa then he agreed to sponsor the Buddhist Council
10:25
and the Buddhist Council was held in rajkiri which is in Bihar
10:34
this is the Bihar district and as you can see this is about Kaya this is vodka
10:42
and this is Patna that's the main city of Bihar and this is nalanda where the
10:50
nalanda the famous Nala and the university is situated and rajgiri is
10:59
and they tossed a cave called saptapanaike this this is in rajkiri and it is still
11:07
there I I was there two years ago so they decided to hold the
11:12
the first Buddhist Council in this in this cave
11:19
and uh he built a conference Hall which can
11:26
accommodate the the 500 or 100 months and it was presided by arahant car
11:32
shipper and of course attended by the 500 arahan monks including arahant
11:38
Ananda and upale I I talked about them later on and it went on for seven months
11:45
so three months after the Buddha's death attended by 500 arahan months held in
11:52
satapani Rock cave in rajgiri and sponsored by King adasa and it went on
12:00
for seven months so let us see what happened
12:06
in the first Buddhist Council now being the president of the council
12:12
was the questioning and he would question
12:20
he was an expert on all the Buddha's disciplinary rules which he had directly
12:26
heard from the Buddha himself so the the in the beginning of the Buddhist Council Iran rupali
12:34
about all the disciplinary rules that the Buddha has made and it is said that you know Buddha
12:40
survived for 45 years and during the first 20 years the Buddha Deen may have to make any disciplinary
12:47
rules at all because all the monks are well behaved and it's only during the the latter
12:54
Parts the 25 years the some monks started misbehaving so each time among
13:00
misbehaved Buddha would make a disciplinary rules and that's how the disciplinary rules were made I believe
13:07
so venerable upali recited all the disciplinary rules
13:12
and then questions around Anand
13:18
who was the chief disciple of Buddha for 25 years and he had a fantastic memory
13:25
remembers all of the Buddha's discourses and we are talking about nearly 18 000
13:31
discourses he remembered them in his memory questions
13:40
recited all the discourses and both the the disciplinary rules and
13:46
the discourses were discussed by the 500 arahan months and there was unanimous
13:52
agreement by all 500 of them that it was authentic genuine
13:59
teaching of the Buddha and then they uh recorded they coded and
14:05
arranged the disciplinary rules and discourses and there is a question about with the
14:12
abidamma the Buddha's higher teaching was discussed or not there's no record as such but there are
14:20
some Scholars who say that probably it may have been discussed but not in in full
14:25
so what happened after the the first Buddhist councils
14:32
so they they coded all the disciplinary rules and put them into five groups and
14:42
as I said before there are 227 disciplinary rules for Buddhist monks
14:47
and 311 rules of Buddhist nouns and they've all divided into five groups
14:54
called paraji kapali the major offenses
15:00
then the greater section and there was a summer in the fifth book
15:07
is summary and pacification it's all available online if one is interested in Reading
15:13
and then they recorded all the discourses uh it comes to nearly eight some Seven
15:20
Seventeen thousand plus or nearly eighteen thousand if the vast majority of the discourses are delivered by the
15:27
Buddha himself but in the in the South there are some discourses which are delivered by senior
15:34
homes like Sarika and the discourses were divided into uh
15:42
five collections called nikayas all the long discourses put into one
15:49
collection called there are 34 discourses and the middle length discourses there
15:55
were 152 they were called a collection of middle length Machi manikaya
16:01
then all the connected discourses were put into uh there was over 7000 discourses there
16:11
and there were discourses which are numerous connected I mentioned it last time also they are putting into
16:18
anguthanikai over 9000 discourses and all the remaining ones the minor
16:23
discourses were put together in a collection called and there are 15 books
16:34
so at that time obviously there were no facilities to to record the Buddha's
16:41
teaching so what they did at the first Buddhist Council was they agreed to
16:47
memorize them and maintain them through oral tradition from teacher to people
16:54
teacher to people like that expert so he undertook to maintain the
17:02
vineyapitica discipline rules he and his disciples the long discourses they were allocated
17:10
to arhand Ananda and his disciples middle and discourses were allocated to
17:18
saripota's disciples has already passed away as you know and
17:24
the connected discourses allocated to around gossip and his disciples
17:30
[Music] his disciples and the the last one were
17:38
distributed among all the groups and they agreed to memorize and maintain
17:43
through a oral tradition and that is how the Buddha's teaching was maintained
17:48
till about the fourth Buddhist Council we'll talk about it and then we will go on to the second
17:56
Buddhist Council now the Buddha passed away and Buddha
18:01
did not appoint a successor and the Buddhist monks are all isolated
18:07
living in different parts of India there was no communication among them
18:13
and some monks told the Buddhas discipline rules to rigid and they need
18:19
to be kind of interpreted differently or modernized so what happened Rose
18:25
in certain parts of India some monks started making some liberal discipline rules to
18:32
switch to suit their needs and in the area for vaisali again in
18:39
Margate they have a group of monks not a small
18:45
group they say up to about 10 000 they they change some rules
18:50
of the Buddha and especially ten rules and followed them
18:57
and called yasu arahant visited this area and when he came to know that these
19:04
monks have changed the Buddha's rules he was alarmed he was alone and he advised
19:10
them not to do so and they they then they tried to bribe him in fact and he
19:16
refused to accept the bribe and managed to go and talk to other seniors
19:22
uh that the Buddha's discipline rules have been differently interpreted and we
19:30
need to do something about it so they agreed to have another Buddhist Council and that was uh 100 years after the
19:38
Buddhas person and during that time the King was called King khala Ashoka and he
19:45
agreed to sponsor the Buddhist Council and the senior most monk at that time
19:51
was called vulnerable and it was attended by 700 or 100 months
20:00
and was held in vaishali it was also in Bihar called place called valkarama
20:09
and if you remember this is samya here is both Gaya and this is Patna
20:18
so Raj Kiri we are the first Buddhist Council was held with samya here and
20:23
this is vaishali so the second Buddhist Council was held in in vaishadhi
20:29
uh and it went on for eight months
20:35
eight months let us see what happened
20:42
so venerable Rave at the being the senior most uh monk at that time he
20:47
presided the Buddhist Council and another senior most uh monk was
20:54
vulnerable mind you the there was seven or eight
20:59
arhant months who had actually seen the Buddha even though the the second
21:04
Buddhist Council was held 100 years after the Buddha state the so they have they must have been about uh 120 140
21:13
years old some of this uh senior months so
21:19
questions about all the disciplinary rules
21:24
and they appointed a committee of senior arohans Committee of eight to listen to
21:31
the questions and answers and to decide whether those 10 rules
21:37
which have been practiced by that split group whether they were according to the
21:43
Buddhas rules or not so the committee of the eight months they decided unanimously that no those
21:51
10 rules were against the Buddha's rules and they were unorthodox
21:56
and so they decided unanimously that they should continue to follow the Buddhas rules as the Buddha formulated
22:02
them the problem was the majority of the the group that big group called they
22:11
rejected they rejected this and it says that this is a sort of first split in
22:18
the Buddhist monastic community and the the the Buddhist Community which was
22:25
kind of uh United until then split into two groups uh the the bigger group
22:33
called Maha sanghikas they split and the stiviravadis the orthodoxments who can
22:41
who decided to continue with the Buddha's original rules uh they they
22:46
became a separate group and the Maha sanghikas the the split the
22:51
group they held another Council called great Council sometime later attended by 10 000
22:58
amongst it seems so that was the second Buddhist Council
23:05
let us go on to the third Buddhist Council now in the third Century before Christ
23:13
King Ashoka became the king and he was a ruthless cruelty
23:22
in fact it is said that he had 100 Brothers and he killed 99 Brothers sparing only
23:30
his own brother by his own mother to avoid any future threats to his
23:36
kingdom and then again he went he to war with so
23:42
many kingdoms and after the final war which is called a calling
23:47
in which over one hundred thousand people of massacred and after this war
23:54
King Ashoka started feeling remorse is it worth it what did I do what are the
24:00
effects on me and things like that and then there was a chance uh encounter
24:06
with a very young monk or negro that and he listened to a sermon by this very
24:13
young monk negro the and became a Buddhist he became a Buddhist and at that time
24:21
the senior most monk was called
24:27
and the King now built he became a Buddhist he made the
24:34
Buddhism the state religion and he built 84 000 temples and stupas I
24:41
believe and and was very generous in providing temples and the food and all the
24:48
requests for the monks and but there was a problem because of
24:54
the king's generosity towards the Buddhist ones all the other Aesthetics lost out
25:00
so what they did was they also put rocks and they also became Buddhist monks they
25:07
didn't know the Buddha's teaching they did not practice the Buddha's teaching and as a result the Buddha's teaching
25:15
and the discipline rules deteriorated they also declined and the senior amongst refused to participate in any
25:21
religious rights so mixed with these people and then the King was advised by this
25:31
that there needs to be another Buddhist Council so that is how the third
25:36
Buddhist Council was held and it was about 250 years before Christ
25:43
and it was held in a place called Ashoka Rama in partaliputra and that is the
25:50
president Patna it was held somewhere here somewhere here and this is actually this
25:58
is a mural uh in the temple in sravasti about the third Buddhist Council and
26:05
this is supposed to be uh representing uh King Ashoka
26:10
and this is who was presiding at the third Buddhist
26:17
Council so it was attempted by one thousand or
26:23
hunbangs and it went on for nine months so the third Buddhist Council sponsored
26:30
by King Ashoka held 250 years before Christ
26:36
it was held in partly Putra which is Patna presided by arahatma this attended
26:45
attended by around amongst thousands and it won it went on for nine months
26:52
nine months um so in the third Buddhist Council uh they
26:59
went through all the the discourses and the disciplinary rules
27:04
and a special feature of this Buddhist Council was that this it says that they
27:10
went through the Hall of abhidham as well the Buddha's higher teaching and they coded the the abidam higher
27:17
teachings into seven books uh this is called dhamma sangani
27:25
in fact the fifth book is nothing to do with avidham what uh
27:32
did was he this he he recorded all the the
27:38
the discussions and debates that took part in the Buddhist Council and in this
27:44
in this book called but it was included in uh in the
27:50
abhidham so there are seven books of abhidham of which the fifth book is the khatta
27:59
now one important thing happened after the third Council because King Ashok decided to spread the Buddhism
28:07
and before that while this Buddhist conference was going
28:13
on King Ashoka himself learned Buddhist Buddhist teaching from our hands especially from this so he had some idea
28:22
about the Buddha's teaching and disciplinary rules and after the the Buddhist Council he
28:28
interviewed uh this bogus monks and he managed to uh pick 60 000 bogus months
28:36
and chase them out of the the buddhasana and then the king decided to send
28:43
Buddhist missionaries to nine countries in and around India
28:56
and his daughter sangamita who was also a narahant and she went to Sri Lanka
29:02
following his brothers we see and she took a branch of the the body tree
29:09
and which was planted in anuradhapura the capital of the country at that time
29:15
and uh and the body both the tree still exists and is supposed to be the oldest
29:23
recorded tree in the world and some of you who may have visited Sri
29:29
Lanka may have visited the Bodhi Tree in anuradhapur
29:35
now let us go to the fourth Buddhist Council
29:40
now uh there was a lot of Innovations by South
29:47
Indian Kings into Ceylon at that time and then there was a king called
29:54
walagambahu yeah he just became a king and the country was invaded by South Indian
30:01
Kings and he had to flee and hide in the jungle for nearly 14 hours 14 years and
30:09
during this Invasion so obviously they destroyed Buddhist temples Buddhist books and chased Buddhist Banks out of
30:16
the anuradh Pura and other areas so there was a serious decline in Buddhism
30:23
and with his teaching and the practice and at the same time there was a famine
30:29
a severe feminine surround and it lasted 12 years 12 years
30:34
and the people died in fact thousands and thousands of Buddhist monsters
30:40
in in one place called maharama in the down south ten thousand
30:46
Buddhist monks died of starvation and some some monks managed to escape to
30:52
South India and survive and the other monks they were surviving on just roots
30:58
and leaves from trees living in Jungle
31:04
but still they were practicing they were remembering and memorizing the Buddha
31:10
staging remember still the Buddha's teaching is maintained right from the first Buddhist Council three months
31:16
after the Buddhas passed away until this fourth Buddhist Council which was held uh in the first century BC so for that
31:25
three or four centuries the Buddha's teaching was maintained through oral tradition by the monks memorizing them
31:33
and then passing On to the Next Generation so because thousands of Buddhist monks
31:38
died in this severe famine there was a serious concern that if Buddhist banks
31:44
are going to die at this scale would they be able to maintain the Buddhist teaching in oral tradition
31:51
and so two reasons one was the decline in the Buddha's teaching and practice
31:56
and the second reason the the the famine cause in so many deaths and the concern
32:02
about the ability to maintain the Buddhist Buddha's teaching in oral
32:07
tradition so they decided to have the fourth Buddhist Council and that was held in 85 before Christ in
32:16
the first century and it was held in a place called matali
32:25
this is Sri Lanka this is kalamu
32:31
and somewhere here is anuradhapura we are the both the trees there and Candy
32:37
should be somewhere here they are they are the Buddha's Relic is enshrine and
32:43
this is matali that small town called matali and there's a natural cave Temple
32:51
there the scale it's called Aloo vihar at that time it's called our local and
32:58
they chose to have the fourth Buddhist conference in this place and it is still preserved I I was the two yeah two years
33:06
ago I was there and uh ALU vihar
33:11
so and it was ended by 500 Buddhist monks
33:17
and the senior most monk was called maharakita and it went on for three years so the
33:25
fourth Buddhist Council this is the Buddhist Council held in Sri Lanka I'll talk about another one in
33:31
Ceylon held in 85 BC sponsored by King valagam Bahu presided by venerable Maha
33:39
rakhita and attended by 500 Buddhist monks and it went on for three years
33:45
let us see what so they've the the 500 monks they went
33:52
through the whole of the tripitaka Pali tripitaka and they agreed on the on the
33:59
Purity in fact what they before the Buddhist Council what they did was remember some monks escaped South India
34:07
during the famine and the rest of the monks lived in the jungles so when the
34:12
monks from who had escaped to India came back the the two parties got together to
34:18
see whether through starvation and hunger whether the Buddhist monks who
34:24
remain in Sri Lanka has spoken some of the teaching that they had memorized and when they compare they found that no
34:30
they haven't they were the the two versions were exactly the same
34:36
so they agreed at the Buddhist Council of the the purity of the Buddhist teaching and now they decided now it is
34:44
high time that we start recording the Buddha's teaching so a decision was made
34:49
that the fourth Converse Council to record and it was recorded on Palm leaves and
34:57
in that our local Learner in in in mathura so when they were recorded then
35:03
the copies were sent to Vermont Island Cambodia and Laos places like that
35:10
now as I remember I mentioned about uh possible another fourth Buddhist Council this is not recorded I believe in the
35:17
theater but in Mahayana tradition and this was held in Kashmir in India
35:23
around 78 uh Christian era so in the
35:28
first century sponsored by King kanishka and it has
35:34
gone on for 12 years the purpose uh was to uh write a commentary on
35:42
abhidham and at that time the the main tradition I believe was called
35:47
sarvastativada so there were 500 monks
35:53
and they were headed by vasamitramank who was who presided
35:58
and astragosa was the deputy and that Buddhist Council and they make a
36:07
commentary on navidamma and recorded abhidham in Sanskrit I believe so that
36:12
was a second fourth Buddhist Council
36:18
now the fifth Buddhist Council now
36:23
this happened in the 19th century in Burma
36:30
as you know the Burma was invaded by the British in I think 1820s in 1820s
36:39
and Buddhism suffered a lot and the Buddhist practice declined and
36:47
there was a concern about Buddha's teaching and the text
36:53
and uh again there was concern about uh the continue of the Buddhist texts
37:00
because you remember the Buddhist texts are written on Palm leaves in Sri Lanka at the fourth Buddhist Council and now
37:06
it has nearly 2 000 years since they were recorded on the palm views so there
37:12
was some concern about the continuity uh long-term continuity of the the teaching
37:18
in pound Palm leaves and at that time the King was King
37:24
Minden and he got an idea he thought let us get
37:29
amongst into one place go through the Buddha's teaching agree on
37:36
Buddha stage in the Purity and write them down on marble on marble slabs so
37:43
that they will last forever yeah so in 1871 the fifth Buddhist Council
37:51
was held in Mandalay please call Mandalay so this is the
37:58
Burma called China here India Bangladesh Thailand Laos all around and this is
38:06
Burma and this is the capital Miami of Rangoon is somewhere here and this is
38:11
Mandalay and I come back to these two pass
38:17
later on so and by that time it has been 2 400
38:28
years since the death of the Buddha so they decided let us collect 2 400
38:35
months and it was presided by a senior monk
38:41
called jagara and it went on for five months actually
38:46
the five months was just the Buddhist Council but it took three years to write down the Buddha's teaching on marble
38:54
they started in 1868 and completed in
38:59
1871. so the fifth Buddhist Council held in Mandalay in Burma
39:04
in 1871 sponsored by King Minden decided
39:10
by vulnerable jagarabians and it was attended by 2400 Buddhist
39:17
monks and it continued for five months five months let us see what happens
39:32
so what happened at the the fifth Buddhist Council the 2 400 months they
39:39
went through the whole of the tripitakat they recited
39:44
and they all agreed that there was some corrections that need to be done but
39:49
they approved on a final true version and as the King has already made
39:56
arrangements they it has been already going on uh the whole of the tripitak was engraved
40:04
on marble slabs and these slabs were quite big they were
40:11
kind of five and a half feet uh tone three and a half feet wide and five
40:19
inches thick and on each side of the The Marble Slab there there will be between 80 to 100
40:27
lines written down and it took three years to complete
40:32
and let us go back and each slab
40:40
is contained in in each of these two bars it's still there in mandalia I haven't
40:48
been to Burma but if any of you have been to Burma you may have a statement delay I'm seeing it so the there are
40:57
730 marble slabs on 729 slap that's
41:02
repeat okay is written down and on the last lab there's a description of the
41:08
Buddhist Council and what happened so all together there are 730 marble slabs
41:13
and each slab is enshrined in this stupas
41:19
to the bus okay then we will go on to the sixth
41:28
Buddhist Council now this happens in
41:34
class Center and there was some concern serious
41:39
concern because the British had ruled Burma from
41:44
1820s till 1948 and Buddhism suffered a lot
41:50
and there was concerned about the deterioration decline in the Buddhist practice and the negative effects of the
41:57
British Invasion at that time the Prime Minister was Uno and the Prime Minister
42:03
and the cabinet decided that we should have a Buddhist Council
42:09
to collect a number of Buddhist monks together go through the tripitaka and
42:15
then also they had a purpose another purpose they thought if we we could maybe start spreading the Buddhism
42:23
Westward as well now this is the only time that was sponsored not sponsored by a ruler
42:30
working is sponsored by the government and
42:36
it went on for two years from 1954 it started on the uh
42:42
full moon in May 1954 and concluded on the full moon day
42:50
of the May in 1956 for two years and by in 1956 was the is 2500 years
42:59
since the Buddha's death so they decided to invite 2500 monks
43:05
and and they just uh place in Rangoon this time the the
43:12
fifth turn was in Mandalay let us see whether we can
43:20
yeah so the the Prime Minister yunu and the
43:27
government they've built a peace Pagoda this is the peace Pagoda it's called
43:32
kabaya Pagoda in my this was built in 1952 and then they decided to build a cave
43:41
Temple remember the very first Buddhist Council was held in rajgiri in satta
43:47
funny cave and the government decided to build an artificial cave very similar to the
43:55
satapandike this one and this was built from 1952 it was
44:02
completed in 1954 and there was there were holes recommended 10 000 people it
44:09
seemed so quite a big undertaking
44:15
all right so so the six Buddhist councils was held in
44:22
Yangon in Burma sponsored by the Burmese government and it was presided by one of the very
44:30
senior months called mahasi Sai Dao I'll talk about him again so attended by 2500
44:36
Buddhism from eight countries and like Burma Salon
44:42
India Nepal Thailand Cambodia Laos Vietnam and uh they also invited some Mahayana
44:52
monks and also representatives from mahayan Buddhist countries so out of the six Buddhist Council this is the only
44:59
International Buddhist Council so remember the first Buddhist Council was held in India only Indian monks second
45:06
in India Buddhist monks only Indian monks third one was held in India only Indian monks
45:13
fourth one was in Ceylon only attended by Sri Lankan monks fifth one was in
45:21
Burma only attended by Burmese monks but the sixth Buddhist sponsor became a
45:27
truly International Buddhist conference attended by 2500 monks from these eight
45:32
countries and it went on for two years two years
45:37
let us see
45:44
right so Maha is
45:49
the president and he started he is the one who is to ask questions
45:55
and they chose vulnerable I talked about him later quite a
46:03
character and he provided the answers to all the therapeutic questions
46:08
and there was some editing has to be done because they found that the the tripitaka the teaching that was engraved
46:16
on the marble slab there were some mistakes so they had to correct them as well
46:21
and they approved on the final version of the critical they recited it
46:27
and uh and they decided that after this conference they will actually be printed
46:34
so remember after the fourth Buddhist Council in shillon they were written on Palm leaves and
46:42
after the sixth Buddhist Council in 1956 for the first time it seemed that
46:47
tripitaka was printed in book form and they were also translated into eight
46:53
languages let me see now remember I I said the six six Buddhist
47:00
counselor was presided by mahasis now mahasa side of
47:06
is a meditation Master he he he he he brought meditation to the West as
47:15
well and uh this mingled shadow
47:22
he was chosen to answer all the questions on tripitaker because he knew
47:30
the whole of tripitaka by memory he had memorized the whole of TripIt
47:37
again and can you imagine the whole of tripita this is 16 000 Pages 16 000
47:44
Pages he name it word by word line by learn line Page by Page and he narrated
47:52
the whole of that in this six Buddhist Council and if you check
47:58
he is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records in 1985
48:05
as the record holder for human memory so quite quite the quite a figure
48:13
so I think I have come to the end so so six
48:20
Buddhist councils first one three months after the Buddha's death
48:26
held in India second Buddhist Council
48:32
helds 100 years after the Buddha's death in vaishali third Buddhist Council was
48:40
held in 250 BC in Patna
48:46
fourth Buddhist Council held in salon in first century BC
48:52
fifth Buddhist Council was held in Mandalay Burma 1871.
48:58
and the last Buddhist Council was held in 1956 in Yangon Burma
49:05
thank you

 

( 3 )

Addendum

For further knowledge please visit this web page of follow the links below
https://drarisworld.wordpress.com/

THERAVADA BUDDHISM

 

( 4 )

Addendum

Anatta

In Buddhism, the term anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit) refers to the doctrine of “non-self”, that there is no unchanging, permanent self, soul or essence in phenomena. It is one of the seven beneficial perceptions in Buddhism, and one of the three marks of existence along with dukkha (suffering) and anicca (impermanence).

The Buddhist concept of anatta or anatman is one of the fundamental differences between Buddhism and Hinduism, with the latter asserting that atman (self, soul) exists.

Etymology and nomenclature

Anatta is a composite Pali word consisting of an (not, without) and attā (soul). The term refers to the central Buddhist doctrine that “there is in humans no permanent, underlying substance that can be called the soul.” It is one of the three characteristics of all existence, together with dukkha (suffering, dissatisfaction) and anicca (impermanence).

Anatta is synonymous with Anātman (an + ātman) in Sanskrit Buddhist texts. In some Pali texts, ātman of Vedic texts is also referred to with the term Attan, with the sense of soul. Alternate use of Attan or Atta is “self, oneself, essence of a person”, driven by the Vedic era Brahmanical belief that the soul is the permanent, unchangeable essence of a living being, or the true self.

In Buddhism-related English literature, Anattā is rendered as “not-Self”, but this translation expresses an incomplete meaning, states Peter Harvey; a more complete rendering is “non-Self” because from its earliest days, Anattā doctrine denies that there is anything called a ‘Self’ in any person or anything else, and that a belief in ‘Self’ is a source of Dukkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness). It is also incorrect to translate Anattā simply as “ego-less”, according to Peter Harvey, because the Indian concept of ātman and attā is different from the Freudian concept of ego.

Anatta or Anatma-vada is also referred to as the “no-soul or no-self doctrine” of Buddhism.
Self and non-self

Anattā in Early Buddhist texts

The concept of Anattā appears in numerous Sutta(Pali)/Sutra (Sanskrit) of the ancient Buddhist Nikāya texts (Pali canon). It appears, for example, as a noun in Samyutta Nikaya III.141, IV.49, V.345, in Sutta II.37 of Anguttara Nikaya, II.37–45 and II.80 of Patisambhidamagga, III.406 of Dhammapada. It also appears as an adjective, for example, in Samyutta Nikaya III.114, III.133, IV.28 and IV.130–166, in Sutta III.66 and V.86 of Vinaya.

The ancient Buddhist texts discuss Attā or Attan (soul, self), sometimes with alternate terms such as Atuman, Tuma, Puggala, Jiva, Satta, Pana and Nama-rupa, thereby providing the context for the Buddhist Anattā doctrine. Examples of such Attā contextual discussions are found in Digha Nikaya I.186-187, Samyutta Nikaya III.179 and IV.54, Vinaya I.14, Majjhima Nikaya I.138, III.19, and III.265–271 and Anguttara Nikaya I.284.

The contextual use of Attā in Nikāyas is two sided. In one, it directly denies that there is anything called a self or soul in a human being that is a permanent essence of a human being, a theme found in Brahmanical (proto-Hindu) traditions. In another, states Peter Harvey, such as at Samyutta Nikaya IV.286, the Sutta considers the materialistic concept in pre-Buddhist Vedic times of “no afterlife, complete annihilation” at death to be a denial of Self, but still “tied up with belief in a Self”. “Self exists” is a false premise, assert the early Buddhist texts. However, adds Peter Harvey, these texts do not admit the premise “Self does not exist” either because the wording presumes the concept of “Self” prior to denying it; instead, the early Buddhist texts use the concept of Anattā as the implicit premise. According to Steven Collins, the doctrine of anatta and “denial of self” in the canonical Buddhist texts is “insisted on only in certain theoretical contexts”, while they use the terms atta, purisa, puggala quite naturally and freely in various contexts. The elaboration of the anatta doctrine, along with identification of the words such as “puggala” as “permanent subject or soul” appears in later Buddhist literature.

Anatta is one of the main bedrock doctrines of Buddhism, and its discussion is found in the later texts of all Buddhist traditions. For example, the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna (~200 CE), extensively wrote about rejecting the metaphysical entity called attā or ātman (self, soul), asserting in chapter 18 of his Mūlamadhyamakakārikā that there is no such substantial entity and that “Buddha taught the doctrine of no-self”. The texts attributed to the 5th-century Buddhist philosopher Vasubandhu of the Yogachara school similarly discuss Anatta as a fundamental premise of the Buddha. The Vasubandhu interpretations of no-self thesis were challenged by the 7th-century Buddhist scholar Candrakirti, who then offered his own theories on its importance.

Existence and non-existence

Anattā (non-self, no enduring soul or essence) is the nature of all things, and this is one of the three marks of existence in Buddhism, along with Anicca (impermanence, nothing lasts) and Dukkha (suffering, unsatisfactoriness is innate in birth, aging, death, rebirth, redeath – the Saṃsāra cycle of existence). It is found in many texts of different Buddhist traditions, such as the Dhammapada – a canonical Buddhist text. Buddhism asserts with Four Noble Truths that there is a way out of this Saṃsāra.

Eternalism and annihilationism

While the concept of soul in Hinduism (as atman) and Jainism (as jiva) is taken for granted, which is different from the Buddhist concept of no-soul, each of the three religions believed in rebirth and emphasized moral responsibility in different ways in contrast to pre-Buddhist materialistic schools of Indian philosophies. The materialistic schools of Indian philosophies, such as Charvaka, are called annihilationist schools because they posited that death is the end, there is no afterlife, no soul, no rebirth, no karma, and death is that state where a living being is completely annihilated, dissolved.

Buddha criticized the materialistic annihilationism view that denied rebirth and karma, states Damien Keown. Such beliefs are inappropriate and dangerous, stated Buddha, because they encourage moral irresponsibility and material hedonism. Anatta does not mean there is no afterlife, no rebirth or no fruition of karma, and Buddhism contrasts itself to annihilationist schools. Buddhism also contrasts itself to other Indian religions that champion moral responsibility but posit eternalism with their premise that within each human being there is an essence or eternal soul, and this soul is part of the nature of a living being, existence and metaphysical reality.

Karma, rebirth and anattā

The Four planes of liberation (according to the Sutta Piṭaka)

stage’s
“fruit” abandoned
fetters rebirth(s)
until suffering’s end
stream-enterer 1. identity view (Anatman)
2. doubt in Buddha
3. ascetic or ritual rules lower
fetters up to seven rebirths in
human or heavenly realms
once-returner once more as
a human
non-returner 4. sensual desire
5. ill will once more in
a heavenly realm
(Pure Abodes)
arahant 6. material-rebirth desire
7. immaterial-rebirth desire
8. conceit
9. restlessness
10. ignorance higher
fetters no rebirth

The Buddha emphasized both karma and anatta doctrines.

The Buddha criticized the doctrine that posited an unchanging soul as a subject as the basis of rebirth and karmic moral responsibility, which he called “atthikavāda”. He also criticized the materialistic doctrine that denied the existence of both soul and rebirth, and thereby denied karmic moral responsibility, which he calls “natthikavāda”. Instead, the Buddha asserted that there is no soul, but there is rebirth for which karmic moral responsibility is a must. In the Buddha’s framework of karma, right view and right actions are necessary for liberation.

Developing the self. Buddhist Paths to liberation and Personal identity § Theories

According to Peter Harvey, while the Suttas criticize notions of an eternal, unchanging Self as baseless, they see an enlightened being as one whose empirical self is highly developed. This is paradoxical, states Harvey, in that “the Self-like nibbana state” is a mature self that knows “everything as Selfless”. The “empirical self” is the citta (mind/heart, mindset, emotional nature), and the development of self in the Suttas is the development of this citta.

One with “great self”, state the early Buddhist Suttas, has a mind which is neither at the mercy of outside stimuli nor its own moods, neither scattered nor diffused, but imbued with self-control, and self-contained towards the single goal of nibbana and a ‘Self-like’ state. This “great self” is not yet an Arahat, because he still does small evil action which leads to karmic fruition, but he has enough virtue that he does not experience this fruition in hell.

An Arahat, states Harvey, has a fully enlightened state of empirical self, one that lacks the “sense of both ‘I am’ and ‘this I am'”, which are illusions that the Arahat has transcended. The Buddhist thought and salvation theory emphasizes a development of self towards a Selfless state not only with respect to oneself, but recognizing the lack of relational essence and Self in others, wherein states Martijn van Zomeren, “self is an illusion”.

Anatta in Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism scholars, states Oliver Leaman, consider the Anattā doctrine as one of the main theses of Buddhism.

The Buddhist denial of “any Soul or Self” is what distinguishes Buddhism from major religions of the world such as Christianity and Hinduism, giving it uniqueness, asserts the Theravada tradition. With the doctrine of Anattā, stands or falls the entire Buddhist structure, asserts Nyanatiloka.

According to Collins, “insight into the teaching of anatta is held to have two major loci in the intellectual and spiritual education of an individual” as s/he progresses along the Path. The first part of this insight is to avoid sakkayaditthi ( Personality Belief ), that is converting the “sense of I which is gained from introspection and the fact of physical individuality” into a theoretical belief in a self. “A belief in a ( really ) existing body” is considered a false belief and a part of the Ten Fetters that must be gradually lost. The second loci is the psychological realisation of anatta, or loss of “pride or conceit”. This, states Collins, is explained as the conceit of asmimana or “I am”; (…) what this “conceit” refers to is the fact that for the unenlightened man, all experience and action must necessarily appear phenomenologically as happening to or originating from an “I”. When a Buddhist gets more enlightened, this happening to or originating in an “I” or sakkdyaditthi is less. The final attainment of enlightenment is the disappearance of this automatic but illusory “I”.

The Theravada tradition has long considered the understanding and application of the Anatta doctrine to be a complex teaching, whose “personal, introjected application has always been thought to be possible only for the specialist, the practising monk”. The tradition, states Collins, has “insisted fiercely on anatta as a doctrinal position”, while in practice it may not play much of a role in the daily religious life of most Buddhists. The Suttas present the doctrine in three forms. First, they apply the “no-self, no-identity” doctrine to all phenomena as well as any and all objects, yielding the idea that “all things are not-self” (sabbe dhamma anatta). Second, states Collins, the Suttas apply the doctrine to deny self of any person, treating conceit to be evident in any assertion of “this is mine, this I am, this is myself” (etam mamam eso ‘ham asmi, eso me atta ti). Third, the Theravada texts apply the doctrine as a nominal reference, to identify examples of “self” and “not-self”, respectively the Wrong view and the Right view; this third case of nominative usage is properly translated as “self” (as an identity) and is unrelated to “soul”, states Collins. The first two usages incorporate the idea of soul. The Theravada doctrine of Anatta, or not-self not-soul, inspire meditative practices for monks, states Donald Swearer, but for the lay Theravada Buddhists in Southeast Asia, the doctrines of kamma, rebirth and punna (merit) inspire a wide range of ritual practices and ethical behavior.

The Anatta doctrine is key to the concept of nirvana (nibbana) in the Theravada tradition. The liberated nirvana state, states Collins, is the state of Anatta, a state that is neither universally applicable nor can be explained, but can be realized.

Current disputes

The dispute about “self” and “not-self” doctrines has continued throughout the history of Buddhism. According to Johannes Bronkhorst, it is possible that “original Buddhism did not deny the existence of the soul”, even though a firm Buddhist tradition has maintained that the Buddha avoided talking about the soul or even denied its existence. French religion writer André Migot also states that original Buddhism may not have taught a complete absence of self, pointing to evidence presented by Buddhist and Pali scholars Jean Przyluski and Caroline Rhys Davids that early Buddhism generally believed in a self, making Buddhist schools that admit an existence of a “self” not heretical, but conservative, adhering to ancient beliefs. While there may be ambivalence on the existence or non-existence of self in early Buddhist literature, Bronkhorst suggests that these texts clearly indicate that the Buddhist path of liberation consists not in seeking self-knowledge, but in turning away from what might erroneously be regarded as the self. This is a reverse position to the Vedic traditions which recognized the knowledge of the self as “the principal means to achieving liberation.”

In Thai Theravada Buddhism, for example, states Paul Williams, some modern era Buddhist scholars have claimed that “nirvana is indeed the true Self”, while other Thai Buddhists disagree. For instance, the Dhammakaya Movement in Thailand teaches that it is erroneous to subsume nirvana under the rubric of anatta (non-self); instead, nirvana is taught to be the “true self” or dhammakaya. The Dhammakaya Movement teaching that nirvana is atta, or true self, was criticized as heretical in Buddhism in 1994 by Ven. Payutto, a well-known scholar monk, who stated that ‘Buddha taught nibbana as being non-self”. The abbot of one major temple in the Dhammakaya Movement, Luang Por Sermchai of Wat Luang Por Sodh Dhammakayaram, argues that it tends to be scholars who hold the view of absolute non-self, rather than Buddhist meditation practitioners. He points to the experiences of prominent forest hermit monks to support the notion of a “true self”. Similar interpretations on the “true self” were put forth earlier by the 12th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand in 1939. According to Williams, the Supreme Patriarch’s interpretation echoes the tathāgatagarbha sutras.

Several notable teachers of the Thai Forest Tradition have also described ideas in contrast to absolute non-self. Ajahn Maha Bua, a well known meditation master, described the citta ( mind ) as being an indestructible reality that does not fall under anattā. He has stated that not-self is merely a perception that is used to pry one away from infatuation with the concept of a self, and that once this infatuation is gone the idea of not-self must be dropped as well. American monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu of the Thai Forest Tradition describes the Buddha’s statements on non-self as a path to awakening rather than a universal truth. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Buddha intentionally set the question of whether or not there is a self aside as a useless question, and that clinging to the idea that there is no self at all would actually prevent enlightenment. Bhikkhu Bodhi authored a rejoinder to Thanissaro, claiming that “The reason the teaching of anatta can serve as a strategy of liberation is precisely because it serves to rectify a misconception about the nature of being, hence an ontological error.”

Buddhist scholars Richard Gombrich and Alexander Wynne argue that the Buddha’s descriptions of non-self in early Buddhist texts do not deny that there is a self. Gethin claims that anatta is often mistranslated as meaning “not having a self”, but in reality meant “not the self”. Wynne claims early Buddhist texts such as the Anattalakkhana Sutta do not deny that there is a self, stating that the five aggregates that are described as not self are not descriptions of a human being but descriptions of the human experience. Wynne and Gombrich both argue that the Buddha’s statements on anattā were originally a “not-self” teaching that developed into a “no-self” teaching in later Buddhist thought.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu points to the Ananda Sutta (SN 44.10), where the Buddha stays silent when asked whether there is a ‘self’ or not, as a major cause of the dispute. In Thailand, this dispute on the nature of teachings about ‘self’ and ‘non-self’ in Buddhism has led to arrest warrants, attacks and threats.

Anatta in Mahayana Buddhism. Madhyamaka and Sunyata

There are many different views of Anatta (Chinese: 無我; pinyin: wúwǒ; Japanese: 無我 muga; Korean: 무아 mu-a) within various Mahayana schools.

Book open to the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra

Nagarjuna, the founder of Madhyamaka (middle way) school of Mahayana Buddhism, analyzed dharma first as factors of experience. He, states David Kalupahana, analyzed how these experiences relate to “bondage and freedom, action and consequence”, and thereafter analyzed the notion of personal self (attā, ātman).

Nagarjuna asserted that the notion of a self is associated with the notion of one’s own identity and corollary ideas of pride, selfishness and a sense of psychophysical personality. This is all false, and leads to bondage in his Madhyamaka thought. There can be no pride nor possessiveness, in someone who accepts Anattā and denies “self” which is the sense of personal identity of oneself, others or anything, states Nagarjuna. Further, all obsessions are avoided when a person accepts emptiness ( sunyata ). Nagarjuna denied there is anything called a self-nature as well as other-nature, emphasizing true knowledge to be comprehending emptiness Anyone who has not dissociated from his belief in personality in himself or others, through the concept of self, is in a state of Avidya (ignorance) and caught in the cycle of rebirths and redeaths.

The early Mahayana Buddhism texts link their discussion of “emptiness” (shunyata) to Anatta and Nirvana. They do so, states Mun-Keat Choong, in three ways: first, in the common sense of a monk’s meditative state of emptiness; second, with the main sense of Anatta or ‘everything in the world is empty of self’; third, with the ultimate sense of Nirvana or realization of emptiness and thus an end to rebirth cycles of suffering. The Anatta doctrine is another aspect of shunyata, its realization is the nature of the nirvana state and to an end to rebirths.

Tathagatagarbha Sutras: Buddha is True Self. Buddha inside lotus

Some 1st-millennium CE Buddhist texts suggest concepts that have been controversial because they imply a “self-like” concept. In particular are the Tathāgatagarbha sūtras, where the title itself means a garbha (womb, matrix, seed) containing Tathagata (Buddha). These Sutras suggest, states Paul Williams, that ‘all sentient beings contain a Tathagata’ as their ‘essence, core or essential inner nature’. The Tathagatagarbha doctrine, at its earliest probably appeared about the later part of the 3rd century CE, and is verifiable in Chinese translations of 1st millennium CE. Most scholars consider the Tathagatagarbha doctrine of an ‘essential nature’ in every living being is equivalent to ‘Self’, and it contradicts the Anatta doctrines in a vast majority of Buddhist texts, leading scholars to posit that the Tathagatagarbha Sutras were written to promote Buddhism to non-Buddhists.

The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra explicitly asserts that the Buddha used the term “Self” in order to win over non-Buddhist ascetics. The Ratnagotravibhāga (also known as Uttaratantra), another text composed in the first half of 1st millennium CE and translated into Chinese in 511 CE, points out that the teaching of the Tathagatagarbha doctrine is intended to win sentient beings over to abandoning “self-love” (atma-sneha) – considered to be one of the defects by Buddhism. The 6th-century Chinese Tathagatagarbha translation states that “Buddha has shiwo (True Self) which is beyond being and nonbeing”. However, the Ratnagotravibhāga asserts that the “Self” implied in Tathagatagarbha doctrine is actually “not-Self”.

According to some scholars, the Buddha-nature discussed in these sutras does not represent a substantial self; rather, it is a positive language and expression of śūnyatā “emptiness” and represents the potentiality to realize Buddhahood through Buddhist practices. Other scholars do in fact detect leanings towards monism in these tathagatagarbha references. Michael Zimmermann sees the notion of an unperishing and eternal self in the Tathagatagarbha Sutra. Zimmermann also avers that ‘the existence of an eternal, imperishable self, that is, buddhahood, is definitely the basic point of the Tathagatagarbha Sutra’. He further indicates that there is no evident interest found in this sutra in the idea of Emptiness (sunyata). Williams states that the “Self” in Tathagatagarbha Sutras is actually “non-Self”, and neither identical nor comparable to the Hindu concepts of Brahman and Self.

Anatta in Vajrayana Buddhism

The Anatta or Anatman doctrine is extensively discussed in and partly inspires the ritual practices of the Vajrayana tradition. The Tibetan terms such as bdag med refer to “without a self, insubstantial, anatman”. These discussions, states Jeffrey Hopkins, assert the “non-existence of a permanent, unitary and independent self”, and attribute these ideas to the Buddha.

The ritual practices in Vajrayana Buddhism employs the concept of deities, to end self-grasping, and to manifest as a purified, enlightened deity as part of the Vajrayana path to liberation from rebirths. One such deity is goddess Nairatmya (literally, non-soul, non-self). She symbolizes, states Miranda Shaw, that “self is an illusion” and “all beings and phenomenal appearances lack an abiding self or essence” in Vajrayana Buddhism.

Anatta – a difference between Buddhism and Hinduism

Anatta is a central doctrine of Buddhism. It marks one of the major differences between Buddhism and Hinduism. According to the anatta doctrine of Buddhism, at the core of all human beings and living creatures, there is no “eternal, essential and absolute something called a soul, self or atman”. Buddhism, from its earliest days, has denied the existence of the “self, soul” in its core philosophical and ontological texts. In its soteriological themes, Buddhism has defined nirvana as that blissful state when a person, amongst other things, realizes that he or she has “no self, no soul”.

The traditions within Hinduism believe in Atman. The pre-Buddhist Upanishads of Hinduism assert that there is a permanent Atman, and is an ultimate metaphysical reality. This sense of self, is expressed as “I am” in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.1, states Peter Harvey, when nothing existed before the start of the universe. The Upanishadic scriptures hold that this soul or self is underlying the whole world. At the core of all human beings and living creatures, assert the Hindu traditions, there is “eternal, innermost essential and absolute something called a soul, self that is atman.” Within the diverse schools of Hinduism, there are differences of perspective on whether souls are distinct, whether Supreme Soul or God exists, whether the nature of Atman is dual or non-dual, and how to reach moksha. However, despite their internal differences, one shared foundational premise of Hinduism is that “soul, self exists”, and that there is bliss in seeking this self, knowing self, and self-realization.

While the Upanishads recognized many things as being not-Self, they felt that a real, true Self could be found. They held that when it was found, and known to be identical to Brahman, the basis of everything, this would bring liberation. In the Buddhist Suttas, though, literally everything is seen is non-Self, even Nirvana. When this is known, then liberation – Nirvana – is attained by total non-attachment. Thus both the Upanishads and the Buddhist Suttas see many things as not-Self, but the Suttas apply it, indeed non-Self, to everything.
— Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices

Both Buddhism and Hinduism distinguish ego-related “I am, this is mine”, from their respective abstract doctrines of “Anatta” and “Atman”. This, states Peter Harvey, may have been an influence of Buddhism on Hinduism.

Anatman and Niratman

The term niratman appears in the Maitrayaniya Upanishad of Hinduism, such as in verses 6.20, 6.21 and 7.4. Niratman literally means “selfless”.The niratman concept has been interpreted to be analogous to anatman of Buddhism.The ontological teachings, however, are different. In the Upanishad, states Thomas Wood, numerous positive and negative descriptions of various states – such as niratman and sarvasyatman (the self of all) – are used in Maitrayaniya Upanishad to explain the nondual concept of the “highest Self”. According to Ramatirtha, states Paul Deussen, the niratman state discussion is referring to stopping the recognition of oneself as an individual soul, and reaching the awareness of universal soul or the metaphysical Brahman.

Correspondence in Pyrrhonism: Similarities between Pyrrhonism and Buddhism

The Greek philosopher Pyrrho traveled to India as part of Alexander the Great’s entourage where he was influenced by the Indian gymnosophists, which inspired him to create the philosophy of Pyrrhonism. Philologist Christopher Beckwith has demonstrated that Pyrrho based his philosophy on his translation of the three marks of existence into Greek, and that adiaphora (not logically differentiable, not clearly definable, negating Aristotle’s use of “diaphora”) reflects Pyrrho’s understanding of the Buddhist concept of anatta.

 

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Addendum

Vishnu

 

 

The historic identifiers of his icon include his image holding a conch shell (shankha named Panchajanya) between the first two fingers of one hand (left back), a chakra – war discus named Sudarshana – in another (right back). The conch shell is spiral and symbolizes all of interconnected spiraling cyclic existence, while the discus symbolizes him as that which restores dharma with war if necessary when cosmic equilibrium is overwhelmed by evil. One of his arms sometimes carries a gada (club, mace named Kaumodaki) which symbolizes authority and power of knowledge. In the fourth arm, he holds a lotus flower (padma) which symbolizes purity and transcendence.The items he holds in various hands varies, giving rise to twenty four combinations of iconography, each combination representing a special form of Vishnu. Each of these special forms is given a special name in texts such as the Agni Purana and Padma Purana. These texts, however, are inconsistent. Rarely, Vishnu is depicted bearing the bow Sharanga or the sword Nandaka. He is depicted with the Kaustubha gem in a necklace and wearing Vaijayanti, a garland of forest flowers. The shrivatsa mark is depicted on his chest in the form of a curl of hair. He generally wears yellow garments. He wears a crown called the Kiritamukuta.

Vishnu iconography show him either in standing pose, seated in a yoga pose, or reclining. A traditional depiction of Vishnu is that of him reclining on the coils of the serpent Shesha, accompanied by his consort Lakshmi, as he "dreams the universe into reality";

1000 names of Vishnu

 

Vishnu Sahasranama: (1000 names of Vishnu)

Shlokha 1:

1. Vishvam: He who is the Universe, reason for Universe, the entire being.

2. Vishnu: He who isAll Pervading, Omnipresent, Remover of darkness

3. Vashatkara: One who controls and directs

4. Bhuta-Bhavya-Bhavat-Prabhu: Lord of past, present and the future.

5. Bhuta-Krit: Creator of all beings.

6. Bhuta-Bhrt: The sustainer of all beings.

7. Bhavah: He who exists with all the splendor and independent of anything else.

8. Bhutatma: The Atma or soul of all beings

9. Bhuta-bhavanah: One who nourishes and nurtures all beings.

 Shlokha 2:

10. Putatma: One who has a pure Atma.

11. Paramatma: The Supreme Soul.

12. Muktanam Parama Gatih: One who is the ultimate goal for all Souls

13. Avyayah: He who is Indestructible and who gives moksha

14. Purushah: One who existed before anything else, one who completes existence.

15. Sakshi: One who directly witnesses everything. 

16. Kshetrajnah: One who can direct to the place to reach supreme bliss.

17. Akshara: One whose greatness never diminishes.

Shlokha 3: 

18. Yogah: One who alone is the definite and unobstructed means to salvation.

19.  Yogavitam neta: One who leads those who practice yoga until they reach their Goal.

20.  Pradhana Purusha Isvarah: One who is the Lord of Primordial Matter as well as the Jivas.

21.  Narasimha Vapuh: One who possesses a body of man and lion combined. 

22.  Sriman: One with a lovely form.

23.  Kesavah: One with lovely locks of hair.

24.  Purushottamah: The Supreme amongst the Purushas

 Shlokha 4:

25. Sarvah: One who is all

26. Sharvah: The Remover of all sins.

27. Shivah: One who confers auspiciousness.

28. Sthanuh: One who is gives blessing to the devotees.

29. Bhutadih: Source of the Pancha Bhoota.

30. Nidhiravyayah: One who is the never ending treasure.

31. Sambhavah: One who manifests in any form to those who sincerely seek Him.

32. Bhavanah: One who regenerates all

33. Bharta: One who supports all

34. Prabhavah: One whose birth is of a sublime nature.

35. Prabhuh: who is all powerful.

36. Isvarah: One who has the supreme power of control 

Shlokha 5:  

37. Svayambhuh: He who manifests Himself by His own free will.

38. Shambhuh: One who causes happiness to everyone by the beauty of His appearance

39. Adityah: One who is the Adityas.

40. Pushkarakshah: The Lotus-eyed.

41. Maha-Svanah: He of the venerable sound

42. Anadi-Nidhanah: One who is without beginning or end.

43. Dhata: The creator

44. Vidhata: The producer

45. Dhaturuttamah: One who is the best

Shlokha 6:

46. Aprameyah: One who cannot be defined but who can only be experienced

47. Hrshikesah: Controller of the sense-organs

48. Padma-Nabhah: One from whose navel the universe emanates.

49. Amara-Prabhuh: The Lord of the immortal gods.

50. Visva Karma: The Creator of the Universe.

51. Manuh: The Great Thinker

52. Tvashta: One who created all the different forms and names in this Universe

53. Sthavishthah: One who is huge in size

54. Sthavirah: One who has always existed

55. Dhruvah: One who is unaffected by Time, Unchanging, Permanent.

Shlokha 7:

56. Agrahyah: One who is beyond understanding

57. Shashvatah: One who is eternal.

58. Krshnah: One who has a dark-blue complexion and all attractive

59. Lohitakshah: One with eyes red like the beautiful lotus flower.

60. Pradrdanah: The Destroyer.

61. Prabhutah: One who is endowed with wisdom and greatness

62. Tri-kakud-dhama: Master of three worlds

63. Pavitram: Purity Incarnate.

64. Mangalam Param: The Embodiment of Supreme Auspiciousness.

Shlokha 8:

65. Isanah: The controller.

66. Pranadah: Giver of life

67. Pranah: Life force

68. Jyeshthah: Oldest

69. Sreshthah: Most praise-worthy.

70. Prajapatih: Lord of mankind.

71. Hiranyagarbah: He who resides in a lovely Abode.

72. Bhugarbhah: Protection of the Earth

73. Madhavah: who is born in the race of a Yadhava called Madhu and for whom there is no Lord

74. Madhusudhanah: The slayer of the evil demon called Madhu.

Shlokha 9:

75. Isvarah: The God

76. Vikram: The most courageous and powerful

77. Dhanvi: The wielder of the bow

78. Medhavi: One who has good memory

79. Vikramah: One with great strides such as in the Vamana incarnation

80. Kramah: One who is the basis for the order in the Universe

81. Anuttamah: One for whom there is nothing superior or better.

82. Duradharshah: One who cannot be overcome by others

83.  Krtajnah: One who is grateful

84.  Krtih: One who leads to good deeds

85.  Atmavan: The real owner of souls

Shlokha 10:

86. Suresah: The Lord of all the other gods.

87. Saranam: One who is the Refuge

88. Sarma: One who is Bliss.

89. Visvaretah: The seed for the Universe.

90. Prajabhavah: One from whom all beings have originated.

91. Ahah: Protector of Devotees

92. Samvatsarah: He who lives for the upliftment of His devotees.

93. Vyalah: One who is beyond grasp

94. Pratyayah: One who can be relied upon

95. Sarvadarsanah: One who shows his grace to all

Shlokha 11:

96. Ajah: Unborn and the Remover of all obstacles

97. Sarvesvarah: One who is the isvara for all isvaras.

98. Siddhah: One who is reachable and knowledgeable.

99. Siddhih: The Goal.

100. Sarvadih: The Origin or Cause of all things.

101. Acyutah: One who undergoes no changes like birth, decay etc.

102. Vrishakapih: One who lifted the Earth in the form of Varaaha.

103. Ameyatma: One whose nature cannot be comprehended.

104. Aarva yoga vinissritah: One who is beyond any attachment.

Shlokha 12:

105. Vasuh: One who dwells in the hearts of His devotees.

106. Vasumanah: One who has good mind

107. Satyah: The Truth.

108. Samatma: One who has a balanced mind.

109. Sammitah: The One Truth who is accepted by the Rsihis and revealed in the Upanishads. 

110. Samah: One who treats all His devotees equally.

111. Amoghah: One who always gives fruits to those who worship him.

112. Pundarikakshah: One whose eyes are beautiful like the lotus flower.

113. Vrishakarma: One who is of righteous actions.

114. Vrishakriti: One who is an embodiment of dharma.

Shlokha 13:

115. Rudrah: One who destroys misery.

116. Bahu-sirah: One who is multi-headed

117.  Babhruh: The Supporter.

118.  Visva-yonih: The cause of this world

119.  Suci-sravah: One who listens to words which are pure

120.  Amritah: One who is nectar to His devotees.

121.  Sasvata-sthanuh: One who is Eternally Firm.

122.  Vararohah: One who is the most supreme object of attainment.

123.  Maha-tapah: One who is endowed with great knowledge.

Shlokha 14:

124. Sarva-gah: One who reaches all.

125. Sarva-vit: One who is the All-knower.

126. Bhanuh: One who shines.

127. Vishvak-senah: One who has his army for the protection of all.

128. Janardanah: One who destroys the wicked and protects people.

129. Vedah: One who is the embodiment of scriptures.

130. Vedavit: The true knower of the meaning of the vedas

131. Avyangah: One who has no imperfections.

132. Vedangah: One who has Vedas as his body

133. Vedavit: One who knows the true meaning of Vedas

134. Kavih: One who cognizes beyond ordinary perception.

Shlokha 15:

135.  Lokadhyakshah: Lord of the worlds

136.  Suradhyakshah: Master of the devas

137.  Dharmadhyakshah: Master of dharma

138.  Kritakritah: The giver of blessings

139.  Caturatma: One whose Self has a four-fold manifestation.

140.  Catur-vyuhah: One with four forms

141. Catur-damshtrah: Four teeth.

142. Catur-bhujah: One with four arms.

Shlokha 16:

143. Bhrajishnuh: One who is effulgent.

144. Bhojanam: One who is the object of enjoyment.

145. Bhokta: One who Enjoys

146. Sahishnuh: The Forgiver.

147. Jagadadijah: He who was born at the beginning of the Universe.

148. Anaghah: One who is uncontaminated and pure

149. Vijayah: One who is victorious

150. Jeta: The conqueror

151. Visva-yonih: The Cause of the Universe.

152. Punarvasuh: One who lives again and again as the antaratma of all his creations.

Shlokha 17:

153. Upendrah: One who appeared as the younger brother of Indra.

154. Vamanah: One with the Dwarf form

155. Pramsuh: one who is big

156. Amoghah: One whose acts are never purposeless.

157. Sucih: One who is Pure.

158. Urjitah: One who is endowed with good strength

159. Atindrah: One who is lord of Indra.

160. Samgrahah: He who is easily reached

161. Sargah: The creator of Himself.

162. Dhritatma: The supporter of all the jivatmas.

163. Niyamah: The Controller.

164. Yamah: The Ruler.

Shlokha 18:

165. Vedyah: He who can be realized.

166. Vaidyah: The knower of vidya

167. Sada-yogi: One who is in constant yogic meditation

168. Vira-ha: The slayer of wicked

169. Madhavah: The propounder of the knowledge of the Supreme Being.

170. Madhuh: One who is like honey to His devotees.

171. Atindriyah: He who is beyond the range of the sense organs.

172. Maha-mayah: One who is possessed of wonderful power of enchantment.

173. Mahotsahah: One who is of great enthusiasm.

174. Maha-balah: One with immeasurable strength

Shlokha 19:

175. Maha-buddhih: He of infinite knowledge.

176. Maha-vIryah: He of great virility and strength

177. Maha-Saktih: Of immense power.

178. Maha-dyutih: He of great splendor.

179. Anirdesya-vapuh: He who possesses an indescribable body.

180. SrIman: Possessed of beauty.

181. Ameyatma: He of an incomprehensible nature.

182. Mahadri-dhrit: The bearer of the great mountain.

Shlokha 20:

183. Maheshvasah: The discharger of great arrows and wielder of bows

184. Mahi-bharta: The bearer of the earth.

185. Srinivasah: In whom Lakshmi resides.

186. Satam-gatih: The Ultimate Goal for all spiritual seekers.

187. Aniruddhah: One who cannot be obstructed by anyone.

188. Suranandah: One who gives delight to the gods.

189. Govindah: One who is praised by the gods

190. Govidam patih: The protector of those who know the Vedas.

Shlokha 21:

191. Maricih: Ray of light. 

192. Damanah: One who directs in correct path

193. Hamsah: One who is like the swan.

194. Suparnah: One possessed of charming feathers

195. Bhujagottamah: The Master of the Serpent AdiSesha.

196. Hiranya-nabhah: One who supports in His navel the creator, hiranyagarbha.

197. Sutapah: One who is possessed of supreme knowledge.

198. Padmanabhah: One who has the lotus emanating from his navel

199. Prajapatih: The Lord of beings.

Shlokha 22:

200. amrityuh: One who is beyond death or decay.

201. sarvadrik: One who can see-everyting.

202. simhah: One who is The Lion

203. sandhata: One who unites His devotees with Him and responsible for fruits of their actions.

204. sandhiman: One who is always united with His devotees.

205. sthirah: One who is firm in His relation to His devotees.

206. ajah: One who is Unborn

207. durmarshanah: The Unassailable.

208. sasta: The Teacher.

209. visrutatma: One whose Atma is of a special Nature.

210. surari-ha: The slayer of the enemies of the gods.

Shlokha 23:

211. gurur-guru-tamah: One who is the foremost among the preceptors.

212.  dhama: One who is The Abode of all desired things.

213. satyah: One who is The Truth.

214. satya-parakramah: One who is of great valor.

215. nimishah: One whose eyes are closed.

216. animishah: One with eyes closed.

217. sragvi: Adorned with the garland.

218. vacaspatih: The Lord of Speech.

219. udara-dhih: One with vast knowledge.

Shlokha 24:

220. agranih: One who leads forward.

221. gramanih: Leader of the demi-gods.

222. sriman: one who is The Lord of Mahalakshmi.

223. nyayah: One who is The Just.

224. neta: One who fulfills the requests of His devotees.

225. samiranah: One who controls all movements in beings.

226. sahasra-murdha: One who is the thousand-headed.

227. visvatma: One who is the very soul of the Universe.

228. sahasra-akshah: One who is the thousand-eyed.

229. sahasra-pat: The thousand-footed.

Shlokha 25:

230. avartanah: He who turns the wheel of worldly life or samsara.

231. nivrittatma: He whose mind is turned away from worldly desires.

232. samvritah: He who remains hidden.

233. sampra-mardanah: The dispeller of darkness.

234. ahah-samvartakah: The regulator of time.

235. vahnih: One who is the bearer of fire.

236. anilah: One who is the Giver of life-breath.

237. dharani-dharah: The bearer of the Earth.

Shlokha 26:

238.  su-prasadah: The Giver of good favors.

239.  prasannatma: He with a delightful nature.

240.  visva-srit: The Creator of the Universe.

241.  visvabhug-vibhuh: He who pervades all things and protects them.

242.  satkarta: He who honors the good.

243.  satkritah: He who is worshipped by the sadhus.

244. sadhuh: One who carries out the wishes of his devotees.

245.  jahnuh: The Concealer.

246.  narayanah: The Supporter of all the souls.

247.  narah: He who is imperishable.

Shlokha 27:

248. asankhyeyah: One whose attributes are Innumerable.

249. aprameyatma: One who cannot be known through knowledge.

250. visishtah: He who is Superior.

251. sishta-krt: He who makes His devotees eminent.

252. Sucih: One who is Pure.

253. siddharthah: One who is in possession of all desirable things.

254. siddha-sankalpah: One whose wishes are always fulfilled.

255. siddhi-dah: The bestower of siddhi-s or super-human powers.

256. siddhi-sadhanah: One who makes the means for siddhi pleasant.

Shlokha 28:

257. vrishahi: One who shines in the form of dharma.

258. vrishabhah: He who showers his grace.

259. vishnuh: One who pervades everything.

260. vrisha-parva: He who has provided the steps of dharma to reach Him.

261. vrishodarah: One who has dharma as his belly.

262. vardhanah: He who nourishes.

263. vardhamanah: He who grows.

264. viviktah: He who is unique.

265. sruti-sagarah: He who is the sea where all Vedas take us.

Shlokha 29:

266. su-bhujah: One with majestic arms.

267. dur-dharah: One who is difficult to comprehend

268. vagmi: He who has words which are praise-worthy.  

269. mahendrah: The God of Indra and other gods.

270. vasu-dah: The Giver of wealth.

271. vasuh: He who is Himself the wealth sought by those who have realized the Truth.

272. naika-rupah: He who is of Infinite forms.

273. brihad-rupah: He who is of an immense form.

274. Sipi-vishtah: He who pervades the rays.

275. prakasanah: One who illumines everything.

Shlokha 30:

276. ojas-tejo-dyuti-dharah: One who is endowed with strength, vigor and brilliance.

277. prakasatma: He of a nature that is well-known to all.

278. pratapanah: He who destroys his enemies.

279. Rddhah: He who is full in all respects.

280. spashya-taksharah: He of clear words.

281. mantrah: One who represents the mantras.

282. candra-amsuh: He who is possessed of the effulgent rays like those of the moon.

283. bhaskara-dyutih: He who has the effulgence of the sun.

Shlokha 31:

284. amrta-amsu-udbhavah: The source of nectar-rayed moon.

285. bhanuh: The lustrous Sun or One who is Radiant.

286. sasabinduh: One who controls the paths of the planets and the stars.

287. suresvarah: The Lord of the gods.

288. aushadham: The Medicine.

289. jagatah-setuh: The bridge for crossing the ocean of samsara.

290. satya-dharma-parakramah: One whose qualities and valor are always true.

Shlokha 32:

291. bhuta-bhavya-bhavan-nathah: The Lord of all in the past, present and future.

292. pavanah: He who moves like the wind.

293. pavanah: He who purifies everything.

294. analah: One who always confers good

295. kama-ha: The Destroyer of desires.

296. kama-krt: One who creates desirable things, and also fulfils the desires.

297. kantah: He who is charming.

298. kamah: One who is Lovable

299. kama-pradah: The Grantor of wishes.

300. prabhuh: One who has the supreme power to attract the minds of all towards Himself.

Shlokha 33:

301. yugadi-krt: The Creator at the beginning of a yuga.

302. yugavartah: He who revolves the yugas.

303. naika-mayah: He who is responsible for wonders.

304. mahasanah: He who is a voracious eater.  

305. adrsyah: He Who cannot be seen.

306. vyakta-rupah: He of a manifest form. 

307. sahasra-jit: The Conqueror of thousands. 

308. ananta-jit: One whose victory is endless.

Shlokha 34:

309. ishTah: One who is liked by everyone.

310. aviSishTah: He who is impartial to everyone.

311. SishTeshTah: He who is dear to eminent persons.

312. SikhanDI: He who wears a peacock feather.

313. nahushah: One who binds.

314. vRshah: He who is the embodiment of dharma.

315. krodha-hA: He who does not have anger.

316. krodha-kRt: He who developed anger.

317. kartA: He who slays.

318. visva-bahuh: He who has arms for the good of the world.

319. mahI-dharah: The Supporter of the world.

Shlokha 35:

320. acyutah: He who does not fall from His status.

321. prathitah: One who is famous and with great reputation.

322. pranah: The Life-Breath.

323. prana-dah: The Life-Giver.

324. vasavanujah: The younger brother of vasava or indra.

325. apam-nidhih: The Sustainer of the waters of the ocean.

326. adhishthanam: The Support.

327. apramattah: The Vigilant.

328. pratishthitah: He who is self-dependent.

Shlokha 36:

329. skandha: He who destroys.

330. skanda-dharah: The Supporter of skanda.

331. dhuryah: The Supporter.

332. vara-dah: The Grantor of boons.

333. vayu-vahanah: He who has Vayu as His vehicle.

334. vasu-devah: He who pervades everywhere

335. brhad-bhanuh: He who has brightness

336. adi-devah: The First Deity.

337. purandarah: The Destroyer of the sufferings.

 Shlokha 37:

338. a-sokah: The dispeller of sorrows.

339.  taranah: He who takes others to the other shore.

340. tarah: The Savior.

341. surah: The Valiant.

342. saurih: The son of valiant people.

343. janesvarah: The Lord of the people.

344. anukulah: One who is within bounds.

345. satavartah: He who has several incarnations to sustain dharma

346. padmi: He who carries the lotus in His hand.

347. padma-nibhekshanah: One who has eyes which resemble the lotus.

Shlokha 38:

348. padma-nabhah: One with a lotus-like navel.

349. aravindakshah: The Lotus-eyed.

350. padma-garbhah: He who is installed in a lotus.

351. sarira-bhrt: The Protector of the bodies of everyone through food and life-energy.

352. maharddhih: He of immense riches.

353. rddhah: One who keeps growing; Prosperous.

354. vrddhatma: One who is full-grown.

355. mahakshah: One with Great Eyes.

356. garuda-dvajah: One who has Garuda in His banner.

Shlokha 39:

257. atulah: One who is the Incomparable.

358. sarabhah: The Destroyer of evil.

359. bhimah: The Formidable.

360. samayajnah: The Knower of the conventions.

361. havir-harih: Hari who is the recipient of the havis offered in the yajna.

362. sarva-lakshna-lakshanyah: He who is the abode of all the auspicious qualities

363. lakshmIvan: He who is always with Lakshmi.

364. samtinjayah: He who is victorious in battles.

Shlokha 40:

365. viksharah: He who never wanes.

366. rohitah: He who is of red complexion.

367. margah: He who is sought after.

368. hetuh: The Cause.

369. damodarah: One who was tied around His waist by ropes by Yashodha.

370. sahah: He who has patience.

371. mahidharah: The Supporter of the Earth.

372. mahi-bhagah: He who is extremely Fortunate.

373. vegavan: He who is quick.

374. amitasanah: The voracious Eater

Shlokha 41:

375. udbhavah: He who removes and is beyond the bondage of samsara.

376. khsobhanah: The Creator of beauty.

377. devah: He who is the light.

378. srI-garbhah: He who has Lakshmi in Him in the form of the Universe.

379. paramesvarah: The Supreme God.

380. karanam: The Means.

381. karanam: The Cause

382. karta: The Agent.

383. vikarta: He who undergoes modifications.

384. gahanah: He who is deep.

385. guhah: The Savior.

Shlokha 42:

386. vyavasayah: The Pivot of the solar system.

387. vyavasthanah: The basis.

388. samsthanah: The final end.

389. sthana-dah: The Giver of the Supreme Abode.

390. dhruvah: The fixed pole star.

391. pararddhih: He who is full of noble and auspicious qualities.

392. parma-spashtah: He whose greatness is explicit.

393. tushtah: He who is full of happiness.

394. pushtah: He who is full of noble qualities.

395. subekshanah: He who has auspicious eyes.

Shlokha 43:

396. ramah: He who delights others.

397. viramah: He before whom all become powerless.

398. virajo-margah: He who shows the flawless path.

399. neyah: He who lets Himself be governed by devotees

400. nayah: He who draws everyone towards Himself.

401. anayah: He who cannot be spirited away.

402.  virah: Valiant

403. saktimatam-sreshthah: The Greatest among the powerful.

404. dharmah: Virtue Incarnate.

405. dharmavid-uttamah: The foremost among those who are conscious of dharma.

Shlokha 44

406. vaikunthah: Remover of obstacles to merge the soul. 

407. purushah: The Purifier.

408. pranah: The vital life -breath.

409. pranadah: He who deserves to be worshiped.

410. Pranavah: OM, The Supreme Sound

411. prthuh: Well-known.

412. hiranya-garbhah: He who delights everyone’s heart.

413. satru-ghnah: The Slayer of the enemies.

414. vyaptah: He who is full of love and affection.

415. vayuh: He who moves towards devotees.

416. adhokshajah: He whose prominence does not get diminished.

Shlokha 45:

417. rtuh: He who is the Seasons

418. sudarsanah: He who provides auspicious vision.

419. kalah: He who measures everyone’s karma and doles out the phala.

420. parameshthi: He who resides in the Supreme Abode, Sriviakuntham.

421. parigrahah: He who takes all with Him.

422. ugrah: The Formidable.

423. samvatsarah: He in whom everything resides.

424. dakshah: He who is quick in action.

425. visramah: The Place of Rest.

426. visva-dakshinah: He who is well-disposed towards all.

Shlokha 46:

427. vistarah: He who is spread out in everything.

428. sthavar-sthanuh: He who is tranquil after establishing the dharma.

429. pramanam: The Authority.

430. bijam-avyayam: The Seed Imperishable.

431. arthah: The Goal

432. anarthah: He who is not the goal for some.

433. maha-kosah: He who has a great treasure.

434. maha-bhogah: He who has objects of great enjoyment.

435. maha-dhanah: He of great wealth.

Shlokha 47:

436. anirvinnah: He who is never despondent.

437. sthavishthah: He who is Immense.

438. bhuh: The supporter.

439. dharma-yupah: He who is united with dharma.

440. maha-makhah: The Great yajna-svarupi.

441. nakshatra-nemih: He who makes the stars move.

442. nakshatri: He who is the stars.

443. kshamah: He who is competent.

444. kshamah: He who is in a diminished form.

445. samihanah: He who establishes and assigns duties to all others.

Shlokha 48:

446. yajnah: The Sacrifice.

447. ijyayah: He who is the only to be worshipped.

448. mahejyah: He who is the best among all to be worshipped.

449. kratuh: He who is to be worshipped through the sacrifices called kratus.

450. satram: He who is worshipped by the sacrifice called satram.

451. satam gatih: The Goal of the pious.

452. sarva-darsI: The one who knows and can see everything.

453. nivrttatma:  He whose mind is turned away from worldly desires.

454. sarvajnah: The Omniscient. 

455. jnanam-uttamam: The Greatest Knowledge.

Shlokha 49:

456. su-vratah: He who protects anyone who surrenders.

457. su-mukhah: He with a charming face.

458. sukshmah: Subtle, delicate and difficult to comprehend.

459. su-ghoshah: He who is praised by the delightful voice of the Vedas.

461. su-hrt: The good-hearted and a true Friend.

462. mano-harah: He who captivates the heart.

463. jita-krodhah: He who has overcome anger.

464. vira-bahuh: He of mighty arms.

465. vidaranah: He who cuts the sins of His devotees.

Shlokha 50:

466. svapanah: He who lulls people into sleep.

467. sva-vasah: He who is under His own control.

468. vyapi: The Pervader.

469. naikatma: He of diverse forms.

470. naika-karma-krt: He who performs diverse acts.

471. vatsarah: He who lives within all beings and in whom everything resides.

473. vatsi: He who possesses lots of calves and children

474. ratna-garbhah: He who is in possession of abundant wealth.

475. dhanesvarah: The quick giver of wealth.

Shlokha 51:

476. dharma-gup: He who protects dharma.

477. dharma-krt: He who induces His devotees to follow dharma.

478. dharmi: He who has dharma as an instrument.

479. sat: He who is commendable.

480. aksharam (sat): He whose existence is never diminished or destroyed in any way.

481. a-sat: That which does not exist now, but existed in the past as well as future.

482. asat-ksharam: He who moves away from the bad.

483. avijnata: The Non-cognizant.

484. sahasramsuh: He who has a thousand rays

485. vidhata: The Supreme Controller.

486. krta-lakshanah: He who has prescribed the distinguishing characteristics for the pious.

Shlokha 52:

487. gabhasti-nemih: He who has the effulgent cakra as His weapon.

488. sattva-sthah: He who is in the hearts of the devotees.

489. simhah: He who took the nrisimha form.

490. bhuta-mahesvarah: The Supreme Lord of all beings.

491. adi-devah: He who is the first cause and is endowed with effulgence.

492. maha-devah: The greatest god.

493. devesah: The Ruler of Gods.

494. deva-bhrit: The Supporter of gods. 

495. guruh: The teacher.

Shlokha 53:

496. uttarah: The Savior of devotees

497. go-patih: The Master of all words

498. gopta: The Savior.

499. jnana-gamyah: He who is to be realized by knowledge.

500. puratanah: The Ancient.

501. sarira-bhuta-bhrit: He who supports all the tattvas which constitute the sarira

502. bhokta: The Enjoyer.

503. kapindrah: The Lord of the monkeys.

504. bhuri-dakshinah: The giver of liberal gifts.

Shlokha 54:

505. somapah: He who drank the soma juice after performing sacrificial offerings in His Rama incarnation.

506 – amritapah: The drinker of nector.

507. somah: The Nectar orThe moon.

508. puru-jit: The Conqueror of all.

509. puru-sattamah: He who remains with the great.

510. vinayah: The Subduer.

511. jayah: He who is victorious.

512. satya-sandhah: He whose promises are always true.

513. dasarhah: He who is worthy of gifts.

514. sattvatam-patih: The Lord of the sattvatas.

Shlokha 55:

515. jivah: He who gives life to His devotees.

516. vinayita: He who shows the path to everyone.

517. sakshi: The witness.

518. mukundah: He who gives moksha.

519. amita-vikramah: He of boundless valor.

520. ambho-nidhih: He who has the waters as His abode

521. anantatma: The Inner Soul of ananta.

522. mahodadhi-sayah: He Who is reclining in the vast ocean.

523. antakah: He Who brings out the end of all.

Shlokha 56:

524. ajah: He who is not born.

525. maharhah: He who is worthy of worship.

526. svabhavyah: He who is to be meditated upon by those who belong to Him.

527. jitamitrah: a) He who helps His devotees conquer enemies such as anger, kamam, ahamkaram, mamakaram, etc.

528. pramodanah: He who is always joyful.

529. anandah: He Who is Bliss.

530. nandanah: The Bliss-Giver.

531. nandah: He Who is full of things that are Blissful.

532. satya-dharma: He Who performs His dharma truthfully.

533. tri-vikramah: He Who pervades the three Vedas and worlds.

Shlokha 57:

534. maharshih: The Great Seer.

535. kapilacaryah: He Who is a teacher.

536. krtajnah: He Who remembers the good deed done.

537. medinipatih: The Lord or Protector of the Earth.

538. tripadah: He Who is in the form of pranava mantra with three letters.

539. tridasadhyakshah: The Savior of the thirty-three gods.

540. maha-sringah: The Big-tusked Varaha. 

541. kritantakrit: He who kills death himself.

Shlokha 58:

542. mahavarahah: He Who appeared in the form of the Great Boar.

543. govindah: One who is praised by the gods.

544. sushenah: He who is equipped with a body with suddha sattva sakti.

545. kanakangadi: He Who is adorned by armlets of gold.

546. guyhah: He who is concealed.

547. gabhirah: He who is deep or mysterious.

548. gahanah: He who is beyond comprehension and Inexplicable.

549. guptah: He who is hidden.

550. cakragadadharah: The bearer of the discus and the mace.

Shlokha 59:

551. vedhah: The Provider.

552. svangah: He who is both the Instrumental Cause and the Material Cause of the Universe.

553. ajitah: He who is unconquered, and unconquerable.

554. krshnah: One who is always in a state of Bliss and the Dark-hued. 

555. drdhah: He who assumes firm and concrete vyuha forms for the benefit of His devotees

556. sankarshanah: He who draws others near Him.

557. acyutah: One who never slips from His glory

558. varunah: He who envelops. 

559. varunah: He who is with those who have sought Him as their Lord or svami.

560. vrikshah: He who provides shade like a tree

561. pushkarakshah: He who has beautiful lotus-like eyes.

562. maha-manah: He who has a great mind.

Shlokha 60:

563. bhagavan: He who is worthy of worship.

564. bhagaha: He who is possessed of auspicious qualities. 

565. nandi or anandi: He who has nanda as His father

566. vanamali: He who has the vanamala garland.

567. halayudhah: One who has the plough in His hand.  

568. adityah: who was son of Aditi in her previous birth.

569. jyotir-adityah: The Resplendent Sun

570 sahishnuh: He who is endowed with enormous patience.

570. gati-sattamah: The best instructor in the path of dharma.

Shlokha 61:

572. sudhanva: He Who has a splendid bow.

573. khanda-parasuh: He with the broken axe.

574. darunah: He who is merciless to those who deviate from the path of virtue.

575. dravina-pradah:  The Bestower of wealth.

576. divisprk:  He who touches the skies.

577. sarvadrk: He who is in the form of knowledge of all forms.

578. vyasah: He who arranged the Vedas and the puranas

579. vacas-patih: The Master of words.

580. ayonijah: The Unborn.

Shlokha 62:

 581. tri-sama: He who is propounded by the three-fold Sama Veda.

582. sama-gah: The singer of Sama.

583. sama: He who removes the sins of those who sing about Him.

584. nirvanam: He who is the cause of Bliss to His devotees.

585. bheshajam: The Remedy.

586. bhishak: The Physician.

587. sannyasa-krt: He who leads you to sanyassa.

588. Samah: He who instructs on how to control anger.

589. Santah: He whose mind is always tranquil.

590. nishtha: The object of concentration. 

591. santih: Peace and the object of meditation.

592. parayanam: The Ultimate Means.

Shlokha 63:

593. Subhangah: He Who has a handsome form.

594. santi-dah: The bestower of eternal peace.

595. srashtA: The Creator.

596. ku-mudah: He who is happy in His relation to this world in various forms.

597. kuvalesayah: He who is reclining in the waters surrounding this earth.

598. gohitah: He who looks after the welfare of the world.

599. gopatih: The Lord of the Celestial world.

600. gopta: The Protector.

601. vrshabhakshah: He who is the Support for the cycle of samsara in the form of dharma.

602. vrshapriyah: He who is dear to the virtuous.

Shlokha 64:

603. anivarti: He Who does not turn away from dharma under any circumstance. 

604. nivrttatma: He whose Nature is superior to everything.

605. samkshepta: He who constrains or limits.

606. kshema-krt: He who does what is good for His devotees.

607. sivah: He who gives auspicious things to His devotees.

608. srivatsa-vakshah: He who has the Srivatsa mole on His chest.

609. srI-vasah: The Abode of Lakshmi.

610. srI-patih: The Consort of Lakshmi

611. srImatam-varah: The Best Among those who possess affluence and knowledge.

Shlokha 65:

612. Sridah: The Giver of Glories.  om Sridaya namh.

613. SriSah: He Who is the lord of Sri.

614. Srinivasah: He who is in The Abode of Lakshmi

615. Srinidhih: He in whom lakshmi or wealth resides.

616. Srivibhavanah: He who owes His greatness to Lakshmi.

617. Sridharah: The Bearer of Sri.

618. Srikarah: He who is with Lakshmi in his incarnations.

619. sreyas-sriman: He who has Lakshmi who is resorted to by devotees for attaining the good.

620. loka-trayasrayah: He Who is the Resort for all three worlds.

Shlokha 66:

621. svakshah: The Beautiful-Eyed.

622. sva’ngah: The Lovely-bodied.

623. SatAnandah:  He of infinite Bliss.

624. nandih: He who is ever delighted.

625. jyotir-gaNeSvarah: The Lord of the host of lustrous deities

626. vijitAtmA: He whose mind has been conquered by devotees.

627. vidheyAtmA: He who has the jiva-s as subservient to Him.

628. sat-kIrtih: He of true renown.

629. chinna-samSayah: The Dispeller of all doubts.

Shlokha 67:

630. udirnah: He Who visibly manifests Himself through His incarnations.

631. sarvatash-cakshuh: He Who is visible to the eyes of all.

632. anisah: He Who has no one above Him as the Master.

633. sasvata-sthirah: He Who is eternally existent and steady. 

634. bhusayah: He who lies inside every one of His creations as their antaryami.

635. bhushaNah: He Who becomes adorned

636. bhutih: He Who is the personification of Glory

637. asokah: He Who is without sorrow.

638. sokanasanah: The Destroyer of sorrows.

Shlokha 68:

639. arcishman: He Who has great luster.

640. arcitah: He Who is worshipped.  

641. kumbhah: He Who shines in this world.

642. visuddhatma: He of a pure nature.

643. visodhanah: The Purifier.

644. aniruddho:  One who cannot be restricted.

645. apratirathah: The Matchless.

646. pradyumnah: He Who illumines the jivas.

647. amitavikramah: He of immeasurable steps.

Shlokha 69:

648. kalaneminiha: The destroyer of the wheel of ignorance of Time.

649. saurih: The son of Sura

651. sura-janesvarah: The Chief of the sura-s or the valiant people. 

652. tri-lokatma: He Who is the atma for everything in all the three worlds.

653. tri-lokesah: The Ruler of the three worlds.

654 kesavah: One who has beautiful locks of hair.

655. kesiha: He who killed the asura by name Kesi. 

656. harih: The green-hued.

Shlokha 70:

657. kama-devah: The One who grants all desires.

658. kama-palah: The Protector of those who desire Him.

659. kami: He who is of fulfilled desires.

660. kantah: He Who is charming.

661.krtagamah:  The Revealer of the sacred mantra-s to the pure-minded. 

662. anirdesya-vapuh: He of indefinable form.

663. vishnuh: The Pervader.

664. virah: The Valiant.

665. anantah: The Limitless.

666. dhananjayah: He Who surpasses all other wealth in being desired.

Shlokha 71:

667. brahmanyah: He who is beneficial to anyone pursuing Brahman.

668. brahma-krt-brahma: The Creator Who created Brahma

669. brahma: The Supreme Brahman, Paramatma. 

670. brahma-vivardhanah: He Who grows and nurtures everything in a big way

671. brahmavit: The Knower of the Vedas.

672. brahmanah: The Instructor of the Vedas.

673. brahmi: He who possesses all the brahmanic qualities

674. brahmanjah: The Knower of the inner meaning of the Vedas.

675. brahmana-priyah: He Who is specially liked by the brahamanas.

Shlokha 72:

676. mahakramah: He Who provides easy step-by-step access for the elevation of His devotee.

677. mahakarma:He of great actions.

678. mahatejah: He of great Resplendence.

679. mahoragah: He Who has the serpent ananta as His bed.

680. mahakratuh: He Who is worshiped by the great yagas.

681. mahayajva: He Who performs great sacrifices. 

682. mahayajnah:  He Who manifests Himself in the form of the best of yajnas.

683. mahahavih:  He Who is worshiped with supreme oblations. 

Shlokha 73:

684. stavyah: He Who is worthy of praise.

685. stava-priyah: He Who is pleased by the praise in whatever form it is offered.

686. stotram: The ultimate chant.

687. stutah: He Who is praised.

688. stota: He Who praises those who extol Him.

689. rana-priyah:  He Who delights in battle.

690. purnah:  He Who is complete.

691. purayita: The Fulfiller of the desires of His devotees.

692. punyah: The Purifier.

693. punya-kirtih:  He Whose kirti or praise is also purifying

694. anamayah: He Who is beyond pain or suffering

Shlokha 74:

695. mano-javah: He Who is swift as thought.

696. tIrtha-karah: He Who is the source of the holy waters.

697. vasu-retah: The Source of Luster.

698. vasu-pradah: The Giver of Treasure.

699. Vasu-Pradah: The giver of glory.

700. vasu-devah: The presiding Deity of the dwadasakshari 12-lettered vasu-deva mantra.

701. vasuh: The Dweller in the hearts of His devotees. 

 

702. vasu-manah: He Who has a pure mind without any afflictions.

703. havih:  He who is the Sacrificial Offering.

Shlokha 75:

704. sadgatih:  He Who who provides the right path for the good.

705. satkrtih: He who is full of good actions.

706. satta: Existence Incarnate.

707. sadbhutih: He Who is endowed with rich glories

708. satparayanam: The Support for the good.

709. sura-senah: He with a valiant army.

710. yadu-sreshthah: The pre-eminent among the Yadavas.

711. sannivasah: The Abode of the saintly.

712. suyamunah: He Who lifts up and protects the jivas during the time of pralaya.

Shlokha 76:

713. bhutavasah: He Who is the abode of all creatures.

714. vasudevah: He who is the light 

715. sarvasunilayah: The Abode and support of all souls.

716. analah: He Who is never satisfied that He has done enough for His devotees.

717. darpaha:  The Destroyer of pride.

718. darpa-dah:  The Bestower of beauty and attractiveness in everything.

719. adrptah:  He Who is not proud Himself.

720. durdharah: He Who is difficult to control

721. aparajitah:  The Invincible.

Shlokha 77:

722. visvamurtih: He Who has the Universe as His body.

723. mahamurtih: He of Immense form

724. diptamurtih:  He with a shining form.

725. amurtiman: He Who has no fixed Forms

726. anekamurtaye: He of many forms.

727. avyaktaha:  He Who cannot be easily realized. 

728. Satamurtisa: He with a hundred forms. 

729. satanana: He Who is many-faced.

Shlokha 78:

730. Ekah: One Who is Unique and matchless in all respects.

731. naikah: He Who is not One only.

732. sah: He Who spreads knowledge.

733. vah: The Dweller.

734. kah: He Who shines.

735. kim: He Whose praise is sung by His devotees,

736. yat: That Which already exists. 

737. tat: He Who increases the kIrti of His devotees. 

738. padam anuttamam: The Supreme Goal. 

739. loka-bandhuh: One to Whom everything is bound since He is their Support. 

740. loka-nathah: The Protector of the world. 

741. Madhavah: The Consort of Lakshmi.

742. bhakta-vatsalah: Affectionate towards the devotees

Shlokha 79:

743. suvarna-varnah: The golden-hued.

744. hema’ngah: He of golden-hued limbs.

745. vara’ngah: He Who displayed His Divine Form to devaki in response to her prayers. 

746. candana’ngadI: He Who is adorned with delightful armlets.

747. viraha: The Slayer of the strong demons. 

748. vishamah: He Who destroyed the effect of the poison that was consumed by rudra during the churning of the Milk Ocean.

749. sunyah: He Who is without any attributes

750. ghrtasIh: He Who sprinkles the world with prosperity

751. a-calah: He Who is unshakable against His enemies.

752. calah: He Who moves

Shlokha 80:

753. a-manI: He Who is not proud. 

754. mana-dah:  He who honors others

755. manyah: The Object of honor.

756. loka-svamI: The Master of the Universe.

757. tri-loka-dhrt:  He who supports the three worlds

758. su-medhah: He who has good intentions.

759. medha-jah: He who was born as a result of a sacrifice. 

760. dhanyah: The Blessed.

761. satya-medhah: He of true thoughts

762. dharadharah: He Who supports the earth.

Shlokha 81:

763. tejo-vrshah: He Who showers His splendor on His devotees in the form of His protection.

764. dyuti-dharah:  He Who is like a majesty.

765. sarva-Sastra-bhrtam-varah: The Best among those warriors who are armed with all weapons. O

766. pragrahah: The Controller.

767. nigrahah: He Who has a firm control over all creation.

768. vyagrah:  He Who has no end. 

769. naika-sr’ngah:  He Who has many rays of effulgence radiating from Him. 

770. gadagrajah: The elder brother of gada 

Shlokha 82:

771. catur-murtih:  He of Four Forms.

772. catur-bahuh: The Four-armed.

773. catur-vyuhah: He of the form of four forms

774. catur-gatih: He Who is in the form of the four purusharthas.

775. catur-atma: He Who has four forms in His vyUha incarnation. 

776. catur-bhavah: The Source of the four – varnas, asramas, purursharthas, etc. 

777. catur-veda-vit: He Who is the Knower of the four Vedas. 

778. eka-pat: He Whose manifestation in the form of this Universe is only one-fourth of Himself.

Shlokha 83:

779. samavartah: He Who takes incarnations again and again for the benefit of His devotees.

780. nivrttatma: He whose mind is turned away from worldly attachments.

781. dur-jayah: He Who is Invincible.

782. dur-atikramah:  He Who cannot be bypassed by those who seek relief from samsaraw

783. dur-labhah: He Who is difficult to attain for those who are not single-minded in their devotion to Him.

784. dur-gamah: He Who is difficult to attain because of His Effulgence.

785. dur-gah: He Whose realization is constrained by our own limitations. 

786. dur-avasah: He whose place of residence (Sri vaikunTham) is not easy to attain.

787. durari-ha: The Dispeller of the evil-minded enemies.  

Shlokha 84:

788. Subha’ngah: He with an auspicious form that is meditated upon by His true devotees.

789. loka-sara’ngah: He Who is reachable through the essence (sara) of the vedas, namely pranava. And is the object of devotion (loka-sara).

790. su-tantuh: He Who has expanded this Universe starting from Himself.

791. tantu-vardhanah: He Who augments the expansion of Himself into this world, by protecting it.

792. indra-karma: He Who is responsible for the powers of indra.

793. mahA-karma: He of magnanimous actions.

794. krta-karma: One Who has achieved all there is to achieve.

795. Krtagamah: The Propounder of spiritual texts.

Shlokha 85:

796. udbhavah: He Who rose above samsara.

797. Sundarah: He Who is handsome. 

798. sundah: He Who is soft to His devotees.

799. ratna-nabhah: He with a gem-like navel.

800. su-locanah: One with beautiful eyes.

801. Arkah: He Who is praised.

802. vaja-sanih: He Who provides for the nourishment of all His creation.

803. sr’ngi: He Who had a horn in His matsya and varAha incarnations.

804. jayantah: The Conquerer.

805. sarva-vij-jayI: He Who is Omniscient and Victorious.

Shlokha 86:

806. suvarna-binduh: He Who has a beautiful form with golden-colored beautiful limbs

807. a-kshobhyah: He who is unshaken by desire.

808. sarva-vag-isvara-isvarah: The Lord of all who have a mastery over all words.

809. maha-hradah: He Who has created the great oceans so that the earth does not become completely dry and perish.

810. maha-gartah: The Great Charioteer of mahabharata fame. 

811. maha-bhutah: He Who considers great men as His own. 

812. maha-nidhih: He Who has the great treasure in the form of His devotees.  

Shlokha 87:

813. kumudah: He Who is on this earth with delight by enjoying the association with His devotees.

814. kundarah: The Bestower of the knowledge of the Supreme Reality

815. kundah: He Who cleanses the sins of His devotees. 

816. parjanyah: He Who bestows His blessings on the devotees like the rain-cloud. 

817. pavanah: He Who is the forrn of the wind. 

818. anilah: He Who is easily accessible to His devotees

819. amrtasah: He Who feeds His devotees with the Nectar –

820. amrta-vapuh: He of a Nectar-like body. 

821. sarvaj~nah: He Who knows all. 

822. sarvato-mukhah: He Who has faces on all sides.

Shlokha 88:

823. su-labhah: He Who can be easily attained.

824. su-vratah: He Who has taken a good and strong vow.

825. siddhah: He Whose protection is ever available for his devotees.

826. Satru-jit-satru-tapanah: He Who occupies the bodies of Satru- jits to torment His devotees’ enemies.

827. nyag-rodhodumbarah: He Who has the most auspicious SrI vaikuntham as His abode and He Who is ‘above the sky’

828. asvattah: He Who has established the demi-gods for performing various functions

829. canurandhra-nishudanah; He Who slew the wrestler by name canura. 

Shlokha 89:

830. sahasrarcih: The Thousand-rayed who illumines everything in this Universe.

831. sapta-jihvah: The seven-tongued.

832. saptaidhah: One Who is kindled in the form of fire by the seven kinds of offerings.

833. sapta-vahanah: He Who has seven vehicles in the form of the seven Vedic mantra-s represented by the seven horses of the Sun:

834. a-murtih: He Who does not have a body that is affected by karma

835. an-aghah: He Who is of blemishless character.

836. a-cintyah: He Who cannot be completely comprehended in our minds.

837. bhya-krt: He Who causes fear.

838. bhaya-nasanah: He Who destroys fear.

Shlokha 90:

839. anuh: He Who has the power of being smaller than anything small that is known to us.

840. brhat: The Great.

841. krsah: He Who is lighter than the light and is thinner than anything thin

842. sthulah: He Who is immense. 

843. guna-bhrt: He Who supports the three guNa-s of sattva, rajas, and tamas.

844. nir-gunah: He Who is bereft of the common qualities and has special flavours.

845. mahan: He Who is supreme in everything.

846. a-dhrtah: The Unconstrained. 

847. sva-dhrtah: He Who is Self-sustained and superior

848. svasyah: He Who has a glorious status and is superior over the mukta-s.

849. prag-vamsah: He Who is the cause of the eternally free souls

850. vamsa-vardhanah: He Who keeps His progeny growing 

Shlokha 91:

851. bhara-bhrt: He Who shoulders the burden.

852. kathitah: He Whose greatness is extolled by all the Vedas, Puranas, etc.

853. yogI: He Who is endowed with super-human powers. 

854. yogisah: He Who is the foremost Lord of all yogins.

855. sarva-kama-dah: He Who bestows all desires.

856. asramah: He Who provides an abode of rest for the seekers.

857. Sramanah: He Who makes it possible to continue the effort of uncompleted yoga in the next birth. 

858. ksamah:  He Who alone is left behind at the time of pralaya. 

859. suparnah: One Who has beautiful wings and He has suparna – Garuda as His vahana.

860. vayu-vahanah: He Who makes the wind flow for the benefit of sustaining life.

Shlokha 92:

861. dhanur-dharah: The wielder of the bow.

862. dhanur-vedah: The Propounder of the science of archery.

863. dandah: He Who is verily the weapon (power) of yama – the danda.

864. damayita: The Subduer of the enemies of His devotees.

865. a-damah: He Who is not subdued by anyone.

866. a-parajitah: He Who is invincible.

867. sarva-sahah: The Supporter of all the other deities.

868. niyanta: He Who directs.

869. niyamah: He Who controls. 

870. yamah: He Who is beyond yama or mrityu .

Shlokha 93:

871. sattva-van: He Who controls the sattva guna that paves the way for liberation

872. Sattvikah:  He Who confers the fruits of sattva guna

873. Satyah: One Who is well-disposed towards pious souls.

874. satya-dharma-parayanah: He Who is pleased with the true dharma practiced by His devotees

875. abhiprayah: He Who is the object of choice.

876. priyarhah: He Who is rightly the object of love.

877. arhah: The greatest Lord to be worshipped.

878. priya-krt: He Who does what is wanted by others.

879. prIti-vardhanah: Who increases the joy of His devotees

Shlokha 94:

880. vihayasa-gatih: He Who is the means for the attainment of paramapadam.

881. Jyotih: The Light that leads to Sri Vaikuntham and is self-luminous.

882. su-rucih: He of lovely effulgence

883. huta-bhug-vibhuh: He that is the Bright Fortnight of the Moon.

884. ravih: The Sun with his brilliance.

885. virocanah: He of various splendors – such as Sun, moon, day, night, etc.

886. suryah: One who generates Sri or brilliance in surya or agni.

887. Savita: He Who produces or brings life in the form of the Sun.

888. ravi-locanah: He Who illuminates.

Shlokha 95:

889. ananta-huta-bhug-bhokta: He Who is indra and brahma

890. sukha-dah: The Giver of Bliss to His devotees.

891. naika-dah: The Giver of many things

892. agra-jah: He Who manifests in front of the mukta-s.

893. a-nir-vinnah: He Who is not tired of fulfilling the wishes of His devotees.

894. sada-marshI: He Who is ever patient

895. lokadhishthanam: The Support of all the worlds.

896. adbhutah: He Who is extremely wonderful.

Shlokha 96:

897. sanat: The Object of enjoyment.

898. sanatana-tamah: The Most Ancient.

899. kapilah: He Who is of beautiful complexion.

900. kapir-avyayah: He Who enjoys the never-diminishing Bliss.

901. svasti-dah: The Giver of Auspiciousness.

902. svasti-krt: The Doer of good to the devotees. 

903. svasti: He Who is Auspiciousness.

904. svasti-bhuk: The Protector of all that is auspicious. 

905. svasti-dakshinah: He Who gives auspicious things as dakshina to his devotees. 

Shlokha 97:

906. a-raudrah: He Who is not driven to anger easily.

907. Kundali: He Who is bedecked with beautiful ear-rings.

908. cakrI: One with the Discus in His arm.

909. vikrami: He Who has great prowess.

910. urjita-sasanah: He of inviolable commands.

911. sabdatigah: He Who is beyond words.

912. sabda-sahah: He Who shoulders the burden

913. sisirah: He Who rushed to render help.

914. sarvari-karah: He Who had the destructive weapons in his hands.

Shlokha 98:

915. a-krurah: He Who was not cruel.

916. pesalah: He Who is charming and soft

917. dakshath: He Who removes evil elements very quickly

918. dakshinah: He Who is pleasing and amiable.

919. kshaminam-varah: The foremost in bearing the burden of protection of His devotees

920. vidvat-tamah: The Best among those who know what to do.

921.  vita-bhayah: He because of Whom fear is dispelled.

922. punya-sravana-kIrtanah: He Whose nama sravanam and kirtanam are purifying.

Shlokha 99:

923. uttaranah: He Who lifts up.

924. dushkrti-ha: He Who slays the evil-doers

925. punyah: The Purifier.

926. dus_svapna-nasanah: The Remover of evil dreams.

927. vIra-ha: He Who is most powerful.

928. rakshanah: The Savior.

929. santah: He Who makes those who have sought refuge in Him prosper.

930. jivanah: The Life-Giver.

931. paryavasthitah: He Who stands beside.

Shlokha 100:

932. ananta-rupah: He of infinite Forms.

933. ananta-srih: He of infinite wealth, glory, power, etc.

934. jita-manyuh: He Who has conquered His anger.

935. bayapahah: He Who destroys the fear in the mind of the devotee.

936. catur-asrah:  One Who is skilled in all aspects. 

937. gabhiratma: He of deep and profound nature. 

938. vidisah: One Who can be reached from all directions. 

939. vyadisah: He Who appoints the different gods in their respective positions

940. disah: He Who commands.

Shlokha 101:

941. anadih: He Who is not realized by many because of their ignorance

942. bhur-bhuvah: He Who supports that which supports the earth. Sky etc

943. lakshmih: The Wealth.

944. suviro:  Good fighter.

945. rucira’ngadah: He Who bestows His lovely form for His devotees to enjoy.

946. jananah: The Creator.

947. jana-janmadih: He Who is the root cause of all beings

948. bhimah: He Who is frightful to those who do not follow dharma.

949. bhima-parakramya: one who is the all powerful figher.

Shlokha 102:

950. Aadhaaranilayah: One who is the fundamental sustainer

951. Adhaataa: Above whom there is no other to control or to command

952. Pushpahaasah: He who shines like an opening flower.

953. Prajaagarah: Ever-Awaked -He who knows no sleep

954. Oordhvagah: One who walks the path of truth

955. Satpaatacharah: One who walks the path of truth.

956. Praanadah: One who gives ‘Praana’ to all.

957. Pranavah: One who is The Infinite reality is indicated by ‘OM’ in the Vedas.

958. Panah: The supreme Manager of the universe.

Shlokha 103:

959. Pramaanam: He whose very form is the Vedas

960. Praananilayah: He in whom all praanas stand established.

961. Praana-brit: He who rules over all Praanas

 962. Praana-jeevanah: He who maintains the life-birth in all living creatures

963. Tattvam: He who isthe Reality that which is eternal

964. Tattvavit: One who has realized fully the reality.

965. Ekaatmaa: Supersoul in the universe.

966. Janma-mrityu-jaraa-atigah: One who has no change or modifications in Himself

Shlokha 104:

967. Bhoor-bhuvas-svas-taruh: One who nurtures the the three lokas.

968. Tarrah: One who helps all to cross -over

969. Savitaa: Hewho is the eternal father of the entire Universe.

970. Pra-pitaamahah: He who is the father of even the Father of all Beings

971. Yajnah: One whose very nature is yajna.

972. Yajna-patih: The lord of all yajnas

973. Yajvaa: The one who performs Yajna according to the strict prescriptions laid down in Vedas.

974. Yajnaangah: One whose limbs are employed in Yajna.

975. Yajna-vaahanah: One who fulfils Yajnas

Shlokha 105:

976. Yajna-bhrit: the ruler of the Yajnas

977. Yajna-Krit: One who performs Yajna

978. Yajnee: One who is constant ‘Enjoyer’ of the perpetual Yajnas

979. Yajnee: All that is offered into the sacred Fire during a Yajna

980. Yajna-saadhanah: One who fulfills all Yajnas.

981. Yajnaantakrit: One who performs the last act in all Yajnas.

982. yagna-guhyam: One who is the most profound truth to be realised in all yajnas

983. Annam: One who has himself become the food

984. Annaadah: Onewho eats the food.

Shlokha 106:–

985. Aatma-yohin: One who is himself the material cause

986. Svayam-jaatah: One who is the lord of the universe

987. Vai-Khaanah: The one who dug through the earth

988. saama-gaayanah: One who signs the Saama-songs

989. Devakeenandhanah: He who was born to Devakee in his Incarnation as Krishna

990. Srashtaa: One who creates

991. Kshiteesah: One who is the lord of the earth.

992. Paapa-naasanah: meditating upon whom, all vaasanaas are liquidated.

Shlokha 107:

993. Samkha-bhrit: One who has the divine conch named Paanchajanya

994. Nandakee: The lord’s sword is called Nandaka.

995. Chakree: one who carries the discus called Sudarsana.

996. Saarnga-dhanvaa: One who aims his unerring bow called Saarnga

997. Gadda-dharah: One who holds his divine club (Mace) celebrated as Kaumodakee

998. Rathanga-paanih: One who has the wheel of the chariot as his weapon.

999. Akshobhyah: One who cannot be exasperated by anyone

1000. Sarva-praharanaayudhah: He who has all implements for all kinds of assault and fight.

 

 

Shiva

 

 

The list of 1008 names of God Shiva, are attributes of the divinity, referred to its culture and understanding. Every depiction, sculpture and work of art containing such a moltitude of meanings, names and symbols, shall reproduce the most important ones in the icon, painting, fresco etc... to allow analphabets to catch the meaning of the action/duty carried out by the God that uses those objects, often held in 4, 8, 16 hands; Later on, these attributes shall show up particular names of the Gods, that describe qualities, actions or adjectives, often choosing the onomatopoeic root connection to the sound, but still connected to the pictograms, drawings and ancient sculptures found in temples and sacred soil. Letters and values, much later, shall offer a more descriptive and poetical approach, disconnected form the original one, and linked to modern conceptions, updated to values and situations that were not present in those days.

Nataraja

 

 

In the Nataraja sculpture, Shiva is shown as the source of all movement within the cosmos and as the god whose doomsday dance, represented by the arch of flames, accompanies the dissolution of the universe at the end of an eon.