Dhaniya Sutta

Dhaniya the cattleman:

"The rice is cooked,
my milking done.
I live with my people
along the banks of the Mahi;
my hut is roofed, my fire lit:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"Free from anger,
my stubbornness gone,
I live for one night
along the banks of the Mahi;
my hut's roof is open, my fire out:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

Dhaniya:

"No mosquitoes or gadflies
are to be found.
The cows range in the marshy meadow
where the grasses flourish.
They could stand the rain if it came:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"A raft, well-made,
has been lashed together.
Having crossed over,
gone to the far shore,
I've subdued the flood.
No need for a raft
is to be found:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

Dhaniya:

"My wife is compliant, not careless,
is charming, has lived with me long.
I hear no evil about her at all:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"My mind is compliant, released,
has long been nurtured, well tamed.
No evil is to be found in me:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

Dhaniya:

"I support myself on my earnings.
My sons live in harmony,
free from disease.
I hear no evil about them at all:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"I'm in no one's employ,
I wander the whole world
on the reward [of my Awakening].
No need for earnings
is to be found:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

Dhaniya:

"There are cows, young bulls,
cows in calf, & breeding cows,
& a great bull, the leader of the herd:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"There are no cows, no young bulls,
no cows in calf or breeding cows,
no great bull, the leader of the herd:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

Dhaniya:

"The stakes are dug-in, immovable.
The new muñja-grass halters, well-woven,
not even young bulls could break:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The Buddha:

"Having broken my bonds
like a great bull,
like a great elephant
tearing a rotting vine,
I never again
will lie in the womb:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."

The great cloud rained down
straightaway,
filling the lowlands & high.
Hearing the rain-god pour down,
Dhaniya said:
"How great our gain
that we've gazed
on the Blessed One!
We go to him,
the One with vision,
for refuge.
May you be our teacher, Great Sage.
My wife & I are compliant.
Let's follow the holy life
under the One Well-gone.
Gone to the far shore
of aging & death,
let's put an end
to suffering & stress."

Mara:

"Those with children
delight
because of their children.
Those with cattle
delight
because of their cows.
A person's delight
comes from acquisitions,
since a person with no acquisitions
doesn't delight."

The Buddha:

"Those with children
grieve
because of their children.
Those with cattle
grieve
because of their cows.
A person's grief
comes from acquisitions,
since a person with no acquisitions
doesn't grieve."


Adepted from Dhaniya Sutta in the Sutta Nipatha of Kuddaka Nikaya translated from Pali by Thanissara Bikku.

Wordy Warfare - Sumyutta Nikaya

The Viggahika Sutta:

The Lord Buddha expounded:

"Monks, do not wage wordy warfare, saying: 'You don't understand this Dhamma and discipline, I understand this Dhamma and discipline'; 'How could you understand it? You have fallen into wrong practices: I have the right practice'; 'You have said afterwards what you should have said first, and you have said first what you should have said afterwards';[1] 'What I say is consistent, what you say isn't'; 'What you have thought out for so long is entirely reversed'; 'Your statement is refuted'; 'You are talking rubbish!'; 'You are in the wrong'; 'Get out of that if you can!'

"Why should you not do this? Such talk, monks, is not related to the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, does not conduce to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment or to Nibbana. When you have discussions, monks, you should discuss Suffering, the Arising of Suffering, its Cessation, and the Path that leads to its Cessation. Why is that? Because such talk is related to the goal... it conduces to disenchantment... to Nibbana. This is the task you must accomplish."

Notes
1.
"You are putting the cart before the horse!"

Adapted from Viggahika Sutta: Wordy Warfare translated from the Pali by Maurice O'Connell Walshe

The Four Fold Ultimate Realities (Catuda Paramattha)

According to the AbhiDhamma philosophy expounded by the Buddha, there are four Ultimate Realities. They are: Citta (Mind), Cettasika (Mental Properties),Rupa (Matter), Nibbana (Enlightenment)

The first three are Mundane Realities and the Supramundane “Nibbana” is the absolute reality free from all conditions.

Mind or Citta is that which is aware of an object only. Mental Properties or Cetasika which is 52 in number, one of which is Vedana (Feeling) and another is Sanna (Perception). The remaining fifty (50) are collectively called Volitional Activities, known as Kamma. Therefore, the receptacle of combination of Mind and Mental Properties (i.e. Volitional Activities) is Vinnana (Consciousness).

No Consciousness can arise when a person is unconscious due to some cause , or when that person is under medical anesthesia or in a coma, or when that person is in deep sleep. But the Mind remains dormant or inactive for the period of time in these conditions known in Pali as “Bhavanga Citta” (factor of life). Actually we experience Bhavanga state of mind more than any other type of consciousness throughout our life time.

According to AbhiDhamma, the Bhavanga state of mind or Consciousness flows at an ultra high frequency rate of more than a trillion Thought-Processes in one second (i.e. approximate time of a flash of a lightning) and seventeen (17) Thought-Moments constitute one Thought–Process. When an object is presented to the mind through one of the five sense-doors, the dormant Bhavanga state of mind is arrested and a thought-process appropriate to the object perceived arises and flows on.

Immediately after the cessation-instant of a thought-moment, there results the genesis-instant of the subsequent thought-moment. Thus each unit of consciousness perishes conditioning another, transmitting at the same time all its potentialities to its successor. There is, therefore, a continuous flow of Bhavanga Consciousness like a stream without any interruption.

The co-existence of Mind and Matter is Life. Disharmony or lack of co-ordination of mind and Matter is Decay; Separation of Mind and Matter is Death; Re-combination and coexistence of new Mind and Matter is Rebirth.

The Buddha’s doctrine of Rebirth after death is not a mere theory but a fact. Rebirth takes place without any intermediate state at the precise moment of death. When the present physical body, no longer capable of sustaining life dies , the individuals latent cumulative Kamma as volitional energies do not die with it but continue to take another new mental and physical form depending upon one’s good or evil past Kamma along with its potentialities in a new existence.
According to AbhiDhamma, the type of consciousness that arises initially at the precise moment of conception is termed "Patisandhi-Citta". After the Patisandhi-Citta –the dormant mental state of Mind or Consciousness known as Bhavanga Citta arises and flows on during one’s life time. The Bhavanga meaning factor of life flows on in life until the moment of death.

Then, at the end of this Bhavanga state of mind “Cuti-Citta” or the decease-consciousness arises only once in a life time disconnecting the present life and from that very moment onwards, another new existence with new body and mind begins in the new life.

This is the never ending cycle of death and rebirth, the natural process of all ordinary human-beings, known as “Samsara”

The Theravada orthodoxy thus maintains that the AbhiDhamma Pitaka is authentic words of the Buddha and the Theravada school, however, holds that the Blessed One himself expounded the books of the Abhidhamma, except for the detailed reputation of deviant in the Kathavathttthu which was the work of the Ven. Maha Moggaliputta Tissa during the reign of Emperor Asoka.

The Pali Commentries apparently drawing upon an old oral tradition, maintain that the Buddha expounded the Abhidhamma, not in the human world to his human disciples, but to the devas or gods in the Tavatimsa Heaven.

According to this tradition, just prior to his seventh rains retreat, the Blessed One ascended to the Tavatimsa Heaven and, there, seated on the Pandukambala Stone at the foot of the Paricchaattaka tree, for the three months of the rain he taught Abhidhamma to devas who had assembled from the ten thousand world systems, He made the chief recipient of the teaching His mother, Maha Maya Devi, who had been reborn as a deva.

The reason the Buddha taught Abhidamma in the dava world rather than in the human realm, it is said, is because in order to give a complete and continuous disclosure of the Abhidhamma, it has to be expounded from the begining to the end to the same audience in a single session.

Since the full exposition of Abhidhamma requires three months, only devas and brahmas could receive it with unbroken continuity as they alone are capable of remaining in one posture for such a length of time.

However, to sustain his body, the Buddha descended to the human world to go on alms around in the north region of Uturukuru. After colleting almsfood, the Buddha went to the Anotatta Lake to partake his meal. The Ven. Maha Sariputta, the General of Dhamma would meet the Buddha there and receive a synopsis of the teaching given that day in the deva world.

Having learnt the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, Ven.Sariputta in turn taught it to his own cycle of 500 pupils and thus the textural recession of the Abhidhamma was established.

Accordingly, Ven. Sariputta is regarded as the literal author of the Abhidhamma treatises

Adapted from Abhidhamma and Buddhism in a Nutsell by U BaThein (BT Bros) President of the ChanMyay Yekitha Solidality, Yangon, Union of Myanmar and from a Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, The Abhidhammanttha Sangaha of Achariya Anuruddha, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Alagaddupama Sutta - Wrong Graspness of Dhamma

The Water-Snake Simile

The Lord Buddha said:

"Monks, there is the case where some worthless men study the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events, question & answer sessions [the earliest classifications of the Buddha's teachings]. Having studied the Dhamma, they don't ascertain the meaning (or: the purpose) of those Dhammas with their discernment. Not having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment, they don't come to an agreement through pondering. They study the Dhamma both for attacking others and for defending themselves in debate. They don't reach the goal for which [people] study the Dhamma. Their wrong grasp of those Dhammas will lead to their long-term harm & suffering. Why is that? Because of the wrong-graspedness of the Dhammas.

"Suppose there were a man needing a water-snake, seeking a water-snake, wandering in search of a water-snake. He would see a large water-snake and grasp it by the coils or by the tail. The water-snake, turning around, would bite him on the hand, on the arm, or on one of his limbs, and from that cause he would suffer death or death-like suffering. Why is that? Because of the wrong-graspedness of the water-snake. In the same way, there is the case where some worthless men study the Dhamma... Having studied the Dhamma, they don't ascertain the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment. Not having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment, they don't come to an agreement through pondering. They study the Dhamma both for attacking others and for defending themselves in debate. They don't reach the goal for which [people] study the Dhamma. Their wrong grasp of those Dhammas will lead to their long-term harm & suffering. Why is that? Because of the wrong-graspedness of the Dhammas.

"But then there is the case where some clansmen study the Dhamma... Having studied the Dhamma, they ascertain the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment. Having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment, they come to an agreement through pondering. They don't study the Dhamma either for attacking others or for defending themselves in debate. They reach the goal for which people study the Dhamma. Their right grasp of those Dhammas will lead to their long-term welfare & happiness. Why is that? Because of the right-graspedness of the Dhammas.

"Suppose there were a man needing a water-snake, seeking a water-snake, wandering in search of a water-snake. He would see a large water-snake and pin it down firmly with a cleft stick. Having pinned it down firmly with a forked stick, he would grasp it firmly by the neck. Then no matter how much the water-snake might wrap its coils around his hand, his arm, or any of his limbs, he would not from that cause suffer death or death-like suffering. Why is that? Because of the right-graspedness of the water-snake. In the same way, there is the case where some clansmen study the Dhamma... Having studied the Dhamma, they ascertain the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment. Having ascertained the meaning of those Dhammas with their discernment, they come to an agreement through pondering. They don't study the Dhamma either for attacking others or for defending themselves in debate. They reach the goal for which people study the Dhamma. Their right grasp of those Dhammas will lead to their long-term welfare & happiness. Why is that? Because of the right-graspedness of the Dhammas.

"Therefore, monks, when you understand the meaning of any statement of mine, that is how you should remember it. But when you don't understand the meaning of any statement of mine, then right there you should cross-question me or the experienced monks.

Adepted from Alagaddupama Sutta: The Water-Snake Simile translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Uniqueness in Buddhism

The unique concept of Nibbana [Nirvana in Sanskit] in Buddhism is a state of supreme happiness in the human mind and definitely not something we attain after our death. It is the ultimate aim of Buddhists and we need to strive to attain it when we are alive in this world itself as a human being.

Nibbana is attained by completely eradicating Loba (Craving), Dosa (Aversion) and Moha (Delusion) from one’s mind.

The concept of the Four Noble Truths and the three characteristics of existence, Anicca (impermanance), Dukka ( suffering), Anatta (selflessness) are unique in Buddhism

Samsara is a fundamental concept in Buddhism and it is simply the perpetual cycles of existence or endless rounds of rebirth among the six realms of existence. The pattern of rebirth will only end when a sentient being attains Nibbana, i.e. virtual exhaustion of kamma and cessation of habitual traces, defilements and delusions.

The doctrine of Paticca Samuppada, Dependent Organization, is another unique concept in Buddhism and according to this law every phenomenon owes its origin to another phenomenon prior to it. In other words it is the Law of Cause and Effect

Buddhism goes beyond doing good and being good. One must not be attached to good deeds or the idea of being good; because it is just another form of craving.

There is no almighty God in Buddhism. There is no one to hand out rewards or punishment on a supposedly Judgment day.

Buddhism is strictly not a religion in the context of being a faith and worship owing allegiance to a supernatural being.

No savior concept is there in Buddhism. A Buddha is not a savior who saves others by His personal salvation. Although Buddhists seek refuge in the Buddha, who advocated the path of purity, the Noble Four Fold “Ariya Attangika Magga", the layman himself has to follow the path of purification ardently and relentlessly to achieve the purity of the mind, virtually the enlightenment.

A Buddhist does not think that he can gain purity merely by seeking refuge in the Buddha or by mere faith in Him. It is not within the power of a Buddha to wash away the impurities of others.

A Buddha is not an incarnation of a God. The relationship between a Buddha and his disciples/followers is that of a teacher and student.

According to Buddhism, the liberation of self is the responsibility of one's own self. Buddhism does not call for an unquestionable blind faith by all Buddhist followers. It places heavy emphasis on self-reliance, self discipline and individual striving.

Taking refuge in The Triple Gem i.e. the Buddha, the Dhamma and Sanga; does not mean self surrender or total reliance on an external force or third party for help or salvation.

The Dhamma, teachings of the Buddha, exists regardless whether there is a Buddha. Buddha discovered and shared the Dhamma comprising universal truths (Four Noble Arya Truths) with all beings.

In Buddhism, the objective of its disciples is enlightenment or from Samsara rather than go to a Heaven or a deva realm in the context of Buddhist cosmology.

Law of Kamma or Kamma energy are cornerstones in Buddhist doctrine. Kamma refers to an important metaphysical concept concerned with action and its consequences. In other words, this is the natural Law of Cause and Effect.

The law of Kamma explains the problems of sufferings, the mystery of the so-called fate and predestination of some religions, and above all the apparent inequality of mankind.

Rebirth is another key doctrine in Buddhism and it goes hand in hand with Kamma. Buddhism rejects the theary of a transmigrating permanent soul whether created by a god or emanating from a divine essence.

The Buddha taught people to cultivate Brahma viharas (Four Devine States) i.e. Metta (Loving –kindness), Karuna (compassion), Muditha (altruistic joy), and Upekha (equanimity) towards all living beings including animals. Buddhism strictly forbids animal sacrifice for whatever reason.

In Buddhism, there is consideration for all sentient beings. Buddhist acknowledge and accept the existence of animals and beings in other realms in Samsara.

No holy war concept in Buddhism. One is strictly forbidden to kill another person in the name of religion or a religious leader or whatever religious pretext or worldly excuse.

Suffering is another cornerstone in Buddhism. It is the first of Four Noble Truths.

The Buddha is omniscient yet He does not claim to be a creator of lives or the Universe.

Panna or Wisdom occupies a paramount position in Buddhist teachings. One needs to develop Sati, mindfulness, tranquility of the mind, and, Samadhi, concentration to develop, Panna, Wisdom to attain the Right Understanding & Right Thoughts in order to eradicate the causes of sufferings.

The tradition and practice of meditation in Buddhism are important and strong. While some religions teach some forms or variations of stabilizing single-pointedness meditation (Samatha) only. Buddhism emphasizes Vipassana (Insight) meditation to achieve Wisdom for enlightenment.

The doctrine of Sunyata or emptiness is also unique to Buddhism. It declares the phenomenal world to be void of all limitations and that all concepts of dualism are abolished.

The concept of Hell in Buddhism is very different to that of other religions. It is not a place for eternal damnation as viewed by ‘almighty creator religions’ In Buddhism, it is just one of six realms in Samsara.

The Buddhist cosmology (Universe) is distinctly different from that of other religions, which usually recognizes only one solar system (earth as the center) of the Universe and only planet with living beings whereas the Buddhist viewpoint is known as three thousand fold world system in one billion solar systems.

[Adapted from Buddhism - Major Differences from other Religions compiled by Tan Swee Eng, Buddhist Studies Sydney, Australia, 'Introductory Course in Buddhism' compiled by Bro. Chan Khoon San, Klang Malaysia, and from 'Buddhism for Lay Disciples' by Bro AK Nelson.]

Baddekaratta Sutta (Majjima Nikaya)

An Auspicious Day !

The Lord Buddha expounded:

You shouldn't chase after the past

or place expectations on the future.

What is past

is left behind.

The future

is as yet unreached.

Whatever quality is present

you clearly see right there,

right there.

Not taken in,

unshaken,

that's how you develop the heart.

Ardently doing

what should be done today,

for — who knows? — tomorrow

death.

There is no bargaining

with Mortality & his mighty horde.

Whoever lives thus ardently,

relentlessly

both day & night,

has truly had an auspicious day:

so says the Buddha.

[Adepted from Bhaddekaratta Sutta: An Auspicious Day translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu]