Dhammacakkhapavatthana sutta

Adapted from Youtube

I See in the World ..........

Rattapala sutta

I see in the world
people with wealth
who, from delusion,
don't make a gift
of the treasure they've gained.
Greedy, they stash it away,
hoping for even more
sensual pleasures.

A king who, by force,
has conquered the world
and rules over the earth
to the edge of the sea,
dissatisfied with the ocean's near shore,
longs for the ocean's
far shore as well.

Kings & others
plenty of people
go to death with craving
unabated. Unsated,
they leave the body behind,
having not had enough
of the world's sensual pleasures.

One's relatives weep
& pull out their hair.
'Oh woe, our loved one is dead'
they cry.
Carrying him off,
wrapped in a piece of cloth,
they place him
on a pyre,
then set him on fire.

So he burns, poked with sticks,
in just one piece of cloth,
leaving all his possessions behind.
They are not shelters for
one who has died —
not relatives,
friends,
or companions.

His heirs take over his wealth,
while the being goes on,
in line with his kamma.
No wealth at all
follows the dead one —
not children, wives,
dominion, or riches.

Long life
can't be gotten with wealth,
nor aging
warded off with treasure.
The wise say this life
is next to nothing —
impermanent,
subject to change.

The rich & the poor
touch the touch of Death.
The foolish & wise
are touched by it, too.

But while fools lie
as if slain by their folly,
the wise don't tremble
when touched by the touch.
Thus the discernment
by which one attains to mastery,
is better than wealth —
for those
who haven't reached
mastery go from existence
to existence,
out of delusion,
doing bad deeds.
One goes to a womb
& to the next world,
falling into the wandering on —
one thing after another —
while those of weak discernment,
trusting in one, also go
to a womb and
to the next world.
Just as an evil
thief caught
at the break-in
is destroyed
by his own act, so evil
people — after dying,
in the next world —
are destroyed
by their own acts.
Sensual pleasures — variegated,
enticing, sweet — in
various ways
disturb the mind.
Seeing the drawbacks
in sensual objects:
that's why,
O king, I went forth.
Just like fruits, people
fall — young & old —
at the break-up of the body.
Knowing this,
O king,
I went forth.
The contemplative
life is better for sure.


Adapted from Rattapala sutta translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Thanissaro.

Pinipa & Linduli are Leaving for Australia

To join with Chamath putha, loku duwa, Pinipa, and her daughter, Linduli, will be proceeding to Australia shortly.

Latha and I wholeheartedly congratulate them for their new expedition and wish them all the best and good luck !

Despite the fact that we are going to miss them very much, as Lord Buddha expounded as "Piyehi Vippayogo Dukkho"; it is to be taken as a part of the life, and our sincere blessings are with them for their well being and future endeavours.

An Extract from the Training Rules for Bhikkhus

An extract  from a part of the Patimokkha Training Rules – The Buddhist Monastic Code

Ven. Sudinna, the story goes, had strong faith in the Buddha and had ordained after receiving his parents' grudging consent. He was their only child and, though married, was childless. His parents, fearing that the government would confiscate their property at their death if it had no heir, devised various schemes to lure Ven. Sudinna back to the lay life, but to no avail. Finally, his mother realized that he was firm in his intention to stay a bhikkhu and so asked him at least to have intercourse with his former wife so that their property would have an heir. Ven. Sudinna consented, took his wife into the forest, and had intercourse three times.

Immediately he felt remorse and eventually confessed his deed to his fellow bhikkhus. Word reached the Buddha, who called a meeting of the Community, questioned Ven. Sudinna, and gave him a rebuke. The rebuke fell into two major parts. In the first part, the Buddha reminded Ven. Sudinna of his position as a samaṇa — a monk or contemplative — and that his behavior was unworthy of his position. Also, the Buddha pointed out to him the aims of the teaching and noted that his behavior ran counter to them. The implication here was that Ven. Sudinna had not only acted inconsistently with the content of the teaching, but had also shown callous disregard for the Buddha's compassionate aims in making the Dhamma known.

"'Worthless man, it is unseemly, out of line, unsuitable, and unworthy of a contemplative; improper and not to be done... Haven't I taught the Dhamma in many ways for the sake of dispassion and not for passion; for unfettering and not for fettering; for freedom from clinging and not for clinging? Yet here, while I have taught the Dhamma for dispassion, you set your heart on passion; while I have taught the Dhamma for unfettering, you set your heart on being fettered; while I have taught the Dhamma for freedom from clinging, you set your heart on clinging.

"'Worthless man, haven't I taught the Dhamma in many ways for the fading of passion, the sobering of intoxication, the subduing of thirst, the destruction of attachment, the severing of the round, the ending of craving, dispassion, cessation, unbinding? Haven't I in many ways advocated abandoning sensual pleasures, comprehending sensual perceptions, subduing sensual thirst, destroying sensual thoughts, calming sensual fevers? Worthless man, it would be better that your penis be stuck into the mouth of a poisonous snake than into a woman's vagina. It would be better that your penis be stuck into the mouth of a black viper than into a woman's vagina. It would be better that your penis be stuck into a pit of burning embers, blazing and glowing, than into a woman's vagina. Why is that? For that reason you would undergo death or death-like suffering, but you would not on that account, at the break-up of the body, after death, fall into deprivation, the bad destination, the abyss, hell. But for this reason you would, at the break-up of the body, after death, fall into deprivation, the bad destination, the abyss, hell...

"'Worthless man, this neither inspires faith in the faithless nor increases the faithful. Rather, it inspires lack of faith in the faithless and wavering in some of the faithful.'"


Adapted from The Buddhist Monastic Code 1 translated from Pali to English by Bhikkhu Thanissaro

An Extract from Kitagiri Sutta - Dhamma-follower & Conviction Follower

Dhammanusari disciple & Saddhanusari disciple


Buddha expounded:


"And what is the individual who is a Dhamma-follower? There is the case where a certain individual does not remain touching with his body those peaceful liberations that transcend form, that are formless, nor — having seen with discernment — are his fermentations ended. But with a [sufficient] measure of reflection through discernment he has come to an agreement with the teachings proclaimed by the Tathagata. And he has these qualities: the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, & the faculty of discernment. This is called an individual who is a Dhamma-follower.[9] Regarding this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness. Why is that? [I think:] 'Perhaps this venerable one, when making use of suitable resting places, associating with admirable friends, balancing his [mental] faculties, will reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now.' Envisioning this fruit of heedfulness for this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness.


"And what is the individual who is a conviction-follower? There is the case where a certain individual does not remain touching with his body those peaceful liberations that transcend form, that are formless, nor — having seen with discernment — are his fermentations ended. But he has a [sufficient] measure of conviction in & love for the Tathagata. And he has these qualities: the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, & the faculty of discernment. This is called an individual who is a conviction-follower. Regarding this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness. Why is that? [I think:] 'Perhaps this venerable one, when making use of suitable resting places, associating with admirable friends, balancing his [mental] faculties, will reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now.' Envisioning this fruit of heedfulness for this monk, I say that he has a task to do with heedfulness.


"Monks, I do not say that the attainment of gnosis is all at once. Rather, the attainment of gnosis is after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice. And how is there the attainment of gnosis after gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice? There is the case where, when conviction has arisen, one visits [a teacher]. Having visited, one grows close. Having grown close, one lends ear. Having lent ear, one hears the Dhamma. Having heard the Dhamma, one remembers it. Remembering, one penetrates the meaning of the teachings. Penetrating the meaning, one comes to an agreement through pondering the teachings. There being an agreement through pondering the teachings, desire arises. When desire has arisen, one is willing. When one is willing, one contemplates. Having contemplated, one makes an exertion. Having made an exertion, one realizes with the body the ultimate truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees it.[

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I.' For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, the Teacher's message is healing & nourishing. For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.' For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, one of two fruits can be expected: either gnosis here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance — non-return."


That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.


Adapted from the Kitagiri Sutta translated from Pali by Bhikkhu Thanissara

Padana Sutta - Kuddaka Nikaya

Lord Buddha :


To me —

resolute in exertion

near the river Nerañjara,

making a great effort,

doing  jhana

to attain rest from the yoke —


Namuci[1] came,

speaking words of compassion:

"You are ashen, thin.

Death is in

your presence.

Death

has 1,000 parts of you.

Only one part

is your life.

Live, good sir!

Life is better.

Alive,

you can do

acts of merit.

Your living the holy life,

performing the fire sacrifice,

will heap up much merit.

What use is exertion to you?

Hard to follow

— the path of exertion —

hard to do, hard

to sustain."


Saying these verses,

Mara stood in the Awakened One's presence.

And to that Mara, speaking thus,

the Blessed One said this:



"Kinsman of the heedless,

Evil One,

come here for whatever purpose:

I haven't, for merit,

even the least bit of need.

Those who have need of merit:

those are the ones

Mara's fit to address.



In me are conviction,

austerity,

persistence,

discernment.

Why, when I'm so resolute

do you petition me

to live?

This wind could burn up

even river currents.

Why, when I'm resolute

shouldn't my blood dry away?

As my blood dries up

gall & phlegm dry up.

As muscles waste away,

the mind grows clearer;

mindfulness, discernment,

concentration stand

more firm.

Staying in this way,

attaining the ultimate feeling,[2]

the mind has no interest

in sensual passions.

See:

a being's

purity!



Sensual passions are your first army.

Your second is called Discontent.

Your third is Hunger & Thirst.

Your fourth is called Craving.

Fifth is Sloth & Drowsiness.

Sixth is called Terror.

Your seventh is Uncertainty.

Hypocrisy & Stubbornness, your eighth.

Gains, Offerings, Fame, & Status

wrongly gained,

and whoever would praise self

& disparage others.



That, Namuci, is your army,

the Dark One's commando force.

A coward can't defeat it,

but one having defeated it

gains bliss.

Do I carry muñja grass?[3]

I spit on my life.

Death in battle woud be better for me

than that I, defeated,

survive.



Sinking here, they don't appear,

some priests & contemplatives.

They don't know the path

by which those with good practices

go.



Seeing the bannered force

on all sides —

the troops, Mara

along with his mount —

I go into battle.

May they not budge me

from

my spot.

That army of yours,

that the world with its devas

can't overcome,

I will smash with discernment —

as an unfired pot with a stone.



Making my resolve mastered,

mindfulness well-established,

I will go about, from kingdom to kingdom,

training many disciples.

They — heedful, resolute

doing my bidding —

despite your wishes, will go

where, having gone,

there's no grief."

Mara:



"For seven years, I've dogged

the Blessed One's steps,

but haven't gained an opening

in the One Self-awakened

& glorious.

A crow circled a stone

the color of fat

— 'Maybe I've found

something tender here.

Maybe there's something delicious' —

but not getting anything delicious there,

the crow went away.

Like the crow attacking the rock,

I weary myself with Gotama."



As he was overcome with sorrow,

his lute fell from under his arm.

Then he, the despondent spirit,

right there

disappeared.



Adapted from Bhikkhu Thanissara's translation of the Padana sutta from Pali.

THE BENIFITS OF VIRTUE

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUE?

The Lord Buddha expounded:


Its benefits are the acquisition of the several special qualities
beginning with non-remorse. For this is said: “Ánanda,
profitable habits (virtues) have non-remorse as their aim
and non-remorse as their benefit” (AV1). 

Also it is said further: “Householder, there are these five
benefits for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue.


 What five? Here, householder, one who is virtuous,
possessed of virtue, obtains a large fortune as a
 consequence of diligence; this is the first benefit
for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue.


Again, of one who is virtuous, possessed of virtue,
 a fair name is spread abroad; this is the second benefit
for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue.


Again, whenever one who is virtuous, possessed of virtue,
enters an assembly, whether of khattiyas  (warriornobles)
or brahmans or householders or ascetics,
he does so without fear or hesitation; this is the third
benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue.


Again, one who is virtuous, possessed of virtue,
dies unconfused; this is the fourth benefit  for the virtuous
in the perfecting of virtue.


Again, one who is virtuous, possessed of virtue, on the
breakup of the body,after death, reappears in a happy
destiny, in the heavenly world; this is the fifth
benefit for the virtuous in the perfecting of virtue” (D II 86).


There are also the many benefits of virtue beginning with
being dear and loved and ending with destruction of cankers
 described in the passage beginning,

 “If a bhikkhu should wish, ‘May I be dear to my fellows
in the life of purity and loved by them, held in respect and
honoured by them,’ let him perfect the virtues” (M I 33).
This is how virtue has as its benefits the several special
qualities beginning with non-remorse.


Furthermore:
Dare anyone a limit place
On benefits that virtue brings,
Without which virtue clansmen find
No footing in the dispensation?
No Ganges, and no Yamuná
No Sarabhú, Sarassathì,
Or flowing Aciravatì,
Or noble River of Mahì,
Is able to wash out the stain
In things that breathe here in the world;
For only virtue’s water can
Wash out the stain in living things.
No breezes that come bringing rain,
No balm of yellow sandalwood,
No necklaces beside, or gems
Or soft effulgence of moonbeams,
Can here avail to calm and soothe
Men’s fevers in this world; whereas
This noble, this supremely cool,
Well-guarded virtue quells the flame.
Where is there to be found the scent
That can with virtue’s scent compare,
And that is borne against the wind
As easily as with it? Where
Can such another stair be found
That climbs, as virtue does, to heaven?
Or yet another door that gives
Onto the City of Nibbána?

Shine as they may, there are no kings
Adorned with jewellery and pearls
That shine as does a man restrained
Adorned with virtue’s ornament.
Virtue entirely does away
With dread of self-blame and the like;
Their virtue to the virtuous
Gives gladness always by its fame.
From this brief sketch it may be known
How virtue brings reward, and how
This root of all good qualities
Robs of its power every fault.
 
 
Adapted from Visuddhimagga of  Ven. Buddhaghosa; translated from Pali by Ven. Bhikkhu Nanamoli

Damma & Basic Principles

Enlightenment

Through the round of many births

without reward,

without rest,

seeking the house builder.

Painful is birth again

and again.


House builder, you're seen!

You will not build a house again.

All your rafters broken,

the ridge pole destroyed,

gone to the Unformed, the mind

has attained the end of craving.

— Dhp 153-54


Dhamma


Phenomena are preceded by the heart,


ruled by the heart,

made of the heart.

If you speak or act with a corrupted heart,

then suffering follows you —

as the wheel of the cart,

the track of the ox that pulls it.



Phenomena are preceded by the heart,

ruled by the heart,

made of the heart.

If you speak or act with a calm, bright heart,

happiness follows you,

like a shadow that never leaves.

— Dhp 1-2


Heedfulness: the path to the Deathless;

Heedlessness: the path to death.

The heedful do not die;

The heedless are as if

already dead.

Knowing this as a true distinction,

those wise in heedfulness

rejoice in heedfulness,

enjoying the range of the noble ones.


Buddhist Teaching in brief.

The non-doing of any evil,

the performance of what is skillful,

the cleansing of one's own mind:

This is the Buddhas' teaching.


Not disparaging, not injuring,

restraint in line with the Patimokkha,

moderation in food,

dwelling in seclusion,

commitment to the heightened mind:

This is the Buddhas' teaching


Dhp 183, 185


Adapted from An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Refuge to the Noble Triple Gem

They go to many a refuge,

to mountains, forests,

parks, trees, and shrines:

people threatened with danger.

That's not the secure refuge,

that's not the highest refuge,

that's not the refuge,

having gone to which,

you gain release

from all suffering and stress.


But when, having gone for refuge

to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha,

you see with right discernment

the four Noble Truths —

stress,

the cause of stress,

the transcending of stress,

and the Noble Eightfold Path,

the way to the stilling of stress:

That's the secure refuge,

that, the highest refuge,

that is the refuge,

having gone to which,

you gain release

from all suffering and stress.

— Dhammapada, 188-192


Adepted from an Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, &
Sangha by Thanissaro Bhikkhu Metta Forest Monastery,
Valley Center, CA 92082-1409, U.S.A.