Page 35 – Buddha's Desk

2019-12-202019-12-20

2019.12.20

Ud 1:2 Awakening (2) (Bodhi Sutta)

I have heard that on one occasion, the Blessed One was staying at Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River at the root of the Bodhi tree–the tree of awakening–newly awakened. And on that occasion he sat at the root of the Bodhi tree for seven days in one session, sensitive to the bliss of release. Then, with the passing of seven days, after emerging from that concentration, in the second watch of the night, he gave close attention to dependent co-arising in reverse order,1 thus:

When this isn’t, that isn’t.
From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.
In other words: From the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications.
From the cessation of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness.
From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form.
From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the six sense media.
From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact.
From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.
From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving.
From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance.
From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming.
From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth.
From the cessation of birth, then aging-&-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease.
Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering & stress.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed: As phenomena grow clear to the brahman–ardent, in jhāna– his doubts all vanish when he penetrates the ending of requisite conditions.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud1_2.html

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2019-12-192019-12-19

2019.12.19 Thursday

Udāna | Exclamations 1:1 Awakening (1) (Bodhi Sutta)

I have heard that on one occasion, the Blessed One was staying at Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River at the root of the Bodhi tree–the tree of awakening–newly awakened. And on that occasion he sat at the root of the Bodhi tree for seven days in one session, sensitive to the bliss of release. Then, with the passing of seven days, after emerging from that concentration, in the first watch of the night, he gave close attention to dependent co-arising in forward order,1 thus:

When this is, that is.
From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
In other words:
From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications.
From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness.
From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form.
From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media.
From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact.
From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.
From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.
From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.2
From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming.
From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.

From birth as a requisite condition, then aging-&-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of suffering & stress.3

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

As phenomena grow clear
to the brahman–ardent, in jhāna–
his doubts all vanish
when he discerns
a phenomenon with its cause.

1. In the parallel passage at Mv.I.1.2, the Buddha gives attention to dependent co-arising in both forward and reverse order.

2. This hybrid word–clinging/sustenance–is a translation of the Pali term upādāna. Upādāna has a hybrid meaning because it is used to cover two sides of a physical process metaphorically applied to the mind: the act of clinging whereby a fire takes sustenance from a piece of fuel, together with the sustenance offered by the fuel. On the level of the mind, upādāna denotes both the act of clinging and the object clung to, which together give sustenance to the process of becoming and its attendant factors leading to suffering and stress. For more on this image and its implications for the practice, see The Mind Like Fire Unbound.

3. Notice that dependent co-arising (paṭicca samuppāda) is expressed in terms of processes–of events and actions–without reference to a framework containing those processes. In other words, it doesn’t mention the existence or non-existence of agents doing the actions, or of a framework in time and space in which these processes happen. Thus it makes possible a way of understanding the causes of suffering and stress without reference to the existence or non-existence of an “I” or an “other” responsible for those events. Instead, the events are viewed simply as events in the context of the process–a way of viewing that makes it possible to abandon clinging for any of these events, so as to bring suffering to an end. Even the idea of an “I” or an “other” is seen simply as part of the process (under the factors of fabrication and the sub-factor of attention under “name” in name-and-form). This is what makes possible the abandoning of any attachment to the conceit “I am,” as mentioned in Ud 2:1, 4:1, 6:6, and 7:1. In this way, the treatment of dependent co-arising in the first three udānas, while terse, actually sets the stage for understanding some of the more paradoxical teachings that appear later in the collection.

For a discussion of dependent co-arising in general, see The Shape of Suffering. For further discussion of its role in framing and abandoning thoughts of “I am,” see Skill in Questions, chapters 3 and 8.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud1_1.html

2019-12-18

2019.12.18 Wednesday

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, ignorance1 precedes the arrival of unskillful qualities; lack of shame & lack of compunction2 follow after. Clear knowing precedes the arrival of skillful qualities; shame & compunction follow after.”

Any bad destinations in this world, in the next, are rooted in ignorance–all– accumulations of desire & greed. And when a person of evil desires lacks shame & respect, evil comes from that, and by that he goes to deprivation. So cleansing away ignorance, desire, & greed, a monk giving rise to clear knowing would abandon all bad destinations.

1. Ignorance (avijjā) means ignorance of stress, its origination, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation.

2. Shame (hiri) means a healthy sense of shame–derived from self-esteem–at the idea of doing evil. Compunction (ottappa) means fear of the consequences of doing evil.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti40.html

2019-12-16

2019.12.16 Monday

Itivuttaka 39

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, the Tathāgata–worthy & rightly self-awakened–has two Dhamma discourses given in sequence. Which two? ‘See evil as evil.’ This is the first Dhamma discourse. ‘Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there, released.’ This is the second Dhamma discourse. These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathāgata–worthy & rightly self-awakened–has given in sequence.”

See the two statements, declared in sequence, by the Tathāgata, awakened, sympathetic to all beings. The first: see evil. Be dispassionate there toward evil. Then, with a mind dispassionate, you will make an end of suffering & stress.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti39.html

2019-12-13

2019.12.13 Friday

Itivuttaka 38

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, two trains of thought often occur to the Tathāgata, worthy & rightly self-awakened: the thought of safety & that of seclusion.

“The Tathāgata enjoys non-ill will, delights in non-ill will. To him–enjoying non-ill will, delighting in non-ill will–this thought often occurs: ‘By this activity I harm no one at all, whether weak or firm.’

“The Tathāgata enjoys seclusion, delights in seclusion. To him–enjoying seclusion, delighting in seclusion–this thought often occurs: ‘Whatever is unskillful is abandoned.’

“Thus, monks, you too should live enjoying non-ill will, delighting in non-ill will. To you–enjoying non-ill will, delighting in non-ill will–this thought will often occur: ‘By this activity we harm no one at all, whether weak or firm.’

“You too should live enjoying seclusion, delighting in seclusion. To you–enjoying seclusion, delighting in seclusion–this thought will often occur: ‘What is unskillful? What is not yet abandoned? What are we abandoning?’”

To the Tathāgata, awakened, who endured what is hard to endure, two thoughts occur: safety the first thought mentioned; seclusion the second declared. The dispeller of darkness, free of effluent, the great seer who has gone beyond, reached attainment, gained mastery, crossed over the poisons; who’s released in the ending of craving: that sage bears his last body, has shaken off Māra, I tell you, has gone beyond aging. As one standing on a rocky crag would see the people all around below, so the wise one, with the all-around eye, having scaled the tower made of Dhamma, having crossed over sorrow, gazes on those overwhelmed with sorrow, conquered by aging & death.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti38.html

2019-12-12

2019.12.12

Karma

“A disciple of the noble ones considers this: ‘I am not the only one who is the owner of actions, heir to actions, born of actions, related through actions, and have actions as my arbitrator; who—whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings—past & future, passing away & re-arising—all beings are the owners of actions, heir to actions, born of actions, related through actions, and have actions as their arbitrator. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.’ When he/she often reflects on this, the (factors of the) path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it, & cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed.”

From Subjects for Contemplation Upajjhaṭṭhana Sutta (AN 5:57)

2019-12-10

2019.12.10 Tuesday

Itivuttaka 37

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Endowed with two things, monks, a monk lives full of ease in the here-&-now and is appropriately aroused for the ending of the effluents. Which two? A sense of urgency toward things that should inspire urgency1 and, feeling urgency, appropriate exertion. Endowed with two things, a monk lives full of ease in the here-&-now and is appropriately aroused for the ending of the effluents.”

1. Urgency = saṁvega. Other meanings for this term include awe, shock, dismay, and alienation. In the Pali Canon, this emotion is often accompanied by fear and a sensed need to escape from overwhelming danger. The things that should inspire urgency are the first four of the five reflections listed in AN 5:57: “I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging. I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness. I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death. I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.” Appropriate exertion is indicated by the fifth reflection: “I am the owner of actions, heir to actions, born of actions, related through actions, and have actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.”

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti37.html

2019-12-08

2019.12.08 Sunday

Itivuttaka 36

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, this holy life is lived, not for the sake of deceiving people, not for the sake of inveigling people, not for the sake of the rewards of gain, offerings, & tribute, nor with the thought, ‘Thus may people know me.’ This holy life is lived for the sake of direct knowledge & full comprehension.”

For the sake of direct knowledge & full comprehension, he, the Blessed One, taught a holy life not handed down, coming ashore in Unbinding. This path is pursued by those great in purpose, great seers. Those who follow it, as taught by the One Awakened, heeding the Teacher’s message, will put an end to suffering & stress.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti36.html

2019-12-06

2019.12.06 Friday

Itivuttaka 35

For the sake of restraint, for the sake of abandoning, he, the Blessed One, taught a holy life not handed down,1 coming ashore in Unbinding. This path is pursued by those great in purpose, great seers. Those who follow it, as taught by the One Awakened, heeding the Teacher’s message, will put an end to suffering & stress.

1. “Not handed down”: not derived from an ancient tradition, and not dependent on ancient tradition for its authority.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti35.html

2019-12-04

2019.12.04 Wednesday

Itivuttaka 34

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, a person without ardency, without compunction, is incapable of self-awakening, incapable of Unbinding, incapable of attaining the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A person ardent & compunctious is capable of self-awakening, capable of Unbinding, capable of attaining the unsurpassed safety from bondage.”

With no ardency, no compunction, lazy, with low persistence, full of sloth & drowsiness, shameless, without respect: he’s incapable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. But whoever is mindful, masterful, absorbed in jhāna, ardent, concerned, & heedful, cutting the fetter of birth & aging, touches right here a self-awakening un- surpassed.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Iti/iti34.html