The Chant of Metta is not from the Tripitaka but the Karaniya Metta Sutta is from the Tripitaka. When translating Pali into a languages which does not have similar constructs there will be variations.
Human life is rare and precious hence prolonging it maybe a good option or a person who is not liberated yet. This gives more room for pratice on case your next birth is not conducive for pratice.
The motivation in refusing medication can happen due to few factors:
If any of the above cases are the motivation then this is not Buddhist take on the matter. As you are holding on to some ideal in the 1st and in the latter you are averse towards the conditions you are unlikely to get a good birth in the next life.
In principle if you do it the Buddhist way then you have to try to understand the 4 Noble Truths in experiences due to the sickness or otherwise and Dependent Origination of the condition during your sickness or otherwise. One of the main links for both is sensations / feeling / unsatisfactoriness which you should look at them closely being equanimous and seeing the arising from start to the end. Due to the greater pain of the sickness you might miss more subtle sensation. You have to be attentive to the also.
Also please take time to read:
Your world view changes when you become Sotāpanna. I.e. you have understood dependent origination (DO) and 4 Noble Truths and Ignorance is no more. The difference is that before you mind had Ignorance or had a mind with Ignorance and now it is a mind without Ignorance where you perfectly understand DO and the 4 Noble Truths. When you reach the final goal your mind is rootless or without mental influxes or broken from the fetters or devoid of Defilements. In understanding the DO and the 4 Noble Truths seeing the 3 Marks of Existence is instrumental.
So best is the balance both. Occasionally look into the stage you are but not frequently. Perhaps once a month review would be OK.
NB: any stage of Insight Meditation happens naturally. You cannot force it. Tyrin to force if you will not reach the insite you are trying to achive.
It is said that the Buddha spoke very quickly. How quickly? During the time an ordinary person speaks one word the Buddha could speak 128 words. Buddha spoke very fast.
Source: Handbook of Abhidhamma Studies, by Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda, Volume 1, page 16.
So it might be OK to listen fast but if you can comprehend what is been said. Perhaps to 128x times faster. But remember though the Buddha spoke (I would say communicated) 128 words when someone else spoke 1 word, each listener would hear a subset as if this has been said to him. So in this case the amount you can speedup is something less than 128x but also limited by the rate you can understand what is spoken and also comprehend what is spoken. If you can
at the rate of 2x speed then it is OK.
In preparation for death you should:
In order to achieve 1, best is to contemplate that everyone must die and it is inevitable.
In preparation for 3, 2 will be helpful contemplation and meditation as each breath you take might very well be you last.
When you die your mind must be equanimous. This is the target of preparation to die. This can only achived through wisdom by realising the arising and passing away nature of things.
Meditating on a corpse is partly to realise that death is common to all and imminent, but another is to counteract the perception of beauty by seeing it rot. If the body is preserved it does not serve the latter purpose.
What you have to realise is beauty results when someone takes a certain shape and form here is beauty this might bring pleasure - attractive, displeasure - attractive, neutral - average or no special looks. When you analyse the anatomical parts separately this perception of beauty do not arise. Only when they are compounded and take a particular shape this perception of beauty happen. Likewise we take beauty or looks to be a constant than transitory. By looking at a old corpse you realize this, even perhaps even a old person. When it rots you see shape and form is subjected to decay, especially in a young corpse, and you see the transitory nature of beauty, i.e., something that was perceive so beautiful has suddenly become so repulsive. Since the subject is not repulsive there is a change your mind may develop aversion towards the object or even the body itself. This is not the objective of repulsive meditation. You have to maintain absolute equanimity though initially if you are lustful this can be used to counteract it. If your mind is feeling disgusted then this is not the type of meditation for your.
You should meditate on how your mind constructs beauty and the sensation that follow and the attractions or aversions (you may just not like how someone looks) that result from this perceived beauty.
There are 2 types of signs:
Many of the gross realities many intelligent people can deduce. It is the subtle ones they cannot deduce though logic. E.g. If you ask any one "Can I live for ever?", they would respond "No".
At the subtle level is what you need to see through meditation. Everything arises and passes away. (Udayawaya nana) You just have to see this to realise impedance. What arises you cannot control hence non self. What ever feeling that arises passesaway hence all feelings are unsatisfactory.
There are 2 parts here
I would think ornament of the mind means to develop Beautiful Consciousness (Sobana). Develop Initial and Sustained contemplation on your action developing Calm. Do it with Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha. This way convert your citta into a Great Wholesome Mind (mahā-kusala cittas).
Supporting the mind is if the Mind is Prompted (this includes when you hold yourself back due to laziness or attachment) make it into an unprompted mind. Reinforce your understanding of Karma so your Mind is a Mind with the Right View.
When you are deep sleep (Bhavanga) you are unaware. When you are awake you do have some awareness (Ekaggata - 1 of the 7 universal mental factors) but it not penetrating awareness as you do not have enough focus (Samadhi).
When traveling the path you should abandon the world or look internally. The implication with this is you cannot concern yourself with what is around you and to some extent other beings. Hence this can be viewed as an selfish path since you always look inward than outward.
Buddhism helps you achieve your ambitions better. When you make decisions you are void of any -ve roots which might adversely influence your decisions. This lead to better decision which are proactive than reactive.
Distancing yourself from a crowd may help you put more time into meditation and other priorities but nevertheless Buddhism help in both your worldly and spiritual targets. Also both should be in balance. Say your destitute then you have not time or the mindnet for spiritual pratice.
Addiction is related to sensations (Vedana) where we crave for sensation. Habit relates to Sanna where a reactive repetitively reinforced response to a stimuli surfaces. Self recognition or identification is mainly with distortions of reality (Vipallasa) in which one conceives permanence in oneself or on is in control though this is conditione hence habitual. This is reinforced by self identification with pleasure and craving for control or influence over different outcomes from which you might derive pleasure which stems from craving towards sensations.
Dullness of mind is associated with sloth and torpor. When this happens you feel:
This itself is a sensation. Concentrate on the impermanence or arising and passing of this sensation. When you have this Ignorance dominates and to overcome this when sensation arises contemplate is impermanence, dispassion, ending and letting go as per advise in Pacalā Sutta. Similar advice is also found in Avijja Pahana Sutta 2, Pahāna Sutta, etc. As in the case of Pacalā Sutta you can note this but best is to avoid mental verbalisation of which is discussed in section 4 Note on noting in Giri-m-ananda Sutta commentary by Piya Tan which takes a more lenient stance; S.N. Goenka like the Thai Forest Tradition on silent noting take a more hard stance on verbalisation or visualisation which I feel is right.
"Nothing is worth clinging to"
When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this to the Blessed One:
"In what way, bhante, in brief, is a monk freed through the destruction of craving, that is, one who has reached total perfection, the total security from bondage, the total holy life, the total consummation, the highest amongst gods and humans?"
"Here, Moggallāna, the monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to. And, Moggallāna, a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things [he directly knows the nature of the all]. Having directly known the nature of all things, he fully understands all things.
Having fully understood all things, he knows whatever feelings there are, whether pleasant, painful or neither painful nor pleasant. As regards to those feelings, he dwells contemplating impermanence in them; he dwells contemplating dispassion [fading away of lust] in them; he dwells contemplating ending (of suffering) in them; he dwells contemplating letting go (of defilements).
When he dwells contemplating impermanence in them, contemplating dispassion in them, contemplating ending in them, contemplating letting go, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated; being not agitated, he himself surely attains nirvana
There 3 things interplay here:
So when you see a person the following can happen:
So when you see a person of the opposite sex the 1st time, what you get is Kama Raga and Suba Sanna. This is in seeking of pleasure born of such interactions.
Though Kama Raga heavily influences Chanda Raga, the main thing is that the person is influential in you life / perceived world. As the "puppet master" of the perceived world you get pleasure from the "puppets" in the show when they seem to go according to your expectations.
Chanda Raga is what might keep a relationship going even when Kama Raga subsides with time and into old age when Suba Sanna wanes off.
Though in seeking pleasure we get the above 3, in fact these give diverse sensations: pleasure, displeasure, neutral due to impermanent nature and non self nature of existance. All the experience you can derive from it is Dukkha (pain - Dukkha Dukkha, pleasure - Viparinama Dukkha, neutral - Sankhara Dukkha). So to understand the 4 Noble Truths contemplate on the arising and passing of sensations.
This is available in Samantapāsādikā / Parajikakanda Atthakatha which is in Pali. As for an English translation there is: The Inception of Discipline & the Vinaya Nidana: Being a Translation & Edition of the Bahiranidana of Buddhaghosa's Samantapasadika, the Vinaya Commentary (Sacred Books of the Buddhists). (Link to Inception of Discipline N.A. Jayawickrama at Pariyatti Store) I am not sure if this is complete and thorough thought.
According to the Abhidhamma gender distinction is there in every part of the corporeal structure. In Buddhism illusion is used if the meaning breaks down at a lower level of abstraction, but in this case, gender is there to the most basic material composition, hence not an illusion. This is more on how you define illusion is.
If you have any view, perception about gender this is illusionary as it it is constituted by Citta and Cetasika.
Gender does decay and has the potential to change from birth to birth.
Are there any rituals in Buddhism?
Culturally there is. E.g. Kandy Esala Perahera. Even morality or even service or even generosity sometimes maybe in the form f a rite or ritual. There can be some merit in doing something as a rite or ritual but the results are not the best you can reap. Dana Maha-p,phala Sutta discusses this in the context of generosity. (Giving in account of tradition is akin to a ritual.)
Do rituals in itself can be become a source of attachment?
Yes. This is one fetter than binds you to Samsara.
The more grandiose the ritual , the more the merit! If there is a ritual, what is the right way of conducting a ritual that doesn't invoke materialistic thoughts and actions.
The results are decided on your metal volition and that of the beings gaining benefit. More grandiose the ritual the effort put into it is more an at a certain point the intensity of volition may diminish and may not be as meritorious as a more simpler act with more intense volition.
Say I have a pen which I am attached to. When I see it I get present sensations or experience. Now I decide to give it which can have either pleasant or neutral sensations. If the recipient is happy receiving the gift you may feel more happy or experience more pleasant sensations. By truly knowing the sensations are impermanent, unsatisfactory and non self only can you pratice true giving. Also having initial and sustained awareness of the thoughts of giving can intensify the results. Likewise of any other act which can be in form of a rite or ritual can be turned into something more fruitful.
The wholesomeness and unwholesomeness and neutrality is decided by what you would perceive when you experience or feel the result. This is the differentiation between them.
Generally aversion are painful when doing and so is when you get the result.
Generally clining based acts are pleasant when doing and also when you get the result.
Generally neutral sensations are when they are neither the above but still with the root of ignorance.
The motivation associated with the purpose decides what is the result. This also has some sensation associated with it. This can decide what is wholesome or not when the volition is formed.
Dukkha is the characteristic of all human experiences (or what is felt) either pleasant, painful or neutral. Pain is Dukkha in it's own right. Parting with pleasantness is Dukkha. Also any conditioned existance is Dukkha even in the neutral experiences as becoming is present which has inherent suffering like birth, aging, painful life experiences and death .
There are 2 things here.
Developing supernormal powers as side benefit of meditation is welcome and long as they are used to teach and further the understanding of the Dhamma. E.g. Meditation master using though reading to see if the partitioner has understood the instructions. Also when meditating you goal should not be to be after these powers but just to realise the Dhamma but have them developed as a side benefit.
Displaying the powers for vanity is what is not encouraged.
Dhamma is universal and timeless hence does not undergo any changes, through people's understanding of the same may change due to experiences, views, perceptions, etc. General understanding like a person's understanding does undergo changes. The true understanding of the Dhamma happens at the experiential level, i.e., through meditations in which case this is in line with true reality which is universal and timeless.
It is you who gets hungry. The problem start when you mentally identify that "I am hungry". If you just let be as another sensation without metal conceiving in relation to I there is not problem and pain will be reduce and stress from the situation non existent. Many metal construction or notion or perception of "I" or "mine" leads to misery. It is holding on to this metal construction or notion or perception of "I" or "mine" which should stop.
To straighten view before meditation: Samma,ditthi Sutta
... do you change it to positive mental quality ...
If any of the Nīvaraṇa arises you can apply the antidote to it. Also see: Nīvarana,pahana Vagga and Nīvaraṇa
... or just watch it?
You can do this also. There is always a sensation associated with the hindrances. If you are angry you get a burning sensation. If you have sloth or torpor you feel heavy.
Someone angry for 'no reason', but actually there is a reason if one keeps the mindfulness.
This is some stimuli at the scene door which give an unpleasant sensation.
... By realizing this we are no longer angry.
These mental states are impermanent. When the cause, initial stimuli or / and the subsequent mental proliferation disappears then result (anger) disappears. Also see: Dependent Arising
Is this also a practice of mindfulness or analyzing?
This is a form of analysing the impermanence of feelings arising from this mental state. It can be taken as Dhamma vicaya which is mindfulness. Basically you look at the arising and passing of sensations pertaining to the hindrance.
Which one is the correct practice?
All he following you mentioned are correct:
On cognizing a mind-object with the mind,
one investigates the mind-object that the basis of mental joy,
one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of mental pain,
one investigates the mind-object that is the basis of equanimity.
Cognizing a mental object with the mind, one examines the mental object as the basis for pleasure, or for pain, or for neither-pain-nor-pleasure
Dependent on the mind-object element, there arises the perception of mind-object;
dependent on the perception of mind-object, there arises the thought regarding mind-object;
dependent on the thought regarding mind-object, there arises the desire for mind-object;
dependent on the desire for mind-object, there arises the passion for mind-object;
dependent on the passion for mind-object, there arises the searching for mind-object.
Here searching is for the pleasure the intellectual stimulation brought.
When dealing with any sensation from any source (Contact with Faculties, 4 Frames of Mindfulness) you have to look at the arising and passing of sensations. Use painful sensation to eradicate aversion, pleasant sensation to eradicate craving and neutral to eradicate ignorance. How to sensation tied to thoughts are as follows:
Adopted from Pahāna Sutta (also found in the introductory commentary as is). This goes for thoughts as well.
(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;
(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;
(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings
Here, bhikshu, the monk has learned [heard] that nothing is worth clinging to. And a monk has learned that nothing is worth clinging to, thus: he directly knows all things. Having directly understood all things, he fully understands all things.
Having fully understood everything, he sees all signs differently:
He sees the mind differently; he sees mind-objects differently; he sees mind-consciousness differently; he sees mind-contact differently. Whatever that is pleasant, or painful, or neutral, that arises on account of mind-contact as condition, that, too, he sees differently.
Monk, when a monk knows and sees thus, ignorance is abandoned by him and true knowledge (vijja) arises.
I came across a well referenced blog which seems to have merit in par with a paper or article. Just A Little Dust.
Also though not a the site The Dharmafarers has a lot of articles and well researched Sutta translations.
Source: Anapanasati
If you see step 4 above it says "Tranquilise the bodily activities". In this stage you do calm the breath, i.e., increase the gap, but you do not manipulate the breath directly.
For further reference on claiming the breath see: LECTURE THREE: CALMING THE KAYA from ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU, Knowing and Seeing 4th Ed. by Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw p35.
Also in meditation you have to be in the present moment and see arising and passing or sensation at the present moment as you have realise.
You can still be aware of the breath. In case of working it is more easy to see the expansion and contraction nature / sensation of breathing process. In which case it might be an idea to look at your chest or abdomen for rising and falling sensation.
When you walk, talk or do anything else you need mindfulness to do the task right. In Buddhism this awareness is not too tied to being aware of what you do. What needs to be done is to be aware of the arising and passing of sensation (phenomena what is felt) with equanimity. In the case of breath any sensation pertaining to the breath like expansion contraction or touch at the upper lip or nose or length will be sufficient.
Thinking process is associated with sensations, hence will not stop until sensations top. There are ways to stop thoughts is to develop Nirodha Samapatti or realise Nirvana by other means. When you have Nirvana as object only will your thinking stop.
When breathing stops your bodily fabrications have stopped. But when thoughts arise new fabrications arise which might have bodily impact hence breathing start again.
The 3 characteristics in Perception is difficult to identify as they are mostly tained by Perversion of Perception. Initially this can be rectified by building contracting perception. Seven such contemplations are given in (Vitthāra) Satta Sañña Sutta. Also when you experience Perception gives rise to the following chain thoughts arise > desires > passions > searching. (Saññā Nānatta Sutta) Generally what you can start looking at from searching. This is searching to experiences to fulfil your passions, so on and so forths. When you realise subject of lusting is impermanence then you see Perception of Impermanence. (Such pratice is covered in Anicca Saññā Sutta) This means your Perversion of Perception has reduced hence see the Impermanence of Perception. Ultimately what you lust is for sensation either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral by understanding this perhaps you can understand perception. This since perception is hard to understand try to understand something the impermanence caused by perception thought which you try to understand impermanence of perception or something that creates perception in the cause and effect chain.
What consciousness does is it recognises "It is pleasant ... unpleasant ... neutral". The the route to understand impermanence of consciousness is to start with the sensations it produce. You should see them as Arising and Passing with Equanimity. (Pahāna Sutta, Avijja Pahana Sutta 2)
In the 6th council changes have been made to the Disclosure in Establishing Mindfulness in the Middle Length Discourses according to Ven Sujato and Ven Analayo where the section on the 4 Noble Truths was expanded. 3rd Council the Abhidhamma as made officially part of the canon.
Is there other known instances where changes to the Pali Canon happened either at this council or elsewhere?
Perhaps we can maintain a collection of Buddhist blogs which might be of interest for many. I just stumbled across one which might be of interest called: Just A Little Dust. What else might be out there?
What is realised at the experiential level is the Dhamma for you. What someone else experiences is not the Dhamma for you. In this sense there is no nonduality as people experience reality in different way (as for what I have learned.) There is nothing similar between experiences, though perhaps experience of among Buddha's maybe similar. The main goal of experiencing "reality as it is" to develop revulsion to the 5 aggregates. So what you you experience should be to the extent to avoid unwise attention of attention tained by perverted perceptions, thoughts and views. In this context there is always an observer who experiences phenomena though consciousness aided by the faculties, or one that who feels1.
1
“It is to one that feels that I teach Dhamma, not to one that does not feel.” —The Awakened One
Also see: To one that feels by Luangpor Teean Juttasubho
Late Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero is known to have taken the Bodhisattva vows and aspiring towards Buddhahood in a future life. So is Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera. So yes you can meet aspirants through many may not say so.
There are many motivations. One of the main motivations is loving kindness. Though this might not be generally considered, a small strain of sense of challenge, achievement, accomplishment or to achieving the ultimate can also be present. These may fade away depending on the stage you are in but surely a motivation early on to wish for Buddhahood. Also external influences can motivate this. I have heard when there were no Buddhas for a long time some beings who are is some stage of sainthood in higher planes influence possible earthlings to aspire to become a Buddha by telepathic influence and planting the seed or initial thought of aspiration.
The path is the same for everyone which is the noble 8 fold path divided into morality, mastery of the mind and wisdom. The practice is individual as nobody else can walk the path for you or take you on the path. Any body seriously practicing can walk the path but you have to practise yourself. Sometimes the path is described differently using the landmarks than the direction.
There are 3 main thing I gather.
Love - this is the people who you have immediately when expanding the spear of me and mine hence tremendous attachments arise. This it self gives a heap of experiences which are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Raising a family does have a lot of these experiences. This can be a blessing and a bondage. As bondage because you can't practice seriously at a beginner or intermediate level. For a advance meditators this can be a blessing since the diversity of experiences can keep your defilements on check which otherwise you will not realise that are there.
Past Karma - this only decides part of the experiences which are either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The way out of misery is to objectively observe these sensations and realized they are unsatisfactory regardless if they are Karmic results from past action or not.
Karma as a bondage - Yet again past Karma is the vehicle to study these experiences (Karmic results are in directly linked to the Karma giving rebirth) and get your mind free from creating new Karma. You past and present existence and the experiences that come with it gives you the the opportunity to study the workings of Karma by removing the roots of ignorance, greed and aversion. All this you can be experienced and dealt with within the framework of the body.
External help like apps can be a hindrance when you get to rely on them. Even guided meditation instructions can become as you get used to them.
The issue with habits is that most of the action is not strictly mindful.
Having said this much of the standard advice is to systematically bring your attention to a chosen object and then to continuously keep re targeting this object, while continuously reviewing if your attention is with the object. This is like 1st looking at the object and then looking under a magnifying glass, or taking aim and shooting with a machine-gun to the object. When you practice this your mind will stay with the object. After sometime this will become pleasant also. Also this will increase your concentration. Ideally this redirection should be aimed at the 4 foundations of mindfulness or Metta, Muditha, Karuna and Upekka.
Tissa (Thag 1.39) {Thag 39}
As if struck by a sword, as if his head were on fire, a monk should live the wandering life — mindful — for the abandoning of sensual passion.
Source: http://ift.tt/1R6SLTv
Certainly not getting what you want is unsatisfactory. This is Dukka Dukka. I will not say this is a good thing though this kind of thought can help you emotionally. Sometimes it might be true that not getting something may be better as you might be blinded by craving as not to see the downside e.g. a partner lower in morals.
Even if you get what you want this is not satisfactory as you have to part with it at some point.
The root cause of craving is sensations experienced then in contact with the object that you want or mental satisfaction in owning it (has come into the spear of mine).
If you don't get something wanted then the sensation you experience is painful. You have to look at it as impermanent or if you are developed in meditation as arising and passing of sensations (phenomena which is experienced or felt). By doing this you are weakening your root of aversion.
When you experience satisfactory experiences you have to look at the sensations again equnimously. When you experience the pleasantness passing away do the same. This is because doing so weakens the root of craving.
When you experience neutral sensations, the process of fabrication continues. Use this as means to eradicate your ignorance. Neutral sensations are unsatisfactory since we still have conditioned existence.
By reaction to sensations you create craving. Carving with further thinking and pondering and conpept polifration creates clinging. At this point you will be planning on how to aquire what you want. If you miss de railing the train at feeling this is the next place you can try this by developing mastery over the mind. This is nothing wrong working towards getting what you want within the framework of morality and right livelihood. But in doing so you should try to be equanimous as possible to sensations and try developing more mastery over the mind to prevent craving and clinging.
There is no pretending. It is the fact that you are not sure if this is the last period or not hence what needs to be done in case you die.
No one can plan the time of death and many die unexpectedly. This is what you have to look at. So consider each breath your last as there is a chance that it is very well your last breath hence establish your self in mindfullness.
