EQUANIMITY

Released by Disengaged Non-identification!



At Savatthi The Buddha once said:
All form is transient, all feeling is transient, all perception is transient,
all mental constructions are transient, all consciousness is transient...
This transience is suffering! What is suffering is no-self! What is no-self
should be seen as it really is with correct understanding in this very way:
"All this is not mine, cannot be mine, this I am not, this is not my self!"...
When one sees and understands this thus, as it really is with correct and
penetrating understanding, then one maintains no views on what is past.
When one maintains no more views regarding the past, then one neither
maintains any views about the future. When one has relinquished all hopes
regarding the future, then one is not being possessed by stubborn clinging!
Having no trace of immovable clinging left, the mind becomes disillusioned
regarding all form, all feeling, all perception, all mental constructions, and
all consciousness. By that it is released from the 3 mental fermentations
through detached non-clinging... By being released, the mind is all silenced!
By being thus stilled, the mind becomes content... Being content, it is not
agitated anymore... Being thus unagitated, one indeed attains Nibbāna!
Right there and then, one instantly understands: Ended is this process of
rebirth, this Noble Life has been lived, done is all what had to be done,
there is no state beyond this...

More on this nicely ballanced Equanimity (Upekkhā):
Even is Equanimity, The 7 Links to Awakening, Exquisite_Equanimity,
Unshakable Equanimity, Equanimity Upekkha, Serene Equanimity & Beyond,
Feeding Equanimity, Empty Equanimity, High_and_Alert, What_is_Wrong,
Safe_Medicine, Serene_Equanimity, Divorced_Freedom, Tatra-Majjhatta,

Source:
The Grouped Sayings by the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya III 55-58
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

What is Sexual Abuse?

         What is the Buddhist 3rd Precept?

The 3rd Precept: One accepts the training rule of avoiding All Sexual Abuse.
One should cause No Pain to others or oneself in one's search for pleasure!
Avoiding sexual abuse is thus an essential core component of harmlessness!

Specifically:
One should not mate sexually with another's partner.
One should not mate sexually with anyone engaged or married to another.
One should not mate sexually with minors < 16-18 years of age.
One should not mate sexually with those imprisoned, forced or under the law.
One should not mate sexually with those protected by family or teachers.

kāmesu-micchācāra: lit. 'wrong or evil conduct with regard to sensual things';
Unlawful sexual contact refers to adultery, and to intercourse with minors
or other persons under guardianship. The abstaining from this unlawful act is
one of the 5 moral training rules (sikkhāpada)  binding upon all Buddhists.
Any sexual act transgressing this rule will inevitably cause suffering later...
The monk, however, has to observe perfect chastity by living fully celibate
even without any masturbation. In many Suttas (e.g. A.X., 176) we find the
following explanation:
He avoids unlawful sexual intercourse, abstains from it. He has no intercourse
with girls who are still under the protection of father or mother, brother,
sister or relatives, nor with married women, nor female convicts, nor, lastly,
with betrothed girls. Source:  the Buddhist Dictionary:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/index_dict.n2.htm

"Illicit sexual behavior, when indulged in, developed, & pursued, is something
that leads to hell, leads to rebirth as a common animal, leads to the realm of
the hungry ghosts. The slightest of all the results coming from illicit sexual
behavior is future rivalry and revenge, when one becomes a human being.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/anguttara/an08-040.html

"Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the disciple of the noble ones abstains
from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, from animosity,
freedom from oppression to limitless numbers of beings. In giving freedom
from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to limitless
numbers of beings, he gains a fair share of limitless freedom from danger,
freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the 3rd gift!
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/anguttara/an08-039.html

Finally: Ignoring, hiding or not informing about own STD:
Knowingly engaging in a sexual contact that puts another being in danger
of getting a sexually transmitted disease, which later may make this being
suffer and maybe even be potentially lethal (HIV) is also not only sexual
abuse in the Buddhist sense, but also illegal and forbidden by law and thus
legally punishable in most countries today.  

More on The 5 basic Precepts: The 5 Training rules (Sikkhapada).
Best Buddhist Praxis, Buddhist Life Standards Law_3, Mighty is Morality,
The_Five_Basics, Real Buddhists takes Refuges & Precepts

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net 

pure Happiness!

Mental Purification induces pure Happiness!

The purpose of purification of Morality is purification of Mentality!
The purpose of purification of Mind is the purification of Understanding!
The purpose of purification of Understanding is the overcoming of Doubt!
The purpose of overcoming Doubt is knowing what to do & what not to do!
The purpose of knowing what to do & not do is purification of the Method!
The purpose of purification of the Method is purity of Knowledge & Vision!
The purpose of purification of Knowledge & Vision is Release of all clinging!
The purpose of Relinquishing all clinging is the only Supreme Bliss: Nibbāna...

More on Purification (Visuddhi):
Mental_Purity, Levels of Leaving Behind, The_7_Purifications,
The_7_stages_of_Purification, Ability_Purification,
The_8_Understandings, Immaculate_Integrity.

Source:
The Middle Length Sayings of the Buddha. Majjhima Nikāya. Sutta 24 Relays.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25072X
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/index.html

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

What is Nibbãna?

The Absolute and Ultimate Release Beyond!

A wandering friend once asked the Great Disciple:
Friend Sariputta, Nibbāna, Nibbāna  is it said! What is this Nibbāna?
The destruction of Greed, the destruction of Hate, and the destruction of
Ignorance! This, friend, is called Nibbāna …
But, friend, is there a method, is there a way to reach this Nibbāna?
There is indeed a method, friend, there is indeed a way to reach Nibbāna!
What, friend, is then this method, what is then that way to reach Nibbāna?
It is, friend, simply the completion of this Noble 8-fold Way, namely:

Right View  (sammā-ditthi)
Right Motivation  (sammā-sankappa)
Right Speech  (sammā-vācā)
Right Action  (sammā-kammanta)
Right Livelihood  (sammā-ājīva)
Right Effort  (sammā-vāyāma)
Right Awareness  (sammā-sati)
Right Concentration  (sammā-samādhi)

This is undeniably the very method, friend, the only way to reach Nibbāna!
Oh excellent is this unique method, exquisite is this way to reach Nibbāna!
This –in itself- is enough for me, friend Sariputta, to begin the endeavour!

More on Nibbāna: A Quenched State of Maximum Peace, Freedom, and Bliss:
Climax of Calm, Final Freedom, The Proximate Cause, Peace, Nibbana_Still,
Nibbana or non-return, Reaching Peace, The_2_Nibbanas, The_Uncreated,
How_to_Enter, Nibbana_True_Peace, The_Entrance, The_Unborn_State,
The_Signless_Nibbana, Imperturbable_Equanimity, Doctrine of Nibbana,
The_Deathless, The_Deathless_Dimension,

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya. Book IV [251]
section 38:1 Questions on Nibbāna ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net 

What is Nibbãna?

Real Progress

Real Progress is gaining Real Freedom!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, growing in five areas of progress, the Noble Disciple attains a
Noble growth, and acquires the essence, acquires the best, one possibly can
in this bodily existence! What are these 5 areas:

1: One grows in Faith,
2: One grows in Morality,
3: One grows in Learning,
4: One grows in Generosity,
5: One grows in Understanding.

Developing in these five areas of progress, a noble disciple grows with a Noble
Progress, and acquires the very core essence, acquires the optimal advantage,
of this bodily existence. When one grows here in Faith and Morality, in Wisdom,
Liberality, and Learning, the virtuous lay disciple acquires right here the very
quintessence of all what is advantageous!

More on Purification (Visuddhi):
Mental_Purity, Levels of Leaving Behind, The_7_Purifications,
The_purpose_of_purification, The_7_stages_of_Purification,
Ability_Purification, The_8_Understandings, Immaculate_Integrity.

More on Meditation (bhāvanā):
The_40_Meditations, Magnificent_Meditation, Meditation.Manual,
Mind_Moulding!

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya. Book IV [250]
section 37:34 On growth ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

Real Buddhist

How to be a Real Buddhist through Observance?

Poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan
Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Asoka's son, the Arahat Mahinda, officially
introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to
the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a Poya day, on Poson day devotees
flock to Mihintale & Anurādhapura, the ancient holy capital city of the country, for
it was there that Arahat Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa,
and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally
made Sri Lanka the stronghold home of Theravada Buddhism.


Arahat Mahinda arrives                                and tests the king's intelligence.


Mihintale, Sri Lanka.         Mahinda Thera's cave there.

Essays about the significance of Poson Poya Days in Theravada Buddhism:
An Arahat meets a King.
The cultural dimension of Poson.
The birth of a new civilization.
The induction of the Triple Gem to Sri Lanka.

On such Uposatha Observance days:
Any Lay Buddhist simply joins the Three Refuges and undertakes
the Five Precepts like this: Newly bathed, shaved, white-clothed,
with clean bare feet, one kneels at a shrine with a Buddha-statue,
and bows first three times, so that feet, hands, elbows, knees and
head touch the floor. Then, with joined palms in front of the heart,
one recite these memorized lines in a loud, calm & steady voice:

As long as this life lasts: I hereby take refuge in the Buddha.   I hereby take refuge in the Dhamma. I hereby take refuge in the Sangha. I hereby seek shelter in the Buddha for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Dhamma for the 2nd time. I hereby seek shelter in the Sangha for the 2nd time.
I hereby request protection from the Buddha for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Dhamma for the 3rd time. I hereby request protection from the Sangha for the 3rd time. I will hereby respect these Three Jewels the rest of my life!

I accept to respect & undertake these 5 training rules: 
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Killing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Stealing.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Sexual Abuse.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Dishonesty.
I hereby accept the training rule of avoiding all Alcohol & Drugs.
As long as this life lasts, I am thus protected by these 5 precepts...

Then, one keeps and protects these sacred vows better than one's own
eyes & children!, since they protect you & all other beings much better
than any army! They are the highest offer one can give in & to this world!
This is the very start on the path towards Nibbāna -the Deathless Element-
This is the Noble Way to Peace, to Freedom, to Bliss, initiated by Morality,
developed further by Dhamma-Study and fulfilled by training of Meditation...

Today indeed is Pooya or Uposatha or observance day, where any lay Buddhist
normally keeps the Eight Precepts from sunrise until the next dawn...
If any wish an official recognition by the Bhikkhu-Sangha, they may simply
forward the lines starting with "I..." signed with name, date, town & country
to me or join here. A public list of this new Saddhamma-Sangha is here!

The New Noble Community of Disciples: The Saddhamma Sangha:      
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Saddhamma_Sangha.htm

Join Here:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/sangha/Sangha_Entry.htm

For Details on Poya Uposatha Observance Days    
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/uposatha.html

May your journey hereby be eased, light, swift and sweet. Never give up!

Mihintale, Sri Lanka, where the Arahat Mahinda, arrived in 3rd century B.C.

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net

3 Mental Fermentations

There are 3 Mental Fermentations (Âsavas):

The Blessed Buddha once said: Bhikkhus, there are 3 mental fermentations.
What are these three mental concoctions?

1: The mental Fermentation joined with Sensuality..
2: The mental Fermentation linked with Becoming..
3: The mental Fermentation associated with Ignorance..

These are the three mental fermentations.
The Noble 8-fold Way is to be developed for the direct experience of these
three fermentations, for the full understanding of them, for their complete
elimination, and for their final overcoming, abandoning and leaving all behind...



Comments:
1: The mental fermentation (āsava) linked with sensuality is the false assumption,
that sensing always brings pleasure, while actually sensing also is associated with
pain and also neutral feeling, which is far the most common!
2: The mental fermentation associated with becoming is like the banal yet common
wishing: May I become rich, beautiful, and famous, not noticing that any becoming
inevitably is associated with change, decay, death and thus suffering too! 
3: The mental Fermentation associated with ignorance is the misconceptions we
make by inaccurate approximation, undue generalization and over-projection:
Ex: We make the observation: The horizon is linear. Then we assume, project and
simplify by conceptual generalization: 'The earth must be flat', which is a false
mentally ‘brewed=fermented’ misconception… For quite a while many would chop
off your head, if you suggested anything else, than that screaming error…
During biological fermentation sugar, water and yeast ferments into alcohol...
The alcohol was not there to begin with... It was made up by the fermentation!
During mental fermentation observations, mixed with ideas and assumptions
ferments into a misconception, that was not there in the raw observation data...
The misconception 'pancake earth' is not to be seen in an (almost) flat horizon!
This 'pancake round disc earth' concept is a false idea fermented and invented
by the mind desperately trying to predict the relations between what it sees...

For Details on the 3 or 4 Mental Fermentations (āsava)  see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/The_7_Persons.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Final_Abilities.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Uprooting_Ability.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Naturally_Radiant.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/a/aasava.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/The_Proximate_Cause.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cause_of_Ignorance.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Suprahuman_Force_VI.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_Three_Fermentations.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Freed_from_Fermentation.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_9_Supremes_Explained.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V:56] section 45: The Way. 163: The fermentations ...
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=948507
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/samyutta/index.html.

Have a nice & noble day!
 
Friendship is the Greatest!
Bhikkhu Samāhita _/\_ ]
http://What-Buddha-Said.net