By reasons that
humanly we usually don’t understand after Calling a Lama From Afar for some
years I have been able to meet a Theravada venerable – miracles of the Internet
communications (?) –, under the name of Ven. Dhammachotika Bhikku and I say
‘under’ because in this communications ambience normally we use nick names.
We quickly became
friends in Dhamma and we have begun constant dialogs and teaching sessions
that, in an apices, I did realise that my venerable friend was not more than
one venerable master of the Theravada (pronunciation is Therravada), at least
for me and, I am sure, also recognized for a lot of that great people that
presents to us their many years of Buddhism studies and practise.
One day that we were
talking via internet and he showed me the importance of developing more the
English, even because he and his study group were near a contest discussing a
point ‘why is more important a monastery than a commercial space’ at the International Buddhist College
(Thailand). At a first glance we, western people, may observe this as a
childhood contest or, equally, as a primary aspect. Well, first of all this
discussion was for showing the capabilities evaluation of the monks in the
English language but, above all, if we think seriously about this matter is not
so easy like we first think because goes inner of a lot Dhamma aspects, like
Economics, that I will try to develop after.
The contest ran
fantastically for my venerable friend and his group and quickly he sent me
these fantastic photos of the contest taken by Venerable Suwath. I published
them with his permission and I decided to publish at Flickr because can reach
more people than this web and so if you click on the thumbnails you will see
them larger at http://www.flickr.com/photos/foziber/sets/72157600006622048/ that belongs to our web http://foziber.no.sapo.pt .
Click on the photos to see
them with detail.
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At this point I
decided to ask him his true name and the sense of it, because I know that all names
have meanings and, above all, reasons of to be given. Of course that is a
typical western question because, usually, the people only have one name and if
one person has more is because an ocultistic initiatic or religious vows, the
second name it is not socially and politically recognized like in the eastern
countries. So, the Venerable Dhammachotika explained to me this way « My
Pali name is Ven[1]. Sotha Dhammanando
and this is my formal name. Sotha is my given name, Dhammanando is my Pali name
which is the most important one for me as I am a monk and this name has been
given by my preceptor who gave me ordination in Uposoth
where is the most important building for Buddhist monks to hold holy rituals in
a monastery compound in a village in my province. But you can treat me by
Dhammachotika because is the name you have known before Sahabrahmacarika
Bhikkhu. This is my new nick name that I’ve created when I first gave Basic
Dhamma preaching to lay Buddhist devotees and especially answer the Dhamma
questions from some questioners who live in some foreign countries. »
Born in Tra Vinh
province, Southern Vietnam (known as Kampuchea Krom) ordained in Ta Rom Temple located
in Don Chau commune (Khom Roum Dual), Tra Cu district (Srok Takuw) place that
before was integrant part of Cambodia and with the name of Preah Trapeang
province (in Khmer Language), my venerable friend Dhammachotika ulteriorly has
been ordained at Uposoth of Ta Rom temple (Uposoth means Ordination Hall in
English). Actually he is 31 years old and a life full of studies, practises,
praying, reciting and above all, meditation and of course a lot more, yet
studying he shows a great interest about Art and this seems to be what he will
develop now after his last examinations that he must realise. He expresses his
ideas and teachings in a very succinct and clear way that make us easy to learn
and I must to enhance his deep patience in exposing the teachings like you will
observe on this text.
This text will run with
my questions and deductions about some topics that this venerable friend and
teacher presented to me. I am new to the practical Buddhism and about Theravada
Buddhism I even did not knew anything. The same way Pali language is completely
out of my range but the same I can’t say about Sanskrit and that help me a lot.
So I show to him my interest in publishing the photos he sent me and also to
publish in my web a bit about Theravada Buddhism in spite we both know that at
internet there are some very good webs about this matter. He immediately has
given to me the support for this, saying that at internet the webs about
Buddhism are not too much.
Theravada Buddhism,
idiomatically speaking, has as main language the Pali and geographically had
been expanded through all the south east of Asia permitting me to say without
mistake, that is the Buddhism of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka,
etc (see the map) but, above all, is the Buddhism of all countries where the
Pali is the main language.
When the Ven.
Dhammachotika introduced himself to me – across Google Talk -, about Theravada
Buddhism he, with all his simplicity, has presented me as a sect saying clear
and evidently « … this is the sect where I was born and where I have apparently decided
to be a monk. » After my astonishment I immediately concluded that,
definitively, the word sect must have a completely different meaning or
connotation for this people. So and this way, I have decided to go deeper in
these various and very important aspects that are able to exhibit these so
different kinds of mentalities. This way, like you all can observe we have here
a lot to learn and much more to study: that is the same.
Of course that looking
at the map quickly we can notice some communist countries and regions but we
can evaluate a very large number of Theravada Buddhist population even being
there a strong advance of the Muslim Islamic religion that represents a
phenomena of our XXIst century and since the last one third of the
XXth century; this we can analyse more properly at India as an
example when I am referring to the quickness of this movement.
Dhamma is a very ample
concept that has attracted me during long years but by a philosophical reason
more than by the implicit spirituality. At the seventies and insight of the
spirituality was the Taoism that has impregnated more deeply my mind together with
Confucianism, of course, all this related to the spirituality of
Anyway, the Diamond
Sutra was (and is, even more than the Heart Sutra actually) a very special book
to me and relative to Buddhism the Diamond Sutra showed to me a deep
antagonism. Why Diamond Sutra is for me something so great and so special and
at the same time I can’t even read a commentary about Buddhism…? Well, my
Venerable friend Dhammachotika is working on this but it’s me that must realise
the reasons for it.
So, in one of our
first conversations I spoke about my aversion without knowing why to my already
adopted venerable teacher and his answer was the silence. Because of this
silence I said to him « look I could go inner the Buddhism if I will
be able to understand why they are full
of imagery when in the Diamond Sutra, Buddha tells in a verse ‘Someone who tries to discern me in form, Or
seek me in sound, Is practicing non-Buddhist methods, And will not discern
Tathagata’». Immediately the Ven. Dhammachotika answered to me « Yes, of course, we don’t only need any image
of the Buddha without actually focusing
on real education and actual practice by himself or herself ;but when we see
the Buddha image then we should mainly think about His knowledge and conduct,
including His greatest wisdom, greatest compassion and greatest perfection
towards human beings after leaving home to seek the truth for 6 years and
afterwards getting Enlightenment being the Buddha who was free from all
defilements. Therefore, One should well understand that the Buddha image is
just like a part of spiritual dependency. A Buddhist learns the teaching of the
Buddha and then thoroughly and rightly practices what we have learned to get
the Dhamma-eyes which are very important for the Buddhist who could gain inner
peace and wisdom to drive away dust in the untrained eyes. So, no image is
needed with for any above reason. »
After this he sent me
an internet link about Theravada Buddhism http://www.palikanon.com/english/english_web.htm
that I have decided immediately to study and I noticed that my understanding
quickly was going deeper inner the Buddhism.
« Dhamma is a Pali word that in
English means righteousness and Dharma is the Sanskrit word that also means
righteousness. So, both are the same in meaning but from different languages.
» Said the Venerable Dhammachotika and I ask to him, under my anxiety of to
know and, because of this, without reflecting in his last affirmation « but…
can I say that the Dhamma being the totality of learning, deed, action and,
above at all, righteousness, because of my karma the part that I can learn with
understanding and with righteousness act or deed, this portion is my Dharma?
» And Dhammachotika answered « Well,
yes, you can say that these and more is based on your good karma with
mindfulness and effort relevant when you do good…» And at this moment I
understood that I did not have reflected deep in his first affirmation only
being attentive to my thoughts that was based on one hypothetical trilogy:
Dhamma, Dharma and Karma. But Dhamma and Dharma is the same in meaning only
differing because the first is in Pali and the second in Sanskrit. At that time
I remembered that Buddha did not taught in Sanskrit but in Pali – http://www.geocities.com/lamberdar/sanskrit_sruti.html
- and because all the isolation that his father created around him, probably he
even did not learned the Sanskrit. But and independently of this conjectures,
the point is that Buddha has taught that each one must study and learn Buddhism
in its own language.
For you to observe the
great focus I had on my own thinking more than in the words of my teacher I
will present you now a small part of this dialog:
Me: I am here with a
concept problem. Is the Dharma relative to the Dhamma.
(Pause)
Me: Can I say that the
Dharma has aspects of the Dhamma in function of the Karma of each person?
Dhammachotika: Want to
translate these two words?
Me: Ya, ok.
Dhammachotika: Well, Kamma
is in Pali language and Karma is in Sanskrit and both mean deed or action in
English. The other words, Dhamma in Pali and Dharma in Sanskrit means both
righteousness.
Me: I want to see if it is
true what I seem to understand.
Dhammachotika: Yeh, good!
And Karma is Sanskrit word = deed or action. Both, Karmma and Kamma have the
same meaning and both committed or achieved by any one of the three ways of
action, namely, on bodily conduct, speech conduct and mind conduct. And each of
these karmas can produce result to the life. If committing bad or negative
karma or kamma, one directly receive bad or evil karmic result. That is called
unskilful action or unwholesomeness which could be stressful or suffered. Karma
resulting from any way of the three above mentioned can really influences on
the life.
Me: The Dhamma is the total
knowledge with action.
Dhammachotika: yeah, right!
And you should be sure of Dhamma or Dharma, both mean righteousness. According
to the book of classification of Dhamma, the first book of the seventh book in
Abhidhamma, as in Kusal Dhamma ( wholesome action), Akusala Dhamma (unwholesome
action) and Abhayakata Dhamma ( indeterminate) I would like to present here at
some about Dhamma in short and this is for knowledgeable information in three
dimensions, that is, Philosophical, Psychological and ethical matters. Kusala
Dhamma is states of the nature which brings about mental and physical bliss refers to consciousness 21, mental factors 38 which
are associated with consciousness respectively. Akusala Dhamma is states of
nature which brings about mental and physical stress or suffering to life
refers to unwholesome consciousnesses 12, mental factors 27. And last one is
that Abhayakata Dhamma which the Buddha did not expose that it is wholesome or
unwholesome but He exposed other aspects of Dhamma, that is, resultant
consciousnesses 36, functional consciousness 20, mental factors 38, matters
(RUUPA) 28 and Nibban. The number that
I wrote here is that those represent the consciousnesses and those can control
other matters parts of body and some thing relevant by itself respectively in
line with their function of level of mind or consciousness’.
Me: Talking about Karma…
because of my Karma that is good, I am able to learn or realise immediately...?
Hmmm...
Dhammachotika: yeah and
also good karma that is basic wholesomeness and can be developed towards higher
mental state upon the morality, concentration and wisdom. And on the other
hand, Dhamma can be compared to the healthy food and Karma can be compared to
an employee and the volition (Cettana, one of the leading mental factors) just
likes an employer.
Skilful Consumer must know
how to choose the healthy food to eat so that it brings him or her about good
health after enjoying it. So employer should be wise to allow his subject to
bring him the healthy food when he gets too ill to do it by himself.
Me: Yes.
Dhammachotika: they both
mean righteousness. If one commits good action or follows skilful karma or
kamma, it is called righteousness or Dhamma, or else if one commits evil action
or unwholesome karma, it is called Adhamma which means unrighteousness. A
(not)+ Dhamma (righteousness) =Adhamma.
Me: I am only trying to
make a correspondence, if possible, between Dhamma, Dharma and Karma.
So, can I say that the
Dhamma is the completude of all what is righteous?
Dhammachotika: yeah.
You can.
(Long Pause)
Anyway Dhamma has lots of
meaning in the right way. And it is used in different ways of the state.
Me: Of course that implies
action and that is also what Dharma implies like the Dhamma.
Yes, like for instance that
document that you have shown to me that develops the Economics based in the
Dhamma.
(Pause)
Dhammachotika: yeah
Right
(Long pause)
Me: So, Dhamma is global
righteousness with action.
Dhammachotika: yeah
Sure
Me: Now, can I say that the
part of the Dhamma that I reach because of my Karma is my Dharma? – here I
begun doubting of the validity of my questions, i. e.: I was feeling an hassle
but without see where was my misunderstanding.
Dhammachotika: it is up the
law of nature or the law of karma
Me: Yes.
Dhammachotika: dhamma is
used to
Yeah
Me: All right my noble
master, thank you a lot.
Dhammachotika: welcome my
friend in Dhamma.
I am strongly laughing now, but during this entire
dialog you can see what happens to a person that instead of hearing the master
only focus himself in the matter that he tries to defend. I offer this fruit of
my imbecility to all of you as an example of what we must not do and this is,
to question the master without have before thought about and, above all,
meditate. For small reasons some masters will put me out saying « look,
go to your home and deeply think about what you are saying... » or
something like this.
Now for you imagine
the sense amplitude of Dharma (Sanskrit) or Dhamma (Pali), just please observe:
1.
That which
is established or firm, steadfast decree, statute, ordinance, law usage,
practice, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty right, justice
(often as a synonym of punishment) virtue, morality, religion, religious merit,
good works, according to right or rule, rightly, justly, according to the
nature of anything; holding to the law, doing ones duty;
2.
Law or
Justice personified; as one of the attendants of the Sun; the law or doctrine
of Buddhism, or monastic order.
3.
The
ethical precepts of Buddhism, as distinguished from the abhi-dharma or further dharma and from the vinaya or
discipline; these three constituting the canon of Southern Buddhism
(Theravada).
4.
The law of
Northern Buddhism (in 9 canonical scriptures): Prajna-pa1ramita, Ganda-vyuha,
Dasa-bhumisvara, Samadhiraja, Lankavatara, Saddharma-pundarika,
Tathagata-guhyaka, Lalita-vistara, Suvarna-prabhasa.
5.
Nature, character, peculiar condition or
essential quality, property, mark, peculiarity = sva-bhAva; daza-dh-gata;
upamAnopameyayor, the tertium comparationis.
6.
Ceremony,
sacrifice, the ninth mansion, an Upanishad, associating with the virtuous
religious abstraction, devotion upamA; a bow Dharmas, a Soma-drinker.
The apparently few
aspects will be deeper if I will translate all the Sanskrit words in the
exposition above and much more if I will put here the more than thirty
combinations with other inherent aspects
but seems to me that this and for now, is enough.
From the Buddhapadipa
Temple web http://www.buddhapadipa.org at the Dhamma Corner http://www.buddhapadipa.org/pages/dhammacorner.html I felt free to copy-paste a part of a text that for
me is really explicit about Dhamma – FozIber web is not commercial and only
asks to people to use the texts without adulterate the given sense and the
copyright is very clear about -, hopping
that the venerable people of the Buddhapadipa Temple do not mind about:
« You may have wondered at times
what life is about, e.g. is there a reason, a purpose, in fact what is it all
about. The Buddha asked the same questions of himself. He became determined to
find the answers and so he left his comfortable lifestyle and became a
wandering ascetic, finding many teachers on the way. The teachers taught him
much but still he knew, deep inside, that his questions were still unanswered.
And so after almost six years of searching he decided to practice alone. He sat
beneath the Bodhi tree and vowed to sit until he really knew. He became
enlightened. He knew the truth and this truth became the Dhamma. (The Buddha’s
teachings). » you can think that this is very elementary… well, I am
also really elementary at this knowledge but, in fact, a lot of thinking that
we take as elementary have been build the most strong philosophies of life. So,
don’t let to read this web like the others that I am presenting you. Why must I
extrapolate about this if there are enough webs about this matter? This
venerable ones knows deeply and they have a profound pedagogic way to elucidate
us. See, for instance, the connection of the Four Noble Truths with the Dhamma
and the Kharma:
« The four Noble
truths that he (Buddha) realized are (1) To live we must suffer. (2) Suffering
is caused by craving. (3) Suffering can be overcome. (4) There is a path
leading to the end of suffering. This path is called the Noble Eightfold Path.
The path consists of right understanding, right thought, right speech, right
action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration. »
Comment from Ven. Dhammachotika: the
four Noble Truths are really foundations of the Buddhism, even we learned and
practice the BuddhaDhamma deeply into the Teachings of the Buddha and no matter
to what extent; must base on these four bases. These four Noble truths contain
two causes and two effects which based on respective reasons, that is, the
first one is that the Noble truth of life is suffering. This is an effect and
they cannot refuse it due to the law of Karma and can not eliminate right at
effect itself but they must deal with its basic cause which could produce
resultant and bring about the recycle of birth. And this effect must posses its
cause that results suffering or stress of life. Actually, its main cause here
is greed[2] (arising in the state of untrained mind and is attacked by ignorance)
which is the name of mental factor belongs to unwholesomeness or immoral. So, first
cause here is not good and cause life with mental and physical stress or
suffering (Dukkha). About the effect of the third Noble Truth (Nirodh) is
profound, unbinding, all defilements removed from states of well-trained mind,
by the Worthy One, Arahant with functional consciousness. However, this kind of
ultimate effect must posse effective causes that existed in the fourth Noble
Truth, namely, Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action,
Right livelihood, Right Mindfulness, Right Effect and Right concentration known
as the Eightfold path. Those actually considered as the Noble Path or main
cause towards eradicate the Suffering or Stress as presented in the First Noble
Truth and immediately Nirodha or the third Noble Truth arises in individual as
properly learned and really practices. Therefore, those Eight Noble paths
conclude into three core components which are hearts of training and putting it
into practice. Those are moralities (Sila), as in No. 3, 4, and 5.
Concentration (Samadhi) as in No. 6, 7, 8.
And Wisdom (Panna) as in No. 1 and 2. Classified into the threefold
training, that is, Training in morality, Training in concentration and Training
in wisdom (Trisikha in Pali). So, these practices above could be compared to a
ferry boat to cross the river of suffering, whenever a practitioner comes over
the river and gets the bank of it. They no longer need the ferry boat and
instead, Then immediately, their well-educated minds enjoy the fruits from real
practices. Fruits resulting from practice are upon the effort
More than a Religion,
the Buddhism is a way of life where our choice and practise is based in doing
the correct and leave all bad things, acts, sayings, etc, to be able to live a
life of peace and harmony. If a person wants to begin the Buddhism studies and
practises but is Christian or belongs to another religion there is no problem –
one must not leave the birth religion, fruit of his or her rebirth, only if he
or she realises that is time for a deep change -, the doors are open, only do
not rush anything or, worst, act without thinking.
The irrationality is
the wrong door to Buddhism like also to act by a kind of hysterical decision,
that is not a decision at all. I have begun my Buddhist studies at fifty three
years old but I didn’t and I will do not
say as Confucius when have discovered the deepness of the I Ching « … if
only god will give me more fifty years of life I will dedicate all time only to
this document. » No! Perfectly I
understand the idea of Confucius but it does not applies to me because and for
me, the important it is to go deep in this my new studies while Confucius had
already a deep background in Taoism and other Chinese fields of knowledge. So,
the important for me is that the steps I am giving and I will give must be
based on the deep understanding of the most small idea or concept or, like the
Buddha said « do not believe merely because have been said, do not believe because a
person self intituled master tries to teach you, do not believe because an
apparition or something like have said to you something, do not believe if a
Deva appearing to you say some secret or teaching, do not believe because the
people says that came from a long past .... so, what do I want say with this?
Just do not believe but if a saying, act or did corroborates with you so, this
way believing you must hard work on it. » Sometimes when I recite
publicly this text I use to say that even Buddha must said also « do
not believe in me… » and I believe that he gave this idea to the people
because of the importance of the term to corroborate and the importance of the
fact of to corroborate with your mind.
So, observe now the same text of the Buddha
sayings above but, now, in Pali-English version and entitled How To Lead With
Doubts:
The Buddhism appeals
to work with the mind and this we can observe at the Four Thoughts:
1.
We recognize our precious opportunity in this life, that we can benefit countless beings
through the methods of a Buddha. Few people ever meet
2.
We
remember the impermanence of everything composite. Only the unlimited clear
space of mind is lasting and it is uncertain how long conditions will remain
for recognizing it.
3.
We
understand causality. That it is up to us what will happen. Former thoughts,
words and actions became our present state and right now we are sowing the
seeds for our future.
4.
Finally,
we see the reasons for working with mind. Enlightenment is timeless highest
bliss, and we cannot benefit others while confused or disturbed ourselves.
Therefore we now open up to those who can
teach us.
The
point 1. is the basic thought to
bring forth Bodhi mind, the points 2.
and 3. show to us the conditions
that we are in at this or each life and the point 4. reports to what I was saying about ‘to corroborate with the mind’.
So, bring forth Bodhi Mind implies the silence that we must kept to go inner
meditation and the dedication of our recitals, if I can use this word to speak
about the Buddhist spiritual practises.
One
important aspect that I have presented (by copy-paste) above – from the Buddhapadipa Temple web -, is that of right
understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Right concentration
has been one aspect very important in my life; of course that all these right
acts are so inner correlated that one can not say that this one is more
important than the other and because these acts are so inner correlated no one
can subsist without the others and so, for a right livelihood, for instance,
all the other right acts must be present and contemplated also. But and
relative to the western world the importance of speaking about the right
concentration are enormous. Usually the eastern world in general and Asia in
particular tends to see the western culture and scientific like one unity
demonstrative of a great culture but this is not true at all and the plastic
way of life like the junk food, as a simple example, exhibits clearly what I am
defending.
Now, if in reality the western people are so cult, so
full of knowledge why they permit and accept the idea that a person needs to
learn meditation? In reality the western people needs a lot of right
understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration because all of this
when they do it is for life success and this to reach healthy, material things,
like how to speak to show a high social level. This way a lot of people
cultivate also a right understanding but not with an inner propose but to
complete their own show off of a great way of materialistic life.
The “ignorant” people of Eastern Asia that only learn
from old teachings, old practices without showing any kind of evolution in
their systems do not speak in the matter of learn meditation... they speak
about correct concentration. Why the Western people expends lots of money to
learn one thing that has been born with us that is a state like the
somnambulism is one of the hypnosis and also a sleeping state that all people
went there naturally without thinking about?
We can say that, at western countries, the “teaching”
of meditation is a great fountain of money and that more receives the ones that
have been at the
I am not saying that all people in eastern Asia are
fully aware of the wisdom but showing that a lot of western people that
“teaches” the eastern culture are far away from having the right understanding,
right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,
right mindfulness and right concentration because and about the right
concentration even a mad hating bull has it. Now, right concentration also a
person can have by nature or developing for the work that he or she pretends to
realize but about this right concentration means also and above all, the inner
right concentration that goes together with the other right aspects.
Of course that I understand the need of donations but
even this must be under the possibilities of each one and all must have the
same rights to learn. A true master understands this and this is the reason why
people write their texts to present them through the internet instead of
publishing a book and from this realize fame and money. The importance of books
is great but the abusive number of bad writers is too much and reaches a point
that if one wants a book about introduction or basics of Buddhism a lot of time
expends the money in a document filled of silly mistakes.
I am not making an apology of myself because since the
beginning I am saying that « I am only presenting how the Theravada Buddhism
have appeared to me like, also, I am saying that I am learning the beginnings…
» only, I am supported by a great friend with a great knowledge and if this can
happen to me why can not happen to others? Well, I know that all my life I have
been looking for and the time of Buddhism have arrived to me. Let us see now
until where my persistence will go on.
To finish this part I would like to present you
another great web about Theravada Buddhism that exposes the Pali Books Canon http://www.palikanon.com/english/english_web.htm and I hope that you will all enjoy it. Here you will
have a great teaching and practising support, the enough for easily apprehend
the basics and much more. But the basics that I am always speaking are of great
importance because if the basics are not well apprehended so all the advance
material will be filtered by us full of defects and vicious
thinking-conclusions. The Dhamma is so evident, so inherent to us that if the
basics are well understand and practised all will appear inner us in a natural
way because if all of us have Buddha nature also all of us have Dhamma nature
and here appears a trilogy that we call and recall as the Triple Gem: Buddha,
Dhamma and Sangha. So, at Homage and Refuge and Refuge is what is recognized as
the first Empowerment, we say
« Namo Buddhaya,
Namo Dhamaya,
Namo Sanghaya.
« Homage to the Enlightened Buddha,
Perfect in Wisdom and Compassion.
Homage to the Noble Dhamma,
the Universal Law the Buddha taught.
Homage to the Holy Sangha,
the Protectors of the Noble Dhamma.
To this Triple Gem, I go for refuge. »
« As the third of the Three Gems or Jewels (ti-ratana) and the Three Refuges (ti-sarana), i.e. Buddha, Dhamma and
Sangha, it applies to the ariya-sangha,
the community of the saints, i.e. the 4 Noble Ones (ariya-pugga), the Stream-winner. Being the ti-ratana: the
Buddha, the Enlightened one; the Dhamma the law of deliverance discovered,
realized and proclaimed by Buddha; and the Holy Sangha the Community of the
Holy Disciples and those who live in accordance with the Law. The
contemplations of the 3 Jewels belong to the 10 contemplations (anussati). » The ti-sarana:
« Threefold
Refuge, in which every faithful adherent of the Buddha puts his whole trust,
consists in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. » The ariya-pugga: «
According
to the Abhidhamma, 'supermundane path', or simply 'path' (magga), is a designation of the
moment of entering into one of the 4 stages of holiness - Nibbāna being
the object - produced by intuitional insight (vipassanā) into the impermanence, misery and impersonality
of existence, flashing forth and forever transforming one's life and nature. By
'fruition' (phala) is meant
those moments of consciousness which follow immediately thereafter as the
result of the path, and which in certain circumstances may repeat for
innumerable times during the life-time. » The rest of the meaning terms
you can go to (and from where I have copy-paste) the Theravada Dictionary web http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/dic_idx.html that exhibits the Buddhist Terms and Doctrines by
Nyanatiloka that I also deep ask my apologies because of this my plagiarism
filled with good intention.
Sahabrahmajarika: Now, I have finished
my writing about my daily life about nearly two pages… - Well, I thought, all depends of the page dimensions and I
thought this because during my travels at the Eastern Asia I had the
possibility to see how big this pages are.
Me: It is a great habit.
Sahabrahmajarika: Yeah I wrote what I
have done today
Me: I say to a lot of people to act
like that.
Sahabrahmajarika: Really?
Me: Keeping diaries is a good way to develop
writing and also make a review about our activities.
Sahabrahmajarika: Sure my friend
Me: How we use the time
Sahabrahmajarika: yeah !
Sahabrahmajarika: I learned how to
organise my thought too:
1. It would be invaluable reference in
the future.
2. It gives me clear and believable
information about my life and study.
3. It is able to give golden chance to
improve my English writing as needed.
4. It is possible for me to know how to
organize my systematic thought.
Sahabrahmajarika: those are my objects
my friend!
Sahabrahmajarika: how do you think
about my objects above my friend?
Me: Really fine. They are great and
that has been my intention when I teach and I advise my students to do this.
Sahabrahmajarika: yea!
Me: A lot of material that one thinks
that is not good or even have no application, later on we devise that is a good
material to use.
Me: Because all things have their times
to be understood.
Me: Like the plants to give us the
fruits in they right time.
Sahabrahmajarika: wow great!
What can be best then
this dialogue for opening the meditation teachings? I have said before that the
point is not to meditate but have and practise all the right: right
understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Also I have learned,
from this master of mine - Sahabrahmajarika for one propose and Dhammachotika
for other -, that people at western countries give values (and “manifestations
of wisdom” or transcendental values) to thoughts and acts that are natural
under the sense of enact to us; not only born with us but they are
intrinsically us.
Apparently changing of
subject I have decided to present to my master something that I felt he was not
aware of at internet and really important for this my web; well, above at all
for our learning and spiritual development:
Me: Looking for one topic at internet
one web appear to me that I would like you to give me your appreciation about http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/BUDDHISM/MAHAYANA.HTM
Sahabrahmajarika: ok I go to the link
now
Me: Ok
Sahabrahmajarika: good link
Me: Yes, I felt so.
If you please, dear
readers, go to this web. You only can profit from these. But the teaching
proceeds:
Sahabrahmajarika: I would like to know
about your daily practice meditation on
Sahabrahmajarika: I am writing about
you in my book these days too.
Sahabrahmajarika: Taoism?
Sahabrahmajarika: or some other sect my
friend
Me: I have born Jewish but my family
since my great grand father had left the community. We go there only to study
from our 2 years until our 18 years old inclusively. So, 16 years of study.
Me: Now, we don't belong to any
religion or sect.
Me: We use to give, since many
generations, the freedom to our children to choose.
Me: The Taoism has been chosen because
of the philosophy and the way of life but never because of the religion.
I have decided to keep
here our internet dialogue way and be sure: this is a “chat” that deserves to
be kept and never being forgot. Sahabrahmajarika or Dhammachotika (each name
has a propose) proceeds in my evaluation – another word that meaning to know the
best possible each other while we are talking “normally” has a deep negative
sense -, to know me better:
Me: Anyway mine and our meditations
here begin when we awake. First we do our basic cleaning body and after we
meditate.
Me: After we take a bath and take
breakfast.
Me:
Me: After we eat something. We eat few
several times a day.
Me: Around
Me: Until April 1st I will
do the meditation, because I have compromised myself because a Buddhist member
went to teach at Tilopa Institute at Daharamsala, place where the Dalai Lama
lives.
Me: So, I will give the Recital and the
meditation at Water and Waves - the SmilingOne room.
Me: The last meditation is made by us
at bed. Sited on we meditate and go to bed.
Me: In a brief this is our day and how
we use it.
Me: Of course that after Water and
Waves we plan the other day if needed.
Me: The weekends are very special also
because is when the family and friends meet us. But essentially family.
Me: So, Saturday and Sunday are also
days for meditation and only Buddhism studies.
Me: This Buddhism studies come only
since two or three years ago.
Me: At the weekends we recite the
sutras, we read the Law Sentences of Buddha, The Diamond Sutra and also the
Jataka.
Me: More or less is this our life.
Me: Of course that we garden, cook,
prepare the clothes to dress but we dress very simple.
Sahabrahmajarika: great!
Sahabrahmajarika: I found it
interesting that you don’t belong to any religion ... that is great one.
Me: Myself, Kyara, Kyry Kyry like my
mother and father-in-law. We don't belong to any religion.
With all my pleasure
the exposition asked has been accomplished and so my master proceeds:
Sahabrahmajarika: remind me of what
Buddha said; that all like in morality, concentration etc.. just like the ferry
boat which people need it when they want to across the river; when they
finished crossing it then they don’t feel clinging to the ferry, meant that
peoples should not cling to their belief anything without such reason.
Me: Like all my family. I only have my
uncle that have changed into Catholicism and two or three that belongs to
Ocultistic Magic Organizations... quite like shamanists.
Me: Yes. In that and much more I began
understanding the ways of Buddha.
Me: And we felt this freedom and today
we are happy because we are free and without preconceptions to study and
practise the Buddhism.
Sahabrahmajarika: yep, you see... if
anyone who just clinging to only what they have practice like in morality or
concentration they cannot get higher level in Buddhism as the Buddha taught.
Me: And the Buddhism by our choice and
not because our family have obligate us.
Sahabrahmajarika: good
Me: Yes and that is the reason why we
are learning the Buddhism. The time has arrived and all the conditions we have
now, because we have your support.
Now and looking to the
western way of Buddhism and for this I mean: the way how is presented to us I
have decide to proceed knowing that even a master has limits.
Me: Empowerment must be something that
we must swear and that is relative to the Tibetanism and Dalai Lama.
Sahabrahmajarika: you see... as we talked
about Zen. They focus on only calmness and not reach to Insight meditation.
Sahabrahmajarika: calmness or
tranquillity mediation is just to suppress mental hindrances.
Me: Yes, sure.
And now about ‘What Is
Meditation’.
Sahabrahmajarika: Buddhist meditator
should learn and bear in mind about five
mental hindrances as below:
1. Sensual desire (related the pleasure
with visual object, sound, smell, taste, tangible objects)
2. Ill-will or aversion (dealing with
sensations, displeasure, angriness)
3. Sloth and torpor (sleepy mind, or
laziness arise in mind)
4. Distraction and remorse (mind flowed
out not stay with concentration and worry all the time)
5. Doubt or uncertainty (for instance,
doubt in the Triple Gem mainly dealt with the qualifications etc. just
wondering in mind)
Sahabrahmajarika: those fives should
not let arose in mind, if not they would stop our mental developments and
cannot get Jhan or any one of the five mental factors of Jhans.
Sahabrahmajarika: those are the ways to
death.
Sahabrahmajarika: Nirvana means
hindrance.
Observe how here, by
my unable preparation, I did stop the master. The point shows you my “wrongly”
like “always” centred in my thoughts and not in the master exposition aspect.
This I do feel important to show to you, at least for you do not feel guilt (or
other kind of) complex if acting like me… this happens and, recognized inner
us, will change to a normal and each time more present act. This means to be
more conscious about that is the transmission and not our question the but of the importance, because is from
the mouth of the master that the words comes in the deep sense. Observing
systematically this comportment will change and so, be at ease.
Me: When we prepare ourselves to
meditate we begin by the breathing without effort or the natural breathing. So,
after we use a mantra that we can say silently or in middle voice and I felt as
a good way to control mind.
Me: We also practise the visualization.
Sahabrahmajarika: yeah.
Me: Now, we are very limited about
meditation methods.
Sahabrahmajarika: that is a technique
Me: I have used for years and years the
Taoist system of meditation.
Me: Yes, a technique.
Me: Now for Buddhism... I have here a
lack…
ME: Will I use for instance the
Vipassana technique?
Sahabrahmajarika: Yes, right. You are
applying the correct word.
Me: But the Inner Meditation must have
more than this, so I think.
Sahabrahmajarika: Vipassana but talking
about Bodily insight meditation.
Me: …?
Sahabrahmajarika: breathing in and out
is one way of bodily insight meditation, including other ways too: like
walking, sitting, lying or sleeping and standing those are bodily meditation
like some, many other smaller meditation as closing the eyes or opening the
eyes.
Sahabrahmajarika: We have to observe
each one with Sati or mindfulness and clear comprehension.
Me: I practise a lot walk meditation
and from a lot of years. But I love to go to the fields to visualize a small
plant or flower and feel united with the flower or any plant. It’s fantastic.
Sahabrahmajarika: the main objectives
of meditation is that we must know the rising , existing and the falling of the
mind!
Sahabrahmajarika: mind arises, exist
and fall..
Me: Yes, with you is easy because you
teach really well, really clear.
Me: Like the sun and the moon.
Sahabrahmajarika: so we should realise
that we must depend and work on the insight meditation like the unique one way.
Me: Yes, that has been always my
belief.
Sahabrahmajarika: yeah
Sahabrahmajarika: I am happy to answer
all your questions about this...
Sahabrahmajarika: if you want…
Sahabrahmajarika: you see... The Buddha
said that only Vipassana meditation can remove defilements or impurities from
mind and enjoy inner peace
Sahabrahmajarika: the Buddha said that
not to do evil which meaning that should preserve the Sila or morality, to do
good only which should practice generosity and the last one is that to purify
one's mind that refers to the mental development.
Sahabrahmajarika: Naturally, mind is
not clean and just like the water always flows from the higher place to lower
place. Mind just want to do what it prefers. So if they train mind well and
mind can control behaviour well.
Sahabrahmajarika: So, concluding that
Tranquillity Meditation it is not a direct way to remove defilements from mind,
but it calmness can help suppress the mind temporarily and it be returned if we
don’t be careful in itself. The fruits from tranquillity can only reach the
meditative Jhan or absorption. Insight meditation would give the practitioner
the yanna that is fruit from practicing. To comprehend the mind and matters is
the basic goal of Insight meditations
Sahabrahmajarika: The best way is that
we learn about theory or sutra and the best is that learning about Abhidhamma
first; then it helps practitioners to set on the right way of meditation,
especially Insight meditation.
Sahabrahmajarika: Those just like the
map and point out the way… learning it we must practice it together with what I
have learned before and associate with the instructed one. To help.
Me: Yes, I see; and we will accomplish.
You have been and are our great teacher and helper; with you is easy to
understand things.
Sahabrahmajarika: Yeah, welcome! In the Sutra is saying that: first is to associate
with the instructed one, the second is to listen or learn and the third is that
conviction must arises in mind by reasoned attention, clear comprehension,
right action with wisdom or deed would that come next and will remove the
ignorance or Avija in Pali.
Me: Well, that I did not knew…
Sahabrahmajarika: Never mind… step my
step my friend.
Sahabrahmajarika: That is how to deal
with doubt and extracted from Sutra.
Me: Well, I think there is almost
Speaking from Portugal
with Dhammachotika in Thailand obligates me not only to have a world clock at
the computer as remember him that is time to sleep because he is so inner his
teachings like trying to give me the more he can with all clarity and simplicity
so, that way, the time flies and somebody must be aware of time.
Sahabrahmajarika: yeah, I will.
Sahabrahmajarika: Soon
Me: Yes, I am here seeing the world
time and is there
Sahabrahmajarika: yeah right!
Sahabrahmajarika: read this work of some
one who give his comment on the Kalamsutra in Sutra
Me: Yes, for sure I will do it.
Sahabrahmajarika: great!
Me: You tell me and I will do it. That
is how I work when I see a wise person.
Me: Be happy and sleep well my friend.
Sahabrahmajarika: Okay!
After this
conversation I have realised that my friend in any point have tried to convert
me and I even have challenged him several times about how I could assume
compromises to be a Theravada Buddhist. With all his calm and patience he has
jumped and across above of this my proposes continuing explaining me the
material in an order that we can observe that nothing is able to take him from
his way.
http://www.watbuddha.iirt.net/Buddhismframset.htm
In this issue of the newsletter we have
combined the feature essay with the "Sutta Study" column as we take a
fresh look at an often quoted discourse of the Buddha, the Kalama Sutta. The discourse — found in translation in Wheel No. 8 — has been described as "the
Buddha's Charter of Free Inquiry," and though the discourse certainly does
counter the decrees of dogmatism and blind faith with a vigorous call for free
investigation, it is problematic whether the sutta can support all the
positions that have been ascribed to it. On the basis of a single passage,
quoted out of context, the Buddha has been made out to be a pragmatic
empiricist who dismisses all doctrine and faith, and whose Dhamma is simply a
freethinker's kit to truth which invites each one to accept and reject whatever
he likes.
But does the Kalama Sutta really justify
such views? Or do we meet in these claims just another set of variations on
that egregious old tendency to interpret the Dhamma according to whatever
notions are congenial to oneself — or to those to whom one is preaching? Let us
take as careful a look at the Kalama Sutta as the limited space allotted to
this essay will allow, remembering that in order to understand the Buddha's
utterances correctly it is essential to take account of his own intentions in
making them.
The passage that has been cited so often
runs as follows: "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by
repeated hearing, nor upon tradition, nor upon rumour, nor upon scripture, nor
upon surmise, nor upon axiom, nor upon specious reasoning, nor upon bias toward
a notion pondered over, nor upon another's seeming ability, nor upon the
consideration 'The monk is our teacher.' When you yourselves know: 'These
things are bad, blameable, censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these
things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them... When you yourselves know: 'These
things are good, blameless, praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these
things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them."
Now this passage, like everything else
spoken by the Buddha, has been stated in a specific context — with a particular
audience and situation in view — and thus must be understood in relation to
that context. The Kalamas, citizens of the town of
The Buddha begins by assuring the Kalamas
that under such circumstances it is proper for them to doubt, an assurance
which encourages free inquiry. He next speaks the passage quoted above,
advising the Kalamas to abandon those things they know for themselves to be bad
and to undertake those things they know for themselves to be good. This advice
can be dangerous if given to those whose ethical sense is undeveloped, and we
can thus assume that the Buddha regarded the Kalamas as people of refined moral
sensitivity. In any case he did not leave them wholly to their own resources,
but by questioning them he led them to see that greed, hate and delusion, being
conducive to harm and suffering for oneself and others, are to be abandoned,
and their opposites, being beneficial to all, are to be developed.
The Buddha next explains that a
"noble disciple, devoid of covetousness and ill will, not delude"
dwells pervading the world with boundless loving-kindness, compassion,
appreciative joy and equanimity. Thus purified of hate and malice, he enjoys
here and now four "solaces": If there is an afterlife and kammic
result, then he will undergo a pleasant rebirth, while if there is none he
still lives happily here and now; if evil results befall an evil-doer, then no
evil will befall him, and if evil results do not befall an evil-doer, then he
is purified anyway. With this the Kalamas express their appreciation of the
Buddha's discourse and go for refuge to the Triple Gem.
Now does the Kalama Sutta suggest, as is
often held, that a follower of the Buddhist path can dispense with all faith
and doctrine, that he should make his own personal experience the criterion for
judging the Buddha's utterances and for rejecting what cannot be squared with
it? It is true the Buddha does not ask the Kalamas to accept anything he says
out of confidence in himself, but let us note one important point: the Kalamas,
at the start of the discourse, were not the Buddha's disciples. They approached
him merely as a counsellor who might help dispel their doubts, but they did not
come to him as the Tathagata, the Truth-finder, who might show them the way to
spiritual progress and to final liberation.
Thus, because the Kalamas had not yet come
to accept the Buddha in terms of his unique mission, as the discloser of the
liberating truth, it would not have been in place for him to expound to them
the Dhamma unique to his own Dispensation: such teachings as the Four Noble
Truths, the three characteristics, and the methods of contemplation based upon
them. These teachings are specifically intended for those who have accepted the
Buddha as their guide to deliverance, and in the suttas he expounds them only
to those who "have gained faith in the Tathagata" and who possess the
perspective necessary to grasp them and apply them. The Kalamas, however, at
the start of the discourse are not yet fertile soil for him to sow the seeds of
his liberating message. Still confused by the conflicting claims to which they
have been exposed, they are not yet clear even about the groundwork of
morality.
Nevertheless, after advising the Kalamas
not to rely upon established tradition, abstract reasoning, and charismatic
gurus, the Buddha proposes to them a teaching that is immediately verifiable
and capable of laying a firm foundation for a life of moral discipline and
mental purification. He shows that whether or not there be another life after
death, a life of moral restraint and of love and compassion for all beings
brings its own intrinsic rewards here and now, a happiness and sense of inward
security far superior to the fragile pleasures that can be won by violating
moral principles and indulging the mind's desires. For those who are not
concerned to look further, who are not prepared to adopt any convictions about
a future life and worlds beyond the present one, such a teaching will ensure
their present welfare and their safe passage to a pleasant rebirth — provided
they do not fall into the wrong view of denying an afterlife and kammic
causation.
However, for those whose vision is capable
of widening to encompass the broader horizons of our existence, this teaching
given to the Kalamas points beyond its immediate implications to the very core
of the Dhamma. For the three states brought forth for examination by the Buddha
— greed, hate and delusion —, are not merely grounds of wrong conduct or moral
stains upon the mind. Within his teaching's own framework they are the root
defilements — the primary causes of all bondage and suffering — and the entire
practice of the Dhamma can be viewed as the task of eradicating these evil
roots by developing to perfection their antidotes — dispassion, kindness and
wisdom.
Thus the discourse to the Kalamas offers
an acid test for gaining confidence in the Dhamma as a viable doctrine of
deliverance. We begin with an immediately verifiable teaching whose validity
can be attested by anyone with the moral integrity to follow it through to its
conclusions, namely, that the defilements cause harm and suffering both
personal and social, that their removal brings peace and happiness, and that
the practices taught by the Buddha are effective means for achieving their
removal. By putting this teaching to a personal test, with only a provisional
trust in the Buddha as one's collateral, one eventually arrives at a firmer,
experientially grounded confidence in the liberating and purifying power of the
Dhamma. This increased confidence in the teaching brings along a deepened faith
in the Buddha as teacher, and thus disposes one to accept on trust those
principles he enunciates that are relevant to the quest for awakening, even
when they lie beyond one's own capacity for verification. This, in fact, marks
the acquisition of right view, in its preliminary role as the forerunner of the
entire Noble Eightfold Path.
Partly in reaction to dogmatic religion,
partly in subservience to the reigning paradigm of objective scientific
knowledge, it has become fashionable to hold, by appeal to the Kalama Sutta,
that the Buddha's teaching dispenses with faith and formulated doctrine and
asks us to accept only what we can personally verify. This interpretation of
the sutta, however, forgets that the advice the Buddha gave the Kalamas was
contingent upon the understanding that they were not yet prepared to place
faith in him and his doctrine; it also forgets that the sutta omits, for that
very reason, all mention of right view and of the entire perspective that opens
up when right view is acquired. It offers instead the most reasonable counsel
on wholesome living possible when the issue of ultimate beliefs has been put
into brackets.
What can be justly maintained is that
those aspects of the Buddha's teaching that come within the purview of our
ordinary experience can be personally confirmed within experience, and that
this confirmation provides a sound basis for placing faith in those aspects of
the teaching that necessarily transcend ordinary experience. Faith in the
Buddha's teaching is never regarded as an end in itself nor as a sufficient
guarantee of liberation, but only as the starting point for an evolving process
of inner transformation that comes to fulfilment in personal insight. But in
order for this insight to exercise a truly liberation function, it must unfold
in the context of an accurate grasp of the essential truths concerning our
situation in the world and the domain where deliverance is to be sought. These
truths have been imparted to us by the Buddha out of his own profound
comprehension of the human condition. To accept them in trust after careful
consideration is to set foot on a journey which transforms faith into wisdom,
confidence into certainty, and culminates in liberation from suffering. (Here and again I ask my apologies to the
author because of this mine plagiarism)
Already long this web and far away of being finished, this
will constitute the first part of many that I intend to proceed under the
orientation and supervision of my Venerable friend Dhammachotika. So, see you
soon dear readers and, please, send us your comments, your doubts and your
critics, you are most welcome because you will make us understand how the text
must proceed, in the sense of to be or not more or less explicative.
Orientation and Supervision: Venerable
Dhammachotika
Writer and Edition Responsible: Yochanan
Hayash D’Affonseca
English
Revision, Web Designing and Art Designer: Ana Kyara Colaço
Background webpage
made after a picture taken by Venerable
Suwath.