Study Guide:
The Ten Perfections
Contents
* Introduction
* I. Discernment
o Good Will
* II. Truth
o Persistence
o Virtue
* III. Relinquishment
o Generosity
o Renunciation
* IV. Calm
o Endurance
o Equanimity
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Introduction
In the early centuries after the Buddha's passing away, as Buddhism became a
popular religion, the idea was formalized that there were three paths to
awakening to choose from: the path to awakening as a disciple of a Buddha
(savaka); the path to awakening as a private Buddha (pacceka-buddha), i.e.,
one who attained awakening on his own but was not able to teach the path of
practice to others; and the path to awakening as a Rightly Self-awakened
Buddha (samma sambuddho). The question then arose as to what the differences
between these three paths might be. All Buddhists agreed that the third path
took by far the longest to follow, and that it involved extra perfections
(parami) of character beyond those of the other two paths, but disagreements
arose as to what those perfections might be. The Theravadins, for instance,
specified ten perfections, and organized their Jataka collection so that it
culminated in ten tales, each illustrating one of the perfections. The
Sarvastivadins, on the other hand, specified six perfections, and organized
their Jataka collection accordingly.
There was also some disagreement as to where to find guidance in developing
the perfections. Although each of the early schools contained members who
looked to their accepted canons as guides, there were also those who looked
outside the canons. These latter groups often practiced a form of meditation
aimed at inducing visions of Bodhisattvas treading the path to full
Buddhahood, along with Buddhas in other world-systems. These Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas -- it was hoped -- would provide an insider's knowledge of the
full Buddha's path. The teachings that resulted from these visions were very
diverse; not until the 3rd century C.E., with the development of the
Yogacara school, was a concerted effort made to collate these various
teachings into a single body: what we now know as the Mahayana movement.
Thus, historically, there have been two major ways of following the path to
full Buddhahood: following guidelines gleaned from the early canons, and
following the traditions set in motion by the experiences of visionaries
from the beginning of the common era. The materials in this study guide take
the first course.
There's a common misunderstanding that the Theravada school teaches only the
savaka path, but a glance at Theravada history will show that many
Theravadins have vowed to become bodhisattvas and have undertaken the
practice of the ten perfections as set forth in the Theravadin jatakas. Even
those who don't aspire to full Buddhahood will cite the perfections as
qualities that they are developing as part of their practice outside of
formal meditation. For example, they make donations to develop the
perfection of generosity, undertake building projects to develop the
perfection of endurance, and so forth.
Thus, for those of us in the West who are wrestling with the issue of how to
practice the Dhamma in daily life, the perfections provide a useful
framework for viewing our daily activities: any activity or relationship
undertaken wisely with the primary purpose of developing the perfections in
a balanced way becomes part of the practice.
The perfections also provide one of the few reliable ways of measuring the
accomplishments of one's life. "Accomplishments" in the realm of work and
relationships have a way of turning into dust, but perfections of the
character, once developed, are dependable and lasting, carrying one over and
beyond the vicissitudes of daily living. Thus they deserve to take high
priority in the way we plan our lives. These two facts are reflected in the
two etymologies offered for the word perfection (parami): They carry one
across to the further shore (param); and they are of foremost (parama)
importance in formulating the purpose of one's life.
The material in this study guide is organized under the heading of the
eighth perfection: determination. There are several reasons for this. The
first is that determination is needed for undertaking the path of
perfections to begin with, in that it gives focus, motivation, and direction
to the practice. The second reason is that the four aspects of skilled
determination -- discernment, truth, relinquishment, and calm -- when
studied carefully, cover all ten of the perfections: generosity, virtue,
renunciation, discernment, persistence, endurance, truth, determination,
good will, and equanimity. In this way, the material gathered here
illustrates the general principle that each of the perfections, when
properly practiced, includes all ten. The third reason is that the four
aspects of skilled determination help guard against a common problem in
using the perfections as a guide to practice: a tendency to indulge in the
self-delusion that can justify any activity, no matter how inappropriate, as
part of the path.
Passages in this guide are drawn from the Pali Canon and from the teachings
of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo.
The four determinations:
One should not be negligent of discernment,
should guard the truth,
be devoted to relinquishment,
and train only for calm.
[MN 140]
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I. Discernment
Three types of discernment:
understanding that comes from listening (sutamaya-pañña)
understanding that comes from thinking (cintamaya-pañña)
understanding that comes from developing/meditation
(bhavanamaya-pañña)
[DN 33]
And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge
with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to
the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of
practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right
view.
And what is right resolve? Resolve aimed at renunciation, at
freedom from ill will, at harmlessness: This is called right
resolve.
[SN XLV.8]
And what is the right view that has fermentations, sides with
merit, & results in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is
offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good &
bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother
& father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are priests
& contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly,
proclaim this world & the next after having directly known &
realized it for themselves.' This is the right view that has
fermentations, sides with merit, & results in acquisitions.
"And what is the right view that is without fermentations,
transcendent, a factor of the path? The discernment, the faculty
of discernment, the strength of discernment, analysis of qualities
as a factor of Awakening, the path factor of right view in one
developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is free
from fermentations, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This
is the right view that is without fermentations, transcendent, a
factor of the path.
"One tries to abandon wrong view & to enter into right view: This
is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to
enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness.
Thus these three qualities -- right view, right effort, & right
mindfulness -- run & circle around right view.
"[2] Of those, right view is the forerunner. And how is right view
the forerunner? One discerns wrong resolve as wrong resolve, and
right resolve as right resolve. And what is wrong resolve? Being
resolved on sensuality, on ill will, on harmfulness. This is wrong
resolve.
"And what is right resolve? Right resolve, I tell you, is of two
sorts: There is right resolve with fermentations, siding with
merit, resulting in the acquisitions [of becoming]; and there is
noble right resolve, without fermentations, transcendent, a factor
of the path.
"And what is the right resolve that has fermentations, sides with
merit, & results in acquisitions? Being resolved on renunciation,
on freedom from ill will, on harmlessness. This is the right
resolve that has fermentations, sides with merit, & results in
acquisitions.
"And what is the right resolve that is without fermentations,
transcendent, a factor of the path? The thinking, directed
thinking, resolve, mental absorption, mental fixity, focused
awareness, & verbal fabrications in one developing the noble path
whose mind is noble, whose mind is without fermentations, who is
fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right resolve that
is without fermentations, transcendent, a factor of the path.
"One tries to abandon wrong resolve & to enter into right resolve:
This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong
resolve & to enter & remain in right resolve: This is one's right
mindfulness. Thus these three qualities -- right view, right
effort, & right mindfulness -- run & circle around right resolve."
[MN 117]
What does discernment come from? You might compare it with
learning to become a potter, a tailor, or a basket weaver. The
teacher will start out by telling you how to make a pot, sew a
shirt or a pair of pants, or weave different patterns, but the
proportions and beauty of the object you make will have to depend
on your own powers of observation. Suppose you weave a basket and
then take a good look at its proportions, to see if it's too short
or too tall. If it's too short, weave another one, a little
taller, and then take a good look at it to see if there's anything
that still needs improving, to see if it's too thin or too fat.
Then weave another one, better-looking than the last. Keep this up
until you have one that's as beautiful and well-proportioned as
possible, one with nothing to criticize from any angle. This last
basket you can take as your standard. You can now set yourself up
in business.
What you've done is to learn from your own actions. As for your
previous efforts, you needn't concern yourself with them any
longer. Throw them out. This is a sense of discernment that arises
of its own accord, an ingenuity and sense of judgment that come
not from anything your teachers have taught you, but from
observing and evaluating on your own the object that you yourself
have made.
The same holds true in practicing meditation. For discernment to
arise, you have to be observant as you keep track of the breath
and to gain a sense of how to adjust and improve it so that it's
well-proportioned throughout the body -- to the point where it
flows evenly without faltering, so that it' s comfortable in slow
and out slow, in fast and out fast, long, short, heavy, or
refined. Get so that both the in-breath and the out-breath are
comfortable no matter what way you breathe, so that -- no matter
when -- you immediately feel a sense of ease the moment you focus
on the breath. When you can do this, physical results will appear:
a sense of ease and lightness, open and spacious. The body will be
strong, the breath and blood will flow unobstructed and won't form
an opening for disease to step in. The body will be healthy and
awake.
As for the mind, when mindfulness and alertness are the causes, a
still mind is the result. When negligence is the cause, a mind
distracted and restless is the result. So we must try to make the
causes good, in order to give rise to the good results we've
referred to. If we use our powers of observation and evaluation in
caring for the breath, and are constantly correcting and improving
it, we'll develop awareness on our own, the fruit of having
developed our concentration higher step by step.
[Ajaan Lee]
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Good Will
Devoid of covetousness, devoid of ill will, unbewildered, alert,
mindful, one keeps pervading the first direction [the east] with
an awareness imbued with good will, likewise the second, likewise
the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, & all around,
everywhere, in its entirety, one keeps pervading the
all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will --
abundant, expansive, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill
will, just as a strong conch-trumpet blower -- without any
difficulty -- can notify the four directions.
[SN XLII.8]
For one whose release of awareness through good will is
cultivated, developed, pursued, given a means of transport, given
a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven
benefits can be expected. Which eleven?
One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is
dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect
one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind
gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies
unconfused and -- if penetrating no higher -- is headed for the
Brahma worlds.
[AN XI.16]
"Once upon a time, a bamboo acrobat, having erected a bamboo pole,
addressed his assistant, Frying Pan: 'Come, my dear Frying Pan.
Climb up the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.'
"'As you say, Master,' Frying Pan answered the bamboo acrobat and,
climbing the bamboo pole, stood on his shoulders.
"So then the bamboo acrobat said to his assistant, 'Now you watch
after me, my dear Frying Pan, and I'll watch after you. Thus,
protecting one another, watching after one another, we'll show off
our skill, receive our reward, and come down safely from the
bamboo pole.'
"When he had said this, Frying Pan said to him, 'But that won't do
at all, Master. You watch after yourself, and I'll watch after
myself, and thus with each of us protecting ourselves, watching
after ourselves, we'll show off our skill, receive our reward, and
come down safely from the bamboo pole.'
"What Frying Pan, the assistant, said to her Master was the right
way in that case.
"A frame of reference is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll
watch after myself.' A frame of reference is to be practiced with
the thought, 'I'll watch after others.' When watching after
oneself, one watches after others. When watching after others, one
watches after oneself.
"And how does one, when watching after oneself, watch after
others? Through pursuing [the practice], through developing it,
through devoting oneself to it. This is how one, when watching
after oneself, watches after others.
"And how does one, when watching after others, watch after
oneself? Through endurance, through harmlessness, and through a
mind of kindness & sympathy. This is how one, when watching after
others, watches after oneself.
"The frames of reference are to be practiced with the thought,
'I'll watch after myself.' The frames of reference are to be
practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after others.' When
watching after oneself, one watches after others. When watching
after others, one watches after oneself."
[SN XLVII.19]
Anger. When this defilement really gets strong, it has no sense of
good or evil, right or wrong, husband, wives, or children. It can
drink human blood. An example we often see is when people get
quarreling and one of them ends up in prison or even on death row,
convicted for murder. This is even worse than your house burning
down, because you have nothing left at all. For this reason, we
have to get ourselves some life insurance by observing the five or
eight precepts so that we can treat and bandage our open sores --
i.e., so that we can wash away the evil and unwise things in our
thoughts, words, and deeds. Even if we can't wash them all away,
we should try at least to relieve them somewhat. Although you may
still have some fire left, let there just be enough to cook your
food or light your home. Don't let there be so much that it burns
your house down.
The only way to put out these fires is to meditate and develop
thoughts of good will. The mind won't feel any anger, hatred, or
ill will, and instead will feel nothing but thoughts of sympathy,
seeing that everyone in the world aims at goodness, but that our
goodness isn't equal. You have to use really careful discernment
to consider cause and effect, and then be forgiving, with the
thought that we human beings aren't equal or identical in our
goodness and evil. If everyone were equal, the world would fall
apart. If we were equally good or equally bad, the world would
have to fall apart for sure. Suppose that all the people in the
world were farmers, with no merchants or government officials. Or
suppose there were only government officials, with no farmers at
all: We'd all starve to death with our mouths gaping and dry. If
everyone were equal and identical, the end of the world would come
in only a few days' time. Consider your body: Even the different
parts of your own body aren't equal. Some of your fingers are
short, some are long, some small, some large. If all ten of your
fingers were equal, you'd have a monster's hands. So when even
your own fingers aren't equal, how can you expect people to be
equal in terms of their thoughts, words, and deeds? You have to
think this way and be forgiving.
* * *
When you can think in this way, your good will can spread to all
people everywhere, and you'll feel sympathy for people on high
levels, low levels and in between. The big ball of fire inside you
will go out through the power of your good will and loving
kindness.
This comes from getting life insurance: practicing tranquility
meditation so as to chase the defilements away from the mind.
Thoughts of sensual desire, ill will, lethargy, restlessness, and
uncertainty will vanish, and the mind will be firmly centered in
concentration, using its powers of directed thought to stay with
its meditation word -- buddho -- and its powers of evaluation to
create a sense of inner lightness and ease. When the mind fills
itself with rapture -- the flavor arising from concentration -- it
will have its own inner food and nourishment, so that whatever you
do in thought, word, or deed is sure to succeed.
[Ajaan Lee]
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II. Truth
So Kapadika Bharadvaja said to the Blessed One, "Master Gotama,
with regard to the ancient hymns of the brahmins -- passed down
through oral transmission & included in their canon -- the
brahmins have come to the definite conclusion that "Only this is
true; anything else is worthless." What does Master Gotama have to
say to this?"
"Tell me, Bharadvaja, is there among the brahmins even one brahmin
who says, 'This I know; this I see; only this is true; anything
else is worthless?'"
"No, Master Gotama."
"And has there been among the brahmins even one teacher or
teacher's teacher back through seven generations who said, 'This I
know; this I see; only this is true; anything else is worthless?'"
"No, Master Gotama."
"And among the brahmin seers of the past, the creators of the
hymns, the composers of the hymns -- those ancient hymns, sung,
repeated, & collected, which brahmins at present still sing, still
chant, repeating what was said, repeating what was spoken -- i.e.,
Attaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa,
Bharadvaja, Vesettha, Kassapa & Bhagu: was there even one of these
who said, 'This we know; this we see; only this is true; anything
else is worthless?'"
"No, Master Gotama."
"So then, Bharadvaja, it seems that there isn't among the brahmins
even one brahmin who says, 'This I know; this I see; only this is
true; anything else is worthless.' And there hasn't been among the
brahmins even one teacher or teacher's teacher back through seven
generations who said, 'This I know; this I see; only this is true;
anything else is worthless.' And there hasn't been among the
brahmin seers of the past, the creators of the hymns, the
composers of the hymns ... even one who said, 'This we know; this
we see; only this is true; anything else is worthless.' Suppose
there were a row of blind men, each holding on to the one in front
of him: the first one doesn't see, the middle one doesn't see, the
last one doesn't see. In the same way, the statement of the
brahmins turns out to be a row of blind men, as it were: the first
one doesn't see, the middle one doesn't see, the last one doesn't
see. So what do you think, Bharadvaja: this being the case,
doesn't the conviction of the brahmins turn out to be groundless?"
"It's not only out of conviction, Master Gotama, that the brahmins
honor this. They also honor it as unbroken tradition."
"Bharadvaja, first you went by conviction. Now you speak of
unbroken tradition. There are five things that can turn out in two
ways in the here-&-now. Which five? Conviction, liking, unbroken
tradition, reasoning by analogy, & an agreement through pondering
views. These are the five things that can turn out in two ways in
the here-&-now. Now some things are firmly held in conviction and
yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not firmly held in
conviction, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. Some
things are well-liked ... truly an unbroken tradition ...
well-reasoned ... Some things are well-pondered and yet vain,
empty, & false. Some things are not well-pondered, and yet they
are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. In these cases it isn't proper
for a knowledgeable person who safeguards the truth to come to a
definite conclusion, 'Only this is true; anything else is
worthless."
"But to what extent, Master Gotama, is there the safeguarding of
the truth? To what extent does one safeguard the truth? We ask
Master Gotama about the safeguarding of the truth."
"If a person has conviction, his statement, 'This is my
conviction,' safeguards the truth. But he doesn't yet come to the
definite conclusion that 'Only this is true; anything else is
worthless.' To this extent, Bharadvaja, there is the safeguarding
of the truth. To this extent one safeguards the truth. I describe
this as the safeguarding of the truth. But it is not yet an
awakening to the truth.
"If a person likes something ... holds an unbroken tradition ...
has something reasoned through analogy ... has something he agrees
to, having pondered views, his statement, 'This is what I agree
to, having pondered views,' safeguards the truth. But he doesn't
yet come to the definite conclusion that 'Only this is true;
anything else is worthless.' To this extent, Bharadvaja, there is
the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one safeguards the
truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth. But it is
not yet an awakening to the truth."
"Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is the safeguarding of
the truth. To this extent one safeguards the truth. We regard this
as the safeguarding of the truth. But to what extent is there an
awakening to the truth? To what extent does one awaken to the
truth? We ask Master Gotama about awakening to the truth."
"There is the case, Bharadvaja, where a monk lives in dependence
on a certain village or town. Then a householder or householder's
son goes to him and observes him with regard to three mental
qualities -- qualities based on greed, qualities based on
aversion, qualities based on delusion: 'Are there in this
venerable one any such qualities based on greed that, with his
mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, "I know," while
not knowing, or say, "I see," while not seeing; or that he might
urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm &
pain?' As he observes him, he comes to know, 'There are in this
venerable one no such qualities based on greed .... His bodily
behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not greedy. And the
Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil,
refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced
by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a person who's
greedy.
"When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to
qualities based on greed, he next observes him with regard to
qualities based on aversion ... based on delusion: 'Are there in
this venerable one any such qualities based on delusion that, with
his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, "I know,"
while not knowing, or say, "I see," while not seeing; or that he
might urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term
harm & pain?' As he observes him, he comes to know, 'There are in
this venerable one no such qualities based on delusion .... His
bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not deluded.
And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize,
tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle,
to-be-experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught
by a person who's deluded.
"When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to
qualities based on delusion, he places conviction in him. With the
arising of conviction, he visits him & grows close to him. Growing
close to him, he lends ear. Lending ear, he hears the Dhamma.
Hearing the Dhamma, he remembers it. Remembering it, he penetrates
the meaning of those dhammas. Penetrating the meaning, he comes to
an agreement through pondering those dhammas. There being an
agreement through pondering those dhammas, desire arises. With the
arising of desire, he becomes willing. Willing, he contemplates
(lit: "weighs," "compares"). Contemplating, he makes an exertion.
Exerting himself, he both realizes the ultimate meaning of the
truth with his body and sees by penetrating it with discernment.
"To this extent, Bharadvaja, there is an awakening to the truth.
To this extent one awakens to the truth. I describe this as an
awakening to the truth. But it is not yet the final attainment of
the truth."
"Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is an awakening to the
truth. To this extent one awakens to the truth. We regard this as
an awakening to the truth. But to what extent is there the final
attainment of the truth? To what extent does one finally attain
the truth? We ask Master Gotama about the final attainment of the
truth."
"The cultivation, development, & pursuit of those very same
qualities: to this extent, Bharadvaja, there is the final
attainment of the truth. To this extent one finally attains the
truth. I describe this as the final attainment of the truth."
[MN 95]
The Buddha saw that the ease and happiness of ordinary pleasures
is nothing lasting. He wanted an ease and happiness that didn't
follow the way of the worldly pleasures that most people want.
This was why he left his family and friends, and went off to live
in seclusion. He said to himself, 'I came alone when I was born
and I'll go alone when I die. No one hired me to be born and no
one will hire me to die, so I'm beholden to no one. There's no one
I have to fear. In all of my actions, if there's anything that is
right from the standpoint of the world, but wrong from the
standpoint of the truth -- and wrong from the standpoint of my
heart -- there's no way I'll be willing to do it.'
So he posed himself a question: 'Now that you've been born as a
human being, what is the highest thing you want in this world?' He
then placed the following conditions on his answer: 'In answering,
you have to be really honest and truthful with yourself. And once
you've answered, you have to hold to your answer as an unalterable
law on which you've affixed your seal, without ever letting a
second seal be affixed on top. So what do you want, and how do you
want it? You have to give an honest answer, understand? I won't
accept anything false. And once you've answered, you have to keep
to your answer. Don't be a traitor to yourself.'
When he was sure of his answer, he said to himself, 'I want only
the highest and most certain happiness and ease: the happiness
that won't change into anything else. Other than that, I don't
want anything else in the world.'
Once he had given this answer, he kept to it firmly. He didn't
allow anything that would have caused the least bit of pain or
distraction to his heart to get stuck there as a stain on it. He
kept making a persistent effort with all his might to discover the
truth, without retreat, until he finally awakened to that truth:
the reality of Liberation.
If we search for the truth like the Buddha -- if we're true in our
intent and true in what we do -- there's no way the truth can
escape us. But if we aren't true to ourselves, we won't find the
true happiness the Buddha found. We tell ourselves that we want to
be happy but we go jumping into fires. We know what things are
poison, yet we go ahead and drink them anyway. This is called
being a traitor to yourself.
* * *
Every person alive wants happiness -- even common animals struggle
to find happiness -- but our actions for the most part aren't in
line with our intentions. This is why we don't get to realize the
happiness we want, simply because there's no truth to us. For
example, when people come to the monastery: If they come to make
offerings, observe the precepts, and sit in meditation for the
sake of praise or a good reputation, there's no real merit to what
they're doing. They don't gain any real happiness from it, so they
end up disappointed and dissatisfied. Then they start saying that
offerings, precepts, and meditation don't give any good results.
Instead of reflecting on the fact that they weren't right and
honest in doing these things, they say that there's no real good
to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, that the Buddha's teachings are
a lot of nonsense and lies. But actually the Buddha's teachings
are an affair of the truth. If a person isn't true to the Buddha's
teachings, the Buddha's teachings won't be true to that person --
and that person won't be able to know what the Buddha's true
teachings are.
* * *
When we practice virtue, concentration, and discernment, it's as
if we were taking the jewels and robes of royalty and the Noble
Ones to dress up our heart and make it beautiful. But if we aren't
true in our practice, it's like taking robes and jewels and giving
them to a monkey. The monkey is bound to get them dirty and tear
them to shreds because it has no sense of beauty at all. Whoever
sees this kind of thing happening is sure to see right through it,
that it's a monkey show. Even though the costumes are genuine, the
monkey inside isn't genuine like the costumes. For instance, if
you take a soldier's cap and uniform to dress it up as a soldier,
it's a soldier only as far as the cap and uniform, but the monkey
inside is still a monkey and not a soldier at all.
For this reason, the Buddha teaches us to be true in whatever we
do -- to be true in being generous, true in being virtuous, true
in developing concentration and discernment. Don't play around at
these things. If you're true, then these activities are sure to
bear you the fruits of your own truthfulness without a doubt.
[Ajaan Lee]
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Virtue
Now, there are these five gifts, five great gifts -- original,
long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated
from the beginning -- that are not open to suspicion, will never
be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable
contemplatives & priests. Which five?
There is the case where a noble disciple, abandoning the taking of
life, abstains from taking life. In doing so, he gives freedom
from danger, freedom 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 share in limitless freedom from
danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This
is the first gift, the first great gift -- original,
long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated
from the beginning -- that is not open to suspicion, will never be
open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable
contemplatives & priests.
Furthermore, abandoning taking what is not given (stealing), the
noble disciple abstains from taking what is not given. In doing
so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom 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 share in limitless freedom
from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression.
This is the second gift, the second great gift ....
Furthermore, abandoning illicit sex, the noble disciple abstains
from illicit sex. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger,
freedom 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 share in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from
animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the third gift,
the third great gift ....
Furthermore, abandoning lying, the noble disciple abstains from
lying. In doing so, he gives freedom from danger, freedom 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 share
in limitless freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and
freedom from oppression. This is the fourth gift, the fourth great
gift ....
Furthermore, abandoning the use of intoxicants, the noble disciple
abstains from taking intoxicants. In doing so, he gives freedom
from danger, freedom 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 share in limitless freedom from
danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This
is the fifth gift, the fifth great gift -- original,
long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated
from the beginning -- that is not open to suspicion, will never be
open to suspicion, and is unfaulted by knowledgeable
contemplatives & priests.
[AN VIII.39]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Persistence
And what is right effort? There is the case where one generates
desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds, & exerts one's
intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful
qualities that have not yet arisen...for the sake of the
abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen...for
the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet
arisen...(and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase,
plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that
have arisen: This is called right effort.
[SN XLV.8]
And how is striving fruitful, how is exertion fruitful? There is
the case where a monk, when not loaded down, does not load himself
down with pain, nor does he reject pleasure that accords with the
Dhamma, although he is not infatuated with that pleasure. He
discerns that "When I exert a [mental] fabrication against this
cause of stress, then from the fabrication of exertion there is
dispassion (fading away). When I look on with equanimity at that
cause of stress, then from the development of equanimity there is
dispassion." So he exerts a mental fabrication against the [first]
cause of stress... and develops equanimity with regard to the
[second] cause of stress .... Thus the stress [coming from any
cause of the first sort] is abolished ... & the stress [coming
from any cause of the second sort] is abolished.
[MN 101]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Relinquishment
If, by forsaking
a limited ease,
he would see
an abundance of ease,
the enlightened man
would forsake
the limited ease
for the sake
of the abundant.
[Dhp 290]
Ven. Suppiya:
I'll make a trade:
aging for the Ageless,
burning for the Unbound:
the highest peace,
the unexcelled rest
from the yoke.
[Thag I.32]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Generosity
One who is generous, a master of giving, is dear & charming to
people at large .... this is a fruit of generosity visible in the
here & now.
"Furthermore, good people, people of integrity, admire one who is
generous, a master of giving .... this, too, is a fruit of
generosity visible in the here & now.
"Furthermore, the fine reputation of one who is generous, a master
of giving, is spread far & wide .... this, too, is a fruit of
generosity visible in the here & now.
"Furthermore, when one who is generous, a master of giving,
approaches any assembly of people -- noble warriors, brahmins,
householders, or contemplatives -- he/she does so confidently &
without embarrassment .... this, too, is a fruit of generosity
visible in the here & now.
"Furthermore, at the break-up of the body, after death, one who is
generous, a master of giving, reappears in a good destination, the
heavenly world .... this is a fruit of generosity in the next
life."
[AN V.34]
Inner wealth, according to the texts, means seven things --
conviction, virtue, a sense of conscience, scrupulousness, breadth
of learning, generosity, and discernment -- but to put it simply,
inner wealth refers to the inner quality we build within
ourselves. Outer wealth -- money and material goods -- doesn't
have any hard and fast owners. Today it may be ours, tomorrow
someone else may take it away. There are times when it belongs to
us, and times when it belongs to others. Even with things that are
fixed in the ground, like farms or orchards, you can't keep them
from changing hands.
So when you develop yourself so as to gain the discernment that
sees how worldly things are undependable and unsure, don't let
your property -- your worldly possessions -- sit idle. The Buddha
teaches us to plant crops on our land so that we can benefit from
it. If you don't make use of your land, it's sure to fall into
other people's hands. In other words, when we stake out a claim to
a piece of property, we should plant it full of crops. Otherwise
the government won't recognize our claim, and we'll lose our
rights to it. Even if we take the case to court, we won't have a
chance to win. So once you see the weakness of an idle claim, you
should hurry up and plant crops on it so that the government will
recognize your claim and issue you a title to the land.
What this means is that we should make use of our material
possessions by being generous with them, using them in a way that
develops the inner wealth of generosity within us. This way they
become the kind of wealth over which we have full rights, and that
will benefit us even into future lifetimes.
[Ajaan Lee]
"Having given [a gift], not seeking one's own profit, not with a
mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to store up for
oneself, nor [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death,'
-- nor with the thought, 'Giving is good,'
-- nor with the thought, 'This was given in the past, done in the
past, by my father & grandfather. It would not be right for me to
let this old family custom be discontinued,'
-- nor with the thought, 'I am well-off. These are not well-off.
It would not be right for me, being well-off, not to give a gift
to those who are not well-off,'
-- nor with the thought, 'Just as there were the great sacrifices
of the sages of the past -- Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta,
Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa, & Bhagu -- in
the same way this will be my distribution of gifts,'
-- nor with the thought, 'When this gift of mine is given, it
makes the mind serene. Gratification & joy arise,'
-- but with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the mind, a
support for the mind' -- on the break-up of the body, after death,
one reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. Then, having
exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty,
one is a non-returner and does not come back to this world.
"This, Sariputta, is the cause, this is the reason, why a person
gives a gift of a certain sort and it does not bear great fruit or
great benefit, whereas another person gives a gift of the same
sort and it bears great fruit and great benefit."
[AN VII.49]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Renunciation
Then Ven. Ananda, together with Tapussa the householder, went to
the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to
one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One:
"Tapussa the householder, here, has said to me, 'Venerable Ananda,
sir, we are householders who indulge in sensuality, delight in
sensuality, enjoy sensuality, rejoice in sensuality. For us --
indulging in sensuality, delighting in sensuality, enjoying
sensuality, rejoicing in sensuality -- renunciation seems like a
sheer drop-off. Yet I've heard that in this doctrine & discipline
the hearts of the very young monks leap up at renunciation, grow
confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace. So right here is
where this doctrine & discipline is contrary to the great mass of
people: i.e., [this issue of] renunciation.'"
"So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening,
when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: 'Renunciation
is good. Seclusion is good.' But my heart didn't leap up at
renunciation, didn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it
as peace. The thought occurred to me: 'What is the cause, what is
the reason, why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't
grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?' Then the
thought occurred to me: 'I haven't seen the drawback of sensual
pleasures; I haven't pursued [that theme]. I haven't understood
the reward of renunciation; I haven't familiarized myself with it.
That's why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow
confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace.'
"Then the thought occurred to me: 'If, having seen the drawback of
sensual pleasures, I were to pursue that theme; and if, having
understood the reward of renunciation, I were to familiarize
myself with it, there's the possibility that my heart would leap
up at renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it
as peace.'
"So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual
pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of
renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at
renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as
peace. Then, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from
unskillful qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana:
rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed
thought & evaluation.
"As I remained there, I was beset with attention to perceptions
dealing with sensuality. That was an affliction for me. Just as
pain arises as an affliction for a healthy person, even so the
attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality that beset me was
an affliction for me."
[AN IX.41]
"There are these five strands of sensuality. Which five? Forms
cognizable via the eye -- agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds cognizable via the
ear ... aromas cognizable via the nose ... flavors cognizable via
the tongue ... tactile sensations cognizable via the body --
agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire,
enticing. But these are not sensuality. They are called strands of
sensuality in the discipline of the noble ones.
The passion for his intentions is a man's sensuality,
not the beautiful sensual pleasures
found in the world.
The passion for his intentions is a man's sensuality.
The beauties remain as they are in the world,
while the wise, in this regard,
subdue their desire.
[AN VI.63]
And how is striving fruitful, how is exertion fruitful? There is
the case where a monk ... notices this: "When I live according to
my pleasure, unskillful mental qualities increase in me & skillful
qualities decline. When I exert myself with stress & pain, though,
unskillful qualities decline in me & skillful qualities increase.
Why don't I exert myself with stress & pain?" So he exerts himself
with stress & pain, and while he is exerting himself with stress &
pain, unskillful qualities decline in him, & skillful qualities
increase. Then at a later time he would no longer exert himself
with stress & pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal
for which he was exerting himself with stress & pain ....
Suppose that a fletcher were to heat & warm an arrow shaft between
two flames, making it straight & pliable. Then at a later time he
would no longer heat & warm the shaft between two flames, making
it straight & pliable. Why is that? Because he has attained the
goal for which he was heating & warming the shaft .... In the same
way, the monk...no longer exerts himself with stress & pain. Why
is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he was
exerting himself with stress & pain.
[MN 101]
Dhaniya the cattleman:[1]
"The rice is cooked,
my milking done.
I live with my people
along the banks of the Mahi;
my hut is roofed, my fire lit:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"Free from anger,
my stubbornness gone,[2]
I live for one night
along the banks of the Mahi;
my hut's roof is open, my fire
out:[3]
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
Dhaniya:
"No mosquitoes or gadflies
are to be found.
The cows range in the marshy meadow
where the grasses flourish.
They could stand the rain if it came:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"A raft, well-made,
has been lashed together.[4]
Having crossed over,
gone to the far shore,
I've subdued the flood.
No need for a raft
is to be found:[5]
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
Dhaniya:
"My wife is compliant, not careless,
is charming, has lived with me long.
I hear no evil about her at all:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"My mind is compliant, released,
has long been nurtured, well tamed.
No evil is to be found in me:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
Dhaniya:
"I support myself on my earnings.
My sons live in harmony,
free from disease.
I hear no evil about them at all:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"I'm in no one's employ,[6]
I wander the whole world
on the reward [of my Awakening].
No need for earnings
is to be found:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
Dhaniya:
"There are cows, young bulls,
cows in calf, & breeding cows,
& a great bull, the leader of the herd:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"There are no cows, no young bulls,
no cows in calf or breeding cows,
no great bull, the leader of the
herd:[7]
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
Dhaniya:
"The stakes are dug-in, immovable.
The new muñja-grass halters, well-woven,
not even young bulls could break:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The Buddha:
"Having broken my bonds
like a great bull,
like a great elephant
tearing a rotting vine,
I never again
will lie in the womb:
so if you want, rain-god,
go ahead & rain."
The great cloud rained down
straightaway,
filling the lowlands & high.
Hearing the rain-god pour down,
Dhaniya said:
"How great our gain
that we've gazed
on the Blessed One!
We go to him,
the One with vision,
for refuge.
May you be our teacher, Great Sage.
My wife & I are compliant.
Let's follow the holy life
under the One Well-gone.
Gone to the far shore
of aging & death,
let's put an end
to suffering & stress."
Mara:[8]
"Those with children
delight
because of their children.
Those with cattle
delight
because of their cows.
A person's delight
comes from acquisitions,
since a person with no acquisitions
doesn't delight."
The Buddha:
"Those with children
grieve
because of their children.
Those with cattle
grieve
because of their cows.
A person's grief
comes from acquisitions,
since a person with no acquisitions
doesn't grieve."
[Sn I.2]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
1. Dhaniya Gopa: Literally, one whose wealth is in
cattle. According to the Commentary, his herd consisted
of 30,000 head of cattle. [Go back]
2. The first line in the Buddha's verse plays on words
in the first line of Dhaniya's. "Free from anger"
(akkodhano) plays on "rice is cooked" (pakkodano); and
"stubbornness" (khilo) plays on "milk" (khiro). [Go
back]
3. "Open" means having a mind not covered or concealed
by craving, defilement, or ignorance. This image is also
used in Ud V.5 and Sn IV.4. "My fire out" refers to the
fires of passion, aversion, & delusion; birth, aging, &
death; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair.
See SN XXXV.28; Iti 93; and The Mind Like Fire Unbound.
[Go back]
4. The raft stands for the noble eightfold path. See
passages 113 and 114 in The Wings to Awakening. [Go
back]
5. As this verse doesn't seem to be a direct response to
the preceding one, the Commentary suggests that we are
missing part of the conversation here. An alternative
possibility is that the Buddha is engaging in word play
-- the word "crossed over" (tinna) being a pun on
Dhaniya's reference to grass (tina). [Go back]
6. According to the Commentary, the Buddha is not in
anyone else's employ nor even in his own employ -- i.e.,
he is not in the employ of craving. [Go back]
7. The Buddha may be speaking literally here -- he has
no cattle, so there is no way that a heavy rain could
cause him harm -- but he may also be speaking
metaphorically. See SN IV.19. [Go back]
8. According to the Commentary, Mara suddenly comes on
the scene to try -- unsuccessfully -- to prevent Dhaniya
and his wife from going forth. His verses here, together
with the Buddha's response, are also found at SN IV.8.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now at that time, Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, on going to a forest,
to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, would repeatedly
exclaim, "What bliss! What bliss!" A large number of monks heard
Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha, on going to a forest, to the foot of a
tree, or to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaim, "What bliss!
What bliss!" and on hearing him, the thought occurred to them,
"There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't enjoy
leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew the
bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is
repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'" They went to the
Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one
side. As they were sitting there, they told him: "Ven. Bhaddiya
Kaligodha, lord, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or
to an empty dwelling, repeatedly exclaims, 'What bliss! What
bliss!' There's no doubt but that Ven. Bhaddiya Kaligodha doesn't
enjoy leading the holy life, for when he was a householder he knew
the bliss of kingship, so that now, on recollecting that, he is
repeatedly exclaiming, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then the Blessed One told a certain monk, "Come, monk. In my name,
call Bhaddiya, saying, 'The Teacher calls you, my friend.'"
"As you say, lord," the monk answered and, having gone to Ven.
Bhaddiya, on arrival he said, "The Teacher calls you, my friend."
"As you say, my friend," Ven. Bhaddiya replied. Then he went to
the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to
one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him,
"Is it true, Bhaddiya that, on going to a forest, to the foot of a
tree, or to an empty dwelling, you repeatedly exclaim, 'What
bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Yes, lord."
"What meaning do you have in mind that you repeatedly exclaim,
'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Before, when I has a householder, maintaining the bliss of
kingship, I had guards posted within and without the royal
apartments, within and without the city, within and without the
countryside. But even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I
dwelled in fear -- agitated, distrustful, and afraid. But now, on
going alone to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty
dwelling, I dwell without fear, unagitated, confident, and
unafraid -- unconcerned, unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my
mind like a wild deer. This is the meaning I have in mind that I
repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
[Ud II.10]
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Alavi on a spread
of leaves by a cattle track in a simsapa forest. Then Hatthaka of
Alavi, out roaming & rambling for exercise, saw the Blessed One
sitting on a spread of leaves by the cattle track in the simsapa
forest. On seeing him, he went to him and, on arrival, having
bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he
said to the Blessed One, "Lord, I hope the Blessed One has slept
in ease."
"Yes, young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who
sleep in ease, I am one."
"But cold, lord, is the winter night. The 'Between-the-Eights' (a
period in February) is a time of snowfall. Hard is the ground
trampled by cattle hooves. Thin is the spread of leaves. Sparse
are the leaves in the trees. Thin are your ochre robes. And cold
blows the Verambha wind. Yet still the Blessed One says, 'Yes,
young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who sleep
in ease, I am one.'"
"In that case, young man, I will question you in return. Answer as
you see fit. Now, what do you think: Suppose a householder or
householder's son has a house with a gabled roof, plastered inside
& out, draft-free, with close-fitting door & windows shut against
the wind. Inside he has a horse-hair couch spread with a
long-fleeced coverlet, a white wool coverlet, an embroidered
coverlet, a rug of kadali-deer hide, with a canopy above, & red
cushions on either side. And there a lamp would be burning, and
his four wives, with their many charms, would be attending to him.
Would he sleep in ease, or not? Or how does this strike you?"
"Yes, lord, he would sleep in ease. Of those in the world who
sleep in ease, he would be one."
"But what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that
householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of
mind born of passion so that -- burned with those passion-born
fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"
"Yes, lord."
"As for those passion-born fevers -- burned with which the
householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that
passion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed,
like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of
existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in
ease.
"Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that
householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of
mind born of aversion so that -- burned with those aversion-born
fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"
"Yes, lord."
"As for those aversion-born fevers -- burned with which the
householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that
aversion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed,
like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of
existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in
ease.
"Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that
householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of
mind born of delusion so that -- burned with those delusion-born
fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"
"Yes, lord."
"As for those delusion-born fevers -- burned with which the
householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that
delusion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed,
like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of
existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in
ease.
"Always, always,
he sleeps in ease:
the brahmin totally unbound,
who doesn't adhere
to sensual pleasures,
who's without acquisitions
& cooled.
Having cut all ties
& subdued fear in the heart,
calmed,
he sleeps in ease,
having reached peace
of awareness."
[AN III.35]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Calm
Endurance
"Once, monks, in this same Savatthi, there was a lady of a
household named Vedehika. This good report about Lady Vedehika had
circulated: 'Lady Vedehika is gentle. Lady Vedehika is
even-tempered. Lady Vedehika is calm.' Now, Lady Vedehika had a
slave named Kali who was diligent, deft, & neat in her work. The
thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'This good report about my
Lady Vedehika has circulated: "Lady Vedehika is even-tempered.
Lady Vedehika is gentle. Lady Vedehika is calm." Now, is anger
present in my lady without showing, or is it absent? Or is it just
because I'm diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger
present in my lady doesn't show? Why don't I test her?'
"So Kali the slave got up after daybreak. Then Lady Vedehika said
to her: 'Hey, Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up after daybreak?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up after daybreak?'
Angered & displeased, she scowled.
Then the thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'Anger is present in
my lady without showing, and not absent. And it's just because I'm
diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger present in my
lady doesn't show. Why don't I test her some more?'
"So Kali the slave got up later in the day. Then Lady Vedehika
said to her: 'Hey, Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up later in the day?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up later in the
day?' Angered & displeased, she grumbled.
Then the thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'Anger is present in
my lady without showing, and not absent. And it's just because I'm
diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the anger present in my
lady doesn't show. Why don't I test her some more?'
"So Kali the slave got up even later in the day. Then Lady
Vedehika said to her: 'Hey, Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up even later in the day?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up even later in
the day?' Angered & displeased, she grabbed hold of a rolling pin
and gave her a whack over the head, cutting it open.
Then Kali the slave, with blood streaming from her cut-open head,
went and denounced her mistress to the neighbors: 'See, ladies,
the gentle one's handiwork? See the even-tempered one's handiwork?
See the calm one's handiwork? How could she, angered & displeased
with her only slave for getting up after daybreak, grab hold of a
rolling pin and give her a whack over the head, cutting it open?'
After that this evil report about Lady Vedehika circulated: 'Lady
Vedehika is vicious. Lady Vedehika is foul-tempered. Lady Vedehika
is violent.'
"In the same way, monks, a monk may be ever so gentle, ever so
even-tempered, ever so calm, as long as he is not touched by
disagreeable aspects of speech. But it is only when disagreeable
aspects of speech touch him that he can truly be known as gentle,
even-tempered, & calm. I don't call a monk easy to admonish if he
is easy to admonish and makes himself easy to admonish only by
reason of robes, almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites for
curing the sick. Why is that? Because if he doesn't get robes,
almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites for curing the sick,
then he isn't easy to admonish and doesn't make himself easy to
admonish. But if a monk is easy to admonish and makes himself easy
to admonish purely out of esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the
Dhamma, reverence for the Dhamma, then I call him easy to
admonish. Thus, monks, you should train yourselves: 'We will be
easy to admonish and make ourselves easy to admonish purely out of
esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the Dhamma, reverence for the
Dhamma.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may
address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or
harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or
with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an
untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is
false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way.
They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way.
They may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate.
In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be
unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain
sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good will,
and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will
keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with good
will -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility,
free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a hoe & a basket,
saying, 'I will make this great earth be without earth.' He would
dig here & there, scatter soil here & there, spit here & there,
urinate here & there, saying, 'Be without earth. Be without
earth.' Now, what do you think -- would he make this great earth
be without earth?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because this great earth is deep &
enormous. It can't easily be made to be without earth. The man
would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by
which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false,
affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of
good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely
way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or
what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an
unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or
with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our
minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will
remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will
keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with good
will equal to the great earth -- abundant, expansive,
immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how
you should train yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying lac, yellow
orpiment, indigo, or crimson, saying, 'I will draw pictures in
space, I will make pictures appear.' Now, what do you think --
would he draw pictures in space & make pictures appear?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because space is formless & featureless.
It's not easy to draw pictures there and to make them appear. The
man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by
which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false,
affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of
good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely
way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or
what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an
unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or
with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our
minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will
remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will
keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with good
will equal to space -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free
from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train
yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a burning grass
torch and saying, 'With this burning grass torch I will heat up
the river Ganges and make it boil.' Now, what do you think --
would he, with that burning grass torch, heat up the river Ganges
and make it boil?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because the river Ganges is deep &
enormous. It's not easy to heat it up and make it boil with a
burning grass torch. The man would reap only a share of weariness
& disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by
which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false,
affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of
good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely
way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or
what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an
unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or
with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our
minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will
remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will
keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with good
will equal to the river Ganges -- abundant, expansive,
immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how
you should train yourselves.
"Suppose there were a catskin bag -- beaten, well-beaten, beaten
through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling --
and a man were to come along carrying a stick or shard and saying,
'With this stick or shard I will take this catskin bag -- beaten,
well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of
rustling & crackling -- and I will make it rustle & crackle.' Now,
what do you think -- would he, with that stick or shard, take that
catskin bag -- beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through,
soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling -- and make it rustle &
crackle?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because the catskin bag is beaten,
well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of
rustling & crackling. It's not easy to make it rustle & crackle
with a stick or shard. The man would reap only a share of
weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by
which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false,
affectionate or harsh, beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of
good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely
way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or
what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an
unbeneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or
with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our
minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will
remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an
awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will
keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued with good
will equal to a catskin bag -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable,
free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should
train yourselves.
"Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by
limb, with a two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get
angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will
say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people
with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them,
we will keep pervading the entire world with an awareness imbued
with good will -- abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from
hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train
yourselves.
"Monks, if you attend constantly to this admonition on the simile
of the saw, do you see any aspects of speech, slight or gross,
that you could not endure?"
"No, lord."
"Then attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the
saw. That will be for your long-term welfare & happiness."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted
in the Blessed One's words.
[MN 21]
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Equanimity
Now what is worldly equanimity? There are these five strands of
sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye -- agreeable,
pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing; sounds
cognizable via the ear ... aromas cognizable via the nose ...
flavors cognizable via the tongue ... tactile sensations
cognizable via the body -- agreeable, pleasing, charming,
endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Any equanimity arising in
connection with these five strands of sensuality is called worldly
equanimity.
And what is unworldly equanimity? There is the case where, with
the abandoning of pleasure & pain -- as with the earlier
disappearance of elation & distress -- one enters & remains in the
fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure
nor pain. This is called unworldly equanimity.
And what is an even more unworldly unworldly equanimity? Any
equanimity that arises in one free from mental fermentation while
he/she is reflecting on his/her mind that is released from greed,
released from aversion, released from delusion: this is called an
even more unworldly unworldly unworldly equanimity.
[SN XXXVI.31]
To purify the heart, we have to disentangle our attachments to
self, to the body, to mental phenomena, and to all the objects
that come passing in through the senses. Keep the mind intent on
concentration. Keep it one at all times. Don't let it become two,
three, four, five, etc., because once you've made the mind one,
it's easy to make it zero. Simply cut off the little 'head' and
pull the two ends together. But if you let the mind become many,
it's a long, difficult job to make it zero.
And another thing: If you put the zero after other numbers, they
become ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, hundreds, thousands, on
to infinity. But if you put the zero's first, even if you have ten
thousand of them, they don't count. So it is with the heart: Once
we've turned it from one to zero and put the zero first, then
other people can praise or criticize us as they like but it won't
count. Good doesn't count, bad doesn't count. This is something
that can't be written, can't be read, that we can understand only
for ourselves.
[Ajaan Lee]
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Revised: Tue 9 November 1999
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