The Sign of the Renunciant
On being a “sometimes secular” religious Buddhist—as a monk
By former Bhikkhu Santi
Excerpted and adapted from the discussion Secular Buddhism and the Timeless: A Conversation with Stephen Batchelor and former Bhikkhu Santi, which took place at Yale University on April 21, 2024.
Yes, you can be secular and religious. Everyone has a religion. You might be part of an organized religion, or you might reject organized religion, and that’s part of your religion. We all have, to paraphrase the American writer David Foster Wallace, something we bow down to. We have some system of beliefs that we regard as the true ones—the ones that aren’t just beliefs but that we feel are actually true. Well, that’s your religion.
For me, the forms of monastic Buddhism are not articles of faith. They’re not markers of some set of beliefs. One of the things that especially attracted me to monastic Buddhism is that there is no requirement of faith. There is no requirement of belief for monks. It’s a very different form of monasticism from the Christian forms, although I admire many Christian monastics deeply. The idea for me as a sometimes secular monk—as a sometimes secular religious Buddhist practitioner—is to find a way to bring into monastic practice my own personal inquiry into the nature of things—what we call the dharma. It’s to find a way to reconcile monastic practice with what I understand as a modern person, a person whose psychology was shaped by all the factors of modernity including a commitment to science, a commitment to many of the small “l” liberal values like the questioning of hierarchy, and my commitments to various human rights and forms of human association.
When I went to the monastery, I encountered a lot of orthodoxy … and I was willing, for some years, to just overlook it. I was deeply into my personal meditation practice, and I was willing to, in some senses, check my values at the door with regard to those secular commitments. But, as I developed, that became less tenable, and I took advantage of the emphasis on the Buddhist path of developing independence in the practice. We have this very strict, structured training, but it aims at making us independent of any teacher.
We have this very strict, structured training, but it aims at making us independent of any teacher.
Religious Buddhists take refuge. That’s the basic concept—call it the religious part. We take refuge in the teachings of the Buddha. We take refuge in our understanding of the nature of things (the dharma). And we take refuge in the institution of Buddhism, or the sangha, as a kind of vehicle of the teachings.
But instrumental and essential to the Buddhist path is the recognition that we actually aren’t all one thing or all another thing. I noticed in myself—especially early on in my personal liberation from the more orthodox aspects of monastic practice—a kind of fieriness that came in when I thought about my secular principles and values. I had to get doctrinaire about my own ideas, my own interpretations, in order to free myself from the sort of entrained subservient attitude that was expected early on in my monastic training. But as I moved on, I realized that, you know, that too was a kind of attachment. In fact, most people aren’t really living on the philosophical plain, most people aren’t wrestling with deep questions and deep issues on a day-to-day basis, yet many people are doing just fine. Many people are quite able to square themselves with the world and live meaningful, full, purposeful lives without having to take strong stands on this set of values or that set of ethical commitments. I didn’t always need that fieriness. It didn’t always serve me.… So I eased off a bit. Now I only assert my secularity sometimes.
Yes, it can be challenging to be a monk in the modern world. But there is one key function of presenting as a monk that I think is still alive in the world—and of service to it. It’s called the sign of the samana, or the sign of the renunciant.
On being a “sometimes secular” religious Buddhist—as a monk
By former Bhikkhu Santi
Excerpted and adapted from the discussion Secular Buddhism and the Timeless: A Conversation with Stephen Batchelor and former Bhikkhu Santi, which took place at Yale University on April 21, 2024.
Yes, you can be secular and religious. Everyone has a religion. You might be part of an organized religion, or you might reject organized religion, and that’s part of your religion. We all have, to paraphrase the American writer David Foster Wallace, something we bow down to. We have some system of beliefs that we regard as the true ones—the ones that aren’t just beliefs but that we feel are actually true. Well, that’s your religion.
For me, the forms of monastic Buddhism are not articles of faith. They’re not markers of some set of beliefs. One of the things that especially attracted me to monastic Buddhism is that there is no requirement of faith. There is no requirement of belief for monks. It’s a very different form of monasticism from the Christian forms, although I admire many Christian monastics deeply. The idea for me as a sometimes secular monk—as a sometimes secular religious Buddhist practitioner—is to find a way to bring into monastic practice my own personal inquiry into the nature of things—what we call the dharma. It’s to find a way to reconcile monastic practice with what I understand as a modern person, a person whose psychology was shaped by all the factors of modernity including a commitment to science, a commitment to many of the small “l” liberal values like the questioning of hierarchy, and my commitments to various human rights and forms of human association.
When I went to the monastery, I encountered a lot of orthodoxy … and I was willing, for some years, to just overlook it. I was deeply into my personal meditation practice, and I was willing to, in some senses, check my values at the door with regard to those secular commitments. But, as I developed, that became less tenable, and I took advantage of the emphasis on the Buddhist path of developing independence in the practice. We have this very strict, structured training, but it aims at making us independent of any teacher.
We have this very strict, structured training, but it aims at making us independent of any teacher.
Religious Buddhists take refuge. That’s the basic concept—call it the religious part. We take refuge in the teachings of the Buddha. We take refuge in our understanding of the nature of things (the dharma). And we take refuge in the institution of Buddhism, or the sangha, as a kind of vehicle of the teachings.
But instrumental and essential to the Buddhist path is the recognition that we actually aren’t all one thing or all another thing. I noticed in myself—especially early on in my personal liberation from the more orthodox aspects of monastic practice—a kind of fieriness that came in when I thought about my secular principles and values. I had to get doctrinaire about my own ideas, my own interpretations, in order to free myself from the sort of entrained subservient attitude that was expected early on in my monastic training. But as I moved on, I realized that, you know, that too was a kind of attachment. In fact, most people aren’t really living on the philosophical plain, most people aren’t wrestling with deep questions and deep issues on a day-to-day basis, yet many people are doing just fine. Many people are quite able to square themselves with the world and live meaningful, full, purposeful lives without having to take strong stands on this set of values or that set of ethical commitments. I didn’t always need that fieriness. It didn’t always serve me.… So I eased off a bit. Now I only assert my secularity sometimes.
Yes, it can be challenging to be a monk in the modern world. But there is one key function of presenting as a monk that I think is still alive in the world—and of service to it. It’s called the sign of the samana, or the sign of the renunciant.
🙏1😍1💯1
I know it’s still alive because it worked on me when I encountered monks early on in my Buddhist practice, after I became a meditator. It’s the impact of seeing a monastic—a monk in his or her ochre robes, with shaved head and alms bowl. At best, it’s an image of uplift and spiritual potential—in particular, the potential of renunciation.
Probably the defining feature of monastic practice, in contrast to lay practice, is the emphasis on renunciation. Though in some respects, we’re all renunciants, right? We all exercise restraint in making our choices in life. We all forgo what we want, often moment to moment. We resist impulses to do things that aren’t good for us, and that’s a kind of renunciation—not having that third drink or not getting behind the wheel if we do. That’s kind of what makes the world work, if you think about it, in terms of most people being decent, good people. That’s renunciation in action in the lay world.
But for a monk … we undertake unnecessary renunciations, renunciations that go beyond basic delayed gratification and impulse control. We take on renunciations that further our project of turning against what’s called “the stream of the world,” the force of samsara, the turning of the wheel of desire. We take on renunciations, like all dressing the same, so that we’re not so attractive to people. You know from one look at me, I’m not looking for a date. In forgoing our most basic desires, we greatly heighten our ability to see them, and by seeing them, to do the work of freeing ourselves from them. This doesn’t mean eliminating them or never enjoying things. It means giving ourselves the level of awareness that lets us choose. That’s what freedom is, ultimately. As monks, we commit ourselves to doing that work full-time, to making it the central project of our lives. And I think for many people, this renunciatory ideal is alive in the figure of the monk.
There are eras and times in the world when the figure is corrupted, when monks have behaved really badly. You read about the fleets of Rolls-Royces, and you think the whole thing is corrupt, or it becomes extremely ossified and bound by orthodoxy and it stops making any sense. And then that image is tarnished. But throughout Buddhist history, there has been renewal after renewal. Renewal lies at the origin of most or even all of the Buddhist orders and sects. So I believe that the sign of the samana is something that’s valuable to keep bringing into the world. I often have people stop me, and we have really beautiful conversations. I think that’s worth pursuing.
===
Formerly Bhikkhu Santi is a recently disrobed monk in the Thai Forest Tradition, a meditation-centered branch of Theravada Buddhism. He teaches meditation and writes on the intersections of Buddhism, modernity, personal life, and other spiritual themes. Currently based in western Massachusetts, with no fixed abode, he lives on freewill offerings. Learn more at
findingsanti.org.
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
Probably the defining feature of monastic practice, in contrast to lay practice, is the emphasis on renunciation. Though in some respects, we’re all renunciants, right? We all exercise restraint in making our choices in life. We all forgo what we want, often moment to moment. We resist impulses to do things that aren’t good for us, and that’s a kind of renunciation—not having that third drink or not getting behind the wheel if we do. That’s kind of what makes the world work, if you think about it, in terms of most people being decent, good people. That’s renunciation in action in the lay world.
But for a monk … we undertake unnecessary renunciations, renunciations that go beyond basic delayed gratification and impulse control. We take on renunciations that further our project of turning against what’s called “the stream of the world,” the force of samsara, the turning of the wheel of desire. We take on renunciations, like all dressing the same, so that we’re not so attractive to people. You know from one look at me, I’m not looking for a date. In forgoing our most basic desires, we greatly heighten our ability to see them, and by seeing them, to do the work of freeing ourselves from them. This doesn’t mean eliminating them or never enjoying things. It means giving ourselves the level of awareness that lets us choose. That’s what freedom is, ultimately. As monks, we commit ourselves to doing that work full-time, to making it the central project of our lives. And I think for many people, this renunciatory ideal is alive in the figure of the monk.
There are eras and times in the world when the figure is corrupted, when monks have behaved really badly. You read about the fleets of Rolls-Royces, and you think the whole thing is corrupt, or it becomes extremely ossified and bound by orthodoxy and it stops making any sense. And then that image is tarnished. But throughout Buddhist history, there has been renewal after renewal. Renewal lies at the origin of most or even all of the Buddhist orders and sects. So I believe that the sign of the samana is something that’s valuable to keep bringing into the world. I often have people stop me, and we have really beautiful conversations. I think that’s worth pursuing.
===
Formerly Bhikkhu Santi is a recently disrobed monk in the Thai Forest Tradition, a meditation-centered branch of Theravada Buddhism. He teaches meditation and writes on the intersections of Buddhism, modernity, personal life, and other spiritual themes. Currently based in western Massachusetts, with no fixed abode, he lives on freewill offerings. Learn more at
findingsanti.org.
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
Telegram
Dhammapada - Buddha Dharma Teachings
Daily teachings of the Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha
🙏1💯1🏆1
Forwarded from Buddha Dharma books
Free Buddha Dharma ebook
Does Rebirth Make Sense?
By Bhikkhu Bodhi
Newcomers to Buddhism are usually impressed by the clarity, directness, and earthy practicality of the Dhamma as embodied in such basic teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the threefold training. These teachings, as clear as day-light, are accessible to any serious seeker looking for a way beyond suffering. When, however, these seekers encounter the doctrine of rebirth, they often balk, convinced it just doesn’t make sense. At this point, they suspect that the teaching has swerved off course, tumbling from the grand highway of reason into wistfulness and speculation.
Even modernist interpreters of Buddhism seem to have trouble taking the rebirth teaching seriously. Some dismiss it as just a piece of cultural baggage, “ancient Indian metaphysics,” that the Buddha retained in deference to the world view of his age. Others interpret it as a metaphor for the change of mental states, with the realms of rebirth seen as symbols for psychological archetypes. A few critics even question the authenticity of the texts on rebirth, arguing that they must be interpolations.
A quick glance at the Påli suttas would show that none of these claims has much substance. The teaching of rebirth crops up almost everywhere in the Canon, and is so closely bound to a host of other doctrines that to remove it would virtually reduce the Dhamma to tatters. Moreover, when the suttas speak about rebirth into the five realms – the hells, the animal world, the spirit realm, the human world, and the heavens – they never hint that these terms are meant symbolically. To the contrary, they even say that rebirth occurs “with the breakup of the body, after death,” which clearly implies they intend the idea of rebirth to be taken quite literally.
Free download here:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_46.pdf
===
Does Rebirth Make Sense?
By Bhikkhu Bodhi
Newcomers to Buddhism are usually impressed by the clarity, directness, and earthy practicality of the Dhamma as embodied in such basic teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the threefold training. These teachings, as clear as day-light, are accessible to any serious seeker looking for a way beyond suffering. When, however, these seekers encounter the doctrine of rebirth, they often balk, convinced it just doesn’t make sense. At this point, they suspect that the teaching has swerved off course, tumbling from the grand highway of reason into wistfulness and speculation.
Even modernist interpreters of Buddhism seem to have trouble taking the rebirth teaching seriously. Some dismiss it as just a piece of cultural baggage, “ancient Indian metaphysics,” that the Buddha retained in deference to the world view of his age. Others interpret it as a metaphor for the change of mental states, with the realms of rebirth seen as symbols for psychological archetypes. A few critics even question the authenticity of the texts on rebirth, arguing that they must be interpolations.
A quick glance at the Påli suttas would show that none of these claims has much substance. The teaching of rebirth crops up almost everywhere in the Canon, and is so closely bound to a host of other doctrines that to remove it would virtually reduce the Dhamma to tatters. Moreover, when the suttas speak about rebirth into the five realms – the hells, the animal world, the spirit realm, the human world, and the heavens – they never hint that these terms are meant symbolically. To the contrary, they even say that rebirth occurs “with the breakup of the body, after death,” which clearly implies they intend the idea of rebirth to be taken quite literally.
Free download here:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_46.pdf
===
👏1🙏1🆒1
Forwarded from Words of the Buddha
Cheng'en Buddhist temple, Fanjingshan sacred mountain, China, the place where world largest gold statue of Maitreya Buddha is kept.
❤2💯1🏆1🫡1
Dhammapada Verse 290
Attanopubbakamma Vatthu
Matta sukhapariccaga
passe ce vipulam sukham
caje mattasukhirh dhiro
sampassam vipulam sukham1.
Verse 290: If by giving up small pleasures great happiness is to be found, the wise should give up small pleasures seeing (the prospect of) great happiness.
1. vipulam sukham: According to the Commentary, it means the bliss of Nibbana.
The Story of the Buddha's Former Deeds
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (290) of this book, with reference to the power and glory of the Buddha as witnessed by many people on his visit to Vesali.
Once, a famine broke out in Vesali. It began with a serious drought. Because of drought, there was almost a total failure of crops and many people died of starvation. This was followed by an epidemic of diseases and as people could hardly cope with the disposal of the corpses there was a lot of stench in the air. This stench attracted the ogres. The people of Vesali were facing the dangers of destruction by famine, disease and also by the ogres. In their grief and sorrow they tried to look for a refuge. They thought of going for help from various sources but finally, they decided to invite the Buddha. So a mission headed by Mahali, the Licchavi prince, and the son of the chief brahmin were sent to King Bimbisara to request the Buddha to pay a visit to Vesali and help them in their distress. The Buddha knew that this visit would be of much benefit to many people, so he consented to go to Vesali.
Accordingly, King Bimbisara repaired the road between Rajagaha and the bank of the river Ganga. He also made other preparations and set up special resting-places at an interval of every yojana. When everything was ready, the Buddha set out for Vesali with five hundred bhikkhus. King Bimbisara also accompanied the Buddha. On the fifth day they came to the bank of the river Ganga and King Bimbisara sent word to the Licchavi princes. On the other side of the river, the Licchavi princes had repaired the road between the river and Vesali and had set up resting places as had been done by King Bimbisara on his side of the river. The Buddha went to Vesali with Licchavi princes but King Bimbisara stayed behind.
As soon as the Buddha reached the other bank of the river heavy rains fell in torrents, thus cleansing up Vesali. The Buddha was put up in the rest-house which was specially prepared for him in the central part of the city. Sakka, king of the devas, came with his followers to pay obeisance to the Buddha, and the ogres fled. That same evening the Buddha delivered the Ratana Sutta and asked the Venerable Ananda to go round between the threefold walls of the city with the Licchavi princes and recite it. The Venerable Ananda did as he was told. As the protective verses (parittas) were being recited, many of those who were sick recovered and followed the Venerable Ananda to the presence of the Buddha. The Buddha delivered the same Sutta and repeated it for seven days. At the end of the seven days, everything was back to normal in Vesali. The Licchavi princes and the people of Vesali were very much relieved and were overjoyed. They were also very grateful to the Buddha. They paid obeisance to the Buddha and made offerings to him on a grand and lavish scale. They also accompanied the Buddha on his return journey until they came to the bank of the Ganga at the end of three days.
On arrival at the river bank, King Bimbisara was waiting for the Buddha; so also were the devas and the brahmas and the king of the Nagas with their respective entourage. All of them paid obeisance and made offerings to the Buddha. The devas and the brahmas paid homage with umbrellas, flowers, etc., and sang in praise of the Buddha. The Nagas had come with barges made of gold, silver and rubies to invite the Buddha to the realm of the Nagas; they had also strewn the surface of the water with five hundred kinds of lotuses. This was one of the three occasions in the life of the Buddha when human beings, devas and brahmas came together to pay homage to the Buddha.
Attanopubbakamma Vatthu
Matta sukhapariccaga
passe ce vipulam sukham
caje mattasukhirh dhiro
sampassam vipulam sukham1.
Verse 290: If by giving up small pleasures great happiness is to be found, the wise should give up small pleasures seeing (the prospect of) great happiness.
1. vipulam sukham: According to the Commentary, it means the bliss of Nibbana.
The Story of the Buddha's Former Deeds
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (290) of this book, with reference to the power and glory of the Buddha as witnessed by many people on his visit to Vesali.
Once, a famine broke out in Vesali. It began with a serious drought. Because of drought, there was almost a total failure of crops and many people died of starvation. This was followed by an epidemic of diseases and as people could hardly cope with the disposal of the corpses there was a lot of stench in the air. This stench attracted the ogres. The people of Vesali were facing the dangers of destruction by famine, disease and also by the ogres. In their grief and sorrow they tried to look for a refuge. They thought of going for help from various sources but finally, they decided to invite the Buddha. So a mission headed by Mahali, the Licchavi prince, and the son of the chief brahmin were sent to King Bimbisara to request the Buddha to pay a visit to Vesali and help them in their distress. The Buddha knew that this visit would be of much benefit to many people, so he consented to go to Vesali.
Accordingly, King Bimbisara repaired the road between Rajagaha and the bank of the river Ganga. He also made other preparations and set up special resting-places at an interval of every yojana. When everything was ready, the Buddha set out for Vesali with five hundred bhikkhus. King Bimbisara also accompanied the Buddha. On the fifth day they came to the bank of the river Ganga and King Bimbisara sent word to the Licchavi princes. On the other side of the river, the Licchavi princes had repaired the road between the river and Vesali and had set up resting places as had been done by King Bimbisara on his side of the river. The Buddha went to Vesali with Licchavi princes but King Bimbisara stayed behind.
As soon as the Buddha reached the other bank of the river heavy rains fell in torrents, thus cleansing up Vesali. The Buddha was put up in the rest-house which was specially prepared for him in the central part of the city. Sakka, king of the devas, came with his followers to pay obeisance to the Buddha, and the ogres fled. That same evening the Buddha delivered the Ratana Sutta and asked the Venerable Ananda to go round between the threefold walls of the city with the Licchavi princes and recite it. The Venerable Ananda did as he was told. As the protective verses (parittas) were being recited, many of those who were sick recovered and followed the Venerable Ananda to the presence of the Buddha. The Buddha delivered the same Sutta and repeated it for seven days. At the end of the seven days, everything was back to normal in Vesali. The Licchavi princes and the people of Vesali were very much relieved and were overjoyed. They were also very grateful to the Buddha. They paid obeisance to the Buddha and made offerings to him on a grand and lavish scale. They also accompanied the Buddha on his return journey until they came to the bank of the Ganga at the end of three days.
On arrival at the river bank, King Bimbisara was waiting for the Buddha; so also were the devas and the brahmas and the king of the Nagas with their respective entourage. All of them paid obeisance and made offerings to the Buddha. The devas and the brahmas paid homage with umbrellas, flowers, etc., and sang in praise of the Buddha. The Nagas had come with barges made of gold, silver and rubies to invite the Buddha to the realm of the Nagas; they had also strewn the surface of the water with five hundred kinds of lotuses. This was one of the three occasions in the life of the Buddha when human beings, devas and brahmas came together to pay homage to the Buddha.
Telegram
Tibetan Buddhism Vajrayana Tantrayana esoteric tradition
Buddha Dharma teachings from the esoteric Vajrayana or Tantrayana Buddhism, includes all major schools Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug, Sakya, Jonang and Bonpo.
👏1💯1
The first occasion was when the Buddha manifested his power and glory by the miracle of the pairs, emitting rays of light and sprays of water; and the second was on his return from the Tavatimsa deva world after expounding the Abhidhamma.
The Buddha, wishing to honour the Nagas, then paid a visit to the realm of the Nagas accompanied by the bhikkhus. The Buddha and his entourage went in the five hundred barges brought by the Nagas. After his visit to the realm of the Nagas, the Buddha returned to Rajagaha accompanied by King Bimbisara. They arrived at Rajagaha on the fifth day. Two days after their arrival at Rajagaha, while the bhikkhus were talking about the amazing grandeur and glory of the trip to and from Vesali, the Buddha arrived on the scene. On learning the subject of their talk, the Buddha said to them, "Bhikkhus, that I have been revered so much by brahmas, devas and human beings alike and that they have made offerings on such a grand and lavish scale to me on this occasion is not due to the power I now possess; it is simply because I had done some small meritorious deeds in one of my previous existences that I now enjoy such great benefits". Then the Buddha related the story of one of his past existences, when he was a brahmin by the name of Sankha.
Once there was a brahmin named Sankha who lived in the city of Taxila. He had a son named Susima. When Susima was sixteen years old, he was sent by his father to another brahmin to study astrology. His teacher taught him all that should be learnt, but Susima was not fully satisfied. So, his teacher directed him to approach the paccekabuddhas who were then staying in Isipatana. Susima went to Isipatana, but the paccekabuddhas told him that he must first become a bhikkhu. Thus, he became a bhikkhu, and was instructed how to conduct himself as a bhikkhu. Susima diligently practised meditation and he soon comprehended the Four Noble Truths, acquired Bodhi nana, and became a paccekabuddha himself. But as a result of his previous kamma Susima did not live long; he realized parinibbana soon afterwards.
Sankha, the father of Susima, came in search of his son, but when he arrived he only found the stupa where the relics of his son were enshrined. The brahmin felt very much distressed at the loss of his son. He proceeded to clean up the precincts of the stupa, by clearing away grass and weeds; then he covered up the ground with sand and sprinkled it with water. Next, he went into the nearby woods for some wild flowers and stuck them on the wet ground. In that way, he offered his services and paid respect to the paccekabuddha who was once his son. It was because of that good deed done in that previous existence of his that the Buddha gained such benefits, that he was showered with such lavish offerings, that he was shown such deep reverence and great devotion on that particular occasion.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 290: If by giving up small pleasures great happiness is to be found, the wise should give up small pleasures seeing (the prospect of) great happiness.
===
Tibetan Buddhism - Vajrayana, Tantrayana and esoteric Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/tibetanbuddha
Vajrayana Tantrayana Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/tantrayanabuddhism
===
The Buddha, wishing to honour the Nagas, then paid a visit to the realm of the Nagas accompanied by the bhikkhus. The Buddha and his entourage went in the five hundred barges brought by the Nagas. After his visit to the realm of the Nagas, the Buddha returned to Rajagaha accompanied by King Bimbisara. They arrived at Rajagaha on the fifth day. Two days after their arrival at Rajagaha, while the bhikkhus were talking about the amazing grandeur and glory of the trip to and from Vesali, the Buddha arrived on the scene. On learning the subject of their talk, the Buddha said to them, "Bhikkhus, that I have been revered so much by brahmas, devas and human beings alike and that they have made offerings on such a grand and lavish scale to me on this occasion is not due to the power I now possess; it is simply because I had done some small meritorious deeds in one of my previous existences that I now enjoy such great benefits". Then the Buddha related the story of one of his past existences, when he was a brahmin by the name of Sankha.
Once there was a brahmin named Sankha who lived in the city of Taxila. He had a son named Susima. When Susima was sixteen years old, he was sent by his father to another brahmin to study astrology. His teacher taught him all that should be learnt, but Susima was not fully satisfied. So, his teacher directed him to approach the paccekabuddhas who were then staying in Isipatana. Susima went to Isipatana, but the paccekabuddhas told him that he must first become a bhikkhu. Thus, he became a bhikkhu, and was instructed how to conduct himself as a bhikkhu. Susima diligently practised meditation and he soon comprehended the Four Noble Truths, acquired Bodhi nana, and became a paccekabuddha himself. But as a result of his previous kamma Susima did not live long; he realized parinibbana soon afterwards.
Sankha, the father of Susima, came in search of his son, but when he arrived he only found the stupa where the relics of his son were enshrined. The brahmin felt very much distressed at the loss of his son. He proceeded to clean up the precincts of the stupa, by clearing away grass and weeds; then he covered up the ground with sand and sprinkled it with water. Next, he went into the nearby woods for some wild flowers and stuck them on the wet ground. In that way, he offered his services and paid respect to the paccekabuddha who was once his son. It was because of that good deed done in that previous existence of his that the Buddha gained such benefits, that he was showered with such lavish offerings, that he was shown such deep reverence and great devotion on that particular occasion.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 290: If by giving up small pleasures great happiness is to be found, the wise should give up small pleasures seeing (the prospect of) great happiness.
===
Tibetan Buddhism - Vajrayana, Tantrayana and esoteric Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/tibetanbuddha
Vajrayana Tantrayana Buddhism channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/tantrayanabuddhism
===
Telegram
Tibetan Buddhism Vajrayana Tantrayana esoteric tradition
Buddha Dharma teachings from the esoteric Vajrayana or Tantrayana Buddhism, includes all major schools Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug, Sakya, Jonang and Bonpo.
🏆1🤗1
Forwarded from Words of the Buddha
A temple resembles Mount Meru, the axis mundi of the universe in Buddhist cosmology. At the peak is the celestial palace of Cakkavatti, the universal monarch gods king of the four continents.
❤2👏1😍1🏆1
The Bamboo Acrobat
At that time, the Lord said to the monks: “Once upon a time, a bamboo acrobat set up his pole, called to his pupil, and said: ‘Now, my boy, climb the pole and stand on my shoulders.’
‘Alright, master,’ said the pupil, and he did as he was told. Then the master said: ‘Now, my boy, you protect me and I will protect you, and protected and watched by each other we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole.’ But then the pupil said: ‘No master, no! That will not do. You look after yourself, and I will look after myself and thus watched and guarded each by himself, we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole. That is the way to do it.’
Then the Lord said: “Just as the pupil said to the master: ‘I will protect myself’ so should you practice the four foundations of mindfulness, which also means: ‘I will protect others.’ Because by protecting oneself, one protects others and by protecting others, one protects oneself. And how does one protect others by protecting oneself? It is by the repeated and frequent practice of meditation. And how does one protect oneself by protecting others? It is by practicing patience, forbearance, harmlessness, love and compassion.”
Samyutta Nikaya V 168
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
At that time, the Lord said to the monks: “Once upon a time, a bamboo acrobat set up his pole, called to his pupil, and said: ‘Now, my boy, climb the pole and stand on my shoulders.’
‘Alright, master,’ said the pupil, and he did as he was told. Then the master said: ‘Now, my boy, you protect me and I will protect you, and protected and watched by each other we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole.’ But then the pupil said: ‘No master, no! That will not do. You look after yourself, and I will look after myself and thus watched and guarded each by himself, we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole. That is the way to do it.’
Then the Lord said: “Just as the pupil said to the master: ‘I will protect myself’ so should you practice the four foundations of mindfulness, which also means: ‘I will protect others.’ Because by protecting oneself, one protects others and by protecting others, one protects oneself. And how does one protect others by protecting oneself? It is by the repeated and frequent practice of meditation. And how does one protect oneself by protecting others? It is by practicing patience, forbearance, harmlessness, love and compassion.”
Samyutta Nikaya V 168
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
Telegram
Dhammapada - Buddha Dharma Teachings
Daily teachings of the Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha
👍1🥰1🏆1
Forwarded from Buddha Dharma books
Free Buddha Dharma ebook
NO INNER CORE
An Introduction to the Doctrine of Anatta
by Sayadaw U Silànanda
The anattà doctrine is one of the most important teachings of Buddhism. It is the most distinctive feature of Buddhism for, as many scholars have recognized, it makes Buddhism different from all other religions. Although the anattà doctrine is so important, so distinctive, and supposedly so universally accepted by Buddhists, it is still the most misunderstood, the most misinterpreted, and the most distorted of all the teachings of the Buddha. Some scholars who have written on Buddhism had a great respect for the Buddha, liked His teachings, revered Him and honoured Him, but they could not imagine that such a profound thinker had actually denied the existence of a soul.
Sayadaw U Sãlànanda is the Abbot of the Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay, California, and the Spiritual Director of Dhammachakka Meditation Center, Theravada Buddhist Society of America and Tathagata Meditation Center, having been chosen by the renowned Burmese meditation master, the Most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, to teach in America and spread the Dhamma in the West.
Free download here:
https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/758/noinnercorepdf.pdf
===
NO INNER CORE
An Introduction to the Doctrine of Anatta
by Sayadaw U Silànanda
The anattà doctrine is one of the most important teachings of Buddhism. It is the most distinctive feature of Buddhism for, as many scholars have recognized, it makes Buddhism different from all other religions. Although the anattà doctrine is so important, so distinctive, and supposedly so universally accepted by Buddhists, it is still the most misunderstood, the most misinterpreted, and the most distorted of all the teachings of the Buddha. Some scholars who have written on Buddhism had a great respect for the Buddha, liked His teachings, revered Him and honoured Him, but they could not imagine that such a profound thinker had actually denied the existence of a soul.
Sayadaw U Sãlànanda is the Abbot of the Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay, California, and the Spiritual Director of Dhammachakka Meditation Center, Theravada Buddhist Society of America and Tathagata Meditation Center, having been chosen by the renowned Burmese meditation master, the Most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, to teach in America and spread the Dhamma in the West.
Free download here:
https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/758/noinnercorepdf.pdf
===
👍1💯1🏆1🆒1
Dhammapada Verse 291
Kukkutandakhadika Vatthu
Paradukkhupadhanena
athno sukhamicchati
verasamsaggasamsattho
vera so na parimuccati.
Verse 291: He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, being entangled by bonds of enmity, cannot be free from enmity.
The Story of the Woman Who Ate up the Eggs of a Hen
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (291) of this book, with reference to a feud between a woman and a hen.
Once, there lived a woman in a village near Savatthi. She had a hen in her house; every time the hen laid an egg she would eat it up. The hen was very much hurt and angry and made a vow to have vengeance on the woman and made a wish that it should be reborn as some being that would be in a position to kill the offspring of that woman. The hen's wish was fulfilled as it was reborn as a cat and the woman was reborn as a hen in the same house. The cat ate up the eggs of the hen. In their next existence the hen became a leopard and the cat became a deer. The leopard ate up the deer as well as its offspring. Thus, the feud continued for five hundred existences of the two beings. At the time of the Buddha one of them was born as a woman and the other an ogress.
On one occasion, the woman was returning from the house of her parents to her own house near Savatthi. Her husband and her young son were also with her. While they were resting near a pond at the roadside, her husband went to have a bath in the pond. At that moment the woman saw the ogress and recognized her as her old enemy. Taking her child she fled from the ogress straight to the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was expounding the Dhamma and put her child at the feet of the Buddha. The ogress who was in hot pursuit of the woman also came to the door of the monastery, but the guardian spirit of the gate did not permit her to enter. The Buddha, seeing her, sent the Venerable Ananda to bring the ogress to his presence. When the ogress arrived, the Buddha reprimanded both the woman and the ogress for the long chain of feud between them. He also added, "If you two had not come to me today, your feud would have continued endlessly. Enmity cannot be appeased by enmity; it can only be appeased by loving-kindness."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 291: He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, being entangled by bonds of enmity, cannot be free from enmity.
At the end of the discourse the ogress took refuge in the three Gems, viz., the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, and the woman attained Sotapatti Fruition.
===
Words of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/wordsofbuddha
===
Kukkutandakhadika Vatthu
Paradukkhupadhanena
athno sukhamicchati
verasamsaggasamsattho
vera so na parimuccati.
Verse 291: He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, being entangled by bonds of enmity, cannot be free from enmity.
The Story of the Woman Who Ate up the Eggs of a Hen
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (291) of this book, with reference to a feud between a woman and a hen.
Once, there lived a woman in a village near Savatthi. She had a hen in her house; every time the hen laid an egg she would eat it up. The hen was very much hurt and angry and made a vow to have vengeance on the woman and made a wish that it should be reborn as some being that would be in a position to kill the offspring of that woman. The hen's wish was fulfilled as it was reborn as a cat and the woman was reborn as a hen in the same house. The cat ate up the eggs of the hen. In their next existence the hen became a leopard and the cat became a deer. The leopard ate up the deer as well as its offspring. Thus, the feud continued for five hundred existences of the two beings. At the time of the Buddha one of them was born as a woman and the other an ogress.
On one occasion, the woman was returning from the house of her parents to her own house near Savatthi. Her husband and her young son were also with her. While they were resting near a pond at the roadside, her husband went to have a bath in the pond. At that moment the woman saw the ogress and recognized her as her old enemy. Taking her child she fled from the ogress straight to the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was expounding the Dhamma and put her child at the feet of the Buddha. The ogress who was in hot pursuit of the woman also came to the door of the monastery, but the guardian spirit of the gate did not permit her to enter. The Buddha, seeing her, sent the Venerable Ananda to bring the ogress to his presence. When the ogress arrived, the Buddha reprimanded both the woman and the ogress for the long chain of feud between them. He also added, "If you two had not come to me today, your feud would have continued endlessly. Enmity cannot be appeased by enmity; it can only be appeased by loving-kindness."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 291: He who seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others, being entangled by bonds of enmity, cannot be free from enmity.
At the end of the discourse the ogress took refuge in the three Gems, viz., the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, and the woman attained Sotapatti Fruition.
===
Words of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/wordsofbuddha
===
Telegram
Words of the Buddha
Daily teachings of Buddha Dharma
👍1👏1🏆1
Forwarded from Words of the Buddha
So pay heed, all you celestial beings, have love for humankind, who day and night bring offerings; please protect them diligently.
Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe
Mettam karotha mānusiyā pajāya
Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye balim
Tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā
Ratana Sutta verse 2
Balinese women carrying offerings for the gods, Bali island, Indonesia. Bali means offerings, the entire island 🏝️ is an offering for the divine.
Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe
Mettam karotha mānusiyā pajāya
Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye balim
Tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā
Ratana Sutta verse 2
Balinese women carrying offerings for the gods, Bali island, Indonesia. Bali means offerings, the entire island 🏝️ is an offering for the divine.
👍2👏1👌1💯1🏆1
Forwarded from Words of the Buddha
Hell realms, Wat Rong Kun, the White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
❤2👍1🏆1👀1🫡1🆒1
Dhammapada Verses 292 and 293
Bhaddiyanam bhikkhunam Vatthu
Yam hi kiccam apaviddham
akiccam pana kariyati
unnalanam pamattanam
tesam vaddhanti asava.
Yesanca susamaraddha
niccam kayagata sati
akiccam te na sevanti
kicce sataccakarino
satanam Sampajananam
attham gacchanti asava.
Verse 292: In those who leave undone what should indeed be done but do what should not be done, who are conceited and unmindful, moral intoxicants increase.
Verse 293: In those who always make a good effort in meditating on the body, who do not do what should not be done but always do what should be done, who are also mindful and endowed with clear comprehension, moral intoxicants come to an end.
The Story of the Baddiya Bhikkhus
While residing near the town of Baddiya, the Buddha uttered Verses (292) and (293) of this book, with reference to some bhikkhus.
Once, some bhikkhus who were staying in Baddiya made some ornate slippers out of some kinds of reeds and grasses. When the Buddha was told about this he said, "Bhikkhus, you have entered the Buddhist Order for the sake of attaining Arahatta Phala. Yet, you are now striving hard only in making slippers and decorating them."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 292: In those who leave undone what should indeed be done but do what should not be done, who are conceited and unmindful, moral intoxicants increase.
Verse 293: In those who always make a good effort in meditating on the body, who do not do what should not be done but always do what should be done, who are also mindful and endowed with clear comprehension, moral intoxicants come to an end.
At the end of the discourse, those bhikkhus attained arahatship.
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
Bhaddiyanam bhikkhunam Vatthu
Yam hi kiccam apaviddham
akiccam pana kariyati
unnalanam pamattanam
tesam vaddhanti asava.
Yesanca susamaraddha
niccam kayagata sati
akiccam te na sevanti
kicce sataccakarino
satanam Sampajananam
attham gacchanti asava.
Verse 292: In those who leave undone what should indeed be done but do what should not be done, who are conceited and unmindful, moral intoxicants increase.
Verse 293: In those who always make a good effort in meditating on the body, who do not do what should not be done but always do what should be done, who are also mindful and endowed with clear comprehension, moral intoxicants come to an end.
The Story of the Baddiya Bhikkhus
While residing near the town of Baddiya, the Buddha uttered Verses (292) and (293) of this book, with reference to some bhikkhus.
Once, some bhikkhus who were staying in Baddiya made some ornate slippers out of some kinds of reeds and grasses. When the Buddha was told about this he said, "Bhikkhus, you have entered the Buddhist Order for the sake of attaining Arahatta Phala. Yet, you are now striving hard only in making slippers and decorating them."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 292: In those who leave undone what should indeed be done but do what should not be done, who are conceited and unmindful, moral intoxicants increase.
Verse 293: In those who always make a good effort in meditating on the body, who do not do what should not be done but always do what should be done, who are also mindful and endowed with clear comprehension, moral intoxicants come to an end.
At the end of the discourse, those bhikkhus attained arahatship.
===
Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha channel:
https://news.1rj.ru/str/dhammapadas
===
Telegram
Dhammapada - Buddha Dharma Teachings
Daily teachings of the Dhammapada, beloved and favorite teachings of the Buddha
👏2💯1