Conversion? How to become a Buddhist

(The Pause) How to become a Buddhist: the truth about conversion. [How would a Westerner become an official "Buddhist"? As in any of the Dharmic religions, people convert to Buddhism. Here is a list of prominent converts.

People new to adhering to Buddhism, traditionally, do so at a minimum by Ti-Sarana ("Going for Guidance" to the Three Guides) and adopting the Five Precepts.

This is frequently mistranslated as "Taking Refuge," expressing confidence in the Three Guides, Three Treasures, Three Gems or Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) in front of a monk, nun, or similar representative often of the monastic community (sangha), the  nobles ones (Ariya-Sangha), and the community of practitioners (other Buddhists), in attendance.

Throughout the timeline of Buddhism, conversions of (adoption of Buddhism by) entire countries and regions to Buddhism were frequent, as Buddhism (the Buddha-Dharma) spread throughout Asia. For example, in the 11th century in Burma, King Anoratha converted his entire country to Theravada Buddhism.

At the end of the 12th century, King Jayavarman VII set the stage for conversion of the Khmer people to Theravada Buddhism.

Mass conversions of areas and communities to Buddhism occur up to the present day. For example, there was the modern Dalit Buddhist Movement in India. Indeed, there have been organized mass conversions.

Exceptions to encouraging conversion may occur in some Buddhist movements. In Tibetan Buddhism, for example, the current Dalai Lama discourages active attempts to win converts [35, 36]. In fact, Buddhism is not evangelical and does not promote pushing religion on anyone. However, Buddhism was the first missionary religion, long before Christianity, and sent out "apostles" who taught and won many people over to this path-of-practice and way of being, which many can argue is not even a real "religion." Of course, that depends how we choose to define "religion."

The Truth is true no matter who believes or does not believe, who adheres or does not adhere, who converts or does not convert. The Buddha was a representative of Truth, and many were attracted to him and what he was saying. It was, in fact, the first "world religion," a universal spiritual tradition that accepted all. But the Buddha did not go around trying to make anyone a Buddhist or a follower. He only wanted them to realize what was true, knowing that the Truth sets one free. Have you considered Hinduism? More: Religious conversion

I try Monroe's HemiSync Gateway

• Get The Expand App (The Monroe Institute)
• Samantha Lancaster (HemiSync Gateway Meditation); Monroe Institute (monroeinstitute.org; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Alan Watts reveals 'The Secret'

Alan Watts: The More You Let Go, the More Life Gives You

(Buddhism Podcast) Stop SEARCHING for enlightenment. We are it? (The Buddha’s insight)

• Alan Watts, Buddhist Radio, Los Angeles (KPFK 90.7 FM)
• KFPK.org/archives (Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, 8:00 am)

Three Kinds of Desire (Ajahn Sumedho)

Ajahn Sumedho, Jungyeon Roh (art buddhistinsights.org); Dhr. Seven (ed.) Wisdom Quarterly

The pleasures of the senses drag us through much misery and little satisfaction.

Sumedho (Robert Karr Jackman)

Desire or tanha (lit. "thirst," craving) in Pali is an important thing to understand. What is desire?

Kama tanha (craving for sensual pleasures) is very easy to understand. This kind of desire is wanting sense pleasures through the body or the other senses and always seeking things to excite or please our senses — that is sensual thirst.

We can really contemplate: What is it like when I have desire for pleasure? For example, when I am eating, if I am hungry and the food tastes delicious, I can be aware of wanting to take another bite.

Warm, vegan, gluten-free pizza, yum!

Notice the feeling when tasting something pleasant. Notice wanting more of it. Don’t just believe this; try it out. Let’s not think we know it because it has been that way in the past. Try it out when next eating. Taste something delicious and see what happens: A desire (craving) arises for more. That is kama tanha.

We also contemplate the feeling of wanting to become something. But if there is ignorance then when we are not seeking something delicious to eat or some beautiful music to listen to, we can be caught in a realm of ambition and attainment — the desire to become (bhava tanha).

We get caught in that movement of striving to become happy, seeking to become wealthy; or we might attempt to make our life feel important by endeavoring to make the world right. So note this sense of wanting to become something other than what we are right now.

Listen to the bhava tanha of our life:

• "I want to practice meditation so I can become free from my pain.
• I want to become enlightened.
• I want to become a monk or nun.
• I want to become enlightened as a lay person.
• I want to have a spouse and children and a profession.
• I want to enjoy the sense world without having to give up anything and become an enlightened arahant too."

When we get disillusioned with trying to become something then there is the desire to get rid of things (vibhava tanha). So we contemplate this desire, the craving to get rid of:

• "I want to get rid of my suffering.
• I want to get rid of my anger.
• I’ve got this anger, and I want to get rid of it.
• I want to get rid of jealousy, fear, and anxiety."

Motherfather, shut up! I want to be rid of...

Notice this as a reflection on vibhava tanha. We are actually contemplating that within ourselves which wants to get rid of things; we are not trying to get rid of vibhava tanha.

We are not taking a stand against the desire to get rid of things, nor are we encouraging that desire. Instead, we are reflecting, "It’s like this; it feels like this to want to get rid of something; I’ve got to conquer my anger; I have to kill the Devil and get rid of my greed — then I will become..."

Hey, what if we calm down and fix it?

We can see from this train of thought that becoming and getting rid of are very much associated.

Bear in mind though that these three categories of kama tanha, bhava tanha, and vibhava tanha are merely convenient ways of contemplating desire. They are not totally separate forms of desire but different aspects of it.

The second insight into the Second Noble Truth is: "Desire should be let go of." This is how letting go comes into our practice.

We have an insight that desire should be let go of, but that insight is not a desire to let go of anything. If we are not very wise and are not really reflecting in our mind, we tend to follow the "I want to get rid of, I want to let go of all my desires" — but this is just another desire.

However, we can reflect upon it; we can see the desire to get rid of, the desire to become, or the desire for sense pleasure. By understanding these three kinds of desire, we can let them go.

The Second Noble Truth does NOT ask us to think, "I have a lot of sensual desires" or "I’m really ambitious. I’m really bhava tanha plus, plus, plus!" or "I’m a real nihilist. I just want out. I’m a real vibhava tanha fanatic. That’s me."

The Second Noble Truth is not that. It is not about identifying with desires in any way; it’s about recognizing desire.

I used to spend a lot of time watching how much of my practice was desire to become something. For example, how much of the good intentions of my meditation practice as a monk was to become liked — how much of my relations with other monks or nuns or with lay people had to do with wanting to be liked and approved of. That is bhava tanha — desire for praise and success.

As a monk, we have this bhava tanha: wanting people to understand everything and to appreciate the Dharma. Even these subtle, almost noble, desires are bhava tanha.

Then there is vibhava tanha (craving for annihilation, nonbeing) in spiritual life, which can be very self-righteous: "I want to get rid of, annihilate, and exterminate these defilements."

I really listened to myself thinking, "I want to get rid of desire. I want to get rid of anger. I don’t want to be frightened or jealous any more. I want to be brave. I want to have joy and gladness in my heart."

This practice of Dharma is not one of hating oneself for having such thoughts but really seeing that these are conditioned into the mind. They are impermanent.

Desire is not what we are, but it is the way we tend to react out of ignorance when we have not understood these Four Noble Truths in their three aspects.

We tend to react like that to everything. These are normal reactions due to ignorance.

But we need not continue to suffer. We are not just hopeless victims of desire. We can allow desire to be the way it is and so begin to let go of it. Desire has power over us and deludes us only as long as we grasp it, believe in it, and react to it. Source

• To read more, download Ajahn Sumedho’s book The Four Noble Truths for FREE on Buddhanet.net

AUTHOR: Ajahn Sumedho, one of the most senior Western representatives of the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism.

Motivation: "What we think, we become" (video)

Eddie Pinero, July 22, 2022; Crystal Q., Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."

- C.S. Lewis

"What we think, we become" || best motivational speeches

(Eddie Pinero) More from Eddie Pinero: Your World Within Podcast: yourworldwithin.libsyn.com.

Stream these tracks on Spotify: spoti.fi/2BLf6pB. Instagram: @your_world_within and @IamEddiePinero. TikTok: your_world_within. Facebook.com/Yourworldwithin. Twitter.com/IamEddiePinero. #liveinspired #yourworldwithin #motivation. Business inquiries: yourworldwithin.com/contact 

"How To Be a Yogi" (like Christ)

Swami Abhedananda (amazon.com); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit yoga

How to Be a Yogi, including a chapter titled: "Was Christ a Yogi?"

(Swami Abhedananda) The title’s introductory chapter describes the true province of religion in India and the full significance of the word "spirituality" as it is understood there.

Next follows a comprehensive definition of the term "yoga," with short chapters on each of the five paths to which it is applied and their respective practices.

An exhaustive exposition of the Science of Breathing (ecstatic breathwork or pranayama) and its bearing on the highest spiritual development (samadhi) shows the fundamental physiological principles on which the whole training of Yoga is based.

The concluding chapter, under the title "Was Christ a Yogi?" makes plain the direct relation existing between the lofty teachings of Vedanta (the best of the Vedas) and the religious faiths of the West.

• Paperback for $5.50 (with other formats and editions)
• Right samadhi ("stillness") in Buddhist Eightfold Path
• Don't "control" breath (prana, "lifeforce"); watch it
• Mindfulness of Breath Discourse: Ānāpānasati Sutra

How I became enlightened (Ingram)

Dr. Daniel M. Ingram, MD, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book (3rd ed., 2007), interactivebuddha.com; Dhr. Seven, A.Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

When I was about 15 years old, I accidentally ran into some of the classic early meditation experiences described in the ancient texts, and my reluctant spiritual quest began.

I did not realize what had happened, nor did I realize that I had crossed something like a point of no return, something I would later call the Arising and Passing Away.

I knew that I had had a very strange dream with bright lights, that my entire body and world had seemed to explode like fireworks, and that afterwards I somehow had to find something, but I had no idea what that was.

I philosophized frantically for years until I finally began to realize that no amount of thinking was going to solve my deeper spiritual issues and complete the cycle of practice that had already started.

I had a very good friend who was in the band that employed me as a sound tech and roadie. He was in a similar place, caught like me in something we would later call the Dark Night and other names. He also realized that logic and cognitive restructuring were not going to help us in the end.

We looked carefully at what other philosophers had done when they came to the same point and noted that some of our favorites had turned to mystical practices.

We reasoned that some sort of non-dual wisdom that came from direct experience was the only way to go, but acquiring that sort of wisdom seemed a daunting task if not impossible.

He was a bit farther along than I was in his spiritual crisis, and finally he had no choice but to give it a try. He quit the music business, moved back to California, and lived in a run down old mobile home, driving pizza to save money so that he could go off on a spiritual quest.

He finally did some intensive meditation retreats then eventually took off to Asia for a year of intensive practice under the guidance of meditation masters in the Burmese Theravada Buddhist tradition.

When he came back, the benefits of his practice were obvious, and a few years later I began to try to follow a similar path. In 1994, I began going on intensive meditation retreats and doing a lot of daily practice.

I also ran into some very odd and interesting experiences and began to look around for more guidance on how to proceed and keep things in perspective.

Good teachers were few and far away, their time limited and often expensive to obtain, and their answers to my questions were often guarded and cryptic.

Even my old music friend was keeping most of what he knew to himself, and issues around disclosure of meditation theory and personal practice details nearly cost us our friendship.

Frustrated, I turned to books, reading extensively, poring over texts both modern and ancient, looking for conceptual frameworks that might help me navigate skillfully in territory that was completely outside my previous experience.

Despite having access to an astounding number of great and detailed dharma books, I found that they left out lots of details that turned out to be very important... More

Comedy: How to Become a Buddhist (video)

JP Sears; Eliza Darcey, Dhr. Seven, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

How to Become a Buddhist, Ep. 64: Ultra Spiritual Life

WokeAF T-Shirts available at shop.awakenwithjp.com. New book available to order at HowToBeUltraSpiritual.com. Claim free download of "7 Ways to Be More Spiritual Than Your Friends" at AwakenWithJP.com.

How to Meditate: instructions (sutra)

Dhr. Seven, Ananda M., Jen, Ashley Wells, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

I want to be more spiritual.

Did you ever wonder what Siddhartha was practicing under the bodhi tree when he reached enlightenment, awakened to the Truth that sets one free, and became "the Buddha"?

The basic technique is breath meditation (mindfulness of in-and-out breathing) to establish absorption then emerge and take up systematic mindfulness of four things. He had always been asking, Why do we suffer? He found the answer.

Why the breath? First of all, it is the first of the "four things" to establish mindfulness (bare attention, nonjudgmental awareness, allowing, vigilance, just watching) on, namely, the body. This body is a great helper to enlightenment.

It is not in the way of our spirituality (spirit = breath); it can show us the way. The ultimate goal? Wisdom. The proximate goal? Just to watch, to allow, to see what purification happens to a mind that absorbs into a single object.

In breath meditation, the most important thing to understand is that the subject or object of meditation is the breath. Not breathing, not sensation, not ideas, thoughts, or anything else. We are developing singlepointed concentration on the breath. The breath, interestingly, is not air. It is more like prana (pāna), the life force energy (the "vital airs" or vayus) that accompanies the air. It's not an idea. It's an invisible thing that is keeping the body alive.
 
SUTRA

The secret is gentle persistence.

In the "Discourse on the Four Foundations (or Fourfold Setting Up) of Mindfulness," known as the Satipatthāna Sutra (MN 10, DN 22) and in other sutras, four methods of practice are given as the bases for insight meditation.

The "Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing" (Ānāpānasati Sutra, MN 118) has 16 methods of practice, divided into four groups of four. The first three apply to both serenity and insight meditation. The fourth refers only to insight practice. The second and the third groups require the attainment of the absorptions. The first group leads to the absorptions.

 

"With attentive mind [fixated at the nostril] one [allows the body as it] breathes in, with attentive mind one [allows the body as it] breathes out.

 

I. (1) "When [the body is] making a long inhalation, one knows: 'long inhalation.' When making a long exhalation, one knows: 'long exhalation.' [One remains aware allowing the body to breathe, just watching, accepting, remaining vigilant, not judging, not thinking, just directly knowing what is going on. Be here now rather than lost in thought about now.]

 

(2) "When making a short inhalation, one knows: 'short inhalation.' When making a short exhalation, one knows: 'short exhalation.'

(3) " 'Clearly perceiving the entire body [length of the breath] one breathes in,' thus one trains; 'clearly perceiving the entire (breath-) body one breathes out,' thus one trains.

(4) " 'Calming [by allowing] this bodily function [of breathing], one breathes in,' thus one trains ; 'calming this bodily function one breathes out,' thus one trains. ...

What will happen if one stays long enough with the breath to the exclusion of everything else? The mind will be absorbed by it. They will become one. Subject and object will merge. The mind will be just breath, which is very powerful and purifying.

It is the first step to success, for how else will insight-practice (vipassana) be possible without the coherence/"concentration" -- the intensification of mind with all of its inherent powers without a strong foundation in serenity, calm, and unification? 

Do not be quick to rush into insight-practice, even if others say that is the only thing that is important. A foundation is more important than a roof. Build "meditation" from the bottom up, and everything will be fine all the way to enlightenment.

• Need FREE help? It's available in Los Angeles

Five Hindrances

When you practice just keeping mind/attention/awareness on a single thing, even something as interesting and moving as the breath (which reflects the mind in real time such that any modification in one is reflected in the other), five latent obstacles (hindrances) are bound to get in the way. They were always there, at least in a dormant state, and we never notice them until we try to be singleminded.

1. craving/clinging (desire, lust)
2. anger/fear (version)
3. drowsiness/lethargy (physical/mental tiredness)
4. restlessness/worry
5. skeptical doubt (uncertainty)

Five Factors of Absorption

I get it. It unfolds. I apply energy and allow it.

Fortunately, there are antidotes to these, and those antidotes are already being applied by the practice. As the mind coheres (becomes more and more coherent), five latent breakthroughs are bound to develop.

1. initial-application of attention
2. sustained-application
3. joy, rapture, bliss, keen interest, enthusiasm
4. calm happiness, ease
5. single-pointedness of mind (ekaggata)

Greed, hatred, and delusion (aka craving, aversion, and ignorance) spring up in a thousand ways. But so do their counterparts, nongreed (genersosity/unselfishness), nonhatred (kindness/compassion), and nondelusion (right view/wisdom).

Coherence/concentration displaces craving. The other defilements of the mind eventually fall away -- but not before putting up a mighty struggle of distraction. What are we doing? Paying attention to only one thing until the mind is fully absorbed by it. (To get absorbed the mind may naturally produce a "sign" of the breath). What is the opposite of this? Distraction.

• If the mind begins to produce a sign (nimitta), ignore it. Stay with the breath at the nostril. Why? If you turn and give attention to the sign, it will go away. "The butterfly alights on the hand that does not grasp." That sign is a delicate thing, like a shy lady or fairy. If you so much as look, it runs away. Ignore it, pay it no mind, and its own curiosity will bring it forward. The secret is that the sign is the breath, so stay with the breath. Stay with the breath.

It's so easy, so easy that it's hard. Practice.

Sit comfortably, gently erect rather than leaning. If we're too comfortable, sleep will befall us. (Sleepy? Go sleep. Then meditate. Too energetic? Go exercise. Then meditate. We want balance).

Close the eyes (unless that causes sleepiness or mental wandering, in which case leave them open and softly focused a few feet ahead without bending the head but just casting down the gaze).

Make a wish: "May I be well and happy; may all beings everywhere be well and happy." Both will be much closer to happiness and well being when "meditation" is reached, so the sooner we start the better. 

Happiness is the way

Wait, where is true happiness? It must be within. It sure hasn't been found without. It's NOT in the past or future, so if there is to be any, it must be in the NOW. Any happiness in the past is, by definition, now gone. Any happiness in the future is, again by definition, not yet here. Where, oh where, can happiness be? It can be, it can only ever be, right now. Now is the time.

Even if we recall a past happiness or a future one, still we would only experience its happiness right here and now, wherever here and now is. There is only the now, in a very real sense. Theoretically, there are many times, but in reality there's only this now. So let's be happy now. Some say, "There is no way to happiness." Why? Because "Happiness is the way." The road to (lasting) happiness is paved with happiness (right now). Let's be present. Let's be here now.

Even here, even now, we have to know where to look to find the happiness that's already present. Close the eyes and feel it or look for it not in the changeable senses -- sights, sounds, other sensations, people, or external things -- but in the stable. True happiness is when? Now. Where? Within.

Meditation will be our treasure hunt. And it's funny that the very searching will be happiness not just the finding that is to come.

Wait, do we really have to forgive everyone? Yes, but just temporarily. The grudges and resentments would get in our way. Don't worry. After meditation, you can p yourself off all over again by dwelling on past hurts. But for now, it's time to be kind to everyone, and "everyone" includes me (you yourself). May all beings everywhere be well and happy.

Let's clear the mind (the heart). The more we clear it, the more clarity we'll get. Let's set outside matters outside and focus inside, on the breath entering the nostril(s). Bring attention to the spot where breath is entering and stay there going nowhere else, not judging, thinking, evaluating, or pondering. Instead, just watch, allow, accept, remain vigilant until the mind breaks through.

In a quiet place, I will sit like he sat.

Stay with this spot, noticing the breath for the full duration of the inhale, the full duration of the exhale, so that there's no time the mind is not watching. If the breath stops, or even if it seems to stop, watch and wait for it where you know it'll return. Where's that? The nostril. There's no need to go out and search for it or breathe more deeply. Let it be. It'll be back. Be waiting for it, and notice it for the full length as it cycles in and cycles out, cycles in and cycles out.

The breath changes. It has a natural flow. Be aware of it in real time, right as it's happening. When is that? Now. Be here now. If the mind wanders off, don't scold it. Simply bring it back. Don't judge it. Simply bring it back. Don't despair. Simply bring attention back to the breath. After about a 100,000 times, it'll eventually settle down. No matter how many times (x) it wanders, and it's likely to wander, bring it back one more than that (x+1). Eventually the mind will be well trained and tame and quite useful.

Meditate FREE: PasaDharma - Mass Meditation Initiative in Los Angeles - Dharma Punx

What to overcome for enlightenment (sutra)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Ven. Thanissaro (orig. trans.) Sabbasava Sutra: "All of the Corruptions" (MN 2); see also Burma Pitaka Association

Sid, I can't really think of much to tell them but forgiveness. - Jay, that's good, but I can think of lots of things they need to know in addition. ("Saintly Young Men" manga/Geraldford)

 

Marion Cotillard in Tokyo

Thus have I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, in Anathapindika's vihara. There he addressed the monastics: "Meditators!"

"Yes, venerable sir," the monastics replied.

The Blessed One said, "Meditators, the ending of the corruptions (four asavas*) is for one who knows and sees, I say, not for one who neither knows nor sees. But for one who knows what and sees what? For one who knows and see appropriate attention and inappropriate attention.

• *Corruptions: (āsava, literally "influxes" or "outflows"), cankers, taints, intoxicating biases, what Ven. Thanissaro colorfully translates as "fermentations." There is a list of four (as in DN 16, Pts.M., Vibh.):

1. the canker of sensual craving (kāma-āsava)
2. (craving for eternal) existence (bhava-āsava)
3. (wrong) views (dittha-āsava)
4. ignorance (avijja-āsava)

A list of three, omitting the canker of views, is possibly older and is more frequent in the sutras, e.g. in M.2, M.9, D.33; A.III.59, 67; A.VI.63). In the Vibhanga (Khuddakavatthu Vibh.) both the threefold and fourfold division are mentioned. The fourfold division also occurs under the name of "floods" (ogha) and "yokes" (yoga). The stages of enlightenment eradicate them: Through the path of stream-entry, the canker of views is destroyed; through the path of non-returning, the canker of craving or sense-desire; through the path of arhatship (full enlightenment), the cankers of becoming and ignorance). This sutra (MN 2) shows how to overcome the cankers, namely, through insight, sense-control, avoidance, wise use of the necessities of life, and so on. For a commentarial exposition, see Atthasālini Tr. I, p. 63f: II, pp. 475ff. Khīnāsava, "one whose cankers are destroyed or removed," or "one who is canker-free," is a name for the arhat or enlightened one. The state of full enlightenment is frequently called āsavakkhaya, "the destruction of the cankers." Sutras concluding with the attainment of arhatship by the listeners often end with the words: "During this utterance, the hearts of the listeners were freed from the cankers through no longer clinging" (anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimuccimsū'ti).
 
"When a meditator attends inappropriately, unarisen corruptions arise, and arisen corruptions increase. When a meditator attends appropriately, unarisen corruptions do not arise, and arisen corruptions are abandoned.

"There are corruptions to be abandoned by:

1. seeing
2. restraining
3. using
4. tolerating
5. avoiding
6. dispelling
7. and those to be abandoned by developing.

If Buddhism could be condensed down

[1] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by seeing? In one case an uninstructed, ignorant worldling (an average, ordinary person) -- who has no regard for noble ones (enlightened persons), who is not well-versed or disciplined in the Dharma (Teaching or Path they adhere to), who has no regard for people of integrity, who is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dharma -- does not discern what ideas are fit for attention or unfit for attention. This being so, that uninstructed, ignorant worldling does not attend to ideas fit for attention and instead attends to ideas unfit for attention.
 
"Now what are unfit for attention that one nevertheless attends to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality increase, unarisen corruptions of becoming arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming increase, unarisen corruptions of ignorance arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance increase -- these are the ideas unfit for attention that one nevertheless attends to [to one's great detriment, remaining unenlightened, un-free, in bondage, a slave (to Mara/Yama), subject again and again to miserable rebirths].

• [NOTE: In the past Buddhism has come under considerable criticism for being a tautology, that the Buddha's teaching in the old sutras are tautological -- inanely saying something like "bad is bad" and "good is good" so "don't do what should not be done" and "do what should be done." This would be true except for the fact that in practice the details are all spelled out elsewhere. Each sutra, while referring to them, does not repeat them. Every technical term the Buddha uses is thoroughly defined, and those who practice and are hearing these discourses at that time -- or who hears them because they are being repeated in a monastic context -- knows what they are. Therefore, rather than thinking nothing is being said, the correct view is that a great deal is being said in a compact way during the sutra. The commentaries (such as the Abhidharma) and subcommentaries (tika) as well as the expositions (vibhanga). Buddhaghosa's The Path of Purification is a dense manual explicitly stating and overstating the details. How ponderous the sutras would be and difficult to memorize and recite if they repeated every detail every time. It is better that they are compact -- so long as one know to go in search of the details referred to. Otherwise, they will often seem tautological. The Dharma as we have it is very dense and it needs to be unpacked. People judge it superficially and when they fail to look for the unpacking, they tend to insert their own definitions and wrong assumptions.]

"Now what are the ideas fit for attention that one does not attend to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality do not arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of becoming do not arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of ignorance do not arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance are abandoned -- these are the ideas fit for attention that one does not attend to. Through attending to ideas unfit for attention and not attending to ideas fit for attention, both unarisen corruptions arise, and arisen corruptions increase.
 
The past

The Buddha in a Western museum -- from a paranormal photo or the artist's imagination?

  
"This is how one attends inappropriately:

• 'Was I in the past?'
• 'Was I not in the past?'
• 'What was I in the past?'
• 'How was I in the past?'
• 'Having been what, what was I in the past?'
• 'Shall I be in the future?'
• 'Shall I not be in the future?'
• 'What shall I be in the future?'
• 'How shall I be in the future?'
• 'Having been what, what shall I be in the future?'

Or else one is inwardly perplexed about the present:

• 'Am I?'
• 'Am I not?'
• 'What am I?'
• 'How am I?'
• 'Where has this being come from?'
• 'Where is it bound?'

Wrong views: SELF

It is because of ignorant wrong views that we are reborn and suffer. Solution? Right views.

.

"As one attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises:

1. The view I have a self arises as true and established [think of Descartes great error], or
2. the view I have no self... or
3. the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive self... or
4. the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self... or
5. the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises as true and established, or else one has
6. a view like this: This very self of mine -- the knower who is aware here and there of the ripening of skillful and unskillful actions (karma) -- is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting, eternal, not subject to change, and will stay just as it is for eternity. 

This is called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a perversion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed, ignorant worldling is not freed from birth, aging, [illness] and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. One is not freed, I say, from disappointment and suffering.

 

"The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones -- who has regard for noble ones [enlightened, liberated ones], is well-versed and disciplined in their Dharma, who has regard for people of integrity, is well-versed and disciplined in their Dharma -- discerns what ideas are fit for attention and unfit for attention. This being so, one does not attend to ideas unfit for attention and instead attends to ideas fit for attention. 

"Now what are the ideas unfit for attention that one does not attend to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality increase, unarisen corruptions of becoming arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming increase, unarisen corruptions of ignorance arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance increase -- these are the ideas unfit for attention that one  does not attend to.
 
"Now what are the ideas fit for attention that one attends to? Whatever ideas, when attended to, unarisen corruptions of sensuality do not arise, and arisen corruptions of sensuality are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of becoming do not arise, and arisen corruptions of becoming are abandoned, unarisen corruptions of ignorance do not arise, and arisen corruptions of ignorance are abandoned -- these are the ideas fit for attention that one attends to. Through not attending to ideas unfit for attention and through attending to ideas fit for attention, unarisen corruptions do not arise, and arisen corruptions are abandoned.
 
How will one become enlightened?

This is how singer Alicia Keys meditates even while being famous, rich, and distracted.

 
"One attends appropriately:

1. This is suffering (disappointment, unsatisfactoriness, woe, ill)... 
2. This is the origination of suffering...
3. This is the cessation of suffering...
4. This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. 

"As one attends appropriately in this way [note that these are, in fact, the Four Noble Truths, the four ennobling truths that lead to enlightenment by their penetration], three fetters are abandoned:

1. identity-view
2. doubt
3. clinging to mere rules and rituals (grasping at vows and practices) as if they in and of themselves could ever produce enlightenment].

"These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by seeing.

[2] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by restraining?

"In another case a meditator, reflecting appropriately, dwells restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty do not arise when one dwells restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty.
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the ear-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the nose-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the tongue-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the [tactile] body-faculty...
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one dwells restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. And the defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty do not arise when one dwells restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by restraining.
 
[3] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by using? There is another case where a medtitator, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe [clothing] simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that could cause shame.
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one uses food, not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival and continuation of this body, for putting an end to its afflictions [making food be medicine], for the support of the high life [that leads to enlightenment and nirvana or liberation from suffering], thinking:

"'Thus will I put an end to old feelings [of hunger] and not create new feelings [that are the result of overeating]. I will maintain myself, while remaining blameless, and live in comfort.'
 
"Reflecting appropriately, one uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, simply for protection from inclement weather and for the enjoyment of seclusion [withdrawal for the sake of intensive practice and rapid success].

"Reflecting appropriately, one uses medicines [as a category of permissible requisites for survival] that are used for curing the sick simply to counteract illnesses that have arisen and for maximum freedom from disease.
 
"The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to use these things [in this way] do not arise when one uses them [in this way]. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by using.

[4] "And what are the corruptions to be abandoned by tolerating? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, endures. One tolerates cold, heat, hunger, and thirst, the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, ill-spoken, unwelcome words and bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, and menacing to life. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to tolerate these things do not arise when one tolerates them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by tolerating.

[5] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by avoiding? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, avoids a wild elephant, a wild horse, a wild bull, a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a bramble patch, a chasm, a cliff, a cesspool, an open sewer. Reflecting appropriately, one avoids sitting in unsuitable seats, wandering to unsuitable places, and associating with bad friends [see the Advice to Sigala Sutra for definition of "bad friends"] that would cause knowledgeable friends [kalyana-mittas, "noble friends" who inspire practice of the Dharma] in the high life suspect one of unwholesome conduct. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to avoid these things do not arise when one avoids them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by avoiding.
 
[6] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by dispelling? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality. One abandons it, dispels it, and wipes it out of existence.

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty...

"Reflecting appropriately, one does not tolerate arisen harmful, unskillful mental qualities. One abandons them, dispels them, and wipes them out of existence. The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to dispel these things do not arise when one dispels them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by dispelling.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment
[7] "Now what are the corruptions to be abandoned by developing? There is another case where a meditator, reflecting appropriately, develops:

1. mindfulness as a factor of enlightenment dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go.
2. One develops keen investigation of phenomena as a factor of enlightenment... 
3. persistence (energy) as a factor of enlightenment...
4. rapture (piti, bliss, joy) as a factor of enlightenment...
5. serenity as a factor of enlightenment...
6. concentration (collectedness, mental integration) as a factor of enlightenment...
7. equanimity as a factor of enlightenment dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go.

The defilements, vexation, or fever that would arise if one were not to develop these qualities do not arise when one develops them. These are called the corruptions to be abandoned by developing.

 

"When a meditator's corruptions that should be

• abandoned by seeing have been abandoned by seeing, 
• abandoned by restraining have been abandoned by restraining
• abandoned by using have been abandoned by using
• abandoned by tolerating have been abandoned by tolerating
• abandoned by avoiding have been abandoned by avoiding
• abandoned by dispelling have been abandoned by dispelling
• abandoned by developing have been abandoned by developing

then one is called a meditator who dwells restrained with the restraint of all the corruptions. One has severed craving, thrown off the bonds (fetters), and -- through the right penetration of conceit -- has made an end of [all] disappointment and suffering."

 

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the medtiators delighted in the Blessed One's words.

• See another translation of this sutra
• Further reading at AN 4.24, AN 5.140