The Floods: SoCal surf; Isaias, Rachel, Simon

The Buddha warned of four great floods

Ven. Nyanatiloka (Buddhist Dictionary) edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

Say it slowly, Awakened One, so we can hear it.

The Buddhist term "floods" (ogha) is a name for the four influxes (the āsavas or "taints, corruptions, cankers, outflows, intoxicating biases" as in DN 16 the Mahā Parinibbāna Sutta, Paṭisambhidā-magga, and Vibhaṅga).

What are these four great dangers? The flood or influx of:

1. sensual craving (kāmāsava)
2. [craving for] existence (bhavāsava)
3. [wrong] views (ditthāsava)
4. ignorance (avijjāsava).

I want to hear this to be free from future dangers

A list of three, omitting the influx of views, is possibly older and occurs more frequently in the sutras (e.g., in MN 2, MN 9, DN 33; A.III.59, 67; A.VI.63). The Vibhanga (Khuddakavatthu Vibhanga) mentions both this threefold and fourfold division.

The fourfold division also occurs under the name of "floods" (ogha) and "yokes" (yoga).

Through the first stage of enlightenment (the path of stream-entry), the flood of [clinging to wrong] views is destroyed.

Through the third stage (the path of non-returning), the flood of sensual craving is done away with.

Through the fourth stage (the path of arhatship, full enlightenment), the floods of craving for eternal existence (endless rebirths in samsara) and ignorance are stopped. Craving can be brought to cessation?

The Samaññaphala Sutta (MN 2) shows how to overcome these four floods, namely, through:

• insight (wisdom),
• sense-control (restraint),
• avoidance (adverting attention),
• wise use of the necessities of life,
• and so on.

Why would anyone want to awaken?

For a commentarial exposition, see Atthasālini (Tr. I, p. 63f: II, pp. 475ff.)

Khīnāsava is "one whose corruptions are destroyed" or "one who is free of cankers." This is a name for an arhat, a perfected person, a Buddhist saint, completely liberated person who has awakened and experienced nirvana in this very life and lives out the remainder of life in complete certainty of liberation (moksha) and freedom (vimutti).

Can an enlightened person surf over the floods?

This state of arhatship is frequently called āsavakkhaya, "the destruction of the floods." Discourses concluding with the attainment of arhatship by those who hear them, often culminate with the words:

"During this utterance, the hearts of the [meditators, listeners, hearers] were freed from the floods through [letting go] clinging no more" (anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimuccimsū'ti).

California coastal flood chaos! 🌊 Massive waves flood streets, vehicles stranded in Newport Beach, OC

Whatevers. I ain't afraid of no coast. Who needs it? We'll just buy more sand from Mexico.

Aerial view of the low-lying City of Newport Beach, SoCal (photo by Don Ramey Logan/wiki)

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No, Son, that's too dangerous! Get inside!

(Storm-HQ) Southern California coastal flooding turns streets into rivers on October 9, 2026, as massive waves, swells, and unusually high tides overwhelmed ritzy Newport Beach (OC) and Long Beach (LA), battering Surf City USA in Southern California.

Floodwaters surround vehicles across the Balboa Peninsula, while powerful surf damages multimillion dollar beachfront homes and coastal defenses in Long Beach.

With Tropical Storm Rachel approaching, emergency officials warned that more dangerous flooding could follow.

• (Eliana Guide Point) On verge of collapse as storm arrives at high tide in Los Angeles
• Kelvin waves (swells) meet higher than normal tides and a storm named Rachel 2026
• (PPP) Rachel and Simon storms are about to impact the USA in a major way

Tropical Storm Rachel hits LA, OC

(NewsX Live) We're in absolute shock; all we can do is play in the water

(Asianet) Will Tropical Storm Rachel take out parts of So. California?

Three massive storms battering North America at same time: Rachel, Simon, and Isaias

Newport Beach has such a concentration of West Coast wealth that it is its own flagged island

See, God, it's just that Newport is where we park all of our rich and fancy yachts (Balboa Island)

Aerial view of the Lido Peninsula in Newport Beach, California (Don Ramey Logan)

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Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach, OC

Newport Beach, California, became one of the hardest-hit communities as seawater surged into residential streets across the Balboa Peninsula. Flooding affected approximately 15 to 20 blocks, leaving vehicles surrounded by corrosive seawater and reaching nearby properties.

Officials reported that the morning tide rose roughly nearly two feet (20 inches) above its predicted level, creating dangerous conditions for motorists and residents.

The City of Newport Beach declared a local emergency as coastal floodwaters spread through vulnerable neighborhoods.

Home about to collapse into ocean

Meanwhile in Malibu, residents like Del Rey just want to get high by beach

(KTLA 5) Home on verge of collapse as high tide hits Long Beach Peninsula

Emergency crews deployed pumps, opened drainage valves, and worked to rebuild protective sand barriers.

Toxic sewage about to swamp LA, OC

WARNING: Residents and visitors are urged to avoid flooded streets while authorities respond to the rapidly developing coastal flooding emergency.

Long Beach, in LA County (home of the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose), are also suffering significant storm damage as massive waves batter the Peninsula and break through sections of a protective coastal barrier.

The Beach Boys and their Woody vehicle popularized the myth of a perfect, ever-sunny SoCal

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We're fine on sunny days. Let's clean up!

Seawater flooded nearby streets, damaged beachfront properties, and threatened homes along Seaside Walk. Building inspectors declared some structures unsafe to enter, while one severely damaged beachfront home faced the risk of collapsing toward the ocean.

The destruction extends beyond flooded neighborhoods. Powerful surf is damaging the access road to San Onofre State Beach near the Orange County and San Diego County boundary.

Coastal erosion, damaged infrastructure, and dangerous waves are raising concerns across Southern California as residents prepare for additional high tides.

• Hurricane Isaias leaves mark on Florida Panhandle with long road to recovery ahead
• Isaias moving inland after Cat 2 Florida landfall causes extensive damage to several communities | Fox

Hurricane Isaias hits Southeast USA

Hurricane Isaias 2026: storm damage, flood threat on Florida’s Gulf Coast

(Severe Weather USA) Hurricane Isaias landfall, power out, winds, floods

I ain't afraid of no surf!

Tropical Storm Rachel added another threat to the California flooding emergency. The approaching Pacific storm prompted a rare tropical storm watch for coastal San Diego County, including San Diego, Oceanside, Carlsbad, and Chula Vista.

Forecasters are warning of possible strong winds, heavy rainfall, dangerous surf, and additional coastal flooding over the weekend.

• [SoCal is suffering a massive heat wave during Indian Summer 2026, but over the weekend it'll rain before things heat up again.*]

At least mountains are safe? Not quite

Big Bear Lake in summer, Southern California

Flood watches far from the beaches also cover inland communities across San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Palm Springs (the high desert), Coachella (site of the massive annual festival), Indio (with its inland Salton Sea), Big Bear Lake (home of Jackie and Shadow, the most famous eagles in the world), and Lake Arrowhead face the possibility of flash flooding as tropical moisture approaches desert valleys and mountain communities.

These locations are under weather alerts rather than confirmed reports of widespread flood destruction.

Hurricane Simon goes for Mexico

(Asianet News English) Hurricane Simon comes after Mexico: boats sink,

roads flood, and tourist destination Puerto Vallarta prepares for big hit

Will Trump's Iran bomb us in time?

Iran, now's a good time to bomb LA and SD

Coastal flood advisories extend north toward Malibu, Ventura, San Francisco, Monterey Bay, and Big Sur, where elevated tides and powerful waves threaten low-lying roads, beach facilities, and shoreline neighborhoods. (Goodbye, Gilroy, "Garlic Capital of the World," and your festival).

Pres. Trump invites Iran to ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego

(Jimmy Kimmel Live) Trump leers at Nat, muses Iran taking out LA, SD

Malibu and surrounding neighborhoods, LA

Authorities warn that dangerous conditions could continue through the weekend and into the following week. This video covers the Oct. 9, 2026, California floods, Newport Beach flooding, Balboa Peninsula flood damage, Long Beach coastal flooding, Tropical Storm Rachel, massive waves, flooded streets, vehicles surrounded by water, damaged beachfront homes, coastal erosion, and severe weather across Southern California, West Coast, USA.

Post-Iran nuking weather report

*Tropical Storm Rachel to bring rain, coastal flooding risk to SoCal

Nobody saw this 'storm train' coming

(Max Velocity - Severe Weather Center) Storms, tornadoes, rains, floods

• ALERT: Bill Martin West Coast Weather Channel: Rachel

The confirmed flooding and property damage described in this report occurred primarily in Newport Beach and Long Beach. Other California locations face flood watches and coastal warnings, with additional impacts dependent on changing weather conditions.

For official California flood warnings, coastal flood advisories, and tropical storm updates, follow the National Weather Service, NOAA National Hurricane Center, and local emergency management authorities. And don't say we didn't warn you. #CaliforniaFloods #NewportBeach #CoastalFlooding

Knowing and Seeing Nirvana

X. Knowledge and Vision of Release

Wow, look at all those fish and gravel!

§ 75. "It is just as if there were a pool of water in a mountain glen — clear, limpid, and unsullied — where a person with good eyesight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, and pebbles as well as shoals of fish swimming about and resting.

"It might occur to that person, 'This pool of water is clear, limpid, and unsullied. Here are these shells, gravel, and pebbles as well as shoals of fish swimming about and resting.'

"In the same way — with mind stilled [calmed and concentrated], purified, and bright, unblemished, free of defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability — the meditator directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental defilements (asavas).

There is much to know and see with clarity

"One discerns as it is, 'This is suffering (dukkha)... This is the origination of suffering... This is the cessation of suffering... This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering... 

"These are mental defilements... This is the origination of the defilements... This is the cessation of the defilements... This is the way leading to the cessation of the defilements.'

"One's heart, thus knowing and seeing, is released from the defilement of sensuality, the defilement of becoming, the defilement of ignorance. With liberation, there is the knowledge, 'Liberated.' One discerns that, 'Rebirth is ended, the high life has been fulfilled, the task is done. There is nothing further for this world'" (DN 2).

What is there to know and see?

Enlightenment=awakening (bodhi)

§ 76. "Vision arose, clear-seeing arose, wisdom arose, knowledge arose, illumination (enlightenment) arose within me with regard to things never heard before:

"'This is the noble [enlightened] truth of suffering [understanding what is and is not disappointment]... This noble truth of suffering is to be comprehended... This noble truth of suffering has been comprehended...

"This is the noble truth of the origination of suffering... This noble truth of the origination of suffering is to be abandoned... This noble truth of the origination of suffering has been abandoned...

"This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering... This noble truth of the cessation of suffering is to be realized... This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized...

"This is the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering... This noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering is to be developed... This noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed.'

"Meditators, as long as my knowing and seeing (knowledge and vision) — with its three rounds and 12 permutations concerning these Four Noble Truths as they actually are — was not pure, I did not claim to have directly awakened (become enlightened) to the unexcelled right awakening...

"But as soon as my knowing and seeing — with its three rounds and 12 permutations concerning these Four Noble Truths as they actually are — was truly pure, only then did I claim to have directly awakened to the unexcelled right awakening...

"Knowing and seeing arose in me: 'Unshakable is my liberation. This is my last rebirth. There is now no more further becoming'" (SN 56.11).

What does one see when awakening?

§ 77. "What a Wayfarer [Tathagata, successful practitioner, arahant] sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are mental formations (fabrications)...such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.' [These are the Five Aggregates clung to as self.]

"Because of this, I say, a Wayfarer — with the ending, fading out, cessation, letting go, and relinquishment of all speculation and thinking, all I-making and mine-making and obsessions with conceit [the habit of seeing everything in terms of an I or self or soul] — is, through lack of clinging (that sustains it), liberated."

"But, Master Gotama [the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama], the meditator whose mind/heart is thus liberated, where does that person reappear [where is that being reborn]?"

"'The designation 'reappear,' Vaccha, does not apply."

"In that case, Master Gotama, that person does not reappear."

"The designation 'does not reappear,' Vaccha, does not apply."

"In that case, Master Gotama, that person both does and does not reappear."

"Vaccha... [that designation] does not apply."

"In that case, Master Gotama, that person 'neither does nor does not reappear."

"Vaccha... [that designation] does not apply."

"How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if the meditator reappears [is reborn]... does not reappear... both does and does not reappear... neither does nor does not reappear [which exhausts the four logical possibilities], he says, 'that designation does not apply' in each case?

"At this point, Master Gotama, I am befuddled. At this point, I am confused. The small amount of clarity coming to me from your earlier conversation is now obscured."

"Of course you are befuddled, Vaccha, of course you are confused. Deep, Vaccha, is this dhamma [reality, teaching, ultimate truth], hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.

"For those holding other views [other doctrines or dhammas], other practices, other goals that would satisfy them, other aims, other teachers, it is difficult to know [and see]. That being the case, I will now put some questions to you. Answer as you see fit.

"What do you think, Vaccha, if a fire were burning in front of you, would you know, 'This fire is burning in front of me'?"

"Yes..."

"And, Vaccha, suppose someone were to ask you, 'This fire burning in front of you, dependent on what is it burning?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"

"...I would reply, 'This fire burning in front of me is burning dependent on grass and timber as its fuel (sustenance).'"

"If the fire burning in front of you were to go out, would you know, 'This fire burning in front of me has gone out'?"

"Yes..."

"And, Vaccha, suppose someone were to ask you, 'This fire that has gone out in front of you, in which direction has it gone? East? West? North? South?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"

"That does not apply, Master Gotama. Any fire burning dependent on fuel fed by grass and timber, being unnourished — from having consumed that fuel and not being offered any other — is classified simply as 'out' [extinguished, unbound, no longer clinging to fuel]."

"Just so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Wayfarer would describe him, that the Wayfarer has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump [that does not grow back once it is cut down], deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future rearising.

"Freed from the classification of form, Vaccha, the Wayfarer is deep, boundless (unbound), hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears [is reborn]' does not apply. 'Does not reappear' does not apply. 'Both does and does not reappear' does not apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' does not apply.

Wow, who knew there was so much to see!

"Any feeling... Any perception... Any mental formation (fabrication)... "Any consciousness by which one describing the Wayfarer would describe him, that the Wayfarer has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future rearising.

"Freed from the classification of consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea [of space]" (MN 72).

• Ven. Thanissaro (American Geoffrey DeGraff) Noble Conversation: A Study Guide altered (restored to customary rather than idiosyncratic translation of terms where possible) and edited by Wisdom Quarterly 

(British Monk) Who needs more than the sutras?

Ajahn Mun's nirvana: Forest Tradition

Devas like this devi interact with sensitive humans?

Ãcariya Mun: The Buddhist master who took the gods to school

Maybe Kali's just time, destruction

(American Esoteric) Feb. 19, 2025: [The Theravada Thai Forest Tradition of Isan (Northeast Thailand) has produced numerous enlightened practitioners. How is that possible? All the Zen folks, at least the fans of Joko Beck, say such a thing isn't possible nowadays, now, in the Kali Yuga, the dark decadent age of Hindu cosmology. (Kali is a goddess who kicks arse and is here to kick a lot of arse). It would be silly to think of achieving anything in Zen, which would be so un-Taoist. Of course, the historical Buddha didn't say such things. In fact, it is considered wrong view to believe no one attains nirvana anymore, no one is enlightened, there is no other world, or there's nothing to be done here in this world during this life.

What's a deva or "shining one"?

There is much to be done for the sake of calm and insight, much to practice. But if we let ourselves believe, "Ah, what's the use?" or "There's no one who gets anywhere anyway," we miss the mark and miss the boat. Did Ajahn Mun take such an attitude? It is exactly because there were meditators a few decades back who took the historical Buddha's Teaching seriously and put those teachings into practice that there came to be a Thai Forest Tradition harkening back to the Buddha's time and how things were done back then. Because those teachers attained something, there students were able to. This included Western students like Brit Ajahn Brahm and Americans Ajahn Sumedho, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and others.]

TIMESTAMPS

• 

  What do the devas have to do with anything?

  00:00-3:31 The dhutanga (sane ascetic) practices
• 3:32-7:09 Early psychic phenomena
• 7:10-8:43 Embracing fear
• 8:44-11:45 The deva of Sarika Cave
• 11:46-16:07 Remote viewing
• 16:08-20:36 Discipline and progress
• 20:37-22:27 Realms and devas
• 22:28-26:29 Miracles and powers
• 26:30-29:19 Life-death-rebirth
• 29:20-31:00 The hypercritical naga
• 31:01-34:28 The spiritual warrior

SOURCE

• Venerable Ãcariya Mun Bhuridatta Thera, A Spiritual Biography by Ãcariya Maha Boowa Nanasampanno (2004)

Patreon: americanesoteric, Venmo: venmo.com/u/Collin-Conkwright, Instagram: american.esoteric

• Collin Conkwright, American Esoteric, Feb. 19, 2025; Sayalay Aloka and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Ten Mental Defilements and Four Floods

Learn to surf, to "go with the flow," before the waves, before the flood (Sandra Dee/WQ).

Holy cow, the waves are coming to drown us in a flood of force we can't resist.

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Fat Happy Budai loves to play through danger.

A "flood" (ogha) or taint (asava, lit. "influx") is another kind of defilement, of which there are four.

They are also referred to as "cankers, corruptions, or intoxicating biases" in Buddhism.

A list of four floods (as in DN 16, Pts.M., Vibhanga) exists, namely, the flood of:

1. sense-desire (kāmāsava)
2. [craving for eternal] existence (bhavāsava)
3. [wrong] views (ditthāsava)
4. ignorance (avijjāsava).

If waves are rolling in on us, what should we do? Run from the world or learn to surf?

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Hey, I gotta get back to intensive surf training.

A list of three, omitting the "flood of views," is possibly older and is more frequent in the basket of discourses (Sutta Pitaka, e.g. in MN 2, MN 9, DN 33; A.III.59, 67; A.VI.63.

In the Vibhanga (Section 17, the Khuddakavatthu Vibhanga) both the threefold and fourfold division are mentioned. In addition to taints (asava), the fourfold division also occurs under the name of "floods" (ogha) and "yokes" (yoga).

Japanese Buddhists warned of tsunamis to come

Through the path of stream-entry -- the first stage of enlightenment (or initial phase of awakening) -- the flood of views is overcome.

Through the path of non-returning -- the third stage of enlightenment -- the third stage enlightenment -- flood of sense-desire (craving for sensual pleasures) is overcome.

Through the path of arhatship, the floods of craving for eternal existence and ignorance are overcome.

Cow-a-Bunga, I got this covered!

The "All the Taints Discourse" (Sabbasava Sutta, MN 2) shows how to overcome the floods, 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).

Who's afraid of a flood, a tainted heart/mind?

Another name for a fully enlightened person or Buddhist arhat is khīnāsava, "one whose floods are overcome," "one whose taints are destroyed," or "one who is canker-free." This is a fully awakened individual.

The state of the arahat (Pali arahant) is frequently called āsavakkhaya, "the destruction of the taints."

Sutras concluding with the attainment of full enlightenment by the listeners often end with the words: "During this utterance, the hearts [minds] of the [hearers] were freed from the floods through clinging no more" (anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimuccimsū'ti).

What are the Ten Defilements (kilesa)?

The great Theravada commentator Buddhaghosa compiles The Path of Purification.

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"Defilements" (kilesa) are heart/mind-defiling, unwholesome qualities. According to The Path of Purification (Vis.M. XXII, 49, 65):

"There are ten defilements, thus called because they are themselves defiled, and because they defile the mental factors associated with them. They are:

• (1) greed (lobha),
• (2) hatred (dosa),
• (3) delusion (moha),
• (4) conceit (māna, the habit of self-reference),
• (5) speculative views (ditthi),
• (6) skeptical doubt (vicikicchā),
• (7) mental torpor (thīna),
• (8) restlessness (uddhacca);
• (9) shamelessness (ahirika),
• (10) lack of moral dread (anottappa)."

For 1-3, see "roots" (mūla); 4, see māna; 5, see ditthi; 6-8, see "Five Hindrances" (nīvarana); 9 and 10, see ahirika-anottappa.

The ten are explained in Dhs. 1229f and enumerated in Vibh. XII. No classification of these Ten Defilements is found in the sutras (Sutta Pitaka), though the term occurs quite often in them. For the related term, "impurities" (upakkilesa) different lists are given (Appendix).

• Ven. Nyanaponika, Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, entry: āsava and kilesa (palikanon.com); edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly