Giving Up the Five Hindrances (sutra)

Ven. Sujato (trans.), Numerical Discourses (AN 1.11–20), Nīvaraṇa-ppahānavagga, suttacentral.net; edited by Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

The Chapter on Letting Go of the Five Hindrances

11. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to sensual desire (craving, tanha) or, when it arises, makes it increase and spread like the feature of beauty. When one applies the mind (heart) irrationally to the feature of beauty, sensual desire arises, and once arisen it increases and spreads.”

• What are the Five Hindrances that obsess the mind?

12. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to ill will (aversion, dosa) or, when it arises, makes it increase and spread like the feature of harshness. When one applies the mind irrationally to the feature of harshness, ill will arises, and once arisen it increases and spreads.”

13. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to dullness and drowsiness (sloth and torpor) or, when they arise, makes them increase and spread like discontent, sloth, yawning, sleepiness after eating, and mental sluggishness. When one has a sluggish mind, dullness and drowsiness arise, and once arisen they increase and spread.”

14. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to restlessness and remorse (scatteredness and scruples) or, when they arise, makes them increase and spread like an unsettled mind. When one has no peace of mind, restlessness and remorse arise, and once arisen they increase and spread.”

15. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to doubt (skepticism) or, when it arises, makes it increase and spread like irrational application of mind. When one applies the mind irrationally, doubt arises, and once arisen it increases and spread.”

Solutions

16. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that prevents sensual desire from arising or, when it arises, abandons it like the feature of [turning attention to the repulsive aspect or] ugliness. When one applies the mind rationally to the [inherent] feature of ugliness, sensual desire arises not or, if it has already arisen, it is given up [let go of, abandoned, dropped].”

17. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that prevents ill will from arising or, when it arises, abandons it like the heart’s release by love (metta, friendliness). When one applies the mind rationally on the heart’s release by love, ill will arises not or, if it has already arisen, it is given up.”

18. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that prevents dullness and drowsiness from arising or, when they arise, gives them up like the elements of initiative, persistence, and vigor. When one is energetic, dullness and drowsiness do arise not or, if they have already arisen, they are given up.”

19. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that prevents restlessness and remorse from arising or, when they arise, gives them up like peace of mind. When the mind is peaceful, restlessness and remorse arise not or, if they have already arisen, they are given up.”

20. “Meditators, I do not see a single thing that prevents doubt from arising or, when it arises, gives it up like rational application of mind. When one applies the mind rationally, doubt arises not or, if it has already arisen, it is given up.” Source

Study and meditate with Bhikkhu Bodhi

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Chaung Yen Monastery (BAUS.org/en); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Today is the full moon lunar observance or poya day in Sri Lanka, where BB studied.

Keep the sabbath (uposatha) day.

On Saturdays Bhikkhu Bodhi leads a full morning program of meditation and sutra study. The meditation is from 9:30-10:10 am, and the sutra study from 10:10-11:20 am ET (New York time).

The class is held in two modes, in-person and online. Those in the vicinity of Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, Upstate NY who would like to attend in person can come to the monastery for the class, which is held in Woo Ju Memorial Library.

Those who prefer to attend the class online can join through the Zoom platform. 

The class is based on the Anguttara Nikaya (AN), the "Numerical Discourses of the Buddha." The AN arranges discourses of the Buddha according to a numerical pattern, grouping together discourses that revolve around the same number of items.

We are presently studying “The Book of the Sixes.” For an electronic file of the text, use the button to the left.

ABOUT: The teacher, Ven. Bodhi, has been a Theravada Buddhist monk since 1972 and is highly regarded as a scholar and teacher. He has lived at Chuang Yen Monastery since 2007 and is the current president of BAUS (Buddhist Association of the United States). His translation of the entire Anguttara Nikaya is published by Wisdom Publications (Boston, 2012, 1,900 pages) under the title, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha.

The teachings are free, and your generous dana (charitable donations) to support the teachings are welcome.

Please make check payable to BAUS and/or click HERE to donate at our website (baus.org/en). Please reference the course on all the payment methods. Thank you for your generosity.

To participate in this class, you must register with BAUS. You can register by clicking on Sign-up for the class notice or by clicking “Register.” If you are already registered, there is no need to re-register.

• A Course in the Numerical Discourses of the Buddha   with Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi - BAUS

Pali Text Society Buddhist translations (free)

Bhante Subhuti (hamericanmonk.org), Sayalay Aloka, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

How to walk the ancient Buddhist path?

The Pali Text Society has made its Monastic Disciplinary Code, Discourses, and Higher Teachings (Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma) books available for non-commercial use since 2013.

The sutra books have been extracted from the Buddhadust Website, which is still considered a “work in progress.” However, the work is good enough in its current state to reformat as eBooks.

Stephen Torrence and I (Ven. Subhuti) have done most of the work to reformat the Web pages into eBook versions. There were thousands of webpages requiring many scripts to remove the web content, which we did with Sigil, an open source project.

What if we heard about US life in Asia?

What's special about these books? These are the unabridged editions of the original PTS Sutta books, which were some of the first translations referenced by later translators.

"Unabridged" means the ellipses (…) used to represent missing repetitions have been expanded or “rolled out” with the missing repetitions added back.

It is cost effective to have the full text in electronic editions, as some people swear something is “lost” in translation if these repetitions are removed. Texts have been formatted on the Buddhadust site and grouped in a poetic way, which helps in sorting through the information while reading. 

Because these books are quite old, they are written in an old English religious style using older vocabulary.

Click for the preferred format (PDF, ePub, Mobi, AZW3) under the book to download it to any device. More

Studying the Sutras with Bhikkhu Bodhi (NY)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (BAUS.org/en/activities); Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha

American monk Ven. Bodhi

“The Numerical Discourses” (Anguttara Nikaya) arranges the sutras of the Buddha according to a numerical pattern, grouping together sutras that revolve around the same number of items, from “The Book of the Ones” to “The Book of the Elevens.”

This class starts at 9:00 am with a 50-minute silent meditation. This is followed by a discussion of the sutras from 10:00 am to 11:20 am. This section of the class will continue with the study of “The Book of the Threes.”

What are the words of the Buddha?

Bhikkhu Bodhi has translated the entire Anguttara Nikaya, published by Wisdom Publications (Boston, 2012, 1900 pages) under the title The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. A FREE electronic file of the sutras in “The Book of the Threes” to be studied can be found here. More

• Chaung Yen Monastery
• Buddhist Association of the United States (baus.org)
• Carmel, Upstate New York

Taming the Mind and Heart (Part 1)

Amber Larson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Touristing (flickr); F.L. Woodward (trans.), PTS

Bathing the Buddha, backed by deva, at Saturday Station, Shwedagon Pagoda (Touristing)

 

The Book of the Ones

Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya)

Burmese bhikkhus on Shwedagon stupa

The Buddha made these declarations to meditative audiences of laypeople and monastics (monks and nuns). They were recorded by monks, who remembered them as being directed at them as bhikkhus. It is clear from the context as well as the meaning that they are addressed to all "hearers" (savakas), all Buddhists, and all people who would practice and strive for enlightenment no matter what other teachings they follow. So we translate the opening word, bhikkhave (lit. "O, bhikkhus!"), to reflect this.
 

Meditating sayadaw (Touristing)

31. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so intractable as the untamed mind [heart]. The untamed mind [heart] is indeed an untractable thing. 

 

32. "Meditators, I know not of any other thing so tractable as the tamed mind. The tamed mind is indeed a tractable thing.

 

33. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great loss as the untamed mind. The untamed mind indeed conduces to great loss.

 

34. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great profit as the tamed mind. The tamed mind indeed conduces to great profit.

 

39. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing that brings such woe as the mind that is untamed, uncontrolled, unguarded, and unrestrained. Such a mind indeed brings great woe.

40. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing that brings such bliss as the mind that is tamed, controlled, guarded, and restrained. Such a mind indeed brings great bliss."

— Gradual Sayings, "The Book of the Ones," Chp. IV translated by F. L. Woodward

Taming the Mind
PTS edited by BPS (further editing and Dhr. Seven), "Discourse to Ganaka-Moggallana" (MN 107)

The Enlightened One (Chngster/flickr.com)

Thus I have heard. At one time the [Buddha] was staying near Savatthi in the palace of Migara's mother in the Eastern Monastery.
 
Then the Brahmin Ganaka-Moggallana approached, exchanged greetings and, having conversed in a friendly and courteous way, sat down at a respectful distance.

Sitting there, the Brahmin Ganaka-Moggallana spoke thus to the venerable one: "Just as, good Gotama [Sanskrit Gautama], in this palace of Migara's mother there can be seen a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice, that is to say, as far as the last flight of stairs [in a seven-storied palace, explains the Commentary, which is not to be built in a day] so, too, good Gotama, for these Brahmins:

"There can be seen a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice, that is to say, in the study [of the three three Vedas, which cannot possibly be done in a day] so, too, good Gotama, for these archers there can be seen a gradual... practice, that is to say, in archery. 

"So, too, good Gotama, for us whose livelihood is calculation [ganana, which is this Brahmin's profession, giving him the name Ganaka-Moggallana, explains Editor of The Wheel], there can be seen a gradual training, a gradual practice, that is to say, in accountancy.

"For when we get a pupil, good Gotama, we first of all make him [it was only offered to males] calculate: 'One one, two twos, three threes, four fours, five fives, six sixes, seven sevens, eight eights, nine nines, ten tens,' and, good Gotama, we also make him calculate a hundred.

"Is it possible, good Gotama, to lay down a similar gradual training, gradual doing, gradual practice in respect of this Dharma and discipline?" Continued in Part 2: "The Gradual Training"

Motives for Gift Giving (sutra)

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly translation based on Ven. Thanissaro, "Discourse on Generosity" (Dana Sutta, AN 7.49)

Giving has the added benefit of resulting in easier meditative absorption (adbusters)

 

Sariputra was wise to ask (TA)

CAMPA, Gaggara Lake, ancient India - Ven. Sariputra said to the Blessed One: 

"Does one person give a certain gift that does not bear great fruit and benefit, whereas another person gives the same gift and it bears great fruit and benefit?"

 

"Yes, Sariputra."

 

"Venerable sir, why, what is the cause, what is the reason?"

 

The Buddha answers (TA)

1. "Sariputra, in one case a person gives a gift seeking profit, with a mind/heart attached [to gaining some reward], seeking to store up [merit with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death.'
 

"One gives a gift -- whether food, drink, clothing, transportation, garland, sweet scent, balm, bedding, shelter, lamp -- to a wandering ascetic or Brahmin. What do you think, Sariputra? Might one give such a gift?"

 

"Yes, venerable sir."

 

"Having given such a gift seeking profit with heart/mind attached, seeking to store up [merit with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death' -- on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the Four Great Space Kings. Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

 

2. "There is a person who gives a gift but not seeking profit, mind/heart not attached, not seeking to store up [merit with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death.' Instead, one gives a gift with the thought, 'Giving is good.' ...What do you think, Sariputra? Might one give such a gift?"

 

"Yes, venerable sir."

 

"Having given this gift with the thought, 'Giving is good,' on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the devas ["shining ones"] of the World of the Thirty-Three. Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

Sariputra's sacred relics (Camerabhai/flickr)

3. "Or instead of thinking 'Giving is good,' one gives a gift with the thought, 'This was given in the past, done in the past, by my relatives. It would not be right for me to let this family tradition end'... on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the [Yāma] devas of delight. Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

 

4. "Or instead... one gives a gift with the thought, 'I am well off. They are not well off. It would not be right for me, being well off, not to give a gift to those who are not well off'... on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the contented devas. Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

 

5. "Or instead... one gives a gift with the thought, 'Sages of the past made great sacrifices -- Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa, and Bhagu. Just so will this be my contribution'... on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the devas who delight in creating. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

The Buddha and his four chief monastic disciples, male and female, Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (Mongkhon) in Ayutthaya, Thailand (Rainer Lott/Steffi Esch/flickr.com)

 

6. "Or instead... one gives a gift with the thought, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the heart/mind serene; appeasement and joy arise'... on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of the devas who wield power over others' creations. Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one returns, falling back to this plane.

 

7. "Or instead of thinking, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind/heart serene; appeasement and joy arise,' one gives a gift with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the heart/mind, a support for the mind/heart.' One gives a gift... What do you think, Sariputra? Might one give such a gift?"

 

"Yes, venerable sir."

 

"Having given this -- 

1. not seeking profit, not with a heart/mind attached, not seeking to store up [merit with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death,' 
2. nor with the thought, 'Giving is good,' 
3. nor with the thought, 'This was given in the past, done in the past, by my relatives, so it would not be right for me to let this family tradition end,' 
4. nor with the thought, 'I am well off...,' 
5. nor with the thought, 'Sages of the past made great sacrifices... in the same way this will be my contribution,' 
6. nor with the thought, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind serene; appeasement and joy arise,' 

The Buddha and arhats (Horus2004/flickr)

7. "but with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the heart/mind, a support for the mind/heart' -- on the break up of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. 

"Then, having exhausted that karma, that power, that status, that sovereignty, one is a non-returner. One does not come back to this plane.

"This, Sariputra, is why, this is the cause, this is the reason one person gives a certain gift and it does not bear great fruit or benefit, whereas another person gives that gift and it bears great fruit and benefit."

Guidance on "good" and "bad" (sutra)

Ven. Soma (accesstoinsight); Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly (AN 3.65)

Light bursts through, enlightenment, into a dark cave (Chatchai Laka-mankong/flickr)

Kalamas ask the Buddha for Guidance

...3. The Kalamas, inhabitants of Kesaputta, sitting to one side said to the [Buddha]: "There are some wandering ascetics and Brahmin priests, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines. The doctrines (dharrmas) of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other ascetics and Brahmins too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines. The doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces.

"Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these revered ascetics and Brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

Criterion for rejection

4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain. Uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition, nor upon rumor, nor upon what is in a scripture, nor upon surmise, nor axiomatic, nor upon (hammering out by mere) reasoning, nor upon preference toward an idea that has been pondered over, nor upon another's seeming ability, nor upon the consideration, 'The ascetic is our teacher.' 

"But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them. 

 

Greed, hate, and delusion

5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies. One also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies. One also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by delusion, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies; one also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad [profitable or unprofitable, skillful or unskillful, wholesome or unwholesome]?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blameworthy or not blameworthy?" — "Blameworthy, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Censured, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."

 

9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition...nor upon the consideration, "The ascetic is our teacher." But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

Criterion for acceptance

10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition... nor upon the consideration, 'The ascetic is our teacher.' But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.

Absence of greed, hate, delusion

11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by greed, this person does not take life, does not steal, does not commit sexual misconduct, and does not tell lies, neither does one prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for one's benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir." More

Sutra: Five Helpers to Right View

Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly based on translation by Ven. Nyanaponika and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, AN V, 25) UPDATED

The Buddha explained: Right view, O meditators, if it is helped by five things, has liberation of mind/heart as its fruit and is rewarded by the fruit of liberation of mind/heart. It has liberation by wisdom as its fruit and is rewarded by the fruit of liberation by wisdom. What are those five things? Here, meditators, right view is helped by:

1. virtue
2. wide learning (suta-mayā-paññā)
3. discussion (of what is learned)
4. tranquility
5. insight.

EXPLANATION

Knowing-and-seeing (Sharon Cummings)

“Liberation of mind” (ceto-vimutti) means the concentration present at the attainment of the noble paths and fruitions -- that is, at the time of the first three stages of enlightenment.

“Liberation by wisdom” (paññā-vimutti) is the liberating-insight (release) pertaining to the fourth fruition, namely, arhatship.

An arhat may be said to be an accomplished disciple or savaka-buddha ("enlightened hearer"), one who has gained full enlightenment (as distinguished from pacceka-buddhas and sammasambodhi-buddhas).

This fivefold help to right view is compared to the growing of a mango tree in the ancient Commentary (the Anguttara Atthakatha) to this text:

• Right view is like the mango seed.
• The other supporting factors are like measures taken to ensure the growth of the tree.
• And the two liberations are like the fruits.

Floods of Merit, Abhisanda Sutra (AN 8.39)

Dharmachari Seven, Wisdom Quarterly translation, Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Book of the Eights, Abhisanda Sutta (AN 8.39)

"Disciples, there are these eight higher results [yields or floods] of merit, floods of skillfulness, nutriments of happiness, resulting in happiness, celestial, leading to heavenly rebirths, leading to what is desirable, pleasant, and welcome, to well being and joy. What are the eight?

"A disciple of the noble ones goes to the Buddha for guidance (sarana). This is the first higher result....

"A disciple of the noble ones goes to the Dharma for guidance. This is the second higher result of merit...

"A disciple of the noble ones goes to the [accomplished] Sangha for guidance. This is the third higher result of merit...

• Do Buddhists go for "refuge"? No, they go for "guidance."
  

Five Great Gifts
"In addition, there are these five great gifts -- longstanding, traditional, ancient, unchanged -- that are reliable, beyond doubt, which wise wandering ascetics and temple brahmins find no fault with. What are the five?

"A disciple of the noble ones abandons the taking of life and abstains from it. By doing so, one gives a gift to others: freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to an uncounted number of beings. By so giving, one gains in return a share in unlimited freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the first great gift...

"Abandoning the taking of what is not freely given, a disciple of the noble ones abstains from it. By so doing, one gives a gift to others: freedom... [and] gains... This is the second great gift...

"Abandoning sexual misconduct [defined in a limited way as sex with ten kinds of partners that are out of bounds or more generally as doing harm to oneself and/or others when seeking to satisfy one's sensual impulses], a disciple of the noble ones abstains from it. By so doing, one gives the gift to others: freedom... [and] gains... This is the third great gift...

"Abandoning false speech, a disciple of the noble ones abstains from it. By so doing, one gives a gift to others: freedom... [and] gains... This is the fourth great gift...

"Abandoning the use of intoxicants, a disciple of the noble ones abstains from it. By so doing, one gives a gift to others: freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, freedom from oppression to an uncounted number of beings.

"By so giving, one gains in return a share in unlimited freedom from danger, freedom from animosity, and freedom from oppression. This is the fifth great gift -- longstanding, traditional, ancient, unchanged -- that are reliable, not doubted, which wise wandering ascetics and temple brahmins find no fault with."

Buddha's message to those who doubt (audio)

Wisdom Quarterly based on Ven. Soma Thera translation, Kalama Sutta (AN 3.65)

(DhammaCity) Kalama Sutra, readings from the Pali Canon by Sangharakshita.

Message to the Kalamas

1. Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha, while wandering in the country with a large community of monastic disciples, entered a town called Kesaputta. The Kalamas inhabiting Kesaputta said:

• "Reverend Gautama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, while wandering in the Kosala country, has entered Kesaputta. This good repute has spread about him: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is consummate, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower of the worlds, peerless, guide for those to be tamed, teacher of divine and human beings, which he himself has gained through direct knowledge.

The Buddha with a large number of monastics addresses the people of Kesaputta, India.

• He sets forth the Dharma, which good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of meaning in letter and spirit, and complete in everything. And he proclaims the high life [direct path to enlightenment, brahmacarya] that is perfectly pure. Seeing such consummate ones is good indeed.'"

Asking for Guidance

3. The Kalamas in Kesaputta sitting respectfully to one side said to the Buddha:

"There are some ascetics and brahmins, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines. The doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces.

"Some other ascetics and brahmins, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines. The doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces.

"Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend ascetics and brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

Criterion for Rejection

4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain. Uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon:

• what has been acquired by repeated hearing
• nor upon tradition
• nor upon rumor
• nor upon what is scripture
• nor upon surmise
• nor upon axiom
• nor upon specious reasoning
• nor upon bias toward a notion that has been pondered
  
• nor upon another's seeming ability
• nor upon the consideration, 'The ascetic is our teacher.'

"But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know":

• 'These things are bad these things are blameworthy
• these things are censured by the wise
• when undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.

Greed, Hate, and Delusion

5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a person for one's benefit or harm?"

"For harm, venerable sir."

"Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and mentally vanquished by greed, this person takes life, steals, engages in sexual misconduct, tells lies, and prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear...?"

7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear...?"

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things profitable or unprofitable?"

"Unprofitable, venerable sir."

"Blameworthy or not blameworthy?"

"Blameworthy, venerable sir."

"Censured or praised by the wise?"

"Censured, venerable sir."

"When undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill or not? Or how does it strike you?"

"When undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."

9. "Therefore, Kalamas, was it said: 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition, nor upon rumor... But when you yourselves know: 'These things are unprofitable; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

(Rainbowschaos/Flickr)

Criterion for Acceptance
10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition, nor upon rumor... But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are profitable; these things are praiseworthy; these things are lauded by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.

Absence of greed, hate, and delusion
11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does the absence of greed appear in a person for benefit or harm?"

"For benefit, venerable sir."

"Kalamas, not being given to greed, and not being overwhelmed or mentally vanquished by greed, one does not take life, does not steal, does not engage in sexual misconduct, does not tell lies, and does not prompt others to do likewise. Will that be long for one's benefit and happiness?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does the absence of hate appear in a person for benefit or harm?"

"For benefit, venerable sir."...

13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does the absence of delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?"...

14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things profitable or unprofitable?"

"Profitable, venerable sir."...

15. "Therefore, Kalamas, was it said: 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition, nor upon rumor...' But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are profitable; these things are not praiseworthy; these things are lauded by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'

The Four Divine Abidings
16. "Kalamas, the disciple of the Noble Ones practices in this way [the four Brahma Viharas or Exalted Dwellings]. Devoid of coveting (greed), devoid of ill will (hate), devoid of confusion (delusion) -- but mindful and clearly comprehending -- dwells pervading with thoughts of loving-kindness

• one quarter [of the world, the cosmos]
• likewise the second
• likewise the third
• likewise the fourth
• so above, below, and across
• one dwells having pervaded all living beings everywhere in the entire world (cosmos) with thoughts of loving-kindness that is free of hate or malice, grown great, exalted, immeasurable (boundless, universal).

"One dwells having pervaded with thoughts of compassion, one quarter, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, so above, below, and across; one dwells having pervaded all living beings everywhere in the entire world with thoughts of compassion that is free of hate or malice, grown great, exalted, immeasurable.

"One lives having pervaded with thoughts of gladness, one quarter....

"One lives having pervaded with thoughts of equanimity, one quarter....

The Four Solaces
17. "Kalamas, the disciple of the Noble Ones practices in this way. With such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, such a purified mind is one who finds four solaces here and now.

"'Suppose there is a hereafter [existence to come beyond this life] and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill [karma]. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in better worlds, which are possessed of states of bliss.' This is the first solace found by such a person.

"'Suppose there is no hereafter [no rebirth] and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill [no karma]. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe, sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace.

"'Suppose harmful (results) befall the doer of harm. I, however, think of doing no harm to anyone. Then, how can ill (results) affect me?' This is the third solace.

"'Suppose harmful (results) do not befall one who harms others. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace.

"Kalamas, the disciple of the Noble Ones who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, such a purified mind is one who finds, here and now, these four solaces."

The Kalamas' Reaction
"So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Sublime One! Venerable sir, the disciple of the Noble Ones who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, such a purified mind finds, here and now, these four solaces!

"Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! Venerable sir, it is as if a person were to turn upward what had been overturned, or to uncover what was concealed, or to point the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the darkness, thinking: 'Those who have eyes will now be able to see.'

"So has the Dharma been set forth in many ways by the Blessed One. Venerable sir, we go to the Blessed One for guidance, to this Dharma for guidance, and to the Sangha [order of accomplished practitioners] for guidance.

"Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for guidance from this day forward."

• A Look at the Kalama Sutta (Bhikkhu Bodhi)
• The Right to Ask Questions (Larry Rosenberg)

Dragon's Breath: Right Speech

Zensquared (BeZen.wordpress.com, 8-31-11, edited for clarity by Wisdom Quarterly)

Breathe. Follow your breath. The practice is easy (bezen.wordpress.com).

Watch what you say. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?

After right view and right intention, which concern wisdom, the next three factors in the Noble Eightfold Path are right speech, right action, and right livelihood -- all of which concern moral discipline.

In his text about the Noble Eightfold Path, [American Buddhist scholar-monk] Bhikkhu Bodhi points out that this “morality” is not so much “Thou shalt not...” as it is a mental purification we undertake.

Instead of uttering harmful words, we should keep [nobly] silent. When we speak, we speak to help others. We speak to spread happiness. We speak to comfort. We speak kindly.

Buddhism, with its nontheistic framework, grounds its ethics not on the notion of obedience, but on that of harmony.

Being mindful about the words we say becomes a practice that benefits others -- as well as keeping one out of trouble.

Bhikkhu Bodhi further points out that right speech has two sides -- avoidance and performance. So while we work to avoid false speech, at the same time we are also working to perform correct speech.

What is “correct”? Here Bhikkhu Bodhi uses the familiar English word wholesome. The Buddhist use of this word steers clear of a moral judgment in favor of emphasizing something that is healthy, not sick.

When the opposite word is used -- unwholesome -- it refers to something that will make us ill. Buddhism [recognizes many gradients exactly in accord with the heart's intention, but it often sounds] somewhat [like a] black-and-white view of good and ill: If it’s going to harm anyone, it’s probably unwholesome. And that’s sick.

The Buddha divides right speech into four components, abstaining from: false speech, slanderous [divisive] speech, harsh speech, and idle [useless] chatter.

No lying. No dividing. No cruel words. No mindless gossip. That sounds like “Thou shalt not,” doesn’t it? No, says Bhikkhu Bodhi.

He quotes the Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, stating that it’s really about being honest, being devoted to the truth, being reliable, and being worthy of confidence.

The determinative factor behind the transgression is the intention to deceive. If one speaks something false believing it to be true, there is no breach of the precept as the intention to deceive is absent. Though the deceptive intention is common to all cases of false speech, lies can appear in different guises depending on the motivating root, be it greed, hatred, or delusion.

The venerable monk goes on to explain how lies corrupt and injure the liar, and how

the commitment to truth has a significance transcending the domain of ethics and even mental purification, taking us to the domains of knowledge and being. More

The Path to Freedom (explained)

Wisdom Quarterly based on original translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi (SN 45:8; V 8-10)

“Disciples, I will teach you the Noble Eightfold Path and analyze it for you. Listen and attend closely as I speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha then said:

“And what, disciples, is the Noble Eightfold Path? Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

I. “What is right view? Knowledge of disappointment, knowledge of its origin, knowledge of its cessation, knowledge of the path leading to its cessation. This is right view.

II. “What is right intention? Intentions of renunciation, non-ill will, and harmlessness [These are antidotes for two of the Three Poisons, namely, greed, hatred, and delusion. The instant antidote to delusion is mindfulness, which does not involve thinking, judging, or evaluating but unelaborated awareness]: This is called right intention.

III. “What is right speech? Abstaining from false speech* [bearing false witness, perjury, bias favoritism], abstaining from malicious speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from useless speech. This is called right speech.

IV. “What is right action? Abstaining from the depriving beings of life, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual-misconduct**: This is called right action.

V. “What is right livelihood? Here a noble disciple, having abandoned a wrong mode of livelihood, earns a living by some honest means. [At a minimum this involves abstaining from five kinds of business: trade in weapons, human trafficking, butchering or transporting animals for slaughter, drugs, or poisons. It also means avoiding any profit making activity that means breaking any of the Five Precepts.] This is called right livelihood.

VI. “What is right effort? Here [in this Dharma] one generates zeal for the non-arising of unarisen unwholesome states; one makes effort, rouses energy, applies mind/heart, and strives. One generates zeal for abandoning unwholesome states that have arisen....generates zeal for the arising of wholesome states that have not yet arisen.... One generates zeal for the continuation of arisen wholesome states, for their non-decline, increase, expansion, and fulfillment by development. One makes an effort, rouses energy, applies mind/heart, and strives. This is called right effort.

VII. “What is right mindfulness? Here, one dwells examining [not "thinking" about or evaluating] the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection with regard to the world. One dwells examining sensations in sensations [pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant], ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection with regard to the world. One dwells examining mind in mind: clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection with regard to the world. One dwells contemplating phenomena in phenomena [defined specifically in the discourse on setting up the Four Foundations of Mindfulness], ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed longing and dejection with regard to the world. This is called right mindfulness.

VIII. “What is right concentration [samadhi]? Here, secluded [withdrawn, aloof, apart] from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states of mind, a meditator enters into and dwells in the first absorption, which is accompanied by applied and sustained attention, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion [turning the mind/heart inward]. With the subsiding of applied and sustained attention, one enters and dwells in the second absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without [the continuous effort of] applied and sustained attention, and has rapture born of concentration. With the fading away as well of rapture, one dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, one experiences happiness with the body; one enters and dwells in the third absorption of which the Noble Ones [those who have achieved any of the stages of enlightenment] declare: ‘One is equanimous who dwells happily.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and dejection, one enters and dwells in the fourth absorption, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purification of mindfulness by equanimity. This is called right concentration” (SN 45:8; V 8-10).

*FALSE SPEECH: When summoned to a court, meeting, or by relatives, a guild, rulers [administrators] and questioned as a witness in this way: "Tell what you know," then not knowing one says, "I know," or knowing one says, "I do not know," not having seen one says, "I saw," or having seen one says, "I did not see"; in full awareness one speaks falsehoods for one's own gain, for another's gain, or for some trivial material end). The same applies to encouraging others to lie (Numerical Discourses, Tens, sutra 206 or AN X.206).

**SEXUAL MISCONDUCT: "Sexual intercourse with those protected by mother, father, parents, brother, sister, relatives, spouse, the law, or with those engaged, or promised in youth. The same applies to encouraging others to engage in misconduct" (AN X.206).

• Yoga's "Eightfold Path" to union with the universe borrowing from the Buddha