Summer of Love + Road to Kathmandu (travel)

Road to Kathmandu, 1977 (full version)

(mtdd1948) June 15, 2017: India's famed Taj Mahal is an entirely Islamic architectural masterpiece created by Muslims in a land of rock-cut Buddhist marvels and countless Hindu temples? Let's take an overland "magic bus" trip from stuffy London, England, to wild Kathmandu, Nepal.

1967: The Summer of Love

(Free Documentary - History) April 19, 2024: In 1967 an expressive, colorful musical force painted a backdrop of love, social change, fashion, turmoil, and war.

Son, drop your gun and come back home to us!

The world remembers the "Summer of Love" in 1967 [which we always thought took place in '69] as one of those moments when a unique and creative explosion of rock music and popular culture arrived in the UK and US.

This documentary is driven by the soundtrack of the time, which kept the imperial American troops company as they massacred millions of Buddhists in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, powered the American Anti-War and Civil Rights movements, which opened the hearts and minds of Baby Boomers who had matured into hope-filled teens.

This special celebrates 1967 as a famous year full of music and change.  “Stick a flower in your hair [or a soldier's rifle at Kent State] and remember that you are Us not Them.”

• WATCH: 1968: Year of War, Turmoil & Beyond...

Subscribe Free Documentary - History Channel for free: https://bit.ly/2FjRPgV Facebook: https://bit.ly/2QfRxbG Twitter: https://bit.ly/2QlwRiI. #FreeDocumentary #Documentary #History

ABOUT: Free Documentary - History is dedicated to bringing high-class documentaries to a large audience on YouTube for free. See fascinating animations showing the past from a new perspective and explanations by renowned historians that make history come alive. Enjoy stories about people and events that formed the world we live in.

• mtdd1948, June 15, 2017; Free Documentary History; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Sutra on the Not-self Characteristic

Ven. Ñanamoli Thera (trans.), Anatta-Lakkhana Sutra: "The Discourse on the Not-Self Characteristic (SN 22.59); Eliza Darcey, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Benares, in the Deer Park at Isipatana (the "Resort of Seers"). There he addressed the meditators called the group of five [wandering ascetics]:

"Meditators!"

— "Venerable sir," they replied. Then the Blessed One said this:

1. "Meditators, form [the physical, the material, the tangible, body] is not self. Were form self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and one could command of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form not be thus.' Since form is not self, it leads to affliction, and no one can command form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form not be thus.'
2. "Feeling is not self...
3. "Perception is not self...
4. "Determinations are not self...
5. "Consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could command consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.' Since consciousness is not self, it leads to affliction, and no one can command consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.'

"Meditators, how is one to conceive it: Is form permanent or impermanent?"

— "Impermanent, venerable sir."

— "Is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?" — "Painful, venerable sir."

— "Is what is impermanent -- and painful because it is subject to change -- fit to be regarded in this way: 'This is mine, this is I, this is myself'"?

— "No, venerable sir."

"Is feeling permanent or impermanent?...

"Is perception permanent or impermanent?...

"Are determinations permanent or impermanent?...

"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

— "Impermanent, venerable sir."

— "Is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?"

— "Painful, venerable sir."

— "Is what is impermanent -- and painful since it is subject to change -- fit to be regarded in this way: 'This is mine, this is I, this is myself'"?

— "No, venerable sir."

• "Not self" is at the heart of the Heart Sutra

"Therefore, meditators, any kind of form whatsoever -- whether past, future, or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether internal (of oneself) or external (of another), whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding of how it truly is, be regarded: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.'
 
"Any kind of feeling whatsoever...

"Any kind of perception whatsoever...
 
"Any kind of determination whatsoever...

"Any kind of consciousness whatsoever -- whether past, future, or presently arisen -- whether gross or subtle, whether internal or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding of how it truly is, be regarded: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.'

"Meditators, when a noble [i.e., enlightened] follower who has heard (the truth, the Dharma) sees things [namely, the Five Aggregates Clung to as Self, as they truly are] in this way,

1. one finds estrangement in form,
2. one finds estrangement in feeling,
3. one finds estrangement in perception,
4. one finds estrangement in determinations,
5. one finds estrangement in consciousness.

"When one finds estrangement, passion fades out. With the fading of passion, one is liberated. When liberated, there is direct knowledge that one is liberated. One understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the pure life has been lived, what can be done has been done, of this [suffering in birth] there is no more beyond.'"

That is what the Blessed One said. The meditators were glad, and they approved of his words.

Now during this utterance, the hearts of the meditators of the group of five were liberated from taints through utterly letting go and clinging no more.

The First Sutra (Turning the Dharma Wheel)

Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly, Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.), Dhammacakkapavattana Sutra (SN LVI.11, Budsas.org/ebud)

Gold Buddha in Sarnath, India near Varanasi/Benares (chandrasekaran a flickr.com)

Theravada monks visit Sarnath stupa, Uttar Pradesh, India (Stefaan & Eric/flickr)

 

Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma

The Buddha teaches the Five Ascetics

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Varanasi in the Deer Park at Resort of the Seers (Isipatana, Sarnath). There the Blessed One addressed the five ascetics:

"Meditators, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has [renounced and] gone forth into homelessness. What two? The pursuit of sensual delight in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial, and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and unbeneficial. Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Wayfarer (Tathagata, i.e., the Buddha) has awakened to the Middle Way, which gives rise to direct vision, which gives rise to knowledge [knowing and seeing], which leads to peace, to wisdom, to enlightenment, to nirvana.

"And what, meditators, is that Middle Way awakened to by the Wayfarer, which gives rise to vision... which leads to nirvana? It is this Noble Eightfold Path, that is: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This, meditators, is that Middle Way awakened to by the Wayfarer, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to wisdom, to enlightenment, to nirvana.

The unseen devas are also eager to learn.

"Now this, meditators, is the noble truth of suffering (unsatisfactoriness, disappointment, dissatisfaction, distress, lack of fulfillment): Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the Five Aggregates of Clinging are suffering.

"Now this, meditators, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering (disappointment): It is this craving [rooted in ignorance, delusion, wrong view, greed, and aversion] which leads to re-becoming, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking satisfaction here and there, that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued becoming [everlasting existence], craving for annihilation.

Devotees at Sarnath stupa (Stefaan & Eric/flickr)

"Now this, meditators, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that very craving, the letting go and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it.

"Now this, meditators, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: It is this very Noble Eightfold Path, that is, right view...right concentration.

"'This is the noble truth of suffering': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, direct experience, and light.

"'This noble truth of suffering is to be fully understood': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This noble truth of suffering has been fully understood': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This is the noble truth of the origin of suffering': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, direct experience, and light.

"'This noble truth of the origin of suffering is to be abandoned': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This noble truth of the origin of suffering has been abandoned': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

Dharma wheel (hmhalff/flickr.com)

"'This is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, direct experience, and light.

"'This noble truth of the cessation of suffering is to be realized': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been realized': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, direct experience, and light.

"'This noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering is to be developed': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision...and light.

"'This noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed': thus, meditators, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, direct experience, and light.

"So long, meditators, as my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths as they really are in their three phases and 12 aspects was not thoroughly purified in this way, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and Brahmins, its [earthly] devas and humans.

• NOTE: The "three phases" (ti-pariva) are: (i) the knowledge of each truth (sacca-nana), for example, "This is the noble truth of suffering"; (ii) the knowledge of the task to be accomplished regarding each truth (kicca-nana), for example, "This noble truth of suffering is to be fully understood"; and (iii) the knowledge of accomplishment regarding each truth (kata-nana), for example, "This noble truth of suffering has been fully understood." The "12 modes" (dvadasakara) are obtained by applying the three phases to the Four Noble Truths.

"But when my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths as they really are in their three phases and 12 aspects was thoroughly purified in this way, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and Brahmins, its [earthly] devas and humans.

"The knowledge and the vision arose in me: 'Unshakeable is this liberation of mind/heart. This is my last birth. Now there is no more re-becoming."

This is what the Blessed One said. Being pleased, the group of five ascetics delighted in the Blessed One's words. And while this sutra was being spoken, there arose in Kondanna the dust-free, stainless vision of the Dharma: "Whatever is subject to origination is also subject to cessation."

Word gets around

And when the Wheel of the Dharma had been set in motion by the Blessed One, the Earth devas shouted: "At Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dharma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, which cannot be stopped by any ascetic or Brahmin or deva or Mara or Brahma or by anyone in the world!" Having heard the shout of the Earth devas, the devas of the realm of the Four Great Sky Kings shouted: "At Varanasi...this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dharma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, which cannot be stopped...by anyone in the world." 

Having heard the cry of the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings, the devas of the realm of the Thirty-Three...the Yama devas... the Contented devas... the devas Delighting in Creation... the devas Delighting in the Creations of Others... the devas of Brahma's company raised a cry: "At Varanasi, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, this unsurpassed Wheel of the Dharma has been set in motion by the Blessed One, which cannot be stopped by any ascetic or Brahmin or deva or Mara or Brahma or by anyone in the world."

So at that moment, at that instant, at that second, the shout spread as far as the Brahma-world, and this ten thousandfold world-system shook, quaked, and trembled, and an immeasurable glorious radiance appeared in the world surpassing the divine majesty of the devas [the "shining ones"].

Then the Blessed One uttered this inspired utterance: "Kondanna has indeed understood! Kondanna has indeed understood!" In this way Kondanna acquired the name "Anna Kondanna -- Kondanna Who Has Understood."

A Story of Royal REVENGE (sutra)

Crystal Quintero, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly (Dighavu-Kumara Vatthu, Mahavagga X.2.3-20) based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans.) ATI via Vipassana Fellowship/ATI

Christianity, influenced by Sakka lore, turned their god into a heavenly king, a severe judge, a royal to be worshiped in churches shaped like king's throne or bailica (Debdamone/flickr)

.

The Story of Young Prince Dighavu

Who was the ruler Brahmadatta?

[The Buddha to the monastics and others gathered to hear him:] Meditators, once Brahmadatta was the king of Kasi (the capital of Varanasi, India), and he was rich and prosperous, with many possessions, troops, vehicles, many territories, fully-stocked armories and granaries.  

At that time Dighiti was the king of Kosala, and he was poor, not prosperous, with few possessions, troops, vehicles, few territories, with poorly-stocked armories and granaries.

So King Brahmadatta of Kasi, raising a fourfold army, marched against King Dighiti of Kosala.
 
King Dighiti heard, "Brahmadatta, the king of Kasi, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching against me." Then the thought occurred to him, "King Brahmadatta is rich, prosperous...with fully-stocked armories and granaries, whereas I am poor...with poorly-stocked armories and granaries. I am not competent to stand against even one attack by him. Why not slip out of the city beforehand?"

So taking with him his chief consort, he slipped out of the city. Then King Brahmadatta, conquering and seizing the troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries of King Dighiti, lived in lordship over them.

If women could be kings then we would have peace?

Meanwhile, King Dighiti set out for Varanasi together with his consort and, traveling by stages, arrived there. There he lived with her on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house, disguised as a wanderer. Not long after, his consort became pregnant. She made a pregnancy-wish: she wanted to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, so as to drink the water used for washing the swords. She said to King Dighiti, "Your majesty, I am pregnant, and I have this pregnancy-wish...

He replied, "My queen, where is there for us -- having fallen on hard times -- a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground, and water used for washing the swords?"

"If I don't get this, your majesty, I will die!" she said.
 

Now at that time the Brahmin advisor to King Brahmadatta was a friend of King Dighiti. So King Dighiti went to him and said, "A lady friend of yours, old friend, is pregnant, and she has this pregnancy-wish...

 

"In that case, let me see her," the Brahmin advisor replied.
 

Then King Dighiti's consort went to King Brahmadatta's Brahmin advisor. And when he saw her coming from afar, he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder and, with his hands raised in salutation to her, exclaimed three times:

Future Buddha, a royal noble (Dboo/flickr)

"Surely the [future] king of Kosala has come to your womb! Don't be worried, my queen. You will get to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn so as to drink the water used for the washing of swords."

 

Then he went to King Brahmadatta and said to him, "Your majesty, signs have appeared such that tomorrow at dawn a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, should stand on a parade ground and that the swords should be washed."

 

So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I decree: Do as the Brahmin advisor says." So King Dighiti's chief consort got to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and she got to drink the water used for the washing of swords. Then, with the maturing of her baby in the womb, she gave birth to a son. They named the prince Dighavu ("Long-Life").

When Prince Dighavu reached the age of discretion, the thought occurred to King Dighiti, "This King Brahmadatta of Kasi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. If he finds out about us, he will have all three of us killed. I should send Prince Dighavu to live outside the city." So Prince Dighavu, having gone to live outside of the city, studied widely and learned of all the crafts.

 

Now at that time King Dighiti's barber had gone over to King Brahmadatta. He had seen King Dighiti, together with his consort, living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house disguised as a wanderer. And having seen them, he went to King Brahmadatta and said to him, "Your majesty, King Dighiti of Kosala, together with his consort, is living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house disguised as a wanderer."

 

King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say: Go fetch King Dighiti together with his consort!"

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" they went and brought King Dighiti together with his consort.

 

We will kill whomever you and your ministers say, King Bush, Obama, Brahmadatta!

.

"Change? Yes we can't," admits Obama.

Then King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say: Having bound King Dighiti and his consort with strong rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, shave them bald, and march them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, cast them out of the south gate of the city and there, south of the city, cut them into four pieces, then bury them in holes placed in the four directions!"

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" the king's people [did so to] King Dighiti and his consort...

 

Then the thought occurred to Prince Dighavu, "It has been a long time since I saw my mother and father. What if I were to go see them?" He entered Varanasi and saw his mother and father bound with a strong rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, heads shaven bald, being marched to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads. He ran to them. But King Dighiti saw Prince Dighavu coming from afar and, seeing him, said:

 

"Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. [Compare with the "Do not look long; do not look short" advice given to Bahiya of the Barkcloth resulting in the fastest case of enlightenment. That is not the way to appease hatred.] For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance."

 

When he said this, the people said back: "This King Dighiti has gone crazy! He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance'?"

 

"I am not crazy, and I am not talking nonsense," the king insisted. "One who knows will understand." Then a second and third time he repeated: "Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance."

 

Again, the people said: "This King Dighiti has gone crazy! He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance'?"

 

"I am not crazy, and I am not talking nonsense," again the king insisted. One who knows will understand."

 

What's that mob doing to that bald couple?

Then the king's people, having marched King Dighiti together with his chief consort to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, cast them out the south gate of the city and there, south of the city, cut them into four pieces and buried them in holes placed in the four directions. They stationed guards and left.

 

Then Prince Dighavu, having entered Varanasi, brought some liquor and got the guards to drink it. When they had fallen down drunk, he collected wood, made a pyre, raised the bodies of his mother and father onto the pyre, cremated them as appropriate for warrior-caste royalty, and then circumambulated it three times with his hands raised in salutation.

 

At that time, King Brahmadatta was sitting on the terrace of his palace. And he saw Prince Dighavu circumambulating the pyre three times with his hands raised in salutation. Seeing him, the thought occurred to him: "Doubtlessly this person is a relative or blood-kinsman of King Dighiti. Oh, how unfortunate for me! For there is no one who will tell me what this means!"

 

Then Prince Dighavu, having retreated into the wilderness and having cried and wept as much as he needed to, dried his tears and re-entered Varanasi. Going to an elephant stable next to the king's palace, he said to the chief elephant trainer: "Teacher, I want to learn this craft."

 

"In that case, young man, you may learn it."

 

Then, rising in the last watch of the night [the very early hours of the morning], Prince Dighavu sang in a sweet voice and played the lute in the elephant stable. King Brahmadatta, also rising in the last watch of the night, heard a sweet-voice singing along with delightful lute-playing coming from the elephant stable.

 

Ooh, beautiful elephants awake, ooh-ooh!

Hearing it, he asked his people, "I say: Who was that, rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?"

 

"Your majesty, a young man -- the student of such-and-such an elephant trainer, rising in the last watch of the night, was singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable."

 

"I say: Go fetch that young man."

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" they went and fetched Prince Dighavu.

 

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say: Was that you rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?"

 

"Yes, your majesty."

 

"I say, then, my young man: Sing and play the lute."

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" seeking to win favor, Prince Dighavu sang with a sweet voice and played the lute.

 

Then King Brahmadatta said to him, "I say: You, my young man, are to stay and attend to me."

 

"As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu replied. Then he rose in the morning before King Brahmadatta, went to bed in the evening after him, did whatever the king ordered, always acting to please him, speaking very politely to him. It was not long before King Brahmadatta placed the prince close to him in a position of trust.

 

Then one day King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say, my young man, harness the chariot. I'm going hunting."

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu harnessed the chariot and said to King Brahmadatta, "Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty! Now is the time for you to do as you see fit."
 

Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dighavu drove it. 

But he drove it in such a way that the king's entourage went one way and the chariot another.

After they had gone far, King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say, my young man, unharness the chariot. I'm tired. I'm going to lie down."

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu unharnessed the chariot and sat down cross-legged on the ground. Then King Brahmadatta lay down, placing his head on Prince Dighavu's lap. As he was tired, he quickly fell asleep.

Revenge is sweet, oh my little, little lamb

Then the thought occurred to Prince Dighavu: "This King Brahmadatta of Kasi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. And it was because of him that my mother and father were humiliated and murdered. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!"

He withdrew his sword from his scabbard. But then he thought, "My father told me, as he was about to die, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.' It would not be proper for me to transgress my father's words."

 

So he put his sword back in its scabbard. A second time and a third time the [same] thought occurred to Prince Dighavu... But then he thought, "My father told me, as he was about to die, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.' It would not be proper for me to transgress my father's words." So once again he put his sword back in its scabbard.

 

You want a peace president?

Then King Brahmadatta suddenly got up -- frightened, agitated, unnerved, and alarmed. Prince Dighavu said to him, "Your majesty, why have you gotten up suddenly -- frightened, agitated, unnerved, and alarmed?"

 

"I say, my young man, just now as I was dreaming, Prince Dighavu -- son of Dighiti, the former king of Kosala -- struck me down with a sword."

 

Then Prince Dighavu, grabbing King Brahmadatta by the head with his left hand, and drawing his sword from its scabbard with his right, said: "I, your majesty, am that very Prince Dighavu, son of Dighiti, king of Kosala! You have done us great harm! You have seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. And it was because of you that my mother and father were humiliated and murdered. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!"

 

So King Brahmadatta, dropping his head down to Prince Dighavu's feet, said to him: "Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu! Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu!"

 

"Who am I that I would dare grant life to your majesty? It is your majesty who should grant life to me!"

 

"In that case, my dear Dighavu, you grant me my life and I will grant you your life."

 

Then King Brahmadatta and Prince Dighavu granted one another their lives and, taking one another by the hands, swore an oath to do one another no harm.

 

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "In that case, my dear Dighavu, harness the chariot. We will go on."

 

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu harnessed the chariot and said to King Brahmadatta: "Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty. Now is the time for you to do as you see fit."

 

Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dighavu drove it. And he drove it in such a way that it was not long before they met up with the king's entourage.

 

Then King Brahmadatta, having entered Varanasi, had his ministers and councilors convened and said to them: "I say: If you were to see Prince Dighavu, the son of Dighiti, the king of Kosala, what would you do to him?"

 

Different ministers said, "We would cut off his hands, your majesty!" "We would cut off his feet, your majesty!" "We would cut off his hands and feet, your majesty!" "We would cut off his ears, your majesty!" "We would cut off his nose, your majesty!" "We would cut off his ears and nose, your majesty!" "We would cut off his head, your majesty!"

 

The king then said to them: "This, I say, is Prince Dighavu, the son of Dighiti, the former king of Kosala. You are not allowed to do anything to him! It was by him that my life was granted to me, and it was by me that his life was granted to him."

 

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu: "What your father said to you as he was about to die -- 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance' -- in reference to what did he say this?"

 

"What my father said to me as he was about to die -- 'Do not be far-sighted' -- was, 'Do not bear a grudge for a long time.' That is what he was saying to me as he was about to die. 

"And what he said to me as he was about to die -- 'Do not be near-sighted' -- was, 'Do not be quick to break with a friend.' That is what he was saying to me as he was about to die.

"And what he said to me as he was about to die -- 'For vengeance is not settled through vengeance -- was, 'Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.'

"My mother and father were killed by your majesty. If I were to deprive your majesty of life, those who hope for your majesty's well-being would deprive me of my life. And those who hope for my well-being would deprive them of life. And in that way vengeance would not be settled by vengeance.

"But now I have been granted my life by your majesty, and your majesty has been granted life by me. And in this way vengeance has been settled by non-vengeance. That is what my father was saying to me as he was about to die."

But King of Heaven Jehovah says, Keep killing?

Then King Brahmadatta said, "It is amazing! It is astounding! How wise this Prince Dighavu is in that he can understand in detail the meaning of what his father said only in brief!" So he returned his father's troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries, and gave him his daughter in marriage [to Prince Dighavu].

 

Such, meditators, is the forbearance and gentleness of royals who wield the scepter, who wield the sword. So now let your light shine forth so that you, who have gone forth in this well-taught Dharma and Discipline, will be their equal in forbearance and gentleness.

Things are not what they seem, then as now

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The Buddha's first sutra

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly translation based on Ven. Piyadassi (ATI), "Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth," Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11)

Golden Buddha on the River Kwai Giant Buddha Temple (Marc_Wisniak/flickr)

 

(ursulasweeklywanders.com)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One (Buddha) was living in the Deer Park at the Resort of Seers (Isipatana) near Varanasi (Benares, India). There he addressed the group of five ascetics:

 

"Meditators, these two extremes ought to be avoided by one who has gone forth from the household life. What are the two?

"There is devotion (addiction) to indulgence of sense-pleasures -- which is low, coarse, the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable. And there is devotion to severe asceticism (self-mortification, self-abuse beyond the 13 kinds of "sane" ascetic practices), which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable [and the way of many penitents, hermits, and religieux].
 

Discourse (sutra) to the Five Ascetics (MT)

"Avoiding both of these extremes, the Wayfarer (the Tathagata, the Perfect One) has realized the Middle Path; it gives knowledge, gives vision, and leads to calm, to liberating-insight, to enlightenment, and to nirvana. And what is that Middle Path realized by the Wayfarer...?

It is the Noble Eightfold Path, and nothing else, namely: (1) right understanding, (2) right thought (intention), (3) right speech, (4) right action, (5) right livelihood, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, and (8) right concentration (absorption).

This is the Middle Path realized by the Wayfarer, which gives knowledge and vision (knowing and seeing), and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment, and to nirvana.
 
I.
"The noble truth of disappointment (dukkha), meditators, is this: Birth is disappointing, aging is disappointing, sickness is disappointing, death is disappointing, association with the unpleasant is disappointing, separation from the pleasant is disappointing, not getting what one desires is disappointing -- in brief the Five Aggregates subject to clinging are disappointing.

II.
"The noble truth of the origin (cause) of disappointment is this: It is this craving (thirst), which produces re-becoming (rebirth) accompanied by passionate greed, finding fresh delight now here, now there -- namely, craving for sense pleasure, craving for [eternal] existence, and craving for non-existence (self-annihilation).

III.
"The noble truth of the cessation of disappointment is this: It is the complete cessation of this very craving, giving it up, relinquishing it, liberating oneself from it, and detaching from it (letting go by dispassion brought on by insight into the true nature of all phenomena).
 
IV.
"The noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of disappointment is this: It is the Noble Eightfold Path, and nothing else, namely: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

The Five Ascetics became the first monastic disciples (earthyogi)

 
"'This is the noble truth of disappointment' -- such was the knowledge, the vision, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before. 'This disappointment, as a noble truth, should be fully realized' -- such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before. 'This disappointment, as a noble truth has been fully realized' -- such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before.
 
"'This is the noble truth of the origin (cause) of disappointment': such was the knowledge, the vision, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before. 'This origin of disappointment as a noble truth should be eradicated' -- such was the knowledge, the vision, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before. 'This origin of disappointment as a noble truth has been eradicated' -- such was the knowledge, the vision, the wisdom, the certainty, the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before.
 
"'This is the noble truth of the cessation of disappointment' -- such was the knowledge, the vision... the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before.
 
"'This is the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of disappointment' -- such was the knowledge, the vision... the light that arose in me concerning things never heard before.

"As long as my knowledge of seeing things as they really are was not clear in these three aspects, in these 12 ways, concerning the Four Noble Truths, I did not claim to have realized the matchless, supreme enlightenment, in this world with its devas (fairies), with its maras (killers), and brahmas (divinities), in this [human] generation with its wandering ascetics and Brahmins, with its devas and human beings.

"But when my knowledge of seeing things as they really are was clear in these three aspects, in these 12 ways, concerning the Four Noble Truths, then I claimed to have realized the matchless, supreme enlightenment in this world with its fairies, with its killers and divinities, in this generation with its wandering ascetics and Brahmins, with its devas and human beings. And a vision of insight arose in me:

"'Unshakable is the deliverance of my heart. This is the final birth. Now there is no more re-becoming (rebirth).'"
 
This is what the Blessed One said. The group of five ascetics was gladdened, and they rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One.
 
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Buddha, ascetics, devas (sundaytimes.lk)

When this (first) discourse was expounded, there arose in Kondañña the passion-free, stainless vision of Truth (dhamma-cakkhu). In other words, he attained stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment, realizing: "Whatever has the nature of arising has the nature of ceasing."
 
When the Blessed One set in motion the Wheel of Truth (Dharma), the earthbound devas proclaimed: "The matchless Wheel of Truth that cannot be set in motion by any (ordinary) wandering ascetic, Brahmin, deva, killer, divinity, or anyone in the world, is set in motion by the Blessed One in the Deer Park at the Resort of Seers near Varanasi."
 
Hearing these words of the earthbound devas, all the devas of the Realm of the Four Great Kings (of the four quarters) proclaimed: "The matchless Wheel of Truth that cannot be set in motion by any ordinary wandering ascetic, Brahmin, deva, killer, divinity, or anyone in the world, is set in motion by the Blessed One in the Deer Park at the Resort of Seers near Varanasi."

These words were heard in the upper deva realms, and from Realm of the Four Great Sky Kings it was proclaimed in deva Realm of the Thirty-Three... Contented... Tusita (Joyful)...Delighting in Creating... Delighting in the Creation of Others... and the Divinities of Brahma's Retinue... Brahma Ministers... Great Brahma... Limited Radiance... Limitless Radiance... Feeding on Delight (Splendid)... Limited Beauty... Limitless Beauty... Total Beauty... Of Great Fruit... Insensate... [The Pure Abodes:] Not Falling Back... Beautiful... Clear-Seeing... and Equal-in-Rank:

"The matchless Wheel of Truth that cannot be set in motion by any ordinary wandering ascetic, Brahmin, deva, killer, divinity, or anyone in the world, is set in motion by the Blessed One in the Deer Park at the Resort of Seers near Varanasi."
 
At that very moment, at that instant, the cry (that the Wheel of Truth had been set in motion) spread as far as Brahma world [in space], and the system of 10,000 worlds trembled and quaked and shook.

And an unbounded sublime radiance surpassing the effulgence (power) of (self-luminous) devas appeared in the world-system.
 
Then the Blessed One uttered this paean of joy: "Truly Kondañña knows, truly Kondañña knows (has penetrated these four ennobling truths)." So it was that Ven. Kondañña received the name Añña Knondañña -- "Kondañña who knows."

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The Buddha in Stone (sutra)

Wisdom Quarterly; Wonderlane, thanks to Natalie Sandoval on Buddhist pilgrimage

The Buddha in stone (Wonderlane/flickr.com)

   

This is a stone carving of the Buddha seated on a lion throne with a magnificent halo aura. he is holding the lotus mudra (yogic hand gesture) while seated in full lotus meditation asana (posture). He is surrounded by students, devas (angelic light beings) and dakinis. Coins are offered at the base of the statuary, located at the Deer Park in Sarnath (Isipatana, Uttar Pradesh), just outside India's holiest ancient city of Varanasi (Benares), which is where the Enlightened One taught his first sermon, expounded to the Group of Five Ascetics who became the first to directly know-and-see the Dharma in this dispensation.

What did the Buddha teach?

The Buddha's first sermon

“Meditators, two extremes should be avoided by one who has gone forth into [spiritual] homelessness. What are they? 

 

“The pursuit of happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of worldlings, ignoble, unbeneficial on the one hand and the pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, unbeneficial on the other.

“Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata [the Buddha referring to himself] has awakened to the Middle Way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to knowledge, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nirvana [complete freedom].

 

 

“And what, meditators, is that Middle Way awakened to by the Tathagata? 

“It is this Noble Eightfold Path [to Freedom], namely, right [samma, perfect, complete, harmonious, beneficial] view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. 

“This, meditators, is the Middle Way awakened to by the Tathagata, which gives rise to knowing-and-seeing, which leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nirvana.” More

• First Sermon: Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma
• The History of Humankind (Univ. of Texas)

(Incredible India 3) The Holy City of Varanasi (Benares)

Turning the True Wheel (sutra)

Seven, Wisdom Quarterly, FIRST SERMON, based on Ven. Nanamoli translation, "Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma Discourse" (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, SN 56.11)

The Supremely Enlightened Buddha (KanikaBadwal/flickr.com)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was living in Benares at the Deer Park in the Resort of Seers (Isipatana). There he addressed the group of five.

 

Gold Buddha, Thai cave (Cdammen/flickr)

"These two extremes ought not be cultivated by one who has gone forth from the household-life [as a spiritual seeker in search of truth]. What two? Devotion to indulgence taking pleasure in the objects of sensual desire, [a habit] which is inferior, low, vulgar, ignoble, and leads to no higher good. In contrast, there is devotion to self-torment [severe asceticism], which is painful, ignoble, and leads to no higher good.

 

"The middle way discovered by perfectly enlightened one[s] avoids both extremes. It yields vision, yields knowledge, and leads to peace, to wisdom (direct knowing), to discovery, to nirvana (the end of all suffering). What is that middle way? 

 

"It is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the Middle Way discovered by supremely enlightened one[s]... 

• [Samma is a multivalent term being translated as perfect, supreme, and "right"; it also means whole, full, complete.]

[FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS]

The Buddha under umbrella (Saminla88/flickr)

"DISAPPOINTMENT (dukkha, suffering, unsatisfactoriness, misery, woe, ill), as an ennobling truth, is this: Birth is disappointing, aging is disappointing, sickness is disappointing, death is disappointing, sorrow and crying, pain, grief and despair are disappointing; connection with things disliked is disappointing, separation from things liked is disappointing, not getting what one wants is disappointing -- in short, the Five Aggregates of Clinging are disappointing [that is, identifying with the psycho-physical components of existence is disappointing].

  

"The ORIGIN of disappointment (suffering), as an ennobling truth, is this: It is craving [as one of the 12 links in the causal chain of dependently originated suffering rooted in ignorance] that produces rebirth (again-becoming, renewal of being, renewed existence) accompanied by enjoyment and lust, thirsting after this and that, craving for strands of sensual pleasure, craving for continued existence, and/or craving for nonexistence.

 

"CESSATION of suffering, as an ennobling truth, is this: It is the remainderless fading and ceasing, giving up, abandoning, letting go, and rejecting of that very [kind of] craving.

 

"The WAY leading to the cessation of disappointment, as an ennobling truth, is this: It is this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. [The eight path factors are distinguished into three categories: wisdom or insight, virtue or morality, and meditation or concentration.]

 

[TWELVE ASPECTS, THREE PHASES]

Wheel halo (Buddhism.about.com)

"'Disappointment, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation, as [four] ennobling truths, are this.' Such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the discovery, the light of wisdom that arose regarding things never before heard by me. 

 

"'They can be diagnosed.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... 'They have been diagnosed.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... 'They can be abandoned.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... 

 

"'They have been abandoned.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... 

 

"''They can be verified.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... 

"'They have been verified.' Such was the vision, the knowledge... the light of wisdom that arose regarding things never before heard by me...

   

"As long as my knowing-and-seeing of how things are was not yet purified in these 12 aspects, in these three phases, for each of the Four Noble Truths, I did not claim in the world -- with its shining ones (devas), its killers (maras), its divinities (brahmas), in this generation with its ascetics (shamans) and priests (Brahmins), with its princes and people -- to have discovered supreme enlightenment.

[KNOWING-AND-SEEING]

Siddhartha and the group of five fellow practitioners including Kondañña

"But as soon as my knowing-and-seeing of how things are was purified in these 12 aspects, in these three phases, for each of these four ennobling truths, then did I claim in the world -- with its shining ones, its killers, its divinities, in this generation with its ascetics and priests, its princes and people -- to have discovered supreme enlightenment. 

"Knowledge and vision arose in me thus: 'My mind/heart's deliverance is unassailable. This is my last birth. There is no more [suffering or] renewal of being.'"

 

That is what the Buddha said. The group of five were glad and approved of his words.

 
[THE ONE WHO KNOWS]

During this utterance, there arose in Kondañña the spotless, immaculate vision of (insight into) the Dharma: "Whatever is subject to arising is also subject to [immediate] cessation."

 

When the True Wheel (the Wheel of the Dharma) had thus been set a'rolling by the Buddha the earthbound devas raised a call: "In Benares, at the Deer Park in the Resort of Seers, the matchless Wheel of the Dharma has been set a'rolling by the Blessed One, not to be stopped by ascetic or priest or shining one or killer or divinity or anyone in the world!"

  

On hearing the earthbound-devas' call, all of the devas in the six Sense Sphere deva worlds took up the call until it reached beyond Brahma's Retinue in the Fine-Material Sphere.

 

And so indeed at that hour, at that moment, the call soared up to the Brahma World, and this ten-thousandfold world-system shook and rocked and quaked. Moreover, a great measureless radiance surpassing the splendor of the shining ones shone throughout the world.

 

Then the Buddha exclaimed: "Kondañña knows! Kondañña knows!" That is how he got his name, Añña-Kondañña, which mean Kondañña-who-knows.