Wisdom Quarterly: arhatship

Showing posts with label arhatship. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

Thoughts of Liberation (on the 4th of July)

Wisdom Quarterly, text Meditation: First Steps to Control of the Senses (P.M. Rao)

When the Bodhisat failed to attain the goal -- freedom of the heart, liberation of mind -- by means of the formless concentration attainments and the extreme austerities and penances, he said to himself:

“I recall how, when my father the Sakyan was at work, I sat in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree and, aloof from the pleasures of the senses, aloof from unwholesome states of mind, I entered upon and reached the first absorption, which has applied and sustained attention, is born of aloofness, and has rapture and happiness. Could this, I wonder, be the way to wisdom?”

And there came to him the consciousness that follows truth: “Yes, this is the way to wisdom!” (MN 36)

After developing the four absorptions one after the other [and using it as a foundation for insight-meditation, tracing the links of Dependent Origination to discover the cause and solution to suffering] the highest wisdom was attained. He saw nirvana.

(nekorpa.org)

He accomplished the noble quest by following the method of serenity-and-insight (jhana-vipassana) as the way to nirvana.

But the only descriptions we find of the absorptions in the Discourse Collection come in a set of recurring formulas similar to the one given above concerning the first absorption. To follow the path to freedom today, we have to turn to the oral tradition for the actual practice. Experienced meditation teachers are not easy to find.

The formula for the first absorption has certain interesting and intriguing expressions. Chief among them are the phrases “aloof from pleasures of the senses” and “aloof from unwholesome states of mind.”

What does “aloofness” signify? In our work-a-day world surrounded by pleasing sense objects, we can imagine aloofness to consist of turning eyes away from a beautiful object or turning a deaf ear to a catchy tune. But how does one remain aloof amid the flood of thoughts when sitting in mentally secluded in meditation?

(nekorpa.org)

Far from the distractions of the world's sense objects, there are internal attachments and constant clinging we will not lay aside even long enough to become free.

We know of various things to do when unwholesome thoughts arise. As described in the Vitakkasanthana Sutra (Wheel No. 21, The Removal of Distracting Thoughts) it is possible to suppress, ignore, or replace them with wholesome thoughts. Or we might ponder over their unpleasant consequences, or try to remove the causes that give rise to them.

But to be aloof from them? A deeper study of the discourses shows that the word “aloofness” refers to a powerful psychological method of overcoming unwholesome tendencies.

The Buddha evolved a general approach for mastering some of the problems that arise on the path to nirvana. The attainment of aloofness in the first absorption is an example of this approach. The absorptions suppress mental defilements. That temporary purity of mind/heart enables insight-meditation to succeed.

Tibet's Potala Palace, overtaken and gutted by China, Lhasa, Tibet (Matteo Pistono)

This method can be understood by studying its application to the related subject of controlling the senses. But before any method can succeed, we must purify our attitude towards the world in general and sense-control in particular. How?

We must abandon all dogmas that hinder spiritual progress. Suppose one believes that there is a "destiny" that shapes all of our ends and at the same time recognizes the need to struggle to control the senses (a common combination of views). Further, suppose one encounters a particularly attractive object of desire.

It might be the path of least resistance to surrender to desire saying, “I was destined to do it.” Again one may have a theory that the attainment of an absorbed state is a sign of spiritual perfection. In this case, one would naturally put more emphasis on the methods leading to absorption. Then control of the senses would seem natural and good for this attainment.

But one may go to the other extreme: One may think that leading a good life and control of the senses are ends in themselves. The right attitude in these matters is to consider every attainment as a step to a higher one. The goal is nothing short of nirvana. Source

On 4th of July, Earth is Farthest from Sun
Joe Rao (space.com)

The weather forecast for this year's Fourth of July holiday in the United States calls for high temperatures across much of the country's central and southern states, with some places expected to surpass 100 degrees for the American holiday. So it may come as a surprise that despite this heat, the planet is actually about as far away from the sun as it ever gets. More

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Buddha's Last Disciple

Mahaparinibbana Sutra ("Great Final Passing Discourse")

KUSHINAGAR, ancient India - The Buddha had decided to enter nirvana (without-remainder) near a podunk town. Ananda, who was already distraught, could hardly believe it. But the Buddha explained that in the distant past the area had been a significant site for previous buddhas. Moreover, it was in territory no kingdom could outright claim to the exclusion and consternation of others. Before passing, the Buddha answered one final question.

Last Days of the Buddha

Sister Vajira & Francis Story (DN 16) edited by Wisdom Quarterly

51. Now at that time a wandering ascetic named Subhadda was dwelling at Kusinara. And Subhadda the wandering ascetic heard it said: "Today in the third watch of the night, the final passing (parinirvana) of the ascetic Gautama will take place."

52. And the thought arose in him: "I have heard it said by old and venerable wandering ascetics, teachers of teachers, that the arising of Wayfarers (tathagathas), Liberated Ones (arhants), Fully Enlightened Teachers (buddhas) is rare in the world. Yet this very day, in the last watch of the night, the final passing of the ascetic Gautama will take place. Now there is in me a doubt. But to this extent I have faith in the ascetic Gautama -- that he could so teach me the Dharma so as to remove that doubt."

53. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda went to the Sal tree grove, the pleasure park of the Mallas, and drew near to the [sad and preoccupied] Ven. Ananda, and told him his thought, saying: "Friend Ananda, it would be good if I could be allowed into the presence of the ascetic Gautama."

54. But Ven. Ananda answered him, saying: "Enough, friend Subhadda! Do not trouble the Wayfarer. The Blessed One is weary."

55-56. Yet a second and a third time the wandering ascetic Subhadda made his request, and a second and a third time Ven. Ananda refused him.

57. The Buddha heard the talk between them, and he called Ven. Ananda and said: "Stop, Ananda! Do not refuse Subhadda. Ananda, Subhadda may be allowed into the presence of the Wayfarer. For whatever he will ask me, he will ask for the sake of knowledge, not as an offense. And the answer I give him he will readily understand."

When the Buddha was passing from the danger of samsara to the blissful peace of nirvana with devas and the Sangha on hand

58. Then Ven. Ananda said to the wandering ascetic Subhadda: "Go then, friend Subhadda, the Blessed One gives you leave."

59. The wandering ascetic Subhadda approached the Buddha, saluted him courteously, and having exchanged with him pleasant and civil greetings, he seated himself respectfully at one side, saying: "There are, Ven. Gautama, wandering ascetics and brahmin priests who are heads of great companies of disciples, who have large retinues, who are leaders of schools, well known and renowned, held in high esteem by the multitude, such the teachers

Purana Kassapa
Makkhali Gosala
Ajita Kesakambali
Pakudha Kaccayana
Sañjaya Belatthaputta
Nigantha Nataputta [Mahavira, the founder of Jainism].

Have all of these attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or has none of them, or is it that some have attained realization and others not?"

60. "Enough, Subhadda! Let it be as it may, whether all of them have attained realization, as each of them would have it believed, or whether none of them has, or whether some have attained realization and others not. I will teach you the Dharma, Subhadda; listen and heed it well, and I will speak."

"So be it, venerable sir."

The Buddha's Lion's Roar
61. And the Buddha spoke, saying: "In whatsoever teaching (dharma) and discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true wandering ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of enlightenment (saintliness).

But in whatsoever dharma and discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness.

Now in this Dharma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path. And in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of enlightenment.

Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints.

62. "In age but 29 was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).

Siddhartha renouncing the world at age 29 with his charioteer Channa and his beloved white stallion Kanthaka on the outskirts of the Shakyan territory (ancient northwest Indian frontier).

"And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the recluses live rightly, the world will not be destitute of saints."

63. When this was said, the wandering ascetic Subhadda spoke to the Buddha, saying: "Excellent, O venerable sir, most excellent, O venerable sir! It is as if, venerable sir, one were to set upright what had been overthrown, or to reveal what had been hidden, or to show the path to one who had gone astray, or to light a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see -- even so has the Blessed One set forth the Dharma in many ways [suggesting he must have said more than is recorded here]. And so, O venerable sir, I go for guidance (sarana) to the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the Community of wandering ascetics. May I receive from the Blessed One admission to the Community and also the higher ordination."

64. "Whoever, Subhadda, having been formerly a follower of another creed (dharma or teaching), wishes to receive admission and higher ordination in this Dharma and Discipline, remains on probation for a period of four months. At the end of those four months, if the recluses are satisfied with him, they grant him admission and higher ordination as a recluse. Yet in this matter I recognize differences among people."

65. "I... will remain on probation for a period of four years. And at the end of those four years, if the recluses are satisfied with me, let them grant me admission and higher ordination as a recluse."

66. But the Buddha called Ven. Ananda and said to him: "Ananda, let Subhadda be given admission into the Community." Ven. Ananda replied: "So be it, venerable sir."

67. Then the wandering ascetic Subhadda said to Ven. Ananda: "It is a gain to you, friend Ananda, a blessing, that in the presence of the Buddha himself you have received the sprinkling of ordination as a disciple."

68. So it came about that the wandering ascetic Subhadda, in the presence of the Buddha, received admission and higher ordination. And from the time of his ordination Ven. Subhadda remained alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute [determined to reach the ultimate goal].

And before long he attained to the goal for which a worthy person goes forth rightly from the household life into homelessness, the supreme goal of the monastic life. And having by himself realized it with higher knowledge, he dwelt in it. He knew, "Destroyed is birth; the higher life is fulfilled; nothing more is to be done, and beyond this nothing more remains." Ven. Subhadda became yet another among the saints, the last disciple liberated by the Buddha himself. More