notes on the Dhamma

On lucid24.org, I translate sampajano as 'lucid-discerning'. Because that word is related to pañña (discernment/wisdom), pajānati (he discerns), so it only seemed fitting to use the same word as much as possible. I got that idea from B. Thanissaro (he translates pajanati = he discerns, and pañña = discernment). But strangely, he translates sampajano as 'alertness' most of the time.  B. Bodhi translates sampajano as 'clear comprehension' most of the time.  B. Sujato translates sampajano as 'situational awareness' most of the time, and sometimes 'awareness' (AN 4.41 four jhanas context).  I see no reason to translate and interpret sampajano in different contexts when 'lucid-discerning' works properly and comprehensively everywhere, and has the great added benefit that the english reader reading my translations will always know 'lucid-discerning' = sampajano in pali, they don't have to play guessing games and go easter hunting as...

I first started a public dialogue with B. Sujato on his understanding of jhana, vitakka, vicara on his discussion forum, around 2015. On important suttas such as MN 78, MN 125, AN 4.41, AN 8.30, and many others, he deliberately declined to give an explanation on why his interpretation and translation of jhana terms contradict EBT suttas, causing fatal incoherence in the Dhamma.  In many cases he ends up contradicting himself (example below).  Both B. Sujato and B. Analayo, when I publicly and privately asked them to comment on how their interpretation of jhana being a frozen state where thinking is not possible, did not agree with AN 4.41 gloss of 3rd jhana's sati and sampajano (as well as MN 111), used some combination of equivocation, sophistry, and mostly just burying their head in the sand and pretending the mountain of evidence doesn't exist.  this article shows how vipassana is done with sati and sampajno in 3rd jhana, essentially samadhi bhavana for sati and sampaj...

AN 6.20 (un)intentional humor? "a centipede bite might kill me, that would be inconvenient" Edit Delete Report Quote Post   by  frank k  »  Mon May 25, 2020 5:42 am AN 6.20 (un)intentional humor? "a centipede bite might kill me, that would be inconvenient" (pali + english formatted properly) http://lucid24.org/an/an06/an06-0020/index.html sata-padī vā maṃ ḍaṃseyya; {or a} hundred-footed [centipede] ** I might-be-bitten (by), tena me assa kāla-kiriyā, because-of-that my **** time-of-death [would arrive], so mamassa antarāyo. that (for) me, (would be an) obstacle. Two pali grammar related questions: 1) what exactly is the obstacle: * death, * the specific cause of that death, * or the fact that one would have to die, be reborn, and for most beings that means they - forget the Dhamma they've learned this life time and have to relearn it again, - or not even get a chance to encounter Dhamma again? 2) was there any humor intended by the original pali construction? Th...

Samadhi Sutta - qestion? Quote Post   by  SarathW  »  Tue May 12, 2020 10:27 pm (section 3) "And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness?  There is the case where feelings are known to the monk as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside.  Perceptions are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Thoughts are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness. (section 4) "And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on arising & falling away with reference to the five clinging-aggregates: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away.  Such is feeling, such its...

A good posting from dhammawheel. Re: Loving kindness same as agape? Quote Post   by  Kim OHara  »  Tue May 19, 2020 10:56 pm It's very similar - Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē[1]) means "love: esp. charity; the love of God for man and of man for a good God."[2] Agape is used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one's children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast.[3] Agape is used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God for his children.[4] This type of love was further explained by Thomas Aquinas as "to will the good of another."[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love - but not as close as some people seem to think. Thanissaro has a good essay on the difference here -  https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... dwill.html ...Buddha says to develop this wish for ourselves and everyone else: "With metta for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart." (Snp 1.8) But what's the emoti...

correct definition: maraṇa-s-sati 💀  = death-remembering ‘appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṃ maraṇassatiṃ bhāvessāma āsavānaṃ khayāyā’ti. (AN 6.19) 1. Never forget, remembering to assiduously practice ☸Dharma for arahantship every moment, giving it everything you got, for the time it takes for one breath, or the time it takes to eat one mouthful of food. If you get sidetracked or forget to be assiduous (ap-pamāda), the Buddha calls that negligence (pamāda). ( AN 6.19 ). 2. Remembering, not forgetting that fatal accidents can strike at any moment, so practice the ☸Dharma assiduously every moment. Doing this correctly, will activate the  7sb☀️  sequence producing virtuous-mirth (mudita/pamojja) and rapture (pīti). ( AN 6.20 ).  4👑☸  →  STED  →  maraṇa-s-sati 💀🧟       sati 🐘     (⤴) maraṇa-s-sati 💀🧟 I made this fix on wikipedia : Probably just a matter of time before the collective 'wisdom' of the internet alter it i...

1st story, the book report In my childhood American public school education, from kindergarten to 12th grade, there were only two times that I encountered topics in class that I was genuinely intimidated.  School was easy. With little effort I could get an 'A' (highest grade) in any subject I desired.  That's not bragging, that's a testament to the (poor) quality of American public education.  The first subject that freaked me out was pre-calculus *. The second subject that totally freaked me out, happened in 3rd grade (8 or 9 year old child). We were reading a children's story that was maybe 10 pages long, and this was the first time as kids we were asked to write a book report.  Now I understood what a book report was asking for. You were suppose to condense the meaning of the story into a short summary. Why did this freak me out? Because I could not for the life of me figure out what details of the story were important and what was trivial and could be disregarde...