notes on the Dhamma

  questions about MN 21. 1.  what are thoughts of household life referring to? In SN 54.8, it's clear household thoughts would be monks desiring some household pleasures, perhaps even tempting enough to disrobe. But in MN 21, I can't imagine what it means. Don't monks and nuns also have thoughts and desire to protect people being attacked? I could see if the suttas said it was a lay person's "speech", and not a monk's 'speech' to react with displeasure. 2. what is the simile of the catskin bag mean?  the previous similes with earth, space, obviously make the connection with 'appamana' being unlimited in metta and ability to withstand criticism. But I can't see what the catskin bag is alluding to. 3. Why is it in the case with the nuns and monk mixing, the Buddha's instructions don't include sending metta to the attacker, and then using the attacker as a basis to send metta to the entire world, as it does in the other examples in...

  all Dhammapada verses on jhāna      Dhp  23  (jhāna all the time leads to nirvana)      Dhp  27  (negligent contrast with assiduous jhāna meditator)      Dhp  110  (single day with jhāna and virtue better than 100 years without)      Dhp  111  (single day with jhāna and discernment better than 100 years without)      Dhp  155  (obsessive jhāna level focus on food)      Dhp  181  (gods envious of Buddhas engaged in jhāna)      Dhp  276  (Buddha points way but you have to work, jhāna meditators freed from Māra)      Dhp  371  (not doing jhāna is negligent)      Dhp  372  (need both jhāna and discernment for nirvana)      Dhp  386  (sitting in jhāna, dustless, arahant)      Dhp  387  (warrior shines in armor and jhāna)      Dhp  395  (brahman does jhāna alone in forest)      Dhp  414  (araha...

Re: Where is the anapana spot in the Venerable Pa Auk's method? Post by frank k » Thu Nov 17, 2022 4:44 am DeadBuddha wrote: ↑ Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:00 amIn the book "Practicing the jhanas", it is written that "the specific spot can be anywhere from the upper lip to the entrance of the nostrils, but not inside the nostrils." But at the same time, it is written that we have to "be aware that any place within the region extending from the upper lip and including the nostrils is fine to use as the ānāpāna spot, if one particular place is easier for you than another." So I don't understand where the anapana spot is: is the anapana spot only contain the upper lip? Or does the anapana spot also contain the nostrils? Also, isn't the "entrance to the nostrils" necessarily located in the nostrils? I am really struggling to know where exactly I should observe the breath. Thanks in advance frankk response: You want to practice the Buddha's ...

Bundokji  wrote:  ↑ Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:42 amFriends, In AN 4.41, the Buddha taught: "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.In your understanding, what validates the sequence of arising, persisting and subsiding in the quoted sutta? In other words, what makes arising what it is, rather than being persisting or subsiding? Thank you Re: Concentration that when developed & pursued leads to mindfulness & alertness Post by frank k » Thu Nov 17, 2022 4:26 am It would help if you explain what's ...

Post by purple planet » Wed Nov 02, 2022 7:19 pm How do you practice metta specifically ? for a long time ? the above is basically the question , how exactly do you recommend to practice metta for a long time (meaning more than just for example 1-5 minutes but more like 30-60 minutes) here are just some examples of stuff that can be answered on the way : For example you can say may i be healthy and happy and not experience suffering than say it to someone close than someone a bit less close than less close ... than to an enemy than to bigger and bigger groups until everyone : but than what ? you get back to yourself and than expand again ? and repeat this for an hour ? (also what order : first enemy than all or first all than enemy ? what order do you do spesifcally ? ) maybe just send metta to self - repeat may i be happy for an hour ? and wait a few months untill i will get some specific expirence than expand that ? sending metta but without words at all ? imagination ? sending met...

In contrast to one correct way to interpret this passage, as I detail here: KN Snp 1.8 analysis of Metta Sutta where mother protects child, in the same way one PROTECTS mind that radiates metta Sujato claims that the simile in the metta sutta, where the mother "protects" (rakkhati) the child  really should be "preserve" (rakkhati). Sujato's translation of the mother simile Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttam āyusā ekaputtam anurakkhe; Just as a mother would preserve with [her] life [her] own child, [her] only child, Evampi sabbabhūtesu mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ. so too [one] should develop a limitless heart for all creatures. What does it mean to "preserve your child"? It's a really awkward and unclear expression. You going to turn your child into jam (preserve)? You want to preserve your child from getting moldy or spoiled?  The mother obviously needs to "protect" the child, not "preserve" it. Even if you want to say "preserve",...

  How to tackle the abhidhamma? I’ve tried reading bikkhu bodhi’s manual of abhidhamma a few times, but it goes over my head. Is there a good primer I could use to get a good foundation instead of jumping into the deep end? level 1 lucid24-frankk · just now Rather than tackle it, you should be running away from it as fast as you can to avoid being tackled by IT. B.Bodhi says: The Abhidhamma Piṭaka is obviously the product of a later phase in the evolution of Buddhist thought than the other two Piṭakas. The Pāli version represents the Theravāda school’s attempt to systematize the older teachings. Other early schools apparently had their own Abhidhamma systems. The Sarvāstivāda system is the only one whose canonical texts have survived intact in their entirety. Its canonical collection, like the Pāli version, also consists of seven texts. These were originally composed in Sanskrit but are preserved in full only in Chinese translation. The system they define differs significantly from...

 I've translated this famous and often misunderstood passage in such a way that I believe will prevent people from ever misinterpreting it again. Mātā yathā niyaṁ puttam Even as a mother would protect her own child, Āyusā eka-puttam-anu-rakkhe; her only child, at the risk of her own life, Evam-pi sabba-bhūtesu, so too towards all creatures [, for their safety and happiness, ] Mānasaṁ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṁ. [You] should develop [and protect your] unlimited heart. First, let's examine something that happens fairly often in verse, using a Dhp passage to illustrate: seṭṭho = surpeme.  Notice seṭṭho only appears twice in the four lines,  but it acts as an adjective modifying all four objects, not just attaching to two of them as you would in normal situations.  KN Dhp 273: (supreme: 4nt, 8aam, Virāga, Buddha) ♦ 273. ♦ maggān-aṭṭh-aṅgiko seṭṭho , (Of all) paths,-(the)-Eight-fold [Path] (is) supreme ; saccānaṃ caturo padā. (of all) truths (the) Four [Noble Truths] (are) {supre...