https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/metta-crucial-role-of-metta-in-suttas/17437
anon asked:
Isnt non illwill / abyāpāda not necessarily synonymous with being kind.
It just refers to not being “mad” inside or towards someone.
Ven. Dhammanando replied:
In Pali the prefix a- can mean “opposite of…” (paṭikkhepa)
as well as “absence of…” / “remoteness from” (virahita).
In the case of abyāpāda and avihiṃsā the commentaries understand both senses of a- as possible
but more often take it in the paṭikkhepa sense,
making the two words synonymous with mettā and karuṇā.
anon said:
bhante instead of abyāpāda avihiṃsā
why not directly state metta karuna as right intention?
Ven. Dhammanando replied:
If the commentaries are right in treating them as synonyms of mettā and karuṇā,
then one would be indicating the same referent
regardless of which of the two dyads one preferred to use.
I don’t think the commentaries ever explain why the Buddha
preferred one set over the other on any given occasion.
Perhaps there was already an established usage of speaking of abyāpāda-vitakka
rather than mettā-vitakka and he was simply conforming to this.
Anon asserts that doing metta is not equivalent to having non ill will.
Ven. Dhammanando then offers these sutta passages to support Tv commentary:
MN 117
“And what, bhikkhus, is wrong intention?
the intention of sensual desire,
the intention of ill will,
and the intention of cruelty.”
MN 8
“One given to wrong intention has right intention by which to extinguish it.”
AN 6.13
“… this, friend, is the escape from ill will, namely, the liberation of the mind by metta (friendliness).”
“… this, friend, is the escape from the thought of cruelty, namely, the liberation of the mind by compassion.”
Frank response:
AN 6.13 doesn't say doing metta is the only way to escape from ill will.
Also, common sense dictates there are many ways to escape from ill will.
For example, one could contemplate karma,
that revenge and violence leads to blood feuds and suffering for all parties,
that ill will leads to revenge and violence and thus ill will should be abandoned.
One can abide in jhāna without ill will,
one doesn't have to be doing metta towards specific groups of beings in order to be in jhāna.
(MN 78 actively includes sammā sankappo as part of first jhāna)
The standard formula for the 4 brahma vihāras all contain 'abyāpada' (non-ill will, not metta).
All 4 use the same formula, substituting 'Mettā' with (Karuṇā, Muditā, Upekkhā).
🤝🤗 mettā-sahagatena cetasā... | 🤝🤗with a mind of friendly-kindness, |
👐😊 Karuṇā-sahagatena cetasā... | 👐😊with a mind of compassion, |
😊 muditā-sahagatena cetasā... | 😊 with a mind that rejoices in skillful Dharmas, |
🛆👁 upekkhā-sahagatena cetasā | 🛆👁 with a mind of equanimous-observation, |
ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā | pervade [that mind state] in the direction [of the first quarter, without limit]. |
viharati, | Live in this way. |
tathā dutiyaṃ, | likewise (the) second [quarter], |
tathā tatiyaṃ, | likewise (the) third [quarter], |
tathā catutthaṃ; | likewise (the) fourth [quarter], |
iti uddham-adho | Thus above,-below, |
tiriyaṃ sabbadhi | across, everywhere, |
Sabbat-tatāya | All-places, |
sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ | (to the) entire world |
🛆👁 upekkhā-sahagatena cetasā | 🛆👁 with a mind of equanimous-observation, |
vipulena maha-g-gatena | vast, exalted, |
appamāṇena a-verena | unlimited, without-vengeful-animosity, |
A-byāpajjena pharitvā | without ill will, pervade [that mind state everywhere]. |
viharati, | Live in this way. |
Otherwise, all 4 brahma vihāras, if Tv commentaries are correct,
are saying you should be doing metta simultaneously with any of the 4 brahmaviharas,
since all 4bv contain abyāpāda.
Metta is qualitatively a different state than karuna, mudita, and especially upekkha.
Can you really be mentally neutral (upekkha) at the same time you're emotionally sending liking and friendliness (metta) to other beings?
No.
∴ Therefore a-byāpāda = non-ill will, not metta (as Theravāda commentary claims)
Even more proof: doing metta and asubha simultaneously
MN 78.5 - (what are 3 akusalā saṅkappā? exact opposite of 3 aspects of right resolve, lust, ill will, harm)
MN 78.5.1 - (Akusalā saṅkappā depend on 3 perceptions based on opposite of right resolves, lust, ill will, harm)
MN 78.5.2 - (akusalā saṅkappā cease in first jhāna)
MN 78.5.3 - (right effort does the work of removing akusalā saṅkappā within, and prior to first jhāna)
MN 78.6 - (what are 3 kusalā saṅkappā? same 3 aspects of Right Resolve)
MN 78.6.1 (kusalā saṅkappā depend on the 3 kusala perceptions)
MN 78.6.2 - (kusalā saṅkappā cease in 2nd jhāna)
MN 78.6.2.0 – (that means kusalā saṅkappā are active in 1st jhāna!
MN 78.6.3 - (right effort removes kusala sankappa from first jhāna resulting in no V&V of 2nd jhāna)
Vimuttimagga, Abhidhamma Vibhanga 12 also state that the 3 aspects of right resolve are active in first jhāna.
That means if you decide to do first jhāna based on asubha for example (foulness of 31 body parts), according to theravāda commentary, that 'abyāpāda = metta' means you're doing metta at the same time you're doing asubha foulness.
Which is absurd by any measure.
More supporting evidence: look at the exact definition of noble eightfold path
The Buddha tends to use the silver rule a lot, I don't see gold rule much.
right action is abstention from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct.
right speech is abstention from lying, abusive speech, etc.
right livelihood is abstention from wrong types of livelihood.
So why would right resolves be different? (gold rule instead of silver rule)
right resolve, if we're being consistent, is
abstention from sensual pleasures, ill will, harmfulness.
But look at Sujato's translation of right resolve: (as of today)
SN 45.8: Vibhaṅgasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net)
And what is right thought?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo?It is the thought of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.Yo kho, bhikkhave, nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo—
In an earlier translation, he even had this!
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo? | And what is right thought? |
Yo kho, bhikkhave, nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṃsāsaṅkappo— | It is the thought of renunciation, love, and kindness. |
What exactly is happening in Sujato's first jhāna, who claims to be interpreting and translating according to EBT?
On one hand, he claims vitakka and vicāra of first jhāna is "placing the mind and keeping it connected [to a visual kasina]".
What does a visual kasina of "love" (his translation of metta) look like?
And how do you do a first jhāna based on asubha according to Sujato if abyāpāda ("love" instead of non-ill will), means the first jhāna has resolves on metta and foulness at the same time?
What kind of kasina is that? A fetish of loving (abyāpāda "metta" towards) stinking body parts like intestines, urine, and feces?
Does that sound like a sammā samādhi to you?
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