Bail out this boat...

Monk, bail out this boat.
It will take you lightly when bailed.
Having cut through passion, aversion,
you go from there to Unbinding.

-Dhammapada

"Bailing out the boat" here means- Getting rid of delusion (Ignorance)

Passion- Carving

aversion-Hatred

Unbinding-Enlightenment (Nirvana)

(See labels below for other posts on these topics.)

So rare is a human birth...

"Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north.

And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?"

"It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole."

"It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.

Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.

"Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.*'"

Chiggala Sutta
The Hole

*The Four Noble Truths

See the beauty inside the river...

Untrained mind is like a " beautiful river in a rain storm". We can hardly see the beauty inside of river. But when the mind is calm and there is clarity, it is as if the rain and the wind has suddenly stopped. We now start seeing all the beautiful fish, plants and the rocks inside.

Rain storm=five hindrances

mind clam and clear= mindfulness meditation

 beautiful fish, plants and rocks=wisdom

Like the blind men who saw the elephant....

"Once, in this same Savatthi, there was a certain king who said to a certain man, 'Gather together all the people in Savatthi who have been blind from birth.'"

"'As you say, your majesty,' the man replied and, rounding up all the people in Savatthi who had been blind from birth, he went to the king and on arrival said, 'Your majesty, the people in Savatthi who have been blind from birth have been gathered together.'

"'Very well then, show the blind people an elephant.'

"'As you say, your majesty,' the man replied and he showed the blind people an elephant. To some of the blind people he showed the head of the elephant, saying, 'This, blind people, is what an elephant is like.' To some of them he showed an ear of the elephant, saying, 'This, blind people, is what an elephant is like.' To some of them he showed a tusk... the trunk... the body... a foot... the hindquarters... the tail... the tuft at the end of the tail, saying, 'This, blind people, is what an elephant is like.'

"Then, having shown the blind people the elephant, the man went to the king and on arrival said, 'Your majesty, the blind people have seen the elephant. May your majesty do what you think it is now time to do.'

"Then the king went to the blind people and on arrival asked them, 'Blind people, have you seen the elephant?'

"'Yes, your majesty. We have seen the elephant.'

"'Now tell me, blind people, what the elephant is like.'

"The blind people who had been shown the head of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a water jar.'

"Those who had been shown the ear of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a winnowing basket.'

"Those who had been shown the tusk of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like an iron rod.'

"Those who had been shown the trunk of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like the pole of a plow.'

"Those who had been shown the body of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a granary.'

"Those who had been shown the foot of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a post.'

"Those who had been shown the hindquarters of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a mortar.'

"Those who had been shown the tail of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a pestle.'

"Those who had been shown the tuft at the end of the tail of the elephant replied, 'The elephant, your majesty, is just like a broom.'

"Saying, 'The elephant is like this, it's not like that. The elephant's not like that, it's like this,' they struck one another with their fists. That gratified the king.

"In the same way, monks, the wanderers of other sects are blind and eyeless*. They don't know what is beneficial and what is harmful. They don't know what is the Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful, not knowing what is Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma, they live arguing, quarreling, and disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, 'The Dhamma is like this, it's not like that. The Dhamma's not like that, it's like this.'"

*blind and eyeless- This means not knowing the Four Noble Truths

Tittha Sutta -Various Sectarians (1)

Dependent Origination (DO): How do we apply it?

This is how I see it*.

1. DO in a puthujjana** :

As we have discussed in other posts these processes in DO happen at such an incredible speed it is almost impossible for an untrained mind to recognize these chains of events in day-to-day life. However, it may be possible for one to observe some of these things when the mind is quiet, especially at the time of meditation.

It all starts with our six senses (sixfold sense base -salayatana) as this is the only way which we communicate with the outside world. This puthujjana person is influenced their by own ignorance.

When the eye meets an object, the eye consciousness arises. The union of these three: The eye + the object + the eye consciousness = contact (arises)
(The same is true for all other 5 senses).

Contact gives rise to feeling.
Feeling then gives rise to craving which gives rise to clinging and subsequently to becoming (Bhava). This is the kamma formation for resultant vipaka in the future.

After death the vinnana ( the stream of consciousness) continues, driven by the craving of previous existence. The sankaras have already done the job for its arrival
(Bhava-kamma formations for resultant vipaka).

Buddha described this beautifully in a metaphorical way. The kamma is the field, vinana is the seed you sow and the craving is the water you pour. The plant can grow (birth) given all these conditions are present at that time.

After the vinnana enters the fertilized state of a new being, the name and form (napmarupa) has to be present for it to develop further. Vinnana leads to namarupa. With namarupa the six senses continue to develop in the embryo and they begin to function fully after birth and “here we go again”, back to the beginning – to the six senses.

It important to note here that in a puthujjana mind with the ignorance, volitional formation (sankhara) are made of meritorious karma (puññ'ābhisankhāra), demeritorious (apuññ'abhisankhāra) and imperturbable (āneñj'ābhisankhāra). They all have the potential to make bahva (kamma formation for the vipaka) as long as there is craving and clinging along the way. The meritorious karma-formations (puññ'ābhisankhāra) has the potential make birth in Karma Loka and Rupa Loka (sensuous and the fine-material sphere). This could a result of positive kamma for example, Dana(generosity) Sila (virtue), Bhavana (meditation) and attainment of Rupa Jhanas (fine matrial Jhanas) respectively. The demeritorious (apuññ'abhisankhāra) sankhara will only result bhava in the Karma Loka (sensuous sphere) for example in the Hell realms, and the 'imperturbable'(āneñj'ābhisankhāra) only to the Arupa Loka (immaterial sphere)***.

Is it possible to stop DO?
To stop the chain of events in DO we basically have to get rid of ignorance and/or caving.

How do we do it?
The contemplation of the three characteristics (impermanence, suffering and non-self) is the key to its success.

What do we contemplate on?
We contemplate on the six senses and their respective stimuli, as this is where it all starts. With gradual training (insight meditation) the six senses will become less “sticky” to their respective sensory stimuli. Eventually we should be able get rid of ignorance, craving, and eventually clinging. It is most certainly difficult, needs diligent practice, patience and effort to accomplish, however the task is not impossible.


2. DO in a fully enlightened being:

In the case of a fully enlightened being there is NO MORE ignorance. This is the first step in DO. With the destruction of ignorance two other defilements, craving and clinging will also be gone (simultaneously). No more clinging, and therefore no more becoming, no more birth, no more old age, illness, death all which are causes of suffering.

However there is volitional formation (sankhara), consciousness (vinnana), namarupa, salayathana, passa, vedana still operating WITHOUT ignorance. These sankhara without ignorance, craving and clinging have NO potential to generate a new existence.

There is also no STREAM of consciousness but the consciousness of THE MOMENT is present.

Now if you apply the same metaphor Buddha used above, there is no field (formation of kamma), no seed to sow (no stream of consciousness) and no water (craving) to pour. Therefore there is no way a plant can grow (birth).

No more birth. This is the end of dukka.

Note:
*Here I have not discussed DO in the conventional 12 step process extending over many lives. What I have done is to try and apply DO to our own lives and investigate how it works.

**puthujjana: A worldly individual. An ordinary person who has not yet realized any of the four stages of Awakening.

*** Reference:http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/s_t/sankhaara.htm

Which is harder to do...

"What do you think, Ananda: Which is harder to do, harder to master — to shoot arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other, or to take a horsehair split into seven strands and pierce tip with a tip?"

"This, lord, is harder to do, harder to master — to take a horsehair split into seven strands and pierce tip with a tip."

"And they, Ananda, pierce what is even harder to pierce, those who pierce, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who pierce, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stres*s.'

"Therefore, Ananda, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress*.'"

Vala Sutta-The Horsehair

* Four Noble Truths

How to protect your Mind...just like a well protected fortress...

Buddha compared protecting the mind to a well protected Fortress

Seven External Protections:

1. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has a foundation post — deeply rooted, well embedded, immovable, & unshakable — for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way a disciple of the noble ones has conviction, is convinced of the Tathagata's Awakening...

2. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has a moat, both deep & wide, for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way, the disciple of the noble ones has a sense of shame. He feels shame at [the thought of engaging in] bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct...

3. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has an encircling road, both high & wide, for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way, the disciple of the noble ones has a sense of concern (fear). He feels concern (afraid) for [the suffering that results from] bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct...

4. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has many weapons stored, both arrows & things to be hurled, for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way, the disciple of the noble ones has heard much, has retained what he has heard, has stored what he has heard (knowledge of Dhamma)...

5. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has a large army stationed within — elephant soldiers, cavalry, charioteers, bowmen, standard-bearers, billeting officers, soldiers of the supply corps, noted princes, commando heroes, infantry, & slaves — for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way a disciple of the noble ones keeps his persistence (right effort) aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities and taking on skillful mental qualities, is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities...

6. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has a gate-keeper — wise, experienced, intelligent — to keep out those he doesn't know and to let in those he does, for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way a disciple of the noble ones is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering & able to call to mind even things that were done & said long ago. With mindfulness as his gate-keeper...

7. "Just as the royal frontier fortress has ramparts (defensive wall) — high & thick & completely covered with plaster — for the protection of those within and to ward off those without; in the same way a disciple of the noble ones is discerning (wisdom), endowed with discernment leading to the arising of the goal — noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress...

Four Internal Protections:

1. Just as a royal frontier fortress has large stores of grass, timber & water for the delight, convenience, & comfort of those within, and to ward off those without; in the same way the disciple of the noble ones, quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana...

2. Just as a royal frontier fortress has large stores of rice & barley for the delight, convenience, & comfort of those within, and to ward off those without; in the same way the disciple of the noble ones, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana...

3. Just as a royal frontier fortress has large stores of sesame, green gram, & other beans for the delight, convenience, & comfort of those within, and to ward off those without; in the same way the disciple of the noble ones, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana...

4. Just as a royal frontier fortress has large stores of tonics — ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, molasses, & salt — for the delight, convenience, & comfort of those within, and to ward off those without; in the same way the disciple of the noble ones, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress, as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress, enters & remains in the fourth jhana ...

To read the full version of the sutta:

Nagara Sutta-The Fortress

Keep riding no matter what...

There is this question that come up again and again. Is attainment of Jhana necessary for enlightenment? Jhana is considered to provide "lubrication" for your vipassana practice.
Can you just practice vipassana ("dry" vipassana) without attainment of Jhana to attain liberation?

There is so much said about in support of both these methods.

This is how I see it.

I guess it does not matter whether your bicycle has lubrication or not the idea is to get on and ride it. May be there is enough lubrication in it from before. May be you may find some lubrication along the way. May be it is very dry but you still can ride it.  You need the right technique. The main thing is to have faith in it, ride it with right effort and mindfulness. You may be delighted to see the most amazing sights traveling along this path you have never seen before. This way you are sure to reach your "destination".

So keep riding no matter what...

In this simile:

ride the bicycle-meditation

lubrication - wet vipassana meditation ( starting with jhanas)

lubrication from before- previous jhana practice (this life or previous lives)

lubrication along the way- attaining stages of enlightenment (stream entry, etc.)

right technique- in accordance with satipattana sutta

1. faith, 2. effort, 3. mindfulness, 4. delighted (joy)/smadhi, 

5. mazing sights/wisdom- The five spiritual faculties

along the path- the noble eightfold path

destination- enlightenment 

Train your mind like a fortress...

"Suppose, monk, that there were a royal frontier fortress with strong walls & ramparts and six gates. In it would be a wise, experienced, intelligent gatekeeper to keep out those he didn't know and to let in those he did. A swift pair of messengers, coming from the east, would say to the gatekeeper, 'Where, my good man, is the commander of this fortress?' He would say, 'There he is, sirs, sitting in the central square.' The swift pair of messengers, delivering their accurate report to the commander of the fortress, would then go back by the route by which they had come. Then a swift pair of messengers, coming from the west... the north... the south, would say to the gatekeeper, 'Where, my good man, is the commander of this fortress?' He would say, 'There he is, sirs, sitting in the central square.' The swift pair of messengers, delivering their accurate report to the commander of the fortress, would then go back by the route by which they had come.

"I have given you this simile, monk, to convey a message. The message is this: The fortress stands for this body — composed of four elements, born of mother & father, nourished with rice & barley gruel, subject to constant rubbing & abrasion, to breaking & falling apart. The six gates stand for the six internal sense media. The gatekeeper stands for mindfulness. The swift pair of messengers stands for tranquillity (samatha) and insight (vipassana). The commander of the fortress stands for consciousness. The central square stands for the four great elements: the earth-property, the liquid-property, the fire-property, & the wind-property. The accurate report stands for Unbinding (nibbana). The route by which they had come stands for the noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration."

Kimsuka Sutta
The Riddle Tree

Showing the Path to Buddha Dhamma...

Buddha saw the entire world with beings of different levels of maturity in the path of Dhamma. He compared this to a lotus pond. He targeted the lotuses of higher degree of maturity. Those are the mature lotuses that are at or close to the surface awaiting for the sun (Dhamma) to shine for them to bloom (enlighten).

Unfortunately like the Buddha, we don't have that special ability of knowing the maturity of the spiritual faculties in others.

Then how can we guide another person to the path...

You may consider:

1. Is it going to be beneficial for the person at this time ?

if yes- consider#2
if no- don't tell

2. Is he going to accept it ?

if yes -you can tell
if no - you have to wait for the right timing

Essentially TIMING is everything.

There are three groups of people

1. Some you can show the benefits of skillful deeds and direct them to the path.

2. Some you can show them the adverse results of unskillful deeds and direct them to the path.

3. The rest you "KILL" them.

"KILL THEM" ?

Please read the sutta below:

Kesi Sutta
To Kesi the Horsetrainer
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.111.than.html

p.s.
I feel ignorance (delusion), conceit and fear may be the main reasons that one may be reluctant to accept this path.

The wise always delights...in the Dhamma

Drinking the Dhamma,
refreshed by the Dhamma,
one sleeps at ease
with clear awareness & calm.
In the Dhamma revealed
by the noble ones,
the wise person
always delights.
-Dhammapada

A Dukka Machine...

Mental formations (sankara) is a part of Dukka (five aggregates) which generates more Dukka. It is like a Dukka amplifier.

"Sankatha Abhisankarothi" (in Pali)

It basically "cetana", which is essentially kamma. Kamma is like a field, preparing for the plantation of another seed (vinnana) with the aid of water (tanha). The final result is a birth.

This leads to more rupa, vedana, sanna, snakara, vinnana.

More Dukka!

Life...

This picture is taken from apple screen saver images, thank you for sharing this picture with us.