He disperses all delusion -- as the rising of the sun, the dark

Greed causes harm.
Greed provokes the mind.
People don't realize itas a danger born from within.
A person, when greedy,doesn't know his own welfare;
when greedy,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with greed,
he's in the dark, blind.
But when one, abandoning greed,
feels no greed

for what would merit greed,

greed gets shed from him -- like a drop of water off a lotus leaf.

Aversion causes harm.
Aversion provokes the mind.
People don't realize itas a danger born from within.
A person, when aversive,
doesn't know his own welfare;
when aversive,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with aversionhe's in the dark, blind.
But when one, abandoning aversion,
feels no aversion

for what would merit aversion,
aversion drops away from him -- like a palm leaf from its stem.

Delusion causes harm.
Delusion provokes the mind.
People don't realize itas a danger born from within.
A person, when deluded,doesn't know his own welfare;
when deluded,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with delusionhe's in the dark, blind.
But when one, abandoning delusion,
feels no delusion

for what would merit delusion,
he disperses all delusion -- as the rising of the sun, the dark.

Itivuttaka 50-99
The Group Of Threes
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

A man wounded with a poisoned arrow...

"Suppose that a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with poison. His friends & companions, kinsmen & relatives would provide him with a surgeon. The surgeon would cut around the opening of the wound with a knife and then would probe for the arrow with a probe. He then would pull out the arrow and extract the poison, leaving no residue behind. Knowing that no residue was left behind, he would say, 'My good man, your arrow has been pulled out. The poison has been extracted, with no residue left behind, so it is not enough to do you harm. Eat suitable food. Don't eat unsuitable food, or else the wound will fester. Wash the wound frequently, smear it with an ointment frequently, so that blood & pus don't fill the opening of the wound. Don't walk around in the wind & sun, or else dust & dirt may contaminate the opening of the wound. Keep looking after the wound, my good man, and work for its healing.'

"The thought would occur to the man: 'My arrow has been pulled out. The poison has been extracted with no residue left behind, so it is not enough to do me harm.' He would eat suitable food, so the wound wouldn't fester. He would wash the wound and smear it with an ointment frequently, so blood & pus wouldn't fill the opening of the wound. He would not walk around in the wind & sun, so dust & dirt wouldn't contaminate the opening of the wound. He would keep looking after the wound and would work for its healing. Now, both because of these suitable actions of his and because of there being no residue of the poison left behind, the wound would heal. With the healing of the wound and its being covered with skin, he wouldn't incur death or death-like suffering.

"In the same way, there's the possible case where a certain monk thinks, 'Craving is said by the Contemplative to be an arrow. The poison of ignorance spreads its toxin through desire, passion, & ill will. I have abandoned the arrow. I have expelled the poison of ignorance. I am rightly intent on Unbinding.' Because he is rightly intent on Unbinding, he wouldn't pursue those things that are unsuitable for a person rightly intent on Unbinding. He wouldn't pursue unsuitable forms & sights with the eye. He wouldn't pursue unsuitable sounds with the ear... unsuitable aromas with the nose... unsuitable flavors with the tongue... unsuitable tactile sensations with the body. He wouldn't pursue unsuitable ideas with the intellect. When he doesn't pursue unsuitable forms & sights with the eye... doesn't pursue unsuitable ideas with the intellect, lust doesn't invade the mind. With his mind not invaded by lust, he doesn't incur death or death-like suffering.

"I have given this simile to convey a meaning. The meaning is this:

1. the wound stands for the six internal sense media

2. the poison, for ignorance

3. the arrow, for craving

4. the probe, for mindfulness

5. the knife, for noble discernment

6. the surgeon, for the Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened."

-Buddha

Sunakkhatta Sutta
To Sunakkhatta

Like an experienced carpenter...

Like an experienced carpenter or carpenter's apprentice, striking hard at, pushing out, and getting rid of a coarse peg with a fine one, should the bhikkhu in order to get rid of the adventitious object, reflect on a different object which is connected with skill. Then the evil unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).

If the evil unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a bhikkhu, who in order to get rid of an adventitious object reflects on a different object which is connected with skill, he should ponder on the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts thus: Truly these thoughts of mine are unskillful, blameworthy, and productive of misery. Then the evil unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (his subject of meditation).

Vitakkasanthana Sutta-The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.020.soma.html

The Pali word for unskillful is "akusala" and skilfull is "kusala".
It is also translated as unwholesome and wholesome.

In general an unskilful thought has three basic characteristics.

1. Causes you suffering in this life
2. Not praised by the wise
3. Causes suffering in future births (generate bad kamma)

ill will towards somebody is an example of an unskilful thought loving-kindness is an example of a skillful thought.

How should one know, how should one see, for ignorance to be abandoned and true knowledge to arise?

In ordinary day to day life when we hear something our instantaneous reaction is to respond with like, dislike or just a neutral feeling towards what we heard. This will cause passion (craving) or dispassion (aversion) or equanimity (which one may not be aware of) towards the sound.

All of these events happen at a tremendous speed in ordinary life and we may only be aware of lingering likes and dislikes, when we hear a sound. However, there are a series of events, dependably arisen that cannot be separately seen under ordinary circumstances to an untrained person.

Now how do we see this process as separate events, step by step or with precise clarity?

This is what we train during insight practice, the observation of separate events with precise clarity.

However before insight practice begins we usually need to bring the mind to a state of samadhi through a form of samatha meditation. This is commonly done through breath meditation (anapanasati). This sets the stage for the insight practice.

We usually train ourselves with our eyes closed therefore we have only five senses to work with at the start, which makes it easier. In addition to that we have also “closed” the tongue-taste, nose-smell and body-touch. The only ones we usually have to deal with are the mind-mind objects (majority) and the ear-sound, in a relatively quite place this hindrance is reduced.When the ear meets the sound, ear consciousness arises. After that, with the union of these three, contact arises. With contact feeling arises and so on and so forth. Now the trick here is to contemplate of the impermanence, suffering and non-self characteristics, as and when it arises at each step and “let it be” (or ‘let it go’). The earlier the step the better it is, and when you pass the feeling stage it may already be too late.

This is what I believe the Budhha meant by when he said :

"He sees the ear as something separate. He sees sound as something separate. He sees ear-consciousness as something separate. He sees ear-contact as something separate. And whatever arises in dependence on ear-contact — experienced either as pleasure, as pain, or as neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too he sees as something separate”.- Avijja Sutta*

Now how do we apply this to ordinary day to day life? When we practice with one sense faculty, for example the ear, the same method is applicable when it comes to other the other senses. If we have done enough insight practice during an adequate period of time we may try to apply this method to the eye, when you see something in ordinary day to day life. You may not be successful at the beginning but with enough insight practice you might be able to apply it in ordinary life as well. This applies to the other sense faculties aswell. It is through this practice that you will be able to see the “world” with insight (vipassana) wisdom.

The ignorance will now start to fade away from you….This is also confirmed in another sutta called Avijja Pahana Sutta (removal of ignorance - Samyutta Nikaya).

At Savatthi. "Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:"Venerable sir, how should one know, how should one see, for ignorance to be abandoned and true knowledge to arise?""Bhikkhu, when one knows and sees the eye as impermanent, ignorance is abandoned and true knowledge arises. When one knows and sees forms as impermanent ... When one knows and sees as impermanent whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition - whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant - ignorance is abandoned and true knowledge arises. When one knows and sees thus, bhikkhu, ignorance is abandoned and true knowledge arise." -Avijja Pahana Sutta - Abandoning Ignorance-translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi:SN 35.53

Basically, in this sutta the Buddha was asked, “In what way should one see to remove ignorance?” Budhha said “When you regard the eye as impermanent, the form as impermanent, the eye consciousness as impermanent, the eye-contact as impermanent, the felling as impermanent, the ignorance is removed, it is only then that clear knowledge, free from the once seemingly interminable ignorance, arises.”  

The same applies for the other senses and their respective stimuli, ear-sound, nose-smell, tongue-taste, bod-touch and mind-mind objects.

*Avijja Sutta-Ignorance

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.)

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.

How do you awaken to the truth ?

"When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on greed, hatred and delusion, he places conviction in him.

1. With the arising of conviction
2. He visits him & grows close to him
3. Growing close to him
4. He lends ear
5. He hears the Dhamma
6. He remembers it
7. He penetrates the meaning of those Dhammas
8. He comes to an agreement through pondering those Dhammas
9. Desire arises
10. With the arising of desire, he becomes willing.

11. Willing, he contemplates (lit: "weighs," "compares")
12. Contemplating, he makes an exertion
13. Exerting himself, he both realizes the ultimate meaning of the truth with his body and sees by penetrating it with discernment

" To this extent one awakens to the truth. I describe this as an awakening to the truth." -Buddha
Canki Sutta -With Canki

The sequence of events in the mind that lead to quarrels, conflicts, disputes, or even wars in the world? A sample of Buddhist wisdom

craving is dependent on feeling,
seeking (investigating/research) is dependent on craving,
acquisition (gain) is dependent on seeking,
ascertainment (inference and give value) is dependent on acquisition,
desire and passion is dependent on ascertainment,
attachment is dependent on desire and passion,
possessiveness is dependent on attachment,
stinginess is dependent on possessiveness,
defensiveness is dependent on stinginess,
and because of defensiveness,
dependent on defensiveness,
various evil, unskillful phenomena come into play: the taking up of sticks and knives; conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations, divisive speech, and lies.
-Maha-nidana Sutta- The Great Causes Didclourse
(Please note that I have added some addition meanings to the original translation after listening to a Pali version of the sutta)

How can we apply this to our day to day life?

A child:
A child sees an "X box"...craving arises...researches about it...buys it..passion arises about it...attachment to it occurs...stinginess develops...defensiveness happens...another sibling tries to play... may result in an argument or even physical fight.

An Adult:
Man sees a beautiful woman.. may be you can fill the rest of the sequence as stated above!

A country:
A leader of a country...sees a another country adjoining to him... craving arises...rest of the sequence just as above.. but may end up in a conflict or a war.

Want to lean more: please see the following labels:

It is a sticky business !

Suffering arises when the mind becomes too "sticky" to the sensory "foods" (five sensors and their respective stimuli). The practice of Insight meditation will help us to "let go" of these "foods" with ease. The contemplation of the three characteristics (impermanence, suffering and non-self) is the key to it's success.

I guess that is why it is called "Crazy Glue" (Crazy=delusion)!

craving is "the glue"

As a mountain of rock is unmoving...

As a mountain of rock is unmoving,
firmly established,
so a monk,
with the ending of delusion,
like a mountain,
doesn't quake.

Thag 14.1
Revata's Farewell

It's just as if there were a man blind from birth...

"Magandiya, it's just as if there were a man blind from birth who couldn't see black objects... white... blue... yellow... red... the sun or the moon. Now suppose that a certain man were to take a grimy, oil-stained rag and fool him, saying, 'Here, my good man, is a white cloth — beautiful, spotless, & clean.' The blind man would take it and put it on.

"Then his friends, companions, & relatives would take him to a doctor. The doctor would concoct medicine for him: purges from above & purges from below, ointments & counter-ointments and treatments through the nose. And thanks to the medicine his eyesight would appear & grow clear. Then together with the arising of his eyesight, he would abandon whatever passion & delight he felt for that grimy, oil-stained rag. And he would regard that man as an enemy & no friend at all, and think that he deserved to be killed. 'My gosh, how long have I been fooled, cheated, & deceived by that man & his grimy, oil-stained rag! — "Here, my good man, is a white cloth — beautiful, spotless, & clean."'

"In the same way, Magandiya, if I were to teach you the Dhamma — 'This is that freedom from Disease; this is that Unbinding' — and you on your part were to know that freedom from Disease and see that Unbinding, then together with the arising of your eyesight you would abandon whatever passion & delight you felt with regard for the five clinging-aggregates. And it would occur to you, 'My gosh, how long have I been fooled, cheated, & deceived by this mind! For in clinging, it was just form that I was clinging to... it was just feeling... just perception... just fabrications... just consciousness that I was clinging to. With my clinging as a requisite condition, there arises becoming... birth... aging & death... sorrow, lamentation, pains, distresses, & despairs. And thus is the origin of this entire mass of stress.'"

Magandiya Sutta -To Magandiya

As the rising of the sun...

Delusion causes harm.

Delusion provokes the mind.

People don't realize itas a danger born from within.

A person, when deluded,

doesn't know his own welfare;

when deluded,doesn't see Dhamma.

Overcome with delusionhe's in the dark, blind.

But when one, abandoning delusion,

feels no delusionfor what would merit delusion,

he disperses all delusion — as the rising of the sun, the dark.

-Iti 3.39; Iti 83, The Group of Threes

"Recycling' in this samsara

The "very core" of the real problem which binds us to this samsara and gets us "off track" from our path is the the greed, hatred, delusion, and fear. This leads to our continued "recycling' in this samsara.

Related Sutta

Agati Sutta -Off Course

See beyond... "the mountain of Ignorance"

"There was a great mountain slope near a village or a market-town which two friends, coming hand in hand from that village or market-town might approach; having approached the mountain slope one friend might remain at the foot while the other might climb to the top. Then the friend standing at the foot of the mountain slope might speak thus to the one standing on the top:

'My dear, what do you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might reply: 'As I stand on the top of the mountain slope I, my dear, see delightful parks, delightful woods, delightful stretches of level ground delightful ponds.'

But the other might speak thus: 'This is impossible, it cannot come to pass, my dear, that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see... delightful ponds.'

Then the friend who had been standing on top of the mountain slope having come down to the foot and taken his friend by the arm, making him climb to the top of the mountain slope and giving him a moment in which to regain his breath, might speak to him thus: 'Now, my dear, what is it that you see as you stand on the top of the mountain slope?' He might speak thus: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.' He might speak thus: 'Just now, my dear, we understood you to say: This is impossible, it cannot come to pass that, as you stand on the top of the mountain slope, you should see delightful... ponds. But now we understand you to say: 'I, my dear, as I stand on the top of the mountain slope, see delightful parks... delightful ponds.'

He might speak thus: 'That was because I, my dear, hemmed in by this great mountain slope, could not see what was to be seen.'

Dantabhumi Sutta -The Discourse on the 'Tamed Stage'

The city of "ultimate happiness"

The remains of an ancient city in Sri Lanka (Sigiriya)

Dhamma is the true existence of nature. It is always there whether we see it or not. We cannot see it clearly as our minds are already conditioned (delusion). Buddha just showed us the path which was already there. Arahants and the great forest masters have traveled the same path, and discovered this same “city.” If we follow the same path diligently, using the right technique, we should be able to arrive at the “city” ourselves, in this very life time. This is the city of "ultimate happiness."

Related Sutta:
Nagara Sutta -The City

In this post please note that:
The path is The Noble Eightfold Path -The Way to the End of Suffering
City of "ultimate happiness " the Nirvana

As the rising of the sun...

Delusion causes harm.
Delusion provokes the mind.
People don't realize it
as a danger born from within.
A person, when deluded,
doesn't know his own welfare;
when deluded,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with delusion
he's in the dark, blind.
But when one, abandoning delusion,
feels no delusion
for what would merit delusion,
he disperses all delusion...
as the rising of the sun, the dark.

Iti 3.39; Iti 83

Related posts
" The True Weapons of Mass Destruction" - Greed, Hatred and Delusion

Like a mountain... undisturbed

Just as a mountain of rock,
is unwavering, well-settled,
so the monk whose delusion is ended,
like a mountain, is undisturbed.

Udana 3.4

There's no fire like passion

There's no fire like passion,
no seizure like anger,
no snare like delusion,
no river like craving.

-Dhammapada

Related posts

" The True Weapons of Mass Destruction" - Greed, Hatred and Delusion

" The True Weapons of Mass Destruction" - Greed, Hatred and Delusion

'The Right View"

I was very disturbed to hear this story from a patient I saw last week at the clinic who presented with a hand infection. She was bitten a few days ago by another woman. This has apparently happened after a verbal argument between the two women. I was shocked to see this but I thought to myself .... this is a good example of human hatred at its best! Buddha said greed, hatred and delusion are the roots of all the unwholesome deeds in this world. I like to call these the "true weapons of mass destruction." People fight at home, at school or at work because of greed, hatred and delusion. People design chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction because of greed, hatred and delusion. Terrorist attacks on nations and war among countries happens because of greed, hatred and delusion. Whatever the unwholesome or so called "evil deeds" big or small that happen in this world can fit into three baskets of greed, hatred and delusion.

Buddha said when one understands the unwholesome, the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of "Right View." "The Right View" is the first step in the noble eightfold pathway leading to ultimate happiness. The Buddha said arriving at the "Right View" is something like seeing the brightness in the sky when the sun is about to rise (see the above picture). When the sun is fully shining you have already arrived at the perfect wisdom, called Nirvana. To achieve this one has to follow The Noble Eightfold Path, the pathway that leads to ultimate happiness.

Now we know that greed, hatred and delusion are the root of unwholesome deeds. What are the unwholesome deeds?

1. Killing living beings is unwholesome

2. Taking what is not given is unwholesome

3. Misconduct in sensual pleasures is unwholesome

4. False speech is unwholesome

5. Malicious speech is unwholesome

6. Harsh speech is unwholesome

7. Gossip is unwholesome

8. Covetousness is unwholesome

9. Ill will is unwholesome

10. Wrong view is unwholesome.

So the question is can we completely get rid of greed, hatred and delusion in our lives? Non -greed can be achieved by the practice of non-attachment (letting go). This may sound simple and you may say "it is no big deal , I can do it!" In real life you may find it is very difficult to do this when it is really the time "to let go." The deep cravings and attachments embedded in us may be very subtle, hard to see, yet they may be very strong. The practice of Vipassana meditation (see below) will help overcome these attachments and to help "let go" with ease.

Now how can we get rid of hatred? The antidote for anger and hatred is loving kindness. The loving kindness practice should start towards yourself first. This is the most important and the one that people often forget the most. This may be one reason why we find more and more depression in this world today. Once you start loving and appreciating yourself then you gradually spread loving kindness to your family, neighbours, ....and so on, and finally to the entire universe. I have discussed the practice of loving kindness and its benefits in a previous post (see below). The more you practice loving kindness the faster the anger or hatred will leave your heart. Buddha gave a beautiful simile about this. He said, "in some people anger is like a 'line drawn in the water'. It vanishes instantly as soon it appears. In others it is like a 'line drawn in the sand.' With time it will slowly fade away. In the third group it is like a 'line drawn on a rock.' It may take a lot of effort and time to get rid of anger. The first person has a lot of loving kindness in his heart whereas the last person needs to practice more loving kindness."

Finally, getting rid of delusion is the most difficult task. First of all it is a very difficult concept to understand. I will try to explain this clearly as possible in my own interpretation during this post. Delusion is also sometimes referred as "ignorance." This really means that we are really unaware of the true nature of our existence. To understand this you need to contemplate on how The Four Noble Truths work. Once we understand what is unhappiness and its cause,the craving, we have to find out how we can get rid of this craving. To do this we have to contemplate on how our six senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue,body and mind) work together with the external sense objects (object, sound, smell, taste, touch, mental object) and how and where this craving arise. Then you can contemplate on impermanence, suffering, and non-self of these six senses and their external sense objects. If this process is practiced diligently with mindfulness, it will help to get rid of the craving that arises in them as we realize it is fruitless to suffer because of an impermanent nature that is anyway not in your control (non-self)). This will help us step outside of this constant struggle with desire and aversion. You can merely look at them as they are with equanimity and let them go. This is the practice of Vipassana meditation. This will be discussed later in detail in a future post. Some concepts like, sensory restrains, impermanence, suffering and non-self have been addressed already in some of my previous posts (see below).

Therefore one must understand, although it is difficult, it is not impossible to fully get rid of greed, hatred and delusion, if you walk the path laid down by the Buddha (The Noble Eightfold Path). He has done all the hard work for us, we just have to see it and walk on the path. Buddha very cleverly showed us how to travel this path with great precision. It is like a "do it yourself" project. Nobody can do it for you, not even Buddha. You have to travel this path alone by yourself and it will finally lead you to the ultimate happiness in this very life.

Related suttas:

Sammaditthi Sutta, Magga-vibhanga Sutta, Saleyyaka Sutta, Mula Sutta

Sammaditthi Sutta

Avijja Pahana Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya IV)

Avijja Sutta- On Ignorance (Samyutta Nikaya XLV.1)

Avijja Sutta- On Ignorance (Samyutta Nikaya XXXV.80)

Pahana Sutta -On Giving Up

Related posts:

What is the matter with my grass? (Post on Loving Kindness)

Who will drink this medicine? (Post on The Four Noble Truths)

Why is this dog asking for more ? (Post on Sensory Restrains)

"Stop worrying about your body so much...you are just renting it anyway" (Post on Anatta or Non-self)

Life is just like a "Morning Glory"- Mindfulness about life (Post on Impermanence)

Mindfulness About Life- "A Lesson From The Garden" (Post on Impermanence)