The Three Urgent Duties

There are three things a farmer should do in a hurry (urgently)

1. get the field well-plowed & well-harrowed.

2. plants the seeds

3. lets in the water & then lets it out.

Then you wait... results will come. You cannot rush it. You will reap the crops in time.

In the same way cultivate sila (morality), samdhi (concentration through meditation), panna (wisdom)... following this path (the noble eightfold path) ...apply the right technique...results will be there in time.

Just read the following sutta:

"There are these three urgent duties of a farming householder. Which three?"There is the case where a farming householder quickly gets his field well-plowed & well-harrowed. Having quickly gotten his field well-plowed & well-harrowed, he quickly plants the seed. Having quickly planted the seed, he quickly lets in the water & then lets it out."These are the three urgent duties of a farming householder. Now, that farming householder does not have the power or might [to say:] 'May my crops spring up today, may the grains appear tomorrow, and may they ripen the next day.' But when the time has come, the farming householder's crops spring up, the grains appear, and they ripen."In the same way, there are these three urgent duties of a monk. Which three? The undertaking of heightened virtue, the undertaking of heightened mind, the undertaking of heightened discernment. These are the three urgent duties of a monk. Now, that monk does not have the power or might [to say:] 'May my mind be released from fermentations through lack of clinging/sustenance today or tomorrow or the next day.' But when the time has come, his mind is released from fermentations through lack of clinging/sustenance."Thus, monks, you should train yourselves: 'Strong will be our desire for the undertaking of heightened virtue. Strong will be our desire for the undertaking of heightened mind. Strong will be our desire for the undertaking of heightened discernment.' That's how you should train yourselves."

-AN 3.91Accayika Sutta (Urgent)

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.091.than.html

The formula to progress in path of enlightenment

The formula to progress in path of enlightenment

There are four factors. The first two are external factors (you gain from outside). The last two are internal (has to come within you)

1. A Noble Friend (Kalyana Mitta)
2. Listening to Dhamma (Sadhamma Savana)
3. Wise Attention/Mindful reflection (Yoniso manasikara)
4. Practicing Dhamma -Mindfulness, Concentration (Dhammanu Dhamma Patipada)

The noble friend is one you lean true Dhamma (For example, The Four Noble Truths, Five aggregates... and so on). Once Buddha once said to Ven. Ananada "the progress path entirely depends on a true noble friend".

Sutta Reference:

Samyutta Nikaya, Sotapatti Samyuttaya, Sappanna Vaggo

The Fruit of Stream-Entry(Pala Sutta)
“Bhikkus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry. What four? Association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry.”

The Fruit of Once-Returning(Dutiya Sutta)
“Bhikkus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of once-returing. What four? ...(same as above)

The Fruit of Non-returning(Thatiya Sutta)
“Bhikkus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of non-returning. What four? ... (same as above)

The Fruit of Arahantship(Chatutta Sutta)
“Bhikkus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of arahantship. What four? ... (same as above)

(Kindly provided by Mr. Vijitha Jayasinghe)

"impermanence" - it is hard to see

Flowers in a.m. (left) The same flowers in p.m. (right)

Impermanence is one of the key teachings of the Buddha. Mindfulness of impermanence is fundamental to Buddhist insight meditation.


"With these flowers I venerate the Buddha,
By this merit may I gain liberation.
As these flowers fade and wither
So will this body be destroyed"

This is a common stanza Buddhists recite mindfully when offering flowers to Buddha. This may be a good way of reflecting on impermanence in your daily practice.

There are two similes I like to share with you from a sutta that helped me a lot to contemplate on this subject:

Simile of the burning oil lamp

"Just as when the oil in a burning oil lamp is inconstant & subject to change, its wick is inconstant & subject to change, its flame is inconstant & subject to change, its light is inconstant & subject to change. If someone were to say, 'The oil in that burning oil lamp is inconstant & subject to change, its wick is inconstant & subject to change, its flame is inconstant & subject to change, but as for its light, that is constant, everlasting, eternal, & not subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because the oil in that burning oil lamp is inconstant & subject to change, its wick is inconstant & subject to change, its flame is inconstant & subject to change, so how much more should its light be inconstant & subject to change."

Simile of the tree

"Just as when the root of a great, standing tree — possessed of heartwood — is inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is inconstant & subject to change, its branches & foliage are inconstant & subject to change, its shadow is inconstant & subject to change. If someone were to say, 'The root of that great, standing tree — possessed of heartwood — is inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is inconstant & subject to change, its branches & foliage are inconstant & subject to change, but as for its shadow, that is constant, everlasting, eternal, & not subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because the root of that great, standing tree — possessed of heartwood — is inconstant & subject to change, its trunk is inconstant & subject to change, its branches & foliage are inconstant & subject to change, so how much more should its shadow be inconstant & subject to change."

"In the same way, sisters, if someone were to say, 'My six external media are inconstant, but what I experience based on the six internal media — pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain — that is constant, everlasting, eternal, & not subject to change': would he be speaking rightly?"
"No, venerable sir. Why is that? Because each feeling arises dependent on its corresponding condition. With the cessation of its corresponding condition, it ceases."

Nandakovada Sutta

Burke Lecture: Buddhism in a Global Age of Technology

A distinguished scholar of Buddhism, Lewis Lancaster founded the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative to use the latest computer technology to map the spread of various strands of Buddhism from the distant past to the present. Series: "Burke Lectureship on Religion & Society" [6/2008] [Humanities]

"One bad Brick" - The fault finding mind

Ajahn Brahm always talk about this. His famous simile of the “brick wall” with the “one bad brick.” I always wondered where doest it fit in the scheme of things in Dhamma. I found this very beautiful sutta called Thyodhamma Sutta. I thought I would share it with you.This is how it goes:

Thayodhamma sutta (Abandon three things at a time).

To abandon

1. Birth

2. Old age

3. Death

You have to abandon

1. Greed (passion)

2. Hatred

3. Delusion

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Personality view

2. Doubt

3. Rituals and observances

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Drowsiness of the mind

2. Following the wrong path

3. Unwise consideration

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Unmindfulness

2. Unawareness

3. Mental distraction

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Dislike to see the noble ones

2. Dislike to hear the noble teachings

3. FAULT-FINDING MIND (upaarambha citta)

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Conceit

2. Unrestraint

3. Immorality

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Lack of confidence

2. Dislike to listen to others

3. Laziness

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Unfriendliness

2. Disobedience

3. Bad friends

To abandon the above three you have to abandon

1. Shamelessness

2. Fearlessness

3. Non-diligence

You can see how something very basic such as following the five precepts can lead to enlightenment. The shame and the fear for unwholesome deeds as well as the diligence to prevent or get rid of unwholesome deeds can be considered as the first three "stepping stones" in this path. This is basically morality or following the precepts.

To listen to MP3 of Thyodhamma Suttahttp://www.gautamabuddha.ca/bana/english/14_Kitariri_Sutta.MP3(In the link it should read Thayodhamma sutta, not Kitagiri sutta)

A man were wounded with a poisoned arrow

Some people get too much involved in trivial details of the Dhamma rather than focusing on what is essential to the their progress in this path. They will never arrive at the true Dhamma. Buddha used this simile to illustrate this point.

"It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with poison. His friends & companions, kinsmen & relatives would provide him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the man who wounded me was a noble warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know the given name & clan name of the man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or golden-colored... until I know his home village, town, or city... until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow or a crossbow... until I know whether the bowstring with which I was wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp, or bark... until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with which I was wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a peacock, or another bird... until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water buffalo, a langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown to him.

"In the same way, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the Blessed One as long as he does not declare to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,'... or that 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' the man would die and those things would still remain undeclared by the Tathagata.

"And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me.

"And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress*,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.

* The Four Noble Truths

Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta-The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya

Mindfulness meditation has become perhaps the most popular new psychotherapy technique of the past decade.

The New York Times

Mindfulness meditation has become perhaps the most popular new psychotherapy technique of the past decade.

Health / Research
Lotus Therapy
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: May 27, 2008

Meditate on garbage

One night I left out my garbage and the raccoons made a real mess of it. See the photos. I had to collect all the garbage piece by piece and put it back in the bins again. I was so upset and angry and I decided never to keep garbage out on the night previous to the garbage collection day. It ruined my entire morning.

But it happened again.

I forgot to close the garage door last night. I think my “mind was full” instead of being mindful :). Raccoons has had a great feast on the garbage and it was all over the garage floor.

I had two choices. Just to get upset and complain like last time or clean it with mindfulness as an exercise. I decided to go with the second option. I collected each piece of garbage with complete mindfulness. To my surprise I did a great cleaning job without creating any “suffering” to me. It is amazing how you can meditate, even on garbage!

Buddha expalined how to be mindful in evrything you do. It is very hard but you can try and train yourself. This is how:

"Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert.

To read the full sutta:

Sathipattana Sutta

It’s not just for monks-A new therapy uses meditation to prevent depression relapse

Maclean's Magazine
It’s not just for monks
A new therapy uses meditation to prevent depression relapse
CATHY GULLI May 14, 2008

Beijing Olympics and Buddhism

Sunday, 18 May 2008

Point of view:
Beijing Olympics and Buddhism
By Dr. Piyal WALPOLA

How can mindfulness help depression?

"Train your mind"- Read how mindfulness can help depression in the Maclean's magazine

Head of a snake

If one, longing for sensual pleasure,
achieves it, 

yes,

he's enraptured at heart.
The mortal gets what he wants.
But if for that person ... longing, desiring ... the pleasures diminish,
he's shattered,

as if shot with an arrow.

Whoever avoids sensual desires... as he would,
with his foot,
the head of a snake ... goes beyond,
mindful,

this attachment in the world.

Kama Sutta -Sensual Pleasure

A monkey in the forest

When a person lives heedlessly,
his craving grows like a creeping vine.
He runs now here
& now there,
as if looking for fruit:
a monkey in the forest.

-Dhammapada

Just as rust eats the very iron...

Just as rust
— iron's impurity —
eats the very iron
from which it is born,
so the deeds
of one who lives slovenly
lead him on
to a bad destination.
-Dhammapada

How to train mindfulness...

The Blessed One said, "Suppose, monks, that a large crowd of people comes thronging together, saying, 'The beauty queen! The beauty queen!' And suppose that the beauty queen is highly accomplished at singing & dancing, so that an even greater crowd comes thronging, saying, 'The beauty queen is singing! The beauty queen is dancing!' Then a man comes along, desiring life & shrinking from death, desiring pleasure & abhorring pain. They say to him, 'Now look here, mister. You must take this bowl filled to the brim with oil and carry it on your head in between the great crowd & the beauty queen. A man with a raised sword will follow right behind you, and wherever you spill even a drop of oil, right there will he cut off your head.' Now what do you think, monks: Will that man, not paying attention to the bowl of oil, let himself get distracted outside?"

"No, lord."

"I have given you this parable to convey a meaning. The meaning is this: The bowl filled to the brim with oil stands for mindfulness immersed in the body. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will develop mindfulness immersed in the body. We will pursue it, hand it the reins and take it as a basis, give it a grounding, steady it, consolidate it, and undertake it well.' That is how you should train yourselves."

Sedaka Sutta
At Sedaka
(2: The Beauty Queen)

The Heart-Brain Connection: The Neuroscience of Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning

Neuroscientist Richard Davidson presents his research on how social and emotional learning can affect the brain.

Sensuality, a bog hard to cross over

I call greed a 'great flood';
hunger, a swift current.
Preoccupations are ripples;
sensuality, a bog hard to cross over.
Not deviating from truth,a sage stands on high ground : a brahman

Attadanda Sutta

Loving-kindness far excels ...

"Whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth one sixteenth part of the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness; in shining and beaming and radiance the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness far excels them."

Itivuttaka, Sutta 27(spoken by the Buddha)

Effects of Loving-kindness (compassion) meditation

From latest scientific research: March 26th 2008

Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise
Antoine Lutz1*, Julie Brefczynski-Lewis2, Tom Johnstone3, Richard J. Davidson1*
1 University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America2 West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America3 University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

Click on this to read the full article

Watch CNN Video


From the Anguttara Nikaya, 11:16(spoken by the Buddha) :2500 years ago


"When the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?


A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world."

Click on this to read the full sutta