I followed that path...

"It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king's minister, saying, 'Sire, you should know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path... I followed it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with parks, groves, & ponds, walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!' The king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would become powerful, rich, & well-populated, fully grown & prosperous.

"In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging & death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging & death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging & death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging & death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name-&-form... consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.

Nagara Sutta -The City

You make things worse...

You make things worse when you flare up at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up at someone who's angry wins a battle hard to win.
Akkosa Sutta -Insult

Excellent are those self-tamed

Excellent are tamed mules,

tamed thoroughbreds,

tamed horses from Sindh.

Excellent,

tamed tuskers,

great elephants.

But even more excellent are those self-tamed.

-Dhammapada

Focus not on the rudenesses ...

Focus,
not on the rudenesses of others,
not on what they've done
or left undone,
but on what you
have & haven't done
yourself.
-Dhammapada

As a great flood..

The man immersed in gathering blossoms (sensual pleasures),

his heart distracted:death sweeps him away — as a great flood,

a village asleep

-Dhammapada

Make an island for yourself

Make an island for yourself!

Work quickly!

Be wise!

With impurities all blown away,

unblemished,

you won't again undergo birth & aging.

-Dhammapada

Just as the ocean ...

Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch, in the same way this Doctrine and Discipline has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual progression, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch.

-Uposatha Sutta -The Observance

(Also Paharada Sutta)

Just as birds who've escaped...

Blinded this world —
how few here see clearly!
Just as birds who've escaped
from a net are
few, few
are the people
who make it to heaven.
-Dhammapada

The constant danger is death

Like ripe fruits whose downfall,
whose danger is falling,
so for mortals, once born,
the constant danger is death

Salla Sutta -The Arrow

Mindfulness meditation slows progression of HIV

Mindfulness meditation slows progression of HIV, study shows from PhysOrg.com

CD4+ T lymphocytes, or simply CD4 T cells, are the "brains" of the immune system, coordinating its activity when the body comes under attack. They are also the cells that are attacked by HIV, the devastating virus that causes AIDS and has infected roughly 40 million people worldwide. The virus slowly eats away at CD4 T cells, weakening the immune system.

But the immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients face another enemy as well — stress, which can accelerate CD4 T cell declines. Now, researchers at UCLA report that the practice of mindfulness meditation stopped the decline of CD4 T cells in HIV-positive patients suffering from stress, slowing the progression of the disease. The study was just released in the online edition of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

"How to restraint your senses..."

How to restraint your senses:

"Just as if a person, catching six animals of different ranges, of different habitats, were to bind them with a strong rope. Catching a snake, he would bind it with a strong rope. Catching a crocodile... a bird... a dog... a hyena... a monkey, he would bind it with a strong rope. Binding them all with a strong rope, and tying a knot in the middle, he would set chase to them.

"Then those six animals, of different ranges, of different habitats, would each pull toward its own range & habitat. The snake would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the anthill.' The crocodile would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the water.' The bird would pull, thinking, 'I'll fly up into the air.' The dog would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the village.' The hyena would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the charnel ground.' The monkey would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the forest.' And when these six animals became internally exhausted, they would submit, they would surrender, they would come under the sway of whichever among them was the strongest. In the same way, when a monk whose mindfulness immersed in the body is undeveloped & unpursued, the eye pulls toward pleasing forms, while unpleasing forms are repellent. The ear pulls toward pleasing sounds... The nose pulls toward pleasing aromas... The tongue pulls toward pleasing flavors... The body pulls toward pleasing tactile sensations... The intellect pulls toward pleasing ideas, while unpleasing ideas are repellent. This, monks, is lack of restraint.

"Just as if a person, catching six animals of different ranges, of different habitats, were to bind them with a strong rope. Catching a snake, he would bind it with a strong rope. Catching a crocodile... a bird... a dog... a hyena... a monkey, he would bind it with a strong rope. Binding them all with a strong rope, he would tether them to a strong post or stake.

"Then those six animals, of different ranges, of different habitats, would each pull toward its own range & habitat. The snake would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the anthill.' The crocodile would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the water.' The bird would pull, thinking, 'I'll fly up into the air.' The dog would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the village.' The hyena would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the charnel ground.' The monkey would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the forest.' And when these six animals became internally exhausted, they would stand, sit, or lie down right there next to the post or stake. In the same way, when a monk whose mindfulness immersed in the body is developed & pursued, the eye does not pull toward pleasing forms, and unpleasing forms are not repellent. The ear does not pull toward pleasing sounds... The nose does not pull toward pleasing aromas... The tongue does not pull toward pleasing flavors... The body does not pull toward pleasing tactile sensations... The intellect does not pull toward pleasing ideas, and unpleasing ideas are not repellent. This, monks, is restraint.

"The 'strong post or stake' is a term 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. We will steady it, consolidate it, and set about it properly.' That's how you should train yourselves."


Please read the full sutta below:
Chappana Sutta -The Six Animals

Just like a salt crystal...

"Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"

"Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in the cup, it would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink."

"Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"

"No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River Ganges, it would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit to drink."

"In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one individual [the first] takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort of trifling deed done by the other individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.

'Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual takes him to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind [i.e., painful feelings can invade the mind and stay there], undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil act done by this sort of individual takes him to hell.

'Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is developed in the body, developed in virtue, developed in mind [i.e., painful feelings cannot invade the mind and stay there], developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with the unlimited. A trifling evil act done by this sort of individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.

Lonaphala Sutta -The Salt Crystal

The worst "darkness" of all..."

There is, monks, an inter-cosmic void, an unrestrained darkness, a pitch-black darkness, where even the light of the sun & moon — so mighty, so powerful — doesn't reach."

When this was said, one of the monks said to the Blessed One, "Wow, what a great darkness! What a really great darkness! Is there any darkness greater & more frightening than that?"

"There is, monk, a darkness greater & more frightening than that."

"And which darkness, lord, is greater & more frightening than that?"

"Any priests or contemplatives who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who do not know, 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 stress'*: They revel in (thought-) fabrications leading to birth; they revel in fabrications leading to aging; they revel in fabrications leading to death; they revel in fabrications leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Reveling in fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they drop into the darkness of birth. They drop into the darkness of aging... the darkness of death... darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. They are not totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are not totally released, I tell you, from suffering & stress. -Andhakara Sutta -Darkness

*The Four Noble Truths

(The worst darkness of all...not realizing The Four Noble Truths)

"The wise control themselves"

Irrigators regulate the rivers;
fletchers straighten the arrow shaft;
carpenters shape the wood;
the wise control* themselves - Dhammapada

*Control: Three ways of good conduct, Mind, body and speech

How to Deal With Anger Skillfully (Part 1)

This is a preview of the talk "How to deal with anger skillfully" given in Toronto by Ajahn Brahm in June 2008. The full talk will be available shortly at the BSWA website (www.bswa.org)

Where Science and Buddhism Meet-by Gerald D.

An Interesting video posted on You Tube by Gerald D.

Just like a log...

"Monks, do you see that large log being carried along by the current of the river Ganges?"

"Yes, lord."

"Monks, if that log doesn't veer toward the near shore, doesn't veer toward the far shore, doesn't sink in the middle, doesn't get washed up on high ground, doesn't get snared by human beings, doesn't get snared by non-human beings, doesn't get snared in a whirlpool, and doesn't become rotten inside, it will tend to the ocean, tilt to the ocean, incline to the ocean. Why is that? Because the current of the river Ganges tends to the ocean, tilts to the ocean, inclines to the ocean.

"In the same way, monks, if you don't veer toward the near shore, don't veer toward the far shore, don't sink in the middle, don't get washed up on high ground, don't get snared by human beings, don't get snared by non-human beings, don't get snared in a whirlpool, and don't become rotten inside, you will tend to Unbinding, tilt to Unbinding, incline to Unbinding. Why is that? Because right view tends to Unbinding, tilts to Unbinding, inclines to Unbinding."

When this was said, a certain monk addressed the Blessed One: "What, lord, is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking in the middle? What is being washed up on high ground? What is being snared by human beings? What is being snared by non-human beings? What is being snared by a whirlpool? What is becoming rotten inside?"

"'The near shore,' monks, stands for the six internal sense media. 'The far shore' stands for the six external sense media. 'Sinking in the middle' stands for passion & delight. 'Being washed up on high ground' stands for the conceit, 'I am.'

"And what, monks, is being snared by human beings? There is the case where a monk lives entangled with householders, delighting with them and sorrowing with them, happy when they are happy, pained when they are in pain, taking on their affairs as his own duty. This is called being snared by human beings.

"And what, monks, is being snared by non-human beings? There is the case where a certain monk lives the holy life in hopes of a certain company of devas, [thinking,] 'By means of this virtue or practice or austerity or holy life I will become one sort of deva or another.' This is called being snared by non-human beings.

"'Being snared by a whirlpool' stands for the five strings of sensuality.

" And what, monks, is becoming rotten inside? There is the case where a certain monk is unprincipled, evil, unclean and suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions, not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature. This is called becoming rotten inside."

Daruka-khandha Sutta (The Log)

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)