How the cross-fertilization of Classical Enlightenment and the Modern Mind could radically alter the course of human history.

Buddhist Geeks

Shinzen Young's opening keynote speech from the Buddhist Geeks Conference 2011.

Towards a Science of Enlightenment from Buddhist Geeks on Vimeo.

Five forms of stinginess...

"Monks, there are these five forms of stinginess.

1. Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings]
2. Stinginess as to one's family [of supporters]
3. Stinginess as to one's gains
4. Stinginess as to one's status
5. Stinginess as to the Dhamma

... And the meanest of these five is this: stinginess as to the Dhamma."

AN 5.254-271

PTS: A iii 272

Macchariya Suttas: Stinginess

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.254.than.html

Five future dangers (for monks)...

"Monks, these five future dangers, unarisen at present, will arise in the future. Be alert to them and, being alert, work to get rid of them. Which five?

"There will be, in the course of the future, monks undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment. They — being undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment —

1. Will give full ordination to others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. They — being undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment — will give full ordination to still others and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the first future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.

2. Will take on others as students and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. They — being undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment — will take on still others as students and will not be able to discipline them in heightened virtue, heightened mind, heightened discernment. These too will then be undeveloped in body... virtue... mind... discernment. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the second future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


3. When giving a talk on higher Dhamma or a talk composed of questions and answers, will fall into dark mental states without being aware of it. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the third future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


4. Will not listen when discourses that are words of the Tathagata — deep, profound, transcendent, connected with the Void — are being recited. They will not lend ear, will not set their hearts on knowing them, will not regard these teachings as worth grasping or mastering. But they will listen when discourses that are literary works — the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples — are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard these teachings as worth grasping and mastering. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the fourth future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.


5. Will become elders living in luxury, lethargic, foremost in falling back, shirking the duties of solitude. They will not make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. They will become an example for later generations, who will become luxurious in their living, lethargic, foremost in falling back, shirking the duties of solitude, and who will not make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. Thus from corrupt Dhamma comes corrupt discipline; from corrupt discipline, corrupt Dhamma.
"This, monks, is the fifth future danger, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to it and, being alert, work to get rid of it.

"These, monks, are the five future dangers, unarisen at present, that will arise in the future. Be alert to them and, being alert, work to get rid of them."
Anagata-bhayani Sutta: The Discourse on Future Dangers (3)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Three types of sick people..

"There are these three types of sick people to be found existing in the world. Which three?

1. "There is the case of the sick person who — regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing — will not recover from that illness.

2. There is the case of the sick person who — regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing — will recover from that illness.

3.There is the case of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing, but not if he doesn't.
"Now, it is because of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing — but not if he doesn't — that food for the sick has been allowed, medicine for the sick has been allowed, nursing for the sick has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of sick person that the other sorts of sick persons are to be nursed as well.
"These are the three types of sick people to be found existing in the world.

"In the same way, these three types of people, like the three types of sick people, are to be found existing in the world. Which three?

1. "There is the case of the person who — regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to see the Tathagata, regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — will not alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities.

2. There is the case of the person who — regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to see the Tathagata, regardless of whether he does or doesn't get to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities.

3. There is the case of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities if he gets to see the Tathagata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, but not if he doesn't.

"Now, it is because of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities if he gets to see the Tathagata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata — but not if he doesn't — that the teaching of the Dhamma has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of person that the other sorts of persons are to be taught the Dhamma as well [on the chance that they may actually turn out to need and benefit from the teaching].

"These are the three types of people, like the three types of sick people, to be found existing in the world."

Gilana Sutta: Sick People
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

It's not easy to teach the Dhamma to others...

"It's not easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ananda. The Dhamma should be taught to others only when five qualities are established within the person teaching.

Which five?

"

[1] The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak step-by-step.'

"

[2] The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak explaining the sequence [of cause & effect].'

"

[3] The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak out of compassion.'

"

[4] The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak not for the purpose of material reward.'

"

[5] The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, 'I will speak without hurting myself or others.'



AN 5.159 PTS: A iii 184
 Udayi Sutta: About Udayin

Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

One drop at a time....

Keep reflecting mindfully on the Dhamma you have learnt. Dhamma is everywhere around you. Then just apply it to your life, every moment, one drop at a time.

Cutting the fetters that tie us down....

Dhamma teaches us the the path, that finally liberate us (Nirvana) from Samsara. This is our final goal! Fetters tie us down to the Samsara. Cutting the fetters off using the practice of Dhamma is the art of liberation.

Dhamma is like a "shap knife" for this purpose... But you need to grab it from the right end !

Dhamma is like a "GPS" but....

DHAMMA* can be seen as a "GPS" in a car. Having GPS alone will not help us to arrive at the destination. We still have to DRIVE the car safely using "GPS" as our guide. Driving is similar to the PRACTICE of the Dhamma, mainly "Dana" (generosity or giving), "Sila" (morality) and "Bhavana" (meditation).

*DHAMMA: teachings of the Buddha

Store the "weapons of Dhamma"...

"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. Whatever teachings are admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that — in their meaning & expression — proclaim the holy life that is entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often, retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, and well-penetrated in terms of his views.



With learning as his weapons, the disciple of the noble ones abandons what is unskillful, develops what is skillful, abandons what is blameworthy, develops what is blameless, and looks after himself with purity.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.063.than.html#learning

Listening well to Buddha Dhamma

Buddha said "Endowed with these six qualities, a person is capable of alighting on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful mental qualities even while listening to the true Dhamma. Which six?

"When the Doctrine & Discipline declared by the Tathagata is being taught,

1. He listens well
2. Gives ear
3. Applies his mind to gnosis
4. Rejects what is worthless
5. Grabs hold of what is worthwhile
6. Endowed with the patience to conform with the teaching

(AN 6.88)
Sussusa Sutta-Listening Well

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.088.than.html

Rewards in listening to the Dhamma...

Buddha said : "There are these five rewards in listening to the Dhamma. Which five?

1. One hears what one has not heard before.
2. One clarifies what one has heard before.
3. One gets rid of doubt.
4. One's views are made straight.
5. One's mind grows serene.

"These are the five rewards in listening to the Dhamma." -AN 5.202
Dhammassavana Sutta
Listening to the Dhamma

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