"I too am a cow! I too am a cow!"

"Monks, it is just as if a donkey were following right after a herd of cattle, saying, "I too am a cow! I too am a cow!" Its color is not that of a cow, its voice is not that of a cow, its hoof is not that of a cow, and yet it still keeps following right after the herd of cattle, saying, "I too am a cow! I too am a cow!"

In the same way, there is the case where a certain monk follows right after the community of monks, saying, "I too am a monk! I too am a monk!" He doesn't have the other monks' desire for undertaking the training in heightened virtue, doesn't have their desire for undertaking the training in heightened mind (concentration), doesn't have their desire for undertaking the training in heightened discernment, and yet he still keeps following right after the community of monks, saying, "I too am a monk! I too am a monk!"

"So you should train yourselves: 'Strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened virtue; strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened mind (concentration); strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened discernment.' That is how you should train yourselves."

Gadrabha Sutta -The Donkey

"Like a mural .... painted on a wall"

"Like a mural you've seen, painted on a wall,
smeared with yellow orpiment,

there your vision has been distorted,
meaningless your human perception.
Like an evaporated mirage,

like a tree of gold in a dream,
like a magic show in the midst of a crowd — you run blind after what is unreal. "

Subha Jivakambavanika -Subha and the Libertine

"Leaves in my hand"

Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa forest. Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, "What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?"

"The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the forest are far more numerous."

"In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them.

"And what have I taught?* 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught them.

"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.''-Simsapa Sutta -The Simsapa Leaves

* The Four Noble Truths

Note: The word stress is used here instead of the word suffering

Freedom: The Path To Happiness

Is happiness really possible in our modern life?

Carrying the "burden"

"A burden indeed are the five aggregates,

and the carrier of the burden is the person.

Taking up the burden in the world is stressful.

Casting off the burden is bliss."- Buddha -Bhara Sutta -The Burden

Note: Five aggregates are essentially the suffering (stress). Buddha said this in his very first disclosure, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion).
He said: "Now this, monks, is the noble truth of stress: Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful."

If this is the cause for suffering or stress, why cant we let go this "burden"(five aggregates) and have no more suffering in our lives. This is the because we cling to these five aggregates as we have not eradicated what is called the the personality view or self-identity view (Pali: sakkāya-diṭṭhi). This is the the belief in an "individual self". This is laso one of the "fetters" or a strong bond that attaches us to the samsara. (Please see labels for previous posts on these subjects)

Ajahn Brahm: Dharma talk on loneliness

Do you feel lonely?
Dont worry, just listen to this.

"Having enjoyed & given...he goes to the heavenly state"

When a house is on fire
the vessel salvaged
is the one that will be of use,
not the one left there to burn.

So when the world is on fire
with aging and death,
one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:
what's given is well salvaged.
What's given bears fruit as pleasure.

What isn't given does not:
thieves take it away, or kings;
it gets burnt by fire or lost.

Then in the end
one leaves the body
together with one's possessions.
Knowing this, the intelligent man
enjoys possessions & gives.

Having enjoyed & given
in line with his means,
uncensured he goes to the heavenly state.

Aditta Sutta -(The House) On Fire

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'

"Be like a river, deep and enormous""

Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a burning grass torch and saying, 'With this burning grass torch I will heat up the river Ganges and make it boil.' Now, what do you think — would he, with that burning grass torch, heat up the river Ganges and make it boil?"

"No, lord. Why is that? Because the river Ganges is deep & enormous. It's not easy to heat it up and make it boil with a burning grass torch. The man would reap only a share of weariness & disappointment."

"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or non beneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an non beneficial way. They may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to the river Ganges — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.

-Kakacupama Sutta -The Simile of the Saw

Our six senses are responsible for our own existence

The goal of the Buddhist teaching is to put an end to this relentless cycle of birth, old age, sickness and death (samsara) and to reach ultimate freedom from suffering, the nirvana. Our six senses are primarily responsible for our own existence in this samsara. These very senses, when contemplated through the practice of vipassana (insight) meditation will liberate us from this same samsara. The path that lead to this liberation from suffering is The Noble Eightfold Path .

Sensuality is like "a dog chewing on bones"

"Suppose a dog, overcome with weakness & hunger, were to come across a slaughterhouse, and there a dexterous butcher or butcher's apprentice were to fling him a chain of bones — thoroughly scraped, without any flesh, smeared with blood. What do you think: Would the dog, gnawing on that chain of bones — thoroughly scraped, without any flesh, smeared with blood — appease its weakness & hunger?"
"No, lord. And why is that? Because the chain of bones is thoroughly scraped, without any flesh, & smeared with blood. The dog would get nothing but its share of weariness & vexation."
"In the same way, householder, a disciple of the noble ones considers this point: 'The Blessed One has compared sensuality to a chain of bones, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks.

Potaliya Sutta -To Potaliya

Lotus is unsmeared by water & mud

As the prickly lotus is unsmeared by water & mud,

so the sage,

an exponent of peace,

without greed,

is unsmeared by sensuality & the world.

Magandiya Sutta -To Magandiya

"Like a fish in the water tearing a net"

"Shattering fetters,*

like a fish in the water tearing a net,

like a fire not coming back to what's burnt"-Khaggavisana Sutta

*Fetter:

A fetter or "chain" or "bond" (Pāli: samyojana, saŋyojana, saññojana) shackles a person to samsara, the cycle of endless suffering. By completely cutting through all fetters, one attains Nibbana (Nirvana).

"There are these ten fetters. Which ten? Five lower fetters & five higher fetters. And which are the five lower fetters? Self-identity views, uncertainty, grasping at rituals & practices, sensual desire, & ill will. These are the five lower fetters. And which are the five higher fetters? Passion for form, passion for what is formless, conceit, restlessness, & ignorance. These are the five higher fetters. And these are the ten fetters."- Buddha
Sanyojana Sutta-Fetters

Cut downthe forest of desire

Cut downthe forest of desire,

not the forest of trees.

From the forest of desire come danger & fear.

Having cut down this forest & its underbrush, monks, be deforested.

- Dhammapada

A city made of bones

"A city made of bones,
plastered over with flesh & blood,
whose hidden treasures are:
pride & contempt,
aging & death." -Dhammapada

Three types of unskillful thinking

"Monks, there are these three types of unskillful thinking: thinking of sensuality, thinking of ill will, thinking of harm."-Buddha

Pindolya Sutta -Almsgoers

"I know not of any other single thing that brings such bliss as the mind"

"Monks, I know not of any other single thing that brings such bliss as the mind that is tamed, controlled, guarded and restrained. Such a mind indeed brings great bliss." -Buddha

Taming the Mind
Discourses of the Buddha

"Suppose a man were to throw a large boulder into a deep lake of water..."

What do you think: There is the case where a man is one who takes life, steals, indulges in illicit sex; is a liar, one who speaks divisive speech, harsh speech, & idle chatter; is greedy, bears thoughts of ill-will, & holds to wrong views. Then a great crowd of people, gathering & congregating, would pray, praise, & circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart [saying,] 'May this man, at the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world!' What do you think: would that man — because of the prayers, praise, & circumambulation of that great crowd of people — at the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world?"

"No, lord."

"Suppose a man were to throw a large boulder into a deep lake of water, and a great crowd of people, gathering & congregating, would pray, praise, & circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart [saying,] 'Rise up, O boulder! Come floating up, O boulder! Come float to the shore, O boulder!' What do you think: would that boulder — because of the prayers, praise, & circumambulation of that great crowd of people — rise up, come floating up, or come float to the shore?"

"No, lord."

"So it is with any man who takes life, steals, indulges in illicit sex; is a liar, one who speaks divisive speech, harsh speech, & idle chatter; is greedy, bears thoughts of ill-will, & holds to wrong views. Even though a great crowd of people, gathering & congregating, would pray, praise, & circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart — [saying,] 'May this man, at the break-up of the body, after death, reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world!' — still, at the break-up of the body, after death, he would reappear in destitution, a bad destination, the lower realms, hell.

-Buddha

Paccha-bhumika Sutta

Dust thrown against the wind

Whoever harasses
an innocent man,
a man pure, without blemish:
the evil comes right back to the fool
like fine dust
thrown against the wind.

-Dhammapada