"An Island to Oneself" (sutra)

Maurice O'Connell Walshe, Attadipa Sutta (SN 22.43); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

An island on a river at sunset with sudden bursts of lightning (Gary Story/plus.google.com)

 

Sitting is intensive but not the only way

"Meditators, be islands unto yourselves [Note 1], be your own [guide], having no other; let the Dharma be an island and a [guide] for you, having no other. Those who are islands unto themselves... should investigate to the very heart of things [2]:

"'What is the source of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair? How do they arise?' [What is their origin?]

 

Buddha on island of Sri Lanka (NH53)

"Here, meditators, the uninstructed worldling [continued as in SN 22.7]. Change occurs in this person's body, and it becomes different. On account of this change and difference, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise. [Similarly with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness].
 
"But seeing [3] the body's impermanence, its change-ability, its waning [4], its ceasing, he says 'formerly as now, all bodies were impermanent and unsatisfactory, and subject to change.' Thus, seeing this as it really is, with liberating insight, one abandons all sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. One is not worried at their abandonment but, without worry, lives at ease. And thus living at ease one is said to be 'assured of deliverance [5].'" [Similarly with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness].

NOTES: 1. Atta-dipa. Dipa means both "island" (Sanskrit dvipa) and "lamp" (Sanskrit dipa), but the meaning "island" is well-established here. The "self" referred to is of course the unmetaphysical pronoun "oneself" (cf. SN 3.8, n. 1).

2. It is necessary to withdraw, to be "an island to unto oneself," at least for a time (as any meditator knows), not for any "selfish" reasons but precisely in order to make this profound introspective investigation. Otherwise, in another sense, Buddhists would of course agree with John Donne that "No man is an island."

3. As Woodward remarks in [Book of the Kindred Sayings, a  translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Vol. III, PTS, 1924], one would expect to find here the words which he inserts in the text: "The well-taught [noble] disciple," as in many passages. If one, in fact, sees these things and reflects as said in the text, one will cease to be [an ordinary] "worldling." 

4. Waning (viraga) is elsewhere also translated as "dispassion" (SN 12.16, n. 2).

5. Tadanganibbuto means rather more than Woodward's "one who is rid of all that."

• See island admonition in the Buddha's final sutra: DN 16.

The Discourse on Right View (sutra)

Dhr. Seven and Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly, "Discourse on Right View" (Samma-ditthi Sutta, MN 9), based on translation by Ñanamoli Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

Young Buddhist novices, Lamayuru monastery, Ladakh, India (Dietmar Temps/flickr)

  

Birth

Novice, Burma (UrsulasWeeklyWanders.com)

24. Saying, "Good, friend," the monastics delighted and rejoiced in Sariputra's words. [The Buddha declared Ven. Sariputra his chief male disciple "foremost in wisdom," just as he declared Ven. Khema his chief female disciple foremost in wisdom.] Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma?" -- "There might be, friends.

 

25. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands birth, the origin of birth, the cessation of birth, and the way leading to the cessation of birth, in that way a person is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma.

 

Buddha in Phutthamonton (Gift of Light/flickr)

26. "And what is birth, what is the origin of birth, what is the cessation of birth, what is the way leading to the cessation of birth? The birth of beings into the various orders of beings, their coming to birth, precipitation [in a womb], generation, manifestation of the aggregates, obtaining the bases for contact -- this is called birth. With the arising of being, there is the arising of birth. With the cessation of being, there is the cessation of birth. The way leading to the cessation of birth is this Noble Eightfold Path -- that is:

1. right view
2. right intention
3. right speech
4. right action
5. right livelihood
6. right effort
7. right mindfulness
8. right concentration

27. "When a noble disciple has thus understood birth, the origin of birth, the cessation of birth, and the way leading to the cessation of birth... that person here and now makes an end of suffering (reaches nirvana). In that way, too, a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma." 

Becoming

Wheel of Sense Worlds (greencollarrap.com)

28. Saying, "Good, friend," the monastics delighted and rejoiced in Sariputra's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma?" -- "There might be, friends.

 

29. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands becoming (bhava), the origin of becoming, the cessation of becoming, and the way leading to the cessation of becoming, in that way a person is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma.

 

30. "And what is becoming, what is the origin of becoming, what is the cessation of becoming, what is the way leading to the cessation of becoming? There are these three kinds of becoming: 

• sense-sphere becoming
• fine-material becoming
• immaterial becoming. 

With the arising of clinging, there is the arising of becoming. With the cessation of clinging, there is the cessation of becoming. The way leading to the cessation of becoming is this Noble Eightfold Path -- that is, right view... right concentration.

 

31. "When a noble disciple has thus understood becoming, the origin of becoming, the cessation of becoming, and the way leading to the cessation of becoming... that person here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way, too, a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma." 

Clinging

31 Planes reduced to Six States (lokas)

32. Saying, "Good, friend," the monastics delighted and rejoiced in Sariputra's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma?" -- "There might be, friends.

 

33. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands clinging, the origin of clinging, the cessation of clinging, and the way leading to the cessation of clinging, in that way that person is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma.

 

34. "And what is clinging, what is the origin of clinging, what is the cessation of clinging, what is the way leading to the cessation of clinging? There are these four kinds of clinging: 

1. clinging to sensual pleasures
2. clinging to views [opinions]
3. clinging to rituals and observances
4. clinging to a doctrine of self (atman).

With the arising of craving, there is the arising of clinging. With the cessation of craving, there is the cessation of clinging. The way leading to the cessation of clinging is this Noble Eightfold Path -- that is, right view... right concentration.

 

35. "When a noble disciple has thus understood clinging, the origin of clinging, the cessation of clinging, and the way leading to the cessation of clinging... that person here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way, too, a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma." 

Craving

Cosmology (creative-harmonics.org)

36. Saying, "Good, friend," the monastics delighted and rejoiced in Sariputra's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma?" -- "There might be, friends.

 

37. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands craving, the origin of craving, the cessation of craving, and the way leading to the cessation of craving, in that way that person is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma.

 

38. "And what is craving, what is the origin of craving, what is the cessation of craving, what is the way leading to the cessation of craving? There are these six classes of craving:

1. craving for sights (forms)
2. craving for sounds
3. craving for fragrances
4. craving for flavors
5. craving for tangibles
6. craving for mind-objects. 

"With the arising of sensation (vedana, basic feeling not emotion), there is the arising of craving. With the cessation of sensation, there is the cessation of craving. The way leading to the cessation of craving is this Noble Eightfold Path -- that is, right view... right concentration.

 

39. "When a noble disciple has thus understood craving, the origin of craving, the cessation of craving, and the way leading to the cessation of craving... that person here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way, too, a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma." 

Sensation

Novice, Thiksey Monastery (Dietmar Temps)

40. Saying, "Good, friend," the monastics delighted and rejoiced in Sariputra's words. Then they asked him a further question: "But, friend, might there be another way in which a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma?" — "There might be, friends.

 

41. "When, friends, a noble disciple understands sensation, the origin of sensation, the cessation of sensation, and the way leading to the cessation of sensation, in that way that person is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma.

 

42. "And what is sensation, what is the origin of sensation, what is the cessation of sensation, what is the way leading to the cessation ofsensation ? There are these six classes of sensation: 

1. sensation born of eye-contact
2. sensation born of ear-contact
3. sensation born of nose-contact
4. sensation born of tongue-contact
5. sensation born of body-contact
6. sensation born of mind-contact. 

With the arising of contact, there is the arising of sensation. With the cessation of contact, there is the cessation ofsensation . The way leading to the cessation of sensation is this Noble Eightfold Path -- that is, right view... right concentration.

 

43. "When a noble disciple has thus understood sensation, the origin of sensation, the cessation of sensation, and the way leading to the cessation of sensation... that person here and now makes an end of suffering. In that way, too, a noble disciple is one of right view... and has arrived at this true Dharma." More

Resolving pre-birth "soul contracts"

Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; Danielle MacKinnon, The Wisdom Show with Jean Swann

Renaissance (French, "rebirth") masterpiece, the (Re)Birth of Venus by Boticelli

 

Revealing "Soul" Secrets and Living Brilliantly!

Deva  intuitive Danielle MacKinnon

What if we could discover the hidden contracts holding us back and release those that no longer serve us? Ever feel blocked, unable to find love, make money, or form lasting relationships? Why are certain people in our lives? Could the decisions we made in past lives be challenging us today?

 

Intuitive coach and soul contract consultant -- soul here referring to the ever-changing stream of selves we are and have been as we wander on in samsara -- Danielle MacKinnon shows how "soul contracts" and "seed thoughts" appear as annoying energies blocking us from our desires. They were actually put in place by us to help us master "soul lessons" and move forward on our path toward a happy, fulfilled life.

 

We might learn that our repeated bad decisions are there to help us uncover a hidden source of pain we were not conscious of having. We might find out that a tumultuous relationship is assisting our personal and spiritual growth. We might even recognize which soul contract is blocking our career or love path. More importantly, we may be able to uncover and learn how to break free of them through a live group clearing.

These are the prospects and possibilities MacKinnon extends. Just such a live, hour-long clearing took place by phone and Web simulcast yesterday [(206) 402-0100, Conference ID: 985639#, Passcode and PIN Code: 985639#]. What did some people discover? Karmic patterns or "soul contracts" have been secretly holding them back in life -- and there's something that can be done about it! More

Soul No Soul?

The Buddha at Thimphu, Bhutan, high in the Himalayas (Michael Foley)

 

Wait. Doesn't Buddhism teach that there is no "soul," no "self," no "ego"? Not exactly. There is one truth but two levels of it. In a conventional sense, of course there is a "soul," a self, an "I." It is called the atman (Sanskrit), atta (Pali), or alma (Spanish). But to think that this conventional designation signifies more is mistaking a process for a solid entity. The "entity" is neither solid nor stable. It is an impermanent composite. It is composed of ever changing streams of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Due to ignorance, there is identification with one or more of these, or the idea arises that the "self" owns these heaps of ephemera, or stands outside of them. In an ultimate sense, which is much more subtle and harder to grasp, this is not the case. There is what looks and behaves and is spoken of as a "soul" or essential self (astral body, ghost, spirit, consciousness incarnate, an "eternal being" passing from life to life, a gandhabba), but ultimately it is an illusion. It gives the illusion of being permanent, pleasant, and personal when it in fact bears three opposite marks of existence. Realizing this by insight rather than reasoning leads to stream entry, the first stage of enlightenment and liberation from all suffering.

• Gandhabba is used in a completely different sense from the mythical celestial musicians of the devas in Buddhist cosmology, referring to a being (or, strictly speaking, part of the causal continuum of psycho-physical consciousness) in a liminal state between death and rebirth, one's visible "spirit" in a sense.

The Cure to Cancer Summit

Thecuretocancersummit.com

Jean Swann, founder and host of The Wisdom Show, is a holistic health expert with a background in print and broadcast journalism. She will be hosting another groundbreaking event starting Wednesday Sept. 18-28, 2013 -- the first ever Cure to Cancer Summit, which promises to be an incredible journey to wholeness and health. It will feature world experts and pioneers in the areas of cancer treatment and research, as well as vital living. The most up-to-date breakthroughs in integrative and alternative approaches and the best ways to stay proactive to avoid degenerative disease and enjoy a high quality lifestyle will be explored. It's all FREE! But there are only a few days left to register. See all of the incredible speakers and get a free ticket to listen from the comfort of home. More