The Way without blind faith (sutra)

Ven. Ñanamoli Thera, Salha Sutta: "To Salha" (AN 3.66), Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

The historical Buddha had blue-eyes and golden skin (Tenzin Osel//flickr.com).

 

Thus have I heard. Once Venerable Nandaka was living at Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, Migara's Mother's Palace. Then Migara's grandson, Salha, and Pekhuniya's grandson, Rohana, went to him, and after a salutation sat respectfully to one side. When they had done so Ven. Nandaka said to Migara's grandson:

 

This abbreviated message is misleading.

"Come, Salha, do not be satisfied with hearsay or with tradition or with legendary lore or with what has come down in scriptures or with conjecture or with logical inference or with weighing evidence or with a liking for a view after pondering it or with someone else's ability or with the thought, 'This ascetic is our teacher.' 

"But when you know in yourself, 'These things are unprofitable, liable to censure, condemned by the wise, being adopted and put into effect, they lead to harm and suffering,' then abandon them.

"What do you think? Is there greed?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "Covetousness is the meaning of that, I say. Through greed a covetous person kills breathing things, takes what is not given, commits sexual misconduct, and utters falsehoods [perjury, divisive speech, harsh words, idle chit chat], and one gets another to do the same. Will that be long for one's harm and suffering?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, is there hate?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "Ill-will is the meaning of that, I say. Through hate a malevolent person kills breathing things [and likewise disregards the other precepts]... Will that be long for one's harm and suffering?" — "Yes, venerable sir." 

"What do you think? Is there delusion?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "Ignorance is the meaning of that, I say. Through ignorance a deluded person kills breathing things... Will that be long for one's harm and suffering?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

"What do you think? Are these things profitable or unprofitable?" — "Unprofitable, venerable sir." — "Blameworthy or blameless?" — "Blameworthy, venerable sir." — "Condemned or commended by the wise?" — "Condemned by the wise, venerable sir." — "Being adopted and put into effect, do they lead to harm and suffering, or do they not, or how does it appear to you in this case?" — "Being adopted and put into effect, venerable sir, they lead to harm and suffering. So it appears in this case." 

 

"Now that was the reason why I told you, 'Come Salha, do not be satisfied with hearsay [and so on as stated famously by the Buddha in the Kalama Sutra]... 

"But when you know in yourself, "These things are unprofitable," then abandon them.'

Nongreed, nonhatred, nondelusion 

The Kalama Sutra in brief: There is no need to take anything on faith but instead consider, Do greed, hatred, and delusion arise in a person to that person's benefit or detriment, or how do you see it? To a person's detriment. In that case, abandon them not because of faith, hearsay, my teaching, another teacher's teaching...but because you yourself can see that this is the case. And if you can see this, is it not also true that...?

 

"Come Salha, do not be satisfied with hearsay... or with the thought, 'This ascetic is our teacher.' But when you know in yourself, 'These things are profitable, blameless, commended by the wise, being adopted and put into effect they lead to welfare and happiness,' then practice them and abide in them. 

 

"What do you think? Is there non-greed?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "Uncovetousness is the meaning of that, I say. Through non-greed an uncovetous person does not kill breathing things or take what is not given or engage in sexual misconduct or utter falsehoods, and one gets another to do likewise. Will that be long for one's welfare and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think? Is there non-hate?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "Non ill-will is the meaning of that, I say. Through non ill-will an unmalevolent person does not kill breathing things... Will that be long for one's welfare and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think? Is there non-delusion?" — "Yes, venerable sir." — "True knowledge is the meaning of that, I say. Through non-delusion a person with true knowledge does not kill breathing things... Will that be long for one's welfare and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

"What do you think? Are these things profitable or unprofitable?" — "Profitable, venerable sir." — "Blameworthy or blameless?" — "Blameless, venerable sir." — "Condemned or commended by the wise?" — "Commended by the wise, venerable sir." — "Being adopted and put into effect, do they lead to welfare and happiness, or do they not, or how does it appear to you in this case?" — "Being adopted and put into effect, venerable sir, they lead to welfare and happiness. So it appears to us in this case."

"Now that was the reason why I told you, 'Come Salha, do not be satisfied with hearsay... but when you know in yourself, "These things are profitable..." then practice them and abide in them.'

 

"Now a disciple who is ennobled [by reaching the Noble Path, attaining at least the first stage of enlightenment], who has rid oneself in this way of covetousness and ill-will and is undeluded, abides with one's heart imbued with loving-kindness extending over one quarter, likewise the second quarter, likewise the third quarter, likewise the fourth quarter [all four cardinal directions, east, south, west, north], and so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to oneself.

"One abides with one's heart abundant, exalted, with measureless loving-kindness, freed of hostility and ill-will, extending over the all-encompassing world-system. One abides with heart imbued with compassion... gladness [over the happiness of others]... equanimity extending over the all-encompassing world-system.

"Now one understands this state of meditation in this way: 'There is this [state of Divine Abiding in one who has entered the stream to full enlightenment]. There is what has been abandoned [which is the amount of greed, hate, and delusion exhausted by the stream-entry Path moment]. There is a superior goal [which is full enlightenment or arhatship]. And there is an ultimate escape from this whole field.'

Novice Rahula, the Buddha, and Ven. Ananda

"When one knows and sees in this way, one's heart is liberated from the taint of sensual craving, from the taint of clinging to being [becoming], and from the taint of ignorance. When liberated [by reaching the arhat Path moment], there comes thereafter the knowledge that it is liberated. One knows that rebirth is ended, that the Highest Life has been lived to perfection, that what had to be done is done, and that there is no more of this [suffering] to come. 

 

"One understands thus: 'Formerly there was greed, which was harmful, and now there is none, which is beneficial. Formerly there was hate, which was harmful, and now there is none, which is beneficial. Formerly there was delusion, which was harmful, and now there is none, which is beneficial.'

"So here and now, in this very life, one is parched no more [by the fever of craving's thirst], one's fires of greed, hate, and delusion are extinguished and cooled out; experiencing bliss, one abides [for the remainder of one's final life-span] supremely pure in oneself." 

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Taming the Mind and Heart (Part 2)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Buddhist Publication Society

Meditation (#LightBoxFF/Tierney Gearon's Instagram Family Album/time.com)

  

The Gradual Training

SEE PART 1

..."It is possible, Brahmin, to lay down a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice with respect to this Dharma and discipline.

 

"Brahmin, even a skilled trainer of horses, having taken on a beautiful thoroughbred, first of all gets it used to the training with respect to wearing the bit. Then one gets it used to a further training -- even so, Brahmin, the Tathagata [the Buddha referring to himself], having taken on a person to be tamed, first of all offers the discipline thus:

 

Virtue

The Buddha as a mountain in China: Leshan, Sichuan Province (Qasimism/flickr)

 
"'Come, meditator [monastic or intensive lay meditator], be virtuous in habit, live controlled by the control of the Obligations [training rules, Code of Discipline, Patimokkha], endowed with [proper] behavior and method, seeing peril in even the slightest fault and, undertaking them, train yourself in the rules of training.'

"As soon, Brahmin, as the meditator is of virtuous habit, controlled by the control of the Obligations, endowed with [right] behavior and method, and seeing peril in the slightest fault and, undertaking them, trains oneself in the rules of training, the Tathagata offers further discipline saying:

Sense-control

"Bhikkave, this is the path of practice."

"'Come, meditator, be guarded at the doors of the sense-organs: Having seen a material shape with the eye, do not be entranced with the general appearance, do not be entranced with the detail.

"'For if one dwells with the organ of sight uncontrolled, covetousness and dejection, unwholesome, unskillful states of mind [heart], may flow in.

"'So fare along controlling it, guard the organ of sight, achieve control over the organ of sight. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled a fragrance with the nose... Having savored a taste with the tongue... Having felt a touch with the body... Having cognized a mental [heart] state with the mind [heart], do not be entranced with the detail.

"'For if one dwells with the organ of mind uncontrolled, covetousness and dejection, unwholesome, unskillful states of mind, may flow in. So fare along controlling it; guard the organ of mind [the mind-door, the heart, the seat of consciousness, of knowing], achieve control over the organ of mind.'
 
Moderation in eating

Strawberry-flavored processed cereal or strawberries? Tough choice (portalsmag.com)

  

Learning to avoid extremes

"As soon, Brahmin, as a meditator is guarded at the doors of the sense-organs, the Tathagata offers further discipline, saying: 'Come, meditator, be moderate in eating.

"'Take food while reflecting carefully, not for fun or indulgence or personal charm or beautification, but taking just enough for maintaining this body and keeping it going, for keeping it unharmed, for furthering the supreme-life [the "Brahma-faring," the purified and undistracted spiritual lifestyle of a celibate recluse], with the thought: Thus will I crush out an old [painful] feeling, and I will not allow a new [painful, or attachment-inducing, or sleep-producing] feeling to arise, and then there will be for me subsistence and blamelessness and abiding in comfort.'

Vigilance

The Buddha reclining in the "lion's posture," as he did during his final nirvana, seen here in golden robes in Theravada Burma's Chauk Htat Gyi shrine (myanmartours.us).

 

"As soon, Brahmin, as a meditator is moderate in eating, the Tathagata offers further discipline, saying: 'Come, meditator, dwell intent on vigilance: During the day while pacing up and down, while sitting down, cleanse the mind [heart] of obstructive mental states.

 

Lion Posture, resting sleep-free (elwetritsche)

"During the middle watch of the night, lie down on the right side in the lion posture, foot resting on foot, mindful, clearly conscious [clearly comprehending], reflecting on the thought of getting up again'. During the last watch of the night, when you have arisen, while pacing up and down, while sitting down, cleanse the mind of obstructive mental states.'

Mindfulness and clear consciousness

Having tamed the mind, the Buddha reflects ("Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds," REM Pub. Ltd.)

  .

I'm going to do it at work (AA)

"As soon, Brahmin, as a meditator is intent on vigilance, the Tathagata offers further discipline, saying:
 
'Come, meditator, be possessed of mindfulness [bare awareness] and clear consciousness, acting with clear consciousness whether you are approaching or departing, acting with clear consciousness whether you are looking ahead or looking around, acting with clear consciousness whether you are bending in or stretching out [the arms], acting with clear consciousness whether you are carrying the outer robe, the bowl or robe, acting with clear consciousness whether you are eating, drinking, munching, savoring, acting with clear consciousness whether you are responding to the calls of nature, acting with clear consciousness whether you are walking, standing, sitting, asleep, awake, talking, or remaining silent.'

Overcoming of the Five Hindrances

There are many techniques: pick one; do it.

"As soon, Brahmin, as one is possessed of mindfulness and clear consciousness [comprehension], the Tathagata offers further discipline, saying: 'Come, meditator, choose a remote dwelling in a forest, at the foot of a tree, on a mountain slope, in a glen, a hill cave, a cemetery [charnel ground], a woodland grove, in the open, or on a heap of straw.'

"On returning from alms-gathering after the meal, the meditator sits down crosslegged, holding the back erect, having made mindfulness rise up in front. And getting rid of covetousness for the world, one dwells with a mind [a heart] devoid of covetousness, as one cleanses the mind of covetousness.
 
"Getting rid of the taint of ill-will, one dwells benevolent in mind. Compassionate and merciful towards all creatures and beings, one cleanses the mind of ill-will.

"Getting rid of sloth and torpor, one dwells [energetically and vigilantly]. Perceiving the light [an apparent reference to a nimitta, the meditator's "counterpart sign," an inner light that arises in the mind's eye], mindful and clearly conscious one cleanses the mind of sloth and torpor.

"Getting rid of restlessness and worry [stress and remorse, hyperactivity and misgivings], one dwells calmly. The mind inwardly tranquil, one cleanses the mind of restlessness and worry.

"Getting rid of doubt, one dwells having crossed over doubts. Unperplexed as to which states are skillful [kusala, also translated as beneficial, salutary, profitable, or karmically-wholesome], one cleanses the mind of doubt.

Meditative Absorptions (jhanas)

The walls of a Buddhist temple at Borobudur, Java, Indonesia (TrevThompson/flickr)

 

This is the way to wisdom (A)

"By ridding the mind [heart] of these Five Hindrances [see The Five Hindrances and Their Conquest, Wheel No. 26], which are defilements of the mind and deleterious to intuitive wisdom, aloof from coarse pleasures of the senses, aloof from unskillful states of mind, one enters and abides in the first meditation [the first "absorption," the first jhana], which is accompanied by initial and sustained attention, is born of aloofness [mental and physical withdrawal] and is rapturous and joyful.

"Overcoming initial and sustained attention, one's mind subjectively tranquilized and fixed on a single point [usually the subtle breath at the nostril which has, by concentration on it, transformed and become the nimitta], one enters and abides in the second meditation, which is free of [the effort of] initial and sustained attention, is born of concentration [collectedness] and is rapturous and joyful.
 

It can be done, I can do it! (Han La Suave)

"By the fading out of rapture [to something more subtle and blissful], one dwells with equanimity, attentive and clearly conscious, and experiences in one's person that joy of which the noble ones [ariyans, according to the Path of Purification, those who have reached the noble attainments, the stages of enlightenment] say: 'Joyful lives one who has equanimity and is mindful.' And one enters and abides in the third meditation.

"By getting rid of anguish, by the going down of one's former pleasures and sorrows [by overcoming the bliss of the preceding absorptions, a supersensual pleasure that now feels coarse by comparison, and one moves to something subtler], one enters and abides in the fourth meditation, which has neither anguish nor joy, and which is entirely purified by equanimity and mindfulness [and singlepointedness of mind].
 
"Brahmin, such is my instruction for those meditators [female and male lay practitioners, nuns, or monks] who are learners [those in training] who, perfection being not yet attained, dwell longing for the incomparable security from all bonds [liberation, emancipation, freedom, nirvana].

"But as for those meditators who are perfected ones [arhats], the cankers destroyed, who have lived the [Brahma-faring] life, done what was to be done, shed the burden, attained to the goal themselves, the fetters of becoming utterly destroyed, and who are freed by perfect profound knowledge [wisdom] -- these things conduce both to their abiding in ease here and now as well as to their mindfulness and clear consciousness."
 
Does everyone make it?

Doing it in Sweden (yogameditation.com)

When this had been said, the Brahmin Ganaka-Moggallana said to the [Buddha]:
 
"Now, on being exhorted thus and instructed thus by the good Gotama, do all of the good Gotama's disciples attain the unchanging goal [accanta-nittha, accanta can also mean "utmost, culminating, supreme"] -- nirvana, or do some not attain it?"
 
"Brahmin, some of my disciples, on being exhorted and instructed in this way by me, attain the unchanging goal -- nirvana. Some do not attain it."
 

I have a childlike question. - Ask it, Brahmin.

"What is the cause, good Gotama, what is the reason that -- since nirvana does exist, since the way leading to nirvana exists, and since the good Gotama exists as adviser -- some of the good Gotama's disciples on being exhorted and instructed in this way by the good Gotama, attain the unchanging goal -- nirvana -- but some do not attain it?" More

Taming the Mind and Heart (Part 1)

Amber Larson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Touristing (flickr); F.L. Woodward (trans.), PTS

Bathing the Buddha, backed by deva, at Saturday Station, Shwedagon Pagoda (Touristing)

 

The Book of the Ones

Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya)

Burmese bhikkhus on Shwedagon stupa

The Buddha made these declarations to meditative audiences of laypeople and monastics (monks and nuns). They were recorded by monks, who remembered them as being directed at them as bhikkhus. It is clear from the context as well as the meaning that they are addressed to all "hearers" (savakas), all Buddhists, and all people who would practice and strive for enlightenment no matter what other teachings they follow. So we translate the opening word, bhikkhave (lit. "O, bhikkhus!"), to reflect this.
 

Meditating sayadaw (Touristing)

31. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so intractable as the untamed mind [heart]. The untamed mind [heart] is indeed an untractable thing. 

 

32. "Meditators, I know not of any other thing so tractable as the tamed mind. The tamed mind is indeed a tractable thing.

 

33. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great loss as the untamed mind. The untamed mind indeed conduces to great loss.

 

34. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great profit as the tamed mind. The tamed mind indeed conduces to great profit.

 

39. "Meditators, I know not of any other single thing that brings such woe as the mind that is untamed, uncontrolled, unguarded, and unrestrained. Such a mind indeed brings great woe.

40. "Meditators, 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."

— Gradual Sayings, "The Book of the Ones," Chp. IV translated by F. L. Woodward

Taming the Mind
PTS edited by BPS (further editing and Dhr. Seven), "Discourse to Ganaka-Moggallana" (MN 107)

The Enlightened One (Chngster/flickr.com)

Thus I have heard. At one time the [Buddha] was staying near Savatthi in the palace of Migara's mother in the Eastern Monastery.
 
Then the Brahmin Ganaka-Moggallana approached, exchanged greetings and, having conversed in a friendly and courteous way, sat down at a respectful distance.

Sitting there, the Brahmin Ganaka-Moggallana spoke thus to the venerable one: "Just as, good Gotama [Sanskrit Gautama], in this palace of Migara's mother there can be seen a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice, that is to say, as far as the last flight of stairs [in a seven-storied palace, explains the Commentary, which is not to be built in a day] so, too, good Gotama, for these Brahmins:

"There can be seen a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice, that is to say, in the study [of the three three Vedas, which cannot possibly be done in a day] so, too, good Gotama, for these archers there can be seen a gradual... practice, that is to say, in archery. 

"So, too, good Gotama, for us whose livelihood is calculation [ganana, which is this Brahmin's profession, giving him the name Ganaka-Moggallana, explains Editor of The Wheel], there can be seen a gradual training, a gradual practice, that is to say, in accountancy.

"For when we get a pupil, good Gotama, we first of all make him [it was only offered to males] calculate: 'One one, two twos, three threes, four fours, five fives, six sixes, seven sevens, eight eights, nine nines, ten tens,' and, good Gotama, we also make him calculate a hundred.

"Is it possible, good Gotama, to lay down a similar gradual training, gradual doing, gradual practice in respect of this Dharma and discipline?" Continued in Part 2: "The Gradual Training"

Gradual Instruction to Enlightenment

Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; "Gradual Training" (accesstoinsight.org)

(ArunHaridharshan/flickr.com)

Gandhara-style Buddha

The Buddha's teaching, or Dharma, has the notion of steady, incremental self-development. This method of "gradual instruction," anupubbi-katha, appears in countless sutras. It always follows the same arc: 

As a skillful teacher, a master physician, the Buddha guides hearers from first principles to progressively more advanced teachings, all the way to the fulfillment of the Four Noble Truths, which is the full realization of nirvana.

Perceiving those capable of understanding the liberating message, regardless of their appearance or caste or social standing, he taught them this way. There is the example of the leper:

 

Having encompassed the awareness of the entire assembly with his awareness, the Blessed One asked himself, "Who here is capable of understanding the Dharma?" He then saw Suppabuddha the leper sitting in the assembly, and the thought occurred to him, "This person is capable of understanding the Dharma." 

The Buddha taught daily for 45 years

Turning his attention to Suppabuddha the leper, he gave a step by step discourse, that is, a talk on generosity, a talk on virtue, a talk on heaven(s). He declared the drawbacks, degradation, and danger of sensual attachments and the rewards of internal-renunciation, of letting go, of freedom.

 

Then when he perceived that Suppabuddha the leper's mind/heart was ready, malleable, free from hindrances, joyful, bright and temporarily purified (released), he gave a talk on the Dharma unique to enlightened ones (who have realized it for themselves):

1. suffering
2. origination
3. cessation
4. the path leading to liberation.

And just as a cloth freed of stains would properly absorb a dye, as Suppabuddha the leper was sitting in that very seat, the stainless eye of the Dharma arose in him: "Whatever is subject to arising is also subject to cessation" (Verses of Uplift 5.3).

This "gradual instruction" pattern of a sutra (a suture, unifying string) progressing through stages was utilized by the Buddha to prepare listeners' hearts/minds before speaking on the more advanced teaching of the Four Noble Truths. The stock passage (e.g., DN 3, DN 14, MN 56) runs as follows:

"Then the Blessed One gave a gradual instruction -- that is to say, speaking on liberality, virtuous conduct, and the heavens, then explaining the peril, the folly, and the depravity of [addiction to] sensual pleasures and, moreover, the advantage of freedom.

"When the Blessed One perceived that the listener's mind was prepared, pliant, freed of obstacles, elevated and lucid, he explained that exalted teaching particular to the buddhas, that is: suffering, its cause, its undoing, and the path [to its undoing]."

The Parable of the Raft (sutra)

Dhr. Seven and Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly

A raft in search of safety in a world overwhelmed by disappointment (stepoutsidenow)

 

A raft crosses over (danitadelimont.com)

The road to nirvana is paved with samsara. That is to say, it's flooded (ogha). 

 

The Buddha poses the problem we face with a parable. A person is trapped on one shore. Where we stand, there is great danger and uncertainty. There is a further shore, however, a stable place of safety, a secure refuge.

 

But there is no bridge or ferry for crossing over. What is one to do? A wise person gathers logs, branches, leaves, and vines and fashions together a hasty raft, sturdy enough to accomplish the goal.

Climbing aboard the raft and using one's strength with arms and legs to paddle, one crosses over to safety and security.

 

In a flooded field (Anekphoto/flickr.com)

The Buddha then asks, "What should one now do, having crossed over? This raft has served one so well, so what should be done with it -- carry it on firm land?"

 

His listeners replied that it would not be sensible to cling to the raft in this way.

 

The Buddha continues, "What if one were to lay the raft down with gratitude, reflecting that this raft has served one well? Now it is no longer of use and can be laid down on the shore."

 

His listeners replied that this would be the appropriate attitude.

 

The Buddha concluded by saying, "Just so with my teachings, which are like a raft for crossing over -- not for clinging to."

 

What does it all mean?

Neither rushing forward nor falling back

According to the historical Buddha, the Sage from the Shakya clan, if we want to cross over from this shore (samsara) full of dangers to the further shore beyond all danger (nirvana), we need to put together a "raft."

We gather just enough material then strive diligently and consistently. We exert just enough effort (viriya), paddling with every limb we have, to cross over to the beyond-beyond. 

Persistent balanced-effort (neither under- nor over-exerting) is the gradual path the Buddha taught from achievement to achievement to achievement. Or we exhaust oursevles and abandon the effort. Or we die trying by the legendary effort that gets all of the attention in spite of the fact that it does not work to overdo it.

• Explaining the Parable of the Raft
• How to Operate the Raft (Bhikkhu Bodhi)