MN
122
The
Greater Discourse on Voidness
Mahāsuññata
Sutta
Dhamma Sukha
Meditation Center
A Dhamma talk
by Bhante Vimalaramsi
24-Aug-07
BV: This particular sutta’s very interesting in a lot of ways, because it
gives you the full description of what full awareness is. You hear a lot of
talk about awareness and all of that sort of thing, and it’s always done in
a general way, but this one gets very specific with it.
MN:
1.
thus have I heard. On one
occasion the Blessed One was living in the Sakyan country at Kapilavatthu in
Nigrodha's Park.
2. Then, when
it was morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe,
went into Kapilavatthu for alms. When he had wandered for alms in
Kapilavatthu and had returned from his almsround, after his meal he went for
his daytime abiding to the dwelling of Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan. Now on that
occasion there were many resting places prepared in Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan's
dwelling. When the Blessed One saw this, he thought: "There are many resting
places prepared in Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan's dwelling. Do many bhikkhus live
there?"
Now on that
occasion the venerable Ānanda, along with many bhikkhus, was busy making
robes at Ghata the Sakyan's dwelling. Then, when it was evening, the Blessed
One rose from retreat and went to Ghata the Sakyan's dwelling. There he sat
down on a seat made ready and asked the venerable Ānanda:
"Ānanda,
there are many resting places prepared in Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan's dwelling.
Do many bhikkhus live there?
"Venerable
sir, many resting places have been prepared in Kāḷakhemaka the Sakyan's
dwelling. Many bhikkhus are living there. This is our time for making robes,
venerable sir.
BV: What that
means is: right after the rain’s retreat, we have what is called the, katina
ceremony, and the katina robe is a special robe. It’s made from scratch.
It’s made all in one day by the monks, and dyed, and then, at the ceremony,
one monk is given that robe. And when you get the katina robe, that means
that you’re responsible for all of the robes, the extra robes, and bowls,
and requisites, in the temple. And it’s that way for a year. The way they
pick a monk, quite often, is the monk with the shabbiest robe. But these
days, no monks have real shabby holey robes, very much, but mine are of
getting kind of like that. And then, they’ll go around and they’ll ask each
monk: “How are your robes? Do you need a new robe?”—“No, venerable sir, I
don’t need a new robe.” And they go to the next, and the next, and the next.
And then there’s a ceremony for the monk, accepting the robe, and accepting
the responsibility for taking care of the requisites.
When I was
staying at Bhavana, I was only going to be there until the end of the rain’s
retreat, and then I was going to leave. But they had these robes made,
especially for a big person, and on the day of the katina ceremony, they
asked me if I would take the robes, but because I couldn’t take the
responsibility for the other things, I was leaving, I wanted… it was cold. I
was going South. So I told them that I appreciated the offer, but I wasn’t
going to be able to stay there and take care or do the responsibilities. So
we got together, and decided that we would give the katina robe to a Thai
man, about as tall as he is. Now they made a robe for me. Got an idea how
big that robe was? That poor Thai guy, when he tried to wear that robe, he’d
have it down where he was supposed to, and he’d flip it over his shoulder,
and it would almost be touching him in back, when he flipped it over his
shoulder.
Anyway –
MN:
3. "Ānanda, a
bhikkhu does not shine by delighting in company, by taking delight in
company, by devoting himself to delight in company; by delighting in
society, by taking delight in society, by rejoicing in society. Indeed,
Ānanda, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who delights in company, takes
delight in company, and devotes himself to delight in company, who delights
in society, takes delight in society, and rejoices in society, will ever
obtain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the bliss of renunciation,
the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of enlightenment. But
it can be expected that when a bhikkhu lives alone, withdrawn from society,
he will obtain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the bliss of
renunciation, the bliss of seclusion, the bliss of peace, the bliss of
enlightenment.
4. "Indeed,
Ānanda, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who delights in company, takes
delight in company, and devotes himself to delight in company, who delights
in society, takes delight in society, and rejoices in society, will ever
enter upon and abide in either the deliverance of mind that is temporary and
delectable or in [the deliverance of mind] that is perpetual and
unshakeable. But it can be expected that when a bhikkhu lives alone,
withdrawn from society, he will enter upon and abide in the deliverance of
mind that is temporary
BV: What is
temporary deliverance of mind?
S: ~
BV: It’s the
letting go of craving.
MN:
and
delectable or in [the deliverance of mind] that is perpetual and
unshakeable.
BV: That
means the fruition of one of the four stages of nibbāna.
MN:
5. "I do not
see even a single kind of form, Ānanda, from the change and alteration of
which there would not arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair in
one who lusts for it and takes delight in it.
6. "However,
Ānanda, there is this abiding discovered by the Tathāgata: to enter and
abide in voidness internally by giving no attention to all signs. If, while
the Tathāgata is abiding thus, he is visited by bhikkhus or bhikkhunis, by
men or women lay followers, by kings or kings' ministers, by other
sectarians or their disciples, then with a mind leaning to seclusion,
tending and inclining to seclusion, withdrawn, delighting in renunciation,
and altogether done away with things that are the basis for taints, he
invariably talks to them in a way concerned with dismissing them.
BV: Now what
are we talking about here? He learns how to abide in voidness internally, by
giving no attention to signs. That means not getting caught up, in the
craving, and clinging, and habitual tendencies, and all of that sort of
thing. So, when you’re practicing the six Rs, and you start to do it, as
more of a habit, you see your mind starting to do these things, and you let
go and relax. You are experiencing the voidness internally, because you’re
letting go. Now that doesn’t mean that you’re not able to see something, or
you’re not able to hear something, or taste, or touch. It means you don’t
have the attachment to it. Right?
MN:
7.
"Therefore, Ānanda, if a bhikkhu should wish: 'May I enter upon and abide in
voidness internally,' he should steady his mind internally, quiet it, bring
it to singleness, and concentrate it. And how does he steady his mind
internally, quiet it, bring it to singleness, and concentrate it?
8. "Here,
Ānanda, quite secluded from sensual pleasures,
BV: Have you
ever heard this one before?
MN:
secluded from
unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhāna...the
second jhāna...the third jhāna...the fourth jhāna, which has
neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. That
is how a bhikkhu steadies his mind internally, quiets it, brings it to
singleness, and concentrates it.
9. "Then he
gives attention to voidness internally. While he is giving attention to
voidness internally, his mind does not enter into voidness internally or
acquire confidence, steadiness, and decision. When that is so, he
understands thus: 'While I am giving attention to voidness internally, my
mind does not enter into voidness internally or acquire confidence,
steadiness, and decision.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
BV: What does
that mean? Ok, listen to this again. When he gives attention to voidness
internally, while he is giving attention to voidness internally, his mind
does not enter into voidness internally. In other words, you can have the
ability to be in jhāna, and have the experience of the jhāna factors, in
other words, if you’re experiencing equanimity, your mind has equanimity,
and it doesn’t matter what’s happening outside, but you’re not entering into
that equanimity as that’s my only object of meditation. You’re keeping your
equanimity going. You’re keeping that balance of mind going with your other
activities. And you’re aware of that. You know how it feels when you have
that balanced mind, and then somebody comes up and says something to you,
and you mind just stays down, stride along with it. Now there’s a huge
amount of relief, when you have this kind of equanimity going all the time.
Now you’re not in the fourth jhāna, but you’re experiencing the results of
the fourth jhāna.
MN:
"He gives
attention to voidness externally. He gives attention to voidness internally
and externally. He gives attention to imperturbability.
BV: What’s
imperturbability? Having that balance of mind without having any hindrances,
knocking you out.
MN:
While he is
giving attention to imperturbability, his mind does not enter into
imperturbability or acquire confidence, steadiness, and decision. When that
is so, he understands thus: 'While I am giving attention to
imperturbability, my mind does not enter into imperturbability or acquire
confidence, steadiness, and decision.' In this way he has full awareness of
that.
10. "Then
that bhikkhu should steady his mind internally, quiet it, bring it to
singleness, and concentrate it on that same sign of concentration as before.
Then he gives attention to voidness internally. While he is giving attention
to voidness internally, his mind enters into voidness internally and
acquires confidence, steadiness, and decision. When that is so, he
understands thus: 'While I am giving attention to voidness internally, my
mind enters into voidness internally and acquires confidence, steadiness,
and decision.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
BV: Now this
is talking about doing your sitting. And you have full awareness of that.
And the full awareness is what your experience is while you’re in the
sitting.
MN:
"He gives attention to voidness externally. He gives
attention to voidness internally and externally. He gives attention to
imperturbability. While he is giving attention to imperturbability, his mind
enters into imperturbability and acquires confidence, steadiness, and
decision. When that is so, he understands thus: 'While I am giving attention
to imperturbability, my mind enters into imperturbability and acquires
confidence, steadiness, and decision.' In this way he has full awareness of
that.
BV: So you
really know what your mind is doing in the present moment all the time.
That’s what we’re talking about. Having full awareness of when you direct
your mind towards imperturbability, sitting in imperturbability, and knowing
that that’s what it is.
MN:
11. "When a
bhikkhu abides thus, if his mind inclines to walking, he walks, thinking:
'While I am walking thus, no evil unwholesome states of covetousness and
grief will beset me.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
BV: So when
you have developed your ability, to keep, your meditation going all the
time, and you get up and walk, now the walking, is real interesting when you
keep your mind in the fourth jhāna, or, beyond. Because you don’t feel
anything except contact. You feel your head; you feel you feet as they touch
the ground; don’t feel anything in between. And that’s how you recognize
that you’re in that jhāna. You have that strong equanimity; if you brush
against something, you feel it; but unless there’s contact, you don’t.
Now this
happened again at Bhavana; I was giving a Dhamma talk about being able to
carry your meditation with you all the time. And the next person that gave a
Dhamma talk made fun of that. So the next time I gave a discourse, guess
what I started reading? (Pats book.) They said: “Well, the only time you can
experience this deep jhāna, is while you’re sitting, because you don’t even
have a body at that time; you don’t even breathing at that time.” Well, I’m
sorry, but that’s not the way it works. And, this is definitely talking
about being in the jhāna, while you’re walking, and knowing, that you don’t
have any hindrances arising, and you have full awareness of that. Now,
you’re still aware of things around you, but, you’re staying with your
object of meditation; you’re staying with the Loving-Kindness, compassion,
joy, whatever it happens to be. When it gets up into nothingness, it gets
really interesting. We’ll talk about that at some other time.
MN:
And when a
bhikkhu abides thus, if his mind inclines to standing, he stands...If his
mind inclines to sitting, he sits...If his mind inclines to lying down, he
lies down, thinking: 'While I am lying down thus, no evil unwholesome states
will beset me.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
12. "When a
bhikkhu abides thus, if his mind inclines to talking, he resolves: 'Such
talk as is low, vulgar, coarse, ignoble, unbeneficial, and which does not
lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge,
enlightenment, and Nibbāna, that is, talk of kings, robbers, ministers,
armies, dangers, battles, food, drink, clothing, beds, garlands, perfumes,
relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, countries, women, heroes,
streets, wells, the dead, trivialities, the origin of the world, the origin
of the sea, whether things are so or are not so: such talk I shall not
utter.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
BV: Now we’re
talking about, during retreat, and, the more we can, let go of the frivolous
talk, the better. Not saying what just pops in your mind, but keeping in
mind that you want to have to do with leading to disenchantment, dispassion,
cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and nibbāna. Those are
the subjects that we like to hear about.
MN:
"But he resolves: 'Such talk as deals with effacement,
as favours the mind's release, and which leads to complete disenchantment,
dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and Nibbāna,
that is, talk on wanting little, on contentment,
BV: What’s
contentment mean?
S: ~satisfied
with what’s happening ~
BV: Being
content means loving what you’re doing in the present moment.
MN:
seclusion,
aloofness from society, arousing energy, virtue, concentration, wisdom,
deliverance, knowledge and vision of deliverance: such talk I shall utter.'
BV: Hun. Now,
isn’t that interesting? Talk on, deliverance, arousing energy, virtue,
collectedness, wisdom, deliverance, such talk, is allowable talk. And monks
do that among themselves. There’s this strange idea that you’re never
supposed to talk about your experience of meditation with anybody else. And,
when you can talk about Dhamma with each other, and say: “Well, my
experience was this”, you’re giving confidence to the other people, that
they can be able to experience that too, or maybe they’ve already had that
experience and they were unsure of it, and now you start talking about:
“This is what that experience was for me.”, and they go: “Oh! Yeah! I had
that same experience.” Now, that not only gives for the other person, it
gives confidence back to you. You both feel like you’re on the right path.
It’s good to talk about these things.
MN:
In this way
he has full awareness of that.
13. "When a
bhikkhu abides thus, if his mind inclines to thinking, he resolves: 'Such
thoughts as are low, vulgar, coarse, ignoble, unbeneficial, and which do not
lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge,
enlightenment, and Nibbāna, that is, thoughts of sensual desire, thoughts of
ill will, and thoughts of cruelty: such thoughts I shall not think.'
BV: Now how
do you not think those thoughts?
S: ~
BV: Noooo.
When they come up, yoou..
S: Six R
them ~
MN:
In this way
he has full awareness of that.
BV: So there
is, the harmonious practice, or right effort, of, noticing the unwholesome,
letting go of the unwholesome and relaxing, bringing up a wholesome,
smiling, and your object of meditation, and keep that, going.
MN:
"But he
resolves: 'Such thoughts as are noble and emancipating, and lead the one who
practises in accordance with them to the complete destruction of suffering,
that is, thoughts of renunciation, thoughts of non-ill will,
BV: Metta.
MN:
and thoughts
of non-cruelty:
BV:
Compassion.
MN:
such thoughts
I shall think.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
14. "Ānanda,
there are these five cords of sensual pleasure. What five? Forms cognizable
by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected
with sensual desire and provocative of lust. Sounds cognizable by the ear...Odours
cognizable by the nose...Flavours cognizable by the tongue...Tangibles
cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and
likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. These are
the five cords of sensual pleasure.
15. "Herein a
bhikkhu should constantly review his own mind thus: 'Does any mental
excitement concerning any base among these five cords of sensual pleasure
ever arise in me?' If, on reviewing his mind, the bhikkhu understands:
'Mental excitement concerning a certain base among these five cords of
sensual pleasure does arise in me,' then he understands: 'Desire and lust
for the five cords of sensual pleasure are unabandoned in me.' In this way
he has full awareness of that.
BV: So if you
know that you have one of the five cords that you’re real attached to, than,
you recognize that, and you start to recognize the mental excitement ,
caused by that, and you six R that right then, and you will start to lose
this strong excitement of, ice cream.
SK: (Laughs)
MN:
But if, on
reviewing his mind, the bhikkhu understands: 'No mental excitement
concerning any base among these five cords of sensual pleasure arises in
me,’ then he understands: 'Desire and lust for the five cords of sensual
pleasure are abandoned in me.' In this way he has full awareness of that.
16. "Ānanda,
there are these five aggregates affected by clinging,
BV: Which may
be affected by clinging.
MN:
in regard to
which a bhikkhu should abide contemplating rise and fall thus: 'Such is
material form, such its arising, such its disappearance; such is feeling,
such its arising, such its disappearance; such is perception, such its
arising, such its disappearance; such are formations, such their arising,
such their disappearance; such is consciousness, such its arising, such its
disappearance.'
17. "When he abides contemplating rise and fall in
these five aggregates affected by clinging, the conceit 'I am' based on
these five aggregates affected by clinging is abandoned in him. When that is
so, that bhikkhu understands: 'The conceit "I am" based on these five
aggregates affected by clinging is abandoned in me.' In that way he has full
awareness of that.
BV: Now, I
have a little bit of a problem with that, because it’s not talking about
craving, which is the actual start of the “I am that”, it’s talking about
clinging, where the full blown idea, of “I am these thoughts, I am this
aggregate”, whatever it happens to be, where it gets really big. So, if I
were writing this, what I would do would be talk, about, seeing the craving
first, and by letting go of that, then of course there will be no other
thoughts attached to “I am that” at all, and it has to be there, because if
you don’t see the craving, before the clinging, then you’re just letting go
of the surface, and the philosophical idea of “I am that”. You’re not
letting go of the cause of that.
MN:
18. "These
states have an entirely wholesome basis; they are noble, supramundane, and
inaccessible to the Evil One.
BV: Every
time you let go of craving, you mind is entirely wholesome. That’s why I
call it your pure mind. If you don’t let go until, the clinging, there is
still some unwholesomeness in you. So it always comes back to the craving.
Always, one hundred per cent.
MN:
19. "What do
you think, Ānanda? What good does a disciple see that he should seek the
Teacher's company even if he is told to go away?"
"Venerable
sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One,
have the Blessed One as their resort. It would be good if the Blessed One
would explain the meaning of these words. Having heard it from the Blessed
One, the bhikkhus will remember it."
20. "Ānanda,
a disciple should not seek the Teacher's company for the sake of discourses,
stanzas, and expositions. Why is that? For a long time, Ānanda, you have
learned the teachings, remembered them, recited them verbally, examined them
with the mind, and penetrated them well by view. But such talk as deals with
effacement, as favours the mind's release, and which leads to complete
disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge,
enlightenment, and Nibbāna, that is, talk on wanting little, on contentment,
seclusion, aloofness from society, arousing energy, virtue, concentration,
wisdom, deliverance, knowledge and vision of deliverance: for the sake of
such talk a disciple should seek the Teacher's company even if he is told to
go away.
21. "Since
this is so, Ānanda, a teacher's undoing may come about, a pupil's undoing
may come about, and the undoing of one who lives the holy life may come
about.
22. "And how
does a teacher's undoing come about? Here some teacher resorts to a secluded
resting place: the forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a
hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of
straw. While he lives thus withdrawn, brahmins and householders from town
and country visit him, and as a result he goes astray, becomes filled with
desire, succumbs to craving, and reverts to luxury. This teacher is said to
be undone by the teacher's undoing.
BV: Why?
Because they come around and distract. Stayed with a guy in Sri Lanka for a
little while, and he wanted to do some walking around. So we would walk for
a little ways, just, a day’s walk, and then we would sit and start to
meditate, and the town’s folks would notice that we were there, and they
came, they wanted to talk, all night. And I didn’t want to talk, and, the
other monk, he said out of compassion I have to be able to talk, and then
they just started chit chatting about this and that, and, not only was it
boring, but I felt completely distracted, and I would get up to go away, but
he didn’t like that. He was senior to me, so I had to stay there. So I
didn’t wind up spending a whole lot of time with him. I like being alone. I
truly do. But the seclusion leads to more clear kinds of mindfulness, and
how your mind works, and this sort of thing. So when you go someplace and
you give into, having these distractions, then they start bringing food
around, and then they start: “Ah, we’ll build you this place and you can be
comfortable and…”
Ok, he
“reverts to luxury. This teacher is said to be undone by the teacher's
undoing.”
MN:
He has been struck down by evil unwholesome states
that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and
lead to future birth, ageing, and death. This is how the teacher's undoing
comes about.
BV: As a
result, I didn’t spend very long with him, I told him that I was
dissatisfied, and would rather walk out by myself.
MN:
23. "And how
does a pupil's undoing come about? A pupil of that teacher, emulating the
teacher's seclusion, resorts to a secluded resting place: the forest...a
heap of straw. While he lives thus withdrawn, brahmins and householders from
town and country visit him, and as a result he goes astray, becomes filled
with desire, succumbs to craving, and reverts to luxury. This pupil is said
to be undone by the pupil's undoing. He has been struck down by evil
unwholesome states that defile, bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen
in suffering, and lead to future birth, ageing, and death. This is how the
pupil's undoing comes about.
24. "And how
does the undoing of one who lives the holy life come about? Here a Tathāgata
appears in the world, accomplished and fully enlightened, perfect in true
knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable leader of
persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed. He
resorts to a secluded resting place: the forest...a heap of straw. While he
lives thus withdrawn, brahmins and householders from town and country visit
him, yet he does not go astray, or become filled with desire, succumb to
craving, and revert to luxury. But a disciple of this teacher, emulating his
teacher's seclusion, resorts to a secluded resting place: the forest...a
heap of straw. While he lives thus withdrawn, brahmins and householders from
town and country visit him, and as a result he goes astray, becomes filled
with desire, succumbs to craving, and reverts to luxury.
BV: When I
was in Thailand, I spent a fair amount of time in very secluded places, and
I ran across this one kuti. It wasn’t very far from the town, maybe a half
of a mile or so. So it was good for going in and getting alms, and that sort
of thing, and they knew that I wanted to meditate, but they would still
come, and they would stand at the window, or they would stand at the door,
and watch me meditate. They wouldn’t say a word. Now I was secluded, but
they wanted to come and be around, that kind of energy. So I didn’t give
into that at all, I just noticed that that’s what was happening. It is a
little bit disturbing, to be stared at while you’re sitting. But after a
while, if you can put up with that, then their mind becomes calm, and it’s
not disturbing any more. So. It’s really kind of interesting, what your
intention is, and how you handle, disturbances when they come up. And then
sometimes they would come into the little kuti that I was sitting in, and
I’d be doing this or that, or writing this or that, didn’t say a word, to
each other. They’d be there for a half hour or forty five minutes, get up
and walk out. Now, if you were treated like that in this country, you were
to come into my room, and I would look at you and not say anything, and just
go about what I was going to do, how offended would you be? (Laughs)
MN:
{This one who
lives the holy life is said to be undone by the undoing of one who lives the
holy life. He has been struck down by evil unwholesome states that defile,
bring renewal of being, give trouble, ripen in suffering, and lead to future
birth, ageing, and death.}
Thus there
comes to be the undoing of one who leads the holy life. And herein, Ānanda,
the undoing of one who leads the holy life has a more painful result, a more
bitter result, than the teacher's undoing or the pupil's undoing, and it
even leads to perdition.
BV: You got
to be careful, especially as a monk.
MN:
25.
"Therefore, Ānanda, behave towards me with friendliness, not with hostility.
That will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. And how do
disciples behave towards the Teacher with hostility, not with friendliness?
Here, Ānanda, compassionate and seeking their welfare, the Teacher teaches
the Dhamma to the disciples out of compassion: 'This is for your welfare,
this is for your happiness.' His disciples do not want to hear or give ear
or exert their minds to understand; they err and turn aside from the
Teacher's Dispensation. Thus do disciples behave towards the Teacher with
hostility, not with friendliness.
26. "And how
do disciples behave towards the Teacher with friendliness, not with
hostility? Here, Ānanda, compassionate and seeking their welfare, the
Teacher teaches the Dhamma to the disciples out of compassion: This is for
your welfare, this is for your happiness.' His disciples want to hear and
give ear and exert their minds to understand; they do not err and turn aside
from the Teacher's Dispensation. Thus do disciples behave towards the
Teacher with friendliness, not with hostility. Therefore, Ānanda, behave
towards me with friendliness, not with hostility. That will lead to your
welfare and happiness for a long time.
27. "I shall
not treat you as the potter treats the raw damp clay. Repeatedly restraining
you, I shall speak to you, Ānanda. Repeatedly admonishing you, I shall speak
to you, Ānanda. The sound core will stand [the test]."
That is what
the Blessed One said. The venerable Ānanda was satisfied and delighted in
the Blessed One's words.
BV: It’s
really kind of amazing, sometimes to be invited to give a talk, and people
already have their views set, and they don’t, pay attention. I have a
tendency to do that one time. I’ll come and give a talk one time, and if
they’re not listening, they can invite me back a lot, I’m not interested.
And this brings up an interesting thing. I have gone to a lot of talks,
since I have been doing more and more with the suttas, but I am still very
attentive to what somebody else says, whether I agree with what they say or
not, because everybody has something that you can get, you know. Everything
can be helpful in one way or another. So you don’t close your mind down to
what somebody else says. Real interesting.
The more
attentive you can be, the closer you are to following the Buddha’s teaching,
when you’re listening to a Dhamma talk.
Now if you
what to not agree or disagree with what that person says, and you come back
and you look into the sutta, to see if what they said was really true or
not, then you can make your own conclusion as to whether that was the true
teaching of the Buddha, or not. But you don’t have to criticize. That leads
to pride, and that can cause all kinds of problems. So, the more we keep an
open mind, all of the time, without that judging aspect, the easier it is
to, practice, what the Buddha was actually trying to teach us. And the more
you direct your mind towards, uplifting things, towards happiness and
compassion for other people, the, easier your meditation becomes, and the
easier your meditation becomes, the faster your progress is. It’s just that
simple.
Ok, let’s
share some merit then.
May
suffering ones, be suffering free
And the
fear struck, fearless be
May the
grieving shed all grief
And may
all beings find relief.
May all
beings share this merit that we have thus acquired
For the
acquisition of all kinds of happiness.
May
beings inhabiting space and earth
Devas and
nagas of mighty power
Share
this merit of ours.
May they
long protect the Lord Buddha's dispensation.
Sadhu . .
. Sadhu . . . Sadhu .
. .
Sutta
text translation: (C) Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, 2001. Reprinted from The Middle
Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya with
permission of Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
U.S.A,
www.wisdompubs.org
Text
last edited: 08-Feb-08
Berlin-1 Apr 09
Bogor Dec 10
Vietnamese