Equanimity vs indiference

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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reflection
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Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:27 pm

Re: Equanimity vs indiference

Post by reflection »

Modus.Ponens wrote: If pleasant sensations are not happiness, why would the pleasure Ven. Sariputta speaks of, be happiness?
As I see it, nibbana as in the cessation of the aggregates, includes the cessation of feeling. So "where there is nothing felt" means where there is no feeling. And since consciousness can't exist without feeling (MN43), the pleasure he speaks of is not a sensation, but the absence of sensations.

If we look at SN 38.14 we see three types of dukkha. I think we can say that normally we speak about happiness if we can be free of the dukkha of pain. However, there is still the more subtle types of dukkha of fabricating and impermanence which are intertwined in the aggregates, intertwined in feeling.

And also:
Be it a pleasant feeling, be it a painful feeling, be it neutral,
one's own or others', feelings of all kinds[1] —
he knows them all as ill, deceitful, evanescent.
Seeing how they impinge again, again, and disappear,[2]
he wins detachment from the feelings, passion-free.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nypo.html
But if we want to understand this and realize this, I think reading suttas and intellectual pursuit is not the best. If we follow Sariputta's advice, it's best to investigate the process of cessation in the jhanas.

:anjali:
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Zenainder
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 11:10 am

Re: Equanimity vs indiference

Post by Zenainder »

Modus.Ponens wrote:I still don't get it. But I have enough faith to try to find out for myself.

:anjali:
If you have not already, I recommend practicing samatha (tranquility) meditation. As the wisdom of the insights dawn and the mind and body are stilled, so is it like a tranquil morning as the sun dawns upon a still pond in a secluded forrest. According to the Upanisa Sutta (SN 12.23) it states that sukha arises from tranquillity of the body and mind. It is a formation aggregate and has its causes and condtions (in this case tranquility and the effort of samatha meditation).

Happiness is the stilling of the hindrances.

It is but a grain of salt compared to liberation.

Metta,

Zen
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