Dhamma Wheel

Hello all, What is the exact difference between cessation of perception and feelings ( saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ ) and non-Buddhist asaññā samādhi ( which can lead to asaññasatta loka where Dhamma progress is impossible thus we need to avoid it )? Both don't have any saññā and by extension no vedanā or ...

Footnote [3] above says "See MN 140." The ajahn could have been more specific. Any idea what exactly he wants us to see? I think that Venerable refers to " One neither fabricates nor mentally fashions for the sake of becoming or un-becoming. " "One discerns that 'If I were to direct equanimity as p...

mikenz66 wrote: Yes, that's interesting, but does it really mean that satipatthana = first jhana?
Mike

Satipaṭṭhāna without unwholesome qualities, but with vitakka,vicāra, pīti & sukha= is 1st Jhāna.
Without vitakka & vicāra but with pīti, sukha born of samādhi = 2nd Jhāna. Etc.

In the above case, since it talks about avitakka/avicāro it implies second Jhāna. Sure, but what is vitakka/vicara? All sutta and pali evidence suggests that it is thinking in general (train of thought). In the context of Jhāna, of course, it is only wholesome, andwithin bounds of the meditation su...

In MN125, satipatthana is implied to occur during all four Jhānas, and the difference between 1st and 2nd jhāna is that there is no thinking (as in internal dialogue) in the 2nd Jhāna. That's the standard pericope for jhana as part of the gradual training, isn't it? I don't see any the mention of s...

Apart from that, may I add the following extract from SN 47.10 (SA 615). https://suttacentral.net/en/sn47.10/6.152- In this pericope that is a mix of mindfulness in the body, jhana and samadhi; there is quite a good explanation of what the thinking is all about: So he withdraws the mind and does no...

Hello Daverupa, all, There is a difference of opinion about whether vitakka-vicara has a unique meaning in the context of first jhana, or a common meaning. Recently I was thinking about the precise meaning of pali term "vitakka" and doing some pali searches. If one searches pali suttas for "arising ...

Lay people can attain stream entry. Or even non-returning if you're really good (AN 7.53). Or Arhatship at the moment of death. If he should say, 'My mind is raised above the Brahma worlds and is brought to the cessation of self-identity,' then, I tell you, Mahanama, there is no difference — in ter...

I haven't used amphetamine, don't know what effects it has. Helps to study for the exams, gives desire to vacuum the house, and take out the garbage. Nothing to mention about positive effects with concentration for those suffering with ADHD. I wonder why there is even a question about coffee? It do...

Hello clw_uk, I also have a same question. On one hand many suttas in what some consider to be earlier or one of the earliest strata of Buddhist teaching there is teaching about not having any views. On the other hand, in the suttas there are plenty of teachings that look like views: 5 aggregates, 1...

Hello Upasaka_Sumana, Different people can require different specific approach to counter their specific defilements and misunderstandings. Even though in all cases lobha, dosa, and moha must be let go, the specific instructions how to best arrive there can differ. In the suttas you will find many d...

SarathW wrote:Hi Alex
My understanding is you cant cease the five aggregate.

So, do you believe in some sort of eternal existence of 5 aggregates?

Parinibbana, aka:" nibbana without remainder" is a complete and remainderless cessation of the 5 aggregates without anything remaining.

The reason it is beyond concepts is because there isn't anything there that could be a basis for concepts.

Hello MikeNZ, all, Yes, there is some progress in some suttas. In others it seemed to take quite a lot of time and effort. Furthermore, many would argue that akaliko is better translated as "in this life", rather than "immediately". In any case, " in this life " or " immediately " is far shorter tha...

Hello MikeNZ, all, I don't think anyone disagrees that the removal of defilements is what the Buddha taught. Where I see people disagreeing often seems to revolve around differences of opinion over (1) The timescale ; and (2) The method . (1) Timescale: When the Buddha says "do away with X" some int...

Umm ... and you don't need the blood from your whole body to go to your stomach for proper digestion. If blood from yout whole body goes to the stomach, then one will get into a coma. The light walking I suggested will improve digestion movements, such as your stomach or intestines and help with bl...

You are right on the topic that alertness inhibits digestion, but wrong on the conclusion that we should sleep to prevent alertness. I don't object against "rest", but depends on what you mean by it. The more activity ( physical or mental ) that you do, diverts the blood from the stomach and other ...

Humans have autonomic nervous system (ANS) which functions outside of conscious control. It contains two branches with opposite functions: sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). SNS is characterized as " fight-or-flight ". It burns fat, makes us alert, and mobiliz...

A child has a self, just shorter memory. I believe psychologists say that a child's self is bigger than an adults, not smaller. A child has more non-reflective, instinctual, "selfishness" because he doesn't yet have formed concept of others, and cannot yet help them. So it is all instinctively abou...

Hello all, I have a question: What about in nature? A lion can eat a heavy meal and then take a nap. A baby can eat and then go to sleep. I have no problem eating >pound of meat, lots of vegetables and then go to bed 30-60 minutes later. I have never encountered any problem with sleeping on full sto...