Lay followers

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
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DCM
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Lay followers

Post by DCM »

I hope this is the right area to post this, as it's not really a meditation technique question.

Anyway, are there any examples in the Suttas of 1. Lay followers meditating, not just monks? or, 2. Any discourses instructing or advising Lay Followers to meditate. I've read lots of instances where lay followers have reached Sotapanna during or at the end of a discourse given by the Buddha, but not any mentions of them meditating.
Last edited by DCM on Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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robertk
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Re: Lay follwers

Post by robertk »

"A white-clad householder who is restrained in his actions according to the five precepts and who can, easily and without difficulty, obtain at will the four lofty mental abidings which bring happiness in the present — such a householder may, if he so wishes, declare of himself: 'Destroyed for me is (rebirth in) hell, destroyed is animal rebirth, destroy the realm of ghosts; destroyed for me are the lower worlds, the unhappy destinies, the abysmal realms; I have entered the stream, no more subject to fall into the states of woe, affirmed, assured of final enlightenment.'

"In what five precepts are his actions restrained? A noble disciple abstains from killing, from taking what is not given, from wrong sensual behavior, from lying, and from intoxicants that cause indolence.

"And what are the four lofty mental abidings bringing happiness in the present, which he can obtain at will?

"A noble disciple has unshakable faith in the Buddha, unshakable faith in the Teaching, unshakable faith in the Order; and he is possessed of virtues beloved by the Nobles — virtues that are unbroken, unviolated, untarnished, without blemish, bringing freedom, praised by the wise, uninfluenced, conducive to concentration.

"These are the four lofty mental abidings bringing happiness in the present, which purify the impure mind and cleanse the unclean mind. These he obtains at will, easily and without difficulty."

— AN 5.179
DCM
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Re: Lay follwers

Post by DCM »

Thanks Robert, I guess this is where I need to have a better understanding of the definition of, or my idea of meditation. I'm showing my inexperience here but how would this Sutta be described as mediatation? I'm guessing it's by using concentration in our daily lives to bring about a practise of morality and restraining the senses.
I need to get out of my thinking that meditataion is just siting cross-legged practising samatha!
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bodom
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Re: Lay follwers

Post by bodom »

DCM wrote:Thanks Robert, I guess this is where I need to have a better understanding of the definition of, or my idea of meditation. I'm showing my inexperience here but how would this Sutta be described as mediatation? I'm guessing it's by using concentration in our daily lives to bring about a practise of morality and restraining the senses.
I need to get out of my thinking that meditataion is just siting cross-legged practising samatha!
Here:
"To be sure, you householders provide the monastic community with clothing, food, shelter, and medicine, but you should not be satisfied with that. May you also from time to time strive to enter and abide in the joy of (inner meditative) seclusion!" - AN 5.176
:namaste:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
paul
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Re: Lay followers

Post by paul »

Note that the four sotapanna qualities mentioned in this sutta are also in AN 5.179, but it includes the added instruction of detachment from the home life:
"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 terms of release — between the release of that lay follower whose mind is released and the release of a monk whose mind is released."
---SN 55.54
Amanaki
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Re: Lay followers

Post by Amanaki »

I am a lay buddhist and i do vipassana(insight) meditating almost every day. And done so for about 20 years. So yes lay buddhist do meditation too
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