I already have Breathe! You Are Alive by Thich Nhat Hanh. Would I be better served to buy someone else's interpretation of the Anapanasati Sutta?
Thank you.
Mojo
Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
Last edited by Mojo on Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- LonesomeYogurt
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: America
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good translation?
From what I've read, his writings on anapanasati are more "interpretation" than "translation." Helpful stuff, but it definitely lacks the nuance of a more scholarly approach.
This is a strictly line-by-line, word-by-word examination of the sutta by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
This is a strictly line-by-line, word-by-word examination of the sutta by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good translation?
Hi mojo,
There's the sutta itself:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
There's an Anapanasati pdf book by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu:
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf
An article about Anapanasati by Ajahn Sumedho:
http://www.buddhanet.net/nowknow2.htm
with kind wishes
Aloka
There's the sutta itself:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
There's an Anapanasati pdf book by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu:
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf
An article about Anapanasati by Ajahn Sumedho:
http://www.buddhanet.net/nowknow2.htm
with kind wishes
Aloka
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good translation?
Thank you for helping me to clarify my question. I edited the topic to reflect interpretation instead of translation.LonesomeYogurt wrote:From what I've read, his writings on anapanasati are more "interpretation" than "translation." Helpful stuff, but it definitely lacks the nuance of a more scholarly approach.
I'm no scholar and would not know the nuances of Pali to discern what certain expressions really mean in a literal translation.
I suppose I just really want to make sure that I have an easy to follow guide to practicing Anapanasati that I can practice and be confident that I'm actually practicing Anapanasati and not some other form of meditation.
Namaste
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
I should like to note that I'm going start sitting with a Thich Nhat Hanh group on this week. They are the only group around that doesn't burn incense - incense I'd a deal breaker for me. I suppose I'm a tad bit apprehensive of following ESL instructions.
- LonesomeYogurt
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: America
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good translation?
It depends on what you mean by "anapanasati." If you mean general meditation where you follow your breath with mindfulness, then I'm sure TNH will be fine.Mojo wrote:I suppose I just really want to make sure that I have an easy to follow guide to practicing Anapanasati that I can practice and be confident that I'm actually practicing Anapanasati and not some other form of meditation.
Namaste
However, "capital-A" Anapanasati can refer to the specific set of sixteen steps the Buddha laid out in the eponymous sutta. I don't know if TNH will be accurately representing those specifically.
Why is incense a problem for you?
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
It bothers my breathing and I've seen reports stating it is as dangerous as second hand cigarette smoke.
- LonesomeYogurt
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: America
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
I have trouble with incense too, it's probably best to avoid it.Mojo wrote:It bothers my breathing and I've seen reports stating it is as dangerous as second hand cigarette smoke.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
That's the question that propelled me to start studying the suttas, and I'd say no, it's not a good interpretation.
In addition to being in the Anapanasati Sutta, all four of the aforementioned core instructional tetrads can also be found in the following canonical discourses:
-the "Greater Exhortation to Rahula Discourse" (Maha-Rahulovada Sutta, MN 62);[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html]
-sixteen discourses of the Samyutta Nikaya's (SN) chapter 54 (Anapana-samyutta): SN 54.1, SN 54.3–SN 54.16, SN 54.20;[http://www.accesstoinsight.org /tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.006.than.html; http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]
-the "To Girimananda Discourse" (Girimananda Sutta, AN 10.60); and,[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .piya.html] the Khuddaka Nikaya's Patisambhidamagga's section on the breath, Anapanakatha.
The first tetrad identified above (relating to bodily mindfulness) can also be found in the following discourses:
-the "Great Mindfulness Arousing Discourse" (Mahasatipatthana Sutta, DN 22)[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... 0.than.htm] and, similarly, the "Mindfulness Arousing Discourse" (Satipatthana Sutta, MN 10),[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nysa.html] in the section on Body Contemplation; and,
-the "Mindfulness concerning the Body Discourse" (Kayagatasati Sutta, MN 119) as the first type of body-centered meditation described.[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html]
In addition to being in the Anapanasati Sutta, all four of the aforementioned core instructional tetrads can also be found in the following canonical discourses:
-the "Greater Exhortation to Rahula Discourse" (Maha-Rahulovada Sutta, MN 62);[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html]
-sixteen discourses of the Samyutta Nikaya's (SN) chapter 54 (Anapana-samyutta): SN 54.1, SN 54.3–SN 54.16, SN 54.20;[http://www.accesstoinsight.org /tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.006.than.html; http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]
-the "To Girimananda Discourse" (Girimananda Sutta, AN 10.60); and,[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .piya.html] the Khuddaka Nikaya's Patisambhidamagga's section on the breath, Anapanakatha.
The first tetrad identified above (relating to bodily mindfulness) can also be found in the following discourses:
-the "Great Mindfulness Arousing Discourse" (Mahasatipatthana Sutta, DN 22)[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... 0.than.htm] and, similarly, the "Mindfulness Arousing Discourse" (Satipatthana Sutta, MN 10),[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nysa.html] in the section on Body Contemplation; and,
-the "Mindfulness concerning the Body Discourse" (Kayagatasati Sutta, MN 119) as the first type of body-centered meditation described.[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html]
- Cittasanto
- Posts: 6646
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
- Location: Ellan Vannin
- Contact:
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
if I remember the Book propperly his has the only english rendering of the Chinese Agama versions that are freely & readily available in English, so it has some worth from that perspective. But I have never really liked the lovey dovey approach or the realigning of sanghadisesa rules that his community has done so.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
-
- Posts: 10263
- Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:32 am
- Location: Andromeda looks nice
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
I'd be interested to hear how you get on, and if there is any meditation instruction. I was involved in an Interbeing Sangha for a number of years.Mojo wrote:I should like to note that I'm going start sitting with a Thich Nhat Hanh group on this week.
Buddha save me from new-agers!
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
I'm leaning toward getting Larry Rosenberg's Breath by Breath.
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
I sit with interbeings once in a while here as the only group sit on that night. Bell rings and we sit 20mins, walk 10mins, sit 20 mins, and then about an hour of reading or chants or whatever thingy for the week, finishing with a tea circle. There hasn't been any sitting instructions but we are free to ask. Walkng is super slow with attention mostly on foot sensations and matching step to breath.porpoise wrote:I'd be interested to hear how you get on, and if there is any meditation instruction. I was involved in an Interbeing Sangha for a number of years.
I enjoy the company but wouldn't want it to be my only source for buddha-dhamma-vinaya.
- LonesomeYogurt
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: America
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
Larry Rosenberg was influenced heavily by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. You may find his introduction to Anapanasati, which I consider to be one of the best ever written, helpful:Mojo wrote:I'm leaning toward getting Larry Rosenberg's Breath by Breath.
http://what-buddha-taught.net/Books3/Bh ... athing.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
Re: Breathe! You Are Alive - good interpretation?
LonesomeYogurt wrote: . You may find his introduction to Anapanasati, which I consider to be one of the best ever written, helpful:
http://what-buddha-taught.net/Books3/Bh ... athing.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I also gave a link to the Buddhadasa pdf booklet #3.
_/\_