Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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kirk5a
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by kirk5a »

ground wrote: Yes. Realizing that all ideas are neither self nor other no need for refuge arises. However thinking this way and/or inferring is not realizing and because this is the case the idea of refuge may arise. :sage:
I wonder at what point along the path there is no need for refuge. Given that we've already seen the actuality of that described by the Buddha as the four foundations of mindfulness...
"When one thing is practiced & pursued, ignorance is abandoned, clear knowing arises, the conceit 'I am' is abandoned, latent tendencies are uprooted, fetters are abandoned. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body." -AN 1.230
lojong1
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by lojong1 »

plwk wrote:Yet if he has merely faith, merely affection for the Tathagata, that man, too, does not go to... states of woe.
Because buddha was still alive at that time, it was appropriate.
philosopher
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by philosopher »

Bhikkhu Pesala and others,

Thank you for the explanation.

:anjali:
Qianxi
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by Qianxi »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:Dīpa can be translated as “island” or “lamp.” I checked the Commentary, which gives the meaning of an island.
I think it's interesting that the Chinese translations of the Mahāsāṃghika Ekottarikāgama, Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama and the Dharmaguptaka Dīrghāgama made from 385 to 413 all translate 'dīpa' as 'lamp'. However, the 443 Chinese translation of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Saṃyuktāgama and the 703 translation of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya translate 'dīpa' as 'island'.

Hard to tell whether these reflect traditions of interpretation within the early schools, or whether they are just choices that the translators made for themselves.

EDIT: it may be relevant that the 385-413 'lamp' readings are thought to be translations from Prakrit, whereas the two later Mūlasarvāstivāda 'Island' readings are probably from Sanskrit. Really need more examples to trace a pattern though.
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

...Which is why I find it pointless to learn Pali, in order to 'appreciate the teachings more' and be able to understand them more profoundly.... If educate scholarly types are at odds, imagine a total inept like me getting their head round it. :rolleye:

No, I will just stick with what I read in English; accept there may be variations according to which translation I read, and glean the best possible lesson I can from it. :reading:


I have too much negative kamma to transform and eliminate, to worry about a lamp or an Island....
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



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Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
Qianxi
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by Qianxi »

TheNoBSBuddhist wrote:...Which is why I find it pointless to learn Pali, in order to 'appreciate the teachings more' and be able to understand them more profoundly.... If educate scholarly types are at odds, imagine a total inept like me getting their head round it. :rolleye:

No, I will just stick with what I read in English; accept there may be variations according to which translation I read, and glean the best possible lesson I can from it. :reading:


I have too much negative kamma to transform and eliminate, to worry about a lamp or an Island....
Ha, I didn't mean to cause confusion. If you want an interpretation rooted in a tradition then the Pali commentaries are certainly preferable(so 'island', according to Bhikkhu Pesala above). The Chinese translators may have just made up their interpretation of dīpa on the spur of the moment, or made a mistake. Or maybe not, who knows. I just thought the Chinese translation choices are interesting trivia.

'Dīpa' may even be supposed to mean both 'lamp' and 'island' simultaneously. But when you translate into non-Indian languages you have to make a choice.
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

On Lago Maggiore in northern Italy, there is a tiny island, and at night, so the fishermen can avoid it, they light the lamp on it....

I can have both, it seems!
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
thljcl
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by thljcl »

The stream-enterer possesses four qualities. They are perfect confidence in Buddha, perfect confidence in Dhamma, perfect confidence in Sangha (four pairs of person), and noble virtuous behavior. A stream-enterer is the one who has gained the eye of Dhamma or vision of Dhamma. With the destruction of three lower fetters (identity view, doubt, distorted grasp of rules and vows), one becomes a stream-enterer, who is certain to attain Nibbana, within the maximum of seven more lives. A stream-enterer is the one who realizes whatever arises is subject to pass away. He stands before the door to deathless.
The meaning of taking refuge in triple gems, i.e. Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha has varying meaning, depending on your level of attainments, whether you are a learner (stream-enterer, once-returner, and non-returner), non-learner (arahant), or neither.
An arahant who possesses the path after being taught, whose taints are destroyed, do not know in full details of the experience, former lives, or Dhamma of the past, present, or future being taught by Buddhas. Not every arahant possesses six superknowledge, even if he does, he still do not know those qualities explicitly unique to Buddha. A Buddha is the one who is the originator of the path; whereas his disciples possess of the path afterwards by destroying all the taints.
An arahant has unwavering confidence in Buddha. But how? Whether is the Buddha in the past, present, or future, they must follow the same path, which is to say, by first abandoning the five hindrances, having his mind firmly established in the four establishments of mindfulness, having realized seven factors of enlightenment, thus awakening to unsurpassed enlightenment.
How does one utterly destroy the five hindrances? He practices four establishments of mindfulness.
What fulfills seven factors of enlightenment? Four establishments of mindfulness.
Noble Eightfold path is conditioned, which is to say, the supramundane path factor of right view of the one whose mind is taintless, is wisdom, faculty of wisdom, power of wisdom, enlightenment factor of discrimination of states. Mindfully one abandons wrong view and develops right view; that is right mindfulness. When one makes an effort to develop right view; that is right effort. Right mindfulness should be seen as four establishments of mindfulness. Right effort should be seen as four right strivings; they are generating desire to abandon arisen unwholesome states, generating desire to develop wholesome states that are yet to be arisen, generating desire to develop wholesome states that are already arisen, generating desire to prevent the arising of unwholesome states that are yet to be arisen. Right effort should be seen as faculty of energy, power of energy. With right view as condition, one would likewise fulfill right intention, right speech, right action, and right livelihood. The seven requisites brings forth right concentration.
The disciples, whether they are new or experienced in the Dhamma, would likewise practice four establishments of mindfulness for the utter destruction of suffering.
For an uninstructed person, he may praise of Tathagatha for variety of reasons, may it be accomplished teacher, a wonder maker, the one who has 32 marks of great person. When he has heard of Dhamma, he may not immediately practice Noble Eightfold Path which is for utter destruction of suffering but for happiness in this very life and the next life.
One should not see form, feeling, perception, volitional formation, and consciousness, which are impermanent, suffering, and non-self as Tathagatha.
Which is to say, taking refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha; the right practice is indeed as to follow the right path, the middle way, which is the four establishments of mindfulness.
Knowing the origination and passing away of suffering, one’s confidence in noble ones and Dhamma is unwavering; He either knows he himself is certain to attain Nibbana; or he already attains Nibbana in this very life; he knows those who follow the right path would indeed attain Nibbana.
Such practice is utterly different from other teachings, which may advocate pray to some higher beings that would lead to perfect happiness.
How does one recollect the Buddha, Dhamma, and the Sangha? When one knows what it takes to lead a holy life, which is the noble eightfold path that leads to utter destruction of suffering.
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Mkoll
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by Mkoll »

thljcl wrote:. . .
All of your information looks pretty accurate to me, thanks for posting. Just a word of friendly advice regarding formatting on this forum: since Tab doesn't work as an indent key, the Enter key is your friend in making paragraphs so everything is easier to read.

Like this.

:thumbsup:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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VinceField
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by VinceField »

MKoll, not everyone can be as skilled at workin these dang compooter gadgets as you, no need to show off! :clap: :bow:

But seriously, the man obviously knows about the enter key. He used it about twelve times if I counted correctly. He just needs to be introduced to the concept of clicking it twice. :twothumbsup:
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Mkoll
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by Mkoll »

VinceField wrote:MKoll, not everyone can be as skilled at workin these dang compooter gadgets as you, no need to show off! :clap: :bow:

But seriously, the man obviously knows about the enter key. He used it about twelve times if I counted correctly. He just needs to be introduced to the concept of clicking it twice. :twothumbsup:
Oops, I left that part out didn't I? Good point.

:thanks:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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waterchan
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by waterchan »

There's also Dhammapada 380
Atta hi attano natho
atta hi attano gati;
That website translates it as:

"You are your own master,
"you make your own future."

But I have a feeling that's not the most accurate translation...
quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
(Anything in Latin sounds profound.)
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Kim OHara
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Re: Exact quote: "You are your own refuge..."

Post by Kim OHara »

waterchan wrote:There's also Dhammapada 380
Atta hi attano natho
atta hi attano gati;
That website translates it as:

"You are your own master,
"you make your own future."

But I have a feeling that's not the most accurate translation...
ATI has this (and I'm including a few more verses for context, which is that the verses are specifically addressed to monks):
ATI wrote:378. The monk who is calm in body, calm in speech, calm in thought, well-composed and who has spewn out worldliness — he, truly, is called serene.

379. By oneself one must censure oneself and scrutinize oneself. The self-guarded and mindful monk will always live in happiness.

380. One is one's own protector, one is one's own refuge. Therefore, one should control oneself, even as a trader controls a noble steed.

381. Full of joy, full of faith in the Teaching of the Buddha, the monk attains the Peaceful State, the bliss of cessation of conditioned things.

382. That monk who while young devotes himself to the Teaching of the Buddha illumines this world like the moon freed from clouds.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html

:namaste:
Kim
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