Dhamma Gems

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Nicholas Weeks
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Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Favorite pithy quotes from the canon:
"Four conditions, Vyagghapajja, conduce to a householder's weal and happiness in this very life. Which four?

"The accomplishment of persistent effort (utthana-sampada), the accomplishment of watchfulness (arakkha-sampada), good friendship (kalyanamittata) and balanced livelihood (sama-jivikata).

"What is the accomplishment of persistent effort?

"Herein, Vyagghapajja, by whatsoever activity a householder earns his living, whether by farming, by trading, by rearing cattle, by archery, by service under the king, or by any other kind of craft — at that he becomes skillful and is not lazy. He is endowed with the power of discernment as to the proper ways and means; he is able to carry out and allocate (duties). This is called the accomplishment of persistent effort.
AN 8:54
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
befriend
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by befriend »

If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like a never departing shadow. Dhammapada
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

befriend wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:15 pm If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like a never departing shadow. Dhammapada 2
If one knows the exact reference, please give it.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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bodom
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by bodom »

Will wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:19 pm
befriend wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:15 pm If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like a never departing shadow. Dhammapada 2
If one knows the exact reference, please give it.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

: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
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

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What is the accomplishment of watchfulness?

Herein, Vyagghapajja, whatsoever wealth a householder is in possession of, obtained by dint of effort, collected by strength of arm, by the sweat of his brow, justly acquired by right means — such he husbands well by guarding and watching so that kings would not seize it, thieves would not steal it, fire would not burn it, water would not carry it away, nor ill-disposed heirs remove it. This is the accomplishment of watchfulness.
AN 8:54 - Narada translation
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

What is good friendship?

Herein, Vyagghapajja, in whatsoever village or market town a householder dwells, he associates, converses, engages in discussions with householders or householders' sons, whether young and highly cultured or old and highly cultured, full of faith (saddha), full of virtue (sila), full of charity (caga), full of wisdom (pañña). He acts in accordance with the faith of the faithful, with the virtue of the virtuous, with the charity of the charitable, with the wisdom of the wise. This is called good friendship.
AN 8:54
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

What is balanced livelihood?

Herein, Vyagghapajja, a householder knowing his income and expenses leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly, knowing that thus his income will stand in excess of his expenses, but not his expenses in excess of his income.
AN 8:54
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Crazy cloud
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Crazy cloud »

Every time when reading reaches the final part of this sutta, tears of joy is running down my cheeks ...
Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondañña? So you really know?" And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña — Kondañña who knows.
SN 56.11

:smile:
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
SarathW
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Re: Dhamma Gems

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Crazy cloud wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 6:09 am Every time when reading reaches the final part of this sutta, tears of joy is running down my cheeks ...
Then the Blessed One exclaimed: "So you really know, Kondañña? So you really know?" And that is how Ven. Kondañña acquired the name Añña-Kondañña — Kondañña who knows.
SN 56.11

:smile:
Yes. I see the point.
Just imagine the joy when you know at least one person understood what you discovered. (First Like or the thumbs up)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
SarathW
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by SarathW »

Will wrote: Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:11 pm Favorite pithy quotes from the canon:
"Four conditions, Vyagghapajja, conduce to a householder's weal and happiness in this very life. Which four?

"The accomplishment of persistent effort (utthana-sampada), the accomplishment of watchfulness (arakkha-sampada), good friendship (kalyanamittata) and balanced livelihood (sama-jivikata).

"What is the accomplishment of persistent effort?

"Herein, Vyagghapajja, by whatsoever activity a householder earns his living, whether by farming, by trading, by rearing cattle, by archery, by service under the king, or by any other kind of craft — at that he becomes skillful and is not lazy. He is endowed with the power of discernment as to the proper ways and means; he is able to carry out and allocate (duties). This is called the accomplishment of persistent effort.
AN 8:54
This should be framed and should display in every workplace.
Actually, I remember that Singalovada and Prabha sutta was displayed in my father's shop.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

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"The wealth thus amassed, Vyagghapajja, has four sources of destruction:

"(i) Debauchery, (ii) drunkenness, (iii) gambling, (iv) friendship, companionship and intimacy with evil-doers.

"Just as in the case of a great tank with four inlets and outlets, if a man should close the inlets and open the outlets and there should be no adequate rainfall, decrease of water is to be expected in that tank, and not an increase; even so there are four sources for the destruction of amassed wealth — debauchery, drunkenness, gambling, and friendship, companionship and intimacy with evil-doers.

"There are four sources for the increase of amassed wealth: (i) abstinence from debauchery, (ii) abstinence from drunkenness, (iii) non-indulgence in gambling, (iv) friendship, companionship and intimacy with the good.
AN 8:54
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
chownah
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by chownah »

INdeed we should not be friendly with evil doers....we should shun them.....but the question is should we just ignore them or should we actively try to convince other people to be unfriendly towards them and to shun them?
chownah
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

chownah wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:19 am Indeed we should not be friendly with evil doers....we should shun them.....but the question is should we just ignore them or should we actively try to convince other people to be unfriendly towards them and to shun them?
chownah
The passage has to do with protecting one's material wealth. If we are certain, from our own experience, that the evil person strives to help one to drain & waste one's money, then telling others to watch out for him seems a good warning.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
chownah
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by chownah »

Will wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:30 am
chownah wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:19 am Indeed we should not be friendly with evil doers....we should shun them.....but the question is should we just ignore them or should we actively try to convince other people to be unfriendly towards them and to shun them?
chownah
The passage has to do with protecting one's material wealth. If we are certain, from our own experience, that the evil person strives to help one to drain & waste one's money, then telling others to watch out for him seems a good warning.
Different people get different messages from what they read....you have expressed what you get and I expressed what some others might get.
chownah
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Dhamma Gems

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

More of Buddha's advice to lay people, this time on their spiritual future:
Four conditions, Vyagghapajja, conduce to a householder's weal and happiness in his future life. Which four?

The accomplishment of faith (saddha-sampada), the accomplishment of virtue (sila-sampada), the accomplishment of charity (caga-sampada) and the accomplishment of wisdom (pañña-sampada).

What is the accomplishment of faith?

Herein a householder is possessed of faith, he believes in the Enlightenment of the Perfect One (Tathagata): Thus, indeed, is that Blessed One: he is the pure one, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, the knower of worlds, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, the teacher of gods and men, all-knowing and blessed. This is called the accomplishment of faith.

What is the accomplishment of virtue?

Herein a householder abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and from intoxicants that cause infatuation and heedlessness. This is called the accomplishment of virtue.

What is the accomplishment of charity?

Herein a householder dwells at home with heart free from the stain of avarice, devoted to charity, open-handed, delighting in generosity, attending to the needy, delighting in the distribution of alms. This is called the accomplishment of charity.

What is the accomplishment of wisdom?

Herein a householder is wise: he is endowed with wisdom that understands the arising and cessation (of the five aggregates of existence); he is possessed of the noble penetrating insight that leads to the destruction of suffering. This is called the accomplishment of wisdom.

These four conditions, Vyagghapajja, conduce to a householder's weal and happiness in his future life.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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