Buddha is ........

Buddha is ........


"The unrivalled Excellent One, the Knower, the Giver,

And the Bringer of the Excellent has expounded the excellent Doctrine.

Truly, in the Buddha is this precious jewel.

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta




" ........ awake."




Have a Happy New Year, Everyone !

May All be awake

And stop 'sleeping' already. ;)


Love,
Maitre-light

The Awakening

霧鎖南洋

曲：藍兆龐　詞：梁立人／木子　唱：孫振福

人世間曾有多少離合悲歡

生命中曾有幾許無奈滄桑

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

朝陽可曾藏心坎

過去的記憶你是否已經遺忘

祖先的流離可曾使你惆悵

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

重重迷霧鎖南洋

望遠方天水茫茫濃

霧中何處是家鄉

向遠方沖過險灘

濃霧散見我新家鄉

過去的記憶世代不可以遺忘

祖先的流離使我生命更堅強

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

重重迷霧鎖南洋

帶希望努力墾荒　帶理想開拓新家鄉

用希望換取希望　用理想創造新理想

充滿信心向前望　不必迷惘

黑暗到了盡頭　就會出現曙光

霧起在南方　霧落在南方

朝陽一出迷霧消

.

* Dedicated to my cat - Kuching :

A brave, strong, courageous, determined and resolute fighter and warrior - my hero.

May The Light of The Buddha's Eternal Wisdom shine on him;

Guide him, bless and protect him always;

Show him the Righteous Way of Life;

May Kuching have the chance to meet with The True Dhamma,

Practise The True Dhamma,

Realise The True Dhamma,

And May Kuching gain the Fruition of Nibbana.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Nibbana is ........

Nibbana is ........



" ........ the unconditioned."




"That Cessation, Passion free, Immortality Supreme.

Through concentration, the tranquil sage of the Sakyas realised :

There is nought comparable with that Dhamma.

Truly, in the Dhamma is this precious jewel.

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta




There are people who say that in order to be enlighten, you must/have to make a vow to be a Buddha.

Or, they keep asking people to make vows to be a Buddha.

If not, they say you can't be enlighten.


There are also people who say Enlightenment is no longer possible.

Yet there are others who say if you're a woman, or belong to a certain category of people, you can't be/attain enlightenment.

People who say that to be enlighten you have to be a Buddha, or make vow to be a Buddha,

Or ask people to make vows to be a Buddha,

Is because they don't want people to be enlighten - To know The Truth,

So that they can continue to be in power, to control and delude others with False Dhamma.

(Read "Why Like That?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-like-that.html )

Why do I say that ?


To be a Buddha takes eons of lifetime of practice and cultivation so as to perfect the 10 paramitas (read "Buddhahood or Arahantship", http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/buddhahood-or-arahantship.html ).


And, as The Great Teacher Buddha Himself said,

"Rare is the appearance of the Buddha."

(Dhammapada verse 182)



Perhaps there may be people who whatever reasons, wants to be a Buddha, despite knowing that they'll have to suffer through eons of lifetime of countless births and rebirths,

That's fine.

BUT, there are also others whose sole concern and primary objective is to get out of suffering/samsara, and never to come back to this worldly life of pain and suffering,

Of birth and rebirth ever again (i.e. they want to be Enlightened) -

Who wants out, who's tired and weary of being born and reborn - of life -

Who saw and realised that Life is suffering.



People who say Enlightenment is no longer possible is because they do NOT know the Truth themselves.

(read "Talk Talk Talk" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/01/talk-talk-talk.html, and "Saving Others" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/saving-others.html)



And, people who say Enlightenment is only for certain category of people, and/or is exclusive only to certain people,

Is because they are conditional, and conditioned by their own fixed, wrong and false views.

(read "Perception and Perspective" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/06/perception-and-perspective.html, and "Just Yoga" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/01/just-yoga.html )



A Buddha, and a true practitioner of the Buddha's Teachings, is one who encourages, and who wants to get, and help, as many people out of the cycle of samsara, as possible.

Important point we have to realise, and remember is :

Just as The Dhamma is for everyone and anyone who truly desires it,

So is Nibbana.



In Nibbana, there's no gender, no status ........

Nothing.


There's really no need to make (any) unnecessary vows, if you don't want to. ( Refer to "Buddhahood or Arahantship" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/buddhahood-or-arahantship.html )

Anyone can be enlighten, even in this lifetime -

So long as we are willing, and we have the humility, the determination, the courage and persistent effort.

So long as we Avoid all evil, Cultivate good, and Purify our minds.



As Ajahn Boowa said in "Straight from the Heart" (page 93-96),

"If you think that because you're a woman, or because you're a layperson, you can't realise Nibbana, that's your own misconception, which is one kind of defilement deceiving you."


"If we can cure defilement, we gain release from suffering.

If we can't, then no matter what our sex or status, we all have to suffer."


"All of us in the 4 groups of the Buddha's following (parisa - i.e. monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen) have the right to realise ourselves and reach Nibbana.

When mindfulness and discernment are complete, women and men can both pass over and beyond - with no question of their having to be ordained.

This is the truth of the Noble Truths,

Which are not particular about status, Nationality or any of the human races,

And which are not particular about the male or the female sex."


In short,

Anyone can be enlighten,

and

Meditation, Dhamma, Nibbana are unconditioned / unconvention / unworldly;

To know the unconditioned / unconvention / unworldly,

You have to be Un-con-di-tio-nal ( i.e. un-con-ven-tio-nal / un-world-ly ).





"It's the mind/heart, not the body ( or form )."





"Because there's always something,

And we are always doing, surrounding and occupying ourselves with something,

We do not know what it is like

When there's NOTHING."

.

.

"Bliss is not 'it' ;

Torture is not 'it' ;

What is 'it' ?

Letting go.

Letting go is ' IT ' ."

.

.

"The only way to get there is through and by Letting Go.

Letting go of what?

Letting go of what we hold dear,

Letting go of what we thought is good;

Letting go of what we feel / perceive is right,

Letting go of what we're protective towards."

Dhamma is ........

Dhamma is ........


"Dhamma is for free,

Dhamma is for you and me,

And Everybody.

In Dhamma there's no secret,

For the gift of Dhamma is Price-less (i.e. Free)."




" (Dhamma ) The Buddha's Path was intended for all who cared and dared to take up the challenge."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"Dhamma belongs to everyone (and anyone) who truly desires it;

The Buddha did not limit the possession of Dhamma to a particular individual.

Everyone (and anyone) who practises in the RIGHT way enjoys the same right of ownership."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun



Dhamma - The Buddha's Teachings, The Truth - is free, is everywhere, is ever-present and is NOT just for the monastics.

Monastics do NOT hold ownership to it.

Also, there's no such thing as secret or special transmission/teaching to anyone or a particular group of individuals. ( Read "Yoga-Yana" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/02/yoga-yana.html )

As The Great Teacher, Buddha Himself said,

"I have taught The Dhamma without an inner or outer version. The Tathagata has NO closed fist with regards to Teachings." ( Digha Nikaya 16 )

In addition,

"Though gaily decked if he should live in peace,

(With passions) subdued, (and senses) controlled,

Certain (of the 4 Paths of Sainthood),

Perfectly pure,

Laying aside the rod (in his relations) towards all living beings,

A Brahmana indeed is he, an ascetic is he,

A Bhikkhu is he." - (Dhammapada verse 142)

.

In other words,

"It's not important what clothes one wears,

So long as one is pure and freed from ignorance."



Even The Great Teacher knows that there are monastics who are ordained in name only - externally :

"Not by a shaven head does an undisciplined man, who utters lies, become a monk.

How can one who is full of desire and greed be a monk?"

- (Dhammapada verse 264)

and

"Many men wearing the yellow robe up to their necks who have an evil disposition and are unrestrained in thought, word and deed,

Are reborn in a woeful state on account of their evil deeds."

(Dhammapada verse 307)

and

"He is not therefore an Ariya (Noble) if he harms living beings;

Through his harmlessness towards all living beings is he called an Ariya (Noble)."

- (Dhammapada verse 270)



So you see, it does NOT mean you shave your head and don on a yellow/saffron robe means you are 'pure' or Noble (Ariyan), and you have ownership to Dhamma

(read "Why can't they?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-cant-they.html ..... and

"Taking Refuge" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/08/taking-refuge.html ) ;

Or, are better at Dhamma practice.

(read "The Guru and His Bowl" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/guru-and-his-bowl.html )

Anyone, and Everyone can have access to Dhamma, not just the monastics - so long as we observe and see 'It'.

(read "Mindfulness or Mindlessness" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/03/mindfulness-or-mindlessness.html)



To further explain what I'm trying to say,

I would like to use excerpts of Ajahn Boowa's teachings from his book, "Straight from the Heart" (page 93-96), which like all his teachings, is available free.

Cos Dhamma is free, and "Should NOT be sold like goods in the marketplace." - (Ajahn Boowa)


Anyone who sells the Dhamma is belittling The Dhamma (read/i.e. : wrong livelihood),

Monastic or not.

(read "The Future"... no. 11 - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/11/future.html)

"The Dhamma is a truth, and everyone's common property.

Whether we are men or women, lay or ordained,

We can all have mindfulness and discernment.

We can all cure our defilements.

When we are willing, any man or woman, any monk or layperson can use any of the methods (prescribed by The Buddha) to cure defilement,

And gain release."

"Women can have mindfulness and discernment just like men, because women and men both have defilements and defilements are cured with mindfulness and discernment - backed by persistent effort - both by men and by women."

"All that's asked is that we strive, because the Dhamma is common to us all.

Women and men, lay and ordained, we can all listen to it, understand it, practise it and cure defilements (with it).

The defilements don't favour men or women.

We All have defilements.

Even monks have defilements :What do you say to that?

( Read "Why can't they?" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-cant-they.html )

Monks thus have to cure their own defilements.

If they don't, they lie buried in defilement just like people in general who aren't interested in the Dhamma - or, even worse than people in general."

"The Dhamma thus doesn't stipulate that it's only for those who are ordained.

What is stipulated is that we cure defilement with persistent effort."


"All I ask is that you know this marvellous, extraordinary Dhamma.

Its excellence exists of its own accord,

Without our having to confer titles."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa, "Straight from the Heart, page 93-96. .

.

.

"Dhamma is ........

Sanditthiko (to be seen in the here and now)

Akaliko (timeless)

Ehipassiko (come and practise and see for yourself / inviting verification)

Opanayiko (capable of being entered upon)

Paccatam veditabbo vinnuhiti (to be attained and self-realised only by the wise, each for himself)."

- The Buddha




"The Buddha's Path is a path of Discovery.

- Discover Truth (i.e. The Dhamma);

- Discover Happiness;

- Discover Ourselves, the 'self' ;

- Discover our own Foolishness."

Meditation is .......

Meditation is .......


"That sanctity praised by The Buddha Supreme

Is described as 'concentration without interruption'.

There is nought like that concentration.

Truly in the Dhamma is this precious jewel

By this Truth, may there be Happiness !"

- The Buddha, The Ratana Sutta



Meditation is ........

- To, and for letting go;

- Self-awareness and going inwards i.e. going inwards and be aware of ourselves;

- Stilling the heart / mind;

- Watching and seeing clearly our 'self', our moods, our thoughts, our emotions;

- Understanding and conquering ourselves;

- Clearing our defilements - cleansing and purifying ourselves;

- Realising anicca (impermanence), dukkha (stress, suffering, discontentment),
anatta (non-self, not-self); and

- Gaining Freedom, Release.



Meditation is NOT

- About jhanas;

- About miraculous powers or psychic abilities;

- About wisdom/insight;

- About acquiring.


* Read 1) Meditation - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/09/meditation.html,

2) The Meaning of Yoga - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/10/meaning-of-yoga.html

"Meditation is to, and for letting go.

Physically we're already acquiring,

If spiritually we still want to acquire,

Then we'll never find peace, never find freedom,

And we'll never be Enlighten."
.
.
.

"Meditation is to and for letting go.

Letting go of what?

Letting go of what we thought is good;

Letting go of what we feel/perceive is right;

Letting go of what we are protective towards."

.

.

" The cause of suffering is attachment and love, .........

On the lower level, the stains are the 5 strands of sensuality;

On the higher level, attachment to jhana."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"Because we're always doing something,

Always occupying ourselves with something,

Always surrounding ourselves with things/something,

We do not know what it is like when there's NOTHING."

"Why levitate the body, when you can levitate the mind ?

For levitation of the mind is by far the greater of the two."

"When there's nothing to do, do NOTHING."

"Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma, can turn into defeat,

The victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever-restrained in conduct."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 105

"There is no miracle greater than the miracle of a wicked man transformed." . .
.

"Examine your own heart,

Study and Purify your own mind."



"The wiser a person think they are,

The more stupid they become."




"Those who pride themselves smart are the real stupid and foolish ones."

"What is bhavana (mind development), but watching your own thoughts and moods."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"Observe NOT what others have done or left undone;

Can or cannot do;

Rather, observe what You have done, or not done;

Are doing, or not doing."

I'm Not Good

I'm Not Good


Once, a man met a loyal disciple of the Buddha, and decided to ask him some questions.

The disciple could not answer some of the questions posed to him, but told the man,

"If you don't mind, you come here again tomorrow at this time;

I'll bring my Teacher, the Great Buddha, with me, to answer your queries.

I'm sure my Teacher will be able to. He's very good."


The next day, the disciple brought The Buddha to the appointed place.

The man was waiting.

Seeing how youthful the Buddha looked, the man became sceptical as to how much this 'young chap' would know.

Pulling the disciple aside, he asked,

"You say you'll bring your Teacher - The Great Buddha, the All-Knowing One. This is Him ? Your Teacher ?"

"Yes ! Yes !" replied the disciple enthusiastically.

Unconvinced, the man told the Buddha thus, "I met your disciple yesterday. And he told me you're very good. So I come today to see how good you were."

To the astonishment of everyone present, the Buddha replied coolly and quietly,

"I'm not good."

"Uh-Ah ! I knew I was right ! From the moment I saw you, I knew you're not good. You look too young to know anything. Or, to have even experienced anything.

This is a total waste of my time!" said the man in frustration.


To that, the Buddha calmly replied,

"In good, there's bad; In bad, there's good.

For one who's conquered all, known all, gone beyond all, how can there be good ?

I'm neither good nor bad;

I'm Pure !"

"The Buddha does not speak when people are not ready and/or willing to listen (or understand)."

"Though young he may be,

But if he's high in moral attainments,

He's very strong and powerful."

- The Buddha

"I have overcome all, I know all;

I am detached from all, I have given up all;

I am liberated from moral defilements, having eradicated craving.

Having comprehended The Four Noble Truths by myself,

Whom shall I call my teacher?"

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 353 .

"Known are the things to be known;

Cultivated are the things to be cultivated.

Destroyed / Conquered are the things to be destroyed / conquered;

Therefore Brahman, I AM THE BUDDHA."

- The Buddha

"By day shines the sun;

By night shines the moon.

In regalia shines the king;

In meditation shines the Arahant.

But The Buddha in his glory shines at ALL times,

By day and by night."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 387

"He who has reached the goal,

Is fearless,

Is without craving.

Is passionless,

Has cut off the thorns of life.

This is his final body."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 351

"What needs to be done, is done;

The holy life completes.

There is nothing more to do."

- The Buddha

"He who is free from craving and from attachment,

Who is skilled in the knowledge of the significance of terms,

Who knows the grouping of letters and their sequence,

Is indeed called,

'One who has lived his last,

A man of great wisdom,

A great man'. "

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 352

Purpose / All We Need To Do Is ........

Purpose / All We Need To Do Is ........



We/The world seems to be progressing.

But in Reality, we're deteriorating.

No doubt we're progressing - physically, materially, superficially.

As a human/person however, we're 'degressing'.

(Read 'Love' http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/01/dose-of-wisdom_03.html

'The Society & Its System' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/04/society-and-its-system.html

'Competition & Consequences' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/06/competition-and-consequences.html )


As Ajahn Chah said, "You can look and see that however much material progress and development there is in the world, the confusion and suffering of humans increase right along with it."



To know whether we're progressing as a human, a spiritual being,

Or whether we're practising rightly in our meditation or religion/faith,

And, if this 'formula'/practice/path/religion/faith is right or wrong,

Do some self examination and ask yourselves the following :


1) Are we smiling, laughing more, happy/happier more? More independent, more 'free' (ie not bound).

Or, are we still bogged down by the stress, worries, hustles and bustles and concerns etc of the mundane world?

2) Have we become, or are we a better person - more loving and caring, more giving and forgiving, more helpful, patient and kind, more content, and simpler.

Or, are we getting angrier, pickier, greedier, more selfish, more impatient, more egoistic, more opinionated?


3) Do we let go -

i) Physically : Of our looks, appearance, hair, make-up etc.

ii) Mentally : Do we still hold on to grudges/arguments that happen 3000 years ago?

iii) Emotionally : Grievances - this person did this to me, took this away from me 50 years ago.



As The Buddha said, "In those who harbour such thoughts, 'He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me', Hatred is NOT appeased."

And as Ajahn Mun said, "You will never experience any peace of mind if you are always overcome by defilements".



If you're still unhappy etc, after all your practice,

Something is wrong, isn't it?

It goes to show we're not making much progress, are we?

We can go for all the (energy) healing, (religious) services, talks/seminars, retreats, read/chant all the sutras, sermons, scriptures, books etc that we want,

And that the whole world offers,

BUT if we do not make the effort and change our views, our mindsets, our thinking, our attitude, and be mindful and watch all our thoughts, speech and actions,

Everything (i.e. chanting, healing, religious services, retreats, meditation etc) that we've done, is and will come to nought. NOTHING (i.e. pointless).


As The Buddha puts it so aptly,

"However many holy words you read, However many holy words you speak; What good will they do you, if you do NOT act upon them."



You can fool others, even the whole world,

But you can't fool yourself.

You'll know - deep inside - whether you're still full of jealousy, resentment, anger, hate, harbour ill-will and enmity; whether you're happy.

Whether you've forgiven; whether you're at peace.

Whether you're angry; sad and lonely.

Whether you're unhappy.


You can act and pretend as if you're not,

But deep down inside, You know the truth yourself.

For outside is external, but inside is within. Internal.

So why put on airs, or wear a mask and pretend?

Cos in the final analysis, the battle is, and will always be, within, NOT with-out.

(Read 'The Search' http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/02/search.html )

"The purpose of practising Dhamma is to reduce or remove suffering.

Such a practice should not heap more and more trouble upon oneself,

Which produces nothing but unprofitable suffering."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun

"A person governed by Dhamma is self-sufficient,

And is able to find peace and bliss in all circumstances.

There is nothing which can disturb and upset the mind which has been absolutely purified and which is unshakeable."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun

"In the end, if they aren't peaceful,

It shows that they can't be really that serious about the practice after all."

- Venerable Ajahn Chah

"Where there is Dhamma, there is peace and bliss.

When the mind is Dhamma, it is bliss and peace itself."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"What's the use of having all the 'power' when you can't even be peaceful (or patient)?"




"Nowadays, some lay people practise meditation without studying the suttas and become presumptuous of their attainments.

Their pride increase while their attachments do NOT decrease.

If they are practising according to the Dhamma,

Their defilements and unwholesome qualities, including pride,

Should certainly NOT increase."

- Venerable Dhammavuddho Thero

"Wisdom divorced from Dhamma, however much it is developed, cannot be appreciated, honoured or trusted."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

"There is one essential point that all good practice must eventually come to - NOT clinging.

If a system leads to relinquishment, to not clinging,

Then it is correct practice."

- Venerable Ajahn Chah




"Let go, let go, Let Go."

"Rahula, whatever action of body, speech and mind, done deliberately,

Which creates happiness for yourself, for other people and for other beings,

That is called good kamma (right).

Which helps, which serves, which creates greater peace, happiness, and harmony in this world,

That is called good kamma (right).

Whichever that creates more suffering, more pain, more disharmony, and more violence in this world;

Whatever that is,

That is bad kamma (wrong)."

- The Buddha

Why Like That?

Why Like That?


In the Nikayas, it was written the Buddha mentioned that His Teachings - The True Dhamma will become adulterated,

And it will degenerate and become very difficult to distinguish the true teachings from the false.

Why?

To explain, The Buddha used the simile of gold trading :

There was a time when people buy gold because only pure gold was sold in the market.

Then, seeing how profitable gold trading (Buddhism) is,

Greedy and deceitful merchants (ie. Monastics and lay) start making artificial gold (False Dhamma) which seem like the real thing (True Dhamma) itself, when in fact, they're not.

Not knowing that these are actually fake, people blindly bought them.

At a high price.

When they realised what they've bought was not the real stuff,

People felt cheated and become disheartened and disillusioned,

And gave up buying gold completely, cos they do not know if what they buy may actually turn out to be the false.


Likewise, in Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha said, in the future, the Dhamma - His Teachings, would become so polluted and distorted that it will be very difficult to distinguish the True from the False.

(read 'The Future' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/11/future.html


As such, people will lose faith and interest in The Dhamma (Truth).


As practitioners, it is our duty to use our power of discernment and The Buddha's Kalama Sutta

(read 'Kalama Sutta - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2006/12/kalama-sutta-karma.html ,

'How Foolish Can We Get - Part 6 ( The Monkeys ) : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-foolish-can-we-get-part-6-monkeys.html )


To guide us, and to distinguish what's True Dhamma, and what's false,

(read 'Myths or Truths - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/03/myths-or-truths.html

and 'Teacher and The Teachings - Part 3 : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/05/teacher-and-teachings-part-3.html)


And not blindly 'buy' into the false Teachings.

(read Talk Talk Talk - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2009/01/talk-talk-talk.html ,

'Teacher and The Teachings - Part 1 : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/04/teacher-and-teachings-part-1-teacher.html ,

'Teacher and The Teachings - Part 2 : http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/05/teacher-and-teachings-part-2-teachings.html , and

'The Guru & His Bowl - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/guru-and-his-bowl.html





"Gotami, the teachings of which you may know, 'These teachings lead

To dispassion, not to passion;

To being unfettered, not to being fettered;

To shedding, not to accumulating;

To modesty, not to self-aggrandisement;

To contentment, not to discontent;

To seclusion, not to entanglement;

To aroused persistence, not to laziness;

To being unburdensome, not to being burdensome';


You may definitely hold,

"This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's instruction."

- The Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya VIII.53





"Ananda! I have taught the Dhamma without an inner or an outer version.
.
The Tathagata has no closed fist with regard to teachings."

- The Buddha, Digha Nikaya 16.
.
.
.
.
"The Teaching of the Buddha is a teaching for intelligent people.

It isn't a teaching for someone to believe in blindly without reason."

- Ajahn Puth




"Those who easily (and blindly) believe others are foolish."

- The Buddha

"Only people of real integrity can truly comprehend Dhamma's true worth."

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"Avoid being too quick to agree and accept;

Avoid being too quick to dismiss and reject.

Always look, observe, analyse, question and investigate."

"Paccattam veditabbo vinnuhiti -

To be self-realised only by the wise, each for himself."

- The Buddha




"For those who - now or after I am gone -

Remain with their self as an island ........

The Dhamma as their refuge,

Without anything else as a refuge,

They will be the highest of the monks who desire training."

- The Buddha, Digha Nikaya 16




"The Buddha taught that whether his teachings will flourish or degenerate depends on those who practise them.

The teachings degenerate when meditators get just a little bit of knowledge and then go bragging to other people, talking about external matters with NO substance at all ........

When they do this, they make the religion degenerate without their even realising it.

Those who make the religion flourish are those who speak about things which are useful and true."

- Ajahn Tate





"If a person isn't true to the Buddha's Teachings, the Buddha's teachings won't be true to that person -

And that person won't be able to know what the Buddha's TRUE teachings are."

- Ajahn Lee





"Only by following The Buddha's instruction and mode of practice, will a mind then be able to see BOTH The Dhamma and The Buddha."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno

"The Buddha's path was intended for all who cared and dared to take up the challenge."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"Behold Ananda !

If everyone practises the Dhamma in accordance to the True Dhamma, there will be no lack of Arahants in the world."

- The Buddha




"Are we, or are we NOT practising correctly in accordance with the teachings of Buddhism?

We shouldn't just do as we see fit.

There is only ONE Teaching, ONLY one Buddha -

But nowadays his disciples are following different paths.

It is a great shame and disgrace.

- Ajahn Tate





" ........ Dhamma is timeless, not limited by time or place,

Except by a person's own laziness.

It's because of laziness that the Dhamma of the Buddha will be lost to the world."
.
- Venerable Chao Khun Upali





"It is useless pretending to forget the power of Kamma,

Or pretending that one is superior to the Buddha.

One who does so is sure to be cornered by his own foolish pretensions and assumptions."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun





"A gathering of bhikkhus that does not respect one another (or others),

Or that does not behave in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya (Discipline Code) appointed to be their Teacher in my place,

CANNOT be called the Tathagata's bhikkhus.

They are FALSE bhikkhus, only pretending to be real ones."

- The Buddha





"Thus the ultimate authority in judging a teaching is NOT whether the teaching can be found in a text.

It lies in each person's relentless honesty in putting the Dhamma to the test and carefully monitoring the results.

The survival of Buddhism and the survival of the Dhamma are two different things.

People like Ajahn Mun - willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed to discover and practice the Dhamma on its own terms - are the ones who have kept the Dhamma alive.

Of course, people have always been free to engage in Buddhist traditions in whatever ways they like,

BUT those who have benefited most from that engagement are those who, instead of reshaping Buddhism to fit their preferences, reshape themselves to fit in with the customs and traditions of THE NOBLE ONES."

- Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The 4 Types of People

The 4 Types of People


In 'Quiz' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/03/quiz.html and 'Saving Others' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/07/saving-others.html, I mentioned two 4 types of people mentioned by The Buddha.

In 'Cooking Rice' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2008/04/cooking-rice.html, I also came out with 4 kinds of people.


Now, I'm going to add 2 more :

1)

- Good people can stay as good, or become better (they follow the Right Path);

- Good people can also become bad/evil (they go the wrong way);

- Bad/evil people can become good;

- Bad/evil people can also stay as bad/evil, or become worst.


2)

- Those who do not love themselves and others;

- Those who love themselves but not others;

- Those who love others but not themselves;

- Those who love themselves and others. (eg. The Buddha)



In 'The Path to Arahantship' (page 78-79), Ajahn Maha Boowa lists down the following 4 types of people :

"Looking at the state of the world, I felt discouraged.

I saw people who lived in total darkness as being hopeless. Being so blind that they're worthless, The Buddha called such people padaparama.


Gazing further up the scale, I saw the types of people known as neyya and vipacitannu.

Persons in the neyya category are capable of being trained in the way of Dhamma.

Sometimes they make progress, sometimes they lose ground.


Neyya individuals are fully capable of understanding the Teaching and putting it into practice.

Should they be careless, however, they'll lose ground.

But, if they're earnest in their practice, they can progress rapidly. Depending on the degree of commitment, neyya can go either way.


Vipacitannu individuals always progress towards the goal; they never lose ground.

Still, their progress is slower than that of ugghatitannu - individuals whose intuitive wisdom is so sharp that they're always fully prepared to make a decisive breakthrough.


Ugghatitannu are capable of the kind of quick understanding that allows them to pass beyond in one moment of insight.

All living beings must fall into one of these four categories.



Ugghatitannu : they are fully prepared to cross beyond in an instant.

Vipacitannu : those progressing quickly toward the goal;

Neyya : whose desire to lie down and take it easy competes with their desire to be diligent.

Those 2 opposing forces are (always) vying for supremacy within their hearts.


And finally padaparama : those who are human in physical appearance only.

They have gained nothing at all to enhance their future prospects.

Death for such people is death without distinction.

There is only one possible direction they can go-down.

And they fall further and further with each successive death.

Their way up is blocked, for they have gained absolutely nothing beneficial to take along with them.

They can only go down.

Remember this Well !"

- Ajahn Maha Boowa, The Path to Arahantship, page 78-79.


Well, what can I say?

Except, "Remember this well !"

"It is to the one who feels that I teach the Dhamma;

Not to the one who does not feel."

- The Buddha

.

.

" ........ Dhamma is timeless, not limited by time or place, except by a person's own laziness.

It is because of laziness that the Dhamma of the Buddha will be lost to the world."

- Venerable Chao Khun Upali

.

.

"And for ignorant minds, vanity and self-delusion always do them a world of harm.

Their greatness lies in body, birth, name, rank or self-importance.

But never did their wisdom grow correspondingly large so that it would be conducive to bliss and peace, both for themselves and for others.

Worse still, wisdom is neglected and forgotten.

This is why there is so much trouble and turmoil everywhere."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun






"It is through not understanding, not realising four things, that I, disciples, as well as you, had to wander so long through this round of rebirths.

And what are these 4 things?

They are :

The Ariyan (Noble) Truth of Dukkha (Suffering),

The Ariyan (Noble) Truth of the Origin of Dukkha,

The Ariyan (Noble) Truth of Extinction of Dukkha,

The Ariyan (Noble) Truth of the Path that leads to the extinction of Dukkha."

- The Buddha, Digha Nikaya Sutta No.16

.

.


"And I discovered that profound Truth,

So difficult to perceive, difficult to understand,

Tranquilizing and sublime,

Which is NOT to be gained by mere reasoning and is visible only to the wise.

The world, however, is given to pleasure, delighted with pleasure, enchanted with pleasure.

Truly such beings will hardly understand the Law of Conditionality, the Dependent Arising of Everything,

Incomprehensible to them will also be the end of existence conditions;

The forsaking of every substranum of rebirth; the fading away of craving; detachment, extinction, Nibbana.

Yet there are beings whose eyes are only a little covered with dust -

They will understand the Truth."

- The Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya Sutta no.26