You See What I See?

You See What I See?


During my visit to Mongolia in 2008, we were led on a tour to the local temple.

There were dharma wheels placed at the entrance of the temple.

Before entering, the local guide gave a detailed explanation about how the dharma wheel came about.

She explained that long ago, a very high lama, being bogged down by his administrative duties and had no time to do his chanting,

Feeling guilty, one day he thought of this idea that if he were to write the chants on a piece of paper, stuffed them in a hand-held wheel and spin them,

Then it's considered that he has completed his chanting for the day.

He thought/felt that this would be an easy and quick way for him to complete his day's quota of chanting without feeling guilty.

From the tone and expression on the guide's face, it was clear that they were in awe of the lama's 'wisdom', and thought it highly ingenious.

Or is it?

Anyway, this entry is not about whether it was an ingenious idea or not.

Rather, it's about the invention of the dharma wheel, how it came about, and more importantly, does it - the dharma wheel - help.

It is pretty obvious that the invention of the dharma wheel comes from a normal worldling, and not some supernatural causes which some sectors would like have us believe.

And, it is also apparent that The Buddha did NOT teach this method/practice.

Cos if chanting and/or turning/spinning the dharma wheel is the way to higher birth and/or maybe even Enlightenment,

The Buddha, being The Rightly Self-Awakened One, The All-Knowing One and The Compassionate One,

Who discovered and realised The Dhamma - The Truth - all by Himself, would have taught it.

Discovered and invented it ( the dharma wheel ) Himself even.

Why didn't He?

Why did He instead teach/expound The Law of Kamma, to Avoid All Evil, Cultivate Good, and for us to Purify our minds ( through the Dhutanga Kammathana Practices )?

( Read "Truth ... Not!" - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2010/05/truth-not.html


As The Great Teacher Himself said,

"Anyone could pay obeisances etc ( and chant ) cos this is something anyone could do.

BUT if people are still suffering after having done that, obviously this is NOT the way to the cessation of suffering."


As I mentioned in "Truth ... Not!", "There are many fallacies, wrong/false views/practices out there",

The only thing is whether we see them.

* * *P.S. And I almost forgot -

Remember : False Views, according to The Buddha, is one of the 10 evil deeds listed down by Him;

And a person with false views would end in woeful states/consequences.

As The Wise Teacher Himself said in several Nikayas,

"There are 2 destinations for a person with false views :

Hell, or The Animal Womb."

( Read 'Going To Hell' - 25/10/10, see Majjhima Nikaya 57, Samyutta Nikaya 42:2 and 42:3 )

The one who has, and practices it is bad enough,

What more the one who thought of, invented, perpetuates, propagates and spreads it.

Oh my goodness!



"If the water in rivers ( such as The Ganges ) could really wash away evil deeds and suffering,

Then the turtles, crabs, fish, and shellfish living in those 'sacred' rivers ought by now to be freed of their evil deeds and sufferings too.

And, if a man could eliminate suffering by making offerings, paying homage, ( chanting ), and praying,

There would be no one subject to suffering left in the world,

Because anyone at all can pay homage, ( chant ), and pray.

But since people are still subject to suffering while in the very act of making obeisances, paying homage and performing rites ( and ceremonies ),

Clearly this is NOT the way to gain liberation."

- The Buddha




"This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding —

In other words, The Four Frames of Reference.

Which four?

There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

He remains focused on feelings... mind... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. — MN 10

- The Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya 10




"A person without ardor, without concern, is incapable of self-awakening, incapable of Unbinding, incapable of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage.

A person ardent & concerned is capable of self-awakening, capable of Unbinding, capable of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage.

Without ardor, without concern,lazy, with weak persistence,full of sloth & drowsiness,shameless, without respect:

This sort of monk is incapable of touching the supreme self-awakening.

But whoever is mindful & wise,absorbed in jhana,ardent, concerned, & heedful,cutting the fetter of birth & aging,touches right here & now the unexcelled self-awakening." — Iti 34

- The Buddha, Itivuttaka 34




"Clinging to sense pleasures,

To sensualities,

Seeing no blame in the fetter,

NEVER will those tied up in the fetter

Cross over the flood so great & wide. — Ud 7.3

- The Buddha, Udana 7:3




"I saw — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human —

Beings passing away & re-appearing,

And I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma:

'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind,

Who reviled The Noble Ones,

Held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views —

With the break-up of the body, after death,

Have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation,

The bad destination, the lower realms, in Hell. — MN 19

- The Buddha, Majjhima Nikaya 19




"Monks! This holy life is NOT practised for the sake of deceiving the public,

Nor for the sake of gaining their respect,

Nor for the sake of gains, offerings, and fame,

Nor for the sake of defeating other sectarians.

This holy life is lived for the sake of Restraint, Abandoning, Dispassion, and The Cessation of Suffering."

- The Buddha