Friday, February 29, 2008

Dhammapada

The Wise Man

76
Should one find a man
who points out faults and who reproves,
let him follow
such a wise and sagacious person
as one would a guide to hidden treasure.
It is always better,
and never worse,
to cultivate such an association.

77
Let him admonish,
instruct and shield one from wrong;
he, indeed,
is dear to the good
and detestable to the evil.

78
Do not associate
with evil companions;
do not seek the fellowship of the vile.
Associate with good friends;
seek the fellowship of noble men.

79
He who drinks deep
the Dhamma
lives happily
with a tranquil mind.
The wise man ever delights
in the Dhamma made known
by the Noble One ( the Buddha).

80
Irrigators regulate the waters;
fletchers straighten the arrow shaft;
carpenters shape the wood;
the wise control themselves.

81
Just as a solid rock
is not shaken by the storm,
even so the wise are not affected
by praise or blame.

82
On hearing the Teachings,
the wise become perfectly purified,
like a lake deep,
clear and still.

83
The good renounce
(attachment for) everything.
The virtuous
do not prattle
with a yearning for pleasures.
The wise
show no elation or depression
when touched
by happiness or sorrow.

84
He is indeed virtuous,
wise and righteous
who neither for his own sake
nor for the sake of another
(does any wrong),
who does not crave for sons,
wealth or kingdom,
and does not desire
success by unjust means.

85
Few among men
are those
who cross to the farther shore.
The rest, the bulk of men,
only run up and down the hither bank.

86
But those who act
accroding
to the perfectly taught Dhamma
will cross the realm of Death,
so difficult to cross.

87-88
Abandoning the dark way,
let the wise man cultivate
the bright path.
Having gone from home
to homelessness,
let him yearn for that delight
in detachment,
so difficult to enjoy.
Giving up sensual pleasures,
with no attachment,
let the wise man cleanse
himself of defilements of the mind.

89
Those whose minds
have reached
full excellence
in the factors of enlightenment,
who, having renounced
acquisitiveness,
rejoice in not clinging to things --
rid of cankers,
glowing with wisdom,
they have attained Nibbana
in this very life. *


*Cankers (asara)
The four basic mental pollutants of sensual desire, desire for continued existence, ignorance and false views. Their destruction is necessary for attainment of Nibbana.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Dhammapada

The Fools

60
Long is the night to the sleepless;
long is the league to the weary.
Long is worldly existence to fools
who know not the Sublime Truth.

61
Should a seeker not find
a companion who is better or equal,
let him resolutely pursue a solitary course;
there is no fellowship with the fool.

62
The fool worries, thinking,
"I have sons, I have wealth."
Indeed, when he himself is not his own,
whence are sons, whence is wealth?

63
A fool who knows his foolishness
is wise at least to that extent,
but a fool who thinks himself wise
is called a fool indeed.

64
Though all his life a fool associates
with a wise man,
he no more comprehends
the Truth
than a spoon tastes the flavour of the soup.

65
Though only for a moment
a discerning person associates
with the wise man,
quickly he comprehends the Truth,
just as the tongue tastes
the flavour of the soup.

66
Fools of little wit are enemies
unto themselves as they move about
doing evil deeds,
the fruits of which are bitter .

67
Ill done is that action doing
which one repents later,
and the fruit of which one,
weeping, reaps with tears.

68
Well done is that action doing
which one repents not later,
and the fruit of which one reaps
with delight and happiness.

69
So long as an evil deed has not ripened,*
the fool thinks it as sweet as honey.
But when the evil deed ripens,
the fool comes to grief.

70
Month after month
a fool may eat his food
with the tip of a blade of grass,
but he still is not worth
a sixteen part
of those who have comprehended
the Truth.

71
Truly, an evil deed committed
does not immediately bear fruit,
like milk that does not
turn sour all at once.
But smouldering, it follows the fool
like fire covered by ashes.

72
To his own ruin
the fool gains knowledge,
for it cleaves his head and
destroys his innate goodness.

73
The fool seeks undeserved reputation,
precedence among monks,
authority over monasteries,
and honour among householders.

74
"Let both laymen and monks
think that it was done by me.
In every work, great and small,
let them follow me"
-- such is the ambition of the fool;
this his desire and pride increase.

75
One is the quest for worldly gain,
and quite another is the path to Nibbana.
Clearly understanding this,
let not the monk,
the disciple of the Buddha,
be carried away by worldly acclaim,
but develop detachment instead.


*Ripened:
Karmic result not always immediate, but may fructify in a future lifetime.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Dhammapada

Flowers

44
Who shall overcome this earth,
this realm of Yama*
and this sphere of men and gods?
Who shall bring to perfection
the well-taught path of wisdom
as an expert garland-maker
would his floral design?

45
A striver-on-the path
shall overcome this earth,
this realm of Yama
and this sphere of men and gods.
The striver-on-the-path
shall bring to perfection
the well-taught path of wisdom,
as an expert garland-maker would
his floral design.**

46
Realizing that this body is like froth,
penetrating its mirage-like nature,
and plucking out Mara's
flower-tipped arrows of sensuality,
go beyond sight of the King of Death!

47
As a mightt flood
sweeps away the sleeping village,
so death carries away the person
of distracted mind
who only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

48
The Destroyer
brings under his sway
the person of distracted mind who,
insatiate in sense desires,
only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

49
As a bee gathers honey
from the flower without injuring
its colour or fragrance,
even so the sage goes on his alms-round
in the village.***

50
Let none find fault with others,
let none see the omissions
and commissions of others.
But let one see one's own acts,
done and undone.

51
Like a beautiful flower
full of colour but without fragrance,
even so,
fruitless are the fair words
of one who does not practise them.

52
Like a beautiful flower of colour
and also fragrant,
even so,
fruitful are the fair words
of one who practises them.

53
As from a great heap of flowers
many garlands can be made,
even so should many good deeds
be done by one born a mortal.

54
Not the sweet smell of flowers,
not even the fragrance of sandal,
tagara or jasmine
blows against the wind.
But the fragrance of the virtuous
blows against the wind.
Truly, the virtuous man
pervades all directions
with the fragrance of his virtue.****

55
Of all the fragrances --
sandal, tagara, blue lotus and jasmine --
the fragrance of virtue
is by far the sweetest.

56
Faint is the fragrance
of tagara and sandal,
but excellent is the fragrance
of the virtuous,
wafting even amongst the gods.

57
Mara never finds the path
of the truly virtuous,
who abide in heedfulness
and are freed by perfect knowledge.

58-59
Upon a heap of rubbish
in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus,
fragrance and pleasing.
Even so, on the rubbish heap
of blinded mortals the disciple
of the Supremely Enlightened One shines
resplendent in wisdom.


*Yama
Another name for Mara as king of death and ruler of the statesof woe.
**Striver-on-the -Path (Sekha)
One who has achieved any of the first three stages of supramundane attainment: a Stream-enterer, Once-returner and Non-returner. Sekho perfects the path of wisdom (37 Bodhipakkhiya dhamma).
***Sage collects alms in the village and provides others the opportunity to gain merit (punna).
****Fragrance of virtue pervades everywhere.
Tagara: is a fragrant flowering shrub.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Dhammapada

The Mind

33
Just as fletcher straightens
an arrow shaft,
even so the discerning man
straightens his mind -
so fickle and unsteady,
so difficult to guard and control.

34
As a fish when pulled out of water
and cast on land
throbs and quivers,
even so is this mind agitated.
Hence should one abandon
the realm of Mara*.

35
Wonderful, indeed,
it is to subdue the mind,
so difficult to subdue, ever swift,
and seizing whatever it desires.
A tamed mind brings happiness.

36
Let the discerning man
guard the mind,
so difficult to detect and extremely subtle,
seizing whatever it desires.
A guarded mind brings happiness.

37
Dwelling in the cave* *(of the heart),
the mind, without form,
wanders far and alone.
Those who subdue this mind
are liberated from the bonds of Mara.

38
Wisdom never becomes perfect
in one whose mind is not steadfast,
who knows not the Good Teaching
and whose faith wavers.

39
There is no fear for an awakened one,
whose mind is not sodden
(by lust)
nor afflicted
(by hate),
and who has gone beyond
both merit and demerit***.

40
Realizing that this body
is as fragile as a clay pot,
and fortifying this mind
like
a well-fortified city,
fight out Mara
with the sword of wisdom.
Then, guarding the conquest,
remain unattached.

41
Ere long, alas!
This body will lie upon the earth,
unheeded and lifeless,
like a useless log.

42
Whatever harm an enemy
may do to an enemy,
or a hater to a hater,
an ill-directed mind
inflicts on oneself a greater harm.

43
Neither mother, father,
nor any other relative
can do one greater good
than one's own well-directed mind.


*Mara:
Literally, the destroyer; Mara stands for
1) mental defilements
2) phenomenal world
3) death (no. 1 leads to 2 and 3)
4) Lord of evil forces -- a powerful deity who tempts and misleads those following the path to Nibbana.
**Cave:
Heart is the seat of consciousness. Hence the analogy of the mind resting in the cave of the heart. Every moment of consciousness arises, continues and passes by itself, not together with other moments; hence "alone".
***Beyond both merit and demerit:
The Arahat having abandoned all defilements, can no longer perform evil actions, having no more attachment to any plane of existence his virtuous actions no longer bear karmic fruit.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Dhammapada

Heedfulness

21
Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless.
Heedlessness is the path to death.
The heedful die not.
The heedless are as if dead already.*

22
Clearly understanding
this excellence of heedfulness,
the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort
of the Noble Ones. **

23
The wise ones, ever meditative
and steadfastly persevering,
alone experience Nibbana,
the incomparable freedom
from bondage.

24
Ever grows the glory of him
who is energetic, mindful
and pure in conduct,
discerning and self-controlled,
righteous and heedful.

25
By effort and heedfulness,
discipline and self-mastery,
let the wise one make for himself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.

26
The foolish and ignorant
indulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps his heedfulness
as his best treasure.

27
Do not give way to heedlessness.
Do not indulge in sensual pleasures.
Only the heedful and meditative
attain great happiness.

28
Just as one upon the summit
of a mountain
beholds the groundings,
even so when the wise man
casts away heedlessness
by heedfulness
and ascends
the high tower of wisdom,
this sorrowless sage beholds
the sorrowing and foolish
multitude.

29
Heedful among the heedless,
wide-awake among the sleepy,
the wise man advances
like a swift horse
leaving behind a weak jade.

30
By heedfulness did Indra (Ruler of the gods in ancient indian mythology)
become the overlord of the gods.
Heedfulness is ever praised,
and heedlessness ever despised.

31
The monk who delights
in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness
advances like fire,
burning all fetters small and large.

32
The monk who delights
in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness
will not fall.
He is close to Nibbana.


*The Deathless (amata)
Nibbana is deathless because those who attain it are free from the cycle of repeated birth and death.

** The Noble Ones (ariya)
Those who have reached any of the four stages of supramundane attainment leading irreversibly to Nibbana. The resort (gocara) of the Noble Ones are the 37 Requisites of Enlightenment (Bhodipakkhiya dhamma).

Monday, February 18, 2008

Dhamapada

Dhamapada

The Pairs

9
Whoever being depraved,
devoid of self-control
and truthfulness
should don the monk's yellow robe,
he surely is not worthly of the robe.

10
But whoever is purged of depravity,
well-established in virtues
and filled with self-control
and truthfulness,
he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.

11
Those who mistake
the unessential to be essential
and the essential to be unessential,
dwelling in wrong thoughts,
never arrive at the essential.

12
Those who know
the essential to be essential
and the unessential to be unessential,
dwelling in right thoughts,
do arrive at the essential.

13
Just as rain
breaks through
an ill-thatched house,
so passion penetrates
an undeveloped mind.

14
Just as rain
does not break through
a well-thatched house,
so passion never penetrates
a well-developed mind.

15
The evil-doer
grieves here and hereafter;
he grieves in both the worlds.
He laments and is afflicted,
recollecting his own impure deeds.

16
The doer of good
rejoices here and hereafter;
he rejoices in both the worlds.
He rejoices and exults,
recollecting his own pure deeds.

17
The evil-doer
suffers here and hereafter;
he suffers in both the worlds.
The thought, "Evil have I done,"
torments him, and he suffers
even more when gone to realms of woe.*

18
The doer of good
delights here and hereafter;
he delights in both the worlds.
The thought,"Good have I done,"
delights him, and he delights
even more when gone to realms of bliss.**

19
Much though he recites
the sacred texts,
but acts not accordingly,
that heedless man
is like a cowherd
who only counts the cows of others --
he does not partake
of the blessings of a holy life.

20
Little though
he recites the scared texts,
but puts the Teaching
into practice,
forsaking lust, hatred and delusion,
with true wisdom
and emancipated mind
clinging to nothing
of this or any other world --
he indeed partakes
of the blessings of a holy life.

*
realms of woe(duggati):
The worlds of demons, ghosts, animals and the hells.
**realms of bliss(sugatti):

These consist of
1)human and six divine planes of the realms of desire;
2)sixteen planes of the radiant brahma deities of subtle form;
3)four planes of formless (pure mental) brahma deities.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

dhamma preaching

i have been to a meditation retreat under bhante aggacitta at sbs before. i found his way of teaching interesting and practical. here is a dhamma talk by bhante. i do not mind to help to spead the evening meditation class conducted by him every saturday night at sbs, taiping.

Title: "Be your own Protector"

By: Ven Aggacitta

Venue: The Organic Cottage, Jalan Tupai, Taiping

Date: 30/12/07

Today's talk is based on Dhammapada #160

Atta hi attano natho, ko hi natho paro siya
Attana hi sudantena, natham labhati dullabham.

Translated it means:

"Self is one self’s protector; for what other protector could there be?
Through a well-tamed self does one get a protector who is hard to get."

Everybody wants protection, whether from sickness, poverty, misfortune, distress or danger. Many will seek protection by praying to deities, by making offerings to monks or inviting them to chant parittas for blessings. But the Buddha says that you can be your own protector. Yesterday, Sayadaw U Indaka talked about four types of happiness and how we can achieve them.

  1. Perform dana for the happiness of wealth.

  2. Observe sila for the happiness of health and longevity.

  3. Develop samatha meditation for the happiness of the mind.

  4. Develop vipassana meditation for the happiness of Nibbana.

So, if you want to protect yourself from poverty, practise generosity. If you want protection from illness and premature death, live a moral life by observing the 5 precepts. If you want protection from having mental distress, practise samatha meditation like visualising the Buddha, watching your breath or radiating metta or loving-kindness. If you want Nibbanic bliss, then practise vipassana meditation.

People who are wealthy and healthy are those who had done a lot of dana and lived moral lives before. In this long samsara (round of births and deaths) without discernible beginning, all of us had been generous and stingy, moral and immoral before in our past lifetimes. Therefore, we will never know when our past kamma will ripen, whether it is good or bad. If you become bankrupt or is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it will be too late to do dana or observe the precepts in order to protect yourself from poverty or ill-health. This is just an extreme example. In fact, we often find ourselves surrounded by circumstances beyond our control, e.g. the weather, political instability, business downfall, "bad luck", ill-health, accidents, etc. Although dana and sila can help protect us from future poverty and ill-health, they cannot immediately relieve us of such misfortunes in the present. How we react or respond in any circumstance will determine the quality of our life.

For example, you may be very rich, but if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, how will you react? Most people caught in this situation will go through the whole process of denial, self-pity, anguish, despair, anxiety, asking "Why me?" and so forth. This is especially so for those who have not learnt any meditation technique. But if you have practised samatha or vipasanna meditations before, you will be able to handle the situation better to protect yourself and to lessen your mental and physical sufferings. You will know how to restrain the mind from getting trapped in negative thoughts and emotions. You will be able to remain calm and composed, and therefore respond positively to negative circumstances.

A well-tamed self is one that has been well trained to prevent the mind from being engulfed by negativity and to direct it to respond positively to unpleasant and trying circumstances. This is certainly not easy to achieve, as you will realise if you have tried formal meditation before. Nonetheless, if you really want to protect yourself from the suffering wrought by negativity, sooner or later you will have to learn to train and tame the mind.

So, if you haven't got a tamed mind yet, it's about time to start learning how to become your own protector. Come join us in our Saturday evening meditation session in SBS. We teach metta and vipassana meditation, which will certainly help to produce a well-tamed self and mind, therefore making you your own protector.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

new year resolution

i have to make a confession. As for last year, instead of attending dhamma classes every sunday at mbmc and joining a dhamma discussion group once a fortnight at peace house here, i actually absent from most of these classes and discussion. although i still do dhamma reading ( a short while) everynight, but i am behind planning on my religion practise.

new year resolution (well, chinese new year) , allot more time into practise. do more posting on dhamma talks and update the blog with verses from dhammapada etc.

dhamma is for practising in real life. hence i shall strive hard, practice diligently and ardently to reach the state i desire: path and friution and reach nibbana at shortest time possible.

cheers~

Saturday, February 09, 2008

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part III
Our Life Is Our Practice

Meditation is not seperate from the rest of life. All situations provide opportunity to practice, to grow in wisdom and compassion. Achaan Chah teaches that the right effort for us is to be mindful in all circumstances without running away from the world but to learn to act without grasping or attachment.

Furthermore, he insists that the foundation of a spiritual life is virtue. Although virtue is neglected in our modern society, it must be understood and honored as a fundamental part of meditation. Virtue means taking care so that we do not harm other beings by thought, word, or deed. This respect and caring puts us into a harmonious relationship with all life around us. Only when our words and deeds come from kindness can we quiet the mind and open the heart. The practice of non-harming is the way to begin turning all life situations into practice.

To further establish our lives on the Middle Way, Achaan Chah recommends moderation and self-reliance. A life of excess is difficult soil for the growth of wisdom. To take care with the basics - such as moderation in eating, sleeping, and in speech - helps bring the inner life into balance. It also develops the power of self-reliance. Don't imitate the way others practice or compare yourself to them. Achaan Chah cautions; just let them be. It is hard enough to watch your own mind, so why add the burden of judging others. Learn to use your own breath and everyday life as the place of meditation and you will surely grow in wisdom.

A Still Forest Pool

The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
Part II Correcting Our Views


Too Much of a Good Thing

When Achaan Chah arrived at a new American meditation center, the many Western students there were quickly charmed and impressed by his teaching. He was clear and direct yet loving and humorous as he poked fun at people's fears and attachments. It was exciting to have such a skillful and famous master visit. The new stories, golden-robed monks, and fresh expressions of Dharma were all wonderful."Please do not go as soon as you planned, do try to stay a long time," the students requested."We are so happy to have you."

Achaan Chah smiled."Of course, things are nice when they are new. But if I stay and teach and make you work, you will get tired of me, won't you? How is your practice when the excitement wears off? You would be bored with me before long. How does this restless, wanting mind stop? Who can teach you that? There only can you learn the real Dharma."