Nirvana is Beyond

-
Nirvana is a step beyond all those mystic experiences and it is not gained till the very last fetters and Asavas have been destroyed. The Buddha had to conquer them all and the final victory was achieved with one supreme feat of the will on the Vaisakha night. The fetters and Asavas that bind man to the wheel of life (samsara) have been listed as follows:
  • Illusion of self
  • Scepticism
  • Attachment to ethics and vows
  • Craving for sensual lust
  • Ill-will, aversion, hate and cruelty
  • Craving for life in the world of pure form
  • Craving for life in the higher world
  • Pride
  • Agitation
  • Ignorance
This list is by no means exhaustive. It is only indicative of the effort that is required to be made.

Aids

Suggestions are also made in respect of aid which may be available to those who are sincere in their desire to tread the path. These are all in actual fact various elaborations of the noble eightfold path and one list which has appealed is given herein:
  • Cultivate non-attachment
  • Have faith and reverence for people who have lived a noble life and have realised truth
  • Be an earnest enquirer after truth
  • Practice the spiritual exercises of concentration and meditation
  • Be perfect in sheela and cultivate paramitas
  • Avoid the company of evil-minded people
  • Study religious books with reverence
  • Avoid injury to every living creature
  • Acquire control over senses
  • Cultivate truthfulness and selflessness
  • Speak not ill of anybody
  • Cultivate the company of good people
  • Bear patiently with opposites of life
  • Speak no ill of any Dharma
  • Meditate constantly on four divine states
  • Be self-reliant and cheerful
  • Have faith in your divine potentialities

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sanghika Dana (Charity meant for the order of the Sangha)

-
The Pali word of Sanghika Dana means offering alms and other requisites to the Order of the Sangha. Supposed you donate one dollar to an association, all members rich or poor are entitled to that one dollar. Similarly, if a bowl of alms food or a set of robes is offered to the Sangha, then all members of the order are entitled to those offertories. You need not go around the world to give alms to the Sangha Order. An offer to any member of the Sangha in general will automatically amount to Sanghika Dana. All members are entitled to such offertories. They can share it between them. How to project one's goodwill? In offering Sanghika Dana, a donor's mind must be directed to the Order of the Sangha in general. Even though you utter Samghassa demi , I offer it to the Order of Sangha, if you have in mind a particular monk or a particular monastery, your charity cannot be Sanghika Dana. Offering alms food to any monk on daily alms-round or to a certain monk designated by the Order of...
Read more

Meaning of Kathina

-
Image
In the commentary to the Kathinakkhandaka (Section on Kathina) of the Vinaya Pitaka, kathina is defined as a concept of conglomeration which means bringing things together. It is a concept that arises because of certain things that come together. For example: A Bhikkhu/s (Buddhist monk/s) who has/have spent the first vassa; A Sangha (Community of Bhikkhus) comprising at least five bhikkhus; Robe season (the Kathina month) - first month after the end of the first vassa i.e. final month of the rainy season; A rightfully acquired robe - the robe to be donated must not be requested by a member of the Sangha, nor must any hint be given for the robe to be offered, rather the robe must be offered spontaneously by the donor. These are some criterias that come together for the concept of kathina to arise. In fact, two meanings of kathina are given in the Vinaya Commentaries: A frame used during the Buddha's time for sewing double layered robes together. The edges of one robe were fixed to...
Read more

Sammaditthi Meditation Grove, Sungai Petani, Kedah

-
Image
I had recently visited the Sammaditthi Meditation Grove (SMG) situated at Lot 617, Tanah Kubur Cina, Sungai Pasir, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah. SMG is the latest Buddhist centre of Theravada tradition to be constructed in Sungai Petani. The construction of its Sima Hall had almost completed, kutis (monk's huts) are also been constructed to accommodate the resident and visiting members of the Sangha. Their daily activities include morning pujas, followed by breakfast and lunch danas, where devotees are encouraged to perform their meritorious deeds. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Read more