The short notes are especially meant for Buddhist and Pali College (Singapore) students and those who are interested in Buddhism.
1) Self mortification (Attakilama tha nuyoga)
Self mortification is one of the two extreme practices. The Buddha says these two extremes to be avoided by a recluse who is seeking realization. He said in Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta that Self mortification (Attakilamathanuyoga) is full of suffering (Dukkho), ignoble (anariyo) and connected with misery (Anattha samhito). It should be avoided because it weakens one's intelect. This practice is the product of the belief that one can achieve highest stage by practising extremely difficult practices and it was expecially, very popular among the brahmins and other ascetics in India in the 6th century B.C.
2) Ucchedavada
The Ucchedavada, the materialistic view, advocating sensual gratification at any cost and by any means, encouraged pursuit of sensual pleasure. The materialists argued that soul is only a psycho-physical unit born of parents and does not survive death. Hence he has to enjoy life through whatever means as long as one lives. The materialism or nihilism held the view that the body and the soul are one (tam jivam, tam sariram) with the death of a person his soul also perishes. Therefore they advocated the indulgence in sensual pleasure. Seven kinds of nihilist theories have been mentioned in the Brahajala sutta.
Nihilism or materialism rejects eternity and immutabality to ego.
3) Nivarana (hindrances)
The Buddha identified intruding thoughts and emotions that often accompany them as being of five main types------sense desire (kamacchanda), ill-will (byapada) , sloth and torpor (thina middha), restlessness and worry (uddhacca kukucca) and doubt (vicikicca).
These five hindrances are not oust disruptive to meditation, they are also the root cause of most psychological problems as well.
The Buddha said that these hindrances "cause blindness, lack of vision and contributed to distress." He also said that when they are diminished, the mind becomes " malleable, pliable, workable and bright" (S-V-92) and that being free from them, even temporarily, allow "gladness to arise, from gladness comes joy, being joyfull the body is stilled, a still body creates happiness and the mind that is happy becomes concentrated." (D-I-74)
4) Issaranimmanavada (Theism)
Theism is that belief in an all-loving, all-powerful and all-knowing God who created and controls the Universe. It is one of four false views together with materialism, kammic determinism and randonism (A-I-173)
Buddhism' s main objection to theism is that God' s supposed attributes contradict each other. If he really created and controls everything then he must be responsible for all the suffering in the world. "If he really is the controller, the Highest, Lord of all beings, why is the whole world in such a mess? Why did he not make the world happy?" (Jataka, VI. 208)
From the Buddhist perspective, human spiritual consciousness could be said to move through three stages-- polytheism, theism and non-theism. Primitive people attributed different natural occurrences and forces to different deities. Later all these were attributed to a single deity. In its highest and most sophisticated stage, the human mind understands that things happen as a part of the order of nature not because of diety.
5) Eternalism (Sassatavada)
The theory of ego has been criticised in Buddhism together with another famous views at the time. Eternalism is the view that ascribes eternity and immutablilty to ego. According to eternalism body is one and the soul is another (Annam sariram annam jivam). As the soul is imprisoned in the body pending release for the union with the universal soul, one has to practise penance for its release. In the Brahamajala sutta of Dighanikaya no less than fifty five eternalist theories have been mentioned. It is the more popular method of practice among the non-ascetices and self indulgence (kama sukhallika nuyoga) is the product of eternalism.
6) Brahmavihara - The Four Sublime states
The Four Brahmaviharas are considered to be the four highest practices. The word "brahma" literally means ' highest ' or 'superior.' It is also the name given to the supreme god in Hinduism during the Buddha's time" Vihara means 'dwelling' or 'living' or 'abiding' . These four Brahma Viharas are love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. They can be understood from several different perspectives as four related but reparate qualities or perhaps better, as four different ways by which the spiritually mature person relates to others according to their situations. So for example, we relate to friendly people with love, to those in distress with compassion, to the successful with sympathetic joy and to unpleasant people with equalnimity. The purpose of the practice called loving-kindness meditation is to encourage and nurture the Brahmavihara. (The four Sublime states, Nyanaponika, 1980)
7) Loving kindness meditation (Metta bhavana)
Loving-kindness meditation (Mettabhavana) is a practice taught by the Buddha to both encourage and strengthen the ability to be more kind, thoughtful, gentle and loving.
One thinks of oneself and wishes oneself well. Then one thinks of cherished person, a neutral person, a dislike person and finally all people and likewise wishes them well in turn.
One who practises loving-kindness, will be blessed in these eleven ways - one sleep happily, wake happily, had no bad dreams, is dear to humans, dear to non-humans, cherished by the gods, protected from fire, poison and weapon, easily concentrated, has a radiant complexion, pass away peacefully and after the death at the very least is reborn in heaven. (A-V-342)
"A monk should develop love to himself and to all others, individually and generally, the friendly should be suffused with friendliness, the hostile should be suffused with friendliness and should all those in between." (Jataka, 11-61)
8) Compassion (karuna)
Compassion (karuna) is the ability to feel the pain of others as if were one's own. Sometimes in Buddhist psychology, compassion is also referred to as empathy (anudayana), commiseration (daya), fellow feeling (anuggaha) or sympathy (anukampa) the most noticeable feature of the Buddha's personility was his compession and this compassion was not just something he felt for others or that they felt in his presence, it was also the motive for much of what he said and did.
Compassion is the second of the Four Brahama Viharas and was more highly praised by the Buddha than any other virtue because it is the root of so many other virtues.
"Compassion gives birth to all other virtues just as cooling rain makes the crops grow. When a person is compassionate he has no desire to harm his neighbour, his body, speech and mind are purified, concern for his neighbour' s welfare increases and states like kindness, patience, happiness and good reputation." (Jatakamala)
The Buddha always use the words "calm" (sitala) and the moon (canda) to describe the compassion.)
9) Sympathetic Joy (Mudita)
Sympathetic Joy (Mudita) is the ability of being happy in the happiness of others and is therefore the opposite of Jealousy, spite and envy. This attractive mental state is one of the Four Brahma Viharas, the different expressions of love. The Buddha says " Let one be pleased and Joyous with the gains of others just as one is pleased and joyous with one's own gains." (S-11, 198)
According to the Buddha, the four most important expressions of sympathy are sharing things with others, speaking them kindly, helping them and treating them with equility.
In Buddhism, where Co-operation and sharing are valued and everyone participate in and partakes of the benefits of a successful enterprise, jealousy is for less common.
The Buddhist custom of ' sharing merit' to others and appreciation for what others have done , speak about itself.
10) Equalnimity ( Upekkha )
Equalnimity ( Upekkha) is the quality of being emotionally calm, balanced and even, especially when confronted with difficult situations. Sometimes it is also called equipoise (susamahita ) or being centered (majjhatta). Equalnimity is the last of the Four Brahma Viharas,one of the different ways love canexpress itself. It can be difficult to feel warm friendly -regard to someone who has hurt us and who is unappologetically evil.The wal one can express love to such as person is by remaining calm, unmoved and free from hatred. Eqaulnimity is also a skillfulway to respond to the many temptations, provocations and sensual inpressions that assail us everyday. It will allow us to keep our senses of balance. The Buddha said, to walk evenly over the uneven. Tuddha use the word ' the earth- like attitude '( pathavisama citta) to express equalnimity.
There are two kinds of equalnimities-equalnimity on natural process ( sankhara upekkha ) and equalniity on living beings ( brahma vihara upekkha ) Both are highest concentrations in the respective fields.
11) Ten fetters ( Dasa samyojana )
Samyojana means fetter or change which ties beinf so that a being can not escape from circle of lives ( samsara )
1) Attachment to sense sphere.( kamaraga samyojana)
2) Attachment to form-sphere. (ruparaga samyojana)
3) Attachment to formless-sphrere ( aruparaga samyojana )
4) Ill-will (patigha samyojana)
5) Conciet (mana samyojana )
6) Wong view ( ditthi)
7) Wrong view on habitual practices. ( silabbatapramasa samyojana)
8) Doubt. (vicikiccha samyojana)
9) Restlessnes. ( udaccha samyojana)
10) Ignorance. ( avijja samyojana)
12) Eight Worldly conditions ( Attha loka dhamma )
This ill-balance world is not absolutely rosy nor totally thorny. To an optimist this world is absolutely rosy and to a pessimist this world is absolutely thorny. But to a realist the world is neither rosy nor thorny like the pendulum that perpetually turns to the right and left, four desirable and undesirable conditions prevail in this world which everyone, without exception, must perforce face in the course of one's life time.
They are - gain (lobha) and loss (alobha)
fame (yosa) and defame (ayosa)
praise (pasamsa) and blame (ninda)
happiness (sukha) and pain (Dukkha)
One should face them with equanimity and think it is an opportunity to practise that sublame virtue.
13) Ten perfection (dasa parami)
There are ten transcendental virtues that every Bodhisatta practises in order to gain Supreme Enlightment. They are
1) Generosity (dana) ---Giving 1. Properties 2. Royal kingdom 3. Children and wife 4.Bodily organs 5. Life
2)Morality (sila) 1. Duties that should be performed (Caritta Sila)
2.Duties that should be avoided (Varitta Sila)
3) Nenunciation (Nekkhamma)
both renunciation of 1) worldly pleasure
2) the temporary inhibition of hindrances
4) Wisdom (Panna) knowing anicca, dukkha, anatta. (No magga and Phala wisdom)
5) Perserverance (Viriya) four types of viriya
6) Patiance (khanti) He is not provoked even when his hands and feet are cut off. (khantivada Jataka)
7) Truthfulness (sacca) fulfillment of one's promise.
He acts as he speaks, he speaks as he acts. (yatha vadi tatha kari)
8) Resolute determination (Adhitthana)
No matter what happen to him, he never turn away from his goal.
Never give up no matter how hard is.
9) Loving-kindness
10) Equanimity (Upekkha)
means discerning rightly, viewing justly, looking impartially without attachment, aversion or without favour, disfavour.
14) The roots of evil
Lobha, Dosa, Moha
(Eight immoral consciousness base on lobha)
(Two on dosa and two on moha Total 12
Ten Demeritorious deeds 3+4+3=10
Dosa----killing, harsh speech, ill-will
Lobha--Sensual misconduct, jealousy
Moha ---wrong view,
Dosa, lobh, Moha----the rest deed.
Three roots of wholesoem deeds.
Alobha, adosa, amoha-------{ } exception.
The rest can write the same ways.
15) Bases of Mindfulness (Four)
1) Contemplation on the body. (kayanupassana). Breath. Physical movements, hardness, softness, heat, cold, etc.
2) Contemplation of feeling. (Vednanupassana). Pleasant, unpleasant and neutrial feelings
3) Contemplation on mind (Cittanupassana). The mind with lobha, dosa, moha.
4) Contemplation on dhamma (Dhamma nupassa) knowing five hindrances when they arise etc.
* Mahasatipathana Sutta
16) Four ways of showing favour (Catu sangaha vatthu)
1) Dana liberality
2)Peyavacca, kindly speech
3) Attattha cariya, beneficial action
4) Samanatthata, impertiality
Four types of perserverance (Cattari Sanmappadhani)
17) Six kinds of Temperaments (Carita)
1) Lust full Temperament (Raga carita)
2) Hateful Temperament (Dosa carita)
3) Ignorant Temperament ( Moha carita)
4) Devote Temperament ( Saddha carita)
5) Intellectual Temperament (Buddhi carita)
6) Discursive Temperament (vitakka carita)
Meditation on disadvantages of the body suits for the 1st person, loving kindness for 2nd . Contemplation on the attributes of the Buddha suits for 4th one and anicca, dukkha, anatta for the 5th. Meditation on breath for the last one and 3rd one. In fact, meditation on breath is for all six.
18) Five fold higher knowledges (Panca Abhinnana)
When once the aspirant succeeds in cultivating the Jhanas, he can, without difficulty develop these higher knowledges.
1) Divine Eye (dibba-cakkhu)
2) Divine Ear (dibba- sota)
3) Reminiscence of past births (pubbe nivasnussati)
4) Thought-reading (Paracitta vijanana)
5) various psychic powers (Iddhivida)
*It is also called super normal or supernatural powers.
U Cittara
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