These are the building blocks with which we construct our world. Every action which creates karma is represented on this chart. It is meant as an exhaustive categorization of all conditioned human experience. Try examining each of these options, one at a time, and look for examples of such activity in your own life and practice. You will find that such a matrix of experience provides a generic and de-personalized way of looking at what is taking place moment by moment, which supports the … [Read more...]
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The Rock Inscriptions of King Ashoka
July 13, 2015King Ashoka was a remarkable leader, by any standard. He inherited from his father and grandfather an immense kingdom, encompasing most of present-day India and Pakistan, which he ruled for more than forty years from 274 to 232 B.C.E. Converting to Buddhism early in his reign, he worked tirelessly to uplift and civilize his world through the influence of Dhamma—the teaching of the Buddha. He had numerous inscriptions carved on stones and pillars set up in all reaches of his empire, but … [Read more...]
The Parable of the Six Creatures
July 13, 2015Salayatana Samyutta XXXV.206 (SIV, 198) When a person, seeing a form with the eye, is attached to pleasing forms and repelled by unpleasing forms; or, hearing a sound with the ear, is attached to pleasing sounds and repelled by unpleasing sounds; or, smelling an odor with the nose, is attached to pleasing odors and repelled by unpleasing odors; or, tasting a flavor with the tongue, is attached to pleasing flavors and repelled by unpleasing flavors; or, touching a physical sensation with … [Read more...]
Outline of Abhidhamma
June 10, 2015The Abhidhamma is a body of literature that emerged shortly after the lifetime of the Buddha, comprising the third of the “three baskets” (Tipitaka) of the early Buddhist canon. The word also refers broadly to a body of thought whose roots are in the psychological teachings and meditation practices of the suttas (the discourses) and whose branches reach far into the mature philosophical discussions of the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions. The Abhidhamma is essentially an attempt to … [Read more...]
Dhammapada 13
April 24, 2012Dhammapada 13 yathagaram ducchannam vutthi samativijjhati evam abhavitam cittam rago samativijjhati Just as rain fully penetrates A house that has been poorly roofed, So passion fully penetrates A mind that’s poorly developed yathagaram succhannam vutthi na samativijjhati evam subhavitam cittam rago na samativijjhati ti Just as rain cannot penetrate A house that has been well roofed, So too no passion penetrates A mind that is well developed. The notion of … [Read more...]
No Hatred for Anyone
June 15, 2011Itivuttaka 3:7d One who neither kills nor makes others kill, Neither steals nor makes others steal, Is one who has love for all living beings, And no hatred for anyone at all. yo na hanti na ghāteti na jināti na jāpaye mettaṃso sabbabhūtesu veraṃ tassa na kenacī ti. One who neither kills nor makes others kill Buddhist teachings place the greatest emphasis upon the moment-to-moment construction of experience in one’s own mind and body. This is where the rubber meets the … [Read more...]
The Moon Among Stars
April 17, 2011Itivuttaka 3:7c Those who conquer the earth, teeming with beings, —Kings and priests who scurry around sacrificing— They surely do not partake in even a sixteenth part Of the heart well developed in loving kindness —Shining like the moon among all the crowd of stars. ye sattasaṇḍaṃ pathaviṃ vijitvā rājīsayo yajamānānupariyagā... mettassa cittassa subhāvitassa kalam-pi te nānubhavanti soḷasiṃ candappabhā tāragaṇā va sabbe. The full moon shining brightly against a background … [Read more...]
Even Once!
March 19, 2011Itivuttaka 3:7b If one shows kindness with a clear mind— Even once!—for living creatures, By that one becomes wholesome. Having mercy in his or her heart for all creatures, A noble person brings forth abundant goodness. ekam-pi ce pāṇam-aduṭṭhacitto mettāyati kusalo tena-hoti sabbe ca pāṇe manasānukampaṃ pahūtam-ariyo pakaroti puññaṃ. If one shows kindness with a clear mind Here we see a rare case of the word mettā being used as a verb (mettāyati). This emphasizes the … [Read more...]
The Removal of Grudges
February 18, 2011Anguttara Nikaya 5:161 If you give birth to a grudge towards any person, cultivate loving kindness towards that person… Thus the grudge towards that person can be removed. yasmiṃ puggale āghāto jāyetha, mettā tasmiṃ puggale bhāvetabbā. evaṃ tasmiṃ puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo. This passage demonstrates one of the practical applications of loving kindness. We may be used to thinking of it in a rather abstract way, as a generalized care for the well-being of all sentient beings, … [Read more...]
Do It!
January 19, 2011Therīgāthā 118 karotha buddhasāsanaṃ, yaṃ katvā nānutappati. khippaṃ pādāni dhovitvā, ekamante nisīdatha. cetosamathamanuyuttā, karotha buddhasāsanaṃ Engage with the Buddha’s teaching! One who does so has no regrets. Quickly wipe the dust from your feet, And sit yourself down to one side. Practicing mental tranquility, —Engage with the Buddha’s teaching. Engage with the Buddha’s teaching The opening word of this stanza is the second person imperative form of the verb … [Read more...]