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moment never ceases for one who still seeks after more pleasureable phenomena, since there will always be more and more building up of constructed reality, just as the ocean produces waves, again and again. Death is just the end of one wave, and the beginning of another. The problem arises when we look at ourselves from without, instead of from within. From without, we see only the body in its fully-formed state; we cannot see the mind, and so we believe it to be only a product of the normal functioning of the body. From within, we can see that the body is merely an extension of the experiences of the mind, as they coalesce to give us the false impression of a self. From without, it is easy to believe that when the body dies, so too does the mind. From within, it makes no sense at all, just as it makes no sense that the crashing of the wave puts an end to the great ocean. Death is an illusion, just as is a wave. For one who understands reality, it is not proper to say that one believes in rebirth; one should better say simply that one does not believe in death. The attainment of freedom from birth and death is simply the realization that this world is made up entirely of an endless process of arising and ceasing phenomena that is completely without purpose, leading only to more misery for one who clings thereto and thirsts for happiness therein. Such a realization leads to final freedom from the process of birth and death, as no more craving means no more building up and seeking out and new phenomena. At the moment of death for one who no longer clings to birth and life, the waves cease, once and for all. Or, in the case of one who merely craves and clings less, through training of the mind to a limited degree, there still may be waves, but they are quieter, calmer, free from the storm skies and blowing winds of samsara. Reality is all around us; it is everything we take for granted and for the most part ignore. When we come to see this reality that exists so clearly around us, our minds become clear, calm and cleaned of all imperfections and addictions. When we come to see reality, the truth will indeed set us free. 124
Simple Truth Studying the Dhamma is not just for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, but also for the purpose of getting encouragement in putting our knowledge into practice - bridging the gap between what we know and what we need to know. What we know is the knowledge we gain from study of the Buddha's teaching. What we need to know is the truth of the Buddha's teaching from empirical observation. Part of our study, therefore, must be in regards to putting our knowledge to good use, both how and why. When we study the Dhamma in depth, we will become encouraged by its simplicity and practicality. The Buddha's teaching is called "opanayiko" - "leading one onward", in the sense that the deeper one delves into it, the more one becomes reassured and convinced of its truth. This is an important aspect of our study of the Buddha's teaching, that it brings us both the tools and the conviction to put it into practice. The connection between study and practice is essential for someone on the path to liberation. Without study, one will wander aimlessly like a person lost in the wilderness without a map. Without practice, one will be like a person who spends all their time studying maps without ever venturing out into the wilderness. Even if one undertakes both study and practice but is unable to connect the two, one will still be unable to make use of either, like a person who is unable to read maps or unskilled in their use. If we wish to find the way out of suffering, we must connect the theoretical truths we learn from the Buddha with our own practical realizations. If we are unable to do so, we will find they may actually work against each other, our practice making us doubt our study and our study making us doubt our practice. Doubt is a common hindrance on the path of practice. One may doubt about the practice itself, asking what benefit can possibly come from walking and sitting in endless repetition, or of what use it could be to remind oneself constantly of what one already experiences every day. A beginner meditator may doubt whether any benefit has come from 125
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Lessons In Practical Buddhism Yutta
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Introduction This book is based on
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Celebrating A Buddhist Holiday When
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eons and 100,000 great eons to beco
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any of us know how we became human
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- AN 1.331 Rare are the people who
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Thailand: “So today is a holiday
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“Whether a bhikkhu or a bhikkhuni
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great suffering. This is a danger t
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actually most apparent in good peop
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suffering that comes to the recipie
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good ones, cleaning the defilement
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teachers, refusing to listen and ev
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since the brain and mind together b
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A Comprehensive Practice Introducti
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from external interruption. One of
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future advancement based on this kn
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when they hear such a teaching. To
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teaching that the Buddha advised in
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immediately judge and react to just
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If we want to remain free from slav
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to support one’s practice, protec
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however, for people to possess dwel
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clearly uncontrollable - it is mere
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tiṭṭhikā” - “patience, for
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end his practice forever. The merce
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unpleasant. Certain situations are
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truly beneficial - how much more so
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entered into absorption, their comp
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Delusion too can be incredibly into
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The first step in our progress, the
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towards observing the nature of phe
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further refine their observation; t
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A person who has realized nibbāna
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other recommended him to disrobe an
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the fact that “mindfulness” is
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cultivation of objective understand
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many minutes, hours, days, or even
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Page 83 and 84: emembrance. It is called memorizati
Page 85 and 86: 8. sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā, pe
Page 87 and 88: Once you see impermanence, it’s n
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Page 93 and 94: to create, wanting to become. When
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Page 99 and 100: 2. paṇīto - is subtle 3. asecana
Page 101 and 102: The Buddha taught that inside of al
Page 103 and 104: Both greed and anger are caused by
Page 105 and 106: of experience. Once we are able to
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Page 113 and 114: When we undertake the practice of m
Page 115 and 116: you can build up that won’t fall
Page 117 and 118: and effect works incessantly. This
Page 119 and 120: When we practice meditation our goa
Page 121 and 122: Part Three: Subjective Experience N
Page 123 and 124: haven’t studied the Buddha’s te
Page 125 and 126: happy. Even giving rise to good int
Page 127: The Nature of Reality Reality is a
Page 131 and 132: it changes. You will come to see th
Page 133 and 134: see the simple reality of our exper
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Page 137 and 138: peaceful indigenous peoples of the
Page 139 and 140: to perpetuate themselves; beliefs i
Page 141 and 142: must look at it quite closely, whic
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Page 145 and 146: something goes contrary to our expe
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Page 149 and 150: would like it to be. The technique
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