cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14284855

A Discourse on The Full-Moon Night

On a full moon night with the Sangha at Sāvatthi, the Buddha answers a series of ten questions on the aggregates.

At one time, the Blessed One was residing in Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, in Migāra's mother's mansion, with a large assembly of bhikkhus. On that occasion, the Blessed One was sitting in the open air, surrounded by the bhikkhu assembly, on the full moon night of the Uposatha (observance day) of the fifteenth.

Then, a certain bhikkhu rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms towards the Blessed One, and said:

"Venerable sir, I would ask the Blessed One about a certain matter, if the Blessed One would grant me the opportunity for my question to be answered?"

"Then, bhikkhu, sit down on your own seat and ask whatever you wish."

"Very well, venerable sir," the bhikkhu replied, having assented to the Blessed One’s response. He sat down on his own seat and asked the Blessed One:

"Are these, venerable sir, the five aggregates subject to clinging, namely: form aggregate subject to clinging, feeling aggregate subject to clinging, perception aggregate subject to clinging, volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, and consciousness aggregate subject to clinging?"

"These, bhikkhu, are indeed the five aggregates subject to clinging; namely: form aggregate subject to clinging, feeling aggregate subject to clinging, perception aggregate subject to clinging, volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, and consciousness aggregate subject to clinging."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu, pleased and appreciative of what the Blessed One had said, asked another question:

"What, venerable sir, is the root of these five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"Bhikkhus, these five aggregates subject to clinging have desire as their root".

"Venerable sir, is that very clinging the same as these five aggregates subject to clinging, or is it something apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"Bhikkhu, that very clinging is neither the same as these five aggregates subject to clinging nor is it something apart from the five aggregates subject to clinging; but whatever desire and lust is therein, that is the clinging therein."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"Is it possible, venerable sir, for there to be moderation in desire and lust within these five aggregates subject to clinging?"

"It is possible, bhikkhu," the Blessed One said:

"Here, bhikkhu, someone thinks: 'May I be of such form in the future, may I have such feeling in the future, may I have such perception in the future, may I have such volitional formations in the future, may I have such consciousness in the future.' Thus, bhikkhu, there can be moderation in desire and lust within these five aggregates subject to clinging."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How far, venerable sir, does the term 'aggregates' apply?"

"Whatever form, bhikkhu, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the form aggregate. Whatever feeling, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the feeling aggregate. Whatever perception, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the perception aggregate. Whatever volitional formations, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the volitional formations aggregate. Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all that is called the consciousness aggregate. Thus far, bhikkhu, the term 'aggregates' applies."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the volitional formations aggregate; what is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate?"

"The four great elements, bhikkhu, are the cause, the four great elements are the condition for the manifestation of the form aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the perception aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition for the manifestation of the volitional formations aggregate. Name-and-form is the cause, name-and-form is the condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How does self-view arise?"

"Here, bhikkhu, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or self as in form; regards feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or self as in feeling; regards perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or self as in perception; regards volitional formations as self, or self as possessing volitional formations, or volitional formations as in the self, or self as in volitional formations; regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or self as in consciousness. This is how self-view arises, bhikkhu."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu asked further:

"How does self-view not arise?"

"Here, bhikkhu, a learned noble disciple, who has regard for noble ones and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, who has regard for true men and is skilled and disciplined in their Dhamma, does not regard form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or self as in form; does not regard feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or self as in feeling; does not regard perception as self, or self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or self as in perception; does not regard volitional formations as self, or self as possessing volitional formations, or volitional formations as in the self, or self as in volitional formations; does not regard consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or self as in consciousness. This is how self-view does not arise, bhikkhu."

"What is the gratification, what is the danger, and what is the escape in the case of form; what is the gratification, what is the danger, and what is the escape in the case of feeling ... perception ... volitional formations ... consciousness?"

"The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on form, bhikkhu, that is the gratification in form. That form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in form. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for form, that is the escape from form. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on feeling, that is the gratification in feeling. That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in feeling. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for feeling, that is the escape from feeling. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on perception, that is the gratification in perception. That perception is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in perception. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for perception, that is the escape from perception. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on volitional formations, that is the gratification in volitional formations. That volitional formations are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in volitional formations. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for volitional formations, that is the escape from volitional formations. The pleasure and joy that arise dependent on consciousness, that is the gratification in consciousness. That consciousness is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, that is the danger in consciousness. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for consciousness, that is the escape from consciousness."

"Excellent, venerable sir," the bhikkhu, pleased and appreciative of what the Blessed One had said, asked another question:

"How, venerable sir, for one who knows and sees, in this very life, with regard to this consciousness-containing body and all external signs, is there no I-making, mine-making, and underlying tendency to conceit?"

"Whatever form, bhikkhu, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all form: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever feeling, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all feeling: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever perception, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all perception: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever volitional formations, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all volitional formations: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self,' thus, it is seen as it really is with right wisdom. This is how, bhikkhu, for one who knows and sees, in this very life, with regard to this consciousness-containing body and all external signs, there is no I-making, mine-making, and underlying tendency to conceit."

At that time, it occurred to a certain bhikkhu:

"So it seems, indeed, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, volitional formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self; how then do actions performed by a not-self affect oneself?"

Then, the Blessed One, knowing with his mind the thought in that bhikkhu's mind, addressed the bhikkhus:

"There is this possibility, bhikkhus, that someone, being ignorant (misapprehending true reality), under the sway of craving, might thus misinterpret the teaching: 'So it seems, indeed, form is not-self, feeling is not-self, perception is not-self, volitional formations are not-self, consciousness is not-self. How then do actions performed by a not-self affect oneself?' You should be trained in this way, bhikkhus, regarding these matters.

What do you think, bhikkhus, is form permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, venerable sir."

"Is feeling ... perception ... volitional formations ... consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, venerable sir."

"And is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"

"Suffering, venerable sir."

"And is it fitting to regard what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change as: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?"

"It is not fitting, venerable sir."

Therefore, in this way, bhikkhus, one understands: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self' with regard to all forms, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations, and consciousness, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. By seeing these aggregates in this way, one becomes disenchanted with form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Through disenchantment, one becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, one is liberated. With liberation, there comes the knowledge that one is liberated, and one understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.'

These are the ten questions posed by the bhikkhu:

Two concern the aggregates—

Asking if they are the same or distinct,

And about designation along with cause.

Two more relate to identity,

With one each on the themes of gratification,

And the consciousness-containing body.

---

The Buddha taught the most on the four noble truths. This teaching shares a series of common questions he was asked on the topic. Reflecting and investigating into the five aggregates to understand them, to see their origin, passing away and cessation is how one cultivates wisdom to operate with ease in the world and in harmony in one's personal and professional relationships.

Related Teachings:

Teachings on Living Beings and the Five Aggregates - A series of teachings on what makes a living being a living being and the five aggregates.

A lump of foam (SN 22.95) - The Buddha gives a series of similes for the aggregates: physical form is like foam, feeling is like a bubble, perception is like a mirage, choices are like a coreless tree, and consciousness is like an illusion.

Better than sole sovereignty over the earth,
better than going to heaven,
better even than lordship over all the worlds
is the supramundane Fruition of Stream Entrance.

-- DhammaPada Verse 178

The fruition of stream entrance is a phrase for awakening to the truth of enlightenment.

Awakening to the truth of enlightenment is not easy, however, it is also not hard. By learning the teachings of the Buddha with active reflection, and applying them to independently verify, one awakens to the truth of enlightenment gradually.

Related Teachings:

• Cultivating faith to awaken to the truth (SN 55.55) ↗️
• Canki Sutta: Preservation of truth, awakening to truth and arrival at truth (MN 95)
• Navigating through 30 mental qualities that lead to enlightenment, to the arising of the Buddha (AN 10.76)

Hunger is the worst disease,
conditioned things the worst suffering.
Knowing this as it really is,
the wise realize Nibbana, the highest bliss.

- DhammaPada Verse 203

As one is gradually awakening to enlightenment (known as stream-entry in the teachings) and then arriving at enlightenment (known as an Arahant), one is never experiencing bad mood regardless of what the external conditions are, one is having blossoming personal and professional relationships, is gradually freed from beliefs, is enjoying steady concentration and improved memory. The journey is one of growth in peace at all times.

Related Teachings:

• 7 kinds of wealth (AN 7.6) - The wealth of faith, ethics, conscience, prudence, learning, generosity, and wisdom
• Steadying the mind against the poisons of greed, hate, delusion - A steadied mind comprehends and understands conditioned things as they’re.

1. I am subject to aging; I am not exempt from aging.

One can contemplate on the way they appeared the day they were born, when they were in kindergarten, in school, how they appear today, and how they may appear as they grow old in age.

2. I am subject to illness; I am not exempt from illness.

One can contemplate the nature of the body and the impermanence of health.

3. I am subject to death; I am not exempt from death.

One can contemplate on their death, on the death of their loved ones.

4. I must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to me.

One cannot be permanently young, healthy, have a good digestion, be able to exercise, have the same home, have their loved ones be permanently present, for the bank account to be the same.

5. I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.

One can contemplate on one's intentions and actions, review them often, for the results of that will be what stays with them, and what they will be met with in the future.

Related Teachings:

• Kamma and its fruits (MN 135)
• Why beings fare as they do after death (MN 41)

Hard is it to be born a man;
hard is the life of mortals.
Hard is it to gain the opportunity of hearing the Sublime Truth,
and hard to encounter is the arising of the Buddhas.

- DhammaPada verse 182

​

“Mendicants, suppose the earth was entirely covered with water. And a person threw a yoke with a single hole into it. The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north. And there was a one-eyed turtle who popped up once every hundred years.

What do you think, mendicants? Would that one-eyed turtle, popping up once every hundred years, still poke its neck through the hole in that yoke?”

“It’s unlikely, sir.”

“That’s how unlikely it is to get reborn as a human being. And that’s how unlikely it is for a Realized One to arise in the world, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. And that’s how unlikely it is for the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One to shine in the world. And now, mendicants, you have been reborn as a human being. A Realized One has arisen in the world, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. And the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One shines in the world.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

- SN 56.48

The Buddha is sharing in these teachings on the rarity of being born as a human being, on the rarity of being born at a time when a Buddha has arisen, and on the rarity of being born when one has gained access to the Dhamma.

Related Teachings:

• Steps toward the Realization of Truth (MN 95) ↗️ - The Buddha shares preservation (understanding) of his teachings are a precursor to awakening to the truth of the enlightenment.
• Cultivating faith to awaken to the truth (SN 55.55) ↗️ - The Buddha share four factors that leads one to awaken to the truth of enlightenment when followed: association with good people, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, and practice in accordance with the Dhamma.

Upayasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

Consciousness stands dependent on the other four aggregates, and this attachment is what fuels the cycle of rebirth.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, if you’re involved, you’re not free. If you’re not involved, you’re free.

As long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with form, supported by form, founded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Or consciousness would remain involved with feeling …

Or consciousness would remain involved with perception …

Or as long as consciousness remains, it would remain involved with choices, supported by choices, grounded on choices. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it would grow, increase, and mature.

Mendicants, suppose you say: ‘Apart from form, feeling, perception, and choices, I will describe the coming and going of consciousness, its passing away and reappearing, its growth, increase, and maturity.’ That is not possible.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the form element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the feeling element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the perception element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the choices element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

If a mendicant has given up greed for the consciousness element, the support is cut off, and there is no foundation for consciousness.

Since that consciousness does not become established and does not grow, with no power to regenerate, it is freed.

Being free, it’s stable. Being stable, it’s content. Being content, they’re not anxious. Not being anxious, they personally become extinguished.

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’"

In this teaching, the Buddha is sharing that the consciousness aggregate can only be known through knowing of the four aggregates and not independently. Involvement (in other words, attachment or grasping) of experiences in any of these four aggregates become support for the establishment and growth of consciousness. One must reflect on the aggregates of form, feeling, perception and choices (also sometimes referred to as volitions or formations, the Pali word being Saṅkhāra).

Related Teachings:

• Teachings on Living Beings and the Five Aggregates - A series of teachings on understanding living beings and the five aggregates. Understanding the five aggregates and grasping at the five aggregates is essential to understanding the Buddha's core teachings.
• The characteristic of Not-self (SN 22.59) ↗️ - The Buddha shares the way to reflect on not-self. This is not a belief, but rather a reflection to be cultivated by observing where one is seeing attachment arise, where one is seeing a self, where one is seeing themselves as part of something. This should be done whenever the discontent feelings are observed for.
• Properly Appraising Objects of Attachment (MN 13) - A teaching drawing out the gratification of sensual pleasures and its drawbacks. It further shares on reflecting on the aggregates of form and feeling.

A series of teachings that the Buddha shared on living beings and the five aggregates. The five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, volitions (choices) and consciousness, when fully understood, lead to freedom from strong feelings, to wisdom, to liberation.

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, I will teach you the five aggregates and the five grasping aggregates. Listen …

And what are the five aggregates?

Any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of form.

Any kind of feeling at all …

Any kind of perception at all …

Any kind of choices at all …

Any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of consciousness.

These are called the five aggregates.

And what are the five grasping aggregates?

Any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near, which is accompanied by defilements and is prone to being grasped: this is called the aggregate of form connected with grasping.

Any kind of feeling at all …

Any kind of perception at all …

Any kind of choices at all …

Any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near, which is accompanied by defilements and is prone to being grasped: this is called the aggregate of consciousness connected with grasping.

These are called the five grasping aggregates.”

(From SN 22.48)

Elsewhere, the Buddha shares how this grasping takes place. It starts in excitement, delight, and craving.

‘Venerable Sir, it is said, ‘a being, a being’. In what way, Venerable Sir, is one called a being?’

One is stuck, Rādha, tightly stuck, in desire, longing, excitement, and craving for form; therefore one is called ‘a being’.

One is stuck, tightly stuck, in desire, longing, excitement, and craving for feelings; therefore one is called ‘a being’.

One is stuck, tightly stuck, in desire, longing, excitement, and craving for perceptions; therefore one is called ‘a being’.

One is stuck, tightly stuck, in desire, longing, excitement, and craving for volitional formations (choices/decisions); therefore one is called ‘a being’.

One is stuck, tightly stuck, in desire, longing, excitement, craving for consciousness: therefore one is called ‘a being’.

(From SA 122)

In these teachings, the Buddha is sharing an understanding of the five aggregates as:

• Form: This refers to the physical aspect of existence, including the body and physical sensations.
• Feeling: This encompasses all forms of feeling, whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
• Perceptions: This is the mental process of recognizing and labeling experiences.
• Choices (volitions): These are the various mental habits, thoughts, ideas, and predispositions that influence our actions and reactions.
• Consciousness: This is the subjective awareness of or the knowing of an object. Elsewhere, the Buddha describes consciousness aggregate by the six-classes of consciousness. they are:
  • eye-consciousness: consciousness arising on the meeting of the eye and a form
  • ear-consciousness: consciousness arising on the meeting of the ear and a sound
  • nose-consciousness: consciousness arising on the meeting of the nose and odor
  • tongue-consciousness: ....
  • body-consciousness: ....
  • mind-consciousness: consciousness arising on the meeting of the mind and an idea

A living being would have all these five aggregates and some amount of grasping present at one or more of the aggregates. Something that doesn't have all the five aggregates isn't considered a living being. Two good examples here to understand this further:

1. Plants and trees: Plants and trees have visible form, they respond to stimuli. They do not make individual choices or decisions, and don't have a free will. So although the touch me not plant responds to a touch and their environment, this is based on a set process.
2. Artificial intelligence: Although AI systems have form (software or hardware based), perceptions (they think, i.e. compute), and take different sensory inputs, they certainly don't have a free will, ability to act on their own. Now, there is a class of AI software called agents that are programmed to also have a "free-will" in the sense of being able to construct new objectives. Although this doesn't meet the threshold of independently being able to act, one could argue that a future version of such agents may sufficiently demonstrate this. However, it doesn't have the consciousness aggregate and so far, we don't know how consciousness comes to be. So, AI or AGI or ASI will not be a living being. This is described as the "hard problem of consciousness" in philosophy. Perhaps, more on this in a different post.

Only a living being is bound by kamma and experiences rebirth as a result of their grasping of the aggregates.

"Beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions, they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior."

It is also only a living being that can eliminate discontentment by fully understanding the five aggregates as they are, and by eliminating the grasping at the five aggregates.

The Buddha also elsewhere describes the five aggregates through a clubbing of them into mentality-materiality (nama-rupa): the form and the mentality (the remaining aggregates). And he precisely describes the challenges that an uninstructed worldling might face in understanding "mind", "mentality" and "consciousness" as not-self:

“Bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it. For what reason? Because growth and decline is seen in this body composed of the four great elements, it is seen being taken up and laid aside. Therefore the uninstructed worldling might experience revulsion towards this body composed of the four great elements; he might become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it.

“But, bhikkhus, as to that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’ —the uninstructed worldling is unable to experience revulsion towards it, unable to become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it. For what reason? Because for a long time this has been held to by him, appropriated, and grasped thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ Therefore the uninstructed worldling is unable to experience revulsion towards it, unable to become dispassionate towards it and be liberated from it.

“It would be better, bhikkhus, for the uninstructed worldling to take as self this body composed of the four great elements rather than the mind. For what reason? Because this body composed of the four great elements is seen standing for one year, for two years, for three, four, five, or ten years, for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years, for a hundred years, or even longer. But that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night. Just as a monkey roaming through a forest grabs hold of one branch, lets that go and grabs another, then lets that go and grabs still another, so too that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.

“Therein, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple attends closely and carefully to dependent origination itself thus: ‘When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases. That is, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

“Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It’s liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’”

(From SN 12.61)

You can read further on this treatise of the four noble truths and verifying in here and now on the truth of the cessation of discontentment.

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

- DhammaPada Verse 78

Related Teachings:

1. Cultivating faith to awaken to the truth ↗️ - Association with good people is the first of the four factors that leads one to awaken to the truth of enlightenment, also known as stream entry in the Buddha's teachings.
2. A teaching on the moral law of attraction ↗️ - As one changes their associations, they also change their tendencies. Vice-versa, as one changes their tendencies, their associations will change.
3. Who not to associate with - The Buddha shares a teaching on who not to associate with, who to regard with equanimity, and who to associate with.

Section VI. Deepening One’s Perspective on the World

The introduction to "The Path to Liberation" underscores the Buddha's teachings as a nuanced guide tailored for individuals across a spectrum of beliefs and behaviors, aiming to steer them from unwholesome paths towards actions that foster pleasant outcomes, understanding of karmic rebirth, and ultimately, liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Highlighting the adaptability of the Buddha's discourses, it points out that while heavenly rebirth is recognized as a positive step, it is merely provisional, with the cessation of suffering through the attainment of Nibbāna as the ultimate goal. This unconditioned state transcends the conditioned world and is accessible in this lifetime, signifying the end of craving and the beginning of perfect peace.

To navigate followers towards Nibbāna, the Buddha emphasized the impermanence and suffering inherent in all conditioned states, advocating for a path of complete mental purification and liberation. His teachings, presented as a new way of perceiving the world, revolve around a threefold insight process: recognizing the temporary gratification provided by worldly phenomena, understanding their inherent dangers, and realizing the path to escape attachment to them. This process mirrors the Four Noble Truths, guiding followers from recognizing suffering and its origin in craving to achieving cessation of suffering through detachment, dispassion, and enlightenment, thereby setting the foundation for a journey from the lure of sensual pleasures and attachment to worldly views towards the ultimate freedom of Nibbāna.

Introduction

1. Four Wonderful Things (AN 4.128)
2. Gratification, Danger, and Escape
   1. Before My Enlightenment (AN 3.103)
   2. I Set Out Seeking (AN 3.104)
   3. If There Were No Gratification (AN 3.105)
3. Properly Appraising Objects of Attachment (MN 13)
4. The Pitfalls in Sensual Pleasures
   1. Cutting Off All Affairs (from MN 54)
   2. The Fever of Sensual Pleasures (from MN 75)
   3. Life Is Short and Fleeting (AN 7.74)
5. Four Summaries of the Dhamma (from MN 82)
6. The Danger in Views
   1. A Miscellany on Wrong View (AN1.306-308)
   2. The Blind Men and the Elephant (Ud 6.4)
   3. Held by Two Kinds of Views (Iti 49)
   4. From the Divine Realms to the Infernal (AN 4.125)
7. The Perils of Saṃsāra
   1. The Stream of Tears (SN 15.3)
   2. The Stream of Blood (SN 15.13)

This is the first section of: In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi, published by Wisdom Publications, but linked to the free translations available on SuttaCentral.net.

If you've enjoyed these and would like to purchase the print or e-book versions, you can do so here: https://wisdomexperience.org/product/buddhas-words/.

Under the New Moon's quiet essence,
let hearts be filled with gentleness,
guiding all beings towards peace,
fostering paths to happiness and unity,
may we renew our intentions for love and understanding anew

Related Teachings:

1. Wouldn't eat without having shared
2. The gift of food
3. Kamma and its fruits

Paṁsudhovakasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato

Meditation is like purifying gold. A meditator should progressively eliminate more refined corruptions.

“Gold has coarse corruptions: sand, soil, and gravel. A panner or their apprentice pours it into a pan, where they wash, rinse, and clean it. When that’s been eliminated, there are medium corruptions in the gold: fine grit and coarse sand. The panner washes it again. When that’s been eliminated, there are fine corruptions in the gold: fine sand and black grime. The panner washes it again. When that’s been eliminated, only gold dust is left. A goldsmith or their apprentice places the gold in a crucible where they blow, melt, and smelt it. Still the gold is not settled and the dross is not totally gone. It’s not pliable, workable, or radiant, but is brittle and not completely ready for working. But the goldsmith keeps on blowing, melting, and smelting it. The gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and ready to be worked. Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament they want, whether a bracelet, earrings, a necklace, or a golden garland.

In the same way, a mendicant who is committed to the higher mind has coarse corruptions: bad bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are middling corruptions: sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are fine corruptions: thoughts of family, country, and being looked up to. A sincere, capable mendicant gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, only thoughts about the teaching are left. That immersion is not peaceful or sublime or tranquil or unified, but is held in place by forceful suppression.

But there comes a time when that mind is stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. That immersion is peaceful and sublime and tranquil and unified, not held in place by forceful suppression. They become capable of realizing anything that can be realized by insight to which they extend the mind, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; appearing and disappearing; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with my hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling my body as far as the Brahmā realm.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with my mind. May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”, and mind without greed as “mind without greed”; mind with hate as “mind with hate”, and mind without hate as “mind without hate”; mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”, and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”; constricted mind as “constricted mind”, and scattered mind as “scattered mind”; expansive mind as “expansive mind”, and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”; mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”, and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”; mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”, and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”; freed mind as “freed mind”, and unfreed mind as “unfreed mind”.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.” May I recollect my many past lives, with features and details.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds: “These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they acted out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never spoke ill of the noble ones; they had right view; and they acted out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

If they wish: ‘May I realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’ They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.”

The Buddha is sharing on the method of cultivating the mind with an analogy of refining gold by describing progressively steps.

• Abandoning of bad conduct by way of body, speech and mind to adopt ethical conduct and follow precepts (coarse corruptions)
• Abandoning of sensual, malicious and cruel thoughts (middling corruptions)
• Abandoning thoughts of family, country, and being looked up to (fine corruptions)

He also shares on the insights a mind freed from these can attain to, the highest of these being the three true knowledges that he gained on the night of his enlightenment. Each insight progressively shared towards the end is a higher fruit than the one before. Not every enlightened being will opt for cultivating all of these insights, they are shared by the Buddha so if one comes across such insights in other traditions or in their own meditations, they can maintain steadiness of the mind by knowing the importance of each and not get caught up. All enlightened beings will have realised the last insight, the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, an ending of suffering and future rebirths.

Related Teachings:

• Navigating through 30 mental qualities that lead to enlightenment, to the arising of the Buddha (AN 10.76) - The Buddha shares 30 mental qualities to uproot and their anti-dotes to cultivate in ten pairs of threes. This teaching can be used to see the next layer of qualities one can uproot and its antidote qualities to be cultivated.
• The Realization of the Three True Knowledges ↗️ - The Buddha shares on the three knowledges he gained on the night of his enlightenment. They refer to the last three parts of this teaching: 1.) seeing one's past lives, 2.) seeing beings arise and pass away in accordance with their kamma, 3.) realising the freedom from the defilements through wisdom from greed, hate, delusion that lead to rebirth.
• Steadying the mind against the poisons of greed, hate and delusion (AN 4.117) - A teaching on the three poisons of the mind that lead to rebirth, and intoxication which prevents understanding the causes of greed, hate, and delusion
• Tracing the causes of ignorance | delusion | avijjā sutta (AN 10.61) - Tracing the dependent causes of what leads to ignorance and what leads to wisdom.

A new student of the Buddha asked him once if the path of enlightenment can be described in a way where there is gradual progress, much like other professions where one progress through skill levels to eventually become proficient.

As the Buddha shares in this teaching, the whole of the path is one in which there is gradual training, gradual practice and gradual progress.

The sequential training steps that the Buddha guides a new student joining in his tradition are:

1. Practice of moral conduct: The Buddha provides guidance to the household practitioners to implement the five precepts (eight precepts for the ordained practitioners).

‘Come, mendicant, be ethical and restrained in the monastic code, conducting yourself well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, keep the rules you’ve undertaken.’

Read about the five precepts

Guide on cultivation of ethics for a lay practitioner (from DN 31)

2. Practice of sense restraint: The Buddha advises to guarding the sense-doors.

When they have ethical conduct, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, guard your sense doors. When you see a sight with your eyes, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of sight, and achieve restraint over it. When you hear a sound with your ears … When you smell an odor with your nose … When you taste a flavor with your tongue … When you feel a touch with your body … When you know an idea with your mind, don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, practice restraint, protect the faculty of mind, and achieve its restraint.’

3. Eating in moderation: The Buddha advises to eat only to nourish the body, not for taking delight, and not in excess.

He advises against eating food to comfort difficult emotions.When they guard their sense doors, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, eat in moderation. Reflect rationally on the food that you eat: ‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will live blamelessly and at ease.’

4. Be committed to wakefulness: The Buddha then advises the student to practise wakefulness of the mind. He recommends on a combined practise of walking, sitting meditation along with lying down in the lion's posture in the night.

When they eat in moderation, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, be committed to wakefulness. Practice walking and sitting meditation by day, purifying your mind from obstacles. In the evening, continue to practice walking and sitting meditation. In the middle of the night, lie down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. In the last part of the night, get up and continue to practice walking and sitting meditation, purifying your mind from obstacles.’

5. Be committed to situational awareness: The Buddha then advises the student to train the awareness of mind.

When they are committed to wakefulness, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, have mindfulness and situational awareness. Act with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.’

6. Cultivation of samadhis, absorptions, jhanas: The Buddha then advises the students to practise cultivation of the absorptions by going into seclusion.

When they have mindfulness and situational awareness, the Realized One guides them further: ‘Come, mendicant, frequent a secluded lodging—a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw.’ And they do so.Here, he then further advises them on how to give up the five hindrances and attain to the jhanas, and then attain to the states of enlightenment.

Notice the guidance of the Buddha is on doing one thing-at-a-time. Modern research shows that a continued practise of a new habit for 25 days to be effective in creating a reflexive memory of it, and also that building of new habits should be practised one at a time. Read more on the science of habits ↗️

Also notice that the Buddha doesn't ask for perfection. As cultivation of each subsequent state also purifies the previous steps. So one needs to implement each step to the best of their ability while seeking guidance from a teacher as required. There is a positive reinforcement cycle that one should observe in the condition of mind being improved all the time as they practise the teachings of the Buddha.

The Buddha advises a balance of dedicated effort while also staying relaxed, an analogy he gives through how the strings of lute should be neither too tight nor too lose for playing good music. In the same way, mind is best trained by maintaining a balance of energy and relaxation (excess leads to restlessness, and too little leads to laziness).

You can read the full teaching over here: https://suttacentral.net/mn107