Monday 10 August 2009

ADB---Four Elements

Analytical dhamma for beginners

Four Elements

There are these four elements in any form, including our body.
These elements or ‘dhātu’. are physical properties of the matter. There are four great elements of matter:
1. Earth-element or Pali ‘pathavi dhātu’, they represent the solidity property of forms.
2. Water-element or Pali ‘āpo dhātu’, they represent the fluidity or cohesiveness property of forms.
3. Fire-element or Pali ‘tejo dhātu’, they represent the heat or cold temperature property of forms.
4. Air-element or Pali vāyo dhātu, they represent the distended-ness property of forms.
In each and every organ of our body, these four elements are represented in various percentages.

In Girimananda Sutta (AN 10.60) The Buddha tells Ananda:
“Herein, Ananda, a monk contemplates this body upward from the soles of the feet, downward from the top of the hair, enclosed in skin, as being full of many impurities. In this body there are hairs on the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, intestinal tract, stomach, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucous, synovium (oil lubricating the joints), and urine. Thus he dwells contemplating foulness in this body. This, Ananda, is called contemplation of foulness.”

ADB---Three Poisons

Analytical dhamma for beginners

Three Poisons

The Blessed One said there are three kinds of poisons in our mind:
“This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "There are these three roots of what is unskillful. Which three? Greed as a root of what is unskillful, aversion as a root of what is unskillful, delusion as a root of what is unskillful. These are the three roots of what is unskillful.".”

Itivuttaka III.1. (translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)

ADB---Three Worlds

Analytical dhamma for beginners

Three Worlds*

The Buddhist world system is different from the other religions; it is broadly divided into three worlds; i.e.; the Desire world (Kama loka), the Form world (Rupa loka), and the Formless world (Arupa loka).

In these thirty-one planes of existence: there are eleven in the Desire world; sixteen in the Form world; and four in the Formless world.

The Desire world is again divided into the fortunate and the unfortunate planes of existence; the fortunate plane consists of the Human and the Celestial beings, there are seven of them; the unfortunate plane consists of the four states of woe from the Hell beings to the Asuras or Demi-gods.

The Form world is divided into sixteen different planes.

The Formless world is divided into four different planes.

The Lord Buddha said in Samyutta Nikaya I.19 that “In this Jambudvipa there are indeed very little gardens, grove, flat land or lakes on earth, but mostly precarious cliffs, torrential rivers, bushes and high mountains; likewise beings wandering in samsara, they are indeed very few reborn as human or devas, but mostly reborn in hells, animals or ghosts.”

* Loka

ADB---Three Jewels

Analytical dhamma for beginners

Three Jewels

The Blessed One said there are three kind of foremost faith.
"Bhikkhus! [1] there are these three foremost kinds of faith. What are the three?
Whatever beings there are, whether footless or two-footed or four-footed, with form or without form, percipient or non-percipient or neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient, of these the Tathagata [2] is reckoned foremost, the Arahant [3], the Fully Enlightened One. Those who have faith in the Buddha have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.
Whatever states there are, whether conditioned or unconditioned, of these detachment is reckoned foremost, that is, the subduing of vanity, the elimination of thirst, the removal of reliance, the termination of the round (of rebirths), the destruction of craving, detachment, cessation, Nibbana [4]. Those who have faith in the Dhamma of detachment have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.
Whatever communities or groups there are, bhikkhus, of these the Sangha of the Tathagata's disciples is reckoned foremost, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individuals. This Sangha of the Lord's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassable field of merit for the world. Those who have faith in the Sangha have faith in the foremost, and for those with faith in the foremost the result will be foremost.
These, bhikkhus! are the three foremost kinds of faith.
(Itivuttaka III.41. Translated by John D. Ireland.)

Friday 7 August 2009

ADB---Three Impurities

Analytical dhamma for beginners

Three Impurities

The Blessed One said there are three kind of impurities:

“There are these three impurities; which three? The impurities of sensuality, the impurities of becoming, the impurities of ignorance. These are the three impurities.

focused,
mindful, alert,
the Buddha's disciple
discerns impurities,

how impurities
come into play,
where they cease,
and the way to their cessation.

With the cessation of impurities,
a monk
free of desires
is beyond bound.”

Itivuttaka III.7.