I follow the Forest Monk tradition within Theravada and more specifically, Buddhadasa, who left the monasteries in Bangkok for the forest due to the corruption that he witnessed within the institutions. There was a whole bunch of monks that actually did the same thing at roughly around the same time (turn of the twentieth century) and hence became known as the Forest Monks. For most, if not all, their premise was that the original teachings were given within the forest and that one of the basic, original requirements to becoming a monk was to disengage from the world to practice.
Theravada is very different than Mahayana buddhism (think Tibetan, Japanese, Korean, etcetera) in that Mahayana enlists bodhisatvas and teaches that all can attain nirvana. In Theravada, extinguishment can only be had by the few, it's extremely hard work, and has little cosmology. There are no gods/god in Theravada buddhism.
Theravadism survived by being imported to Sri Lanka in about 300 BCE where it flourished and was able to carry on in spite of Buddhism dying in India after the Muslim take over. From Sri Lanka, it was imported into Burma, Thailand, China and Laos.
At some time after three hundred BCE , a second buddhist council in India decided to commit to writing the teachings as they were remembered which is called the Pali Text or Tripitaka. The oral tradition of these truths was cemented just after Siddartha's death (approximately 480 BCE) in which all the monks attended and were asked to commit to the group the teachings that they remembered. The Tripitaka contains three parts: 1. Suttas (Discourses of the Buddha) 2. Vinya (Rules for the Sangha) 3. Abhidharma (commentaries on the teachings - added much later).
The Suttas themselves are divided into five books and contain thousands of discourses.
If you want to know more of the history, I'd be happy to let you know but first I'll dive into the four basic principles of buddhism known as the Four Noble Truths. All of the teachings that are expounded in the Suttas (discourses) can all be linked back to these truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhism is a compliment of practice and understanding. Both lead into each other.
Four Noble Truths
First Noble Truth is Dhukka (Suffering) The first noble truth is the truth of dukkha. The Pali term dukkha is typically translated as "suffering", but the term dukkha has a much broader meaning than the typical use of the word "suffering". Dukkha suggests a basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all forms of life, due to the fact that all forms of life are impermanent and constantly changing. Dukkha indicates a lack of satisfaction, a sense that things never measure up to our expectations or standards. We get caught in wanting and desiring permanence when nothing is permanent hence we are always suffering and unsatisfied.
The Second Noble Truth is the truth of the origin of dukkha. Within the context of the four noble truths, the origin (Pali: samudaya) of dukkha is commonly explained as craving conditioned by ignorance his craving runs on three channels:
1. Craving for sense-pleasures (kama-tanha): this is craving for sense objects which provide pleasant feeling, or craving for sensory pleasures.
2. Craving to be (bhava-tanha): this is craving to be something, to unite with an experience. This includes craving to be solid and ongoing, to be a being that has a past and a future and craving to prevail and dominate over others.
3. Craving not to be (vibhava-tanha): this is craving to not experience the world, and to be nothing; a wish to be separated from painful feelings
The third Noble Truth is the truth of the cessation of dukkha. Cessation refers to the cessation of suffering and the causes of suffering. It is the cessation of all the unsatisfactory experiences and their causes in such a way that they can no longer occur again. It’s the removal, the final absence, the cessation of those things, their non-arising.
Cessation is the goal of one's spiritual practice in the Buddhist tradition. Once we have developed a genuine understanding of the causes of suffering, such as craving and ignorance then we can completely eradicate these causes and thus be free from suffering.
Cessation is often equated with nirvana (Sanskrit; Pali nibbana), which can be described as the state of being in cessation or the event or process of the cessation. A temporary state of nibbana can be said to occur whenever the causes of suffering (e.g. craving) have ceased in our mind.
The Fourth Noble Truth is called the Noble Eightfold Path is the path to the cessation of dukkha. This path is called the Noble Eightfold Path, and it is considered to be the essence of Buddhist practice. The eightfold path consists of:
Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
This path consists of interconnected actions and understandings that when practiced, lead to cessation of dukkha. I'll write more on it later and bring in some of the Suttas on it.
Theravada
Re: Theravada
"Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration."
What specific teachings are used to understand this?
What specific teachings are used to understand this?
Re: Theravada
There are thousands of Suttas on the different aspects of the Eightfold Path. Some are general, some get into the specifics of each aspect. Some get into steps to attain or maintain certain aspects in the face of certain struggles and/or obstacles. The following is a definition of each aspect and a link to the Path of Freedom which was compiled by J. Bullitt in which he pulls different suttas from the five different books of the first Tripatika to explain/expound on each aspect.
Right View
"And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Resolve
"And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Speech
"And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Action
"And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity. This is called right action."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Livelihood
"And what is right livelihood? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Effort
"And what, monks, is right effort?
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
[ii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.
[iii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
[iv] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called right effort."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Mindfulness
"And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves... the mind in & of itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called right mindfulness...
"This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Concentration
"And what is right concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called right concentration."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right View
"And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Resolve
"And what is right resolve? Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill-will, on harmlessness: This is called right resolve."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Speech
"And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Action
"And what is right action? Abstaining from taking life, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from unchastity. This is called right action."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Livelihood
"And what is right livelihood? There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones, having abandoned dishonest livelihood, keeps his life going with right livelihood: This is called right livelihood."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Effort
"And what, monks, is right effort?
"There is the case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
[ii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the abandonment of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen.
[iii] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen.
[iv] "He generates desire, endeavors, activates persistence, upholds & exerts his intent for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen: This, monks, is called right effort."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Mindfulness
"And what is right mindfulness? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves... the mind in & of itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. This is called right mindfulness...
"This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Right Concentration
"And what is right concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called right concentration."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
“Integrity has no need of rules.”
-Albert Camus
-Albert Camus
Re: Theravada
Awesome. I feel a tingling in my chakras already.
Re: Theravada
Keep in mind that Right Mindfullness also encompasses meditation. There's nothing fancy about it either...Buddha taught one way to meditate and that was anapanasati:
A traditional method given by The Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta is to go into the forest and sit beneath a tree and then to simply watch the breath, if the breath is long, to notice that the breath is long, if the breath is short, to notice that the breath is short.[4][5]
While inhaling and exhaling, the meditator practises:
training the mind to be sensitive to one or more of: the entire body, rapture, pleasure, the mind itself, and mental processes
training the mind to be focused on one or more of: inconstancy, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment
steadying, satisfying, or releasing the mind.
(Wiki)
However, there were four steps, taken in progression as the one before was mastered, within anapanasati.
First was focusing on the breathing.
Then, body
Then feelings / mind
Then emptiness
A traditional method given by The Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta is to go into the forest and sit beneath a tree and then to simply watch the breath, if the breath is long, to notice that the breath is long, if the breath is short, to notice that the breath is short.[4][5]
While inhaling and exhaling, the meditator practises:
training the mind to be sensitive to one or more of: the entire body, rapture, pleasure, the mind itself, and mental processes
training the mind to be focused on one or more of: inconstancy, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment
steadying, satisfying, or releasing the mind.
(Wiki)
However, there were four steps, taken in progression as the one before was mastered, within anapanasati.
First was focusing on the breathing.
Then, body
Then feelings / mind
Then emptiness
“Integrity has no need of rules.”
-Albert Camus
-Albert Camus
Re: Theravada
How important is it to find a quiet place to do this. I am surrounded by squeeky shoes, tv's, and motor mouths.Pana wrote: A traditional method given by The Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta is to go into the forest and sit beneath a tree and then to simply watch the breath, if the breath is long, to notice that the breath is long, if the breath is short, to notice that the breath is short.
What is the importance of noise in the environment?
While inhaling and exhaling, the meditator practises:
training the mind to be sensitive to one or more of: the entire body, rapture, pleasure, the mind itself, and mental processes
training the mind to be focused on one or more of: inconstancy, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment
steadying, satisfying, or releasing the mind.
However, there were four steps, taken in progression as the one before was mastered, within anapanasati.
First was focusing on the breathing.
Then, body
Then feelings / mind
Then emptiness
Re: Theravada
Well...you live, I think, on the West Coast?
Can you not go to a park?
Or, conversely...
It would be a testament to your concentration if you can focus just on the breathing and wall out the squeaky shoes and motor mouths.
...and as for the TV I would just blow it up.
Can you not go to a park?
Or, conversely...
It would be a testament to your concentration if you can focus just on the breathing and wall out the squeaky shoes and motor mouths.
...and as for the TV I would just blow it up.
“Integrity has no need of rules.”
-Albert Camus
-Albert Camus
Re: Theravada
Can't blow up Tv's when it's the life force for some people. Do you do any kind of visualization methods to wall out the noise?
Re: Theravada
Well...I don't have any noise where I am. My backyard backs onto an old graveyard. My two girls are grown and gone and my son is a silent roamer like me. In the summer, Im usually meditating and doing yoga in the back yard around 5:30 in the morning. Quiet...with just me and the birds softly cheeping.
“Integrity has no need of rules.”
-Albert Camus
-Albert Camus