References
The Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikaya MN) of the Buddha (tr by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi)
The Connected Discourses (Samyutta Nikaya SN) of the Buddha (tr by Bhikkhu Bodhi)
Who is My Self? A Guide to Buddhist Meditation (by Ayya Khema)
Anapanasati (Breathing with Mindfulness)
What is Yoga? (Patanjali's Sutras)
The Way of the Bodhisattva (poem by Shantideva, 8th century)
The Pattimokkha (The 227 Theravada Monastic Rules)
MN 62: The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rahula
"Rahula, any kind of material form whatever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all material form should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.'" --"Only material form, Blessed One? Only material form, Sublime One?" --"Material form, Rahula, and feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness." The Pali text for the above phrase is "netam mama, nesohamasmi, na meso atta."
MN 3: Heirs in Dhamma
"Bhikkhus, be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things."
The Buddha gave this example: Suppose that after he had eaten, some almsfood was left over to be thrown away. Then two bhikkhus arrive, hungry and weak, and they are invited to eat if they like. One bhikkhu remembers that the Buddha taught his disciples to be his heirs in Dhamma, not his heirs in material things. Since almsfood is one of the material things, he decides to pass the day and night hungry and weak instead of eating the almsfood. The second bhikkhu eats the almsfood and passes the day and night neither hungry nor weak. Now the Buddha says the first bhikkhu is more to be commended and respected. Why is that? Because that will long conduce to his fewness of wishes, contentment, effacement, easy support, and arousal of energy.
I have two comments about this. First, there is no implied benefit to eating food left over by the Buddha (prasad, a Hindu concept). Therefore by extension there would be no special benefit to eating food after it has been offered to bhikkhus or to deities. Left-overs are left-overs. In another case the Buddha told an ascetic who practiced mortification by eating like a dog, that he would not be reborn in heaven as he believed but rather as a dog. Secondly, among the five benefits mentioned is arousal of energy. Since the result of overeating is drowsiness, it would be better to eat less than try to counter drowsiness with coffee which causes restlessness.
MN 10: Satipatthana Sutta (The four establishments of mindfulness )
One of the most important discourses by the Buddha. He surveys a comprehensive range of subjects suitable for meditation practice. There are four main categories: the body, feelings, the mind and core teachings:
1. Body:
1.1 Mindfulness of breathing
1.2 The four postures (walking, standing, sitting, lying down)
1.3 Full awareness of bodily movements
1.4 Foulness - the thirty-two parts of the body
1.5 The body as composed of the four elements (earth, water, fire, air)
1.6 The nine charnel ground contemplations of a corpse
2. Feelings: pleasant, painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant
3. Mind: if lustful, hateful or deluded by self-identity
4. Core teachings:
4.1 The Five Hindrances: sensual desire, ill will, drowsiness, restlessness and doubt
4.2 The Five Aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formations and consciousness
4.3 The Six Sense Bases: eye-forms, ear-sounds, nose-odors, tongue-flavors, body-touch, mind-mind objects
4.4 The Seven Enlightenment Factors: mindfulness, investigation of states, energy, rapture, tranquility, concentration and equanimity
4.5 The Four Noble Truths: understand suffering, abandon the origin of suffering, realize the cessation of suffering, develop the way leading to the cessation of suffering.
The Buddha concludes this discourse by encouraging diligent practice. He says that if anyone should develop these four foundations of mindfulness for seven years ... or even for only seven days, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left, non-return.
MN 14: The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering
A cousin of the Buddha named Mahanama, a householder stay-at-home brother of the senior monks Ananda and Anuruddha, asks the Buddha what is blocking his spiritual progress, even though he understands the teaching that a mass of suffering results from sensual pleasures. The Buddha tells him that as a householder he has not been able to abandon sensual pleasures because he has not yet experienced the far greater pleasure of the meditative absorptions (i.e. the four jhanas). The Buddha tells him about a dialog he had once with some Jain ascetics who believed wrongly that pleasure could only be obtained (after death, in heaven) by painful austerities such as by never sitting down. He told them that even the sensual pleasures enjoyed by a king such as Bimbisara of Maghada could not compare to the rapture of the jhanas, because the king could not sit still even for even one day and night, whereas the Buddha could sit absorbed for seven days and nights without speaking or moving.
MN 17: Jungle Thickets
A discourse on the conditions under which a meditative monk should remain living in a jungle thicket and the conditions under which he should go elsewhere. The Buddha says that if a bhikkhu is not becoming established in mindfulness and concentration and liberation from bondage, he should go elsewhere, no matter whether or not he is obtaining the requisites of food, shelter, clothing and medicine there. But if he is making progress there, he should stay, no matter whether or not the requisites are hard to come by or not. The same applies to staying in a village, town, city, country or in dependence on anyone. If he is making progress, he should stay as long as life lasts, even if told to go away.
MN 19: Two Kinds of Thought
"There are these roots of trees, these empty huts. Meditate, bhikkhus, do not delay or else you will regret it later."
MN 20: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts
The Buddha teaches five methods for dealing with unwholesome thoughts that may arise in the course of meditation.
1. When unwholesome thoughts arise connected with desire, with hate, or with ego, substitute a wholesome thought, like a carpenter might extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one.
2. Consider the danger of the thoughts, how they result in suffering.
3. Just ignore the thoughts, look away.
4. Inquire into the cause of the thoughts.
5. Crush the thoughts with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, just as a strong man might seize a weaker man and beat him down.
MN 21: The Simile of the Saw
A discourse on the need to maintain patience when addressed with disagreeable words. When others address you, their speech may be timely or untimely, true or untrue, gentle or harsh, connected with good or with harm, spoken with a mind of loving-kindness or with inner hate. Your mind should remain unaffected and you should utter no evil words. Abide compassionate for their welfare, with a mind of loving-kindness, without inner hate. Even if bandits should sever you savagely limb by limb with a two-handed saw, you should not give rise to a mind of hate towards them. [This is what Jesus of Nazareth also taught].
MN 22: The Simile of the Snake
(Impermanence and Not Self)
26: "Bhikkhus, what do you think? Is material form permanent or impermanent?" --"Impermanent, venerable sir." --"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?" --"Suffering, venerable sir." --"Is what is impermanent and suffering fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" --"No, venerable sir." --"Is feeling ... Is perception ... Are formations ... Is consciousness ..."
--"Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of material form [... feeling ... perception ... formations ... consciousness] whatever, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all material form [... feeling ... perception ... formations ... consciousness] should be seen as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Seeing this, bhikkhus, a well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with material form [... feeling ... perception ... formations ... consciousness]. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge, 'It is liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.'"
(Not Yours)
40: "Therefore, bhikkhus, whatever is not yours, abandon it; when you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time. What is it that is not yours? Material form [... feeling ... perception ... formations ... consciousness] is not yours. Abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time."
MN 32: The Greater Discourse in Gosinga
On a beautiful moonlit night a number of senior disciples meet together in a sala tree wood, fragrant with flowers, and discuss what kind of monk could illuminate the wood by his presence. Each answers according to his personal ideal. Ven. Revata praises solitary meditation. Ven. Anuruddha praises surveying a thousand worlds with the divine eye. Ven. Maha Kassapa praises renunciation and austerity. Ven. Maha Moggallana praises two bhikkhus conversing about the Dhamma. Ven. Sariputta praises mastery over the mind, abiding in any attainment desired. Then they all go to the Buddha and ask him which one has spoken well? The Buddha says that all have spoken well, each in his own way, but he provides his own answer. He praises a monk in training, not necessarily an accomplished disciple, who firmly resolves to sit until his mind is liberated from clinging.
MN 37: The Shorter Discourse on the Destruction of Craving
My third-floor apartment building is built of wood, not brick or stone, therefore it quivers whenever someone runs up and down the stairs, especially in the dead of night. More than once the vibrations have waked me up while sleeping on the floor. This reminds me of a story related in Chapter 37 about a visit that Moggallana, one of the Buddha's foremost disciples, paid to Sakka, ruler of the Tavatimsa Heaven, to find out if Sakka had really understood a discourse which the Buddha had given him. The story begins by relating what the Buddha says when Sakka asks him how a bhikkhu is liberated in the destruction of craving to reach Nibbana. The Buddha tells him, "When a bhikkhu has heard that nothing in the world is worth clinging to, then he contemplates the impermanence in all feelings, whether pleasant or painful or neutral, and their fading away, cessation and relinquishment. Contemplating thus, he does not cling to anything in the world. When he does not cling, he is not agitated. When he is not agitated, he personally attains Nibbana." Sakka appears to delight in these words and returns to his heaven of pleasure where painful feelings are never experienced. Then Moggallana, who happened to overhear the conversation, exercises his supernormal power to visit Sakka in his heaven. The commentary explains that Moggallana and Sakka had once been companions in the holy life and that Sakka was a stream-enterer on the same path to arahantship which Moggallana had already reached. Therefore Moggallana addresses Sakka by his personal nickname "Owl" and asks him what the Buddha said. Sakka replies that he has been so busy lately that he forgot, and by the way, would Moggallana like to see his new palace? Moggallana agrees to a tour but considers thus: "This spirit is living much too negligently. What if I stirred up a sense of urgency in him?" Then he nudges the corner of the palace with his toe, causing it to shake and quake and tremble. This brings Sakka to his senses and he recalls the Buddha's message. This story illustrates the danger of being too comfortable and reminds me to accept disagreeable experiences as an incentive to practice harder.
MN 45: The Shorter Discourse on the Ways of Undertaking Things
There are four ways of undertaking things. There is a way that is pleasant now and ripens in the future as pain. There is a way that is painful now and ripens as pain. There is a way that is painful now and ripens as pleasure. There is a way that is pleasant now and ripens as pleasure.
1. Sensual pleasures ripen as pain. Suppose that in the last month of the hot season a maluva-creeper pod burst open and a maluva-creeper seed fell at the foot of a sala tree. Then the deity living in that tree became fearful, but the deity's friends and companions, kinsmen and relatives -- garden deities, park deities, tree deities, and deities inhabiting medicinal herbs, grass, and forest-monarch trees -- gathered together and reassured that deity thus: 'Have no fear, sir, have no fear. Perhaps a peacock will swallow the maluva-creeper seed or a wild animal will carry it off or white ants will devour it or it may not even be fertile.' But no peacock swallowed that seed, no wild animal ate it, no forest fire burned it, no woodsmen carried it off, no white ants devoured it, and it was in fact fertile. Then, being moistened by rain, the seed in due course sprouted and the maluva-creeper's tender soft downy tendril wound itself around that sala tree. The the deity living in that the sala tree thought: 'What future fear did my friends see in that maluva-creeper seed? Pleasant is the touch of this maluva-creeper's tender soft downy tendril!' Then the creeper enfolded the sala tree, made a canopy over it, draped a curtain all around it, and split the main branches of the tree.
2. A naked ascetic who dwells tormenting and mortifying the body has a painful way now. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell.
3. Someone who has by nature strong lust or strong hate or strong delusion [egocentricity], constantly experiences pain and grief born of lust, hate or delusion. Yet in pain and grief, weeping with tearful face, he leads the perfect and pure holy life. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world.
4. One who by nature does not have strong lust, strong hate or strong delusion, does not constantly experience pain and grief. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first jhana ... With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhana ... With the fading away as well of rapture ... he enters upon an dwells in the third jhana ... With the abandoning of pleasure and pain ... he enters upon and dwells in the fourth jhana. On the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world. This is called the way of undertaking things that is pleasant now and ripens in the future as pleasure.
Pleasure is sensed not only by each of the five physical senses but also by the mind. For example, there is pleasure in playing over grandmaster chess games. However the many hours, days and years spent pursuing idle pastimes detract from the higher pleasures of the meditative jhanas, if they are not empty dreams, and by degrees life is frittered away. Let me always remember the parable of the maluva-creeper!
MN 54: Advice to Potaliya p466
The Buddha tells the layman Potaliya that renunciation is more than just entrusting the family business to the children. True renunciation means giving up eight actions: killing, stealing, untruthful speech, malicious speech, greed, harsh speech, anger and arrogance. The vanity of indulging in sensory pleasures is compared to:
1. a meatless bone smeared with blood gnawed by a dog
2. a piece of meat seized by a vulture pursued and harassed by hawks
3. a blazing grass torch held against the wind
4. a charcoal pit full of glowing coals for a man dragged there by two men
5. a lovely mirage which vanishes on waking
6. borrowed goods to be reclaimed by the owner
7. a fruit tree to be chopped down while a picker is climbing in it
MN 60: The Incontrovertible Teaching (incontrovertible means definitely acceptable)
I wish I had read this discourse back in high school. It might have saved me years of unhappy views.
A certain village was situated at the entrance to a forest, and many recluses and brahmins of diverse creeds would stay there overnight, expounding their own views and tearing down the views of their opponents. This left the villagers perplexed, unable to commit themselves to a particular teaching. The Buddha teaches them how to decide on a doctrine when the ultimate truth is unknown by them and which does not depend on their faith in a particular teacher. He says they should consider whether the belief has wholesome consequences or not. For example, nihilism, the belief that nothing exists after death, does not promote virtuous conduct, whereas a belief in heaven or in rebirth in a future life with karmic consequences, does promote virtuous conduct. Since virtuous conduct, bodily, verbal and mental, also leads to a happier life here and now, that belief should be adopted by a wise person.
For example, in my case, early on I dropped my beliefs in my religious tradition because they seemed to be incompatible with scientific beliefs which seemed, well, incontrovertible. Now science is reporting that most of the universe is unknown. Specifically, only 4% of the universe is known. The rest is invisible dark matter (22%) or dark energy (74%). Meanwhile, I have learned about other cosmologies which shrink the Hebraic-Christian heaven to the scale of tinker toys. In the vast Buddhist Cosmology (see below), there are multiple heavens (six of pleasure, 16 of light and 4 without form) and multiple deities . None of them are particularly interested in the human world (anthropocentric) and none of them are eternal. The consequence of believing in karma, the doctrine that good actions bring good results and wrong actions bring painful results, is more conducive to virtuous conduct than the childish belief in forgiveness of sins. The belief that neither heaven nor hell is eternal is more reasonable than the unbalanced belief in an eternity of pleasure or pain determined in one short lifetime. Therefore I am comfortable now with believing in heaven(s) and deities(s) and angels and demons and rebirth and supernatural powers and an invisible universe. Who knows? Those invisible parts of the universe which we cannot see could even be the heavenly abodes.
MN 66: The Simile of the Quail p551
The importance of abandoning all fetters, no matter how harmless and trifling they may seem. For example, consider attachment to eating out of time. Before the Buddha established a rule for bhikkhus to refrain from eating after midday, they would go out for alms even at night, causing disturbances by roaming around in the dark. Some bhikkhus resisted accepting this rule, such as Bhaddali (the preceding discourse, MN 65). The Buddha compares them to a quail bound by a rotting creeper, easy to break, but for the quail a strong tether. Those bhikkhus who do accept restraints are compared to a royal tusker elephant which is tethered by stout leather thongs which it could easily break if it wished. Likewise, some people are strongly bound by attachment to trivial objects. Imagine a poor man who has one dilapidated hovel open to the rain, not the best kind, and one dilapidated wicker bedstead, not the best kind, and some grain and pumpkin seeds in a pot, not the best kind, and one hag of a wife, not the best kind. He might see a bhikkhu in a monastery park sitting in the shade of a tree, his hands and feet well washed after he had eaten a delicious meal, devoting himself to the higher mind. He might think: "How pleasant the recluse's state is! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, put on the yellow robe and go forth from the home life into homelessness!" But he cannot abandon his pathetic goods. Whereas a rich householder or his son might easily abandon his wealth if he is not bound tightly to his possessions.
MN 74: To Dighanakha, Advice to a Young Skeptic About Clinging to Views p603
The commentaries give some background for this discourse given to a young skeptic who claimed he did not believe in anything. Dighanakha was the nephew of Sariputta who was to become one of the foremost of the Buddha's disciples, but at the time of this discourse Sariputta had not yet become an arahant. He was present standing behind the Buddha fanning him while listening closely. When his young nephew proudly asserts that no philosophical view is acceptable to him, the Buddha points out an inherent contradiction in his rigid position. The Buddha asks him if, at least, his own view is acceptable to him? This takes some of the wind out of his sails, but he goes on to say, somewhat confused, that if his own view were acceptable to him, then that would also be unacceptable to him. The Buddha comments that there are plenty in the world who cling to their views come what may, but few who abandon an unsatisfactory view and resist taking up some other view. He mentions two extreme views of that time, the eternalists who believe everything is acceptable, and the annihilationists like Dighanakha who believe nothing is acceptable. He says the view of eternalists is close to lust, close to delighting, close to bondage, whereas the view of the other camp is close to non-clinging. At this, Dighanakha interrupts to exclaim, "Master Gotama commends my point of view". But the Buddha proceeds to explain that a wise man in either one of the two rival camps will come to this conclusion: "If I adhere obstinately to my view, it will clash with the other view. Where there is a clash, there are disputes leading to quarrels and vexation." Foreseeing this outcome, he abandons that view and does not take up some other view. This is how there comes to be the abandoning of views.
Dighanakha understands the point and becomes more receptive to the Buddha's instruction. Meanwhile Sariputta is listening attentively. The Buddha tells the young skeptic that this body made out of material form, consisting of the four great elements, procreated by a mother and a father, and built up out of boiled rice and porridge, is subject to impermanence and disintegration. It should be regarded as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as void, as not self. When one regards this body thus, one abandons desire for the body. The same is true for feelings. Whether agreeable or disagreeable, they do not last. Seeing this, a well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with feelings, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion the mind is liberated. When it is liberated, there comes the knowledge, 'It is liberated.' He understands, 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.' A bhikkhu whose mind is liberated thus sides with none and disputes with none.
The reference above to disputes and quarrels reminds me of the public debates which Tibetan monks like to stage. They make intimidating gestures, clap their hands and snap their fingers. It is great fun if not taken too seriously.
The commentary to this sutta concludes that Sariputta, reflecting on this discourse which introduced insight meditation, soon attained arahantship, and Dighanakha attained the fruit of stream-entry.
MN 118: Anapanasati (Mindfulness of Breathing)
A classic text on one of the foundations of meditation.
MN 131: A Single Excellent Night
Let not a man revive the past
Or on the future build his hopes;
For the past has been left behind
And the future has not been reached.
Instead with insight let him see
Each presently arisen state;
Let him know that and be sure of it,
Invincibly, unshakably.
Today the effort must be made;
Tomorrow Death may come, who knows?
No bargain with Mortality
Can keep him and his hordes away,
But one who dwells thus ardently,
Relentlessly, by day, by night--
It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said,
Who has had a single excellent night.
Bhikkhu Bodhi comments on this: "It should be noted that it is not the mere recollection of the past through memory that causes bondage, but the reliving of past experiences with thoughts of craving." However, that being said, if a past experience cannot be remembered without arousing thoughts of craving, better just let it go, unless the object of meditation is the feeling itself (second foundation of mindfulness). Same goes for listening to music.
SN Book I Chaper III 13: A Bucket Measure of Food
At Savatthi. Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala had eaten a bucket measure of rice and curries. Then, while still full, huffing and puffing, the king approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Then the Blessed One, having understood that King Pasenadi was full and huffing and puffing, on that occasion recited this verse:
"When a man is always mindful,
Knowing moderation in the food he eats,
His ailments then diminish:
He ages slowly, guarding his life."
Now on that occasion the brahmin youth Sudassana was standing behind King Pasenadi of Kosala. The king then addressed him thus: "Come now, dear Sudassana, learn this verse from the Blessed One and recite it to me whenever I am nearing the end of my meal. I will then present you daily with a hundred kahapanas as a perpetual grant." --"Yes, sire," the brahmin youth Sudassana replied. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala gradually reduced his intake of food to at most a pint-pot measure of boiled rice. At a later time, when his body had become quite slim, King Pasenadi of Kosala stroked his limbs with his hand and on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: "The Blessed One showed compassion towards me in regard to both kinds of good -- the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life."
Samyutta Nikaya, Book I Chapter II 18 (kindle loc 3147): The Entire Holy Life
On one occasion ... the bhikkhu Ananda approached me, paid homage to me, sat down to one side, and said: "Venerable sir, this is half of the holy life, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship."
When this was said, I told the bhikkhu Ananda: "Not so, Ananda! Not so, Ananda! This is the entire holy life, Ananda, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship. When a bhikkhu has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, it is to be expected that he will develop and cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path ..."
By the following method too, Ananda, it may be understood how the entire holy life is good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship: by relying upon me as a good friend, Ananda, beings subject to birth are freed from birth; beings subject to aging are freed from aging; beings subject to illness are freed from illness; beings subject to death are freed from death; beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure and despair."
Bhikkhusamyutta 4: The Newly Ordained Bhikkhu
At Savatthi. Now on that occasion a certain newly ordained bhikkhu, after returning from the alms round, would enter his dwelling after the meal and pass the time living at ease and keeping silent. He did not render service to the bhikkhus at the time of making robes. When a number of bhikkhus complained to the Buddha, he was called to explain and said "I am doing my own duty, venerable sir." Then the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Do not find fault with this bhikkhu. He is one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhanas that constitute the higher mind and provide a pleasant dwelling in this very life."
Samyutta Nikaya, Book I with Verses, The Thief of Scent (page 303)
On one occasion a certain bhikkhu was dwelling among the Kosalans in a certain woodland thicket. Now on that occasion, when he had returned from his alms round, after his meal that bhikkhu used to descend into a pond and sniff a red lotus. Then the devata that inhabited that woodland thicket, having compassion for that bhikkhu, desiring his good, desiring to stir up a sense of urgency in him, approached him and addressed him in verse:
"When you sniff this lotus flower, An item that has not been given, This is one factor of theft: You, dear sir, are a thief of scent."
[The bhikkhu:]
"I do not take, I do not damage, I sniff the lotus from afar; So for what reason do you say That I am a thief of scent?
"One who digs up the lotus stalks, One who damages the flowers, One of such rough behavior: Why is he not spoken to?"
[The devata:]
"When a person is rough and fierce, Badly soiled like a nursing cloth, I have nothing to say to him; But it is to you that I ought to speak.
"For a person without a blemish, Always in quest of purity, Even a mere hair's tip of evil Appears as big as a cloud."
[The bhikkhu:]
"Surely, spirit, you understand me, And you have compassion for me. Please, O spirit, speak to me again, Whenever you see such a deed."
[The devata:]
"We don't live with your support, Nor are we your hired servant. You, bhikkhu, should know for yourself The way to a good destination."
[The commentary:]
The devata, it is said, thought: "This bhikkhu might become negligent, thinking he has a deity looking after his welfare. I won't accept his proposal."
'
The Thirty-One Abodes (of the Universe) See Wikipedia: Buddhist Cosmology
The Formless Realm (Arupa Loka)
31. Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception 8th jhana
30. Sphere of Nothingness 7th jhana
29. Sphere of Infinite Consciousness 6th jhana
28. Sphere of Infinite Space 5th jhana
The Realm of Subtle Form (Rupa Loka)
27. Peerless Devas (Akanita) Non-returners
26. Clear-Sighted Devas (Sudasi)
25. Beautiful Devas (Sudasa)
24. Untroubled Devas (Atapa)
23. Devas Not Falling Away (Aviha)
22. Unconscious Beings (Asannasatta) 4th jhana, Abode of Equanimity
21. Very Fruitful Devas (Vehapala)
20. Devas of Refulgent Glory (Subakina) 3rd jhana, Abode of Altruistic joy
19. Devas of Unbounded Glory (Apamanasuba)
18. Devas of Limited Glory (Paritasuba)
17. Devas of Streaming Radiance (Abasara) 2nd jhana, Abode of Compassion
16. Devas of Unbounded Radiance (Apamanaba)
15. Devas of Limited Radiance (Paritaba)
14. Great Brahmas (Maha Brahma) 1st jhana, Abode of Loving Kindness.
13. Ministers of Brahma (Brahma-Purohita) Abodes of Baka, Sahampati, Sanankumara
12. Retinue of Brahma (Brahma-Parisaja)
The Realm of Sense Desire (Kama Loka)
11. Devas Wielding Power Over Others' Creations (Paranimita Vasavati Heaven) Abode of Mara
10. Devas Delighting in Creation (Nimanarati Heaven)
9. Contented Devas (Tusita Heaven) The Buddha's last abode before human birth
8. Yama Devas (Yama Heaven) Abode of Yama (lord of death)
7. The Thirty-Three Gods (Tavatimsa Heaven) Sakka, lord in chief
6. Devas of the Four Great Kings (Chatumaharajika Heaven)
East: Datarata, gandhabbas
South: Virulha, kumbandas
West: Virupaka, nagas, garudas, elephants
North: Kuvera, yakkas
5. The Human World (Manusa Loka)
4. The Animal World (Tirachana Loka)
3. Hungry Ghosts (Peta Loka)
2. Asuras (Asura Loka)
1. Hells (Niraya Loka)
The Three Taints
1. Craving for sensual pleasure
2. Craving for existence
3. Ignorance
The Three Marks of Existence
1. Impermanence (anicca)
2. Suffering (dukkha)
3. Emptiness (of self) (anatta)
The Ten Fetters
1. personality-belief
2. doubt
3. belief in rites and rituals
4. sensual desire
5. aversion
6. craving for existence in the Realm of Subtle Form (Rupa Loka)
7. craving for existence in the Formless Realm (Arupa Loka)
8. conceit
9. restlessness
The Five Hindrances
1. desire (simile: in debt) (antidote: contemplate ugliness of the body)
2. aversion (:illness) (loving kindness)
3. drowsiness (:prison) (perception of light)
4. restlessness (:slavery) (anapanasati)
5. doubt (:road across a desert)
The Five Aggregates (which constitute the illusion of ego)
1. form
2. feeling
3. perception
4. intentions (volitional formations, reactions, moods)
5. consciousness (by the six senses)
The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
1. mindfulness (sati)
2. investigation of states (dhammavicaya)
3. energy (viriya)
4. rapture (piti)
5. tranquility (passaddhi)
6. concentration (samadhi)
7. equanimity (upekkha)
Some Memorable Phrases
"having subdued longing and dejection in regard to the world" IW 281
" he dwells independent, not clinging to anything in the world" IW 282
" this is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self"
"disenchantment, dispassion and liberation"
"gratification, danger, escape"
"Whatever is not yours, abandon it." MN 22:40
"Be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things."
Home Page (jwleaf.org)