"Teacher of Human and Deva " ( Sattha devamanussanam)
After Awakening and setting the wheel of dharma in motion at Deer Park, the Buddha spent the next 45 years of his life traveling from place to place teaching people from all walks of life. He teaches both devas and humans, without distinction or discrimination:
"There are these eight assemblies, namely the assemblies of nobles, brahmans, householders, recluses, gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings, gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three, Mara's retinue, and Brahmas. Possessing these four kinds of intrepidity, the Tathagata approaches and enters these eight assemblies.
"I recall having approached many hundred assemblies of nobles... many hundred assemblies of brahmans... many hundred assemblies of householders... many hundred assemblies of recluses... many hundred assemblies of gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings... many hundred assemblies of gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three... many hundred assemblies of Mara's retinue... many hundred assemblies of Brahmas. And formerly I had sat with them there and talked with them and held conversations with them." -Maha-sihanada Sutta
The Buddha's intention in teaching was to lead living beings to permanent liberation from dukkha. He realizes that seeking lasting happiness from external things that are constantly changing is impractical. Motivated by love and compassion his aim was to help living beings end sufferings find lasting peace or nirvana from within oneself. The Buddha teaches a path of practice and spiritual development leading to ones insight into the true nature of life. Practices such as ethical conduct and meditation are practical ways to develop the qualities of contentment, compassion, wisdom, and liberation. He points out that everything is constantly changing, therefore attachment can give rise to dukkha. Our actions, thought, and speech have consequences, therefore it is a good idea to purify them. Also change is possible when we apply proper effort. Meditation is at the heart of the Buddha's teaching. As our mind become more positive our actions become more constructive, and our experience of life becomes more satisfying and beneficial to others. Anyone can learn basic meditation techniques and experience great benefits.
The Buddha often travels with a large assembly of bhikkhus during the years of teaching the dharma. The sangha would stay in one place during the rainy season. In the beginning the sangha was a loose organization. The monks live in the open airs like the Buddha does when he was practicing. They spent time in meditation and part of the time in sharing the dharma with people in the community. Later, the Buddha also established a Vinaya to go hand in hand with the Dhamma. He called his teaching Dhamma-Vinaya. The guidelines for both theory and practice go hand in hand to preserve the original teaching as much as possible.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE FOREST BHIKKHUS
For example , the Blessed One said in the Ariyamagga Sutta:
“There are these four kinds of kamma declared by me after I had realized them (sacchikatva: having realized, having experienced for oneself) by myself ( sayam: by oneself) by direct knowledge (abhinna: special knowledge, supernornal power) . What four?
“Bhikkhus, there is dark kamma with dark results, bright kamma with bright results, there is dark and bright kamma with dark and bright results and there is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright results, which leads to the destruction of kamma." - AN 4.236
He also encourages householders to meditate. From his experiment with various practices, the Buddha found many rites, rituals, and self-tormenting practices of the time to be time consuming and unnecessary . Therefore, all these practices were left out when teaching his disciples. He allowed for the establishment of monasteries in nature for his disciples to meditate and learn the dhamma. Places like Bamboo Grove and Jeta Grove are "delightful, quiet, free of noise, with an atmosphere of seclusion, remote from human beings, and appropriate for retreat". The forest tradition still follows this mode of practice. They often dwell in small and simple meditation huts amidst nature to develop inner happiness, wisdom, and awakening.
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A Tathagata Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct (Vijjacaranasampanno )
"Bhikkhus, the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the Tathagata is liberated from the world.
"The origin of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the origin of the world is abandoned by the Tathagata.
"The cessation of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the cessation of the world has been realized by the Tathagata.
"The path to the cessation of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the path to the cessation of the world has been developed by the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, in the world with its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, whatever is seen, heard, sensed and cognized, attained, searched into, pondered over by the mind—all that is fully understood by the Tathagata. That is why he is called the Tathagata.
"Moreover, bhikkhus, whatever the Tathagata speaks, utters, and proclaims from the day of his perfect enlightenment up to the day when he utterly passes away into the Nibbana-element without residue left —all that is just so and not otherwise. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, as the Tathagata speaks, so he acts; as he acts, so he speaks. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, in the whole world with its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, the Tathagata is the conqueror, unconquered, one who sees-at-will, the wielder of power. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"By comprehending all the world, All in the world just as it is, From all the world he is liberated; In all the world he clings to nothing.
"He is the all-victorious sage, The liberator from all bonds, By him the highest peace was won: Nibbana that is free of fear.
"A taintless Enlightened One, Free from all woe, with doubt destroyed, Has made an end to all kamma, Set free in the destruction of life’s props.
"Exalted One, he is the Buddha, The lion without compare; For the divine and human worlds He has set rolling the Supreme Wheel.
"Therefore devas and human beings Who go for refuge to the Buddha, Meet him full of reverence, The mighty one free from self-doubt.
“Tamed, of the tamed he is the best; Calmed, of the calm he is the first; Freed, of the free he is supreme; Crossed over, the best of those who cross.” So saying, they pay him reverence, "The mighty one free from self-doubt; In all the worlds of devas and humans There is none who ever equals you!"- AN 4:23 The Tathagata
"The origin of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the origin of the world is abandoned by the Tathagata.
"The cessation of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the cessation of the world has been realized by the Tathagata.
"The path to the cessation of the world is fully understood by the Tathagata; the path to the cessation of the world has been developed by the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, in the world with its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, whatever is seen, heard, sensed and cognized, attained, searched into, pondered over by the mind—all that is fully understood by the Tathagata. That is why he is called the Tathagata.
"Moreover, bhikkhus, whatever the Tathagata speaks, utters, and proclaims from the day of his perfect enlightenment up to the day when he utterly passes away into the Nibbana-element without residue left —all that is just so and not otherwise. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, as the Tathagata speaks, so he acts; as he acts, so he speaks. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"Bhikkhus, in the whole world with its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, the Tathagata is the conqueror, unconquered, one who sees-at-will, the wielder of power. Therefore he is called the Tathagata.
"By comprehending all the world, All in the world just as it is, From all the world he is liberated; In all the world he clings to nothing.
"He is the all-victorious sage, The liberator from all bonds, By him the highest peace was won: Nibbana that is free of fear.
"A taintless Enlightened One, Free from all woe, with doubt destroyed, Has made an end to all kamma, Set free in the destruction of life’s props.
"Exalted One, he is the Buddha, The lion without compare; For the divine and human worlds He has set rolling the Supreme Wheel.
"Therefore devas and human beings Who go for refuge to the Buddha, Meet him full of reverence, The mighty one free from self-doubt.
“Tamed, of the tamed he is the best; Calmed, of the calm he is the first; Freed, of the free he is supreme; Crossed over, the best of those who cross.” So saying, they pay him reverence, "The mighty one free from self-doubt; In all the worlds of devas and humans There is none who ever equals you!"- AN 4:23 The Tathagata
"Unsurpassed Trainer of Tamable People" (Anuttaro purisadammasarathi )
The Buddha is also called "Anuttaro purisadammasarathi " or " unsurpassed trainer of tamable people" . He has the ability to find the skillful means to help people in the path of awakening by seeing the needs and potentials of people.
In the Tittha Jataka, Sariputta prescribed impurity as the theme for meditation to his co-resident . The bhikkhu spent four months without being able to get so much as the first inkling of the idea. Finding himself unable to confer Arahatship on his co-resident, Sariputta thought to himself, "He must be one whom only a Buddha can lead to the Truth; I will take him to the Tathagata." So at early dawn he took the Bhikkhu to the Lord Buddha. The Blessed One asked: "What meditation, Sāriputta, did you prescribe for him?" "The meditation on impurity, Blessed One." The Buddha told Sariputta to leave the bhikkhu here with him and come back for his co-resident in the evening.
The reason why it was no good to him was that he had been born throughout five hundred successive births, as a goldsmith. And, consequently, the cumulative effect of seeing absolutely pure gold for such a long time had made the meditation on the theme of impurity difficult for him to grasp.
After dismissing the Elder, the Buddha had the bhikkhu provided with a better suit of robes, kept him constantly at his side when he went into town for alms, and saw that he received pleasant food of all kinds. In the evening, as he walked about the Monastery with that bhikkhu by his side, he made a pond appear and in it a large cluster of lotuses, and among them one flower of surpassing size and beauty. "Sit here, bhikkhu," he said, "and gaze at this flower ( as a meditation object) ." And leaving the bhikkhu there, he returned to his perfumed chamber.
That bhikkhu gazed and gazed at that flower ( meditated on that flower , used it as a point of focus or meditation object, some people place their attention on the breath) . The Blessed One made that very flower decay. And even as the bhikkhu was looking at it, the flower faded and lost its color. Then the petals began to fall off, beginning with the outermost, and in a minute they had all dropped on the ground. At last the Stamens fell to pieces, and only the pericarp was left.
As the bhikkhu saw this, he thought : "Even now, this lotus-flower was exquisitely beautiful ! Yet its color is gone, its petals and filaments have fallen away, and only the center is left standing. If such a flower can so decay, what may not happen to this body of mine! Nothing that is composite is enduring!" And the Dhamma Eye was opened in him ( Stream Entry) .
Knowing that the bhikkhu's mind had attained to spiritual insight , the Blessed One, seated as he was in his perfumed chamber, projected a radiant image of himself , saying:
Root out self-love,
As you might the autumn lotus with your hand.
Set your heart on nothing but the perfect Path of Peace -
To the Nibbana which the Buddha has preached !.
At the close of this stanza, that bhikkhu attained Arahatship. And at the thought of now being delivered from every kind of future life, he gave utterance to his joy beginning with these stanzas :
He who has lived his life, whose thought is ripe;
He who, from all defilements are destroyed,
Wears his last body; he whose life is pure,
Whose senses well controlled-
He has gained freedom ! As the moon is set free,
When an eclipse has passed, from Rahu's jaws.
The utter darkness of delusion
Which enveloped me, I dispelled with its every sin;
Just as the thousand rays of the mighty sun
Illumines heaven with a flood of light,
And dissipates the clouds!
-Tittha-Jataka #25
In the Tittha Jataka, Sariputta prescribed impurity as the theme for meditation to his co-resident . The bhikkhu spent four months without being able to get so much as the first inkling of the idea. Finding himself unable to confer Arahatship on his co-resident, Sariputta thought to himself, "He must be one whom only a Buddha can lead to the Truth; I will take him to the Tathagata." So at early dawn he took the Bhikkhu to the Lord Buddha. The Blessed One asked: "What meditation, Sāriputta, did you prescribe for him?" "The meditation on impurity, Blessed One." The Buddha told Sariputta to leave the bhikkhu here with him and come back for his co-resident in the evening.
The reason why it was no good to him was that he had been born throughout five hundred successive births, as a goldsmith. And, consequently, the cumulative effect of seeing absolutely pure gold for such a long time had made the meditation on the theme of impurity difficult for him to grasp.
After dismissing the Elder, the Buddha had the bhikkhu provided with a better suit of robes, kept him constantly at his side when he went into town for alms, and saw that he received pleasant food of all kinds. In the evening, as he walked about the Monastery with that bhikkhu by his side, he made a pond appear and in it a large cluster of lotuses, and among them one flower of surpassing size and beauty. "Sit here, bhikkhu," he said, "and gaze at this flower ( as a meditation object) ." And leaving the bhikkhu there, he returned to his perfumed chamber.
That bhikkhu gazed and gazed at that flower ( meditated on that flower , used it as a point of focus or meditation object, some people place their attention on the breath) . The Blessed One made that very flower decay. And even as the bhikkhu was looking at it, the flower faded and lost its color. Then the petals began to fall off, beginning with the outermost, and in a minute they had all dropped on the ground. At last the Stamens fell to pieces, and only the pericarp was left.
As the bhikkhu saw this, he thought : "Even now, this lotus-flower was exquisitely beautiful ! Yet its color is gone, its petals and filaments have fallen away, and only the center is left standing. If such a flower can so decay, what may not happen to this body of mine! Nothing that is composite is enduring!" And the Dhamma Eye was opened in him ( Stream Entry) .
Knowing that the bhikkhu's mind had attained to spiritual insight , the Blessed One, seated as he was in his perfumed chamber, projected a radiant image of himself , saying:
Root out self-love,
As you might the autumn lotus with your hand.
Set your heart on nothing but the perfect Path of Peace -
To the Nibbana which the Buddha has preached !.
At the close of this stanza, that bhikkhu attained Arahatship. And at the thought of now being delivered from every kind of future life, he gave utterance to his joy beginning with these stanzas :
He who has lived his life, whose thought is ripe;
He who, from all defilements are destroyed,
Wears his last body; he whose life is pure,
Whose senses well controlled-
He has gained freedom ! As the moon is set free,
When an eclipse has passed, from Rahu's jaws.
The utter darkness of delusion
Which enveloped me, I dispelled with its every sin;
Just as the thousand rays of the mighty sun
Illumines heaven with a flood of light,
And dissipates the clouds!
-Tittha-Jataka #25
According to the Setthi-Cullaka Jataka, Culapanthaka (Little Wayman) was admitted into the sangha. But he was a dullard who could not even learn a single four lines stanza in four whole months. His brother, Mahapanthaka, said if in four whole months he have been unable to learn a single stanza, how then can he hope to succeed in the practice. And he told Culapanthaka to leave monastery. Although he was expelled by the older brother, Culapanthaka was so fond of the Buddha's dispensation that he did not want to leave. When Jivaka Komarabhacca invited all the bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head to take their meal at his house, Mahapanthaka accepted the invitation for everyone but Culapanthaka because he was a dullard and makes no progress in the Path. Hearing this, Culapanthaka thought that his brother's affection for him is dead. He decided to return to the household life the next morning. As the Buddha was surveying the world at dawn, he became aware of this. He left early, walking up and down the path by Culapanthaka's porch. When Culapanthaka came out of the hut, he saw the Buddha. With full respect, Culapanthaka went up to him. "Where are you going so early, Culapanthaka?" Asked the Buddha.
"My brother had expelled me from the Sangha, I'll go wander, Lord ."
"Culapanthaka, it was under me that you took the refuge, why have you not come to me when you were expelled by your brother? Come, what have you to do with a layman's life? You should stay with me." After saying this, he took Culapanthaka and seated him at the door of his own fragrant kuti ( gandhakuti) . Then giving Culapanthaka a perfectly clean cloth which was created from his supernatural powers to meditate on, the Lord Buddha said, "Face towards the East, and as you handle this cloth, repeat these words--'Removal of Impurity; Removal of Impurity.'"
Then at the time appointed the Buddha, accompanied by the Sangha, went to Jīvaka's house and sat down on the seat prepared for him. Now Little Wayman, facing toward the sun, sat handling the cloth and repeating the words, "Removal of impurity, removal of impurity." And as he kept handling the piece of cloth, it becomes dirty. Seeing it, he thought, "Just now this piece of cloth was quite clean; but I have changed its original state and made it dirty. Impermanent indeed are all compounded things! And even as he realized Death and Decay, the Dhamma Eye opened in him.
Knowing that Little Wayman's mind had reached the knowledge toward sainthood, the Buddha sent forth an image of himself that appeared before Little Wayman as if seated in front of him , saying: "Do you realize, Little Wayman, that this mere piece of cloth has become dirty and stained with impurity; within yourself are the impurities of craving and other unwholesome thoughts . Remove them all." And he uttered these stanzas:
Passion is impurity, not dirt;
And passion is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
Aversion is a form of impurity, not dirt;
And aversion is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
Delusion is impurity, not dirt;
Inner darkness of the mind is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
At the close of these stanzas Culapanthaka attained to Arahatship with all its supernatural knowledge and the four branches of knowledge. And by that knowledge he grasped the whole of the sacred texts.
Note: These four branches of knowledge are (1) understanding of the meaning of the sacred teaching, (2) understanding of their ethical truth, (3) ability to understand it grammatically, logically, and so forth… (4) the power of public exposition ( "Miracle of Instruction")
According to stories in ages past, when he was a king and was making a solemn procession around his city, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a spotless cloth which he was wearing; and the cloth becomes dirty. He thought, "It is this body of mine which has destroyed the original purity and whiteness of the cloth, and dirtied it. Impermanent indeed are all composite things." As he pondered about the impermanence; it occurred to him that it was through the removal of impurity that will lead to his liberation.
In the meantime, Jivaka was about to pour the Water of Offering into the hands of the Buddha but the Blessed One laid his hand over the vessel, saying "Are there any bhikkhus at the monastery, Jīvaka?" Mahapanthaka said, "There are no bhikkhu there, Lord." "There are still monks in the monastery, Jīvaka," said the Buddha. Jivaka then sent someone to the monastery. At that moment Culapanthaka know that his brother was declaring there were no bhikkhu in the monastery and decided to show him there are still bhikkhus in the monastery. He filled the whole mango-grove with bhikkhus. Some were making robes, others dyeing robes, while others were reciting the teaching. He created a thousand bhikkhus different from each other. Finding a host of bhikkhus in the monastery, the man returned and said that the whole mango-grove was full of bhikkhus. The Buddha sent him to fetch the bhikkhu named Culapanthaka, but they all claimed to be Culapanthaka. The Blessed One instructed the man to go back there and hold the hand of the first bhikkhu who said he was Culapanthaka, then the other bhikkhus will disappear. The man did as he was told and came back with Culapanthaka. When the meal was over, the teacher said, "Jīvaka, take Cūḷapanthaka's bowl, he will return thanks." Jīvaka did so. The bhikkhu expounded the whole of the sacred teaching in his expression of thanks.- Jataka 4: Setthi -Cullaka
"My brother had expelled me from the Sangha, I'll go wander, Lord ."
"Culapanthaka, it was under me that you took the refuge, why have you not come to me when you were expelled by your brother? Come, what have you to do with a layman's life? You should stay with me." After saying this, he took Culapanthaka and seated him at the door of his own fragrant kuti ( gandhakuti) . Then giving Culapanthaka a perfectly clean cloth which was created from his supernatural powers to meditate on, the Lord Buddha said, "Face towards the East, and as you handle this cloth, repeat these words--'Removal of Impurity; Removal of Impurity.'"
Then at the time appointed the Buddha, accompanied by the Sangha, went to Jīvaka's house and sat down on the seat prepared for him. Now Little Wayman, facing toward the sun, sat handling the cloth and repeating the words, "Removal of impurity, removal of impurity." And as he kept handling the piece of cloth, it becomes dirty. Seeing it, he thought, "Just now this piece of cloth was quite clean; but I have changed its original state and made it dirty. Impermanent indeed are all compounded things! And even as he realized Death and Decay, the Dhamma Eye opened in him.
Knowing that Little Wayman's mind had reached the knowledge toward sainthood, the Buddha sent forth an image of himself that appeared before Little Wayman as if seated in front of him , saying: "Do you realize, Little Wayman, that this mere piece of cloth has become dirty and stained with impurity; within yourself are the impurities of craving and other unwholesome thoughts . Remove them all." And he uttered these stanzas:
Passion is impurity, not dirt;
And passion is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
Aversion is a form of impurity, not dirt;
And aversion is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
Delusion is impurity, not dirt;
Inner darkness of the mind is the actual defilement.
O bhikkhu, he who is able to get rid of it;
Lives in the dhamma of the Purified.
At the close of these stanzas Culapanthaka attained to Arahatship with all its supernatural knowledge and the four branches of knowledge. And by that knowledge he grasped the whole of the sacred texts.
Note: These four branches of knowledge are (1) understanding of the meaning of the sacred teaching, (2) understanding of their ethical truth, (3) ability to understand it grammatically, logically, and so forth… (4) the power of public exposition ( "Miracle of Instruction")
According to stories in ages past, when he was a king and was making a solemn procession around his city, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a spotless cloth which he was wearing; and the cloth becomes dirty. He thought, "It is this body of mine which has destroyed the original purity and whiteness of the cloth, and dirtied it. Impermanent indeed are all composite things." As he pondered about the impermanence; it occurred to him that it was through the removal of impurity that will lead to his liberation.
In the meantime, Jivaka was about to pour the Water of Offering into the hands of the Buddha but the Blessed One laid his hand over the vessel, saying "Are there any bhikkhus at the monastery, Jīvaka?" Mahapanthaka said, "There are no bhikkhu there, Lord." "There are still monks in the monastery, Jīvaka," said the Buddha. Jivaka then sent someone to the monastery. At that moment Culapanthaka know that his brother was declaring there were no bhikkhu in the monastery and decided to show him there are still bhikkhus in the monastery. He filled the whole mango-grove with bhikkhus. Some were making robes, others dyeing robes, while others were reciting the teaching. He created a thousand bhikkhus different from each other. Finding a host of bhikkhus in the monastery, the man returned and said that the whole mango-grove was full of bhikkhus. The Buddha sent him to fetch the bhikkhu named Culapanthaka, but they all claimed to be Culapanthaka. The Blessed One instructed the man to go back there and hold the hand of the first bhikkhu who said he was Culapanthaka, then the other bhikkhus will disappear. The man did as he was told and came back with Culapanthaka. When the meal was over, the teacher said, "Jīvaka, take Cūḷapanthaka's bowl, he will return thanks." Jīvaka did so. The bhikkhu expounded the whole of the sacred teaching in his expression of thanks.- Jataka 4: Setthi -Cullaka
Knower of the Cosmos (Lokavidu)
The Buddha taught a Noble Eightfold Path that leads people to awakening within. Arahant disciples of the Buddha become very much like the Buddha himself in many ways. Maha Kassapa is one such example. When praising Maha Kassapa, the Buddha mentions that he can enters and dwells in various jhanas and enjoys various spiritual powers that the Buddha himself enjoys:
First jhana ( First state of meditation)
"Bhikkhus, when desired I withdraw from sensuality (kamehi) , withdraw from unwholesome mental states. And with vitakka ( reflection, thought,” initial application”) and vicara ( investigation , examination, “sustained application”) , rapture ( piti) , and happiness ( sukkha) born of solitude I enter and abide in the first jhana. Kassapa too when desired withdraws from sensuality (kamehi) , withdraws from unwholesome mental states, enters and abides in the first jhana.
Second jhana ( Second state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, whenever desired , with the subsiding (vupasama) of vitakkavicaranam ( Vitakka: reflection, thought,” initial application” .Vicara : investigation , examination, “sustained application”), the mind is inwardly tranquilized and brought to a single point ( ekodibhavam: onepointedness, concentration). Free from vitakka and vicara , with rapture ( piti) and happiness ( sukkha) born of concentration ( samadhija) , I enter and abide in the Second jhana. Kassapa too, when desired with the subsiding of vitakkavicaranam , enters and abides in the second jhana.
Third jhana ( Third state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, when desired, with the fading away of rapture (piti) as well, I abide equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Experiencing happiness with the body, I enter and abide in the Third jhana. About which the noble ones describe: ‘ Abiding in sukha (sukhavihari'ti ) , mindful, ( just looking on ) with equanimity . ‘ Kassapa too, to whatever extent he wishes, enters and abides in the third jhana.
Fourth jhana ( Fourth state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I abandon pleasure and pain, and with the setting down of previous joy and displeasure there is neither pain nor pleasure. And with mindfulness fully purified by equanimity, I enter and abide in the fourth jhana. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and dwells in the fourth jhana.
Sphere of Infinity of Space
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the perception of form ( rupa sannanam, rupa: form, material composition, Sannanam: perception). With the setting down of all sense of resistence ( patigha-sannanam, spatigha: repulsion, collision, anger ) , not attending to the perception of diversity ( nanatta sannanam amanasikara) , aware that :’ space is infinite,' I enter and abide in the Sphere of Infinity of Space. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Infinity of Space.
Sphere of Infinite Consciousness.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Infinity of Space and with the awareness that 'Consciousness is Infinite', I enter and abide in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness.
Sphere of Nothingness
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness and aware that there is ’ nothing', I abide in the Sphere of Nothingness. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Nothingness.
Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Nothingness and abide in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception.
Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception and abide in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I enjoy manifold supranormal powers, such as being one, becoming many, being many becoming one , appearing and vanishing. I go unimpeded through walls, through ramparts and mountains as if through space. I dive in and come out of earth as though in water. I walk on water as though on earth. Sitting crosslegged I fly through the air like a winged bird . With my hand I touch & stroke even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. I exercise influence with my body even as far as the Brahma worlds. Kassapa too when desired enjoys various spiritual powers.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, with the purified divine ear-element beyond human. I hear both kinds of sounds, heavenly and human, whether near or far. Kassapa too when desired, with the purified divine ear element beyond human, hears sounds heavenly and human far and near.
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I penetrate and understand the minds of other beings. I know the mind with greed, the mind without greed, the angry mind and the not angry mind. I know the deluded mind and the not deluded mind, the composed mind and the distracted mind. I know the exalted mind and the un exalted mind, the surpassable mind and an unsurpassable mind . I know the concentrated mind and the un-concentrated mind, the liberated mind and the unliberated mind. Kassapa too when desired penetrates and understands the minds of other beings. …
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I recollect the manifold previous births such as one birth, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty births. One hundred births, one thousand births, one hundred thousand births, innumerable aeons of cosmic-contraction, innumerable aeons of cosmic-expansion, innumerable aeons of cosmic-contraction and cosmic-expansion. There I was with this name, in this clan, with this disposition, supported thus, experiencing these pleasant and unpleasant feelings, enjoying such a lifespan. Disappearing from there I was born there with this name, in this clan, with this disposition, supported thus, experiencing these pleasant and unpleasant feelings, enjoying such a lifespan. Disappearing from there I was born here. Thus I recollect the manifold previous births with all details. Kassapa too when desired, recollects the manifold previous births such as one birth... Thus he recollects the manifold previous births with all details.
"Bhikkhus, when desired, with the purified divine eye beyond human I see beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma.'These good beings owing to misconduct in body, words and mind, reviling noble ones, owing to bearing wrong view and the actions based on wrong views, after death are born in misery, in states of deprivation, in decrease, in hell. These good beings owing to right conduct in body, words and mind, not reviling noble ones, owing to bearing right view and the actions based on right views, after death are born in increase, in fortunate states, in heaven. Thus I see beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma. Kassapa too when he desired, with the purified divine eye beyond human sees beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma...
" Bhikkhus, by the ending of the asava (outflow, intoxicant, mental effluents), I enter and abide in the anasava (free from intoxicants) liberation of mind (cetovimutti) , liberation of/in wisdom (pannavimutti) , realizing it for myself with direct knowledge in this very life. Kassapa too, by the ending of the asava, he enters and abides in the anasava liberation of mind, liberation through wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge (abhinna: special knowledge, supernormal power) in this very life."- SN 16.9 Jhanabhinna: Jhana and Direct Knowledge
NOTE: Another description of the Buddha is "Lokavidu" or " Knower of the Cosmos" . There are many suttas where he speaks about conditions in various other realms ( See 31 PLANES OF EXISTENCE )
First jhana ( First state of meditation)
"Bhikkhus, when desired I withdraw from sensuality (kamehi) , withdraw from unwholesome mental states. And with vitakka ( reflection, thought,” initial application”) and vicara ( investigation , examination, “sustained application”) , rapture ( piti) , and happiness ( sukkha) born of solitude I enter and abide in the first jhana. Kassapa too when desired withdraws from sensuality (kamehi) , withdraws from unwholesome mental states, enters and abides in the first jhana.
Second jhana ( Second state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, whenever desired , with the subsiding (vupasama) of vitakkavicaranam ( Vitakka: reflection, thought,” initial application” .Vicara : investigation , examination, “sustained application”), the mind is inwardly tranquilized and brought to a single point ( ekodibhavam: onepointedness, concentration). Free from vitakka and vicara , with rapture ( piti) and happiness ( sukkha) born of concentration ( samadhija) , I enter and abide in the Second jhana. Kassapa too, when desired with the subsiding of vitakkavicaranam , enters and abides in the second jhana.
Third jhana ( Third state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, when desired, with the fading away of rapture (piti) as well, I abide equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Experiencing happiness with the body, I enter and abide in the Third jhana. About which the noble ones describe: ‘ Abiding in sukha (sukhavihari'ti ) , mindful, ( just looking on ) with equanimity . ‘ Kassapa too, to whatever extent he wishes, enters and abides in the third jhana.
Fourth jhana ( Fourth state of meditation)
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I abandon pleasure and pain, and with the setting down of previous joy and displeasure there is neither pain nor pleasure. And with mindfulness fully purified by equanimity, I enter and abide in the fourth jhana. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and dwells in the fourth jhana.
Sphere of Infinity of Space
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the perception of form ( rupa sannanam, rupa: form, material composition, Sannanam: perception). With the setting down of all sense of resistence ( patigha-sannanam, spatigha: repulsion, collision, anger ) , not attending to the perception of diversity ( nanatta sannanam amanasikara) , aware that :’ space is infinite,' I enter and abide in the Sphere of Infinity of Space. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Infinity of Space.
Sphere of Infinite Consciousness.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Infinity of Space and with the awareness that 'Consciousness is Infinite', I enter and abide in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness.
Sphere of Nothingness
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness and aware that there is ’ nothing', I abide in the Sphere of Nothingness. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Nothingness.
Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Nothingness and abide in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception.
Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I completely pass beyond the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception and abide in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings. Kassapa too, when desired, enters and abides in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, I enjoy manifold supranormal powers, such as being one, becoming many, being many becoming one , appearing and vanishing. I go unimpeded through walls, through ramparts and mountains as if through space. I dive in and come out of earth as though in water. I walk on water as though on earth. Sitting crosslegged I fly through the air like a winged bird . With my hand I touch & stroke even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. I exercise influence with my body even as far as the Brahma worlds. Kassapa too when desired enjoys various spiritual powers.
" Bhikkhus, when desired, with the purified divine ear-element beyond human. I hear both kinds of sounds, heavenly and human, whether near or far. Kassapa too when desired, with the purified divine ear element beyond human, hears sounds heavenly and human far and near.
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I penetrate and understand the minds of other beings. I know the mind with greed, the mind without greed, the angry mind and the not angry mind. I know the deluded mind and the not deluded mind, the composed mind and the distracted mind. I know the exalted mind and the un exalted mind, the surpassable mind and an unsurpassable mind . I know the concentrated mind and the un-concentrated mind, the liberated mind and the unliberated mind. Kassapa too when desired penetrates and understands the minds of other beings. …
"Bhikkhus, when desired, I recollect the manifold previous births such as one birth, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty births. One hundred births, one thousand births, one hundred thousand births, innumerable aeons of cosmic-contraction, innumerable aeons of cosmic-expansion, innumerable aeons of cosmic-contraction and cosmic-expansion. There I was with this name, in this clan, with this disposition, supported thus, experiencing these pleasant and unpleasant feelings, enjoying such a lifespan. Disappearing from there I was born there with this name, in this clan, with this disposition, supported thus, experiencing these pleasant and unpleasant feelings, enjoying such a lifespan. Disappearing from there I was born here. Thus I recollect the manifold previous births with all details. Kassapa too when desired, recollects the manifold previous births such as one birth... Thus he recollects the manifold previous births with all details.
"Bhikkhus, when desired, with the purified divine eye beyond human I see beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma.'These good beings owing to misconduct in body, words and mind, reviling noble ones, owing to bearing wrong view and the actions based on wrong views, after death are born in misery, in states of deprivation, in decrease, in hell. These good beings owing to right conduct in body, words and mind, not reviling noble ones, owing to bearing right view and the actions based on right views, after death are born in increase, in fortunate states, in heaven. Thus I see beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma. Kassapa too when he desired, with the purified divine eye beyond human sees beings disappearing and appearing beautiful and ugly, in heaven and hell, born according their kamma...
" Bhikkhus, by the ending of the asava (outflow, intoxicant, mental effluents), I enter and abide in the anasava (free from intoxicants) liberation of mind (cetovimutti) , liberation of/in wisdom (pannavimutti) , realizing it for myself with direct knowledge in this very life. Kassapa too, by the ending of the asava, he enters and abides in the anasava liberation of mind, liberation through wisdom, realizing it for himself with direct knowledge (abhinna: special knowledge, supernormal power) in this very life."- SN 16.9 Jhanabhinna: Jhana and Direct Knowledge
NOTE: Another description of the Buddha is "Lokavidu" or " Knower of the Cosmos" . There are many suttas where he speaks about conditions in various other realms ( See 31 PLANES OF EXISTENCE )
Fully Self -Awakened One ( Samma Sambuddho )
“A Tathagata, Bhikkhus, being a Perfected One is a Fully Self-Awakened One ( samma sambuddho). Because of dispassion for form, from detachment , cessation of [craving for] form, from lack of clinging is liberated, is called ’Fully self-awakened.’ ('sammāsambuddhā'ti vuccati) . And a Bhikkhu liberated by wisdom, because of dispassion for form, cessation of [craving for] form , from lack of clinging is liberated , is called ’liberated by wisdom.’
“A Tathagata, Bhikkhus, being a Perfected One is Fully Self-Awakened ( samma sambuddho). Because of dispassion for feeling (vedanaya) …perception (sannaya)…mental formation (samkharanam)….consciousness (vinnanassa)…He is called ’Fully self-awakened.’ ('sammāsambuddhā'ti vuccati) . And a Bhikkhu liberated by wisdom, because of dispassion for feeling….perception…mental formation…consciousness..,is called ’liberated by wisdom.’ - SN 22.58 Buddha Sutta
“A Tathagata, Bhikkhus, being a Perfected One is Fully Self-Awakened ( samma sambuddho). Because of dispassion for feeling (vedanaya) …perception (sannaya)…mental formation (samkharanam)….consciousness (vinnanassa)…He is called ’Fully self-awakened.’ ('sammāsambuddhā'ti vuccati) . And a Bhikkhu liberated by wisdom, because of dispassion for feeling….perception…mental formation…consciousness..,is called ’liberated by wisdom.’ - SN 22.58 Buddha Sutta
The Buddha served as an example of the potential in each being, just like a butterfly is an example of the potential within each caterpillar.
"So what is the difference, what is the distinction, what is the distinguishing factor between a Tathagata, a Perfected One , a Fully Self-Awakened One ( samma sambuddhasa) , and a Bhikkhu liberated by wisdom (paññāvimuttena bhikkhunāti ) ? ”
"The Tathagata — a Perfected One , a Fully Self-Awakened One ( samma sambuddhasa) — is the one who brings into existence ( uppadeta) a path not found ( anuppanna: not born, not arisen), the one who produces (sanjaneta) a path not known ( asanjatassa: not produced) , the declarer ( akkhata) of the path not declared. He is the knower of the path, is the discoverer of the path, is adept at the path. His disciples today follow that path and become endowed with it after him."
"This is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor between a Tathagata , a Perfect One, Fully self-awakened One(sammāsambuddhassa), and a monk liberated by wisdom (paññāvimuttena bhikkhunāti)."- SN 22.58 Buddha Sutta.END=NAM MO SAKYA MUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.2/5/2014.THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.
"The Tathagata — a Perfected One , a Fully Self-Awakened One ( samma sambuddhasa) — is the one who brings into existence ( uppadeta) a path not found ( anuppanna: not born, not arisen), the one who produces (sanjaneta) a path not known ( asanjatassa: not produced) , the declarer ( akkhata) of the path not declared. He is the knower of the path, is the discoverer of the path, is adept at the path. His disciples today follow that path and become endowed with it after him."
"This is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor between a Tathagata , a Perfect One, Fully self-awakened One(sammāsambuddhassa), and a monk liberated by wisdom (paññāvimuttena bhikkhunāti)."- SN 22.58 Buddha Sutta.END=NAM MO SAKYA MUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.2/5/2014.THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTMENT.
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