Buddha taught his disciples on the importance of attaining Vimutti and this Vimutti is the highest goal for Buddhists. Vimutti means liberation or absolute freedom. Absolute Vimutti refers to the eradication of greed, hatred and delusion. However, life of householders and general residents, Vimutti means full deserving of rights in living, housing and owning a land. It also includes other basic rights such as rights of speech and expression, and rights of social participation etc.
Below video clip broadcasted by RFA showcased the zero tolerance of Cambodian residents from Koh Kong province who have been so vigilant on searching temporary Vimutti and their collective action to block the road for resolution is critically visible.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Residents blocked road to protect their rights of owning land and housing
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Dear friends,
ReplyDeleteblocking, protesting, fighting... is not an attitude of liberation.
Such kinds of approaches are not taught by the Buddha but a cry of not understanding nature.
If one likes to reduce the suffering he needs to put the teachings and advices of Buddha into action.
Not harming, not taking what is not given, abstaining from false speech.
Wanting a nice house, a motorbike, pleasant food by one self, one has not the possibility to force others to stop being part of this industry.
Cause of suffering starts always by one self. Buddha Dharma is nothing but a demonstration. By keeping precepts, by abstain from seeking for pleasure, by laying down the knife is how a disciple demonstrate the way to a peaceful life.
One still taking from nature by him self, one still using money, one still has not stopped to harm others is not able to demonstrate the way Buddha had taught. He just takes opposition and in negotiations for the welfare his arguments are weak because he does not keep precepts by him self.
Helping people means to make them understanding the importance of precepts.
Do not hided opposition under the robe of Buddhism as it would harm the teachings in return. Teach people especial high ranking officials, ministers and kings the Dharma, that is how one could protect others as well.
One kills if he uses simply people and encourage them to fight.
Not subject of corruption one self, free from greed and hatred, one never struggles. Not free is just opposite and not what liberation means.
Be mindful and focus on what the Buddha had taught!
Dhatu Sutta: Properties
At Savatthi. "Monks, the earth property is inconstant, changeable, alterable. The liquid property... The fire property... The wind property... The space property... The consciousness property is inconstant, changeable, alterable.
"One who has conviction & belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.
"One who, after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.
"One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-enterer, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening."
May all the people involved in this struggle, the big and the small, the humans and animals, the smart and the dull and other beings as well give up struggle and use there rare present existence to overcome suffering by them self with ease!
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Hanzze;
ReplyDeletePreach as what the Buddha taught...I love this phrase of yours. But your argument is not accepted by the wise and it is not the Buddhist way of intellectual adaptability.
Buddha said "Natthi Panna Sama Apa means no other light is brighter than the light of wisdom". In this prospect, wisdom is the way, not what you preached is the way.
Otherwise, if your preach is not pure and in love of the Dhamma, your advices to take precepts as main tool is to kill those silent under the oppression.
Communist countries that take Buddhism as their religion has beautifully delivered the Buddha Dhamma, but their action is in reverse.
It seems you have accused some monks of holding opposition, or do you mean those demonstrators are opposition? I don't understand this point of yours at all.
Your references on Buddha Dhamma has already become irrelevant and disrespectful. Of course, your mission is to silent the dissidents in order to hold strongly the legitimacy of the government.
While you are preaching other monks as opposition, how about monks who are pro-government?
Please, don't mix politics and Buddha Dhamma in this blogsphere!
I am one of this blog readers, I must step in to prevent person who has bad intention towards this blog.
Dhammadutta.
Dear Dhammadutta,
ReplyDeleteno need to read my words, but its a very need to understand Dhamma and how one is able to help people.
"I", "we", "mine" is the cause of suffering and to argue in a manner "your" "ours"... does not lead to peace.
Dhamma calms people and to teach Dhamma means that one really teaches Dhamma and not spreading suffering and struggle, splitting people and making politic.
Buddha taught neither love nor hate. You will not find a single sutta where Buddha encouraged people to love, to be attached, to grasp for something beside of the strong wish to attain liberation in walking the eightfold path.
If there are people protesting, struggling it has it origin in love (tanha, grasping, greed). There is no better or proper greed, greed is greed. Love is greed and the reason for suffering.
Panna - Vimutti arises by practicing insight (Vipassana), in observing the nature of all phenomena like they really are. Realizing the chain of depended origin by one self and remove with really understanding the wrong view atta-dhitti (believe in an "I", soul a person or being) with is the cause of grasping and suffering.
I would hardly recommend a long Vipassana retreat and if one is able to encourage for example the people being involved in this struggle to such a retreat, there would be no more struggle.
Bhikkhus encourage people to practice Dhamma, and to be able to teach them, they need to put effort into their own practice first. One not free from greed hatred and delusion is never a help for others but sometimes beloved by one side.
Buddha Dhamma does only know one opposite. The way out of suffering and the way deeper into suffering. Buddha taught the way out of it.
Such samples like here can teach us much if we have the right intention. And what is right intention in Cultivating skillful ways of thought:
"And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are priests & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action."
— AN 10.176
Be mindful!
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteBuddha knows well the status of people that He should preach to them. This is called "sappua sunnuta".
With those less dusty of ignorance in their eyes, he will hear the supreme Dhamma of eradicating greed, hatred and delusion; but for the householders, they will hear the way to live a householding living; for politicians, they will hear the way of King should undertake etc.
All these are inclusive in Buddha Dhamma and Buddha's teaching.
Dhammaduta
Yes Dhammaduta, yes.
ReplyDeleteKeep that in mind and we need to remember who is a Buddha and who not. Meanwhile we can simply do wholesome deeds where we are and practice Dhamma and provide the simply teachings and nothing more.
We also need to remember, that teachings of Dhamma if we take them as our guide can protect us from future unwholesome states but Karma which has been done, has been done and will ripe in any way.
Things to not accidentally happening and actions have their results. Just stay out of it and think what part of this problem is yours that one might be so attached to it.
I guess you might understand now, that it is simply nonsense to use words like Vimutti as an approach of normal suffering in samsara. Everybody still involved in such matters is far away form any kind of perfection and wisdom.
Additional to your wise saying a sutta explaining it:
[1] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[2] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[3] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing & disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.
[4] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[5] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[6] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing & agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings."
— MN 58
Its a good way to reflect on this but we are mostly far away from understanding and as serious practitioners we can take this as reminder:
"Whereas some priests and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these — talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past and future], the creation of the world and of the sea, and talk of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.
"Whereas some priests and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to debates such as these — 'You understand this doctrine and discipline? I'm the one who understands this doctrine and discipline. How could you understand this doctrine and discipline? You're practicing wrongly. I'm practicing rightly. I'm being consistent. You're not. What should be said first you said last. What should be said last you said first. What you took so long to think out has been refuted. Your doctrine has been overthrown. You're defeated. Go and try to salvage your doctrine; extricate yourself if you can!' — he abstains from debates such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue."
— DN 2
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteVimutti can be applied to every situation. You can consider temporary vimutti and absolute vimutti.
There are two types of Nibbana: Anupatisesa Nibbana and Sa-upatisesa Nibbana.
You might spend time to search for the different meaning of this type of Nibbana.
Dhammauta
Yes you are right Dhammaduta,
ReplyDeleteif one understands Dhamma he sees Dhamma in everything. If not one would be attached to words and seeks for eternity in phenomena.
Its a very problem if people try to catch the meaning of Dhamma with intellectuality.
Insight and intellectuality are different. We can watch peoples daily actions and their way of living if we like to know if they have gained some insides or just sustain on thoughts and ideas.
Coming from protecting and simplest appearances of worldly life and daily suffering to Nibbana might be a thought one should really reflect on.
Everything is mind made, actually its the biggest mouth. It eats ideas and thought, but that is not Dhamma, its just the normal worldly way.
Keep it simple and do not let the grasp for ideas and thought lead to diffusion of mindfulness and concentration.
Right effort:
Abandon the unskillful, develop the skillful
"Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.'
"Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'"
— AN 2.19
Meditation is very skillful, even to change for intellectuality to insight which calms the mind and helps to understand.
If we have problems with concentration we will find the roots in our livelihood. Its like maths, if people have problems to understand things, its because the have not made the homework and do not understand the roots. For sure the turn to virtue starts with a little amount of right view, right view is the forerunner but if we do not put effort in developing right speech, action and livelihood or concentration division on the eightfold path will never develop well.
Abstaining form unskillful actions is the first step into Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning for every being right here and now. A desire for it leads to Nibbana in any way, no need to search for a short cut or even an intellectual way.
Keep it simple an stay mindful.
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteBuddha Dhamma or Dhamma-Vinaya has its level of understanding and practicing.
The monks who are involving with community are their duty to do so.
Dhamma must be applied in order to receive its real taste.
Dhammaduta
No my dear friend,
ReplyDeletethere is no such thing as a duty for the community (worldly) but it is naturally that somebody who does not follow his real duties (that is practice) needs to be engaged in worldly things as he still likes to be somebody to become somebody and out of this wrong understanding of Dhamma and not having stopped to harm and to take what is not given, involved in the worldly issues, one need to make Dana in compensation (or let me say, for advertising to maintain his eligibility to wear a robe.
As for Vinaya, it's actually simple and made for those who do not understand Dhamma yet. Just keeping the rules and the formal act, that is all.
One having joined the first fruit or higher would not have any problem in keeping it without intellectual investigation but do it naturally. It's like not very smart people need laws, like wearing a helmet.
They do it because they are afraid of punishment, but as soon as they feel secure they take it of.
The next level is doing it out of understanding, understanding that they do it for their own protection and would wear it even if there would not need to face a punishment (many bike driver for example do it without the need of a law - they make it out of understanding)
And the third level is that one starts to investigate why he drives as this is the root problem and stops driving out of understanding and a real will of solving problems.
How ever, one who do not understand does good in simply follow the law (they are always for protection, a national law as well as the vinaya). Its usual that people breaking the law as they think that they are wiser and know all and understand all.
Fact is that a wise man, would not easy break a law, even he do not need to think about it. He is some levels below.
Children are the same, they would not believe their parents and don't follow there advices and roles. Take your time, today you might know already that your parents had reasons why they told you to do that and follow that.
"Dhamma must be applied in order to receive its real taste."
That is very true, so therefore one needs to practice and let go of involvement in other things outside of him self.
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteBuddha stressed on principle or the rule of law, not the rule of personality.
This principle is very important and its has mainly stressed on the interconnectedness of our world and community.
Dhammaduta
Dear Dhammaduta,
ReplyDeletethat might be what you like to have the Buddha to be.
Frist of all he stressed nothing, he talked how to overcome stress (dukkha). Second, he did not choose the way of leading and politic and leave his task to be a king.
Third, he taught individual and nearly never to the mass. The Kalama stutta shows good how he approached when ever it was about many normal people.
He taught that to care about his own thought, his own speech, his own actions, is all one is able to change for the welfare of all beings.
Mostly we are no leader of our self's yet, it's pretty arrogant to believe that one can make others be controlled for a better.
Sometimes it would be really good to start some serious studies, rather to follow ones believes and what was told here and there.
One approach of the Buddha was a struggle for a river which arises after Farmers of two parties claimed that they would have the right to own it and to use it.
As the Buddha approached and calmed the worries down, he told them facts and that they would color the river red scarify blood for water. Scarify blood for some harvest. He did not told them, "Oh this river is his, because he is more poor, or you should make it like that and that", he simply told them the reality and the nonsense that they are doing.
You still carry the idea of a worldly Buddha hero in your mind, but Dhamma isn't about that and it's not a mystical way to change Samsara. If the Buddha had the thought that it is possible to change Samsara to a better place he would not have spent more then 40 years to preach his Dhamma and provide a way out of it. If one does not understand the first noble truth, never met the heavenly messengers and do not investigate about the reason of suffering, he will use Buddha Dhamma just as intellectual tool for his personal interests.
Practicing Dhamma is exclusive personal as this is the only way to influence all others in wholesome way. It a step to turn inside and start to realize that the world is always like it made by or mind.
_()_
with metta
Dear Hanzze;
ReplyDeleteI think you misinterpret the Dhamma or you have intentionally twisted the Dhamma.
If you are a forest monk, you still living according to the offering of the forest laypeople.
If you are city monk, you must be living with the crowd and cannot isolate from the noisy bystanders.
Do you know the words:
- Uggati-tanno
- Vippaci-tanno
- Neya
- Patha parama
These four different types of beings encouraged Lord Buddha to set up his missionary.
Dhammaduta
Dear Friend,
ReplyDeletefirst of all, I don't know where you might have the info's from and I don't thinks it's content of what the Buddha taught (maybe you like to provide where you got the informs from).
The Buddha didn't send anybody on missionary (other religions do like this, but that was not the idea).
He told his noble (and well trained / that is important!) disciples to walk in every direction to teach the Dhamma.
As for teaching: a Bhikkhu is not allowed to teach the Dhamma if he is not direct or indirect asked for it (that is a second sign, that Buddha never supported missionary like we know it from other religions).
So if somebody trains him self (where ever it might be) according the Vinaya, he automatically teaches people and get in contact with them.
As for the word, I am sure that you will explain them, but please offer also some references (where you got it from), so that we have some independent opinions also.
We must understand the Vinaya and the suttas clearly and do not pick out some things we like to get not wrong ideas.
The Dhamma is no patchwork, and should also not be used like such.
_()_
with metta
Hanzze
Aditional maybe the context of the sentence you like to use (from the Vinaya):
ReplyDeleteThe Mahavagga, First Khandhaka.
wrote:10.
Now fifty lay persons, friends of the venerable Yasa, belonging to the highest families in the country and to those next to the highest, heard, . . . . ( &c., as in chap. 9, §§ 1, 2, 3, 4, down to:). While they received exhortation and instruction from the Blessed One by discourse relating to the Dhamma, their minds became free from attachment to the world, and were released from the Âsavas.
At that time there were sixty-one Arahats in the world.
1. And the Blessed One said to the Bhikkhus: 'I am delivered, O Bhikkhus, from all fetters, human and divine. You, O Bhikkhus, are also delivered from all fetters, human and divine. Go ye now, O Bhikkhus, and wander, for the gain of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, and for the welfare of gods and men, Let not two of you go the same way, Preach, O Bhikkhus, the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, glorious at the end, in the spirit and in the letter; proclaim a consummate, perfect, and pure life of holiness. There are beings whose mental eyes are covered by scarcely any dust, but if the doctrine is not preached to them, they cannot attain salvation. They will understand the doctrine. And I will go also, O Bhikkhus, to Uruvelâ, to Senâninigama, in order to preach the doctrine.'
You do not find ordinary people he told to preach the Dhamma, as for he was clearly aware that normal people would misteach the Dhamma. He also encouraged to teach "the a consummate, perfect, and pure life of holiness" and not an alternaticve worldly life.
And also here not a little indice that disiples should seek for active involvements in worldly conflicts, opposition and politic.
Such things would just endanger the Buddha Dharma. Ignorant people would not listen to preachings of virtue and credulous would take what ever supports them. Taking Buddhism as a tool for a battle is taking the simple credulous people irresponsible, those who blindly trust what ever is called a serious Buddhist, and send them into a battle for his own ideas.
That is simply not the way it was prepeared by the Buddha.
It is very needed that people who seeking refuge in virture, trust in virtue and help the world by keeping virture encourage others as good as possible to trust them selfs in the only way to escape from suffering and help them to keep precepts by them selfs.
For a layman can do it when ever and where he might think that it will have good effects (unvirtues people get easy angry when teaching virtue!!), for Bhikkhus there are serval rules how and when, whom and where to teach.
_()_
with metta
Hanzze