Abnormal cases:

 

Abnormal cases refer to phenomena that cannot be explained by materialistic science.

 

Zack Dunlap case:

 

21-year-old Zack Dunlap from Oklahoma, United States of America, appeared on NBC's Today Show in 2008 to share his remarkable story. After a severe ATV accident in 2007, Zack was declared brain dead based on rigorous medical evaluations, including a PET scan showing no blood flow to his brain. And the PET scan confirmed that he was brain dead. However, as preparations for organ donation were underway, he unexpectedly moved his limbs in response to stimuli applied by his cousin Dan Coffin, indicating purposeful movement. Zack gradually regained consciousness, breathed on his own, and even remembered hearing the doctor declare him brain dead. Despite following standard protocols for brain death determination, Zack's rapid recovery remains a mystery, suggesting the presence of phenomena beyond materialistic science. He was eventually discharged from a rehabilitation hospital and returned home 48 days later, very much alive. Later, Zack recalled hearing the doctor tell his parents that he was brain dead. He said the declaration of his brain death made him feel angry deep within his mind. He mentioned that if he could have gotten up at that moment, he might have reacted strongly to the news. This case highlights that the brain and the mind are two different things.

 

Trenton McKinley case:

 

In March 2018, 13-year-old Trenton McKinley from Alabama, United States of America, experienced a miraculous recovery that defied medical science explanations. After a severe trailer accident resulted in seven skull fractures and brain trauma, Trenton was declared brain dead, and his parents agreed to donate his organs. However, on the day before his life support was to end, Trenton showed signs of awareness and began to recover, regaining consciousness, sense, movement, and mental faculties. He described having an otherworldly experience (NDE) while unconscious. Despite continuing nerve pain and seizures, Trenton's remarkable progress has left medical professionals baffled, making his case an abnormal phenomenon that challenges conventional medical understanding and invites speculation about the nature of consciousness and human resilience.

 

Jeff Bush case:

 

On a tragic night in February 2013, a sinkhole suddenly opened beneath the bedroom of Jeff Bush in Seffner, Florida, United States of America, swallowing him and his belongings into the earth. His brother, Jeremy Bush, who was in the house at the time, desperately tried to rescue him after hearing his cries for help. However, by the time Jeremy reached the room, it was already destroyed, and Jeff was gone. Despite frantic efforts to dig through the rubble, Jeff could not be saved, and his remains were never recovered. The horrifying incident left Jeremy and four other individuals, including a 2-year-old child, escaping from the collapsing house, forever marking the Bush family with the traumatic loss. According to Buddhist scriptures this kind of things happen when a person did a high sin. This happens only to the sinful person but will not affect others. Scriptures mention, then such a sinful person is dragged to a hell world through such a hole.

 

 

 

Karma as a Factor in Disease:

 

Researcher Francis Story, (Independent researcher and scholar, United Kingdom)

 

(March, 1967)

 

I recently met a doctor from Europe who is a specialist in pulmonary diseases and also a Buddhist. With some surprise, I noticed that he was a fairly heavy cigarette smoker. In view of the prevalent fear of cancer from smoking, I asked him his views on the subject. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. The gist of his reply was that he would not recommend smoking, but that there are so many apparent causes of lung cancer, including diesel fumes and a chemically contaminated atmosphere, that it is difficult to see how anyone could avoid developing it if physical causes alone are accountable. His own opinion, as a Buddhist, was that the essential factor is the karma of the individual. All the physical causes of cancer, such as continual irritation of the tissues, might be present, but unless the karma of the individual was also a predisposing factor, cancer would not develop. On the other hand, if the physical factors and the karmic disposition came into action together, some type of cancer would result.

 

Taking any other view, it is difficult to explain why some people develop cancer while others, in the same circumstances, do not; and also why some cancer cases, even of malignant types involving vital organs, respond to treatment while others take their destructive course to the end. It is a medical fact that in some cases, cancers have been known to disappear entirely after the patient had been given up as doomed. Such instances are rare, but they occur. There has been much controversy over the cancer cures claimed by certain specialists, notably those of Dr. Max Gerson in America. The only fact that emerges clearly from them is that treatments which are successful with some patients do not produce results with others. If the unknown factor which decides the issue is the sufferer’s karma, the situation can be readily understood. The same may be said of many other diseases besides cancer.

 

This is not to be taken as an orthodox medical opinion by any means, and doubtless the doctor in question would hesitate to express it in a scientific convention. But at the same time, it does represent a growing tendency among doctors and psychiatrists, especially the latter, to seek further back in the patient’s history for causes of a disease which are not apparent in the present life. Why do some people become sick while others, exposed to identical conditions, do not? What is it that decides, in an epidemic, who shall succumb and who shall survive? And how does the mental attitude of the patient affect the course of their disease? The lung specialist whose view I have just quoted was formerly a psychiatrist and is therefore fully alive to the psychosomatic character of many illnesses. This may still be a long way from admitting the part that karma plays in disease, but for many independent thinkers, the step has been made easier by the work of the late Edgar Cayce, whose sensational cures were based upon psychic insight into the patients’ past karma.

 

The extent to which karma and rebirth are being given serious study today is shown by two papers issued by a research institute in the U.S.A. The first is a resumé of a treatise by Prof. Herbert Fingarette, Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara (The Self in Transformation, Basic Books, N.Y., 1963). In para. 171, the Professor says of the doctrine of “reincarnation” and karma: “… we may recall that it was not any self-evident spiritual superficiality but the historical accident of official Christian opposition which stamped it out as an important Greek and Roman doctrine, a doctrine profoundly meaningful to Plato as well as to the masses.” Further on, he writes: “I have tried to set the stage for detailed analysis by suggesting that karmic insight emerges in the situation of one who is driven by anxiety and suffering, who seeks self-awareness, and who is grappling in a highly personal and direct way with the fragmented, enslaving lives which he has lived, is living, and hopes to escape.” Prof. Fingarette’s plea is for an understanding of karma as a means to overcome suffering, and his approach is along much the same lines as that taken by Buddhism.

 

The second paper presents excerpts from The Symbolic and the Real by Dr. Ira Progoff (Julian Press, N.Y., 1963). Dr. Progoff is Director of the Institute for Research in Depth Psychology at Drew University and author of another book, The Death and Rebirth of Psychology. Dealing with Socrates and his doctrine of rebirth, Dr. Progoff writes: “Socrates’ goal as a goad was to stir up men so that the traces of knowledge garnered through the timeless journey of the soul could come alive again. He sought to open a way for the true wisdom of which the oracle had spoken. His goal was to touch the depths in men, to evoke what was hidden and unremembered there, in order that it might serve as an inward source of truth. We can see at this point a striking similarity between the calling of Socrates and the trend of work emerging in modern depth psychology. Both proceed on the hypothesis that the resources of wisdom are hidden in the depths of the human being.”

 

These two writers are not so much concerned with karma in relation to organic disease. Their interest in it comes from the light the doctrine throws upon abnormal mental conditions. It has a significant bearing on the fact that many psychological disorders are congenital. The tendency towards psychosis may remain latent until some unusual stress produces the overt symptoms by which they are recognized. They thus follow the karmic pattern, in which vipáka (result) has to await suitable supporting conditions for its ripening. If certain external or physical factors are not present as conditions (atthi-paccaya), a karmic tendency remains suspended, when it is known as “stored-up” karma (kaþattá-kamma).

 

A very good example of this is found in war neuroses. Dr. Roy R. Grinker, Director of the Institute for Psychosomatic and Psychiatric Research and Training, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, and the author of Psychosomatic Case Book, War Neuroses, and other works on neurology, writes: “Individuals previously psychoneurotic, the psychologically immature, the withdrawn asocial person, and the overcompensated tough psychopath succumb more quickly and develop more severe neuroses than do the relatively stable” under the strain of active military service. “A few latently psychotic soldiers,” he adds, “develop a full-blown malignant psychosis such as schizophrenia,” and although “very few malignant and permanent psychoses develop, … many depressions result from a feeling of failure….”

 

Here there is a promising field for the study of karma bearing its fruit under favourable conditions. There is still no certainty as to the cause of the group of personality disorders that come under the heading of schizophrenia, but it is generally agreed that in most cases the origin goes back to early infancy and may be present at birth. The strain which brings it out as a form of war neurosis is only a contributing factor, acting upon a latent tendency already present.

 

Formerly these neuroses were known as shell-shock, but the term was found to be completely inappropriate and now survives only in popular usage. As Prof. James Drever writes in his Dictionary of Psychology, shell-shock was “the name formerly given, but now discontinued, to temporary or prolonged nervous disorders, manifesting a variety of symptoms, developed through experience of war conditions in the field, and of a functional character.” It is now known that there is, properly speaking, no such condition as “shell-shock.” The more accurate term “war neurosis” denotes a state brought about by prolonged exposure to the strain of war in the field; it is not a condition that can be produced by explosions or bursts of gunfire, but the cumulative effect of anxiety, fatigue, hard physical conditions, and the sight of the dead and wounded over a fairly long period. Here again a multiplicity of causes comes into operation.

 

When one considers that large civilian populations, comprising persons of both sexes and all ages, were exposed to regular aerial bombardments during the second World War without developing war neurosis, one is bound to conclude that another factor is involved in the situation. I feel that we are justified in believing that factor to be the karma of the individual.

 

The scientific mind might be less prepared to admit the possibility of karma being a factor in organic disease. Nevertheless, although the seeds of a specific disease may not be present from birth or early infancy, we see that there are parallels between the development of a psychosis and of a cancer. Many of the contributory causes of both are known, but not all of them, and it is far from certain what causes should be regarded as decisive. The time may well be at hand when research will take a new direction, and the study of parapsychology will open the way to a better understanding of the moral laws that operate in the life of all beings. By denying the law of karma and its fruit which the Buddha proclaimed 2,500 years ago, the West crippled its progress along these lines. Now at long last it is awakening to the fact that its scientific field is extremely narrow and exclusive, the result of the violent reaction of reason against supernaturalism. There are signs that the pendulum is now swinging back. Materialism as a philosophy and a basis for scientific disciplines has contributed much to human knowledge, but its limitations are being increasingly recognized. In the course of time, the world must come to Buddhism; and for the advancement of knowledge, to say nothing of the perpetuation and further progress of our civilization, the sooner it does so the better.

 

 

The Kaliyug:

 

The Kaliyug or the age of Kali is what we are currently living in. Age of distortion, age of destruction, age of decline are all synonyms for the age of Kali. Age of Kali is characterized by the decline of dharma. Age of Kali has 2 parts as Mrudu Kaliyug and Gora Kaliyug. Mrudu Kaliyug means soft Kaliyug. In the soft Kaliyug or the soft age of Kali, the decline of dharma is lesser compared to the Gora Kaliyug part. Gora Kaliyug means tougher Kaliyug. In the Gora part of age of Kali; the decline of Dharma or the righteousness is higher. In the age of Kali following things happen:

 

-The dharma, truthfulness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day in the age of Kali.

-The kings will disappear.

-Leaders will have no mercy for the people.

-The teacher will be disrespected by the student.

-Men will be blind and will be unable to know what is right and what is wrong.

-Men will not honor dharma and saints.

-Wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man’s good birth, proper behavior and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one’s power.

-Truth will be labeled as false and false will be labeled as truth.

-Men will worship money, liquor and women.

-Hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue.

-Men will be slaves of women due to high lust and ignorance.

-There becomes lot of natural disasters.

-There will be constant warfare.

-Spirituality will decline.

-Men will be weak.

-People will be very materialistic.

-Success in business will depend on deceit.

-One who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar or a wise man.

-There will be white color crows.

-Medicines will not work.

-Beauty is found in the hairstyle.

-Society will value useless things.

-As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power.

-Kaliyug's influence will be so powerful that people's minds become sick.

-Leadership of people goes to the persons who are not worthy to be a leader.

-There will be lot of taxes.

-In the Gora Kaliyug losing their wives and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests.

-The people will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels between themselves, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety.

 

Today, we are living in the age of Kali. Kali age is the smallest age by the duration. And it ends with a great destruction. After that Satyayug or the age of truth arises. And in the Satyayug, all people behaves in righteousness and virtue.

 

The four ages are Satyayug, Tretayug, Dvaparayug and Kaliyug. In Satyayug all people behave in righteousness. In Tretayug ¾ amount of people behaves in righteousness. In the Dvaparayug ½ amount of people behave in righteousness. In Kaliyug ¼ amount of people behave in righteousness.

 

In Buddha’s time, a king named Pasenadi who ruled Kosol kingdom and Kasi kingdom saw 16 weird dreams. Unable to understand the meanings of these 16 dreams, the King Pasenadi came to meet the Buddha and asked him the meanings. Buddha said the king not to be afraid and these dreams do not harm him but are signs of Gora Kaliyug.

 

The King said, “Lord, I saw 16 dreams. I am afraid whether it is because of a danger to me or my kingdom. The Budda said. “King, don’t be afraid. Not only you but ancient kings has seen those dreams. There are about future times.”

 

The King said, “Lord, I saw 4 black bulls come from 4 directions for a bull fight. The people applauded wishing to see a bull fight. But bulls came forward and looked at each other’s face and then went away in 4 directions. People became very sad. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future leaders are not righteous and when meritorious acts decline, sinful actions increase, weather patterns changes. The rain will not come at the proper time. The farmers look at the sky wishing for the rain. Meanwhile black clouds come and make thunder just like it is going to rain now. But rain does not come and black clouds scatter to other directions. Due to this farmers and people come to pain. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw there were small plants in the royal garden and there were big fruits on small and very young plants. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, people’s sexual lust become very high. Women begin menstruation early. Therefore they marry in very young ages. Then they deliver children from very young ages. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said. “Lord, I saw the mother cow drinks milk from the baby cow who just born. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future children will not take care of their parents. Future people do not have shame. They also stop respecting elders. Therefore elders and parents have to depend on their children just like servants. The children they themselves arrange marriages for them breaking the tradition. Elders will not receive food and other things from the children and elders become helpless. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw on a row of bullock carts, the foremost bullock carts had younger and weaker bulls to pull them and the row of bullock carts. But at the end of row of bullock carts there were strong and capable bulls. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, the leaders do not give positions for capable, wise and strong men. Instead they give positions to weak and incapable people. And the leaders ruin the country. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw a horse that has 2 faces from front side and back side. The horse ate grass from both of its heads. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future leaders behave in unrighteousness and right thing become a wrong thing. Righteousness become unrighteousness and judges take bribes from both sides. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw an old fox urinate into a golden bowl kept by people and there were people watching that action. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, the leaders do not give positions and wealth to capable noble wise men being doubtful that they might attack their leadership positions. Noble people without being able to live, have to live because of ignoble people. Noble people give their children to ignoble people in marriage because they have no other options and no other way to live. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw a man sitting on a chair and make a rope. Meanwhile a female fox was eating it secretly by hiding under his chair. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future women love to walk in streets, women love to have sex with various men, women love to do beautification activities, women love to be unrighteous, women become un-virtuous, women become very bad. Those women destroy the money of husband that earned by hardly working. Those future women engage in illicit sexual intercourse with their secret lovers and destroy money earned by the husband by spending on liquor, beautification and other things with their secret lovers. Those women spend time always seeking for a secret lover man. They cheat their husbands always. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw women and men that come from 4 directions pour water to a pot that was over flowing. There were empty pots but no one pour water to them. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, the world decline. Countries do not become prosperous. The leaders become poor. If any leader has a maximum amount of money in the treasury, it does not go beyond the amount of 100000 gold coins. The poor leaders make their citizens work for leaders only. Therefore people work only for the leaders. The people hurt by government’s works, work for the government only. People do not get a chance to work for themselves. People become very poor. People only work for the leader’s treasury. People will not get a chance to think about their own poor conditions. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw a large pond filled with water. Animals were there drinking water from the pond. Around the pond, where there were legs of animals, the water was very clear and pleasant. But in the middle of the pond, water was muddy and unclean. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future leaders collect a varied lot of tax from people. People become unable to pay those taxes. Therefore people flee to village areas and forest areas. The city areas become empty. The distant areas in the country will be filled with the people. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw on a wooden stove a rice pot was cooking. The fire was equal but a part of rice raw, another part was very watery and another part was properly cooked. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future leaders become unrighteous. According to them followers also become sinful. The ascetics also become unrighteous. At that time gods living in trees and living around the earth atmosphere become angry. The gods also become unrighteous. The gods who guard people goes away. At that time air become polluted. Then air become distorted. The gods disturb the raining on earth. Therefore in the country, a part will not receive the rain. Another part will receive a lot of rain and will flood. These cause destruction of grains. Another part will receive appropriate amount of rain. This causes good grains. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw a 10000 gold coins worthy, a sandalwood root was sold for a corrupt and stale butter-milk pot. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, in the organization created by me to acquire liberation from birth and death, there will be a lot of sinful monks, who became monks for profits. They do not honor dharma and they behave badly. They do not behave in dharma. They behave and tell the dharma to receive profits. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said. “Lord, I saw empty goblets made of gourd, sink in water. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, leaders do not give positions to wise men. They give positions for stupid and incapable people. Therefore wise and noble men have to say yes to ignoble people. Even in my organization, the leadership is hold by empty monks. Empty people become important people in the future. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “I saw large rock mountains flow on water just like ships. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, when righteousness become unrighteousness and unrighteousness become righteousness, leaders do not give positions of the government to noble wise men. Instead leaders give positions to ignoble people. Then when noble men try to speak ignoble people laugh at them. People consider wise men as empty people. People consider empty people as wise people. Even in my organization when wise and virtuous monks try to speak dharma, others consider they are empty people. Leadership of my organization goes to empty people. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw tiny frogs chase away big black serpents and eat serpents as a meal. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, men become very lustful. Then they behave according to women. Wives control the house. When husbands asked wives, ‘where is that gem?where is that tool? Where is that thing? Where was that money?’ then wives scold husbands as ‘why do you want to ask things in my house, who are you to ask things in my house?’ and wives blame the husbands just like to a servant. The wives will control the house and men like that. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, I saw a black crow was crowded by a pack of golden swans. The crow walked with the pack of golden swans. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, leaders are not wise and they are not clever at art of war and other things. They become doubtful about their leadership positions and do not give positions to noble wise men. Instead they give positions to their servants such as barbers. Then wise noble men, becoming unable to live have to accept the leadership of people who are not worthy of holding a leadership position. The wise noble men have to serve ignoble people in the future. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The king said, “Lord, leopards eat goats. But I saw in the dreams goats chase away leopards and eat leopards. Some leopards saw coming goats from distant and leopards ran away due to fear of goats. Leopards hid themselves. What is the meaning of this dream?”

 

The Buddha said, “King, this does not mean anything bad for you. This does not happen in your life time. But this is about a thing in the future times. In the future, when there are unrighteous leaders, the leaders give positions to ignoble people. Then ignoble people unrighteously claim the lands and property of noble men. Noble men have to give up their lands and properties for ignoble people who are friends of the leader. Noble people hide themselves when they see those ignoble people who are friends of the leader. Even in my organization leadership goes to unrighteous monks. They hurt virtuous and wise monks. Virtuous and wise monks flee to forests and hide themselves. This is the meaning of that dream.”

 

The Buddha further said that not only this Pasenadi king, but ancient kings also have seen these 16 dreams before the beginning of tougher part of age of decline.

 

So this is that Kali age. We are now living in the Kali age. This age is a weird age. It is getting weird and weird day by day. For example women wear male cloths. And when a man has a beard people question it. People talk agains a man growing beard. But people do not questions when women wear male cloths. There are a lot of natural disasters too. Men becoming unrighteous day by day. And men becoming weak. There are also plans of feminizing men. For example using videos that harm the mentality of boys. Those so called organizations that help boys to men have leadership of women. When leadership is in women’s hand we cannot expect much goods. Women cannot protect dharma. Women would rather destroy the dharma. It is the duty of men to protect dharma. Often women talk against dharma. For example, in dharma there mention due to sinful actions also women are born. Women do not like these kind of truths. Women and men are not equal both physicially and mentally. A person cannot say because we become men and women in reincarnation, therefore we are all equal. A person should behave according to the present conditions. A person cannot say “I was a king in my past life. So I am equal to a king.” Also a person cannot say “I was an animal in past lives, so I am equal to an animal in this life too.” Foolish ideologies such as men and women are equal have come in this age.

 

Truth is It is possible to differentiate according to genders because different genders has different natures.

 

Buddha has taught how a creature becomes. In brief we will show it below.

 

-Ignorance> karma> consciousness> name and form> six sense organs.

 

-Ignorance> female karma> female consciousness> female name and female form> female six sense organs.

 

-Ignorance> male karma> male consciousness> male name and male form> male six sense organs.

 

-Ignorance> animal karma> animal consciousness> animal name and animal form> animal six sense organs.

 

-Ignorance> god karma> god consciousness> god name and god form> god six sense organs.

 

Name means mind and mental properties. Form means body. Therefore it means mental natures and physical natures. Six sense organs means eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.

 

Example physical natures of females:

-Less bone density.

-Shorter intestines.

-Have a vagina that is inside the body.

-Have less body hair.

-Have 2 breasts.

-Have a high pitch voice.

-Weak body and small body.

-Soft muscle and skin.

-Hard to become stronger and takes a longer time.

 

Example physical natures of males:

-High bone density.

-Longer intestines.

-Have a penis that is outside the body.

-Have a lot of body hair.

-Do not have a high pitch voice.

-Do not have breasts.

-Strong body and big body.

-Tough muscles and skin.

-Can maximize body strength easily in a short time.

 

Example mental natures of females:

-Hard to concentrate mind.

-Indirect manipulating and fake actions.

-High ego.

-Love for eating a lot of tasty foods.

-Love for painting finger nails.

-Love for hair pulling when fighting.

-Love for doing dirty tricks.

-Love for sleeping when raining.

-Love for getting penetrated.

-Love to wrap by using legs.

-Love for various things and dissatisfaction.

-Less accountability.

-More secretive.

-Love gossip and related matters.

 

Example mental natures of males:

-Easy to concentrate mind.

-Love for honesty and truth.

-Less ego.

-Do not like to eat much food.

-Do not like to paint finger nails.

-Do not like to pull hair when fighting.

-Not much interested in doing dirty tricks.

-Do not like to sleep when raining.

-Do not like to get penetrated.

-Do not like to wrap by using legs.

-Like to live in satisfaction and mental peace.

-High accountability.

-More open.

-Do not like gossip and related matters.

 

These are some examples and comparisons only for understanding.

 

Someone may argue a creature become women and men again and again interchangeably in the reincarnation and so we should all live in equality. This idea is wrong due to several factors. It is a single karma that create the mind. And according to that mind mental properties and body is created. Therefore each mind is a different mind and there is no equality. Karmas that create female minds will create female mental properties and female bodies. Those karmas create female natures. Karmas that create male minds will create male mental properties and male bodies.

 

It is not possible to live without doing any sin. And scriptures suggests the solution to this is doing meritorious karmas as much as possible. Then sins do not get a chance to give results. Scriptures says say if somehow a sin is giving its bad results he should try to avoid and get rid of the bad results by using wisdom and meritorious karmas. Scriptures never say to welcome bad results of sinful karmas although it is not possible to escape from a sinful karma result if the sinful karma was high.

 

Scriptures do not say all women are stupid. Scriptures say in general a large amount of women are stupid compared to men. Scriptures also mentions that if a man starts to use liquor and intoxicating things, he too become stupid.

 

It is because there is a difference between women and men the supreme Buddha declared 8 honorable dhammas (Ashta Garu Dharma) for Buddhist nuns.

 

The 8 honorable dhammas are:

 

(However it is important to mention that now in the world Buddhist nun linage of Buddha’s organization do not exist due to the destruction of Upasamada bhikkunis. And it cannot be restores without 4 Upasampada bhikkunis. Modern Buddhist nuns are not bhikkunis of Buddha’s organization. However, modern Buddhist nuns are also female ascetics, but outside to the linage of Buddha’s organization known as Buddha Sasana.)

 

Truth is men do not need the leadership of women. When a woman became a woman she has a female mind. That mind is different from a male mind and that is why it creates only a female body. That mind is weaker than a male mind which create a male body. And that is why scriptures mention females will never be, Yama kings, Wheel turner emperors, Demons generals, God kings, Mara kings, Brahmas, Pacceka Buddhas, Omniscient Buddhas. These people always will be a man. They will never be a woman. And they are created only by pure male karmas. (please note that women who acquire trances by practising meditations become brahmas in the next life and as men, because that karma only create a male body)

 

Today men are weak as mentioned in the scriptures. It is because unrighteous sinful activities of men. It is visible in our era various female organizations use terrorism by using various techniques and introducing new words such as "sexism" or "mansplaining". When carefully analyzing it is visible this sexism word is often used to conceal the truth.

 

And these female organizations use "mansplaining" to refer to anything a man explains. These are mental techniques used by female organizations to keep men in constant terror. Which is another form of terrorism.

 

Besides these all, it is a shameful fact for men not having wisdom to know what is right and what is wrong and live under the leadership of women. In the tougher part of Kaliyug, a lot of dangerous things happen. The tougher part of Kaliyug is also known by the name ‘the age of women’. In those days, whoever dies be born in hells due to the extreme sins they do. The Kaliyug will end in a large disaster. After that once again Satyayug comes. In that age minds of both men and women are pure by birth. They all come to righteousness in the Satyayug.

 

 

Other various info:

 

What is Karma? Karma is an energy. Karma is a attributes of consciousness element. It creates an energy and that energy gives a result. Roots of sins generate a sinful karma and the creature feels a painful sensation in the future as a result. Roots of merits generate a meritorious karma and the creature feels a pleasureful or an equanimity sensation in the future. Roots of sins are craving, hatred, and ignorance. Roots of merits are generosity, loving-kindness and wisdom. Various karmas gives various results. Such as;

 

Those who disrespect saints and dharma stay under women or get defeated by women.

 

Those who look at other people with jealousy or those who look at other people's nakedness with lust gets permanent eye diseases.

 

Those who give a chair to a saint gets kingship or come to high positions.

 

To learn more about Karma results, please read the free book called Practical Meditation Guide By A Forest Monk. Written by a forest monk named Brahmadeva, It is available in the internet for free download.

 

There are gender change reincarnation cases too. In gender change reincarnation cases, most cases are male to female. Female to male reincarnation cases are rare. There is a clear reason for this. Buddhism mention 3 reasons for a female birth. They are, the will to be born as a woman, high lust or sinful karma. One reason from these 3 reasons is enough to be born as a woman. Even women liked to hear the truth or not, the truth is due to sinful karma also people born as women. It is clearly mentioned in Buddhist scriptures. It is also clear in our reasearch data. People need to understand the truth.

 

Birthmarks are results of sinful karmas.

 

Who is a Yama being? A Yama being is an inhuman being who lives in lesser hell worlds. He has a limited type of divine eye and he tries to help the beings born in hell worlds. Monsters in hell worlds consider Yama as their king. In fact Yama is a ruler of lesser hell worlds. Each lesser hell world has a different Yama being. That means there are a lot of Yama beings. King Yama and god of death are synonyms for him. Yama being is not a god however.

 

It is important to remember that NDEers, OBEers often struggle to explain their experiences by using human words.

 

In NDEs and OBEs, extreme bright light conditions, beautiful gardens, gods, angels and celestial environments were associated with peace and pleasure. Less light conditions, half or full darkness, bad smell, smoke, dangerous living beings, chains, screaming, crying or fire were associated with pain.

 

In NDEs and OBEs it is important to remember that more of these people did not believe in Karma because their religious faiths were different.

 

In NDEs and OBEs It is important to remember that more of these people did not believe in reincarnation.

 

It is important to remember that more of these people (NDEers, OBEers) did not believe in reincarnation as a human being getting birthed in animal worlds.

 

It is important to remember that more of these (NDEers, OBEers) people believed in a creator god or creator brahma. Because their religious faiths were an almighty, omnipotent, all-merciful creator had created the universe.

 

It is important to remember that as an after effect of these NDE and OBE experiences, 98% of these people changed their former behaviours and views, religious attitude, attitude toward life, death, and afterlife, and Social attitude.

 

Willingness and desire are two different attributes of mind. Willingness can end desire.

 

Buddha says (said) mind travels in the universe from one body to another body.

 

Buddha says brain is not the mind.

 

Buddha says there is no almighty god creator who created the universe.

 

Buddha says universe was created by elements and elements exist according to natural laws.

 

Buddha says there those who become liberated Arhants end reincarnation (rebirth)

 

Buddha says creatures become animals, inhumans, gods, humans, brahmas, maras, micro beings again and again.

 

Buddha says an energy called Karma exist in the universe.

 

Buddha says there are various creatures in the universe including inhumans, ghosts, demons, animals, elephants, humans, gods, maras, brahmas, micro beings, yamas, aliens.

 

Buddha says universe is infinite.

 

Buddha says noble eight fold path is the only way for the correct liberation.

 

Buddha says supernatural exist.

 

Buddhism is clear in giving answers while other religions are vague. It is because other religions have no answers and contain false information.

 

To understand the truth, we need to compare religions and philosophies with nature. Islam, Christianity and Hinduism teaches an almighty god or an almighty brahma controls the universe and he is the creator. Also Islam, Christianity and Hinduism teaches that almighty creator is all-knowing, omnipotent, all-merciful, all-loving. Also Islam, Christianity and Hinduism teaches the divine intervention. But when checking the truth scientifically, we can understand that Islam, Christianity and Hinduism teaches false things. We have scientific evidence that shows the none existence of an almighty god.

 

The Buddha has said everything does not happen according to the karmas because the action minds of mind generations (consciousness generation) are not results of karmas. (Action minds generate new karmas) But everything else of a creature's life are results of karmas. Also things like a seed becoming a tree, moving of a rock, flowing of water and similar natural phenomena also not results of karmas. However, one should remember karmas can indirectly influence action minds too.

 

What happens when someone does a sin knowing it is a sin? It will still be a sin, but it will be less powerful compared to a man who does not know it is a sin. It is because while sinful thoughts become in the mind of that person, wisdom which is a meritorious thought also become in that mind. It is like 2 men touching a hot iron rod. The man who knew already it is a hot iron rod burns his hand less, compared to the man who touch the rod without knowing it is hot. The man who had ignorance burns his hand fully and get a more damage.

 

Good men doing nothing to spread dharma are doing a wrong thing.

 

A person cannot say, “I was a king in the reincarnation, so treat to me as king”. A person cannot say, “I was an animal in reincarnation, so treat to me as to an animal”. Present status is the most important thing. Because of reincarnation we have become or become various creatures one cannot say all are equal. All creatures, men and women are different. Understanding these differences is discriminative intelligence.

 

Women cannot protect dharma. Rather women would destroy dharma because dharma speaks women’s wrongs and due to sinful karma also birth of women happens. These are facts women dislike to hear and often talk against. So women will not protect dharma and it is the duty of men to protect dharma.

 

In general female mind is weaker than a male mind. Therefore mental properties and the body created according to the mind becomes weak. Therefore the weak mind and mental properties are hard to realize subtle natures.

 

Saying everyone is equal is ignorance. Such a person do not have discriminative intelligence and understanding of karma. And ignorance is a disturbance for liberation.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Recognize Karma?

 

The universe is filled with various forms of energy, some of which are invisible to the human eye. Radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles, and most types are invisible to the human eye. The two main types of radiation are non-ionizing and ionizing. The visible light spectrum, which is the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can see, represents a very small portion of the entire spectrum. The wavelengths of visible light range from approximately 400 nanometers (violet) to 700 nanometers (red). Invisible radiation types include non-ionizing radiation such as radio waves used for communication, microwaves used for heating and communication, and infrared radiation emitted by hot objects. Ionizing radiation, which can cause damage to living tissue, includes ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted by the sun, X-rays used for medical imaging, gamma rays emitted by radioactive materials and used in medical treatments, alpha particles emitted by some radioactive materials, and beta particles also emitted by radioactive materials. All of these types of radiation are invisible and can only be detected with specialized technological equipment.

 

It is hard to know the things that are invisible. We do not feel invisible things like radiation. But radiation exists in the universe, and it is not the only form of energy in the universe that is invisible. Radiation proves that just because something is invisible, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Depending on our own five senses, such as our eyes or body, we are not capable of knowing this invisible nature called radiation. In the same way, realizing karma energy, which exists in the universe for real, is hard because karma is invisible. Karma is an abnormal energy that exists in the universe. It is one aspect of the cause and effect natural law.

 

However, if someone is a wise person, that person can realize this energy called karma exists in the universe. Have you seen detectives like Sherlock Holmes know unseen things just by their wisdom?

 

Did you ever think about why things in our lives happen according to a pattern? Have you ever noticed that in our lives or in some people’s lives, despite our extremely calculated and correct efforts, things go wrong? Sometimes, without even trying, the best things happen for us, and sometimes these things happen for us always. Have you ever noticed these natural phenomena? Have you ever seen when we are completely sure something will happen exactly like this or that, then it happens in an unexpected and abnormal way? And have you seen some people are always lucky and some people are always unlucky? And have you ever considered why there is inequality among people, such as rich, poor, healthy, sick, powerful, powerless, ugly, beautiful, disabled, and well-built? A person may plan to visit a certain location the following day. However, an unforeseen circumstance arises the next morning, preventing him from going. Later, he discovers that a bomb explosion occurred at the same place he intended to visit, causing numerous fatalities. Surprisingly, the person narrowly escaped the tragic incident. The cause and effect natural law exists. These are some methods to recognize that karma is real and karma controls the universe. Karma is a nature that truly exists, but it cannot be seen with the eyes. Karma can only be known by the wisdom of wise people. Just like detective Sherlock Holmes knows unseen things just by his wisdom by checking and analyzing evidence, we have to check and analyze evidence of karma and nature to find out the truth. For that, we need to learn more about karma and dharma. It is only by wisdom that we can know karma is real and it works. Karma is related to consciousness, and dreams are related to consciousness. That is why sometimes we see a future event in our dreams. It is karma that gives that message to consciousness.

 

Much like radiation, karma is an invisible force that is hard to comprehend solely through our five senses. Karma is a spiritual principle that suggests every action a person takes has a corresponding effect, which can be positive or negative. This principle is a fundamental aspect of the cause and effect natural law.

 

Invisible forces, such as radiation and karma, significantly impact our lives and the universe at large. While radiation's effects can be measured through scientific technological means, karma's influence is more subtle and requires introspection and wisdom to discern. Acknowledging and understanding these unseen forces can lead to a more comprehensive comprehension of the world and our place within it.

 

 

What did the Buddha Discover:

 

Buddha became a Buddha by getting the omniscient intelligence under the sacred Peepal tree. With his omniscient intelligence Buddha discovered the mechanisms of nature and universe. Buddha discovered the dharma. Buddha discovered the all elements in the universe. Buddha discovered what is right and what is wrong. Buddha discovered the galaxies and other living beings. Buddha discovered life after death. Buddha discovered different planes. Buddha discovered the Nirvana element which is the correct liberation. Buddha discovered consciousness element and mental properties such as ignorance and wisdom. The meaning of the word Buddha is ‘The awakened one’. The Buddha discovered how the universe works. The path to Nirvana is the noble eight fold path taught by the Buddha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Image: Prince Siddartha gets the omniscient intelligence and become the Buddha)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Image: Buddha using supernatural powers)

 

 

 

(Image: Buddha teaching dharma to gods)

 

What is Buddhism:

 

Buddha is the founder of Buddhist teachings also known as Buddhism. Buddha was a royal prince before he becomes an ascetic at age 29. He had 3 palaces as a prince and had a luxurious life style as a prince.

 

There are a lot of names for Buddha such as; Thathagatha, blessed one, omniscient one, enlightened one, teacher of gods and humans, the awakened one etc...

 

Buddhism teaches that;

1) Everything in the universe cannot be kept according to the will. (Anicca)

2) Because of that suffering occurs. (Dukka)

3) Because of that nothing can be taken as "I", "me", "mine", "my self", "self", "soul", "atman". (Anatta)

 

These are truths about the universe mentioned in Buddhism.

 

Buddhism is neither a religion nor a philosophy. Buddhism is nature. The nature of the universe that was discovered by Buddha's omniscient intelligence is called Buddhism.

 

Buddhism teaches 4 noble truths of the universe.

 

They are:

1) The noble truth of suffering.

2) The noble truth of the origin of suffering.

3) The noble truth of cessation of suffering.

4) The noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

 

The noble truth of suffering means that there are sufferings in the universe, such as birth, decaying, sicknesses, death and all other painful sufferings.

 

The noble truth of origin of suffering is desire and ignorance.

 

The noble truth of cessation of suffering is eradication of ignorance and desire from the consciousness element.

 

The noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering is the noble eight fold path. Those who follow the noble eight fold path gets liberation from birth, death and all other pains by eradicating ignorance and desire.

 

The noble eight fold path is:

 

1) The right view.

2) The right thoughts.

3) The right speeches.

4) The right actions.

5) The right livelihood.

6) The right endeavour.

7) The right sanity.

8) The right concentration.

 

1) The right view is general intelligence and knowledge about the 4 noble truths.

 

2) The right thoughts is thinking 3 types of skillful meritorious thoughts which are none-harming thoughts, none-hating thoughts, dispassionate thoughts. He who follows this path should behave like this.

 

3) The right speeches is separation from 4 wrong verbal actions which are not speaking false, not speaking slanders, not speaking harsh words, not speaking useless things.

 

4) The right actions is separation from 3 wrong bodily actions which are not killing living beings, not stealing, not having sex with other people's wives and other men.

 

5) The right livelihood is separation from 5 wrong livelihoods which are selling arms, selling poisons, selling slaves and animals, selling liquor and narcotics, selling meat by killing creatures. He should avoid these wrong livelihoods.

 

6) The right endeavour is 4 fold right exertions which are the effort to destroy already aroused sins, the effort to not arouse yet unaroused sins, the effort to develop already aroused skillful meritorious actions, the effort to arouse yet unaroused skillful meritorious actions.

 

7) The right sanity is practicing 4 types of Buddhist Vipassana meditations.

 

8) The right concentration is practicing a concentration meditation and having trances.

 

This noble eight fold path gives liberation from birth and death to whoever practices it.

 

Buddha directly refused the false concept of the existence of an almighty God. Buddha said universe works according to natural laws and universe is created of elements.

 

Buddha said everything is a result of reasons also known as formations.

 

Karma is the greatest reason behind everything.

 

If someone treats you badly or friendly it is due to a past reason.

 

Spider receives foods, mentalities, body, his death and all other objectives due to reasons. Same with humans and gods.

 

There is nothing other than a nature like this.

There is only a chain of reasons and results. And that nature cannot be taken as "I", "me", "mine", "soul", "self", "a person", "a living being", "the atman". There is nothing else other than a strange nature like this.

 

Buddha discovered the mechanism of universe by his omniscient intelligence and Buddha's teachings about the universe and nature are called Buddhism.

 

Buddhism also refuses the existence of a permanent atman or an eternal soul or an eternal self. There is no eternal soul. Everything is subject to change in the universe. It includes mind, mental properties and bodies and everything else.

 

A creature's consciousness element and body changes in every moment. When one practices insight meditations and concentration meditation, he sees this truth and get liberated from ignorance and desire. This also liberates him from birth and death. Because when there is no ignorance and desire in the consciousness element, the reincarnation does not happen in the universe for that one. These are the teachings of Buddha in brief. Buddhist scriptures contain the words of Buddha.

 

Buddha directly refused the existence of almighty God and divine intervention.

 

Buddha taught how happen the creation of a being. It is called "patichchasamuppadaya". It is also known as the cause and effect circle. It is mentioned below:

 

1) Conditioned by the ignorance are the formations.

2) Conditioned by the formation is the consciousness.

3) Conditioned by the consciousness are the name and form.

4) Conditioned by the name (other consciousnesses and mental properties) and form (body) are the 6-sense-organs.

5) Conditioned by the 6-sense-organs is the contact.

6) Conditioned by the contact is the sensation.

7) Conditioned by the sensation is the desire.

8) Conditioned by the desire is the clinging.

9) Conditioned by the clinging creation of a particular existence.

10) Conditioned by the creation of a particular existence is rebirth. (Reincarnation)

11) Conditioned by reincarnation (rebirth); decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair spring up. Such is the origin of this entire mass of sufferings.

 

Here, 6-sense-organs are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.

 

This happens as a chain or a generation again and again.

 

Reincarnation happens according to the above mentioned method by the Buddha. Buddha uncovered this truth from his omniscient intelligence.

 

Buddha has also said a karma is generated when there becomes either roots of sins or roots of merits in a creature's mind (consciousness). Roots of sins are craving, hatred and ignorance. Roots of merits are none craving, loving-kindness and wisdom.

 

 

None self doctrine in Buddhism:

 

Buddhism mentions that there is no eternal soul, self or atman. Buddhism teaches that everything is subject to change including mind, mental properties and bodies. There is nothing permanent in the universe. There is no permanent self that goes life after life. Any person who practices Buddhist Vipassana meditations can see this truth in a higher level.

 

Wrong self identity views of people (that make reincarnation):

 

1) I am the form.

2) I am a person with form. (A permanent person that can be manipulated according to will)

3) Form is inside I.

4) I am inside the form.

 

5) I am the sensation.

6) I am a living being with sensation. (A permanent living being that can be manipulated according to will)

7) Sensation is inside I.

8) I am inside the sensation.

 

9) I am the perception.

10) I am a person with perception.

11) Perception is inside I.

12) I am inside the perception.

 

13) I am the formation.

14) I am a living being with formation.

15) Formation is inside I.

16) I am inside the formation.

 

17) I am the consciousness element.

18) I am a person with consciousness element.

19) Consciousness element is inside I.

20) I am inside the consciousness element.

 

 

Buddha's mercy:

 

Buddha has shown his mercy to millions of people and has given liberation. One such man who received Buddha's mercy was a serial killer named "Angulimala".

 

Angulimala the serial killer's story in brief like this: Angulimala was a strong teenager who was skillful in learning. Other students becoming jealous about his skills said lies to the teacher that Angulimala has a love affair with the teacher's wife. The other students was able to convince this false thing to the teacher somehow. Thereafter angry teacher commanded him to pay for him by using thousand human fingers from thousand people. Angulimala first crying a lot somehow agreed to do it because he had a lot of respect for his teacher. Thereafter Angulimala went a to a forest area and hiding himself in the forest killed many people who travelled on the nearby road. Oneday his mother thought to meet him and explain he is doing a wrong thing. Buddha saw by his omniscient intelligence that if his mother meets him, he kills his mother to get her finger and definitely get a birth in hell due to his this sin and other sins. So buddha entered the forest road before the mother of Angulimala. Angulimala saw the Buddha. And Angulimala ran to kill the Buddha and get a finger from Buddha's dead body. But Buddha made a supernatural power act as no matter how hard he try to get closer to Buddha, he will not be able to do it. In the end Buddha exlained him that he is going to be born in hell if he continuesly do sins. Later Buddha made Angulimala a monk. Buddha adviced the Angulimala monk to meditate. And Angulimala monk was able to get liberation from reincarnation.

 

Like this Buddha has helped a lot of people. A book can be entirely filled by Buddha's that type of merciful actions and true stories.

 

 

Isidasi Buddhist nun:

 

Isidasi, the daughter of a baron who became a nun in Gautama Buddha’s organization, soon attained liberation as an arhant bhikkhuni.

 

One day, after finishing her alms round in Patna city, she rested near the riverbank. Her friend, the nun Bodhi, was also resting next to her. The conversation between the two arhant bhikkhunis at that time is recorded in the Buddhist scriptures.

 

“Venerable Isidasi, you are still young and very beautiful. For what reason did you become ordained? Why did you become a nun?”

 

“Venerable Bodhi, I will tell you why I became a nun. Listen to me. My father was a baron in Ujjain. I was his beloved daughter. At a young age, I was married off to a rich baron in Saketa, who was a friend of my father.”

 

“Since I got married and moved to Saketa, I washed my aunt's and uncle's (father-in-law) feet in the morning and evening. If my husband's brothers, sisters, and family members came home, I would get up from my seat so they could be seated and honored. I prepared and served food appropriately.”

 

“I went to my husband at the right time and adorned him with perfume like a maid. I prepared food, cleaned the dishes, and treated my husband like a mother treats her only son.”

 

“Although I treated my husband with respect, he did not love me. Despite behaving modestly, not lazily, and politely towards him, he soon got tired of me and started to dislike me.”

 

“One day, he said, 'I can't live married life with Isidasi anymore. Send her to her parents.'”

 

“'Child, don't say that. Isidasi is intelligent, dutiful, and not lazy. She treats you well. Why don't you like her?' asked his parents.”

 

“'She doesn't hurt me, but I don't want to be with her anymore,' he replied.”

 

Because her husband insisted on sending her back to her parents, Isidasi returned to her parent’s house. Without any grudge, she went to her parents.

 

“Father, I have not done anything wrong to my husband. I didn’t do anything bad or say a bad word. But I came back because he said he does not like me,” Isidasi said.

 

After a while, Isidasi's father remarried her to another man. At his house, Isidasi did all the work like a maid, respected her husband, was a good dutiful wife and harbored no malice, as before. But after about a month, he also got tired of her. Then again she had to return to her parent’s house.

 

One day, Isidasi's father saw a young man begging with dirty clothes and a broken pot. He immediately bathed him in fragrant water, dressed him in beautiful clothes and ornaments, and said, "Child, from today onward you may not go begging. Marry my daughter, take care of this property and riches, and live in this mansion." That young man agreed. Isidasi also honored him and treated him well just like she did to her previous husbands. Despite this, he also disliked her after about a month. “I don't like living with Isidasi. I want to go back to begging. It is better to beg than to be with my wife Isidasi,” he said and left the mansion.

 

That day, Isidasi went to her room and cried the whole night. “Why does every man hate me? Why do all men dislike me, even though I am an obedient and dutiful wife?” she thought to herself. “What is the meaning of this life? Should I commit suicide and die, or should I become a nun?” she pondered.

 

After some time, one day, the wise and virtuous nun Jinadatta came to my mansion for alms. Seeing her, I bowed at her feet, invited her into my home, and offered alms.

 

“Venerable nun, I also want to become a Buddhist nun,” I told to venerable nun Jinadatta.

 

My father heard this and said, “Daughter, why do you think of becoming a Buddhist nun? Stay in this house, follow the Dhamma, and offer alms.”

 

“Father, you have seen the sufferings I have endured in this short period, haven't you? How embarrassed I was! I have suffered a lot, more than any girl should have to bear. Therefore, Father, allow me to become a nun. Let me abandon this lay life and end all these sufferings to rest in the great nirvana.” She pleaded, bowing at her father's feet.

 

With her father's permission, she went to a Buddhist nunnery and became a nun. Within seven days, she meditated continuously and reached fruition. She became a liberated arhant nun, attaining the three intelligences. Then she obtained the divine eye and the ability to see her past lives. One day, she watched how she spent her time in the cycle of reincarnation.

 

In one previous life, she was a man and the son of a very rich goldsmith in a village named Eraka. He spent his life as a young man with a beautiful face and body. However, due to bad associations and bad friends, he committed sins greedily and lustfully by engaging in illicit sexual intercourse with various women. After that life, where she was a man, she was born into hell for a very very long time, suffering greatly. After that life in hell, she became a monkey in the womb of a female monkey. On the seventh day after the baby monkey was born, the great monkey leader removed the baby's male organs, causing severe injury and great suffering. These were the results of the sins the past mistakes done when she was a man and a son of a rich goldsmith.

 

From that life, she died and was born as a baby goat in the womb of a blind and humpbacked goat (doe) that lived in a forest. She was caught by humans, and to lift heavy loads, the goat owner crushed the goat's male organs. That goat pulled heavy loads for twelve years, suffering from ulcerated and worm-infested sores. This was also a result of the wrongful, sinful illicit sexual acts committed in her previous life as a man and the son of a rich goldsmith.

 

After that life, she was born as a bull in the womb of a cow who lived on a farm owned by a cattle dealer. One year after birth, the bull's male organs were removed to make it better at pulling weight. It carried heavy loads until it became very sick and died. This too was the result of bad karma collected in her male life as the son of a rich goldsmith.

 

In the next life, I was born in the house of a slave girl in a certain street. I was not possible to be a woman or a man in that life. My gender was neither a man nor a woman. It is also was the result of my sinful karmas done in my male life as the son of a rich goldsmith.

 

After that life I was born as a daughter, a girl in a house of a very poor cart driver. Being poor, he never got food to satisfy his hunger. People came every day asking him to repay the loans he had borrowed from them. As the girl was crying because her father could not pay the debt, someone took her by force. Then I was a sixteen years old girl. That man had a son named Giridasa. He took her to his house. He had a virtuous, dutiful and devoted wife. I was Jealous of her. So I did various things to make that wife unpleasant to him. I made him angry about that his other wife.

 

So even when I provide all the services to my husbands like a maid, they leave me because of that karmic reward. But I, the Isidasi, ended all those karmas in this life. I have no rebirth and no suffering again…

 

 

Nirvana Mentioned In Buddhism.

 

In Buddhism, the cycle of rebirth and suffering is driven by the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion. Ignorance refers to a lack of understanding of the true nature of reality, while attachment and aversion refer to the tendency to cling to pleasant experiences and avoid (with hatred) unpleasant ones. These three factors give rise to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, which is characterized by suffering, pain and dissatisfaction.

 

However, there is a way out of this cycle of sufferings, and that is through the realization of Nirvana. Nirvana is not a concept, but an element that exists in the universe, just like the elements of fire, water, earth, and air. It is a subtle nature that is eternal and exists beyond the realm of time and space.

 

Nirvana is the ultimate goal of Buddhist spiritual practice, achieved through the cultivation of wisdom, virtue, and meditation. It is a complete transformation of one's being, a liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is not something that can be created or destroyed, but rather an eternal reality that exists beyond the realm of time and space.

 

According to Buddhist teachings, the existence of Nirvana element cannot be fully understood or realized through analysis, logic or conceptual thinking. Rather, it can only be experienced through direct realization, which is achieved through the cultivation of wisdom, the noble eight fold path, and meditation.

 

Nirvana is a elemental state of supreme liberation beyond all forms, sensations, birth, death, pleasure, and pain. It is a subtle, formless, colorless, and untouchable element that exists in the universe like fire, water, earth, and air. Nirvana element is not created by a cause and is permanent. When one attains that Nirvana element, all mental and physical woes cease, and name-form come to cessation without a remainder. In this abnormal state, there is no birth, decaying, sicknesses, or death. The senses, color, scent, flavor, touch, mind and thought do not exist. It is beyond all worlds and is a fearless, safe, eternal, and trouble-free thing.

 

Nirvana is a universal truth that can be realized by anyone who follows the noble eightfold path to liberation. It is void from desire, timeless, very fine, extremely delicious, the supreme dispassion, and the highest pleasure. This Nirvana element is supreme to all other elements. Nirvana is an element, a subtle nature, and the liberation mentioned in Buddhism.

 

The path to Nirvana element is the noble eight-fold path, as advised by the Buddha. It is a path of virtue, concentration, and wisdom, which leads to the cessation of suffering and the realization of Nirvana element. It is a path that can be followed by anyone, regardless of their background, culture, or beliefs.

 

In summary, Nirvana is the supreme element that is superior to all other elements. It is the ultimate reality that is beyond all and everything in the universe. It is the liberation mentioned in Buddhism, a state of supreme dispassion, and the highest pleasure which is permanent, eternal…

 

 

 

 

 

Learn Buddhist Sutras:

 

You can learn Buddhist Sutras mentioned in Buddhist scriptures on these 2 websites. Please note that not all sutras are translated into English and there are 2 other types of scriptures as Abhidhamma and Vinaya. They do not contain Sutras and have mentioned Dharma in a different manner. And Abhidhamma basket and Vinaya basket exceed the Sutras basket. Use following 2 websites if you are interested in learning more Buddhist sutras:

 

https://suttacentral.net/

 

https://www.accesstoinsight.org

 

In every sutta you may see “So I have heard”. Please remember that it was as the saying in the first council of the monks by the venerable Ananda thero.

 

These sutras are translated from ancient language called Pali. Inside brackets we have includes parts from Attakatha scriptures, also known as Atuwa scriptures. They are Buddhist scriptures that describe sutras and other scriptures. So they contain details which sutras and other main scriptures do not have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ariyapariyesana Sutra:

 

(Majjhima Nikaya: The Noble Search sutta)

 

 

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he went into Savatthi for alms. Then a large number of monks went to Ven. Ananda and said, "It has been a long time, friend Ananda, since we have heard a Dhamma talk in the Blessed One's presence. It would be good if we could get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Blessed One's presence."

 

"In that case, venerable ones, go to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. Perhaps you will get to hear a Dhamma talk in the Blessed One's presence."

 

"As you say, friend," the monks replied to Ven. Ananda and left.

 

Then the Blessed One, having gone for alms, after his meal, on returning from his alms round, said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern Park, the palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding."

 

"As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.

 

So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Park, the palace of Migara's mother, for the day's abiding. Then in the evening, emerging from seclusion, he said to Ven. Ananda, "Ananda, let's go to the Eastern Gatehouse to bathe our limbs."

 

"As you say, lord," Ven. Ananda replied to the Blessed One.

 

So the Blessed One, together with Ven. Ananda, went to the Eastern Gatehouse to bathe his limbs. Having bathed his limbs at the Eastern Gatehouse, coming out of the water, he stood in his lower robe, drying his limbs. Then Ven. Ananda said to him, "Lord, the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman is not far away. Pleasing is the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. Delightful is the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. It would be good if the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman out of sympathy." The Blessed One acquiesced through silence.

 

So the Blessed One went to the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman. Now at that time a large number of monks had gathered in the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman for a Dhamma discussion. The Blessed One stood outside the door waiting for the discussion to end. On knowing that the discussion had ended, clearing his throat, he tapped at the door. The monks opened the door for him. Entering the hermitage of Rammaka the brahman, the Blessed One sat down on a seat made ready. As he was sitting there, he addressed the monks: "For what discussion are you gathered together here? In the midst of what discussion have you been interrupted?"

 

"Lord, our interrupted Dhamma discussion was about the Blessed One himself, and then the Blessed One arrived."

 

"Good, monks. It's fitting that you, as sons of good families who have gone forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should gather for Dhamma discussion. When you have gathered you have two duties: either Dhamma discussion or noble silence. [1]

 

"Monks, there are these two searches: ignoble search & noble search. And what is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement.

 

"And what may be said to be subject to birth? Spouses & children are subject to birth. Men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl & pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, & mares... gold & silver are subject to birth. Subject to birth are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to birth.

 

"And what may be said to be subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement? Spouses & children... men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl & pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, & mares... gold & silver [2] are subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement. Subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement. This is ignoble search.

 

"And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Himself being subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. This is the noble search.

 

"I, too, monks, before my Awakening, when I was an unawakened bodhisatta, being subject myself to birth, sought what was likewise subject to birth. Being subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, I sought [happiness in] what was likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement. The thought occurred to me, 'Why do I, being subject myself to birth, seek what is likewise subject to birth? Being subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, why do I seek what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement? What if I, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, were to seek the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding? What if I, being subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, were to seek the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less,, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding?'

 

"So, at a later time, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — and while my parents, unwilling, were crying with tears streaming down their faces — I shaved off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robe and went forth from the home life into homelessness.

 

"Having thus gone forth in search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to Alara Kalama and, on arrival, said to him: 'Friend Kalama, I want to practice in this doctrine & discipline.'

 

"When this was said, he replied to me, 'You may stay here, my friend. This doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter & dwell in his own teacher's knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.'

 

"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere lip-reciting & repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of the elders, and I could affirm that I knew & saw — I, along with others.

 

"I thought: 'It isn't through mere conviction alone that Alara Kalama declares, "I have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge." Certainly he dwells knowing & seeing this Dhamma.' So I went to him and said, 'To what extent do you declare that you have entered & dwell in this Dhamma?' When this was said, he declared the dimension of nothingness.

 

"I thought: 'Not only does Alara Kalama have conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. I, too, have conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. What if I were to endeavor to realize for myself the Dhamma that Alara Kalama declares he has entered & dwells in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.' So it was not long before I quickly entered & dwelled in that Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge. I went to him and said, 'Friend Kalama, is this the extent to which you have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge?'

 

"'Yes, my friend...'

 

"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'

 

"'It is a gain for us, my friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma I declare I have entered & dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge. And the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma I declare I have entered & dwell in, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge. The Dhamma I know is the Dhamma you know; the Dhamma you know is the Dhamma I know. As I am, so are you; as you are, so am I. Come friend, let us now lead this community together.'

 

"In this way did Alara Kalama, my teacher, place me, his pupil, on the same level with himself and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me, 'This Dhamma leads not to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to Awakening, nor to Unbinding, but only to reappearance in the dimension of nothingness.' So, dissatisfied with that Dhamma, I left.

 

"In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I went to Uddaka Ramaputta and, on arrival, said to him: 'Friend Uddaka, I want to practice in this doctrine & discipline.'

 

"When this was said, he replied to me, 'You may stay here, my friend. This doctrine is such that a wise person can soon enter & dwell in his own teacher's knowledge, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.'

 

"It was not long before I quickly learned the doctrine. As far as mere lip-reciting & repetition, I could speak the words of knowledge, the words of the elders, and I could affirm that I knew & saw — I, along with others.

 

"I thought: 'It wasn't through mere conviction alone that Rama declared, "I have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge." Certainly he dwelled knowing & seeing this Dhamma.' So I went to Uddaka and said, 'To what extent did Rama declare that he had entered & dwelled in this Dhamma?' When this was said, Uddaka declared the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

 

"I thought: 'Not only did Rama have conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. I, too, have conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, & discernment. What if I were to endeavor to realize for myself the Dhamma that Rama declared he entered & dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge.' So it was not long before I quickly entered & dwelled in that Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge. I went to Uddaka and said, 'Friend Uddaka, is this the extent to which Rama entered & dwelled in this Dhamma, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge?'

 

"'Yes, my friend...'

 

"'This, friend, is the extent to which I, too, have entered & dwell in this Dhamma, having realized it for myself through direct knowledge.'

 

"'It is a gain for us, my friend, a great gain for us, that we have such a companion in the holy life. So the Dhamma Rama declared he entered & dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge. And the Dhamma you declare you have entered & dwell in, having realized it for yourself through direct knowledge, is the Dhamma Rama declared he entered & dwelled in, having realized it for himself through direct knowledge. The Dhamma he knew is the Dhamma you know; the Dhamma you know is the Dhamma he knew. As he was, so are you; as you are, so was he. Come friend, lead this community.'

 

"In this way did Uddaka Ramaputta, my companion in the holy life, place me in the position of teacher and pay me great honor. But the thought occurred to me, 'This Dhamma leads not to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to Awakening, nor to Unbinding, but only to reappearance in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.' So, dissatisfied with that Dhamma, I left.

 

"In search of what might be skillful, seeking the unexcelled state of sublime peace, I wandered by stages in the Magadhan country and came to the military town of Uruvela. There I saw some delightful countryside, with an inspiring forest grove, a clear-flowing river with fine, delightful banks, and villages for alms-going on all sides. The thought occurred to me: 'How delightful is this countryside, with its inspiring forest grove, clear-flowing river with fine, delightful banks, and villages for alms-going on all sides. This is just right for the exertion of a clansman intent on exertion.' So I sat down right there, thinking, 'This is just right for exertion.'

 

"Then, monks, being subject myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, I reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Being subject myself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, I reached the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge & vision arose in me: 'Unprovoked is my release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'

 

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. [3] But this generation delights in attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment. For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by attachment, enjoying attachment, this/that conditionality & dependent co-arising are hard to see. This state, too, is hard to see: the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding. And if I were to teach the Dhamma and others would not understand me, that would be tiresome for me, troublesome for me.'

 

"Just then these verses, unspoken in the past, unheard before, occurred to me:

 

 

'Enough now with teaching

what

only with difficulty

I reached.

This Dhamma is not easily realized

by those overcome

with aversion & passion.

 

What is abstruse, subtle,

deep,

hard to see,

going against the flow —

those delighting in passion,

cloaked in the mass of darkness,

won't see.'

"As I reflected thus, my mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.

 

"Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in my awareness, thought: 'The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!' Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahma Sahampati disappeared from the Brahma-world and reappeared in front of me. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted me with his hands before his heart, and said to me: 'Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.'

 

"That is what Brahma Sahampati said. Having said that, he further said this:

 

 

'In the past

there appeared among the Magadhans

an impure Dhamma

devised by the stained.

Throw open the door to the Deathless!

Let them hear the Dhamma

realized by the Stainless One!

 

Just as one standing on a rocky crag

might see people

all around below,

So, O wise

one, with all-around vision,

ascend the palace

fashioned of Dhamma.

Free from sorrow, behold the people

submerged in sorrow,

oppressed by birth & aging.

 

Rise up, hero, victor in battle!

O Teacher, wander without debt in the world.

Teach the Dhamma, O Blessed One:

There will be those who will understand.'

"Then, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, I surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As I did so, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the other world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses — born & growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water, without rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level with the water; while some might rise up from the water and stand without being smeared by the water — so too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the other world.

 

"Having seen this, I answered Brahma Sahampati in verse:

 

 

'Open are the doors to the Deathless

to those with ears.

Let them show their conviction.

Perceiving trouble, O Brahma,

I did not tell people

the refined,

sublime Dhamma.'

"Then Brahma Sahampati, thinking, 'The Blessed One has given his consent to teach the Dhamma,' bowed down to me and, circling me on the right, disappeared right there.

 

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Alara Kalama is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma first? He will quickly understand this Dhamma.' Then devas came to me and said, 'Lord, Alara Kalama died seven days ago.' And knowledge & vision arose within me: 'Alara Kalama died seven days ago.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Alara Kalama suffered. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.'

 

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'This Uddaka Ramaputta is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little dust in his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma first? He will quickly understand this Dhamma.' Then devas came to me and said, 'Lord, Uddaka Ramaputta died last night.' And knowledge & vision arose within me: 'Uddaka Ramaputta died last night.' The thought occurred to me, 'A great loss has Uddaka Ramaputta suffered. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.'

 

"Then the thought occurred to me, 'To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'They were very helpful to me, the group of five monks who attended to me when I was resolute in exertion. What if I were to teach them the Dhamma first?' Then the thought occurred to me, 'Where are the group of five monks staying now?' And with the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human, I saw that they were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana.

 

"Then, having stayed at Uruvela as long as I liked, I set out to wander by stages to Varanasi. Upaka the Ajivaka saw me on the road between Gaya and the (place of) Awakening, and on seeing me said to me, 'Clear, my friend, are your faculties. Pure your complexion, and bright. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? In whose Dhamma do you delight?'

 

"When this was said, I replied to Upaka the Ajivaka in verses:

 

 

'All-vanquishing,

all-knowing am I,

with regard to all things,

unadhering.

All-abandoning,

released in the ending of craving:

having fully known on my own,

to whom should I point as my teacher? [4]

 

I have no teacher,

and one like me can't be found.

In the world with its devas,

I have no counterpart.

 

For I am an arahant in the world;

I, the unexcelled teacher.

I, alone, am rightly self-awakened.

Cooled am I, unbound.

 

To set rolling the wheel of Dhamma

I go to the city of Kasi.

In a world become blind,

I beat the drum of the Deathless.'

"'From your claims, my friend, you must be an infinite conqueror.'

 

 

'Conquerors are those like me

who have reached fermentations' end.

I've conquered evil qualities,

and so, Upaka, I'm a conqueror.'

"When this was said, Upaka said, 'May it be so, my friend,' and — shaking his head, taking a side-road — he left.

 

"Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in Isipatana, to where the group of five monks were staying. From afar they saw me coming and, on seeing me, made a pact with one another, (saying,) 'Friends, here comes Gotama the contemplative: living luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance. He doesn't deserve to be bowed down to, to be greeted by standing up, or to have his robe & bowl received. Still, a seat should be set out; if he wants to, he can sit down.' But as I approached, they were unable to keep to their pact. One, standing up to greet me, received my robe & bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'

 

"So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata by name and as "friend." The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'

 

"When this was said, the group of five monks replied to me, 'By that practice, that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one. So how can you now — living luxuriously, straying from your exertion, backsliding into abundance — have attained any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one?'

 

"When this was said, I replied to them, 'The Tathagata, monks, is not living luxuriously, has not strayed from his exertion, has not backslid into abundance. The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'

 

A second time... A third time, the group of five monks said to me, 'By that practice, that conduct, that performance of austerities you did not attain any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one. So how can you now — living luxuriously, straying from your exertion, backsliding into abundance — have attained any superior human states, any distinction in knowledge & vision worthy of a noble one?'

 

"When this was said, I replied to the group of five monks, 'Do you recall my ever having spoken in this way before?'

 

"'No, lord.'

 

"'The Tathagata, monks, is not living luxuriously, has not strayed from his exertion, has not backslid into abundance. The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'

 

"And so I was able to convince them. I would teach two monks while three went for alms, and we six lived off what the three brought back from their alms round. Then I would teach three monks while two went for alms, and we six lived off what the two brought back from their alms round. Then the group of five monks — thus exhorted, thus instructed by me — being subject themselves to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeking the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, reached the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Being subject themselves to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeking the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke, Unbinding, they reached the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Knowledge & vision arose in them: 'Unprovoked is our release. This is the last birth. There is now no further becoming.'

 

"Monks, there are these five strings of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable via the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable via the ear — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Aromas cognizable via the nose — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Tastes cognizable via the tongue — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Tactile sensations cognizable via the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. These are the five strings of sensuality.

 

"And any brahmans or contemplatives tied to these five strings of sensuality — infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming them without seeing their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them — should be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; Mara can do with them as he will. Just as if a wild deer were to lie bound on a heap of snares: it should be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; the hunter can do with it as he will. When the hunter comes, it won't get away as it would like. In the same way, any brahmans or contemplatives tied to these five strings of sensuality — infatuated with them, having totally fallen for them, consuming them without seeing their drawbacks or discerning the escape from them — should be known as having met with misfortune, having met with ruin; Mara can do with them as he will.

 

"But any brahmans or contemplatives not tied to these five strings of sensuality — uninfatuated with them, having not totally fallen for them, consuming them seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape from them — should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin; Mara cannot do with them as he will. Just as if a wild deer were to lie unbound on a heap of snares: it should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin; the hunter cannot do with it as he will. When the hunter comes, it will get away as it would like. In the same way, any brahmans or contemplatives not tied to these five strings of sensuality — uninfatuated with them, having not totally fallen for them, consuming them seeing their drawbacks and discerning the escape from them — should be known as not having met with misfortune, not having met with ruin; Mara cannot do with them as he will.

 

"Suppose that a wild deer is living in a wilderness glen. Carefree it walks, carefree it stands, carefree it sits, carefree it lies down. Why is that? Because it has gone beyond the hunter's range. [5] In the same way, a monk — quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One. [6]

 

"Then again the monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] 'Infinite space,' enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, [perceiving,] 'Infinite consciousness,' enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One.

 

"Then again the monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his mental fermentations are completely ended. This monk is said to have blinded Mara. Trackless, he has destroyed Mara's vision and has become invisible to the Evil One. Having crossed over, he is unattached in the world. Carefree he walks, carefree he stands, carefree he sits, carefree he lies down. Why is that? Because he has gone beyond the Evil One's range."

 

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.

 

 

Yadanicca Sutra:

 

(Samyutta Nikaya: If something cannot be kept according to the will sutta)

 

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the monks.

 

Monks, form cannot be kept according to the will (Anicca), if something cannot be kept according to the will that is a grief (Dukkha), if something is a grief that is not the self (Anatta), if something is not self, then one should see by the wisdom according to the reality; “that is not mine, that is not me, that is not my soul”

 

Monks, sensation cannot be kept according to the will, if something cannot be kept according to the will that is a grief, if something is a grief that is not the self, if something is not self, then one should see by the wisdom according to the reality; “that is not mine, that is not me, that is not my soul”

 

Monks, perception (Sanna) cannot be kept according to the will, if something cannot be kept according to the will that is a grief, if something is a grief that is not the self, if something is not self, then one should see by the wisdom according to the reality; “that is not mine, that is not me, that is not my soul”

 

Monks, formation (Samskara) cannot be kept according to the will, if something cannot be kept according to the will that is a grief, if something is a grief that is not the self, if something is not self, then one should see by the wisdom according to the reality; “that is not mine, that is not me, that is not my soul”

 

Monks, consciousness (Vijnana) cannot be kept according to the will, if something cannot be kept according to the will that is a grief, if something is a grief that is not the self, if something is not self, then one should see by the wisdom according to the reality; “that is not mine, that is not me, that is not my soul”

 

Monks, the noble student who sees by wisdom like this, comes to disappointment of form, comes to disappointment of sensation, comes to disappointment of perception, comes to disappointment of formation, comes to disappointment of consciousness. Coming to disappointment will not cling. Due to none clinging gets liberated. And when liberated there becomes a intelligence as ‘liberated’ (in his mind). He will know as “Ended the reincarnation. Ended the celibate life. Have completed the path. There is nothing more to do for the liberation”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devaduta Sutra:

 

(Majjhima Nikaya: The divine Messengers sutta)

 

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There the Blessed One addressed the monks, "Monks."

 

"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.

 

The Blessed One said, "Monks, it's as if there were two households with doors, and a man of good eyesight, standing there between them, would see people entering & leaving a house, wandering out & about. In the same way, I — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — see beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discern how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their actions: 'O, how these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in a good destination, the heavenly world. Or how these beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the realm of the hungry ghosts. Or how these beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the animal womb. Or how these beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.'

 

"Then the hell-wardens, seizing (such a being) by the arms, present him to King Yama: 'This is a man, your majesty, with no respect for mother, no respect for father, no reverence for contemplatives (ascetics), no reverence for brahmans (ascetics), no honor for the elders of his family. Let your majesty decree his punishment.'

 

"Then King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates the man regarding the first divine messenger: 'My good man, didn't you see the first divine messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

 

"'I didn't, lord,' he says.

 

Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't you see among human beings a tender baby boy lying prone in its own urine & excrement?'

 

"'I did, lord,' he says.

 

Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't the thought occur to you — observant & mature: "I, too, am subject to birth, have not gone beyond birth. I'd better do good with body, speech, & mind"?'

 

"'I couldn't, lord. I was heedless, lord.'

 

Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil karma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the divines. That evil karma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

 

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the first divine messenger, King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates him regarding the second: 'My good man, didn't you see the second divine messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

 

"'I didn't, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't you see among human beings a woman or man eighty, ninety, one hundred years old: aged, roof-rafter crooked, bent-over, supported by a cane, palsied, miserable, broken-toothed, gray-haired, scanty-haired, bald, wrinkled, with limbs all blotchy?'

 

"'I did, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't the thought occur to you — observant & mature: "I, too, am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging. I'd better do good with body, speech, & mind"?'

 

"'I couldn't, lord. I was heedless, lord.'

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil karma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the divines. That evil karma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

 

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the second divine messenger, King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates him regarding the third: 'My good man, didn't you see the third divine messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

 

"'I didn't, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't you see among human beings a woman or man diseased, in pain, severely ill, lying in her/his own urine & excrement, lifted up by others, laid down by others?'

 

"'I did, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't the thought occur to you — observant & mature: "I, too, am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness. I'd better do good with body, speech, & mind"?'

 

"'I couldn't, lord. I was heedless, lord.'

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil karma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the divines. That evil karma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

 

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the third divine messenger, King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates him regarding the fourth: 'My good man, didn't you see the fourth divine messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

 

"'I didn't, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't you see among human beings kings — catching a thief, a criminal — having him tortured in many ways: flogging him with whips, beating him with canes, beating him with clubs; cutting off his hands, cutting off his feet, cut off his hands & feet; cutting off his ears, cutting off his nose, cutting off his ears & nose; subjecting him to the 'porridge pot,' the 'polished-shell shave,' the 'Rāhu's mouth,' the 'flaming garland,' the 'blazing hand,' the 'grass-duty,' the 'bark-dress,' the 'burning antelope,' the 'meat hooks,' the 'coin-gouging,' the 'lye pickling,' the 'pivot on a stake,' the 'rolled-up bed'; having him splashed with boiling oil, devoured by dogs, impaled alive on a stake; cutting off his head with a sword?'

 

"'I did, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't the thought occur to you — observant & mature: "It seems that those who do evil actions are tortured in these many ways in the here-&-now. And how much more in the hereafter? I'd better do good with body, speech, & mind"?'

 

"'I couldn't, lord. I was heedless, lord.'

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil karma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the divines. That evil karma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

 

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the fourth divine messenger, King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates him regarding the fifth: 'My good man, didn't you see the fifth divine messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

 

"'I didn't, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't you see among human beings a woman or man, one day, two days, or three days dead: bloated, livid, oozing with lymph?'

 

"'I did, lord,' he says.

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, didn't the thought occur to you — observant & mature: "I, too, am subject to death, have not gone beyond death. I'd better do good with body, speech, & mind"?'

 

"'I couldn't, lord. I was heedless, lord.'

 

"Then King Yama says, 'My good man, through heedlessness you did not do what is good with body, speech, & mind. And of course, my good man, they will deal with you in accordance with your heedlessness. For that evil karma of yours was neither done by your mother, nor done by your father, nor done by your brother, nor done by your sister, nor done by your friends & companions, nor done by your kinsmen & relatives, nor done by the divines. That evil karma was done by you yourself, and you yourself will experience its result.'

 

"Then, having interrogated & interpellated & castigated the man regarding the fifth divine messenger, King Yama falls silent.

 

"Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Then the hell-wardens lay him down and slice him with axes. Then they hold him feet up & head down and slice him with adzes. Then they harness him to a chariot and drive him back & forth over ground that is burning, blazing, & glowing. Then they make him climb up & down a vast mountain of embers that is burning, blazing, & glowing. Then they hold him feet up & head down and plunge him into a red-hot copper cauldron that is burning, blazing, & glowing. There he boils with bubbles foaming. And as he is boiling there with bubbles foaming, he goes now up, he goes now down, he goes now around. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Then the hell-wardens throw him into the Great Hell. And as to the Great Hell, monks:

 

It's four-cornered & has four gates

set in the middle of each side.

It's surrounded by an iron fortress wall

and roofed with iron.

Its floor is made of red-hot iron,

heated, fully blazing.

It stands always, spreading 100 yojanas all around.

 

"The flame that leaps from the eastern wall of the Great Hell strikes the western wall. The flame that leaps from the western wall strikes the eastern wall. The flame that leaps from the northern wall strikes the southern wall. The flame that leaps from the southern wall strikes the northern wall. The flame that leaps from the bottom strikes the top. The flame that leaps from the top strikes the bottom. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"There comes a time when, ultimately, with the passing of a long stretch of time, the eastern gate of the Great Hell opens. He runs there, rushing quickly. As he runs there, rushing quickly, his outer skin burns, his inner skin burns, his flesh burns, his tendons burn, even his bones turn to smoke. When [his foot] is lifted, he is the just same. But when he finally arrives, the door slams shut. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"There comes a time when, ultimately, with the passing of a long stretch of time, the western gate of the Great Hell opens... the northern gate... the southern gate of the Great Hell opens. He runs there, rushing quickly. As he runs there, rushing quickly, his outer skin burns, his inner skin burns, his flesh burns, his tendons burn, even his bones turn to smoke. When [his foot] is lifted, he is the just same. But when he finally arrives, the door slams shut. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"There comes a time when, ultimately, with the passing of a long stretch of time, the eastern gate of the Great Hell opens. He runs there, rushing quickly. As he runs there, rushing quickly, his outer skin burns, his inner skin burns, his flesh burns, his tendons burn, even his bones turn to smoke. When [his foot] is lifted, he is the just same. He gets out through the gate. But right next to the Great Hell is a vast Excrement Hell. He falls into that. And in that Excrement Hell needle-mouth beings bore into his outer skin. Having bored into his outer skin, they bore into his inner skin... his flesh... his tendons... the bone. Having bored into the bone, they feed on the marrow. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Right next to the Excrement Hell is the vast Hot Ashes Hell. He falls into that. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Right next to the Hot Ashes Hell is the vast Simbali Forest, [with trees] reaching up a yojana, covered with thorns sixteen fingerbreadths long — burning, blazing, & glowing. He enters that and is made to climb up & down them. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Right next to the Simbali Forest is the vast Sword-leaf Forest. He enters that. There the leaves, stirred by the wind, cut off his hand, cut off his foot, cut off his hand & foot, cut off his ear, cut off his nose, cut off his ear & nose. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Right next to the Sword-leaf Forest is the vast Lye-water River. He falls into that. There he is swept downstream, he is swept upstream, he is swept downstream & upstream. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Then the hell-wardens pull him out with a hook and, placing him on the ground, say to him, 'Well, good man, what do you want?' He replies, 'I'm hungry, venerable sirs.' So the hell-wardens pry open his mouth with red-hot iron tongs — burning, blazing, & glowing — and throw into it a copper ball, burning, blazing, & glowing. It burns his lips, it burns his mouth, it burns his stomach and comes out the lower side, carrying along his bowels & intestines. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Then the hell-wardens say to him, 'Well, good man, what do you want?' He replies, 'I'm thirsty, venerable sirs.' So the hell-wardens pry open his mouth with red-hot iron tongs — burning, blazing, & glowing — and pour into it molten copper, burning, blazing, & glowing. It burns his lips, it burns his mouth, it burns his stomach and comes out the lower side, carrying along his bowels & intestines. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil karma is not exhausted.

 

"Then the hell-wardens throw him back into the Great Hell once more.

 

"Once, monks, the thought occurred to King Yama: 'Those who did evil actions in the world are tortured in these many ways. O that I might gain the human state! And that a Omniscient one — worthy & rightly self-awakened — might arise in the world! And that I might attend to that Omniscient one! And that he might teach me the Dhamma! And that I might understand his Dhamma!'

 

"I tell you this, monks, not from having heard it from another contemplative or brahman. On the contrary, I tell you this just as I have known for myself, seen for myself, understood for myself."

 

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-gone, the Teacher, said further:

 

Warned by the divine messengers,

those youths who are heedless

grieve for a long, long time —

people entering a lower state.

But those here who are good,

people of integrity,

when warned by the divine messengers

aren't heedless

of the noble Dhamma — ever.

Seeing danger in clinging,

in the coming-into-play

of birth & death,

they are released from lack of clinging,

in the ending

of birth & death.

They, happy, arriving at safety,

fully unbound in the here-&-now,

having gone beyond

all animosity & danger

have escaped

all suffering & stress…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sattasūriya Sutra:

 

(Anguttara Nikaya: The Seven Suns Sutta)

 

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, in Ambapālī’s Mango Grove. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

 

“Yes lord,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

 

“Mendicants, conditions cannot be kept according to will. Conditions are impermanent. Conditions are unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

Sineru the divine mountain, the king of mountains, is 84,000 yojanas long and 84,000 yojanas wide. It sinks 84,000 yojanas (1 yojana is equal to 16 miles) below the ocean and rises 84,000 yojanas above it. There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed—many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years— it fail to rain. When this happens, the plants and seeds, the herbs, grass, and big trees wither away and dry up, and are no more. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a second sun appears. When this happens, the streams and pools wither away and dry up, and are no more. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a third sun appears. When this happens, the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—wither away and dry up, and are no more. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fourth sun appears. When this happens, the great lakes from which the rivers originate—the Anotattā, Sīhapapātā, Rathakārā, Kaṇṇamuṇḍā, Kuṇālā, Chaddantā, and Mandākinī—wither away and dry up, and are no more. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fifth sun appears. When this happens, the water in the ocean sinks by a hundred yojanas. It sinks by two, three, four, five, six, or even seven hundred yojanas. The water that remains in the ocean is only seven palm trees deep. It is six, five, four, three, two, or even one palm tree deep. The water that remains in the ocean is only seven fathoms deep. It is six, five, four, three, two, one or even half a fathom deep. It is waist high, knee high, or even ankle high. It is like in autumn, when it rains heavily and water remains here and there in the cows’ hoofprints. In the same way, water in the ocean remains here and there in puddles like cows’ hoofprints. When the fifth sun appears there is not even enough water left in the great ocean for the tip of the toe. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a sixth sun appears. When this happens, this great earth and divine Sineru mountain, the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes. It’s like when a potter’s kiln is first kindled, and it smokes and smolders and gives off fumes. In the same way, this great earth and divine Sineru mountain, the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a seventh sun appears. When this happens, this great earth and divine Sineru mountain, the king of mountains erupt in one burning mass of fire. And as they blaze and burn the flames are swept by the wind as far as the realm of brahmas. Sineru the king of mountains blazes and burns, crumbling as it is overcome by the great fire. And meanwhile, mountain peaks a hundred yojanas high, or two, three, four, or five hundred yojanas high disintegrate as they burn. And when the great earth and divine Sineru mountain, the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found. It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found. In the same way, when the great earth and divine Sineru mountain, the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found. So conditions cannot be kept according to will, so impermanent, so unreliable. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

 

Mendicants, who would ever think or believe that this earth and divine Sineru mountain, king of mountains, will burn and crumble and be no more, except for one who has seen the truth?

 

Once upon a time, there was a teacher called Sunetta. He was a religious founder and was free of desire for sensual pleasures. He had many hundreds of disciples. He taught them the path to rebirth in the world of brahmas. Those who totally understood Sunetta’s teachings were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, the world of brahmas. Of those who didn’t totally understand Sunetta’s teachings, some—when their body broke up, after death—were reborn in the world of the gods who control what is created by others (paranimmitawasavatti world). Some were reborn in the world of the gods who love to create things (nimmanarati world), some with the joyful gods (tusita world), some with the gods of Yamaya (yamaya world), some with the gods of the thirty-three god kings (tavatinsa world), and some with the gods of the four great god kings (chatummaharajika world). Some were reborn in the company of well-to-do royals or brahmins or householders.

 

Then the teacher Sunetta thought: ‘It’s not proper for me to be reborn in the next life in exactly the same place as my disciples. Why don’t I further develop loving-kindness?’ (metta)

 

Then Sunetta developed loving-kindness for seven more years. Having done so he did not return to this world for seven eons of cosmic expansion and contraction. As the cosmos contracted he went to the brahma world of streaming radiance. As it expanded he was reborn in an empty world of brahmas. There he was the brahma, the Great Brahma, the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power. He also was Sakka, (Indra) lord of gods, thirty-six times. (in various births) Many hundreds of times he was an emperor, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extended to all four sides, (full earth) he achieved stability in the country, and he possessed the seven treasures. He had over a thousand sons who were valiant and heroic, capable of crushing the armies of his enemies. After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigned by dharma, without rod or sword. (He conquers the full earth without using weapons, without any war, only by Dharma) Yet even though Sunetta lived so long, he was not exempt from rebirth, old age, and death. He was not exempt from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress, I say.

 

Why is that? Because of not understanding and not penetrating four things. What four? Noble ethics (virtue), noble immersion (concentration), noble wisdom (Vipassana Insight), and noble freedom (Nirvana). These aryan ethics, aryan immersion, aryan wisdom, and aryan freedom have been understood and comprehended, craving for continued existence has been cut off; the conduit to rebirth is ended; now there’ll be no more future lives.”

 

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

 

“Ethics, immersion, and wisdom,

and the supreme freedom:

these things have been understood

by Gotama the renowned.

 

And so the Buddha, having insight,

explained this teaching to the mendicants.

The Teacher has made an end of suffering;

seeing clearly, he is quenched.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sūciloma Sutra:

 

(Samyutta Nikaya: With Spiky type demon sutta)

 

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native demon. Now at that time the native demons Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha. So Shaggy said to Spiky, “That’s an ascetic.” “That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker! I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”

 

Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body, but the Buddha pulled away. Then Spiky said to the Buddha, “Are you afraid, ascetic?” “No, I’m not afraid. But your touch is nasty.”

 

“I will ask you a question, ascetic. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

 

“I don’t see anyone in this universe with its gods, māras, and brahmas, this population with its ascetics and brahmins (liberated ascetics), its gods and humans who could do that to me. But anyway, ask what you wish.” Then Spiky addressed the Buddha in verse:

 

“Where do greed and hate come from?

From where spring discontent, desire, and terror?

Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,

like a crow let loose by boys.”

 

“Greed and hate come from here;

from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;

here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,

like a crow let loose by boys.

 

Born of affection, originating in oneself,

like the shoots from a banyan’s trunk;

the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasures

are like camel’s foot creeper

creeping through the woods.

 

Those who understand where they come from

get rid of them—listen up, spirit!

They cross this flood so hard to cross,

not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”