Re: Cultivating Absorption Leads to Cessation

> -----Original Message-----
> From: macdocaz1@... [mailto:macdocaz1@...]
> Sent: Saturday, 07 February, 2004 3:44 AM
> To: undisclosed-recipients:
> Subject: [Pali] Cultivating Absorption Leads to Cessation

Hi Jeff and all

Hope you are well and happy.

I hope this time Jeff you can see that we agree on many things and I
think have more in common than most I have spoken to. I hope you can
listen to what I say and are willing to discuss, rather than judge and
dismiss on the way I SEEM to you.

> Cultivating Absorption (jhana/dhyana) Leads to Cessation (Nibbana)
>
> I have a deep faith in the teachings of the historic Buddha,
> as revealed in
> the Pali canon, because I have direct experience in the
> efficacy of those
> teachings.

Ditto that.

> However, I have found the present level of
> translation seems to be
> rather unskillful, because there are a few key areas that do
> not reflect the
> experiences that I acquired through following the practices
> that are revealed in
> the canon, and therefore those few unskillful translations
> must be challenged.

I think it is your responisbility to express yourself clearly. "must be
challenged" would be your belief, but you do not express it so,
indicating you cling to it as truth.

Are you aware of the practice the Buddha gave at M 95 : M ii 171, and do
you accept the training in this practice on top of all the other
training you claim to have done?:

If a person has a conviction, his statement, 'This is my conviction,'
safeguards the truth. But he doesn't yet come to the definite conclusion
that 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.' To this extent,
Bhaaradvaaja, there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one
safeguards the truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth,
but it is not yet an awakening to the truth.

> Actually, there is no evidence to support a belief that the
> Buddha ever
> taught it took "countless lives" to either arrive at a
> "pleasant abiding in the
> here and now" (jhana), which are the absorption states
> (jhanas); or their
> fruition in cessation (nibbana). He said it was indeed
> possible to become
> enlightened in this very lifetime.

"Actually, there is no evidence..." and "He said..." is just more of
your stating your belief as truth. I am not saying there is evidence,
nor that he did not say it, for that would just be doing the same thing.

I [also?] believe there is no evidence of such in authentic texts and
that the Buddha said enlightenment is to be achieved in this very life.

> Maha-satipatthana Sutta, DN 22.22
> "Now, if anyone would develop these Four Cornerstones of
> Awareness (frames of
> reference, or foundations of mindfulness) in this way for
> seven years, one of
> two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis
> (Arahantship) right here &
> now, or -- if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance --
> non-return."
>
> I am certain that if you want to become enlightened in this
> very lifetime,
> then all you need do is follow the Noble Eightfold Path to
> its logical conclusion, which is cessation.

I am glad you are certain.

The Traditional Noble Eightfold path is NOT logical to me. The reasons
why are in my book, but briefly,
1. there is no path given to Right View which is said to be a the first
FRUIT of practice [walking the path]
2. Right Sati as Right Awareness and Right Effort are present from the
first step in the path
3. the section of the path about developing wisdom is missing
[concentration is not enough and does not naturally lead on]

> An essential part of that path is right awareness
> (samma-sati), which is cultivated through the practice of
> concentration.

This would be so debatable because we have not defined terms. We can
make our own definitions, but I would rather, as a follower of the
Buddha to try to find and apply his definitions. I do not wish to debate
your definitions as I have said before, but I have asked you elesewhere
if you apply the Buddha's definitions and where those definitions are.
But I have not received a reply.

> Awareness (Sati) is defined in the Sati suttas as awareness
> of the breath, body,
> senses and mind. These are the four cornerstones of awareness (Sati).

I agree.

> DN 22.21
> "And what is right awareness (samma-sati)? There is the case where an
> aspirant remains focused on the body in & of itself --
> ardent, alert, & aware --
> putting aside greed & unhappiness (dukkha) with reference to
> the world. one
> remains focused on feelings in & of themselves ... one
> remains focused on the mind
> in & of itself ... one remains focused on mental qualities

Mental qualities I think, is a poor definition/translation of dhammaa.

> in
> & of themselves
> -- ardent, alert, & aware -- putting aside greed &
> unhappiness (dukkha) with
> reference to the world.

The Paali does not say dukkha here, but abhijjhaadomanassam.:

Katamaa ca, bhikkhave, sammaasati? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kaaye
kaayaanupassii viharati aataapii sampajaano satimaa vineyya loke
abhijjhaadomanassam.; vedanaasu vedanaanupassii viharati aataapii
sampajaano satimaa vineyya loke abhijjhaadomanassam.; citte
cittaanupassii viharati aataapii sampajaano satimaa vineyya loke
abhijjhaadomanassam.; dhammesu dhammaanupassii viharati aataapii
sampajaano satimaa vineyya loke abhijjhaadomanassam.. Ayam. vuccati,
bhikkhave, sammaasati.

> This is called right awareness (samma-sati)."
>
> Mindfulness is the common translation of the Pali term
> 'Sati.'

As used in later texts.

> I prefer to
> use 'awareness' for a translation of the term 'Sati,'

As used in later texts. I agree.

> because that is what we
> are doing when we are practicing Satipatthana, developing
> awareness.

I agree.

> The word
> 'mindfulness' refers to the mind, which is a rather vague
> term in the English
> language that can also mean the processes of cognition. It
> is some of these
> processes of cognition, (perception, thinking, reasoning and
> memory) that we
> are attempting to bring to cessation while maintaining only
> the awareness
> component of cognition for nibbana to arise.
> Awareness is separated out from the aggregate of cognition
> and developed
> through the practice of concentration.

I disagree. It is only greed, hatred and delusion that I am [not your
"we are"] attempting to bring to cessation. I see that you are equating
"perception, thinking, reasoning, memory and cognition" with "greed,
hatred and delusion" whereas I see them only as functions of the mind
that can be influenced by the latter, or not. I take what you are saying
as blaming tools, or demonising a natural and function of the mind that
can be done in a wholesome way or an unwholesome one.

You seem to be conflating the panca-upadaanak-khandha with the
panca-khandha.

> The cultivation of awareness is revealed
> in the three Sati suttas. The Sati suttas are a series of
> concentration exercises

If you said awareness exercieses, I'd agree.

> that lead to the development of awareness (Sati),
> which leads to
> absorption (jhana), which leads to cessation (nibbana).

Depending on your meanings, I'd agree.

> The Noble Eight Fold Path requires Right Absorption
> (sama-samadhi), which is t he cultivation of absorption
> states (jhanas) through the development of
> awareness (Sati) by practicing the concentration techniques
> that are revealed in
> the three Sati suttas. Right Absorption (sama-samadhi) is
> defined in terms of
> absorption (jhana) in the Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN 22.21).

You say nothing of morality [siila], [nor wisdom - pannyyaa] which the
Buddha often says leads to concentration [samaadhi].

You wish to persist in stating your belief as truth, which would not be
practising the Buddha's teaching regarding Right Speech and would
therefore not be Siila, therefore at the moment of speaking you would
not have concentration.

> DN 22.21
> "And what is right {absorption (sama-samadhi)}? There is the
> case where an
> aspirant -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from
> unskillful (mental)
> qualities

= morality in thought, word and deed

> -- enters & remains in the first jhana: joy &
> pleasure born from
> withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained
> {concentration (vitakka and
> vicára)}.
> With the stilling of applied and sustained
> {concentration (vitakka and
> vicára)}, one enters & remains in the second jhana: joy &
> pleasure born of
> tranquillity, unification of awareness free from directed
> applied and sustained
> {concentration (vitakka and vicára)} -- internal assurance.
> With the fading of
> exuberance one remains in equanimity, (aware) & alert,
> physically sensitive of
> ecstasy. One enters & remains in the third jhana, of which
> the Noble Ones
> declare, 'Equanimous & (aware), one has a pleasurable
> abiding.' With the
> abandoning of (grasping and aversion for) pleasure & pain --
> as with the earlier
> disappearance of pleasure & pain -- one enters & remains in
> the fourth jhana: purity
> of equanimity & awareness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is
> called right
> absorption."
>
> If you are intent upon enlightenment (nibbana) in this very
> lifetime, then
> cultivating absorption (jhana) should be the most important
> thing on your mind.

Depending on your meanings, I'd agree.

> That however does not mean that you have to renounce all of
> your material
> possessions and relationships to arrive at a "pleasant
> abiding in the here and now" (jhana).

What about my mental functions such as perception, thinking, reasoning,
memory and cognition?

> All you need do is follow the Noble Eight Fold
> Path, which
> requires that one develop right awareness (samma-sati) which
> leads to right
> absorption (samma-samadhi), which leads to cessation (nibbana).

No morality or wisdom mentioned again!

> What I have found is central to the practice of giving rise
> to jhana: is
> relinquishment of all grasping and aversion; developing a
> daily contemplative
> practice regimen that is "sensitive to the arising of a
> pleasure that is not of
> sense contact;" cultivating moment-to-moment awareness
> (Sati); giving rise to
> tranquillity (calm abiding); and sustaining that awareness
> and tranquillity throughout the day.

No morality or wisdom mentioned again!

> At each practice session simply sit as though it is your last
> act in life, and sit with no intention to end the session.
> The session will end itself.

Sit with the intention to take care of your neeeds whatever they may be
in the present moment and you will end the session when it is the
appropriate time. Live responsibly!

> Then either begin your day if it is the beginning of your
> day,

You begin your day the moment you wake up if you are trying to live
responsibly and intentionally.

> or go about your
> day if it is the middle of your day, or go to bed, if it is
> the end of the day.
> I know that if you practice as little as 5 minutes three
> times a day you
> will have far more success than the person who attends a 10
> day retreat every year, but never meditates in between.

I agree. Just that "practice" does not mean "sitting" to me.

> Many Buddhist traditions seem to reject the cultivation of absorption
> (jhana/dhyana). The vipassana community believes there is a
> method called "dry
> insight" that leads to nibbana. I am certain a belief in a
> "dry insight" practice
> is a fiction that is a product of 2 and half Millennia of
> corruption by a sangha who has lost the way.

I agree.

> There are only 3 tiny references in the Pali canon that can maybe be
> construed to support a belief in a 'dry' practice regimen,
> however those three lines
> in thousands of pages of text that are dedicated to the
> cultivation of
> absorption (jhana) are most probably apocryphal.

I agree.

> And, even if the historic Buddha
> actual uttered them, why should one throw out 10,000 pages of
> text that are
> dedicated to the cultivation of right absorption
> (samma-samadhi) in support of
> three obscure lines that claim one can avoid one of the steps
> in the Noble Eight Fold Path?

Indeed.

> Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translations of the above suttas are
> available at these
> URLs:
>
> Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118)
> http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn118.html
>
> Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10)
> http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn010.html
>
> Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN. 22)
> http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/digha/dn22.html
>
> The alternate translations that I used are available at this URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jhanas/files/

>
> May you become enlightened in this very lifetime.

And you, if not already. :-)

----------------------------------------------------
Wishing peace and good health to you and those close to you from
Norman Joseph (Jou) Smith

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