Dear Yong Peng,
Op 15-mrt-2009, om 2:48 heeft Ong Yong Peng het volgende geschreven:
> My understanding of both words are now as follows:
>
> hiri: modesty, ethical integrity, sense of shame, ability to
> distinguish/identify akusala (from kusala)
>
> ottappa: moral prudence, stopping short of akusala, with
> understanding of its negative effects
>
> In this way, hiri and ottappa work as a pair, able to identify
> akusala (hiri), and knowing its negative effects, one refrain from
> it (ottappa). What do you think?
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N: You are right, they work as a pair. I do not mind too much which
word are chosen for their translation, so long as their
characteristics are understood.
I would not use the term discern here, since this is the function of
pa~n~naa. It is pa~n~naa that knows the difference between kusala and
akusala.
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YP: t is not obvious from this sutta if hiri and ottappa always arise
in an ordered sequence, or if they can each operate independently.
Can you please explain.
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N: We learn through the Abhidhamma that whenever kusala citta arise
it needs the asistance of at least nineteen sobhana cetasikas, all
arising at the same time:
19 Sobhana Cetasikas which accompany each Sobhana Citta
confidence, saddha
mindfulness, sati
shame, hiri
fear of blame, ottapa
non-attachment, alobha
non-aversion, adosa
equanimity, tatramajjhattata
calm of cetasikas, kaya-passaddhi
calm of citta, citta-passaddhi
lightness of cetasikas, kaya-lahuta
lightness of citta, citta-lahuta
pliancy of cetasikas, kiriya-muduta
pliancy of citta, citta-muduta
wieldiness of cetasikas, kiriya-kammannata
wieldiness of citta, citta-kammannata
proficiency of cetasikas, kiriya-pagunnata
proficiency of citta, citta-pagunnata
uprightness of cetasikas, kiriya-ujukata
uprightness of citta, citta-ujukata
6 Sobhana Cetasikas which do not accompany each sobhana Citta:
abstinence from wrong speech, vaciduccarita virati
abstinence from wrong, kayaduccarita virati
abstinence from wrong livelihood, ajivaduccarita virati
compassion, karuna
sympathetic joy, mudita
understanding or wisdom, panna
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There cannot be any kusala without confidence in kusala, saddhaa.
Also hiri and ottappa have to arise with each kusala citta.
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I quote more from my Cetasikas:
We read in the Gradual Sayings (Book of the Fives, Chapter IX, 4)
about the factors which, if a monk possesses them, hinder the
attainment of the goal of monkhood, and about the factors which lead
to the goal:
Monks, possessed of five qualities, an elder becomes not what he
ought to become...
He is without faith (saddha), modesty (hiri), fear of blame
(ottappa), he is lazy and lacks insight...
Monks, possessed of five qualities an elder becomes what he
ought to become...
He has faith, modesty, fear of blame, he is diligent and
develops insight...
This sutta can remind both monks and laypeople that if there is no
development of understanding of the reality appearing at this moment,
people will not become what they ought to become: a person who has
eradicated defilements. If we remember the shortness of life there
will be more often moral shame and fear of blame which abhor laziness
as regards kusala. The Buddha reminded people not to be heedless, but
to be earnest, mindful at this very moment.
To the extent that understanding develops, moral shame and fear
of blame develop as well and they can become powers (balas). As we
have seen, the five sobhana cetasikas which are classified as
faculties, indriya, are also classified as powers, namely:
confidence, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. However,
in addition to these five powers also moral shame and fear of blame
can be classified as powers. We read in the Dhammasangani ( 30) about
the power of moral shame, hiri, here translated as conscientiousness:
The feeling of conscientious scruple which there is on that
occasion when scruples ought to be felt, conscientious scruple at
attaining to bad and evil state--- this is the power of
conscientiousness that there then is.
We read (in 31) about the power of fear of blame:
The sense of guilt which there is on that occasion, where a
sense of guilt ought to be felt, a sense of guilt at attaining to bad
and evil states--- that is the fear of blame that there then is.
A power is unshakeable by its opposite. The powers of moral shame and
fear of blame cannot be shaken by their opposites shamelessness
(ahirika) and recklessness (anottappa), which arise with each akusala
citta.
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Nina.
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