Dear Nina,
Thanks for your answer. Perhaps the best way to look at it is that concepts of free will and determinism are themselves extremes and neither one applies ("na upeti" as the Buddha says to Upaviisa in SN 207, verse 1077 in answer to the latter's question of whether a person exists or not-exists at death) . Or, in a practical, conventional sense, one can follow the path, but in an ultimate sense, there is no atta at all.
Best,
Bryan
________________________________
From: Nina van Gorkom <
vangorko@...>
To:
Pali@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, April 8, 2010 4:24:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Pali] Q. Abhidhamma Series, no 7. Kamma and Result.
Dear Bryan,
Op 7-apr-2010, om 12:57 heeft Bryan Levman het volgende geschreven:
> Whatever conduct we follow in daily life, it is conditioned by the
> >wholesome or unwholesome roots accumulated from life to life. There
> >is no
> self who can determine to do wrong or to do what is right, it
> >is
> conditioned by the roots and many other factors. Each moment,
> >whatever we do, is conditioned.
>
> I know this is an age-old question, but if there is "no self who
> can determine to do wrong or to do what is right" who is it that
> awakens to and follows the Eight Fold Noble Path? Did the Buddha
> not believe in free will? Certainly from reading his teachings, it
> seems like he did. Please explain,
---------
N: I understand your question. The expression free will is not found
in the teachings, and the core of the Buddha's teachings is anattaa,
no self or person who can direct the arising of any citta. There is
volition, cetanaa, and it is a cetasika, a conditioned dhamma which
is not self.
It is very useful to remember that the Buddha spoke in conventional
language and also pointed to paramattha sacca.
Recently we studied the sutta about 'it can be done', namely the
abandoning of akusala and the developing of kusala. This sutta is a
strong exhortation and it can enhance confidence in the Dhamma. This
in itself is already a condition for right effort, for kusala viriya
to follow up the Buddha's advice. The disciples at the Buddha's time
had no misunderstandings and knew that kusala viriya and kusala
cetanaa are cetasikas, conditioned dhammas, not belonging to a self.
Your question cannot be solved by thinking in a theoretical, abstract
way. People would turn into a vicious circle, and it may seem a
contradiction that whatever we do is conditioned but that it is still
possible to develop kusala and abandon akusala.
We have to see it all in a practical, realistic way and then the
problem of free will would not even occur. It is already a fact that
we are interested in the Buddha's teachings and that we study these.
Thus, there are already conditions that can affect our thinking and
actions. These conditions stem from the past, and nobody could
control them. Kusala performed in the past conditions the arising of
kusala today.
If we forget that there is no self who develops kusala, then we
easily can have conceit that I am better than others, or we may be
clinging to the idea of "I am a good person".
The more we study the conditioned dhammas of citta, cetasika and
ruupa, the more will we see, at least intellectually, that there is
no self who can cause the arising of any citta at will.
Later on I will deal with the cittas arising in processes, and the
rapidity of the arising and falling away of cittas. It will be
clearer that there is simply no time to stop any citta or prevent it
from arising, no matter it is kusala or akusala. But it is a fact
that favorable conditions can be cultivated by citta and cetasika.
*******
Nina.
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