Short Meditation on Illness

For the Buddhist who seeks the validity of the Buddhadharma, illness becomes another welcome challenge for its symptoms to teach one of the limits of the human body.

Though fever and chills may ravage the body, she who mindfully practices knows that the well-trained mind is abley withstand the pain of suffering which illness brings.

Yet the wise ones know too that when there is medicine for a sickness, it is wise to take it.

Despite the fever, the chills and even the aches that illness brings him, the illness itself has much to teach the mindful one about the transient nature of life.

No pain, no fever, no chills - none of these are distractions to the Buddhist who learns from her experience to accept the help of trusted friends to relieve her of the misery that illness sometimes brings by seeking medical advice.

Grateful is this one to the Buddha and his Dharma, for illness validates his teaching of dependent arising.

Indeed, it has a past cause in a previous illness, and a present cause in a sudden change in immunity; but through the use of medicine to treat this illness, it has an end.

Thus does physical illness teach this one about the spiritual illness of the six senses, and its cure, the Eightfold Noble Path.

Many Buddhas Point the Way

Over 2500 years ago, on his deathbed, Gautama Buddha said, to his followers: "Work out your own salvation with diligence."

Afterwards, ancient followers of the Buddhadharma path worked out their salvation, each in their own way.

Influenced by Hindu scholars, the early Buddhist community graciously begged to differ many times, and evolved into three paths of today: the monastic path of Theravada; the bodhisattva path of Mahayana, salvation through one's own power and the other power of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and deities; and, Vajrayana, salvation through Mahayana Buddhist tantric ritual.

Salvation for a Buddhist means spiritual awakening, be it gradual or sudden. Since the Theravada path is not for everyone, the Mahayana path has as many Buddhas as there are schools of Buddhism. Though the Mahayana way has many Buddhas, bodhisattvas and dieties, all of them are symbolic of the Buddhadharma.

For, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so too do Buddhas point the way.

Reference:

Death of a Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parinirvana
Vajrayana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana_Buddhism
Mahayana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana
Hinayana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinayana
Theravada: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada

Breath Meditation: Notes on Ekottara Agama

DISCLAIMER: These notes refer to texts which Buddhist monks use for meditation and instruction. Unless you are under the guidance of an accredited Buddhist master within his study group, I do not endorse any form of meditation or other spiritual practice using the following material. I provide it for information only.


http://sites.google.com/site/ekottara/

This site contains sutras consisting of instruction on Breath Meditation, and topics of meditation to free the mind from ritual (Brahmin), hatred (Elephant), inequality (Broad-minded), slander (Authentic), by choosing the authentic teachings of the Buddha, and praise (Praise).

It's this last sutra (Praise) which needs to be carefully studied, as it is related to the previous sutra (Authentic).

Then comes the chapter about the Wheel of Dhamma, with sutras about the fearlessness through the metaphor of the Lion, how to be wise (Energy), generosity (Generous) and the story of Āmrapāli the courtesan as seen through ancient Chinese cultural lens.

Regarding Āmrapāli the royal courtesan, she was a well respected Indian woman of high standing because she was well educated and wealthy. The youths she encountered on the way home to prepare a meal for the Buddha and his fellow monks were from well respected clans and respected Āmrapāli, as they went on their way to listen to the Buddha give a dharma talk on being of service to others.

Later, after Āmrapāli spent all night preparing the meal for the Buddha and his monks, she served them when they arrived. Then she donated her park to the Buddha, and later become a Buddhist patroness.

Next comes the chapter on the spiritual friend with sutras describing a good friend, confession (that one is not relying on a good friend) and forgiveness (Forgiveness), the story of Dhammaruci, using the metaphor of lions and sheep to teach proper conduct of monks, appreciation, effort and determination to achieve Buddha-hood (Maitreya's effort), the development of tranquility and penetrating insight to help realize the Four Noble Truths (Calm and insight), contentment (Forest), and instructions on ideal teaching (Teaching).

Finally, the chapter on the Triple Gem is about the Three Treasures of the Buddha, Dharma (the Buddhist Teaching) and Sangha (Buddhist community). It is also about the three qualities of generosity, evenness and meditation; the three conditions a consciousness can receive a womb (Conception) in which the Buddha tells of all the ways conception does not happen except for one way; the three bases of unwavering delight in the Buddha, learning His Dharma, and taking care of the Sangha; virtuous conduct by deed, word and thought to prevent suffering by use of evil words; moderation both in his six senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and mind (cogitation) and eating, and regularly does his walking-exercises; the three severe afflictions of the mind (covetousness and attachment, hatred and aversion, and ignorance and delusion) and their cures (reflecting on repulsiveness, cultivating friendliness in one's heart, and insight into dependent origination); and the good practice of body, mind and speech to achieve the state of the Unconditioned.

References:

Wikipedia entry on the Ekottara Agama: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekottara_Agama

Āmrapāli is also known as Ambapali: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambapali

Royal courtesan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagarvadhu

Dhamma means the same as Dharma: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma

Dhammaruci Thera: http://www.vipassana.info/d/dhammaruci.htm
An arahant. In the time of Dipankara Buddha he was a young man named Megha (Rain), who heard the Buddha's declaration regarding Sumedha (wisdom), and entered the Order under the latter. Due to wrong association, he left the Order and murdered his mother. Because of matricide, he suffered in Avīci and was later born as a fish.

One day he heard some shipwrecked sailors calling on the name of Gotama Buddha for protection, and, remembering Dipankara's prophecy, the fish died. He was then born in Sāvatthi, and hearing the Buddha preach at Jetavana, he entered the Order and became an arahant. Ap.ii.429f.

Reflections on repulsiveness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asubha

Friendliness: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metta

Dependent origination: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_origination

Four Noble Truths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_noble_truths

1. unsatisfactoriness (suffering)
   
2. the origin of unsatisfactoriness
   
3. the final ending of unsatisfactoriness, and
   
4. what needs to be done to overcome unsatisfactoriness (the Eightfold Path)
   

The Four Nobles Truths is what is meant in these sutras by the terms "the subtle Teaching". Eightfold Path: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path It consists of the ideals of:

1. right view
   
2. right intention
   
3. right speech
   
4. right action
   
5. right livelihood
   
6. right effort
   
7. right mindfulness
   
8. right concentration
   

"Right" in this sense means "perfect", "ideal", and "complete". Six senses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_senses_%28Buddhism%29 The state of the Unconditioned: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana Triple Gem, Three Treasures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripitaka