Pure Dhamma - A Quest to Recover Buddha’s True Teachings

1066 Pages·2017·7.25 MB·English

by  Lal A. Pinnaduwage

Pure Dhamma
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Contents I
Table of Contents
Part I Home 1
Part II Buddha Dhamma 4
1 User’s Guide to Pure Dhamma Website ............................................................................................................... 5
2 What is Buddha Dhamma? .................................................................................................................................... 9
3 Foundation of Dhamma ....................................................................................................................................... 12
4 The Importance of Purifying the Mind .............................................................................................................. 14
5 The Grand Unified Theory of Dhamma ............................................................................................................. 17
The Grand Unified Theory of Dhamma – Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 17
Our Two Worlds : Material and Mental .................................................................................................................................................. 21
31 Realms Associated with the Earth ....................................................................................................................................................... 25
Gandhabbaya – Only in Human and Animal Realms ............................................................................................................................ 28
Body Types in 31 Realms – Importance of Manomaya Kaya ................................................................................................................ 32
Gandhabbaya Sensing the World – With and Without a Physical Body ............................................................................................. 36
Nibbana in the Big Picture ......................................................................................................................................................................... 40
6 Buddha Dhamma: Non-Perceivability and Self-Consistency ........................................................................... 43
7 Sansaric Time Scale .............................................................................................................................................. 47
8 Evidence for Rebirth ............................................................................................................................................ 49
9 Power of the Human Mind .................................................................................................................................. 53
Power of the Human Mind – Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 53
Difference Between Jhana and Stages of Nibbana .................................................................................................................................. 55
Power of the Human Mind – Anariya or Mundane Jhanas ................................................................................................................... 58
Power of the Human Mind – Ariya Jhanas ............................................................................................................................................. 61
Are There Procedures for Attaining Magga Phala, Jhana and Abhinna? ........................................................................................... 64
10 Transfer of Merits (Pattidana) – How Does it Happen? ................................................................................... 68
11 First Noble Truth is Suffering? Myths about Suffering ................................................................................... 71
12 Vinaya – The Nature Likes to be in Equillibrium ............................................................................................. 74
Part III Key Dhamma Concepts 77
1 San ......................................................................................................................................................................... 79
What is “San”? Meaning of Sansara (or Samsara) ................................................................................................................................. 79
Sankhara, Kamma, Kamma Beeja, Kamma Vipaka .............................................................................................................................. 81
Sankhara – Life is a Bundle of Sankhara ................................................................................................................................................. 86
Difference Between Dhamma and Sankhara ........................................................................................................................................... 88
Sankhara and Kamma, Viññana and Kamma Beeja .............................................................................................................................. 90
2 Nibbana ................................................................................................................................................................. 94
How to Taste Nibbana ................................................................................................................................................................................ 94
Niramisa Sukha ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 96
Nibbana – Is it Difficult to Understand? .................................................................................................................................................. 97
The Four Stages in Attaining Nibbana ................................................................................................................................................... 100
What Are Rupa? (Relation to Nibbana) ................................................................................................................................................. 104
Does the First Noble Truth Describe only Suffering? ........................................................................................................................... 105
Nirödha and Vaya – Two Different Concepts ....................................................................................................................................... 108
Nibbana “Exists”, but Not in This World .............................................................................................................................................. 110
3 Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta ..................................................................................................................................... 114
Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta – Wrong Interpretations ................................................................................................................................ 114
Anicca – True Meaning ............................................................................................................................................................................ 119
Anicca – Inability to Maintain Anything.......................................................................................................................................... 119
Anicca – Repeated Arising/Destruction ........................................................................................................................................... 121
Anicca – Worthlessness of Worldly Things ..................................................................................................................................... 123
Anatta and Dukkha – True Meanings .................................................................................................................................................... 126
Anatta – the Opposite of Which Atta? ................................................................................................................................................... 130
Dasa Akusala and Anatta – The Critical Link ...................................................................................................................................... 133
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
I
II Pure Dhamma: A Quest to Recover Buddha's True Teachings
How to Cultivate the Anicca Sanna ........................................................................................................................................................ 136
How to Cultivate the Anicca Sanna – II ................................................................................................................................................. 138
Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta – According to Some Key Suttas ................................................................................................................... 141
If Everything is Anicca Should We Just give up Everything? ............................................................................................................. 145
Why are Tilakkhana not Included in 37 Factors of Enlightenment? .................................................................................................. 146
Two Versions of 37 Factors of Enlightenment ....................................................................................................................................... 150
The Incessant Distress (“Peleema”) – Key to Dukkha Sacca ............................................................................................................... 153
4 Gathi, Bhava, and Jati ....................................................................................................................................... 156
Nama Gotta, Bhava, Kamma Beeja, and Mano Thalaya (Mind Plane) .............................................................................................. 156
Gathi and Bhava – Many Varieties ......................................................................................................................................................... 159
Gathi to Bhava to Jathi – Ours to Control ............................................................................................................................................. 163
Memory, Brain, Mind, Nama Loka, Kamma Bhava, Kamma Vipaka ............................................................................................... 166
Bhava and Jati – States of Existence and Births Therein ..................................................................................................................... 168
5 Sorting out Some Key Pali Terms (Tanha, Lobha, Dosa, Moha, etc) ............................................................ 172
Kama Tanha, Bhava Tanha, Vibhava Tanha ........................................................................................................................................ 172
Lobha, Raga and Kamachanda, Kamaraga .......................................................................................................................................... 173
Lobha, Dosa, Moha Versus Raga, Patigha, Avijja ................................................................................................................................ 175
What is Avijja (Ignorance)? .................................................................................................................................................................... 176
Indriya and Ayatana – Big Difference .................................................................................................................................................... 179
Hetu-Phala, Paccuppanna, and Paticca Samuppada ............................................................................................................................ 181
Ditthi (Wrong Views), Samma Ditthi (Good/Correct Views) .............................................................................................................. 183
Correct Meaning of Vaci Sankhara ........................................................................................................................................................ 185
6 The Five Aggregates (Pancakkhandha) ............................................................................................................ 189
Five Aggregates – Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 189
Sanna (Perception) .................................................................................................................................................................................... 190
Vedana (Feelings) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 191
Vedana (Feelings) Arise in Two Ways .................................................................................................................................................... 192
Vinnana (Consciousness) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 195
Rupa (Material Form) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 197
Pancakkhandha or Five Aggregates – A Misinterpreted Concept ...................................................................................................... 199
Pancaupadanakkhandha – It is All Mental ........................................................................................................................................... 205
Part IV Living Dhamma 208
1 Living Dhamma – Overview .............................................................................................................................. 210
Living Dhamma – Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 210
Peace of Mind to Nibbana – The Key Step ............................................................................................................................................. 213
Starting on the Path Even without Belief in Rebirth ............................................................................................................................ 216
2 Living Dhamma – Fundamentals ...................................................................................................................... 218
What Are Kilesa (Mental Impurities)? – Connection to Cetasika ....................................................................................................... 218
Suffering in This Life – Role of Mental Impurities ............................................................................................................................... 221
Satipattana Sutta – Relevance to Suffering in This Life ....................................................................................................................... 222
How Are Gathi and Kilesa Incorporated into Thoughts? .................................................................................................................... 222
Noble Eightfold Path – Role of Sobhana Cetasika ................................................................................................................................ 224
Getting to Samadhi ................................................................................................................................................................................... 227
Sexual Orientation – Effects of Kamma and Gathi (Sankhara) .......................................................................................................... 228
3 Mundane Samma Samadhi ................................................................................................................................ 232
Micca Ditthi – Connection to Hethu Phala (Cause and Effect) ........................................................................................................... 232
Suffering in This Life and Paticca Samuppada ..................................................................................................................................... 233
Suffering in This Life and Paticca Samuppada II ................................................................................................................................. 233
4 Transition to Noble Eightfold Path ................................................................................................................... 235
Sila, Samadhi, Panna to Panna, Sila, Samadhi ...................................................................................................................................... 235
5 Mental Body – Gandhabba ................................................................................................................................ 240
Our Mental Body – Gandhabba .............................................................................................................................................................. 240
Gandhabba State – Evidence from Tipitaka .......................................................................................................................................... 244
Antarabhava and Gandhabba ................................................................................................................................................................. 248
Mental Body (Gandhabba) – Personal Accounts .................................................................................................................................. 251
Satara Ahara for Mental Body or Gandhabba ..................................................................................................................................... 254
Micca Ditthi, Gandhabba, and Sotapanna Stage .................................................................................................................................. 257
Working of kamma – Critical Role of Conditions ................................................................................................................................. 260
6 Nama & Rupa to Namarupa ............................................................................................................................. 264
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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Contents III
Mental Aggregates .................................................................................................................................................................................... 264
Sañña – What It Really Means.......................................................................................................................................................... 264
Future Suffering – Why It Arises ..................................................................................................................................................... 267
Ditthi, Sañña, and Sankhara – How They Relate ............................................................................................................................. 270
Vedana – What It Really Means ....................................................................................................................................................... 273
Sankhara – What It Really Means .................................................................................................................................................... 276
Rupa Aggregate ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 279
What are rupa? – Dhamma are rupa too!.......................................................................................................................................... 279
Viññana – What It Really Means ............................................................................................................................................................ 283
7 What is Sañña (Perception)? ............................................................................................................................. 287
Part V Dhamma and Science 288
1 Dhamma and Science – Introduction ............................................................................................................... 289
2 Good Explanations – Key to Weeding Out Bad Versions of Dhamma .......................................................... 293
Consciousness and the Brain ................................................................................................................................................................... 294
Matter Creates Mind or Mind Creates Matter? ................................................................................................................................... 294
3 Consciousness – A Dhamma Perspective .......................................................................................................... 295
Consciousness Dependence on Number of Dimensions ........................................................................................................................ 295
Six Kinds of Consciousness in Our 3-D World ...................................................................................................................................... 296
Expanding “Consciousness” by Using Technology ............................................................................................................................... 298
Expanding “Consciousness” by Purifying the Mind ............................................................................................................................. 299
What is Mind? How do we Experience the Outside World? ............................................................................................................... 302
4 Consistencies with Science ................................................................................................................................. 306
Second Law of Thermodynamics is Part of Anicca! ............................................................................................................................. 306
Quantum Entanglement – We Are All Connected ................................................................................................................................ 307
Infinity – How Big Is It? ........................................................................................................................................................................... 310
Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem ........................................................................................................................................................... 311
Truine Brain: How the Mind Rewires the Brain via Meditation/Habits ............................................................................................ 313
How Habits are Formed and Broken – A Scientific View .................................................................................................................... 316
Part VI Historical Background 320
1 Historical Background – Introduction ............................................................................................................. 321
2 Methods of Delivery of Dhamma by the Buddha ............................................................................................ 322
3 Misconceptions on the Topics the Buddha “Refused to Answer” .................................................................. 323
4 Misinterpretations of Buddha Dhamma ........................................................................................................... 325
5 Preservation of the Dhamma ............................................................................................................................. 327
6 Historical Timeline of Edward Conze ............................................................................................................... 330
7 Why is it Critical to Find the Pure Buddha Dhamma? ................................................................................... 333
8 Key Problems with Mahayana Teachings ........................................................................................................ 335
9 Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Lotus Sutra) – A Focused Analysis ............................................................... 338
10 What is Sunyata or Sunnata (Emptiness)? ...................................................................................................... 341
11 Incorrect Theravada Interpretations – Historical Timeline ........................................................................... 343
12 Buddhaghosa and Visuddhimagga – Historical Background ......................................................................... 347
13 Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga – A Focused Analysis ................................................................................... 352
14 Background on the Current Revival of Buddha Dhamma ............................................................................. 356
15 Misintepretation of Anicca and Anatta by Early European Scholars ........................................................... 359
Part VII Three Levels of Practice 364
1 Moral Living and Fundamentals ...................................................................................................................... 366
The Basics .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 367
The Pale Blue Dot……..................................................................................................................................................................... 367
The Law of Attraction, Habits, Character (Gathi), and Cravings (Asavas) ..................................................................................... 368
Habits, Goals, and Character (Gathi)................................................................................................................................................ 370
Wrong Views (Micca Ditthi) – A Simpler Analysis......................................................................................................................... 372
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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IV Pure Dhamma: A Quest to Recover Buddha's True Teachings
Four Noble Truths: Recipe for Problem Solving.............................................................................................................................. 375
First Noble Truth – A Simple Explanation of One Aspect............................................................................................................... 378
Difference between a Wish and a Determination (Paramita) ........................................................................................................... 380
Calming the Mind ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 382
Key to Calming the Mind – The Five Hindrances............................................................................................................................ 382
Solution to a Wandering Mind – Abandon Everything?.................................................................................................................. 384
Right Speech – How to Avoid Accumulating Kamma..................................................................................................................... 386
Three Kinds of Happiness – What is Niramisa Sukha?.................................................................................................................... 387
Learning Buddha Dhamma Leads to Niramisa Sukha...................................................................................................................... 388
Need to Experience Suffering in Order to Understand it? ............................................................................................................... 391
Does Impermanence Lead to Suffering? .......................................................................................................................................... 393
Buddha Dhamma and Buddhism ............................................................................................................................................................ 395
What is Unique in Buddha Dhamma? .............................................................................................................................................. 395
A Buddhist or a Bhauddhaya? .......................................................................................................................................................... 397
Where to Start on the Path? .............................................................................................................................................................. 398
What Reincarnates? – Concept of a Lifestream ............................................................................................................................... 400
Recent Evidence for Unbroken Memory Records (HSAM) ............................................................................................................ 403
Buddhism without Rebirth and Nibbana? ........................................................................................................................................ 405
Dhamma Concepts .................................................................................................................................................................................... 409
Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala) .............................................................................................................................................. 409
Ten Moral Actions (Dasa Kusala) and Ten Meritorious Actions (Punna Kriya)............................................................................. 412
The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them................................................................................................................... 415
What is Kamma? – Is Everything Determined by Kamma?............................................................................................................. 417
How to Evaluate Weights of Different Kamma................................................................................................................................ 420
The Four Bases of Mental Power (Satara Iddhipada)....................................................................................................................... 422
Why is it Necessary to Learn Key Pali Words?................................................................................................................................ 424
Buddha Dhamma and Morality .............................................................................................................................................................. 426
Origin of Morality (and Immorality) in Buddhism........................................................................................................................... 427
What does Buddha Dhamma (Buddhism) say about Birth Control? ............................................................................................... 428
Is Eating Meat an Akusala Kamma (Immoral Deed)?...................................................................................................................... 430
Do Things Just Happen? – The Hidden Causes ............................................................................................................................... 433
2 Working Towards Good Rebirths .................................................................................................................... 436
Sansaric Habits, Character (Gathi), and Cravings (Asava) ................................................................................................................. 436
Vagaries of Life and the Way to Seek “Good Rebirths” ...................................................................................................................... 438
How to Avoid Birth in the Apayas .......................................................................................................................................................... 439
How the Buddha Described the Chance of Rebirth in the Human Realm ......................................................................................... 440
Nakhasikha Sutta............................................................................................................................................................................... 443
Kanakacchapa-sutta .......................................................................................................................................................................... 445
Ti?samatta Sutta - About Thirty Monks ........................................................................................................................................... 449
Kamma, Debt, and Meditation ................................................................................................................................................................ 450
How do we Decide which View is Wrong View (Ditthi)? ..................................................................................................................... 452
Three Kinds of Ditthi, Eightfold Paths, and Samadhi .......................................................................................................................... 455
Implications of the Rebirth Process in Daily Life and in Society ........................................................................................................ 457
What Does Buddha Dhamma Say about Creator, Satan, Angels, and Demons? .............................................................................. 459
Patisandhi Citta – How the Next Life is Determined According to Gathi .......................................................................................... 461
Kilesa (Mental Impurities), Ditthi (Wrong Views), Samma Ditthi (Good/Correct Views) ............................................................... 462
3 Seeking Nibbana ................................................................................................................................................. 466
Sotapanna Stage of Nibbana .................................................................................................................................................................... 466
The Sotapanna Stage......................................................................................................................................................................... 467
Why a Sotapanna is Better off than any King, Emperor, or a Billionaire........................................................................................ 470
Myths about the Sotapanna Stage..................................................................................................................................................... 473
Sotapanna Magga Anugami and a Sotapanna .................................................................................................................................. 476
Four Conditions for Attaining Sotapanna Magga/Phala .................................................................................................................. 479
Sakkaya Ditthi is Personality (Me) View? ....................................................................................................................................... 483
How Does One Know whether the Sotapanna Stage is Reached?................................................................................................... 487
Akusala Citta – How a Sotapanna Avoids Apayagami Citta ........................................................................................................... 492
What is the only Akusala Removed by a Sotapanna? ...................................................................................................................... 494
Udayavaya Nana ............................................................................................................................................................................... 498
Udayavaya Nana – Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 498
Nibbatti Lakkhana in Udayavaya Nana ..................................................................................................................................... 501
Ahara (Food) in Udayavaya Nana.............................................................................................................................................. 504
Udayavaya Nana – Importance of the Cittaja Kaya................................................................................................................... 507
Gathi (Character), Anusaya (Latent Defilements), and Asava (Cravings) ........................................................................................ 511
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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Contents V
The Way to Nibbana – Removal of Asavas ............................................................................................................................................ 514
The Cooling Down Process (Nibbana) – How the Root Causes are Removed ................................................................................... 516
Why is Correct Interpretation of Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta so Important? ........................................................................................ 518
How to Cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path starting with Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta .......................................................................... 520
Difference Between Giving Up Valuables and Losing Interest in Worthless ..................................................................................... 523
Root Cause of Anicca – Five Stages of a Sankata .................................................................................................................................. 526
Part VIII Tables and Summaries 530
1 Pali Glossary ....................................................................................................................................................... 531
2 Pali Glossary – (A-K) ......................................................................................................................................... 538
3 Pali Glossary – (L-Z) .......................................................................................................................................... 547
4 List of “San” Words and Other Pali Roots ...................................................................................................... 559
5 The 89 (121) Types of Citta ............................................................................................................................... 563
6 Cetasika (Mental Factors) ................................................................................................................................. 566
7 Rupa (Material Form) – Table .......................................................................................................................... 568
8 Rupa – Generation Mechanisms ....................................................................................................................... 570
9 Rupa Kalapas (Grouping of Matter) ................................................................................................................ 572
10 Akusala Citta and Akusala Vipaka Citta ......................................................................................................... 575
11 37 Factors of Enlightenment .............................................................................................................................. 577
12 Conditions for the Four Stages of Nibbana ...................................................................................................... 579
13 Ultimate Realities – Table .................................................................................................................................. 581
14 Citta Vithi – Processing of Sense Inputs ........................................................................................................... 583
15 31 Realms of Existence ....................................................................................................................................... 587
Part IX Paticca Samuppada 590
1 Paticca Samuppada in Plain English ................................................................................................................ 591
Introduction – What is Suffering? .......................................................................................................................................................... 591
Introduction 2 – The Three Characteristics of Nature ......................................................................................................................... 594
Avijja paccaya Sankhara ......................................................................................................................................................................... 597
Sankhara paccaya Vinnana – 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 599
Sankhara paccaya Vinnana – 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 602
Vinnana paccaya Namarupa ................................................................................................................................................................... 603
Namarupa paccaya Salayatana ............................................................................................................................................................... 605
Difference between Phassa and Samphassa ........................................................................................................................................... 607
Phassa paccaya Vedana….to Bhava ....................................................................................................................................................... 609
Bhava paccaya Jati….Jara, Marana,… ................................................................................................................................................. 612
2 Paticca Samuppada – “Pati+ichcha”+”Sama+uppäda” ................................................................................. 617
3 Paticca Samuppada – Overview ........................................................................................................................ 620
4 Paticca Samuppada Cycles ................................................................................................................................ 622
Akusala-Mula Paticca Samuppada ......................................................................................................................................................... 622
Kusala-Mula Paticca Samuppada ........................................................................................................................................................... 624
Akusala-Mula Pavutti (or Pravurthi) Paticca Samuppada .................................................................................................................. 626
5 Pattana Dhamma ................................................................................................................................................ 629
Pattana Dhamma – Connection to Cause and Effect (Hethu Phala) ................................................................................................... 629
What Does “Paccaya” Mean in Paticca Samuppada? .......................................................................................................................... 632
Annantara and Samanantara Paccaya ................................................................................................................................................... 634
Asevana and Annamanna Paccaya ......................................................................................................................................................... 635
6 How Are Paticca Samuppada Cycles Initiated? .............................................................................................. 639
7 Äsvada (Mind-Made Pleasures), Ädeenava (Bad Outcomes), Nissarana (Relinquish) ................................ 642
Äsvada, Ädeenava, Nissarana – Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 642
Asvada – How Perceived Pleasures can lead to Dukkha ...................................................................................................................... 644
Vedana (Feelings) Arise in Two Ways .................................................................................................................................................... 647
Feelings: Sukha, Dukha, Somanassa, and Domanassa ......................................................................................................................... 650
Tanha – How We Attach Via Greed, Hate, and Ignorance .................................................................................................................. 653
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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VI Pure Dhamma: A Quest to Recover Buddha's True Teachings
What is “Käma”? It is not Just Sex ........................................................................................................................................................ 656
Käma Äsvada Start with Phassa Paccaya Vedana or Samphassa Ja Vedana ................................................................................... 659
Part X Comments/Reviews 663
1 Discussion of Comments .................................................................................................................................... 664
What is Intention in Kamma? ................................................................................................................................................................. 664
Would Nibbana be Possible if Impermanence is the Cause of Suffering? .......................................................................................... 667
Logical Proof that Impermanence is Incorrect Translation of Anicca ............................................................................................... 669
“Self” and “no-self”: A Simple Analysis ................................................................................................................................................ 672
Craving for Pornography – How to Reduce the Tendency .................................................................................................................. 676
2 Book Reviews ...................................................................................................................................................... 680
“Why Does the World Exist?” by Jim Holt ........................................................................................................................................... 680
“Waking Up” by Sam Harris .................................................................................................................................................................. 682
“The Language of God” by Francis Collins ........................................................................................................................................... 685
“Spark” by John Ratey ............................................................................................................................................................................ 687
Part XI Dhamma and Philosophy 688
1 Dhamma and Philosophy – Introduction ......................................................................................................... 689
2 Philosophy of the Mind ...................................................................................................................................... 691
3 Is Buddha Dhamma (Buddhism) a Religion? .................................................................................................. 694
4 The Infinity Problem in Buddhism ................................................................................................................... 698
Part XII Bhavana (Meditation) 701
1 Possible Outcomes of Meditation – Samadhi, Jhana, Magga Phala .............................................................. 703
2 Getting to Samadhi via Formal Mediation Sessions ........................................................................................ 705
3 Are you not getting expected results from meditation? .................................................................................. 709
4 1. Introduction to Buddhist Meditation ............................................................................................................ 713
5 2. The Basics in Meditation ................................................................................................................................ 716
6 3. The Second Level – Key to Purify the Mind ................................................................................................ 719
7 4. What do all these Different Meditation Techniques Mean? ....................................................................... 722
8 5. Ariya Metta Bhavana (Loving Kindness Meditation) ................................................................................. 725
9 6. Anäpänasati Bhävanä (Introduction) ........................................................................................................... 728
Arittha Sutta - To Arittha (On Mindfulness of Breathing) .................................................................................................................. 730
10 7. What is Anapana? .......................................................................................................................................... 732
Anapanassati sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 118) .......................................................................................................................................... 734
11 Is Anapanasati Breath Meditation? .................................................................................................................. 739
12 8. The Basic Formal Anapanasati Meditation ................................................................................................. 743
13 Possible Effects in Meditation – Kundalini Awakening .................................................................................. 746
14 9. Key to Anapanasati – How to Change Habits and Character (Gathi) ...................................................... 750
Introduction to Character or Personality (Gathi) ................................................................................................................................. 750
A Broad View of the “Person” Trying to be a “Better Person” .......................................................................................................... 751
How Character (Gathi) Leads to Bhava and Jathi ............................................................................................................................... 753
15 10. Attaining the Sotapanna Stage via Removing Ditthasava ........................................................................ 756
16 11. Magga Phala via Cultivation of Saptha Bojjanga ..................................................................................... 760
17 12. Key Factors to be Considered when “Meditating” for the Sotapanna Stage .......................................... 764
18 13. Kammattana (Recitations) for the Sotapanna Stage ................................................................................. 768
19 Dasa Samyojana – Bonds in Rebirth Process .................................................................................................. 772
20 New Approach to Meditation ............................................................................................................................ 777
21 Myths about Meditation .................................................................................................................................... 778
22 A Simple Way to Enhance Merits (Kusala) and Avoid Demerits (Akusala) ................................................. 781
23 Is Suffering the Same as the First Noble Truth on Suffering? ....................................................................... 784
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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Contents VII
24 What is Samadhi? – Three Kinds of Mindfulness ........................................................................................... 787
25 Panca Indriya and Panca Bala – Five Faculties and Five Powers ................................................................. 789
26 How to Attain Samadhi via “Vipassana Pubbanga Samatha” Bhavana ....................................................... 792
Part XIII Abhidhamma 794
1 Abhidhamma – Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 795
2 Mind and Consciousness .................................................................................................................................... 798
What is Consciousness? ............................................................................................................................................................................ 798
1. Thoughts (Citta), Consciousness (Vinnana), and Mind (Hadaya Vatthu) – Introduction ........................................................... 799
2. Vinnana (Consciousness) can be of Many Different Types and Forms .......................................................................................... 801
3. Vinnana is not a Thought and What is the Subconscious? .............................................................................................................. 804
3 Citta and Cetasika .............................................................................................................................................. 807
Citta and Cetasika – How Vinnana (Consciousness) Arises ................................................................................................................ 807
What is a Thought? .................................................................................................................................................................................. 809
What is in a Thought? Why Gathi are so Important? .......................................................................................................................... 812
Cetasika – Connection to Gathi ............................................................................................................................................................... 816
Javana of a Citta – The Root of Mental Power ..................................................................................................................................... 819
4 Gandhabba (Manomaya Kaya) ......................................................................................................................... 823
Gandhabba (Manomaya Kaya) – Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 823
Does any Object (Rupa) Last only 17 Thought Moments? .................................................................................................................. 826
Hidden World of the Gandhabba: Netherworld (Paralowa) ............................................................................................................... 830
Ghost in the Machine – Synonym for the Manomaya Kaya? .............................................................................................................. 833
Manomaya Kaya (Gandhabba) and the Physical Body ........................................................................................................................ 836
Brain – Interface between Mind and Body ............................................................................................................................................ 840
Manomaya Kaya and Out-of-Body Experience (OBE) ........................................................................................................................ 844
Cuti-Patisandhi – An Abhidhamma Description ................................................................................................................................... 846
5 Why Do People Enjoy Immoral Deeds? – Ditthi Is Key ................................................................................. 849
6 Key to Sotapanna Stage – Ditthi and Vicikicca ............................................................................................... 853
7 The Origin of Matter – Suddhashtaka ............................................................................................................. 857
8 What are Dhamma? – A Deeper Analysis ........................................................................................................ 862
24 conditional relations Paccaya ............................................................................................................................................................. 865
9 Pabhassara Citta, Radiant Mind, and Bhavanga ............................................................................................ 870
Part XIV Buddhist Chanting 874
1 Buddhist Chanting – Introduction .................................................................................................................... 875
2 Namaskaraya – Homage to the Buddha ........................................................................................................... 876
3 Supreme Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha ........................................................................................... 878
4 The Five Precepts – Panca Sila .......................................................................................................................... 882
5 Sutta Chanting (with Pali Text) ........................................................................................................................ 883
6 Sadhu – Symbolizes Purified Hadaya Vatthu (Mind) ..................................................................................... 884
Part XV Dhammapada 886
1 Sabba Papassa Akaranan…. ............................................................................................................................. 887
2 Appamadö Amata Padam…. ............................................................................................................................. 888
3 Najajja Vasalo Hoti…… .................................................................................................................................... 890
4 Arogya Parama Labha.. ..................................................................................................................................... 891
5 Anicca vata Sankhara… .................................................................................................................................... 893
6 Atta Hi Attano Natho ......................................................................................................................................... 895
Part XVI Sutta Interpretations 896
1 Sutta – Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 897
2 Pali Dictionaries – Are They Reliable? ............................................................................................................. 900
© 2017 Lal A. Pinnaduwage
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VIII Pure Dhamma: A Quest to Recover Buddha's True Teachings
3 Nikaya in the Sutta Pitaka ................................................................................................................................. 903
4 Sutta Learning Sequence for the Present Day ................................................................................................. 905
5 Maha Satipatthana Sutta ................................................................................................................................... 908
Satipatthana Sutta – Structure ................................................................................................................................................................ 908
Satipatthana – Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 910
Kayanupassana – Section on Postures (Iriyapathapabba) ................................................................................................................... 912
Kayanupassana – The Section on Habits (Sampajanapabba) ............................................................................................................. 914
Prerequisites for the Satipatthana Bhavana .......................................................................................................................................... 916
What is “Kaya” in Kayanupassana? ...................................................................................................................................................... 918
6 Maha Chattarisaka Sutta (Discourse on the Great Forty) ............................................................................. 921
Mahacattarisaka Sutta ............................................................................................................................................................................. 924
7 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ....................................................................................................................... 931
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta – Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 931
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta Text................................................................................................................................................ 933
Majjima Patipada – Way to Relinquish Attachments to this World .................................................................................................. 939
Tiparivattaya and Twelve Types of Nana (Knowledge) ....................................................................................................................... 942
Relinquishing Defilements via Three Rounds and Four Stages ........................................................................................................... 944
Part XVII Myths or Realities? 948
1 Animisa Locana Bodhi Poojawa – A Prelude to Acts of Gratitude ............................................................... 949
2 Paramita and Niyata Vivarana – Myths or Realities? .................................................................................... 952
3 Tisarana Vandana and Its Effects on One’s Gathi .......................................................................................... 956
4 Does the Hell (Niraya) Exist? ............................................................................................................................ 960
5 Can Buddhist Meditation be Dangerous? ........................................................................................................ 964
Part XVIII Abhidhamma via Science 968
1 Neuroscience says there is no Free Will? – That is a Misinterpretation! ...................................................... 969
2 The Double Slit Experiment – Correlation between Mind and Matter? ....................................................... 972
3 Vision (Cakkhu Vinnana) is Not Just Seeing ................................................................................................... 975
Part XIX References 979
1 Popup Pali Glossary with Pronunciation ......................................................................................................... 980
2 Reflections on 2015 ............................................................................................................................................. 982
3 Reflections on 2016 ............................................................................................................................................. 984
4 Buddha Dhamma – In a Chart .......................................................................................................................... 987
5 Niramisa Sukha – In a Chart ............................................................................................................................ 988
6 New / Revised Posts ............................................................................................................................................ 989
Parinibbana of Waharaka Thero ............................................................................................................................................................ 992
Google Translations to Other Languages .............................................................................................................................................. 995
Pure Dhamma Discussion Forum Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................ 995
Essays – 2016 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 996
January 2016 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 996
February 2016 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 997
March 2016 ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 997
April 2016 ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 997
May 2016 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 997
June 2016 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 998
July 2016 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 998
August 2016 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 998
September 2016................................................................................................................................................................................. 998
October 2016..................................................................................................................................................................................... 999
November 2016................................................................................................................................................................................. 999
December 2016 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 999
Essays – 2015 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 999
December 2015 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1000
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Contents IX
November 2015............................................................................................................................................................................... 1000
October 2015................................................................................................................................................................................... 1000
September 2015............................................................................................................................................................................... 1001
August 2015 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1001
July 2015 ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1001
June 2015 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1001
May 2015 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1001
April 2015 ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1002
March 2015 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1002
February 2015 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 1002
January 2015 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 1003
Essays – 2014 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 1003
December 2014 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1003
November 2014............................................................................................................................................................................... 1004
October 2014................................................................................................................................................................................... 1004
September 2014............................................................................................................................................................................... 1005
August 2014 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1005
July 2014 ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1006
June 2014 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 1006
Revised Posts – 2016 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1006
January 2016 Revisions .................................................................................................................................................................. 1007
February 2016 Revisions ................................................................................................................................................................ 1007
March 2016 Revisions .................................................................................................................................................................... 1007
April 2016 Revisions ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1007
May 2016 Revisions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1008
June 2016 Revisions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1008
July 2016 Revisions ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1008
August 2016 Revisions ................................................................................................................................................................... 1009
September 2016 Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................. 1009
October 2016 Revisions.................................................................................................................................................................. 1009
November 2016 Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................. 1010
December 2016 Revisions .............................................................................................................................................................. 1010
Revised Posts – 2015 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1010
December 2015 Revisions .............................................................................................................................................................. 1011
November 2015 Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................. 1011
October 2015 Revisions.................................................................................................................................................................. 1012
September 2015 Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................. 1013
August 2015 Revisions ................................................................................................................................................................... 1013
July 2015 Revisions ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1014
June 2015 Revisions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1014
May 2015 Revisions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1016
April 2015 Revisions ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1016
Revised Posts – 2014 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1017
7 Pure Dhamma Essays in Book Format ........................................................................................................... 1018
8 Pure Dhamma – Sinhala Translation ............................................................................................................. 1019
9 Reflections on 2014 ........................................................................................................................................... 1020
10 Ancient teeth found in China challenge modern human migration theory ................................................. 1022
11 Mars Curiosity Photos Suggest Life May Have Existed on Red Planet ...................................................... 1023
12 Recent Publications on Benefits of Meditation .............................................................................................. 1024
13 Laniakea: Our home supercluster .................................................................................................................. 1025
14 Think Outside the Box! .................................................................................................................................... 1026
15 There are as many creatures on your body as there are people on Earth! ................................................. 1027
16 News Article on Robin Williams and Buddhist Meditation .......................................................................... 1028
17 World Historical Timeline ............................................................................................................................... 1029
18 Second Largest Religion by State in the US ................................................................................................... 1034
19 Introduction to “Rebirth by Francis Story” – Ian Stevenson ...................................................................... 1036
20 Thirty One Planes of Existence ....................................................................................................................... 1037
21 Curiosity Rover finds Crater probably was once a Giant Martian Lake ................................................... 1039
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