Vipers, Murderers, and Intimate Friends!

[@zorananda]

Priceless devastating clarity

[@theinngu5560]

Having been taught this Sutta some years ago with my teachers at Theinngu 32 in Myanmar, revisiting it here is wonderful and see there is a different level of understanding than before..but clearly much work to be done. Thank you immensely for the amazing teachings you have shared. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@rds7353]

The wellbeing of our Sangha is of utmost importance to us and the dear rescue dogs. I hope you all stay safe and well. May all beings be well and happy.

[@hz7988]

restraint and endurance are prerequisites to avoid acring out. But "You need wisdom to fullfill not acting out when pressured " Learn to live around the bait. That's a revealing eyeopener. Will take that up as my core Leitmotiv for practice from now on. Thank you Bhante 🙏🙏🙏 Sadhux3!

[@anniechua8985]

Thank you Venerables... so profound 🙏🙏🙏

[@hariharry391]

🙏

[@samulimatilainen1956]

It seems that most philosophies and religions stay on this shore and somehow justify staying here, trying to build something here: a family tree or a legacy in philosophy.

[@MaikeruT]

"And how, friend, does one guard the sense-doors? In this a monk seeing an object with the eye, does not seize hold of either its general appearance or its details. Because anyone dwelling with the eye-faculty uncontrolled could be overwhelmed by cupidity and dejection, evil and unwholesome states of mind, therefore he practices to control the eye-faculty, guards it and gains control over it. So one guards the sense-doors. [Similarly with ear, nose, tongue, body (touch), mind] Hey bhante. I'm not exactly sure on what it means by 'seize hold,' could you please elaborate? Thanks.

[@anattasunnata3498]

I think "does not grasp" is a another way to render that phrase.

[@MultiSanskrit]

Dear Ajahn! Regarding delight and passion (nandīrāga) spoken of in the Sutta: It is said in the second noble truth that craving (taṇhā) is accompanied by delight and passion (nandīrāgasahagatā). Could one say that craving is the fundamental attitude of valuing pleasure (and hence resisting pain) that is based on not seeing the danger in this valuing, which will thus inevitably be accompanied by delight and passion for something perceived as alluring (which is only perceived as such because it's actual danger is not recognized)?

[@HillsideHermitage]

Yes. Desire-and-lust is something one INTENTIONALLY engages with, and that in return maintains (and fuels) attitude of craving towards pleasure and away from pain.

[@MultiSanskrit]

@@HillsideHermitage Thank you, Bhante! I hope it's okay to ask a followup question for clarification: In the Mūlapariyāyasutta (MN 1) it is said that "Delight is the root of suffering" (nandī dukkhassa mūlaṃ). Could one say that the suffering (dukkha) spoken of in the first Noble Truth is actually this having-oneself-exposed-to-the-danger through one‘s delight? Having swallowed the bait and become hooked, having stepped into Māra's realm, so to speak?

[@HillsideHermitage]

Suffering of the First Noble Truth is unease that is present on account of the present craving (or subtler delight). Hence, "craving/delight is the root of suffering". If you stop delighting, craving will have to cease - then no suffering will be felt. Even if you don't know anything about the 'danger' or 'bait' or what your desires are exposing you to.

[@MultiSanskrit]

@@HillsideHermitage Thank you, Bhante. In writing the above I was thinking about the different things spoken of in the First Noble Truth like sickness and death, grief, lamentation and despair, not getting what one wants etc. Could one say unease is their unifying/common characteristic which is determined by craving and delight? I am sorry for all the questions, I just want to understand.

[@HillsideHermitage]

Yes, that would be correct to say.

[@alekzei5055]

Venerable Ajahn 🙏 Are there "save" delights? Like Samadhi, or Dhamma studying? Is overcoming, abandoning, suppressing,... "delight" is the path to Anagami? Thank you 🙏😑🙇‍♂️

[@HillsideHermitage]

They are not "safe" but are less unwholesome. So you can use them to abandon coarser forms of desire and lust, and then abandon them too after.

[@alekzei5055]

Thank you Venerable Ajahn 🙏😑

[@anattasunnata3498]

@@HillsideHermitage Dear Venerables, why would an arahant enter jhanas? In the suttas I remember reading some passages mentioning the Buddha going through the jhanas. What is the motivation to do it? Kind regards!

[@houmous942]

Bhante, may I ask if the effort to stop indulging in pleasure can be usefully broken down into its various elements (food, sex, pride, attachment to others, and so on) in order to prioritize them so as not to feel overwhelmed by fighting all those enemies at the same time, or does this approach actually amounts to stop feeding the beast with the right hand while still feeding it with the left hand? Which one is true? Thank you.

[@HillsideHermitage]

Yes. That's the purpose of the Five precepts, Eight precepts, then extra precepts revolving around subtler aspects of proper speech and so on.

[@houmous942]

Thank you Bhante.

[@cumanamarupa8246]

26:15 why we get depressed acknowledge this truth?

[@upekakuruppu170]

🙏🙏🙏

[@ratte7689]

@Hillside Hermitage, I don't understand how Sottapanna has limited rebirths? What if they are reborn in a realm without Dhamma, how are they then protected from breaking the 5 precepts?🙏

[@HillsideHermitage]

Their mind protects them internally (not the realm) by being incapable of intending certain things.

[@ratte7689]

@@HillsideHermitage I understand e.g. not having the intention to raise a family. Thank you🙏🙏🙏

[@dassavilokantara439]

☸️ ☸️ 🙏🏼🧘‍♂️🙏🏼

[@fruitionapt]

How does one motivate themselves with the ever present threat of death when a kind of death (the self) is the goal? Is this where rebirth comes into play?

[@HillsideHermitage]

By seeing that the actual goal is the death of dukkha, not the death of Self (which is just a side effect).

[@fruitionapt]

@@HillsideHermitage Thank you, Bhante

[@qkt879]

Hello Bhantes, at the end of your talk you mention that some monks couldn’t handle the contemplation of death. Which sutta are you referring to? SN54.9 and Vin III 68 deal with a similar problem but it results from the contemplation on unattractiveness. Do you mean this too?

[@HillsideHermitage]

Yes indeed.