Historical Buddhism
Student: Where are the pilgrimage places for Buddhists?
Venerable: Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha. It’s one of the most important pilgrimage places for Buddhists.
In the texts, it is said, for a faithful person to visit
the pilgrimage places and to die there, we can go to good places like heaven. There are a few important pilgrimage places:
1) Lumbini, the birth place of the Buddha;
2)
Bodhgaya, the place of Enlightenment;
3) Sarnath,
where the Buddha preached His very first Teachings, that is turning of the
Wheel of the Dhamma, or Dhammacakka;
4) Kushinagar,
the place where the Buddha passed away.
It is important for Buddhists to go to such
places to know that the Buddha did exist. He was a real person. Archeology,
actual sites and findings on these sites are more reliable sources than getting
information from word of mouth, or by hearsay. There are many Asokan pillars with
inscriptions, erected by King Asoka to remember and to mark the significant
places which the Buddha had visited.
These archeological findings are more
accurate than the stories, because they are well-researched, and properly
documented.
Chanting
Today I want to talk about chanting and
music. Student: “do you like to listen to music, and why do you like it?”
Student:Yes I like to listen to music. I like all kinds of music
actually, except rap and heavy metal. I love how music brings people together,
and how it is a universal language.
Venerable: So, do you like chanting? It is also a kind of “music” you know. It has a sort of tune to it too! Can you differentiate music and chanting?
Student: Music has more varietyin categories than chanting. I think
chanting is mostly vocal and sounds monotonous, whereas music is more lively
and sounds interesting to the ears. I think that chanting is more of a
religious ritual involving feelings of devotion and peace-seeking for the
spiritual self; whereas music has the tendency of appealing to the masses,
usually bringing feelings of joy, excitement, and momentary euphoria.
Venerable: Yes, music affects your emotions. Different kinds of music will make your heart and mind go high and low. For example, a song like “Country Road” can make you miss home when you listen to it.
Student:
Venerable: So, do you like chanting? It is also a kind of “music” you know. It has a sort of tune to it too! Can you differentiate music and chanting?
Student: Music has more variety
Venerable: Yes, music affects your emotions. Different kinds of music will make your heart and mind go high and low. For example, a song like “Country Road” can make you miss home when you listen to it.
Chanting is different. It gives you feelings
of a peaceful/calm mind, it helps you to concentrate and devote more. Also, it creates
a certain vibration in your body. Try to say Namo tassa bhagavato, arahato, sammasambuddhassa . Can you feel the calming
vibration? This kind of deep vibration can help you meditate and focus. Your
blood pressure and heart rate will slowly reduce when you chant. It can calm your
mind, and control your monkey mind from wandering. You will be able to train your mind to reflect
and analyze your surroundings in a more mindful way. It will enable you to engage
your conscious mind to listen and focus on the sound of your chants.
Chanting is like prayer. In loving-kindness meditation, first you send Mettā or loving-kindness to yourself, then to your parents or loved ones, to yogi’s and teachers,to monks and the young novices, to donors
and lastly to guardian deities. It is good for you to know the meaning of the
chants, you can read the English translation of the chants in our chanting book.
Chanting is like prayer. In loving-kindness meditation, first you send Mettā or loving-kindness to yourself, then to your parents or loved ones, to yogi’s and teachers,
It will be more powerful to chant when you
know the meaning. It will bring you happiness, you will have good speech, which
is a wholesome deed, and it will bring you good blessings and protection against
evil influences, harm or danger.
In music, you sometimes ‘chant’ things like ‘I
am crazy, I am crazy, I am crazy’. How will that make you feel after saying
that for one hundred times? You will
start to feel or become crazy. Words can change your mind to good or bad. If
you sing a happy song, it will make you happy, if you sing a sad song it will
make you sad. Chanting is very spiritual, compared to normal music.
There are a lot of different forms of
chanting. Sometimes, chanting sounds almost like singing , for example the melodious
Jayamangala –gatha (the Verse of Victories), different countries have different
chanting style.
We can chant a lot of things from memory, we do not need a script or
It is like a song for these children. They frequently
hear the chanting, so they just remember.
We live in a modern age, and we have to think about how we can spread or propagate the Dhamma in the modern society. Therefore, I think it is very important to have transcript talks like this. It will bring forth more understanding.
We live in a modern age, and we have to think about how we can spread or propagate the Dhamma in the modern society. Therefore, I think it is very important to have transcript talks like this. It will bring forth more understanding.
Imperfection is the
Understanding of Impermanence, suffering and non-self
Venerable: Today,
you have a question about imperfection. I wrote in that board, “Imperfection is the understanding of
impermanence, suffering and non self.”
Actually, everything is imperfect! Example: downstairs maybe cooler, but you will
find mosquitoes. Here, there is less mosquitoes, but it is hot. So it is
imperfection! That is why we call it suffering.
Student: I know the meaning of the words, but I need to know the precise context in
Venerable: Nowadays, everyone is looking for perfection! Look for a perfect boyfriend or girlfriend. If you go
Student: When you were saying that people are looking for perfection, is striving for improvement also a sort of looking for perfection?
Venerable: In Asia, all parents want their children to get top marks in school! I don’t know about your parents in Western countries. Now, young people in Southeast Asia aspire to look like Korean movie stars! Did you know that? In these movies, the ladies are so pretty: their noses are so perfect and beautiful. But it is artificial, they go for cosmetic surgery! So because of that, people think their nose is not so beautiful, so they go for cosmetic surgery or a facelift. And if they think they don’t have enough eyelashes, they will redo their eyelashes.
But in the Buddha’s teachings, you do not get
perfection, you get imperfection; just like the situation at this center here.
You are in the countryside. You can see sunrise and sunset, are you happy? But in countryside, there will be mosquitoes
and insects. In fact, there are thousands of insects. There are only seven
people here, but maybe 10,000 insects around us. So this is imperfection! You don’t get 100% satisfaction from a place.
Even when you live in a city, you have electricity, thus, you can wash clothes
with just a push of a button. But you don’t see the sunrise and sunset because
of the “concrete jungle” (with skyscrapers)!
Actually, I am a Malaysian nun (you all know this), but living in Myanmar now. I came here to study, and have successfully completed my Masters in Buddhism. So when I came to Myanmar, it was actually the first time I saw paddy field. I had never seen paddy fields, because I also grew up in a “concrete jungle” (with skyscrapers). When I first came here, it was also very difficult for me, as there is not enough electricity, so there was no air conditioning or fan, it was so hot and I was bitten by mosquitoes. Eventually, I started to adapt and accept all these kinds of unpleasantness and inconveniences!
Everything always has a plus and minus. That
is why the Buddha said that you cannot look for perfection, you will get very
tired. When a girl looks for a perfect guy, at first she will think she has
found the perfect guy! But after a while,
she will find faults in this guy.
Always think that everything will have a plus
and a minus. Let’s say you go in a guesthouse, it has nice room and nice food,
but you have to pay extra money for these good things. So there is always plus
and minus in everything. When you accept this, you can accept imperfection.
Student: Are we not also looking for perfection when
we are meditating?
Venerable: Your perfection will come when you defeat your monkey mind. It is so difficult for you now to sit, especially the first three days. The Buddha said that your mind is like a wild elephant. So at first the wild elephant will go everywhere in the jungle without settling down. So how do you settle down the wild elephant? You will tie it with a rope to a post. It will start circling around and around. After that, you try to stop giving it food, so it starts to be hungry. So after that, when you start to give food, it will start to listen to you.
Venerable: Your perfection will come when you defeat your monkey mind. It is so difficult for you now to sit, especially the first three days. The Buddha said that your mind is like a wild elephant. So at first the wild elephant will go everywhere in the jungle without settling down. So how do you settle down the wild elephant? You will tie it with a rope to a post. It will start circling around and around. After that, you try to stop giving it food, so it starts to be hungry. So after that, when you start to give food, it will start to listen to you.
So also in meditation, there must be a post:
that is your breathing! So when you
sit down, you must focus either on breathing, or rising and falling of the
abdomen.
I will explain to you, how to sit down. Please don’t sit against the pillar, as this is so comfortable that you might fall asleep. Put a small cushion behind you. Make sure your buttocks are a little bit lifted. It should give a little support to your backbones. Sit up straight, because otherwise your back will hurt, your spine should be straight. Your right hand should be over you left hand, and if you want more concentration, put your thumbs together. Sit up straight, and don’t hunch your shoulders. Make sure your head is also straight, and your shoulders and legs are comfortable. Ensure your breath is natural, otherwise after a while, you will feel stressed.
I will explain to you, how to sit down. Please don’t sit against the pillar, as this is so comfortable that you might fall asleep. Put a small cushion behind you. Make sure your buttocks are a little bit lifted. It should give a little support to your backbones. Sit up straight, because otherwise your back will hurt, your spine should be straight. Your right hand should be over you left hand, and if you want more concentration, put your thumbs together. Sit up straight, and don’t hunch your shoulders. Make sure your head is also straight, and your shoulders and legs are comfortable. Ensure your breath is natural, otherwise after a while, you will feel stressed.
Student: my legs are hurting.
(Another) Student: I had to laugh all the time, because I was
thinking about the wild elephant.
Venerable: it is suffering. There are three characteristics of the universal truths: Impermanence, suffering and non self.
Student: I could not follow the breathing all the time! Whenever I hear something, then I think oh, someone is going to the toilet, and subsequently, I think oh, I am thinking!
Venerable: your mind is on the sound. How about you? Why do you open your eyes?
Student: I like to focus on something. If I close my eyes, I might fall asleep. I used to meditate on candle (as my object).
Venerable: This is a different kind of meditation, called light meditation. We normally do insight meditation (Vipassana).
Student: For me it is good to give my eyes something
to look at without thinking about it.
Venerable: when we focus on breathing, we can clearly see the insights or the universal truths like: impermanence, suffering and non self, which are what we want! We understand more on mind & matter (or nama-rupa); the mental phenomena in us. This is different kind of meditation, also described by The Buddha as ‘Vipassana.’ What about you, why do you move your head all the time?
Venerable: when we focus on breathing, we can clearly see the insights or the universal truths like: impermanence, suffering and non self, which are what we want! We understand more on mind & matter (or nama-rupa); the mental phenomena in us. This is different kind of meditation, also described by The Buddha as ‘Vipassana.’ What about you, why do you move your head all the time?
Student: Normally I like to hike or do yoga while I meditate,
so I like to move. More so I get distracted by a thought and get stuck in a spiral
in my mind.
Venerable: In Hatha yoga, you also focus on meditation! Yes, but there are different kinds of yoga: some are focused on mantra, some on chakra. Hatha yoga is more physical exercise. Here you have to sit still. Do you know why?
Venerable: In Hatha yoga, you also focus on meditation! Yes, but there are different kinds of yoga: some are focused on mantra, some on chakra. Hatha yoga is more physical exercise. Here you have to sit still. Do you know why?
Student: I think body movement is a kind of
distraction.
Venerable: Yes! You are not on the breathing meditation. And you can see when the body is quiet you can observe the mind better. Different people have different distractions. One can see how the mind goes to the sound, another can see how the mind goes to the pain, and another can see their monkey mind, whilst you are going to exercise.
Venerable: Yes! You are not on the breathing meditation. And you can see when the body is quiet you can observe the mind better. Different people have different distractions. One can see how the mind goes to the sound, another can see how the mind goes to the pain, and another can see their monkey mind, whilst you are going to exercise.
Imperfection is to understand impermanence,
suffering and non self. These are the three universal truths in Buddhism. We
will have imperfections. It is cool now but it will get hot tomorrow. It is
impermanent. And impermanent things will bring suffering. This leads to non
self. Because you realize this soul, or I, or self cannot control. Good
feelings are impermanent too. Because of this you know about suffering. Also
things like ageing, sickness, death. When the body gets older, it will be ageing
and also sickness. After that it is that you will be dead, that means the impermanence
of our life. And also we have to separate from our loved ones. So impermanence
brings suffering. Because of this, you realize there is no ego or self that
controls everything in our self.
Normally, we believe that we have got an
entity or a soul in our mind that sits inside and control parts of the mind and
body. This is non-existent in Buddhism. If there is something that controls the
mind and body, why can that thing cannot control the thinking mind, you know? Can
you stop thinking? No, isn’t it?
Bhavaṅga
Student: What about the mind when you almost fall
asleep?
Venerable: Bhavaṅga is the dreamless mind when we fall
asleep. It is very passive, and we cannot control it. Actually dreams are also
thoughts. When you think about something in day time, you will dream about it
at night. Just before you fall asleep, you don’t have mindfulness as it is very
little. In meditation, we want to build up our mindfulness. Then we can see
what happens in our minds and body and learn to see things as they really are.
You see your thoughts, ideas and truths. You can observe and see them for what they are: impermanence, sufferings and non self. You cannot control them. When you see these three universal truths, you can see the imperfection in life. And when you can see this imperfection, you can learn to tolerate the ups and downs in life.
You see your thoughts, ideas and truths. You can observe and see them for what they are: impermanence, sufferings and non self. You cannot control them. When you see these three universal truths, you can see the imperfection in life. And when you can see this imperfection, you can learn to tolerate the ups and downs in life.
If you are only looking for perfection, you
cannot accept bad experiences. We have to accept both sides. We cannot control anything
in this world. If your mindfulness is very strong, you can let pain disappear if
you understand sensations as impermanent. When you’re able to accept these
three universal truths, you will be able to accept imperfection in your life.
Life is more suffering here! It allows us to understand more about the universal
truths. We have more acceptance here. Most Asian people live with their
grandparents. So we see the suffering of ageing, sickness and death. We
understand this and accept this, because we see the truth in front of us.
Maybe in western countries they put old
people in a nursing home, so that they can have better care. However, the
younger generation does not get to see these sufferings of ageing, sickness and
death. In Asia, the old people don’t want to live or die somewhere else.
I personally saw my grandparents passed away.
My grandmother had 9 children and also the grandchildren were all there when
she passed away. Then I realized life is impermanence, you can die anytime.
Thus, this has made me think: what is the purpose or meaning of life? I could go and live like her, until I’m 80 years old. What is this life for? Am I going to have many children like her and just sit there go and take care of them? Or am I going to work, come back, watch TV and go to work again, come back and watch TV? Is the enjoyment of life watching TV? That is such a mundane life. When I saw my grandparents passed away, I saw the impermanence and suffering in life.
By staying in this centre, the perception of this place in the morning and the perception of this place in the afternoon is different because everything changes all the time. This is impermanence.
Thus, this has made me think: what is the purpose or meaning of life? I could go and live like her, until I’m 80 years old. What is this life for? Am I going to have many children like her and just sit there go and take care of them? Or am I going to work, come back, watch TV and go to work again, come back and watch TV? Is the enjoyment of life watching TV? That is such a mundane life. When I saw my grandparents passed away, I saw the impermanence and suffering in life.
By staying in this centre, the perception of this place in the morning and the perception of this place in the afternoon is different because everything changes all the time. This is impermanence.
There is no ego and there is nothing solid.
Even the mind is changing all the time. In Buddhism, we don’t believe in a soul,
we call this non self. What is soul?
Student: it is something separate from yourself. A sort of entity in the body.
Venerable: Yes like that. In Christianity they say that when you pass away, your soul will unite with the God. A soul is a solid entity. In Buddhism there is no solid entity. Everything in our mind and body will arise and pass away. Fear also belongs to the mind. So do frustration, anger and stress. The unwholesome mind is demeritorious.
Good mind means happy mind or simple mind. When you give donation to people, it will make you happy.
Student: it is something separate from yourself. A sort of entity in the body.
Venerable: Yes like that. In Christianity they say that when you pass away, your soul will unite with the God. A soul is a solid entity. In Buddhism there is no solid entity. Everything in our mind and body will arise and pass away. Fear also belongs to the mind. So do frustration, anger and stress. The unwholesome mind is demeritorious.
Good mind means happy mind or simple mind. When you give donation to people, it will make you happy.
Student: is that the same for everyone?
Ten Good (Wholesome)
Deeds
Venerable: A good thing is something that is good for
you, good for others, praiseworthy by the wise and noble ones. Well for example,
what if people engaged in one or more of the 5 precepts. Don’t kill, don’t
steal, no sexual misconduct, don’t tell lies, and don’t take intoxicants. It is
maybe good for you, but is it good for others? Or praiseworthy? For example
when you kill an animal for the meat it might be good for you but not good for
others, so it is not a good thing. It is not praiseworthy either. Of course in
some other culture or religion they might sacrifice an animal and think it is
good, but it is not good for the animal. They are frightened. They know when
they are going to die. They are also sentient beings.
In Buddhism there are 10 good or wholesome deeds.
These are: donation/generosity, like you have seen today. Second is keeping the
five precepts (leading a moral life). The third one is meditation/mental
cultivation. The others will be respect for elders, seniors, relatives, parents
and teachers. Another is volunteering our service to others. Sharing or transference
of merits, and rejoicing in others’ merits are also good, wholesome deeds. Listening
to the Dhamma and sharing/teaching the Dhamma with others (eg having
discussions) are good wholesome deeds too! And lastly, it is straightening our views,
which is the starting point of the Noble Eightfold Path. In Buddhism, these ten
are considered as good, wholesome, meritorious deeds.
When you practice these ten good deeds, you
will have good mind. When you do bad things, your mind will be bad. Maybe you
can tolerate it or overcome it, but it will harm you if it lasts for too long.
Some people lack fortunate surroundings. Perhaps, they don’t have the right friends.
In Buddhism, we distinguish noble and wise friends from bad friends. When you
have a friend that leads you to the right path, guides your spiritual life and
helps you live a noble life, you are very lucky. But not everyone has these
friends. Some only have friends that give shit talk. They disappear when you
have trouble.
Three doors
Student: when you were talking about obvious bad
things, where does the bad mind come from? When fear arises, did I do any
action to get that fear?
Venerable: it is not the action that causes the bad mind. It is the bad mind that causes the bad action. The action comes later. When someone wants to kill, first the desire to kill comes. There is already bad mind, bad intention. At the moment of killing there is a lot of bad mind. In Buddhism, there are three doors: mental door, verbal door and bodily door. So which one is strongest?
The mental door is strongest. Why does
someone want to kill someone else? Because of three evil roots: greed, hatred and
delusion. They will cause someone to do evil. You can kill out of greed,
hatred, and delusion. But definitely at the time of killing it will be out of
hatred. Because it must be the strongest feeling to destroy another life. When
you want to kill an animal for food, it is out of greed. But the moment of
killing is definitely full of hatred. Delusion is when you think killing does
not cause bad kamma or is not a bad deed.
Killing out of Compassion
Student: And what is it if you kill someone out of
compassion because they are suffering?
Venerable: That is delusion. For example someone is sick and suffering from cancer for many years. And that person is either asking you to end their life or begged you to help. You help the person take the poison or drugs or whatever. The moment you do it, it is out of greed, hatred or delusion, because you know the moment you do it, you are ending someone’s life!
Venerable: That is delusion. For example someone is sick and suffering from cancer for many years. And that person is either asking you to end their life or begged you to help. You help the person take the poison or drugs or whatever. The moment you do it, it is out of greed, hatred or delusion, because you know the moment you do it, you are ending someone’s life!
Let nature take its course. It is better to
try to help someone endure their suffering, not to the point to where they lose
consciousness. In Buddhism, we don’t want to die with delusion, because we want
to go to our next life with a clear mind.
When someone has meditated in the past, they
will be more likely to accept the pain as a feeling that passes, they can
overcome bad pain. As such, this must be encouraged that you keep practicing
meditation. Even when you feel pain, you just focus on your breathing, and it
will make you and your mind stronger.
