Paṭisota

                5. Right View as the Forerunner of Right Action ( Sammā-Kammanta ) Tatra bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti.  Kathañca bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti: micchākammantaṃ micchākammantoti pajānāti, sammākammantaṃ sammākammantoti pajānāti. Sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. There, monks, right view comes first. And how, monks, does right view come first? One understands wrong action as wrong action, and right action as right action. This, monks, is right view. → As with action, the Buddha places right view ( sammā-diṭṭhi )  at the forefront of ethical conduct. Moral behaviour does not begin with rules but with clear seeing —knowing which bodily actions lead to harm and which lead to wellbeing. 5.1 Katamo ca bhikkhave, micchākammanto:  pāṇātipāto, adinnādānaṃ, kāmesu micchācāro. Ayaṃ bhikkhave, micchākammanto. And what, monks, is wrong action? Killing living beings, taking what is not given, and misconduct in se...

Cittānupassanā  — Contemplation of the Thought (cont.) 3.10 Mahaggataṃ vā cittaṃ ‘mahaggataṃ cittan’ti pajānāti.  He/she understands an expanded thought as “an expanded thought.” A mahaggata   thought  is uplifted, vast, and spacious—often associated with meditative absorptions, encompassing both material-sphere consciousness ( rūpāvacara ) and immaterial-sphere consciousness ( arūpāvacara ). 3.11 Amahaggataṃ vā cittaṃ ‘amahaggataṃ cittan’ti pajānāti. He/she understands an unexpanded thought as “an unexpanded thought.” An amahaggata   thought  is limited, small, and confined—characteristic of sensual-sphere thoughts ( kāmāvacara ). It lacks the uplift of deep concentration or the expansiveness of boundless qualities. Here, the practitioner simply recognizes a  thought  that remains ordinary, unrefined, or preoccupied with mundane concerns. 3.12 Sauttaraṃ vā cittaṃ ‘sauttaraṃ cittan’ti pajānāti. He/she understands a thought that has a hi...

1. Notes on the 10 Akusala and 10 Kusala  (unwholesome and wholesome) Ten Akusala Kamma (Unwholesome Activities) From the Sāleyyaka Sutta (MN 41) (A) Three Bodily Misdeeds ( kāya-kamma ) Killing living beings ( pāṇātipāta ) Stealing / Taking what is not given ( adinnādāna ) Sexual misconduct ( kāmesu micchācāra ) (B) Four Verbal Misdeeds ( vacī-kamma ) False speech ( musāvāda ) Divisive speech ( pisuṇā vācā ) Harsh speech ( pharusā vācā ) Gossiping/Idle chatting ( samphappalāpa ) (C) Three Mental Misdeeds ( mano-kamma ) Covetousness ( abhijjhā ) Ill-will ( byāpāda ) Wrong view ( micchā-diṭṭhi ) These ten lead to rebirth in “dark destinations” ( kaṇhaṃ gatī ), as the sutta explains.  Ten Kusala Kamma (Wholesome Activities) From the Sāleyyaka Sutta (MN 41) — the exact opposites of the above. (A) Three Bodily Good Actions ( kāya-kamma ) Abstaining from killing ( pāṇātipātā veramaṇī ) Abstaining from stealing ( a...

                            Dhammapda 87-89 (Sayings of the Dhamma) Paṇḍita (Wise) 87.  Kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ vippahāya Having abandoned the dark (unwholesome) qualities, Sukkaṃ bhāvetha paṇḍito; The wise person should cultivate the bright (wholesome) qualities. Okā anokam āgamma, Leaving behind the home (the household life) for the homeless (renunciant) state, Viveke yattha dūramaṃ. One abides in solitude, a state in which the ordinary mind struggles to find delight. Full Translation: Having abandoned the dark, unwholesome states, the wise person should cultivate what is bright and wholesome. Leaving the home for the homeless life, one dwells in solitude, a state difficult for the ordinary mind to delight in. 88.  Tatrābhirati-miccheyya There (in that solitude), one should seek delight. Hitvā kāme akiñcano; Having abandoned sensual pleasures, one lives as one who clings to nothing. Pariyodapeyya attānaṃ, One shoul...

                    4. Right View as the Forerunner of Right Speech ( Sammā-Vācā ) 4.1 Tatra bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. There, monks, right view comes first. → As before, the Buddha emphasizes that sammā-diṭṭhi (right view) leads the way for the cultivation of sammā-vācā (right speech) . Clear seeing becomes the foundation for ethical speech. 4.2 Kathañca bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti: micchāvācaṃ micchāvācāti pajānāti, sammāvācaṃ sammāvācāti pajānāti. Sā’ssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi. And how, monks, does right view come first? One understands wrong speech as wrong speech, and right speech as right speech. This, monks, is right view. → Right view manifests as discernment : recognizing what kind of speech leads to suffering and what kind leads to well-being. Ethical transformation begins with this correct understanding, not with blind obedience. 4.3  Katamā ca bhikkhave, micchāvācā: musāvādo pisunāvācā pharusāvācā sam...