Word of the Buddha

 

Tape 1: The Triple Gem, 5 Precepts; praise of the author and the book; through non-realization of 4 Noble Truths beings have wandered in saÑsÈra for a very long time; statement of 4 Noble Truths and an analogy; Buddha did not proclaim them until he realized them for himself; a person is enlightened through realization of these 4 Noble Truths; realization is different than intellectual knowledge; doubt of the Buddha about being able to teach a doctrine so profound to beings so attached to the pleasures of the world, decision to teach; definition of the Noble Truth of Suffering; discussion of dukkha.

 

Tape 2: Discussion of the aggregates of clinging; even one unit of corporeality can be called an aggregate; four primary elements and 24 depending ones; touch; four primaries have four causes; papaÒca; detailed discussion of 4 primary r|pa; many kinds of feelings; perception and corrections.

 

Tape 3: Perception Group; Mental Formations; detailed examination of the meanings of sa~khÈra; Abhidhamma and Sutta PiÔaka are complimentary; Consciousness Group; three characteristics; meaning of suÒÒa in TheravÈda tradition; some people say the Buddha accepted attÈ and God; both MahÈyÈna and TheravÈda accept anattÈ, and corrections.

 

Tape 4: The 3 warnings; saÑsÈra; must understand dukkha in relation to saÑsÈra; 3 aspects of life; Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering; 3 kinds of craving; the difference between vitakka and vicÈra; Dependent Origination and Second Noble Truth; Kamma; Results of kamma; Killing is always akusala; the ripening of kamma; defunct kamma; For kamma to give results there must be favorable conditions; there is no kamma for Arahants; Reflecting on kamma is very powerful and corrections.

 

Tape 5: The Third Noble Truth - the Extinction of Suffering; extinction of craving = extinction of suffering; the words describing NibbÈna refer to action and the means by which action is done; dependent extinction of all phenomena; extinction of suffering means the extinction of the five aggregates; Sa-UpÈdisesa-NibbÈna or Kilesa ParinibbÈna; magga and Phala; Khandha ParinibbÈna or An-UpÈdisesa-NibbÈna; annihilationist view is different; difficult for unenlightened to understand NibbÈna; four upadhi; NibbÈna is nÈma; Buddha’s affirmation that because there is escape from saÑsÈra, therefore there is that which is abh|ta; and corrections.

 

Tape 6: Functions of the Four Noble Truths; avoid the two extremes; the Buddha’s practice; the Noble Eightfold Path divided into 3 groups; SatipaÔÔhÈna is the only way for the purification of beings; Buddhas are only teachers; monks and laity and achievement in the practice; why some people are enlightened quickly; 5 kinds of Right Understanding; 10 unwholesome actions and 10 wholesome actions; 3 unwholesome roots; discussion of sexual misconduct; kusala is not just the absence of akusala but the positive counterpart; must see annica in order to see dukkha and anatta; questions the Buddha did not answer, and corrections.

 

Tape 7: Wise and unwise consideration; SotÈpanna eliminates 3 fetters; self-illusion; Buddha values attainment of SotÈpanna more than earthly power or celestial joys; stories of AnÈtapiÓÉika’s son and two pickpockets; doubt; attachment to rule and ritual; sensual lust; ill will; restlessness; ignorance; SotÈpanna incapable of breaking the 5 precepts; 7 rebirths at most for SotÈpannas; Ar|pavacara world as well as apÈyas unsuitable for SotÈpannas; same teachings in Sutta and Abhidhamma PiÔakas; discussion of early differences in Budhist sects, and corrections.

 

Tape 8: The SotÈpanna, the SakadÈgÈmi, the AnÈgÈmÊ, the Arahant, 8 Noble Persons or 4 pairs; Magga and Phala moments; mundane and supramundane right understanding; meaning of brÈhmaÓa; mental factors of accompanying right understanding; the Buddha is free of theories; 3 characteristics; difference between dhamma and sa~khÈra in statements about 3 characteristics; meaning of sankhata; application of 3 characteristics to 5 aggregates, and corrections.

 

Tape 9: The Buddha avoids the two extremes; the meanings of PaÔicca SamuppÈda, Co-Arising is unacceptable; Kamma Formations, ViÒÒÈÓa, NÈma, SaÄÈyatana, Phassa, UpÈdÈna, two kinds of Bhava, Decay and Death are inevitable, others not so; need to understand 24 modes of conditioning; no first cause; normal order and reverse order; 3 lives shown in PaÔicca SamuppÈda; Arahants and Buddhas break the wheel of rebirth; 20 causes and effects; 3 connections; discussion of rebirth, and corrections.

 

Tape 10: SammÈ Sankappa, discussion of mental factor vitakka; SammÈ VÈcÈ, virati, four kinds of wrong speech; SammÈ Kammanta, saparidaÓÉa; SammÈ ŒjÊva, misconduct of monks with regard to livelihood, unsuitable occupations for laity; virati not present during meditation; four great efforts; the effort to avoid unwholesome states that have not arisen, and corrections.

 

Tape 11: Discussion of the five methods to remove distracting thoughts in the VitakkasaÓÔhÈna Sutta; meaning of nimitta in the context of this Sutta; what to do when lobha, dosa and moha arise with regard to beings and inanimate things; changing perception of object but not the object itself; perils of akusala; don’t pay attention to these thoughts; finding the origin of these thoughts; relationship between wrong perception and lobha and dosa; subtle thinking before thought; suppression of akusala with supreme effort (meditation); review of methods and corrections.

 

Tape 12: Discussion of introductory statement in MahÈ SatipaÔÔhÈna Sutta, ekÈyana, dhamma objects; explanation of ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful; cross-legged posture; how to be mindful of the breath, awareness of long and short breaths; clearly perceiving the breath-body; some say sabbakÈya is the whole body not the breath; meaning of internal and external in the Sutta; meaning of kÈyasa~khÈra; breathing in practice should be natural; contemplation of origination and disolution factors; meaning of 'in‘ependent he dwells';  note without ‘I’; noting postures and activities of the body; four kinds of clear comprehension; the place of observing the rise and fall of the abdomen in the tradition and corrections.

 

Tape 13: Contemplation of loathsomeness of the body, 32 parts of the body, 32 parts of body is for meditation not anatomy, brain added to list in PaÔisambhidÈmagga, practice first as samatha then vipassanÈ; refrain at end of each section shows must be practiced as vipassanÈ; 4 elements, analogy of cow and meat; cemetery contemplations; ten blessings of body contemplation; contemplation of feeling, difficult to see neutral feeling, analogy of deer crossing rock, unworldly feeling, no ‘I’; contemplation of citta, in the practice all 4 contemplations arise and corrections.

 

Tape 14: Contemplation of dhamma objects, don’t translate ‘dhamma’; 5 hindrances; 5 khandhas; 12 sense bases; 7 factors of enlightenment, they are factors that lead to and arise with enlightenment, dhammavicaya is correct understanding or realization of nÈma and r|pa, how the 7 factors relate to meditation; 4 Noble Truths; relationship between 4 contemplations and 5 khandhas; 12 kinds of breathing meditation taught in the ŒnÈpÈnasati Sutta and corrections.

 

Tape 15: Definition of concentration; concentration accompanies all cittas; causes of concentration; neighborhood concentration; momentary concentration; samatha yÈnika and suddhavipassanÈ yÈnika; r|pÈvacara jhÈnas; attainments realized with the 40 subjects of meditation; four ar|pÈvacara jhÈnas; one needs concentration for realization; Buddha does not create but discovers the Noble Eightfold Path; the order of development of the Path; bliss of liberation; the Dhamma is our teacher and corrections.