Seven Enlightenment Factors

[TheShahin21]

the lecture is good,no doubt.and yes one should aspire to get enlightened.but celibacy is not good.its the job of angels .neither lust....cause animals are for that purpose.human beings are in the middle....capable of rising higher then angels and go lower then beasts.marriage is must and if one is sincerely devoted to spritual pursuits,he will soon loose shackles of lust and that would lead him to a far greater states.take my word for it.

[10axyz]

Please, dont remove "the lustful desire". Christianity and religions have tried enough for humiliation of the alive man and carnal terrestrial love.

Here (in sexual sphere) is the most part of our vital force, which if (!) creatively altered is capable to struggle for our children, for their worthy place under the sun (which strong and malicious people has taken away, braking progress of best mankinds).

[tevung64]

@10axyz It is not a good place for the most part of the vital force to be, because satisfying lust can never lead to unconditioned happiness. So you rechannel your life force to higher planes of consciousness through meditation.

[minchi279]

I spoke to this man(wonderful human being) few times and he is a great intellectual

[satjathamma]

it is helful to reject sex, aswell as all other relationships because they are making suffering through craving and get rise to fear, for a monk, love should be totally abandoned, since love makes fear arising, note that this kind of love between man and woman and compassion are not the same kind of love. Buddha allows a man to have a wife with all of what that means, what he didn't allow is sexual missconduct wich are another thing, that would be like criminal sex. like cheating or worse

[Ashitanoyuki]

Enlightenment doesnt mean forever happiness. It means you open your eyes and see the truth yourself. It doesnt mean heaven or nirvana or any of the emotional state.

[10axyz]

@Ashitanoyuki Yes- it is the short moment of rising in high spheres.

And exists a lot of kinds of enlightment, as we are all different individuals.

[Ashitanoyuki]

People have this ego that prevent themselves to understand the truth. A lot of ppl just think they know everything. Once they give their egos up, the truth and dharma will get to them natrually. With a natural and peaceful mind set, ppl are open to new ideas and to the truth of life. That's the start of enlightenment which literally means opening one's eyes(mind).

[dropcum]

This is an interesting lecture, but I don't think it is appropriate for the audience. It is a very technical lecture suited to those who are conversant with the suttas, Pali words & detailed Dhamma eg Kasina practice etc. And were all 7 factors covered? I heard only about mindfulness, but I may be mistaken. So, very interesting but perhaps too complex for the lay community. Thank you, Ajahn Appichato. With metta & gratitude.

[DerrenBrown100]

I wish someone would provide a day to day guide on what someone should practice to achieve enlightenment.

[TheApatheticGuy]

@DerrenBrown100

Morning: The Noble Eightfold Path

Noon: The Noble Eightfold Path

Evening: The Noble Eightfold Path

This should suffice. :D

[arcadie18]

@DerrenBrown100 yeah that would be great

[pbpatbb]

@BaiserdeRenaissance What?

First of all please seek one of Ajahn Chah video about wanting to reach enlightenment. He disagree with you

Secondly, destroy the thoughts?

It's not about destroying anything, simply re-focus the attention gently.

Thoughts are not the problem of meditation, attention directed at the thoughts is.

Thoughtlessness is not a goal of meditation but simply a side effect.

Thoughts should never be destroyed, pushed away, repressed...

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@pbpatbb

Thanks for your kind reply,I should look into Ajahn Chah whom Ive never heard

of. Maybe you can read -Wanting Enlightenment Is a Big Mistake: Teachings of Zen Master Seung San .

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@pbpatbb

And yes.I should have worded it better. What I meant to destroy the petty useless thoughts was not during meditation but in normal state. What I meant was once an unpure thought arises,we should know but not to focus on it.And it will disappear.

I should say no more.Dont want to mislead anyone. I recommend you to read the sixth patriarch's Dharma Jewel platform sutra.Thoughtlessness during meditation is definitely a wrong path.

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@DerrenBrown100

I do not know where you are now. You can begin with Satipatthana or the Eight-Fold path. Satipatthana is the basis of the structure of Bodhipak-khiyadhamma,which leads to Vipassana widsom and freedom from suffering.

Basic 5 Precepts you should know about Buddhism

-Do not kill any living beings.

-Do not steal

-Do not engage in sexual misbehavior(Only allowed to have sex with you wife,not even girlfriend).

-Do not lie

-Do not use intoxicating drinks and drugs.

[Khamila1]

@BaiserdeRenaissance regarding your precept #3: I thought monks were celibate?

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@Khamila1

Yes,once you decide to become a monk or a nun,you have to become completely celibate.There are totally more than 200 precepts for monks or nuns(Nuns have more precepts than monks)

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@Khamila1

If you can obey those 5 basic precepts,you can call yourself a buddhist but not necessary a monk or a nun.

[Khamila1]

@BaiserdeRenaissance ahh gotcha, lack of detailed reading on my part <_<

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@agent0sephiroth

Buddha said that sex is like honey on a sharp knife. We all want to lick off the honey but without knowing the consequence.

Also in shurangama sutra,Buddha also said that if we dont remove the lustful desires,there will be no escape for us to leave this realm.

Of course there is no way for us human beings not to have any sensual desires.

Thats why the minimum we can do according buddha's teachings is ONLY allowed to engage in sexual behavior with our LAWFUL WIFE.

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@agent0sephiroth

Ive checked out the Saleyyaka Sutta. It is just like what you said. Maybe the detail of this precept varies according to different countries. What Ive learnt is you are only allowed to have sex with your legal spouse just like in chrisitanity. Does christianity exclude many people ??I dont really know.

According to shurangama sutra,I quote"Even though one may have some wisdom and Ch'an samadhi,one is certain to enter demonic paths if one does not cut off lust.

[Ryuu44]

@BaiserdeRenaissance I have to disagree with you. The 3rd precept doesn't require getting married. agent0sephiroth wrote about the people you shouldn't have sex with according to the Pali cannon. There is nothing about a wife there. If you could read the article Buddhism and Sex shown above you could get some more info on this subject. This of course is a Theravada perspective and you refer to Dae Soen Sa Nim and the 6th Patriarch so it looks like you are a Mahayana practitioner.

[BaiserdeRenaissance]

@Ryuu44

Yes,I am practicing Mahayana,but I also am studying all the canons from Theravada since it is the very foundation of Buddha's teachings. I believe that the reason whicu you can only engage sexual behaviour with your lawful spouse in Mahayana is to accommodate more people. However just as I quoted from the shuragama sutra saying that if one wishes to break the cycle of samsara,one must completely remove the lust. Thats why I am celibate.

[Ryuu44]

@BaiserdeRenaissance You're right. That is also the reason why bhikkhus are celibate. The lay practitioner however seldom tries to reach nirvana in this life. He works to create a chance for a good rebirth in which it will be possible for him to become a bhikkhu and practice in a monastic setting. The standard 3rd precept is enough in a situation like that. There's no reason to put any weight on a civil law concept of marriage However if someone is capable of doing more, like you, that's great.

[mayhemsci]

@BaiserdeRenaissance Mahayanists and Theravadins keep the same precepts. Whether it is lawful marriage or otherwise is simply an interpretation. The core meaning of the 5 precepts in Chinese (a major source of Mahayana teachings) does not mention a wife either. Am not sure about Tibetans though, doubt so.