Is the Sangha currently divided?

If we are all (1) aiming for full liberation and (2) dedicated to helping each other attain it, how could we be divided?
Division is only possible if people are aiming at something other than that, right?
Just sayin. :wink:

I would encourage you to find a community that does encourage this. I do hear of many monks in malaysia, after independence (5 vassa and above), go live alone somewhere instead of remaining in a group of sangha.

Anyway, it’s all idealization talking if you don’t have actual regular contact with monasteries and see how is the actual condition like.

For example, I am living in Na Uyana in Sri Lanka now and let me list down some comparison between living in my kuṭi in a monastery here of 100+ monks vs living alone in the forest, without even a roof by myself.

  1. Rain. It’s really uncomfortable and can easily make one sick if one gets wet and has to rely on body heat to dry the robes. And the rainy season here in Sri lanka is just after the official vassa period. It rains almost everyday, for hours and hours on end.

  2. Cold, same as above. One needs a healthy and strong body to be able to practice.

  3. Insects, gadflies and other creepy crawlies. One of the reflection of use of a lodging is to avoid the touch of these beings. It’s very well designed for kuṭis to not have ant bridge, as some species of ants if they manage to get to kuṭis would bite us when we are sitting in meditation. Not to say of living outside. Sitting outside for a while is ok, but it’s exposing oneself to all these annoyances. Some insect bites is not just itch for the moment, it’s itch for days. Certainly not something one wishes to expose oneself to if one is aiming for deep Jhānas where the body disappears due to it being happy and comfortable.

  4. Food, we have buffet meal already prepared for us. Some other parts of the monastery, they do go for alms rounds. But it could actually take a longer time to walk for alms around from the forest to the village. And the meal quality is not guaranteed. In malaysia, the tendancy is to get unhealthy oily food or non staples, or just plain bread. It’s ok for once a week, but everyday eating unhealthy food may cause some serious issues health wise.

  5. Toilet. At least there’s a supply of water to wash oneself in the kuṭi. In the wild, one has to find a river. And hope for the river being clean enough. And how to wipe one’s bottom… well, a bit more uncomfortably. We cannot deficate or urinate into the river.

Of course, there’re solutions to many of these.

Mosquito tents or net with umbrella, pee jar, double robe. It’s part of the standard equipment to bring for jungle dwelling. It’s also possible to actually get used to this lifestyle of living in the open.

Just that for at least the first 5 years of monk’s life one is vinaya bound to be with a teacher, which usually means living in a community. There’s a lot to learn which is not easily learnt by lay people even if one is was serious lay buddhist for more than a decade.

One should also be clear of the objective of why would one want to live in the open, at the root of a tree and so on… for better meditation? Some monasteries are actually designed so well that it’s more condusive to meditate in the hut compared to out in the open. Also depends on personality I guess.

7 Likes

Greetings Āyasmā

I plan to visit some monasteries Sri Lanka soon

I think better be naked when it rains or with bathing cloth, then robes don’t get wet. Id either make some shelter or be naked, can’t be getting the robes wet.

These things vary with geography, but if one can’t avoid it, one can wrap oneself up in robes completely head to toe, and the bites do get tolerable as one develops appropriate immunological augmentation.

People say that cessation of perception & feeling makes the body invulnerable :slight_smile:

Nissaya is suspended if one lives alone in the forest

I allow a bhikkhu living in the wilderness and contemplating (§) in comfort to live independently, (thinking,) ‘When an appropriate giver of dependence comes along, I will live in dependence on him.’” MvI: mahākhandhako

I would want to make use of this rule if there was nobody living in the forest with whom i could stay.

I assume that alms food is overcooked rice or scraps and i don’t mind this. Maybe i would mind it later but it’s probably enough to live.

If it gets really bad one can drink urine for a little nourishment.

I can forego the comfort of wiping the butt :joy:also if one doesn’t eat much then not much will be coming out either.

Maybe it won’t work out for me but that’s what i plan to pursue. I foresee that people will generally not allow this but i also think that if i take time to become familiar then i’ll probably find someone

We have rules against going naked, only in toilet, underwater and another place I cannot recall. Anyway, nakedness is generally not encouraged.

Rains bathing cloth is only allowable for rainy season. Say in Sri lanka, after rainy season according to the Buddhist calender, the rains still goes on.

I think it’s a poor choice to choose to forgo the 5 years of being under a teacher in favour of solitude in the forest. There’re many vinaya things to be learnt by living in a culture. I think it might not be that easy to find someone willing to ordain you if you express this wish in the beginning. Teachers have a responsibility to shape the disciples. And becoming a monk is like a Phd or a job, there’s learnings to be done, habits to change and so on to get to know how to behave like a monk.

I often see serious meditators are impatient and want not to undergo the training period and just be in solitude. Just consider that this is the investment. If one remains lay, then it’s uncertain how long can one just hop from monasteries to monasteries until one’s money runs out. The investment is for
basically getting tenured, as it is not possible for others to disrobe oneself, only oneself can do it (including breaking the 4 rules). Guarenteed career for whole life if one wishes to stay in a forest alone, it’s acceptable by everyone, after getting independence, 5 vassa minimum. It includes knowing the vinaya well, including the Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni vinaya, knowing the sutta well, etc. It’s not as if there’s no meditation in these 5 years. Seriously, there’s still a lot of meditation.

I would advise against looking down on nutrition. One of the conditions for good meditation according to the commentaries is good food. In some dhammapada stories, I had read, the lay disciple who is a noble one gave good food to the monks to help support the monks because she can see that it’s one of the factors which would hinder the monk if not fulfilled.

The Buddha had undergone self torture and said that this is not the way. These allowed ascetic practises are not really useful if they increase unwholesome states in oneself. But depends on you, maybe taking these ascetic practises helps you to reduce your defilements, then by all means, go ahead.

2 Likes

This is strange because being naked when it rains is in the Vinaya. I don’t see why Buddha would lay down a rule against it.

Then towards the end of that night a great cloud rained down in the four continents.[1] Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks, even as it is raining in the Jeta Grove, so it is raining in the four continents. Let your bodies get wet with the rain,[2] monks, this is the last great cloud over the four continents.”

“Very well, Lord,” and these monks having answered the Lord Vin.1.292 in assent, with their robes laid aside let their bodies get wet with the rain.

Buddha later allowed cloth for this purpose but he laid a rule agaist doing this?

Doesn’t change that The Buddha ruled it to be a good choice & that it ought be allowed.

I can learn the vinaya by reading the vinaya. Even if one stays in the forest one will have to occasionally socialize and will have to learn some things like choosing seats and whatnot.

I think that my best course of action is to live in several places for a while, as a lay yogi staying in the forest. When the monks see that i am not crazy and that this is what is normal fof me then they might give acceptance in the order.

I think this might be the only way to do this and it’s good if it works out.

I want to be become an arahant Bhante, i don’t care for a phd in being a monk.

I don’t primarily want to be alone tho. If i can find a precetor who lives in the forest i’d stay with him and i’d prefer that.

On nakedness:

Kd 8

  1. Naggiyapaṭikkhepakathā25. Discussion of the prohibition against nakedness Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu naggo hutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— On one occasion a naked monk went to the Buddha and said, “bhagavā, bhante, anekapariyāyena appicchassa santuṭṭhassa sallekhassa dhutassa pāsādikassa apacayassa vīriyārambhassa vaṇṇavādī. “In many ways, Sir, you praise fewness of wishes, contentment, erasing of defilements, ascetic practices, being inspiring, reduction in things, and being energetic. Idaṁ, bhante, naggiyaṁ anekapariyāyena appicchatāya santuṭṭhitāya sallekhāya dhutatāya pāsādikatāya apacayāya vīriyārambhāya saṁvattati. Being naked leads to all those things. Sādhu, bhante, bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ naggiyaṁ anujānātū”ti. It would be good if you allowed nakedness for the monks.”
    Vigarahi buddho bhagavā— The Buddha rebuked him, “ananucchavikaṁ, moghapurisa, ananulomikaṁ appatirūpaṁ assāmaṇakaṁ akappiyaṁ akaraṇīyaṁ. “Foolish man, it’s not suitable, it’s not proper, it’s not worthy of a monastic, it’s not allowable, it’s not to be done. Kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, naggiyaṁ titthiyasamādānaṁ samādiyissasi. How can you undertake the practice of nakedness, as do the monastics of other religions? Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… This will affect people’s confidence …” vigarahitvā …pe… After rebuking him … dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:
    “na, bhikkhave, naggiyaṁ titthiyasamādānaṁ samādiyitabbaṁ. “You should not undertake the practice of nakedness, as do the monastics of other religions. Yo samādiyeyya, āpatti thullaccayassā”ti. If you do, you commit a serious offense.”

For rains bathing robes:

“‘Māso seso gimhānan’ti bhikkhunā vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesitabbaṁ; ‘addhamāso seso gimhānan’ti katvā nivāsetabbaṁ. ‘When there is a month left of the hot season, a monk may go looking for cloth for his rainy-season robe. When there is a half-month left, he may sew it and then wear it. ‘Orena ce māso seso gimhānan’ti vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyeseyya, ‘orenaddhamāso seso gimhānan’ti katvā nivāseyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti. If he goes looking for cloth for his rainy-season robe when there is more than a month left of the hot season, or if he sews it and then wears it when there is more than a half-month left, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

I am concerned if you’re just idealizing living in a forest. Have you been camping in the forest before?

Biten by a leech, gadfly, sandfly? Any phobia on insects, spiders, centipedes, rats, tigers?

Anyway, from what you told me, Na Uyana seems like a good fit for you. Try looking into their website. I am just concerned that you think this wonderfully optimized for meditation monastery is still too luxurious for you.

also remember the half a monthly pātimokkha recitation. That certainly is a social event, although, one can do it alone in a river… Anyway, if you live in a community, go for their pātimokkha recitation.

I don’t understand your concept of living in a forest then.

If forest monastery doesn’t count.

You mean no technology?

Or no hut?

Or no electricity even for torchlight?

No modern toilet?

None of these are obstacles to arahanthood.

Ok, maybe tech as in internet is, but still tech like washing machine doesn’t affect the practise.

I don’t want to talk about my practice in detail on a public forum.

I am uncomfortable with this conversation in general because i feel like i am being villified & infatilized for wanting to train as instructed.

Buddha allowed & encouraged such going forth. He did. We have to agree that this is a fact.

It is very possible that i won’t even bother trying ordain again due to humiliation & lack of encouragement.

It’s bad enough having to obey kings by jumping through the hoops as to obtain recommendations, if there is a lack of support and villification for wanting to train like this, i don’t think that i can do it.

Thank you for the recommendation but i’ve more or less ruled out Na Uyana because of it’s association with Pa Auk and i’ve ruled out Pa-Auk because of their emphasis on commentary.

When it comes to matters of doctrine & methods of practice i am more so aligned with Mahamevnawa EBT approach.

I want the luxury of practicing as did the people to whom i actually look up to, people such as Maha Kassapa lived in the forest, ate alms food and wore rag robes. Maha Kassapa did this even in old age, as to inspire future generations to do this, and i am inspired by that.

I feel it is humiliating & hardly appropriate for me to go out of my way for upasampada. If monks don’t want to ordain me, because i want to trai
like this then i don’t to be ordained by such monks.

Yes of course

What is there to understand.

the forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw.

The forest is not a forest monastery, it’s a forest, there are bears, boars, jaguars or a tiger may approach, centipedes running around, snakes, scorpions, moon & stars may be the only light.

I don’t think this rule applies to a monk who takes off the robes as to keep them dry fro the rain. It is horrible thing to have robes soaked wet, it’s straight dangerous if it is cold.

I don’t think that rains-robe is the same thing as rains-bathing cloth, is it?

“Then, going to the monastery, she saw the monks, having taken off their robes, letting their bodies be rained on. On seeing them, (thinking,) ‘There aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on,’ she came to me and said, ‘Lady, there aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on.’

“Lord, nakedness is vile, repulsive, and disgusting. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha rains-bathing cloths for as long as I live.

You are getting a negative reaction partially because it seems to others like you are the one looking down on present day monks who aren’t ascetic enough.

1 Like

I don’t know if i can help people feeling like this.

Now if i want to train like the old obviously the implication is that i don’t want to train like the new because i don’t want to be like the new.

What can i do? :person_shrugging:

Obviously the real offense here is being denied ordination for no good reason.

It is a crime against humanity as i see it.

It makes me sad but i’ll be okay, i won’t get on my knees begging nor will i change my aspirations because i can’t do it.

Sorry if I come across as too discouraging. I am just trying to set realistic expectations.

I have met a case of an idealistic young man from Germany, who travelled to sri lanka, got panicked and packed away the next day back home, then he did it again to malaysia, that very night of the day he arrived he wanted us to let him call his mother to buy a ticket back home.

We talked about leaches, he had one bite, a lot of anxiety, and blood leaking out. Our forest monastery is relatively tame, yet he got scared. By talking with him, I found out that he had been preparing for years to take up robes, and was just at the right age of 20 years old. Didn’t even finished high school because he knew he was set on this. I tried counselling, didn’t made much use, fear was too strong in him. I was just sad at this idealistic young person who sacrificed so much without even thinking of trying to camp in a nearby forest to see if he is afriad of bugs and the like.

So sorry for taking such an approach. You’re likely not of the same type, but just in case, because I dunno much about you.

I am all supportive for people wishing to ordain, just that to stay in robes long, one should also have some realistic expectations of what one is getting into.

There’s another case of a monk of more than 5 vassa disrobed because of his interpretation of vinaya is that there’s no allowance for non sick monks to ride in a car and he couldn’t avoid riding in a car.

We justify it by the sickness being too tired due to too long journey or that the rule is meant for animal driven vehicle, not mechanical cars that we have.

Such is the danger of idealism. I can see at least some idealism in you and try to balance it with some realism. So that you can have a realistic chance of being in robes long enough to attain something.

Even in the Buddha’s time, there was already forest monasteries. I just recently visited jetavana and the perfumed chamber where buddha lived was quite reasonable sized, made of bricks, had thick walls and so on.

It’s good that you’re inspired by Ven. Kassapa of the ancient times, maybe you can be one of the monks who take up a lot of the asectic practises for a long time.

It’s also to be expected that in a monastic life, it’s common to receive amonishment for better conduct. It’s good training for you now to learn how to receive my well wishes well. If your will for renounciation is so weak that just by interacting with me, you don’t wish to renounce, I am concerned for your long term survivability in robes.

One goes forth out of faith, for the dhamma. And it’s good to heed some advice which can help to allay some future suffering.

Overall, I really hope you get where I am coming from based on the case studies I presented above and thus will not see this as discouragement, but as more of a pull down to grounded reality as opposed to castle-in-the-air idealism.

To be clear, it’s not idealism to practise the ascetic rules. It’s more of what I see in your character from interacting here.

I was super idealistic when I vowed to be a monk when I was 14 or 15. Took me a while to prepare myself for monkhood. I believe you are better prepared than I was 20 years ago. I didn’t buy house, didn’t buy car, didn’t get a girlfriend because I knew I was going into robes. On some job interviews, I told them I imagine myself in robes in 5 years time. They didn’t hire me. So idealism does help one to get to the goal too. Just got to know how to deal with reality as well.

Yes, it is allowable to hang the robes when it’s wet.

Rains bathing cloth and robes are basically the same thing, I think different translator perhaps. Or cloth is what is used to make the robe. So don’t think that rule doesn’t apply just because of a wording. Rains bathing robes are only for wearing for the vassa months and a little bit before that.

Na Uyana I heard also allows practises other than Pa auk. Just indeed it’s very commentary atmosphere here. I think it’s just a disadvantage if one allows being in EBT to create aversion reaction towards commentaries and the living traditions, monasteries which has it. Anyway, I think I am relatively rare as I see this in some of my fellow monk mates as well whom I see has aversion towards commentaries. Not just disbelief.

All the best in your search. Hope you don’t get too discouraged when other monks more or less repeat some of the things I said here in response to your idealism too.

5 Likes

You can help it by practicing right speech. Before we speak we are supposed to ask ourselves, “Is this true? If so, it is useful? If so, is now the right time?” There are some other factors we might consider as well, “If I believe this is true, then I am staying open minded and being willing to listen to feedback from others or am I being open to contrary evidence? Am I expressing myself as well as I possibly can?”

It doesn’t personally look to me like you have been expressing yourself as well as you possibly can in this thread. Have you been trying to express your admiration for the ascetics of old and your inspiration to practice like them in the best way possible? Have you been putting care into your posts, making sure that they are free of typos and grammatical errors?

It is very possible that i won’t even bother trying ordain again due to humiliation & lack of encouragement.

I understand that this can feel frusturating. Do understand that the demands of living in the forest will be much higher than the demands of being discouraged through conversation. If you aspire to live in the forest (a great goal which I think is lofty and I encourage you to do) then treat the humiliating things people say as bug bites to which you will be unperturbed. Remember that monastics are supposed to welcome criticism of themselves so that they can learn from it!

Good luck!

1 Like

It’s nothing that i didn’t know. I was discouraged even before this conversation. Now i am a little more discouraged. I assume that Maras are trying to discourage me, they really don’t want to see me with robe & bowl.

Took me a while to understand the point that you were making. This conversation upset me much.

1 Like

As far as i can tell, you are projecting other people’s ‘idealism’ onto me and telling me dubious things about the vinaya.

You are seeing merely your own prejudice & projections in asserting that i’ve no realistic chance of being in robes long enough to attain something.

I expressed a wish to undertake what is perfectly reasonable & explicitly allowable. It doesn’t need to be balanced.

It is good that you think it is good.

It’s difficult to take up a lot of the asectic practises when met with prejudice and when nobody will allow it.

I didn’t post in this thread seeking ordination advice although i do appreciate it. My point was that it’s not easy to live in the forest nowadays.

I still think that monks in the wilderness are allowed to lay robes aside when it rains and there is no rule against it. Having the robes get soaked and drying them with bodyheat is bad advice. I don’t see why the Buddha would make a rule prohibiting his own conduct.

I had unrealistic expectations before i observed the ways of contemporary monks. I became disillusioned very quickly and that many years ago.

I don’t know what it is that you think you see. Can you tell me what exactly makes you think that i need a grounding in reality as opposed to castle-in-the-air idealism?

I think it is entirely reasonable to live alone in the forest intending to take dependence when a suitable mentor comes along, and to go for alms everyday. The only thing that would make it unrealistic is if the contemporary monks do not follow the vinaya in allowing it, but this is a flaw in the monks who do not allow it. It is not a flaw in the person wanting to live alone in the forest intending to take dependence when a suitable mentor comes along.

That’s good to know. If was in a place like this id keep to myself like you do, living away from the group, only to show up to recite patimokkha and otherwise adhering to silence, i’d go for alms alone & i’d eat alone, if not alone then id adhere to silence.

Thank you

I never said that there were no monasteries in time of The Budddha nor did i say that monasteries are not allowable. Monasteries are good, allowable and even necessary for some people. In particular it’s good for the sick, old and those who can’t live outdoors comfortably.

I understand that forest life is not for everyone and people can stay with a group for reasons other than a deficiency, for example they might be inclined to teaching new monks or just have no inclination to living in the forest.

However i also think that for a monk to not live in the forest can be an indication of a ‘failure to launch’ as if a grown man failing to leave his parents.

I don’t think that it is fault of the monks as much as general decline & future perils.

As for me personally, i really don’t see what the big deal is. If i was a senior monk and some junior monk wanted to live alone in the forest i’d say ‘It’s allowable, if you are comfortable then good and if not then come stay with the group’. I don’t see this as something requiring my permission.

I hope you’re ok with some of these feedback, if our interaction becomes toxic, we should stop.

This is one of the things which made me think so.

I dunno how good your meditation is, but this level is minimum non returner and requires mastery of 4 form jhānas and all 4 formless attainments according to classical Theravada.

I think part of what I deem as idealism is things should be exactly like that or else I am out.

Of course, certain things we should have strict standards for like not using money, not breaking the major rules, etc, best is not to break any Vinaya rules.

I see a case of a lay person who travels from monastery to monastery trying to find one that allows him to just meditate and not go to chanting, do chores etc. At some point it can be a case of diminishing returns to keep on searching.

Or one could just adapt and see how to get what one wants within the system one gets into. Of course, again certain standards should be there like good Vinaya.

My other initial concerns has been allayed due to you seem to be willing to be trained, although I am not confident that you can easily find a preceptor just sitting in the middle of a forest without trying to source for him via networking, maybe that’s part of your plan?

We also have some cases of people ordaining, then do not stay with the preceptor or any other qualified teacher, but denounce the training as unreasonable, Vinaya he only wants to observe the major rules, and not the minor rules (we have a lot of un-numbered minor rules in khandhaka.) And is generally disrespectful.

I don’t wish to make comparisons, but just take those as bad examples not to follow.

You also mentioned many other reasons for monks to prefer living in a lodging (which is very much one of the 4 requisites we have), although we should be contend with living at a foot of a tree, the Vassa retreat vinaya rules has the requirement that we must spend vassa in an enclosed room with a door. So staying in a cave while ok, but should also have such a room available as one’s official vassa residence and each dawn one should be within certain distance to the vassa boundary. So buildings are included in the vinaya itself.

I think perhaps a lot of your reaction might be mitigated by seeing that I am more of replying in general to defend what you’re saying as decline, but it’s actually part of the structure from the original time.

There’s another caveat of many monks might go and be alone out there because it’s so much harder to live in a community. It’s basically entering a new family, there’s bound to be conflicts due to different backgrounds, personalities, expectations. Dealing with me here online, could be a mini demonstration of such interactions.

I think perhaps there’s also some misunderstanding here. I am in no power or position at all to deny permission to you. There’s no universal blacklist system for all monasteries where we can blacklist this or that person as unsuited for this or that.

And even if there might be one such system in the future, there’s no legal reason for each individual monasteries to follow the recommendation.

It’s more like, you have prepared this or that? Here’s the list of things to look out for, etc.

You’re welcome to ask other monks via pm or another topic about any doubts of the vinaya which you’re not confident in my replies.

Anyway, sorry for projecting my prejudice against you, and all the best. Oh, one more tip, will power to overcome difficulties is less reliable compared to wisdom power.

1 Like

I am ok Venerable Sir.

I got upset because It turned personal and the topic is not a trivial one to me.

I won’t discuss in detail my plans & training in public but i appreciate your advice.

I prefer the term commentary-tradition for accuracy.

Nevermind my meditation. I said it to make light of an otherwise serious concern and to encourage the pursuit of highest attainments.

For example suppose that a junior monk wanted to live outdoors on the monastery grounds or just around Na Uyana grounds, and go for alms to the village everyday.

Could he do that if wanted to?

I think that if one can’t find a preceptor who lives in the forest then it is reasonable that one goes to live in the forest alone only occasionally but is otherwise staying close to the preceptor. Then one can learn things here and learn to be comfortable there. Then after some time one may stay alone more so than not and maybe one will find a more appropriate dependence.

I think it’s part of the structure but i also think ascetic practices are neglected and monks have become more soft

These days the mendicants live using wood blocks as pillows, and they meditate diligently and keenly. Māra the Wicked finds no vulnerability, he’s got no foothold. But in the future the mendicants will become delicate, with soft and tender hands and feet. They’ll sleep on soft beds with down pillows until the sun comes up. Māra the Wicked will find a vulnerability and will get a foothold. SuttaCentral

I am sorry for getting upset and coming off as disparaging too.

2 Likes

Thank you for sharing about Na Uyana.

I’ve been looking at Sri Lankan wildlife, climate zones and geography. It is very diverse and small enough to walk between regions.

I think that it’d be a good place to work.

I am already scared even before you told me about the traps & maiming but more scared of missing the opportunity to train though.

I have faith such that i don’t think that the animals will kill one if training correctly

“Assuredly, monks,” said the Buddha. "That monk has not suffused with thoughts of loving-kindness (metta) the four royal tribes of snakes. Had he done so, that monk would not have died of snake-bite. Ahi Sutta: A Snake

"Monks, eleven advantages are to be expected from the release (deliverance) of heart by familiarizing oneself with thoughts of loving-kindness (metta), by the cultivation of loving-kindness, by constantly increasing these thoughts, by regarding loving-kindness as a vehicle (of expression), and also as something to be treasured, by living in conformity with these thoughts, by putting these ideas into practice, and by establishing them. What are the eleven?

  1. "He sleeps in comfort. 2. He awakes in comfort. 3. He sees no evil dreams. 4. He is dear to human beings. 5. He is dear to non-human beings. 6. Devas (gods) protect him. 7. Fire, poison, and sword cannot touch him. 8. His mind can concentrate quickly. 9. His countenance is serene. 10. He dies without being confused in mind. 11. If he fails to attain arahantship (the highest sanctity) here and now, he will be reborn in the brahma-world.

When teacher said it’ll be fine then it’s nothing to fear but lack of development

1 Like