Qualities / values to perfect in this lifetime

Using the teachings from Buddha, and some knowledge I have learnt about dhamma he taught, I was trying to put together the unwholesome qualities which should be converted to the wholesome qualities in this lifetime, the intention of putting this together is to provide and explain the wholesome qualities to my family, kids, friends and everyone and thought is to try and keep it simple useful and valuable for leh people like me and others.
I believe most of these points should be unanimous in different religions, pls review the two pager slides attached Qualities-to-Perfect-in-this-lifetime.pdf (160.4 KB) and provide me your valuable feedback so it can make appropriate sense for everyone

The compilation is based on

  1. Four Brahma Vihara’s - Brahmavihara - Wikipedia
  2. Ten Parami - Pāramitā - Wikipedia
  3. Five hinderances
  4. Noble eight fold path

I think we need visual images, as doesn’t seem many read pdf attachment including them here.

Theravada teaches a diagnostic approach where the practitioner discerns which of the five hindrances they are subject to according to temperament, and then develops a plan of attack which includes both developing qualities and eliminating unwanted modes of thought and action, as illustrated here:

“And my personality is anger. I have, I am an anger type, and my mind is very quick to get into a rage, very good at finding faults. And so I was recommended to practice mettā.”—Analayo

1 Like

Thank you for the illustration do you have a link to all such personality types and such illustration

I am trying to keep slides short and simple as these are vast topics and only pointers can be mentioned here, thinking of putting hyperlinks to read further which will be more useful

"A scheme of six traits or temperaments (caritas) can be seen in the Niddesa of the Khuddaka Nikaya,[1] as well as in the Nettipakaraṇa. In the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), the scholar Buddhaghosa draws on this schema to present his meditation teachings. The major temperaments and recommended meditations are:

  • Greed (lobha), the recommended meditation is unattractiveness (asubha).
  • Aversion (dosa), the recommended meditation is loving-kindness (mettābhāvanā).
  • Delusion (moha), the recommended meditation is “questioning about expositions [of Dhamma] given in brief, timely hearing of the Dhamma and timely discussion of the Dhamma, and to reside with a teacher.”
  • Faithful (saddha), the recommended meditation is the three jewels, as well as ethical precepts (sīlāni).
  • Wise (pañña), the recommended meditation is the “insight sign (vipassanā nimitta)”, namely the aspects (ākāra) of anicca, dukkha and anattā.
  • Thinking/speculative (vitakka), the recommended meditation is mindfulness of breathing."

These are factors that temporarily suppress the hindrances but do not eliminate them:

" Alan Wallace identifies five mental factors that counteract the five hindrances, according to the Theravada tradition:[3]

  1. Coarse examination (vitakka) counteracts sloth-torpor (lethargy and drowsiness)
  2. Precise investigation (vicāra) counteracts doubt (uncertainty)
  3. Well-being (pīti) counteracts ill-will (malice)
  4. Bliss (sukha) counteracts restlessness-worry (excitation and anxiety)
  5. Single-pointed attention (ekaggatā) counteracts sensory desire

These five counteracting factors arise during the first jhāna (stage of concentration)."

2 Likes

Those subject to uncorrected hindrances are reborn in various unfortunate destinations which are depicted:

“Pretas are believed to have been false, corrupted, compulsive, deceitful, jealous or greedy people in a previous life.”

http://www.smb-digital.de/eMuseumPlus?service=ImageAsset&module=collection&objectId=1796929&resolution=superImageResolution#4033547

This seems to be based more or less upon an EBT framework for one of four types of meditation based on one’s faults or weaknesses:

MĀ 56 and MĀ 57 both contain a short formula explaining four different types of cultivation and their benefits. […] We are told that cultivating contemplation of impurity (修惡露) severs desires (令斷欲). Cultivating kindness (修慈) severs hatred (令斷恚). Cultivating ānāpāna (修息出息入) severs chaotic thoughts (令斷亂念). Cultivating contemplation of impermanence (修無常想) severs self-pride (令斷我慢).

In the Pali Canon, the same framework is also seen: AN 9.1, AN 9.3, Ud 4.1

3 Likes

The basic comprehensive text is SN 46.51, which employs the psychologically important analogy of food, because unwanted mental states behave exactly like wild animals, if fed they proliferate, if starved rapidly disappear.