oops, should have mentioned ethics covers: thought word and deed, for me and in that order.
For me, one good thing with this presentation of the Path is it addresses, what I think is a serious downfall of the traditional teaching of the Path (taking it as sequential):
Right View is given first, but it is said to be a fruit of Stream-entry, so with the pairs of path and fruit, there must be some practice (the path) before and leading to Right View (the fruit). To me that is the four ‘limbs’ of stream-winning.
To me, Right View and Right Aspiration are examples of ethics in thought, then we see, ethics in word, then deed in the traditional presentation of the Path.
Right View - thought
Right Aspiration - thought
Right Speech - word
Right Action - deed
Right Livelihood - deed
Thus, I believe, the Buddha goes to the heart of the matter from the start. It would be easier to change word and deed than thought and if thought is not changed first, the change to word and deed would be only temporary.
Nice charts – could they be provided in formats and page-sized chunks to be printed-out and taped together to form larger posters, and be readable?
My favorite graphic summary so far is the one I think compiled by the Pa Auk people, at least I got a copy from Shaila Catherine who got it at a 3-month retreat with the Pa Auk Sayadaw a couple of years ago (in the USA). (This is obviously the Visuddhimagga view of the path.)
Going for absolute comprehensiveness (ALL the Buddha’s teachings) in one presentation would seem rather problem-prone. How to be so exact without also becoming sectarian?
Perhaps any reasonably broad and accurate summary-image which appealed to one would be enough for an individual to practice with and attain the goal. And that might be a variety of flavors of summary, perhaps even different sects, depending on the individual.
13 mental jhana factors, not the only the five of the commentarial and possible late sutta/s: viveka, vitakka, vicāra, pīti, sukha, ekodibhāva (ekaggatā in the commentaries), samādhi, sampasāda, virāga, upekkhā, sati, sampajañña, parisuddhi (https://suttacentral.net/pi/dn2#89), so I follow the simpler definition of ‘right concentration’ as any concentration with the previous path factors
I agree that Buddhism, even the early king, doesn’t take us ‘over the line’, it is only Dhamma that does that. I do not agree that ‘no method can do that’. From my experience and some early suttas, it’s not easy to see Dhamma.
While the teachings are summarised in certain fundamental points, listed in the 37 bodhipakkhiyadhamma, adding to them the teachings on the twelve nidana, the four ariyasacca, the five upadanakhanda, and the three lakkhana … as you can see, not only is it nearly impossible to agree in neither the details and nature of this all-inclusive method that you seek, nor its very existence, but also, observation of other practitioners on the Path will immediately show that the right method does not exist in abstraction, but only in correspondence to the kamma and citta of each individual practitioner. There isn’t even one right way or method to practice formal meditation. The Path is difficult and bitter without a flexible, intuitive, and experimental understanding of Dhamma, and without self-understanding of one’s kamma and citta. You have to be the formulator of your right method; as it is hard to find a teacher that can do this for you, I believe! Good luck
Hello Dhammarakkhita,
Thanks for the taking the time to write what you did. I have come to the same conclusion as you and therefore it is nice to hear it from someone more cultivated. May I ask, where are you based?
Hi Shaun, I created a chart years ago that i use to help me in my own studies. I’m not sure how accurate it is by an experts standards but it has really help me figure out what teachers are talking about. I hope it helps and i welcome any feedback anyone has so i can continue to improve it:
I love Asian countries but not yet based in any particular one! More like a feather in the tempest of chance!