tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37616697318825208122024-03-06T20:20:54.630+13:00Dhamma ExperienceBlogging a path of freedomKaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-40159031626158085422019-10-18T11:45:00.002+13:002019-10-18T13:12:34.417+13:00New website - kalyaano.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCHskOcnds1HKquL5iEd8OHPD55PUFsMoJsurskZuIt51DMazIr3VpnaRbyOdusgcJgiLR4myQR6lgffVSM3SZpHSgWJa0pdgR5AF-F_CE8FiC9STWhiv1PiBrbVzgI4fZYZG9fl8HsM/s1600/Michael_20191015_MontRoyal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCHskOcnds1HKquL5iEd8OHPD55PUFsMoJsurskZuIt51DMazIr3VpnaRbyOdusgcJgiLR4myQR6lgffVSM3SZpHSgWJa0pdgR5AF-F_CE8FiC9STWhiv1PiBrbVzgI4fZYZG9fl8HsM/s320/Michael_20191015_MontRoyal.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><i>Michael at Mont Royal, Montreal, 15 October 2019</i></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Old blog</span><br />
In 2008, I launched the blog “<a href="https://kalyaano.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; text-decoration-line: none;">Dhamma Experience</a>” on Google’s <a href="http://blogspot.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; text-decoration-line: none;">blogspot.com</a> which later became <a href="http://blogger.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; text-decoration-line: none;">blogger.com</a>. I intended to blog changes in my life after leaving Canberra, Australia where I had worked as a public policy analyst for the Australian government. I posted actively until 2011 and then about 2 posts per year until 2017. The content covered some of my travels to India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. I also blogged my readings and interpretations of Early Buddhism.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Travel</span><br />
I left Australia and moved to Wellington New Zealand in late 2014 to work as a public policy analyst for the New Zealand government. Then in March 2016, after quitting that job I put my few belongings (bicycle, tools, camping gear, computer, books and kitchen equipment) in storage, withdrew savings and headed to Peru on an adventure. I had no long term plan. I was exploring the world.<br />
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When I started traveling I only knew for sure I was going to Peru. After nearly six months in Peru, I traveled to USA, Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and Canada. I’ve been to many of these countries several times.<br />
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Maybe in another post, I might write posts about some of my adventures during from 2016 Q1 to 2019 Q4. Home is in Montreal Canada.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Livelihood</span><br />
I decided back in 2016 that I want to change occupation. I don’t want to work in government agencies. There might be a blog post about that later.</div>
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I have been living on savings. Now I must find another way to sustain myself. I don’t aspire to be materially wealthy though there is nothing intrinsically wrong with wealth. I wish to love while living. I want to develop my own capacity for love and share that with people I meet.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Writing not blogging</span><br />
Despite having many topics I could have blogged about since I began traveling in 2016, I didn’t blog. I thought I might write a novel. I started several books but didn’t complete one yet. It may be possible in future. I have novels and non-fiction books in draft. I certainly wrote a lot of emails and text messages to friends and family. I coached some family and friends in Dharma and meditation.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Opening my heart and mind</span><br />
Starting with my decision to leave government service in New Zealand and go to Peru for an ayahuasca retreat, I was determined to heal myself and find a new way to live. Inspired by close friends, during 2019 I began reading books and attending intuition and human energy courses. I will post blogs about some of these books and courses. I am practicing Reiki and other forms of energetic healing. This seems more suitable to me than working in a corporate office.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #1a1a1a; font-weight: 700;"><a href="https://kalyaano.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; text-decoration-line: none;">Kalyaano.com</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">This new website manifests my wish to express what I have been learning and to find a way to live with love in the world. <span style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I now have a paypal button on the new website to </span><a href="https://kalyaano.com/?page_id=28" style="box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition-duration: 0.05s; transition-property: border, background, color; transition-timing-function: ease-in-out; white-space: pre-wrap;">receive payments online</a><span style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I will make other methods to accept funds available in future.</span><br /><br />Although the new website is not launched until 28 October 2019, I am publishing this blog today as a preview and a notice to anyone who visits Dhamma Experience about where new content will be posted in future.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">This post will be the first on the new website and the last on the old blog. I will redirect visitors from the old blog to the archive of that blog on this website. This website will contain more diverse information and be more than a blog.</span></div>
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<a href="https://kalyaano.com/" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: currentcolor 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #007acc; text-decoration-line: none;">kalyaano.com</a></div>
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-24245867796645745992017-11-17T13:19:00.003+13:002017-11-19T02:35:51.806+13:00Right LivelihoodBuddhist literature doesn't say much about right livelihood compared with other factors of the path to liberation.<br />
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Right livelihood is the third factor of the Eightfold Noble Path (8FNP) having an ethical character. The other two ethical factors come before it in sequence so any livelihood that is not in conformity with the first two factors is also wrong livelihood. The first two ethical factors are right speech and right action.<br />
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Right speech was described by the Buddha, in The Discourse on the Great Forty (<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.117.than.html">Mahacattarisaka</a> sutta M117), as refraining from four kinds of wrong speech: false speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, and gossip.<br />
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Right action was described in M117 as refraining from three kinds of wrong actions: killing living beings, taking what is not given and misconduct in sensual pleasures.<br />
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Right livelihood was described in M117 as refraining from wrong livelihood that includes: scheming, hinting, belittling, pursuing gain with gain.<br />
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Right livelihood was also described by the Buddha, in the Numerical Discourses (<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.177.than.html">Anguttaranikaya</a> A5.177), as follows:<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">A lay follower (non-monastic) should not engage in these five trades. What five? Trading in weapons, trading in living beings, trading in meat, trading in intoxicants, and trading in poisons.</span><br />
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In other words the Buddha outlined wrong livelihood. He did not explicitly describe activities that are right livelihood. Many Buddhist lay followers (not monastics, not monks or nuns) traded goods and services that are not in the list above.<br />
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The list (in A5.177) of trades to avoid are obviously harmful to others and less obviously harmful to oneself. We can use common sense in those trades.<br />
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For example, although a car or truck could be used as a weapon, selling cars or trucks meant for transportation is not wrong livelihood. An example of dealing in human beings is buying, selling and using slaves for ones livelihood. If you knowingly include products and services created with slave labour as inputs for products and services you sell for your livelihood then one is doing wrong livelihood.<br />
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If as part of one's employment duties one speaks or writes falsely, or repeats falsehoods created by others, then there is wrong livelihood on those occasions.<br />
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Many livelihood activities are a mix of wholesome and unwholesome actions and results.<br />
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In an employee role there is scope for both right and wrong livelihood. Each person choose moment by moment to follow the 8FNP.<br />
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One person who tends to tell falsehoods for personal gain will frequently be doing wrong livelihood regardless of the specifications in their employment contract. Another person with more wholesome habits doing that same job might always be doing right livelihood.<br />
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A monastic monk or nun can also undertake wrong livelihood by hinting or implying that donations to them are especially meritorious without necessarily speaking falsely.<br />
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Right livelihood and the other factors of the 8FNP purify conduct and mind. The three ethical factors are the foundation for a stable and tranquil mind which is the basis for liberating wisdom.<br />
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Led by right view, the path factors of right effort/persistence and right mindfulness support the development of the three ethical path factors. By continuing to repeat, cultivate and develop all the path factors we set up conditions for awakening.<br />
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The Buddha taught us to figure out for ourselves the countless specific instances of right and wrong livelihood. These all require application of right view.
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-38341652539710149842016-12-20T11:42:00.000+13:002018-05-18T09:46:37.862+12:00What did Buddha think about gods?<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I post here an edited version of a my response to a question on Quora. That was my first and possibly my last time on Quora. I was browsing the site and found this question "What did the Buddha think about gods?" and read may incorrect and misleading answers by other readers. My response is short and doesn't include any links for more information. I can write more if any readers want detail or sutta references.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In
the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the Buddha (the Blessed One) taught there are gods. He
taught the way to achieving rebirth in heaven realms through wholesome
action in body, speech and mind.</span></div>
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My comments here reflect my
understanding of what I read in English translations of Buddhist
discourses by Bhikkhu Bodhi and others. You may search this translator
in Amazon or other places.<br />
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There are many discourses where the Blessed One conversed with gods, known as deva or devaputta (child of a god)
in Pali language. Another translation of deva could be deity or spirit.
There are six sensual heaven realms where gods enjoyed only pleasure.
There are other more subtle form heaven realms where brahma gods with
even longer lives (but not immortal) exclusively enjoy bliss of
loving-kindness and other divine states. There are discourses describing
the Buddha and other awakened beings visiting these various realms to
teach the gods. None of the gods or any other beings mentioned in the
teaching of the Buddha were immortal or omnipresent or all powerful.
They are described as having various powers and capabilities that are
limited in various ways.<br />
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The Blessed One taught followers to frequently
recollect gods and pay respect to them as one might respect parents and
ancestors. The wholesome conduct leading to heavenly rebirths includes
avoiding unwholesome conduct, practising wholesome conduct. For example,
no killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and avoiding substances
that confuse the mind and lead to the other four unwholesome forms of
conduct. The Blessed One taught that generosity, non-cruelty, studying the
teaching of the Buddha, respect for beings worthy of respect, and
cultivating wholesome states of mind with various forms of meditation
all may lead to either rebirth in a heavenly realm and ultimately to
final liberation from the round of rebirths - nirvana.<br />
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Although
the Blessed One taught these ways to rebirth in heaven realms, he most of all
encouraged followers to aim for final liberation from the round of
rebirths. After a long life-span in a heaven realm, beings inevitably
will return to lower realms such as human, animal, ghost and hell realms
where there is much suffering. Note that although the heaven realms are
delightful, the human realm is favoured for the work of wholesome
conduct leading to heaven realm rebirths or to final liberation.<br />
<br />Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-29375632648509274402016-11-26T07:11:00.002+13:002019-11-06T15:09:38.408+13:00Update from IrelandDear readers, I apologize for not posting articles for so long. I am in Ireland right now. When I settle early in 2017, I hope to post more regularly. This year I traveled in New Zealand, Peru, USA, UK and Ireland. I like Ireland very much. I mostly stayed in County Cork. Here are a few images from my time in Ireland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrXK5M6VH5DB9S-ji2CeY7TjsYOjmLHCUnvHJ16ntcUHnMjXPwtTu4drDTsVGK_l0dDo7bKsAGJq9jZXcS2hqpY9ggW67_yaz6BLEOS_kAzvyjQR6qiICoCbIQ90MV3REKXobapT9MUg/s640/20160915_180136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drombeg Stone Circle, County Cork </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpeDKe_FviFuUk_GtOcsjKBQ85lhZ09luqeRGZwvSeo-of-zBc60mkJ7Z-FcXedqzRktdGDOSWj6BZRGJ9wDRp4JwObJFX0e-A2SaMRV3P4FBM3SHduqOW747Y5Qe2u92VXgR5b_sbMI/s1600/20160908_105749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpeDKe_FviFuUk_GtOcsjKBQ85lhZ09luqeRGZwvSeo-of-zBc60mkJ7Z-FcXedqzRktdGDOSWj6BZRGJ9wDRp4JwObJFX0e-A2SaMRV3P4FBM3SHduqOW747Y5Qe2u92VXgR5b_sbMI/s640/20160908_105749.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knowth, County Meath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1xWq1L9q13mXb5xWC09EGE2ZDcDY0pq55rpS1-51j2rl7Hx0VF7dYau5uFENDnO_97tlMa-EsiTsrivnjZsT7wLdMRRShbcjQWuCaQlYFgAu1LDgZ9wLpBqRsqZAyjAdp2c_B8PLXhk/s1600/20160908_135811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1xWq1L9q13mXb5xWC09EGE2ZDcDY0pq55rpS1-51j2rl7Hx0VF7dYau5uFENDnO_97tlMa-EsiTsrivnjZsT7wLdMRRShbcjQWuCaQlYFgAu1LDgZ9wLpBqRsqZAyjAdp2c_B8PLXhk/s640/20160908_135811.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Grange, County Meath</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MK standing in front of New Grange, County Meath</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path the Knocknarea, County Sligo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yb2djmgGn-K39Glvs9xjWybg-9-RcZ2XMwab29PxccAdXxuAKePwTEK7oKyhznxnDH_DzTj3nNjJhOaALdPdBmvWhyphenhyphen4XuV67NMXPz-T5CxZTpBCX9-JVKewb7uFX16bThaqMpqAnLaE/s1600/20160912_113347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yb2djmgGn-K39Glvs9xjWybg-9-RcZ2XMwab29PxccAdXxuAKePwTEK7oKyhznxnDH_DzTj3nNjJhOaALdPdBmvWhyphenhyphen4XuV67NMXPz-T5CxZTpBCX9-JVKewb7uFX16bThaqMpqAnLaE/s640/20160912_113347.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knocknarea, County Sligo</td></tr>
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<br />Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com1Cork, Ireland51.8968917 -8.486315699999977451.818503199999995 -8.6476771999999773 51.9752802 -8.3249541999999774tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-55980298723020126792015-06-06T21:23:00.000+12:002015-06-08T22:44:13.171+12:00Gotama Buddha was not vegetarian<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many people believe that Buddhists are vegetarian by default. This belief may stem from the notion that Buddhists do not support killing living beings including humans, animals, fish, birds or insects. While t</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he five precepts for lay Buddhists encourage lay followers to refrain from taking life, there is no prohibition for eating flesh or fish. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Blessed One also taught followers that hunting, fishing and trading in flesh is wrong livelihood and creates unwholesome karma with unpleasant results. Even so, the purchasing of flesh from creatures already slaughtered is neutral kamma with neutral result.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Anguttaranikaaya A8.12</b> translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This discourse describes a situation where general <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/s/siha.htm">Siiha</a>, who had previously been a supporter of the Jains in Vesaali listened to the Blessed One teach the Dhamma and converted from Jainism to Buddhism. Siiha means lion in Paali language. Immediately upon being converted, Siiha invited the Blessed One for a meal the following day. He asked his servant to go to find meat ready for sale and had a meal </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">prepared which t</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus ate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note the Paali discourses refer to the followers of the Jain religion as the Niganthas, after their leader Nigantha Naataputta (Nigantha, the son of Naata). These days Jains call this person "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavira">Mahaa viira</a>", a title which means <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mahavira">great hero</a>. Hindus also sometimes use the title of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavir_Mandir">Mahaa viir</a> to refer to the deity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman">Hanuman</a>, though apart from current use of the title Mahaa viir, I am not aware of any other connection between Nigantha Naataputta and Hanuman the deity.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then the Blessed One gave Siiha the general a progressive discourse, that is, a talk on giving, virtuous behavior, and heaven; he revealed the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that Siiha's mind was pliant, softened, rid of hindrances, uplifted, and confident, he revealed that Dhamma teaching special to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Then, just as a clean cloth rid of dark spots would readily absorb dye, so too, while Siiha the general sat in that same seat, there arose in him the dust-free, stainless Dhamma-eye: 'Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.' Siiha the general became one who had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, fathomed the Dhamma, crossed over doubt, gotten rid of bewilderment, attained self-confidence, and become independent of others in the teaching of the Teacher </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[this is the stock phrase meaning that Siiha the general had attained the fruit of stream entry Sotapanna - a noble disciple]</span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. He then said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, please let the Blessed One together with the Sangha of bhikkhus accept tomorrow's meal from me." </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Blessed One consented by silence. Having understood that the Blessed One had consented, Siiha rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed. Then Siiha addressed a man: "Go, good man, find some meat ready for sale." </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, when the night had passed, Siiha the general had various kinds of excellent foods prepared in his own residence, after which he had the time announced to the Blessed One: "It is time, Bhante, the meal is ready." </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, went to Siiha's residence along with the Sangha of bhikkhus, and sat down on the seat prepared for him. Now on that occasion a number of Niganthas went from street to street and from square to square in Vesaali, thrashing their arms about and crying out: "Today Siiha the general has slain a plump animal to prepare a meal for the ascetic Gotama! The ascetic Gotama knowingly uses meat obtained from an animal killed especially for his sake, the act being done on his account." </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then a man approached Siiha the general and whispered into his ear: "Sir, you should know that a number of Niganthas are going from street to street and from square to square in Vesaali, thrashing their arms about and crying out: 'Today Siiha the general has slain a plump animal to prepare a meal for the ascetic Gotama! The ascetic Gotama knowingly uses meat obtained </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from an animal killed especially for his sake, a deed done on his account.'" </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Enough, good man. For a long time those venerable ones have wanted to discredit the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. They will never stop misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is untrue, baseless, false, and contrary to fact, and we would never intentionally deprive a living being of life, even for the sake of our life."</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, with his own hands, Siiha the general served and satisfied the Sangha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with the various kinds of excellent food. Then, when the Blessed One had finished eating and had put away his bowl, Siiha sat down to one side. Then the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Siiha with a Dhamma talk, after which </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he rose from his seat and departed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Readers may also note three points. Firstly, note the sequence of events. Siiha the general attained the fruit of stream entry <i>sotapanna, a </i>noble disciple, before he ordered his man to find some meat ready for sale. I understand that stream enterers and all noble disciples are incapable of intentionally killing a living being. Secondly, note that Siiha the general was previously a well known Jain and mostly likely followed the Jain teaching of non-violence and vegetarianism. It is significant that on arising of the Dhamma eye and becoming a <i>sotapanna</i>, he knew that purchasing meat and preparing a meal with meat for the Sangha of bhikkhus was both allowable to bhikkhus and not unwholesome. He was now a confirmed Buddhist and confident in his actions. Thirdly, note that not only did he order the purchase of meat and have it prepared as a meal, he offered this meal to the Blessed One at the head of the Sangha. Siiha the general was a virtuous man, well known for acts of generousity and for his confidence in speaking in public. He may have known that this offering would be a political act, openly defying the Jains. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Majjhimanikaaya M55.5 Jiivaka Sutta</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Jiivaka, I say that there are three instances in which meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected [that the living being has been slaughtered for oneself]. I say that meat should not be eaten in these three instances. I say that there are three instances in which meat may be eaten: when it is not seen, not heard, and not suspected [that the living being has been slaughtered for oneself.]. I say that meat may be eaten in these three instances."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">In</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> the <b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Samantapaasaadikaa</b><span apple-style-span="" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> (the <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/sa/samantapaasaadikaa.htm">commentary</a> on the <b>Vinaaya</b>, Discipline) Bhante <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/d/devadatta.htm">Devadatta</a> made many attempts to injure the person and reputation of the Blessed One so he could assume leadership of Sangha himself. In one attempt Bhante Devadatta instructed his followers to ask the Blessed One to impose five new rules on all members of the Sangha including a rule forbidding the consumption of fish and flesh. The Blessed One's reply was that those who wished to follow these rules may do so but the Blessed One did not make these rules including the vegetarian rule compulsory. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">In the <b>Vinaaya <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/maha/mahavagga.htm">Mahaavagga</a> </b></span></span><b>Mv.VI.23.9-15</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b>rule prohibits eating ten specific kinds of flesh, mainly carnivorous animals such as dogs, snakes, lions and humans. If the Blessed One wished followers to cease eating flesh altogether, he would've not forbidden specific kinds of flesh, he would have simply forbidden flesh of all kinds.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">During the time of the Buddha Gotama, the Jain religion taught Jain followers to be strict vegetarian. The Brahmin contemporaries of the Blessed One hunted animals and sacrificed animals to their deities. Later Hindu revivalists competing with Jains and Buddhists may have sought to appear holier than "decadent" Buddhist monks and adopted vegetarianism. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The vegetarian tradition in Indian culture grew stronger over time.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some ignorant people are influenced by superficial behaviour and do not properly investigate the teaching, so they imagine Buddhist monks who eat meat were not rid of desires and like to enjoy luxury. So over time many Buddhists became vegetarian too. This became the rule with Mahayana Buddhism. Even today, many Mahayana Buddhists teach that Lord Buddha was vegetarian. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a short essay by Bhante Ajahn Brahmavamso about this issue which covers it very well. <a href="http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html" style="color: #112508;" target="_blank">http://www.urbandharma.<wbr></wbr>org/udharma3/meat.html</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the same essay on a different website: <a href="http://www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/spip.php?article4311" style="color: #112508;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>buddhachannel.tv/portail/spip.<wbr></wbr>php?article4311</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read that the Dalai Lama (a Vajrayana Buddhist) is not vegetarian. He prefers not to eat meat but due to a medical condition, has been advised to eat meat at least once every two or three days. Many Western Buddhists who follow the Tibetan tradition may be surprised and not believe that. You can also read the reference to that on Wikipedia here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_vegetarianism" style="color: #112508;" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/<wbr></wbr>wiki/Buddhist_vegetarianism</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bhante Thanissaro Bhikkhu's <i><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/index.html#bmc1">Buddhist Monastic Code</a></i> has a chapter on food that explains what the <b>Vinaaya </b>and its commentaries have to say on food, including eating or not eating meat. </span></span></div>
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</span>Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-23015707514745353482015-06-06T14:20:00.002+12:002015-06-07T17:42:43.584+12:00Family and friends, philosophical materialism, equanimity and other divine abidings<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have observed that on meeting family and friends after many months or years overseas can be a "culture shock" for both myself and them. After a few months of being together, we familiarise ourselves with each other and to some extent accept that we have different values and life styles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no need for regrets that we may have changed or developed in the Dhamma while family and friends follow other paths. After reflecting on my own behaviour during various periods of my life, I imagine that my children and other loved ones are resting before they actively find and walk the Dhamma path. Many of them seem to be sleeping through life, unaware of life's purpose and meaning. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 15.6000003814697px;">If we try to wake up the sleepers by actively proselytising, they would think us </span>rude and they would not understand. They would only become irritated and then "roll over to the other side of the bed to continue sleeping." The best we can do is to gently and subtly remind them of Dhamma. The rest is up to them. They are the owners of their </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kamma</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We do our best and then let them be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In these cases we also need to reflect on our discontent with this situation and our desire to proselytise. We </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can help ourselves by developing the four divine abidings, especially equanimity </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uppekkhaa</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Imagine the point of view of a senior teacher who has realized the Dhamma to a high level. Many people ignore him or her and others ask for help but don't listen carefully to his or her advice. This is normal. The teacher knows that it is really the learner's own efforts that lead to success rather than the teacher's effort.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all contact with my family (especially my children) I have tried teaching them to align with the Dhamma. Whenever I talk with them, I try to practice and speak with the principles of Dhamma in mind. I try to set a good example by my actions and speech. I teach them in diverse ways even though they may not know. Now </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I understand that mostly what I do is help them have happy dreams while they "sleep". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My failure to wake others is likely due to my own "sleepiness." By writing this blog, listening to the Dhamma, studying the Dhamma, striving to live a virtuous spiritual life and similar activities, I strive to waken myself as much as, or more than, to waken other. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes, I imagine that we have biological relatives </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>and </i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spiritual relatives. In past existences we have been related to most beings, human and in the other realms (heaven, hell, animal, hungry ghosts etc). Some of these beings will have been helping us on our journey to realize Dhamma and can be closer to us in spirit than our current human biological relatives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe that as we continue on our Dhamma path, we may meet more of our spiritual relatives here and there. These spiritual relatives will feel naturally close and connected with us. We will share the Dhamma again and again. In stories of the past lives of the Lord Buddha and the disciples such as Bhante Aananda, Bhante Saariputta, Bhante Mahaamoggallana, Bhante Mahaakassapa, Bhante Annuruddha, Bhante Kisagotami, Bhante Uppalavanaa, Bhante Khema and so on, I found they were all related to each other or were close associates in previous human and non-human existences. Often they were in teacher/student roles and helped each other to develop wholesome factors and other Dhamma virtues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">A common understanding in Australia is the physicalist or philosophical </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">materialist</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> view </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">which holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all phenomena, including mental phenomena and consciousness, are the result of material interactions</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This view is held to be common sense. I found that as soon as I ask questions about their assumptions, many naive materialists became defensive because they do not really understand the materialist position through reason or direct experience. They understand it through faith. They grew up with materialism as a given. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The philosophical materialist view assumes that biological parents have a deep and essential connection with their biological children. It is as though the blood and genes connect biological parents with children in ways that step parents and adopted children wouldn't. According to the Dhamma, materialism is a type of wrong view (</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">miccaa ditthi) </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">because it holds that identity arises from matter such as blood and genes which are form </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ruupa. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Such materialists </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">assume some kind of ownership or belonging in the parent-child relationship even though none can explain what part of matter contains the aspect of ownership. In fact there is no self in </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ruupa </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and no self in blood and genes. There is no ownership or belonging in the parent-child relationship except that which social actors may agree on by way of a non-material social or cultural construct. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Very few people read or hear the Dhamma, never mind understand it, even if they do read or hear it. </span><span style="line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even so, we live in a social world and the non-Buddhists around us have expectations about how relationships and social responsibilities work. As Buddhists engaged in this social world, we need to manage those expectations and assumptions. Even if philosophical materialism is an instance of wrong view, its is assumed as "normal" and common sense in most social situations. So being part of a minority with right view can be difficult and lonely. We need to be patient and persevere with equanimity </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">uppekkhaa</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the other divine abidings</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Knowing that most people suffer under their wrong views is already exercising compassion </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">karunaa. </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interacting with others with a mind of loving-kindness </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">mettaa</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is a skillful tactic for reducing our own tendency to be irritated or agitated by others' attachment to wrong views. Observing the success of others in the materialist world with a mind of altrustic joy </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">muditaa</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> helps us to be content with whatever status, property or health we may have. Altruistic joy also reduces our tendency to be jealous and thereby motivated to acquire gain, honour and praise at the expense of spiritual success.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: 15.6000003814697px;">Our </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"sleeping" </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">family and friends may think that we don't love them because we are on a different path and don't do the same sleepy things they do. Let us consistently demonstrate</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that we do love them even though we may see and know in diverse ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, we should not give up trying to influence our family and friends to follow the Dhamma. I recommend you all read <b>A8.26 <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.026.than.html">Jivaka Sutta</a></b> (translated by Bhante Thanisaro Bhikkhu) from the Anguttaranikaaya for the Blessed One's advice on how to do this. Here is the almost identical discourse translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at
Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park. Then Mahänäma the Sakyan approached the
Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:</span><br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"In what way, Bhante, is one a lay follower?" </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">' 'When, Mahanama, one has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the
Dhamma, and the Sangha, in that way one is a lay follower." </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"In what way, Bhante, is a lay follower virtuous?" </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"When, Mahanama, a lay follower abstains from the destruction
of life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from false
speech, and from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, in
that way a lay follower is virtuous." </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"In what way, Bhante, is a lay follower practicing for his own
welfare but not for the welfare of others?" </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) ' 'When, Mahänama, a lay follower is himself accomplished in
faith but does not encourage others to accomplish faith; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) when he is himself
accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not encourage others to accomplish
virtuous behavior; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) when he is himself accomplished in </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">generosity but does not encourage others to accomplish generosity; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">(4) when he himself wants to see bhikkhus but does not encourage others to see
bhikkhus; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">(5) when he himself wants to hear the good Dhamma but does not
encourage others to hear the good Dhamma; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">(6) when he himself retains in mind
the teachings he has heard but does not encourage others to retain the </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">teachings in mind; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(7) when he himself examines the meaning of the
teachings that have been retained in mind but does not encourage others to
examine their meaning; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(8) when he himself has understood the meaning and the
Dhamma and practices in accordance with the Dhamma, but does not encourage
others to do so: </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it is in this way, Mahänäma, that a lay follower is practicing
for his own welfare but not for the welfare of others. </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"In what way, Bhante, is a lay follower practicing for his own
welfare and </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for the welfare of others?" </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) "When, Mahänäma, a lay follower is himself accomplished in
faith and also encourages others to accomplish faith; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) when he is himself
accomplished in virtuous behavior and also encourages others to accomplish
virtuous behavior; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) when he is himself accomplished in generosity and also
encourages others to accomplish generosity; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4) when he himself wants </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">to see bhikkhus and also encourages others to see bhikkhus; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) when
he himself wants to hear the good Dhamma and also encourages others to hear the
good Dhamma; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(6) when he himself retains in mind the teachings he has heard and
also encourages others to retain the teachings in mind; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(7) when he himself
examines the meaning of the teachings that have been retained in </span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">mind and also encourages others to examine their meaning; </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">(8) when
he himself understands the meaning and the Dhamma and then practices in
accordance with the Dhamma, and also encourages others to practice in
accordance with the Dhamma: </span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2;">it is in this way, Mahänäma, that a lay follower is
practicing for his own welfare and also for the welfare of others. </span></div>
</div>
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com3Wellington, New Zealand-41.2864603 174.77623600000004-41.6685158 174.13078900000005 -40.9044048 175.42168300000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-39664974425645346122014-05-19T16:00:00.000+12:002015-06-07T14:45:53.994+12:00Four Kinds of Persons Adorn the Saṅgha<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Here is a discourse from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Numerical-Discourses-Buddha-Translation-Anguttara-ebook/dp/B009OFEYWM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400416207&sr=1-1&keywords=numerical+discourses+of+the+buddha">Anguttara Nikaya</a> (translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi) that explains how t</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">he word "Saṅgha" refers to more than just the community of monks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">AN 4.7 They Adorn</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">“Bhikkhus, these
four kinds of persons who are competent, disciplined, self-confident, learned,
experts on the Dhamma, practicing in
accordance with the Dhamma, adorn the Saṅgha. What four?</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(1) “A bhikkhu who
is competent, disciplined, self-confident, learned, an expert on the Dhamma,
practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, adorns the Saṅgha. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(2) A bhikkhuni who
is competent ... </span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(3) A male lay
follower who is competent ... </span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">(4) A female lay
follower who is competent, disciplined, self-confident, learned, an expert on
the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, adorns the Saṅgha.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Bhikkhus, these four
kinds of persons who are competent,
disciplined, self-confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma,
practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, adorn the Saṅgha.”</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">One
who is competent and self-confident,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">learned,
an expert on the Dhamma,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">practicing
in accord with the Dhamma,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">is
called an adornment of the Saṅgha.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">A
bhikkhu accomplished in virtue,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">a
learned bhikkhuni,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">a
male lay follower endowed with faith,</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">a
female lay follower endowed with faith:</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">these
are the ones that adorn the Saṅgha;</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">these
are the Saṅgha’s adornments.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note the phrasing of this discourse. The four kinds of persons are one thing and the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saṅgha is another thing. It seems that some persons, followers of the Buddha Dhamma, who are not so competent, not so disciplined and so forth, are still part of the </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saṅgha though not 'adornments'. A person becomes an adornment through greater alignment with the Dhamma. The more a person lives in accordance with the Dhamma, the more the Dhamma shines forth and the greater is their capacity to adorn the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saṅgha.</span></span></div>
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-25394865818658902212014-05-18T23:24:00.000+12:002014-05-18T23:24:24.691+12:00Book Review of The Kosambi Intrigue<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16107031-the-kosambi-intrigue" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="the kosambi intrigue" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355912934m/16107031.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16107031-the-kosambi-intrigue">the kosambi intrigue</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/199979.Susan_Carol_Stone">Susan Carol Stone</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/940609955">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
The Kosambi Intrigue is a rare historical fiction set during the lifetime of the Blessed One Gotama Buddha about 2500 years ago in India. The novel is set during the early period of the Blessed One's 55 year teaching career and uses the development of certain monastic rules and the writing of an early collection of discourses as plot devices. The book is easy to read and not technical. No prior knowledge of Buddhism or ancient India is required.<br />
<br />
Some of the elaborations of the Blessed One's intentions and thoughts did not accord with my understanding. I recognise that the author may have used this technique to help some readers relate to the fictionalised character who may otherwise seem god-like or super-human. <br />
<br />
This book may suit teens/young adult readers. It may also suit readers who are developing an interest in Buddhism who have found the early discourses solemn or obscure. This fictional account may help such readers develop a lively mental context for their Dharma studies.<br />
<br />
I recommend that readers who enjoyed this book may like to try: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/187167.Great_Disciples_of_the_Buddha__Their_Lives__Their_Works__Their_Legacy" title="Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy by Nyanaponika Thera">Great Disciples of the Buddha: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy</a>. This book contains short biographies of 24 disciples. A more difficult and yet rewarding book to read is <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/663516.The_Life_of_the_Buddha__According_to_the_Pali_Canon" title="The Life of the Buddha: According to the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Ñaṇamoli">The Life of the Buddha: According to the Pali Canon</a>.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/21548117-michael">View all my reviews</a>
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-68373878332926846752011-11-11T18:07:00.000+13:002011-11-12T05:51:20.530+13:00Back in Perth - new directions old directionsDear readers, I have been active with other priorities and not blogged much. Now that I'm busier, I'll <i>probably </i>blog more. I hope you enjoy the new blog page style. I updated my June post on Sri Lanka and added a lot of photos.<br />
<br />
I returned to Perth about 12 weeks ago. I applied for many jobs and finally accepted an interesting role starting on Monday, 14 November. In order to generate income for paying bills I usually work as a in government on social policy development and project management. I always find work though it can take about 2 months of applying. This time it took nearly 3 months...<br />
<br />
I enjoyed my recent trips to Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. On the first trip to Sri Lanka (3.5 weeks in June 2011) I stayed with Bhante Nyanatusita at the Forest Hermitage where I installed mosquito screens, door handles, and tidied up a storage area. Bhante and I also went on a 5 day tour of places north of Kandy. We hiked in forests and climbed hills. I really enjoyed visiting ancient monasteries at Ritigala and Kaluda Pokuna as well as several significant sites at Anuradhapura. I learned a lot from close association with Bhante and our Dhamma discussions. <br />
<br />
The second trip was only about 10 days and again mostly in Kandy working at the Forest Hermitage. Bhante and I installed a wifi antenna with lightning protection on the roof and significantly improved Bhante's Internet connection.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv8MFqzugyiQIfdBX3Xdp7CUf2A-wsDeXOTdP5wo1Mrjm84dtty9PZdaagULhNz31uduB2hEKERtM24EJs6vbAwCHhZ5Z9lKwuX3EN6m-rtqMSkqbcua0Yl-KC5kYj63cwKIGmLgt0Ng/s1600/Photo0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv8MFqzugyiQIfdBX3Xdp7CUf2A-wsDeXOTdP5wo1Mrjm84dtty9PZdaagULhNz31uduB2hEKERtM24EJs6vbAwCHhZ5Z9lKwuX3EN6m-rtqMSkqbcua0Yl-KC5kYj63cwKIGmLgt0Ng/s640/Photo0007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The detailed map located just past the main entry gate to Udawattakele, Kandy, Sri Lanka</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EOhtAI98t1_LXdcci3RsqwhtmQoPPjfgnga3frjmsyp0sLjwhV6ABu-FJTQr5O9Zkge7V1jidGfzPS4Q10hYDHjngEQpYHMt6aP6R-_vRp5Gv1Hli8kTEsPXDQYdbYbddvmvRkxqRKE/s1600/IMAG0868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EOhtAI98t1_LXdcci3RsqwhtmQoPPjfgnga3frjmsyp0sLjwhV6ABu-FJTQr5O9Zkge7V1jidGfzPS4Q10hYDHjngEQpYHMt6aP6R-_vRp5Gv1Hli8kTEsPXDQYdbYbddvmvRkxqRKE/s640/IMAG0868.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Old sign for the Forest Hermitage, Udawattakele, Kandy, Sri Lanka</span></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHhl27U_A0ezR_ps8TbkRsbuPIgjAyTua1uFRk6Jx0yGDHZUGw8FvwLEm1q7eYi1A_lICii4ye3ltAA_r_Kd0WrkuMD9E2ewH7tz3C_PoR7GjOrdn47Wr9rtsvRgeZKOC9Zs1VHg9KpU/s1600/Photo0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHhl27U_A0ezR_ps8TbkRsbuPIgjAyTua1uFRk6Jx0yGDHZUGw8FvwLEm1q7eYi1A_lICii4ye3ltAA_r_Kd0WrkuMD9E2ewH7tz3C_PoR7GjOrdn47Wr9rtsvRgeZKOC9Zs1VHg9KpU/s640/Photo0002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael made two mosquito screens with scrap wood and left over mesh at the Forest Hermitage in June 2011. These two screens were installed in the window frames of the outside kuti sometimes used by guest monks.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPqNEbm0JkcVYVXEplRmpVzeP0ji6ZgQ0E7vqVzZVJrSW8XQzJSU5yjZJopAFQAkP1TUq788bR7JnnU42YvAMI_f81BJ5qIj6i7h6oGZuV8xxqDznL2iKL_mz91-pdnnh5u27So6QQ4c/s1600/Photo0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPqNEbm0JkcVYVXEplRmpVzeP0ji6ZgQ0E7vqVzZVJrSW8XQzJSU5yjZJopAFQAkP1TUq788bR7JnnU42YvAMI_f81BJ5qIj6i7h6oGZuV8xxqDznL2iKL_mz91-pdnnh5u27So6QQ4c/s640/Photo0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Inside the outside kuti sometimes used by guest monks at the Forest Hermitage, Kandy, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ppPzC8rS-bCZb_jl5xjlbzD6341cKr-yhyphenhyphenf7liF7aYWPYNQDNl8wiv5qbxBWVW7qb0AZ3hyphenhyphenvQLerCwjCvfHdqCGGGZUucZI4Ux-eDt1L9iPszKYRWAYJL-hbSJ9nfZBJzgDS_YRjOPk/s1600/Photo0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ppPzC8rS-bCZb_jl5xjlbzD6341cKr-yhyphenhyphenf7liF7aYWPYNQDNl8wiv5qbxBWVW7qb0AZ3hyphenhyphenvQLerCwjCvfHdqCGGGZUucZI4Ux-eDt1L9iPszKYRWAYJL-hbSJ9nfZBJzgDS_YRjOPk/s640/Photo0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Shaded meditation walking path near outside kuti, Forest Hermitage, Kandy, Sri Lanka</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyOhk2hbCzK6denGQVUfL5zWdTVf7znYpIUq8TghyphenhyphenvtF4BDUeRZTQgBClQREfIe8U1TlT42y9R3JcZl2jGjYSfkqYYdtdmIxCZD-swdrL6mKcUZZli9zdFuEOLCdu6UQMTYyAGPMjJVc/s1600/IMAG0901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyOhk2hbCzK6denGQVUfL5zWdTVf7znYpIUq8TghyphenhyphenvtF4BDUeRZTQgBClQREfIe8U1TlT42y9R3JcZl2jGjYSfkqYYdtdmIxCZD-swdrL6mKcUZZli9zdFuEOLCdu6UQMTYyAGPMjJVc/s640/IMAG0901.jpg" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wifi antenna installed on the Forest Hermitage roof, 13 August 2011. It is not quite finished. After this photo we attached three metal pipes connecting the antenna pole to the solar panel frame. These connections were insulated to prevent any lightning current flowing between them. The green wire in the photo is an earth wire that leads from the lightning attractor above the antenna itself down to a lightning rod embedded in the ground. You can see the white plastic pipe protecting the wire from the antenna and entering a small hole in the roof tile.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJpACpXm0k0aHDyz0k7RhLeR3ed9eYWM5WK4BH3r4wzZtL70qd4RfoZeL-v_uO6WgcDwXbcl4C6976ItzSrxbpQznC0KQEkVO1fGJgmSJINp4qQcN_F2mYYMQnm899glje5xEm72zUg8/s1600/Photo0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJpACpXm0k0aHDyz0k7RhLeR3ed9eYWM5WK4BH3r4wzZtL70qd4RfoZeL-v_uO6WgcDwXbcl4C6976ItzSrxbpQznC0KQEkVO1fGJgmSJINp4qQcN_F2mYYMQnm899glje5xEm72zUg8/s640/Photo0107.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A new LED lamp for an existing socket at the Forest Hermitage, Kandy, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsDaqSY59e7j-uxbVHSDmDiMe3EDMMLq-T8zAp5arP8KT1vKp5xn3HMIJqN_KjEG3klS670_MHI8xs1fV2qhJGUwN_6Nfbup0gmhjj-q_HQDoG9heoVSrV6fE8-JeVhczc7iXlCqBmzk/s1600/Photo0077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsDaqSY59e7j-uxbVHSDmDiMe3EDMMLq-T8zAp5arP8KT1vKp5xn3HMIJqN_KjEG3klS670_MHI8xs1fV2qhJGUwN_6Nfbup0gmhjj-q_HQDoG9heoVSrV6fE8-JeVhczc7iXlCqBmzk/s640/Photo0077.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">New lamps, medicine and ARRID plugs for the 12 volt electrical solar powered system at the Forest Hermitage, Kandy, Sri Lanka, June 2012</span></td></tr>
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My second trip (10 days in August 2011) coincided with the Australian cricket team's tour of Sri Lanka which I had no interest in. It also coincided with the annual 10 day Perahera festival held in Kandy. I have little interest in colourful parades mainly because I don't like mixing with crowds of people. I saw parts of the parade when I was in town shopping for items to install the wifi antenna. The parade is very popular among Sri Lankan people.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV53hKq6uIE2BX-ef-dsoSGz8fYkJRgxIYbW1XeZJbvYeZWj-0Y_igX7Yyg8HD5bx5GdXbgr4Oznu_QPm6oAPbNzT2BpN0mF3DDmv7dqTuggs48S92RxU6XBHs5IZ29rTbwNx81torN0/s1600/Mic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCV53hKq6uIE2BX-ef-dsoSGz8fYkJRgxIYbW1XeZJbvYeZWj-0Y_igX7Yyg8HD5bx5GdXbgr4Oznu_QPm6oAPbNzT2BpN0mF3DDmv7dqTuggs48S92RxU6XBHs5IZ29rTbwNx81torN0/s640/Mic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Michael & an elephant at the forecourt of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 10 August 2011 (photo taken by Ven. Nyanatusita)</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Corner of Dalada Veediya and Yatinuvara </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Veediya, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 13 August 2011. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">People were sitting on plastic sheets on the pavements waiting for the Perahera festival parade so pedestians had to walk on the roads to get around. </span></span></td></tr>
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My trip to the United Kingdom was my first trip to the mother country since 1974. Except for my own two children, all other members of my Australian family (two parents and three siblings) had visited more recently and some have visited many times. I had a mild case of culture shock when I first arrived at Heathrow Airport and then spent my first week mostly in Wittering (near Chichester), Sussex. The weather was sunny and warm almost the whole time I was in the UK, even in Scotland. I then went to Telford in Shropshire; Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland; and then Beverley, Hull and Polkington in Yorkshire. I visited most but not all of my UK relations. I was warmly welcomed by all and I learned a lot about family history.</div>
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This trip to Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom was part of my exploration of ways to live a spiritual life as a lay man. I validated this approach and am very confident that this is the right thing <b>for me</b> to do it (not saying this is the right thing for everyone). In previous blog posts I wrote about getting stuck at the same point during Mahasi method vipassana meditation retreats. Since January 2010 I changed my primary meditation practice to samatha though I am still doing satipaathana (mindfulness of body, feelings, mind and dhamma; it has always been a combination of samatha and vipassana).<br />
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Some might say that I have not tried hard enough. I am not keen on metaphorically bashing my head on a brick wall. I believe the path is gradual and gentle. I think the right amount of viriya-energy arises with the right amount of samaadhi-concentration. An imbalance in the faculties is an obstacle.<br />
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On these two recent trips to Sri Lanka I kept precepts and offered items and service to the Sangha that stays at the Forest Hermitage.I also participated in Dhamma discussions with Bhante and others. I listened to and read Dhamma. Although positive and wholesome, these good deeds maybe less important or virtuous than bhavanaa-mental development through vipassana and samatha. However, the importance of developing samaadi.t.thi-Right View cannot be overstated. Dhamma discussion, hearing the Dhamma and asking pertient questions are all excellent ways of developing and supporting Samaadi.t.thi.<br />
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<br />Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0Kandy, Sri Lanka7.284459 80.6374597.221457 80.558495000000008 7.347461 80.716423tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-66917772351159137042011-06-24T00:48:00.000+12:002011-11-12T05:47:32.613+13:00Quick tour - Ritigala, Anuradhapura, Mahintale, Dambulla<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Sri Lanka, June 2011</b></div>
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On Friday last week, Ven. Nyanatusita and I took a bus from Kandy to Matale and visited the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluvihare_Rock_Temple">Aluvihare Rock Temple</a>. There were some interesting paintings and caves converted into small buildings. Many Sri Lankan pilgrims and a few foreign tourists were walking around.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6VAzPMbMN-yTqkhxMn8ma5M9kHSzor3t1-zpq0gqnMPYmyzYi9RUlkoe_Nc4A-17GGxQfwze-QqXdJqwwQ0WR-RsNRhb72aBpfVfBG9LOWsA-bzbtOBbsyRF2nzY1nnELKmDMD6-MeQ/s1600/Photo0014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6VAzPMbMN-yTqkhxMn8ma5M9kHSzor3t1-zpq0gqnMPYmyzYi9RUlkoe_Nc4A-17GGxQfwze-QqXdJqwwQ0WR-RsNRhb72aBpfVfBG9LOWsA-bzbtOBbsyRF2nzY1nnELKmDMD6-MeQ/s640/Photo0014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A view looking West from the main gate up the hill toward the Aluvihare Rock Temple, near Matale, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A view looking east at a courtyard between boulders at the Aluvihare Rock Temple, near Matale, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael near a moustached lion figure at the Aluvihare Rock Temple, near Matale, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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After walking around, we ate lunch and then took a bus north to Dambulla where we thought we might be able to climb the hill to see the cave paintings. We arrived around 2pm in the hottest part of the day. There were many pilgrims perhaps returning from the Poson Poya (possibly the most significant uposatha day in Sri Lanka - Thursday, 16 June 2011) celebrations in Anuradhapura and Mahintale. We heard a report that there were over 5000 Sri Lankan Police Officers mobilized to monitor over 1,000,000 pilgrims. We decided to visit the Dambulla caves another day and walked across the road to drink tea at the "Tourist Welfare Center".<br />
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We then rode a three-wheeler towards <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigiriya">Sigiriya</a> stopping at a national park where we walked around inspecting the remains of an ancient meditation monastery. I was very impressed with this place. It was quite overgrown in many parts and the paths not clear. We explored many old cave sites and found evidence of kutis being built hanging between large boulders. I felt inspired and imagined the ancient Sangha living on the site possibly over many hundreds of years. After 2-3 hours we got back in the three-wheeler and continued on to the Pidurangala Temple located at the base of a large granite hill 800m north of the more famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigiriya">Sigiriya</a>. The young <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirivena">pirivena</a> monks allowed us to stay the night in the dusty local village headman's office including an ensuite occupied by many varieties of local frogs.<br />
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On Saturday morning, we climbed the stairs to view various cave kutis (meditation huts) and ruins. Unfortunately none of the kutis were occupied. Though looking well built on the outside, the kutis stank of bat faeces and needed repairs. We doubted any meditation monks would like to live there now because of the steady traffic of curious tourists and pilgrims walking by. We climbed up the hill and through some boulder strewn areas to reach the flat peak. I didn't see the easy way at first and took a rather dangerous and steep climb with no supports. We passed a young English woman on the way up who also later climbed the hard way. After a false start, I expressed respect for mutual bravery. Shortly afterwards some Sri Lankan people and more foreigners arrived (the easy way). The top of the hill is spectacular. The winds were gusting strongly and could be dangerous for people near the edges. There are no railings so visitors must take care. It is best to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the day. The rock would become very hot. We could see nearby Sigiriya and in the distance also see the hill with the Dambulla cave temple.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVCIGPtNRQc/Tr1H3nsD1tI/AAAAAAAABDE/-y7h9NRR5Ag/s1600/P1200674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVCIGPtNRQc/Tr1H3nsD1tI/AAAAAAAABDE/-y7h9NRR5Ag/s640/P1200674.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A restored reclining Buddha statue at the ancient ruins of a monastery near Sigira, Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A view looking south at the ancient ruins of a monastery near Sigira, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A view west at a modern Buddha statue at a monastery near Sigira, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A view looking north at a monastery near Sigira, Sri Lanka, June 2011. The kuti under the rock in the photo was built over 20 years ago and abandoned. It is now inhabited by bats.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFH4oZSvejEUVATL3UwvLK4SSvdy4LzKiHh5q4lnmGxig5Q-fO0NYRbxZUF_gCsF6LHhOvCayeJs0p2R0KM9BucsIpp_xnD-k4agoNjt2WKwt3vAWDqgTx1dzfROzLPyH0Q0w85641OIU/s1600/Photo0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFH4oZSvejEUVATL3UwvLK4SSvdy4LzKiHh5q4lnmGxig5Q-fO0NYRbxZUF_gCsF6LHhOvCayeJs0p2R0KM9BucsIpp_xnD-k4agoNjt2WKwt3vAWDqgTx1dzfROzLPyH0Q0w85641OIU/s640/Photo0037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A view looking northwest at the ancient ruins of a monastery near Sigira, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAnnD3QA9aKwqBkaDy4wXKYQINdYxFWtjtk9Eotx2SOE19M3bytbtLPYBC6bQ-Y8_PT3CdsdzFpf4WWUdNAXtZFf44Xq9b0vq3v3Lc-e6J5ZbsVr7CijAaVI-AJkmHSDT9l_dIIfzEOw/s1600/Photo0040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAnnD3QA9aKwqBkaDy4wXKYQINdYxFWtjtk9Eotx2SOE19M3bytbtLPYBC6bQ-Y8_PT3CdsdzFpf4WWUdNAXtZFf44Xq9b0vq3v3Lc-e6J5ZbsVr7CijAaVI-AJkmHSDT9l_dIIfzEOw/s640/Photo0040.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The central buildings of a monastery near </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ritigala, Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The building on the left is used as a dining hall and is built under a large boulder.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael climbing the hill where the stupa was being constructed at Ritigala, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael climbing between boulders on the hill where the stupa was being constructed at Ritigala, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A makeshift ladder near the top of a hill where the local Ritigala monks wanted to build a stupa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael feeling rather nervous after getting off the ladder near the top of a hill where the local Ritigala monks wanted to build a stupa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The top of a hill where the local Ritigala monks wanted to build a stupa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael near the top of a hill where the local Ritigala monks wanted to build a stupa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A rough path on the side of the hill where the local Ritigala monks wanted to build a stupa</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. This section of the path is relatively easy to walk on.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael scrambling down the hill where the stupa was being constructed at Ritigala, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span><br />
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Sunday , Amarvarti, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Abhayagiri Vihara, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Abhayagiri stupa, Great Stupa</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Monday </span>Anuradhapura <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Mahabodhi tree, </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some ruins at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abhayagiri monastery</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anuradhapura,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some ruins at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abhayagiri monastery</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anuradhapura,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dsMfof639zo1M6zdBPrMdVUMBTjE23s1U9m_B6dCgEdk8I9GaYXn6lsA4A2hngq-8PG8K1wISqEV8UBKa-GW_k9_1JFVUxnXjJGyk2aC21ri5Fnbd-AvqmV-3v-iqbNB0OSRQ5igbIs/s1600/Photo0097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dsMfof639zo1M6zdBPrMdVUMBTjE23s1U9m_B6dCgEdk8I9GaYXn6lsA4A2hngq-8PG8K1wISqEV8UBKa-GW_k9_1JFVUxnXjJGyk2aC21ri5Fnbd-AvqmV-3v-iqbNB0OSRQ5igbIs/s640/Photo0097.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some ruins at </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abhayagiri monastery</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anuradhapura,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XWyM482TmcZ-NzFFIRAopvnYQ0kiNCdAlCOMdkMzztZZquFrFV3O28tv1dQhOuIih_Eb-V0FHssGYhDs56lSXESQpR1e0iOuaZEE9lHV9vrCzFzKfXo323u_GK5cNhKA4vZm1jSO9rM/s1600/Photo0103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XWyM482TmcZ-NzFFIRAopvnYQ0kiNCdAlCOMdkMzztZZquFrFV3O28tv1dQhOuIih_Eb-V0FHssGYhDs56lSXESQpR1e0iOuaZEE9lHV9vrCzFzKfXo323u_GK5cNhKA4vZm1jSO9rM/s640/Photo0103.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The restored elephant tank at the ruins of Abhayagiri monastery, Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSA6TDSSAGywmrSU7GkK61pt-LeC3xweQ9so6v4f-WPq8VqxI-v-7Y8_x94q5oyd4o_-ujAbOxhPUfZDDlzOP53-Npe_nFqeZ2xytm9ojJL62CHCm715LTPZg7PHkFkxEqxem-Lb_tdw/s1600/P1200785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSA6TDSSAGywmrSU7GkK61pt-LeC3xweQ9so6v4f-WPq8VqxI-v-7Y8_x94q5oyd4o_-ujAbOxhPUfZDDlzOP53-Npe_nFqeZ2xytm9ojJL62CHCm715LTPZg7PHkFkxEqxem-Lb_tdw/s640/P1200785.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Restoration work at the Abhayagiri stupa, Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. There are probably 30-40 monkeys not quite visible in this photo, climbing around the framework and making a lot of noise.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnxA28rJkqfCJ4SOvRcAbOo-teHJk3k0GQBb4ymgIHAnzPcrIT9pN6An1anT7igSYSqDgDUtlfCw-OvMrMtXIyVqNrWI6NmI2T1ATQp9yg8A1AJOY992nIpcHq-XgzTfloPXfjlTkbvk/s1600/P1200798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnxA28rJkqfCJ4SOvRcAbOo-teHJk3k0GQBb4ymgIHAnzPcrIT9pN6An1anT7igSYSqDgDUtlfCw-OvMrMtXIyVqNrWI6NmI2T1ATQp9yg8A1AJOY992nIpcHq-XgzTfloPXfjlTkbvk/s640/P1200798.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Restoration work at the Abhayagiri stupa, Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VsjQy2nHDALIzfiW69ip4H8K3VawmXsnxNeI1xBtBF2156Y453UPSIqeZmqEX7bQcPo2FiQAwn9TBjWp8665gik8neORAlBi1ktRy_bJOns-1emnCD9i0xiBhKAWi4f7lBPVrlhyJoA/s1600/P1200801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VsjQy2nHDALIzfiW69ip4H8K3VawmXsnxNeI1xBtBF2156Y453UPSIqeZmqEX7bQcPo2FiQAwn9TBjWp8665gik8neORAlBi1ktRy_bJOns-1emnCD9i0xiBhKAWi4f7lBPVrlhyJoA/s640/P1200801.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Great Stupa at night, Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011. Michael sensed something very special about this stupa.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY8inId9Ezo6RYP2D_zfcE8NhiUU_I1Ksdh74oBMe0PWr2PECuiWtXrP8i9CkXWz6HTNudWgKRQzqn-Mstksz4oQkTqlnXXqJlMX_9p5Gm-PvkUHyQbVZkqNgjEyhUEMe8TEyAIrJgSs/s1600/P1200815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY8inId9Ezo6RYP2D_zfcE8NhiUU_I1Ksdh74oBMe0PWr2PECuiWtXrP8i9CkXWz6HTNudWgKRQzqn-Mstksz4oQkTqlnXXqJlMX_9p5Gm-PvkUHyQbVZkqNgjEyhUEMe8TEyAIrJgSs/s640/P1200815.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Looking north towards the Great Stupa, Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7oa7d1JFEfruS-ugU3pFWqJLuGQKvyh-MD3e-zxIA3CB8r05UbpGhvVau31oZTLtw3AVjIHqpZtJOiEwSdY9q9rSp7vxBcmoETCb04AfEvS-47dUbxImTix8JnIt08cJ7ko62T66bzw/s1600/P1200811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7oa7d1JFEfruS-ugU3pFWqJLuGQKvyh-MD3e-zxIA3CB8r05UbpGhvVau31oZTLtw3AVjIHqpZtJOiEwSdY9q9rSp7vxBcmoETCb04AfEvS-47dUbxImTix8JnIt08cJ7ko62T66bzw/s640/P1200811.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A water catchment "tank" near the Great Stupa at Anuradhapura</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntQU3cKB2At2swLu0fSvTpgXlkBJT8dajQHDeKQjmRJDdZmZcM4TJH0z2NZNr-ruKE0H6pGEJK0lbodQgXNLbsAZ_j7EJSCR_8FhUdu4pU1FVTExwrTrRCjB48YKbNc0mlwhRB0vEt3Y/s1600/P1200817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntQU3cKB2At2swLu0fSvTpgXlkBJT8dajQHDeKQjmRJDdZmZcM4TJH0z2NZNr-ruKE0H6pGEJK0lbodQgXNLbsAZ_j7EJSCR_8FhUdu4pU1FVTExwrTrRCjB48YKbNc0mlwhRB0vEt3Y/s640/P1200817.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kaludiya Pokuna, Mahintale</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Sri Lanka, June 2011</span></td></tr>
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I got safely back to Kandy last night (Wednesday) around 9pm. The 100km ride from Dambulla at night was thrilling. The fare was about 60 cents each with front seats to a rally car race in which out bus was participating. I've done it before in Thailand but this was perhaps more intense. I just let it happen and enjoyed the ride and the psychedelic light show above the dashboard glorifying various Buddhist and Hindu deities. Many cyclists with no lights and chaotic traffic weaving in and out, sudden stops and turns. Bald tires, soft suspension and bouncy seats set to a sound track of falsetto vocals and deep bass drums etc. At the second last town the bus filled beyond capacity and I had to keep my arms out to stop people sitting or falling on me. All a memory now.<br />
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I'm flying to London on Monday 27 June. Not long now. I've been sort of preparing by downloading travel guides for England and Scotland and even reading the text of Macbeth which I hope to see performed at Stratford Upon Avon sometime in July or August.<br />
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Maybe England first in early to mid July and then Scotland in late July-August.<br />
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Note: I didn't get around to writing this posting in as much detail as I'd planned.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0Udawattekele National Forest Reserve, Kandy, Sri Lanka7.3033026600825295 80.64213715246587.2954141600825295 80.636941652465808 7.3111911600825294 80.6473326524658tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-35061331710734884262011-06-08T18:34:00.000+12:002011-06-08T18:34:04.480+12:00Forest Hermitage, KandyI feel privileged to visit the Forest Hermitage. This is an historical place for Western Buddhists and where Ven. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyanaponika_Thera">Nyanaponika </a>and Ven. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu_Bodhi">Bhikkhu Bodhi</a> both lived and worked for many years. Ven. Nyanatusita is very kind and patient with me. He showed me around and answered all my Dhamma questions and questions about daily life. Bhante is a very intelligent and practical man who works very hard for the <a href="http://www.bps.lk/">Buddhist Publication Society</a>. I encourage all readers to visit the BPS website and download the collections that are free or at low cost.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUM_rmi3EkAUUr6MggZY0wveo4c-GBiiEBVIAtm5-2ZKUSuTa0dNeoNdTA_vmb9aw78bs3Pmaa8zbQK6p84pGnp-5ljry83VNa4gyhTjszh3-w8kJrGwXrmJxCH-CgR5QkzxWFUkQEnk/s1600/Photo0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUM_rmi3EkAUUr6MggZY0wveo4c-GBiiEBVIAtm5-2ZKUSuTa0dNeoNdTA_vmb9aw78bs3Pmaa8zbQK6p84pGnp-5ljry83VNa4gyhTjszh3-w8kJrGwXrmJxCH-CgR5QkzxWFUkQEnk/s640/Photo0013.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Forest Hermitage, Udawattekelle, Kandy Sri Lanka, 7 June 2011<br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-pbLWg8GEJWscPQ8UvunodYxf46A91pe03H6lCbV-jUGL8DKtOWd0zjXcT2jfV2MgwPRlPnDBsKz3RgD3gFKJ4tckaHtF5lSAmepcm3Os3ux7324FwxMiSosjIpj4VMGoI8Pny4ETKY/s1600/Photo0057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-pbLWg8GEJWscPQ8UvunodYxf46A91pe03H6lCbV-jUGL8DKtOWd0zjXcT2jfV2MgwPRlPnDBsKz3RgD3gFKJ4tckaHtF5lSAmepcm3Os3ux7324FwxMiSosjIpj4VMGoI8Pny4ETKY/s640/Photo0057.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">MK relflected in the window of the FH, 7 June 2011</span></div><br />
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There are two cats also living at the FH and I have a mild allergic reaction to them manifested by sneezing and itchy skin.<br />
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Bhante allowed me to read an early proof copy of the forthcoming complete translation of the Anguttara Nikaya by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. I didn't read it cover to cover and there were bits missing even as it was. I was able to read many sutta that had puzzled me while reading Woodward 100 plus year old English translation published by the Pali Text Society. Excellent work Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi!<br />
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I met a young German and a young Austrian monk staying in the monastic compound next to the FH. There is also a kind Sri Lankan lay man working as caretaker at FH. Ven. Nyanatusita, the Austrian monk and I rode in a three-wheeler driven by Nihal (excellent driver and enthusiastic monastery sponsor) from FH to one of 3 (or more) monasteries at Hantana (a hilly district adjoining Kandy) to visit Ven.Subhuti, a US monk. This monastery is about 800m above sea level and located on the site of an old tea estate. It feels remote, despite being only 20 minutes from downtown Kandy. There are many poor Tamil tea workers/families living on the slopes around the monastery. Ven. Subhuti usually stays at Na Uyana Aranya. Nihal had to return to Kandy by 4:30pm. I plan to visit Ven. Subhuti again this afternoon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircAg8zNWznWSOfVCHdHJTpFQoLJBEdQwJUWpb-VMCBNpJXvKhVaOxZ5lJDqCqUa1KfTQZwgVXtsuOGlPLfXEpcvmCmBYuvxkSpW5ibkJ_nkcYpjZOjIH_wRA69zOj9eDpFjRN8ff_u-U/s1600/Photo0105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircAg8zNWznWSOfVCHdHJTpFQoLJBEdQwJUWpb-VMCBNpJXvKhVaOxZ5lJDqCqUa1KfTQZwgVXtsuOGlPLfXEpcvmCmBYuvxkSpW5ibkJ_nkcYpjZOjIH_wRA69zOj9eDpFjRN8ff_u-U/s640/Photo0105.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Bhikkhu Subhuti (left) and Bhikkhu Nyanatusita (right) standing on the precarious balcony of the kuti at Hantana where Ven. Subhuti is staying, 7 June 2011</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXjmbp6TbpnO_u4GZcETCzsnCoIjjwBt2J2tNr0B2YFbbLXQyJ4t1-s456tOiiZiXh0c6OGLnG3qO4vnqIaUYEuZpT58q_2D8-LAiloH-QTWPn-qyMcUeIYX4427qv_XgWOnjWLWA6fM/s1600/Photo0104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXjmbp6TbpnO_u4GZcETCzsnCoIjjwBt2J2tNr0B2YFbbLXQyJ4t1-s456tOiiZiXh0c6OGLnG3qO4vnqIaUYEuZpT58q_2D8-LAiloH-QTWPn-qyMcUeIYX4427qv_XgWOnjWLWA6fM/s640/Photo0104.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Three Bhikkhus approaching the kuti at Hantana where Ven. Subhuti is staying, 7 June 2011</span></div><br />
My lower back has been painful for the past few days. I think it is due to the travel. I won't let it stop me though. As with all physical pain, if we focus our attention on the painful spot(s), we can notice how it constantly changes. What changes is suffering, whatever is suffering is not me, not I, not mine. We let go of whatever is not ours. Then there is release, freedom and liberation.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-10161214991777502892011-06-06T18:43:00.001+12:002011-06-08T16:45:03.834+12:00Perth to KandyI left Perth on Tiger Airline on Friday night arriving in Singapore at about 3am Saturday, 4 June 2011. I then flew Tiger to KL arriving about 7:30am. I then learned that Tiger lands at the Budget terminal which is 20-30 minutes drive from the KL International terminal. My Sri Lankan Airline flight from KL to Colombo was due to leave at 9:20 am, so I missed it. They close the check in counters one hour before the flight because the check-in counter is about 20 minutes away from the boarding gate - even including the free light rail that transports passengers around the vast KL International Airport. The KLIA is impressive for its size and high-tech facilities, however, the signage and lack of information about these logistical matters is a negative. Sri Lankan Airlines should have some note on their e-ticket about the counters closing 1 hour before flight and maybe something about warning passengers who may be connecting from the KL budget airport.<br />
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From what I saw, the KL budget airport might just as well have been called Air Aisa Airport since Air Asia dominates so much. The access to taxis was difficult. There seems to be no consideration for passengers such as myself who might be going to the KLIA. Buses between terminals depart about every 20 minutes and I just missed one so I was obliged to take a taxi. However, you need to go to a special counter, through a police checkpoint just to get a taxi voucher. The taxi voucher counter didn't accept any currency except Malaysian Ringits. I didn't have enough MR so I had to go back out through the police checkpoint and find a currency exchange service, wait in the queue and accept an exorbitant exchange rate, go back through the police checkpoint to the taxi counter, back out through the police check point and cross a busy road to find the taxi rank. The taxi had a very small boot so no-one's normal size luggage would fit in it. The driver then puts on an act about my luggage and then puts it on the back seat. To his credit, he did driver rather quickly to try and get me to the KLIA on time for my Sri Lankan Airline check-in. He dropped me at the wrong end of the terminal (he wasn't to know - not his fault) so I ran pushing my trolley loaded with luggage from one end of the terminal to the other, only to find the area completely unstaffed - too late!<br />
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I then found where the Sri Lankan Airline office is located and pushed my trolley up there. I waited for about 30-40 minutes in the empty corridor outside the office and then wrote a note to stick on their door while I wandered off to find a toilet and some refreshments. I enjoyed some noodles and sambal washed down with coffee. I went back and waited in the corridor doing pacing up and down for exercise - no where to sit except the floor. Then about 10:30 the Sri Lankan Airline officers arrived at their office. The lady was very helpful and arranged for me to go on the next flight leaving at 2pm, but going via Singapore. I was relieved.<br />
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So I passed time and ate a delicious murtabak ayam (pancake stuffed with curried chicken) and drank tea and juice for lunch. My seat on the SLA flight was 67G which is right next to the toilet on the last row. The leg room was relatively cramped due to some device on the floor. Many passengers were Indians returning from holidays in Malaysia - some kind of package tour that included a one night stay over in Colombo. Many were rude to the crew and made many demands. Unfortunately there did not seem to be enough vegetarian meals provided by the catering company so some Indian men became very upset. I felt sorry for the SLA crew. Then the captain announced that for some unknown reason, Changi Airport (Singapore) was only using one runway and our flight was obliged to fly in circles around Singapore in a queue waiting to land. We all had to get off the plane in Singapore and wait for 30-40 minutes to board again. After boarding we waited another 30-40 minutes in our seats to get permission to take off. I suppose all these delays might have aggravated passenger moods. So finally we arrived in Colombo at 7pm - two hours after the scheduled time for that flight and 9 hours after my planned time of arrival (10am).<br />
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I got a taxi to my hotel in Negombo and after checking in, went out to buy a Sri Lankan SIM card for my mobile - success. However, when I tried it out, I found my phone is locked to Telstra and the Norton security software also prevented me from changing the SIM. I forgot to disable that before I left Australia. Now I need a new phone.<br />
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After a cold shower (no hot water at the A$78 per night hotel - don't go there - Rani Beach Resort) and lots of water, I spent some time horizontal for the first time in over 24 hours. I woke refreshed, packed my stuff and ate some included breakfast within sight of the Indian Ocean. It was lovely. I then got in a three wheeler to the Negombo bus station and found that there are no air conditioned buses to Kandy. In retrospect, I could have gone to Colombo to take the train or an AC bus to Kandy, or I might have found an AC bus to Kurunegala, get off and get a different AC bus on to Kandy. I just wanted to keep moving so I got on the non-AC bus. I managed to buy three front seats (111 SL rupees each = about A$1 or about 65 British pence) just behind the driver that are normally reserved for clergy. I took a risk that if a monk boarded, I'd have to relinquish my seat (even though paid for). I pushed my luggage onto the window seat and sat comfortably on the other two seats for about 1 hour while the bus was not full. Later when many passengers boarded and I felt guilty for having pregnant women, old men and children standing in the narrow aisle, I invited a woman to sit down next to me while I squashed in next to my luggage. The woman spoke English and we had a brief conversation. She actually worked at the airport. She was fascinated by my Kindle e-book reader and I showed it off to her. She showed me a book by Ajahn Sumedho "Now is the Knowing". I told her how I'd met Ajahn Sumedho in Bangkok and in Perth many years ago. She seemed pleased to meet a non-Sri Lankan Buddhist. As soon as she got off, another lady sat down for the remainder of the trip to Kandy.<br />
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Kandy was warm and humid but not excessively so. I found a three wheeler to take me to the Buddhist Publication Society BPS bookshop but found it closed on Sunday, so I went straight on to Mrs Clement Disanayake's guest house where I had stayed several times when I was in SL last year. Without a booking, she welcomed me. She had no other guests. She is a lovely 72 yo widow. We chatted about our lives in during the past year I'd been in Australia. I noted that I left Sri Lanka around 19 May 2010 and now returned 4 June 2011, just over one year away. With Mrs Disanayake's recommendation, I found Mr Nimal Pieris at Tele-pix on Perideniaya Road, a much awarded SL businessman who promptly sold me a Samsung touch phone which may have been once destined for the Polish market judging by the language of the instruction booklet). Anyhow, the phone works fine. I finally phoned Mum to reassure her that I arrived safe and well.<br />
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[Mrs Clement Disanayake's guest house is listed in the Lonely Planet and possibly Rough Guide books for Sri Lanka - recommended]<br />
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I ate a good Sri Lankan curry meal as lunch at one of the Devon restaurants for less than A$5. I didn't need dinner after that. I chatted more with Mrs Disanayake, showered and slept early. There is a 2.5 hour time difference with Perth. (6pm Sri Lanka is 8:30pm Perth).<br />
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This morning after a pile of toast, eggs, jam, bananas, herb rice porridge and 3 cups of tea for breakfast :) I went down to the BPS book shop which opens at 9am. There I spoke with Berty who remembers me. He is very charming and operates the till in the shop.<br />
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I am donating some items to the Sangha of the Forest Hermitage lead by Ven. Nyanatusita Bhikkhu. The box is a little bulky but not heavy - about 10 kg or less. Berty and his colleagues at the BPS shop phoned Ven. Nyanatusita and we have agreed that the BPS van will transport the fridge and me to the Forest Hermitage which is in the middle of the Udawattekelle bird sanctuary. Usually entry fee is 600 rupees but if visiting the Hermitage, this can be waived if you are carrying an official letter provided by the BPS. On the other hand, providing money for the maintenance of the bird sanctuary is a good thing.<br />
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I will stay overnight at the Forest Hermitage for a while. I am looking forward to some Dhamma talks with Ven. Nyanatusita.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-74146684435866573322011-06-01T13:30:00.003+12:002011-06-01T14:36:53.550+12:00Going to Sri Lanka and United KingdomMy last job finished on Friday, 27 May 2011 and with no other employment in the near future, I decided to fly to Sri Lanka to visit sacred places I haven't been before and then visit relatives in the United Kingdom. I might stop in Bangkok to see friends while returning to Perth. This trip is a tour and not for meditation.<br />
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I depart this Friday, 3 June, arriving in Sri Lanka on Saturday 4 June. I may stay overnight at Negombo before taking a bus to Kandy. I plan to visit Ven. Nyanatusita at the Forest Hermitage for a few days and then visit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na_Uyana_Aranya">Na Uyana Aranya</a> to pay respects to monastics. I may not stay overnight there though. Then I might go on to Matale to see the Aluvihara and to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuradhapura">Anuradhapura </a>to pay respects to the ancient Bodhi tree, stupas and various ruins.<br />
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I shall continue to blog my travels and post photos.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-51370379764005132172011-03-14T02:04:00.000+13:002014-12-28T11:19:10.579+13:00Ageing and death - urgently practice the Dhamma<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There have been a few disasters happening recently. I have been feeling a bit low on energy for spiritual practice while being distracted by worldly matters. I noticed some friends were also struggling. It is timely to develop a sense of urgency for Dhamma practice. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>SN3.25 The Simile of the Mountain in the Kosalasa.myutta</b></span><br />
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The whole sutta translated by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu may be read here:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.025.than.html">http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.025.than.html</a> </span><br />
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I have pasted just the verses from the end of the sutta which convey the message very clearly.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Like massive boulders,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">mountains pressing against the sky,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">moving in from all sides,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">crushing the four directions,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>so aging and death</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">come rolling over living beings:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">noble warriors, priests, merchants,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">workers, outcastes, & scavengers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">They spare nothing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">They trample everything.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Here elephant troops can hold no ground,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">nor can chariots or infantry,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">nor can a battle of wits</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">or wealth win out.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">So a wise person,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">seeing his own good,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">steadfast, secures confidence</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">in the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">One who practices the Dhamma</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">in thought, word, & deed,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">receives praise here on earth</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">and after death rejoices in heaven.</span><br />
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The complete sutta outlines a conversation between Lord Buddha and King Pasenadi of Kosala and uses a metaphor of massive mountains rolling in from the four cardinal directions, crushing and killing all living beings in their path as they roll towards you. The idea is that death is inevitable to everyone regardless of their background - rich and poor. King Pasenadi is a confident Buddhist and understands that even though he is a powerful king, he may not resort to his usual remedies such as military forces, his diplomats or bribes. Just like four rolling mountains, death and ageing are relentlessly powerful and cannot be defeated by material resources. <br />
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The solution to this dilemma is to establish confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and then to practice the Dhamma in thought, word and deed. This much will achieve a happy rebirth in a heavenly realm though death and ageing are still not defeated. <br />
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Although this sutta doesn't go as far as explaining the way to defeat death and ageing - the Noble Eightfold Path, the sutta is very good for stimulating spiritual urgency and reminding Buddhists to practice the Dhamma in thought, word and deed. <br />
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Although a heavenly rebirth may be pleasant and relatively long-lived, it is also temporary. Eventually, even the devas must die and take rebirth in any of the various realms (hells, ghost, animal, human, heavens, and brahma realms) depending on their kamma. Without the Noble Eightfold Path, the cycle of rebirths will continue, on and on - Sa.msaara.<br />
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This reminds me of the story of Lord Buddha's younger brother, <b>Prince Nanda</b>. This is a well known story about the young prince about to be married to a beautiful woman. Lord Buddha took Prince Nanda on a quick tour of one of the heavenly realms. Nanda agreed that the deva ladies were many times more beautiful than his human <span class="st">fiancée</span>. Lord Buddha then motivated Nanda to ordain as a bhikkhu and initially aspire to a heavenly rebirth so Nanda could be with the lovely deva ladies. Nanda then abandoned his <span class="st">fiancée </span>and ordained. As a bhikkhu practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, he matured spiritually and found that this aspiration for a heavenly rebirth was too low. He then abandoned his desire for deva ladies and any further rebirth in heaven or elsewhere by attaining Nibbaana. You may read the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.3.02.than.html">Nanda Sutta</a> translated by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu for the full story.<br />
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For those of us who come to Buddhism in this human realm and struggle to practice the Dhamma to the extent of attaining Nibbanna, we may be consoled by the thought of a heavenly rebirth. It appears that unlike most humans, devas are usually able to remember a few past lives and will probably associate with Buddhist devas who will encourage the newly arrived deva to practice the Dhamma. There are likely to be a great number of Buddhist devas who can teach the Dhamma. Readers interested in this topic may enjoy reading an early blog posting "<a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/if-you-pentetratively-study-dhamma-but.html">If you pentetratively study the Dhamma but die confused</a>". <br />
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May all beings develop the Noble Eightfold Path and realise Nibbaana.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-60009093118919090602011-02-18T05:01:00.375+13:002018-05-14T01:33:09.686+12:00Bojjha'nga - Seven Factors of Awakening<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
This is one of my favourite themes in the suttas. The Bojjha'nga show a progression of dependence in various wholesome states arising from attending to bhikkhus who are accomplished in virtue, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation. I believe it is also possible to do this in our imaginations in a virtual way. We can study the Dhamma and imagine visiting an accomplished bhikkhu. We can record ourselves or others reading profound suttas and then later prepare a sacred moment to listen respectfully, with wise attention. Of course if your do have convenient access to an accomplished bhikkhu-monk or bhikkhuni-nun, then you are very fortunate... </div>
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<a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Gt0QAQAAIAAJ" style="color: purple; font-weight: bold;">Sa.myuttanikaaya</a><b> </b><span style="color: black;"> translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;"> </span><b style="color: purple;"><br />
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<b>S46.1 </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>The Himalayas </b></span><br />
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At Saavattii. "Bhikkhus, based upon the Himalayas, the king of mountains, the naagas [dragons] nurture their bodies and acquire strength. When they have matured their bodies and acquired strength, they then enter the pools. From the pools they enter the lakes, then the streams, then the rivers, and finally they enter the ocean. There they achieve greatness and expansiveness of body. So too bhikkhus, <b>based on virtue</b>, established upon virtue, a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the seven factors of awakening, and thereby he achieves greatness and expansiveness in [wholesome] states...</div>
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<b>S46.3</b> <b>Virtue</b><br />
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"Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who are</div>
</div>
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accomplished in virtue, </div>
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accomplished in concentration, </div>
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accomplished in wisdom, </div>
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accomplished in liberation, </div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> accomplished in knowledge and vision of liberation:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><br />
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</div>
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even the sight of those bhikkhus is helpful, I say; </div>
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even <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/listening-to-dhamma-can-suppress.html">listening</a> to them ... </div>
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even approaching them ... </div>
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even going forth after them is helpful, I say. </div>
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For what reason? Because when one has <b><a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/if-you-pentetratively-study-dhamma-but.html">heard the Dhamma</a></b> from such bhikkhus <b><a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/listening-to-dhamma-can-suppress.html">one dwells withdrawn</a></b> by way of two kinds of withdrawal - withdrawal of the body and withdrawal of the mind.</div>
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[1]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "Dwelling thus withdrawn, </span></div>
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one recollects that Dhamma and <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/05/advantages-of-hearing-dhamma-or.html"><b>thinks it over</b></a>. </div>
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Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus withdrawn recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over, </div>
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on that occasion the <b>awakening factor of mindfulness</b> is aroused by the bhikkhu; </div>
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on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of mindfulness; </div>
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on that occasion the awakening factor of mindfulness comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu.</div>
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[2]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "Dwelling thus mindfully, </span></div>
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he discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, </div>
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examines it, </div>
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makes an investigation of it. </div>
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Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus mindfully, </div>
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discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, </div>
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examines it, </div>
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makes an investigation of it,</div>
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on that occasion the <b>awakening factor of discrimination of states</b> is aroused by the bhikkhu; </div>
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on that occasion, the bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of discrimination of states <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[dhammavicaya]</span>; </div>
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on that occasion the awakening factor of discrimination of states comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu.</div>
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[3]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> While he thus </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> examines it, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> makes an investigation of it, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">his energy is aroused without slackening. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Whenever, bhikkhus, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> a bhikkhu's energy is aroused without slackening as he</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> discriminates that Dhamma with wisdom, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> examines it,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> makes an investigation of it, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> on that occasion the awakening factor of energy is aroused by the bhikkhu;</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the <b>awakening factor of energy</b> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[viriya]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">; </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> on that occasion the awakening factor of energy comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu.</span><br />
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[4]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> When his energy is thus aroused,</span><br />
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there arises in him spiritual rapture.</div>
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Whenever, bhikkhus, spiritual rapture arises in a bhikkhu whose energy is aroused,</div>
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on that occasion, the awakening factor of rapture is aroused by the bhikkhu;</div>
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on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the <b>awakening factor of rapture</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[piiti]</span>;</div>
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on that occasion the awakening factor of rapture comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu. </div>
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[5]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> For one whose mind is uplifted by rapture</span><br />
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the body becomes tranquil and the mind becomes tranquil. </div>
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Whenever, bhikkhus, the body becomes tranquil and the mind becomes tranquil in a bhikkhu whose mind is uplifted by rapture,</div>
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on that occasion, the <b>awakening factor of tranquility</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[passadhi] </span>is aroused by the bhikkhu; </div>
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on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of tranquility;</div>
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on that occasion the awakening factor of tranquility comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu.</div>
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[6] <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">For one whose body is tranquil and who is happy</span><br />
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the mind becomes concentrated. </div>
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Whenever, bhikkhus, the mind becomes concentrated in a bhikkhu whose body is tranquil and who is happy,</div>
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on that occasion, the <b>awakening factor of concentration</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[samaadhi] </span>is aroused by the bhikkhu;</div>
<div style="color: purple; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of concentration;</div>
<div style="color: purple; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
on that occasion the awakening factor of concentration comes to fulfilment by development in </div>
<div style="color: purple; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
the bhikkhu. </div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
[7] <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">He closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated.</span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated,</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
on that occasion, the <b>awakening factor of equanimity </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[upekkhaa] </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">is aroused by the bhikkhu; </span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> on that occasion the bhikkhu develops the awakening factor of equanimity; </span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> on that occasion the awakening factor of equanimity comes to fulfilment by development in the bhikkhu. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Bhikkhus, when these seven factors of awakening have been developed and cultivated in this way, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b><u>seven fruits and benefits</u> </b>may be expected. What are the seven fruits and benefits?</span></div>
[1]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-weight: bold;">One attains final knowledge early in this very life </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">[full-awakening - Arahat]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span">[2]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life, </span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> then <b>one attains final knowledge at the time of death</b>. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span">[3]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life or at the time of death, </span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> then with the utter destruction of the five lower <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/08/lower-fetter-adherence-to-rules-and.html">fetters</a> one becomes </span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b> an attainer of Nibbaana in </b></span><b>the interval</b>.</div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span">[4]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life ... or become an attainer of Nibbaana in </span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> the interval, </span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> then with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters one becomes<b> </b></span></div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b> an attainer of Nibbaana </b></span><b>upon landing</b>.</div>
</div>
<div>
[5]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life ... or become an attainer of Nibbaana</span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
upon landing,</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
then with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters one becomes</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<b> an attainer of Nibbaana </b><b>without exertion</b>.</div>
</div>
<div>
[6]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life ... or become an attainer of Nibbaana</span><br />
<div style="color: purple;">
without exertion,</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
then with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters one becomes</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<b> an attainer of Nibbaana with exertion</b>.</div>
</div>
[7]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> If one does not attain final knowledge early in this very life ... or become an attainer of Nibbaana </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> with exertion, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> then with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters one becomes </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b> one bound upstream, heading towards the Akani.t.tha realm</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> [the exclusive heavenly realm for Non-returners-Anaagaami]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">When, bhikkhus, the seven factors of awakening have been developed and cultivated in this way, these seven fruits and benefits may be expected.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Note </b>The first six of these seven benefits are the achievement of Arahat - full awakening, the fourth and final type of <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/05/well-taught-noble-disciple.html">ariyapuggala-noble person</a>. These six benefits are varied by time taken to attain Arahat. The series begins with the fastest and ends with the slowest in terms of time taken to attain full awakening. The seventh benefit is the attainment of anaagaami - non-returning, which is the second highest type of ariyapuggala and destined to attain full-awakening after a possibly very long life span as a Brahma being (diety, celestial being...).<br />
<br />
Readers should note that a prerequisite to either Arahat or Anaagaami is very well developed indriya-controlling faculties and particularly well developed controlling faculty of concentration - samaadhi, also known as the awakening factor of concentration. The lower two ariyapuggala, the stream enterer - sotapanna, and the once-returner - sakadaagaami, have less well developed concentration. Even so, those lower two have well developed virtue - siila and unshakable confidence - saddhaa in the three refuges. Although the bojjhan'ga appear to be advanced training for sotapanna and sakadaagami seeking the higher paths and fruits, don't be put off. The bojjhan'ga are still open for faithful worldlings - putthujana to study and practice and reap great benefits.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">S46.6 Ku.n.daliya Sutta</span></b><br />
I have summarised this sutta and provided a dependent sequence of fulfilment. This is an important set of relations and well worth contemplating. <br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span></b>restraint of the sense faculties<br />
fulfils<br />
<br />
three kinds of conduct (bodily, verbal and mental)<br />
fulfils<br />
<br />
the four establishments of mindfulness<br />
fulfils<br />
<br />
the seven factors of awakening<br />
fulfils <br />
<br />
true knowledge and liberation [awakening]. <br />
<br />
There is a shorter version of this series in the Aanaapaanasa.myutta S54.13. <br />
<br />
You can read more details about the three kinds of conduct (bodily, verbal and mental) in many sutta including M114 and M78. <br />
<br />
For readers who are interested in academic study of the Bojjha'nga I recommend "<a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Q_AQAQAAIAAJ">The Buddhist Path to Awakening</a>" by R.M. L. Gethin, published by Oneworld Publications in 2001. This book covers the 37 Bodhipakkhiyadhamma; Chapter V Factors of Awakening specifically covers the Bojjha'nga. However, this book maybe too theoretical for Buddhists seeking practical advice on the path. Even so, I transcribed and paraphrased below the bare headings of practices that assist in the arising of each of the seven Bojjha'nga. These tips are very useful practical advice.<br />
<br />
<b>Mindfulness - Sati</b><br />
<ul>
<li>mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-samaja~n~na)</li>
<li>avoidance of people of lost mindfulness </li>
<li>association with people of established mindfulness</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
<b>Discrimination of the Dhamma - Dhamma-vicaaya</b><br />
<ul>
<li>asking questions</li>
<li>keeping the body and belongings clean</li>
<li>balancing the five controlling faculties</li>
<li>avoiding unwise people</li>
<li>associating with wise people</li>
<li>reflection on practice with deep knowledge</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
<b>Strength/Energy - Viriya</b><br />
<ul>
<li>reflection on the dangers of decline to unfortunate existences such as hell, ghost, poor unhealthy human and so on.</li>
<li>seeing the benefits of rising to fortunate existences such as sensual heavens, brahma realms and wealthy healthy human worlds etc.</li>
<li>reflection on the course of the journey</li>
<li>honouring alms received</li>
<li>reflection on the greatness inheriting the Buddha's dispensation</li>
<li>reflection on the greatness of the Buddha</li>
<li>reflection on the greatness of one's birth</li>
<li>reflection on the greatness of the other practitioners</li>
<li>avoidance of idle people</li>
<li>association with strong energetic people</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
<b>Joy/rapture - Piiti</b><br />
<ul>
<li>recollection of the Buddha</li>
<li>recollection of the Dhamma</li>
<li>recollection of the Sangha</li>
<li>recollection of virtue</li>
<li>recollection of generosity</li>
<li>recollection of devas</li>
<li>recollection of peace</li>
<li>avoidance of rough people</li>
<li>association with affectionate people</li>
<li>reflection on satisfying discourses</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
<b>Tranquility - Passadhi</b><br />
<ul>
<li>consuming fine food</li>
<li>living in a pleasant climate</li>
<li>keeping a comfortable posture</li>
<li>maintaining balance</li>
<li>avoidance of violent people</li>
<li>association with tranquil people</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
<b>Concentration - Sammaadhi</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<ul>
<li>keeping one's person and belongings clean</li>
<li>balancing the five controlling faculties</li>
<li>skill regarding the sign-nimitta</li>
<li>appropriate application</li>
<li>appropriate easing off</li>
<li>appropriate encouragement</li>
<li>appropriate overseeing</li>
<li>avoidance of unconcentrated people</li>
<li>association with concentrated people</li>
<li>reflection on the jhaanas and liberations</li>
<li>commitment to the above</li>
</ul>
[some of these refer to jhaana techniques and for people unfamiliar with jhaana practice, I recommend you read meditation manuals such as the Vissudhimagga and Vimmuttimagga.]<br />
<br />
<b>Equinamity - upekkhaa</b><br />
<ul>
<li>balanced regard for all beings</li>
<li>balanced regard for all mental forces</li>
<li>avoiding people with a bias regarding beings or a bias regarding mental forces</li>
<li>commitment to all that</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Michael's comments</span></b><br />
Note the fundamental significance of virtue-siila [S46.1 quoted above]. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>based on virtue</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">, established upon virtue, a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the seven factors of awakening, and thereby he achieves greatness and expansiveness in [wholesome] states..."</span><br />
<br />
The seven Bojjha'nga are developed and the five hindrances are suppressed (see S46.38 & S46.40]. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The seven Bojjha'nga need to be balanced. Bojjha'nga 2, 3 & 4 are stimulating and Bojjha'nga 5, 6 & 7 are tranquilising. If the stimulating group dominate, one may become overexcited whilst if the tranqulising group dominate, one may become sleepy. Either way, the Dhamma will not be clear and progress will be slow. The first Bojjha'nga, mindfulness-sati, is the most important factor because it helps one to know and see clearly when the other factors are undeveloped or out of balance. See S46.53 for more details and some explanatory similes about the stimulating and tranquillising groups in the bojjha.nga.<br />
<br />
I have transcribed <b>S46.3</b> above in such a way to enable the reader to see the structure of clauses. This makes the sutta easier to read as well as highlight the differences between the stimulating group and the tranquillising group. Maybe you can see that as soon as rapture arises, the discriminating, examining and investigating stops. This is a very important point. To progress, one must allow the rapture, tranquility and concentration to proceed without analysing. This is subtle and may take a while to get right. I for one am quite prone to analysing. There needs to be a balance though. Analysis and rationality are useful but limited. Profound wisdom may arise when the mind is tranquil and concentrated. <br />
<br />
Note the final factor of upekkhaa-equinamity. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">He closely looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated." </span> I understand this to be conciousness-vi~n~naana being aware of the feelings-vedanaa, perceptions-sa~n~naa and intentional volitions-sankhaara (form/body-ruupa is not part of mind-naama) that occur in the "mind thus concentrated". This would be a relatively peaceful mind but still subject to the three general characteristics-tilakkhana (unsatisfactoriness-dukkha, impermanence-annicca and not-self-annattaa). A person with a concentrated mind may not have well developed upekkhaa and <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/03/first-jhaana-path-to-englightenment.html">due to craving and attachment to rapture-piiti and tranquility-passadhi</a> (<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.138.than.html">M138.12</a>), may not initially have profound insight leading to a breakthrough. As soon as upekkhaa is mature enough and there has previously been well developed right view, then a breakthrough in the Dhamma will occur - awakening. It is natural.<br />
<br />
Note the similarities with the noble eightfold path which begins with right view - sammaadi.t.thi and ends with right concentration - sammaasamaadhi. There are differences in emphasis only. The Dhamma may be likened to a multifaceted jewel. One facet may look like seven factors another facet may look like four establishments (of mindfulness), another facet may look like an eightfold path and so on.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">May the seven factors of awakening be developed and cultivated, may the seven fruits be realised.</span></div>
</div>
Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-17311003276010574582011-02-11T23:25:00.011+13:002011-02-18T17:15:59.567+13:00Upgrading Your Uposatha Observance: five then eight and beyond<div class="MsoNormal">The Dhamma is internally consistent and truthful. It is amazingly complete and flawless. It is possible to take almost any aspect of the Dhamma and see relations with most other aspects of the Dhamma.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Some people misunderstand precepts and think that more is better. Thus someone practicing ten precepts might be considered more virtuous than an eight preceptor and even more superior than a five preceptor. According to this incorrect understanding, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis would be inherently more virtuous than lay people because they are obliged to practice over 200 or over 300 rules respectively. Think about it though: are bhikkhunis more virtuous than bhikkhus because they have more rules? The first five bhikkhus (<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html">pancasaavakaa</a>) and maybe even the first few hundred thousand bhikkhus did not have any rules. Vinaaya rules were created over time to guide worldling-putthujana monastics. Many of these lacked mindfulness and may have been motivated to join the Sangha for because the Buddhasangha was popular, well supported by lay benefactors and rapidly growing in size and influence. So the number of precepts or rules is not a measure of virtue. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Virtue-siila, concentration-samaadhi and wisdom-pa~n~naa are all related and integrated parts of the eightfold noble path. Virtue and other aspects of the path are qualities rather than quantities. Greater virtue necessarily implies deeper concentration and profounder wisdom. The three go together simultaneously developed and improved as qualities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We need to focus on the practice and the results, the cause and effect of actions – kamma. Wholesome/skilful – kusala actions such as observing Uposatha precepts will lead to pleasant results and visa-versa. The precepts are guides to daily life that help us reduce the chances of unwholesome/unskilful akusala actions that <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/11/moral-conduct-as-basis-for-spiritual.html">lead to harmful results</a>. Monastics who are supposed to be free from the usual distractions of sensuality, earning a living and supporting families are able to use the observance of so many rules to develop deep concentration – samaadhi and with that concentration are able to gain insight into the Dhamma and find liberation from suffering. Lay people can do this as well. The principles are the same though the lifestyle may be different. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">First five precepts.</span></b> By not taking life, we are compassionate and loving toward all beings that fear death and prefer to live. We also give the gift of life. By not taking what is not given, we reduce the fear that other beings have for losing their belongings. We also give material things to others. By refraining from sexual misconduct or indeed any sexual conduct, we reduce opportunities for our minds and the minds of our lovers to be flooded with extreme emotions which reduce mindfulness and create conditions for suffering. We also give social harmony to our communities. By refraining from lies, abusive speech other wrong speech acts, we avoid harming other’s reputations, we avoid inflaming their anger and confusing them with ignorance. By refraining from intoxicating drinks and other substances, we keep our minds relatively clear and sharp so we can remember the Dhamma and act wisely in all situations. Intoxicated people are more likely to break the other precepts due to their degraded senses. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The perpetrators and victims of acts of violence, theft, molestation, slander and so on are at least temporarily mentally disturbed and restless. Without a perspective of the Dhamma and some degree of Right View (sammaadi.t.thi) the victims may seek revenge and due to their confusion, harm others. By doing so, they perpetuate the cycle of suffering and rebirth. Only by love is hate quenched. Only by renunciation is lust abated. Only by wisdom is ignorance destroyed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Other beings will feel less fear in our presence due to our practice of virtue-siila. This wholesome behaviour will immediately increase environmental peace and safety. Our good example may inspire others to practice . Imagine how peaceful our lives would be if we did not have to worry about murder, theft, molestation of self and family, verbal abuse and so forth. Thus with quieter and safer environmental conditions, people will be better able to see clearly what is happening in mind and body. There will naturally be more opportunities for developing the higher mind and possibly achieving a <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/10/striving-for-breakthrough.html">breakthrough in the Dhamma</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The last three Uposatha precepts.</span></b> Most lay people temporarily observe the last three Uposatha precepts either on meditation retreats or on Uposatha days. Not observing these last three precepts doesn’t obviously lead to harm for ourselves and others so why observe them? We observe the other three precepts in order to simplify our lives and avoid indulgence in sensual pleasure. Sensual pleasure is the practice of the lay person in daily life, not the practice of a someone intensifying their progress on the eightfold noble path. In itself, sensual pleasure is not wrong so don’t get all guilty about having fun. However, sensual pleasure is distracting, reduces concentration and reduces the opportunities for wisdom to arise. In other words sensual pleasures slow you down your progress on the spiritual path. The suttas have many references to sensual pleasures being inherently disappointing and unsatisfactory with only the most fleeting sense of gratification. Thus by observing the eight Uposatha precepts we can create more conditions for environmental peace and concentration (samaadhi). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The last three precepts are like an upgrade on the first five. The reduced indulgence in sensuality will help us to maintain a clear peaceful mind in which samaadhi and the other controlling faculties (panc’indriya) can develop. The difference between an enlightened being and an ordinary worldling is the development of the controlling faculties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/benefits-from-regular-observance-of.html">benefits arising from observing the last three Uposatha precepts</a> is highly dependent on successfully observing the first five precepts. The first five precepts are the basic foundation and the last three are the more advanced practice with more profound results. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><b>Upgrading Uposatha. </b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span>Some Buddhists may not have convenient living conditions to formally observe Uposatha precepts in all respects. For example, they may feel obliged to wear cosmetics and jewellery to work and may have to eat an evening meal with non-Buddhist family. Perhaps a non-Buddhist lover may seduce us or demand services on Uposatha day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Some Buddhists may observe Uposatha precepts regularly but feel they are not making much progress or struggle to see how it is beneficial. It is inconvenient and maybe they feel dissatisfied. So how do we upgrade or revive our spiritual life in these two sets of circumstances? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>I suggest below a few ways to give some focus to your observance of Uposatha whether you can practice eight precepts or not. This should give you some ideas which you can adapt for your particular lifestyle and background.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Loving-kindness/friendliness - mettaa and compassion - karunaa. </span></b>It is helpful to deliberately observe five precepts and Uposatha precepts with mettaa and karunaa in mind. Restraining ourselves from harming others is loving and compassionate. We wish other beings were happy and well. We wish other beings were free from harm and suffering. It would be odd to attempt mettaa and karunaa practice while not keeping at least the first five precepts because in breaking any of these precepts, we would be directly harming others or intoxicating the mind so that it is unable to concentrate. Beware the near-enemies of mettaa and karunaa. Beginners in the practice or those who are intoxicated may confuse mettaa with lust or karunaa with pity. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Observing the five precepts or the Uposatha precepts is practicing love and compassion towards ourselves because we don’t create unwholesome/unskilful kamma that will result in our suffering. Lord Buddha said that sincerely observing the five precepts will result in a heavenly rebirth, how much more beneficial would be the results of observing Uposatha precepts. Note that aiming for a heavenly rebirth would be a ‘wrong aim’. It is better to aim for liberation from the cycle of rebirths altogether.</div><div><br />
</div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Sympathetic joy - muditaa. </span></b>When we go onto Facebook or attend the temple, we may come to know about other Buddhists who practice the five precepts or the eight Uposatha precepts. We can deliberately practice muditaa for these fellow Buddhists, recollecting that they are excellent, practicing in the good way, the true way, the straight way and the proper way. By recollecting that these fellow Buddhists will be happier and will benefit greatly from this practice we also share in their merits. We say "saadhu, saadhu, saadhu..." congratulations, well done! Beware the near enemy of muditaa is pride in the achievements of others. Pride in the achievements of others includes attachment. Muditaa is similar to mettaa and karunaa because it has no aspect of attachment.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Equanimity - upekkhaa.</b> </span>In daily life we will meet many people who do not consciously practice the Uposatha precepts or any precepts. As a result these people wander about in ignorance and suffering. It is not easy for anyone to lead another person to follow the right path. There may be small chances here and there to influence others. Usually, we wait until others ask questions. So we practice equanimity for the sufferings of others. Remembering that everyone will get the results of their actions. Note that equanimity is not the same as indifference which is allied with ignorance. Equanimity is allied with wisdom and insight. Equanimity is an underlying component in the other three divine abodes and present in all wholesome mental states. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is possible to develop mental aborptions - jhaana with any of the four divine abodes above though traditionally mettaa, karunaa and muditaa can be used for 1st-3rd jhaana while upekkhaa can be used only for 4th jhaana. This is a technical topic for another post. You can read more in the Vimuttimagga and Visuddhimagga and other meditation manuals. However, there is a lot of benefit from just reflecting on the four divine abodes during the day. As we refrain from taking life, or stealing etc. we can say to our selves "may all beings be happy and well, may all beings be free from harm and suffering..." I find this useful on the bus crowded with noisy people when commuting to work. When I find a cockroach or spider in the home I capture it and recite "may all beings be happy and well...." as I gently take the insect outside. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is also useful to just recite "may all beings be happy and well" at free times during the day. It is relaxing and wholesome. This practice helps keep unwholesome objects from taking over. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>Dhamma study.</b> </span>Choose one Dhamma topic, read a bit, write some brief notes and then reflect on it throughout the day. For example, read about the one of the seven sets in the 37 seven aids to enlightenment - Bodhipakkhiyadhamma. Maybe start with the seven factors for enlightenment - Bojjhanga. Try to remember the Paali words for the factors and memorise the correct sequence of factors. On another day, read about what the commentaries say for ways to cultivate and improve the seven enlightenment factors. On another day read some more suttas that might refer to the seven factors and may refer to some of the benefits (such as improving health and length of life) in recollecting the seven factors.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As you contemplate the Dhamma in this way you will be practicing <b>dhammanusati </b>which is one of the six recollections recommended by the Blessed One for <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/03/purification-for-sake-of-what.html">purifying the mind</a>. This works because the mind is focussed on a wholesome/skilful object and not distracted with lust, anger or delusion. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Siilanusati - recollection of virtue. </span></b>As someone who is keeping precepts you may be feel confident enough to reflect on your accumulating virtue. If you have been able to keep five precepts and eight precepts then you have good grounds for reflecting on the merits of your practice. Without necessarily getting big-headed about it, you objectively realise that this practice is beneficial, it is purifying, creating conditions for happiness and leading you to more wholesome mental states. Someone who is able to keep precepts is also someone who has enough mindfulness and Right View to control impulsive cravings and has learned to live peacefully to some extent. This is the foundation of training for higher mental development. On occasions when there are breaks in the precepts (hopefully minor) then one immediately determines to sincerely refrain from breaking the precepts again. It is possible to recover a mind free from remorse, a mind settled and peaceful once again. Do not underestimate the power of keeping precepts even for a short time such as one minute. If one is sincere, there are great benefits here and now including greater self-esteem, courage and confidence.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Caaganusati - recollection of generosity.</span></b> In being <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/11/skillful-giving-how-to-donate.html">generous</a>, by giving and sharing, you have been reducing attachment and clinging. This wholesome conduct will benefit others and oneself and lead to more wholesome states. This is faultless behaviour. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">32 parts of the body.</span></b> For those of us who are living a celibate life, I recommend memorising the 32 parts of the body in forward and reverse order as outlined in the Visuddhimagga. I found this practice is very effective in temporarily overcoming lustful states of mind. Remembering this famous list is a useful way to concentrate the mind and give it temporary relief from worry and strife. Note there are intensive ways of practicing the 32 parts of the body which can lead to first mental absorption – <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2008/10/jhaana.html">jhaana</a> though that need not be the goal of the practice. There are many benefits without necessarily attaining jhaana. Again I refer keen readers to the various meditation manuals for more details. </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Devanusati. </span></b>On Uposatha day and other days deliberately recollect that the devas attained their fortunate rebirth and powers on account of previously virtuous conduct such as practising the five precepts and the eight Uposatha precepts. Now you and other sincere Buddhists are practicing in this same way and likely to attain a fortunate rebirth in a heavenly realm. As you practice in this way, you may sometimes recite "may the devas be happy and well...". Remember that many devas are Buddhists and have attained various paths and fruits in the Buddha's dispensation. You may recollect these noble devas as part of the <b>ariyasangha</b>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In times when you feel afraid that someone maybe going to hurt you, recollect the devas and maybe you can overcome your fears. But don't just rely on the devas to protect you. Use common sense and find safety. Note that overcoming fears in this way is possible with other wholesome objects such as recollecting any or all of the <b>three refuges (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha)</b>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Death - maranaanusati. </span></b>On Uposatha day and other days, deliberately recollect the certain fact that you will die and so will all the people you know. Recollecting death is a way to put our lives in perspective and determine what is really important. In Australian culture, recollecting death is considered a negative and gloomy occupation. Actually it is a wholesome and sensible activity. Some people may find it difficult at first to overcome previous preconceptions and biases. If you persevere you may develop some equanimity and a completely different set of priorities will emerge. I found that recollecting the inevitable nature of death gave me a greater sense of spiritual urgency - sa.mvega. This really motivates and intensifies the practice. You may find it much easier to practice the five precepts and eight Uposatha precepts after you have deepened your maranaanutsati.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><b>Summary. </b></span>By simplifying our lives and deepening our practice of the 4 divine abodes and other methods outlined above we will definitely be upgrading our Uposatha observance. The basic peace in life created by the first five precepts can be deepened by the 8 Uposatha precepts. This results in greater peace and concentration – samaadhi. The deliberate practice of the 4 divine abodes and other methods is further deepening of the practice that will bring <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2010/04/benefits-from-regular-observance-of.html">enormous benefits</a> to ourselves and all others in the environment.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">May you dear reader feel inspired to go deeper into the Dhamma. May you be free from harm and suffering.</div>Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-695218035943752742010-12-26T22:11:00.013+13:002011-02-18T14:20:45.274+13:00Buddhava.msa - 25 Samaasambuddha<div class="MsoNormal">While I was staying at Na Uyana Aranya in Sri Lanka in the first half of 2010, I read the English translation of the <a href="http://www.palitext.com/palitext/ptext.htm#ot3">Buddhava.msa by .... and published by the Pali Text Society</a>. This book really needs a lot of editing and possibly a completely new translation. Despite imperfections in the book, I am grateful for the efforts of the translator and the PTS for making this attempt. The Buddhava.msa is a relatively small book in the Khuddakanikaaya - "The Minor Anthologies". The Buddhava.msa and most of the other books in the Khuddakanikaaya is commonly believed to have been written long after the Parinibbaana of the Blessed One so I don't have as much confidence in it as I do in the four main collections (Majjhima, Sa.myutta, Digha, Anguttara). Even so the books in the Kuddhakanikaaya such as the Buddhava.msa, the Petavatthu and Vimaanavatthu and their associated commentaries enrich Buddhist culture and provide entertainment value at least.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I dare to provide the analogy of a block-buster movie such as Star Wars which inspired many subsequent graphic novels, paperback novels, animated serials and computer games all based in the "Star Wars universe". If you are into Star Wars, you will know what I mean. Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and many other examples exist. Origin stories are typical in contemporary popular culture for comic book heros. It seems plausible that there is a ready audience for apocryphal stories based on Buddhism. I've seen how readily faithful Buddhist audiences listen to monks retelling these stories by way of illustrating a principle in the Dhamma. In conversations with others, we often refer to various stories as support for the point we are trying to make whilst disregarding for the moment their historical accuracy. Perhaps it doesn't matter if the stories are historically accurate. It would be impossible to test or prove accuracy anyway. The value in the stories is also greater than entertainment. They are morality tales exemplifying the best possible way to live. When we consume the news of the world we mostly hear the worst of possibilities - depravity, fear and hopelessness. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Unlike popular fiction these Buddhist stories are not fantasies. They are true in principle. They inspire the best in us. Unlike Star Wars, these Buddhist stories are mostly consistent with the Dhamma in the other parts of the Tipitaka. The motivations, intentions and views of the buddhas, the bodhisattas and various noble ones (ariyasaavaka) in these stories are the Dhamma. The historical details are not the issue.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While reading the PTS translation of the Buddhava.msa, I made notes and did some calculations. Here I present the results with the disclaimer that I have doubts about the accuracy of the PTS translation (which I don't have at hand while writing this blog). I am not skilful enough in Paali to be able to do a better translation and don't currently have time to try.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The following table shows the list of buddhas as appear in the Buddhava.msa and Cariyaapi.taka of the Khudakkanikaaya. Note that the suttas in the other four sutta pitaka (Majjhima, Digha, Sa.myutta, Anguttara) only mention 7 previous buddhas - those numbered 1-7 in the table below. For example, refer to Nidaanasa.myutta S12.4-10 and Mahaapadaana Sutta in the Dighanikaaya (D14). <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Table of Samaasambuddhas from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buddhava.msa</i><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></b></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b>n</b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Buddha<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Height (ratana,<br />
hattha) <o:p></o:p></i></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Height (metres)<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></i></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Height adjusted<br />
(metres) <o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Life-span<br />
(years)<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><b>Dhutanga<br />
(years, months, days)<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><b>Vehicle<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><b>Kappa (aeon)<o:p></o:p></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">28<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ta.nha~nkara<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td colspan="6" rowspan="3" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 345.05pt;" width="460"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">The Buddhava.msa does not provide statistics on these three buddhas who are believed to have appeared before Diipankara Buddha<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="4" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">4 innumerables<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">27<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Medha’nkara<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">26<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Saara.na’nkara<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">25<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Diipankara<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">24<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Ko.n.da~n~na<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">88h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">55<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">19.8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">3 innumerables<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">23<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Ma'ngala<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">88r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">33<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">5.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">horse<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="4" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">2 innumerables<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">22<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Sumana<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">90h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">56.2<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: cyan; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">10</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">21<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Revata<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">60,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">20<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Sobhita<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">58r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7d<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palace<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">19<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Anomadassin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">58r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palanquin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="3" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">1 innumerable<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">18<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Paduma<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">58r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">17<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Naarada<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">88r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">33<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">5.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7d<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">on foot<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">16<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Padumuttara<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">58r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7d<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palace<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">100,000 kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">15<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Sumedha<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">88r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">33<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">5.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">14d<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">30,000 kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">14<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Sujaata<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">17.8<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.2<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">9m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">horse<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">13<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Piyadsssin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">6m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="3" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">1800 kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">12<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Atthadassin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">horse<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">11<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Dhammadassin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7d<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palace<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Siddhattha<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">60r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">22.5<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">100,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">10m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palanquin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">94 kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 20;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Tissa<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">60r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">22.5<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: lime; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">100,000</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">horse<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="3" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">92 kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 21;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Phussa<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">58r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">90,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">6m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 22;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Vipassin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">80h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">50<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8.9<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">80,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 23;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">6<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Sikhin<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">70h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">43.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">7.8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">70,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="2" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">31 kappa<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 24;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">5<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Vesabhuu<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">60r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">22.5<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.8<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">60,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">6m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">palanquin<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 25;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">4<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Kakusandha<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">40r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">14.3<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">2.5<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">40,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">8m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">chariot<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td rowspan="5" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 84.3pt;" valign="top" width="112"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">Present kappa<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 26;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Ko.naagamana<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">30h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">10.7<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">3.3<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">30,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">6m<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">elephant<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 27;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">2<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Kassapa<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">20r<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7.1<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: cyan; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">1.3</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">20,000<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">7d</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: silver; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">palace</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 28;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">1<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Gotama<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">18h<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 50.45pt;" width="67"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">11.2<o:p></o:p></i></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 52.8pt;" width="70"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">2<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: lime; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">100</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 63.8pt;" width="85"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">6y</span><o:p></o:p></div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 2.0cm;" width="76"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Horse<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 29; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Metteya<o:p></o:p></div></td> <td colspan="6" style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 345.05pt;" width="460"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">A bodhisatta in the Tusita deva realm waiting for the right time to take birth as a human and be the next sammasambuddha in this world system<o:p></o:p></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Height</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I highlighted a few parts of the above table to give readers a sense of the range and make a few points:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sumana Buddha was the tallest Buddha in this group at 10m in height while Kassapa Buddha was the shortest Buddha at 1.3m in height. This variation can be explained in many ways though all are <i>speculative. </i>I note that G.P. Malalasekera's <i>Dictionary of Pali Proper Names</i> translates both hattha and ratana as "cubits". So his where the biographical notes for the buddhas refers to height, it would correspond to the 4th column above rather than the adjusted height column. As you can see, if that were so, then Gotama Buddha would have been over 11m tall. If he had been so tall, there would have been more references to this in the suttas. However, noting the difference between ratana and hattha and doing some calculations with the assumption that Gotama Buddha was no more than 2m tall then we may adjust the speculated heights of the other buddhas accordingly. Even adjusted, many buddhas remain extremely tall.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps those taller Buddhas existed during periods when the gravity of the “Earth” was weaker than we have now. Perhaps they lived on planets other than Earth or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_(The_Culture)">rings/orbitals</a>? Maybe the planetary gravity for Buddha Kassapa's dispensation was stronger and made everyone shorter. Heights are relative and beings existing in periods of previous Buddhas would not know they were relatively high or relatively short compared with humans on Earth right now (or 2,500 years ago). So this kind of speculation is really not important as far as the Dhamma goes. Height is not an impediment to realising the Dhamma.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Of course there are other explanations such as: it is all fiction; it is all fact but some of the details got muddled; and the other buddhas existed in parallel universes somewhere in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse">multiverse</a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Calculating height<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Paali terms for measuring length and weights are not precise or commonly agreed. I have based my notes and calculations on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Pali-English Glossary of Buddhist Technical Terms</i> compiled by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi, published by the Buddhist Publication Society and footnotes from the Bhikkhu Bodhi translations of suttas. I don’t know why the compilers of the Buddhava.msa chose to record the heights of past buddhas with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">two different measuring units – hattha (h) and ratana (r)</b>. I would like to carefully read the Paali text of the Buddhava.msa to see if the PTS translators were accurate with these details. <br />
<br />
The Paali word hattha means “hand” but does not correspond to the size of the average human hand. The reference books say that a hattha is a cubit and measures from the elbow to the extended little finger. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">[ <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">needs more work here</span>]</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 yojana = 2.8 kilometres = 1.8 miles<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1 yojana = 4 gaavuta; 1 gaavuta = 80 usabha; 1 usabha = 20 yatthi; 1 yatthi = 4 hattha & 1 yatthi = 7 ratana; 1 ratana = 4/7 hattha = 0.57 hatta<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">18 hattha = 2 metres; 1 hattha = 200/18 cm = 11.1 cm<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1 yojana = 4*80*20*4 = 25,600 hattha = 2.84 kilometres<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
The 3<sup>rd</sup> column in the table indicates the height as specified in either ratana or hattha. <br />
The 4th column shows the heights as converted directly into metres. I am not sure that the conversion rate for ratana to metres or hattha to metres is correct. I (or someone) needs to study this matter further. Readers will notice straight away that Gotama Buddha is supposed to be 18 hattha or 11.2 metres tall. This is not possible. So I made an assumption that Gotama Buddha was 2 metres tall. I based this assumption on references in the Suttas [<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">need to find the references</span>] that he was from the khattiya caste (warrior noble), a prince with a privileged upbringing as well as references to his above average height [<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">need to find the references</span>].<br />
The 5th column shows my effort at adjusting the heights to a more "realistic" height. Assuming for the moment that the hattha and ratana to metre conversion rates are correct I maintained the relative difference in heights among the buddhas but adjusted them all downwards in the same proportion as adjusting Gotama Buddha's apparent 11.2 metre height down to 2 metres. This calculation leads to the figures in the 6th column. Even so, I am still <u>doubtful </u>about the height figures over all. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Life-span</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Nine Buddhas had the longest life-span of 100,000 years. Eight Buddhas had the second longest life span of 90,000 years. Gotama Buddha has the shortest lifespan of 100 years. The next shortest lifespan is 20,000 years for Kassapa Buddha. This lifespan is really quite short compared with other Buddhas in this table. A longer life-span would mean a longer period to teach the Dhamma and I suppose that many more beings would have the chance to make merit and or realise the Dhamma. It is amazing that the Buddha Dhamma has lasted even 2,500 years and people today can still benefit from these teachings. Even if we have relatively short life-spans, we are very fortunate to have been able to study and practice the Dhamma. This is a rare opportunity. In the suttas there are cases where people didn't seem to study or practice much and yet had profound realisations. Time is not the issue; lifespan is not the issue; Dhamma is akaaliko - timeless or beyond time.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Period of austerities (dhutanga)</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">All Buddhas in this table except Gotama Buddha attained enlightenment in 10 months or less after leaving home (the period of dhutanga). Gotama Buddha spent 6 years in austerities before attaining enlightenment. This period is more than six times as long as any other Buddha in this table. I don't have the reference, but I do recall reading that Gotama Buddha had to spend longer in austerities because of his bad speech as a bodhisatta named Jotipaala during the dispensation of Kassapa Buddha. I encourage you read M81 <a href="http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/Agama/Majjhima/081-ghatikara-e1.htm">Gha.tikaara Sutta</a> from the Majjhimanikaaya for the complete version of this excellent story. Even though the Jotipaala was impudent at the beginning, there is a happy ending when he ordains as a bhikkhu in the Sangha of Kassapa Buddha (great merit). Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation of the Majjhimanikaaya has a footnote comment from the commentary to this sutta "MA states that bodhisattas go forth under the Buddhas to purify their virtue, learn the Buddha's teachings, practice the meditative life, and develop insight up to conformity knowledge (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anuloma~naa.na </i> [<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">the last stage of vipassana insight just prior to realization of Nibbaana</span>]). But they do not make effort to attain the paths and fruits (which would terminate their bodhisatta career)." </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bhikkhu Bodhi does not refer to the link between the bodhisatta Jotipaala's bad speech and the long period of austerities endured by Bodhisatta Gotama prior to attaining Nibbaana. The link seems plausible and speculative at the same time. If true, it indicates the severity of kamma one accumulates by verbally abusing the Sangha. Note that Gotama (was Jotipaala) Bodhisatta had previously and subsequently accumulated a vast (incalculable) store of good kamma and this would have mitigated most of the bad results of his unwholesome speech. This may be compared with someone convicted of a crime avoiding imprisonment because of their previous outstanding record so they only have to report regularly to a parole officer and do a long period of community service.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Five of the 25 buddhas in the table endured austerities for as little as 7 days. They also lived during periods of human existence when the average maximum life-span was much greater than today - 20,000 to 100,000 years. Relative to their life-span a period of seven days doing austerities would seem quite rapid. Perhaps these buddhas had accumulated greater merit and were extremely mature.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Vehicles</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The vehicles used by bodhisattas for leaving home vary a lot. The surprising vehicle is a palace. In the PTS translation this is written as a floating palace. I think the Paali for this term is probably "vimaana". Vimaana are usually the palaces of deva and according to sutta and commentary traditions can be extremely large - even larger than modern cities while other vimana may be as large as a car or carriage. Vimana are the houses and vehicles of deva. According to tradition mature bodhisattas spend time in the Tusita heavenly realm as deva being waiting for the right conditions to take human birth and attain Nibbaana. Buddhas are always human and never deva.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For some bodhisatta to leave home in a vimaana seems to me to imply some kind of high tech antigravity device. Maybe technology of human civilization during those periods when bodhisatta (as human beings) are leaving home is very advanced (more advanced than we have now) and floating palaces (vimaana) with crew/servants are common for wealthy princes. This point is not very important though. Whatever technology is in existence is irrelevant to the realisation of the Dhamma. Leaving home on foot or in a flying palace is essentially still renunciation.<o:p></o:p><br />
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A palanquin is a type of human-powered transport, usually a covered box with a cushioned platform or seat for a passenger with two long poles poking from either end. Some palanquins have yokes attached to the poles so the weight is carried more directly on the carrier's shoulders. Two or more carriers lift and carry the box by holding on to the poles. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kappa (aeon)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The conception of cosmological time periods in the Buddhist tradition is very difficult to hold in one’s mind. The terms are not precise though given the lengths of time being discussed and the state of science at the time these details were being written, it is not surprising that there may be some margins for error. However, I personally find these details fascinating and helpful to put in perspective the vastness of sa.msaara (the round of becoming, birth and death). Studying these details can inspire some people to put more effort into Dhamma study and practice without having to believe these details are literally true in the way that most people hold scientific facts to be literally true. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Some readers may be interested in reading more about Buddhist cosmology. The suttas don’t have much detail and that is just as well. The most details come from the Abhidhamma and the A.t.thakataa commentaries. I offer some cautions to guide you. Most of this field is speculative and it would be best to study it with an open mind. There is no way for us to prove with any certainty any of this stuff. Ultimately proof of this cosmology is not required for realisation of Nibbaana. Remember what the Blessed One taught in the Rohitassa Sutta in the Devaputta Sa.myuttanikaaya (S2.26) “<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">As to the end of the world, friend, where one is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, and is not reborn- I say that is cannot be known, seen, or reached by travelling… However, friend, I say that without having reached the end of the world there is no marking an end to suffering. It is, friend in just this fathom-high carcass endowed with perception and mind that I make known the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world, and the way leading to the cessation of the world.</span>’ This last sentence is extremely valuable. Keep it in mind when you go exploring speculative theories. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The following distinctions between types of aeons is derived from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=hxopJgv85y4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=comprehensive+manual+of+abhidhamma&source=bl&ots=DSPduF3SM0&sig=LKY40-IvpzgmJF5d2A-aGLz3Tkk&hl=en&ei=C-8WTdHyG4i3cN-WpKIK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false">Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma</a></i> which is a guide to the ancient classic Abhidhammattha Sangaha (a summary of the essential points in the abhidhamma commentaries that has been used as an ancient abhidhamma text book). <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Interim aeon – antarakappa</b> is the time required for the life span of humans to rise from 10 years to a maximum of many thousands of years (100,000) and then fall back to 10 years. It seems the cycle is currently in the declining phase, though it may appear to be rising during the past 100 years. Human life spans may increase to 10,000 years or more prior to the next human birth of Metteya Bodhisatta so he may attain Nibbaana and become the next samasambuddha. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Incalculable aeon – asa.nkheyyakappa</b> is the time required for 64 interim aeons to pass.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Great aeon – mahaakappa</b> is the time required for 4 incalculable aeons to pass which is the same as 256 interim aeons.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Innumerable</b> number of aeons is an unknown but very large number of great aeons. It is not infinite because it is impossible to have a bunch of infinities. Infinity is not quantifiable at all, it is a concept of endlessness. An innumerable number of aeons is quantifiable by buddhas but not by ordinary humans or any deities including even those brahma deities with the longest life spans. Maybe buddhas know it but are unable to explain it to anyone else in everyday language? So four innumberables in the past is a very long time ago. It is really just a concept that has is beyond my everyday reality. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When contemplating these vast periods of time, don’t assume that human existence is a constant. It seems there may be vast periods of time when there are no humans, only brahma deities whose life spans are also very very long indeed. I shall write about that in another post about heavenly realms, deva and knowing previous existences.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps an interim kappa is the same length as the period between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang">big bang</a> events. The universe is currently 13.7×10<sup>9</sup> (13.7 billion) years old. According to speculative theories by some physicists the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_an_expanding_universe">eventual heat death</a> of the universe may occur in about 10<sup>100</sup> years (1 with 100 zeros after it). So maybe a kappa is 10<sup>100</sup> years. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the table above, there are buddhas who appeared 4 innumerables ago, 3 innumerables ago, 2…, 1…, and then 100,000 kappa, 30,000 kappa and down until in our present fortunate kappa there have been 4 buddhas already with one more to arise before the end of this kappa. Given the vast periods of time here, it is truly auspicious for us to be born as humans who know Buddhism during a kappa with 5 buddhas. Buddhas are rare events. Incredibly rare. After Metteya Buddha’s dispensation there may not be another Buddha for many kappa – who knows. This thought can inspire us to put more energy into study and practice while we have this rare opportunity. By comparison we might wonder if it is really important to watch TV or play a game. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">[Pedantic note: Another caution is the common English use of the word incalculable for referring to large bunch of aeons (not just one incalculable aeon – an unknown large number of aeons. This leads to confusion and may have resulted from an early PTS editing error. I would like everyone to commit to using “innumerable” aeons for referring to an unknown large number of aeons so we can reserve the word “incalculable” for referring to a single aeon of indeterminately long period. ]<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_(The_Culture)">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_(The_Culture)</a></div>Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-71889953653294527682010-10-30T03:06:00.006+13:002010-11-02T23:34:50.528+13:00International Petition to Protect Lumbini's EnvironmentI encourage readers to research this issue and (electronically) sign the petition. There is room for you to leave comments on the petition form if you wish.<br />
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<a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dF8xYzkteHFmNi1jTFA2R3J4a28zRWc6MA&theme=0AX42CRMsmRFbUy0wYjVlZjc1Mi00ZmQ1LTQ1YTktOWUyMC05M2IxMzljNTJkOTQ&ifq">https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dF8xYzkteHFmNi1jTFA2R3J4a28zRWc6MA&theme=0AX42CRMsmRFbUy0wYjVlZjc1Mi00ZmQ1LTQ1YTktOWUyMC05M2IxMzljNTJkOTQ&ifq</a><br />
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Here is an on line document related to the peititon with back ground information that you may find interesting.<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfmw46k2_0gz4b6sgw">https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfmw46k2_0gz4b6sgw</a><br />
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Here is a recent op-ed piece in the <i>Kathmandu Post</i> written by James G. Heller about this issue: <a href="http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/10/25/oped/restoring-lumbinis-integrity/214140/">http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/10/25/oped/restoring-lumbinis-integrity/214140/</a><br />
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I hope the Government of Nepal can create more employment and develop industry for the economic prosperity of its people. I can't see any factories nearby <a href="http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=lumbini+1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl">Lumbini on Google Maps</a>. There are many farms nearby. I remember the roads all around are narrow and very poor quality with many pot holes (probably created by cement trucks).<br />
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The Nepal Government is already aware of the sensitivity of this area and has responded to international pressure by preserving this World Heritage area many years ago. There has been a lot of international funds (Japanese and Taiwanese etc.) invested at the site and the Nepal Government agreed to move an old Hindu temple that had been built on top of the Buddha's birth spot. The old carving of Queen Mahaamaaya giving birth to the Bodhisatta was interpreted wrongly by later Hindus as a Hindu goddess so they built a Hindu temple around it. Now the Hindu temple is moved to another location and the birth site preserved as a sacred Buddhist site. Though now it is less sacred than it is an archaeological site, where many Hindu and Muslim tourists pass through every day, laughing and joking. <br />
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Most of these Buddhist sacred sites in India and Nepal are preserved as large parks with lots of grass and trees. International funding for gardeners and walls and ticket offices are helping this. Then the locals use these places as recreational parks for family picnics and romance. I saw it with my own sad eyes. There is even graffiti on stupas such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhamekh_Stupa">Dhamek Stupa</a> in Sarnath (Isipitana) where the Lord Buddha set the wheel of the Dhamma rolling with the first Dhamma talk (<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html">Dhammacakkhapavatana sutta</a>) to the first five disciples (pancasaavakii) . Foreigners must pay about US$5 to enter these parks while locals pay about 20 cents each. <br />
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I went to Lumbini in <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/12/lumbini.html">December 2009</a>. From memory there appeared to be more dust and pollution from deforestation than any factories. There seemed to be a lot of soil erosion in the area. It is not mountainous in this southern part of Nepal, very close to the northern border of India. This whole area was once verdant with forests. Locals use wood for fuel to cook and heat their houses. Hindus also burn wood as part of their rituals for fire worship. Now with massive population increase due to better food and medical facilities (though these are still very bad compared to many other countries), there is great demand for resources. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fishtail.org/images/Lumbini%20a1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="http://www.fishtail.org/images/Lumbini%20a1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <br />
<a href="http://www.fishtail.org/nepal/tourinfo.php">http://www.fishtail.org/nepal/tourinfo.php</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The column on the left is an Asoka pillar. The white building is a steel framed structure sheltering the birth spot of the Buddha Gotama. There is a tank in the foreground and behind the photographer is a large Bodhi Tree. The ticket office is outside the frame to the right. I wrote about <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/12/lumbini.html">my experience</a> visiting this place in December 2009.<br />
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I doubt this petition will help the people of Nepal or prevent the decline of Buddhist parks and sacred sites. All these places will disappear sooner or later. It is dhamma - conditioned phenomena. Try not to be too attached to them. It is better to work for your own salvation and the well being of living people. It may be that with some better living conditions and a better environment, Nepalese and Indian people can learn to appreciate their heritage. Maybe not though. Australians don't appreciate Australian heritage very much. Little is done to preserve Aboriginal culture. Sacred sites are bulldozed for mines and railways. This sort of thing happens in every country.<br />
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There is also a danger that instead of taking real world political action, many people sitting at home will feel comforted by signing a petition safely in Australia or Canada far from the suffering of the Nepal and Indian people. I'm not sure that signing petitions such as this counts as 'socially engaged Buddhism'. However, it may be the beginning of a more active involvement.<br />
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Even so, I signed the petition and encourage you to also sign. Perhaps if many people sign the petition there maybe change for the better.<br />
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I quote below half of a sutta from the Sutta Nipaata with a reference to Lumbini as the birthplace of BuddhaGotama. I don't quite like the style of the translation - it is a bit archaic and may be difficult for ESL people to understand. I changed a few phrases but tried not to interfere too much. The numbers in square brackets refer to the verse number. The published translation also included Paali text in Roman characters that I have not reproduced in this blog.<br />
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<b>Naalakasutta The Discourse to Naalaka</b> in the <b>Sutta Nipaata</b>, translated into English by N. A. Jayawickrama [<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.11.than.html">alternative translation by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu</a>]<br />
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The seer Asita saw at this noonday rest the shining ones of Taavati.msa (together) with Inda and the deva (clad) in immaculate clothing, overjoyed and delighted, exultantly singing praises, clutching their garments; [679]<br />
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Seeing the deva with joyful hearts and intent, showing due respect, he said therat: 'Why are the shining ones in such high festive appearance and for what reason do you take garments in hand and twirl them?'[680]<br />
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When the war was on with the Asuras and victory was with the deva and the Asuras were defeated, even then there was no hair-raising (merriment) such as this; seeing what miracle are the deva delighted?' [681]<br />
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'They whistle, sing, play instrumental music, clap hands and dance; I ask you, O dwellers on the summit of Mount Meru, soon dispel my doubt.' [682]<br />
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(The deva)<br />
'That Enlightened One-to-be, the noble treasure beyond compare, is born in the human world for (their) weal and welfare, in <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><u>the village of Lumbini</u></span></b>, in the territory of the Sakyans; therefore are we pleased and in such high festive appearance.' [683]<br />
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'He, the noblest among all beings, the highest individual, the mighty bull among men, the noblest among all creatures, like the roaring lion, the mighty king of beasts will set in motion the wheel (of the Dhamma) and forest grove named Isi.' [684] ["Isi" refers to Isipitana, also known as Sarnath, near old Benares which is now known as Varanasi]<br />
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Then listening to that word he hastily descended and went to the abode of Suddhodana; seated there he told the Sakyans: 'Where is the prince? I too wish to see him.' [685]<br />
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Then unto him named Asita did the Sakyans show their son, the prince, like blazing gold fashioned by a skilled craftsman in an open forge, in all glory and splendid appearance. [686]<br />
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Seeing the prince, like a crested flame all ablaze, clean as the spotless moon, the lord of the stars, the sky roamer, and shining like the sun in the autumnal sky free of clouds, he, overjoyed, gained immense delight.[687]<br />
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The sky deva held aloft a parasol (of state) with countless ribs and a thousand tiers, and yak tailed whisks with golden handles fanned but the bearers of the whisks and parasol were not to be seen (invisible deva were doing the work). [688]<br />
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When the matted hair ascetic the sage named Ka.nhasiri saw him who was like a golden ornament placed upon a woollen blanket, with the white parasol of state held above, he with heart intent, and pleased in mind received (the child). [689]<br />
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Receiving (in his arms) the bull-like male, (son) of the Sakyans, he (Asita) who had gained mastery in the lore of signs (of a great being) and the (Vedic) hymns, as he investigated, with gladdened heart cried out: 'Unsurpassed is he, the noblest of men.' [690]<br />
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Then calling to mind his own departure (from this world) he shed tears in unbecoming manner. The Sakyans seeing the seer weeping said to him: 'Let there be no danger for the prince!' [691]<br />
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Seeing the Sakyans saddened the seer said: 'I call to mind no harm coming upon the prince, nor will any danger befall him; he is not an insignificant man, be comforted in heart. [692]<br />
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This prince will attain the highest enlightenment, he, the one who visions the supreme purity, with compassion for the many folk for their welfare, will turn the wheel of Dhamma and the holy life (proclaimed by him) will be widespread. [693]<br />
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'And what is left of my life here will not be long and before that my death will take place and such as I am I will not hear the teaching of him of unique endeavour, therefore am I afflicted, overcome by calamity and distressed. [694]<br />
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Arousing immense joy to the Sakyans, he who led a life of celibacy (Asita), set out from the royal court and with compassion for his own nephew stirred him in the teaching of the one of unique endeavour. [695]<br />
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'Immediately you hear someone say the (word) "the Enlightened One" (Buddho) and that with perfect enlightenment (Sammaasambuddho) attained he travels the path of Dhamma, go there, and asking him about the teaching, lead the holy life under that Exalted One (ask for ordination as a bhikkhu). [696]<br />
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Being counselled by him of such benevolent thoughts, by him who had seen for the future the highest purity (for him), that Naalaka [Asita's nephew] with an accumulation of a vast store of merit, with faculties guarded, dwelt (as a recluse) awaiting the Conqueror. [697]<br />
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'Hearing the report of the Supreme Conqueror's turning of the wheel of the Dhamma, he went up to him and gaining favour on seeing him, the mighty bull among seers, asked the great Sage about the highest way of life of a sage when the message of him named Asita came true. [698]<br />
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The rest of this sutta refer to Ven. Naalaka's conversation with the Blessed One.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-32187937833172129662010-10-23T05:02:00.002+13:002010-10-24T11:00:21.826+13:00Gain, Honour and Praise<b>S17.5 Laabhasakkaarasa.myutta, Connected discourses on Gains and Honour</b> <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Gt0QAQAAIAAJ&num=15">translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">At Saavatthii. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Suppose there was a beetle, a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of her was a large dunghill. Because of this she would despise the other beetles, thinking: 'I am a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of me there is a large dunghill.' So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour and praise dresses in the morning and taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms. There he would eat as much as he wants, he would be invited for the next day's meal, and his almsfood would be plentiful. When he goes back to the monastery, he boasts before a group of bhikkhus: 'I have eaten as much as I want, I have been invited for tomorrow's meal, and my almsfood is plentiful. I am one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites, but these other bhikkhus have little merit and influence, and they do not gain robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites.' Thus, because his mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour and praise, he despises the other well-behaved bhikkhus. That will lead to the harm and suffering of this senseless person for a long time. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour and praise, so bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Therefore, bhikkhus you should train yourselves thus: '"We will abandon the arisen gain, honour, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honour and praise persist in obsessing our minds.' Thus you should train yourselves."</span><br />
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The simile of the dung beetle and the dung hill is interesting since it shows the true value of material requisites such as food, clothing, lodging and medicines. These are useful to provide the conditions for life but are not to be clung to or obsessed over. These items are simply a means to support life so that we may develop higher faculties and overcome suffering once and for all.<br />
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The hindrance here is the maana-conceit of comparing oneself with others. Although the Blessed One has pointed out the case of someone who believes they are superior to others, there is also the harm caused by someone who thinks they are inferior to others. Both people are at fault for judging themselves and others and comparing criteria that are not important. This latter point indicates the source of the problem is a type of wrong view. For those who consider themselves superior or inferior by assessing material possessions are implying that material possessions are important and may even go as far as assuming a permanent self that is superior to others that also have a permanent self or soul. It is a short step to then construing a view that a deity may have blessed them with gain, honour and praise because of their inherent and enduring superiority or alternatively cursed them on account of their inherent inferiority. <br />
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For those obsessed with gain, honour and praise are more likely to kill, steal, lie, sexually misbehave and do other evil deeds in order to satisfy their desires. Being obsessed and overcome with gain, honour and praise is distracting and spoils concentration. With a mind easily distracted and concentration weakened, a person is unlikely to develop wisdom and find liberation from suffering. In fact, with low concentration and being easily distracted, one is likely to find pain and suffering in this life.<br />
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The following sutta includes a reference to those who are obsessed by <b>a lack</b> of honour...<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>S17.10 Laabhasakkaarasa.myutta, Connected discourses on Gains and Honour</b> <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Gt0QAQAAIAAJ&num=15">translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">At Saavatthii. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise.... Bhikkhus, I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by honour, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad desitnation, in the netherworld, in hell. Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by lack of honour... reborn in a state of misery... Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by both honour and lack of honour, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the netherworld, in hell. So dreadful, bhikkhus are gain, honour, and praise... Thus you should train yourselves."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "Whether he is showered with honour,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> Shown dishonour, or offered both,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> His concentration does not vacillate</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> As he dwells in the measureless state.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> When he meditates with perseverance, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> An insight-seer of subtle view</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> Delighting in the destruction of clinging,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> They call him truly are superior man."</span><br />
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Perhaps a person obsessed by gain, honour and praise would seek to protect or increase existing levels by committing various crimes. Others who are obsessed by an apparent lack of gain, honour and praise may give up trying to increase their own gain, honour and praise, and instead through jealousy, work hard to reduce their rivals' gain, honour and praise. They may also commit various crimes in the process. Either way, anyone obsessed in this way will take the dark path and increase suffering for themselves.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-56558335816591941842010-10-18T05:01:00.023+13:002010-10-19T10:57:28.589+13:00Striving for the BreakthroughS13.1 Abhisamayasa.mutta, Connected Discourses on the Breakthrough, <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Gt0QAQAAIAAJ&num=15">translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</a><br />
(<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn13/sn13.001.than.html">ATI translation</a> by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Thus I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Saavatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anaathapi.n.dika's Park. Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "Bhikkhus, what do you think, which is more: the little bit of soil that I have taken up in my fingernail or this great earth?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. It does not amount to a hundredth part, or a thousandth part, or a hundred thousandth part of the great earth."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> "So too, bhikkhus, for a noble disciple, a person accomplished in view, who has made the breakthrough, the suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated is more, while that which remains is trifling. The latter does not amount to a hundredth of the former mass of suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated, as there is a maximum of seven more lives. Of such great benefit, bhikkhus, is the breakthrough to the Dhamma, of such great benefit is it to obtain the vision of the Dhamma."</span><br />
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The "breakthrough to the Dhamma" and "to obtain the vision of the Dhamma" are metaphors for the attainment of stream entry - sotapanna. This is a very important stage of development.<br />
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Many lay followers obtained this breakthrough and vision during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha. Strive with diligence.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-30377695062757471972010-09-06T04:01:00.000+12:002010-09-06T04:01:00.428+12:00Kalaapa updateIn an <a _prevhref="/" href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2008/10/jhaana.html">earlier post about jhaana</a> - absorption, I mentioned kalaapa.<br />
<br />
There is a reference to kalaapa in "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Manual-Abhidhamma-Publication-Meditation/dp/1928706029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224864533&sr=8-1">Abhidhammatha Sangaha: A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma</a>" by Ven. Aacariya Anuruddha and translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi with commentary by Ven. Sayadaw U Silananda and Ven Rewatadhamma. <br />
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You can also read about kalaapa here: <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khin/wheel231.html">http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khin/wheel231.html</a> and do a text search for "kalapa".<br />
<div style="color: #351c75;"><ul style="color: #274e13;"><li>"The real meaning of Anicca is that Impermanence or Decay is the inherent nature of everything that exists in the Universe — whether animate or inanimate. The Buddha taught His disciples that everything that exists at the material level is composed of "Kalapas." Kalapas are material units very much smaller than atoms, which die out immediately after they come into being. Each kalapa is a mass formed of the eight basic constituents of matter, the solid, liquid, calorific and oscillatory, together with color, smell, taste, and nutriment. The first four are called primary qualities, and are predominant in a kalapa. The other four are subsidiaries, dependent upon and springing from the former. A kalapa is the minutest particle in the physical plane — still beyond the range of science today. It is only when the eight basic material constituents unite together that the kalapa is formed. In other words, the momentary collocation of these eight basic elements of behavior makes a man just for that moment, which in Buddhism is known as a kalapa. The life-span of a kalapa is termed a moment, and a trillion such moments are said to elapse during the wink of a man's eye. These kalapas are all in a state of perpetual change or flux. To a developed student in Vipassana Meditation they can be felt as a stream of energy."</li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The quote above is the view of some adbhidhamma scholars and the orthodox scholastic Theravada Buddhism. I personally don't follow that line. I give preference to the suttas. It seems to me that the abhidhamma distorts the Buddha Dhamma in a number of ways. I may try to elaborate on this in future blogs. It may take a few years to write about though. I still have a lot to learn. It is even possible that as I study, I may develop different preferences than those I currently have. Ideally, we go beyond all preferences.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">There is an alternative tradition that does not take the abhidhamma as the word of the Buddha. Abhidhamma was developed after the Blessed One's parinibbaana and went through a period of development over 200-300 years until ancient Theravada Buddhists established the canonical texts. The abhidhamma doctrine was developed further in the commentaries which were not written down in the form that we have them now until about 1500 years ago by Ven. Buddhaghosa. During the past 1500 years many sub-commentaries have been written about the abhidhamma.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">These days meditation teachers take various stands regarding the abhidhamma intepretation of the Dhamma. Some teachers ignore the abhidhamma and don't comment on it. Some teachers openly say that the abhidhamma distorts the Buddhadhamma. And yet other teachers teach in conformity with the orthodox abhidhamma doctrine. Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw is in the later group. </span><br />
<ul></ul></div>Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-79724150409744165592010-08-29T04:06:00.007+12:002011-02-18T16:12:32.891+13:00Lower Fetter - Adherence to Rules and Observances (Sa.myojana Siilabattapaaramaasa)There are ten sa.myojana - fetters binding beings to sa.msaara - the round of rebirths. The first stage of bodhi-enlightenment is sotapanna-stream entry. This stage is marked by the elimination of the first three fetters with one of these being siilabattapaaramaasa - the fetter of clinging to rules and observances. The other two lower fetters are sakkaaya di.t.thi-identity view and vicikicchaa-doubt (about the Dhamma). I can cover these two in another blog article, though I will state here that these three fetters have in common the theme of establishing sammaadi.tthi-right view. Right view is essential for liberation.<br />
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Many people misunderstand Sa.myojana Siilabattapaaramaasa - the fetter of clinging to rules and observences. Some might quickly read the phrase in English without thinking more deeply and discussing it with others and then think they understand what it means. I encountered people who claimed this fetter means that the Blessed One allows 'advanced followers' to not hold the five precepts or to break the laws of various countries whenever it suits them. Others interpret this to mean that we shouldn't bow to pagodas, offer incense and flowers etc. to Buddha images and so on. These 'clever people' claim that these are rituals that can be abandoned before we want to attain Nibbaana. They cite the <a href="http://kalyaano.blogspot.com/2009/04/abandon-raft.html">simile of the raft</a> to support their view. <br />
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It is very important to keep the five precepts. Siila (good moral conduct) is the foundation for developing Samaadhi (concentration) and Pa~n~na (wisdom). Making offerings and paying respect to pagodas and Buddha images helps us to develop kusala (wholesome/skilful) mental states. We can develop the indriya (controlling faculties) of saddhaa (faith/confidence) and samaadhi (concentration) by paying respects mindfully and with clear comprehension (sati sampaja~n~na). Keeping precepts, making offerings and paying respects to pagodas etc. need to be done with the right attitude and keeping samaa di.t.thi (right view) in mind. If we keep precepts and make offerings with wrong view then there is very little benefit and probably some harm as a result.<br />
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I selected some quotes from the suttas that might help us to deepen our understanding of this fetter and eventually to utterly destroy it.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Note </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that the quotations from the Majjhimanikaaya below are all from </span><a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=g5YfHBF10aoC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, though I've pasted the links to the ATI website, translated by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu, or </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Metta.lk translated by</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Sister Upalavanna,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for your convenience in obtaining an on-line English translation. I've interspersed some interpretive notes in </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">black font </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between the quotes. Maybe readers might read the quotes in </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">purple font</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> as a series several times before reading my interpretive notes which can be treated a bit like footnotes or endnotes in a text book. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Gt0QAQAAIAAJ&num=14"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Sa.myuttanikaaya</span></b></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">translated by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</span></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>S45.178 Lower Fetters</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">"Bhikkhus, there are these five lower fetters. What five? Identity view, doubt, the distorted grasp of rules and vows, sensual desire, ill will. These are the five lower fetters. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five lower fetters, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"><b><u>------------------------------------------</u></b></span><br />
[Forgive this diversion. - In relation to the last part of the sutta above please refer also to the Majjhimanikaaya, <b><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.043.than.html">M43 Mahaavedalla Sutta</a></b>, Ven. Saariputta tells Ven. Kohita (both were arahats at the time of the conversation) ...<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M43.12 ... the purpose of wisdom is direct knowledge, its purpose is full understanding, its purpose is abandoning...</span><br />
That is to say, direct knowledge, full understanding and abandoning are three aspects of paññaa-wisdom. Direct knowledge (abhiññaa) is direct experience, here and now. It is not theoretical knowledge. Fully understanding (pariññaa) is understanding phenomena with the three characteristics of dukkha, annicaa and anattaa (sufffering, impermanence and not-self), again this is not theroetical, it is to be experienced directly, here and now. Abandoning (pahaana) is not a volitional action, it does not create kamma. It is what happens when wisdom is mature. There is nothing worth clinging to. All phenomena arising and passing are abandoned automatically. When this happens, it is not a choice or a preference of an individual.<br />
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Mundane right view is theoretical and supramundane right view is direct experience. Supramundane right view is associated with right knowledge (sammaa ñaana) and right liberation (sammaa vimutti).<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M43.13 ... there are two conditions for the arising of right view. The voice of another and wise attention.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M43.14 ... right view is assisted by five factors when it has deliverance of mind for its fruit and benefit... Right view is assisted by ... (i) virtue, (ii) learning, (iii) discussion, (iv) serenity, and (v) insight... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span>I urge you to develop these five factors in daily life. When there is mature right view there will be the attainment of sotapanna - stream entry and no more unfortunate rebirths.]<br />
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">-------------------------------------------</span></u></b><br />
<b> <br />
<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.than.html" target="_blank">M2 Sabbaasava Sutta - All the Taints</a> </b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M2.11 "He attends wisely: 'This is suffering'; he attends wisely: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he attends wisely: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he attends wisely: 'This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.' When he attends wisely in this way, three fetters [sa.myojana] are abandoned in him: personality view, doubt, and adherence to rules and observances. These are called the taints that should be abandoned by seeing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
[Readers will probably recognise the Four Noble Truths in the above passage and again in the following passage. The last sentence refers to "taints to be abandoned by seeing". Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi noted that "seeing" here is a code for the path of sotapanna-stream entry. You can figure it out for yourself when you realise that the three "taints" in that passage are exactly the same as the three fetters that are destroyed by the attainment of sotapanna. The verb "seeing" is also referring to the direct experience of right <b><u>view </u></b>as it shifts from mundane to supramundane.]<br />
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<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.009.ntbb.html" target="_blank"><b>M9 Sammaadi.t.thi Sutta - Right View</b></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M9.34 And what is clinging, what is the origin of clinging, what is the cessation of clinging, what is the way leading to the cessation of clinging? There are these four kinds of clinging: clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">clinging to rules and observances</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">, and clinging to a doctrine of self. With the arising of craving there is the arising of clinging. With the cessation of craving there is the cessation of clinging. The way leading to the cessation of clinging is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is right view ... right concentration.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">[Only the later <b>three </b>of these four kinds of clinging are destroyed by the attainment of sotapanna</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">. The first of them: clinging to sensual pleasures, is only eliminated by anaagaamimagga - </span></span>the path of the non-returner. This is the third of four stages of enlightenment. In addition to eliminating the clinging to sensual pleasures, anaagaamimagga also destroys anger. The second stage of enlightenment - Sakadagaamimagga - the path of the once returner, does not eliminate anything. It merely attenuates (weakens) lust and anger. ]<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.011.ntbb.html" target="_blank">M11 Cuu.lasihandaada Sutta - The Shorter Discourse on the Lion's Roar</a></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M11.10 "Though certain recluses and brahmins claim to propound the full understanding of all kinds of clinging, <b>they do not completely</b> describe the full understanding of all kinds of clinging. They describe the full understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures without describing the full understanding of clinging to views, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">clinging to rules and observances</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">,</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> and clinging to a doctrine of self. Why is that? Those good recluses and brahmins do not understand these three instances of clinging as they actually are ...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M11.13 "Bhikkhus, in such a Dhamma and Discipline as that </span>[propounded by those certain recluses and brahmins]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">, it is plain that confidence in the teacher</span> [again, this refers to those faulty teachers, rather than the Blessed One]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> is not rightly directed, that confidence in the </span>[wrong]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> Dhamma is not rightly directed, that fulfilment of the precepts is not rightly directed, and that the affection among </span>[non Buddhist] <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">companions in the Dhamma is not rightly directed. Why is that? Because that is how it is when the Dhamma and Discipline is badly proclaimed and badly expounded, unemancipating, unconducive to peace, expounded by one who is not fully enlightened.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M11.14 "Bhikkhus, when a Tathagata, accomplished and fully enlightened, claims to propound the full understanding of clinging, he <b>completely</b> describes the full understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">clinging to rules and observances</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">, and clinging to a doctrine of self... </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span>[please open the link for M11 and read the whole sutta, especially from M11.9 to the end M11.17. It is very good.]<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima2/064-maha-malunkhyaputta-e1.html" target="_blank">M64 Mahaamaalunkya Sutta - The Greater Discourse to Maalunkyaaputta</a></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">M64.3 Maalunkhyaaputta, to whom do you remember me my having taught these five lower fetters</span> [of the sensual world]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> in that way? Would not the wanderers of other sects confute you with the simile of the infant? For a young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion 'identity,' so how could identity view arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency </span>[<i>anusaya</i>]<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> to identity view lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion 'teachings,' so how could doubt about the teachings arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to doubt lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion 'rules,' so how could </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">adherence to rules and observances</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"> arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to adhere to rules and observances lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion 'sensual pleasures,' so how could sensual desire arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to sensual lust lies within him. A young tender infant lying prone does not even have the notion 'beings,' so how could ill will towards beings arise in him? Yet the underlying tendency to ill will lies within him. Would not the wanderers of other sects confute you with this simile of the infant?" ... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"></span>There are more references to 'adherence to rules and observances' in other paragraphs of this sutta. Please read the whole sutta. It will be for your benefit and well-being for a very long time.<br />
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The Blessed One may have identified adherence to rules and observances as a fetter as part of his critique of the prevailing Brahmin culture in his day. Brahmins taught rules and observances as a way to higher states and even to union with the Brahma deity. For example, some ancient Brahmin teachers advocated bathing in rivers as a way to eliminate the consequences of evil deeds while other Brahmin teachers preferred to teach the worship of fire or to tend fires to win the favour of one or more deities and thereby gain a fortunate rebirth. This is a fetter or hindrance in Buddhism because it is micchaadi.t.thi - wrong view, not least because such views misunderstand the law of kamma and place faith in deities that do not have such powers as those Brahmins believe.<br />
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The Blessed One taught the way to union with the great Brahma deity and the way to fortunate rebirth among deities is possible by good moral conduct, donations to worthy people and meditation. For example, the way to be with the great Brahma deity is to practice loving kindness (metta) meditation and attain mental absorption - jhaana. By maintaining the capability to attain jhaana until the end of this life, a person would likely attain a fortunate rebirth in the retinue of the great Brahma deity. But the Blessed One warned this is inferior because it is not permanent and at the end of a long life as a brahma deity, a being may be reborn in an unfortunate realm and suffer for many life times due to the ripening of older kamma. Attachment to any form of becoming and rebirth is inherently suffering. The wish to be reborn in any existence is inevitably tainted (with craving) and this is the second noble truth - the cause of suffering.<br />
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The Blessed One taught the way to liberation from this round of rebirths. Overcoming the fetter of adherence to rules and observances is one of three important fetters to be permanently eliminated before attaining sotapanna - stream entry which is the first stage of enlightenment. Once attained to this stage it is guaranteed there will be no further unfortunate rebirths and there will be at most seven more life times before attaining full enlightenment - arahat.<br />
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May you dear reader develop the Noble Eightfold Path, realise the Four Noble Truths and attain Nibbaana.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-44108939651583332010-08-27T00:10:00.023+12:002010-08-28T02:33:15.559+12:00Venerable Ñāṇavīra, Notes on the DhammaWhile I was in Sri Lanka and browsing bookshelves at the Buddhist Publication Society and the Buddhist Cultural Centre I found some books by Venerable Ñāṇavīra. He was mentioned during online discussions back in the early 1990s. I didn't know much about him or his writings at that time. I did notice that some people seemed to admire him very much while others seemed to criticise his writings in very strong terms. Some people have fixed views about Sotapanna samapati (stream entry attainment), suicide and or attakatha (commentaries) and may reject Ven. Ñāṇavīra's writing based on his reputation without reading his work.<br />
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In the early 1990s I read some excerpts of Ven. Ñāṇavīra's writings available on the Internet but don't recall forming a view one way or the other. I bought <i>Clearing the Path</i> <a _prevhref="/" href="http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ctp_book_v1.pdf"><i>Notes on the Dhamma</i></a> and <i>Clearing the Path <u>Letters</u> (1960-65)</i> and read them both soon after returning to Perth a few months ago. I encourage you to read <i>Notes on the Dhamma </i>at least. I also found the letters from Ven. Ñāṇavīra to various people very interesting. Ven. Ñāṇavīra probably never thought they might be published as a book. I shall return to both books in future and may read them carefully several times while checking sutta references and so forth.<br />
<br />
Further reading on this topic includes:<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.pathpress.org/">Path Press</a> might be a good place to find related material as well as possibly the best place to buy Ven. Ñāṇavīra's books online. </li>
<li>The <a href="http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com/">main website</a> with all the writings in HTML as well as writings by others who have been influenced by Ven. Ñāṇavīra: <a href="http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com/">http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com</a> </li>
<li>Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi <i>A Critical Examination of Ñāṇavīra Thera's 'A Note on Paṭiccasamuppāda'</i>. Pa.ticcasamuppaada may be translated as "dependent origination" or "dependent arising". A PDF version of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's paper may also be downloaded from one of the Path Press websites <a _prevhref="/" href="http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=244">by clicking on the PDF icon on this page</a>. </li>
<li>Ven. Bhikkhu H. Ñāṇasuci's <a _prevhref="/" href="http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=244">excellent short article</a> about Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's paper and Ven. Ñāṇavīra's writings. </li>
<li>The <a href="http://nanavira.top-talk.net/">Akalika Forum</a> (discussions about Ven. Ñāṇavīra) <a href="http://nanavira.top-talk.net/">http://nanavira.top-talk.net/</a></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></span>Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-82758001690329511022010-06-23T05:43:00.007+12:002010-08-28T02:34:58.426+12:00Why I chose to not ordainThis answer to this question is complex and difficult to explain. This posting is personal and will not cover all the issues that are relevant to all people. I write from the perspective of a middle-aged male raised in Australia.<br />
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I received a couple of queries about this question and this prompted me to write this posting as a response. I suppose I set the question up in the earlier version of the "about me" paragraph under my photo [I must update that photo one day...]. This posting took over a week of writing and editing and I'm still not happy with the quality. It is my longest posting by far, with over 4000 words. I was going to write a short version, a sort of executive summary and a long version for those interested in more detail but then merged the two into what appears here. I'll move on to other topics for future postings now. I have a few draft posts on Dhamma topics waiting for my attention. I'll try to post one a week but don't count on it.<br />
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From late 1981 until the end of 2009 I practiced vipassana meditation as taught in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. It was the early insights from this meditation that convinced me in 1982 to become Buddhist and to ordain as a monk in Thailand. After I disrobed in 1984, I continued to practice vipassana meditation as a lay man though I didn't do any more retreats until November 2005. That seven day retreat led by Ven. Sayadaw U Lakkhana was intense and reinvigorated my practice once again. I knew I had to keep practicing. At that time I didn't have much confidence in myself as a meditator and imagined that it would take many lifetimes to make a breakthrough to stream-entry (sotapanna). <br />
<br />
In December 2006 – January 2007 I did a 6 week retreat in Yangon with Ven. Saydaw U Janaka (Chanmyay Sayadaw) and once again went up the insight knowledges (vipassana ~naa.na). I reached a difficult stage and left the retreat one week early. I still didn't have much confidence in my practice. From 2005 onwards I was also beginning to read more Dhamma books and delved into the excellent translations of the Suttas by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu. This sutta study and continued practice at home further strengthened my confidence in the Dhamma (saddha) and increased my sense of spiritual urgency (sa.mvega). <br />
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By mid 2008, I had decided that conventional lay life in a couple relationship was a hindrance to spiritual development but still wasn't sure if I should ordain as a monk. At that time I was confident I could live the celibate life so ordaining was a possibility once more. My family situation left me free to choose to ordain or not. So I began preparing for a trip to Asia to go back to Yangon and to visit Thailand where I had been a monk before. I thought that before possibly ordaining I needed to focus on making a breakthrough by doing longer more intensive retreats. This is more important than robes or rules of conduct. <br />
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I thought about the 2006-07 retreat at Chanmyay Yeithka in Yangon that I broke off early due to reaching a difficult stage. My own assessment (not confirmed by anyone else) is that I may have reached number 10 (of 16) - Knowledge of reflection (patisa.nkhaa~naa.na). I was determined that I would persevere next time and not give up the retreat so early. In fact whereas I only did a six week retreat in 2006-07, in March-June 2009 (16 weeks) at Saddhammaransi Yeithka, I reached this same stage after the first four weeks and seemed to stay there for the remaining 12 weeks. It was very frustrating. I was restless the whole time and wanted to leave. I struggled very much. Some of my wish to leave was due to uncomfortable environmental factors which I have outlined later in this blog. I believe that most of the restlessness and mental pain was an effect of the insight knowledge itself. <br />
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I finally gave up and transferred to Mahasi Sasana Yeithka, also in Yangon, where I continued meditating but not so intensively. There I talked with and helped other resident foreigners. I seemed to stay in the same insight knowledge but with less apparent stress. Maybe it was an immature number 11 (of 16), knowledge of equanimity towards formations (sa.nkhaar'upekkhaa~naa.na)? Again the environment was not ideal for me to meditate. Some Burmese Dhamma friends have criticised me for being weak and not persevering. They said I may have made a breakthrough had I stayed longer and they even encouraged me to ordain despite the obstacles. <br />
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I wrote above that I had only practiced insight meditation in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. Prior to leaving Australia for this trip I had been studying suttas and reading about deep concentration meditation (samatha) and meditative absorptions (jhaana). This was attractive to me for many reasons and not least because from what I was reading in the suttas, it was the way that the Blessed One and the Sangha at that time practiced. I believe I had some weaknesses in my spiritual development that may have hindered progress. <br />
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I shall provide some doctrine before continuing this theme. <br />
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There are <b><span style="color: #783f04;">five controlling faculties (panc'indriya)</span></b> which include:<br />
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<ul><li>confidence (saddha)</li>
</ul><ul><li>energy (viriya)</li>
</ul><ul><li>mindfulness (sati)</li>
</ul><ul><li>concentration (samaadhi)</li>
</ul><ul><li>wisdom (pa~n~naa) </li>
</ul><br />
These must be well-balanced to make good progress in meditation and achieve a breakthrough. I self-assessed myself as being relatively weak in mindfulness and concentration. From what I was reading in the suttas, it seemed that a period of intense deep concentration meditation (samatha) perhaps up to the level of developing mental absorptions would increase mindfulness and concentration. With these two important factors strengthened, all the five controlling faculties would balance and a breakthrough may occur. At least this was the theory as interpreted by myself. <br />
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In secondary materials such as popular books on meditation and audio lectures by Buddhist teachers, even Theravada Buddhist teachers, there is a lot of talk about developing <span style="color: #783f04;"><b>the ten perfections (paramis)</b></span>. These are not in the suttas or the commentary literature (A.t.thakathaa) at all. The doctrine of perfections only appear in the sub-commentary literature (Tiika) and later than that. The Theravada tradition adopted the doctrine of perfections from the Mahayana tradition more than 1000 years after the Blessed One attained Nibbaana without remainder (about 500 BC). The ten perfections are often referenced by modern teachers as a way to measure progress on the spiritual path. They may say “the perfections are not sufficiently mature, be patient and keep practicing. Maybe next life-time ...” and so on. I believe a more appropriate reference is the five controlling faculties. <br />
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Ok, now back to the theme. I left Yangon and went to Bangkok where for about two weeks I did little meditation while relaxing and meeting with old friends. I ate lots of food and talked with friends about my plans to find a suitable meditation centre or monastery to practice samatha meditation. However, soon after meeting Pi Yai, she persuaded me to try insight meditation in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw one more time at Section 5, Wat Mahadhatu. She arranged everything and I stayed there for 2 weeks and then 8 weeks. These two retreats were interrupted by a week when I travelled to Laos to renew my visa for Thailand for 3 months. The 8 week retreat at Wat Mahadhatu was the best. I had a few environmental difficulties but persevered. Pi Yai was a great meditation coach and a fantastic Dhamma teacher. Once again I reached that difficult insight knowledge, number 10 and maybe flipped over into number 11 sometimes, I'm not sure. It was not so uncomfortable this time though. Even so I gave up again after 8 weeks. I missed talking about the Dhamma and sometimes thought of my plans to try samatha meditation. I stayed in Bangkok another 4 weeks helping Pi Yai teach drop-in travellers who went to Wat Mahadhatu to learn meditation and get an introduction to Buddhism. It was fun and quite rewarding. <br />
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I then went to India for a month to do the pilgrimage of Buddhist sacred sites. This was very important to me. I wrote a lot about this in the December 2009 postings. Then I went to Sri Lanka to Na Uyana Aranya with the specific purpose of beginning samatha practice and hoping to possibly attain one or more of the four mental absorptions (jhaana). The plan was to use the jhaana as a base to then do insight meditation in the manner outlined in the suttas. <br />
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There were more obstacles at Na Uyana Aranya and I didn't attain jhaana. Even so, my time there was very useful and productive. I learned a lot about samatha practice, Sri Lanka, Buddhism as practiced in Sri Lanka as well as having many interesting and penetrating Dhamma conversations. <br />
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The journey was primarily about doing retreats aiming for a spiritual break through. Evaluating monasteries as possible places to ordain was very much secondary. All the time, I knew that ordination was a possibility but not certain and not a goal in itself. The goal was to make a spiritual breakthrough regardless of worldly status or livelihood.<br />
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The only place that came close to being suitable for me to ordain is Na Uyana Aranya. I did not visit all possible venues for ordination. As I passed through each place I decided, 'this place doesn't suit me' until I reached Na Uyana Aranya. It was the best of all the places I'd been and the only place I seriously considered ordaining. In the first two months I even told Ven. Ariyaananda twice of my intention to ordain. Then in the second two months the average temperature and humidity increased. I was unable to do regular walking meditation between sitting sessions because either there was no shade or there were too many insects.<br />
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In the second two months, my lower back ache was bothering me. Climbing the steep hill every day was a hassle in the humid weather. There were other minor issues that all accumulated to the point when I finally decided not to ordain at Na Uyana Aranya. By that time, my funds were low and I had to return to Perth to earn money. If I had more money then I might have looked around Sri Lanka at other monasteries or maybe travelled back to Thailand to look around there. I might have gone back to India to visit pilgrimage sites. I might have gone to other places in the world to meet with Buddhist teachers and get more advice about practice and Dhamma.<br />
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Some readers may wonder if there are some issues that I have not covered in this posting that may be relevant to my decision not to ordain. Although I have written rather a lot for a blog posting, I have not covered every detail. Even so, I would like to briefly outline those issues that are <b>not</b> relevant to my personal decision not to ordain: lust, anger, insanity, criminality, fatal or disfiguring diseases (not including ageing), non-human being, drug addiction, physical disability, physical deformity, indebtedness, obligation for military or government service, incomplete masculinity (for men wishing to ordain as a bhikkhu), family dependents and so forth. Most of these issues are identified in the Vinaaya as obstacles to ordination. <br />
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Though still capable of lust, anger and delusion, these conditions are not strong enough to prevent me form ordaining. For example, some people might not have the ability to live a celibate life – they need a sexual outlet. Experienced meditators learn to manage lust and anger. Samatha (concentration) meditation is particularly suitable for temporarily purifying mental states. This is why it is a good idea to spend some time (at least six months) as a lay person on eight precepts to learn how to manage lust and anger and also to sample monastic life. The Blessed One recommended meditation on the body, particularly parts of the body and various decaying corpses in order to reduce the impact of lustful mental states. He also recommended loving-kindness meditation for reducing the impact of angry mental states. I personally verified the effectiveness of these techniques and routinely applied them for short periods each day.<br />
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The following section indicates places I stayed during my trip and provides some indication of why I chose not to ordain at each place or stay longer even as a lay man. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Saddhammaransi Yeithka</b>, Yangon, Myanmar (March 2009 – June 2009)</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Good: </span></b>Sayadaw U Kundala is the abbot is an inspiring presence despite not being available for teaching due to old age and poor health. Good room with ensuite. City conveniences such as Internet, hospitals, shops, embassies and international airport. Dr Than Than is an excellent translator and teacher. <br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Bad: </span></b>Very noisy city monastery in a noisy neighbourhood. Extremely crowded with 80 per cent women. Oily food. Diarrhea every week or second week. Resident monastics are mostly late-in-life ordinations (retirees). Monastics depend largely on savings acquired in their own previous lay life and regular stipends earned by chanting. Monastics have bank accounts and use money. Many temporary ordinations coming and going with little knowledge of Buddhism. Slack management of lay men doing ten day, one month and 3 month resident retreats. Strict routine of taking 8 precepts every morning and listening to Dhamma talks every afternoon. <br />
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Saddhammaransi Yeithka has a branch monastery located outside Yangon in a rural area that is reputed to be less crowded and much quieter. I heard that foreigners have ordained as monks and nuns and stayed there for years to practice successfully. I requested the opportunity to go there but the lay officials at Saddhammaransi Yeithka discouraged me. If anyone were to consider Saddhammaransi Yeithka, they should insist from the start that they wish to go to the rural branch monastery. It is also important to consider whether a competent translator is available. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mahasi Sasana Yeithka</b>, Yangon, Myanmar (June – July 2009)</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Good: </b></span>Large grounds with many trees close to the centre of Yangon. Mahasi Sayadaw museum and mausoleum. Good room with ensuite. City conveniences such as Internet, hospitals, shops, embassies and international airport.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Bad: </span></b>Monastics and lay people constantly spitting on the walking paths. Oily food. Diarrhea every week or second week. Poor quality teachers. Slack vinaaya – even the senior teachers use money. Many temporary ordinations coming and going with little knowledge of Buddhism. Corrupt senior lay management request bribes for facilitating foreign meditators' visas (regardless of being monastic or lay person). <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wat Mahadhatu, Section 5</b>, Bangkok, Thailand (July 2009 – November 2009)</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Good:</b></span> Pi Yai is an excellent vipassana meditation teacher in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw. Meditators at all levels would benefit by talking with her. A good place for absolute beginners to get an introduction to Buddhism and Mahasi method meditation. Excellent food (though not vegetarian).<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Bad: </span></b>Extremely crowded, with noisy and inadequate facilities. Many lay women visiting and staying for short retreats. Noisy environment for meditation and sleeping. Many rats, cats and cockroaches. Many monastics smoke cigarettes in the accommodation areas. All monastics use money except a few visiting monks. Lots of chanting and rituals. Monastics depend largely on savings acquired in their own previous lay life and regular stipends earned by chanting. Monastics have bank accounts and use money. Many temporary ordinations. Ven. Raajasiddhimuni “Luang Por Jodok”, passed away about 10 years ago and there is no-one else of his quality. Most monasteries depend on a senior and venerable figurehead. Section 5 is missing one though some try hard to fit the role. As a lay woman, Pi Yai lacks worldly status and influence while ostentatious monastics flap and squawk.<br />
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Ven. Luang Por Jodok was my preceptor (upajjhaaya) when I ordained as a bhikkhu in 1982. Ven. Ajahn Kao Titawano was the abbot and my principle teacher (aacariya) at that time too. He also passed away about 10-15 years ago. I miss them and other monastic teachers from that time. It would be great if they were still alive and available for me to consult with.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Na Uyana Aranya</b>, Pansiyagama, Sri Lanka (January 2010 – May 2010)</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Good:</b> </span>Ven.Ariyadhamma. Ven. Ariyaananda is cool and an excellent teacher and leader. 500 hectares of forest. Many paths for hiking through the forest. Good accommodation with en-suites. Good vegetarian food with no tummy problems at all. Strong vinaaya. Support for various meditation traditions including Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw and Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. Excellent collection of books.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Bad: </span></b>Few kutis have suitable walking paths for meditation. Many kutis are very hot. Many unpaved paths up steep hills. Deadly snakes and insects. Monkeys. Ants. Far from Internet and health facilities. Library room is hot and small. Centralised management. Ants cross the paths at random places each day and many mosquitos and other biting insects attack at night. My kuti was too small for walking inside. <br />
<br />
Other yogis encouraged me to ask Ven. Ariyaananda for a bigger kuti but I didn't want to bother him. He had given me that kuti to use and I didn't want to be another grumpy, spoiled Westerner. I felt privileged to have a kuti to myself since all the Sri Lankan lay people had to live in dormitory buildings. Perhaps if I had stayed and ordained I could have upgraded to a larger kuti in a shady area with a short walking path inside. I was not so patient.<br />
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There were suggestions that at 50 years old and with minor health issues, I may be too old to ordain at Na Uyana. But this wasn't a firm and final matter. I had confidence that were I to demonstrate determination and sincerity as a lay man for one or two years, there would be no problem ordaining. Some people suggested a way around this would be to ordain somewhere else and then return to Na Uyana to seek residence. That idea didn't appeal to me. I prefer to be straight forward. <br />
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<b>Finance: </b>I started with a budget of about A$14,000. I spent it on living costs, travel and donations. By the time I was making my decision about whether to ordain at Na Uyana Aranya, I had little of those funds left (no debts though). I felt uncomfortable making that decision as though someone (mostly myself?) might criticise me for ordaining to escape poverty and work. This is complex but only one of many minor factors in the ordination decision.<br />
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<b>Health: </b>I have some minor health issues that are more conveniently addressed in layman's life. I like to see doctors and other allied health specialists from time to time. As a monk I would be totally dependent on lay support for medical attention. As a lay man with employment and a reasonable income living in an economically prosperous country I can easily access high quality medical services. These provide a greater degree of physical comfort and possibly a longer life for Dhamma study and practice. I wouldn't want to be too great a burden to other monastics or the local lay communities. <br />
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<b>Teacher and local monastic community: </b>As a newly ordained monastic it is good to have a teacher and appropriate community support for conduct, meditation and requisites. I have confidence that strict monastic conduct leads to deeper concentration and wisdom. There are many teachers who may have strict conduct themselves but live among a community that is slack. There are good meditation teachers who are not good at monastery management. Ideally communities would have a solid tradition and culture that is sustainable in the long term despite changes in abbots and teachers (due to death, sickness and travel). Successful monastic communities are dependent on devoted lay communities.<br />
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<b>Vinaaya (rules of conduct for monastics): </b>It is conceivable but not convenient for experienced monastics (maybe over 5 years in robes) to move around without money in these countries. Despite the vinaaya (rules of conduct for monastics) most monastics use money.<br />
<br />
<b>Location: </b>There is greater support for monastics in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos than in Australia. This is due to the higher proportion of Buddhist lay supporters in the population and the higher number of monasteries. There is much less choice in Australia for a suitable place to ordain. The Ajahn Chah lineage monasteries have a strict age-limit policy for ordinations and would not ordain a man aged 50 plus. Most other Theravada monasteries in Australia would have smaller communities of monastics and may not have sufficient facilities for ordaining, accommodating and training new monks. I have not fully investigated the options though, so I may be wrong. Most of my research on Australian monasteries is via the Internet.<br />
<br />
Having Thai language and cultural skills, I could find and settle at many monasteries in Thailand (and Laos). Myanmar and Sri Lanka have many English speakers and probably after 6 months of effort a newly ordained monk could learn enough local language to survive. Certainly within 2-3 years, I would expect to be literate in the local language. In my case, I've done that already with my experience ordaining in Thailand so doing it again in another country does not scare me. In Thailand, I'm not keen on the political structure and culture of the Sangha, the non-orthodox ideas (magic, Hinduism, crystals, astrology, money, status) that hinder access to true Dhamma. These are common problems in Laos, Myanmar and Sri Lanka though manifested in different ways. I expect that some monasteries in Australia may have these problems too.<br />
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Location is linked with access to climate, health and communication facilities. Asian countries tend to feel hotter and more humid than most places in Australia (north Queensland and northern Northern Territory excepted). I can live with that though I prefer a temperate climate.<br />
<br />
<b>Family, children:</b> I have two children aged 18 and 16 who live with their mother (first wife) in Canberra. While I was traveling from March 2009 to May 2010 I was in intermittent contact with them. As a layman I could be more directly involved in their lives. They need support and guidance sometimes. Now that I'm back in Perth, my daughter is keen to come and live with me later this year. <br />
<br />
<b>Family, mother and siblings</b>: My mother is in good health and well. She is always anxious when I'm travelling overseas and encourages me to return to Australia. Even when I lived in Canberra she invited me to live in Perth close to her. My siblings enjoy my company and the exotic flavour I add to the family blend (and meals) in Perth. I'm the only Buddhist in my family – everyone else are pragmatic agnostics (my label for them). Like the majority of Westerners, they seem to accept the common Western materialist paradigm. They don't like philosophising and prefer me not to question their assumptions about life. <br />
<br />
<b>Age:</b> There are guidelines for ordination in Australian monasteries that discourage or prohibit ordination for men aged 50 or over. I just missed out there. I could easily ordain in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka or Laos whatever my age. Though there are monasteries in Thailand and Sri Lanka that may not allow me to ordain because of my mature age. (More details in the Longer Response below.)<br />
<br />
I turned 50 in early 2010. I regard this as middle-aged, the prime of life. However, some monasteries regard the age of 50 as being 'too old' to ordain. Nevertheless some of those monasteries with an age policy for ordinations seem to consider each case on its merits. It seems that they want to discourage monks from using the monastery as a retirement home. They would assess each case and judge whether the candidate was sincere and had a strong sense of spiritual urgency (sa.mvega). I gather that some monasteries have a very strict policy of not ordaining men aged 50 and over, regardless of their spiritual urgency.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What next?</i></span><br />
<br />
Now I am open to the next stage. I retain the preference to be single, celibate and free. I shall get a job, save money and maybe travel again. Though I am less likely to consider ordination in future.<br />
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Maybe in a couple of years I can find a cottage in a remote area with convenient access to food where I can quietly do a retreat on my own. This is relatively cheap in Sri Lanka. I believe it maybe possible in Thailand or Laos too. This would be a longer retreat – maybe 3-4 months or longer. I'd like to try continue doing samatha meditation – namely mindfulness of breathing (aanaapaanasati) and see how far it can go.<br />
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This could be a model for the future. Work for a while, save money, go on a long retreat for a few months, return to Australia, work for a while, save money, go on a long retreat.... and so on. I am aware that life happens despite our plans.<br />
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I shall continue studying Dhamma. I have a fantasy about learning Paali and possibly Sinhala languages. I'm not sure if I can retain the discipline to do so. I'll probably keep posting on this blog too.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3761669731882520812.post-76237739631470215822010-06-02T21:19:00.000+12:002010-06-02T21:19:40.968+12:00Perth - settling inI've been back in Perth, Australia for over two weeks now. I'm living at my Mother's house and seeing my siblings and their families often. The weather is fine and cool. It is great weather in fact. Perth is so clean and tidy, all the infrastructure is so well maintained and so convenient... except that everything is so spread out and there seem to be few people. Australians are fortunate to have such good living conditions.<br />
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I've applied for many jobs already and will continue to apply until I am employed again. My main job market is government service and university administration. My expertise is public policy analysis and project management. I'll get something soon, I have good qualifications and experience.<br />
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I went to <a href="http://www.murdoch.edu.au/">Murdoch University</a> campus for the first time since 1992. There are many new buildings and modifications to older buildings. I've also joined Murdoch University <a href="http://www.murdoch.edu.au/Alumni/">Alumni</a>, thinking this is another network and such networks can be helpful. Following their advice, I joined the Murdoch University <a href="http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/">Library</a> as a Community Member with the usual $99 annual fee waived. I also got a "green zone" <a href="http://www.murdoch.edu.au/ofm/services/parking.html#fees">parking</a> sticker for free. The annual fee is usually $137 for staff or $74 for students. The friendly Alumni office staff also gave me an attractive aluminum covered notepad with pen and a special tube of Alumni sunscreen lotion. I first went to Murdoch in 1979 which wasn't long after it opened. I was a full-time student there for six years. Now I'm considering options for doing a postgraduate diploma there next year in part-time mode. I'm not sure yet.<br />
<br />
I don't have a big network of <b>friends</b> in Perth because I lived most of the past 18 years in Canberra and traveled overseas. It is easy to make new friends though. Australians tend to move a lot. I'm not sure if any studies have been done on how often people move house or even relocate to different towns and states but feel confident that Australians move more than other nationalities. I'm generalising of course.<br />
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Since I left Na Uyana Aranya, Sri Lanka I done much <b>meditation</b>. I have spent a lot of time on my Mother's computer surfing the Internet as well as writing job applications. While I was in Asian meditation centres I was unable to keep up with news or do research by "following my nose". Now I have time and opportunity...<br />
<br />
I prepared a schedule in <a href="http://www.google.com/calendar">Google Calendar</a> for an ideal way to <b>manage my time</b> and this includes sitting meditation for one hour in the morning (4:30 AM start) and one hour before sleeping. However, I confess that so far, I haven't got into the routine. Sometimes, I follow my nose on the Internet and two or three hours pass in subjective minutes.<br />
<br />
Even so I still <b>chant </b>every morning and evening and do a little loving-kindness and recollection of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. I also read a little Dhamma each day and some days read a lot. During day when I drive the car, or walk somewhere, instead of letting the mind wander I often <b>focus on the breath</b> touching the upper lip. It feels good and centres me straight away. I note the good feeling and try to focus on the touch sensation. I even do this kind of short meditation when waiting in queues or walking around shops.Kaliyukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874443345638499944noreply@blogger.com2