I was staying in a hotel in Thailand, and there
was this book “Without and Within”, and I thought it was so fantastic that I
must make some notes on my personal favourite extracts. You can download the
book for free from: https://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-books/without-and-within/
Image: Without and Within by Ajahn Jayasaro:
Questions and Answers on the Teachings of Theravada Buddhism
Blessings
The Dhamma = The truth of things/’the way
things are’
Emancipate = To free from restraint, influence,
or the like.
Admonish = To caution, advise, or counsel
against something.
Not to associate
with fools.
To associate with
the wise.
To pay respects where
they are due.
This is the highest
blessing.
To reside in a
suitable location.
To have previously
done meritorious deeds.
To have set oneself
on the right path (to emancipation)
This is the highest
blessing.
To have much
learning.
To be skilled and knowledgeable.
To be restrained by
a moral code.
To have beautiful
speech.
This is the highest
blessing.
To support one’s
parents.
To cherish wife and
children.
To earn one’s
livelihood without difficulty.
This is the highest
blessing.
To be generous.
To live in accord
with the Dhamma.
To assist one’s
relatives.
To do blameless
actions.
This is the highest
blessing.
To cease and
abstain from evil.
To refrain from
intoxicants.
Not to be heedless
of the Dhamma.
This is the highest
blessing.
To be respectful.
To be humble.
To be content. To
have gratitude.
To hear the Dhamma
at the right time.
This is the highest
blessing.
To have patience.
To be easy to
admonish.
Associating with
monks.
To discuss the
Dhamma at a suitable time.
This is the highest
blessing.
To practice
austerities.
To lead the Holy
Life.
Seeing the Noble
Truths.
The realization of nirvana.
This is the highest
blessing.
A mind unshaken by
contact with the world.
Sorrowlessness,
stainlessness and secure.
This is the highest
blessing.
Having accomplished
this one is always unconquered, one goes everywhere in peace.
These are the
supreme blessings.
What is enlightenment?
Enlightenment
refers to liberation from suffering and the mental toxins or “defilements” that
are its cause. It is the realization of the true nature of “the way things
are”. An enlightened being understands the conditioned nature of impermanent
phenomena and experiences nirvana, the unconditioned reality that lies behind
it. The enlightened mind is characterized by wisdom, compassion, and purity.
Did the Buddha have a sense of
humor?
The Buddha was
aware that humor, judiciously employed, can point to the truth in delightful
and disarming ways.
What are the Four Noble
Truths?
1. There is suffering (dukkha)
Dukkha is generally
translated as “suffering”, but in fact has a far more profound meaning than is
implied by that word. Dukkha refers to the chronic unsatisfactoriness of
unenlightened existence. It covers the whole spectrum of experience, from
severe physical and emotional pain to the subtlest sense of unease and lack.
2. There is a cause of suffering
Suffering is not
our unalterable human predicament. It is dependent upon certain causes and
conditions, in particular upon the cravings that arise through a fundamental misperception
of our human nature.
3. There is a cessation of suffering
There is a complete
ending of suffering, a state of liberation and true happiness.
4. There is a path leading to the cessation of suffering
Suffering is
comprehended, its causes abandoned and its cessation realized through
cultivation of the Noble Eightfold Path. This path involves an education or
training of every aspect of our lives, inner and outer. The eight factors are
as follows:
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration
Please explain the Eightfold
Path in more detail
1. Right View refers to beliefs, views, ideals, values that are in harmony with the
way things are. Initially its most important elements are confidence in:
i) The human capacity
for enlightenment
ii) The law of
karma
2. Right Thought refers to thoughts consistent with Right View.
These are characterized by a freedom from all kinds of toxic thinking,
in particular that which is:
i) Sensual
ii) Hostile
iii) Cruel
Right Thought
includes thoughts of kindness and compassion, and the aspiration to be free
from all inner afflictions.
3. Right Speech is true, useful and timely speech that is
polite and kindly in intent. It is speech free from:
i) Lying
ii) Harshness
iii) Slander
iv) Idle chatter
4. Right Action refers to actions that do not harm self or
others. At its most basic it refers to refraining from:
i) Killing
ii) Stealing
iii) Sexual
misconduct
5. Right Livelihood refers to livelihood that does not cause harm
to self or others. Wrong livelihoods listed in the texts include the
selling of:
i) Weapons
ii) Living beings
iii) Meat and fish
iv) Intoxicants
v) Poisons
6. Right Effort refers to the endeavor to:
i) Prevent
unskilful thoughts and emotions that have not yet arisen in the mind from
arising.
ii) Reduce and
eradicate unskilful thoughts and emotions that have already arisen in the mind.
iii) Introduce into
the mind skilful thoughts and emotions that have not yet arisen.
iv) Sustain and
further develop skilful thoughts and emotions already present in the mind.
7. Right Mindfulness refers to maintaining an alert, even-minded and
committed awareness of present experience, in particular:
i) The physical
body
ii) The affective
tone of experience: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral
iii) The state of
mind
iv) Mental
phenomena as they relate to the Buddha’s path of awakening
8. Right Concentration refers to the inner stability, clarity and
peace experienced in four stages of “meditative absorption”.
Why do so few people seem
truly happy?
One of the basic
premises of Buddhism is that the more clearly we see the nature of things, the
less we suffer, and the happier we become. Worldly happiness is fleeting and
unreliable. The happiness of a cultivated mind is a lasting refuge.
Buddhists talk a lot about
being in the present moment...
The more we are
grounded in the present moment, the more uncluttered our mind becomes, and the
easier it is to learn from past experiences and plan wisely for the future.
What is merit?
Merit refers to the
inner purification that occurs through virtuous acts of body, speech and mind.
Meritorious actions elevate and ennoble the mind, and are accompanied by a
sense of well-being.
Generous actions
are meritorious because they reduce the power of selfish attachment, and teach
us the joy of giving. Keeping precepts is meritorious because it weakens the
compulsion to harm ourselves and others, and because it accustoms the mind to
freedom from remorse and to feelings of self-respect.
Is it correct that Buddhism
teaches us to give up all desires?
Buddhism
distinguishes two kinds of desire: the first (tanha) to be abandoned and the
second (chanda) to be cultivated.
Tanha is the desire
that arises from a basic misunderstanding of the way things are: perceiving
permanence, happiness and selfhood where they do not exist. Desire for the
pleasures to be had through getting, getting rid of and becoming is tanha.
Tanha leads to personal suffering and is the basis of almost all social ills.
Chanda is the
desire that arises from a correct understanding of the way things are. At its
heart lies the aspiration for truth and goodness. Desire to do well, desire to
act well, desire to act kindly, desire to act wisely - all desires based on an
aspiration for the true and good, lead to personal fulfillment and healthy
communities.
By looking closely
at the raw experience of life, the distinction between desires that lead to
genuine happiness - and those that do not - becomes increasingly clear.
What does it mean to “let go”?
Letting go occurs
naturally when the trained mind is keen enough to perceive that there is
nothing to be found in our direct experience which corresponds to the concept
of “me” and “mine.”
“Me” and “mine” are
not, however, mere illusions; they are extremely useful social conventions, and
the Buddha taught that they should be respected as such. For example: the body is strictly speaking “not mine”, but that does
not mean it should be neglected.
“Letting go” is
also an idiom used for intelligent effort. Knowing that no effort we make
exists in a vacuum, that it will always be affected to some degree by
conditions over which we have no control, we let go of our demands and
expectations for the future. We create the best possible conditions for
reaching our goals, and then let go of the results.
Is Buddhism a religion or a
philosophy?
Whereas the
religions that grew up in the Middle East are essentially belief systems, Buddhism
is a system of education.
What is the essence of
Buddhism?
Liberation, freedom
from suffering (dukkha) and its causes, is the essence of Buddhism.
Is Buddhism too focused on the
individual and lacking in its social dimension?
The Buddha himself referred to his teaching as
Dhamma-Vinaya, with “Vinaya” referring to means by which the external
environment can be ordered so as to create the optimum conditions for the
study, practice and realization of Dhamma.
In Thailand, the
gods of the free market have come to exert far more influence than the
principles of Vinaya. Short-term gains are generally seen as more practical and
rewarding goals than long-term well-being.
What, in a nutshell, is the
law of karma?
Put most simply:
good actions have good results; bad actions have bad results. Actions provoked by
toxic mental states rooted in greed, hatred and delusion contribute to future
suffering. Actions flowing from wisdom and compassion contribute to future
happiness.
Please illustrate the workings
of the law of kamma
Every time we act
with a coarse intention, we immediately become a slightly coarser human being.
Every time we act with kindness we immediately become a slightly kinder person.
What does Buddhism say about
rebirth?
He (The Buddha) spoke
on various occasions about the different realms of existence and the conduct
that led to rebirth in them.
The Buddha made it
clear that no realm is eternal, and that rebirth in heaven realms, no matter
how sublime, is ultimately unsatisfactory and comes to an end. He taught that
for the fully enlightened being, there can be no more rebirth.
Do Buddhists believe in
spirits?
The Buddha taught
that all beings without exception are our fellow wanderers in the realm of
birth and death, and as such they should not be worshipped or bribed with
offerings. Buddhists are taught to cultivate an attitude toward non-human
beings of respect and kindness.
Why is impermanence given so
much importance in Buddhism?
Impermanence is the
central feature of existence. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same.
Nothing lasts. Although this may seem a trite observation, close investigation
reveals how many of our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, desires and fears
occur precisely because the truth of impermanence is constantly forgotten.
What is the meaning of
not-self?
Buddhism teaches
that far from being the solid centre of experience, the sense of self is
created moment by moment, by means of an instinctive identification with
aspects of experience - our body, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, emotions,
sense-consciousness.
If there is no self, then what
is reborn?
The teaching of
not-self points to the fact that things exist as processes rather than as
discrete objects. ... there is not a thing called a self that is reborn at the
death of the body, but a process that manifests in a new and fitting form.
If there is no self, how can
anybody be considered responsible for their actions?
Buddhism makes a
distinction between reality and social convention. The idea of self is
recognized to be a very useful, indeed indispensable, element of social life.
In conversation, enlightened masters use the terms “I” and
“you” in the normal
way; they answer to a name. The difference is that they recognise a convention
as a convention and do not confuse it with ultimate reality.
The majority of
Buddhist teachings deal with life on the conventional level. Personal
responsibility is given a central role.
Is it not unnatural for
monastics to be celibate?
Yes, if “unnatural”
means acting in ways that override the most basic human instincts. But it is
generally accepted that human civilisation has evolved to its present level
precisely because of the human ability to go beyond the given, to be
intelligently “unnatural”.
Why did the Buddha allow monks
to eat meat?
The first and most
important reason is that eating meat is not, in itself, considered blameworthy.
The Buddha allowed monks to eat meat if they had not seen, heard or suspected
that any living beings had been killed specifically to make the dish for them.
In such a case, having made no direct contribution to the death of the
creature, monks made no karma by consuming its flesh.
What does Buddhism have to say
about human sexuality?
Wise people see
sexual pleasure as highly addictive and cherish their freedom enough to prevent
sex monopolizing their life, and unwisely influencing the choices they make.
Sexual desire is
not seen as bad as such. It is, however, seen as being conditioned by ignorance
of the way things truly are.
The fully
enlightened ‘arahant’ experiences no sexual desire at all, and yet lives with a
supreme and unshakeable sense of well-being.
Arahant = “one who is worthy” or as a
“perfected person” having attained nirvana
How does Buddhism view love?
At its coarsest
level love may be narcissistic and demanding; at its most sublime love is
selfless and unconditioned. Buddhists are taught that the more their love
inclines towards the selfish forms, the more they will suffer and the more
suffering they will cause for their loved one; the more unconditional their
love, the more it is based upon wisdom and understanding, the more happiness
they will enjoy and the more they will be able to give to others.
Did the Buddha have any views
on economic affairs?
By including “Right
Livelihood” in the Eightfold Path, the Buddha recognized the role of economic
activity in promoting individual well-being...
The Buddha
emphasized the importance of making one’s living honestly and with a healthy
motivation... When peoples’ minds are focused on the quality of their work
itself rather than the material rewards it provides, they become more content,
experience less stress, and do better work.
He (the Buddha) said
that while expenditure should not exceed income, wise people use their wealth
for the welfare of themselves and their families; they are generous to
relatives and friends, and offer support to the needy. The Buddha referred to
food, clothing, shelter, and medicine as the four requisites indispensable for
a sustainable life... In Buddhist terms, the measure of an economy is to be
found in the degree to which it can ensure access to the four requisites for
all.
What is the Buddhist attitude
to entertainments like cinema and sport?
Any activity that
increases the strength of nourishing qualities in the heart and diminishes the
strength of the toxic qualities may be mindfully pursued.
Buddhism teaches contentment.
But if everyone was content with their life, how would human progress ever be
achieved?
Whenever the Buddha
spoke about contentment he paired it with an energetic quality such as
diligence, persistence or industriousness.
Unenlightened
beings commonly feel that they are missing out, that things they don’t possess
would make them happier than the things they already have. Even when desire is
fulfilled, the mind sated but the sense of lack found to be unchanged by the
experience, this hope survives. Learning how to appreciate the merits of what
we already possess allows us to let go of cravings, frustrations and jealousy.
We set ourselves realistic goals and apply ourselves diligently to creating the
causes and conditions for realization of those goals. But in the meantime, we
enjoy, as far as possible, the present situation. For, it would be a sad thing
to put all our hopes for happiness into a future that never arrives.
What does Buddhism teach
regarding our relationship with the environment?
Our challenge as a
species is to relate to the physical world in a way that best sustains its
capacity to sustain us.
It means
cultivating the will to refrain from certain kinds of harmful activities, to
adopt a simpler, less wasteful way of life.
Is there a Buddhist approach
to conflict resolution?
In Buddhism,
violence is considered the least intelligent reaction to conflict.
The Buddha said
that minds free from toxic mental states make the most intelligent long-term
decisions.
What is the best way to deal
with stress?
Given our
responsibilities and the pressures upon us, feeling a certain amount of stress
is probably inevitable. It is not always a bad thing, and hard to imagine how
making positive changes in our life, abandoning old unwise habits, could be
possible without any stress at all.
Nevertheless, it is
possible to radically reduce the amount of stress we experience. It helps to
simplify our lives as much as we can and learn to slow down a little. Bringing
attention to the quality of our actions and speech reduces stressful
interactions with others. A more judicial use of resources reduces stress over
personal finances. Regular exercise ... alleviates much physical tension, and
teaches us to breathe more naturally.
In Buddhism, how important is
it to help others?
Altruism lies at
the very heart of the Buddhism tradition. The blossoming of compassion is seen
as the measure of an awakening mind. The two pre-eminent virtues possessed by
the Buddha were wisdom and compassion.
Are violence or killing ever
justified?
The short answer to
this question is no. The Buddhist teaching on this point is unwaveringly clear.
Whatever justification may be made for killing, if the volition to kill was
present in the killer’s mind, then bad karma has been created which will lead
to unfortunate consequences. The reasons for killing determine only the
severity of the karma created.
“Hatred never ceases through hatred in this
world; but through non-hatred it ceases. This is an eternal law.” - The Buddha
Are Buddhist countries
completely pacifist?
Nevertheless, it is
recognized that those involved in fighting a war of self-defence would not be
free from bad karma. In this view, the heroism of members of the armed forces
would reside in their voluntarily taking on bad karma and the future suffering
that is its consequence for the sake of the nation.
Miscellaneous Quotes from the
Book
“The Buddha never
forced anyone to believe in him or to adopt his teachings. Those who listened
to and pondered over his reasoning, feeling satisfied and in agreement with it,
became his disciples through inspiration and conviction.” - Ajahn Thate
“When you finally
realize that this empty room you perceive yourself to be in can never be truly
empty until you - the observer of its emptiness depart from it - that is the
moment when the fundamental delusion about your true self disintegrates and the
pure delusion-free mind arises.” - Ajahn Maha Bua
“Take care not to
follow ignorant people who say that Buddhism looks at the world in an overly
pessimistic way. Buddhism teaches that suffering is to be seen, but what is to
be felt and realized is happiness.” - P. A. Payutto
“(In Buddhism) the
most essential meaning of the word ‘study’ is of the unceasing, dedicated observation
and investigation of whatever arises in the mind, be it pleasant or unpleasant.”
- Ajahn Buddhadasa
“People’s inner
goodness may be observed from the way they express themselves externally
through their actions and speech, but only by a thorough investigation conducted
over a long period of time.” - Somdet Phra Budhacarya
“The way to
extinguish desire…is to become a giver. Give regularly. The act of giving and
the extinguishing of desire: they always happen simultaneously.” - Somdet Phra
Nyanasamvara
“The true
nourishment we get from things is the joy we feel from being able to give them
away.” - Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo
“Self-honesty is
the basis of moral virtue. Know yourself, accept your faults and work to overcome
them. Hide nothing from yourself. Above all, don’t lie to yourself.” - Mae Chee
Kaew
“If the mind is
full to the top with ‘I’ and ‘mine’, truth-discerning awareness cannot enter;
if there is truth-discerning awareness, the ‘I’ and ‘mine’ disappears…” - Ajahn
Buddhadasa