The Division Of Expositions (Vibhangavagga) and The Division Of The Sixfold Base (Salayatanavagga)
The last few chapters of Majjhima Nikaya is so inspiring. Starting from the last chapter, The Development of the Faculties. Buddha taught us how to establish equanimity when things are agreeable, disagreeable and the both agreeable and disagreeable which arise from the six sense bases. Having understood that they are conditioned, gross, dependently arisen and that equanimity is peaceful and sublime, we then should not cling to the agreeable, disagreeable and the both agreeable and disagreeable. We would then quickly replace it with equanimity.
The chapter on The Purification of Almsfood (Pindapataparisuddhi Sutta) is very interesting. The bhikkhu should always be mindful when wandering for alms by reflecting on themselves. When unwholesome thoughts arise, are they making effort to abandon them? So are the desire, lust, hate, delusion and aversion, and the five cords of sensual pleasure. The bhikkhu should also reflect on whether the four foundations of mindfulness have been developed. So are the four right kinds of striving, four bases for spiritual power, five faculties, five powers, seven awakening factors, the Noble Eightfold Path, serenity and insight. They must also have the realisation of true knowledge and deliverance. By repeatedly reviewing or reflecting, the bhikkhus will purify their almsfood.
I think it works for everyone too and not only the monastic. It is so nice to always reflect on our practice with every meal we have so as to abandon the unwholesome thoughts and to develop wholesome thoughts.
The Great Sixfold Base (Mahasalayatanika Sutta)
This sutta talks about how condition arises and when we clearly see how condition arises one after another due to clinging and craving which cause suffering, we will then stop clinging and end our sufferings.
The sutta I learnt most is The Exposition of the Sixfold Base.
- six internal bases
- six external bases
- six classes of consciousness
- six classes of contact
- eighteen kinds of mental exploration
- thirty-six positions of beings
I have made some highlights in the sutta especially the six kinds of joy, grief, and equanimity based on renunciation. This sutta can be found in suttacentral MN 137.
A single Excellent Night(Bhaddekaratta Sutta) goes like this:
“Let not a person revive the past
Or on the future build his hopes;
For the past has been left behind
And the future has not been reached.
Instead with insight let him see
Each presently arisen state;
Let him know that and be sure of it,
Invincibly, unshakeably.
Today the effort must be made.
Tomorrow Death may come, who knows?
No bargain with Mortality
Can keep him and his hordes away.
But one who dwells thus ardently,
Relentlessly, by day, by night –
It is he, the Peaceful Sage has said,
Who has had a single excellent night.”
Interesting!
Good night!
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