Account of the First 60 Arahants: Inspiration for our Practice

0:00 So I'll just introduce Ananda. Ananda has been a long-time member of the society. He's been, I believe, both treasurer and secretary on the committee at different points in time. Report an error in the passage at 0:00

0:15 He has a daughter who is a nun at Dharmasara. I probably can't pronounce it. Vimoti. Oh, Vimoti, right. So... Ananda is very much involved in the BSWA and I guess as a layperson one of his specialties is the suitors and I've seen Ananda on retreat a few times, especially Ajahn Brahmali's retreats and Ajahn Brahmali is a suitor monk and if there's a retreat on and Ananda's out the front and Brahmali's not sure, he'll then ask Ananda and go, oh, was that the correct suitor? Report an error in the passage at 0:15

0:54 And Ananda will confirm or deny. So, thanks Ananda. Hopefully there's a bit of pseudo-referencing tonight. I'm sure there will be. And without much further ado, I now hand over to Ananda for the meditation before the talk. Thank you. Thank you very much, Drew. Thanks for that very enthusiastic introduction. Report an error in the passage at 0:54

1:17 introduction and Report an error in the passage at 1:17

1:22 First of all, before we start even the meditation, I must say we are so blessed to have so many volunteers here. Andrew himself has been the secretary for two years, if I remember right. And you were the secretary when the Global Buddhist Conference was held here for the second time. And big organization, that one. Report an error in the passage at 1:22

1:42 It was very nicely done. And then you were the president for another two years. Something like that. And so... We are very blessed and a lot of volunteers and but I will come to that later but before that please put your mobile phones to silence if you haven't done so as yet and so we'll start with the meditation about 25 to 30 minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:42

2:14 Can I please know whether there is anyone who is completely new to meditation? or new to Dhammalok. So that we can minimize the talking and then allow more time for meditation. And so assuming that there is no beginner here, so we'll start meditation. And the plan is that I will speak for about probably less than 10 minutes and then guided meditation for about 10 minutes. Report an error in the passage at 2:14

2:50 And then we will meditate on our own in silence for about another 10 minutes. So that's the plan. Let's see how it goes. And first of all, meditation, the posture. So we have to be comfortable because this is a happy path. There is no right or wrong posture. Chair, cushion, stool, anything goes. Report an error in the passage at 2:50

3:17 Ajahn Brahm says there is no specific posture that we will want you to sit but there is some very important aspect of the posture. Have a smile. Ajahn says have a smile and then because as I said this is a happy path. So this is leading to end of suffering. End of suffering is happiness. So let's have a smile on our face. Report an error in the passage at 3:17

3:45 And then we want to know why we meditate. The reason, the primary reason that we meditate is to end our suffering. What is the very starting point that will take us on the path? It is the first stage of enlightenment, which is called the fruit of stream entry, that is to see the four noble truths. We'll look at that also a little later. So the whole main purpose of meditation is to see the truth, see the reality of our existence. Report an error in the passage at 3:45

4:31 Because through incalculable lifetimes, we have been conditioned to see the false fallacy as the truth. We have been conditioned. To see the impermanence as permanence, suffering as happiness, not self as self, and ugly as beautiful. These are the four distortions that the Buddha said. Because of these four distortions, we are continuing in the saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 4:31

5:16 So to break that cycle, we have to enter... What we call the nibbāna, that is the final stage of enlightenment. But the first stage is four noble truths, the seeing these truths. So that is why we are meditating. That's the whole purpose. Of course, there are subsidiary byproducts. We will have good health. Report an error in the passage at 5:16

5:40 We will have good mindfulness. Our memory will be included. We will remember things. These are the other byproducts, but the primary. The ultimate purpose is to see the Dhamma. And seeing the Dhamma means that we are seeing the Four Noble Truths. And one of the main problems that we encounter is the thoughts. And meditation, the Pāli word is Bhavana. Report an error in the passage at 5:40

6:10 And this is explained in what is called the Sambhasva Sutta, which is Majjhima Nikāya number two. Buddha gives seven ways of getting rid of defilements. And the very first one is what is called the Dasana Pahatabha, by seeing, that is the Four Noble Truths seeing. The last one, number seven, is the Bhavana Pahatabha, that is getting rid of defilements by developing. Report an error in the passage at 6:10

6:39 Developing what? Developing our own mind. The development of mind takes place through this process called meditation. By being mindful of our body and mind. So that is the purpose of the meditation. The main problem is this unending stream of thoughts. These are thoughts because we are conditioned to see in the wrong way. Report an error in the passage at 6:39

7:07 The thoughts we think we are thinking but we are not thinking. The thoughts arise from conditions. Buddha said in a sutta called Sanidana Sutta. Nidana means due to a cause. They come because of a cause. If you have been seeing throughout the day TV, listening to music, then when we sit down, they'll come and get hold of us. Report an error in the passage at 7:07

7:36 That is the reason. So before we start meditation, we have to train ourselves to get away from this sensual world. These five senses are the things that take us along the wrong path. So when we get thoughts, when thoughts come, we are not going to analyze them. We are not going to label them. We are not going to see where they come from. Treat them as uninvited guests. So when an uninvited guest comes to our home or party, we just, okay, you have come. Report an error in the passage at 7:36

8:19 Just okay, that's it. Accept it, let it pass, just like clouds in the sky. So with that little talk, I will now start guided meditation. Report an error in the passage at 8:19

8:34 First of all, I must say, I'm a strong follower of Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali, and Bhante Sujato, so it's their way of teaching, and today I will adopt Ajahn Brahm's guided type of meditation which is the body awareness starting with and this is also one highly recommended by the Lord Buddha that is there is a sutta called Kaya Gata Sati Sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya 119 and that is Kaya means body Gata Sati means of mindfulness that is mindfulness of the body is a sutta by itself. Report an error in the passage at 8:34

9:20 Very long sutta, but we will follow some of those guidance and also including Ajahn Brahm's method. So we sit comfortably and we'll pay our attention. Closing eyes is a good thing because these five senses, which is our problem, we are closing the most troublesome sense, sight, because If something, some sight comes across us, our mind will straight away get latched onto it. So we will close our eyes. Report an error in the passage at 9:20

9:59 There is no smell here. There is no taste. We are not tasting anything. We are hearing, you are hearing only my voice. There is nothing else. The body, we feel the cushion and things like that. Otherwise there is no touch. So there is no contact. So what is... can we will start from feet we will start from the right foot we Report an error in the passage at 9:59

10:30 will not be able to do the whole body scan but we will get through as much as possible so right foot we start from the bottom bottom of the right foot just be aware no concentration just be aware bottom Report an error in the passage at 10:30

10:52 and then moving from the heel to the Toes, big toe, you can wriggle the big toe if you can't feel it and then bottom of the toes, slowly moving on to the top, top of the right foot, the ankles on the right foot, right foot as a whole. If there is any niggle or any pain, any ache, we'll leave it as it is and be kind. Report an error in the passage at 10:52

11:30 Being kind means that we are not... Trying to change it, we are caring for it and we so leave it as it is and just being aware. Then we are moving on the right lower leg along the shin bone, slowly towards the knee and then on the calf muscle, side muscles. Report an error in the passage at 11:30

12:10 And the whole of lower leg as one piece, taking a look, being aware. Right knee, then upper Report an error in the passage at 12:10

12:27 leg, right upper leg, thigh Report an error in the passage at 12:27

12:36 muscles, being aware, slowly moving up. And then we feel the contact of the buttocks, either chair or the stool or the cushion. Report an error in the passage at 12:36

12:52 Take a look and be aware of the right. Left leg as a whole, shift our awareness to the left, Report an error in the passage at 12:52

13:05 left foot, bottom of the left foot, heel, toes, starting from the top big toe and then on to the top of the left foot, Report an error in the passage at 13:05

13:28 left foot, ankles, left foot as a whole and Report an error in the passage at 13:28

13:40 then moving along the lower leg. Left shin bone, calf Report an error in the passage at 13:40

13:54 muscle on the lower left, side muscles moving up onto the knee, being aware of any ache, pain, niggle. Then moving up on the thigh muscles, along Report an error in the passage at 13:54

14:20 the upper leg, onto the buttocks, left buttock, feel the touch, being aware. So we take a look, being aware of both legs together, balance, sitting for meditation, not for anything else. This is the time for me, time for meditation, time for development of mind. So from the left Report an error in the passage at 14:20

15:01 buttock, moving up along the canal between the left upper arm. moving up towards the armpit and then the left shoulder same thing on the right side moving along the right canal towards the armpit right shoulder Report an error in the passage at 15:01

15:38 then the left panel of the back from the buttock moving up towards the left shoulder slowly no hurry Report an error in the passage at 15:38

15:54 Same for the right side, moving up from the buttock, right buttock, and then the middle spinal cord canal, back Report an error in the passage at 15:54

16:12 as a whole, then on from the right shoulder, along Report an error in the passage at 16:12

16:23 the right shoulder towards the neck, moving up, passing the ear onto the head. Same for the left side, left shoulder, Report an error in the passage at 16:23

16:39 left. Ear, head, Report an error in the passage at 16:39

16:47 neck, back of the head. You will feel the head being straightened when we get to the top of the head, natural thing. And so balancing the head on the neck, not far forward, not far back, Report an error in the passage at 16:47

17:14 coming towards the forehead, eyebrows, left eye, right eye. Not forgetting the smile, nose and you will feel that when we have a smile the facial muscles are automatically relaxed. Report an error in the passage at 17:14

17:47 Along the chin we go down to the neck. Again front left panel going down. We now feel the heart on the left side. Report an error in the passage at 17:47

18:08 the diaphragm going cross we simply go down we are not concerned about the internal organs and then the right side then Report an error in the passage at 18:08

18:25 the middle and Report an error in the passage at 18:25

18:29 we shift our awareness to the left shoulder Report an error in the passage at 18:29

18:39 going down along the left upper arm the elbow the Report an error in the passage at 18:39

18:54 lower arm the wrist the left hand Report an error in the passage at 18:54

19:03 Palm, fingers, feeling the, I'm used to keeping my right hand on my left hand, big finger touching, fingers Report an error in the passage at 19:03

19:29 just touching each other, but you can keep any way you like. And same thing for the right side, right shoulder, right upper arm. Slowly moving down. Report an error in the passage at 19:29

19:55 Elbow, right elbow. Moving down. Right lower arm. The wrist. Right hand. Fingers sitting on the left. Almost cover the whole body. Report an error in the passage at 19:55

20:21 Just sit being aware of the body. Not trying to change anything. We Report an error in the passage at 20:21

20:35 take a look at the whole body as one unit. Report an error in the passage at 20:35

20:50 Leave the body alone. And just be aware. Ajahn Brahm gives the very nice method of meditation, emperors three questions. What is the best time? Now. Just now. What Report an error in the passage at 20:50

21:19 is the most important thing? What is right here? Whatever that you feel. What is the best thing to do? To care, not to change. So whatever you feel, stay with it. If it disappears, Let it go. If the breath comes up, breath being the most traditionally accepted method of meditation, so in-breath, out-breath, we feel it comes naturally. Report an error in the passage at 21:19

22:00 We are not chasing the breath on Report an error in the passage at 22:00

22:08 target for the next ten minutes. Nine to ten minutes I will be silent. We will meditate together in silence. Report an error in the passage at 22:08

22:20 I will speak about a minute before we finish the meditation and then ring the bell to get all of us out of meditation. So till then please we'll keep our eyes closed. We Report an error in the passage at 22:20

· · · silence, 7 minutes

29:16 are slowly coming to the end of this meditation session but stay in meditation. Take Report an error in the passage at 29:16

29:33 a look at what happened during the process. Report an error in the passage at 29:33

29:40 How was the mind at the beginning? How is it now at the end? Buddhist path is a process of causality, causes and conditions. Report an error in the passage at 29:40

29:56 So what are the causes, what are the conditions that were put in? What is the outcome? Is the mind a little bit more calmer, more peaceful? Why is it still agitated? If so, why? Report an error in the passage at 29:56

30:17 This is the review that Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali, Bhante Sujato, Ajahn Hasapanna, they all recommend. This is the Buddha's teaching. So when I ring the bell, we can open our eyes. Welcome Report an error in the passage at 30:17

31:03 back. And this clock is about two minutes slow, so we'll go with this one. It's eight o 'clock on this one, but my phone says 8.02, but that's all right. Thank you very much to everyone for coming this winter evening and it's a pleasure to see a lot of known faces and faces also who have been coming here regularly, Sandra and Bill, everyone and friends. Report an error in the passage at 31:03

31:33 And because this dharma talk will be based on Buddha's teachings, sutta, I will start first with saying namotassa in the traditional way. And three times. And then I will start the talk. So if you like, you can join. Report an error in the passage at 31:33

31:53 [chanting]

32:20 And the saṅgha especially I like to mention, I have mentioned already Ajahn Brahm, in addition Ajahn Ganha, who has been very helpful to me. In a short time I stayed in his monastery and close to that place. and Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Bhante Sujato. And also Ajahn Hasapanna, who is the abbot at Dhammasara. And we, though I am from a traditional Buddhist family, I have to say I started meditating only after coming close to Ajahn Jaggaro and Ajahn Brahm in 1987, but more closely in 1991. Report an error in the passage at 32:20

33:04 So we are very blessed here, a lot of volunteers. And not only good Arya Saṅgha, good monks and nuns, we are very blessed to have all these good volunteer friends. So thank you. And Ariel is the community coordinator who is organizing these range dharma talks. And she has selected a very nice theme, Little Dust in Our Eyes. Report an error in the passage at 33:04

33:33 So this talk will be basically on that theme. And little dust in our eyes. So what does that mean? What happens when there is dust in our eyes? So we can't see. Where do we go? We go to a specialist. But this is not the literal dust. It is a metaphor. It is our defilements. This is the ignorance, the avijja. So we have to find a specialist. Report an error in the passage at 33:33

34:06 And we have the specialist, the Lord Buddha. And Lord Buddha said in a sūtra in the Itibuttika, in a call Brahmin Dhammayaga Sūtra, he said, I am the unsurpassable physician. I am the unsurpassable surgeon. The Pāli words are visakko, as the physician, and sallakatto. As the surgeon. So, we have got the specialist. We don't have to go anywhere else. But Buddha is not here. Report an error in the passage at 34:06

34:47 How do we consult him? Well, no problem. Buddha said, in a sutta called Vakkali Sutta, this monk was dying, and he said, Buddha said, one who sees the dharma sees me, one who sees me sees the dharma. So through the Dhamma, we will see the Buddha. And we'll follow what he had to say on this little dust in our eyes. Report an error in the passage at 34:47

35:16 So we'll start with this. There is a sutta where very first, this talk will be around the 61st, 60 arahants that arose in the world after the Buddha. And then how their practice can become An inspiration to our practice. That is the way I am hoping to take the talk through. So, we know that Buddha, when after his awakening, he was reluctant to teach, reason was, thought came, this is very deep dhamma, this world is deeply embedded, mirrored in sensual pleasures, so people have a lot of dust in their eyes. Report an error in the passage at 35:16

36:07 I will be wasting my time. Then the Brahma, very high divinity, came and asked Buddha, there are people with little dust in their eyes, please teach. So Buddha too saw that with his clairvoyance, psychic powers, and he decided to teach. I will cut short from there until the five first arahants we know. Report an error in the passage at 36:07

36:35 Through the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which is the very first discourse that the Buddha gave to the five ascetics. And in Isipattanamigadaya, close to Arnasi, that place is still there today. And a lot of pilgrims go there. And these five ascetics, after listening to that first Dhamma talk, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, first one became a stream mentor. Report an error in the passage at 36:35

37:08 So, he is the very first stream-enterer, Venerable Kondanya. So, then Buddha gave all five of them over a period of five days, they became stream-enterers. And then Buddha gave the next discourse called the Ananda Thilakana Sutta, that is in the Kandasamyukta, Sutta 22, Sutta number 59. And Buddha gave these three characteristics. Report an error in the passage at 37:08

37:39 Anicca dukkha anatma which means impermanence, suffering and not self. We take this body as our self. We take a non-existing self notion as our self. But we are not going into that aspect. So with that they became the first arahants. Now Buddha is living in at that time At this place, Varanasi and five arahants were there with him. Report an error in the passage at 37:39

38:19 Before I come to that, I will start with the sūtra, short sūtra called the Māra Pasa Sūtra. This is from the Māra Sanyukta, Sanyukta number four, sūtra number five. And this is what the Buddha told. Advice the first 60 arahants. So I'm coming forward and then we'll go back. Okay? And flashbacks. And 60 arahants. And Buddha said, mendicants, wander and teach the dharma for the benefit and happiness of the humans and the gods, heavenly beings, because Report an error in the passage at 38:19

39:19 There are people with little dust in their eyes. They are on the decline because they haven't had the opportunity to listen to the dharma, listen to the truth. And Buddha also said at that time, to begin with that truth, bhikkhus, bhikkhus means mendicants, monks, no nuns at that time yet. This is within the first three months of his awakening. He said, I am free of all the snares or traps of the Māra. Māra is the lord of death. He is a very high divine being and who is controlling this five sense world. Report an error in the passage at 39:19

40:03 He wants all of us to be engulfing in sensual world so that everyone will be going around this cycle of sansara and we will... Never be able to escape from this suffering. So Buddha said, I am free all these traps. Monks, you are also free all these traps. So you can go and teach. The charata bhikkave charika is the Pāli word. Report an error in the passage at 40:03

40:37 And that is how this practice of monks going, teaching on teaching to us. We know Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali. They go and then teach the dhamma. And that, from that point, we'll see how these 60 arahants, we have accounted for 5 arahants, and how the next 55 arahants came, and how they became arahants, how that can be, because there were no monks and nuns at that time, they were all lay people. Report an error in the passage at 40:37

41:09 Worse than us, at least we have been knowing what is called the Buddhism, they did not know anything. So this, In the same city, there was a very rich, the richest merchant, had one son called Yasa. His name, he had three houses, and he was living in one of those houses in the rainy season, that time, and he did not, all his attendants were females, because his father, just like the prince Siddhartha, who became the Buddha, he was a prince, he had three houses. Report an error in the passage at 41:09

41:45 His father, the king, gave him, there was no men to look after this young prince. Same situation with this Yasat. So one night, he woke up before his female attendants. He saw it was like death warmed up. And it was like a channel ground. Some were drooling, some were snoring, some were... Talking in their sleep, some had their drums under their armpits, so they were just not a nice sight to see. Report an error in the passage at 41:45

42:25 So he thought, this is oppression, this is affliction, I don't want to be here, I am leaving this house. So he went down and got into his golden slippers and walked out. Where did he go? Must be the past conditions. He went to the place where Buddha was. Buddha saw him coming and then Buddha was doing walking meditation. Report an error in the passage at 42:25

42:56 This was around 3 o 'clock in the morning probably. It's early part of the morning. And Buddha sat down on the seat that has been previously repaired and told Yasa. Yasa again said, Oh oppression, Oh affliction. Buddha said, this is not oppression. This is not affliction. This is peaceful. Come and sit down. Report an error in the passage at 42:56

43:25 Then Buddha gave him a talk. This is the talk that we are going to look at in detail later. So in this talk, Buddha gave three main things. First, about the generosity. Then about the ethics. Then about the divine heavenly worlds. So those are the three topics that Buddha always discuss when there are lay people who have not been exposed to the dharma. Report an error in the passage at 43:25

44:03 So Buddha, when during this talk, the mind of Yasa became very peaceful. And then during the talk, Buddha also discussed about the downside of these sensual pressures how it is lead how they are leading us away from happiness so His mind became free of hindrances. We know what is called the five hindrances. Sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and the doubt. Report an error in the passage at 44:03

44:47 His mind became free of these five doubts. Five hindrances. And then when the Buddha knew that his mind is free of these hindrances, he gave the dharma talk which is specific to all the Buddhas. That is about the Four Noble Truths and about the Eightfold Path, Noble Eightfold Path. This very rich man, this very rich man who has never heard of this, probably he was practicing generosity. Report an error in the passage at 44:47

45:22 And that kind of thing, he became a stream enterer, just on that spot. So this is a lay person, very rich person, used to all these sensual pleasures, but he became a stream enterer. Report an error in the passage at 45:22

45:40 Now, at his home, his mother went up to the floor where he was and found that mothers are always fond of sons, so she went to see him, he was missing. So he quickly went to, she quickly went to her husband and said, my dear, your son is missing. So he got very, what shall I say, agitated, and he sent four, very rich man, four horsemen into four directions, and he himself went the house on, left the house on foot. Report an error in the passage at 45:40

46:18 He went to, he too got directed to the same place. Buddha saw him coming and he went and asked Bhante. Buddha may have been going on Armstrong there while teaching those five ascetics. People may have known that there is a new monk here, new ascetic. And he asked, Bhante, have you seen my son Yasa? Report an error in the passage at 46:18

46:46 Then Buddha said, why don't you come and sit down, take a seat. There are seats. You may get a chance to see him. So, Yasa's father came and sat down. Buddha made a psychic determination through his super normal powers for the father not to see. They were sitting next to each other but father didn't see him. So Buddha gave the same talk about the generosity, ethics and the heavenly worlds and the downside and the degradation. Report an error in the passage at 46:46

47:26 of sensual pressures just like a stainless clean cloth getting absorbed in colored dye his mind became stainless he too saw that whatever that has a beginning has an end that means He attained to stream entry. Just like that. Then, listening to that dharma talk, yasa became an arahant. Report an error in the passage at 47:26

48:10 Now, within a matter of three, probably about three hours, and there is not very much about this arahant yasa in the scriptures. I looked for it, I couldn't find it. There is only one, there is something called, I brought a small, very small piece of paper, his teragatha. I can't find it. I haven't brought it, but I remember it. And he's the, he, only four lines. Report an error in the passage at 48:10

48:41 That is all what is there about this arahant. He says, I was well anointed, well dressed. I was wearing all my jewelry. And I gained all three knowledges. Report an error in the passage at 48:41

49:04 I fulfilled Buddha's instructions. Just the four lines. And this rich young man became an arahant just like that. Just like that. Then Buddha removed that psychic determination. So the father saw him. Father said, son, your mother is sorrowing. Let's go home. Then Buddha said to the merchant, Report an error in the passage at 49:04

49:38 He has got rid of all the defilements. Now he's a stream-enterer, a father. And will he be able to go back to lay life? And the father himself said no. So father said, father invited Buddha and Yasa for that day's meal to his house. So the merchant went back to his house and got... His servants, wife, everyone to prepare the meal. Then Buddha went there with Yasa and gave the same talk. Similar talk. Report an error in the passage at 49:38

50:21 And the mother and Yasa's wife by listening to that talk became stream enters. This is in the Vinaya Pitaka monastic rules translated by our own Ajahn Brahmali. So this The countess is in the Vinaya Pitaka. So it is, see the contrast. There is another story, young man, called Rattapala. This is in the Majjhima Nikaya Sūtra number 82. And Rattapala, when he listened to Buddha teaching, he was from another entirely different part of India. Report an error in the passage at 50:21

51:05 And Buddha visited that town and then city. He listened to that. He wanted to go forth. He was a very young man but married. The richest people in that city. He went and asked for the permission. Parents did not give permission. And he went on hunger strike. Report an error in the passage at 51:05

51:29 Then parents got his friends to come and convince him. Couldn't. Friends said, you have to take the choice. Either let him go as a monk or have his dead body. So convinced he is. And then this young man, Rattapala, was given permission. He went and became, practiced under the Buddha for many years. And then he became an arahant, came back home. And long story there also, it's a nice story in that sutta. But after some, what happened during the course. Report an error in the passage at 51:29

52:09 Somehow parents invited him to their house for that day's meal. So when he went there, he found what his father did was, very rich family, brought all his gold, silver, money and dumped them in three heaps, I think three heaps, and said, and got his, he had I think three wives, and got those three ladies to dress in the, Best dresses that Arhant Rattapala liked them when he was a young layman. So when he came for the dana, they were there. Report an error in the passage at 52:09

52:49 And then parents said, son, this is your wealth from your mother's side, from my side, from our ancestral side. And these are your wives. Stay. And then those three wives asked him, did you go become a monk? To get to know Nims, that is the divine ladies. He said, I haven't become a monk for that purpose. Report an error in the passage at 52:49

53:22 Sisters. So they heard their husband call him sisters. They fainted. And see the contrast between Yasa's parents and Rattapala's, Venerable Rattapala's parents. So then Yasa had, Another 54 friends throughout that area, they heard that Yasa has become a monk, become an Arahant. They also came and saw the Buddha. The first four and then another 50 from countryside, they all listened to the Buddha and became Arahants. Report an error in the passage at 53:22

54:04 So how did these lay people, this is how it becomes inspiration for us. How did these lay people become without knowing anything about Buddhism because Buddha has just arisen in the world? So these are the three main things that is essential for our practice. What are they? Report an error in the passage at 54:04

54:29 Generosity, ethics, and knowing that there are other worlds. This is not the only world because that is what those who believe in self, Believe this is the only world, but this is not the only world, there are other worlds. So these are the three ways that we can get to practice this dharma. So when we talk about generosity, it is not simply going to a monastery and offering dana and volunteering. Report an error in the passage at 54:29

55:07 We can see Bill, I know Bill has been volunteering here for I don't know how many years. He is Bill Prince and of course he is a prince among volunteers. So, and we can volunteer not necessarily only here, even in places like, you know, even an op shop and charity shop or Buddhist society. We can volunteer and we can give our service. We can go to monasteries. Of course, Buddha said best. Report an error in the passage at 55:07

55:41 Giving is dhamma giving, giving the dhamma, that is what we are sharing now. And of course, if you are giving material things, giving to saṅgha is the best way to gain best merits. So that is the, and when we are giving, there are a number of suttas, so many suttas, about the best ways to give. I will quote from a sutta titled Sappurisadana Sutta, it is in the Anguttara Nikaya book. Report an error in the passage at 55:41

56:10 Number 37, Sutta number 37. This Sutta, Buddha gives eight ways of giving good dana, good requisites. First one is we give pure things. We give good quality things. We give things timely. Report an error in the passage at 56:10

56:33 We give things what are allowable. Allowable thing I will, Ajahn Brahm used to tell a story how a family from a traditional Buddhist country, He came and gave a bottle of whiskey to the monks at Bodhinyana by wrapping it inside the big basket and hiding it. So they are not the... The next one is giving intelligently. They are not the intelligent, not allowable gifts, not intelligent gifts, and regularly. Report an error in the passage at 56:33

57:05 Buddha said, if you are doing good things, do it again and again and again. So, generosity is the first way and generosity is also we know in the Dhamma Chakrapavattana Sutta, Buddha gave four ways of letting go. Report an error in the passage at 57:05

57:22 Chag, Patnisag, Mukti Analayo. Chag is the generosity. So, the first way to letting go is through generosity. And we are practicing to see the Dhamma, that is to have the established the right view. The right view is two types. Mundane Right View and the Supermundane Right View, which is the factor of the path, Noble Eightfold Path. The Mundane Right View is the very first item. Report an error in the passage at 57:22

57:54 There are, I think, six items in that. Very first item is that there is merits in giving, giving, sacrificing and offering. That is the very first section of the Mundane Right View. We can see that in the sutta called Mahachattarishika Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya number 117. So in this one, right view begins with the generosity. Report an error in the passage at 57:54

58:24 So when we are generous, other things fall into place. When we are generous, other things fall into place. So this is the first, and as I said, there are... We can volunteer, we can offer things. In a sutta called Velama Sutta, Buddha said that as a Brahmin in a previous life, he has given enormous amounts of gifts to Saṅgha and to other people as well. Report an error in the passage at 58:24

58:56 This world is deep. There are utterly poor countries. So many... Report an error in the passage at 58:56

59:11 we can help them in whatever we can without burdening ourselves that will be giving that will be giving actually I just want to share something that what I did came to my mind that I was working in Rockingham at that time and I saw a friend one of the accountants who was working with for me with me and brought daughter. Report an error in the passage at 59:11

59:36 I think it was a chartered accounting journal, used to publish local journal. And they were, Parkinson's WA was looking for a treasurer. So I just saw that and forgot about it. And then after another month or so, I saw that again. So I thought I'll give a call. I gave them a call, and I still remember. This was in 2001. And Cecilia Woodhouse, I think, was the chief executive officer. Report an error in the passage at 59:36

1:00:14 It was a small place, and there were about five or so paid workers, including some nurses, maybe six. And I said, there may be about 25,000, 30,000, maybe more accountants here. Just in Perth, you would have been inundated with calls. He said, you are the only one. Please come. We are struggling without a treasurer. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:14

1:00:38 So I worked there as the honorary treasurer for one year. But I had to travel from Rockingham to Netherlands once a month. And I introduced their budgeting system and did that work. So that gave me a lot of happiness. And of course, through the auditors, I was able to arrange someone else from auditors, knew another accountant who could come. I was there only for one year. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:38

1:01:03 So like that, we can give our services. We can offer, we can make offerings. And Buddha said, an ethical person, by being ethics, there are five benefits that will accrue to a lay life person. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:03

1:01:23 These are in number of suttas. Mahaparinibbana Sutta has this one. And then in the Udana section of the Sutta, they are called Pataligamiya Sutta. These are the five benefits. I think I can remember them. The first one is Buddha says that by being ethical, one will gain great wealth, substantial wealth. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:23

1:01:50 Because you are ethical, people know that you can do business with them. Hope you can remember that story Ajahn Brahm used to say, that lady who was running a small business in Sydney, who is, I think, a Buddhist who has been meditating, coming to his retreats in Sydney, got a contract to be done in England, some specific contract, and she went to England, and the people in that office, she was to meet the managing director, and they said, he is in a very foul mood today, you are not going to get your contract signed. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:50

1:02:26 So you might as well go back to Sydney. And she has said, I have come all the way. I'll just sit here. Where is he? He's gone and he's shouting at everyone. So she just sat in the corner in the boardroom. And this man came thundering and said, who are you? And then she says, she simply her eyes went to look at. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:26

1:02:55 His eyes. And she has said, your eyes are like my son's eyes. Very beautiful eyes. And Ajahn says, this man has melted. And who are you? I came from Sydney, remember? You asked me to come to sign this contract. Oh yes. He signed immediately. And that is the ethical person getting great wealth. And then second benefit is the Buddha says, He gets a good reputation. We know how reputable Ajahn Brahm is. All over the world, everyone wants him. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:55

1:03:36 So reputable. I'm saying this is for lay people, even for Americans. And third one is an ethical person will enter any assembly confident without any fear. Fourth one is the death will be very peaceful. Fifth one will be that they will be born in a higher place. Not going down to a lower place. These are the benefits of being ethical. And not only that. And for our practice, Ajahn Brahmali does a sutta called Kimathya Sutta in the Anguttara Book 10. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:36

1:04:17 It is the very first sutta, number one. Pāli word Kimathya means what is the purpose. What is the purpose? That is the name of the sutta. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:17

1:04:31 We all know who is Venerable Ananda. At that time, he was not an Arahant. He was but a stream-enterer. He went and asked Buddha, Bhante, what is the purpose of being ethical? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:31

1:04:44 What is the purpose of following ethics? So Buddha said, Ananda, ethics lead to avipatisaro is the Pāli word, no regrets. No regrets. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:44

1:05:01 An ethical person, when that person sits down to meditate, or whatever that he is doing, this is on meditation practice now, that person has no regrets. Then Venerable Ananda asked, what is the purpose of having no regrets? Then Buddha said, joy, ethics, no regrets, that leads to joy. When you sit down to meditate, When you are having a smile, when you are joyful, then Venerable Ananda asks, what is the purpose of being joyful? Buddha said, joy leads to pīti. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:01

1:05:46 Pīti is the rapture. Rapture is, in meditation, we feel, we know that this is the rapture that mostly manifests in the body. The rapturous feeling. That is the feeling that you feel sometimes when you are meditating. An electric current running through your body, some parts of the body. Ajahn Brahm says this sometimes during the retreats. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:46

1:06:16 And that is the rapture. Joy leads to rapture. Rapture leads to tranquility. That is pasaddi, tranquility. Body becomes tranquil. When the body becomes tranquil, the mind becomes tranquil. And then the Venerable Ananda asked, what is the purpose of being tranquil? Then the Buddha said, tranquility leads to bliss, sukha. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:16

1:06:50 So, tranquil body and mind leads to the bliss. And you have, Ajahn Brahm says, these are various stages of being happy. Happy, happy, happy. But not... As happy as what you can get later. Then Venerable Ananda asked, Bhante, what does the bliss leads to? Then Buddha said, bliss leads to stillness, samādhi. Samādhi is the jhāna state. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:28 Danish shepherd yesterday gave a very nice talk here and he spoke about the excess stillness. That is the upachara samādhi. Jhāna is well above upacara-chamādhi. And Buddha says samādhi means jhāna, at least the first jhāna. So it leads to samādhi. Then Venerable Ananda asked, what is the purpose of samādhi, stillness? Then the Buddha said, seeing things clearly. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:28

1:07:59 We have not been seeing things clearly. That is the breaking point. So when we have samādhi, we see things clearly. And then, of course, it leads to, that is called Yatabhuta Jnanasana. From there, it leads to knowledge and vision. That is the final stage, 10th stage, seeing by being ethical. And so that's about the ethics, I would say generosity and ethics. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:59

1:08:30 Of course, for Rasle people, it is the five precepts. If we just keep the five precepts, we all know what the five precepts are. Buddha said that five precepts will look after a lay person in a sutta called various suttas. Sallayaka sutta comes to the mind. And if one keeps these five precepts, and then we have the experiential confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma and the Saṅgha, That is, of course, through meditation, not through book knowledge, then that person is a stream-enterer. So, five precepts. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:30

1:09:20 Just the five precepts. So, to be ethical, if we keep the five precepts intact, then we are ticking that box as well. So, also in another sutta Buddha said, this is called Sappurisa Sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya Book 5, Sutta No. 42, said, One who is ethical, one who is principled, one who is using his wealth for the benefit of others. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:20

1:09:49 So this generosity factor also comes, goes with the ethics, will be taken care of by divine beings. When I just came a little story to my mind and about the generosity, how... How we can be inspired? This happened probably about 15 years ago. A young lady whom we knew, and she was in her, I think, final year of studies. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:49

1:10:22 She came to know we have been helping. There was a place, it is still continuing, we have been out of it, that through a doctor in Sri Lanka, she was collecting funds for this place. Taking care of old sick monks, a young monk was taking care of. And this young lady, while studying, working part-time, has collected some funds. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:22

1:10:52 When she heard that, that was the single biggest contribution for any such fund collections. And I think over $5,000 was given for that purpose. and so So we can be very happy that we know such people. Not only that, she went and did some other hospital project as well. And they are the inspiring stories that will uplift us. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:52

1:11:20 That will uplift us. Because the best way to end our suffering is to become a monk or a nun. But we have missed that bus. Oh, not everyone. At least me. Because old and obligations and commitments. But if you are young and no commitments, I think that is the best thing to do. So escape from the sansara, from the Māra snare that the Buddha said he is free, Māra strap, Māra is trying to catch us and with sensual pleasures by giving the bait. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:20

1:12:02 And so that way we can escape from this sansara. And I have got few, I think about another six, seven minutes. The third type that the Buddha discourse was about the other worlds, heavenly beings. So do you, some people tend to think there are no heavenly beings, but that will be at our own peril. Because in the Sanyukta Nikaya, there are 56 Sanyuktas, that means books, in some books, 400 Sutta. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:02

1:12:36 And there are first two Sanyukta. First one is called Devata Sanyukta. Second one is called Devaputta Sanyukta. Both meaning is gods. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:36

1:12:48 111 Sutta purely on divine beings. All about divine beings coming and talking to the Buddha and asking questions. The Mahamangala Sutta is a product of divine beings request. Mahamangala Sutta is the Banthi Sujata of Ajahn Brahmali's translation in Sutta Central. So divine beings are there. How do we know that they come and help? And there are a number of instances where they have come to help. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:48

1:13:23 And of course in the scriptures, so many instances. And what is the story I can quickly tell, but running out of time. There was a lady called Velukantaki Nandamata. She's the one who was declared to be one of the two foremost women, lay people, lay women. And one day she was an anagami. She was reciting Buddhist scriptures. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:23

1:13:55 scriptures, and One of the four great kings going from one place to the other heard this and he came and spoke to this lady and then said, tomorrow a large group of monks headed by great Tarhansaraputta and Moggallāna coming to your city, prepare meals. So she got her householders to prepare meals and offered. So this Venerable Sāriputta and Mahamoggallana asked, how did you know? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:55

1:14:28 So I was told by this great deva king. And so it's a nice story, long sūtra, but I will cut there. And so they are there in scriptures and in today's world as well. If you have been reading Ajahn Brahm's book, I'm just trying to remember the pages and all that. And good, bad, who knows? This is the story about the Thai king. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:28

1:14:56 I will briefly mention, very briefly, I think we all know the story. One young American person who was working at the Peace Corps in Bangkok wanted to become a monk, white American. And anyway, long story. He went very early. He was asked to go to such and such monastery in Bangkok and he went there and it was locked. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:56

1:15:21 And then he was thinking of going back. He has brought things to be offered and now... He has gone around 4 o 'clock in the morning. This is Ajahn Brahm is telling. This has happened around 1970 when he was a monk in Thailand. And so he was going to go. Then he saw a Thai gentleman dressed in Thai national dress came. What are you here for? I am here to become a monk, but I am going back because all the gates, doors are locked. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:21

1:15:50 No, don't worry. I'll take you through. He had a set of keys. He opened the gate. and left him wait here in this hall and then he he left not only that he left he explained all the murals that was there in this hall because there was a lot of time then the monks came to cut a short long story short it's a very nice story it is running over three pages Page number 123. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:50

1:16:27 And then he became a monk and the person who was assigned to him to learn about the monastery business, that monk could not speak proper English. Then this now newly ordained monk said, can you give me another monk so that I can understand English? It is because of the accent and all that. Then he said, oh, this is the best English speaker we have in our, Then he asked, what about that other Thai gentleman who spoke so fluent English? And then they stopped talking, these monks, and said, brought the secretary and started right down. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:27

1:17:11 Who is this? There is no such a person here. And he was looking in amazement. Now they were taking him around. He said, I came through that hall, this hall. He looked up. Just in bewilderment, he looked up and they said, there is no such a man. There is his mural. The man who opened the gate for him. And he said, he's the one. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:11

1:17:38 He's the one who opened the door for me. And this head monk has said, he died in 1910. He was the king who either built or renovated this monastery. King Rama V, Chulalongkora, I think, sorry if I'm mispronouncing the Thai word, and was the king. So he was a divine being and came and helped this person who wanted to become a monk. And the last story about the divine beings is a story from a German monk who has been living all his life in Sri Lanka called Jnanavimala Thero. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:38

1:18:22 That Thero passed away about two years ago. There was a very tiny little book. Someone gave it to me. And then it was about that monk. He probably is arguably the only person who has walked around this island barefoot, don't know where he's going, where he's staying, and one day he barefoot, walking. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:22

1:18:51 And Ajahn Brahmali once said in his retreat, when someone, when he was leaving the famous temple called Vajrarama in Kalambu, Mambalapitiya, that is the... When he comes to Kalambu, apparently he was staying there. Which way are you going? This monk has said, when I get to the gate, I will decide which way I am going, left or right. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:51

1:19:14 So that is the monk. And this monk one day was walking on a forest path, getting close to 12. He thought, today no meal for me. Now, before I go, okay, I will tell the story first. And then... Report an error in the passage at 1:19:14

1:19:34 It's okay, he was thinking until tomorrow morning I have no meal. That is, if I get a place to stay tonight. So it's around 12 o 'clock, before 12. Then he saw a lady standing with a child ahead of him, across roads. Then as he reached this lady and the child, girl, they bent down, worshipped him and offered him food. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:34

1:20:05 Those are food baskets, food in the baskets. So he accepted the food and asked them, how did you know I was coming? Then this lady said, a blood relative of mine who passed away came to me last night and said, a monk will be coming on this road. Prepare some food, good food, and offer to him. That will be for your benefit. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:05

1:20:37 Ajahn Brahm also tells so many stories in Thailand, how divine beings came and helped. So these are the three main things I wanted to talk about. I have taken about four minutes extra. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:37

1:20:54 Generosity, ethics, and the divine beings. These are the three things that will help us in our practice as lay people. and Report an error in the passage at 1:20:54

1:21:07 So I give this dharma talk for your happiness and benefit. And I pay my respect to, we will pay respect later, and to Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali, Bhante Sujato, and Ajahn Hasbanya, all of them. And thank you very much for listening. And we can open for questions or comments, anything, if anyone has. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:07

1:21:33 Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. Thank you. So if anyone has any comments or any questions, please feel free. And in the sutta title, Chulakamavibhanga Sutta, Majjiminikaya 135, this is a Brahmin student when asked him why some people are beautiful, some people are ugly, some people are intelligent, some people are foolish. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:33

1:22:02 Why? One of the reasons, for answer, one of the answers was, Intelligent because they ask questions in the previous life. It's in the Sutta Majjhima Nikāya 135. So any comments, any questions, any criticism, anything? Report an error in the passage at 1:22:02