From: v111q3r9@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Yi L Chiang)
Subject: Buddhism in a Nutshell --- chapter 11  (long)
Organization: University at Buffalo
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 16:48:44 GMT



		B U D D H I S M    I N    A    N U T S H E L L 
		==============================================
		   	   written by Narada Thera


		 	       Chapter  Eleven

			     THE PATH TO NIBBANA


	How is Nibbana to be achieved?

	It is by following the Noble Eight-fold Path which consists of Right
Understanding (Samma-ditthi), Right Thoughts (samma-sankappa), Right Speech 
(samma-vaca), Right Actions (samma-kammanta), Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva),
Right Effort (samma-vayama), Right Mindfulness (samma-sati), and Right 
Concentration (samma-samadhi).

	1.  RIGHT UNDERSTANDING, which is the key-note of Buddhism, is explained
as the knowledge of the four Noble Truths.  To understand rightly means to
understand things as they really are and not as they appear to be.  This refers
primarily to a correct understanding of oneself, because, as the Rohitassa Sutta
states "Dependent on this one-fanthom long body with its consciousness" are all
the four Truths.  In the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right 
Understanding stands at the beginning as well as at its end.  A minimum degree 
of Right Understanding is necessary at the very beginning because it gives the
right motivations to the other seven factors of the Path and gives to them 
correct direction.  At the culmination of the practice, Right Understanding has
matured into perfect Insight Wisdom (vipacsana-panna), leading directly to the
Stages of Sainthood.

	2.  Clear vision or right understanding leads to clear thinking.  The
second factor of the Noble Eight-fold Path is therefore, RIGHT THOUGHTS
(samma-sankappa), which serves the double purpose of eliminating evil thoughts
and developing pure thoughts.  Right Thoughts, in this particular connection,
are threefold.  They consist of:

		i.  NEKKHAMMA -- Renunciation of worldly pleasures or the 
				virtues	of selflessness, which is opposed to 
				attachment, selfishness, and possessiveness.

	       ii.  AVYAPADA -- Loving-kindness, goodwill, or benevolence, which
				is opposed to hatred, ill-will, or aversion; and

	      iii.  AVIHIMSA -- Harmlessness or compassion, which is opposed to
				cruelty and callousness. 

	3.  Right Thoughts lead to RIGHT SPEECH, the third factor.  This 
includes abstinence from falsehood, slandering harsh words, and frivolous talk.

	4.  Right Speech must be followed by RIGHT ACTION which comprises 
abstinence from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.

	5.  Purifying his thoughts, words and deeds at the outset, the spiritual
pilgrim tries to purify his LIVELIHOOD by refraining from the five kinds of 
trade which are forbidden to a lay-disciple.  They are trading in arms, human
beings, animals for slaughter, intoxicating drinks and drugs, and poisons.

	For monks, wrong livelihood consists of hypocritical conduct and wrong
means of obtaining the requisites of monk-life.

	6.  RIGHT EFFORT is fourfold, namely:
		
		i.  the endeavour to discard evil that has already arisen;
	       ii.  the endeavour to prevent the arising of unarisen evil;
	      iii.  the endeavour to develop unarisen good;
	       iv.  the endeavour to promote the good which has already arisen.

	7.  RIGHT MINDFULNESS is constant mindfulness with regard to body, 
feelings, thoughts, and mind-objects.

	8.  Right Effort and Right Mindfulness lead to RIGHT CONCENTRATION.  It
is the one-pointedness of mind, culminating in the Jhanas or meditative 
absorptions.

	Of these eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path the first two are
grouped under the heading of Wisdom (panna), the following three under Morality
(sila), and the last three under Concentration (samadhi).  But according to the
order of development the sequence is as follows:

	I.  Morality (sila)  -  Right Speech
			     -  Right Action
			     -  Right Livelihood

       II.  Concentration (samadhi)  -  Right Effort
				     -  Right Mindfulness
				     -  Right Concentration

      III.  Wisdom (panna)  -  Right Understanding
			    -  Right Thoughts

	Morality (sila) is the first stage on this path to Nibbana.

	Without killing or causing injury to any living creatures, man should be
kind and compassionate towards all, even to the tiniest creature that crawls at
his feet.  Refraining from stealing, he should be upright and honest in all his 
dealings.  Abstaining from sexual misconduct which debases the exalted nature of
man, he should be pure.  Shunning false speech, he should be truthful.  Avoiding
pernicious drinks that promote heedlessness, he should be sober and diligent.

	These elementary principles of regulated behaviour are essential to one
who treads the path to Nibbana.  Violation of them means the introduction of 
obstacles on the path which will obstruct his moral progress.  Observance of
them means steady and smooth progress along the path.

	The spiritual pilgrim, disciplining thus his words and deeds, may, 
advance a step further and try to control his senses.

	While he progresses slowly and steadily with regulated word and deed and
restrained senses, the Kammic force of this striving aspirant may compel him to
renounce worldly pleasures and adopt the ascetic life.  To him then comes the 
idea that,
	
		"A den of strife is household life,
		And filled with toil and need;
		But free and high as the open sky
		Is the life the homeless lead."

	It should not be understood that everyone is expected to lead the life
of a Bhikkhu or a celibate life to achieve one's goal.  One's spiritual progress
is expedited by being a Bhikkhu although as a lay follower one can become an
Arahat.  After attaining the third stage of Sainthood, one leads a life of 
celibacy.

	Securing a firm footing on the ground of morality, the progressing 
pilgrim then embarks upon the higher practice of Samadhi, the control and 
culture of the mind -- the second stage on this Path.

	Samadhi -- is the "one-pointedness of the mind." It is the concentration
of the mind on one object to the entire exclusion of all irrelevant matter.

	There are different subjects for meditation according to the 
temperaments of the individuals.  Concentration on respiration is the easiest to
gain the one-pointedness of the mind.  Meditation on loving-kindness is very
beneficial as it is conducive to mental peace and happiness.

	Cultivation of the four sublime states -- loving-kindness (Metta),
compassion (Karuna), sympathetic joy (Mudita) and equanimity (Upekkha) -- is 
highly commendable.

	After giving careful consideration to the subject for contemplation, he
should choose the one most suited to his temperament.  This being satisfactorily
settled, he makes a persistent effort to focus his mind until he becomes so
wholly absorbed and interested in it, that all other thoughts get ipso facto 
excluded from the mind.  The five hindrances to progress -- namely, 
sense-desire, hatred, sloth and torpor, restlessness and brooding and doubts are
then temporarily inhibited.  Eventually he gains ecstatic concentration and, to
his indescribable joy, becomes enwrapt in Jhana, enjoying the calmness and
serenity of a one-pointed-mind.

	When one gains this perfect one-pointedness of the mind it is possible 
for one to develop the five Supernormal Powers (Abhinna) -- Divine Eye
(Dibbacakkhu), Divine Ear (Dibbasota), Reminiscence of past births 
(Pubbenivasanus-sati-nana).  Thought Reading (Paracitta vijanana) and different
Psychic Powers (Iddhividha).  It must not be understood that those supernormal 
powers are essential for Sainthood.

	Though the mind is now purified there still lies dormant in him the 
tendency to give vent to his passions, for, by concentration, passions are 
lulled to sleep temporarily.  They may rise to the surface at unexpected
moments.

	Both Discipline and Concentration are helpful to clear the Path of its
obstacles but it is Insight (Vipassana Panna) alone which enable one to see 
things as they truly are, and consequently reach the ultimate goal by 
completely annihilating the passions inhibited by Samadhi.  This is the third
and the final stage on the Path to Nibbana.

	With his one-pointed mind which now resembles a polished mirror he looks
at the world to get a correct view of life.  Whenever he turns his eyes he sees
nought but the Three Characteristics -- ANICCA (transciency), DUKKHA (sorrow) 
and ANATTA (soul-lessness) standing out in bold relief.  He comprehends that 
life is constantly changing and all conditioned things are transcient.  Neither
in heaven nor on earth does he find any genuine happiness, for every form of
pleasure is a prelude to pain.  What is transcient is therefore painful, and 
where change and sorrow prevail there cannot be a permanent immortal soul.

	Whereupon, of these three characteristics, he chooses one that appeals
to him most and intently keeps on developing Insight in that particular 
direction until that glorious day comes to him when he would realize Nibbana for
the first time in his life, having destroyed the three Fetters -- self-illusion
(Sakkaya-ditthi), doubts (Vicikiccha), indulgence in (wrongful) rites and 
ceremonies (Silabbata-paramasa).

	At this stage he is called a Sotapanna (Stream-Winner) -- one who has
entered the stream that leads to Nibbana.  As he has not eradicated all Fetters
he is reborn seven times at the most.

	Summoning up fresh courage, as a result of this glimpse of Nibbana, the
Pilgrim makes rapid progress and cultivating deeper Insight becomes a 
Sakadagami -- (Once Returner) - by weakening two more Fetters -- namely 
Sense-desire (Kamaraga) and ill-will (Patigha).  He is called a Sakadagami
because he is reborn on earth only once in case he does not attain Arahatship.

	It is in the third stage of Sainthood -- ANAGAMI (Never-Returner) that 
he completely discards the aforesaid two Fetters.  Thereafter, he neither 
returns to this world nor does he seek birth in the celestial realms, since he 
has no more desire for sensual pleasures.  After death he is reborn in the
"Pure Abodes" (Suddhavasa), a congenial Brahma plane, till he attains 
Arahatship.

	Now the saintly pilgrim, encouraged by the unprecedented success of his
endeavours, makes his final advance and destroying the remaining Fetters, 
namely, lust after life in Realms of Forms (Ruparaga) and Formless Realms
(Aruparaga), conceti (Mana), restlessness (Uddhacca), and ignorance (Avijja),
becomes a perfect Saint -- an Arahat, a Worthy One.

	Instantly he realizes that what was to be accomplished has been done, 
that a heavy burden of sorrow has been relinquished, that all forms of 
attachment have been totally annihilated, and that the Path to Nibbana has been
trodden.  The Worthy-One now stands on heights more than celestial, far removed
from the rebellious passions and defilements of the world, realizing the 
unutterable bliss of Nibbana and like many an Arahat of old, uttering that paean
of joy:-

		"Goodwill and wisdom, mind by method trained,
		 The highest conduct on good morals based,
		 This maketh mortals pure, not rank or wealth."

	As T.H. Huxley states -- "Buddhism is a system which knows no God in the
western sense, which denies a soul to man, which counts the belief in 
immortality a blunder, which refuses any efficacy to prayer and sacrifice, which
bids men look to nothing but their own efforts for salvation, which in its 
original purity knew nothing of vows of obedience and never sought the aid of 
the secular arm: yet spread over a considerable moiety of the world with 
marvellous rapidity -- and is still the dominant creed of a large fraction of 
mankind."

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