development

Training in the Five Ethics of the Buddha. Most suffering would then disappear from this world

If the world engaged in the training of the five basic ethics in the Buddha’s teaching, most suffering would disappear from human existence.

If the world engaged in the training of any one of the five ethics, much suffering would disappear from the world. The disregard or contempt for one ethic can invite abuse of the other four.

The Buddha. In a Thai forest.

The teachings/training/practices of sīla remains an indispensable feature of the Buddha’s teachings to bring an end to harmful acts of our behaviour, often impacting on others, creatures and the natural world.

Sila means ethics expressed as virtuous behaviour in every area of daily life. Ethics provide the foundation and support for all Dharma teachings since often the greatest levels of suffering arises through neglect of values of care.

Teachings of Dharma/mindfulness/meditation/action require explicit reference to ethics from the start rather than going unspoken and unwritten. Sila needs to be explicit in teaching, not thinking it is implicit.

The author takes the view that Dharma/Buddhist/Mindfulness/Meditation teachers need to find the language to speak about ethics to the individual/family/businesses/arms industry/poison manufacturers/military/political establishment and more.

The Buddha on the Five Ethics

The Buddha referred to specific ethics on a regular basis with variation in meaning according to the situation. These five essential ethics apply to personal, social and political actions.

He referred to the ethics as a path of training – not as commandments or laws to be obeyed.

Teachings never support the violation of ethics through harmful views or support for a harmful political/religious/business/scientific or social ideology.

The Buddha advised people to state inwardly and to others

1.       ‘I undertake the path of training of refraining from killing living (breathing) beings.’

Not attacking, thus not leading to the destruction of life/slaughter/murder/killing.

2.      ‘I undertake the path of training of refraining from taking that which is not (or has not been) given.’

That which is not given, not granted, not offered, not appropriated to, not seized on, not taking from, not occupied.

3.      ‘I undertake the path of training of refraining from harmful behaviour with regard to pursuit of sensual/sexual pleasure.’

Desire, pursuit, craving refers to harm/abuse caused through thirst for pleasure, via the senses and desires for sexual manipulation/gratification.

4.      ‘I undertake the path of training of refraining from speaking falsely or misleading speech,

Discourses (suttas) includes refraining from harsh, slanderous and frivolous speech and remembering to speak what is true and useful.

5.      ‘I undertake the path of training of refraining from being careless or heedless due to liquor, spirits or any intoxicants (such as recreational drugs).’

Refrain from taking of any kind of intoxicants impacting on the mind to cause lack of clarity, carelessness, negligence, indolence and harmful behaviour.

Areas of Ethics

The Buddha also provided teachings on ethics without reference to the above five core ethics. These include:

  • sharing of experiences
  • exploration of karma
  • action and consequences
  • clinging to good and not good/evil
  • support of right view/right intention – right means not harmful plus nourishing and fulfilling.

Middle Length Discourses, as well as other texts, make regular references to the importance of ethics and its exploration in different areas.

MAY ALL BEINGS ENGAGE IN THE TRAINING OF ETHICS

MAY ALL BEINGS ENGAGE IN VIRTUOUS ACTIVITIES

MAY ALL BEINGS EXPLORE WAYS TO END SUFFERING.

Special thanks for Asaf Federman and Jenny Wilks. In the past two decades,
I have consulted Jenny and Asaf  on translations of certain Pali passages into English.
I have drawn above upon their translation of the five ethics and the meaning of key concepts.

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Teachings of the Buddha on the Five Powers of Mind with a Comment. Are you developing your power?

In Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (AN Book of Five. 5.14), the Buddha said:

There are these five powers. What five?

  • Power of Trust
  • Power of Energy
  • Power of Mindfulness
  • Power of Concentration/Meditation/Unification
  • Power of Wisdom.

What is the Power of Trust?

Endowed with trust, one places trust in the enlightenment of the Tathagata (one who has thus gone (beyond suffering).

What is the Power of Energy?

One arouses energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and developing wholesome qualities. One is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities.

What is the Power of Mindfulness?

One reaches supreme mindfulness and remembers and recollects what arose and what was done.

What is the Power of Concentration/Meditation/Unification?

One enters the first deep meditation with happiness and joy.

With the subsiding of thought one enters and dwells in the second deep meditation, which brings unification.

With the fading away of happiness, one dwells in the third deep meditation, equanimous, mindful and with clear comprehension.

With the letting go of pleasure and pain, one enters and dwells in the fourth deep meditation. There is purification of mindfulness by equanimity.

What is the Power of Wisdom?

Wisdom discerns arising and passing of mental/material phenomena.

This is noble and penetrative leading to the destruction of suffering. This is called the Power of Wisdom.

“These are the five powers.”

Brief Comment on the Five Powers of Mind

All five powers share an equally important relationship. None exist independently of the other four.

Let us remember all five powers recognise beneficial changes taking place with the development of the powers and the impact when we neglect their significance.

1.      Teachings made a shift away from faith, a significant feature of religion and views in secularism/science. Faith means accepting what we are told without expertise/experience to prove and confirm. Faith has a value such as taking a step into the unknown to develop experience. Trust has a foundation in teachings/practice to go beyond all suffering having the experience to recall ending a specific problem(s). Trust supports confidence to act based on experience rather than theory. Through reflection and recollection of worthwhile steps already taken, we find the trust to continue.

2.      I read Albert Einstein and other scientists stated: “Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” Human experience shows the daily changes in energy – waking state, dream and deep sleep. We experience changes because of health/sickness/happiness/stress and more. Practice includes the development of energy for health, ethics, meditation, creativity, service and more. Harmony with energy contributes to its wise application. Practice experiences changes in energy and the conditions for it. This includes experience of loss of energy, burnout and pursuit of activities causing suffering for ourselves and others. We experience ways to create and establish energy, while death reveals the end of energy, the end of the life force.

3.      Mindfulness emphasise the importance of reflection. We need to remember with accuracy past experiences, what we thought, said and done and surrounding circumstances. Mindfulness of what arose for insights contributes to the opportunity to develop all five powers of mind. The power of mindfulness does not reify the present moment, the here and now, into a substance, into a thingness, into self-existence isolated from past and future. The power of mindfulness has a much bigger remit than trying to live in the present moment as much as possible.

4.      Samadhi (in Pali language) has a three-fold meaning. 1. Concentration. What is worth concentrating on in life in the short and long term? 2. Meditation. What is worth meditating upon to expand all five powers of mind? 3. Unification. This is a deep sense of wellbeing through experiencing a depth of happiness, joy, equanimity and not being bound to pleasure and pain. Samadhi contributes to the meeting of mindfulness and clear comprehension.

5.      The application of wisdom applies to seeing the causes and conditions for any kind of suffering from unhealthy behaviour to subtle levels of hindrances to clarity. Seeing means capacity to penetrate issues which brought worthwhile change. If understanding arises, the issues stand under us. The issues cease to have an unwelcome impact upon us. Wisdom responds to life with trust, energy, mindfulness and a depth of concentration/meditation and unification of being.

Final Word. Such a teaching from the Buddha truly deserves a high five.

 

Stephen Fulder, a senior Dharma teacher in Israel,
has written a book on The Five Powers. Here is the link
https://bit.ly/3iz6vYa

 

Teachings of the Buddha on the Five Powers of Mind with a Comment. Are you developing your power? Read More »

Join our Online Course. The Buddha for Daily Life. Five Powers of Mind. Saturday 4 February to July 2023. CET. 8 am – 9.30 am. Two sessions per month until July.

THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS FOR DAILY LIFE
New Online Course over six months: February 2023 – July 2023with Christopher and Suchitra
Two sessions per month offering a single 90-minute session for the day.

Attend as much as you can.

Time

CET. 8 am -9.30 am (time zones suitable for India, Israel, UK, Australia. Extra motivation for the Americas!)

Theme

Five Powers of the Mind: The Buddha emphasised the importance of developing these Five Powers of the Mind. We will start with an overview, and then explore and develop one power per month.

Five Powers of the Mind are:

  1. Trust/ Confidence. The Buddha shifted from faith to trust/confidence
  2. Energy. Physical/mental/emotional energy has a significant influence upon us – whether high, low or between. 
  3. Mindfulness includes the ability to observe, to remember and see clearly
  4. Concentration/Unification of Mind. Concentration includes the capacity to stay focused on what matters/harmony/well-being
  5. Wisdom. Wisdom means to understand. Understanding means dissolution of suffering, of problematic issues

Format

The Zoom Meeting will include use of Gallery on screen for interactive discussion with participants. Suchitra and I will hear your voice and respond to your experiences and questions.

  • 10-to-15-minute talk
  • Interactive Discussion
  • 10-to-15-minute Guided Meditation
  • 10 to 15-minute Summary with Application for Daily Life

Registration
Email to: Suchitra Shenoy
s.shenoy@gmail.com

There is no registration fee. The course runs on dana (donations).
The course will provide a free PDF of Christopher Titmuss’ 77-page Buddha Study Guide.

Do join. We have much to learn from each other.

Join our Online Course. The Buddha for Daily Life. Five Powers of Mind. Saturday 4 February to July 2023. CET. 8 am – 9.30 am. Two sessions per month until July. Read More »

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