Some of my favourite Pali Suttas

[Dan74]

Occasionally I've come across a belief among Mahayana Buddhists that the Pali Suttas are basic, nitpicking and boring, that there is an unbridgeable gulf between the two Buddhist traditions. Well, here's a few that should sound more familiar to Mahayana ears. Please add more.

http://www.dhammaweb.net/Tipitaka/read.php?id=96

Rahula, develop a mind similar to earth, when you develop a mind similar to earth arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of your mind and stay. Rahula on the earth is dumped, the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, blood, the earth does not loathe those, in the same manner develop a mind similar to earth. When you develop a mind similar to earth, arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of the mind and stay.

Rahula, develop a mind similar to water, when you develop a mind similar to water arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of your mind and stay. Rahula with water the pure and the impure, are washed excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, are washed. Water does not loathe that, in the same manner develop a mind similar to water. When you develop a mind similar to water, arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of the mind and stay.

Rahula, develop a mind similar to fire, when you develop a mind similar to fire arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of your mind and stay. Rahula, fire burns the pure and the impure, burns excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood. Fire does not loathe that, in the same manner develop a mind similar to fire. When you develop a mind similar to fire, arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of the mind and stay.

Rahula, develop a mind similar to space, when you develop a mind similar to space arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of your mind and stay. Rahula, space does not settle anywhere. In the same manner develop a mind similar to space. When you develop a mind similar to space, arisen contacts of like and dislike do not take hold of the mind and stay.

Rahula, develop loving kindness, when it is developed, anger fades. Rahula develop compassion, when it is developed, anger fades. Rahula develop intrinsic joy, when it is developed discontentment fades. Rahula develop equanimity, when it is developed aversion fades... Rahula develop the perception of impermanence, when it is developed the conceit ‘I be’ fades..

[url]ttp://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn2 ... .than.html[/url]

Form is like a glob of foam;
feeling, a bubble;
perception, a mirage;
fabrications, a banana tree;
consciousness, a magic trick —
this has been taught
by the Kinsman of the Sun.
However you observe them,
appropriately examine them,
they're empty, void
to whoever sees them
appropriately.

Beginning with the body
as taught by the One
with profound discernment:
when abandoned by three things
— life, warmth, & consciousness —
form is rejected, cast aside.
When bereft of these
it lies thrown away,
senseless,
a meal for others.
That's the way it goes:
it's a magic trick,
an idiot's babbling.
It's said to be
a murderer. [1]
No substance here
is found.

Thus a monk, persistence aroused,
should view the aggregates
by day & by night,
mindful,
alert;
should discard all fetters;
should make himself
his own refuge;
should live as if
his head were on fire —
in hopes of the state
with no falling away.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

"Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress."

Through hearing this brief explanation of the Dhamma from the Blessed One, the mind of Bahiya of the Bark-cloth right then and there was released from the effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance. Having exhorted Bahiya of the Bark-cloth with this brief explanation of the Dhamma, the Blessed One left.

Where water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing:
There the stars do not shine,
the sun is not visible,
the moon does not appear,
darkness is not found.
And when a sage,
a brahman through sagacity,
has known [this] for himself,
then from form & formless,
from bliss & pain,
he is freed.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the future. What is past is left behind. The future is as yet unreached. Whatever quality is present you clearly see right there, right there. Not taken in, unshaken, that's how you develop the heart. Ardently doing what should be done today, for — who knows? — tomorrow death. There is no bargaining with Mortality & his mighty horde. Whoever lives thus ardently, relentlessly both day & night, has truly had an auspicious day: so says the Peaceful Sage.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

By & large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence & non-existence. But when one sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one.

"By & large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), & biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty or doubt that just stress, when arising, is arising; stress, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.

[Ayu]

This one is my favorite:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How to handle fear and terror. Bhaya-bherava Sutta, excerpt:

"The thought occurred to me: 'What if — on recognized, designated nights such as the eighth, fourteenth, & fifteenth of the lunar fortnight — I were to stay in the sort of places that are awe-inspiring and make your hair stand on end, such as park-shrines, forest-shrines, & tree-shrines? Perhaps I would get to see that fear & terror.' So at a later time — on recognized, designated nights such as the eighth, fourteenth, & fifteenth of the lunar fortnight — I stayed in the sort of places that are awe-inspiring and make your hair stand on end, such as park-shrines, forest-shrines, & tree-shrines. And while I was staying there a wild animal would come, or a peacock would make a twig fall, or wind would rustle the fallen leaves. The thought would occur to me: 'Is this that fear & terror coming?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'Why do I just keep waiting for fear?

What if I, in whatever state I'm in when fear & terror come to me, were to subdue that fear & terror in that very state?' So when fear & terror came to me while I was walking back & forth, I would not stand or sit or lie down. I would keep walking back & forth until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear & terror came to me while I was standing, I would not walk or sit or lie down. I would keep standing until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear & terror came to me while I was sitting, I would not lie down or stand up or walk. I would keep sitting until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear & terror came to me while I was lying down, I would not sit up or stand or walk. I would keep lying down until I had subdued that fear & terror.

[Mkoll]

Great idea for a thread, Dan. Here are a few quotes.

"Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking & pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with sensuality, abandoning thinking imbued with renunciation, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with sensuality. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with ill will, abandoning thinking imbued with non-ill will, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with ill will. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with harmfulness, abandoning thinking imbued with harmlessness, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with harmfulness.

"Monks, it is impossible indeed, that one can pursue sense gratification without sensual desire, without perceptions of sensual desire, without thoughts of sensual desire.

"Friends, just as when — in dependence on timber, vines, grass, & clay — space is enclosed and is gathered under the term 'house,' in the same way, when space is enclosed in dependence on bones, tendons, muscle, & skin, it is gathered under the term, 'form.'

[M.G.]

Thank you Dan74. The Pali Suttas convey a deep wisdom which genuinely transcends culture and time.

[Son of Buddha]

Very deep sutta

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SN 15.3 PTS: S ii 179 CDB i 652 Assu Sutta: Tears translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: "From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time —crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing —or the water in the four great oceans?" "As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time —crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing —not the water in the four great oceans." "Excellent, monks. Excellent. It is excellent that you thus understand the Dhamma taught by me. "This is the greater: the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time —crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing —not the water in the four great oceans. "Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a mother. The tears you have shed over the death of a mother while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time —crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing —are greater than the water in the four great oceans.
Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a father... the death of a brother... the death of a sister... the death of a son... the death of a daughter... loss with regard to relatives... loss with regard to wealth... loss with regard to disease. The tears you have shed over loss with regard to disease while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time —crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing —are greater than the water in the four great oceans. "Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries —enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released."

[DNS]

By coincidence in another subject, I posted this over at Dhamma Wheel, showing some of the great compassion of Buddha:

Now at that time a certain monk was suffering from dysentery and lay where he had fallen in his own excrement. The Buddha and Ananda were visiting the lodgings and they came to where the sick monk lay and the Buddha asked him, ‘Monk, what is wrong with you.’ ‘I have dysentery, Blessed One.’ ‘Is there no one to look after you?’

‘No, Blessed One.’

‘Then why is it that the other monks do not look after you?’

‘It is because I am of no use to them, Blessed One.’

Then the Buddha said to Ananda, ‘Go and fetch water so we can wash this monk.’ So Ananda brought water and the Buddha poured it out while Ananda washed the monk all over. Then taking the monk by the head and feet the Buddha and Ananda together carried him and laid him on a bed. Later, the Buddha called the monks together and asked them, ‘Why monks, did you not look after that sick monk?’

‘Because he was of no use to us, Blessed One’

‘Monks, you have no mother or father to look after you. If you do not look after each other who will? He who would nurse me, let him nurse the sick’ (Yo bhikkhave mam upatthaheyya so gilamam upatthaheyya, Vin. I. 301).

Mahavagga 8.26.1-8

[Bakmoon]

Here's an all time favorite of mine that really encapsulates both the Buddhist phenomenological trend and its emphasis on strict empiricism:

"Monks, I will teach you the All. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said, "What is the All? Simply the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavors, body & tactile sensations, intellect & ideas. This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if this Sutta was ever brought up in debates by the Yogacarins?

(Hmm. This is a cool thread. I wonder if Dhammawheel has a similar thread on Mahayana texts?)

[Kim O'Hara]

... (Hmm. This is a cool thread. I wonder if Dhammawheel has a similar thread on Mahayana texts?)

Not to my knowledge, and I spend as much time there as here.
There would be two things to keep in mind while contemplating such a thread over there:
(1) Mahayana schools (notionally, at least) accept the authority of the Pali canon but the converse is not true so the parallel is not exact.
(2) Some people get very excited (if that's the right word ) about orthodoxy and such-like, to the point of causing deep divisions in the online community. That, in fact, is why we now have two separate 'sister' forums.


Kim