this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2024
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Early Buddhism - Words of the Buddha

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A community dedicated to supporting awakening to the truth of enlightenment (Nibbāna) through inquiring into the teachings of the Buddha (Dhamma).

One awakens to the truth of enlightenment (aka stream entry) by:

Enlightenment is the elimination of greed, anger and delusion, dissolution of the ego and realisation of non-self.

An enlightened being would experience unconditional joy, contentment, freedom from beliefs, a high degree of concentration, and blossoming personal/professional relationships.

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This is how the Buddha advised his students to reflect on their practise:

At one time, the Blessed One was residing in Sāvatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus."

"Blessed One," those bhikkhus responded to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:

"If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is not skilled in the ways of others' minds, then he should train thus: ‘I will become skilled in the way of my own mind’—indeed, bhikkhus, this is how you should train.

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu become skilled in the way of his own mind? Suppose, bhikkhus, a man or a woman, young, of a youthful appearance, fond of adornment, would look at their own reflection in a very clear and bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water. If there, they see any dirt or blemish on their face, they would strive to remove that dirt or blemish. If they do not see any dirt or blemish there, they would be satisfied, feeling complete and thinking: ‘It is a gain for me, it is excellent for me.’ Similarly, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu, reflection is very helpful for wholesome states: ‘Am I often covetous or not? Am I often with ill-will or not? Am I often overcome by dullness (complacency) or not? Am I often restless or not? Am I often in doubt or not? Am I often angry or not? Am I often with a defiled mind or not? Am I often with an energetic body or not? Am I often lazy or not? Am I often uncollected or collected in mind?’

If, upon reflection, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I often live with covetousness, with ill-will, overcome by dullness (complacency), restless, in doubt, angry, with a defiled mind, with an energetic body, lazy, uncollected in mind,’ then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should make a strong desire, effort, enthusiasm, energy, and determination to abandon those very evil, unwholesome states. Just as if one's clothes or head were on fire, one would make a strong desire, effort, enthusiasm, energy, and determination to extinguish that fire on one's clothes or head. In the same way, that bhikkhu should make a strong desire, effort, enthusiasm, energy, and determination to abandon those very evil, unwholesome states.

However, if upon reflection, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I often live without covetousness, without ill-will, not overcome by dullness (complacency), not restless, beyond doubt, not angry, with an undefiled mind, with an energetic body, energetic, collected in mind,’ then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu, established in those very wholesome states, should practice for the further destruction of the taints."

-- AN 10.51

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