In the Buddhas Words

An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon

Translated and Edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi

MABAs Buddhist Study Group

Notes for Chapter 5: The Way to a Fortunate Rebirth

(July 24th August 21th)

Lesson 1 - Kamma (July 24

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Text 1 Four Kinds of Kamma [AN 4:232] Key Concepts: Four kinds of kamma, which the Buddha realized by direct knowledge: Dark kamma with dark results, Bright kamma with bright results, Kamma that is dark and bright and with dark and bright results, and Kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright results, leading to the destruction of kamma. Questions for Text 1: 1. What is the key factor that determines the quality of kamma? 2. Are we able to tell, for ourselves, whether we are creating (or experiencing the results of) these four types of kamma? Where do we look for clues? 3. What kinds of actions partake of the fourth kind of kamma: that which leads to the destruction of kamma itself? Text 2 Why Beings Fare as They Do After Death [MN 41: Saleyyaka Sutta] Key Concepts: Three kinds of unrighteous bodily conduct, four kinds of unrighteous verbal conduct, and three kinds of unrighteous mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma; and their corresponding opposites that are in accord with the Dhamma. Notes: (see also the chart for Lesson 4) Ten kinds of unrighteous conduct: Ten kinds of righteous conduct: Bodily Bodily Killing Abandoning killing Stealing Abandoning stealing Sexual misconduct Abandoning sexual misconduct Verbal Verbal False speech Abandoning false speech Malicious speech Abandoning malicious speech Idle chatter Abandoning idle chatter Mental Mental Covetousness Non-covetousness Ill-will Non-ill-will Wrong view Right view

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Questions for Text 2: 1. What Dhamma does the Buddha mean when he says, conduct not in accordance/in accordance with the Dhamma? Is it what the Buddha taught, or is it something more? 2. Can you explain why the Buddha explains the righteous conduct as opposites of the unrighteous conduct (abandoning), rather than using terms like, compassionate, generous, etc. to explain righteous conduct? Text 3 Kamma and Its Fruit [MN 135: Culakammavibhanga Sutta] Key Concepts: Beings are the owners of their actions, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior. Notes: We are heirs of our actions The Buddha explains how the way that leads to [short life/long life, etc.] makes people [short-lived/long-lived, etc]. He explains what makes people sickly/healthy, ugly/beautiful, uninfluential/influential, poor/wealthy, of low birth/of high birth, stupid/wise. Be sure to read the footnotes in this section; they help clarify a few things. Also, remember that what the Buddha is teaching is not a static fate (a poor person will always be poor because they deserve it.) It is something more. Questions for Text 3: 1. What do you think the statement that we originate from our actions means? 2. How does kamma differ from fate? 3. Can we use the teaching in this text to, for example, encourage someone who is struggling with poverty?

Lesson 2 Merit (July 31 )

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Text 1 Meritorious Deeds [It 22] Key Concept: Do not fear merit [also, do not neglect it], for merit has the power of merit to bring great rewards. Notes: The Buddha explains the results of his cultivating a mind of loving-kindness for seven years, resulting in his attaining supreme states of existence. He was able to discern the causes of his attainments as the ripening of three deeds of merit: deeds of giving, of self-mastery, and of refraining. Note that the Buddha was not basking in the glow, but rather investigated the cause of such states, knowing that all states of existence have a cause. Text 2 Three Bases of Merit [AN 8:36] Key Concept: Three ways of making merit: by giving, by moral discipline, and by the development of meditation.

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Notes: The text discusses the possible planes of existence beings are reborn into by cultivating the first two bases, but not the third (meditation) for some reason. Text 3 The Best Kinds of Confidence [AN 4:34] Key Concepts: Four best kinds of confidence: 1. In the Buddha - best of beings; 2. In the Noble Eightfold Path - best of conditioned things; 3. In the Dhamma/dispassion - best of conditioned and unconditioned things; and 4. In the Sangha - best of communities. Notes: Those of have confidence in [these four fields of merit] have confidence in the best, and for those who have confidence in the best, the result is the best. Questions for Lesson 2 (Texts 1-3): 1. What is the purpose of merit? What is its role in the spiritual life? 2. What is the role of intention in the creation of merit? 3. How would you describe merit through your understanding of Right View? 4. Regarding the four best kinds of confidence, how do we know that they are the best? Is this knowledge required for the merit of such confidence to come to fruition? In other words, what role does faith play in merit? 5. How do the Paramitas figure into the generation and power of merit?

Lesson 3 Giving (August 7

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Texts 1-3 The Results of Giving [It 26], The Reasons for Giving [AN 8:33], and The Gift of Food [AN 4:57] Key Concepts: Text 1 if people knew, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they would not eat without having given... Text 2 Eight reasons why people give. Text 3 By giving food, a person gives long life, beauty, happiness, and strength, which will, in turn, be given to her/him. Notes: From Text 2 the eight reasons why people give: 1. Out of affection, 2. In anger, 3. Out of stupidity, 4. Out of fear, 5. Out of tradition, 6. Hoping for a favorable rebirth, 7. Knowing that it will gladden the heart, or 8. Because they know that giving ennobles and adorns the mind.

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Texts 4 and 5 A Superior Persons Gifts [AN 5:148], and Mutual Support [It 107] Key Concepts: Text 4 Five gifts of a superior person. Text 5 The spiritual life is lived with mutual support [between monks and laity] for the purpose of crossing the flood and making a complete end of suffering. Notes: From Text 4 the five gifts of a superior person, each with their own corresponding result for the giver: 1. Gives out of faith resulting in wealth and beauty, 2. Gives respectfully resulting in wealth and obedience (people respect the person), 3. Gives a gift at the right time resulting wealth and timely benefits, 4. Gives with a generous heart resulting in wealth and a mind that inclines towards enjoyment, 5. Gives without denigration resulting in wealth and no loss of that wealth. From Text 5 The laity are helpful to monastics, and the monastics are helpful to the laity; thus, the spiritual life is lived with mutual support. Text 6 Rebirth on Account of Giving [AN 8:35] Key Concept: When a person is morally pure, giving a gift to an ascetic or a brahmin will significantly add to the base of merit, allowing the person to achieve rebirth in one of eight good destinations. Notes: The first seven destinations affluent holdholders, the realm of the Four Great Kings, the Tavatimsa devas, the Yama devas, the Tusita devas, the devas who delight in creating, the devas who wield power over others creations require moral purity and generosity to ascetics and brahmins. The eighth destination among the devas of Brahmas company require moral purity, freedom from lust, and generosity to ascetics and brahmins. Questions for Lesson 3 (Texts 1-6): 1. What do you think the motivation for cultivating generosity is, from the perspective of the Buddha? In other words, from Text 1, why does he say what he does about the importance of always finding ways to give? What dont we know about giving? 2. What does generosity look like in normal, daily life? 3. What does giving out of faith mean (Text 4)? What is it that we have faith in? 4. Can you think of which of the Four Noble Truths generosity most relates to (or appears in)? How about the Eightfold Path?

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Lesson 4 Moral Discipline (August 14

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Text 1 The Five Precepts [AN 8:39] Key Concepts: The eight streams of merit: the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts. Notes: Taking refuge in the Three Treasures ripens in happiness, and leads to whatever is wishes for, loved, and agreeable, to ones welfare and happiness. The Buddha describes the precepts as gifts, where a person gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, hostility and oppression in keeping them. Text 2 The Uposatha Observance [AN 8:41] Key Concepts: In order to emulate the arahants (the enlightened ones), the laity are encouraged to keep eight precepts on Uposatha days, days where one recommits to the precepts, which happen once every two weeks. Notes: The Eight Precepts: 1. Abstaining from the destruction of life, 2. Abstaining from taking what is not given, 3. Abstaining from sexual intercourse, 4. Abstaining from false speech, 5. Abstaining from intoxicants, 6. Abstaining from taking food after noon, 7. Abstaining from dancing, singing, unsuitable shows, and adornments, and 8. Abstaining from high and luxurious beds. For the one day of the Uposatha, I will imitate the arahants in this respect The Buddha describes great benefits from observing the Uposatha in this way. Questions for Lesson 4 Texts 1 and 2 1. Throughout much of this chapter, the Buddha describes benefits that will come in a future life. What are the benefits for this life from the merit generated from generosity and the keeping of the precepts? 2. What is the proper motivation for keeping the precepts, if there is one? Can this motivation be related to the Four Noble Truths? 3. Why dont beings know that we have given them the gift of freedom from fear, hostility and oppression when we attempt to keep the precepts? 4. Is it possible to keep the precepts completely?

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Relationship between the Five Precepts, the Ten Good Deeds, and the three modes of creating kamma (body, speech and mind)

Lesson 5 Meditation (August 21 )

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Text 1 The Development of Loving-Kindness [It 27] Key Concept: Whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the liberation of mind by lovingkindness. Notes: The Buddha describes in very poetic terms how a mind liberated by lovingkindness shines forth, bright and brilliant, brighter than the morning star, the moon, or the sun. Text 2 The Four Divine Abodes [MN 99: Subha Sutta] Key Conceps: Liberation of mind through the all-encompassing practice of lovingkindness, compassion, equanimity, altruistic joy, and equanimity. Notes: The Buddha teaches the path to the company of Brahma as being the liberation of mind through pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity. abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill will. Text 3 Insight Surpasses All [AN 9:20] Key Concept: Developing the perception of impermanence just for the time it takes to snap ones fingers is more fruitful and a host of other meritorious deeds. Questions for Lesson 5 Texts 1 - 3 1. What do we liberate the mind from with the Four Divine Abodes? 2. How do we practice the perception of impermanence? 3. Why the perception of impermanence? What about suffering and non-self?

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