Thank you, Bhantes for your efforts, I'm Ahmed from Egypt, an ex Muslim, and Buddhist bow for 4 years learning from Dhamma Teachings like these Dhamma talks, thank you so much
Thank you, Bhantes. These talks about sense restraint, the danger of not understanding the peril of wrong view with regard to pleasure, and developing a sense of urgency, etc. are true, invaluable gifts. I would be without proper guidance without your talks. Thank you for teaching the Dhamma as you do.
Mara loves his entertainment. You said 'Dont avoid the bait, but understand the trap', thats brilliant. Avoiding the bait is the same as the trap! That's the middle way i guess, Thanks as always Bhantes
After I started listening to these videos I feel that I am going from darkness to light. More understanding of sense restraint. Thank you Banthe. Please continue these videos.
I think it would be worth addressing the common lay perspective that the purpose of life is to “make it into an adventure”. I hear the word “adventure” mentioned quite often: “I married him/her because of their sense of adventure”, “I do x because it's adventurous”, “Life is meant to have adventures with friends” etc. The dictionary defines Adventure as “participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises” or "an exciting or very unusual experience” or even "an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks”.
Another interesting topic is the pretense of happiness that we see around us, especially in social media. People pretending their life is wonderful because it's so full of sensuality. Pictures of people indulging the senses with a smiling face for the camera.
Thank you for the videos, Bhante! The topics are most relevant. Regarding the current topic, most people are scared that they will have to endure withdrawal from things they want, failing to see that you can properly detach from the thing only when you know it's not good for you. You can't possibly give up something you see as valuable ( with the exception of temporary repression - but this is not a valid approach ) The fear of this situation ( in which you cannot really be in ) prevents quite a few from attempting restraint.
🙏 Venerables, thank you for many fantastic teachings. I would like to suggest and hope that you will consider doing a talk explaining the various alternative terms and translations that you particularly use, such as Thought, matter, assumption, and so on. It is quite a struggle for a beginner (to your particular way of thinking and explaining) trying to get a basic understanding of the terms used and relate them to my previous Buddhist education. Also I would really appreciate an explanation of the five aggregates in your understanding, since there is so much confusion and difference in interpretation on that matter. Especially with regard to "Sankhara" and also vinnana (especially mano vinanna.) Unless there is somewhere that I can read about your choices of translation? Thank you
Thank you for the clarification You can have any number or form of views as long as they are not firmly held, which means you are open to change your view ?
Thank you Bhante. Can a sotapanna still maintain a desire for continued existence at an overt level, such as maintaining a wish to be reborn in some high heaven or wherever even if nibbana is the ultimate wish? Or does continued birth for a sotapanna happen more as a consequence of lack of development, and to be a sotapanna necessarily equates to abondoning lust for further existence at the level of "I wish to be reborn"? I know this isn't terribly relevant to the video but I want to understand if this is a caveat for right view.
Hello venerables, I wanted to ask about the case where one is in an addiction such as an eating disorder where one is not even at that normal level of behavior of an average person how would one start to make effort towards practicing the dhamma? I know that it has been emphasized many times before by you that there is no dhamma without restraint But whenever I try to keep the 8 precepts, I become overwhelmed and even go back into the habit. I also recognize that persisting in this sort of addiction requires a high degree of lack of admitting responsibility since it eventually comes down to not acting out of the urge and enduring it. I think what I mainly want to ask about is that: 1- if someone is in such a case should that person put in as much effort in overcoming this addiction first while maintaining the 5 precepts or should that person just aim for the 8 precepts any way and treat this addiction the same as every other addiction of sensual sort. 2-Is there a disadvantage in regarding some particular addiction as more important to overcome than others first or does it simply come down to remembering that even if one engages in sensuality while keeping the main goal of overcoming this greater addiction that even those other sensual acts are leading one away from the dhamma (not ignoring that one is not practicing). 3- Is it unreasonable to think that someone in such a case would be able to become established in the 8 precepts if his mind is still highly reactive towards urges so it would make sense then to try to overcome the particular proliferated addiction first? Thank you.
In the situation you’ve laid out that person would have many options. I am of course prefacing this by stating I am not providing anyone with medical advice or counseling etc. 1. Don’t follow that precept...OR 2. Eat a large breakfast at dawn and large lunch 30min before midday....OR 3. Same as option #2 + after midday consume only the allowable non-staple foods of which there are many. Eating only one meal per day is simply an ascetic option and probably wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea for someone with a restrictive eating disorder or a compulsive over-eating disorder. At least not as a starting line demarcation. The goal is to make one’s internal motivations for union with the agreeable as self evident as possible so they can be excised from being impulsive actions. Insatiable thirst for sensory impingement becomes quenched only through sati and yoniso manasikāra. Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu has a very informative page on his website about this very topic of food which is taken from the Vinaya and its commentaries, some of which would apply to a layperson following the 8 Precepts (like what is allowable to eat in the afternoon). www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0019.html
Not sure if you're still replying to comments as this is an old post, but I used to have an eating disorder, overcame it and am now successfully practising basic sense restraint in regard to food. Let me know if you need advice.
Bhante, You mention that if one is physically restrained but looks foward to their "tasty" and delicious meal at the end of the day, one is still trapped in desire. But I believe its better than nothing I believe? Since it's not the same to indulge in sex, movies and food VS only food. The ideal thing would be, if one is at a point where he indulges in pleasure of food, to endure the pressure of chasing something tasty and having instead something nutritious? Eventually one will see the danger in pleasures of taste? Is this correct? Just trying to define a line of action here. Thanks,
Thank you, Bhantes for your efforts, I'm Ahmed from Egypt, an ex Muslim, and Buddhist bow for 4 years learning from Dhamma Teachings like these Dhamma talks, thank you so much
Thank you, Bhantes. These talks about sense restraint, the danger of not understanding the peril of wrong view with regard to pleasure, and developing a sense of urgency, etc. are true, invaluable gifts. I would be without proper guidance without your talks.
Thank you for teaching the Dhamma as you do.
My feeling exactly!
Mara loves his entertainment.
You said 'Dont avoid the bait, but understand the trap', thats brilliant. Avoiding the bait is the same as the trap!
That's the middle way i guess,
Thanks as always Bhantes
After I started listening to these videos I feel that I am going from darkness to light. More understanding of sense restraint. Thank you Banthe. Please continue these videos.
This Dhamma talk is really clearing things up for me. I now understand what I need to contemplate in my practice. Thank you Bhante 🙏🏼
Much appreciated. Very appreciated. Im grateful thank you.
One thing I find interesting is the missing of discussing the middle way. It allows so much relief.
Hi Bhante, could you make a video about overcoming grief? Either overcoming grief or living with grief, thank you :)
I think it would be worth addressing the common lay perspective that the purpose of life is to “make it into an adventure”. I hear the word “adventure” mentioned quite often: “I married him/her because of their sense of adventure”, “I do x because it's adventurous”, “Life is meant to have adventures with friends” etc. The dictionary defines Adventure as “participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises” or "an exciting or very unusual experience” or even "an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks”.
This guy knows his shit
Another interesting topic is the pretense of happiness that we see around us, especially in social media. People pretending their life is wonderful because it's so full of sensuality. Pictures of people indulging the senses with a smiling face for the camera.
Thank you for the videos, Bhante! The topics are most relevant.
Regarding the current topic, most people are scared that they will have to endure withdrawal from things they want, failing to see that you can properly detach from the thing only when you know it's not good for you. You can't possibly give up something you see as valuable ( with the exception of temporary repression - but this is not a valid approach )
The fear of this situation ( in which you cannot really be in ) prevents quite a few from attempting restraint.
listen 38:15 if you get alarmed, irritated, listen from 00:01 ❤
🙏 Venerables, thank you for many fantastic teachings.
I would like to suggest and hope that you will consider doing a talk explaining the various alternative terms and translations that you particularly use, such as Thought, matter, assumption, and so on. It is quite a struggle for a beginner (to your particular way of thinking and explaining) trying to get a basic understanding of the terms used and relate them to my previous Buddhist education.
Also I would really appreciate an explanation of the five aggregates in your understanding, since there is so much confusion and difference in interpretation on that matter. Especially with regard to "Sankhara" and also vinnana (especially mano vinanna.)
Unless there is somewhere that I can read about your choices of translation?
Thank you
🙏
Thank you for the clarification
You can have any number or form of views as long as they are not firmly held, which means you are open to change your view ?
Thank you Bhante. Can a sotapanna still maintain a desire for continued existence at an overt level, such as maintaining a wish to be reborn in some high heaven or wherever even if nibbana is the ultimate wish? Or does continued birth for a sotapanna happen more as a consequence of lack of development, and to be a sotapanna necessarily equates to abondoning lust for further existence at the level of "I wish to be reborn"? I know this isn't terribly relevant to the video but I want to understand if this is a caveat for right view.
Only a dream Neil Young
Hello venerables,
I wanted to ask about the case where one is in an addiction such as an eating disorder where one is not even at that normal level of behavior of an average person how would one start to make effort towards practicing the dhamma?
I know that it has been emphasized many times before by you that there is no dhamma without restraint But whenever I try to keep the 8 precepts, I become overwhelmed and even go back into the habit. I also recognize that persisting in this sort of addiction requires a high degree of lack of admitting responsibility since it eventually comes down to not acting out of the urge and enduring it.
I think what I mainly want to ask about is that:
1- if someone is in such a case should that person put in as much effort in overcoming this addiction first while maintaining the 5 precepts or should that person just aim for the 8 precepts any way and treat this addiction the same as every other addiction of sensual sort.
2-Is there a disadvantage in regarding some particular addiction as more important to overcome than others first or does it simply come down to remembering that even if one engages in sensuality while keeping the main goal of overcoming this greater addiction that even those other sensual acts are leading one away from the dhamma (not ignoring that one is not practicing).
3- Is it unreasonable to think that someone in such a case would be able to become established in the 8 precepts if his mind is still highly reactive towards urges so it would make sense then to try to overcome the particular proliferated addiction first?
Thank you.
In the situation you’ve laid out that person would have many options. I am of course prefacing this by stating I am not providing anyone with medical advice or counseling etc.
1. Don’t follow that precept...OR
2. Eat a large breakfast at dawn and large lunch 30min before midday....OR
3. Same as option #2 + after midday consume only the allowable non-staple foods of which there are many.
Eating only one meal per day is simply an ascetic option and probably wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea for someone with a restrictive eating disorder or a compulsive over-eating disorder. At least not as a starting line demarcation.
The goal is to make one’s internal motivations for union with the agreeable as self evident as possible so they can be excised from being impulsive actions. Insatiable thirst for sensory impingement becomes quenched only through sati and yoniso manasikāra.
Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu has a very informative page on his website about this very topic of food which is taken from the Vinaya and its commentaries, some of which would apply to a layperson following the 8 Precepts (like what is allowable to eat in the afternoon).
www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0019.html
@@dassavilokantara439 thank you for these tips they were quite helpful.
Not sure if you're still replying to comments as this is an old post, but I used to have an eating disorder, overcame it and am now successfully practising basic sense restraint in regard to food. Let me know if you need advice.
Bhantes, do you have any thoughts on Venerable Ñaṇavīra Thera's views on suicide?
Hermit of Bundala - The biography of Nanavira Thera is a book that I'd highly recommend. It touches on this precise topic.
32:44 Talks about Views.
Bhante,
You mention that if one is physically restrained but looks foward to their "tasty" and delicious meal at the end of the day, one is still trapped in desire. But I believe its better than nothing I believe?
Since it's not the same to indulge in sex, movies and food VS only food.
The ideal thing would be, if one is at a point where he indulges in pleasure of food, to endure the pressure of chasing something tasty and having instead something nutritious? Eventually one will see the danger in pleasures of taste? Is this correct?
Just trying to define a line of action here.
Thanks,
33:00 on views