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Samadhi Journal of the London Buddhist Vihara the First and the Foremost Buddhist Vihara of the Western World Established in 1926 by the Anagarika Dharmapala

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Samadhi Journal of the London Buddhist Vihara the First and the Foremost Buddhist Vihara of the Western World Established in 1926 by the Anagarika Dharmapala SAMADHI JOURNAL OF THE LONDON BUDDHIST VIHARA THE FIRST AND THE FOREMOST BUDDHIST VIHARA OF THE WESTERN WORLD ESTABLISHED IN 1926 BY THE ANAGARIKA DHARMAPALA ISSUE No. 48 & 49 MAY 2016-JAN 2017 B.E. 2560-61 ISSN 1368-1516 SAMVEGA - SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION Ven. B. Seelawimala Nayaka Thera Head of the London Buddhist Vihara he concept of “Saṁvega” in aging... illness... death... sorrow... We need spiritual maturity to see TBuddhism motivates us with defilement, were to seek the aging- properly these bases and the under- spiritual inspiration along the path to less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow- lying realities of impermanence, achieve wisdom, liberating our mind less, unexcelled rest from the yoke: suffering and non-self behind these from suffering.The purpose of this Unbinding?” (MN 26) factors. article is to reflect upon that concept of Saṁvega. In his Treatise on the Paramis, the Saṁvega is also used in a second, commentator Acariya Dhammapala slightly different sense, Samvejani- The term Saṁvega has a deep mean- says that a sense of spiritual urgency ya-tthana, and was used by the Bud- ing in a spiritual sense. It could be is the proximate cause of the perfec- dha to refer to a religious emotion, a moment when we are reminding tion of renunciation (nekkhamma). or feelings of reverence, which could ourselves we are not too late to start This arises when one looks deeply be aroused by visiting one of four a spiritual practice which has been into the general dangers inherent in places connected with important forgotten although it is essential. all conditioned existence within the events in the life of the Buddha: the Saṁvega is used in two senses. round of birth and death (saṁsāra). place of his birth, the place of his en- These are summed up in a formu- lightenment, the place of his first ser- The first is to describe a sense of lation called the eight bases for mon and the place of his death. In the shock, anxiety and spiritual urgency saṁvega, for acquiring a sense of Mahaparinibbana Sutta the Buddha to reach liberation and escape the urgency. says, “Ananda, there are four plac- suffering of saṁsāra. When the bo- es the sight of which should arouse dhisatta was still living in the palace The eight bases of Saṁvega are: emotion in the faithful. Which are and saw the old man, the sick man, 1. Reflection on birth. they? Here the Tathagata was born and the corpse, this created saṁvega 2. Reflection on old age. is the first. Here the Tathagata at- in him. This is what motivated the 3. Reflection on illness. tained supreme enlightenment is the bodhisatta to renounce his life of 4. Reflection on death. second. Here the Tathagata set in luxury and embark on his spiritual 5. Reflecting on the miseries in motion the Wheel of Dhamma is the quest. In the Ariyapariyesana Sutta one’s past existences. third. Here the Tathagata attained the we read, “What if I, being subject 6. Reflecting on the miseries of Nibbana-element without remainder myself to birth, seeing the drawbacks one’s future existences. is the fourth. And, Ananda, the faith- of birth, were to seek the unborn, un- 7. Reflecting upon the miseries of ful monks and nuns, male and female excelled rest from the yoke: Unbind- rebirths in lower realms of exist- lay-followers will visit those places. ing? What if I, being subject myself ence. And any who die while making the to aging... illness... death... sorrow... 8. Reflecting on the suffering con- pilgrimage to these shrines with a defilement, seeing the drawbacks of nected with the search for food. Continued on page 2 Spiritual Friendship INSIDE Back to Basic Courses for 2017 THIS ISSUE Buddhist Ethics, Moral Perfection & Modern Society A-Z of Buddhism Programmes and activities 1 1 ISSUE No. 48 & 49 MAY 2016-JAN 2017 SAMADHI Chief Executive: Ven. B. Seelawimala Nayaka Thera Editors: Ven. Tawalama Bandula, Mr. Richard Jones Continued from page 1 a genuine effort to follow the Bud- there is a blind turtle living on the devout heart will, at the breaking-up dha’s path or, indeed, the path of any floor of the ocean, and suppose there of the body after death, be reborn in other religious teacher? We should is a ring floating on the surface of a heavenly world.” (DN16 5.8) We reflect that we have a very special the vast ocean. Once every hundred know these places by the following opportunity at the moment. We have years, the blind turtle comes to the names: (a) Lumbini (now Rummind- been born in a healthy condition and surface. The frequency with which ei in Nepal), (b) Uruvela (now Bud- at a time when the Buddha’s teach- the turtle will put his head into the dha Gaya in Bihar), (c) the deer-park ings are known in their pure, unadul- hole in the ring is greater than the at Isipatana (modem Saranath), near terated state. Furthermore, we are frequency with which a being living Varanasi (Benares), and (d) Kusi- living in a part of the world where in a woeful plane will be reborn in nara. these teachings are freely available a happy plane. This should stimulate to us. We do not know where our us into making the best possible use It may not be possible for every- next birth will be and whether the of our present circumstances to fol- one to travel to India to visit the dhamma will still be known there. low the Buddha’s path towards the four places of pilgrimage, but even We should make the best of this pre- attainment of Enlightenment. without leaving our own home we cious birth because we do not know can reflect on how we are living our when such an opportunity will occur We are today very fortunate have daily life. Are we just “going with again. The Buddha said that it is very these rare opportunities for spiritual the flow”, drifting along, lacking difficult for a being who has been progress. any real sense of purpose in our life, born in a woeful plane to escape into indulging in sensual pleasures and a higher plane in his next birth. He materialistic desires? Are we making gave a simple illustration. Suppose BACK TO BASICS Purification by Knowledge and Vision by what is Path and Not-Path (Maggamaggananadassanavisuddhi) he understanding of the distinc- clarity owing to his Purification by tion; to his great relief, the meditator Ttion between the direct path and Overcoming Doubt. Since he has finds that even though pains arise, he its counterfeit, the misleading path, is eliminated obstructive views and is now able to note them mentally referred to as Purification by Knowl- doubts, his power of concentration without being distracted so that he edge and Vision of What is Path is keener than ever. Now his con- can more easily keep his mind on the and Not-Path. When the meditator centration has reached maturity. His subject of meditation. Even severe arrives at this stage, he has already mind is virile and energetic. He un- pains now appear to him as normal passed four stages of purification. It derstands the nature of phenomena, events rather than disturbances. This is noteworthy that the last three puri- manifest to him as mind-and-matter, is the “conquest of pain,” a victory fications (i.e. Purification by Knowl- together with their causes and condi- with a special significance. With this edge and Vision of What is Path and tions. He has also gained two other new-found strength the meditator Not-Path, Purification by Knowledge significant advantages. carries on mental noting with great and Vision of the Way, and Purifica- precision. This stage marks the final tion by Knowledge and Vision) have The first is relief from stray thoughts, phase of the Purification by Over- the qualification “Knowledge and especially when he meditates without coming Doubt. Vision,” unlike the first four. Hence a break for the whole day; for such Purification by Knowledge and Vi- a meditator the stray thoughts arise BUDDHISM IS FOR sion of What is Path and Not-Path only very rarely, and whereas earlier HUMAN NEEDS marks a significant turning point in the stray thoughts that arose used to the ascent through the purifications stay with him for a long while, now From the Buddhist point of view and the knowledges. he can dismiss them summarily with religion is not something that has a mere mental note. come down from heaven to filfil a By the time the meditator reaches divine purpose, but something that has grown up on earth to satisfy the this Purification by Knowledge and The second advantage is a signifi- deepest of human needs: peace, Vision of What is Path and Not-Path, cant reduction in the painful feelings happiness and liberation. he has gained a certain degree of that arise when sitting in medita- 2 SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP By Bhikkhu Bodhi eople new to Buddhism often evaluating our own friendships and forces our own energies. When we Ptake the Dharma to be a purely seeing which are helpful and which walk a common path and engage in individual path of spiritual develop- harmful. common practices, we gain encour- ment. They imagine that the only agement, strength, and inspiration to correct way to follow the Dharma is The Buddha says that it is because continue in our practice. This is like to lock oneself up in one’s room, turn of an “element” that people come to- crossing the desert in a caravan: oth- off the lights, and devote all one’s ef- gether and unite.
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