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Please feel free to distribute this message among your friends, colleagues and relatives. ________________________________ If you found this Dhamma message useful please consider making an online donation to Sakyamuni Sambuddha Vihara here http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=doncal ________________________________ Monday, 18 May, 8:00 PM onwards : Dhamma Talk by Ajahn Brahm. The topic is 'Leading a Happy Family Life.' All are welcome. At the Religious Centre, Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melway's refernce: 70 G10. For details contact the Buddhist Society of Victoria on 03 9571 6409 or 03 9571 3904. Tuesday, 19 May, 8:00 AM - 5PM : One Day Retreat with Ajahn Brahm. All are welcome. At The Buddhist Society of Victoria, 71-73 Darling Road, East Malvern, Melway's refernce: 68 J1. For details contact the Buddhist Society of Victoria on 03 9571 6409 or 03 9571 3904. ________________________________ Taken from AccessToInsight.org1 Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu A POOL OF WATER Anguttara Nikaya 1.45 - 46, Udakarahaka Sutta Commentary: The Lord Buddha explains how an impure mind leads one to not understand that which is beneficial to oneself and/or others and does not allow for insights leading to higher states like Nibbana, and a pure mind does lead one to understand that which is beneficial to oneself and/or others and does allow for insights leading to higher states like Nibbana. Please note that an unenlightened mind can be a highly volatile and unstable entity. Just as long as one subscribes to the negativities within the mind the mind will remain impure and as soon as one lets go of those negativities the mind will once again become pure (return to its orginal pure state). One should develop positive counter qualities to further guard against mental negatives and to further purify and strengthen the mind. It is equally important to not develop aversion towards the negativities within the mind or attachment towards the positive states within the mind (as they are impermanent) which can not only be detrimental to one's mental balance but also further defiles the mind. 45. "Suppose there were a pool of water — sullied, turbid, and muddy. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would not see shells, gravel, and pebbles, or shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with a sullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is impossible. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of his mind." Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains that just as one cannot see shells, pebbles, gravel, fish etc in a muddy pool of water; a person whose mind is defiled by various impurities will not be able to understand that which is beneficial to themselves and/or others and will not be able to gain any superior insights enabling higher realizations such as Nibbana. 46. "Suppose there were a pool of water — clear, limpid, and unsullied. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would see shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with an unsullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is possible. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of his mind." Explanation: The Lord Buddha explains that just as one can see shells, pebbles, gravel, fish etc in a clear pool of water; a person whose mind is not defiled by various impurities will be able to understand that which is beneficial to themselves and/or others and will be able to gain superior insights enabling higher realizations such as Nibbana. End of discourses. Source: This discourse (sutta) can be found in full here http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.045-046.than.html Notes1. More suttas can be found here http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.038.than.html and here http://what-buddha-said.net/ (see Sutta Pitaka). 2. This sutta can be found in full here http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an01/an01.045-046.than.html * See the previous instalment here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhamma/message/1523 ________________________________ Dhamma (Buddhism) ArticlesA Buddhist Approach to the Awareness of In-and-Out Breath Meditation - Anapanasati - A Buddhist approach to the awareness of breath meditation (anapanasati), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=anapanasati A Buddhist Approach to Disenchantment - A Buddhist approach to becoming disenchanted with all that gives rise to stress, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disench A Buddhist Approach to Disillusionment - A Buddhist approach to seeing past the trickery and into reality, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=disill A Buddhist Approach to Mental Health - A Buddhist perspective and approach to mental health, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=mentalhealth A Buddhist Approach to Problem Solving - A Buddhist approach to problem solving through the development of wisdom (panna), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=probsolv A Buddhist Approach to Revulsion - Asubha - A Buddhist approach to bodily revulsion (asubha), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=revul A Buddhist Approach to the Contemplation on Body Parts - Asubha - A Buddhist approach to bodily revulsion (asubha) through the detailed contemplation of the body parts, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=asubhaparts A Buddhist Approach to Time Management - A Buddhist approach to effective time management, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=timeman An Introduction to Buddhist Meditation - Basic instructions for doing the mediations of loving kindness (metta), awareness of breath (ana-pana-sati) and foulness of the body (asubha), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=intromed Arahants and Suicide - An analysis on whether Arahants (Worthy Ones) can commit suicide, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=arahsuic Attachment - An analysis of how attachment leads to unsatisfactoriness, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=attachment Buddhist Positive Thinking - Positive thinking from a Buddhist perspective, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=posthink Consequences - About being responsible for our actions (kamma) and their consequences (vipaka), see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=conseq Daily Dâna - On giving and generosity, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=dailydana Equanimity - Dealing with the eight characteristics of life, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=equanimity Fault Finding & Resentment - Dealing with fault finding and resentment, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=faultfind Five Precepts - Developing virtue through the five precepts, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=pansil Four Noble Truths - The essence of Buddhism, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=fourtruths Make Haste - About the dangers of samsara (endless round of birth and death) and a call to attain Nibbana (release) at the earliest opportunity, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=urgency Mental Purity - Five ways prescribed by the Buddha for subduing mental defilements, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=vitakkasantana Metta Meditation - Easy to follow instructions for doing the meditation on loving-kindness, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=mettamed Noble Eightfold Path - The path for ending unsatisfactoriness, stress and suffering, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=noblepath Offerings - On making offering to the Lord Buddha's supreme qualities, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=offerings One Hour of Unsatisfactoriness - The unsatisfactoriness that can be felt within the space of an hour, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=onehour Reverence - On revering those worthy of reverence, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=reverence Sensual Pleasure & Pain - An analysis of sensual pleasure and pain, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=plespain Work Stress - An analysis of stress in the work-place, see http://www.vihara.org.au/go?to=workstress See these articles here http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs and here http://sites.google.com/site/dhammagroupweb/pubs/youth ________________________________ If you would like to help your friends to gain Dhamma knowledge by receiving emails like this one REPLY to this email including their email addresses. 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