The Vagabond Saga has been a great site, but we have upgraded and gotten a new name.
All of the Dharma teaching will be part of APPLIED BUDDHISM (http://www.appliedbuddhism.com)
In the first month we have been very excited to see the hundreds of visitors.
In addition, we will have a monthly newsletter as well to compliment the blog and podcast!
Namo Buddhaya!
Good afternoon. I have admired your posts for some time. 
I’d like to ask you a question regarding Buddhism. Is it wrong or “unskillful” to practice Buddhism and have goals? Is it an unskillful mentality to work towards a goal? Or, maybe it is OK if you are unattached to the result?
I am going through some changes in my life and would like to know if it is “un-Buddhist” to start being more goal-directed.
Thank you for your time and your posts.
If you have a determination to be a good person– is that a goal? If you need to eat tonight– is that a goal?
Meditation by its etymology means “effort.”
Having a goal is not wrong. Commit to being mindful and investigate what actions and goals you have. If you find that they are wholesome– developing compassion, morality, mindfulness and liberation from suffering— then go for it!
Pare ca na vijānanti, mayamettha yamāmase
Ye ca tattha vijānanti, tato sammanti medhagā.
The others know not that in this quarrel we perish;
those who realize it, have their quarrels calmed thereby.
~Dhammapada
The Dispute at Kosambī
The monks of Kosambi had started to quarrel and formed into two groups: one set of monks followed the Dhamma master and the others followed the monk who was the master of Vinaya. The argument was a small one: the Dhamma master had forgotten to replace the ringing water in the toilet. The Dhamma teacher believed that there was no offense because it was unintentional, and therefore no negative khamma was created. The Vinaya master reminded the Dhamma teacher that it was an offense against the rules of the monks and should require confession.
The debate became so heated that even the Buddha would not stop the arguing, and eventually the Buddha left to spend his rain retreat in the Rakkhita Grove near Parileyyaka forest.
The lay dhamma-followers learned of the Buddha’s leaving and refused to make offerings to the monks, even when the monks recognized what they had done. The lay followers would not treat the monks with respect until they asked the Buddha for forgiveness.
The monks found the Buddha and begged for forgiveness, where the Buddha instructed them. He told them that all being must die, and that we must not cling to such arguments and views that are not beneficial. The clinging to such views are the minds of those who feel that all things are such a way and shall always be that way: they are view that ignore the truth of impermanence.
Forgetting Impermanence
Forgetting that live is temporary, we slip into the ignorance of samsara. We cling to arguments and quarrels as something important because we see the world as being permanent and static. We see the world as “this is” and “that is.” Holding to that view we add value and judgment to the world: “If this is the way the world is, then that is the way we should think or act.”
Our emotions arise and are excited by these views. It is where the craving to hold to these views are cemented. How many times do we make the statements “That is wrong” or “This is the way that it should be” or “This is how people should act?” When we reorient ourselves with the anchoring truth that life is temporary and all things are impermanent do those fixed views hold the same value?
With the truth of our mortality and impending death being ignored, we act unmindfully. We ignore cultivating virtues and replace them with immediate cravings and desires to objects, opinions and ethics that have no true value.
The monks of Kosambi had lost themselves within the argument over a minor issue that had no real value to their life. What it so important that a monk confess or not confess over a minor offense? Look at how their clinging to such views tore apart the Sangha, drove away the Buddha and destroyed the trust of the lay people. The infatuation with “being right” became so valuable to the monks, that they ruined their ability to be happy, be at peace, to develop compassion for themselves, the Buddha and the laity.
The Calm
Be mindful when the feelings arise where our feet plan firmly in the ground and our minds harden to defend a viewpoint. These are potential signs that the usually mean that we close our minds and hearts to what is really of value.
Our lives are finite and temporary, embrace the time that we have and engage with life fully as if time were limited—because it is.
Akkocchi maṃ avadhi maṃ, ajini maṃ ahāsi me
Ye ca taṃ upanayhantim, veraṃ tesaṃ na sammati.
Akkocchi maṃ avadhi maṃ, ajini maṃ ahāsi me
Ye ca taṃ na upanayhanti, veraṃ tesūpasammati.
“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”
in those who harbour such thoughts hatred is not appeased.
“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”
in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred is appeased.
Hatred is Never Appeased By Hatred
~ Dhammapada
The Elder Tissa
The Buddha’s cousin, Venerable Tissa, did not pay the respects due to other monks. When the monks informed the Buddha, the Buddha asked Tissa to apologize and not be obstinate. When Ven. Tissa still refused to ask forgiveness from the senior monks, the Buddha told a story where he utter this stanza—
Once upon a time, there was an ascetic named Devala from the Himalayas. He had come to the city for the four month rain retreats. He had been fortunate enough to be invited to spend the night at a potter’s house in the potter’s hall, because the space was not being used at the moment. Later that evening, another monk, Narada, arrived and also asked if there was room for lodging for the evening. The potter said that if the first monk felt it was appropriate, that it was fine with him.
Devala saw that the hall was very large and agreed to share the space with Narada. During the night, Devala rustled from his sleeping place and moved closer to the door where is was more comfortable. Narada, who was also uncomfortable decided that he would take a stroll in the night and then attempt to return to bed more refreshed.
Walking out of the room, he stepped on Devala’s hair. Devala was awakened and very angry at the offense of a junior ascetic.
Narada went on his walk heartbroken that he had so offended his fellow monk and vowed to be more careful when he returned. Devala, vowing not to be stepped on again, moved his sleeping place again farther from the door.
In the dark, Narada carefully navigated past where Devala had been sleeping before and accidently stepped right into the path of where Devala had moved to the second time, kicking Devala in the neck.
Hatred Is Not Appeased
The monk Devala was insulted twice, and after being generous in his offer to share the potter’s hall. But was he?
The simple story told to Tissa has a lot of levels to it.
The most obvious level is that Devala’s anger at Narada’s rudeness is misplaced. He was too angry and hurt by the perceived offenses to develop the mindfulness that the actions were accidents. In addition, Devala participated in some part towards the conditions in which he was harmed.
How often we are enraged by others and ignore the truth that some of our situation was created by our own actions?
In addition, this story shows us that a bit of mindfulness may have helped both parties be more successful in resolving their problems before making them worse.
Most commentaries look at this story as being about Devala mostly, but there are issues with both. Devala certainly should have learned that holding onto the initial perceived offense by Narada just added to the anger of the second perceived offense. Clinging to that self view of “I was offended” blinded him to the reality that he helped create make the second “offense” worse. The more Devala clings to the story that he was offended, the stronger the emotional state becomes.
At the same time, the guilt and anxiety of Narada is also a matter of clinging to self view “he does not like me.” While Devala clings to his story of hate, Narada is clinging to a story of fear. He does not want to offend Devala again, and so instead of being in the moment and working through the environment to avoid hurting the monk, he creates a plan that plays in his head in the hopes that he will be successful. When Narada plays out the story in his head and the moves, the changing situation was not dealt with and new problems arose.
These negative emotional states are all part of the stories we create in our mind as we come in contact with the world: we sense, we interact, we feel pleasure or displeasure, we create value judgments based on that experience, we create the arising of our emotions and opinions of the world.
Hatred Is Never Appeased by Hatred
So if we are creating these emotional states and opinions based on value judgments and experience, is that wrong? Not if we are able to be aware of what is origin of those emotions and we are able to see clearly what is happening.
Devala’s mind was focused on his story: someone stepped on his hair. It was unpleasant. Narada stepped on his hair and created that unpleasant experience. I do not like Narada.
This is a very logical conclusion, but logic is not always right. Why? Because, logic is bound by the information that is provided: Devala’s conclusions were not totally aware of all the information.
If we were able to add in information such as Narada’s state of mind, the true level of unpleasantness of someone stepping on hair for a second, the realization that Devala moved in the middle of the night; we may come up with a totally different value judgment. It was probably a harmless accident.
But let us assume that the original facts are correct. Narada’s actions are purposefully harmful and malicious. What then? Should the final conclusion still be “I do not like Narada?”
Again, we must look at a bigger picture. What benefit is there in hating someone other than the instant gratification of indulging a negative emotion? Emotions excite the body and clings to mental images that excited the mind to act. Negative emotions compel us to act in an unwholesome manner, which is not beneficial to our practice or lives.
Negative emotions are like hot coals that we pick up to throw at people, but whether we hit our enemies or not, we end up ALWAYS burning ourselves.
So even if the offenses by Narada had been intentional, a mindful person would be able to recognize that holding onto that offense and indulging it more when the second offense came only hurts Devala, not Narada.
Liberate from Pain
The wisest course of action in any situation is to develop the ability to step back from the event and look at things dispassionately for a moment. When we remove ourselves as the protagonist in the stories that are arising in front of us, we rarely so quick to judge and value the experiences into a fixed view (“niyataditti”).
Indulging in unwholesome energy only creates the appetite for more negativity. An aware mind stays focused on embracing positive energy and putting value on deep happiness instead of instant negative gratification.
This is one of the benefits of meditation, is to build an awareness of what is happening around us, and what is being created within and projected out into the world as real. The more we practice this mindfulness, the better we are at becoming better navigators through life: avoiding the tidal currents that urge us into so many unwholesome situations.
Hello Vagabond,Hope you are doing well this week. For the last few weeks, I have been doing more and more reading and attempting to follow some of the guidelines laid out in the Dhamma. Last week I saw something that gave me questions, and I was hoping to get your view on the matter. My brother has a large dog. Last week the dog’s hip completely gave out and he could only walk by dragging himself. After calling the vet and everyone else he knew, the only humane solution was to put him down. My brother loved this dog dearly, and it broke my heart to see him have to make that decision, and it broke my heart for the dog as well. Looking at it from my brother’s view, the compassionate thing to do was to end the dog’s suffering. My question is, where does one draw the line between compassion for a suffering animal and the first precept – do not kill? I have reflected on this for quite some time and thought I might ask someone with a little more knowledge.
What most people fail to note is that there are always two sides to the precepts, just as there are two sides to a blade. As we take on the precept and affirmation to do no harm or killing— we often forget that it is also a precept to develop compassion.
So when making a decision of such importance ask which decision is the most compassionate. When putting the animal to sleep– what is your motivation? Convenience or compassion? Meditate on the decision and be honest within your heart: you will know the answer.
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā
Manasā ce pasannena, bhāsati vā karoti vā
Tato naṃ sukhamanveti, chāyā’va anapāyinī.
~Yamaka Vagga
Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states.
Mind is the chief, and they are mind-made.
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind,
happiness follows as one’s own shadow that never leaves.
~Dhammapada
The Miser Maṭṭhakuṇḍalī
A son was on the verge of death because his miserly father refusing to call a doctor and attempting to treat the illness himself. The Buddha knowing of the dying boy went to the house for alms and when the boy saw the Buddha found liberation before his death.
The grieving father went to the boy’s grave every day until he met a person who claimed to be a deity who needed two wheels for his chariot.
“Bring back my boy,” the father said, “and I will buy you whatever wheels you wish.”
“The wheels I desire are the sun and the moon,” said the deity.
Unable to obtain the sun and the moon the father’s head lowered below his shoulders in sorrow.
“Foolish man,” the deity snipped. “You cry for long for your dead son, but at least I can see the sun and the moon.”
The father recognized the voice ad understood that his son had been reborn into a celestial realm after his liberation with the Buddha.
Mind is the Chief
The story of Matthakundali is an interesting story to have drawn this verse of the Dhammapada from. The father and son do not seem to be great examples of finding happiness. Nevertheless, if we look at our own lives, don’t we see the same issues of happiness always being the tasty mushrooms that grow from the feces that continually presents itself?
The son was suffering, but before his death was able to experience a profound moment of his life after meeting the Buddha. It was a single moment of such great quality that it changed his life—no matter how short that life was. How much of our lives is spend wandering and meandering? Do we really see quality in those days, months and years? Or instead do we find the small moments in our life that bring real meaning and purpose to be the seconds of true understanding of what it means to be happy?
It is better to live one day of honest happiness than a hundred years of dullness and discontentment. The story of the son is one that explains that it is the quality of our lives and not the quantity that matters. So as the child’s mind found a taste of enlightenment so did the resulting benefits of a positive rebirth.
Even if we do not believe in the concepts of rebirth or celestial realms, it is a good lesson to everyone: We must be the creators of our own bliss regardless of the situations we are in.
Happiness Follows
The story of Matthakundali is also about how the mind is the creator of all misery as well. Matthakundali spent more energy concentrating on the wealth in his pockets than the wealth in his mind and heart. His craving for money cost him his son’s life. His craving for his lost son was costing him his own life.
At the center of each suffering was his own mind. As the “deity” states, “at least I can see the sun and moon” we should understand that at least the craving for those things that are nearly impossible to possess are more reasonable than to crave for those things that do not exist at all.
How much of our lives is spent indulging the hollow joys of wanting? We cling to the craving of unrequited love, lost objects, youth gone, etc. The pain of cravings has a kind of pleasure to it, because we have the pleasure of conceit and the joy of “what if.”
The conceit is not always about feeling superior to others. Conceit is the indulgence of our ego to think that we are special. “Oh look at how wonderful I am! I am at least better than you.” That is certainly a type of conceit where we set ourselves a status above others—either by elevating ourselves or tearing down someone else.
Look at any playground in elementary school, and see how many children tease and taunt others to knock them down and establish a social hierarchy.
Another type of deceit is “Oh woe is me. I will never be as good as you.” Victimhood is just as ego driven as snobbery. It feels as good too, because it makes us feel special—even if it is special looser.
Look at how many teenage conversations revolve around, “I can’t do it. I am not like her. No one likes me” and you can see how the ego indulges self-destructive enjoyment just to feel different and special.
The most destructive behavior to happiness, however, is more than likely the joy of “what if” or “only if.” Everyone has found pleasure in this type of craving. “What if I won the lotto?” or “Only if I was more in shape.”
This type of craving puts our belief in happiness squarely on the responsibility of some external condition: money, objects, people, and life conditions.
The Buddha stated, “I teach only the understanding of suffering and the end of suffering.” It is not surprising that a story lesson about happiness would then start with suffering. Matthakundali, and those reading the story, had to comprehend the nature of his suffering in order to see how he could reorient his mind towards a path of happiness.
Matthakundali understood by the end of the story, that while he loved his son, he had to let go of his own conceit that was letting him indulge in the guilt over his son’s death. His love for him was not dependent on his continual self-punishment.
Matthakundali also had to understand that his desire to have his son was unreasonable and impossible. It was a “what if” fantasy that was bringing more craving and suffering to him.
The Path to Happiness
We all experience moments of grief, loss, and regret. It is natural. What is important is that we do not continue to let it fester, like a man who continually pulls at the stitch of a mended wound.
Life is impermanent, and we should embrace the fact that our lives are limited making each moment we have in the world extremely precious. So we must refocus our energy to using our time wisely and putting value where it is most useful to our real happiness.
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā
Manasā ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā
Tato naṃ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṃ ’va vahato padaṃ.
Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states.
Mind is chief; and they are mind-made.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
Suffering follows as the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.
~ Dhammapada
The Elder Cakkhupāla
A monk named Cakkhupāla chose during his Rain Retreat (the three month between the July full moon and the October full moon where monks perform extra practices) that he would not lie down during the entire retreat. During that time, he contracted an eye infection and was diagnosed by a doctor to lie down and rest. Determined to hold to his vow, he refused and eventually the infection took his sight away around the same time that he also became Arahant (enlightened).
The other monks were confused about Cakkhupāla’s enlightenment, because as he walked blindly, he would often unintentionally trample insects and small creatures. Surely an Arahant would not harm any life. The Buddha explained that the monk’s actions were unintentional and that his actions were innocent and blameless, therefore not defiling his enlightened mind.
Khamma Mechanics
When I listen to new dhamma followers discuss how khamma works, I hear many misconceptions of khammic mechanics.
First we should understand that Khamma (or Karma, kharma, and kamma) has various definitions depending on what faith and tradition we are talking to. Khamma does not mean the same in Hinduism, Janism or in many new-age philosophies. Khamma in Buddhism means “volitional action.” The choices we make create the conditions of our future.
There is a difference between giving inaccurate information than telling a falsehood. While there may be the need to make corrections and appeasements to inaccuracy all of the actions and words are made in good faith. That is very unlike a deception where the effects of a lie cut directly to creating conditions within our lives and our character that effect us and our lives profoundly.
This example carries through to all volitional actions. As in Cakkhupāla’s situation, it is very different to accidently or unintentionally kill an insect compared to someone else who just squishes them for fun or out of fear.
But are there khammic ramifications for unintentional acts? If we do not know that throwing our garbage in the sewer will eventually harm the environment, do we escape earning bad khamma?
It is important that khamma has to do mostly with our character and dukkha. An unintentional act may bring about bad results, but not necessarily bring about detriment harm to our spiritual growth. We must honestly investigate ourselves and see if there is any part of ourselves within our unmindful actions that is volitionally apathetic or wishing for unwholesome or uncompassionate actions to occur.
If we were to watch a coworker trip and fall because we absent-mindedly left a hammer on the ground instead of putting it away, we must investigate our response. If we are truly innocent in our unmindful action and feel compassionate towards our coworker, then there is probably no or very little khamma. However, if we found pleasure or satisfaction in the unmindful act (e.g. he is someone who you are jealous of or dislike), then we can assume that you have indulged in an unwholesome energy from the situation and we can safely assume that you would incur some future khammic condition.
Note: not all khamma is negative khamma. The more we are mindful and compassionate, we can also develop positive khamma.
Khamma Retribution
So if we gather some negative (or dark khamma) can we determine what the punishment will be? Can we ever really say that bad things that happen to us can be attributed to a single previous negative khammic act?
Khamma creates conditions. It is not so direct as to say, “push this button and you can be assured that a big shoe will come out and kick you in the pants.” Imagine khamma more like the seasons. As the sun moves farther from the planet, and the Earth’s access shifts from northern and southern hemisphere the weather conditions change and that creates all sort of new challenges and opportunities.
In the winter, we would need to ensure that we make the right choices to survive and not freeze to death. In the summer, we must prepare not to dehydrate and burn our skin. Acting wisely, we can take any adversity and challenging condition and make it an opportunity for wholesome growth and development of mindfulness and compassion.
The same is true with the conditions of our lives. If we have made many unwholesome decisions and twisted our character into something very negative, we always have the choice to navigate towards more wholesome practices and develop ourselves.
For example, let us return to the original example of a lie. A lie creates a constant need to maintain deception. Our character starts to believe that a lie is useful and deception acceptable. Eventually, we will become distrusted by others and we will distrust everyone. A fundamental lack of faith becomes the world around you.
Nevertheless, it is always possible to decide to commit to a life of truth-telling. While it may take more energy and work than those who have never developed a reputation for lying, it is possible that one day you can develop a sense of trust and faith between you and the community.
Khamma works exactly the same way. It creates the conditions within our environment and character our volitional actions created.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
Suffering follows as the wheel follows the hoof of the ox.
Vagabond,
If there is no soul, what is being reincarnated?
Dhamma Follower,
The Soul: a permanent sense of “I”
What “I” do you have? Again, are you “YOU” from an embryo? Of course not. We all know that we are not the people we were 5, 10, 30 years ago. So what is this “I”?
We use the concept of “mine, I, self” to engage with the world, but we should always be mindful that these are illusions of convenience and not truths.
Reincarnation: A process not a continuation
At the same time if a sweet apple seed is planted in good conditions and thrives there, the fruit may become even sweeter for the animals to eat and spread those seeds farther.
The same is true in many aspects of our lives. Just as we give birth to children, who are from us, but not a part of us— we give rebirth to the process that is created by us but not us. Our dukkha and khamma are continued.
To give another example, think of your finger. When you were an embryo your finger looked very different than it does now. Is that the same finger? The cells are all new. The finger is a different size and shape. There is nothing of the original material, shape, or form to that finger– but there is a continuity between that finger and the one that was there in the beginning. It has changed and yet it has a history.
This too is also a consideration of who rebirth works.
The mental shift we must make is this— we are the five aggregates. Our personality is bound and limited by them. When we die and decay so does the illusion convention of “I” as a personality and person. Nevertheless, realizing this, we can see that we are not an “I” person but a “process of dukkha driven by khamma and awareness.”
Like the seed, good conditions and choices create the future conditions of our lives and our rebirths. Like the finger, the body (as well as its personality) end, but the process your life is participating in continues until complete liberation is achieved.
When asked, “How many times do you forgive before it is enough?” I answer “always one more time.”
When asked, “How many times should you turn the other cheek?”
I answer, “Hit me, and I will forgive– but from a safe distance.”
When asked, “How many times should I be taken advantage of?”
I answer, “No one can defraud you from what you offer freely.”
Why can’t love be like a cat? Each morning greeted with a stretch and playful scratch. A surprise purr as it curls up in the lap. Fiercely independent but insatiable in its desire. Slip into slumber with that sleek sinewy frame curled up beside, two impish eyes almost closed and playful little bite.
“Meow”
Happiness can not be found by searching, but revealed by lifting the barriers we have placed in front of us.
A mouth may speak wisdom, but only through meditation can the body understand it.
Observe as a witness with no agenda and you will realizes that what you see depends on HOW you look.
At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet. Unfortunately, I became an artist first and therefore have only ever found the love of words to touch me. Art has become the jealous mistress that has worn me to tatters until I became unsuitable to suitors.
Lust is like salt given to a thirsty man.
If you want others to be happy practice compassion, if you want to be happy practice patience.
Lusts are never satiated. Feed the beast and grow its hunger like a wildfire. Lusts are only quenched cooling the senses with mindfulness, dowsing the licking flames with stillness, and removing the ember coals from temptation.
When things turn cold, warm everyone with the burning compassion of your heart; when things get hot, drop the temperature with a cool head.
Only by learning how to love yourself can the world know how to love you.
The world engulfed in sanguine and ochre flame of Septembers; zephyrs that swat and shake; Until liberation gently dances Down into the significance of crunchy blankets For children and rakish dads, like Apollo Distant and withdrawing Relenting custody of his warmth To a tepid and distant gaze Fervent panting observed creates Exhaust against the bitter bite Of “alone”
“Hourglass” There is a time, playful and free the worlds solid and absolute ages 3 to 33 Then you feel that September ice in the viens the slow aging climb, footing less sure on pebbled lanes Things take more time when most is gone Sandy paths harder to trudge along Throats dry along the dusty path tongue wets the lips as if its the last There is a time from first to last to cherish the moment for it won’t last.
It’s so simple to be wise. Just think of something of what you want to say, then contemplate if it the words communicate your brilliance adequately, then write them down and let them sit for a day so you can see them with fresh eyes, then be a critical editor and tear it apart and start over. When you are sure that your words completely convey your message– smile and say nothing.
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