Vipassanā (VI). Between Liars The Game
All this could happen as the sale of a product of Burmese religious folklore to unsuspecting people who pay for a placebo. If this were so, it would be a simple scam that many people live with little or no scruple. But the matter is more serious, much more serious.
What is the result of vipassanā?
It is the first thing that any consumer asks when they are going to buy a product, or a service. You enroll in the school of architecture to obtain the title of architect, it is obvious, but in this kind of scams, the sectarian environment does not facilitate direct questions, and everyone «understands» things that are never clearly stated.
What you expect in an architecture school is that the people who teach you are architects. It is obvious. If you find out that they are not, it is difficult for them to convince you to enroll. In this «business» in which they offer you «enlightenment» it is assumed that these people are «enlightened» or that they have achieved some achievement.
The first thing that occurs to one is to ask them if they are or not. It is really impossible to find the courage to ask the Sayadaw question directly, even if you are not able to get it out of your head because of the sectarian environment in which you move.
Here, unfailingly, someone explains to you that «you can not say it». And for that they are based on a Vinaya rule.
But why can not you tell? Why did Mahasi, Ledi, or any of them never claim for himself or even reach the lowest level of absorption? Why do not they say it, but their acolytes do?
BECAUSE IT’S A LIE
If they lie when claiming an achievement they have not achieved, unless they are crazy, or sick, or gone or some circumstance that has them alienated, they automatically LOSE the condition of Bhikkhus.
Lying about the excellences of vipassanā, or lying about any other aspect, is only a minor offense. However, lying about one’s own achievements is a capital fault, Parajika, which entails expulsion from the Sangha.
If a layman does it, it does not matter. If he does, a monk stops being automatically. Even if he keeps pretending to be a monk, he is not.
Theravadines may be unethical in general, but they are extremely scrupulous with respect to the rules of Vinaya that imply the assumption or loss of the condition of bhikkhu. In this way, to mount the deception, they make their followers to say that it is a sotāpanna, or an arahant, or whatever they can think of. And if you ask those laymen why they do not say it themselves, they lie to you about their Sayadaw not being able to say it because there is a rule that forbids it.
Lie again.
The rule is very clear. What is punished is the LIE about the claim or claim about own achievements.
The reason why the Buddha put this rule so drastic is of an economic nature.
It must be explained that good actions have a merit, a positive kamma, which serves to have a good rebirth. It can be used with the perspective of being as a human being when the coming of the next Buddha and to achieve thanks to him the final liberation. But the merit goes in function of the receiver of the action, so that giving food to a monk has more merit than to a layman, but it is much smaller than offering it to a sotāpanna and much less than to an arahant.
In this scheme the nobles (arahants, anagamis, sakadagamis and sotapannas) are above all the monastics, and these above the laity.
If a guy claims that he is noble (he has some level of illumination) he is automatically above the rest of the others. This has economic implications, because the devotees will give food only to him, because he has much more merit than giving it to others. In this way, whoever says he is noble becomes rich, while the others die of starvation. It is evident that a «smartass» who did this would destroy the Sangha, for that reason the sanction is the most serious: the automatic expulsion.
But it also has clear political connotations in Buddhist societies like Burmese. If a guy says he is noble, he puts himself above the King himself and all his subjects and the king becomes servant or slave to this individual.
This is why at the beginning of the vipassanā movement the Burmese kings repressed the movement for political and social destabilization and only when the secular adherents to this sect committed themselves not to lie by claiming for themselves merits they did not have, because the norm only affects monastics .
These are the reasons, and this is the text of the Vinaya that refuses to lie about claiming or FALSELY claiming about achievements.
Note that the achievements also include meditative absorptions (jhānas), which is something that these sectarians scrupulously avoid.
So, if you have any doubts, ask the Sayadaw in public if he is noble.
Let’s see where it comes from.
Theravada Collection of Monastic Law
The rules of bhikkhus and their analysis
Expulsion of the monks
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The fourth training rule
History of origin
First sub-history
At one point, the Buddha was staying near Vesāli in the room with the pointed roof in the Great Forest. At that time, several monks who were friends had entered the rainy residence on the banks of the Vaggumudā River. At that time, Vajjī lacked food and suffered from hunger, with ruined crops and turned into straw, and it was not easy to survive with the food of alms.
The monks considered the difficult circumstances and thought: «How can we remain united and in harmony, have comfortable showers and obtain alms without problems?»
Some said: «We could work for the owners of the house and they will give something in return.» In this way, we will be united and in harmony, and we will pass the rains with comfort and we will not have problems to obtain alms «.
Some said, «There is no need to work for homeowners. Instead, let’s take messages for them, and they will give something in return. In this way, we will be united and in harmony, and we will pass the rains with comfort and we will not have problems to obtain alms «.
Some said: «There is no need to work for heads of family, nor to carry messages for them.» Instead, praise the superhuman qualities of others to heads of family: «Such a monk has the first absorption, such a monk the second absorption, such a monk the third, such a monk the fourth; such a monk is one who has entered the stream, a monk who returns once, who does not return, who is so perfected; that monk has the three true ideas, and the six highest knowledge. Then they will give us. In this way, we will be united and in harmony, and we will pass the rains with comfort and we will not have problems to obtain alms. In fact, this is the best way, we praise the superhuman qualities of others. «
Then those monks praised the superhuman qualities of each one of the heads of family: «Such a monk has the first absorption … such a monk has the six highest knowledge». And those people thought: «We are fortunate that such monks have come to us for the rainy residence. Such monks as these, who are virtuous and of good character, have never entered the residence of the rains with us before. «And they gave such food and drink to the monks that they did not even eat and drink, or gave to their parents, their wives and children, their slaves, servants and workers, their friends and companions, or their relatives. In this way, these monks were beautiful, with rounded features, bright faces and clear skin.
Now it was the custom of the monks who had finished keeping the residence of the rains to go to see the Master. So when the residence of the rainy season was completed and the three months had elapsed, these monks put their lodgings in order, took their bowls and tunics, and departed for Vesāli. When they finally reached Vesāli, they went to the hall with the pointed roof in the Great Forest. There they approached the Master, bowed before him and sat down to one side.
At that time the monks who had completed the residence of the rainy season in that region were thin, emaciated and pale, their veins protruding from all their extremities. But the monks on the banks of the Vaggumudā were beautiful, with rounded features, bright faces and fair skin. It is the custom of the Buddhas to greet the visiting monks, so the Master told them: «I hope you are keeping well, monks, I hope you are comfortable; I hope that you have spent the rains at ease, in harmony and harmony, without disputes, and that you have no problems to obtain alms.
«We stay well, Master, we are comfortable; we spent the rains at ease, in concord and harmony, without disputes, and we had no problem obtaining alms. « Buddhas sometimes ask to know, and sometimes they do not ask;They ask to know the right time to ask, and they ask to know the right time not to ask. Buddhas ask when it is beneficial, not when it is not beneficial;with respect to what is not beneficial, the Buddhas have destroyed the bridge. The Buddhas question the monks for two reasons: give a teaching or establish a training rule.
And the Master said to those monks: «In what way, monks, did the rains pass to taste, without having problems to obtain alms?»
Then those monks informed the Master.
«But have you really achieved those superhuman qualities?»
«No teacher.»
The Buddha rebuked them: «They are useless men, fools, it is not appropriate, it is not appropriate for an ascetic, it is not allowed, it can not be done. How can you, for the sake of your stomachs, praise the superhuman qualities of others to the homeowners? It would be better to open your belly with a sharp butcher’s knife than to praise each other the superhuman qualities of the heads of the family. Why is that? Due to that reason, you may die or experience suffering similar to that of death, but you should not be reborn in a bad destiny. But for this reason you can. This will not give confidence to those who do not … «… After criticizing them and teaching them, he addressed the monks:
«Monks, there are these five great mobsters who are in the world. What five? A great gangster thinks thus: ‘Oh, when I, with a retinue of a hundred or a thousand men, will wander between towns, cities and real capitals, killing and causing others to kill, destroy and cause others to destroy, torment and make others. torment?’ Then, after a while, he does exactly that. In the same way, monks, a bad monk thinks: ‘Oh, when I, with a retinue of a hundred or a thousand people, go wandering among towns, cities and real capitals; be honored, respected and revered by both the family and those who leave; And get robes, alms, shelter and medicines?‘Then, after a while, he does exactly that. This is the first great gangster to be found in the world.
Once again, a bad monk learns the Teaching and training proclaimed by the Buddha and takes it as his own. This is the second great gangster that is in the world.
Again, a bad monk accuses without foundation someone who lives the spiritual life in purity of not abstaining from sexuality. This is the third great gangster to be found in the world.
Once again, a bad monk takes valuable goods and equipment belonging to the monastic Order: a monastery, the land of a monastery, a dwelling, the land of a dwelling, a bed, a bench, a cushion, a pillow, a container of metal, a metal jug, a metal pot, a metal receptacle, a day, an ax, an ax, a shovel, a chisel, a vine, bamboo, reed, grass, clay, wooden articles, articles of mud, and use them to earn more and create a follow-up among the owners. This is the fourth great gangster that is in the world.
But in this world with its gods, its lords of death and its supreme beings, in this town with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans, this is the greatest gangster: the one who in an illusory and baseless way boasts of Superhuman quality Why is that? Monks, they have eaten the country’s alms for robbery. «
Whoever declares
be different from what it really is,
He has eaten this for theft,
as a cheat who has cheated.
Many ocher-necks of bad qualities,
uncontrolled and perverse.
For your bad actions,
They are reborn in hell.
It is better to eat an iron ball,
heated, like a burning flame,
what
immoral and uncontrollably eating the country’s alms.
After criticizing the monks on the banks of the Vaggumudā in various ways for being difficult to maintain, difficult to maintain … «… And, monks, this training rule should be recited as follows:
Prejudicial
‘If a monk falsely affirms for himself a quality, knowledge and vision worthy of the nobles, saying: «This I know, this I see», but after a while, whether questioned or not, but having committed the offense and wishing purification, should say: «Not knowing what I said, I know, without seeing what I see; what I said was empty and false, «he is also expelled and not in communion».
In this way, the Master established this training rule for the monks.
Second sub-history
At one point, several monks, thinking that they had seen what they did not have, achieved what they had not achieved, achieved what they had not done, realized what they did not have, declared final knowledge due to overestimation. After a while, their minds inclined towards sensual desire, ill will and confusion. They became repentant, thinking: «The Master has established a training rule; however, we declare the final knowledge due to overestimation. Could it be that we have committed an offense that implies expulsion? « They informed Venerable Ānanda, who informed the Master. He said, «Ānanda, these monks declared final knowledge due to overestimation, thinking that they had seen what they did not have, they achieved what they did not have, they achieved what they had not done, they realized what they did not have, but this is insignificant.
And then, monks, this training rule should be recited as follows:
Final judgment
‘If a monk falsely attributes a superhuman quality, knowledge and vision worthy of the nobles, saying,’ This I know, this I see, ‘but after a while, whether he is questioned or not, but having committed the offense and he wished for purification-I should say: «without knowing what I said, I know, without seeing what I see; what I said was empty and false, «unless it is due to an overestimation, he is also expelled and not in communion».
Definitions
A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been completely ordained by a complete Order through a formal procedure consisting of a movement and three announcements that are incontestable and apt to resist: this type of monk is meaning in this case.
False: although a certain healthy quality does not exist in itself, it is not real, it is not found, and he does not see it or does not know it, he says: «I have this healthy quality».
A superhuman quality: absorption, liberation, stillness, achievement, knowledge and vision, development of the way, realization of the fruits, abandonment of the impurities, a mind without obstacles, delight in empty homes.
For himself: either he presents those good qualities as in himself, or he presents himself as one of those good qualities.
Knowledge: the three true points of view. Vision: knowledge and vision are equivalent.
Claims: announces a woman or man, a head of family or one who has left.
This I know, this I see: «I know these qualities / I see these qualities / these qualities are in me and I attach myself to them».
After a while: the moment, the second, the moment after having made the claim.
He is interrogated: they interrogate him about what he has said: «What did you achieve? How did you do it? When did you do it? Where did you do it?What impurities did you abandon? What qualities did you gain?
No: nobody speaks to him.
Having committed the offense: having bad desires, overcome by desire, claiming an unreal and non-existent superhuman quality, has committed an offense that implies expulsion.
Desiring purification: you want to be a head of the family, a lay follower, an assistant of the monastery or a novice monk.
Without knowing what I said, I know, without seeing what I see: «I do not know these qualities / I do not see these qualities / these qualities are not found in me and I do not attach myself to them».
What I said was empty and false: what I said was empty; what I said was false; what I said was unreal; I said it without knowing.
Unless it is due to overestimation: except if it is an overestimate.
He also: this is said with reference to the preceding crimes that imply expulsion.
It is expelled: just as a palm tree with its cut crown is unable to grow more, so also a monk with bad desires, overcome by desire, who has claimed an unreal and non-existent superhuman quality, is not an ascetic, is not an son of the Sakyan; therefore, it is said that «he is expelled».
Not in communion: Communion: common formal procedures, the same recital, the same training, this is called «communion». He does not participate in this, therefore, it is called «not in communion».
Permutations
Summary
One: absorption, liberation, stillness, achievement, knowledge and vision, development of the way, realization of the fruits, abandonment of the impurities, a mind without obstacles, delight in empty homes.
Definitions
Absorption: the first absorption, the second absorption, the third absorption, the fourth absorption.
Launch: launch of vacuum, launch without sign, launch without desire.
Stillness: stillness of emptiness, stillness without sign, stillness without desire.
Achievement: achievement of emptiness, achievement without sign, achievement without desire.
Knowledge and vision: the three true points of view.
Development of the path: the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct efforts, the four bases of supernatural power, the five spiritual faculties, the five spiritual powers, the seven factors of awakening, the noble eightfold path.
realization of the fruits: the realization of the fruit of the entrance of the current, the realization of the fruit of the return, the realization of the fruit of no return, the realization of perfection.
Abandon impurities: the abandonment of sensual desire, the abandonment of ill will, the abandonment of confusion.
An unhindered mind: a mind without sensual desire, a mind without ill will, a mind without confusion.
Delight in empty homes: due to the first absorption, there is delight in empty homes; due to the second absorption, there is delight in empty homes; due to the third absorption, there is delight in empty homes; due to the fourth absorption, there is delight in empty homes.
Exposition
First absorption
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I got the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when three conditions are met: before lying, he knows he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; After lying, he knows he has lied.
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I achieved the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when four conditions are met: before lying, he knows he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; after having lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true.
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I achieved the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when five conditions are met: before he has lied, he knows that he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; after having lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief in what is true.
If he is in full knowledge, saying: «I achieved the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when six conditions are met: before lying, he knows he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; after having lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief in what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true.
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I achieved the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when seven conditions are met: before lying, he knows he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; after having lied, he knows he has lied; he misrepresents his view of what is true; he misrepresents his belief in what is true; he misrepresents his acceptance of what is true; he misrepresents his feeling of what is true.
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I am reaching the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when three conditions are met: before lying, he knows that he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; After lying, he knows he has lied.
If he is in full consciousness, saying: «I am reaching the first absorption», he commits an offense that implies expulsion when four conditions are met: before lying, he knows that he is going to lie; while he is lying, he knows he is lying; after having lied, he knows he ha