I have heard the complaint from some who say they don’t have time to study the Dhamma because it confuses them so. Their concern is understandable, particularly for a Westerner. The suttas are written in a very cumbersome style, using not only archaic language, but cultural themes that are readily understood by people raised in Asia. As my teacher once told me, “stop using a Western mind to understand the Dhamma!” Ironic, considering my teacher was born and raised in the U.S.
Things become a bit more esoteric with the Pakinnakavagga, the metaphors in the lessons a bit more difficult to grasp, in part because the images are very Asian, very Eastern.
For example, consider this set of verses:
“Having killed mother & father,
two warrior kings,
the kingdom & its dependency —
the brahman, untroubled, travels on.
Having killed mother & father,
two learned kings,
&, fifth, a tiger —
the brahman, untroubled, travels on.”
This metaphor means nothing to me, so I read the translator’s notes.
“This verse and the one following it use terms with ambiguous meanings to shock the listener. According to DhpA, mother = craving; father = conceit; two warrior kings = views of eternalism (that one has an identity remaining constant through all time) and of annihilationism (that one’s consciousness is totally annihilated at death); kingdom = the twelve sense spheres (the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling, and ideation, together with their respective objects); dependency = passions for the sense spheres.
“Next verse: two learned kings = views of eternalism and annihilationism; a tiger = the path where the tiger goes for food, i.e., the hindrance of uncertainty, or else all five hindrances (sensual desire, ill will, sloth & drowsiness, restlessness & anxiety, and uncertainty). However, in Sanskrit literature, ‘tiger’ is a term for a powerful and eminent man; if that is what is meant here, the term may stand for anger.”
Does that help? Only marginally for me. It’s too intellectual for me and puts me to sleep (I never understood how some get so enamored with the Abhidhamma; I just want to make it through the day without getting angry). I relate much more easily to the verses immediately following:
“They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Buddha.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Dhamma.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Sangha.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the body.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose hearts delight, both day & night,
in harmlessness.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose hearts delight, both day & night,
in developing the mind.”
Admittedly, my mind is not always “constantly immersed” in things like the Dhamma. It’s more apt to be immersed in thinking about that hot Asian guy I saw while biking along the lakeshore yesterday. And I’m not always constantly trying to develop my mind; more likely trying to decide whether I should watch “Pirates of the Caribbean” or a James Bond movie (sometimes Clint Eastwood). And while I am frequently immersed in “the body,” it’s probably not the type of immersion the Dhamma is hoping I would be immersed in. Despite all that, I can relate to these verses because they speak to me in a manner I can grasp and put into practice (when I feel my hair on fire).
“Sitting alone,
resting alone,
walking alone,
untiring.
Taming himself,
He’d delight alone —
alone in the forest.”
There’s a part of me that finds attractive what is described above. I enjoy being alone, I am comfortable doing things alone. But at the same time, I want to share my aloneness with someone. Sounds paradoxical, I know.
Only five more to go!
Things become a bit more esoteric with the Pakinnakavagga, the metaphors in the lessons a bit more difficult to grasp, in part because the images are very Asian, very Eastern.
For example, consider this set of verses:
“Having killed mother & father,
two warrior kings,
the kingdom & its dependency —
the brahman, untroubled, travels on.
Having killed mother & father,
two learned kings,
&, fifth, a tiger —
the brahman, untroubled, travels on.”
This metaphor means nothing to me, so I read the translator’s notes.
“This verse and the one following it use terms with ambiguous meanings to shock the listener. According to DhpA, mother = craving; father = conceit; two warrior kings = views of eternalism (that one has an identity remaining constant through all time) and of annihilationism (that one’s consciousness is totally annihilated at death); kingdom = the twelve sense spheres (the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling, and ideation, together with their respective objects); dependency = passions for the sense spheres.
“Next verse: two learned kings = views of eternalism and annihilationism; a tiger = the path where the tiger goes for food, i.e., the hindrance of uncertainty, or else all five hindrances (sensual desire, ill will, sloth & drowsiness, restlessness & anxiety, and uncertainty). However, in Sanskrit literature, ‘tiger’ is a term for a powerful and eminent man; if that is what is meant here, the term may stand for anger.”
Does that help? Only marginally for me. It’s too intellectual for me and puts me to sleep (I never understood how some get so enamored with the Abhidhamma; I just want to make it through the day without getting angry). I relate much more easily to the verses immediately following:
“They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Buddha.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Dhamma.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the Sangha.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the body.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose hearts delight, both day & night,
in harmlessness.
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama’s disciples
whose hearts delight, both day & night,
in developing the mind.”
Admittedly, my mind is not always “constantly immersed” in things like the Dhamma. It’s more apt to be immersed in thinking about that hot Asian guy I saw while biking along the lakeshore yesterday. And I’m not always constantly trying to develop my mind; more likely trying to decide whether I should watch “Pirates of the Caribbean” or a James Bond movie (sometimes Clint Eastwood). And while I am frequently immersed in “the body,” it’s probably not the type of immersion the Dhamma is hoping I would be immersed in. Despite all that, I can relate to these verses because they speak to me in a manner I can grasp and put into practice (when I feel my hair on fire).
“Sitting alone,
resting alone,
walking alone,
untiring.
Taming himself,
He’d delight alone —
alone in the forest.”
There’s a part of me that finds attractive what is described above. I enjoy being alone, I am comfortable doing things alone. But at the same time, I want to share my aloneness with someone. Sounds paradoxical, I know.
Only five more to go!
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