passion (karuõã), appreciative joy (muditã) and equanimity (upekkhã).
Meditation on these four spiritual qualities is particularly beneficial as
an antidote to hatred and anger.
- All four brahmavihãras – loving kindness, compassion, apprecia-
tive joy, and equanimity are included in this statement.
- Originally, sãvaka meant a direct disciple of the Buddha – one
who attained enlightenment after hearing the Buddha teach. In Ãcariya
Mun’s case, he renounced his previous determination to become a
Buddha in the future in order to practice the existent teaching of a
Buddha and thus become an enlightened “disciple” instead.
- The ãsavas are mental pollutants that “flow out” from the mind to
create a “flood” of repetitive birth and death cycles.
- The minimum age for ordaining as a Buddhist monk is 20 years.
However, boys under that age are allowed to ordain as novices (sãmaõera).
Novices shave their heads, wear the yellow robes, and observe ten basic
precepts. Although no specific minimum age for novices is mentioned
in the scriptures, traditionally in Thailand boys as young as seven are
accepted. This tradition follows the story of the Lord Buddha’s son,
Rãhula, who was allowed to become a novice at the age of seven.
- Literally, vaååa-dukkha, the pain and suffering experienced in the
round of saÿsãra.
- For relative, conventional realities (sammuti) see Note #13 of this
section.
- Anupãdisesa-nibbãna, meaning “Nibbãna without any remaining
physical or mental components of personality (i. e. the 5 khandhas)”, is
the total Nibbãna of the Arahant after he has passed away.
- A nimitta is a mental sign, image, or vision that arises spontane-
ously in the citta.
- In light of widely-held views about Nibbãna, one would do well to
keep in mind that the unconditioned (asankhata) nature of Nibbãna
