- Anupãdisesa-nibbãna, meaning “Nibbãna without any physical or
mental components of personality (i. e. the 5 khandas) remaining”, is
the total Nibbãna of the Arahant after he has passed away. - Lion’s posture: The Buddha slept on his right side with his right
hand under his head, his legs flush, and one foot slightly overlapping
the other. When he lay down for the final time to enter Parinibbãna, he
assumed the same “lion’s posture”. - Mahã is a Pãli word meaning “great”. In Thailand, it is an honor-
ary title given to a monk who has earned a degree in Pãli studies, as the
monk in question had done. - The kammaååhãna referred to here are the five most visible parts of
the human body – hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth and
skin – which are recommended to a newly-ordained monk, by his pre-
ceptor, as essential objects of meditation. - Paracittavijjã, also known as ceto-pariya-ñãõa, is knowledge of the
hearts and minds of others, in other words, thought-reading and telepathy. - This is a reference to the ancient Thai art of magic, which uses tat-
toos and incantations to prevent bullets, swords, and knives from pen-
etrating a person’s body. - Visãkha is the ancient name for the sixth lunar month, which
occurs in May. According to tradition, the Buddha’s birth, Enlighten-
ment, and Parinibbãna each took place on the full-moon night in the
month of Visãkha. Visãkha Pýjã is a festival day commemorating these
events that is celebrated annually throughout the world of Theravãda
Buddhism.
5. Unusual Questions, Enlightening Answers - The abbot that time was the Venerable Chao Khun Upãli. (see
Note #21, page 470) - “Oneself is one’s own refuge”(attãhi attano nãtho) is taken from
Dhammapãda verse 160:
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
#1