This may possibly be the longest post I have ever written on any of my blogs until now. . . .

In this post, I will give you a brief introduction to Abhidhamma, which is sort of the Buddhist map of consciousness.

When I leave Myanmar in October for my semester break, I will be releasing a new training program. I’ve changed my mind about the format a few times, but I’ve basically decided that you probably don’t need to learn Pali language, or Sanskrit, or anything like that – and what you’re really looking for is results.

So, the training program I am putting together will will be a video/audio/text based program based on 4 subjects:

• The teachings of the Buddha (This is not going to be one of those paperback versions, either. The entire tipitik takes up an entire bookshelf, and I’m going to go DEEP)
• Samatha Bhavana – Tranquility meditation. Within Samatha, there are 5 Jhanas, or 5 levels of attainment, which you’ll read about in this post. Some level of attainment in samattha is also a necessary for the next step in training -
• Vipassana Bhavana – or Insight meditation. Samatha bhavana and Vipassana bhavana represent the entirety of the Buddha’s practical teaching.
• Abhidhamma – What you’re about to get a glimpse of in this post.

Now, this training program will not come out until some time in October, because I don’t have good enough internet access to upload hours of video, etc. up to my servers, and – it’s not for everyone.

It’s going to cost $97, which is actually pretty cheap. You could buy a few books for that price, and they wouldn’t even scratch the surface of what I’m going to teach.

Or – you can get it for $30 or so. As I mentioned to people on my mailing list a few weeks ago, you can GO HERE AND BECOME A SPONSOR, and you’ll get the entire program for free. That means if you become a sponsor for just $10 a month, by the time October rolls around and I release the training program – you’ll get it for $30. Even if you cancel your sponsorship after October and only contribute $30, you’ll still get it.

But here’s why you shouldn’t, and why you should help out. Because I’m one of the few people, and probably the only person you know who actually has the guts to come to Myanamr, starve it out for years, and teach this material and I need some help to buy even basic things like pens , notebooks, and some extra food to stay healthy.

I also donate the MAJORITY of anything I get to other people who need it more than me. For example, you can look through the photos here on the site, and see lots of little novice monks here who have serious infections on their heads/scalps. When I go out in October to get some more money (this country is under sanctions like Iran and North Korea so I have to go out), I’m going to get as much medicine as I possibly can for them, and donate that medicine in the names of the sponsors.

So you should do it. Anyhow, on to our brief introduction of Abhidhamma:

What is Abhidhamma?

Abhidhamma is part of the Pali canon of Buddhism, and is a Buddhist cateorization of consciousness, or a Buddhist “Psychology” or sorts. It addresses the different types of consciousnesses, different levels of consciousness, and interactons beween types and levles, and understanding Abhidhamma at higher levels allows us to practice towards higher states and levels of consciousness.

There are 7 texts of Abhidhamma. Those are the Dhamma Sangani, the Vibangi, the Dhatukatha, the Puggala Panatti, the Katha Vatthu, the Yamaka (controversial points) and the Patthana (causal relationships).

WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?

According to the Buddha, there are 6 basic types of consciousness. Those are:

• Eye consciousness – Cakkhuvinnana
• Ear consciousness – Sotavinnana
• Nose consciousness – Ghanavinnana
• Tongue consciousness – Jivhavinnana
• Body Consciousness – Kayavinnana
• 76 Cittas (or mental states) – Manovinnana

These six types of consciousness correspond to the six kinds of sense objects, which are:

• Visible object – Ruparammana
• Sound – Soddarammana
• Odor – Gandharammana
• Taste – Rasarammana
• Tangible objects – Photthabbarammana Pathavi
• Mind Objects – Dhammarammana

Consciousness arises from the contact of a particular sense door, with it’s corresponding sense object. For example, the eye door perceiving visible objects gives rise to eye consciousness. The ear door perceiving sound produces ear consciousness, and so on.

THE 2 FORMS OF REALITY

The 2 forms of reality as classified by the Buddha are apparent reality (Samuti/Pannati), and Ultimate reality, or Paramatha.

Apparent reality is a product of mental construction, while ultimate realities exist by virtue of their own natures, and never deviate from their own natures.

Ultimate reality is a composite of 4 aggregates, which are:

• Consciousness – Citta
• Mental States – Cetasikas
• Matter – Rupa
• Nibbana

Consciousness or citta is awareness of an object, or perception of a sense object by it’s corresponding sense door. All types of consciousness are the same according to the nature of the object, but can be classified into 89 or 121 types according to the plane where it arises, its type, its associated dhamma, promtitude, jhana, receiving object and Magga (the constitution of the 8 Fold Noble Path).

KAMAVACARA – 54

Cittas or consciouisness from the kamic plane are called “Kamavacara”.

The Kamavacara citta is classified into 3 subtypes, which are:

• Akusala
• Ahtuka
• Sobhana

AKUSALA CITTA

Akusala means the opposite of kusala, which means meritorious, wholesome, or moral. thefore, akusala is demeritorious, unwholesome, or immoral and all types of akusala citta are with fault and bring about bad results.

Akusala citta is classified into 3 types depending on its root:

1. Lobamula – Attachment rooted consciousness
2. Dosamula – Hatred rooted consciousness
3. Mohamula – Delusion rooted consciousness

LOBHAMULA – 8

Lobhamula is consciousness which is rooted in attachment or greed. All types of lobhamula are based in craving, but they are divided according to feeling, association, and promtitude.

DOSAMULA – 2

Dosamulanis hatred rooted consciousness, and is divided into 2 types:

MOHAMULA – 2

Mohamula is delusion rooted consciousness and is not divided by with or without promptitude like the previous 2 types of consciousness.

AHETUKA – 18

There are 6 types of mental states in Abhidhamma:

1. Lobha – attachment
2. Dosa – hatred
3. Moha – delusion
4. Alobha – non attachment
5. Adosa – non hatred
6. Amoha – Non delusion

These are classified as “hetu” or conditions which fortify effects like the root of a tree.

The consciousness that dissociates from such a “hetu” is called “Ahetuka”. It means consciousness that is absent from hetu.

The basic types of Ahetuka are:

• Akusala Vipaka – the result of akusala
• Kusala Vipaka – the result of kusala
• Kriya – functional consciousness

AKUSAL VIPAKA – 7

Akusala Vipaka is the type of consciousness which is the result of akusala. It is classified into 7 according to the base where the mind arises and the function that the mind performs.

KUSALA VIPAKA – 8

Kusala vipaka is consciousness that is a result of Kusala.

KRIYA – 3

Kriya is consciousness that acts, but does not produce effects, like kamma does. It is classified into 3 types:

1. Adverting consciousness in five doors accompanied by indifference – Panca dvara avajjana
2. Adverting consciousness in mind door accompanied by indifference – Mano Dvara Avajjana
3. Smile producing consciousness accompanied by pleasure – Hasituppada

KAMA SOBHANA – 24

Among the Kamavacara cittas, 24 types of consciousness are called sobhana because they are magnificent due to being good qualities and producing good results.

The kama sobhana citta is classified into 3 types:

1. Kusala
2. Vipaka
3. Kriya

KUSALA – 8

Kusala consciousness is called so because it is the consciousness which eradicates evils. All types of kusala are naturally free from fault and bring about happiness.

Kusala citta is classified into 8, according to feeling, association, and promptitude.

VIPAKA -8

Vipaka is consciousness which results from Kusala, and is classified the same way as as it’s causal consciousness, kusala.

KRIYA – 8

Kriya means “mere action”. Although it is similar to kusala, it is not operative, and nos not bear the result of kusala. It arises in Arahants who are without mental defilements and will not continue in samsara. Kriya is also similarly classified into 8 types.

RUPAVACARA – 15

Rupavacara is consciousness which mostly arises in the Rupa Brhama world. It is classified into 5, according to the 5 Jhana stages. Those 5 are multiplied by the three types of kusala, vipaka and kriya and become 15.

Jhana means to firmly concentrate on an object, and the word jhana is used for the unity of jhana factors.

Jhana temporarily burns adverse mental states in the following manner:

• Sensual desire – Kamacchanda is burnt by Ekaggata
• Ill will – Byapada is burnt by Piti
• Sloth and torpor – Thina Middha is burnt by Vitakka
• Restlessness and remorse – Uddhacca Kukkucca is burnt by Sukha
• Doubt – Vicikiccha is burnt by Vicara

THE FIVE JHANA STAGES

Jhana 1 – Pathama Jhana

• Vitakka – initial action
• Vicara – sustained application
• Piti – joy
• Sukha – happiness
• Ekaggata – One pointedness of the object

Jhana 2 – Dutiya Jhana

• Vicara – sustained application
• Piti – joy
• Sukha – Happiness
• Ekaggata – One pointedness of the object

Jhana 3 – Tatiya Jhana

• Piti – Joy
• Sukha – Happiness
• Ekaggata – One pointedness of the object

Jhana 4 – Catutha Jhana

• Sukha – happiness
• Ekaggata – one pointedness of the object

Jhana 5 – Pancama Jhana

• Upekkha – neutral feeling
• Ekaggata – one pointedness of the object

ARUPAVACARA – 12

Arupavacara is the consciousness that mostly arises in the Arupa Brahma world. It is classified into 4 types according to the object, and then multiplied by 3 types – kusala, vipaka and kriya.

Passed Over Objects

• Kasina device – entirety of device. the 10 kinds of entirety are used as an object of Rupa Jhana.
• Infinite space
• First Vinnana – the consciousness that occurs depending on infinite space. thefirst type of Arupa citta
• Nothingness

Receiving Objects

• Infinite space
• First Vinnana
• Nothingness
• Third Vinnana – the consciousness that occurs depending on the non-existence of the first vinnana

LOKUTTARA – 8/40

The three types of worlds, kama, rupa and arupa are called “Loka”, meaning mundane. The consciousness that gos out from “loka” or is higher than loka is called “Lokuttara”, meaning supramundane.

Magga, or the totality of the 8 Fold Noble Path is classified into 4, so Lokuttara citta is classified into 4 according to magga. Phala, the effect of magga is also 4, according to the agga that is its cause.

The Four Types Of Magga:

1. Magga that enters the stream to nibbana – Sotapatti magga
2. Magga of the once returner to the kama world – Sakadagami magga
3. Magga of the non returner to the kama world – Anagami magga
4. Magga that is the cause of Arahatta attainment – Arahatta magga

So, if this seems complicated, it’s because it more or less is.  Once you get into the interactions of different types of consciousnesses at different planes, things get really crucial.  So, stay tuned until I start releasing more.  Or you can learn Pali and figure it out for yourself.  What you can’t do is go to Borders book store and figure it out.  Not going to happen.  :)
Over the next couple of months I’ll probably post some more stuff about Abhidhamma, but I’ll focus more on the basic concepts of Buddhism, as well as the application of those concepts to daily life, and the four quadrants of  physical-material health, social health, mental health, and supramundane health.  Same bat time.  Same bat channel . . .

The Tao Or The Way Of Strategy

In this video, we’ll talk a bit about the way of strategy.

The Tao Or The Way Of Leadership

A Video I Shot At The Monastery Near Here

This is a video of 1,000+ novices chanting at a monstery that’s right outside the gate of the university. . .

The Tao Or The Way Of Personal Development

This quick video talks a bit about the Tao or the Way of personal development

Tonight, I was having a conversation with my room neighbor, Bhikku (Monk) Somananda from Cambodia. We were talking about something that I can’t quite recall, but the conversation eventually took a turn towards the subject of tonights blog post . . .

DO YOU PLAN TO ORDAIN AS A MONK?

The simple answer to this question is “No”.

The reasons why are a bit more complex, but let’s start off with some backstory. . .

If you’re a first time reader, someone who believes TV news, or even someone who knew me 20 years ago, you might be suprised to find out that I am living in Myanmar and studying Buddhism at a Buddhist university here. Eventually I’ll be trying to get a Phd., probably in Abhidamma. First things first though, as they say, and second thing’s never, as I say.

The population of this school is probably about 100 people, with approximately 93 of them being Buddhist monks and nuns. So, it probably won’t come as a suprise when I mention that I’m asked – nearly every day about my plans to ordain (or not).

From now on, I’ll probably just refer people to this post, because it’s not so easy to explain this to someone who’s second language is English, and who’s first language I can’t speak. Or someone who just doesn’t want to hear it. . .

Which brings us around to tonights veranda conversation with ven. Somananda (who “got” it).

IT’S EASY TO BE A HOLY MAN ON THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN

As I said – we have to begin with some backstory material . . . I first saw the movie “The Razor’s Edge”, starring Bill Murray when I was about 10 years old. If you haven’t seen it, you should. If you haven’t read the book – the movie is quite different, but you should check out both.

The subtitle of “The Razor’s Edge” was “The Story Of One Man’s Search For Himself” and next to the emotional romance film “Somewhere In Time” of the same era and starring Christopher Reeves, “The Razor’s Edge” was probably the most impactful movie I’ve ever seen. In fact, I often jokingly blame watching this movie and reading George Orwells “1984″ in the 4th grade of elementary school for everything I have become (There’s also a matter of a lot of acid beginning at about age 13, but that’s
neither here nor there – is it?).

In the film, Bill Murray plays an affluent college student with a bright future ahead of him, who volunteers for the Ambulance corps during WW1, and having witnessed all the horrors of the worlds first application of assembly line process to warfare, suffers something of a cognitive break and breaks camp for the (then) “Orient”.

He eventually ends up at what appears to be a Vajrayana (Tibetan) monastery, and there are a couple of really brilliant moments of the film that occur while practicing there which I won’t give away for those who haven’t seen the movie yet.

When he’s finally ready to leave the monastery, and go back to “The world”, he asks the Abbot – “Is it true that it’s easy to be a holy man on top of a mountain?” to which there is no real reply.

The fact is, that it IS easy to be a holy man on the top of a mountain, but it’s an all together different thing to try and do it in the village below. Buddhist monks take vows to uphold the precepts laid out in the Vinaya, but this alone doesn’t address the fundamental and underlying attachments and greed/hatred/etc. rooted consciousnesses which are the source of unwholesome behavior.

For example – If you are practicing celibacy and living in a monastery full of men, but often think about women, you have not addressed the fundamental attachement at all. The situation is all together different, however if you are living as a normal lay person in society, surrounded by beautiful women everywhere, advertising which is designed to invoke and strengthen your desire, etc.

One person removes himself from the examination room. The other passes or fails the exam based upon his own virtue, strength and conviction.

The same is true for any of the other Vinaya precepts. It’s relatively easy not to kill when you’re not faced with situations where people obviously deserve to die, or incite you to the point that you emotionally want to kill them.

Removing yourself from temptation and the examination room is what I call “Being a holy man on top of a mountain”. The attainment status of the holy man on top of a mountain is literally incomparable to the attaiment status of the holy man in the village.

I am trying (albeit not so successfully) to be a holy man in the village.

ENTER THE 36th CHAMBER

Let’s take a tangent ninja divergence into the world of wire flying, qi energy balls and being bulletproof.

Many of you might be familiar with the notion from the mytherial nether regions of Chinese Chan Buddhism of “The 36th Chamber”. Or maybe you just heard some albums by the Wu-Tang Clan.

The basic premise of the 36th chamber is this: Within Mythical old Chan, a new monk would begin his training in the first chamber. Maybe he would study the Four Noble Truths. Once he had shown a greater or lesser degree of mastery, he would move on to the second chamber. Maybe it was The Noble 8 Fold Path. Perhaps the 21st was Samatha meditation, the 32nd was Vipassana meditation, etc.

Our man would slowly progress in knowledge and training through each of 35 chambers. Upon having finished his highest level training, he would then enter the mysterious 36th chamber.

What manner of training awaited him in the mysterious 36th chamber? Life. Upon entering, he would immediately be disrobed, and pushed out of the monastery with no food, money, or resources and be forced to live the life of a lay person. All of the previous 35 chambers were simply study. The 36th chamber was life. The true test.

Could he resist killing in the face of danger? Could he resist stealing in the face of hunger?

I am practicing (albeit not so successfully) in the 36th chamber.

THE PROCESS OF REFINEMENT

Let’s now consider the process of purification and refinement.

Everyone understands that diamonds are made from coal. And that steel is made from impure iron.

Different types of matter, but the process of refinement is the same.

That process is heat and pressure.

The more heat and pressure you apply to a dirty lump of coal, the closer it comes to being a diamond. The more heat and pressure you apply to impure iron, the closer it comes to being steel.

Similarly, the more heat and pressure you apply to your mind, the close you come to the development of the type of adamantine will and wisdom which can directly pierce through the veil of unreality.

NOT BECOMING A MONK

So it’s for these reasons that I have chosen to not become a monk. I could have ordained as a Taoist monk, and could have been one of the few Westerners to do so, and could have gone on to make a literal fortune from it. I can now ordaine as a Buddhist monk.

But I won’t. I will stay in the heat and pressure that is the 36th chamber, trying to refine and purify myself, often in spite of myself.

WHAT IS SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN CULTIVATION?

In cultivation, ultimate success or failure is not determined by your actions.  The only thing which your actions determine is how much virtue or karma you generate.

Whether you are able to attain the Tao, reach Nibbana, etc. depends solely on the mind, and there’s no greater place for the mind to be tested than inside of human society.  In fact – that’s why it exists.  To hide from it may allow you to gain some merit, and will help you to not accrue new karmic debts, but hiding is not the direct road to liberation.  The direct road to liberation is the direct road to liberation.  It’s like a video game.  You can’t get to next levels until you can successfully complete the level where you find yourself right here, and now.  And you can’t complete this level if you’re not playing the game.

The Tao Of Heaven And Man

In this video, about the Tao of Heaven and Man, I”ll talk about:

• The Way Of Heaven
• The Way Of Man
• The Four Greats
• Heaven-Man-Oneness

So there is a train that you can take around the perimeter of Yangon.  It cost about 30 cents to ride it for 3 hours or so.

The first photos will be ones taken from that train ride.  The second batch are photos taken from the freshman welcoming ceremony at the university here.  There are a lot, so it may take some time to load.  :)

I’ll reserve comment on things until after I’m well across a boarder some years later. . .

Well . . . I’ve passed another week here in Myanmar.  Here are some new photos, and a few explanations.  My camera seems to either be dying or the batteries I got here only last for 2 minutes of camera use.  Either way, I switched to my webcam to take a couple of these shots:

This is my good friend from China, Monk Wang (Wang Fashr).  Today he and the Chinese nuns at our university went to the Chinese Embassy to give some Dhamma talk to the embassy staff, and they gave him some bronze Chinese bookmarks, which he passed on to me.

This is the box which the bookmarks came in.  It’s a pretty nice box, and has some gold silk inside which the bookmarks rest upon.

Here are the actual bookmarks in the case.  They each have some different Chinese animal (as opposed to real animals) such as a dragon, a water tiger, a red peacock, and a black turtle.

Although Wang Fashr and I get along very well, and I would like to think he gave me these as a sign of his respect for my awesomeness, I am pretty certain that the true reason I received these is because I am the biggest person here, and he knows I will soon have to use them to help us fight our way across some border.

This is the front of the main building at our university.

They say it’s the “little things” which count.  I’d settle for some pasta and these nasty mosquito trap dogs staying away from me while I use the internet.

Another of the buildings at our university

This building (the big one, not the toilet in front) is the classroom where I spend 5-7 hours a day.

Another of the classroom buildings

This is where I secretly smoke a cigarette between classes

Monk Wang giving a self high-five

Another classroom building

And yet another classroom building.  Did I mention that just a year before this university opened the entire place was a severe mental hospital?  Oh yeah.  They forgot to mention that too!

Despite the fact that I am starving, I do more or less live in a palace.

My Vietnamese neighbors trying to fix a laptop that crashed.

Ja boy.

One of my classmates from India

There was a joke right before this about selling my Cambodian neighbor the laptop.

Most of my experience outside of Bialian Jiao is with Taoism, which cultivates life.  Buddhism essentially cultivates something like “non-existence”, so I have been obsessed for the past week with taking pictures related to the idea that “Life is very difficult to stop”

Monk Humor

More monk humor

No matter how different we look, or where we’re from or what sounds we make when we communicate, we are all in the same difficult boat and try our best to treat each other well.

So, that’s it.  I don’t know if I will be able to get my camera to work again or not, but I will try some new batteries this weekend.  Sunday is a big welcome ceremony for the new students, and the students receiving their BA’s, where I will be presented with some big fan, and will bow, prostrate, 3 times before the rector of the school.  We had a rehearsal for that yesterday.  My joints aren’t nice for those deep sitting bows, but I’ll try to manage as quickly as I can and scurry back to my seat (that being the floor).

I and many of us can always use some extra food, and especially vitamins, so you can contribute on the “read me” page at the top, or buy one of my books or something.   I do my best to look out for the monks, especially the ones not from Myanmar and who have a lot of difficulty with English (not to mention Myanmar) and a couple of elderly lay people.  That’s not to say that I won’t buy some coffee, but neither will I spend all or most of anything I get from sales on myself.

Peace!

Anxin

The Way Of Human Life

In this video I’ll talk about:

The Tao or Way of human existence
The code of social conduct
The three treasures