Tanhā Jālinī Sutta and Self-Views

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Imo these aren't self views but is speech which occurs having directed the thought and made an evaluation.

These are verbalizations of craving based on wrong view and inappropriate attention which becomes the inclination due to frequent giving of attention.

'I am like this' ie, i see no evidence suggesting that the [always] is warranted and is to be inferred. The interpretation i favor is that this occurs due to lack of development, simply grasping the aggregates with inappropriate attention and or wrong view.

'I am like this' may well be verbalized as 'I am old' or 'I am a good meditator' etc, etc.

'I exist' or 'I do not exist' are expressive of speculative views about the nature of what is called 'self' in the world.

A person with perfected view and concentration is incapable of thinking along those lines because they never give inappropriate attention and are therefore incable of verbalizing craving such as ie 'i am bored, it would be good to go for a walk' whereas a Sotapanna can still do because he is not perfect in concentration and has work to do in regards to heedlessness.

Upvote:1

kleshas cannot be manifestations or come from the self, since there is no self in the first place.

What there is is various conditioned things that puthujjanas ''take up'', ie the various ''taking up'' is the upadanas, ie the fuel, and they claim the things taken up is self. They also claim that either it is not possible to stop upadanas, or that if is possible to stop the fuel, then it is bad to stop the fuel.

the buddha says the opposite, for instance

But the well taught Ariyan disdple, brethren, who discers those who are Ariyans; who are skilled in the Ariyan doctrine, trained in the Ariyan doctrine; who discern the worthy ones, who are skilled in the worthy doctrine, trained in the worthy doctrine, regard not body as the Self, regard not body as having a Self, regard not body as being in the Self, regard not the self as being in the body;

regard not feeling as the Self, regard not feeling as having a Self, regard not feeling as being in the Self, regard not the self as being in feeling;

regard not perception as the Self, regard not perception as having a Self, regard not perception as being in the Self, regard not the self as being in perception;

regard not the activities as the Self, regard not the activities as having a Self, regard not the activities as being in the Self, regard not the self as being in the activities;

regard not consciousness as the Self, regard not consciousness as having a Self, regard not consciousness as being in the Self, regard not the self as being in consciousness;

do not run and revolve round and round from body to body, do not run and revolve round and round from feeling to feeling, do not run and revolve round and round from perception to perception, do not run and revolve round and round from activities to activities, do not run and revolve round and round from consciousness to consciousness.

They, not running and revolving round and round from body to body, not running and revolving round and round from feeling to feeling,

not running and revolving round and round from perception to perception, not running and revolving round and round from activity to activity, not running and revolving round and round from consciousness to consciousness are released from body, are released from feeling, are released from perception, are released from the activities, are released from consciousness, they are released from rebirth, from old age and decay, from sorrow and grief, from woe, lamentation and despair; they are released from suffering, I declare.

http://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/pts/sn/03_kv/sn03.22.099.wood.pts.htm#p1

same thing with the next sutta

The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren!"

"Master!" responded those brethren.

The Exalted One said:

"Incalculable, brethren, is the beginning of this round of rebirth.

No beginning is made known of beings wrapt in ignorance, fettered by craving, who run on, who fare on the round of rebirth.

Just like a dog, brethren, tied up by a leash to a strong stake or pillar - if he goes, he goes up to that stake or pillar; if he stands still, he stands close to that stake or pillar; if he squats down, he squats close to that stake or pillar; if he lies down, he lies dose to that stake or pillar.

Even so, brethren, the untaught manyfolk regard body (thus):|| ||

'This is mine; this am I; this is the self of me.'

They regard feeling (thus):|| ||

'This is mine; this am I; this is the self of me.'

They regard perception (thus):|| ||

'This is mine; this am I; this is the self of me.'

They regard the activities (thus):|| ||

'This is mine; this am I; this is the self of me.'

They regard consciousness (thus):|| ||

'This is mine; this am I; this is the self of me.'

If they go, it is towards this fivefold grasping-group that they go.

If they stand still, it is close to this fivefold grasping-group that they stand still.

If they sit, it is close to this fivefold grasping-group that they sit.

If they lie down, it is close to this fivefold grasping-group that they lie down.

[128] Wherefore, brethren, again and again must one regard one's own mind thus:

'For a long, long time this mind has been tainted by lust, by hatred, by illusion.'

By a tainted mind, brethren, beings are tainted.

By purity of mind beings are made pure.

Brethren, have ye ever seen a picture which they call 'a show-piece?'"[1]

"Yes, lord."

"Well, brethren, this so-called show-piece is thought out by mind.

Wherefore, brethren, mind is even more diverse than that show piece.[2]

Wherefore, brethren, again and again must one regard one's own mind thus:

'For a long, long time this mind has been tainted by lust, by hatred, by illusion.'

By a tainted mind, brethren, beings are tainted.

By purity of mind beings are made pure.

Brethren, I see not any single group[3] so diverse as the creatures of the animal world.

Those creatures of the animal world, brethren, are thought out by mind.[4]|| ||

Wherefore, brethren, mind is even more diverse than those creatures of the animal world.

Wherefore, brethren, again and again must one regard one's own mind thus:

'For a long, long time this mind has been tainted by lust, by hatred, by illusion.'

By a tainted [129] mind, brethren, beings are tainted.

By purity of mind beings are made pure.[5]

Just as if, brethren, a dyer or a painter, if he have dye or lac or turmeric, indigo or madder, and a well-planed board or wall or strip of cloth, can fashion the likeness of a woman or of a man complete in all its parts,[6] even so, brethren, the untaught manyfolk creates and re-creates its body, creates and re-creates its feelings, creates and re-creates its perception, creates and re-creates its activities, creates and re-creates its consciousness.

Now as to this, what think you, brother?|| ||

Is body permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, lord."

"That which is impermanent, is it weal or woe?"

"Woe, lord."

"But that which is impermanent, woeful, unstable in nature, is it right to regard it thus:

'This is mine, this am I this is the Self of me?'"

"Surely not, lord."

"Is feeling permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, lord."

"That which is impermanent, is it weal or woe?"

"Woe, lord."

"But that which is impermanent, woeful, unstable in nature, is it right to regard it thus:

'This is mine, this am I this is the Self of me?'"

"Surely not, lord."

"Is perception permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, lord."

"That which is impermanent, is it weal or woe?"

"Woe, lord."

"But that which is impermanent, woeful, unstable in nature, is it right to regard it thus:

'This is mine, this am I this is the Self of me?'"

"Surely not, lord."

"Are the activities permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, lord."

"That which is impermanent, is it weal or woe?"

"Woe, lord."

"But that which is impermanent, woeful, unstable in nature, is it right to regard it thus:

'This is mine, this am I this is the Self of me?'"

"Surely not, lord."

"Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

"Impermanent, lord."

"That which is impermanent, is it weal or woe?"

"Woe, lord."

"But that which is impermanent, woeful, unstable in nature, is it right to regard it thus:

'This is mine, this am I this is the Self of me?'"

"Surely not, lord."

"Therefore, brethren, every body whatever, be it past, future or present, be it inward or outward, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, - every body should be thus regarded, as it really is, by right insight:

'This is not mine.

This I am not.

This is not the Self of me.'

Every feeling whatever, be it past, future or present, be it inward or outward, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, - every feeling should be thus regarded, as it really is, by right insight:

'This is not mine.

This I am not.

This is not the Self of me.'

Every perception whatever, be it past, future or present, be it inward or outward, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, - every perception should be thus regarded, as it really is, by right insight:

'This is not mine.

This I am not.

This is not the Self of me.'

Every activity whatever, be it past, future or present, be it inward or outward, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, - every activity should be thus regarded, as it really is, by right insight:

'This is not mine.

This I am not.

This is not the Self of me.'

Every consciousness whatever, be it past, future or present, be it inward or outward, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, - every consciousness should be thus regarded, as it really is, by right insight:

'This is not mine.

This I am not.

This is not the Self of me.'

Upvote:1

OP: Are these last five conclusions correct? Or have I misunderstood certain elements?

Overall, I understand this sutta to be divided into sections 1-6 pertaining directly to ignorance, 7-10 as attachment, and 11-18 as linked to the hindrances of doubt and worry.

Your conclusions seem right.

OP: I wonder, though, how all these separate aspects are all considered 'self-views'; is it because all kleshas mentioned previously come from and are manifestations of the self?

All kleshas are manifestations of:

  • ignorance
  • attachment
  • aversion

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