Is the Buddha advocating delighting in sensuality in SN 42.12?
Upvote:1
Since this sutta is not a short one, it's important to note the context: it basically distinguishes various types of householders along a graded scale of excellence, and the sutta also evaluates different types of ascetics using similar analysis. Ven. Bodhi's note in "Connected Discourses" citing Commentary's explanation:
Spk: The pursuit of sensual happiness is mentioned to show the types who enjoy sensual pleasure (IIβIII); the pursuit of self-mortification to show the ascetics (IVβV); the middle way to show the three types of wearing away (VI). What is the purpose in showing all this? The Tathagata, who attained perfect enlightenment by abandoning the two extremes and by following the middle way, does not criticize or praise all enjoyers of sensual pleasures or all ascetics. He criticizes those who deserve criticism and praises those who deserve praise.
So, the part where it says: "They make themselves happy and pleased" needs to be kept within the context of the householders's level, where enjoyment of the fruit of their labor thru lawful means and effort is a ground for praise, as opposed to making a living thru cheating or unlawful means would be a ground for criticism.
The part where it says the householder using his wealth without being tied to it indicates s/he's not stingy. Not only s/he appropriately uses their wealth for their own happiness, but also share it and do meritorious deeds that benefit many others too.
Regarding the part on self-mortification, the paragraph pretty much speaks for itself. The Buddha praises the parts where it needs to be praised while criticizes the part where it needs to be criticized.
Upvote:5
"Making oneself happy and pleased" refers to Emotional Intelligence - maintaining one's mind in a positive state as opposed to cultivating a maimed and wounded condition.
This is the point I did not understand for many years of my Buddhist practice - that cultivating a positive, energized, confident state of mind is a critical piece of the Buddhist puzzle.
This is very different from pursuit of sensory pleasures. When you chase after sensory pleasures - you are either hungry and looking for more, or you are tired and exhausted from overindulging.
In contrast with that, Buddha is talking about being self-sufficient and stable.
In case of the householder that means cultivating a peaceful and harmonious environment (within one's control) and dwelling in that - which by itself is a kind of lay Buddhist practice.
For the ordained, that means being satisfied with the homeless life, and ultimately refers to the practice of the First Jhana and subsequent jhanas all the way to Liberation itself.
More post
- π What might be the long therm effects of ignoring ones duties?
- π Developing mindfulness doing complex activities like learning or programming?
- π Why not becoming disillusioned toward mind?
- π Why will-power could not be used to regulate kaya , vedana and citta?
- π Attending my first Buddhist Retreat
- π Is respect a form of ego?
- π How to differentiate between a spiritual experience and a mental disorder or delusion?
- π Spiritualism VS layman's path
- π Vipassana report on breathing
- π Choose option in suffering?
- π Feeling versus Analysis in Compassion Meditation
- π In which context did the Buddha say this, about ordaining women?
- π Difference between Yoniso ManasikΔra and SammΔ sati with SampajaΓ±Γ±Δ
- π Is mathematics empty?
- π Who was Ming Peu?
- π If you cannot can save others then why is your practice more worthy than anything else?
- π Solving the oxymoron of nibbΔna?
- π Hard not to control my breathing
- π All about seats
- π If there are no past and future lives, why should we practice Buddhism?
- π About the Buddha Preaching that we Humans are Aliens
- π Is it possible to see the counterpart sign (nimitta) with eyes open?
- π Does Zen distinguish between concentration and insight meditation?
- π So what is a Buddhist and what makes a person a Buddhist?
- π Is there anything I can read about the Buddhist tradition today?
- π How do monks transcend the desire for relationships & sex?
- π Should Buddhists avoid Amazon and Starbucks out of concerns about tax avoidance?
- π altruism or being used?
- π Did Buddha ever go outside India to teach?
- π Does Nibbana mean not self?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π Is the Buddha advocating delighting in sensuality in SN 42.12?
- π Can the Buddha ever be a woman?
- π Where is the Buddha quoted as saying do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself?
- π How do you tell a 4-year-old who the Buddha was?
- π Was Vipassana discovered by the Buddha (Siddhartha)?
- π Why did the Buddha suffer before he died?
- π Why does the Buddha call himself the TathΔgata?
- π How was the Buddha Jayanti edition of the Tripitaka derived?
- π Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?
- π Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?
- π What language did the Buddha speak?
- π Meditation technique proposed by the Buddha
- π Was the Buddha harsh?
- π Why the Buddha didn't originally allow ordination of women
- π Words of the Buddha
- π Did the Buddha really say that "life is suffering"?
- π Why is the Buddha described as trackless?
- π Are there examples of the Buddha showing humour in the Pali Canon?
- π Why does the Buddha always answer a question if asked three times?
- π If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?
- π Did the Buddha ever delve on the dangers of one's own spirtual achievements feeding the ego?
- π Where is the Buddha originally quoted as saying "On heaven and earth, I alone am honored"?
- π Is it harmful to the Buddha when we request he or she to continue teaching instead of entering parinirvana?
- π Why do Buddhists believe that the Buddha was enlightened, despite that he claimed it himself?
- π Where's the story in which the Buddha praised a non-returner for keeping the knowledge of his attainment private?
- π Did the Buddha ever say something proven wrong later?
- π Did the Buddha ever mention the Upanishads or the Vedas?
- π Why did the Buddha touch the earth at his enlightenment?
- π Where did the Buddha speak of his difficulty in eating almsfood as a Bodhisatta?
- π Did the Buddha say anything about attachment to meditation?