How do the drugs get into the water?
People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue…
We recognize it is a growing concern and we're taking it very seriously," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
…
Contamination is not confined to the United States. More than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been detected in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and streams throughout the world. Studies have detected pharmaceuticals in waters throughout Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe — even in Swiss lakes and the North Sea.
…
In the United States, the problem isn't confined to surface waters. Pharmaceuticals also permeate aquifers deep underground, source of 40 percent of the nation's water supply. Federal scientists who drew water in 24 states from aquifers near contaminant sources such as landfills and animal feed lots found minuscule levels of hormones, antibiotics and other drugs.
…
One technology, reverse osmosis, removes virtually all pharmaceutical contaminants but is very expensive for large-scale use and leaves several gallons of polluted water for every one that is made drinkable.
…
Recent laboratory research has found that small amounts of medication have affected human embryonic kidney cells, human blood cells and human breast cancer cells. The cancer cells proliferated too quickly; the kidney cells grew too slowly; and the blood cells showed biological activity associated with inflammation.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Oxen Cart
When I was very young, I used to travel with carts like this. Actually, I grew up in a small village near Moulmein, the capital of Mon State; the population was small and most were poor farmers. The name is 'Kwai-Wan' - I don't know how to translate it properly. In my village, most houses had a place to 'park' their carts and a place, like stables,for the oxen and cows which were used in both transportation and ploughing (plowing) the rice fields, and also other purposes.
As they have been used in rice fields, the Burmese believe they should not eat these animals because these animals feed them. In India, Oxen and cows are accepted as gods.
I had a few experiences with the carts other than traveling on them. I saw how people put the rims around the wheels. I heard people said how these animals could sense supernatural things and would refuse to go across usually a bridge. Every dusk, the animals were coming back into the village from grazing places nearby the villages.
I feel I miss my village.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Potentially Habitable Planets Are Common, Study Says
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080219-planets-life_2.html
Aalok Mehta in Boston, Massachusetts
National Geographic News
February 18, 2008
More than half of the sunlike stars in the galaxy could have terrestrial planets with the potential to harbor life, a new study suggests.
The research, announced yesterday at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston, Massachusetts, is just one of a set of recent findings that suggest the roster of potential life-harboring worlds is huge—even in our own solar system.
"Our observations suggest that between 20 percent and 60 percent of sunlike stars form rocky planets like our solar system's," said Michael Meyer, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, at a press briefing Sunday.
Meyer and his team used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to study heat from the dust around sunlike stars of various ages, much like looking at "the smoke you see rising from chimneys in Boston on a cold day."
Such hot dust implies that larger rocky bodies are forming and colliding in the "messy" business of planet formation, Meyer explained.
Planet-forming dust was found at one to five times the distance from the sun to Earth, Meyer said (see an interactive map of the solar system.)
The dust was also seen in young stars but was absent from most stars older than 300 million years—a perfect fit with current models of planetary formation, he added.
(Read related story: "Newborn Planet Found Orbiting Young Star" [January 3, 2008].)
The study will appear in an upcoming edition of the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Earth-Size Refugees?
At the briefing, scientists also advanced the possibility that our solar system contains hundreds or even thousands more dwarf planets like Pluto, hidden from view in the distant region known as the Kuiper belt.
There is a growing body of evidence that the poorly understood region contains several Earth- or Mars-size planets and many tinier bodies, said NASA planetary scientist Alan Stern, adding that this could very well be a "new Copernican revolution" in our understanding of planets.
"What we thought is, our outer solar system is actually our middle solar system," Stern said.
It would be a vindication for Pluto, which was recently "demoted" from full planet status by astronomers after a lively and controversial debate.
Pluto might be the best known representative of a third major class of planets, the dwarfs, "which could be far more common than either the terrestrial or gas giant planets," Stern said.
The initial solar system was quite cluttered with small bodies, he explained, but these were swept out as the four gas giant planets—Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune—finished forming.
Evidence for that can be seen in Uranus, which is lying almost on its side compared to the other planets, Stern said.
It must have been struck by a massive object several times the mass of Earth—an extraordinary coincidence if there were only a few such bodies around.
Exploring the Kuiper belt will be a slow process, Stern pointed out, as the objects in it are extremely difficult to find because of their distance from Earth.
These worlds would mostly be rocky bodies with icy surfaces, though larger ones might be able to harbor gassy envelopes.
But there is also the possibility that some could have "warm, wet interiors," Stern said.
Some scientists think it is "likely Pluto has an ocean in its interior, as does [Jupiter's moon] Europa and many of the other satellites of other planets," Stern said.
In the future, we might focus the search for life on such worlds, which could be far more common than planets like Earth with liquid water on their surface, he added.
Slow Search for Life
But directly detecting the kinds of planets that could harbor life remains a huge challenge, said Debra Fischer of San Francisco State University.
Such planets fall into an "anti-sweet spot," she said—far too small to detect using any of the common planet detection methods, which have so far found about 250 or more extrasolar planets.
But scientists have reasons to remain optimistic, she said.
If a planet with the right mass is found at the right distance from a star—in the so-called Goldilocks zone, where it is neither too hot nor too cold—most of the work is done.
"The raw materials for life are common," she said. "Water is probably the most common molecule in the universe."
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PHOTO IN THE NEWS: Bug's "Bird Poop" Disguise Decoded
Photograph courtesy Ryo Futahashi http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080221-caterpillar-picture.html
February 21, 2007—This larval swallowtail butterfly's clever disguise (left) is literally a load of crap.
In its larval stages, the Asian swallowtail—also known as the Chinese or Japanese yellow swallowtail—mimics the appearance of bird droppings to prevent predators from gobbling it up.
In its last phase of development, the insect turns green (right) to blend into the leaves on which it lives.
A new study shows that a single juvenile hormone is responsible for switching on and off the "spectacular diversity" of the caterpillar's colors, Japanese researchers say.
"[Juvenile hormone] has been known to be involved in molt, metamorphosis, and some other events," study co-author Haruhiko Fujiwara of the University of Tokyo told National Geographic News in an email.
"But in this report, we found that [the hormone] regulates pattern change, which is an original finding."
Hormone levels drop when the caterpillar leaves the bird-droppings stage and begins its green color transformation.
The substance also has the power to shape the caterpillar's texture and pigment distribution, enhancing its disguise.
The study, conducted by Fujiwara and Ryo Futahashi, also of the University of Toyko, appears tomorrow in the journal Science.
—Christine Dell'Amore
Giant Frog from Hell
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080218-giant-frog.html?email=Inside22Feb08
Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
February 18, 2008
Scientists working in Madagascar have found what may be the largest frog that ever lived.
The bad-tempered Beelzebufo, or "devil frog," also poses a big mystery—Why do its closest relatives live half a world away in South America?
Paleontologist David Krause of Stony Brook University in New York and his colleagues began unearthing the specimen in bits and pieces more than a decade ago.
Over the years a 75-piece puzzle emerged that was only recently put together by fossil-frog expert Susan Evans of University College London.
Evans, lead author of a new paper detailing the find, describes the 70-million-year-old frog as a rather intimidating animal the size of a beach ball, 16 inches (41 centimeters) high and weighing about 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms).
Attitude to Match
Like its closest modern-day relatives—a group of big-mouthed frogs in South America called ceratophyrines—the devil frog also probably had a very aggressive temperament.
"These ceratophyrines are really aggressive, ambush predators," Evans said.
"They are round with big mouths, and they will sit there and grab onto anything that walks past."
"They're sometimes called Pac-Man frogs," she added, "and even the little ones will go for you. It's a frog with attitude, even today.
"And at two or three times the size of the largest living ceratophyrines, Beelzebufo would have had quite a lot more attitude."
The animal sported a protective shield and powerful jaws that may have enabled it to kill hatchling dinosaurs.
"When we found out that that some of its relatives even have little horns on their heads, the 'devil frog from hell' seemed an even more appropriate name," Krause said.
(Krause is a former grantee of the National Geographic Committee for Research and Exploration. The National Geographic Society owns National Geographic News.)
The study describing the newfound frog appears in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Strange Relations
Beelzebufo's relation to frogs in South America adds another chapter to an ongoing debate about where Madagascar's unique flora and fauna originated.
(Read related story: "Three New Lemurs Discovered, Add to Madagascar's Diversity" [June 26, 2006].)
Traditional models suggest that Madagascar separated from Africa some 160 million years ago during the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana.
It's believed to have broken free from India some 88 million years ago and been isolated ever since.
(See a time line of ancient Earth.)
But some scientists are challenging that model. They suggest that specimens like Beelzebufo provide proof of a later physical link between South America and Madagascar, most likely through a connection with Antarctica.
"The presence of a South American frog in Madagascar tends to support that theory," Evans, the London fossil-frog expert, said.
"It's not what you'd predict should be on Madagascar in terms of frogs. We have a frog that today is found only in South America and has never been recorded anywhere else in the world.
"Everybody thought they had evolved [only in] South America, and we've got one on Madagascar 70 million years ago."
Though Beelzebufo is a one-of-a-kind find, it may be just one of several recently uncovered fossils that lend plausibility to the theory.
"In dinosaurs, crocodiles, birds, and mammals we've been seeing over and over again a close evolutionary relationship between animals in Madagascar and animals in South America," said Kristi Curry Rogers, a paleontologist at Macalester College in Saint Paul.
"It's not what you'd expect given the huge distance between those places today," added Curry Rogers, who was not involved in the Beelzebufo study.
"Many of the animals that we've been able to find have their closest relatives in the Indian subcontinent, which is not a surprise because at that time [about 70 million years ago], it was right next door," Krause, of Stony Brook University, added.
"But other close relatives were in South America, and that was a surprise based on current reconstructions of what the world looked like at that time."
Intriguing Mystery
Laurie Godfrey is an anthropologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who is unaffiliated with the research.
She believes that the existence of a land connection between South America, Antarctica, and Madagascar sometime before the Late Cretaceous period—about 65 to 70 million years ago—seems increasingly evident.
But exactly when that connection was severed and how animals in each location subsequently evolved remains uncertain, she said.
"[It's] less clear whether that connection persisted through the Late Cretaceous, or whether Madagascar owes its South American affinities to a certain amount of evolutionary stasis within those groups, which certainly may have survived on both sides long after any land connection had been severed," she said.
More fossil finds could someday clear these muddied theoretical waters.
Unfortunately, specimens from the Cretaceous period have been rare—especially in mainland Africa, which Krause described as a "black hole" for fossils from this period.
Without fossils from this critical piece of the continental puzzle, it's hard for scientists to be certain about the distributions of ancient animals.
For now, Beelzebufo remains an intriguing mystery.
"Based on the modern and fossil distributions of this group of big frogs, it's not a pan-Gondwanan group," said Macalester's Curry Rogers.
"So far they haven't been recovered from the fossil record in India and Africa. They are in South America and Madagascar, and that's really interesting."
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Friday, February 1, 2008
Zodiac
VIRGO - The Perfectionist
Dominant in relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Ha rsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.
SCORPIO - The Intense One
Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional.
LIBRA - The Harmonizer
Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.
ARIES - The Daredevil
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.
AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart
Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric personality.
GEMINI - The Chatterbox
Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable but needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Likes change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent, but is only changeable. Beautiful physically and mentally.
LEO - The Boss
Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. D oing the right thing is important to Leos. Attractive.
CANCER - The Protector
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.
PISCES - The Dreamer
Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful.
CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter
Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimists. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be unfriendly y at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they want.
TAURUS - The Enduring One
Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings who are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous.
SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One
Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out.
Dominant in relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Ha rsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.
SCORPIO - The Intense One
Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional.
LIBRA - The Harmonizer
Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.
ARIES - The Daredevil
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.
AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart
Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric personality.
GEMINI - The Chatterbox
Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable but needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Likes change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent, but is only changeable. Beautiful physically and mentally.
LEO - The Boss
Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. D oing the right thing is important to Leos. Attractive.
CANCER - The Protector
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.
PISCES - The Dreamer
Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful.
CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter
Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimists. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be unfriendly y at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they want.
TAURUS - The Enduring One
Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings who are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous.
SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One
Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Bala-pandita Sutta (Fools & Wise People) 2
"Monks, these two are fools. Which two? The one who doesn't see his transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn't rightfully pardon another who has confessed his transgression. These two are fools.
"These two are wise people. Which two? The one who sees his transgression as a transgression, and the one who rightfully pardons another who has confessed his transgression. These two are wise people."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.021.than.html
"These two are wise people. Which two? The one who sees his transgression as a transgression, and the one who rightfully pardons another who has confessed his transgression. These two are wise people."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.021.than.html
Bala-pandita Sutta (The Fool & the Wise Person)
Dwelling at Savatthi. "When a fool is obstructed by ignorance and conjoined with craving, this body thus results. Now there is both this body and external name-&-form. Here, in dependence on this duality, there is contact at the six senses. Touched by these, or one or another of them, the fool is sensitive to pleasure & pain.
"When a wise person is obstructed by ignorance and conjoined with craving, this body thus results. Now there is both this body and external name-&-form. Here, in dependence on this duality, there is contact at the six senses. Touched by these, or one or another of them, the wise person is sensitive to pleasure & pain.
"So what difference, what distinction, what distinguishing factor is there between the wise person & the fool?"
"For us, lord, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, their guide, & their arbitrator. It would be good if the Blessed One himself would explicate the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."
"In that case, monks, listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "The ignorance with which the fool is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: that ignorance has not been abandoned by the fool; that craving has not been destroyed. Why is that? The fool has not practiced the holy life for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is headed for a [new] body. Headed for a body, he is not entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. I tell you, he is not entirely freed from stress & suffering.
"The ignorance with which the wise person is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: that ignorance has been abandoned by the wise person; that craving has been destroyed. Why is that? The wise person has practiced the holy life for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is not headed for a [new] body. Not headed for a body, he is entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. He is, I tell you, entirely freed from stress & suffering."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.019.than.html
"When a wise person is obstructed by ignorance and conjoined with craving, this body thus results. Now there is both this body and external name-&-form. Here, in dependence on this duality, there is contact at the six senses. Touched by these, or one or another of them, the wise person is sensitive to pleasure & pain.
"So what difference, what distinction, what distinguishing factor is there between the wise person & the fool?"
"For us, lord, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, their guide, & their arbitrator. It would be good if the Blessed One himself would explicate the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."
"In that case, monks, listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "The ignorance with which the fool is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: that ignorance has not been abandoned by the fool; that craving has not been destroyed. Why is that? The fool has not practiced the holy life for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is headed for a [new] body. Headed for a body, he is not entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. I tell you, he is not entirely freed from stress & suffering.
"The ignorance with which the wise person is obstructed, the craving with which he is conjoined, through which this body results: that ignorance has been abandoned by the wise person; that craving has been destroyed. Why is that? The wise person has practiced the holy life for the right ending of stress. Therefore, at the break-up of the body, he is not headed for a [new] body. Not headed for a body, he is entirely freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. He is, I tell you, entirely freed from stress & suffering."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.019.than.html
Saturday, January 19, 2008
10 Stupid Mistakes Made by the Newly Self-Employed
1. Selling to the wrong people.
2. Spending too much money.
3. Spending too little money.
4. Putting on a fake front.
5. Assuming a signed contract will be honored.
6. Going against your intuition.
7. Being too formal.
8. Sacrificing your personality quirks.
9. Failing to focus on value creation.
10. Failing to optimize.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog
/2006/04/10-stupid-mistakes-made-by-the-newly-self-employed/
2. Spending too much money.
3. Spending too little money.
4. Putting on a fake front.
5. Assuming a signed contract will be honored.
6. Going against your intuition.
7. Being too formal.
8. Sacrificing your personality quirks.
9. Failing to focus on value creation.
10. Failing to optimize.
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog
/2006/04/10-stupid-mistakes-made-by-the-newly-self-employed/
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Basic Points Unifying the Theravāda and the Mahāyāna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Points_Unifying_the_Theravada_and_Mahayana
1. The Buddha is our only Master (teacher and guide)
2. We take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṅgha (the Three Jewels)
3. We do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a God
4. We consider that the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without discrimination and to work for their good, happiness, and peace; and to develop wisdom leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth
5. We accept the Four Noble Truths, namely duḥkha, the arising of duḥkha, the cessation of duḥkha, and the path leading to the cessation of duḥkha; and the law of cause and effect (Pratītyasamutpāda)
6. All conditioned things (saṃskāra) are impermanent (anitya) and duḥkha, and that all conditioned and unconditioned things (dharma) are without self (anātma).
7. We accept the thirty-seven qualities conducive to enlightenment (bodhipakṣadharma) as different aspects of the Path taught by the Buddha leading to Enlightenment.
8. There are three ways of attaining bodhi or Enlightenment: namely as a disciple (śrāvaka), as a pratyekabuddha and as a samyaksambuddha (perfectly and fully enlightened Buddha). We accept it as the highest, noblest, and most heroic to follow the career of a Bodhisattva and to become a samyaksambuddha in order to save others.
9. We admit that in different countries there are differences regarding Buddhist beliefs and practices. These external forms and expressions should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Points_Unifying_the_Theravada_and_Mahayana
1. The Buddha is our only Master (teacher and guide)
2. We take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṅgha (the Three Jewels)
3. We do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a God
4. We consider that the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without discrimination and to work for their good, happiness, and peace; and to develop wisdom leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth
5. We accept the Four Noble Truths, namely duḥkha, the arising of duḥkha, the cessation of duḥkha, and the path leading to the cessation of duḥkha; and the law of cause and effect (Pratītyasamutpāda)
6. All conditioned things (saṃskāra) are impermanent (anitya) and duḥkha, and that all conditioned and unconditioned things (dharma) are without self (anātma).
7. We accept the thirty-seven qualities conducive to enlightenment (bodhipakṣadharma) as different aspects of the Path taught by the Buddha leading to Enlightenment.
8. There are three ways of attaining bodhi or Enlightenment: namely as a disciple (śrāvaka), as a pratyekabuddha and as a samyaksambuddha (perfectly and fully enlightened Buddha). We accept it as the highest, noblest, and most heroic to follow the career of a Bodhisattva and to become a samyaksambuddha in order to save others.
9. We admit that in different countries there are differences regarding Buddhist beliefs and practices. These external forms and expressions should not be confused with the essential teachings of the Buddha.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_Points_Unifying_the_Theravada_and_Mahayana
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Kammatthana
Kammatthana
http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Kammatthana
In Buddhism, kammatthana is a Pali word (Sanskrit: karmasthana) which literally means the place of work, figuratively it means the place within the mind where one goes in order to work on spiritual development. More concretely, it refers to the forty canonical objects of meditation (samatha kammatthana), listed in the third chapter of the Visuddhimagga.[1]
The kammatthana collectively are not suitable for all persons at all times. Each kammatthana can be prescribed, especially by a teacher, to a given person at a given time, depending on the person's temperament and state of mind.
Forty meditation subjects
The first ten kammatthana are "wholes" (kasina objects, things which one can behold directly):
(1) earth, (2) water, (3) fire, (4) air, wind, (5) blue, green, (6) yellow, (7) red, (8) white, (9) enclosed space, (10) bright light.
The next ten are objects of repulsion (asuba):
(1) swollen corpse, (2) discolored, blueish, corpse, (3) festering corpse, (4) fissured corpse, (5) gnawed corpse, (6,7) dismembered, or hacked and scattered, corpse, (8) bleeding corpse, (9) worm-eaten corpse, (10) skeleton.
Ten are recollections (anussati):
First three recollections are of the virtues of the Three Jewels:
(1) Buddha
(2) Dhamma
(3) Sangha
Next three are recollections of the virtues of:
(4) morality (sīla)
(5) liberality (cāga)
(6) the wholesome attributes of Devas
Recollections of:
(7) the body (kāya)
(8) death (see Upajjhatthana Sutta)
(9) the breath (prāna) or breathing (ānāpāna)
(10) peace (see Nibbana).
Four are stations of Brahma (Brahma-vihara):
(1) unconditional kindness (mettā)
(2) compassion (karuna)
(3) sympathetic joy over another's success (mudita)
(4) evenmindedness, equanimity (upekkha)
Four are formless states (four arūpajhānas):
(1) infinite space
(2) infinite consciousness
(3) infinite nothingness
(4) neither perception nor non-perception.
One is of perception of disgust of food (aharepatikulasanna).
The last is analysis of the four elements (catudhatuvavatthana): earth (pathavi), water (apo), fire (tejo), air (vayo).
Meditation subjects and jhanas
Of these, due to their complexity, the first eight recollections, the perception of disgust of food and the analysis of the four elements only lead to access concentration (upacara samadhi).
Absorption in the first jhana can be realized by mindfulness on the ten kinds of foulness and mindfulness of the body. However, these meditations cannot go beyond the first jhana due to their involving applied thought (vitaka) which is absent from the higher jhanas.
Absorption in the first three jhanas can be realized by contemplating the first three brahma-viharas. However, these meditations cannot aid in attaining the fourth jhana due to the pleasant feelings associated with them. Conversely, once the fourth jhana is induced, the the fourth brahma-vihara (equanimity) arises.
Due to the simplicity of subject matter, all four jhanas can be induced through mindfulness of breathing and the ten kasinas.
Meditation subjects and temperaments
All of the aforementioned meditation subjects can suppress the Five Hindrances, thus allowing one to fruitfully pursue wisdom. In addition, anyone can productively apply specific meditation subjects as antidotes, such as meditating on foulness to counteract lust or on the breath to abandon discursive thought.
The Pali commentaries further provide guidelines for suggesting meditation subjects based on ones general temperament:
• Greedy: the ten foulness meditations; or, body contemplation.
• Hating: the four brahma-viharas; or, the four color kasinas.
• Deluded: mindfulness of breath.
• Faithful: the first six recollections.
• Intelligent: recollection of death or peace; the perception of disgust of food; or, the analysis of the four elements.
• Speculative: mindfulness of breath.
The six non-color kasinas and the four formless states are suitable for all temperaments.
See also
• Buddhist meditation
• Samatha
• Vipassanā
Notes
1. Buddhaghosa & Nanamoli (1999), p. 90.
2. Gunaratana (1988).
3. Gunaratana (1988).
Bibliography
Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya & Bhikkhu Nanamoli (trans.) (1999), The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga. Seattle: BPS Pariyatti Editions.
Gunaratana, Henepola (1988). The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. . Available on-line at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/jhanas/jhanas0a.htm. http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Buddhist_Publication_Society
External links
In search of a teacher by Dr. Tin Htut http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/tinhtut.htm
Samatha and vipassana by Sayadaw U Uttamasara http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/uttama2a.htm
Reaching Nibbana through insight a guide by Ven. K. Nyanananda http://nibbanam.com/nibbana_guide_en.htm
Additional read:
Buddhism: http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Buddhism
Visuddhimagga: http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Visuddhimagga
http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Kammatthana
In Buddhism, kammatthana is a Pali word (Sanskrit: karmasthana) which literally means the place of work, figuratively it means the place within the mind where one goes in order to work on spiritual development. More concretely, it refers to the forty canonical objects of meditation (samatha kammatthana), listed in the third chapter of the Visuddhimagga.[1]
The kammatthana collectively are not suitable for all persons at all times. Each kammatthana can be prescribed, especially by a teacher, to a given person at a given time, depending on the person's temperament and state of mind.
Forty meditation subjects
The first ten kammatthana are "wholes" (kasina objects, things which one can behold directly):
(1) earth, (2) water, (3) fire, (4) air, wind, (5) blue, green, (6) yellow, (7) red, (8) white, (9) enclosed space, (10) bright light.
The next ten are objects of repulsion (asuba):
(1) swollen corpse, (2) discolored, blueish, corpse, (3) festering corpse, (4) fissured corpse, (5) gnawed corpse, (6,7) dismembered, or hacked and scattered, corpse, (8) bleeding corpse, (9) worm-eaten corpse, (10) skeleton.
Ten are recollections (anussati):
First three recollections are of the virtues of the Three Jewels:
(1) Buddha
(2) Dhamma
(3) Sangha
Next three are recollections of the virtues of:
(4) morality (sīla)
(5) liberality (cāga)
(6) the wholesome attributes of Devas
Recollections of:
(7) the body (kāya)
(8) death (see Upajjhatthana Sutta)
(9) the breath (prāna) or breathing (ānāpāna)
(10) peace (see Nibbana).
Four are stations of Brahma (Brahma-vihara):
(1) unconditional kindness (mettā)
(2) compassion (karuna)
(3) sympathetic joy over another's success (mudita)
(4) evenmindedness, equanimity (upekkha)
Four are formless states (four arūpajhānas):
(1) infinite space
(2) infinite consciousness
(3) infinite nothingness
(4) neither perception nor non-perception.
One is of perception of disgust of food (aharepatikulasanna).
The last is analysis of the four elements (catudhatuvavatthana): earth (pathavi), water (apo), fire (tejo), air (vayo).
Meditation subjects and jhanas
Of these, due to their complexity, the first eight recollections, the perception of disgust of food and the analysis of the four elements only lead to access concentration (upacara samadhi).
Absorption in the first jhana can be realized by mindfulness on the ten kinds of foulness and mindfulness of the body. However, these meditations cannot go beyond the first jhana due to their involving applied thought (vitaka) which is absent from the higher jhanas.
Absorption in the first three jhanas can be realized by contemplating the first three brahma-viharas. However, these meditations cannot aid in attaining the fourth jhana due to the pleasant feelings associated with them. Conversely, once the fourth jhana is induced, the the fourth brahma-vihara (equanimity) arises.
Due to the simplicity of subject matter, all four jhanas can be induced through mindfulness of breathing and the ten kasinas.
Meditation subjects and temperaments
All of the aforementioned meditation subjects can suppress the Five Hindrances, thus allowing one to fruitfully pursue wisdom. In addition, anyone can productively apply specific meditation subjects as antidotes, such as meditating on foulness to counteract lust or on the breath to abandon discursive thought.
The Pali commentaries further provide guidelines for suggesting meditation subjects based on ones general temperament:
• Greedy: the ten foulness meditations; or, body contemplation.
• Hating: the four brahma-viharas; or, the four color kasinas.
• Deluded: mindfulness of breath.
• Faithful: the first six recollections.
• Intelligent: recollection of death or peace; the perception of disgust of food; or, the analysis of the four elements.
• Speculative: mindfulness of breath.
The six non-color kasinas and the four formless states are suitable for all temperaments.
See also
• Buddhist meditation
• Samatha
• Vipassanā
Notes
1. Buddhaghosa & Nanamoli (1999), p. 90.
2. Gunaratana (1988).
3. Gunaratana (1988).
Bibliography
Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya & Bhikkhu Nanamoli (trans.) (1999), The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga. Seattle: BPS Pariyatti Editions.
Gunaratana, Henepola (1988). The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. . Available on-line at http://www.budsas.org/ebud/jhanas/jhanas0a.htm. http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Buddhist_Publication_Society
External links
In search of a teacher by Dr. Tin Htut http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/tinhtut.htm
Samatha and vipassana by Sayadaw U Uttamasara http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/uttama2a.htm
Reaching Nibbana through insight a guide by Ven. K. Nyanananda http://nibbanam.com/nibbana_guide_en.htm
Additional read:
Buddhism: http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Buddhism
Visuddhimagga: http://www.halfvalue.com/wiki.jsp?topic=Visuddhimagga
Monday, January 14, 2008
Perfection (Parami) By Sayadaw U Thittila
http://mmu-dsg.tripod.com/perfection.htm
A BODHISATTA IS A BUDDHA in the making, and is thus a being practising over an incalculable period of world cycles to attain to the highest level in ethical, intellectual and spiritual achievement. As a Bodhisatta, in each succeeding birth he practises the ten perfections (ten parami), a prerequisite for Buddhahood.
One need not think that the Bodhisatta ideal is reserved only for supermen; what has been accomplished by one could also be accomplished by another, given the necessary effort and enthusiasm. We should endeavour to work disinterestedly for the good of ourselves and others, having for our object in life the noble ideal of service and perfection.
The ten perfections are:
1. Generosity, giving (dana)
2. Morality (sila)
3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
4. Wisdom (panna)
5. Energy (viriya)
6. Patience (khanti)
7. Truthfulness (sacca)
8. Determination (adhitthana)
9. Loving-kindness (metta)
10. Equanimity (upekkha)
1 Dana
Generosity, giving, is the first parami. It confers upon the give the double blessing of inhibiting the immoral thoughts of selfishness on the one hand, and of developing the pure thoughts of selflessness on the other hand.
The object in giving is to eliminate the craving that lies dormant within oneself, apart from which there are the attendant blessings of generosity such as the joy of service, the ensuing happiness and consolation and the alleviation of suffering.
He makes no distinction in extending his love with supreme generosity, at the same time not forgetting to use his judicious discrimination in doing so. If, for instance, a drunkard were to seek his help, but he was convinced that the drunkard would misuse his gift, the Bodhisatta would not hesitate to refuse him, for such generosity would not constitute parami.
If, however, someone should seek his help for a worthy purpose, he would express his deep obligation for the opportunity offered, and willingly and humbly render him every possible aid, free of the smallest trace of any forced air of dignity or without making any false pretexts.
A Bodhisatta is always ready to oblige others, but he will never stoop to beg a favour for himself. In abundance he gives, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, but selfishly he seeks nothing, for he is neither selfish nor self-possessive. He exercises this virtue of dana to such an extent that he is prepared to give away not only his wealth and other cherished possessions, but also his kingdom, his wife and children, even his limbs. He is ever ready to sacrifice this own life wherever such sacrifice will benefit humanity.
2 Sila
The second parami is morality, the purity of his conduct. If he were living the life of recluse, he would try his best to observe the sila that pertains thereto: if, however, he leads the household life he would adhere to the five elementary principles of regulated behavior, even in spite of his interests being at stake.
He would not kill, steal lie or slander, and he would avoid unchastity, harsh speech, frivolous talk and intoxicants. He would endeavour to observe these elementary principles as strictly as possible, for to transgress one of them means creating fresh troubles and obstacles on the road to enlightenment. However, it must not be understood that Bodhisatta is wholly infallible and totally free from evil (see Jataka No. 318) for one who had already attained complete perfection would have reached Buddhahood.
3 Nekkhama
The third parami is renunciation. It implies both renunciation of worldly life and pleasures by adopting the ascetic life, and practising the cultivation of jhana whereby the temporary inhibition of the hindrances towards progress (wish for sense pleasure, ill-will, sloth/torpor, distraction/remorse, doubt) is achieved. Thought he may sit in the lap of luxury, immersed in worldly pleasure, the idea comes to him that household life is like a den f strife, but by comparison the homeless life is like the ever free and open sky. Realizing thus the vanity of worldly life, he voluntarily forsakes his earthly possessions, and wearing the simple ascetic dress he tries to lead the holy life in all its purity. Here he practises morality to such a high degree that he becomes practically selfless in all his actions; neither fame or wealth, honour nor worldly gain being capable of inducing him to do anything contrary to his lofty principles. Sometimes the mere appearance of grey hair (see Jataka No. 9) is sufficient to compel a Bodhisatta to leave his uncongenial atmosphere in order to lead the independent, solitary life of a hermit, but the practice of renunciation is not as rule observed by a Bodhisatta was subject to much humiliation owing to his unrestrained desire to win the love of the beautiful princess, Pabhavati.
4 Panna
The fourth parami is wisdom. It means right understanding of the real nature of the world, seeing things as they are in reality. The Bodhisatta strives to acquire knowledge from every possible source, although never at any time does he show any desire to display his knowledge, nor is he ever ashamed to plead his ignorance. What he knows is always at the disposal of others, and that he imparts to them unreservedly.
5 Viriya
The fifth parami is energy. It does not mean only physical strength as is ordinarily understood, but mental vigour or strength of character, which undoubtedly is far superior to the former and is defined as the relentless effort to work for others both in thought and deed. Firmly established in this virtue, he develops self-reliance and makes it one of this prominent characteristics, viewing failures as steps to success; oppression merely doubling his exertion and danger increasing his courage.
6 Khanti
The sixth parami is patience. Patience here means endurance, the highest form of endurance in the face of suffering which may be inflicted upon oneself by others; and it means the forbearance of others’ wrongs. A Bodhisatta pratises patience to the extent that not even when his hands or feet are out cut off will he become provoked.
7 Sacca
The seventh parami is truthfulness. By sacca is here meant the keeping of one’s promises, and is one of the salient characteristics of Bodhisatta. According to the Haritaca Jataka (No. 431), no Bodhisatta in the course of his life to life wanderings ever spoke an untruth: although he may at times violate the other precepts, he makes truth his guide and holds to it firmly. He considers well before he makes a promise, but once a promise is made he fulfils it at any cost. In the Mahasutasoma Jataka, it is stated that the Bodhisatta eve went to the extent of sacrificing his life in order to fulfill a promise.
He is trustworthy, sincere and honest. He speaks as he acts, and as he acts so he speaks. There is perfect harmony in his thoughts, words and deeds, and he never descends to flattery to win the hearts of others; neither does he exalt himself to win admiration.
8 Adhitthana
The eighth parami is determination. It may be interpreted as resolute determination, for this will-power forces all obstructions out of his path, and no matter what may come to him in the form f grief or disaster he never turns his eyes from his goal. He could be easily persuaded to do good, but not so could he be tempted to do anything contrary to his lofty principles. He will be as soft as flower or as firm as a rock, as occasion demands.
9 Metta
The ninth parami is loving-kindness. In this case loving-kindness is much deeper than goodwill, friendliness or kindness. It is this metta that prompts a Bodhisatta to renounce personal salvation for the sake of others, such as the great regard in which he holds all his fellow beings, irrespective of caste, creed or colour. And since he is the embodiment of universal love he fears none, neither does he instill fear into any; even the wild beasts in lonely jungles are his loving friends, for he ever cherished in his heart a boundless love for all that live.
10 Upekkha
The tenth parami is equanimity. This literally means discerning rightly, viewing justly, or looking impartially, i.e, without attachment or detachment, with out favour or disfavour; and here the term is not used in the sense of indifference or neutral feeling. It is the most difficult and the most essential of all the ten parami, especially for the layman who has to move in an ill-balanced world with fluctuating fortunes, where slights and blame, loss and gain, but under all such vicissitudes of life a Bodhisatta tries to stand unmoved, like a firm rock, exercising perfect equanimity. In times of happiness and in times of adversity, amidst praise and amidst blame, he is evenly balanced.
A BODHISATTA IS A BUDDHA in the making, and is thus a being practising over an incalculable period of world cycles to attain to the highest level in ethical, intellectual and spiritual achievement. As a Bodhisatta, in each succeeding birth he practises the ten perfections (ten parami), a prerequisite for Buddhahood.
One need not think that the Bodhisatta ideal is reserved only for supermen; what has been accomplished by one could also be accomplished by another, given the necessary effort and enthusiasm. We should endeavour to work disinterestedly for the good of ourselves and others, having for our object in life the noble ideal of service and perfection.
The ten perfections are:
1. Generosity, giving (dana)
2. Morality (sila)
3. Renunciation (nekkhamma)
4. Wisdom (panna)
5. Energy (viriya)
6. Patience (khanti)
7. Truthfulness (sacca)
8. Determination (adhitthana)
9. Loving-kindness (metta)
10. Equanimity (upekkha)
1 Dana
Generosity, giving, is the first parami. It confers upon the give the double blessing of inhibiting the immoral thoughts of selfishness on the one hand, and of developing the pure thoughts of selflessness on the other hand.
The object in giving is to eliminate the craving that lies dormant within oneself, apart from which there are the attendant blessings of generosity such as the joy of service, the ensuing happiness and consolation and the alleviation of suffering.
He makes no distinction in extending his love with supreme generosity, at the same time not forgetting to use his judicious discrimination in doing so. If, for instance, a drunkard were to seek his help, but he was convinced that the drunkard would misuse his gift, the Bodhisatta would not hesitate to refuse him, for such generosity would not constitute parami.
If, however, someone should seek his help for a worthy purpose, he would express his deep obligation for the opportunity offered, and willingly and humbly render him every possible aid, free of the smallest trace of any forced air of dignity or without making any false pretexts.
A Bodhisatta is always ready to oblige others, but he will never stoop to beg a favour for himself. In abundance he gives, irrespective of caste, creed or colour, but selfishly he seeks nothing, for he is neither selfish nor self-possessive. He exercises this virtue of dana to such an extent that he is prepared to give away not only his wealth and other cherished possessions, but also his kingdom, his wife and children, even his limbs. He is ever ready to sacrifice this own life wherever such sacrifice will benefit humanity.
2 Sila
The second parami is morality, the purity of his conduct. If he were living the life of recluse, he would try his best to observe the sila that pertains thereto: if, however, he leads the household life he would adhere to the five elementary principles of regulated behavior, even in spite of his interests being at stake.
He would not kill, steal lie or slander, and he would avoid unchastity, harsh speech, frivolous talk and intoxicants. He would endeavour to observe these elementary principles as strictly as possible, for to transgress one of them means creating fresh troubles and obstacles on the road to enlightenment. However, it must not be understood that Bodhisatta is wholly infallible and totally free from evil (see Jataka No. 318) for one who had already attained complete perfection would have reached Buddhahood.
3 Nekkhama
The third parami is renunciation. It implies both renunciation of worldly life and pleasures by adopting the ascetic life, and practising the cultivation of jhana whereby the temporary inhibition of the hindrances towards progress (wish for sense pleasure, ill-will, sloth/torpor, distraction/remorse, doubt) is achieved. Thought he may sit in the lap of luxury, immersed in worldly pleasure, the idea comes to him that household life is like a den f strife, but by comparison the homeless life is like the ever free and open sky. Realizing thus the vanity of worldly life, he voluntarily forsakes his earthly possessions, and wearing the simple ascetic dress he tries to lead the holy life in all its purity. Here he practises morality to such a high degree that he becomes practically selfless in all his actions; neither fame or wealth, honour nor worldly gain being capable of inducing him to do anything contrary to his lofty principles. Sometimes the mere appearance of grey hair (see Jataka No. 9) is sufficient to compel a Bodhisatta to leave his uncongenial atmosphere in order to lead the independent, solitary life of a hermit, but the practice of renunciation is not as rule observed by a Bodhisatta was subject to much humiliation owing to his unrestrained desire to win the love of the beautiful princess, Pabhavati.
4 Panna
The fourth parami is wisdom. It means right understanding of the real nature of the world, seeing things as they are in reality. The Bodhisatta strives to acquire knowledge from every possible source, although never at any time does he show any desire to display his knowledge, nor is he ever ashamed to plead his ignorance. What he knows is always at the disposal of others, and that he imparts to them unreservedly.
5 Viriya
The fifth parami is energy. It does not mean only physical strength as is ordinarily understood, but mental vigour or strength of character, which undoubtedly is far superior to the former and is defined as the relentless effort to work for others both in thought and deed. Firmly established in this virtue, he develops self-reliance and makes it one of this prominent characteristics, viewing failures as steps to success; oppression merely doubling his exertion and danger increasing his courage.
6 Khanti
The sixth parami is patience. Patience here means endurance, the highest form of endurance in the face of suffering which may be inflicted upon oneself by others; and it means the forbearance of others’ wrongs. A Bodhisatta pratises patience to the extent that not even when his hands or feet are out cut off will he become provoked.
7 Sacca
The seventh parami is truthfulness. By sacca is here meant the keeping of one’s promises, and is one of the salient characteristics of Bodhisatta. According to the Haritaca Jataka (No. 431), no Bodhisatta in the course of his life to life wanderings ever spoke an untruth: although he may at times violate the other precepts, he makes truth his guide and holds to it firmly. He considers well before he makes a promise, but once a promise is made he fulfils it at any cost. In the Mahasutasoma Jataka, it is stated that the Bodhisatta eve went to the extent of sacrificing his life in order to fulfill a promise.
He is trustworthy, sincere and honest. He speaks as he acts, and as he acts so he speaks. There is perfect harmony in his thoughts, words and deeds, and he never descends to flattery to win the hearts of others; neither does he exalt himself to win admiration.
8 Adhitthana
The eighth parami is determination. It may be interpreted as resolute determination, for this will-power forces all obstructions out of his path, and no matter what may come to him in the form f grief or disaster he never turns his eyes from his goal. He could be easily persuaded to do good, but not so could he be tempted to do anything contrary to his lofty principles. He will be as soft as flower or as firm as a rock, as occasion demands.
9 Metta
The ninth parami is loving-kindness. In this case loving-kindness is much deeper than goodwill, friendliness or kindness. It is this metta that prompts a Bodhisatta to renounce personal salvation for the sake of others, such as the great regard in which he holds all his fellow beings, irrespective of caste, creed or colour. And since he is the embodiment of universal love he fears none, neither does he instill fear into any; even the wild beasts in lonely jungles are his loving friends, for he ever cherished in his heart a boundless love for all that live.
10 Upekkha
The tenth parami is equanimity. This literally means discerning rightly, viewing justly, or looking impartially, i.e, without attachment or detachment, with out favour or disfavour; and here the term is not used in the sense of indifference or neutral feeling. It is the most difficult and the most essential of all the ten parami, especially for the layman who has to move in an ill-balanced world with fluctuating fortunes, where slights and blame, loss and gain, but under all such vicissitudes of life a Bodhisatta tries to stand unmoved, like a firm rock, exercising perfect equanimity. In times of happiness and in times of adversity, amidst praise and amidst blame, he is evenly balanced.
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