Search results for: virtue

1. The Wings to Awakening II. The Seven Sets
    … Nevertheless, although the seven sets focus most specifically on the practice of concentration, the close interconnections among virtue, concentration, and discernment mean that the sets include the factors of virtue and discernment as well, thus encompassing the entire path of Buddhist practice. A virtuous and moral life is an absolute prerequisite for practicing the sets. This is a point that cannot be overstated, a … 
2. The Wings to Awakening III: The Basic Factors
    … Even if one is not yet committed to following the path, one would be wise to associate with good people who embody conviction, generosity, virtue, and discernment, for they are unlikely to treat one in an unfair or harmful manner. If they truly embody conviction and virtue, one can trust that their sense of shame and compunction will prevent them from acting on unskillful … 
3. The Wings to Awakening H. The Noble Eightfold Path
    … What this means is that not every instance of discernment, virtue, or concentration within the mind would count as a factor of the noble path. To begin with, there are such things as wrong virtue, wrong concentration, and wrong discernment [see, for example, §152]. Secondly, even right virtue, concentration, and discernment count as noble only when brought to a level of advanced development. This … 
4. The Wings to Awakening B. The Four Frames of Reference
    … And what is the basis of skillful mental qualities? Well-purified virtue & views made straight. Then, when your virtue is well-purified and your views made straight, in dependence on virtue, established in virtue, you should develop the four frames of reference…. Then, when in dependence on virtue, relying on virtue, you develop the four frames of reference, you will go beyond the realm … 
5. The Wings to Awakening H. Discernment: Right View
    … Which five? There is the case where right view is assisted by virtue, assisted by learning, assisted by discussion, assisted by tranquility, & assisted by insight (vipassanā). When assisted by these five factors, right view has awareness-release & discernment release as its fruit & reward. AN 5:25 § 186. Kaccāyana: ‘Lord, “Right view, right view,” it is said. To what extent is there right view?’ The … 
6. The Wings to Awakening B. Kamma & the Ending of Kamma
    … to hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in the body [i.e., pleasant feelings can invade the mind and stay there—see MN 36], undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind [i.e., painful feelings can invade the mind and stay there], undeveloped in discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil act done by this sort of … 
7. The Wings to Awakening i. The Four Noble Truths
    … discussing step by step the joy of generosity; the joy of living a virtuous life; the long-term sensory rewards of generosity and virtue in heaven; the drawbacks and impermanence of sensory pleasures and conditioned phenomena in general; and finally the rewards of renunciation. Then, if he sensed that his listeners were ready to look favorably on renunciation as a means to true happiness … 
8. The Wings to Awakening F. Concentration & Discernment
    … If someone, rightly describing a person, were to say, ‘He has attained mastery & perfection in noble virtue… noble concentration… noble discernment… noble release,’ he would be rightly describing Sāriputta…. Sāriputta takes the unexcelled wheel of Dhamma set rolling by the Tathāgata and keeps it rolling rightly. MN 111 § 173. I tell you, the ending of the effluents depends on the first jhāna… the second … 
9. The Wings to Awakening E. The Five Faculties
    … worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the world.’ He is endowed with virtues that are appealing to the noble ones: untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, leading to concentration. AN 10:92 § 72. Analysis. And what, is the faculty of conviction? There is the case where a monk … 
10. The Wings to Awakening C. The Four Right Exertions
     … Now where do skillful habits cease without trace?… There is the case where a monk is virtuous but not fashioned of virtue. He discerns, as it has come to be, the awareness-release & discernment-release where his skillful habits cease without trace. And what sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of skillful habits? There is the case where a monk … 
11. The Wings to Awakening G. The Seven Factors for Awakening
     … Now, what is the food for the arising of unarisen mindfulness as a factor for Awakening, or for the growth & increase of mindfulness… once it has arisen? There are mental qualities that act as a foothold for mindfulness as a factor for Awakening [well-purified virtue & views made straight; see §27]. To foster appropriate attention to them: This is the food for the arising … 
12. The Wings to Awakening Introduction
     … The typical pattern was for the Buddha to begin with the immediate joys of generosity and virtue, followed by the longer-term sensual rewards of these qualities, in line with the principle of kamma; then the ultimate drawbacks of those sensual rewards; and finally the benefits of renunciation. If his listeners could follow his reasoning this far, they would be ready for the more … 
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