नवमीको महत्त्व के हो?

नवमी, जसलाई महा नवमी पनि भनिन्छ, डसैंको नवौं दिन हो र यो पर्वको अन्तिम विशेष दिन हो। महा नवमीलाई धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र सामाजिक दृष्टिले अत्यन्त महत्त्वपूर्ण मानिन्छ। यस दिनका प्रमुख विशेषताहरू र महत्त्व निम्नानुसार छन्:

1. दुर्गा पूजाको चरम बिन्दु: महा नवमी दुर्गा पूजाको अन्तिम दिन हो। यस दिनलाई दुर्गा माताको विजयको पराकाष्ठा मानिन्छ। देवी दुर्गालाई सम्पूर्ण अस्त्र-शस्त्र, सवारी साधन, र हतियारहरूको पूजा गरेर शक्ति र सुरक्षा प्राप्त गर्ने विश्वास गरिन्छ। यस दिन देवी दुर्गाको विशेष पूजा हुन्छ, जसले चाडपर्वको धार्मिक महत्त्वलाई उच्च बनाउँछ।

2. वस्तुहरू र साधनहरूको पूजा: महा नवमीमा जीवनयापनका लागि प्रयोग गरिने सबै साधनहरूको पूजा गरिन्छ। किसानहरू कृषि उपकरणहरूको पूजा गर्छन्, कारिगरहरू आफ्ना औजारहरूको, र चालकहरू गाडी र अन्य सवारी साधनहरूको पूजा गर्छन्। यो परम्परालाई विश्वकर्मा पूजा पनि भनिन्छ, जसले कामकाजमा सफलता, सुरक्षा, र समृद्धिको कामना गरिन्छ।

3. भविष्यमा दुर्घटनाबाट बच्ने कामना: यो दिन विशेष गरी गाडी, बाइक, र अन्य सवारी साधनहरूको पूजा गरिन्छ, जसलाई सुरक्षा र दुर्घटनाबाट बचाउनको लागि महत्त्वपूर्ण मानिन्छ। पूजा गरिएका सवारी साधनहरूले वर्षभरि दुर्घटनाबाट रक्षा गर्ने विश्वास छ।

4. राष्ट्रिय बलिदान समारोह: महा नवमीको दिन नेपालका प्रमुख सरकारी कार्यालयहरू, सैनिक मुख्यालय, र दरबारहरूमा बलिदान दिने परम्परा छ। काठमाडौँको हनुमान ढोका दरबार, राष्ट्रपति निवास, र अन्य दरबारहरूमा महत्त्वपूर्ण बलिदान समारोहहरू आयोजना गरिन्छ, जहाँ भैँसी, बाख्रा, कुखुरा, र अन्य पशुहरूको बलि चढाइन्छ। यसलाई देवी दुर्गाको शक्ति र रक्षा प्राप्त गर्न गरिएको धार्मिक अनुष्ठान मानिन्छ।

5. तलेजु मन्दिर खुल्ने दिन: तलेजु भवानीको मन्दिर काठमाडौँ दरबार स्क्वायरमा रहेको छ, र यो मन्दिर महा नवमीको दिन मात्रै सर्वसाधारणका लागि खोलिन्छ। हजारौं भक्तजनहरू यस दिन तलेजु देवीको दर्शन गर्न मन्दिरमा आउँछन्। यो दिनको विशेष पूजा र अनुष्ठानले मन्दिरलाई विशेष धार्मिक स्थल बनाएको छ।

6. दुष्ट शक्तिमाथि विजयको प्रतीक: धार्मिक रूपमा, महा नवमीले देवी दुर्गाले दुष्ट शक्तिहरूमाथि विजय प्राप्त गरेको दिनलाई जनाउँछ। यो दिनलाई **राक्षसहरूको सफाया** गर्ने दिनको रूपमा पनि लिइन्छ, जसमा मानिन्छ कि पराजित राक्षसहरूले आफूलाई जनावरहरूको शरीरमा लुकाउँछन्, र ती जनावरहरूको बलिदान चढाएर उनीहरूलाई नष्ट गरिन्छ।

यसरी, महा नवमी डसैं पर्वको अत्यन्तै महत्त्वपूर्ण दिन हो, जसमा देवी दुर्गाको पूजा, बलिदान, र शक्ति आराधनाको माध्यमबाट देवीको आशीर्वाद प्राप्त गर्ने विश्वास गरिन्छ। यो दिनले असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजय, दुष्ट शक्तिमाथि सद्गुणको विजय, र समृद्धिको कामनालाई जनाउँछ।

महा अष्टमी के हो?

महा अष्टमी डसैं पर्वको आठौं दिन हो, जुन दुर्गा पूजाको प्रमुख दिनमध्ये एक मानिन्छ। यो दिनलाई विशेष रूपमा देवी दुर्गाको उग्र रूप **काली**को पूजा र आराधनासँग सम्बन्धित गरिएको छ। महा अष्टमीको धार्मिक र सांस्कृतिक महत्त्व निम्नानुसार छ:

1. देवी कालीको पूजा: महा अष्टमीको दिन दुर्गा माताको उग्र रूप कालीको पूजा गरिन्छ। कालीलाई असुर र राक्षसहरूको विनाशक देवीका रूपमा मानिन्छ, जसले संसारबाट नकारात्मक शक्तिहरूलाई समाप्त पार्न शक्तिशाली रूपमा उभिनुभएको थियो। यस दिन कालीको शक्ति र उहाँको विजयलाई सम्मान गर्दै विशेष पूजा आराधना गरिन्छ।

2. बलि दिने परम्परा: महा अष्टमीको दिन नेपालका विभिन्न मन्दिरहरूमा पशुबलि दिने परम्परा छ। भैँसी, बाख्रा, कुखुरा, हाँस आदि पशुपक्षीहरूको बलि चढाएर देवी कालीलाई रक्त अर्पण गरिन्छ। रक्तलाई उर्वरता र शक्तिको प्रतीक मानिन्छ। यद्यपि, केही स्थानहरूमा अब बलिको परम्परालाई प्रतीकात्मक रूपमा फलफूल चढाएर पूरा गर्ने चलन पनि विकसित हुँदै गएको छ।

3. कालरात्री: महा अष्टमीको रातलाई "कालरात्री" भनेर चिनिन्छ, जसले देवी कालीको उग्र स्वरूपको प्रतीकत्व बोकेको छ। यस रातमा विशेष पूजा र जागर गरिन्छ, जहाँ बलि चढाएर देवीको आराधना गरिन्छ। कालरात्रीलाई नकारात्मक शक्तिहरूमाथि विजय प्राप्त गर्न गरिएको देवीको अन्तिम संघर्षको रूपमा मानिन्छ।

4. **खड्ग पूजा**: महा अष्टमीको दिन खड्ग (हतियार) पूजा गर्ने परम्परा पनि छ। यो परम्परा विशेष गरी लडाकु, सैनिक, र हातहतियार प्रयोग गर्ने जातिहरूमा महत्त्वपूर्ण मानिन्छ। खड्ग पूजा गर्दा, हातहतियारलाई देवी दुर्गाको शक्तिको प्रतीक मान्दै पूजा गरिन्छ, जसले साहस, सुरक्षा, र विजयको कामना गर्दछ।

5. सरकारी कार्यालयहरूमा बलि: नेपालमा महा अष्टमीको दिन कतिपय सरकारी कार्यालयहरूमा पनि बलि दिने परम्परा रहिआएको छ। विशेष गरी मालपोत कार्यालयहरू र अन्य महत्वपूर्ण सरकारी कार्यालयहरूमा पशुबलि चढाउने गरिन्छ, जसलाई देवीको आशीर्वाद प्राप्त गर्ने उपायको रूपमा मानिन्छ।

6. प्रसादको रूपमा मासु: बलि दिएको पशुको मासुलाई "प्रसाद" मानिन्छ र परिवारका सदस्यहरूलाई वितरण गरिन्छ। यसलाई पवित्र भोजन मानिँदै ग्रहण गरिन्छ, जसले शुभता र देवीको आशीर्वाद प्राप्त हुने विश्वास गरिन्छ।

यसरी महा अष्टमी डसैंको महत्वपूर्ण दिन हो, जुन देवी दुर्गाको शक्तिशाली रूप कालीको आराधनासँग सम्बन्धित छ। यो दिन विशेष पूजा, बलि, र धार्मिक अनुष्ठानहरूमार्फत देवीको शक्ति र विजयलाई सम्मान गरिन्छ।

फूलपाती के हो?

फूलपाती डसैं पर्वको सातौं दिन (सप्तमी) मनाइने विशेष र महत्वपूर्ण परम्परा हो। "फूलपाती" शब्द दुई शब्दहरू मिलेर बनेको छ— **फूल** (फूल) र **पाती** (पात), जसको शाब्दिक अर्थ फूल र पात हो। धार्मिक र सांस्कृतिक दृष्टिले फूलपातीको मुख्य महत्त्व निम्नानुसार छ:

1. देवी दुर्गालाई पवित्र फूल र पात चढाउने परम्परा**: फूलपातीको दिन विभिन्न पवित्र फूल, पात, जडीबुटी, र जमरा देवी दुर्गालाई चढाउने गरिन्छ। यसले दुर्गा मातालाई सम्मान गर्दै उहाँको शक्ति र आशीर्वाद प्राप्त गर्नका लागि गरिएको धार्मिक अनुष्ठानको रूपमा मानिन्छ। 

2. राजदरबारसँग जोडिएको परम्परा: ऐतिहासिक रूपमा शाह वंशको राजदरबारमा गोरखाबाट विशेष रूपमा फूलपाती काठमाडौँ दरबारमा ल्याइन्थ्यो। गोरखाको शाहवंशी दरबारबाट फूल, पात, जमरा, केरा, र उखुको ठुटाहरू तीन दिनको पैदल यात्राबाट काठमाडौँ ल्याइन्थ्यो। यो राजपरम्परासँग जोडिएको ऐतिहासिक महत्वको कारण फूलपातीको दिन दरबारमा विशेष समारोह आयोजना गरिन्थ्यो। 

3. **राष्ट्रपतिको निवासमा फूलपाती**: २००८ पछि नेपालमा राजतन्त्रको अन्त्य भएपछि, फूलपातीको पवित्र प्रसाद राष्ट्रपतिको निवासमा ल्याइने गरिन्छ। यसले राजपरम्परालाई राष्ट्रपतिको भूमिकासँग जोड्ने परम्परालाई निरन्तरता दिएको छ। 

4. सामाजिक उत्सव: काठमाडौँसहित विभिन्न शहर र गाउँमा फूलपातीको र्याली निकाल्ने परम्परा पनि छ। यस क्रममा मानिसहरूले फूल, पात, फलफूल, र पवित्र वस्तुहरूलाई विशेष रूपमा सजाएर विभिन्न बाजागाजासहित जुलुस निकाल्छन्। यसले डसैंको उत्सवलाई सामूहिक रूपमा मनाउने अवसर प्रदान गर्छ।

5. फूलपातीको धार्मिक महत्त्व: फूलपाती देवी दुर्गालाई स्वागत गर्ने दिन हो। यस दिन देवीको पूजा आराधनासँगै नयाँ फूल, पातहरू अर्पण गरिन्छ। यो परम्पराले शुभता र समृद्धिको प्रतीक मानिन्छ, जसले परिवार र समाजमा सुख, शान्ति, र सम्पन्नता ल्याउने विश्वास गरिन्छ।

यसरी फूलपाती डसैं पर्वको महत्वपूर्ण अङ्ग हो, जसले धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र सामाजिक रूपमा गहिरो महत्त्व राख्दछ।

तिका किन लगाइन्छ?

डसैंको समयमा टिका लगाउने परम्परालाई धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र पारिवारिक रूपमा अत्यन्तै महत्त्वपूर्ण मानिन्छ। टिका लगाउनुको मुख्य कारणहरू निम्नानुसार छन्:

1. आशीर्वाद प्राप्त गर्ने**: विजयादशमीका दिन टिका लगाउनुको प्रमुख उद्देश्य आफन्तहरूबाट आशीर्वाद प्राप्त गर्नु हो। घरका ज्येष्ठ सदस्यहरूले कान्छा सदस्यहरूलाई टिका लगाएर लामो आयु, समृद्धि, सुख, र शान्तिको कामना गर्छन्। यसले पारिवारिक सम्बन्धलाई मजबुत बनाउँछ।

2. सत्यको विजयको प्रतीक**: टिका, विशेष गरी रातो रंगको, दुर्गा माताको विजयको प्रतीक मानिन्छ। यो असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजयलाई जनाउँछ। धार्मिक रूपमा, रातो टिका देवी दुर्गाको शक्तिको प्रतीक हो, जसले शुभता र विजयको कामना गर्दछ।

3. रक्त सम्बन्धको प्रतीक**: टिका रातो रंगको हुन्छ, जुन रक्तसंगको प्रतीक हो। यसले परिवारका सदस्यहरूलाई भावनात्मक रूपमा नजिक ल्याउँछ र पारिवारिक सम्बन्धलाई बलियो बनाउँछ। टिका लगाउँदा, परिवारका सबै सदस्यहरूबीचको एकता र स्नेह झल्किन्छ।

4. जमरा र समृद्धिको संकेत**: टिका लगाउँदा जमरा पनि कानमा राखिन्छ, जुन समृद्धि र शुभताको प्रतीक हो। जमरालाई देवी दुर्गाको प्रसादका रूपमा मानिन्छ, जसले भविष्यमा समृद्धि र खुशीको कामना गरिन्छ।

5. धार्मिक मान्यता**: धार्मिक रूपमा, विजयादशमीका दिन टिका लगाउँदा देवी दुर्गाको आशीर्वाद पाइने विश्वास छ। यसले मानिसलाई सुरक्षित राख्ने, नकारात्मक शक्तिहरूबाट रक्षा गर्ने र नयाँ वर्षमा शुभता ल्याउने विश्वास गरिन्छ।

6. समाजिक र सांस्कृतिक पुनःजागरण**: टिका लगाउने परम्पराले समाजिक एकता र सद्भावना प्रवर्द्धन गर्छ। टिका लगाएर आफन्तजनहरू एकअर्कासँग भेटघाट गर्छन्, आशीर्वाद आदान–प्रदान गर्छन्, र चाडको खुशी सँगै मनाउँछन्।

यसरी, डसैंको टिका लगाउने परम्पराले धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र पारिवारिक महत्त्व राख्छ, जसले मानिसहरूलाई एकताको बन्धनमा बाँध्दै समृद्धिको कामना गरिन्छ।

जमरा किन रोपिन्छ?

डसैंको घटस्थापनाका दिन जमरा रोप्ने परम्परालाई धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र प्रतीकात्मक महत्त्वका कारण अत्यन्तै पवित्र मानिन्छ। जमरा रोप्नुको प्रमुख कारणहरू निम्नानुसार छन्:

1. शुभता र समृद्धिको प्रतीक**: जमरा हरियालीको प्रतीक हो, जसले समृद्धि, प्रचुरता, र शुभताको संकेत गर्दछ। जमरालाई देवी दुर्गालाई चढाइने पवित्र प्रसादका रूपमा हेरिन्छ। यसले परिवारमा सुख, समृद्धि, र शान्ति ल्याउने विश्वास गरिन्छ।

2. नयाँ जीवन र पुनर्जन्मको संकेत**: जमराको अंकुरणले नयाँ जीवनको जन्म र पुनर्जन्मको प्रतीकात्मक अर्थ दिन्छ। यसले नयाँ वर्ष र नयाँ सुरुवातको संकेत गर्छ, जसले मानिसलाई सकारात्मक ऊर्जा र उत्साह प्रदान गर्दछ।

3. देवी दुर्गाको आशीर्वाद**: घटस्थापनामा जमरा रोपेर नवदुर्गाको आराधना गरिन्छ। जमरा देवी दुर्गाको प्रसादका रूपमा विजयादशमीको दिन टिका लगाउने क्रममा परिवारका सदस्यहरूलाई चढाइन्छ। यो प्रसादले देवीको आशीर्वाद प्राप्त हुने र रक्षा गर्ने विश्वास गरिन्छ।

4. असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजय**: धार्मिक कथा अनुसार, देवी दुर्गाले महिषासुरलाई पराजित गरेपछि जमराको प्रसाद चढाइन्छ, जसले असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजयको प्रतीकात्मकता बोकेको छ। हरियो जमरा दुर्गाको विजय र शक्तिको प्रतीक मानिन्छ।

5. प्रकृतिसँगको सम्बन्ध**: जमरा रोप्नु प्रकृति र कृषि परम्परासँग पनि गहिरो रूपमा जोडिएको छ। यो परम्परा कृषिप्रधान समाजमा हरियाली, अन्न उत्पादन, र समृद्धिको कामना गर्नेसँग सम्बन्धित छ।

यसरी जमरा रोप्ने परम्परा धार्मिक रूपमा पवित्र, सांस्कृतिक रूपमा महत्वपूर्ण, र प्रतीकात्मक रूपमा सकारात्मक अर्थ बोकेको छ।

घटस्थापना के महत्व

घटस्थापना डसैं पर्वको पहिलो दिन हो, जसले यस पर्वको औपचारिक सुरुवातको संकेत गर्छ। घटस्थापनाको शाब्दिक अर्थ हो "कलश स्थापना", जहाँ कलशलाई देवी दुर्गाको प्रतीकको रूपमा स्थापित गरिन्छ। यस दिनको महत्व निम्नानुसार छ:

1. देवी दुर्गाको आवाहन**: घटस्थापनामा पवित्र कलशलाई विशेष विधिपूर्वक राखेर देवी दुर्गाको आवाहन गरिन्छ। यो कलशमा पवित्र जल भरेर विभिन्न अनुष्ठान गरिन्छ, जसमा दुर्गा मातालाई घरमा आह्वान गरेर सुरक्षित, शान्तिपूर्ण र समृद्धिको कामना गरिन्छ।

2. जमरा रोप्ने परम्परा**: घटस्थापनामा कलशसँगै रेत वा बालुवामा जौको बीउ (जमरा) रोपिन्छ। यो जमरा देवी दुर्गालाई चढाइन्छ र विजयादशमीका दिनसम्म यसलाई पूजाआजा गरिन्छ। जमराले शुभता, समृद्धि, र हरियालीको प्रतीकको रूपमा महत्त्व राख्छ।

3. पवित्रता र अनुशासन**: घटस्थापना पछि नवदुर्गाको पूजा सुरु हुन्छ र नौ दिनसम्म विशेष रूपमा दुर्गा माताको आराधना गरिन्छ। यस अवधिमा मानिसहरू शुद्धता, अनुशासन, र नियमहरू पालना गर्दै चाडको पवित्रता कायम राख्छन्।

4. अशुभ शक्तिहरूलाई पराजित गर्ने संकेत**: घटस्थापनाले असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजयको प्रतीकको रूपमा महिषासुरमाथि देवी दुर्गाले गरेको विजयको कथा सम्झाउँछ। यस दिनबाट सुरु हुने नौ दिनको पूजा र साधनाले मानिसलाई आत्मिक शुद्धता र शक्ति प्राप्त गर्न मद्दत गर्छ।

यसरी घटस्थापनाले डसैंको धार्मिक, सांस्कृतिक, र आध्यात्मिक महत्त्वको सुरुवात गर्दछ।

दसैं वा बडादशैं

डसैं वा बडादशैं, जसलाई संस्कृतमा विजय दशमी पनि भनिन्छ, नेपालको प्रमुख हिन्दू धार्मिक चाड हो। यो भारतका सिक्किम, पश्चिम बंगाल, आसाम, दक्षिण भारत र श्रीलङ्का राज्यहरूमा पनि मनाइन्छ।[2] यो चाड नेपालका हिन्दूहरूले मात्र नभएर नेपाल बाहिरका हिन्दूहरूले पनि मनाउँछन्,[3] जसमा भूटानका ल्होत्साम्पा[4] र म्यानमारका बर्मेली गोर्खालीहरू पनि पर्छन्। यो पर्वलाई संस्कृत शब्द नवरात्रिबाट उत्पन्न भएको नौरथा भनेर पनि चिनिन्छ, जसको अर्थ नौ रात हो।[5] यद्यपि, नवरात्रि र डसैं एकै पर्व नभए पनि समान रूपमा मनाइन्छ।  

यो विक्रम संवत् र नेपाल संवत् क्यालेन्डरहरूमा सबैभन्दा लामो र शुभ पर्व हो, जुन नेपाली हिन्दूहरू तथा संसारभरका नेपाली प्रवासीहरूले पनि मनाउँछन्। नेपालमा यो देशको सबैभन्दा ठूलो पर्व मानिन्छ र १५ दिनसम्म मनाइन्छ। यो सबैभन्दा प्रतीक्षित चाड हो। मानिसहरू देश तथा विदेशका विभिन्न ठाउँबाट घर फर्किन्छन् ताकि परिवारसँग मिलेर मनाउन सकून्।[3] चाडको अवधिभर सबै सरकारी कार्यालय, शैक्षिक संस्था र अन्य कार्यालयहरू बन्द हुन्छन्। यो पर्व आश्विन महिनाको शुक्ल पक्ष (चन्द्रमाको उज्यालो रात) देखि पूर्णिमासम्म (पूर्णचन्द्रमा) मनाइन्छ। पन्ध्र दिनको अवधिमा पहिलो, सातौं, आठौं, नवौं, दशौं, एघारौं र पन्ध्रौं दिन विशेष रूपमा मनाइन्छ।[6] डसैं नेपालका हिन्दूहरूको मुख्य चाड हो।  

महत्त्व

शक्तिवादका अनुयायीहरूका लागि यो चाडले देवी दुर्गाले दैत्य महिषासुरलाई परास्त गरेको विजयलाई जनाउँछ, जसले देवताहरूलाई आतङ्कित गरी स्वर्गको अधिकार लिएका थिए।[7][8][9] डसैंका पहिलो नौ दिनहरू दुर्गाका विभिन्न रूप र महिषासुरबीच भएको युद्धको प्रतीक हुन्। दशौं दिन दुर्गाले महिषासुरलाई अन्ततः पराजित गर्नुभएको दिन हो। अरू हिन्दूहरूका लागि यो पर्वले रामले रावणलाई पराजित गरेको विजयको प्रतीक हो, जसको वर्णन रामायणमा गरिएको छ। यो सामान्यतया असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजयको प्रतीक हो।  

पहिलो दिन: घटस्थापना  

घटस्थापना डसैंको सुरूवात हो। यस दिन कलश स्थापना गरी जमरा रोप्ने गरिन्छ। कलशलाई पवित्र पानीले भरिन्छ र त्यसमा जौको बीउ रोपिन्छ। कलशलाई रेतको चोकमा राखिन्छ र यसमा अनुष्ठान हुन्छ।  

सातौं दिन: फूलपाती  

फूलपाती डसैंको सातौं दिन मनाइने मुख्य पर्व हो। फूलपातीमा गोरखाबाट काठमाडौँ दरबार स्क्वायरमा फूल, जमरा र पवित्र वस्तुहरूको यात्रा गराइन्छ। परम्परागत रूपमा यो यात्रा तीन दिनको पैदल यात्रा हो, जहाँ सयौं सरकारी अधिकारीहरू सहभागी हुन्छन्। २००८ पछि, फूलपाती राष्ट्रपतिको निवासमा लगिन्छ।  

 आठौं दिन: महाअष्टमी  

महाअष्टमी डसैंको आठौं दिन हो। यस दिन काली देवीलाई पशुबलिदान दिएर पूजा गरिन्छ। रातको समयलाई काल रात्री भनिन्छ र यसमा विशेष पूजा र बलिदान गरिन्छ।  

नवौं दिन: महानवमी  

महानवमी डसैंको नवौं दिन हो। यस दिन राज्यको तर्फबाट बलिदानहरू गरिन्छन्। यस दिन सम्पत्ति, हतियार, सवारी साधन आदिको पूजा गरिन्छ ताकि वर्षभरि सुरक्षाको कामना गर्न सकियोस्।  

दशौं दिन: विजयादशमी  

डसैंको दशौं दिनलाई विजयादशमी भनिन्छ। यस दिन टिका, जमरा र दक्षिणा लगाइन्छ। आफन्तहरूसँग आशीर्वाद लिन जाने प्रचलन छ र यो परम्परा पाँच दिनसम्म चल्छ।  

एघारौं दिन: पापकुंश एकादशी  

विजयादशमीको भोलिपल्ट पापकुंश एकादशी मनाइन्छ। यस दिन व्रत बस्ने र पवित्र स्थानहरूमा जाने प्रचलन छ।

The Practice of Dhutaṅga

**The Practice of Dhutaṅga** refers to a specific form of asceticism that helps monks distance themselves from worldly attachments and desires while progressing on the path of self-purification and meditation. Dhutaṅga practices are considered strict austerities, aimed at promoting self-discipline, meditation, and detachment from worldly possessions. These practices are categorized into four sections based on robes, food, living places, and meditation posture. Monks follow these methods to cultivate a simple, disciplined, and mindful life. Here’s how the dhutaṅga practices are carried out:

### 1. **Dhutaṅga Practices Related to Robes**

#### 1.1 **Paṃsukūla**  

In this practice, monks collect and wear discarded or abandoned robes, such as those found near cemeteries or along roadsides. The robes are washed, sewn, and then used. This practice helps monks detach from material possessions and worldly attachments.

#### 1.2 **Tecīvarika**  

In this practice, monks wear only three robes: an upper robe, a lower robe, and an extra robe. This method teaches simplicity and encourages detachment from unnecessary material goods, promoting a life of minimalism.

### 2. **Dhutaṅga Practices Related to Food**

#### 2.1 **Piṇḍapāta**  

Monks practice Piṇḍapāta by collecting alms in their bowls from villagers or townsfolk, accepting whatever is given to them. They do not choose or ask for specific foods. This practice teaches monks to be content with whatever is offered and to live humbly.

#### 2.2 **Sapadānacārika**  

In this practice, monks go from house to house for alms, without skipping any homes. This ensures that they treat everyone equally, without discrimination, and teaches impartiality.

#### 2.3 **Ekāsanika**  

This practice involves eating only once a day in a single sitting. It instills discipline and restraint in monks, ensuring they consume only what is necessary for the day.

#### 2.4 **Pattapiṇḍika**  

In this practice, monks gather all food in their alms bowl and consume it together, without separating the dishes. This encourages simplicity and contentment with whatever is provided.

#### 2.5 **Khalupacchābhattika**  

Once monks begin their meal, they do not accept any additional food. This practice reduces attachment to food and helps cultivate discipline and contentment with what has already been received.

### 3. **Dhutaṅga Practices Related to Living Places**

#### 3.1 **Āraññika**  

Monks live in the forest, away from villages and cities. This practice allows them to meditate in solitude, far from worldly distractions, and fosters a closer connection with nature.

#### 3.2 **Rukkhamūla**  

In this practice, monks live under a tree. This promotes a simple and natural lifestyle, free from artificial shelter, and brings them closer to nature.

#### 3.3 **Abbhokāsika**  

Monks live in the open air without any shelter. This practice teaches the monks the impermanence of life and discourages dependence on worldly comforts or security.

#### 3.4 **Susānika**  

Monks reside near cemeteries or cremation grounds. This practice reminds them of the inevitability of death, helping them detach from the impermanent nature of life and worldly attachments.

#### 3.5 **Yathāsantatika**  

Monks sleep only in the place allotted to them and are not allowed to change locations. This practice fosters discipline and contentment with their circumstances.

### 4. **Dhutaṅga Practice Related to Posture**

#### 4.1 **Nesajjika**  

In this practice, monks forgo lying down and instead remain seated or standing while meditating or resting. This promotes strict austerity and self-control.

### Conclusion

Dhutaṅga practices represent rigorous discipline and asceticism, helping monks overcome worldly attachments, desires, and cravings while advancing on the path of enlightenment. These 13 dhutaṅga methods encourage monks to live a simple, reflective life, focusing on mindfulness and self-discipline. Through the continuous practice of dhutaṅga, monks develop the qualities necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of Buddhism—liberation from suffering and the attainment of enlightenment.

धुतङ्ग अभ्यास कसरी गरिन्छ?

**धुतङ्ग अभ्यास** एक विशेष प्रकारको तपस्या हो, जसले भिक्षुहरूलाई संसारिक मोह र इच्छाहरूबाट टाढा राख्दै आत्मशुद्धि र ध्यानमार्गमा अघि बढ्न मद्दत गर्छ। धुतङ्ग अभ्यास कठोर तपस्या हो र यसलाई विशेष विधिहरूअनुसार गरिन्छ। यी विधिहरू आत्मअनुशासन, साधना, र संसारिक वस्तुहरूबाट दूरी राख्नका लागि हुन्छन्। धुतङ्ग अभ्यास गर्नका लागि भिक्षुहरूले तल उल्लेखित विधिहरू अपनाउँछन्:

### १. **लुगासँग सम्बन्धित धुतङ्ग अभ्यास**

#### १.१ **पंसुकूल (Paṃsukūla)**  

यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले त्यागिएका वा बर्बाद भएका कपडाहरू संकलन गरेर तिनलाई प्रयोग गर्छन्। यो लुगासँग सम्बन्धित अभ्यास हो, जसमा भिक्षुहरूले चिहान, सडक, वा फालिएका कपडाहरू संकलन गर्छन्। तिनलाई धोइ र सिलाइ गरेर प्रयोगमा ल्याइन्छ। यसले संसारिक वस्त्रहरूको लोभबाट मुक्त हुन मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ।

#### १.२ **तेचिवरिक (Tecīvarika)**  

तेचिवरिक अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले तीनवटा मात्र लुगा (माथिल्लो, तल्लो, र अतिरिक्त) प्रयोग गर्नुपर्छ। यसले भिक्षुहरूलाई अनावश्यक भौतिक वस्त्रहरूको मोहबाट टाढा राख्छ र सादा जीवन बिताउन प्रेरित गर्छ।

### २. **भोजनसँग सम्बन्धित धुतङ्ग अभ्यास**

#### २.१ **पिण्डपात (Piṇḍapāta)**  

यो विधिमा भिक्षुहरूले आफ्नो भिक्षापात्र प्रयोग गरेर गाउँ वा नगरका घर-घरबाट भिक्षा मागेर खाना संकलन गर्छन्। उनीहरूलाई के प्राप्त हुन्छ, त्यसैलाई ग्रहण गर्नु पर्छ। यो अभ्यासले उनीहरूलाई भोजनमा लोभ नगर्न र कुनै विशेष इच्छा नराखी सादा जीवन बिताउन सिकाउँछ।

#### २.२ **सपदानचारिक (Sapadānacārika)**  

यस विधिमा भिक्षुहरूले प्रत्येक घरमा गएर भिक्षा माग्नुपर्छ, कुनै घर छोड्न पाइँदैन। यो अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई समभाव सिकाउँछ, र कुनै पनि परिवार वा व्यक्तिलाई भेदभाव नगरी समान व्यवहार गर्न प्रेरित गर्छ।

#### २.३ **एकासानिक (Ekāsanika)**  

एकासानिक अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले दिनमा एक पटक मात्र खाना खान्छन्। यसले भोजनमा अनुशासन र संयमको विकास गराउँछ, र शरीरलाई आवश्यक मात्रामा मात्र भोजन ग्रहण गर्न सन्तोषित बनाउँछ।

#### २.४ **पट्टपिण्डिक (Pattapiṇḍika)**  

यस अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले सम्पूर्ण भोजन भिक्षापात्रमा राखेर ग्रहण गर्छन्। यसले भोजनमा विविधताको इच्छा नगर्न र सादा भोजनलाई स्वीकार गर्न प्रेरित गर्छ।

#### २.५ **खलुपच्छाभत्तिक (Khalupacchābhattika)**  

यो अभ्यासमा भोजन सुरु गरेपछि थप भोजन लिन पाइँदैन। यसले भिक्षुहरूलाई भोजन प्रति मोह घटाउन र साधारण जीवनमा सन्तोष खोज्न मद्दत गर्छ।

### ३. **बसोबाससँग सम्बन्धित धुतङ्ग अभ्यास**

#### ३.१ **आरण्यिक (Āraññika)**  

भिक्षुहरूले जंगलमा बस्ने अभ्यास गर्छन्। जंगलमा बस्दा उनीहरूलाई संसारिक भीडभाडबाट टाढा रही शान्त र एकान्तमा ध्यान गर्न मद्दत पुग्छ। यो अभ्यासले प्रकृतिसँग निकटता बढाउँछ र ध्यानमा सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ।

#### ३.२ **रूखमूल (Rukkhamūla)**  

यस अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले रूखमुनि बस्नुपर्छ। यसले उनीहरूलाई प्राकृतिक स्थानमा ध्यान गर्न र साधना गर्न प्रेरित गर्छ, जहाँ कुनै कृत्रिम आश्रयको आवश्यकता हुँदैन।

#### ३.३ **अभ्भोकासिक (Abbhokāsika)**  

भिक्षुहरूले खुल्ला आकाशमुनि, बिना आश्रय बस्नुपर्छ। यो अभ्यासले जीवनको अस्थायित्व र निस्वार्थतालाई बुझाउँछ र भिक्षुहरूलाई संसारिक सुरक्षा र आश्रयमा निर्भर नहुन सिकाउँछ।

#### ३.४ **सुसानिक (Susānika)**  

यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले चिहान वा चिहानको नजिक बस्नुपर्छ। यसले जीवन र मृत्युको वास्तविकता बुझ्न मद्दत गर्छ र संसारिक जीवनको अस्थिरतामा ध्यानाकर्षण गराउँछ।

#### ३.५ **यथासन्ततिक (Yathāsantatika)**  

भिक्षुहरूले जहाँ सुत्नका लागि ठहरिएको छ, त्यहीँ सुत्नुपर्छ। स्थान परिवर्तन गर्नु हुँदैन। यसले सन्तुष्टि र अनुशासनको भावना विकास गराउँछ।

### ४. **मुद्रासँग सम्बन्धित धुतङ्ग अभ्यास**

#### ४.१ **नेसज्जिक (Nesajjika)**  

यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले सुत्ने मुद्रा त्याग्छन् र सधैं बस्ने वा उभिने मुद्रामै ध्यान र विश्राम गर्छन्। यसले कठोर तपस्या र आत्मनियन्त्रणको अभ्यास गराउँछ।

### निष्कर्ष

धुतङ्ग अभ्यास भिक्षुहरूको कठोर तपस्या र आत्मसंयमको अभ्यास हो, जसले संसारिक मोह, लोभ, र तृष्णालाई कम गर्दै ध्यान र आत्मज्ञानको मार्गमा सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ। यी १३ धुतङ्ग विधिहरूले भिक्षुहरूलाई साधारण जीवन बिताउन, आत्मनिरीक्षण गर्न, र जागरूकता विकास गर्न प्रेरित गर्छन्। धुतङ्ग अभ्यास गरिरहँदा, भिक्षुहरूले बौद्ध धर्मको मूल उद्देश्य - दुःखबाट मुक्ति र आत्मज्ञान प्राप्त गर्न सहयोग पाउँछन्।

धुतङ्गको लाभ के हो?

धुतङ्ग अभ्यासका धेरै लाभहरू छन्, जुन भिक्षुहरूलाई आत्मसंयम, अनुशासन, र मानसिक शुद्धता हासिल गर्न मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछन्। यी अभ्यासहरूले शारीरिक र मानसिक विकासका साथै आत्मज्ञानको मार्गलाई सशक्त बनाउँछन्। यहाँ धुतङ्गका प्रमुख लाभहरू प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ:

1. **संसारिक मोहबाट मुक्ति**:  

   धुतङ्ग अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई संसारिक वस्तुहरू, सम्पत्ति, र भौतिक सुख-सुविधाबाट टाढा राख्छ। यसले मोह, लोभ, र इच्छाहरूलाई नियन्त्रण गर्न मद्दत गर्छ, जसले शान्त र सन्तोषजनक जीवनको मार्ग देखाउँछ।

2. **आत्मसंयमको विकास**:  

   धुतङ्ग विधिहरूले भिक्षुहरूको जीवनमा अनुशासन र आत्मसंयमको विकास गराउँछ। उदाहरणका लागि, एकासानिक (एक पटक मात्र भोजन ग्रहण) र खलुपच्छाभत्तिक (अतिरिक्त भोजन ग्रहण नगर्ने) अभ्यासले खानेकुरामा संयम राख्न सिकाउँछ। यसले जीवनका अन्य क्षेत्रहरूमा पनि संयम र अनुशासनलाई प्रोत्साहित गर्छ।

3. **ध्यान र मानसिक शुद्धता**:  

   धुतङ्ग अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई शान्त वातावरणमा ध्यान गर्न र मानसिक शुद्धता हासिल गर्न मद्दत गर्छ। उदाहरणका लागि, आरण्यिक (जंगलमा बस्ने) र रूखमूल (रूखमुनि बस्ने) अभ्यासले एकान्त र शान्त वातावरण प्रदान गर्छ, जहाँ ध्यान गर्न सजिलो हुन्छ। यसले मानसिक स्पष्टता र समर्पणलाई बढाउँछ।

4. **कठोर तपस्या र साधना**:  

   धुतङ्ग अभ्यास कठोर तपस्या र आत्मानुशासनको प्रतीक हो। नेसज्जिक (सुत्ने मुद्रा त्यागेर बस्ने वा उभिने) जस्ता अभ्यासहरूले शारीरिक र मानसिक सहनशीलता बढाउँछन्। यसले साधनाको मार्गलाई दृढ बनाउँछ र तपस्वी जीवनलाई सशक्त बनाउँछ।

5. **आत्मनिरीक्षण र जागरूकता**:  

   धुतङ्गले भिक्षुहरूलाई आफ्नै शरीर, मन, र भावनाहरूको निरीक्षण गर्न प्रेरित गर्छ। सुसानिक (चिहानमा बस्ने) जस्ता अभ्यासले जीवनको अस्थायित्व र मृत्युको वास्तविकता सम्झाउँछ, जसले जीवनमा जागरूकता र गहिरो आत्मनिरीक्षणको भावना विकास गराउँछ।

6. **साधारण जीवनको महत्त्व**:  

   धुतङ्ग अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई साधारण जीवनको महत्व बुझाउँछ। पंसुकूल (त्यागिएका लुगाहरू लगाउने) र तेचिवरिक (तीन वटा मात्र लुगा प्रयोग गर्ने) जस्ता अभ्यासहरूले अत्यन्तै साधारण र आधारभूत आवश्यकतामा जीवित रहन सिकाउँछ। यसले सादा जीवनमा सन्तुष्टि प्राप्त गर्ने शिक्षा दिन्छ।

7. **लोभ र तृष्णाबाट मुक्ति**:  

   भोजन र लुगाको सन्दर्भमा धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरूले लोभ र तृष्णालाई घटाउँछ। पिण्डपात (भिक्षा मागेर भोजन संकलन) र पट्टपिण्डिक (सबै भोजन भिक्षापात्रमा राखेर ग्रहण गर्ने) अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई जे प्राप्त हुन्छ, त्यसैमा सन्तुष्टि गर्न सिकाउँछ, जसले लोभ र तृष्णाबाट मुक्ति दिलाउँछ।

8. **निर्मलता र सरलता**:  

   धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरूले साधना र सरल जीवन बिताउन प्रेरित गर्छ। भिक्षुहरू खुल्ला आकाशमा, रूखमुनि, वा जंगलमा बस्दा साधारण र निर्मल जीवन बिताउन प्रेरित हुन्छन्। यसले उनीहरूको मनलाई शुद्ध राख्छ र संसारिक मोहबाट टाढा राख्छ।

### निष्कर्ष:

धुतङ्ग अभ्यास बौद्ध धर्ममा आत्मसंयम, तपस्या, र साधना मार्गको महत्वपूर्ण अंश हो। यी विधिहरूले जीवनमा साधारणपन, अनुशासन, र मानसिक शुद्धता ल्याउँछन्। धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरूले भिक्षुहरूलाई संसारिक मोह र तृष्णाबाट मुक्त गर्दै आत्मज्ञानको मार्गमा अघि बढ्न मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछन्।

धुतङ्ग (धौतकर्म) अभ्यासको १३ विधिहरू

**धुतङ्ग (धौतकर्म) अभ्यासको १३ विधिहरू** बौद्ध धर्ममा तपस्वी अभ्यासका महत्वपूर्ण विधिहरू हुन्। यी विधिहरू भिक्षुहरूले आत्मसंयम, साधना, र संसारिक वस्तुहरूबाट दूर रहन अभ्यास गर्नका लागि उपयोग गरिन्छन्। धुतङ्गलाई विशेषगरी कठोर तपस्या अभ्यासको रुपमा लिइन्छ, जसमा भिक्षुहरूले आफ्नो शरीर र इच्छाहरूलाई अनुशासनमा राख्ने प्रयास गर्छन्। यी १३ धुतङ्ग अभ्यासलाई लुगा, भोजन, बसोबासको स्थान, र ध्यानको मुद्राको आधारमा चार भागमा विभाजित गरिएको छ। 

### लुगाका लागि धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरू

धुतङ्ग अभ्यासमा लुगासँग सम्बन्धित दुई विशेष विधिहरू छन्। यी विधिहरूले भिक्षुहरूलाई संसारिक सामग्रीहरूमा निर्भर रहनबाट बच्न र साधारण जीवन बिताउन प्रेरित गर्छ।

1. **पंसुकूल (Paṃsukūla)**:  

   यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले त्यागिएका, फालिएका वा बर्बाद भएका कपडाहरू (जस्तै चिहानबाट फेला पारिएका वा सडकबाट फेला परेका कपडा)लाई संकलन गरेर तिनलाई प्रयोग गर्छन्। यसले संसारिक मोहलाई हटाउन मद्दत गर्छ र साधारण जीवन बिताउने प्रवृत्ति विकास गर्छ। 

2. **तेचिवरिक (Tecīvarika)**:  

   यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरू तीन वटा मात्र वस्त्र प्रयोग गर्छन्: एउटा माथिल्लो वस्त्र, एउटा तल्लो वस्त्र, र एउटा अतिरिक्त वस्त्र। यसले भिक्षुहरूलाई अत्यन्तै साधारण जीवन बिताउन प्रेरित गर्छ र अनावश्यक भौतिक सामग्रीहरूको मोहलाई त्याग्न मद्दत गर्छ।

### भोजनका लागि धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरू

भिक्षुहरूले भोजन ग्रहण गर्ने पाँच विशेष विधिहरू छन्। यी विधिहरूले भिक्षुहरूलाई भोजनमा अनुशासन र संयम राख्न मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछन्।

3. **पिण्डपात (Piṇḍapāta)**:  

   यो विधिमा भिक्षुहरूले आफ्नो भिक्षापात्र प्रयोग गरेर गाउँ वा नगरबाट भोजन संकलन गर्छन्। उनीहरूले घर-घर गएर भिक्षा माग्छन् र जे प्राप्त हुन्छ, त्यसैलाई ग्रहण गर्छन्। यो अभ्यासले उनीहरूलाई भोजनको लागि कसैमा आश्रित हुनुको महत्व बुझाउँछ र अहंकारलाई कम गर्छ।

4. **सपदानचारिक (Sapadānacārika)**:  

   यो विधिमा भिक्षुहरूले घरहरू छोडेर जानुहुन्न, घर-घर जाँदा कुनै घर पनि नछोडीकन भिक्षा माग्नुपर्छ। यसले भिक्षुहरूलाई समताको भावना प्रदान गर्छ र विभेद नगर्ने शिक्षा दिन्छ।

5. **एकासानिक (Ekāsanika)**:  

   यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले दिनभरमा एक पटकमात्रै भोजन ग्रहण गर्छन्, त्यो पनि एकै सिटमा बसेर। यसले भोजनमा अनुशासन र आत्मसंयमको विकास गराउँछ।

6. **पट्टपिण्डिक (Pattapiṇḍika)**:  

   भिक्षुहरूले सबै खाना आफ्नै भिक्षापात्रमा संकलन गरेर, छुट्टाछुट्टै परिकारको आशा नगरी, जुनसुकै परिकार एकै साथ ग्रहण गर्छन्। यसले उनीहरूलाई भोजनको महत्त्वलाई बोध गराउँछ र सादा जीवनलाई प्रोत्साहन गर्छ।

7. **खलुपच्छाभत्तिक (Khalupacchābhattika)**:  

   भोजन सुरु गरेपछि, पुन: कुनै अतिरिक्त भोजन लिनु हुँदैन। यो विधिले भिक्षुहरूलाई खाना प्रति मोह र लोभ हटाउन मद्दत गर्छ।

### बसोबासको स्थानका लागि धुतङ्ग अभ्यासहरू

भिक्षुहरूले बसोबास गर्ने स्थानको आधारमा पाँच विधिहरू छन्। यी विधिहरूले भिक्षुहरूलाई प्राकृतिक जीवन बिताउन र संसारिक सुखसुविधाहरूबाट टाढा रहन मद्दत गर्छ।

8. **आरण्यिक (Āraññika)**:  

   भिक्षुहरूले जंगलमा बस्नुपर्छ। यो अभ्यासले उनीहरूलाई शान्ति र एकान्तमा ध्यान गर्न प्रोत्साहन गर्छ।

9. **रूखमूल (Rukkhamūla)**:  

   भिक्षुहरूले रूखमुनि बस्नुपर्छ। यसले उनीहरूलाई प्रकृतिसँग नजिक राख्छ र अनावश्यक आश्रय वा सम्पत्तिको मोहबाट टाढा राख्छ।

10. **अभ्भोकासिक (Abbhokāsika)**:  

   भिक्षुहरूले खुल्ला स्थानमा, कुनै आश्रय बिना बस्नुपर्छ। यो विधिले जीवनको अनिश्चितता र अस्थायित्वलाई बोध गराउँछ।

11. **सुसानिक (Susānika)**:  

   भिक्षुहरूले चिहानमा वा चिहानको नजिक बस्नुपर्छ। यो अभ्यासले मृत्यु र जीवनको नश्वरतालाई बोध गराउँछ, जसले संसारिक मोहलाई कम गर्छ।

12. **यथासन्ततिक (Yathāsantatika)**:  

   जहाँ सुत्नको लागि ठहरिएको छ, त्यहीँ सुत्नुपर्छ, अन्यत्र सर्ने वा स्थान परिवर्तन गर्न नपाइने विधि हो। यसले अनुशासन र सन्तुष्टि प्रदान गर्छ।

### मुद्राका लागि धुतङ्ग अभ्यास

13. **नेसज्जिक (Nesajjika)**:  

   यो अभ्यासमा भिक्षुहरूले सुत्ने मुद्रा त्यागेर, सधैँ बस्ने वा उभिने मुद्रामै ध्यान र विश्राम गर्छन्। यसले उनीहरूको कठोर तपस्या र जागरूकता विकास गराउँछ।

### निष्कर्ष

धुतङ्ग अभ्यासले भिक्षुहरूलाई कठोर तपस्या, आत्मसंयम, र संसारिक मोहबाट टाढा राखेर बौद्धमार्गमा अघि बढ्न मद्दत गर्छ। यी १३ धुतङ्ग विधिहरूले जीवनमा साधना र सादगीको महत्वलाई उजागर गर्छन्, जसले आत्मज्ञानको मार्गमा मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ।

විපස්සනා භාවනාවේ වැදගත්කම

විපස්සනා භාවනා යනු බෞද්ධ ධර්මයේ ගැඹුරු සහ ප්‍රබල භාවනා ක්‍රමයකි. එය අභ්‍යන්තර සංශෝධනයේ මාර්ගයක් වන අතර, මනෝසමාධි, පාලනය, සහ අවබෝධය ලබා දීම සඳහා උපකාරී වේ. විපස්සනා භාවනාවේ පදනම ගෞතම බුද්ධ රහතන් වහන්සේගේ ඉගැන්වීම්වලට සම්බන්ධ වේ. "විපස්සනා" යන පදය සංකේතවත් කරන්නේ "විශේෂයෙන් නිරීක්ෂණය කිරීම" යන්නයි, එනම් සෑම දේකටම නිවැරදිව බැලීම සහ ඒවායේ යථාර්ථය දැන ගැනීමයි.

විපස්සනා භාවනා මගින්, පුද්ගලයෙකු තම අභ්‍යන්තරයේ විවිධ හැඟීම්, කල්පනා, සහ ශාරීරික හැගීම් පරික්ෂා කිරීමට සහ අවබෝධය ලබා ගැනීමට හැකිවෙයි. එයින් ඔවුන්ගේ ශරීරය සහ සිත අධ්‍යයනය කරමින් තමන් තුළ ඇති ලෝභ, මෝහ සහ අයුක්තිසහගත හැඟීම් අත්හැරීමට හැකි වේ. බුදු දහම තුළ, මෙම ක්‍රමය නිවන (මෝක්ෂය) ලබා ගැනීමට මාර්ගයක් ලෙස සැලකේ.

### විපස්සනා භාවනාවේ වැදගත්කම

විපස්සනා භාවනාවේ ප්‍රධාන අරමුණ වන්නේ සත්යය සහ යථාර්ථය පිළිබඳ අවබෝධය ලබා ගැනීමයි. සාර්ථක විපස්සනා භාවනාමඟින්, පුද්ගලයාට, අත්‍යාවශ්‍ය වූ සත්‍ය චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යය මෙනෙහි කරමින්, ජීවිතයේ දුක ද, දුකෙන් මිදීමට හැකි මාර්ගය ද සොයා ගත හැකිය. 

විපස්සනා භාවනා මගින් පුද්ගලයාට අවංකව තම කල්පනාවන් හා හැඟීම් අත්විඳීමේ හැකියාව ලැබේ. එය ක්ෂණික අවධානයකින් යුතුව ජීවිතයේ හැඟීම් අධ්‍යයනය කරන්නට උපකාරී වන අතර, ලෝභ, මෝහ සහ තෘෂ්ණාවන් පාලනය කර ගැනීමට මාර්ගය සපයයි.

### විපස්සනා භාවනාව කෙරෙහි වැඩපිළිවෙල

විපස්සනා භාවනාව පටන් ගැනීමේදී පළමුව, පුද්ගලයා සිය සන්සුන් වශයෙන් ගමන් කරන සිරුරේ සහ සිතේ හැඟීම් සහ නියෝජනය කරන විවිධ ක්‍රියාවලීන් පරික්ෂා කර ගත යුතුය. විපස්සනා භාවනාව පටන් ගැනීමේදී බොහෝ අවස්ථාවලදී හෝස්මය සහා හුස්ම ගැනීම (ආනපාන භාවනා) මූලික අංශයක් ලෙස කෙරේ.

1. **හුස්ම පරීක්ෂා කිරීම (ආනපාන):** මුලින්ම, භාවනාව හුස්ම ගැනීමට යොමු කරයි. හුස්ම අඳින්නේ කෙසේද යන්න, එහි ගතිය සහ දිගුකාලීන අවධිවලදී පිරික්සා ගැනීමට ඉගෙනීමයි.

2. **ශාරීරික සහ මනෝ අවබෝධය:** හුස්ම ගැනීමේ විචාරණය සමග පුද්ගලයා තමන්ගේ ශාරීරික හැඟීම් වලට අවධානය යොමු කරයි. මේ කේන්දර පරික්ශාවන් ඔස්සේ, පුද්ගලයාට තම සිතේ ඇති අයුක්තිසහගත තෘෂ්ණා සහ ක්ෂණික සංවේදනා විවේචනය කිරීමට හැකියාව ලැබේ.

3. **සන්සුන්කම සහ සාමය:** විපස්සනා භාවනාව මඟින්, පුද්ගලයාට සියලුම හැඟීම් හා කල්පනාවන් සාමයෙන් නිරීක්ෂණය කිරීමට හැකියාව ලැබේ. ඒ අනුව, ඔහු හෝ ඇය සියලු සංවේදනා වලින් තොරව සන්සුන් වූ ක්ෂේමතාවක් ලබා ගනී.

### විපස්සනා භාවනාවේ ප්‍රතිලාභ

1. **මානසික සාමය සහ යථාර්ථය අත්විඳීම:** විපස්සනා භාවනාව මගින් පුද්ගලයාට, මනෝසමතාවය හා යථාර්ථය හඳුනාගැනීමට සහ ඉහළ මනෝසංවේදන සංවේදන රැක ගැනීමට හැකි වේ.

2. **ස්වයං පාලනය:** විපස්සනා භාවනාව පුද්ගලයාට සිත පාලනය කර ගැනීමට සහ ඉතා කෙටි කාලයකින් යථාර්ථය සමඟ එකඟවීමට උපකාරී වේ.

3. **දෛනික ජීවිතයේ ප්‍රයෝජන:** විපස්සනා භාවනාව පුද්ගලයාට දෛනික ජීවිතයේ නෙරඹන හැඟීම් සහ කාර්යාලයන් අතර යන ආකල්පයන් තුළ සාමය රැකීමට උපකාරී වේ.

### අවසානය

විපස්සනා භාවනාව බෞද්ධ ධර්මයේ මූලික සහ ගැඹුරු භාවනා ක්‍රමයකි, එය පුද්ගලයාට අභ්‍යන්තරය තුළ සාමය සහ නිවන ලබා ගන්නා මාර්ගයක් ලෙස සැලකේ.

विपश्यना ध्यानको महत्व

ध्यान (विपश्यना) बौद्ध धर्मको एक अत्यन्त महत्वपूर्ण र गहन साधना विधि हो, जसले मानिसलाई आत्मज्ञान प्राप्त गर्न र मानसिक शान्ति तथा मोक्षको मार्गमा अघि बढ्न सहयोग गर्दछ। विपश्यना ध्यानको उद्गम बुद्धको शिक्षामा आधारित छ, र यो ध्यानको विधि बौद्ध भिक्षुहरू र साधकहरूबीच अत्यधिक लोकप्रिय छ। विपश्यना शब्दको अर्थ "विशेष ढंगले हेर्नु" हो, अर्थात् वस्तुको वास्तविक स्वरूपलाई गहिराइबाट अवलोकन गर्नु।

विपश्यना ध्यानले व्यक्तिलाई आन्तरिक संसारमा डुब्न र आफूभित्रका विचार, भावना, र शारीरिक अनुभूतिहरूलाई नजिकबाट निरिक्षण गर्न सक्षम बनाउँछ। यसले शरीर र मनको वास्तविक प्रकृतिलाई पहिचान गर्न र आफूभित्रको तृष्णा, मोह, र विकारहरूबाट मुक्त हुन मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ। बौद्ध धर्ममा यो ध्यान विधिलाई अत्यन्त गम्भीरता र अनुशासनका साथ अभ्यास गरिन्छ, किनकि यसले आत्मज्ञानको मार्गमा महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका खेल्छ।

### विपश्यना ध्यानको महत्व

विपश्यना ध्यानको मूल उद्देश्य मानिसलाई चार आर्य सत्यको बोध गराउनु हो। बुद्धले जीवनमा दुःखको कारण र दुःखबाट मुक्त हुन सकिने मार्गको ज्ञान प्राप्त गर्न ध्यानलाई प्रमुख साधनका रूपमा प्रस्तुत गर्नुभएको थियो। विपश्यना ध्यानले मानिसलाई जीवनका अस्थायी वस्तुहरू, तृष्णा, र मोहबाट मुक्त गरेर निर्वाणको मार्ग देखाउँछ। 

विपश्यना ध्यानको महत्व के हो भने यो साधारण ध्यान मात्र होइन, यो आत्म-निरीक्षणको गहिरो अभ्यास हो। यो साधनाले शरीर र मनको सम्बन्धलाई स्पष्ट रूपमा बुझ्न मद्दत गर्छ। जब मानिसले आफ्नो शारीरिक र मानसिक अवस्थालाई गहिराइमा गएर अवलोकन गर्छ, तब उसले आफ्नो जीवनका विभिन्न पक्षहरूमा परिवर्तन देख्न थाल्छ। यो अभ्यासले मानिसको जीवनमा शान्ति, धैर्यता, र सन्तुलन ल्याउँछ, र जीवनका विकारहरूलाई हटाउन मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ।

### विपश्यना ध्यानको अभ्यास

विपश्यना ध्यान अभ्यासको क्रममा साधकले आफ्नो शरीर र मनलाई शान्त र एकाग्र बनाउने प्रयास गर्छ। यसका लागि धेरै विधिहरू अपनाइन्छ, तर सामान्यतया यो ध्यानले दुई मुख्य पक्षहरूमा ध्यान केन्द्रित गर्छ: शारीरिक अनुभूति र मानसिक अवस्था।

१. **शारीरिक अनुभूति (अनापान):** ध्यानको पहिलो चरणमा साधकले आफ्नो श्वासप्रस्वासलाई नियाल्छ। श्वासको आवागमनलाई पूर्ण रूपले अवलोकन गर्दै साधक आफ्नो मनलाई श्वासप्रस्वासमा केन्द्रित गर्छ। यसले मनलाई वर्तमान क्षणमा ल्याउन मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ, जसले गर्दा अरू कुनै विचार वा भावना उत्पन्न हुँदा त्यसलाई सजगताका साथ अवलोकन गर्न सकिन्छ।

२. **मानसिक अवस्था (विपश्यना):** जब साधकले आफ्नो श्वासप्रस्वासलाई पूर्ण रूपमा नियालेर मनलाई एकाग्र बनाउँछ, तब उसले आफ्नो मनका विभिन्न अवस्थाहरूलाई अवलोकन गर्न थाल्छ। मनमा उत्पन्न हुने विचार, भावना, र अनुभवहरूलाई बिना कुनै प्रतिक्रियाको गहिरो रूपमा नियालेर तिनको वास्तविक स्वरूप बुझ्ने प्रयास गरिन्छ। 

विपश्यना ध्यानको अवधारणामा, हरेक चीज क्षणिक छ, अस्थायी छ। भावना, विचार, शरीरको अवस्था—यी सबैले परिवर्तन गर्छन्। जब साधकले यस वास्तविकतालाई गहिराइमा अनुभव गर्छ, तब उसले जीवनमा असक्ति र तृष्णाबाट मुक्त हुने अनुभव गर्न थाल्छ। 

### विपश्यना ध्यानको प्रक्रिया

विपश्यना ध्यानलाई अनुशासन र नियमका साथ अभ्यास गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ। यो साधना घरमै गर्न सकिन्छ, तर प्रायः यसलाई ध्यान शिविरहरूमा विशेष वातावरणमा सिकाइन्छ। शिविरमा प्रशिक्षकहरूद्वारा यसको विधि सिकाइन्छ, जसमा साधकलाई दिनभर ध्यानको अभ्यास गराइन्छ। 

विपश्यना शिविरमा सामान्यतया १० दिनको समयावधि हुन्छ। यस अवधिमा साधकले पूर्ण मौनता (आवश्यकताभन्दा बाहेक बोल्नु हुँदैन) अपनाएर ध्यानको अभ्यास गर्छन्। यो समयमा ध्यान गरिरहेको साधकले बाह्य संसारबाट आफूलाई पूर्ण रूपमा अलग राख्छन्, जसले गर्दा उनीहरूको सम्पूर्ण ध्यान आत्म-निरीक्षण र विपश्यना ध्यानमा केन्द्रित हुन्छ। 

ध्यान शिविरमा निम्न चरणहरूमा ध्यान गराइन्छः

१. **श्वासको अवलोकन (अनापानसति):** पहिलो चरणमा साधकले आफ्नो श्वासप्रस्वासलाई गहिरो ध्यानका साथ नियाल्छ। श्वासको आवागमनलाई अनुभव गर्दै, यसको गति, गहिराइ, र प्रभावलाई अवलोकन गर्छ। यसले मनलाई स्थिर र शान्त बनाउन मद्दत गर्छ।

२. **शारीरिक संवेदनाहरूको अवलोकन:** श्वासप्रस्वासमा एकाग्रता ल्याइसकेपछि, साधकले शरीरका विभिन्न अंगहरूमा उत्पन्न हुने संवेदनाहरूलाई नियाल्न थाल्छ। यसमा शारीरिक दुखाइ, चिसोपन, तातोपन, वा कुनै अन्य संवेदनालाई बिना कुनै प्रतिक्रिया गहिराइमा अनुभव गर्न सिकाइन्छ। 

३. **विचार र भावनाहरूको अवलोकन:** यसपछि साधक आफ्नो मनमा उत्पन्न हुने विचार र भावनाहरूलाई अवलोकन गर्न थाल्छ। मनमा आउने खुशी, दु:ख, रिस, घृणा, वा मोह जस्ता भावनाहरूलाई बिना कुनै प्रतिक्रियाको सजग भएर नियाल्छ। यस प्रक्रियाले भावनाहरूको क्षणभंगुरतालाई स्पष्ट रूपमा बुझ्न मद्दत गर्छ। 

४. **समताभावको विकास:** साधकले निरन्तर अभ्यास गर्दा आफूभित्र समता, धैर्यता, र धैर्यताको भावना विकास गर्छ। समता भनेको कुनै पनि संवेदना, भावना, वा विचारलाई बिना प्रतिक्रिया स्वीकार गर्नु हो। 

### विपश्यना ध्यानका लाभहरू

विपश्यना ध्यानले मानिसलाई मानसिक शान्ति, आत्म-निरीक्षण, र समताभावको विकास गर्न मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ। यस ध्यानको अभ्यासले शरीर र मन दुवैमा गहिरो परिवर्तन ल्याउँछ। 

१. **मानसिक शान्ति:** विपश्यना ध्यानले मानिसलाई तनाव, चिन्ता, र अशान्तिबाट मुक्त गराउँछ। जब साधकले आफ्नो मनलाई नियन्त्रित गर्न सिक्छ, तब उसले मानसिक शान्ति प्राप्त गर्छ। 

२. **आत्मनिरीक्षण र जागरूकता:** विपश्यना ध्यानले मानिसलाई आफूभित्रका विचार र भावनाहरूको गहिरो अध्ययन गर्न मद्दत गर्छ। यसले आत्म-जागरूकता बढाउँछ, जसले मानिसलाई जीवनका विकारहरू र नकारात्मक भावनाहरू हटाउन मद्दत गर्छ। 

३. **स्वास्थ्य लाभ:** यस ध्यानको नियमित अभ्यासले शारीरिक स्वास्थ्यमा पनि सकारात्मक प्रभाव पार्छ। ध्यानले शरीरमा तनाव कम गर्छ, रक्तचाप सन्तुलित राख्छ, र शरीरलाई स्वस्थ राख्न मद्दत गर्छ।

४. **समताभावको विकास:** विपश्यना ध्यानले साधकलाई सुख-दुःखको परिस्थितिमा समताभाव राख्न मद्दत गर्छ। यसले जीवनमा धैर्यता र सहनशीलता बढाउँछ, जसले मानिसलाई कठिनाइहरूको सामना गर्न सक्षम बनाउँछ।

### निष्कर्ष

विपश्यना ध्यान बौद्ध धर्मको एक गहिरो ध्यान विधि हो, जसले मानिसलाई आत्म-निरीक्षण गर्न, मनलाई शान्त बनाउन, र विकारहरूबाट मुक्त हुन मद्दत पुर्‍याउँछ। यो साधनाले जीवनको वास्तविकता बुझ्न, इन्द्रिय सुखको मोह त्याग्न, र निर्वाणको मार्गमा अघि बढ्न सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ। जीवनमा शान्ति, धैर्यता, र सन्तुलनको खोजीमा विपश्यना ध्यानले एक महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका खेल्छ, जसले मानिसलाई भौतिक संसारका तृष्णाहरूबाट मुक्त गराएर वास्तविक आनन्दको अनुभव गराउँछ।

बौद्ध भिक्षुहरूको असक्तिसँग सम्बन्ध

बौद्ध धर्ममा असक्ति, वा कामप्रवृत्ति, जीवनको दुःखको प्रमुख कारण मानिन्छ। यो शिक्षाले संसारिक वस्तुहरू, इन्द्रिय सुख, र तिनबाट प्राप्त हुने क्षणिक आनन्दलाई केन्द्रमा राखेर मानिसको मनमा उत्पन्न हुने तृष्णालाई दुःखको स्रोत मान्छ। बुद्धले "चतुर्मार्ग सत्य" (चतुरार्य सत्य)मा यो स्पष्ट रूपमा उल्लेख गर्नुभएको छ, जहाँ उहाँले तृष्णा नै संसारिक दुःखको जड भएको बताउनुहुन्छ। यो तृष्णाले मानिसलाई पुनर्जन्मको चक्रमा बाँधेर राख्छ, जसले गर्दा मानिसले शान्ति र मोक्ष प्राप्त गर्न सक्दैन।

असक्ति र इन्द्रिय सुखको समझ

बौद्ध धर्ममा इन्द्रिय सुखलाई असक्ति भनेर व्याख्या गरिएको छ। यो संसारिक वस्तुहरू, भौतिक सुख, र क्षणिक आनन्दप्रति मानिसको मोह हो। इन्द्रिय सुखले मानिसको मनलाई भ्रमित पार्छ, जसले गर्दा उनीहरूको ध्यान मूल जीवनको सत्यबाट विचलित हुन्छ। बुद्धको शिक्षामा यो भनिन्छ कि यस किसिमको इन्द्रिय सुख अस्थायी हुन्छ र सधैंभरि रहिरहँदैन। यस्तो सुखले मानिसलाई क्षणिक आनन्द मात्र दिन्छ, तर त्यो आनन्द समाप्त भएपछि मानिसले पिडा अनुभव गर्छ।

बुद्धले यो तर्क गर्नुहुन्छ कि संसारिक सुखलाई पूर्ण रूपमा त्याग्न नसक्दा मानिसहरू मोहमा बाँधिन्छन्, जसले गर्दा तिनीहरू बारम्बार असन्तुष्टि, मोह, र लालचको चक्रमा फस्छन्। उदाहरणका लागि, मानिसहरूले धन, प्रसिद्धि, भौतिक सम्पत्ति, वा भौतिक सम्बन्धहरूमा सुख खोज्छन्, तर यी कुराहरूको अन्त्य भएमा उनीहरू दुःखी हुन्छन्। यो नै तृष्णाको चक्र हो, जसबाट मानिसहरू मुक्त हुन नसकेसम्म शान्तिको वास्तविक अनुभव गर्न सक्दैनन्

बौद्ध भिक्षुहरूको असक्तिसँग सम्बन्ध

बौद्ध भिक्षुहरू यस विषयमा एक विशेष उदाहरण हुन्। उनीहरूले आफ्नो जीवनमा इन्द्रिय सुख र संसारिक वस्तुहरूको मोह त्यागेर साधना र ध्यानमार्फत शान्ति प्राप्त गर्न प्रयास गर्छन्। भिक्षुहरूले साधारण जीवन बिताउँछन्, उनीहरूले व्यक्तिगत सम्पत्ति राख्दैनन्, कुनै स्थायी आवासमा बस्दैनन्, र खानपिनमा पनि साधारणता अपनाउँछन्। यो जीवनशैलीले उनीहरूलाई संसारिक मोह र असक्तिबाट मुक्त हुन सहयोग गर्छ।

भिक्षुहरूको जीवनमा ध्यान (विपश्यना) र आत्मसंयम (शील) प्रमुख अभ्यासहरू हुन्। ध्यानले मनलाई एकाग्रता र स्थिरता दिन्छ, जसले मानिसलाई तृष्णा र असक्ति बिस्तारै हटाउन सहयोग गर्छ। ध्यान गर्ने क्रममा भिक्षुहरूले मनलाई संसारिक कुराहरूबाट अलग गर्ने प्रयास गर्छन् र अन्ततः निर्वाणको अवस्थासम्म पुग्न खोज्छन्। 

असक्ति हटाउने उपायहरू

बौद्ध धर्ममा असक्तिबाट मुक्त हुने विभिन्न उपायहरू उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यी उपायहरू बुद्धका आठौँ मार्गमा विशेष रूपमा उल्लेख गरिएका छन्। 

१. **सही दृष्टिकोण (सम्यक दृष्टि):** सही दृष्टिकोणले जीवनको वास्तविकता बुझ्न सहयोग गर्छ। संसारिक कुराहरू अस्थायी र नाशवान् छन् भन्ने बुझाईले तृष्णा हटाउन सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ। 

२. **सही सङ्कल्प (सम्यक संकल्प):** सही सङ्कल्पले इन्द्रिय सुखमा भन्दा आत्मा र मोक्षप्रति समर्पित हुन मानिसलाई प्रेरित गर्छ। यसले मोहलाई नियन्त्रण गर्न सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ।

३. **सही वाणी (सम्यक वाणी):** सही वाणीले अरूसँग सकारात्मक र सही तरिकाले संवाद गर्न प्रोत्साहित गर्छ। यसले मानिसलाई नकारात्मक र असक्तिमा तान्नेमध्येका एक महत्त्वपूर्ण कारक–कटु वाणीबाट बचाउँछ।

४. **सही कर्म (सम्यक कर्मान्त):** सही कर्मले संसारिक लोभ र तृष्णालाई त्यागेर दयालु, अहिंसात्मक, र धर्ममय कार्यहरूमा लग्न मानिसलाई प्रेरित गर्छ।

५. **सही आजीविका (सम्यक आजीविका):** सही आजीविका भनेको यस्तो पेशा अपनाउनु हो जसले अन्य जीवलाई दुःख दिँदैन र मानसिक शान्ति ल्याउँछ। 

६. **सही प्रयास (सम्यक व्यायाम):** सही प्रयासले मानिसलाई इन्द्रिय सुखबाट टाढा रहन प्रेरित गर्छ र ध्यानमा एकाग्रता ल्याउँछ।

७. **सही स्मृति (सम्यक स्मृति):** सही स्मृतिले मानिसलाई हरेक क्षण आफ्नो मनलाई वर्तमानमा केन्द्रित गराउन मद्दत गर्छ, जसले तृष्णा हटाउन सहयोग गर्छ।

८. **सही ध्यान (सम्यक समाधि):** ध्यान वा समाधि मानिसलाई आत्म-निरीक्षण गर्न र तृष्णाबाट मुक्त हुन प्रेरित गर्छ। 

निर्वाणको प्राप्ति

असक्तिबाट पूर्ण रूपमा मुक्त भएपछि मानिस निर्वाणको अवस्थामा पुग्छ। निर्वाण भनेको यस्तो अवस्था हो जहाँ व्यक्ति संसारिक दुःख, तृष्णा, र मोहबाट पूर्ण रूपमा मुक्त हुन्छ। बुद्धले निर्वाणलाई शान्ति र आनन्दको चरम अवस्था भन्नुभएको छ, जहाँ कुनै पनि प्रकारको तृष्णा वा मोह बाँकी रहँदैन।

बौद्ध भिक्षुहरू निर्वाणको यही मार्गमा लागेका हुन्छन्। उनीहरूले संसारिक मोह र तृष्णालाई नियन्त्रणमा राखेर आत्म-ज्ञान प्राप्त गर्न र अन्ततः निर्वाणको अवस्थासम्म पुग्न आफ्नो जीवन समर्पण गर्छन्। ध्यान, साधना, र धर्मपालनका माध्यमबाट उनीहरू यस मार्गमा निरन्तर अघि बढ्छन्।

निष्कर्ष

बौद्ध धर्ममा असक्ति, वा इन्द्रिय सुख, जीवनको दुःखको प्रमुख कारण हो। बुद्धका शिक्षाहरूले मानिसलाई यस तृष्णाबाट मुक्त हुने मार्ग देखाउँछन्, जसमा ध्यान, सही दृष्टिकोण, र आत्मनियन्त्रण प्रमुख अभ्यासहरू हुन्। बौद्ध भिक्षुहरू यस मार्गमा सबैभन्दा राम्रो उदाहरण हुन्, जसले संसारिक मोह त्यागेर निर्वाणको प्राप्तिका लागि निरन्तर साधना गर्छन्। असक्तिबाट मुक्त भएपछि मात्र मानिसले वास्तविक शान्ति र आनन्दको अनुभव गर्न सक्छ, जुन बुद्धले निर्वाणको रूपमा व्याख्या गर्नुभएको छ।

LIFE IS FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES OR STRUGGLE

 

 

Indeed, life is often characterized by various challenges and struggles that individuals encounter. These struggles can arise in different forms, such as personal, professional, emotional, or societal challenges. The journey of life presents us with obstacles and difficulties that we must navigate and overcome to grow and evolve as individuals. These struggles can be opportunities for learning, resilience, and personal development, as they challenge us to adapt, persevere, and find strength within ourselves. Embracing the complexities of life and finding ways to cope with struggles can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

 

Dil 

 

 

 

 

The Eight Worldly Conditions in Buddhism: A Comprehensive Analysis

Buddhism, an ancient religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, encompasses profound teachings on the nature of existence and the path to liberation. One significant aspect of Buddhist philosophy is the concept of the Eight Worldly Conditions. These conditions represent the eight pairs of experiences that all human beings encounter in life. They are gain and loss, fame and disgrace, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. This paper provides an academic analysis of the Eight Worldly Conditions in Buddhism, exploring their significance, implications, and the practical application of the teachings to attain spiritual growth and freedom from suffering.

The foundation of Buddhist teachings lies in the Four Noble Truths, which illuminate the nature of suffering (dukkha) and the way to transcend it. The Eight Worldly Conditions, often referred to as the Ashta Loka Dhamma in Pali, are an extension of the Four Noble Truths, shedding light on the human experiences that can lead to attachment, aversion, and further suffering if not understood and managed skillfully.

Gain and Loss

The first worldly condition involves the experience of gain and loss in various aspects of life, such as material possessions, relationships, and status. Attachment to gain and aversion to loss can create an unending cycle of desires and disappointments, hindering spiritual progress. The Buddha advises practitioners to cultivate equanimity and non-attachment to worldly gains and losses, recognizing their impermanent nature.

Fame and Disgrace

The second condition pertains to the experience of fame and disgrace. The desire for fame can lead to the cultivation of an inflated ego, while the fear of disgrace can cause anxiety and self-doubt. Buddhist teachings emphasize the importance of humility and letting go of concerns about external judgments to free the mind from worldly preoccupations.

Praise and Blame

The third pair of conditions involves the experience of receiving praise and facing blame from others. The attachment to praise can lead to a craving for validation and approval, while the aversion to blame can cause defensiveness and inner turmoil. The Buddha encourages practitioners to develop a balanced view of both praise and blame and to remain steadfast in their moral principles.

Pleasure and Pain

The fourth set of conditions encompasses the experience of pleasure and pain, which are inherent in human life. The pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain can lead to hedonistic tendencies and distract individuals from the path to true happiness and liberation. Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of contentment and the understanding that both pleasure and pain are transient and impermanent.

The Implications of the Eight Worldly Conditions

The Eight Worldly Conditions have profound implications for human psychology and behavior. When individuals are driven by attachment and aversion to these conditions, their minds become entangled in a cycle of desire and suffering. This hinders their progress on the path to spiritual awakening and liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

The Buddha's teachings emphasize the cultivation of mindfulness and wisdom to develop equanimity and non-attachment to the fluctuations of the Eight Worldly Conditions. By understanding the impermanent nature of these experiences and the futility of seeking lasting happiness in external circumstances, practitioners can transcend suffering and find genuine contentment within themselves.

Practical Application in Buddhist Practice

In Buddhist practice, the awareness of the Eight Worldly Conditions plays a crucial role in spiritual development. Mindfulness meditation is an essential tool for cultivating the ability to observe and acknowledge the arising and passing away of these conditions without being swayed by them emotionally.

Moreover, the practice of loving-kindness (metta) and compassion (karuna) can help individuals develop empathy and understanding towards themselves and others, breaking the cycle of attachment and aversion to gain, fame, praise, and pleasure. Through ethical living and moral conduct, practitioners create a strong foundation for inner peace and spiritual growth.

Conclusion

The Eight Worldly Conditions are an integral part of Buddhist philosophy, offering profound insights into the human experience and the sources of suffering. By recognizing the impermanence and emptiness of these conditions, practitioners can develop equanimity and non-attachment, ultimately attaining liberation from the cycle of suffering. Through mindfulness, wisdom, and ethical living, individuals can navigate life's ups and downs with grace and inner peace, embracing the path to spiritual awakening and freedom. The teachings of the Eight Worldly Conditions are a timeless reminder of the transformative power of the Buddha's wisdom in transcending suffering and achieving genuine happiness.

References

Bhikkhu Bodhi 1999, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Thana sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Patama Loka-dhamma sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Duthiya Loka-dhamma sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

Narada Thera 1995, Every Man’s Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha, Wheel Publication No: 14, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Cula Kamma Vibhanga sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.

Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Rohithassa sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

Buddhist attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals and their rights in Nepal

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Nepal have experienced significant advancements in the 21st century. In 2007, Nepal repealed laws that criminalized gay sex and introduced legal protections explicitly addressing sexual orientation. These changes were accompanied by the recognition of LGBT rights as fundamental rights in the Nepalese Constitution. On June 28, 2023, Justice Til Prasad Shrestha, a single judge bench, legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Nepal became the first South Asian country and the first internationally recognized Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage, as well as the first least developed nation to do so.

The move toward legalizing same-sex marriage had been underway in Nepal since a ruling by the Supreme Court in late 2007. Expectations were high that the 2015 Constitution would explicitly incorporate this provision, although it did not explicitly address same-sex marriage despite recognizing the equal rights of marginalized communities, which includes Nepal's LGBT population.

 

The Nepalese Constitution, approved by the Constituent Assembly on September 16, 2015, encompasses various provisions safeguarding the rights of LGBT individuals. These include the right to obtain a citizenship certificate according to one's gender identity, the prohibition of discrimination based on any ground, including sex, by both the State and private entities, eligibility for special protections as outlined by law, and the right to access public services for gender and sexual minorities.

 

Nepal is often regarded as a role model for LGBT rights in South Asia due to its more tolerant legal framework. However, compared to India, Nepal has been slower in enacting laws specifically supporting transgender individuals. Despite the existence of supportive laws and constitutional provisions, LGBT people in Nepal continue to face social discrimination. There is significant societal pressure to conform to heteronormative expectations and marry partners of the opposite sex.

 

Turning to the Buddhist perspective, Buddhism encompasses a diverse array of beliefs and practices, resulting in varying views on same-sex relationships. In certain traditional Buddhist societies, homosexuality has been historically stigmatized due to cultural norms and conservative interpretations of religious texts. However, it is important to note that such attitudes are not inherent to Buddhism itself but rather shaped by the social contexts in which Buddhism is practiced.

 

In recent times, many Buddhist communities and scholars have embraced more inclusive and accepting attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals and same-sex relationships. They argue that Buddhism's core teachings, emphasizing compassion, love, and understanding, should extend to all beings irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity. Modern progressive Buddhists advocate for non-discrimination, empathy, and acceptance. They may interpret traditional Buddhist teachings in ways that embrace diversity and support LGBTQ+ rights and equality.

The Dalai Lama, a highly respectednfigure and the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, has acknowledged that traditional Buddhist teachings may consider same-sex relationships as inappropriate. However, he emphasizes the importance of treating LGBTQ+ individuals with love, respect, and equality, asserting that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, deserves human rights and dignity.

 

As with any religion or philosophical system, Buddhism continues to evolve and adapt to the changing world, including attitudes towards same-sex relationships. Different Buddhist communities and individuals may hold varying viewpoints, with some being more accepting and inclusive than others. When engaging with this topic, it is crucial to approach it with an open mind, acknowledging the diversity of perspectives within the Buddhist tradition.

 

Buddhist attitudes towards LGBTQ+individuals

In traditional Buddhist scriptures and texts, there is limited direct mention of homosexuality or same-sex relationships. The primary focus of Buddhist teachings is on the nature of suffering, the path to liberation, and ethical conduct. However, interpretations and commentaries by scholars and practitioners over the centuries have contributed to the development of different views on same-sex relationships within Buddhism.

In the Vinaya Pitaka, the code of monastic discipline for Buddhist monks and nuns, there are references to various types of sexual misconduct, including engaging in sexual activities with another person who is under the protection of a guardian or who is committed to a monastic life. However, these guidelines primarily pertain to monastic life and do not explicitly address same-sex relationships among laypeople.

 

Scholars have analyzed the Pali Canon, the oldest surviving collection of Buddhist scriptures, to gain insight into the Buddha's teachings on sexual ethics. While the Buddha emphasized the importance of ethical conduct and the avoidance of harm to oneself and others, his teachings did not specifically condemn or endorse same-sex relationships.

 

In terms of scholars' views, it is

important to note that interpretations of Buddhist teachings vary. Some

scholars argue that the fundamental ethical principles of Buddhism, such as

non-harming (ahimsa) and compassion, can be applied to support inclusive and

accepting attitudes towards same-sex relationships. They highlight that love

and understanding should extend to all beings, regardless of sexual orientation

or gender identity.

 

Other scholars may interpret the

absence of explicit prohibitions against same-sex relationships in Buddhist

scriptures as an indication of a neutral stance. They argue that Buddhism's

emphasis on personal experience and individual liberation allows for the

possibility of different ethical choices and interpretations based on changing

societal norms. It is worth noting that societal and cultural factors have

influenced attitudes towards homosexuality in Buddhist societies throughout

history. These factors have shaped the perspectives of both traditional and

contemporary Buddhist communities.

 

In summary, while traditional

Buddhist texts do not extensively address same-sex relationships,

interpretations and views on this topic have varied among scholars and

practitioners throughout history. Buddhism's emphasis on compassion and ethical

conduct provides a basis for inclusive and accepting attitudes towards LGBTQ+

individuals. However, different Buddhist communities and individuals may hold

diverse perspectives, and some may be more accepting and inclusive than others

 

Punya and Kusala

In Buddhism, punya (Pali: puñña) and kusala are two related concepts that are often used interchangeably but have slightly different nuances. Here are the differences between punya and kusala in Buddhism:

Meaning:

Punya: Punya generally refers to merit, wholesome or virtuous actions, and their beneficial consequences. It encompasses the intentional actions and intentions that lead to positive outcomes, both in the present life and in future lives according to Buddhist belief.

Kusala: Kusala, on the other hand, broadly translates to skillful, wholesome, or virtuous actions. It denotes ethical conduct, moral behavior, and the cultivation of positive mental states and qualities that lead to well-being and liberation from suffering.

Scope:

Punya: Punya primarily focuses on the accumulation of merit through intentional acts of generosity, ethical conduct, and mental development. It involves actions motivated by wholesome intentions, such as acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity.

Kusala: Kusala encompasses a broader range of ethical and wholesome actions, including those related to speech and mental states. It covers a wider spectrum of virtuous behavior and mental qualities, such as generosity, ethical conduct, loving-kindness, compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness.

Perspective:

Punya: Punya is often understood from the perspective of karmic consequences and the accumulation of positive merit. It is seen as a means to attain favorable future conditions, improve one's rebirth, and progress on the path to liberation.

Kusala: Kusala is viewed more holistically, emphasizing the inherent goodness and beneficial effects of skillful actions in the present moment. It encompasses the cultivation of wholesome qualities and the transformation of one's character, leading to inner well-being and the welfare of others.

Relationship:

Punya and Kusala: Punya and kusala are closely related and often used interchangeably in many contexts. Punya can be seen as a specific aspect of kusala, representing the merit or positive outcomes resulting from virtuous actions. Kusala, on the other hand, encompasses a broader range of virtuous actions and mental qualities that lead to well-being and spiritual progress.

In summary, punya and kusala share the common goal of promoting ethical conduct and cultivating positive mental qualities in Buddhism. Punya emphasizes the accumulation of merit and the karmic consequences of virtuous actions, while kusala has a broader scope, encompassing various forms of virtuous behavior and mental states. Both punya and kusala contribute to personal well-being, the welfare of others, and the progress towards liberation from suffering.

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS TO PROMOTE MORAL EDUCATION

It figures out the importance of maintaining healthy social relationship with parents, teachers as well as with friends in order to cultivate moral qualities in student’s life by receiving suitable guidance and probably as a mentor. Therefore, this chapter emphasizes the way that role of a parent, teacher and friend can be benefited for the moral development in education sector as well as in ordinary life of student. 

4.1. The Role of Parents (Pubbācariya) in Development of Moral Education

The term Pubbācariya[1] is a combination of two Pāli words. The word Pubba combined with ācariya and becomes Pubbācariya, which means the first teacher. Parents are the first teachers in children’s life because by teaching what ought and ought not to do, they teach the first lesson to their children. Children have an inborn capacity to learn. They start learning from the time that they are in the mother’s womb. Therefore, parents need to understand how their infant develops and learns, and how they can help in the best way which child to reach their life goals with full of potential which combined with moral qualities. 

In the case study, the considerable facts have collected regarding the duties of parents to the moral development. Among fifty parents, twenty-six of them have agreed that modern education helps to moral development and rest twenty-four members have disagreed with it. According to their opinion, modern education needs to be modified by developing soft skills, leadership qualities with positive thinking and action, and develop personal abilities of face to the modern challenges. Furthermore, being a role model is one of the appropriate methods for the moral education from the parent’s side. In inquires, few parents commented on their children’s future by saying educating is to have a higher demanded occupation, but not much concerning about the development of moral qualities. One parent suggested punishment method as a solution to develop moral education which she uses in domestic life.

By observing Buddhist teachings and techniques, parents need to be more confident and exemplary in their parenting role and participate more effectively in their children’s moral development in education. The role of first teacher is discussed in the Pāli commentaries by giving higher position. It always emphasizes the value of the first teacher in various ways. Among the Buddha’s great nine attributes, He was called as "Satthā devamanussānaṃ”[2]which means the teacher of gods and human being. By applying the qualities of Buddha, parents need to be qualified by five qualities mentioned below:  

1.     Attaññū           - He knows what is good/ beneficial

2.     Dhammaññū   - He knows what is true/righteous

3.     Mattaññū        - He knows the measure

4.     Kālaññū          - He knows the right time

5.     Parisaññū       - He knows the assemblage or the person[3]

 

By following these qualities parents need to participate more effectively in their children's early development and learning. They have to focus on the following facts: 

1.      Understanding about their children’s growth and development

2.      Encourage their child’s growth and development

3.      Ensure their child’s safety and well being

4.      Gain confidence in their parenting skills

5.      Get the support and professional assistance if they need for their child’s health and development.

6.      Develop good language skills

7.      Increase their ability to solve problems

8.      Develop social skills

9.      Have an attention on mental health status and detected problems on learning process such as lower level memory capacity, learning disabilities[4] such as Dyslexia[5]. 

 

By observing the current society, modern technology plays a huge role in the children’s life. By supporting the modern technology in text of “Micro learning and Mobile learning” written by Theo Hug explained the new teaching and learning techniques with using technology. He further mentions that in the digital age the usage of technology helps for better directions for future research. On the other hand by disagreeing the outcome of technology with negatively, Diane E. Levin conferences in the text of “So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids” mentioned that due to the development of modern technology, teenagers have turned into immorality. In another text of “Beyond Remote-Controlled Childhood: Teaching Children in the Media Age” shows how technology controls teen agers. They have mentioned both pessimistic and optimistic outcomes of modern technology. Therefore, technology may affect positively as well as negatively in children’s life. But after researching, mostly technology plays a negative role and bad effects of children’s life. In this circumstance, parents need to pay their special attention about their children because proper guidance and attention are necessary to follow their right track in their life. 

Today, most of parents are busy with their occupations, and children are left at day care centers or assign a nanny[6] to take care of their basic needs such as love, care, protection etc. In this situation, children get less attention of their parents and as a result of that they might understand less value of their parents or in other hands, they miss a lot of their life lesson that they should get from their first teachers, which directly effects to the children’s future. To avoid these problems parents must be wise and aware about their children’s feelings, interest, and habits. Personally, I believe that, if all parents practice few steps mentioned below into their day-to-day life, they might be helpful to the development of morality of their children.

 

 

 

4.1.1. Being a Role Model to Children

Before advice to children, first parents should follow in the correct path otherwise the children would not listen to them. Therefore, to teach something good, parents must be a role model to their children. In the Attavagga of theDhammapada has mentioned it as,

             “Let one first establish oneself in what is proper, and then instruct others.  Such a wise man will not be defiled.”[7]

If parents are doing bad action and asking to do good deeds to their children, they would not listen to you because children are always watching, following and copying to their parents. Some children are dressed, walking and talking like their parents. In this situation parents must be aware of what they do and talk in front of their children. When a young child begins formal school, the parent’s job is to show him how school can extend the learning you began together at home, and how exciting and meaningful this learning can be. As preschoolers grow into school age kids, parents become their children’s learning coaches. Through guidance and reminders, parents need to help their kids organize their time and support their desires to learn new good habits, in and out of school.

4.1.2. Pay Attention to What Children Love

Secondly, parents have to pay their attention on their children’s interests. In education field every child is not equal. They have different abilities and skills in different fields. In these situations, some parents force their children to follow the subjects, by thinking their children’s future occupations. For an example, some students love to be a singer, but parents would like to see their children as a doctor, in this situation they force to their children to be a doctor not a singer. As a result, most children have less progress in their education field; because they do not love what they are doing but they love to do something else. 

In current society, some students commit suicide because of inability to achieve their targets in education. They get stressed and pressure to achieve their goals, but if they do love what they are doing, then there would not be stressed or pressure. Therefore, parents should pay attention on children’s love and interest in the education field. 

Dalton Miller-Jones,[8] Professor Emeritus, Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology at Portland State University says, 

“One of the most important things a parent can do is notice her child. Is he a talker or is he shy? Find out what interests him and help him explore it. Let your child show you the way he likes to learn” 

Therefore, parents need to be aware about their children’s interest and should not force them. Let them choose their own path, but as a parent, you need to guide them with your experiences to develop their morality in education field.    

 

4.1.3. Tune into the Pattern of Learning which Child Interest 

Many children use a combination of various modes to study and learn. Some children learn visually through making and seeing pictures, others through tactile experiences, like a building block towers and working with clay. Some others are auditory learners who pay most attention to what they hear. And they may not learn the same way their siblings (or you) do. By paying attention to how your child learns, you may be able to pique his/her interest and explain tough topics by drawing pictures together, creating charts, building models, singing songs and even making up rhymes.

Parents should not be worried by thinking the pattern that use by your children to learn. It might not be the common methods that society recommended of learning but using different methods they grasp the knowledge. In this case, parents need to be worry about their children’s knowledge whether it leads to the path of good or bad. In this situation, if parents can apply good activities, speech and examples for their learning methods that improve their morality as well as leads to the moral path. 

In my opinion, similes are better to lead child mind in to a moral path when pay attention to Buddhist suttas. In the Aṃbalaṭṭhikārāhulovādasutta[9], the Buddha has used the simile of the water dipper and royal elephant to teach Ven. Rahula about the effects of deliberately lying. As well as in the same sutta the Buddha again used the simile of mirror to reflect on good actions and good words before we act and talk. Likewise parents can use similes, metaphors, or visual teaching techniques such as picture learning method to teach children which attract their attention more easily.  

 

4.1.4. Practice What your Child Learns at School

Currently, one of the burning problems in education is, not much concern about practical sessions. Most students limit their knowledge to write answers for questions which is useful to pass the exams but the lessons that they learnt from religious texts which taught them about what ought and ought not to do, is still not in the practically applied in their life. Many teachers encourage parents to go over what their young children are learning in a non-pressured way and to practice what they may need extra help with. This does not mean drilling them for success, but it may mean going over basic counting skills, multiplication tables or letter recognition, depending on the needs and learning level of your child. By Diane Levin[10], Professor of Early Childhood Education, at Cornell University claims, 

“There may be times to review, but don’t take on the role of drill master, and when you do review it should feel as if your child wants to be a part of the practice.”

Therefore, parents need to focus their attention about practicability on the lessons what they have learnt at school.   

 

 

4.1.5. Set Aside Time to Read Together

Its better if Parents would read in front or together with children. While parents are reading, children are copying the way you read. You need to set aside time to read together for better reading of your children. Most of parents have finished their degrees and having their jobs; command to study children but not reading by themselves. To overcome this situation, if parents reading together with aloud and expose him/her to the structure and vocabulary of good literature and get her interested in reading more. Students get interest to read books if they have reading partners encouragement and read together. 

When child listen to their parents or teacher, they grasp it quickly. It may help them to think critically and understand the concepts explains there with a clear mind. In the Caṅkīsutta[11] of the Majjhimanikāya, the Buddha has elaborated the importance of listening when he explains the accurate method of occupying knowledge. It mentioned as, 

“When he has investigated him and has seen that he is purified from states based on delusion, then he places faith in him; filled with faith he visits him and pays respect to him; having paid respect to him, he gives ear; when he gives ear, he hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorizes it and examines the meaning of the teachings he has memorized; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings; when he has gained a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up; when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will; having applied his will, he scrutinizes; having scrutinized, he strives; resolutely striving, he realizes with the body the supreme truth and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom[12]

Likewise, listening is more important to further steps of inculcating knowledge properly. Therefore, parents need to encourage their child to read as well as listen to their parents and teachers to gain the accurate knowledge with write understanding.

4.1.6. Don’t Over-schedule the Work of Your Child

In modern education, competition to learn is rapidly increasing day by day. In this situation, parents force to learn their children by over-scheduled. Students get stress as well as pressured and get psychical as well as mental sickness. Everyone have a limit to their capacity, if someone is going to over loaded it, then it might be explore.  We have seen and heard the stories like students gets sick of mental illness because of over studying. While you may want to supplement school with outside activities, be judicious about how much you let or urge your child to do. Kids need downtime as much as they may need to pursue extra-curricular activities. Therefore, monitor your child to see that he is truly enjoying what he is doing. If he is not, cut something off the schedule. In Buddhist perspective, stress and anger which can be an outcome of overscheduling lives are highly consider to be abandoned. Therefore, it’s both teachers’ and parents’ responsibility to help children to maintain a balanced academic background without letting them in to a stressful and competitive mind sphere. 

In brief, the role of the parents to moral development in education, need to focus their attention in every action of their children because the immorality is always watching to attack your children. The big mistake is committed by parents that they want their children to earn a degree, ensure a better social status with sufficient money. Unfortunately, they rarely expect to improve ethical manner of the children. Consequently, the children lose their ethical conduct and become part of the competition in the society. Most parents have already decided, what would be their children’s future status such as becoming doctor, engineer, businessman etc... Finally, the most of the children become robots without emotions.  In this situation if you forget to give proper advices and care of your children they might turn into a person with only technical knowledge but poor in moral qualities. Parents are always asking what you learnt from school today but if they could ask ‘what good things have you done at school today’ would be better question for children’s moral development. Therefore, the role of parents are most significant to the moral development in children life. 

4.2. Responsibilities of   Teacher (Ācariya) for the Moral Development in Education    

Relationship between teacher and student is much more important to develop the moral qualities of the student. In order to establish a healthy relationship, the Upaj­jhā­ya­vatta­ka­thā[13] of the Vatthakkhandaka elaborates the expected nature of teacher – student relationship as follow.

“The preceptor, monks, should arouse in the one who shares his cell the attitude of a son. The one who shares his cell should arouse in the preceptor the attitude of a father. Thus these, living with reverence, with defense, with courtesy towards one another, will come to growth, to increase to maturity in this Dhamma and Discipline.”[14]

In this manner, both parties should cultivate filial piety towards each other to maintain a healthy relationship and for the wellbeing of both parties. With this approach it is not difficult for a teacher to be a good mentor to help student as a father to cultivate social friendly as well as self-friendly moral qualities.         

According to the Sigālakasutta, it explains about the aspects of duties and responsibilities of teacher and pupil. Pupils need to show their respect towards teachers and teachers should give them accurate knowledge to their students. But today most pupils do not respect to their teachers. Students should rise up from their seats while teacher comes to classroom. This is the basic ethic. But mostly in universities this ethic cannot be expected at present. Outdoor of the school, students do not consider academy or university teachers as their teachers. This is very bad habit of pupil in modern society. 

On other hand, sometimes teachers do not give right knowledge to students which develop their morality. Therefore, students turn to wrong side and do not obey to their teachers. School timetable is fully allocated to technical subjects but less concerned to the religious subjects.  Although technical subjects are important subjects to study but to develop morality in education, administrative must focus on religious subjects too. Because religious subjects concern more on ethical development rather than technical subjects. But unfortunately, religious subjects are less concerned in education filed. Therefore, most pupils focus their study on mathematics, sciences and English rather than studying religious teachings. Most of the time, Religious teachings, sports and also Philosophy may teach to lead morality based life but rest of the subjects more concern about subject knowledge. As a result of that, most students are having dough on what is ought and ought not to do. They are just like machines. Machines also do not know to distinguish what is good and bad. As same as pupils do not know how to show their respect to teachers. Therefore, with having balancing knowledge, and practical on both fields, students as well as teachers need to understand their duties and responsibilities well to the moral development in education.      

Responsibilities of teacher plays a significant role to the attitude change of students. In other hand it effects to moral as well as immoral behavior of students. Therefore, mutual relationship between student and teacher must be an ideal as mentioned in the Sigālakasutta. After the parents, teachers are second person that students meet to learn what ought and ought not to do. In this stage, students try to copy of their teacher’s behavior, attitude, and thinking pattern. Therefore, teachers need to be an exemplary of good to moral development of students.

The Upaj­jhā­ya­vatta­ka­thā of the Vattakkhandaka points out the duties of the teacher towards his pupil to develop his abilities and qualities in a proper manner. It emphasizes that co relationship between teacher and student should be more advanced by the teacher in order to inspire student to shape his life with knowledge as well as with morality. To illustrate, in the Upajjhāyavattakathā it mentions the Buddha’s advice to teachers as,

“The teacher, monks, should conduct himself properly towards the pupil. This is the proper conduct in this respect: the pupil should be furthered, he should be helped by the teacher in regard to recitation, interrogation, exhortation, instruction”[15].

Unfortunately, mutual relationship between teachers and student, could not at satisfied level in modern society. Students engage to fight with teachers and teacher gets revenge from their students. On the other hand, students and teachers have improper relationship. It is hard to believe that, teachers maintain sexual activities with their students. BBC news reported that,     

“Teacher Jeremy Forrest has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years for abducting a 15-year-old girl and five charges of sexual activity with a child. The case throws light on one of the most difficult crimes to uncover and the complicated nature of pupil-teacher relationships that go beyond the classroom”[16]

By explaining further details on problem of relationship between teacher and students “Chartered educational psychologist Alan Mclean says fundamentally it is an issue of trust.” It is an asymmetrical power relationship and the teacher is always the abuser because they are abusing their power, authority and position.

In these situation the moral development in education would be in serious trouble if the mutual relationship between students and teacher are not in a proper way. Therefore, by understanding the proper role and duties of teachers, they need to pay their attention on their duties and responsibilities. By giving personal point of view with referring from Buddhist teachings, the good relationship between students and teachers are important for moral development in education.   

In case study, 78% of teachers and 92% of students are disappointed with the current movement of tuition classes which is not encouraging students to develop morality. In the other hand 22% of teachers and 48% of parents only expect less than one hour from school timetable to teach moral education. By considering these facts, in few hours, it would be difficult to teach moral development to the students, but according to the Buddhist solution, moral education should not only limited to the classroom but also outside of school. Students need to practice their morality by paying respect to their teachers. Teachers also need to have care and give protected to their students not only inside of school but also outside of school. 

4.2.1. The Mutual Relationship between Student and Teachers

The teacher and students need to have a good relationship. However, today in most of education institutes, conflicts frequently arise between teachers and students because of improper mutual-understanding. To avoid these problematic circumstances, it is better both parties to do their duties well. According to the Buddha’s teachings on the mutual relationship between teachers and students is described in the Sigālakasutta[17]and it can be used as a template to develop social interactions. The Buddha taught the young Sigāla about five duties of students toward teacher as follows.

 

1.     Uṭṭhānena - By rising from the seat in salutation

2.     Uppaṭṭhānena- By attending (servicing) on him

3.     Sussūsāya- By eagerness (enthusiast) to learn

4.     Pāricariyāya- By personal service

5.     Sakkaccaṃ Sippa­paṭig­gaha­ṇena - By respectful attention while receiving instructions[18]

By respecting teachers, students need to learn under proper guidance of teacher. It had described in details under the topic of “The profile of student in Buddhism” that conclude of having faith and listening carefully, students get right knowledge to their attitude change and development of soft skills.

On the side of teachers, they also have to perform five duties towards their students for moral development. Firstly, it says about to have good discipline to students and second knowledge. It clears that the aim and objectives of Buddhist education develops morality of students. People do their best to accumulate knowledge but not much focused their attention to develop discipline. Therefore, teachers need to pay their attention on these facts to the enlargement of moral development of students. According to the Sigālakasutta, teachers have five duties to perform to their students as follows: 

1.     Suvinītaṃ vinenti- They train them in the best discipline

2.     Suggahitaṃ gāhāpenti- They see that they grasp (teach) their lessons well

3.     Sabba sippassutaṃ samakkhāyino bhavanti- They instruct them in all art and crafts which has learned

4.     Mitta maccesu patiyādenti- They introduce them to their friends and associates

5.     Disāsu parittānaṃ karoti- They provide for their safety in every quarter directions[19]

                      As another step of moral development in education, responsibilities of teachers plays a significant role to the moral development of students. Therefore, concerning the duties and responsibilities of both teachers and students, they need to pay their attention on their action, thinking pattern as well as the methods of teachings. The most identified matter in case study is, the methods used to teach in tuition classes are not satisfied level to develop morality in education. According to case study, 87% of the participants stated that extra classes have no any effect in developing the moral values.  10% responded saying that there is a tendency to some extend in developing moral values in extra classes. Only a 3% of participants mentioned that extra classes are concerning about the moral development during their class times. Therefore, teachings methods is another most significant ways of moral development in education. 

4.2.2. Methods Adopted By the Buddha as a teacher to Inculcate Moral Education

Using different methods to teach lessons is most popular in education filed. Teachers use different methods to deliver their lesson such as telling stories, singing songs and getting examples from modern world. By applying all these method teachers need to understand lesson appropriately. Comparing both traditional lecture method and modern teachings methods, traditional lecture method does not get the student’s sufficiently involved in teachings. The traditional lecture method encourage the student to passively absorb the learning poured into him by teacher. Modern teachings methods have developed techniques and approaches that will get children involved in the educational process.

Teacher S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S “S” indicates the Student

Teacher Students Students Student

Diagram No.01

Teacher centered lecture method and students centered discussion methods in teachings and learning activities

In the first diagram shows the teacher centered lecture methods, all students listen to the teacher and only teacher deliver his lesson but second diagram shows about student centered discuss method, both teachers and students discuss on the lesson.  Buddha also used different teachings methods to deliver His doctrine. By understanding people’s psychological condition, suitable doctrine was preached by the Buddha in the Majjhimanikāya[20].

Young generation is an energetic and active social group. Their contribution to sustainability depend on the education and their social activeness. As a place where the young generation try to achieve their goals, it is better if education is familiar with practical method rather than only lecture method. While compare the lecture methods and discussion methods, discussion method is more practical and successful, comparing than lecture method.

Lecture method	Discussion method
1.     Emphasize on teachings 2.     Isolates knowledge and skills 3.     Student is a passive recipient 4.     Teacher is an information giver 5.     Learning is an individual activity 6.     Emphasize on product and content   7.     One answer way correctness 8.     Criteria goals given by teacher	1.     Emphasize on learning  2.     Integrates knowledge and skill 3.     Students is an active constructor  4.     Teacher is facilitator 5.     Learning is social activity 6.     Emphasize on processes of learning and how to learn 7.     Open ended multiple solutions 8.     Shared development of goals and criteria for performance

Table No. 07

Difference between Lecture Method and Discussion Method

 

Mostly Buddha used the discussion method and he said in the Ṭhānasutta that only through the discussion that the intelligences levels of person could be properly understood. 

"It's through discussion that a person's discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.” [21]

 

If an instructor, deliver the discussion methods to teach lesson, students would better attractive to learn rather than lecture method.  The common mistakes that students do in modern learning system is, fully depend on teachers notes. Students need to be aware that teachers can only shows the way but students have to follow the path. As mentioned in the Dhammapada that,

“You yourselves should make the effort, the Tathagatas (Buddhas) only can show the way. Those who practice the Tranquility and Insight Meditation are freed from the bond of Mara.” [22]

While teaching methods are designed to benefit of students, there might be other learning methods which students can practice to grasp knowledge. For instance, some students might able to learn through notes while others are interesting to learn through practical studies. By understanding these situation, teachers need to use his experiences by using the right techniques for successful teaching methods.

In advance, the Buddha used to analyze sermons according to the intelligence level of the audience. Because of that, He was always success as a teacher to get the maximum results through his lectures. Seven analyzing concepts coming under the Saccavibhaṅgasutta[23] as follow:

 

 

           

1.     Ācikkhanā             ( Describe with a summery )

2.     Desanā                 ( Explain with details )

3.     Paññāpanā           (Explain according to the intelligence level of the listener )

4.     Paṭṭhapanā           ( Make the listener understand the exact meaning )

5.     Vivaraṇā              (Explain giving reasons)

6.     Vibhajanā             ( Analyse in small parts )

7.     Uttānikammaµ     (Make the listener understand the difficult concepts )

Table No. 08

Seven analyzing concepts mentioned in the Saccavibhaṅgasutta

In addition, the purpose of applying different methods to deliver lesson is, to give clear ideas on lesson. Difficult to understand lesson properly is one of the common problem in classroom therefore applying discussing methods can get clear idea of lesson rather than lecture method. The teachings methods are one of ways to exchange knowledge on morality, therefore, it should be in proper ways. 

In brief, the mutual relationship between students and teachers should be strong and trustworthy. Both parties need to be aware and mindfulness on their duties and responsibilities. Concerning the moral development of students, teachers need to guide their students to accumulate right knowledge, attitude change and develop soft skills. There should be a set curriculum and teachers need to be creative in how they teach morality or develop student’s discipline in their daily activities. By using most appropriate teachings methods, teacher needs to teach a lessons of morality. To teach morality, both students and teachers need to understand their characters well. Especially, teacher needs to understand the character of students. 

 

4.2.3. Moral Education and Curriculum  

The word “curriculum” began from a Latin word which means “the course of a race”. In details curriculum is the major tool for convey moral information to the students or in other words syllabus plays starring role to transfer an ethical knowledge. Some of the most common subjects at school are English, History, Mathematics, Physical educationand Science.

In the case study, the considerable facts has collected regarding the interests on subjects that the students like to follow. Most students interest to follow of Modern Languages, Information Technology, Economics, Music, Management and Religion. According to their opinions both religious knowledge as well as subject knowledge are important for better future status.

By giving facts to the curriculum matter, it explains the role of curriculum to the development of morality in the education. Modern education system is given priority to the marketing field but less attention on religious subjects. Although Modern marketing subjects do not concern much about moral development. Because marketing subjects teach about the cost of material and religious teachings concern about value of ethics.  Therefore these two areas must be in balance, one accurate knowledge subjects and another provides appropriate knowledge of ethical judgment to manage for wellbeing of mankind. While students are following the modern subjects they need to pay their attention to the religious teachings too. It does not mean to reject modern subjects but observing the aim and objectives of education, religious teachings should deserve most hours in the school timetable.   

Plato was born in a prominent and wealthy family in Athens. In his youth he studied common subjects such as justice, German etc. In his young age he went through teachings of Greek philosophers like Hematite and Talla. Thus he was interested in philosophy and became a student of Socrates. After the death of his master Socrates he also delivered his knowledge and he is known as first great philosopher in the West.[24] If I had to mention one thing in his philosophy of education, it would be that Plato emphasized that four subjects should be taught to all children. They are:

1.     Mathematics

2.     Music

3.     Psychical exercises

4.     Philosophy       

In the Alagaddūpamasutta, the Buddha emphasized the Buddhist ideology to learn a proper subject in an accurate way.

O monks! Likewise serpent researcher knows to catch snakes in the right place (in serpent’s physique), a wise person catches/understands the Dhamma with right understanding for his good life. [25]

Agreeing with above clue, to prevent defects in the modern education, scholars view in education field should have to reconstruct according to current issues with exact revelation. And there is a requirement of relevant subjects in the curriculum to improve it. In brief, whatever the study area the student select to study, some specific subjects should get priority for their future benefits as well as their moral development. To prove it, as a common experience, though the world is technically developed, there are some conflicts arising among people because of ideological controversies. Most importantly a lot of human beings have not enough knowledge and ability to act wisely in conflict moments. It happened, basically we cannot control emotions and also our ability to understand others emotions are still in an elementary status. In this approach, Buddhist Psychology which is centralized on human behaviour can present a solution. With proper guidance people can resolve conflicts in the society as well as in their mind. Therefore, Buddhist teachings on Psychology helps to overcome these situation by understanding the human behaviour.   

In case study, the matter of sex education were disagreed by 8% of parents to add in the curriculum in order to reduce crimes. According to the current studies sexual infections are widespread because of lack of sex education among the young generation. For that matter, the United Nations need to Improve Maternal Health[26] and Combat HIV /AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases.[27]  Before fulfilling education achievements, human beings need to be a healthy person. Therefore, to avoid youth infected by sexual diseases, it is important to add “sex education” as a subject in the curriculum. It will be significant to their whole life, especially for girls when they expect to be a mother. In addition, it might be valuable if students can concentrate their minds on this competitive education system by the practice of meditation. It surely helps to grasp other subjects without effort by concentrated mind and assistances to complete education distinctively. 

In brief, if administration could balance these both subjects area, it would be easy to the establishment of moral development in education scheme. 

4.3. The Impact of Friendship to Moral Development  

The Pāli term “Mitta” used to indicate friends in Buddhism. It indicates both good and bad friends. The term of good friends as Kalyāṇamitta, and bad friends as Pāpamitta are depicted in Suttas. Furthermore, etymologically the word Mitta means the nature of friends.

Friendship is a force that has no parallel, there is no other single power that can generate good qualities in a person as friendship with the good. Because after a certain age, children stop emulating their parents and start imitating their friends. In the case study, the considerable facts has collected regarding the role of friends to the moral development. Among fifty members, forty-one of them have agreed that friend helps to the moral development and rest nine members have disagreed on it. According to their opinions friendship has both positive and negatives effects. Their general ideas was friends can help to build a person’s good qualities as well as leads to destroy.

Colleague plays a great role to the change of behaviour and thinking pattern to the optimistic or pessimistic outcomes.  By observing the Maṅgalasutta, it has mentioned that, basically the person who we associate is most important to the outcomes of good or bad. In the Sattigumbajātaka story tells that the two parrots who were carried from their nest in a storm and one dropped in a hermitage and the other in a den of thieves. The one who fell among the hermits learned and eventually practiced generosity and became quite gentle. The one who fell among thieves grew up like-cruel, rough and wicked. This story tells about the ill of associating with bad people. Generosity, the use of morality and the evils of unwholesome associations are all thrown into high relief. Therefore association of right friends is most essential in the life to moral development. Most People think that education is the primarily stage that should have at the beginning of life but before that, having good friends is most important to the pessimistic outcomes in life. According to the Maṅgalasutta, it further says that in the journey of life starts with avoiding the company of fools as the first blessing.

“Not to associate with the foolish,[28] but to associate with the wise; and to honor those who are worthy of honor — this is the greatest blessing”[29]

As pointed out previously, the Buddha has described two types of friends, Kalyānamitta and Pāpamitta. A famous stanza in the Dhammapada says about the appropriate association of good and bad friends as “One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble”.[30] Furthermore, in the Dhammapada says that live a lonely life is better than having evil friends as,

“If a person seeking a companion cannot find one who is better than or equal to him, let him resolutely go on alone; there can be no companionship with a fool.”[31]

All parents and teachers should instil into the mind of their children or students the noble advice conveyed by this stanza. Furthermore in details, the Sigālakasutta has pointed out the nature of good and evil friends. According to the Buddha, there are four types of good friends as follows.

     1.         Accommodative friend (Upakāro mitto) protects the friend and his wealth when needed, helps the friend when in trouble and provides resources when needed.

     2.         The friend who treats his friend equally, both in health and misfortune (Samāna­su­kha­duk­kho mitto)– Guards the friend’s secrets as his own as well as tells all his secrets to him, doesn’t leave the friend in trouble and ready to sacrifice even his life for the friend.

     3.         The friend who shows the correct guidance (Atthakkhāyī mitto) – Shows the way to a good life not only in this world, but, in the world after death. Prevents the friend from committing sins and shows the way to a better world by advising him on subjects he is ignorant of.

     4.         Compassionate friend (Anukampako mitto) – Shows compassion to the friend like his mother and prevents others from criticizing him. Praises those who commend him. Happy at the friend’s success and sad at his failure.[32]

According to Buddha there are four types of bad friends who act like friends, but in truth, are enemies:

1.     The bad friend who becomes friendly to take, not give (Aññadatthūharo amitto) – Helps a little and wish for more. Formulates a friendship when he is in trouble to get out of it. He associates a friend only for his gain.

2.     The bad friend who talks big and treat his friends only with words (Vacīparamo amitto) – He never ever assists a friend when in need. Tells about his own problems and evade helping the friend.

3.     The bad friend who sides with his friend just to make him happy without thinking the consequences of the act (Anuppiyabhāṇī amitto) – He approves and support his friend in all his deeds whether they are good or bad; but criticizes him behind his back.

4.     The bad friend who gets friendly to do sins (Apāyasahāyo amitto) – He associates the friend to indulge in intoxicants, gambling and attend public shows frequently. Thus, taking his friend with him to the hell after death.[33]

 

In the Sigālakasutta the Buddha went into detail on the importance of having and being a true friend, as he described who true friends are; and who are not; and, how true friends will aid in attaining a blissful life. By pointing out five duties of each, the Sigālakasutta explain the duties and responsibilities to have strong mutual-relationship between householder and friends.  Duty of the householder to his friends:

1.     By liberality

2.     By courteous speech

3.     By being helpful

4.     By being impartial

5.     By sincerity [34]

The friends and associates thus ministered to as the North by a clansman show compassion to him in five ways,

1.     They protect him when he is heedless

2.     They protect his property when he is heedless

3.     They become a refuge when he is in danger

4.     They do not forsake him in his troubles

5.     They show consideration for his family[35]

According to the Nettippakaraṇa there are seven qualities which you can judge about your friend. Friend should be pleasant and loveable, respectful, worthy of emulation, willing to engage in useful conversation, willing to tolerate words, engages in profound talk and never exhorts groundlessly. 

It is mentioned in the Upaḍḍhasutta of the Saṃyuttanikāya that once Ven. Ananda approached the Buddha and remarked that,

 "Half of the dispensation is based on friendship, companionship and association with the good." to which the Buddha replied “Ven. Ananda, do not say so. Not half, but man's entire life is established on friendship, companionship and association with the good."[36]

In brief, Buddhist perceptive towards friendship indicates about two types of friends as good and bad friends. Good friends play a significant role to the path of liberation or in other words good friends are helpful to moral development in education. On effectiveness of friends to life, Buddha has explained how to win and keep friends. We must be generous, courteous and benevolent if we need to win friends. We must rejoice in our friend’s achievements. We must praise any commendable acts and strong points. But the Buddha says that if we always keep on talking of our friend’s goodness, kindness, greatness and so on, then we are trying to deceive him. In dealing with friends, our word should be as clean as the actions. Thus, Buddhism points out the basic ingredients to foster a healthy friendship, minimize friction and displeasure, promote good-will, and companionship and ultimately bring about one’s welfare here, and spiritual progress. 

There is no condition of life that more powerfully influences our development than cultivating wholesome friends and companions. Start with ourselves, as we are today, and build on our strengths to become a better friend and companion to others that directly effect to the moral development.  

To conclude the chapter, according to Buddhist view, parents are the first teachers of the child. Second responsibility is with the teachers to lead students in the right path and restrain them form evil behavior. Students themselves also should have responsibility and ability to identify good and bad as a swan parts milk from the water. With the cooperation of parents, teachers and students, it is not impossible to cultivate moral qualities and achieve the goal of forming an exemplary human being to the society.

---

[1] Pubba means earlier and ācariya means teacher. In our life we have the first teacher (Parents) they taught what is right and wrong. Therefore they are known as Pubbācariya

[2] S. V p. 352 

[3] A. IV p. 113 

[4] Learning disabilities are disorders that affect one's ability to understand or use spoken or written 

language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements or direct attention. Although learning    disabilities occur in very young children, disorders are usually not recognized until a child reaches school age. 

              https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/learning-disability (Accessed on 06.03.2016)

[5] Reading disorder, is characterized by trouble with reading despite normal intelligence. Different

  People are affected to varying degrees.

[6] A nanny, child-minder, child care provider, or mother's helper (the last designation not to be confused with the slang term "mother's little helper," denoting a tranquilizer pill) is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service

[7] Attānameva paṭhamaṃ, patirūpe nivesaye; Athaññamanusāseyya, na kilisseyya paṇḍito.

  Attavagga The Self, Stanza 158, (trans. Acharya Buddharakkhita) Dhp. P. 45

 

 

 

 

[8] Dalton Miller-Jones received his master's in Experimental Psychology from Tufts University in 1965 

    and doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University in 1973. Dalton's research is on the impact of culture on development and learning and reasoning, especially for African American children. He has studied reading acquisition and teacher's attitudes and responses to speakers of Black English during reading instruction. He is beginning work in the area of identity and learning with special emphasis on mathematics and science.

[9] M. I p. 414

[10] Diane Levin teaches courses on play, media literacy, violence prevention and peace building, and 

qualitative research. For 8 years, she had led an annual Wheelock Service Learning Program to   Northern Ireland that focuses on How Education Programs Can Help Communities Affected by Conflict and Violence Heal. Since 1995 she has co-taught a summer institute on Media Madness: The Impact of Sex, Violence, and Commercial Culture on Adults, Children and Society and What We Can Do about It. An internationally recognized expert, she helps professionals, parents and policymakers understand and respond to the impact of various societal forces-such as violence and sexualisation, and media and commercial culture-on children's development, learning and behaviour.

[11]  M. II p. 164

[12]Yato naṃ samannesamāno visuddhaṃ mohanīyehi dhammehi samanupassati; atha tamhi saddhaṃ 

niveseti, saddhājāto upasaṅkamati, upasaṅkamanto payirupāsati, payirupāsanto sotaṃ odahati,  ohitasoto dhammaṃ suṇāti, sutvā dhammaṃ dhāreti, dhatānaṃ dhammānaṃ atthaṃ upaparikkhati, atthaṃ upaparikkhato dhammā nijjhānaṃ khamanti, dhammanijjhānakkhantiyā sati chando jāyati, chandajāto ussahati, ussahitvā tuleti, tulayitvā padahati, pahitatto samāno kāyena ceva paramasaccaṃ sacchikaroti paññāya ca naṃ ativijjha passati.

https://suttacentral.net/en/mn95 (Accessed on 06.09.2016) 

[13] Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, upajjhāyaṃ. Upajjhāyo, bhikkhave, saddhivihārikamhi puttacittaṃ 

upaṭṭhapessati, saddhivihāriko upajjhāyamhi pitucittaṃ upaṭṭhapessati. Evaṃ te aññamaññaṃ sagāravā sappatissā sabhāgavuttino viharantā imasmiṃ dhammavinaye vuḍḍhiṃ viruḷhiṃ vepullaṃ āpajjissanti.

    Oldernberg, (1997). The Vinaya  Piṭakaṃ. p. 45  

[14]  Horner, I.B. (2007). The Book of Discipline pp. 58 - 59

 

[15] Ācariyena, bhikkhave, antevāsiko saṅgahetabbo anuggahetabbo uddesena paripucchāya ovādena 

   anusāsaniyā. https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-kd18 (Accessed on 14.10.2016)

[16] http://www.bbc.com: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine (Accessed on 21.06.2015 )

 

[17] D. III p. 180 

[18] Ibid.

[19] Thera, Narada (Trans.) Sigālaka Sutta, The Discourse to Sigala, The Layperson's Code of Discipline. D. III p. 180 

[20] See Chapter 05

[21] Sākacchāya, bhikkhave, paññā veditabbā, sā ca kho dīghena addhunā, na ittaraṃ; manasikarotā, no 

   amanasikarotā; paññavatā, no duppaññenāti. Bhikkhu Thanissaro. (Trans.) Ṭhāna Sutta: Traits.

   A. II p. 187

[22] Tumhehi kiccamātappaṃ, akkhātāro tathāgatā; Paṭipannā pamokkhanti, jhāyino mārabandhanā.

    Dhp. p. 77

[23] M. III p. 141

[24] First great philosopher in West is Socrates, but Plato is the first great philosopher, who has written down his philosophy (Socrates didn’t write down his philosophy).

[25] Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso alagaddatthiko alagaddagavesī alagaddapariyesanaṃ caramāno… 

  Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacce kulaputtā dhammaṃ pariyāpuṇanti… Yassa catthāya dhammaṃ   

  pariyāpuṇanti, tañcassa atthaṃ anubhonti. Tesaṃ te dhammā suggahitā dīgharattaṃ atthāya hitāya

   sukhāya saṃvattanti. M. I p.130

 

 

    

 

[26] 5^th Millennium Development Goal of the United Nations (MDGs)

[27] 6^th Millennium Development Goal of the United Nations (MDGs)

[28] This refers not only to the stupid and uncultured, but also includes the wicked in thought, word and deed.

[29] Asevanā ca bālānaṃ, paṇḍitānañca sevanā; Pūjā ca pūjaneyyānaṃ etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ.

    Khp p. 5

   Thera, Narada. Maṅgalasutta: Blessings. p. 3

[30]Na bhaje pāpake mitte, na bhaje purisādhame; Bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe, bhajetha purisuttame.   

Dhp p. 22

[31] Carañce nādhigaccheyya, seyyaṃ sadisamattano;Ekacariyaṃ daḷhaṃ kayirā, natthi bāle sahāyatā.

    Dhp p. 17

 

[32]Cattārome, gahapatiputta, mittā suhadā veditabbā. Upakāro mitto suhado veditabbo, 

   samānasukhadukkho mitto suhado veditabbo, atthakkhāyī mitto suhado veditabbo, anukampako mitto  

   suhado veditabbo. D. III p. 187

[33] Cattārome, gahapatiputta, amittā mittapatirūpakā veditabbā. Aññadatthuharo amitto 

mittapatirūpako veditabbo, vacīparamo amitto mittapatirūpako veditabbo, anuppiyabhāṇī amitto mittapatirūpako veditabbo, apāyasahāyo amitto mittapatirūpako veditabbo.

    D. III p.186

 

[34] Pañcahi kho, gahapatiputta, ṭhānehi kulaputtena uttarā disā mittāmaccā paccupaṭṭhātabbā – dānena    

    peyyavajjena atthacariyāya samānattatāya avisaṃvādanatāya. 

    D. III p.191

[35] Imehi kho, gahapatiputta, pañcahi ṭhānehi kulaputtena uttarā disā mittāmaccā paccupaṭṭhitā 

    pañcahi ṭhānehi kulaputtaṃ anukampanti – pamattaṃ rakkhanti, pamattassa sāpateyyaṃ rakkhanti, bhītassa saraṇaṃ honti, āpadāsu na vijahanti, aparapajā cassa paṭipūjenti. Ibid.

[36] Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṃ etadavoca – ‘‘upaḍḍhamidaṃ, bhante, 

  brahmacariyaṃ, yadidaṃ – kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā’’ti.

Mā hevaṃ, ānanda, mā hevaṃ, ānanda! Sakalamevidaṃ, ānanda, brahmacariyaṃ, yadidaṃ – kalyāṇamittatā kalyāṇasahāyatā kalyāṇasampavaṅkatā. Kalyāṇamittassetaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṃ kalyāṇasahāyassa kalyāṇasampavaṅkassa – ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvessati, ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkarissati. S. V p. 2