Friends:
The Last Relinquishment:
When ignorance of the 4 Noble Truths finally fully evaporates,
Then one no longer clings to any pleasure, one no longer clings to any views,
One does not any longer cling to any rule, ritual or to any idea of a self...
When one does not cling, one is not agitated! One becomes imperturbable...
In complete absence of agitation, one attains the state of Nibbāna!
One understands: This Rebirth is ended, the Noble life has been completed,
What had to be done is done, there is no relapsing into any state of being...
The Entrance is a phase transition of consciousness!Source:
Majjhima Nikāya I 68: The shorter speech on the Lion's Roar.
Have a nice redefining the goal day!
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Friends:
What are the 7 Links to Awakening?
Awareness is a link to Awakening (sati-sambojjhanga).
Investigation of the states is a link to Awakening (vicaya-sambojjhanga).
Energy is a link to Awakening (viriya-sambojjhanga).
Joy is a link to Awakening (pīti-sambojjhanga).
Tranquillity is a link to Awakening (passaddhi-sambojjhanga).
Concentration is a link to Awakening (samādhi-sambojjhanga).
Equanimity is a link to Awakening (upekkhā-sambojjhanga).
These are the seven links leading to final Enlightenment...
Whose minds are well-developed in these seven factors of self-awakening,who delight in non-clinging, relinquishing all grasping, mind being luminous, fermentations all stilled: They, even in this world, are all Unbound here!
There are 7 Links to Enlightenment!
Related Buddhist site: http://What-Buddha-Said.net
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Friends:
The Joy (Pîti) Link to Awakening!
The Joy Link to Awakening (Pīti-sambojjhanga) has the characteristic
of suffusing contentment, and the property of gladdening satisfaction.
This Joy Link to Awakening manifests as mental elation, which can reach
five successively increasing degrees of intensity:
1: Minor Joy, which can raise the hair on the body when thrilled.
2: Momentary Joy, which is flashing like lightning at various occasions.
3: Showering Joy, which breaks over the body repeatedly like sea-waves.
4: Uplifting Joy, which can be strong enough to even levitate the body.
5: Pervading Joy, which is like a heavy sponge all saturated with water.
Visuddhimagga IV 94-9
The Buddha once said: What mental fermentations (āsava) should be
overcome by development? If a Bhikkhu by careful & rational attention
develops the Joy Link to Awakening based on seclusion, on disillusion,
on ceasing, & culminating in relinquishment, then neither can any mental
fermentation, nor any fever, or discontent ever arise in him. MN2 [i 11]
In one who has aroused enthusiastic energy, there arises a joy not of
this world & the Joy Link to Awakening emerges there. He develops it,
& for him it goes to the culmination of its development. MN118 [iii 85]
Any one convinced by understanding of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha,
gets an enthusiastic sense of the sublime good goal of Nibbāna &
gains gladness connected, joined, and fused with this Dhamma...!
In any one gladdened, Joy is born. The body of the Joyous is calmed.
One of calm body experiences pleasure and happiness! The mind of
one who is happy becomes concentrated. The concentrated mind
sees and knows things as they really are. This brings disgust and
disillusion, which enables full direct experience of mental release.
It is in this way that Joy indeed is a factor leading to Awakening!
MN [i 37-8], AN [iii 21-3], DN [iii 21-3]
Further inspirations on the elevating & ecstatic quality of Joy (Pīti):
Happiness_of_the_Flesh_and_Beyond, Joys_of_the_Flesch_&_Beyond,
Joys_Beyond_This_World, Feeding_Joy, Alert_Elevated_Joy,
Rejoicing_Joy, Super-Human_Delight
