kasina ”space-kasina exercise”; s. kasina.
s. jha^na.
natthi-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, (q.v.).
lahuta^ (q.v.).
s. avihimsa^.
akalika == 即時的, 不遲滯的, 不受時間限製的, 不待時節
akaliko == 即時的, 不遲滯的, 不受時間限製的, 不待時節
akusala == 惡,不善
”unwholesome”, ...
are all those karmic volitions (kamma-cetana^; s. cetana^) and the consciousness and mental concomitants associated therewith, which are accompanied either by greed (lobha) or hate (dosa) or merely delusion (moha); and all these phenomena are causes of unfavourable karma-results and contain the seeds of unhappy destiny or rebirth.
Cf. karma, paticca-samuppa^da (1), Tab. II.
anagami == 不來, 阿那含
”not-self”, non-ego, egolessness, impersonality, ...
is the last of the three characteristics of existence (ti-lakkhana, q.v.) The anatta^ doctrine teaches that neither within the bodily and mental phenomena of existence, nor outside of them, can be found anything that in the ultimate sense could be regarded as a self-existing real ego-entity, soul or any other abiding substance.
This is the central doctrine of Buddhism, without understanding which a real knowledge of Buddhism is altogether impossible. It is the only really specific Buddhist doctrine, with which the entire Structure of the Buddhist teaching stands or falls. All the remaining Buddhist doctrines may, more or less, be found in other philosophic systems and religions, but the anatta^-doctrine has been clearly and unreservedly taught only by the Buddha, wherefore the Buddha is known as the anatta^-va^di, or ”Teacher of Impersonality”.
Whosoever has not penetrated this impersonality of all existence, and does not comprehend that in reality there exists only this continually self-consuming process of arising and passing bodily and mental phenomena, and that there is no separate ego-entity within or without this process, he will not be able to understand Buddhism, i.e. the teaching of the 4 Noble Truths (sacca, q.v.), in the right light. He will think that it is his ego, his personality, that experiences suffering, his personality that performs good and evil actions and will be reborn according to these actions, his personality that will enter into Nibba^na, his personality that walks on the Eightfold Path. Thus it is said in Vis.M. XVI:
"Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found;
The deeds are, but no doer of the deeds is there;
Nibba^na is, but not the man that enters it;
The path is, but no traveler on it is seen."
"Whosoever is not clear with regard to the conditionally arisen phenomena, and does not comprehend that all the actions are conditioned through ignorance, etc., he thinks that it is an ego that understands or does not understand, that acts or causes to act, that comes to existence at rebirth .... that has the sense-impression, that feels, desires, becomes attached, continues and at rebirth again enters a new existence" (Vis.M. XVII. 117).
While in the case of the first two characteristics it is stated that all formations (sabbe sankha^ra^) are impermanent and subject to suffering, the corresponding text for the third characteristic states that "all things are not-self" (sabbe dhamma^ anatta^; M. 35, Dhp. 279). This is for emphasizing that the false view of an abiding self or substance is neither applicable to any ”formation” or conditioned phenomenon, nor to Nibba^na, the Unconditioned Element (asankhata^ dha^tu).
The Anatta^-lakkhana Sutta, the ”Discourse on the Characteristic of Not-self”, was the second discourse after Enlightenment, preached by the Buddha to his first five disciples, who after hearing it attained to perfect Holiness (arahatta).
The contemplation of not-self (anatta^nupassana^) leads to the emptiness liberation (sun~n~ata^-vimokkha, s. vimokkha). Herein the faculty of wisdom (pan~n~indriya) is outstanding, and one who attains in that way the path of Stream-entry is called a Dhamma-devotee (dhamma^nusa^ri; s. ariya-puggala); at the next two stages of sainthood he becomes a vision-attainer (ditthippatta); and at the highest stage, i.e. Holiness, he is called ”liberated by wisdom” (pan~n~a^-vimutta).
For further details, see paramattha-sacca, paticca-samuppa^da, khandha, ti-lakkhana, na^ma-rúpa, patisandhi.
Literature: Anatta^-lakkhana Sutta, Vinaya I, 13-14; S.22. 59; tr. in Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha (WHEEL 17). -
Another important text on Anatta^ is the Discourse on the Snake Simile (Alagaddúpama Sutta, M. 22; tr. in WHEEL 48/49) .
Other texts in "Path". - Further: Anatta^ and Nibba^na, by Nyanaponika Thera (WHEEL 11);
The Truth of Anatta^, by Dr. G. P. Malalasekera (WHEEL 94);
The Three Basic Facts of Existence III: Egolessness (WHEEL 202/204)
the 7 ”proclivities”, inclinations, or tendencies are: sensuous greed (ka^ma-ra^ga, s. samyojana), grudge (patigha), speculative opinion (ditthi, q.v.), sceptical doubt (vicikiccha^, q.v.), conceit (ma^na, q.v.), craving for continued existence (bhavara^ga), ignorance (avijja^, q.v.) (D. 33; A. VII, 11, 12).
"These things are called ”proclivities” since, in consequence of their pertinacity, they ever and again tend to become the conditions for the arising of ever new sensuous greed, etc.”” (Vis.M. XXII, 60).
Yam. VII, first determines in which beings such and such proclivities exist, and which proclivities, and with regard to what, and in which sphere of existence. Thereafter it gives an explanation concerning their overcoming, their penetration, etc. Cf. Guide VI (vii). According to Kath. several ancient Buddhist schools erroneously held the opinion that the anusayas, as such, meant merely latent, hence karmically neutral qualities, which however Contradicts the Therava^da conception. Cf. Guide V, 88, 108, 139.
and vanishing (of things). The knowledge consisting in the contemplation of; s. visuddhi (VI. 1.).
”sphere”, realm. The 3 spheres of existence are: the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara), the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara), the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)."Which things are of the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Avi^ci-hell and above by the Paranimmitavasavatti-heaven (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included, to wit: the groups of existence, the elements, bases (s. khandha, dha^tu, a^yatana), corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, all these things are of the sensuous sphere. - But which things are of the fine material sphere (rúpa^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Brahma-world and above by the Akanittha-world (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included ... and also consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (fine-material) absorptions, or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his life-time is living in happiness (of the absorptions), all these things are of the fine-material sphere. - Which things are of the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)? Consciousness and mental factors arising within the interval bounded beneath by the beings reborn in the sphere of unbounded space and above by the beings reborn in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jha^na 5-8), and consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (immaterial absorptions), or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his lifetime is living in happiness (of the immaterial absorptions), all these things are of the immaterial sphere." (Cf. Dhs. 1280, 1282, 1284; Vibh. XVIII). (App.).
ka^ma^vacara is already met with in the oldest sutta texts (e.g. D. 1). Rúpa^vacara and arúpa^vacara, however, occur probably for the first time in Pts.M. (I. 83ff.), while in the Abhidhamma Canon and the Com. all the 3 terms are frequently mentioned and explained.
”ignorance,” nescience, unknowing; synonymous with delusion (moha, s. múla), is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling man”s mental eyes and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things. It is the delusion tricking beings by making life appear to them as permanent, happy, substantial and beautiful and preventing them from seeing that everything in reality is impermanent, liable to suffering, void of ”I” and ”mine”, and basically impure (s. vipalla^sa). Ignorance is defined as ”not knowing the four truths, namely, suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the way to its cessation” (S. XII, 4).
As ignorance is the foundation of all life-affirming actions, of all evil and suffering, therefore it stands first in the formula of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppa^da, q.v.). But for that reason, says Vis.M. (XVII, 36f) ignorance should not be regarded as "the causeless root-cause of the world ... It is not causeless. For a cause of it is stated thus ”With the arising of cankers (a^sava, q.v.) there is the arising of ignorance” (M. 9). But there is a figurative way in which it can be treated as a root-cause; namely, when it is made to serve as a starting point in an exposition of the Round of Existence ... As it is said: ”No first beginning of ignorance can be perceived, Bhikkhus, before which ignorance was not, and after which it came to be. But it can be perceived that ignorance has its specific condition (idappaccaya)" (A. X, 61). The same statement is made (A. X, 62) about the craving for existence (bhava-tanha^; s. tanha^). The latter and ignorance are called "the outstanding causes of kamma that lead to unhappy and happy destinies" (Vis.M. XVII, 38).
As ignorance still exists - though in a very refined way until the attainment of Arahatship or Holiness, it is counted as the last of the 10 fetters (samyojana, q.v.) which bind beings to the cycle of rebirths. As the first two roots of evil, greed and hate (s. múla), are on their part rooted in ignorance, consequently all unwholesome states of mind are inseparably bound up with it. Ignorance (or delusion) is the most obstinate of the three roots of evil.
Ignorance is one of the cankers (a^sava, q.v.) and proclivities (anusaya, q.v.). It is often called a hindrance (ni^varana; e.g. in S.XV, 3; A.X, 61) but does not appear together with the usual list of five hindrances.
A fully ordained disciple of the Buddha is called a bhikkhu."Mendicant monk" may be suggested as the closest equivalent for "Bhikkhu", literally it means "he who begs" but bhikkhus do not beg. They silently stand at the door for alms. They live on what is spontaneously given by the supporters. He is not a priest as he is no mediator between God and man. He has no vows for life, but he is bound by his rules which he takes of his own accord. He leads a life of voluntary poverty and celibacy. If he is unable to live the Holy Life, he can discard the robe at any time.
Brahmin == 婆羅門
The highest of the four Indian Castes at the time of Shakyamuni. They served Brahma, his offering, the keepers of the Vedas, i.e. priestly.