8. THE APPLICATION OF AVAIVARTIKA AND ITS IMPORTANCE
It is clear that the pathway of information from the first irritation to the apparent individual Life Force in perfect conditions allows perfect functioning (allowing the modification of evolution to be present) without an Identity presence.
The functioning of the Two Truths becomes evident, for optimal survival depends upon the efficiency of the ILLUSIONS.
But when the system is infected with Identity presence it requires the cleansing meditations of Samatha and Vipassana.
Nevertheless while these meditations are in progress COGNITION is still generating stained INTENTIONS (CETANA), stained EFFORT (VIRIYA), stained MOTIVATION (CHANDA), which is the wish to do, and stained BEHAVIOUR.
Here we are interested in MOTIVATION (CHANDA) which is distinct from what advanced students know as ZEAL and SHÉN. Motivation can be designated as an ethically UNMORAL process (KUTIKAMYATA), as a RIGHTEOUS process (DHARMA CHANDA) or as CRAVING (KAMACHANDA) due to the staining hindrances.
It should be clear that if CRAVING and its related CLINGING continue then any meditations will be less effective.
Now intentions are derived in Cognition from ATTITUDES which are stored in Memory and these ATTITUDES generate the READINESS to RESPOND that results in ACTION.
Now attitudes are contaminated, so the task is difficult. It would be wonderful if we could perform some form of ATTITUDE LOBOTOMY, but that is impossible. What we must do then is borrow a set of ATTITUDES and we borrow these from the Dharma which is written and spoken.
Dao correctly presents the truth that the Dharma that is spoken and therefore written is not Eternal Dharma, but it is the best that we have.
So the practice of developing a NON-RETURNER state of AVAIVARTIKA serves that purpose.
THE APPLICATION OF AVAIVARTIKA MOTIVATION
Gotama Buddha presented us with the Noble Eightfold Path as a standard or daily comportment, but these are all subjective and in and of themselves do not provide daily motivation.
Avaivartika on the other hand does generate correct motivation.
It does so in the first place by way of Shantideva's text:
This text is highly motivational for it begins by talking in a user-friendly way about:
1. The Benefit of the Spirit of Awakening
2. Adopting the Spirit of Awakening
3. Attending to the Spirit of Awakening
Shantideva writes also of the importance of:
4. Acknowledging Errors, in the second chapter
5. Guarding one's Introspection, in the fifth
.
What is it that he suggests is of utmost importance:
6. The Perfection of Patience
7. The Perfection of Effort
That perfection of effort is directed at the development of Zeal.
He declares:
1. Thus, one who has patience should cultivate zeal, because Awakening is established with zeal, and there is no merit without zeal, just as there is no movement without wind.
2. What is zeal? It is enthusiasm for virtue. What is said to be its antithesis? It is spiritual sloth, clinging to the reprehensible, apathy, and self-contempt.
Shantideva then goes on to motivate;
8. The Perfection of Meditation
9. The Perfection of Wisdom.
He declares:
1. The Sage taught this entire system for the sake of wisdom. Therefore, with the desire to ward off suffering, one should develop wisdom.
2. This truth is recognized as being of two kinds: conventional and ultimate.
One great part of Wisdom then is the realization that there are indeed Two Truths. This serves to prevent the elementary intellectual mistake of Clinging to NON-EXISTENCE, which is as foolish as Clinging to the belief in a REAL EXISTENCE.
Avaivartika helps in developing MOTIVATION in the second place by using the Bhumi measuring device.
The Bhumi device is an effective way of measuring progress in the path as a consequence of meditations and contemplations.
But they are also indicators of attributes which must be developed at different levels of path advancement. These attributes themselves not only have natural value, but they serve to build MOTIVATION for even further advances.
The Bhumi advice with regard to Motivating Factors are:
First Ground: attending to the cultivation of Natural GENEROSITY.
Second Ground: cultivating INTENTION to generate a Natural VIRTUE.
Third Ground: cultivating PATIENCE and cognitive OBSERVATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANGER AND AVERSION.
Fourth Ground: cultivating the PERFECTION OF EFFORT.
Fifth Ground: cultivating FINER MEDITATION and CONTEMPLATION.
Sixth Ground: cultivating the PERFECTION OF WISDOM.
This means getting the Bodhisattva act together without mental interference. This means working upon a non-cognitive experience, through which all phenomena are seen as lacking inherent existence, as being like dreams, illusions or mere reflections.
It means also efficient contemplative work to transcend all notions of "I" and "other," along with conceptions of "existence" and "nonexistence."
This then means that the Bodhisattva idea itself is naturally cast out as self and other cease to be separate phenomena.
Seventh Ground: cultivating skill in adapting their teaching tactics to the individual proclivities and needs of each person and actions that are divorced from intellect and generated spontaneously and effectively for the benefit of others.
The Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Grounds contain no further advice concerning the cultivation of Factors for further Motivation.
It is interesting to note that the cultivation of these attributes appears to be important in and of itself, but curiously these attributes serve to motivate other attributes.