3. EARLY ESSENTIAL DHARMA IDEAS
MBI 103 A Focus on Essential Early Buddhist Doctrines
Light a lamp; do not curse the Darkness
This course will indeed use the early Buddhist Sutras, but you will quickly learn that even those who have studied them for years do not understand the deep and significant truths that they contain, which are beyond the word-mind trap of academic understanding.
The Three Signata are three themes central to the Buddhist view of existence, but it is not enough to simply rattle them off like one might do in elementary school. We can all say. “Of course everything is impermanent (anicca) and the world is filled with suffering (dukkha). Thus we believe that we know and continue to walk in Ignorance. The third of the Signata, the idea of no self (anatta) may cause a little twinge of uncertainty, but the foolish simply accept it and pass on just because it is a basic doctrine. But in this course we say, “my friend I’m afraid that you probably, despite all your great learning, have no idea at all about these. Now you are about to learn in depth what they really mean.”
Then we discuss the relationship between The Three Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path and Dependent Origination and let you set the beauty of the true interaction as an essential part of liberation. You will see that that Eightfold Path is not just a list that you can dismiss because it appears to be just eight simple guidelines. Understanding the truth of this interaction, we must then comprehend what Meditation is and what Meditation is not.
Without Mindfulness there is no Buddhism. Therefore, we must learn what mental attention is and how it differs from Mindfulness at one extreme, and the Correct Attention and Correct Energy of the Eightfold Path on the other. Naturally then, we must look at the human mind as the great impostor and its manipulation of sensations, emotions, thoughts and, paradoxically, itself.
Learning then that Mind is illusion, we will see the traditional analysis of empiric individuality (khandha, ayatana, dhatu) and then discover the hidden treasure behind the concepts. The understanding of Consciousness will then allow us to see why the Ego formation is effectively our nemesis and we will see what true Wisdom is.
The Buddhist mind has constructed the Ethical Path of the Middle Way. But we must then ask, “If there is no self, how can there be anyone to tread the path? That leads us to another important question, “Is there one path, many paths or no path at all?” And finally, we must address whether it is true or not that Nibbana is the final goal of Buddhism.
The Three Signata (anicca, dukkha and anatta) (18)
The Three Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path and Dependent Origination (24)
Meditation and Mindfulness (18)
Mental Attention (12)
Correct Attention and Correct Energy (18)
Sensations, Emotions, Thoughts and Mind (24)
Empiric Individuality (khandha, ayatana, dhatu) (12)
Consciousness and Wisdom (12)
The Ethical Path of the Middle Way (6)
Is there one path, many paths or no path at all? (12)
Is Nibbana the final goal of Buddhism? (6)