{"id":4055,"date":"2013-07-13T01:53:07","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4055"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:53:07","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:53:07","slug":"55-the-awakened-one-vol-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/03-questions-and-answers-volume-03\/55-the-awakened-one-vol-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","title":{"rendered":"-55_The Awakened One.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n


\nThe
\nAwakened One (The Buddha) <\/font> <\/span><\/i>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

He
\nwhose victory has never been surpassed nor even equalled \u2013 which path can lead
\nto Him, the Pathless, the Awakened One who dwells within the Infinite? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

One
\nin whom there is neither greed nor desire, how can he be led astray? Which path
\ncan lead to Him, the Pathless, the Awakened One who dwells within the Infinite?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Even
\nthe gods envy the sages given to meditation, the Awakened Ones, the Vigilant
\nwho live with delight in renunciation and solitude. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It is
\ndifficult to attain to human birth. It is difficult to live this mortal life.
\nIt is difficult to obtain the good fortune of hearing the True Doctrine. And
\ndifficult indeed is the advent of the Awakened Ones. Abstain from evil; cultivate
\ngood and purify your mind. This is the teaching of the Awakened Ones. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Of
\nall ascetic practices patience is the best; of all states the most perfect is
\nNirvana, say the Awakened Ones. He who harms others is not a monk. He who
\noppresses others is not a true ascetic. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Neither
\nto offend, nor to do wrong to anyone, to practise discipline according to the
\nLaw, to be moderate in eating, to live in seclusion, and to merge oneself in
\nthe higher consciousness, this is the teaching of the Awakened Ones.\u00a0 <\/span>
\n <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 246<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Even
\na rain of gold would not be able to quench the thirst of desire, for it is
\ninsatiable and the origin of sorrows. This the sage knows. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Even
\nthe pleasures of heaven are without savour for the sage. The disciple of the
\nBuddha, of the Perfectly Awakened One, rejoices only in the extinction of all
\ndesire. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Impelled
\nby fear, men seek refuge in many places, in the mountains, in the forests, in
\nthe groves, in sanctuaries. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

But
\nthis is not a safe refuge; this is not the supreme refuge. Coming to this
\nrefuge does not save a man from all sufferings. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

One
\nwho takes refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma<\/span><\/i>\u00b9<\/span> and the Sangha,<\/span><\/i>\u00b2<\/span> with perfect knowledge, perceives the Four
\nNoble Truths: <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Suffering,
\nthe origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the Noble Eightfold
\nPath which leads to cessation of suffering. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In
\ntruth, this is the sure refuge, this is the sovereign refuge. To choose this
\nrefuge is to be liberated from all suffering. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It is
\ndifficult to meet the Perfectly Noble One. Such a being is not born everywhere.
\nAnd where such a sage is born, those around him live in happiness. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Happy
\nis the birth of the Buddhas, happy the<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>The
\nTrue Doctrine<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b2<\/font><\/span> <\/font> <\/span>The community; the order of the Great Ones and the order of the
\nmonks<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 247<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

teaching
\nof the true Law. Happy is the harmony of the Sangha, happy the discipline of
\nthe United.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

One
\ncannot measure the merit of the man who reveres those who are worthy of
\nreverence, whether the Buddha or his disciples, those who are free from all
\ndesire and all error, those who have overcome all obstacles and who have
\ncrossed beyond suffering and grief. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This concerns the Four Truths and the Eightfold Path that lead to
\nthe annihilation of suffering. Here are the details given in the text:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Four Noble Truths are: <\/span><\/p>\n

(1) Life \u2013 taken in the sense of ordinary
\nlife, the life of ignorance and falsehood\u00a0
\n<\/span>is indissolubly linked with suffering: suffering of the body and
\nsuffering of the mind. <\/span><\/p>\n

(2) The cause of suffering is desire,
\nwhich is caused by ignorance of the nature of separative life. <\/span><\/p>\n

(3) There is a way to escape from
\nsuffering, to put an end to pain. <\/span><\/p>\n

(4) This liberation is obtained by
\nfollowing the discipline of the Eightfold Path which gradually purifies the
\nmind from the Ignorance. The fourth Truth is called the method of the Eightfold
\nPath. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Noble Path consists in a training in
\nthe following eight stages: <\/span><\/p>\n

(1) Correct
\nseeing<\/i>. To see things as they are, that is to say, a pure, accurate vision,
\nthe best vision. <\/span><\/p>\n

Three conditions characterise existence:
\npain, impermanence, the absence of a fixed ego. So the Dhammapada says. But it
\nis not quite that, it is rather the absence of a fixed, durable and separate
\npersonality in the psychological aggregate, the lack of a true continuity in
\nthe personal consciousness. It is for this reason that, for example, in the
\nordinary state one cannot remember <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 248<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

one’s past lives nor have the sense of a conscious continuity
\nthrough all one’s lives. <\/span><\/p>\n

The first point then is to see correctly,
\nand to see correctly is to see that pain is associated with ordinary life, that
\nall things are impermanent and that there is no continuity in the personal
\nconsciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

(2) Correct intention or desire<\/i>. But the same word \u201cdesire\u201d should
\nnot have been used, because we have just been told that we should not have
\ndesire. It is rather \u201ccorrect aspiration\u201d. The word \u201cdesire\u201d should be replaced
\nby \u201caspiration\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be freed from attachments and to have
\nkind thoughts for everything that exists.\u201d To be constantly in a state of kindness.
\nTo wish the best for all, always. <\/span><\/p>\n

(3) Correct
\nspeech that hurts none<\/i>.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Never speak
\nuselessly and scrupulously avoid all malevolent speech. <\/span><\/p>\n

(4)
\nCorrect behaviour \u2013 peaceful, honest<\/i>. From all points of view, not only
\nmaterially, but morally, mentally. Mental honesty is one of the most difficult
\nthings to achieve. <\/span><\/p>\n

(5)
\nCorrect way of living. Not to cause harm or danger to any creature<\/i>.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>This is relatively easy to understand. There
\nare people who carry this principle to the extreme, against all common sense.
\nThose who put a handkerchief to their mouths, for example, so as not to swallow
\ngerms, who have the path in front of them swept so as not to step on an insect.
\nThis seems to me a little excessive, because the whole of life as it is at
\npresent is made up of destruction. But if you understand the text correctly, it
\nmeans that one must avoid all possibility of doing harm, one must not
\ndeliberately endanger any creature. You can include here all living creatures
\nand if you extend this care and this kindness to everything that lives in the
\nuniverse, it will be very favourable to your inner growth. <\/span><\/p>\n

(6)
\nCorrect effort<\/i>. Do not make useless efforts for useless things, rather keep
\nall the energy of your effort to conquer ignorance and free yourself from falsehood.
\nThat you can never do too much.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 249<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

(7) The seventh principle comes to confirm
\nthe sixth: correct vigilance<\/i>. You
\nmust have an active and vigilant mind. Do not live in a half-somnolence,
\nhalf-unconsciousness \u2013 usually in life you let yourself go, come what may! This
\nis what everyone does. Now and then you wake up and you realise that you have
\nwasted your time; then you make a big effort only to fall back again, a minute
\nlater, into indolence. It would be better to have something less vehement but
\nmore constant. <\/span><\/p>\n

(8) And finally, correct contemplation<\/i>. Egoless thought concentrated on the essence
\nof things, on the inmost truth and on the goal to be attained. <\/span><\/p>\n

How often there is a kind of emptiness in
\nthe course of life, an unoccupied moment, a few minutes, sometimes more. And
\nwhat do you do? Immediately you try to distract yourself, and you invent some
\nfoolishness or other to pass your time. That is a common fact. All men, from
\nthe youngest to the oldest, spend most of their time in trying not to be bored.
\nTheir pet aversion is boredom and the way to escape from boredom is to act
\nfoolishly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, there is a better way than that \u2013 to
\nremember. <\/span><\/p>\n

When you have a little time, whether it is
\none hour or a few minutes, tell yourself, \u201cAt last, I have some time to
\nconcentrate, to collect myself, to relive the purpose of my life, to offer
\nmyself to the True and the Eternal.\u201d If you took care to do this each time you
\nare not harassed by outer circumstances, you would find out that you were
\nadvancing very quickly on the path. Instead of wasting your time in chattering,
\nin doing useless things, reading things that lower the consciousness \u2013 to
\nchoose only the best cases, I am not speaking of other imbecilities which are
\nmuch more serious \u2013 instead of trying to make yourself giddy, to make time,
\nthat is already so short, still shorter only to realise at the end of your life
\nthat you have lost three-quarters of your chance \u2013 then you want to put in
\ndouble time, but that does not work \u2013 is better to be moderate, balanced,
\npatient, quiet, but never to lose an opportunity that is given to <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 250<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

you, that is to say, to utilise for the true purpose the
\nunoccupied moment before you. <\/span><\/p>\n

When you have nothing to do, you become
\nrestless, you run about, you meet friends, you take a walk, to speak only of
\nthe best; I am not referring to things that are obviously not to be done.
\nInstead of that, sit down quietly before the sky, before the sea or under
\ntrees, whatever is possible (here you have all of them) and try to realise one
\nof these things–to understand why you live, to learn how you must live, to
\nponder over what you want to do and what should be done, what is the best way
\nof escaping from the ignorance and falsehood and pain in which you live.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>16 May 1958<\/span><\/i> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 251<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\t<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Awakened One (The Buddha) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0    He whose victory has never been surpassed nor even equalled \u2013 which path can lead to Him, the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-03-questions-and-answers-volume-03","wpcat-115-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4055"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4055\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}