Wholesome

6 PERFECTIONS

1. Generosity
2. Disciplined behavior
3. Patience
4. Effort
5. Meditation
6. Wisdom
   (See Topic 23 - "The Perfections" for more details.)

1. Generosity
2. Morality
3. Meditation
4. Reverence
5. Service
6. Transference of merit
7. Rejoicing in others’ merit
8. Hearing the Buddhist doctrine
9. Expounding the doctrine
10. Straightening one’s views

8-FOLD PATH / MIDDLE WAY / NOBLE 8-FOLD PATH

• Right understanding
• Right thoughts
• Right speech
• Right action
• Right livelihood
• Right effort
• Right mindfulness
• Right concentration
  (See Topic 27 "The Noble 8-fold Path" for more details.)

37 FACTORS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

     4 Foundations of Mindfulness
     4 Supreme Efforts
     4 Means of Accomplishment
     5 Forces
     5 Faculties
     7 Constituents of Enlightenment
     8 -Fold Path
     (See Topic 28 "The Factors of Enlightenment" for more details.)

15 KINDS OF CONDUCT

1. Moral restraint
2. Sense restraint
3. Moderation in eating
4. Wakefulness
5. Faith
6. Moral shame
7. Moral dread
8. Great learning
9. Energy/Perseverance
10. Mindfulness
11. Wisdom
12. 1 st jhana
13. 2 nd jhana
14. 3 rd jhana
15. 4 th jhana
    

4 GREAT ABODES OF LIVING / 4 SUBLIMIE STATES

1. Loving kindness
2. Compassion
3. Sympathetic joy
4. Equanimity
   (See Topic 22 "The Sublime States" for more details.)
   

"Then, with his heart filledwith loving-kindness, he dwells suffusing one quarter, the second, the third,the fourth. Thus he dwells suffusing the whole world, upwards, downwards, across, everywhere, always with a heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, unbounded, without hate or ill-will.

Just as if a mighty trumpeter were with little difficulty to make a proclamation to the four quarters, so by this meditation, Vasettha, by this leberation of the heart through loving-kindness, he leaves nothing untouched, nothing unaffecxted in the sensuous s phere. This Vasettha, is the way to union with Brahma.

The with his heart filled with compasson, ...with sympahetic joy, with equanimity he dwells suffusing one quarter, the second, the third,the fourth. Thus he dwells suffusing the whole world, upwards, downwards, across, everywhere, always with a heart filled with compassion,...with sympathetic joy,...with equaminity, abundant, unbounded, without hate or ill-will.

Just as if a mighty trumpeter were with little difficulty to make a proclamation to the four quarters, so by this meditation, Vasettha, by this leberation of the heart through compassion,...through sympathetic joy,...through equanimity,, he leaves nothing untouched, nothing unaffecxted in the sensuous s phere. This Vasettha, is the way to union with Brahma."
~ The Buddha (DN 13)

From Abhidhamma Teachings:

The Illimitables

1. Compassion, 2. Appreciative joy: these are termed illimitable.

The illimitable: There are four attitudes towards living beings called the illimitable (or immeasurable) because they are to be developed towards all living beings and thus have a potentially limitless range. The four illimitable states are loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. These four are also called, “divine abodes” or sublime states.

Although four illimitables are recognized as ideal attitudes towards beings, ony two-compassion and appreciative joy are included as cetasikas under the heading of the illimitable. This is because loving-kindness compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. These four are also called “divine abodes” or sublime states.

Although four illimitables are recognized as ideal attitudes towards living beings, only two-compassion and appreciative joy-are included as cetasikas under the heading of the illimitable. This is because loving-kindness, as we have seen, is a mode of the cetasika non-hatred, and equanimity is mode of the cetasida, neutrality of mind. Non-hatred does not necessarily manifest as loving-kindness; it can appear in other modes as well. But when loving-kindness does arise in the mind, it does so as a manifestion of the cetasika non-hatred. A similar relationship holds between the cetasika neutrality of mind and the sublime state of equanimity as impartiality towards living beings.

The two illimitable that appear as mental factors in their own right, not as manifestations of other mental factors, are compassion and appreciative joy. Whereas non-hatred and mental neutrality – the factors underlying loving-kindness and equanimity – are present in all beautiful cittas, these two are present only on occasions when their functions are individually exercised.

• Compassion: Compassion, has the characteristic of promoting the removal of suffering in others. Its function is not being able to bear others’ suffering. It is manifested as non-cruelty. Its proximate cause is seeing helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering. It succeeds when it causes cruelty to subside, and it fails when it produces sorrow.
• Appreciative joy: Appreciative joy, has the characteristic of gladness at the success of others. Its function is being unenvious at others’ success. It is manifested as the elimination of aversion. Its proximate cause is seeing the success of others. It succeeds when it causes aversion to subside, and it fails when it produces merriment.

The Universal Beautiful Factors

• Faith
• Mindfulness
• Shame
• Fear of wrongdoing
• Non-greed
• Non-hatred
• Neutrality of mind
• Tranquility of the mental body
• Tranquility of consciousness
• Lightness of the mental body
• Lightness of consciousness
• Malleability of the mental body
• Malleability of consciousness
• Wieldiness of the mental body
• Wieldiness of consciousness
• Proficiency of the mental body
• Proficiency of consciousness
• Rectitude of mental body
• Rectitude of consciousness

These nineteen mental factors are termed the universal beautiful factors

The Universal Beautiful Factors:

The beautiful mental factors are subdivided into four groups. First come the universal beautiful factors, nineteen cetasikas that are invariably present in all beautiful consciousness. Following this come three groups of beautiful cetasikas which are variable adjuncts not necessarily contained in beautiful consciousness.

1. Faith (saddha): The first of the beautiful cetasikas is faith, which has the characteristic of placing faith or of trusting. Its function is to clarify, as a water-clearing gem causes muddy water to become clear; or its function is to set forth, as one might set forth to cross a flood. It is manifested as non-fogginess, i.e. the removal of the mind’s impurities, or as resolution. Its proximate cause is something to place faith in, or the hearing of the Good Dhamma, etc., that constitute the factors of stream-entry.

2. Mindfulness (sati): The word sati derives from a root meaning “to remember,” but as a mental factor it signifies presence of mind, attentiveness to the present, rather than the faculty of memory regarding the past It has the characteristic of not wobbling, i.e. not floating away from the object. Its function is absence of confusion or non-forgetfulness. It is manifested as guardianship, or as the state of confronting an objective field. Its proximate cause is strong perception or the four foundations of mindfulness.

3 & 4. Shame (hiri) and fear of wrongdoing (ottappa): Shame has the characteristic of disgust at bodily and verbal misconduct, fear of wrongdoing has the characteristic of dread inregard to such misconduct. They both have the function of not doing evil, and are manifested as the shrinking away from evil. Their proximate cause is respect for self and respect for others, reapectively. These two states are called by the Buddha the guardians of the world because they protect the world from falling into widespread immorality.

5. Non-greed (alobha): Non-greed has the characteristic of the mind’s lack of desire for its object, or non-adherence to the object like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Its function is not to lay hold, and its manifestation is detachment. It should be understood that non-greed is not the mere absence of greed, but the presence of positive virtues such as generosity and renunciation as well.

6. Non-hatred (adosa): Non-hatred has the characteristic of lack of ferocity, or of non-opposing. Its function is to remove annoyance, or to remove fever, and its manifestation is agreeableness. Non-hatred comprises such positive virtues as loving-kindness, gentleness, amity, friendliness, etc.

When non-hatred appears as the sublime quality of loving-kindness it has the characteristic of romoting the welfare of living beings. Its function is to prefer their welfare. Its manifestation is the removal of ill will. Its proximate cause is seeing beings as lovable. Such loving-kindness must be distinguished from selfish affection its “near enemy.”

7. Neurtratility of mind (tatramajjhattata): The Pali term for this cetasika literally means “there in the middleness.” It is a synonym for equanimity, not as neutral feeling, but as mental attitude of balance, detachment, and impartiality. It has the characteristic of conveying consciousness and the mental factors evenly its function is to prevent deficiency and excess, or to prevent partiality. It is manifested as neutrality.. it should be seen as the state of looking on with equanimity in the citta and cetasidaas, like a charioteer who looks on with equanimity at the thoroughbreds progressing evenly along the roadway. Neutrality of mind becomes the sublime quality of equanimity towards living beings. As such it treats beings free from discrimination, without preferences and prejudices, looking upon all as equal. This equanimity should not be confused with its “near enemy”, the worldly-minded indifference due to ignorance.

The next twelve universal beautiful etasikas fall into six pairs, each containing one term that extends to the “mental body” and another that extends to consciousness. In this context the mental body is the collection of associated cetasikas, called “body” in the sense of an aggregation;

8 & 9. Tranquility (passaddhi): The twofold tranquility has the characteristic of the quieting down of disturbances in the mental body and consciousness, reapectively.its function is to crush such disturbances. It is manifested as peacefulness and coolne. Its proximate cause is the mental body and consciousness, it should be regarded as opposedsuch defilements as restlessness and worry, which create distress.

10 & 11. Lightness (lahuta): The twofold lightness has the characteristic of the subsiding of heaviness in the mental body and consciousness, respectively. Its function is to crush heaviness. It is manifested as non-sluggishness. Its proximate cause is the mental body and consciousness. It should be regarded as opposed to such defilements as sloth and torpor, which create heaviness.

12 & 13. Malleability (muduta): The twofold malleability has the characteristic of the subsiding of rigidity in the mental body and consciousness, respectively. Its function is to crush rigidity. It is manifested as non-resistance, and its proximate cause is the mental body and consciousness. It should be regarded as opposed to such defilements as wrong views and conceit, which create rigidity.

14 & 15. Wieldiness (kammannata): The twofold wieldiness has the characteristic of the subsiding of unwieldiness in the mental body and consciousness, respectively. Its function is to crush unwieldiness. It is manifested as success of the mental body and consciousness It should be regarded as opposed to the remaining hindrances, which create unwieldiness of the mental body and consciousness.

16 & 17. Proficiency (pagunnata): The twofold proficiency has the characteristic of healthiness of the mental body and consciousness, respectively. Its function is to crush unhealthiness of the mental body and consciousness. It is manifested as absence of disability. Its proximate cause is the mental body and consciousness. It should be regarded as opposed to lack of faith, etc., which cause unhealthiness of the mental body and consciousness.

18 & 19. Rectitude: Rectitude is straightness. The two-fold rectitude has the characteristic of uprightness of mental body and consciousness, respectively. Its function is to crush tortuousness of the the mental body and consciousness, and its manifestation is non-croodedness. Its proximate cause is the mental body and consciousness. It should be regarded as opposed to hypocrisy and fraudulene, etc., which create crookedness in the mental body and consciousness.

Non-Delusion

The wisdom faculty: Wisdom, or knowing things as they really are. It is here called a faculty because it exercises predominance in comprehending things as they really are. In the abhidhamma, the three terms – wisdom, knowledge, and non-delusion – are used synonymously. Wisdom has the characteristic of penetrating things according to their intrinsic nature. Its function is to illuminate the objective field like a lamp. It is manifested as non-bewilderment. Its proximate cause is wise attention.

Sayings of the Buddha in Verse

Wholesome

By morality they attain good birth,
By morality they achieve wealth,
By morality they attain Nibbana,
Therefore one should purify morality.

One should utter the truth.
One should not be angry.
One should give even from a scanty store to him who asks.
Along these three paths one may go to the presence of the gods.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 224)

Put away anger, abandon pride,
Overcome every attachment,
Cling not to Mind and Body
And thus be free from sorrow.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 221)

Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world;
Through love alone they cease.
This is an eternal law.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 5)

Conquer anger by love,
Evil by good;
Conquer the miser with liberality,
And the liar with truth.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 223)

Don't speak harshly to anyone;
Those who are thus spoken to will retort.
Malicious talk is indeed the cause of trouble (dukkha)
And retribution will come to you.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 133)

If you can keep yourself calm and quiet,
Like a broken gong which is no longer resonant,
You are sure to realise Nibbana;
There will be no harshness in you.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd.134)

For one who is in the habit of constantly honoring and respecting the elders,
Four blessings increase - age, beauty, bliss, and strength.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 109)

If no wound there be in one’s hand,
One may carry poison in it.
Poison does not affect one who has no wound.
There is no ill for him who does no wrong.
The Buddha (Dhpd. 124)

He who is perfect in virtue, and insight,
Is established in the Dhamma,
Has realized the Truths,
And fulfils his own duties,
Is loved by all men.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 217)

The scent of flowers cannot go against the wind,
Nor the scent of sandalwood, nor of tagara, nor of jasmine,
Only the reputation of the virtuous ones pervades in every direction.
There are the scents of sandalwood tagara, lotus and jasmine;
But the scent of virtue surpasses all scents.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 54, 55)

As the jasmine creeper sheds its withered flowers,
Even so, O bhikkhus, should you totally cast off lust and hatred.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 377)

He who holds back arisen anger
As one checks a whirling chariot,
Him I call a charioteer;
Other folk only hold the reins.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 222)

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”
In those who harbor such thoughts, hatred is not appeased.
“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”
In those who do not harbor such thoughts, hatred is appeased.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 3, 4)

One should not pry into the faults of others,
Into things done and left undone by others.
One should rather consider what by oneself,
Is done and left undone.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 50)

The bhikkhu who is calm in body, calm in speech, calm in mind,
Who is well-composed, who has given up all worldly things,
Is truly called a 'peaceful one'.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 378)

Whosoever is energetic, mindful, pure in conduct, discriminating,
Self-restrained, right-living, vigilant,
His fame steadily increases.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 24)

He whose senses are subdued,
Like steeds well-trained by a charioteer,
He whose pride is destroyed and is free from the corruptions,
Such a steadfast one even the gods hold dear.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 94)

All tremble at the rod (punishment),
All fear death. Comparing others with oneself,
One should neither strike nor cause to strike.
~ The Buddha (Dhpd. 129)

The sources for the above material:
DN 13 Tevijja Sutta: The way to Brahma. Copyright © Maurice Walshe 1987, 1995. Adapted from The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. With permission from Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144 U.S.A.

Abhidhamma - Bhikkhu Bodhi, General Editor. A Comprehensive Manual of the Abhidhamma. Copyright © 1993, 1999 by Buddhist Publication Society, P. O. Box 61, 54, Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Used with permission.

Dhpd. K. Sri Dhammananda. The Dhammapada. Copyright © 1988 by Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society, 123, Jalan Berhala, 50470, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Used with permission.