On Buddhism

"Why is the Buddha affected by the sight of an old man? Power of imagination.
Fellow-feeling. When Buddha saw such imperfection he made a
resolution to find the cause of suffering." —G.V. Desani

On Suffering in Buddhism…

The Buddhist concept of suffering is easily dismissed as pessimism. In actuality it is neither pessimistic nor optimistic but realistic.
Striving and suffering are very closely related. The proof of the existence of suffering is found in striving; to strive is unsatisfactory. In other words, the suffering is demonstrated by attempts to solve problems through striving. Striving confirms imperfections and unsatisfactoriness. If all desires were fulfilled there would be no striving and no suffering: a heavenly state.
Suffering is built into all things. There are periods of sensations of pleasure but there is suffering built into that pleasure also. You are attracted to a thing, a creature, an object … then suffering is unavoidable.
We are all born with a thirst for life and a fear of death. Why fear? Because we have died many times before. All our willful acts arise out of this thirst. Sensuous cravings.
All suffering is a field for sowing metta and karuna.
Feelings originate through contact or links of consciousness. If there is no contact, there are no feelings or memory, then no thirsting and no suffering.
In particular dukkha is a part of the body-mind complex of conditions. A conditioned mind is a terrible limitation. A conditioned body, also. Being born under particular traditions will put one’s point of view at odds with others' points of view. This is also dukkha.
Indifference to suffering is inactive form of hating.
Law of Suffering: Contact > Feelings > Memory > Thirsting > Suffering; Law of the End to Suffering: No Contact > No Feelings > No Memory > No Thirsting > No Suffering. Note: For this reason we have rules of conduct.
Most suffering arises from anticipating the future and contemplating the past.
In the hells there is no satisfaction of desire and extreme awareness of suffering.
The more you experience, the more you suffer. The more you suffer the more you seek solutions which may come through the grace of God.
Anything which produces pleasure will produce pain in the future when the source no longer gives pleasure.
Pleasure gives temporary relief. One does not notice suffering when having a pleasurable experience, although the suffering is still there.

On Lovingkindness (Metta)…

Meditation on lovingkindness – this was the duty of the Buddha – to help the cosmic universe – to give love.
When your heart is full of compassion you would not want to kill even an insect because it is pursuing it’s own path.
Metta or lovingkindness would, by the law of things, overcome ill will.
Metta achievement … state of extreme purity - no intellectual processes are present. This cannot be achieved except in complete seclusion or in a monastery.
To be aware rather than to struggle with a thought. Conquest leads to attraction and revulsion. Rise above attraction and revulsion (per the Bhagavad Gita). Then on a positive side develop the four virtues of Buddhist meditation. Sit still - early in the morning. Twenty minutes. Send waves of impersonal love to all areas. This is a great force with a concentrated mind … it will produce a force of attraction towards you. Might cause you problems. Caused the Buddha to walk out of a monastery because too many people fell in love with him. If done with unconcentrated mind it would be difficult to hate, to be angry.
Right effort: Deployment of mental energy in a particular direction, by protecting oneself one protects others. By hateful thoughts one affects others. One can make wonderful changes in the world without work or thought if one has a concentrated mind and lovingkindness. A very great being can change the world by the force of his will. The method is to develop faith.
How may one love? How to decide who is worthy of metta? If it is desirable for all; then it is also desirable for oneself. Also, for bacteria in your body. One ought not to give away all and then need to be looked after. It is not wrong to look after oneself.

On Buddhism's Historical Context…

Buddha rejected the animal sacrifice of the (ancient) Hindus. He challenged the Vedas. He challenged the caste system, stating that no one is excellent by virtue of birth. Rather, a person becomes excellent, regardless of birth, by overcoming moha.
Women are not inferior in this doctrine.
In answer to the question of which group (caste) he belonged to, he answered that he was from the tradition of Buddhas. An original genius.
The Buddha talked of time in kalpas, i.e. billions of years. In the West the concept was initially laughed at, now very significant as a concept of eternity.
2500 years ago Buddha was very aware that a table is made up of parts and particles. He asserted nothing material or non-material can be destroyed.

On Buddhist Ethics…

The 8-fold path must be cultivated, not merely subscribed to. Problems will arise when trying to cultivating it.
In Buddhism no creator is posited who controls our destiny. Each man controls his destiny. This doctrine is essential to Buddhist ethics.
No one can give you freedom. You give yourself freedom. "We point the way … you walk."
Theravada Buddhism teaches techniques whereby the mind can turn upon itself and know itself.
There are no counterparts in Western psychology for the self-improvement perspective of Buddhism.
The highest charity is teaching that leads to freedom and excellence. This charity requires possession of supermundane dhammas.
To become a Buddha is not a practical proposition.
Perception must be refined to understand the nature of compassion.
The aim of Theravada Buddhism is complete pacification of mind. Ethics are a way to pacify mind.
Ritual suicide is not in Theravada Buddhism.
It is a major good deed to help a Buddha.
Conceit and pride are caused by not estimating accurately. It is typified by comparing oneself to others to one’s own advantage and thereby asserting superiority. Note: Some people assume inferiority based on birth or virtue in order to feel an advantage to another.
We are mere processes … there is no abiding self. Purity of consciousness is emphasized rather than external purity. There are unique points in Buddhism; not found elsewhere.

On Mahayana Buddhism…

Vow of the Bodhisattva: "This body is not mine now or ever, it is not for my service, it belongs to others and it is for the service of all." The Bodhisattva works for everyone else’s Nibbana, thereby sacrificing his own attainment of Nibbana.
The Bodhisattva needs the fifth jhana attainment. The Bodhisattva declines to got to Parinibbana. Then he gets help from other gods and Bodhisattvas. Becoming a Bodhisattva is not an intellectual position.
If one had the goal to be a Bodhisattva, then she or he would have no time for Desani’s class.

On Zen…

Zen – attention. The mind is emptied of all contents. A mind without an object. It is impossible to communicate this experience. ‘Absolute silence’ is a state of jhana. This cannot be divorced from the world view of the Buddha. We must consider the Buddha’s idea of reality and morality. If we do not do this, it is not Zen.
Right effort: prevents arising of evil. To make an effort to change oneself. In all Buddhist disciplines, regardless of minor disagreements, they all agree we should practice virtues. The world is very real unless perfection is achieved. Only in Zen is there no effort made. However Desani found no harder discipline than in a Zen Monastery in Japan. To have a vacant mind while working / slaving is very difficult. Zen injunction: no work, no food. To make a positive effort so you will be able to sit still in an emergency. When sitting one must be prepared for a blow. To prevent arising of evil or unwholesome thoughts – to drop them. To make a positive effort to prevent evil thoughts.
In Zen you give an immediate spontaneous answer to the teacher who evaluates you by it. Go thru Zen discipline; after victory then you can babble.

On Buddhist Practice…

There are no magical practices in Theravada Buddhism; no mysticism.
The Buddha insisted on skill. It is the opposite of slavery.
Buddha said to his son: "Ask yourself, 'Is it good for me, is it good for others?' "
The dhamma (Buddhistic teachings) is a true viewpoint, but it is mundane. One should strive for the supermundane viewpoint [Nibbana].
Tranquility is half of Buddhist culture; insight is the other half.
It is not rational to argue even ethically-satisfying arguments … that is not the insight, not the goal of Theravada Buddhism.
Buddhism .. no killing, no destroying life. Why? Because we do not like to die.
Meeting a good individual is a blessing. However if you are overcome by moha you would not be aware of blessing.
Accepting on faith? Accept Buddhism as tentatively true; see if the ideas work.
What we have here is an ancient wisdom that was rediscovered by the Buddha. People worship images of the Buddha out of gratitude.
Contemplating virtue of Christ is a Buddhist practice. Can make up for lack of concentration.
The law of dependent origination can be discovered in the body.
One can be so 'sensitive' that one cannot exert right effort; too sensitive to others’ desires, for example.
Turning away involves withdrawal of attention from the world. It has nothing to do with intellectual logical processes. Turning away is not a form of escape: it is getting into the suffering … to know it truly.
Accepting the fact of suffering is not contributory to being unhappy.
There are no instructions to avoid sex for lay people. A monk cannot listen to the demands of his body like others can. A monk cannot get involved in this kind of enterprise [sexual activity] because he does not have time. Goal is Nibbana. Any monk is free to leave without stigma. May later come back.
Few civilized people have control of their emotions; that lack of control causes senseless strife and fear of strife.

On Death & Rebirth…

In different traditions death is a kind of crisis … Christian, Judaism. But in our tradition it is just an event.
Buddha practiced recollection of past existences. What he looked back on was not the same creature but one which stands in a causal relationship to him.
One should have no interest in your past lives. Before someone can tell me of his own or others’ past lives, please tell me what is in my bag.
When the eccentricities of a person affect you … this signifies that you knew him before.
Knows a Chinese man who has dedicated a few years of his life to remembering every event in his childhood as a way to eventually remember former lives. Waste of time.
Make yourself a worthy receptacle – it will come to you.
It is merciful that we forget our past.

On Lobha, Dosa, Moha; Alobha, Adosa, Amoha…

How do these roots manifest themselves?
- Killing: Destroying life, which stops another’s freedom of action.
- Stealing: Not just petty theft … might also be the basis of imperialism. Taking things not given.
- Sexual misconduct: A form of theft. In marriage one is under another’s governorship.
- Lying: To benefit yourself – starts with minor exaggeration – any kind of dramatics.
- Slander: Making remarks about people; commenting on people’s character. The law against slander is a good guide – a civilized law.
- Harsh speech: Intended to hurt people.
- Vain talk: To no purpose. Monks talk only when it produces some result. People are trapped by reading about Theravada Buddhism (instead of practicing it).
There are 10 mental moments after stealing; guaranteed 10 moments of suffering.
Lobha: Defined as greed. When a person has preponderance of lobha … he is passionate, self-centered. Everything is judged by how good it is for me: very childish. Found most often in animals, children, women, men. But generally more in women than men.
- Myself above all.
- Preoccupation with oneself.
- Avarice.
Dosa: Hatred, anger, etc.
- Indifference to suffering of others.
- Desani met a woman who had poisoned her grown son. Anger from the deed never allowed her to feel it was wrong.
Moha: A general state of darkness; ignorance. The greatest curse. The worst color.
- Unenlightened being.
- Inability to concentrate.
- Feeble state of consciousness.
- Doubt.
- Boredom.
How would the mind become graced? By cultivating truly spiritual qualities: lovingkindness, compassion, altruistic joy, equanimity. What is equanimity? Holy indifference toward happiness. Holy indifference to one’s own suffering and other's suffering. Not sure about being indifferent to vice. Rather equanimity towards evil doers.
We rave riches but when we get money we crave more because it is our nature to crave more.
Alobha – charity. Some are overwhelmed by charity. One can get egotistically attached to charity. Buddha said it is better to give charity to a Buddha, a saint, than to another.
To become a god Buddha recommended alobha, adosa, amoha.
Karuna - compassion: Compassion for others. When thinking of your personal problems why not think about someone like the 7-year-old girl sitting in the road waiting to be run over because she did not have any food to eat?

On the Buddha

The Buddha’s attitude is analogous to that of a physician or a man of science who had made a discovery and informed the world.
The Buddha said … to believe that the doer of the deed is the same as the one who experiences the results is an extreme viewpoint. To believe that the doer of the deed and the experiencer of the results are unrelated is the other extreme viewpoint.
An old man met the Buddha and said “I do not have time to learn your doctrine; it is too hard for me.” Buddha said, “Here then is a simple doctrine: 'SEE! HEAR' !"
Despised, old beggar woman in a state of terror, about to die, and the Buddha was nearby, walking through her village. He smiled at her a smile of absolute happiness – a state of consciousness that changes the consciousness of the woman to happiness. With hands folded in front of her as a salute to the Buddha she died and became a beautiful goddess. This is the meaning of a particular form of energy. Kulasa consciousness. [Kusala can be differently rendered as skillful, intelligent, expert; good, right, virtuous, meritorious, beneficial; lucky, happy, healthy and prosperous, as the context demands. —Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu.]
Buddha called people fools, appeared at times to be angry but this could not be anger … and no results came from it. He was simply expressing the insight that they were fools.
Monasteries in Theravada Buddhist countries often accept meat. Up to the individual whether to eat meat or not. Buddha accepted meat if it was just given to him. However for Buddha to buy meat would show lobha … greed. Buddha simply eats whatever comes.
Buddha said “I’m harsh; I kill some people." A man said, "I do not believe that you kill some people." The Buddha meant that he used to abandon people who could not be helped by him – this was like killing them.
Viewpoint of Buddha: good deeds lead to good results.
The Buddha has insisted that idle thoughts, habits are evil. Restless pursuits of fresh interests and sensations. Sensations are impure forms of experience.
It is in the super-mundane part that the genius of Buddha must be discovered. Other than that, much of what Buddha taught can be found in the Upanishads.
Buddha: Whole of cosmos is a mass of sensation.
The Buddha asked not to be accorded blind faith – blind faith is a defect. He invited us to examine, test the dhamma.
Why is the Buddha as a young man affected by the sight of an old man? Power of imagination. Fellow-feeling. When Buddha saw such imperfection he made a resolution to find the cause of suffering.
Buddha rejected the animal sacrifice of the (ancient) Hindus. He challenged the Vedas. He challenged the caste system, stating that no one is excellent by virtue of birth. Rather, a person becomes excellent, regardless of birth, by overcoming moha.
In answer to the question of which group (caste) he belonged, he answered that he was from the tradition of Buddhas: an original genius.
The Buddha talked of time in kalpas, billions of years. In the West the concept was initially laughed at, now very significant as concept of eternity.
2500 years ago Buddha was very aware that a table is made up of parts and particles. He asserted nothing material or non-material can be destroyed.
Buddha stated there is no one angle through which to look at things correctly.
The difference between Buddha after enlightenment: Buddha said he walked out on his affairs because he didn’t know any better. After attaining enlightenment he inquired after the welfare of his wife.
This proposition [the Buddha's] is not a matter of intellectual inquiry. It is a matter of one’s head being on fire.
The insight which arose in the Buddha is not subject to logical, discursive thought.
The Buddha did not offer spiritual power, he offered perfections of morals.
The superior status accorded to the Buddha was due historically to his deeds and acts, which were those of a man of genius.
Spontaneity is the opposite of a discipline. It exists in a savage and a hunter. The spontaneous actions of Buddha are those of a saint. Yet the Buddha after his enlightenment still had alternatives to decide upon.

A former student provided these quotations from notes taken in G.V. Desani's classes and in conversations outside the classroom.