Appamāda - What is it? How to practise it? Benefits?
In this video (https://youtu.be/a-dpfv-G2Fs), Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu says that the whole of the Buddhist teachings could be summarized as Appamāda (heedfulness), at the risk of oversimplification.
In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN16) (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.5-6.than.html), the Buddha conveyed the last message of his life:
- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, "Now, then, monks, I exhort you: All fabrications are subject to decay. Bring about completion by being heedful." Those were the Tathagata's last words.
According to the Appamāda Sutta (SN3.17):
(http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn03/sn03.017.than.html)- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -
"There is one quality, great king, that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come."
"But what, lord, is that one quality...?"
"Heedfulness, great king. Just as the footprints of all living beings with legs can be encompassed by the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant's footprint is declared to be supreme among them in terms of its great size; in the same way, heedfulness is the one quality that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come."
Questions:
- What really is Appamāda (heedfulness)?
- How does one practise Appamāda (heedfulness)?
- What are the benefits of Appamāda (heedfulness)?
- Why is this one of the most important concepts in Buddhism, that the Buddha chose this to be his last message?
- What is the relationship between Appamāda (heedfulness) and mindfulness? This answer equates the two. (https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1926/471)
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (282) of this book, with reference to Thera Potthila.
Potthila was a senior bhikkhu who knew the Pitaka well and was actually teaching the Dhamma to five hundred bhikkhus. Because he knew the Pitaka, he was also very conceited. The Buddha knew his weakness and wanted him to mend his ways and put him on the right path. So, whenever Potthila came to pay obeisance, the Buddha would address him as 'Useless Potthila'. When Potthila heard these remarks, he pondered over those words of the Buddha and came to realize that the Buddha had made those unkind remarks because he, Potthila, had not made any serious effort to practise meditation and had not achieved any of the Maggas or even any level of mental absorption (jhana).
Thus, without telling anyone Thera Potthila left for a monastery at a place twenty yojanas away from the Jetavana monastery. At that monastery there were thirty bhikkhus. First, he went to the most senior bhikkhu and humbly requested him to be his mentor; but the thera, wishing to humble him, asked him to go to the next senior bhikkhu, who in his turn sent him on to the next. In this way, he was sent from one to the other until he came to a seven year old arahat samanera. The young samanera accepted him as a pupil only after ascertaining that Potthila would obediently follow his instructions. As instructed by the samanera, Thera Potthila kept his mind firmly fixed on the true nature of the body; he was very ardent and vigilant in his meditation (yoga: actually work the path, putting on self under the yoke,not just meditation, the whole path).
The Buddha saw Potthila in his vision and through supernormal power made Potthila feel his presence and encouraged him to be steadfast and ardent.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 282: Indeed, wisdom is born of meditation (yoga: work, doing); without meditation (yoga: actually work) wisdom is lost. Knowing this twofold path of gain and loss of wisdom, one should conduct oneself so that wisdom may increase. At the end of the discourse Potthila attained arahatship.
The Practice in a Word (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/thanissaro/inaword_en.html), by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 3pp./8KB) Appamadena sampadetha! — such was the dying Buddha's parting instruction, which has often been translated as "Practice diligently!" But a wider reading in the suttas reveals that that crucial word appamada has a far more nuanced and significant meaning. According to the author, the Buddha's real message was, "Don't be complacent. Watch out for danger. Protect the mind's good qualities. Don't let your guard down."
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa
On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with Ven. Sariputta and — after an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies — sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Sariputta said to him, "I trust, Dhanañjani, that you are heedful?"
"From where would we get any heedfulness, master? — when parents are to be supported, wife & children are to be supported, slaves & workers are to be supported, friend-&-companion duties are to be done for friends & companions, kinsmen-&-relative duties for kinsmen & relatives, guest duties for guests, departed-ancestor duties for departed ancestors, devata duties for devatas, king duties for the king, and this body also has to be refreshed & nourished."
"What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of his mother & father, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of my mother & father. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would his mother & father gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for our sake. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?"
"No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell."
"What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of his wife & children ... his slaves & workers ... his friends & companions ... his kinsmen & relatives ... his guests ... his departed ancestors ... the devatas ... the king, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of the king. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would the king gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for our sake. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?"
"No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell."
"What do you think Dhanañjani? There is the case where a certain person, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing his body, does what is unrighteous, does what is discordant. Then, because of his unrighteous, discordant behavior, hell-wardens drag him off to hell. Would he gain anything by saying, 'I did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing my body. Don't [throw] me into hell, hell-wardens!' Or would others gain anything for him by saying, 'He did what is unrighteous, what is discordant, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing his body. Don't [throw] him into hell, hell-wardens!'?"
"No, master Sariputta. Even right while he was wailing, they'd cast him into hell."
"Now, what do you think, Dhanañjani? Which is the better: one who, for the sake of his mother & father, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant; or one who, for the sake of his mother & father, would do what is righteous, what is concordant?
"Master Sariputta, the one who, for the sake of his mother & father, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant, is not the better one. The one who, for the sake of his mother & father, would do what is righteous, what is concordant would be the better one there. Righteous behavior, concordant behavior, is better than unrighteous behavior, discordant behavior.[2]
"Dhanañjani, there are other activities — reasonable, righteous — by which one can support one's mother & father, and at the same time both not do evil and practice the practice of merit.
"What do you think, Dhanañjani: Which is the better: one who, for the sake of his wife & children ... his slaves & workers ... his friends & companions ... his kinsmen & relatives ... his guests ... his departed ancestors ... the devatas ... the king ... refreshing & nourishing his body, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant; or one who, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing his body, would do what is righteous, what is concordant?
"Master Sariputta, the one who, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing his body, would do what is unrighteous, what is discordant, is not the better one. The one who, for the sake of refreshing & nourishing his body, would do what is righteous, what is concordant would be the better one there. Righteous behavior, concordant behavior, is better than unrighteous behavior, discordant behavior.[3]
"Dhanañjani, there are other activities — reasonable, righteous — by which one can refresh & nourish one's body, and at the same time both not do evil and practice the practice of merit."
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa
Discourse on the Ten Dhammas (Dasa-dhamma sutta [1])
Thus have I heard:
On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at the monastery of Anathapindika.
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying: "Monks." — "Venerable Sir," they said by way of reply. The Blessed One then spoke as follows:
"These ten essentials (dhammas) must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth (to live the holy life). What are these ten?
- "'I am now changed into a different mode of life (from that of a layman).' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'My life depends on others.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'I must now behave in a different manner.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'Does my mind upbraid me regarding the state of my virtue (sila)?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'Do my discerning fellow-monks having tested me, reproach me regarding the state of my virtue?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'There will be a parting (some day) from all those who are dear and loving to me. Death brings this separation to me.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'Of kamma[2] I am constituted. Kamma is my inheritance; kamma is the matrix; kamma is my kinsman; kamma is my refuge. Whatever kamma I perform, be it good or bad, to that I shall be heir.' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'How do I spend my nights and days?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'Do I take delight in solitude?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
- "'Have I gained superhuman faculties? Have I gained that higher wisdom so that when I am questioned (on this point) by fellow-monks at the last moment (when death is approaching) I will have no occasion to be depressed and downcast?' This must be reflected upon again and again by one who has gone forth.
"These, monks, are the essentials that should be reflected again and again by one who has gone forth (to live the holy life)."
So spoke the Blessed One. Those monks rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa
Cunda, it is impossible that one who is himself sunk in the mire[23] should pull out another who is sunk in the mire. But it is possible, Cunda, that one not sunk in the mire himself should pull out another who is sunk in the mire.
"It is not possible, Cunda, that one who is himself not restrained, not disciplined and not quenched [as to his passions],[24] should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the full quenching [of passions].[25] But it is possible, Cunda, that one who is himself restrained, disciplined and fully quenched [as to his passions] should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the full quenching [of passions]. Even so, Cunda... >