Reciting The Teachings The Basis of Liberation

Again, neither the Teacher nor a fellow Monk in the position of a Teacher teaches The Teachings to a Monk, nor does he himself teach The Teachings to others in detail as he has heard them and learned them, but he recites The Teachings in detail as he has heard them and learned them.

In whatever way the Monk recites The Teachings in detail as he has heard them and learned them, in just that way, in relation to The Teachings, he experiences inspiration in the meaning and inspiration in The Teachings.

As he does so, joy arises in him. When he is joyful, joy arises. For one with a joyous mind, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body feels calm. For one feeling calm, the mind becomes concentrated.

This is the third basis of liberation, by means of which, if a Monk resides motivated, dedicated, and determined, his unliberated mind is liberated, his undestroyed taints are completely destroyed, and he reaches the as-yet-unreached unsurpassed security from bondage (Enlightenment).

(This is taken from the five bases of liberation.)

(Reference: AN 5.26)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares one aspect of practice that leads to liberation of mind which is to recite The Teachings “in detail as he has heard them and learned them”.

The Buddha explains that through reciting The Teachings a Practitioner experiences inspiration, joy, tranquility, and calm. When the mind is joyful, the body becomes tranquil. With the body being tranquil, the mind is calm. When the mind is calm, the mind is concentrated.

The Buddha explains this as the third basis of liberation allowing the Practitioner to eliminate The Ten Fetters to attain Enlightenment.

Equanimity is cultivated through training the mind in Breathing Mindfulness Meditation to reside peaceful and content but more actively in daily life when difficult situations arise.

Equanimity (Pāli: upekkhā) is mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation; treating everyone impartially.

As a difficult situation is experienced, a Practitioner will need to arise equanimity cutting off and letting go of any uncalmness or unsteadiness that arises in the mind bringing the mind to the middle practicing mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.

Allowing the mind to be shaken up to become unsteady will only create more difficulties by the mind being uncalm.

Calm —> Mindfulness —> Concentration —> Wisdom

It is calmness of mind that leads to a Practitioner being able to practice mindfulness (i.e. awareness of mind). By practicing mindfulness, the mind can then be concentrated (i.e. singleness of mind with focus). With concentration, a Practitioner can access wisdom to make wise decisions leading to wholesome outcomes.

But, allowing the mind to become uncalm, will have the downstream negative effects of inhibiting the practice of mindfulness (i.e. awareness of mind), concentration (i.e. singleness of mind with focus), and then being unable to access wisdom to make wise decisions leading to wholesome outcomes. Allowing the mind to be uncalm or shaken up can create a situation where, due to a lack of being able to access wisdom, the situation turns from bad to worse or even detrimental. Through maintaining one’s calmness and composure, they can then make wise decisions to improve the situation based in wisdom maintain a joyful mind.

Observing a difficult situation and then arising equanimity to maintain calmness needs to be developed and cultivated so that it becomes first nature during any and all life situations.

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, we can observe the method of learning and sharing The Teachings during The Buddha’s lifetime as reciting The Teachings. Learning orally and then reciting The Teachings is how Students would learn with him over 2,500 years ago and retain The Teachings.

Gotama Buddha shared The Teachings orally and nothing was written down during his lifetime. It was not until later, after his death, that it was decided to capture The Teachings in written format.

An Enlightened mind has such a high degree of memory that all the Enlightened beings who had attained Enlightenment during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime were committed to recite what they remembered and to document The Teachings for future generations.

The spoken words of The Buddha were recited by his more developed Students and captured for the ultimate development of what we refer to as The Pāli Canon or The Pāli Text.

“The Words of The Buddha” book series is comprised of those spoken words that came from the mind of Gotama Buddha, into the minds of his Students, produced countless Enlightened minds, remembered for the duration of The Buddha’s lifetime, then recited and captured to eventually end up in The Pāli Canon and into your hands at this moment.

These Teachings have been preserved throughout history because they work. These Teachings in the format of this book series provides a method of learning that was not available during the lifetime of The Buddha. Today, you have access and we can distribute these Teachings worldwide in an instant with the ability to reference these Teachings throughout your life as you develop your life practice.

Today, recitation of The Teachings “word for word” is not needed. Instead, one needs to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings for deep understanding.

Gotama Buddha shared this same method of learning during his lifetime.

1.) Learn: “when one has learned The Teachings by ear, recited them verbally”.

2.) Reflect: “examined them with the mind”.

3.) Practice: “penetrated them well by view”.

While today we have books, videos, podcasts, and other methods of sharing The Teachings, it is important to also learn directly with a Teacher in an environment where a Teacher can verbally explain The Teachings and you have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification.

It would be impossible for someone to read a book, watch videos, listen to a podcast, and/or use other resources in a way that would produce an Enlightened mind without any interaction with The Community to include a Teacher.

There are many questions and points of clarification that are needed along The Path to Enlightenment. There are many challenges and having a relationship with a Teacher will allow you to gain insight through seeking guidance.

As one does, they come to develop the mind in this life and have an improved ability to attain Enlightenment experiencing the life changing results of developing one’s life practice with guidance from a Teacher.

If one applies effort towards learning and does not attain Enlightenment, then there is an improved rebirth for one’s next existence.

The goal is to attain Enlightenment as an Arahant and to no longer experience rebirth into a new existence. But, should that not occur, one will have gained the benefits of learning, reflecting, and practicing in this life. In fact, you may have learned, reflected, and practiced in a previous life and this is now part of your continuation of The Path to Enlightenment in this current life.