lotus Journal of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara Issue No.40 WINter Abhidhamma Studies in our Vihara Retreatants at Dhammaramsi DuncAn FyFe, A member of Dr. uttaranya S class which meets most thursday AFternoonS At the birmingham buddhist VihArA, ShAreS An understanding of AbhiDhAmmA. The Abhidhamma is the Buddhist description of the world we find ourselves in. It sets out to define the fundamental components of reality as experienced by human beings everything we experience with our five physical senses and our thoughts; and the mental processes we use to digest that experience. So it concerns itself both with the external world outside us and also with the internal world of our mind and body. In philosophical terms, the Abhidhamma sets out to provide an ontology a complete list of the fundamental components of experience, which make up the nature of being. An ambitious task! The teachings of the Abhidhamma are set out in seven books written in Pāli. These seven books, along with the Vinaya (rules for monastics) and the Suttanta (sayings of the Buddha) make up the Tipitaka the entire set of Canonical teachings of Theravada Buddhism. In Bhante s class we are currently studying the second Abhidhamma book the Vibhanga. Abhidhamma differentiates between conventional truth (samutti sacca) and ultimate truth (paramattha sacca). The Abhidhamma teaches that everything that is life, the universe and everything can be described using only four fundamental components of ultimate reality (four paramattha dhammas to use the Pāli term). Only four; so that s very simple and straightforward, although simple and straightforward is a term rarely used about the Abhidhamma. The four fundamental components are, in Pāli: - Rūpa, which is matter or physical phenomena, i.e. that which is not mind; - Citta, which is consciousness, i.e. that which is conscious of an object; - Cetasika which is mental factor (see below); and - Nibbāna i.e. the mental state of enlightenment Cetasika, or mental factor, needs some explanation. As defined by the Abhidhamma, mental factors are present in each and every citta, every state of consciousness, and they give that state of consciousness its particular identity. They are such factors as happiness, unhappiness, delusion, compassion, conceit, generosity etc. They include the meditation hindrances selfish desire, aversion, flurry and worry, sloth and torpor and deluded doubt and the bojjhangas (factors of enlightenment) mindfulness, investigation, energy, zest, tranquillity, concentration and equanimity. In fact, every mental factor listed in the Abhidhamma appears in the Sutta teachings. Thus Abhidhamma uses the collective term cetasikas to describe the mental factors which are present in a particular state of consciousness. So what the Abhidhamma is saying is that everything in the universe can be described solely in terms of these four fundamental components rūpa, citta, cetasika & nibbāna. However, this is where it stops being simple the Abhidhamma goes on to analyse each of these four components in greater detail. Nibbāna remains as nibbāna a singular unconditioned reality which can t be broken down any
further. There is obviously only one instance of nibbāna: the mental state of Enlightenment. Looking at the other three, we began to list above a whole number of cetasikas. In fact the fundamental component of cetasika can be analysed into fifty-two different instances: rūpa into twenty-eight and citta into eighty-nine. So, using this next layer of complexity the Abhidhamma teaches that every single thing in the universe is composed of one or more of the twenty-eight instances of rūpa, the fifty-two instances of cetasika, the eighty-nine instances of citta and the one instance of nibbāna. Thus we have the four paramattha dhammas rūpa, citta, cetasika and nibbāna. And that s the end of the analytic part: the study of reality by breaking up the whole into its individual component parts. But as well as analysis, we also have synthesis how these individual components relate to each other. Three out of four of our fundamental components (with the exception of nibbāna) are said to be conditioned ; that is, they are subject to change by being influenced by other fundamental components. As you might expect, the Abhidhamma describes in great detail each of the ways in which one or more of our fundamental components influence or, more accurately, condition one another. There are twentyfour conditions (or patthāna) in all. So using both the analytic and synthetic tools of the Abhidhamma, what we arrive at is a description of ultimate reality that has been broken down into its component parts and found to be composed of twenty-eight types of rūpa, fifty-two types of cetasika, eighty-nine types of citta and one single nibbāna. Further, we find that rūpa, cetasika and citta can be conditioned in twenty-four different ways. This is the Abhidhamma ontology or how the Abhidhamma explains the components of existence. This analysis is certainly not obvious, but if you decide that it s also intriguing, then getting a handle on the individual concepts is actually quite straightforward, and having learned them individually, one can put these concepts together. And what you arrive at is a truly fascinating picture of the nature of experienced reality. All this Abhidhamma reasoning has a beautiful elegance it s a huge structure of enormous complexity and with complete internal consistency. But even more important than this, it has a real practical value and can be of enormous help in understanding our own mental states and those of others. It provides a map, or shorthand which can be used to increase both the awareness and understanding of the mental and physical world which one is experiencing. In our Abhidhamma class at the Vihara we are about halfway through the Vibhanga (the Book of Analysis). Our studies so far have included the chapters on dhātu (elements), the Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, amongst others. Alongside this we study the Vibhanga commentary, the Dispeller of Delusion written by Buddhaghosa. Bhante s approach to Abhidhamma teaching is highly traditional we first read a section of the Vibhanga in the original Pāli and then in its English translation, followed by looking at the relevant section of the commentary. The approach is traditional but the media used is certainly not. In our class the Vibhanga is studied in book form, on the ipad and on the Kindle e-reader. The Abhidhamma can also be enormously beneficial in understanding fundamental Dhamma concepts, which appear in the suttas. For instance, regarding Dependent Origination, the Vibhanga describes in great detail the moment-by-moment workings of Paticcasamupāda (the twelve-stage cycle of causation) for each of the eighty-nine different states of consciousness. In the class, questions are asked and sometimes answered; sometimes one must ponder the answer for oneself. It s extremely hard work but the classes are full of laughter. We are fortunate indeed to have a scholar of Bhante s stature to lead our studies into this illuminating and deeply rewarding subject. l Birmingham Buddhist Vihara trust comprises: 4 birmingham buddhist Vihara 4 Dhamma talaka Peace Pagoda 4 birmingham buddhist Academy and is situated at: 29/31 osler Street ladywood birmingham b16 9eu united Kingdom Phone: 0121 454 6591 website: www.bbvt.org.uk g-mail: venuttaranyana@gmail.com Registered Charity No. 513368 Recent opening of our Buddhist Academy 2
VIHARA NEWS Pagoda Anniversary and Launch of the Birmingham Buddhist Academy July 14th our buddhist Academy was successfully launched on July 14th fulfilling Dr rewata Dhamma s wish that the study of the buddha s teachings would, one day, be made available from our site. At the same time we celebrated the Peace Pagoda s fifteenth anniversary. burmese, Sri lankan and indian monks attended together with our resident monks and supporters from across the united Kingdom. it was a beautiful summer s day and the day was enjoyed by all. During the morning consecration ceremony food, flowers and fruit were offered to lord buddha and the rewata Dhamma hall was then ceremoniously opened. Dhana was offered to the monks followed by lay supporters enjoying a meal together. the afternoon session ran from 1pm until 3pm during which time official letters from the State Sangha council and the international theravada university, myanmar, were read out by u ne win (bbc) followed by the peaceful chanting of the Zen group. As is our buddhist tradition, supporters offered waso robes to the monks about to embark on the annual rains retreat. Dhamma talks were then given by Dr Kassapa, o.b.e. and u Kusala from london buddhist Vihara Finally, supporters paid respect to copies of lord buddha s hair and tooth, the latter having been presented to the Vihara by the chairman of the State Sangha council, bamaw Sayadaw. the meals were sponsored by Dr mar mar lwin. birmingham and Daw Aye mya Khin family from london Ten Day Retreat led by Dr Ottaranyana 16 to 25 August this annual retreat took place in August at our Vihara. Fifteen meditators attended and worked with great diligence. the days would start at 5am and end at 9pm and as well as normal meditation practice the meditators had the opportunity to make a theoretical study of the Mahasatipatthana Sutta. Personal interviews were held daily. Dr A Myin s Anniversary 7th September Daw thein thein and family of our great supporter and friend, Dr Aung myin, held a memorial service at the Vihara in memory of his passing away one year before, at which they offered dana to the monks. Birmingham PHAB Camps at Peace Pagoda 21st September on this day birmingham PhAb camps came to our site to celebrate their first ever charity firewalk. it was an amazing day, blessed with beautiful weather that brought out a huge following of supporters. the Peace Pagoda itself was an incredible background to the event and added a special kind of magic to the occasion. on the day itself they ran a few simple stalls, sold burgers, hotdogs and lots of tea and cake. they raised around 2,000 which will pay for at least five children to participate in one of their holidays next year. maxine rosswallis commented, It was one of the most exciting and successful fundraising events our charity has ever held and I was personally moved to tears as I watched the brave volunteers fearlessly march across the coals. Abhidhamma and Pavarana Day 19th October this Full moon celebration of thidingyut, known as Abhidhamma Day, commemorates the buddha s return to earth having visited the tavatimsa deva realm to expound the Abhidhamma to Deva Santusita who had been his mother. it is celebrated as a festival of light with hundreds of candles lit both inside the pagoda and out in the grounds. on the same day bhante and u gawsaka attended a civil service at the birmingham buddhist mahavihara. Kathina Ceremony 20th October 3 Following Abhidhamma Day we celebra ted Kathina in the traditional manner with offering of robes. over two hundred supporters joined the ceremony with the main supporters being u hla thein (Daw Khin mama), daughter, Dr nwe win thein from Shrewsbury, and u myint Aye and Dr marlar yin (son) maung min Aye, rugby. Weddings During this period three weddings took place. on each occasion the couple celebrated in the presence of friends and family. Dana was offered, followed by a meal for the guests, then finally each couple received blessings for a peaceful, happy and harmonious life. 27th July Dr Zaw min thaik and Dr hnin hnin 14th September oliver owen and rasshri balli. 5th October ian brown and yin naing Buddhist Chaplaincy Diploma Course 8th November happy students celebrate the end of the first one year buddhist chaplaincy Diploma course. Dr ottaranyana presented certificates to the students. this course was run by mr Keith munnings. Myanmar Food Fair 9th November Fundraising htamanel and myanmar Food Fair, organised by Dr nwe win thein (mind to mind Foundation), was held to raise funds to support a charity clinic for patients with mental illness. this clinic is organised and run by local psychiatrists in mandalay at the brahmaso Free clinic. Trustee Meeting 9th November Amongst a number of items discussed at this meeting it was agreed to publish a special magazine paying tribute to Dr rewata Dhamma on the tenth anniversary of his death this event is scheduled to take place on 25th may 2014.
= DR OTTARANYANA S ACTIVITIES AT HOME AND ABROAD 21 July bhante attended Daw yin may s 100th birthday celebrations at the buddhist Vihara in Paris. Daw yin may was the first lady major in the burmese military following independence in 1948. She has meditated under various Sayadaws since her middle age. on her birthday the Paris burmese community gave lunch dana to lord buddha and the monks. monks from burma and Sri lanka gave blessings and each visitor was given a copy of lord buddha s hair brought over by Dr ottaranyana. Metta Retreat in Dhammaramsi 24th-28th July over twenty-five meditators joined this retreat and performed according to a time - table which commenced at 5am and ended at 9.30pm. every day was a mental mar - athon but all meditators were happy to have this new experience of metta practice and the harmony it brought to their lives. Meeting with Myanmar Community - Stavanger, Oil City in Norway 1st-5th August At the invitation of the myanmar community in Stavanger, norway, Dr ottaran yana celebrated a birthday party, performed a new housing ceremony and held a dhamma discussion. New Buddhist Vihara in Wolverhampton 15th September bhante attended the buddhist mahavihara opening ceremony in wolverhampton at the invitation of the head monk, Ven tejavanta, and the Punjab buddhist Society, uk. it was a great pleasure to experience the happy coming together of interfaith members, civil services and different nationalities. Metta Retreat in the Czech Republic 25th-29th September As in previous years, at the invitation of the Dhammarama meditators, bhante visited brno, second city of the czech republic, to lead the annual metta retreat. bhante pointed out that metta means loving kindness, universal love, boundless love for all beings and that this practice is essential for all mankind. At the end of the retreat the meditators proclaimed their confidence in the dhamma and expressed appreciation for all that bhante teaches them. Birmingham - a Faith City 9th Octoher bhante attended the birmingham Faith leader group (bflg) meeting together with John beard at the central mosque. up for particular discussion was a museum of world religions. Vipassana Retreat in Dhammaramsi 25th October-3rd November Since 2004 bhante has been visiting the Dhammaramsi centre in namur, belgium twice a year. over thirty meditators, made up of different nationalities including France, netherlands, germany, Switz erland, Algeria and belarus, attended the retreat. At the request of marie-cecile (Dhammadinnar) bhante preached the Mahasatipatthana Sutta from the Digha Nikaya twice a day as a guide to Vipassana meditation. marie-cecile is undertaking a translation of u Silananda s masterpiece The Four Foundations of Mindfulness from english into French. Dr ottaranyana offers the following message of appreciation to mariececile: Congratulations Dakamagyi, you work endlessly for the benefit of both readers and meditators. She is also making arrangements for a belgium student group to join the birmingham buddhist Academy on-line course. Funeral 15th November together with u ratthapala and Dr nagasena, bhante attended the funeral of mrs resham. She was the wife of mr bin lar and a daughter-in-law of the late mr Sansari lar (a patron of the Vihara trust). She will be remembered for her good hearted smile and helpful nature towards everyone. Kathina in Scotland 16th-17th November together with Dr nagasena, bhante attended Kathina ceremony in Varapannya meditation centre in Aberdeen, Scotland. As it is a new buddhist Vihara they celebrated their ceremony in the millennium hotel. = DOCTOR OTTARANYANA S FUTURE ACTIVITIES Bhante leaves for Myanmar on 26th November returning on the 21st January 2014. As well as his involvement with education both secular and religious, he will engage in personal activities such as building a dhamma hall in his native village. 4... AND FINALLY Rains Retreat Five resident monks spent the rains retreat at the Vihara with each monk taking responsibility for some aspect of maintenance during this time. u ghandasara undertook necessary repairs to the Pagoda, u ratthapala looked after the Pagoda and gardens, u gosaka maintained the cleanliness of the Vihara, while Dr nagasena took care of the ladywood school visits and Sangha transport. Dr mar mar lwin gave her invaluable support as always in the kitchen and office. The Higher Abhidhamma class taught by Dr ottaranyana: Vibhanga (the book of Analysis), is running from 2pm to 4pm every thursday (see pages 1 and 2 of Lotus for Duncan Fyfe s very clear explanation of what is being studied). bhante has seven very happy students taking the class. School Visits Robert Black and Dr Nagasena the number of school visits is consistently high and continues to provide an invaluable experience for both students and other groups to hear about the buddha and his teachings, to meet buddhist monks and to experience the peace of our Pagoda. we receive regular positive feedback and are grateful to robert for his dedication to the provision of this excellent service to education and the community. Due to severe weather conditions our Pagoda s wooden decorations were suffering wear and tear. u ghandhasara took time to rectify this, receiving the appreciation and gratitude for his hard work from our supporters. the 500 cost of these repairs was donated by Dr Kyaw myint oo and Daw than than ywe family from wakefield, west yorkshire. Curtain Donation Dr win myint Aung and Dr Khine thin han family from wolverhampton donated twelve sets of attractive curtains for our Dhamma hall which is at the centre of our buddhist Academy operation. this generous gift is appreciated Congratulations we are very proud to announce that bhikkhu nagasena, after successfully completing his Doctorate, is now Dr nagasena, PhD. our good wishes go with him as he pursues his post-graduate work whilst continuing to support the Vihara energetically as he has always done. l
2558 BE/2014 EVENTS CALENDAR l l BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST VIHARA DHAMMATALAKA PEACE PAGODA l BUDDHIST ACADEMY FESTIVALS Buddha Day (birmingham museum & Art gallery) 17 May 12:45pm Buddha Day (Visaka) and Dr Rewata Dhamma s Tenth Anniversary 25 May 10:30am Dhammacakka Day & Pagoda Anniversary 13 July 10:30am Abhidhamma & Pavarana Day 8 Oct. 7:00pm Kathina 12 Oct. 10:30am FULL MOON chanting in the Pagoda at 7:30pm except on festival days. 15 Jan.,14 Feb., 15 mar., 14 April, 13 may, 12 June, 11 July, 10 Aug., 8 Sept. 8 oct., 6 nov., 6 Dec. RETREATS 10-DAy insight retreat (15-24 Aug) (experienced) Led by Dr Ottaranyana Designed to enable meditators to experience the characteristic of impermanence and nature of nonselfhood as part of the process of insight meditation. mahasi insight retreat (7 Dec) (suitable for all) Led by Bhikkhu Bodhidhamma classic mahasi insight technique specifically designed for the western mind and taught in a popular dynamic fashion. PAgODA OPENINg Summer 9am 7pm winter 9am 5pm the Pagoda is open most days but to avoid disappointment please call or e-mail first to ensure there will be someone available to welcome you and show you around. - see contact details. COURSES OF STUDY AbhiDhAmmA (higher buddhist philosophy) Led by Dr. Ottaranyana VibhAngA (the book of Analysis) together with its commentary: The Dispeller of Delusion every thursday 2pm-4pm buddhist DiPlomA classes For information about these classes go to our website: birminghambuddhistacademy.org. DEVOTEE DAYS An opportunity for devotees to offer dana lunch to the resident monks of the vihara. After lunch everyone may take part in a short meditation session followed by a Dhamma talk. the event will take place on the first Sunday of each month. For further details please contact Dr nagasena or bill Strongman. CHILDREN S CLASS every Sunday from 1pm - 3pm, except on christmas Day and new year s Day. Suitable for 5+ years, but all welcome with or without children. For further details please contact ellen mobile: 07814 972 460 e-mail: ellen06_121@yahoo.co.uk MEDITATION CLASSES Beginners: thurs. 7:30pm Advanced: mon. 7:30pm BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST VIHARA DHAMMATALAKA PEACE PAGODA BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST ACADEMY 29/31 osler Street, ladywood, birmingham b16 9eu tel: 0121 454 6591 g-mail: venuttaranyana@gmail.com BUDDHIST ACADEMY DONATIONS July-November 2013 thingyan Festival group 526 mr moe Kyaw and Dr t t myint, St leonards 100 Sergey and P P myint, bradford 100 Drs han and nu nu win, mandalay $200 Dr mar mar lwin, birmingham 500 Drs Sai hyine and mya mya Aye 200 mr Doya ram 100 buddhist essential Supporting trust, london 100 Dr Kyi toe and cho cho Swe family 500 Drs So Pyi and Kathay Saw fam., bellingham 100 Drs Kyaw toe and Khin ni ni and family 100 Dr Khet Khet myo 100 Drs nyi nyi Pe and Khin Swe myint, norwich 20 Dr Khing Khing lwin family 50 Dr Kyi Kyi nyunt, Sheffield 30 Dr thaung and thin thin Swe family 50 Dr myo thant and theinge family 50 Dr Zin Zin htaik, leicester 120 Dr Su Su hlaing, leicester 100 Dr chit win Saing and Dr Sandar 30 mee mee, coventry 50 Jenny myin, blackpool 20 Dr Aung thein and Daw than than, london for computer) 1000 Dr c bart 30 Drs myat Soe Aung and thi thi oo family 100 Drs win myint Aung and Khine thin han, wolverhampton 50 nyi lwin and Swe Khin htun family 50 Drs Khin mg Phyo and Khin oo may 50 Dhammaramsi meditation centre, belgium e200 Daw Aye Aye Kywe family, yangon 100 Drs thura oo and Aung htun win, mandalay 150 gabrielle, Australia 250