Date: 01/06/2024 01/07/2024
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Lucy Zhou
Dharma talk
two methods of stagnation and observation
On one occasion, the Buddha was living in a forest garden offered by the wealthy elder of Ghositarama in the southeastern part of Kaushambi.
One day, the venerable Ananda visited an elder, saluting him respectfully; he asked the elder, saying:
“Venerable Sir, how should a bhikkhu contemplate when concentrating on his studies in an open space, under a tree, or in a quiet house?”
“Venerable Ananda! One should meditate on the two methods of stagnation and observation.”
The venerable Ananda continued:
“Venerable Sir, what can you achieve if you practice and practice more on ‘stagnation’? What can you achieve if you practice and practice more on ‘observation’?”
“Venerable Ananda! One cultivates on ‘stagnation’ should eventually achieve ‘observation’; One cultivates on ‘observation’ should also achieve ‘stagnation’. Having achieved both stagnation and observation, one will attain the realm of liberation.”
“Venerable Sir, what is the realm of liberation?
“Venerable Ananda! The realm of liberation is the realm of cessation, of an absence of desire, of extinction.”
“Venerable Sir, what is the realm of abstinence, absence of desire and extinction?”
“Venerable Ananda! The realm of the cessation of all actions is called the realm of cessation; the realm of the cessation of love and desire is called the realm of no desire; and the realm of the extinction of all actions is called the realm of extinction.”
After hearing this elder’s teaching, the venerable Ananda asked many other bhikkhus the same question. As a result, all the answers said that we should practice the two dharmas of stagnation and observation and that the practice of “stagnation” will eventually lead to the achievement of “observation”. The practice of “observation” will eventually lead to the achievement of “stagnation”. The achievement of stagnation and observation will lead to the state of liberation of cessation, absence of desire and extinction.
Finally, the venerable Ananda asked the Buddha the same question, and the Buddha’s answer was exactly the same. At this moment, the venerable Ananda could not help but exclaim:
“That’s wonderful, the World Honored One! The master and the disciples speak the same dharma, using the same words, meanings, and words. I ask the elder and the other bhikkhus the same questions, and they all gave the same answers like yours.”
“Ananda! Do you know what kind of bhikkhu that elder is?”
“I don’t know, my Lord!
“Ananda! That elder is the Arahant who has ceased all his troubles and given up all the burdens of life. He has attained, and liberation of the righteous mind, and so are the bhikkhus you ask.”
