#sramana

The Quest for Buddhism (17)

Abhijñā - The uncanny ability of Buddha to work miracles at will

Let us mention the super-normal capabilities "Abhijina” which Buddha used to lead his half-brother Prince Nanda to the Arhat.

Abhijñā (the six divine powers) is a Buddhist term generally translated as "direct knowledge", "higher knowledge" or "supernormal knowledge". Six kinds of super-normal capabilities that are said to be possessed by the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and the highly accomplished Sramanas (ascetics).

In Buddhism, such special knowledge is obtained through virtuous living and meditation. The Six Divine Powers are attained in the meditation practice of shamatha-vipashyana, when one moves from samadhi to vipassana.

The 6 types of higher knowledges are:

1. "Higher powers" - the power to move freely to and from any place at will, in any form, and to change the external world as one wishes, such as walking on water and through walls;

2. "Divine ear" - the power to hear and distinguish between all voices and sounds in the world, that is, clairaudience;

3. "Mind-penetrating knowledge" - the ability to read the minds of others, that is, telepathy;

4. "Remember one's former abodes" - the power to know all the past events, causal memory, that is, recalling one's own past lives;

5. "Divine eye", the wisdom to know all sentient beings' karma of life and death, and the power to see the reincarnation of all sentient beings. that is, knowing others' karmic destinations;

6. “extinction of the connection”, The wisdom of knowing that one' s vexations have been exhausted and that after this life one will never again be born into the world of the lost. The power to know that there is no more rebirth. upon which arahantship follows.

[Continued in Part 2]

仏教の探求 (17)

六神通（ろくじんずう、梵：アビジュニャー）〜自在に奇跡を起こすブッダの不思議な能力

ここで、ブッダが異母弟のナンダ王子を阿羅漢に導くときに使った超常能力「六神通（ろくじんずう、梵：アビジュニャー）」について、触れておきましょう。

六神通（ろくじんずう、梵：アビジュニャー）とは、「直接的な知識 」「高度な知識」「超常的な知識」のことである。仏教において、ブッダ、菩薩、また高い境地に達した沙門（しゃもん、梵: シュラマナ、苦行者のこと）が持っているとされる6種の超人的な能力（神通力）のことを言う。

仏教では、このような特別な知識は、徳の高い生活と瞑想によって得られるとされる。六神通は、止観（しかん、梵: シャマタ・ヴィパシヤナ）の瞑想修行において、止行（禅定(ぜんじょう、梵: ディヤーナ)）による三昧（さんまい、梵: サマーディ）の次に、観行（ヴィパッサナー）に移行した際に得られる。

具体的には以下の6つを指す：

①神足通（じんそくずう） - 「高次の力」自由自在に自分の思う場所に思う姿で行き来でき、思いどおりに外界のものを変えることのできる力。飛行や水面歩行、壁歩き、すり抜け等をし得る力。

②天耳通（てんにずう） - 「神聖な耳」世界すべての声や音を聞き取り、聞き分けることができる力。

③他心通（たしんずう） - 「心を貫く知識」他人の心の中をすべて読み取る力。

④宿命通（しゅくみょうずう） - 「自分の過去の住処を思い出す」自他の過去の出来事や生活、前世をすべて知る力。

⑤天眼通（ てんげんずう） -「神の目」一切の衆生の業による生死を遍知する智慧。一切の衆生の輪廻転生を見る力。つまり他人のカルマの行方を知ること。

⑥漏尽通（ろじんずう） - 「精神的な酩酊の消滅」煩悩が尽きて、今生を最後に二度と迷いの世界に生まれないことを知る智慧。生まれ変わることはなくなったと知る力。これによって阿羅漢の境地に至る。

The ruins in the Indus Valley that are thought to resemble temples are characterized by certain architectural features. One of the most distinctive features is the presence of a large central courtyard, surrounded by smaller rooms or chambers. These courtyards were often accessed via a large gateway, which was often decorated with ornate carvings or sculpture. Additionally, some of the structures in the Indus Valley featured large platforms or raised areas, which may have been used for ritual purposes or to support altars.

Another characteristic of these structures is the use of baked bricks as a building material. These bricks were often made to a standardized size, which allowed for efficient construction and the creation of uniform walls. The use of baked bricks also allowed for the creation of decorative elements, such as friezes and relief carvings, which were sometimes used to depict religious or mythological scenes.

While it is difficult to say with certainty whether these structures were actually temples, there is evidence to suggest that they were used for religious or ritual purposes. For example, many of the artifacts recovered from these sites are associated with ritual or ceremonial activities, such as pottery vessels used for libations or the remains of sacrificial animals. Additionally, some of the larger structures in the Indus Valley, such as the Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro, are thought to have been used for ritual bathing or purification.

The Quest for Buddhism (3)

Buddha

Gautama Buddha, popularly known as the Buddha (also known as Siddhattha Gotama or Siddhārtha Gautama or Buddha Shakyamuni), was a Śramaṇa who lived in ancient India (c. 5th to 4th century BCE).

The Buddha was born into an aristocratic family in the Shakya clan but eventually renounced lay life. According to Buddhist tradition, after several years of mendicancy, meditation, and asceticism, he awakened to understand the mechanism which keeps people trapped in the cycle of rebirth. The Buddha then traveled throughout the Ganges plain teaching and building a religious community. The Buddha taught a middle way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the Indian śramaṇa movement. He taught a training of the mind that included ethical training, self-restraint, and meditative practices such as dhyana (zen meditation: Ref) and mindfulness. The Buddha also critiqued the practices of Brahmin priests, such as animal sacrifice and the caste system.

仏教の探求 (3)

ブッダ（釈迦）

ゴータマ・ブッダ、通称ブッダ（シッダッタ・ゴータマ、シッダールタ・ゴータマ、ブッダ釈迦牟尼とも呼ばれる）は、古代インド（紀元前5～4世紀頃）に生きた沙門（しゃもん、梵:  シュラマナ）である。

In ancient Egypt, for example, there is evidence of a number of practices that could be considered shamanic. One of the most well-known is the practice of dream incubation, which involved seeking guidance or information from the gods through dreams. This was often done in special dream temples, where people would sleep and be attended by priests who would help them interpret their dreams. Additionally, there are depictions of individuals in meditative or contemplative postures, suggesting the practice of meditation or other forms of inner exploration.

In Mesopotamia, there are several practices that may be interpreted as having shamanic elements. One of these is the practice of divination, which involved seeking guidance or information from the gods through various means, such as examining the liver of a sacrificed animal or interpreting omens. Additionally, there are depictions of individuals in trance-like states, as well as references to spirit possession.

The Rigveda refers to the Dasas as being "non-sacrificers" or "non-offerers" which implies that they had different attitudes towards ritual sacrifice and offerings than the Vedic Aryans. Some scholars have suggested that this may indicate that the Dasas had a more shamanic or mystical approach to religion, as opposed to the more formalized and ritualistic approach of the Vedic Aryans:

The ideas and practices that are associated with the Sramana movement are believed to have evolved over a much longer period of time and may have been influenced by earlier indigenous traditions, like the the shramanic traditions of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). Some scholars have speculated that the civilization had a proto-yoga tradition, based on the discovery of seals with images of figures in seated yoga-like postures. What is evident is that the movement specifically emerged later as a counter-movement to the Vedic Brahmanical traditions.

The Sramana movement is characterized by a rejection of the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmanic priesthood, as well as a focus on individual spiritual practice and the attainment of liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death (samsara). Sramana thought emphasizes the importance of ethics, meditation, and the cultivation of wisdom as means to achieve spiritual liberation.

Concepts of non-duality, the six schools of philosophy, etc are not mentioned in the Rig Veda. Shramanic traditions, such as Jainism and Buddhism, emerged much later, in the 6th century BCE and 5th century BCE, respectively. These movements were a reaction against the dominant Brahmanical traditions and emphasized the renunciation of worldly desires and the pursuit of spiritual liberation.

There is the possibility that local/indigenous thinking influenced the Rig Vedas by a shift in references of soul, meditation and origin of the universe in the last additions (Mandala 10):

Reincarnation: The concept of rebirth or reincarnation is not directly mentioned in the Rig Veda, but the idea of the soul being reborn or passing on after death is alluded to in various hymns. For example, in Rig Veda 10.16.4, the soul is described as being "borne from body to body" like a bird flying from tree to tree.

Ego: The concept of ego is not explicitly discussed in the Rig Veda, but there are hymns that suggest a questioning of the self and the nature of existence. For example, in Rig Veda 10.129, the famous "Hymn of Creation," the poet contemplates the origin of the universe and the nature of the ultimate reality beyond the self.

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La institución de la renuncia al mundo (o “ir más allá”) ofrece al renunciante (śramaṇa, bhikṣu, parivrājaka) una vía de escape respecto del sufrimiento mundano pero también de las responsabilidades mundanas, y una vida dedicada a buscar la comprensión (del problema del sufrimiento y todo lo que conlleva) y los conocimientos espirituales. estos conocimientos están expresados y conceptualizados de modos distintos y con arreglo a sistemas diferentes (Flood, 1998, p. 101).

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