The "Timeless" Teaching
Being Beyond Temporality
The teachings of the Buddha are timeless (akaliko), not only because they are still as valid and applicable as when the Buddha was alive, but even more so that the truth of it has been valid and true forever. These timeless truths are not mere accepted on face value but in realization were verified by the Buddha:
“These, monks, are those other matters, profound, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, excellent, beyond mere thought, subtle, to be experienced by the wise, which the Buddha, having realized them by his own super-knowledge, proclaims, and about which those who would truthfully praise the Buddha would rightly speak.” — DN I.22
In the Samyutta Nikaya I.11-13 a spirit (yakkha) asks the Buddha what it means when the Dhamma is designated as timeless (akaliko), i.e. eternal.
The Buddha gives the answer that it is only by understanding of what-can-be-said that eternal life can be attained: "Those who pay attention only to what can be told in a literal sense (akkheyyam), who hold out on what can be told in the full sense, who do not fully realize and understand what can be told, these people remain under the influence of Death: but one who fully understands and realizes what can be explained, do not argue about about the story teller, reflecting “It is not his [story]”, and so commits no error.”
The spirit (yakkha) does not understand what is meant and asks the Buddha to explain in detail the meaning of what has been said in brief. The Buddha then explains in detail the designation of timeless Dhamma and at last it is understood that the Buddha's designation of timeless can only apply to a teaching that has not been taught by someone, or any one person; the Dhamma is timeless, not as the spoken word here-and-now by a person, but regardless of who speaks it or when it was spoken, it remains valid in the past present and future.
Neither the transcendent Buddha nor the Dhamma are within time, but only when it manifests as the spoken word, and spoken by such-and-such, which should not be taken as an absolute truth without having penetrated and realized it for oneself [seen, verified, and realized].
In the Buddhist texts in the same way we find the Dhamma described both as here and now [within time] when it is spoken, and as timeless [not in time]. It is important to realize that the Buddha did not ‘invent’ this truth as such, but re-discovered the ancient Way, as it had been taught by previous Buddhas and since that time has been forgotten. Wisdom is not ‘made’ by someone who attains it, or manifests as such as an ‘original idea’, but it is at this present time re-discovered and true, as it has ever been, and will be forever.
“So too, monk, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road travelled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road? It is just this Noble Eight-fold Path.” — SN II.106
These two modes or natures of the Dhamma as within time and timeless also applies to the Buddha, as being the vocal Buddha when he teaches, and the transcendent Buddha when he is ‘silent’. The Buddha’s ‘silence’ can be seen as transcendent truth that can not be applied when asking categorical questions that fall into the extremes of nihilism and eternalism.
From Wisdom Publications: Alan Wallace Shamatha Live Interview, Talk, Q&A
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@reddust, That's well explained about Shamatha Meditation via great contents and nice video clip. I remember, I did shamatha meditation in my 12-15 age instruction taken from my nearby temple's honarable monk. I studied much about things how to do better shamatha. My meditation teacher gave deserve location to meditate easily. Its better cool location I reminded. Buddha studied to us better way to keep going. Someone follow and someone un follow. I know un followed persons will be face to Karma situation. However you created most perfect blog in steemit.
Oh My goodness @madushanka, thank you so much. Alan Wallace did many retreats with Sri Lanka Theravada monks, he took robs with the order for a time, something like 17 years? He is also a scholar and a Dzogchen practitioner within Tibetan Buddhism. He studied with the Geluk and Sakya traditions which stress knowledge, study, and mediation. He has one of the best explanations of Shamatha meditation I've heard next to my own teachers <3
I was taught if one does not learn how to calm the mind into one pointedness for as long as one wants all other practices are pointless...hehehe Like learning how to be an archer ;-)
http://www.vipassana.co/What-is-Anapana
Your teachers taught you well, we all need to learn shamatha meditatin...or like me anapana meditation, which is basically the same thing...
I most of times did Anapanasathi meditation. It's very easy to doing. and after did I felt most relaxation and could control breath timers.
I found I could ride the breath after learning to let it go...I took some amazing adventures which were beyond time and space, full of light and bliss...this is what anpanasati brings along with discipline and a sharp one pointed mind...
The breath becomes beautiful <3
the practice of "samantha" may be in Islam equal to "Tawajjuh" ie where one attaches himself to his god in silence (can be done at midnight, or in a quiet place from the crowd) in order to obtain inner calm and cleanse the heart of all despicable properties, , revenge, greedy treasures, rank and also sex, they really give up their whole lives just to worship and praise their god.
إنا جعلنا ما على الأرض زينة لها لنبلوهم أيهم أحسن عملا
al-quran surat al-kahfi verse -7.
"We make indeed what is in the earth as an ornament for him, that we may test them who is best of his deeds"
that is why they regard anything that exists in this world only as a trial that keeps them from their god, so they leave everything
This verse is beautiful, it speaks to the heart.
Many scholars consider the angel Gabriel’s (as) three embraces during the first revelation to the Prophet (s.) a form of transmission
A story from the Buddhist Zen tradition:
an extraordinary story, it seems that the young people can not be accepted by the ascetic because of the intention of the youthful intentions in studying,
in the science of immortality only after death (they believe there is an eternal life after death, -I do not know whether Buddhism also has belief in life after death?)
so that eternity for those who get "husnul Khatimah" (victory at death) or even "su ul khatimah" (badness at death)
for the husnul khataimah will be eternal in His heaven, and for the su ul khatimah will also be eternal in hell ,,
so they get closer to the creator wholeheartedly to get husnul khatimah.
Very good post @reddust, after I read from the contents of your article, this is very useful for the people, and become a very good motivation for all of us. Buddha will always last and be in every world. Thanks for sharing and hope you will always be happy in every second... :)
If one person finds a way out of their self caused sufferings from my articles I will be happy. The teachings have helped me let go of a painful past and maintain composure during the ups and downs of this life.
Buddha exposed the all truth and teach us like the timeless teaching. How can he found the truth and solution, because his mind is fresh not like our. As his mind was fresh, his meditation also true. We often can't control our mind as our meditation not successful but we can learn from Buddha. He is still alive in our heart and his accents is the key to control our mind as we keep our mind fresh and our meditation also be true.
We all have the potential to become Buddha or at least enlightened, a bodhisatta, or an arhat...the teachings are timeless because they address what we all hold in common, grasping at was is not self as self, grasping what seems to bring lasting happiness but is in flux, running away from what we don't like...
Wow, you are a hardcore buddhist? I wanted to be a buddhist and was meditating, but stopped it as I suggested to earn money instead.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing!
Mi dear @reddust always is a pleasure read your post. Every day learn more of you. Thanks for sharing with us. All this about the BuddhismTo practice meditation you need a great mental preparation. Have a happy day. Hope you are well😊
I learnt most from your articles @reddust. I know you've huge experience lot of fields and fortunately us you sharing every valuable contents to us. This time nice description about Shamatha Meditation. Video explanation better to understand. Also your writing introduction also better. I want to find more about this and try to understand better as your meditation process.
Really beautiful health related post..............It teaches us something much better.............