Dasa Kilesa - Ten Mental Defilements

Dasa Kilesa refers to the ten mental defilements or impurities (kilesa-vatthūni) that stain, corrupt, and cloud the human mind. Found in texts like the Abhidhamma and the Visuddhimagga, these states generate unwholesome actions and perpetuate suffering.

The Ten Defilements

Root Poisons: The first three (lobha, dosa, moha) are the primary unwholesome roots from which all other defilements grow.

1. Lobha (탐): Greed, attachment, and selfish desire.

2. Dosa (진): Hatred, anger, and aversion.

What is Dosa?

Core meaning: A strong mental push away from things we do not like.

Emotions included: Anger, ill-will, malice, resentment, and fear.

Connection: It often starts when greed (wanting something) gets blocked by an obstacle or another person.

There are 9 types of dosa:

(1) Vera (적대심) - In Buddhism, vera is a Pāli word meaning hostility, animosity, or vengeful hatred. It describes the harmful mental state that wants revenge or payback for wrongs. The teachings of the Buddha focus on letting go of vera to stop bad karma and find true peace.

(2) Upanaha (원망) - upanaha (Sanskrit) is a specific mental state meaning resentment, hostility, malice, or grudge-holding. It is defined as the refusal to let go of anger and the hidden wish to cause harm to others.

(3) Makkah (경시) - a Pali word for the mental defilement of contempt and denigration. 

(4) Palasa (경쟁) - unmercifulness, malice, spite.

(5) Issa (질투) - jealousy

(6) Macchariya (인색) - stinginess, miserliness, avarice, or selfishness.

(7) Dubbhaka (경직) - hard to talk to; obstinate, obdurate; stubborn; unamenable to verbal correction; perfidious, insidious, treacherous.

(8) Kukkucca (후회) - remorse, regret

(9) Byapada (격노) - In Pali, byāpāda (often spelled byapada) means ill-will, malevolence, malice, or the active wish to harm or injure another living being.

In Pali and Buddhist philosophy, byāpāda (ill-will or malevolence) is an active state of mind wishing harm or misfortune upon others, while vera (enmity or animosity) is the resulting long-term grudge, hatred, or tie of revenge formed with a specific person or target.

3. Moha (치): Delusion and fundamental ignorance.

Spiritual Obstruction: They act as heavy veils over clear consciousness, blocking wisdom (paññā) and trapping beings in the cycle of rebirth (saṁsāra).

4. Māna (거만): Conceit, pride, and arrogance.

5. Diṭṭhi (왜곡된 신념): Wrong views or distorted beliefs.

6. Vicikicchā (의심): Skeptical doubt or indecision about the truth.

7. Thīna (나태): Sloth, torpor, or mental dullness.

8. Uddhacca (산만): Restlessness, agitation, or worry.

Moral Breakdown: The final two (ahirika and anottappa) act as protective barriers of conscience that, when absent, allow evil states to flourish.

9. Ahirika (도덕적 수치심의 결여): Shamelessness or lack of moral shame.

10. Anottappa (도덕적 두려움의 결여): Recklessness or lack of moral dread regarding wrong actions.

LAKKHANA PAÑHA, CHAPTER 1.

The Lakkhana Pañha (Questions on Characteristics) is Book II of the classical Pāli Buddhist text, the Milinda Pañha (The Questions of King Milinda). It records philosophical dialogues between the Indo-Greek King Menander I (Milinda, reigned  165/155 –130 BC) and the Buddhist sage Nāgasena regarding the distinct traits and features of various mental and moral states.

1. Now Milinda the king went up to where the venerable Nâgasena was, and addressed him with the greetings and compliments of friendship and courtesy, and took his seat respectfully apart. And Nâgasena reciprocated his courtesy, so that the heart of the king was propitiated.

And Milinda began by asking,  'How is your Reverence known, and what, Sir, is your name?'

'I am known as Nâgasena, O king, and it is by that name that my brethren in the faith address me. But although parents, O king, give such a name as Nâgasena, or Sûrasena, or Vîrasena, or Sîhasena, yet this, Sire,--Nâgasena and so on--is only a generally understood term, a designation in common use. For there is no permanent individuality (no soul) involved in the matter.'

Then Milinda called upon the Yonakas and the brethren to witness: 'This Nâgasena says there is no permanent individuality (no soul) implied in his name. Is it now even possible to approve him in that?' And turning to Nâgasena, he said: 'If, most reverend Nâgasena, there be no permanent individuality (no soul) involved in the matter, who is it, pray, who gives to you members of the Order your robes and food and lodging and necessaries for the sick? Who is it who enjoys such things when given? Who is it who lives a life of righteousness? Who is it who devotes himself to meditation? Who is it who attains to the goal of the Excellent Way, to the Nirvâna of Arahatship? And who is it who destroys living creatures? who is it who takes what is not his own? who is it who lives an evil life of worldly lusts, who speaks lies, who drinks strong drink, who (in a word) commits any one of the five sins which work out their bitter fruit even in this life? If that be so there is neither merit nor demerit; there is neither doer nor causer of good or evil deeds; there is neither fruit nor result of good or evil Karma.--If, most reverend Nâgasena, we are to think that were a man to kill you there would be no murder, then it follows that there are no real masters or teachers in your Order, and that your ordinations are void.--You tell me that your brethren in the Order are in the habit of addressing you as Nâgasena. Now what is that Nâgasena? Do you mean to say that the hair is Nâgasena?'

'I don't say that, great king.'

'Or the hairs on the body, perhaps?'

'Certainly not.'

'Or is it the nails, the teeth, the skin, the flesh, the nerves, the bones, the marrow, the kidneys, the heart, the liver, the abdomen, the spleen, the lungs, the larger intestines, the lower intestines, the stomach, the fæces, the bile, the phlegm, the pus, the blood, the sweat, the fat, the tears, the serum, the saliva, the mucus, the oil that lubricates the joints, the urine, or the brain, or any or all of these, that is Nâgasena?'

And to each of these he answered no.

'Is it the outward form then (Rûpa) that is Nâgasena, or the sensations (Vedanâ), or the ideas (Saññâ), or the confections (the constituent elements of character, Samkhârâ), or the consciousness (Vigññâna), that is Nâgasena?'

And to each of these also he answered no.

'Then is it all these Skandhas combined that are Nâgasena?'

'No! great king.'

'But is there anything outside the five Skandhas that is Nâgasena?'

And still he answered no.

'Then thus, ask as I may, I can discover no Nâgasena. Nâgasena is a mere empty sound. Who then is the Nâgasena that we see before us? It is a falsehood that your reverence has spoken, an untruth!'

And the venerable Nâgasena said to Milinda the king: 'You, Sire, have been brought up in great luxury, as beseems your noble birth. If you were to walk this dry weather on the hot and sandy ground, trampling under foot the gritty, gravelly grains of the hard sand, your feet would hurt you. And as your body would be in pain, your mind would be disturbed, and you would experience a sense of bodily suffering. How then did you come, on foot, or in a chariot?'

'I did not come, Sir, on foot. I came in a carriage.'

'Then if you came, Sire, in a carriage, explain to me what that is. Is it the pole that is the chariot?'

'I did not say that.'

'Is it the axle that is the chariot?'

'Certainly not.'

'Is it the wheels, or the framework, or the ropes, or the yoke, or the spokes of the wheels, or the goad, that are the chariot?'

And to all these he still answered no.

'Then is it all these parts of it that are the chariot?'

'No, Sir.'

'But is there anything outside them that is the chariot?'

And still he answered no.

'Then thus, ask as I may, I can discover no chariot. Chariot is a mere empty sound. What then is the chariot you say you came in? It is a falsehood that your Majesty has spoken, an untruth! There is no such thing as a chariot! You are king over all India, a mighty monarch. Of whom then are you afraid that you speak untruth? And he called upon the Yonakas and the brethren to witness, saying: 'Milinda the king here has said that he came by carriage. But when asked in that case to explain what the carriage was, he is unable to establish what he averred. Is it, forsooth, possible to approve him in that?'

When he had thus spoken the five hundred Yonakas shouted their applause, and said to the king: Now let your Majesty get out of that if you can?'

And Milinda the king replied to Nâgasena, and said: 'I have spoken no untruth, reverend Sir. It is on account of its having all these things--the pole, and the axle, the wheels, and the framework, the ropes, the yoke, the spokes, and the goad--that it comes under the generally understood term, the designation in common use, of "chariot."'

'Very good! Your Majesty has rightly grasped the meaning of "chariot." And just even so it is on account of all those things you questioned me about--the thirty-two kinds of organic matter in a human body, and the five constituent elements of being--that I come under the generally understood term, the designation in common use, of "Nâgasena." 

For it was said, Sire, by our Sister Vagirâ in the presence of the Blessed One:

'"Just as it is by the condition precedent of the co-existence of its various parts that the word 'chariot' is used, just so is it that when the Skandhas are there we talk of a 'being.'"'

'Most wonderful, Nâgasena, and most strange. Well has the puzzle put to you, most difficult though it was, been solved. Were the Buddha himself here he would approve your answer. Well done, well done, Nâgasena!'

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2. 'How many years seniority have you, Nâgasena?'

'Seven, your Majesty.'

'But how can you say it is your "seven?" Is it you who are "seven," or the number that is "seven?"'

Now that moment the figure of the king, decked in all the finery of his royal ornaments, cast its shadow on the ground, and was reflected in a vessel of water. And Nâgasena asked him: 'Your figure, O king, is now shadowed upon the ground, and reflected in the water, how now, are you the king, or is the reflection the king?'

'I am the king, Nâgasena, but the shadow comes into existence because of me.'

'Just even so, O king, the number of the years is seven, I am not seven. But it is because of me, O king, that the number seven has come into existence; and it is mine in the same sense as the shadow is yours.'

'Most wonderful again, and strange, Nâgasena. Well has the question put to you, most difficult though it was, been solved!'

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3. The king said: 'Reverend Sir, will you discuss with me again?'

'If your Majesty will discuss as a scholar (pandit), well; but if you will discuss as a king, no.'

'How is it then that scholars discuss?'

'When scholars talk a matter over one with another then is there a winding up, an unravelling; one or other is convicted of error, and he then acknowledges his mistake; distinctions are drawn, and contra-distinctions; and yet thereby they are not angered. Thus do scholars, O king, discuss.'

'And how do kings discuss?'

'When a king, your Majesty, discusses a matter, and he advances a point, if any one differ from him on that point, he is apt to fine him, saying: "Inflict such and such a punishment upon that fellow!" Thus, your Majesty, do kings discuss.'

'Very well. It is as a scholar, not as a king, that I will discuss. Let your reverence talk unrestrainedly, as you would with a brother, or a novice, or a lay disciple, or even with a servant. Be not afraid!'

'Very good, your Majesty,' said Nâgasena, with thankfulness.

'Nâgasena, I have a question to ask you;' said the king.

'Pray ask it, Sire.'

'I have asked it, your Reverence.'

'That is answered already.'

'What have you answered?'

'To what, then, does your Majesty refer?'

But Milinda the king thought: 'This Bhikkhu is a great scholar. He is quite capable of discussing things with me. And I shall have a number of points on which to question him, and before I can ask them all, the sun will set. It would be better to carry on the discussion at home to-morrow.' And he said to Devamantiya: 'You may let his reverence know that the discussion with the king shall be resumed to-morrow at the palace.' And so saying, he took leave of Nâgasena, and mounted his horse, and went away, muttering as he went, 'Nâgasena, Nâgasena!'

And Devamantiya delivered his message to Nâgasena, who accepted the proposal with gladness. And early the next morning Devamantiya and Anantakâya and Mankura and Sabbadinna. went to the king, and said: 'Is his reverence, Nâgasena, to come, Sire, to-day?'

'Yes, he is to come.'

'With how many of the brethren is he to come?'

'With as many as he likes.'

And Sabbadinna said: 'Let him come with ten.' But the king repeated what he had said.. And on Sabbadinna reiterating his suggestion, the 'king rejoined: 'All this preparation has been made, and I say:

"Let him come with as many as he likes," yet Sabbadinna says: "Let him come with ten." Does he suppose we are not capable of feeding so many?'

Then Sabbadinna was ashamed.

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4. And Devamantiya and Anantakâya and Mankura went to Nâgasena and told him what the king had said. And the venerable Nâgasena robed himself in the forenoon, and taking his bowl in his hand, went to Sâgala with the whole company of the brethren. And Anantakâya, as he walked beside Nâgasena, said:

'When, your reverence, I say, "Nâgasena," what is that Nâgasena?'

The Elder replied: 'What do you think Nâgasena is?'

'The soul, the inner breath which comes and goes, that I suppose to be Nâgasena.'

'But if that breath having gone forth should not return, or having returned should not go forth, would the man be alive?'

'Certainly not, Sir.'

'But those trumpeters, when they blow their trumpets, does their breath return again to them?'

'No, Sir, it does not.'

'Or those pipers, when they blow their pipes or horns, does their breath return again to them?'

'No, Sir.'

'Then why don't they die?'

'I am not capable of arguing with such a reasoner. Pray tell me, Sir, how the matter stands.'

'There is no soul in the breath. These inhalations and exhalations are merely constituent powers of the bodily frame,' said the Elder. And he talked to him from the Abhidhamma to such effect that Anantakâya confessed himself as a supporter of the Order.

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5. And the venerable Nâgasena went to the king, and sat down on the seat prepared for him. And the king provided Nâgasena and his following with food, both hard and soft, as much as they required: and presented each brother with a suit of garments, and Nâgasena himself with a set of three robes. And then he said to him: 'Be pleased to keep your seat here, and with you ten of the brethren. Let the rest depart.'

And when he saw that Nâgasena had finished his meal, he took a lower seat, and sat beside him, and said: 'What shall we discuss?'

'We want to arrive at truth. Let our discussion be about the truth.'

And the king said: 'What is the object, Sir, of your renunciation, and what the summum bonum at which you aim?'

'Why do you ask? Our renunciation is to the end that this sorrow may perish away, and that no further sorrow may arise; the complete passing away, without cleaving to the world, is our highest aim.'

'How now, Sir! Is it for such high reasons that all members of it have joined the Order?,'

'Certainly not, Sire. Some for those reasons, but some have left the world in terror at the tyranny of kings. Some have joined us to be safe from being robbed, some harassed by debt, and some perhaps to gain a livelihood.'

'But for what object, Sir, did you yourself join.'

'I was received into the Order when I was a mere boy, I knew not then the ultimate aim. But I thought: "They are wise scholars, these Buddhist Samanas, they will be able to teach me." And by them I have been taught; and now do I both know and understand what is at once the reason for, and the advantage of renunciation.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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6. The king said: 'Nâgasena, is there any one who after death is not reindividualised?'

'Some are so, and some not.'

'Who are they?'

'A sinful being is reindividualised, a sinless one is not.'

'Will you be reindividualised?'

'If when I die, I die with craving for existence in my heart, yes; but if not, no.'

'Very good, Nâgasena!'

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7. The king said: 'Nâgasena, he who escapes reindividualisation is it by reasoning that he escapes it?'

'Both by reasoning, your Majesty, and by wisdom, and by other good qualities.'

'But are not reasoning and wisdom surely much the same?'

'Certainly not. Reasoning is one thing, wisdom another. Sheep and goats, oxen and buffaloes, camels and asses have reasoning, but wisdom they have not.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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8. The king said: 'What is the characteristic mark of reasoning, and what of wisdom?'

'Reasoning has always comprehension as its mark; but wisdom has cutting off.'

'But how is comprehension the characteristic of reasoning, and cutting off of wisdom? Give me an illustration.'

'You remember the barley reapers?'

'Yes, certainly.'

'How do they reap the barley?'

'With the left hand they grasp the barley into a bunch, and taking the sickle into the right hand, they cut it off with that.'

'Just even, so, O king, does the recluse by his thinking grasp his mind, and by his wisdom cut off his failings. In this way is it that comprehension is the characteristic of reasoning, but cutting off of wisdom.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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9. The king said: 'When you said just now, "And by other good qualities," to which did you refer?'

'Good conduct, great king, and faith, and perseverance, and mindfulness, and meditation.

'And what is the characteristic mark of good conduct?'

'It has as its characteristic that it is the basis of all good qualities. The five moral powers --faith, perseverance, mindfulness, meditation, and wisdom-; the seven conditions of Arahatship --self-possession, investigation of the Dhamma, perseverance, joy, calm, meditation, and equanimity--; the Path; readiness of memory (unbroken self-possession); the four kinds of right exertion; the four constituent bases of extraordinary powers;the four stages of ecstasy; the eight forms of spiritual emancipation; the four modes of self-concentration; and the eight states of intense contemplation have each and all of them good conduct (the observance of outward morality) as their basis. And to him who builds upon that foundation, O king, all these good conditions will not decrease.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'Just, O king, as all those forms of animal and vegetable life which grow, develope, and mature, do so with the earth as their basis; just so does the recluse, who is devoted in effort, develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.'

'Give me a further illustration.'

'Just, O king, as all the occupations which involve bodily exertion are carried on in ultimate dependence upon the earth, just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.' 

'Give me a still better illustration.'

'Just, O king, as the architect of a city, when he wants to build one, first clears the site of the town, and then proceeds to get rid of all the stumps and thorny brakes, and thus makes it level, and only then does he lay out the streets and squares, and crossroads and market places, and so build the city; just so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue.'

'Can you give me one more simile?'

'Just, O king, as an acrobat, when he wants to exhibit his skill, first digs over the ground, and proceeds to get rid of all the stones and fragments of broken pottery, and thus to make it smooth, and only then, on soft earth, shows his tricks; just even so does the recluse develope in himself the five moral powers, and so on, by means of virtue, on the basis of virtue. For it has been said, Sire, by the Blessed One:

"Virtue's the base on which the man who's wise

Can train his heart, and make his wisdom grow.

Thus shall the strenuous Bhikkhu, undeceived,

Unravel all the tangled skein of life.

This is the base--like the great earth to men--

And this the root of all increase in goodness,

The starting-point of all the Buddhas' teaching,

Virtue, to wit, on which true bliss depends."

'Well said, Nâgasena!'

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10. The king said, 'Venerable Nâgasena, what is the characteristic mark of faith?'

'Tranquillisation, O king, and aspiration.'

'And how is tranquillisation the mark of faith?'

As faith, O king, springs up in the heart it breaks through the five hindrances--lust, malice, mental sloth, spiritual pride, and doubt--and the heart, free from these hindrances, becomes clear, serene, untroubled.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'Just, O king, as a suzerain king, when on the march with his fourfold army, might cross over a small stream, and the water, disturbed by the elephants and cavalry, the chariots and the bowmen, might become fouled, turbid, and muddy. And when he was on the other side the monarch might give command to his attendants, saying: "Bring some water, my good men. I would fain drink." Now suppose the monarch had a water-clearing gem, and those men, in obedience to the order, were to throw the jewel into the water; then at once all the mud would precipitate itself, and the sandy atoms of shell and bits of water-plants would disappear, and the water would become clear, transparent, and serene, and they would then bring some of it to the monarch to drink. The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.'

'And how is aspiration the mark of faith?'

'In as much as the recluse, on perceiving how the hearts of others have been set free, aspires to enter as it were by a leap upon the fruit of the first stage, or of the second, or of the third in the Excellent Way, or to gain Arahatship itself, and thus applies himself to the attainment of what he has not reached, to the experience of what he has not yet felt, to the realisation of what he has not yet realised,--therefore is it that aspiration is the mark of faith.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'Just, O king, as if a mighty storm were to break upon a mountain top and pour out rain, the water would flow down according to the levels, and after filling up the crevices and chasms and gullies of the hill, would empty itself into the brook below, so that the stream would rush along, overflowing both its banks. Now suppose a crowd of people, one after the other, were to come up, and being ignorant of the real breadth or depth of the water, were to stand fearful and hesitating on the brink. And suppose a certain man should arrive, who knowing exactly his own strength and power should gird himself firmly and, with a spring, land himself on the other side. Then the rest of the people, seeing him safe on the other side, would likewise cross. That is the kind of way in which the recluse, by faith 1, aspires to leap, as it were by a bound, into higher things. For this has been said, O king, by the Blessed One in the Samyutta Nikâya:

"By faith he crosses over the stream,

By earnestness the sea of life;

By steadfastness all grief he stills,

By wisdom is he purified."

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

11. The king said: 'What, Nâgasena, is the characteristic mark of perseverance?'

'The rendering of support, O king, is the mark of perseverance. All those good qualities which it supports do not fall away.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'Just as a man, if a house were falling, would make a prop for it of another post, and the house so supported would not fall; just so, O king, is the rendering of support the mark of perseverance, and all those good qualities which it supports do not fall away.'

'Give me a further illustration.'

'Just as when a large army has broken up a small one, then the king of the latter would call to mind every possible ally and reinforce his small army, and by that means the small army might in its turn break up the large one; just so, O king, is the rendering of support the mark of perseverance, and all those good qualities which it supports do not fall away. For it has been said by the Blessed One: "The persevering hearer of the noble truth, O Bhikkhus, puts away evil and cultivates goodness, puts away that which is wrong and developes in himself that which is right, and thus does he keep himself pure."'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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12. The king said: 'What, Nâgasena, is the characteristic mark of mindfulness?'

'Repetition, O king, and keeping up.'

'And how is repetition the mark of mindfulness?'

'As mindfulness, O king, springs up in his heart he repeats over the good and evil, right and wrong, slight and important, dark and light qualities, and those that resemble them, saying to himself: "These are the four modes of keeping oneself ready and mindful, these the four modes of spiritual effort, these the four bases of extraordinary powers, these the five organs of the moral sense, these the five mental powers, these the seven bases of Arahatship, these the eight divisions of the Excellent Way, this is serenity and this insight, this is wisdom and this emancipation." Thus does the recluse follow after those qualities that are desirable, and not after those that are not; thus does he cultivate those which ought to be practised, and not those which ought not. That is how repetition is the mark of mindfulness.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'It is like the treasurer of the imperial sovran 1, who reminds his royal master early and late of his glory, saying: "So many are thy war elephants, O king, and so many thy cavalry 2, thy war chariots and thy bowmen, so much the quantity of thy money, and gold, and wealth, may your Majesty keep yourself in mind thereof.'

'And how, Sir, is keeping up a mark of mindfulness?'

'As mindfulness springs up in his heart, O king, he searches out the categories of good qualities and their opposites, saying to himself: "Such and such qualities are good, and such bad; such and such qualities helpful, and such the reverse." Thus does the recluse make what is evil in himself to disappear, and keeps up what is good. That is how keeping up is the mark of mindfulness.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'It is like the confidential adviser of that imperial sovran who instructs him in good and evil, saying: "These things are bad for the king and these good, these helpful and these the reverse." And thus the king makes the evil in himself die out, and keeps up the good.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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13. The king said: 'What, Nâgasena, is the characteristic mark of meditation?

'Being the leader, O king. All good qualities have meditation as their chief, they incline to it, lead up towards it, are as so many slopes up the side of the mountain of meditation.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'As all the rafters of the roof of a house, O king, go up to the apex, slope towards it, are joined on together at it, and the apex is acknowledged to be the top of all; so is the habit of meditation in its relation to other good qualities.'

'Give me a further illustration.'

'It is like a king, your Majesty, when he goes down to battle with his army in its fourfold array. The whole army--elephants, cavalry, war chariots, and bowmen--would have him as their chief, their lines would incline towards him, lead up to him, they would be so many mountain slopes, one above another, with him as their summit, round him they would all be ranged. And it has been said, O king, by the Blessed One: "Cultivate in yourself, O Bhikkhus, the habit of meditation. He who is established therein knows things as they really are."'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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14. The king said: 'What, Nâgasena, is the characteristic mark of wisdom?'

'I have already told you, O king, how cutting off, severance, is its mark, but enlightenment is also its mark.'

'And how is enlightenment its mark?'

'When wisdom springs up in the heart, O king, it dispels the darkness of ignorance, it causes the radiance of knowledge to arise, it makes the light of intelligence to shine forth 4, and it makes the Noble Truths plain. Thus does the recluse who is devoted to effort perceive with the clearest wisdom the impermanency (of all beings and things), the suffering (that is inherent in individuality), and the absence of any soul.'

'Give me an illustration.'

'It is like a lamp, O king, which a man might introduce into a house in darkness. When the lamp had been brought in it would dispel the darkness, cause radiance to arise, and light to shine forth, and make the objects there plainly visible. Just so would wisdom in a man have such effects as were just now set forth.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

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15. The king said: 'These qualities which are so different, Nâgasena, do they bring about one and the same result?'

'They do. The putting an end to evil dispositions.'

'How is that? Give me an illustration.'

'They are like the various parts of an army--elephants, cavalry, war chariots, and archers--who all work to one end, to wit: the conquest in battle of the opposing army.'

'Well put, Nâgasena!'

Far removed from inverted, deluded dreams

遠離顚倒夢想 究竟涅槃 (원리전도몽상 구경열반) - 반야심경

Far removed from inverted, deluded dreams; attaining the ultimate Nirvana. - Heart Sutra

 夢想 inverted, deluded dreams

There are four types of fundamentally inverted deluded dreams:

1. 상전도 (常顛倒) - 만물이 시시각각 변화하는 무상의 세상인것을 모르고 영원한것이라 착각해, 멸하여 없어지는 육체에 집착하는 전도.

Sangjeondo (The Delusion of Permanence) — The delusion of clinging to the perishable physical body, mistakenly believing it to be eternal, while failing to realize that the world is one of impermanence where all things are constantly changing.

2. 낙전도 (樂顛倒) - 진실의 즐거움을 알지 못하고 사고팔고(四苦八苦) 등의 괴로움을 인생의 낙이라고 보는 전도.

Nakjeondo (The Delusion of Misplaced Pleasure) – A delusion in which one fails to know the joy of truth and mistakes the various sufferings of life—such as the "four fundamental sufferings and four additional sufferings"—for life's pleasures.

 

3. 아전도 (我顛倒) - 제법이 무아임에도 불구하고 '아'에 매여 집착하는 전도.

Aajeondo (The delusion of self) — the distorted view of clinging to the "self," despite the fact that all phenomena are devoid of an inherent self.

4. 정전도 (淨顛倒) - 몸이나 마음은 부정하고 범뇌에 차있는데도, 그것을 청정하고 올바른것이라고 생각하는 전도.

Jeongjeondo (Correct-seeming Inversion) — A form of distorted perception wherein one regards something as pure and correct, even though the body or mind is actually impure and filled with defilements (afflictions).

사고팔고(四苦八苦) 

Four fundamental sufferings and four additional sufferings caused from afflictions

사고 (네 가지 근원적 고통):

생고(生苦): 태어나는 괴로움

노고(老苦): 늙어가는 괴로움

병고(病苦): 병들고 아픈 괴로움

사고(死苦): 죽음을 맞이하는 괴로움 

The Four Sufferings (Four Fundamental Forms of Suffering):

Suffering of birth: The suffering of being born

Suffering of aging: The suffering of growing old

Suffering of sickness: The suffering of illness and pain

Suffering of death: The suffering of facing death

팔고 (네 가지 추가적 번뇌의 고통):

애별리고(愛別離苦): 사랑하는 사람이나 헤어지기 싫은 대상과 헤어지는 괴로움

원증회고(怨憎會苦): 미워하고 싫어하는 사람이나 상황을 자꾸 만나게 되는 괴로움

구부득고(求不得苦): 원하는 바를 이루거나 가지려 애썼으나 얻지 못하는 괴로움

오음성고(五陰盛苦) / 오취온고: 오온(신체와 정신의 구성 요소)에 대한 집착으로 생기는 육체적·정신적 번뇌의 괴로움

The Eight Sufferings (Four additional forms of suffering arising from afflictions):

Suffering of separation from loved ones (ae-byeol-ri-go): The pain of parting from a beloved person or something one does not wish to leave.

Suffering of encountering the disliked (won-jeung-hoe-go): The pain of encountering people or situations one hates or detests.

Suffering of unfulfilled desires (gu-bu-deuk-go): The pain of striving to achieve or obtain something one desires but failing to do so.

Suffering of the five aggregates (o-eum-seong-go / o-chwi-on-go): The physical and mental suffering arising from attachment to the five aggregates (the constituent elements of body and mind).

Three Things We Crave and Three We Dread

The Buddha said: There are three things in this world that people cherish and crave: youth, health, and life.

Even if one is young now, old age will inevitably come; thus, youth is not something to cling to. Even if one is healthy now, sickness will eventually strike; thus, health is not something to boast about. Even if one is alive now, death will eventually come; thus, life is not something to desperately cling to.

Conversely, there are three things people dread and wish to avoid: old age, sickness, and death. It is because of these three realities that one comes to know the Buddha.

We remain unable to escape old age, sickness, and death because of greed, anger, and ignorance. We fail to sever these three poisons because we cling to the physical body as "self" and doubt the truth.

By harboring improper thoughts and embracing misguided teachings, and through laziness, the mind becomes agitated and behavior undignified; by speaking recklessly and associating with bad company, one loses the sense of shame and allows a chaotic mind to arise. 

— Agama Sutras

Commentaries on Buddhism

불교는 무신론이고 나도 붓다를 이룬다는 철저한 수행과 실천위주의 종교입니다.

Buddhism is a non-theistic religion centered on rigorous practice and action, based on the conviction that one can also attain Buddhahood.

인간은 과거의 업에의해 결정되는것이 아니라 현재의 그사람의 말과 행동으로 결정된다. 붓다는 업과 윤회라는 "정해진 틀과 운명"에 동조하지않으셨읍니다. 붓다는 업과 윤회에서 떠나야 하고, 오로지 "연기"만이 진리라고 말씀하셨읍니다.

A person is defined not by the karma of the past, but by their current words and actions. The Buddha did not subscribe to the "fixed framework and destiny" of karma and reincarnation. The Buddha taught that one must transcend karma and the cycle of rebirth, and that only "dependent origination" is the truth.

찰라(刹那)는 불교에서 ‘극히 짧은 시간’을 뜻하는 용어로, 산스크리트어 크샤나(kṣaṇa)를 음역한 말입니다. 경전 전거에 따라 1찰나를 약 1/75 초로 보거나, 하루를 수백만 찰나로 환산하는 등 ‘순간성’을 강조하는 계산법으로 더 이상 나눌 수 없는 최소 단위를 가리키는 말로 설명됩니다. 또한 모든 존재가 찰나마다 생멸·변화한다는 무상(無常)의 맥락에서, ‘찰라멸(刹那滅)’처럼 유위법이 찰나에 소멸한다는 표현으로도 쓰입니다.

"Chalna" (刹那) is a Buddhist term denoting an "extremely brief moment"; it is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word "kṣaṇa." Depending on the scriptural source, it is defined as the indivisible, minimal unit of time—calculated in ways that emphasize this "momentary nature," such as equating one "chalna" to approximately 1/75 of a second or converting a single day into millions of "chalna." Furthermore, within the context of impermanence—the concept that all existence arises, ceases, and changes at every moment—the term is used in expressions like "chalnamyeol" (刹那滅), signifying the instantaneous cessation of conditioned phenomena (saṃskṛta-dharma).

찰라는 상속한다. 나라는 개체를 이루고있는 오온은 찰라적 존재이다. 찰라적 존재라면 일 찰라에 존재하고 없어져버려야 한다. 그런데 왜 오온과 "나" 라는 존재는 없어지지않는가? 그것은 탐욕 (lobha)과 성냄 (dosa), 그리고 어리석음 (moha) 때문이다.

Momentariness (chalna) involves a process of succession. The Five Aggregates that constitute the individual "self" are momentary phenomena. As momentary phenomena, they ought to exist for a single moment and then vanish. Yet, why do the Five Aggregates and the entity known as "self" not disappear? The reason lies in greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha).

분별하는 마음이 번뇌를 만든다. 불 평등한 인생을 받아들인다. 인생은 불 평등 하고 오직 죽음만이 평등하다.

인간은 용모도 지능도 저마다 천차만별이다. 인생이 평등하다는것은 장밋빛 꿈 일뿐이다. 사실 인생은 불평등하고, 끊임없이 평등을 추구할수는 있지만 실현 할수는 없다. 오로지 죽음 앞에서만 모든이가 평등하다.

A mind that constantly makes distinctions gives rise to mental anguish. We must accept the inequality of life; life is unequal, and only death is equal.

Human beings vary vastly in both appearance and intelligence. The notion that life is equal is merely a rosy dream. In reality, life is unequal; while we may ceaselessly strive for equality, it cannot be fully realized. It is only in the face of death that everyone stands as equals.

나를 집착하게 만드는 4가지 상 

4 Forms That Make Me Obsess On "Self."

아상  The notion of a self

인상 The notion of a person

중생상 The notion of sentient beings

수자상 The notion of a soul

눈앞에 보이는것이 아주싫어도 없앨수없고, 아무리 좋아도 가질수없다. 중요한것은 그것을 바라보는 나의 마음이다. 그것이 무엇이든 차분히 바라보면 유혹되어 흔들리지 않을수있다.

Even if I intensely dislike what lies before me, I cannot make it disappear; no matter how much I desire it, I cannot possess it. What matters is the mindset with which I view it. Whatever it may be, if I observe it calmly, I can avoid being swayed by temptation.

"집착하지않음" 이란 "내려놓음" 이다. 내려놓음 이란 무엇일까? 마음을 일으키되 머무는 바가 없는것이다. 존재하는 모든것에 미련을 갖지않고 집착하지 않으면, 마음이 물같이 흐른다. 마음을 일으 키되 어디에도 머물지 않는다.

"Non-attachment" is "letting go." What does it mean to let go? It means giving rise to the mind without dwelling on anything. When one harbors no lingering attachments or clinging toward anything that exists, the mind flows like water. 

Give rise to the mind without dwelling anywhere.

Start Here, Start Now - Henepola Gunaratana

명상의 목적은 살면서 닥치는 문제를 해결하는것이 아닙니다. 당신의 현재 문제에 관하여 생각하는데 명상수련을 이용하지 않도록 하십시요. 수행할때는 지금 당신이 가진 문제를 잠시 옆으로 밀쳐주십시요. 당신의 명상수련이 편안한 휴가가 되도록 하십시요.

The purpose of meditation is not to solve the problems you face in life. Do not use your meditation practice to think about your current problems; instead, set them aside for the time being while you practice. Let your meditation practice be a relaxing getaway.

명상을 배우는 방법은 오직 하나, 직접 명상을 하는것뿐 입니다. 기대와 기대를내려 놓으십시요. 꾸준하고 균형 잡힌 노력으로 단순하게 명상하십시요. 당신의 명상을 즐기십시요. 지나친 노력과 애씀으로 스스로 부담을 지우지 마십시요. 단순하게 하십시요. 그저 마음챙김 하십시요. 명상에 실패란 없읍니다. 당신은 언제든 마음챙김을 할수있읍니다. 당신의 선택입니다. 마음챙김을 하지못했다는 깨닫는 순간, 그 깨달음 자체가 마음챙김입니다. 명상은 고통스러운 훈련도, 지루함을 억지로 견디는 시간도, 무겁고 엄숙놔 의무도 아닙니다. 명상을 놀이로 생각 하십시요. 명상은 당신의 친구입니다. 명상을 친구로 대하면 명상 하기 싫은 마음도 사라질것입니다.

There is only one way to learn meditation: by practicing it yourself. Let go of your expectations. Simply meditate with steady, balanced effort. Enjoy your practice. Do not burden yourself with excessive striving or strain. Keep it simple. 

Just practice mindfulness. There is no such thing as failure in meditation. You can practice mindfulness at any time; the choice is yours. The very moment you realize you haven't been mindful, that realization itself is mindfulness. 

Meditation is not a painful regimen, a time spent forcing yourself to endure boredom, or a heavy, solemn obligation. Think of meditation as play. Meditation is your friend. If you treat it like a friend, any reluctance to practice will vanish.

Mindfulness 마음챙김 Vipassana

등을 똑바로 펴고 자리에 앉은뒤 몸을 움직이지않고 가만히 있읍니다. 움직이지않고 앉은채로 눈을 감거나 살짝 내리뜹니다. 우리의 마음은 진흙물이 담긴 컵과 같읍니다. 진흙물이 담긴 컵을 오래둘수록 진흙은 더많이 아래로 가라앉아 물이 더깨끗해질것입니다. 마찬가지로 몋상대상에 온존히 주위를 고정시킨채 몸을 움직이지 않고 가만히 둘수록 마음은 더고요 해집니다. 그럴때 명상의 효과를 직접 체험할수 있읍니다.

마음은 대상없이는 집중할수 없읍니다. 따라서 현재 순간에 사용할수있는 대상을 마음에 주어야 합니다. 그런 대상 중 하나가 호흡입니다. 두번의 멈추는 순간을 관찰하십시요.

명상은 요가에서 하는 호흡 훈련과 다릅니다. 자연스런 호흡의 움직임에 집중합니다.

마음이 호흡을 떠나 다른대상으로 떠돌때는 자신이 지금 무엇을 하고 있는지 단순하게 말아본 다음 부드럽게 그러나 단호하게 호흡감각으로 돌아옵니다.

호흡을 말없이 관찰아는 과정에서 유의해야 하는 두가지가 있읍니다.

1. 생각하는 마음

2. 가라않은 마음

가라앉은 마음은 자각이 흐려진 상태를 말합니다. 생각도 일어나지않고 호흡도 관찰하지 못하며, 알아 차림도 없는 마음의 진공 상태입니다. 

꿈도 꾸지않고 잠을 자는것처럼, 형태가 없는 마음의 회색지대입니다. 수행자는 아무것도없는 진공인 가라앉은 마음을 피해야 합니다. 가라앉은 마음에 빠졌을때는 마음이 가라앉았다는 사실을 단순하게 알아본뒤, 호흡 감각으로 주의를 돌립니다.

Sit with your back straight and remain perfectly still. While sitting motionless, either close your eyes or lower your gaze slightly. 

Our minds are like a cup of muddy water; the longer the cup is left undisturbed, the more the mud settles to the bottom, leaving the water clearer. Similarly, the longer you remain still with your attention fully focused on the object of meditation, the calmer your mind becomes. In this state, you can directly experience the benefits of meditation.

The mind cannot focus without an object; therefore, you must provide it with an object available in the present moment. One such object is the breath. Observe the two moments of pause.

Meditation differs from the breathing exercises practiced in yoga; here, you focus on the natural movement of the breath.

When the mind wanders away from the breath to another object, simply acknowledge what is happening, then gently yet firmly return your attention to the sensation of breathing.

There are two things to keep in mind while silently observing the breath.

1. A thinking mind - This is a monkey mind.

2. A sunken mind

A "sunken mind" refers to a state where awareness has become dim. It is a mental vacuum—a state devoid of thoughts, observation of the breath, or any form of mindfulness.

It is a formless, gray area of ​​the mind, akin to dreamless sleep. A practitioner must avoid a mind that has sunk into a void of nothingness. When the mind falls into this sunken state, simply recognize that it has sunk, and then shift your attention to the sensation of breathing.

무위법(無爲法) & 一行三昧 (일행삼매)

무위법(無爲法)은 인연에 의해 만들어지거나 조작되지 않은, 생멸변화를 떠난 절대적이고 변함없는 진리의 세계 또는 그러한 존재를 뜻하는 불교 용어입니다.

"Muwi-beop" (Unconditioned Dharma) is a Buddhist term referring to a realm of absolute, unchanging truth—or such an entity itself—that is neither created nor fabricated through causal conditions and transcends the processes of arising, ceasing, and change.

본질: 어떤 목적이나 의도를 가지고 억지로 지어낸 것이 없는 자연스러운 상태를 의미합니다.

Essence: It refers to a natural state free from anything artificially contrived for a specific purpose or intention.

구분: 인과 연에 의해 만들어지고 끊임없이 변하는 현상 세계인 '유위법(有爲法)'의 상대 개념입니다.

Classification: It is the counterpart to "yuwibeop" (conditioned phenomena)—the phenomenal world that arises from causes and conditions and is in a state of constant flux.

상징: '진여(眞如)', '공(空)', '열반(涅槃)' 등이 이에 해당하며, 말이나 생각으로 온전히 표현할 수 없는 절대적인 영역을 가리킵니다.

Significance: This encompasses concepts such as True Tathātā, 'Emptiness' (Śūnyatā), and 'Nirvana,' referring to an absolute realm that cannot be fully expressed through words or thought.

무위법은 수행도 무위수행, 깨달음도 무위 깨달음이라야 한다.

Regarding the unconditioned dharma, the practice must be unconditioned practice, and the enlightenment must be unconditioned enlightenment.

一行三昧者(일행삼매자)

於一切時中(어일체시중)

行住坐臥(행주좌와)

常行直心是(상행직심시)

곧 “한 가지의 수행으로 일념의 경지에 이르도록 하는 一行三昧라는 것은 과거·현재·미래의(一切時) 행위 가운데에 걷거나(行) 머무르거나(住) 앉아 있거나(坐) 누워 있거나(臥) 일상생활의 언제나 근원적인 본래심(直心=眞心)으로 살아가는 것이다” - 혜능

"The 'One-Pointed Act Samadi'—a practice that leads one to the state of single-mindedness—means living at all times (past, present, and future) and in every posture (walking, standing, sitting, or lying down) with one's fundamental, original mind (the straightforward or true mind)." — Huineng