Episodes
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 9)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 8)
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Missing episodes?
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 7)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 6)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 5)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 4)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 3)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 2)
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NHỮNG YẾU TỐ CẦN THIẾT CHO VIỆC HÀNH THIỀN | Đại đức Kumārābhivaṃsa | Cẩn dịch: Bhikkhu Tikkhañāṇa (Tập 1)
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PART IThis is a series of discussions on how we apply Buddhist insight to deal withmisinformation and fake news. The series contains seven episodes, covering the topic indetail. Please note that this is not a political podcast channel, so all of the knowledgepresented here is only for mental healing therapy, not for any other purpose, nor politicalcommentary.In the modern world where information is highly available, especially via social mediachannels, fake news, misinformation or rumor is still a major factor in its dissemination.While somehow such unofficial and unconfirmed information seems harmless, yet for thelong-term, it is extremely dangerous, like a type of origins for mental impurity.Buddhism offers ways and insight to cope with this problem, and in today's episode, wewill discuss the first of the seven ways taught by the Buddha in the Sabbāsava Sutta,Discourse on All the Fermentations. This method is called abandonment of defilementcaused by external objects by seeing through their true nature.With the development of information technology in particular and the society’s livingstandard in general, people are given more opportunities and means to connect to eachother, and to the rest of the world. People are able to easily express their personalopinions, views, visions, speeches, consent, and opposition for or against any topic orissue from daily news to scholastic research. Social media, like Facebook, Twitter,YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and others are major contributors to this phenomenon,in terms of speed, convenience, and circulation.While there are undeniable advantages for such information dissemination innovation; weare also facing a numerous, seemingly endless series of boundary-less disinformationcrises without good controls and management. Now, please look at the nature and originof all the wrong information. Psychologically, the Abhidhamma says that it is from anunwholesome mind (akusala-citta) which may associate with greed (lobha), anger (dosa),or delusion (moha). When people’s minds are overwhelmed by the aforementionedpoisonous mental states, it is completely understandable for them to commit falsespeeches, trickery, lies, fraudulent talks, and gossip. People then are not observing theirmoral standards and precepts. They don’t care for the result of the kamma that they areaccumulating. This is not a new issue, only in today’s era, the misinformation spreadsquickly and uncontrollably causing terrible outcomes.As right (or correct and accurate) news may lead to right thought, and wrong news(misinformation and disinformation), in the same way, may lead to wrong decisions, this‘wrong news’ needs to be treated as a source of mental impurity called āsava in Pāḷi.Regarding this, The Sabbāsava Sutta, Discourse on All the Fermentations gives ways tocope with the problem.First, it is advised that one should not allow the ideas unfit for attention to arise, andshould develop the ideas fit for attention to become in oneself. In Pāḷi, these are calledyoniso maṇasikāra (wise attention), and ayoniso maṇāsikāra (unwise attention). It meansone should choose proper attitudes when receiving info or data from one of six sense
bases before digesting and reacting to them. A common suggestion is to keep in one’smind that everything is never going beyond the nature of impermanence, suffering, andnon-self (aniccā, dukkha, and anattā). Even if the things seem totally correct andreasonable now, but for sure, they won’t last forever. They are uncertain. So, please becalm, receive and accept any information coming to us, as it is, without adding anynegative attitude.Why this is important? The Buddha says that for whatever ideas such that, when oneattends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality, of becoming, and of ignorancearise in one, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality, of becoming, and of ignoranceincrease, one should avoid such ideas and thoughts. In the Abhidhamma, sensuality -rāga, lobha or taṅhā are called unwholesome mental states (akusala cetasikā), andignorance - avijjā or moha are mentioned as one of the universal unwholesome mentalstate (akusalasādhāranā cetasikā) that associates with any types of unwholesome orimmoral mind. Once the attachment is present, the delusion is also there, and one is thusblinded by these unwholesome roots (akusala-mūla). Prompted by such poison, peopletend to create bad kamma to be delivered in the future, and this is the origin of all suffering.The information itself, regardless of being correct or incorrect, is not yet as harmful as thedefiled mind when it is not skillful keeping tranquil and silent.Secondly, when the mind is calm, it own has the ability to give an exact evaluation,decision, and solution for its input data. The Abhidhamma calls this type of mindmahākusala ñāṇasamppayutta citta which is the great wholesome consciousness thatassociates with wisdom. Only by wisdom, one can distinguish which is right, which is not,which should be done and which should not. To see physical things, we need smart eyes,but to comprehend things mentally, we need wisdom. A trembling deluded mind tends toreact to its external objects in extreme ways and perceive things as itself: This is I, this ismine, this is myself. When a so-called self is formed by the unwise attention and by thelack of insight, there is an object for grasp, clinging, and also suffering.Last but least, when the mind is calm, one should go further by applying the technique ofdeveloping the ideas fit for attention. What are they? In the same Sutta, the Buddhaexplains that whatever ideas that, when one attends to them, the un-arisen fermentationof sensuality, becoming, and ignorance do not arise in one, and the arisen fermentationis abandoned. These are the ideas fit for attention and should be cultivated in every singlemoment. Ask yourselves whether these information and ideas are really related to me, tomy family, my beloved ones, my community, or not. If they worth for concerns, justcarefully examine them with a background of a calm mind like catching and holding acobra with all mindfulness, calmness, and techniques; then make decisions based on thatwise and thorough contemplation. If the information isn't worth the concern, just ignore it,let it go, keep the mind isolated from it.All in all, we need to identify the origins of misinformation that is from an unwholesome,untrained mind following its bad habit and delusion. Seeing so, one should be calm tolet the wisdom arise and based on that, distinguish which ideas should be paid attentionto and which should not. And this is the first Buddhist insight coping with misinformationand fake news. We will talk about another method – the method of abandon byrestraining in the next episode. Thank you for listening and understanding. May yourealize the Nibbāna with peace and ease. Nibbānassa paccayo hontu.
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