The bases of indolence and energy

Monks, there are these eight bases of indolence. What eight?

Herein, monks, a monk has to do some work and he thinks: "there's some work for me to do, but the doing of it will tire me physically. Well! I'll lie down." And he lies down without putting forth energy to attain the unattained, 5 to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized. This is the first basis of indolence.

Or, he has done some work and thinks that ... he is tired ... and lies down without putting forth energy.... This is the second basis....Or he has to make journey 6 and thinks that ... it will tire him ... and he lies down without putting forth energy....This is the third basis ...

Or, he has made a journey and thinks that...he is tired ... and he lies down without putting forth energy.... This is the fourth basis ...

Or, wandering for aims through village or town and not getting enough coarse or dainty fare for his needs, he thinks: " I've wandered for alms through village and town and have not gotten enough coarse or dainty fare for my needs; my body is tired and unpliable.1 Well! I'll lie down."

And he does so, without putting forth energy.... This is the fifth basis ....

Or,...getting enough... he thinks that...his body is heavy and unpliable----like a load of soaked beans!2.. and he lies down without putting forth energy.... This is the sixth basis ...

Or, there arises some slight illness in the monk, and he thinks: "This slight illness has arisen; there is good reason to lie down. Well! I'll lie down."
And he lies down without putting forth energy.... This is the seventh basis ...

Again, monks, a monk has recovered from some ailment, has arisen recently from sickness, and thinks: "I'm recovered from that ailment, I'm recently arisen from sickness, and my body is weak and unpliable. Well! I'll lie down." And he lies down without putting forth energy to attain the unattained, to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized. This is the eighth basis of indolence.

Verily, monks, these are the eight bases of indolence. Monks, there are these eight bases of energy.3 What eight?

Herein, monks, there is some work to be done by a monk, and he thinks: "There's some work for me to do, but if I do it, not easy will it be to fix my mind on the Buddhas, message. Well! I'll provide for that and put forth energy to attain the unattained, to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized."

And he puts forth energy to attain the unattained, to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized. This, monks, is the first basis of energy.

Or, he has done some work and thinks that... he has been unable to fix his mind on the Buddhas' message, so should put forth energy to attain the unattained... and he does so.... This is the second basis ...

Or, he has to make a journey and thinks that... it will not be easy to fix his mind on the Buddhas' message, so should put forth energy to attain the unattained....and he does so... This is the third basis...Or, he has made a journey and thinks that...he has been unable to fix his mind on the Buddhas' message, so should put forth energy to attain the unattained... and he does so ... This is the forth basis ...

Or, wandering for alms through village or town and not getting... his needs, he thinks that... his body is bouyant and pliable, and that he should put forth energy to attain the unattained... and he does so... This is the fifth basis ...

Or, ... getting enough... he thinks that.... his body is strong and pliable and that he should put forth energy to attain the unattained... and he does so.... This is the sixth basis ...

Or, there arises some slight illness in him and he thinks that ... it is possible that his illness may grow worse and that he should put forth energy to attain the unattained.... and he does so... This is the seventh basis ...

Again, monks, a monk has recovered from some ailment, has arisen recently from sickness, and thinks: " I'm recovered from that ailment, I'm recently arisen from sickness; it is possible that that ailment may return to me. Well! I'll provide for that and put forth energy to attain the unattained, to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized."

And he puts forth energy to attain the unattained, to master the unmastered, to realize the unrealized. This monks, is the eight basis of energy.

Berily, monks, these are the eight bases of energy.

(Anguttara Nikaya) (This is taken from the translation of AN by PTS, London. I'm sorry not to be able to give full reference at the moment and this is just testing Label)

Human is Human

What’s Montague? It is nor hand or foot,
Nor arm nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O be some other name!

What’s in a name? That we call a rose.
By any other word would smell as sweet.

(Blakemore Evans, G. (ed.), ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Cambridge University Press, p. 93)

Buddhism and New Generation

In a world that is increasingly dominated by the wonderful scientific progress, the lure of technological innovation and economic growth, we are under greed, hatred, tension, worry, despair and gloomy. Or we are stricken with the arrow of sorrow in some ways. Those mental sufferings prevent us to lead a happy and meaningful life and we have not yet found in those developments any remedy for it or relief from our most inner illness. The only effective remedy for these mental problems lies in our individual capacity to treat ourselves. The Buddha’s teaching is of great value not for curing these illnesses only but also to uproot the causes of our suffering once and for all if we have energy, wisdom, and perseverance. The Dhamma helps and encourages everyone who faces the problem to consider and tackle it peacefully in day-to-day life. Actually, the Buddha points out the royal road to freedom from all unnecessary suffering. It is based on mutual understanding, respect, love and compassion. The Dhamma is, therefore, near to us and our needs.

However, many of us in the society nowadays have regard Buddhism as merely a symbol of cultural and ethnic identity and we have almost forgotten to see it beyond that. If we let it go, it is going to lose touch with that vital human drive to seek the remedy in the Dhamma to possess a meaningful life. This should not be so. In order for the Buddha's teachings to be passed on to the next generation, we have responsibility and need good will to help them understand the essential teachings of the Buddha and to put them earnestly into practice taking them hand and hand, and to lead them to a happy and peaceful life in the society by setting an example of kindness and compassion.

So we have to encourage the youth to learn the teaching of the Buddha first and lead them into practice at the same time. In fact, careful study of the Buddha’s teaching is essential for our lives if we develop understanding correctly. Secondly, to find the remedy for mental suffering we have to put it into practice. Equipped with an understanding and practice, we can begin to see the world with more heartfelt clarity and greater equanimity. As a result, we will possess a greater skill in creating happy and peaceful lives.