The devine abodes⏳
The practice of meditation is not only the heart of the path to Nibbana but is a also a source of merit. Meditation practices, even those that do not lead directy to insight, help purify the grosser levels of mental defilement and uncover deeper demensions of the minds purity and radiance. There are meditations on a set of four virtues that produces mundane merit refered to by the Buddha as the “devine abodes.” These include:
The most fruitful of these being loving-kindness.
These meditations are said to bring rebirth in the Brahma World. While the Brahmins regarded the Brahma World as the highest attainment, for the Buddha it was just one exhalted sphere of rebirth.
References
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Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2005). In The Buddha’s Words An Anthology of Discorces from the Pali Canon Chapter V. THE WAY TO A FORTUNATE REBIRTH (Location 2738). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
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Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2005). In The Buddha’s Words An Anthology of Discorces from the Pali Canon Chapter V. THE WAY TO A FORTUNATE REBIRTH (Location 3114). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
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Majjhima Nikaya 99: Subha Sutta; II 206–8
Metadata
Status:☀️ Type:🔵 Tags: Philosophy / Ethics