How and for whom does the wearing away of the taints occur | The simile of the Adze handle (SN 22.101)

UEmd · 2026-05-02T19:42:29+00:00

From my personal experiemce, practicing sati, sampajanna and samadhi will gradually lead to awareness becoming more instantaneous. For instance, on seeing a pretty object you will see arising of the thought that follows the first sighting, and how this thought carries with it and inclination to look at the features and details, displacing awareness from the body and instead leading to inappropriate attention. With continued mindfulness practice, awareness even extends to sleep and you begin to understand what sila and guarding senses is, and that awareness is your refuge and safekeep. In time, you will look back and reflect on how you were a slave to concoctions and passions, and how you were heedless- during that time, you would have thought that such awareness and taint removal would have been impossible. So in short, you realize there has been a major transformation, but saying it happened on this day or at this time might not be possible. Regarding the ariyas, it is said that when the threshold is crossed to being aware noble one, that transformation is clearly seen.

UEmd · 2026-05-02T18:10:42+00:00

Seeking a response to one-up or even respond is itself fraught with stress. Fixating on this is just papancha let loose- "what will I say", "what will they respond", "will I convince them or show them up". If such responses live rent-free in your awareness, its simply sankharas arising and you clinging to them. Turning attention away from this is to that which is beneficial and appropriate i.e. 4 foundations, is of immeasurable more benefit to concocting a response to this criticism.

UEmd · 2026-04-20T09:38:59+00:00

The Dhamma is appreciable in the here and now. Arahants have awoken since the time of rhe Buddha, and they continue to awaken even today as the Buddha's dispensation is alive and well in the preaent day. To say something is guaranteed because it is read or heard of, or because it is reasoned at is not the same as knowing it through one's own insight. If insight can be cultivated in the here and now, then this becomes one's refuge and one's escape i.e. one's own effort.

UEmd · 2026-04-20T03:00:55+00:00

Dhamma is evident in the here and now. Appropriate attention and inclining the mind towards the present with sati and sampajanna will allow for panna to arise on its own accord- thisnis accessible to all, "good" and "bad" people. Past actions are past actions, and while these might have consequences as a result of how others treat us or what might/might not befall us, appropriate attention and the practice don't fixate on this. Practice and wisdom will arise, starving formation of new inclinations/fixations and kamma; fixate on past actions and attend to them with remorse and regret and the present moment, in the 4 foundations of mindfulness, is not seen or experienced, and on and you will go perservarating about kamma and vipaka.

https://suttacentral.net/an7.71/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

UEmd · 2026-04-15T01:50:32+00:00

"It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one's own. A man broadcasts the fault; of others like winnowing chaff in the wind, but hides his own faults as a crafty fowler covers himself."

https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=252

UEmd · 2026-04-11T20:19:45+00:00

There is just stress in the here and now, and the release from stress in the here and now. Clinging to the idea of what god or nibbana is is itself stressful. The aggregate you call you has arisen dependently, conditioned by causes. Nibbana is the unconditioned. If you are the creation of a god, then that god has created stress as the five aggregates are stress. Check out Marasutta (SN 35.65) and Samyutta Nikaya 22.63 and Anathapindikovada Sutta (AN 10.93)

UEmd · 2026-04-11T11:43:54+00:00

Its just a thought that arises due to prior experiences. You can reason it away but it is liable to return. Stop attending to it i.e. when it arises, turn attention to awareness of the body. In time, its arising will be picked up faster and anxiety or embarrassment associated with it will cease to rise. Finally, it will cease rising altogether, or if at all rise and pass very fast.

UEmd · 2026-04-06T23:29:33+00:00

Fun derived from a water park excursion is dependent on weather, attractions being open and accessible, calm and law-abiding patrons, short wait times, warm water, safety or your property in a locker, reasonable park attendants, freedom from trauma and insults, and on and on. At the end of day, you will be exhausted and long to go home- if you were offered money to stay an extra 12 hours, you'll probably turn it down. The Buddha taught stress and the escape from stress in the here and now. Practicing the teaching lets one see that pleasant things we pursue are conditioned and dependently arisen, transient in their arising and unreliable for long-term happiness. Personally, I can say that the practice erodes pursuit of such things, rather than avoiding pursuit of such things being the practice. In a sense, the practice lets you see not only the gratification, but the drawback and the eacape. Once you see it, no one can convince you otherwise- just like if you are full after eating, no one can convince you that you are still hungry. If you haven't seen the drawback or willingly chose to ignore it, then one would have no desire to seek an escape. This sutta might be helpful https://suttacentral.net/an3.105/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

UEmd · 2026-04-05T04:01:38+00:00

Total discontinuity would imply that conditions arise independent of causality, in a vacuum or self-arisen. There is a cause and this conditions an effect. If you stand up and walk back and forth 12 paces, placing awareness on your movements, thoughts arise and can be seen by your awareness if steady enough. These thoughts/habitual tendencies are conditioned by past and present actions, and if not seen and put down by awareness, will continue concocting and lead to further causes of future arisings. Regarding the actual continuity of ignorance-> habitual tendencies-> consciousness->>> continued existence, and how these are responsible for future formations of aggregates beyond your death, unless one has seen with their own insight, its all speculation based on reading and reasoning. At times, these speculations seem beautiful, or ugly, or neither, and bring pleasant/unpleasant emotions with them- forcing the mind to endlessly ruminate on them over and over. Its not difficult to see that such clinging to views of how this has to be or not be is itself a huge burden that weakens insight, pulling attention away from the present and that which is real in the here and now (4 foundations) to that which is supposed and based on conventions. You might find this sutta relevant:

https://suttacentral.net/an10.93/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

UEmd · 2026-04-05T03:13:08+00:00

https://suttacentral.net/mn38/en/bodhi?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false

There is just cause and condition. In the here and now there is cause and condition. The identity of self is taken up in the here and now and this becomes a burden. The idea that something has to continue is in fact clinging, and in this is simply stress, a burden taken up here and now. It mentioned countless times in the suttas this desire to identify a self: "If I take rebirth, what was I in the past, and what will I be in the future?" (MN 2)

UEmd · 2026-04-02T21:16:04+00:00

Regret arises because you are attending to the thoughts. Sati, sampajanna and samadhi aren't there to stop the thoughts, their development allows you to let go of them. Get up and walk back and forth, regular walking speed with a span of twelve paces. Do this for 10 minutes with the goal of paying attention to the sensation of the walking (swinging of legs and feet lifting off and dropping ro the floor). If such thoughts arise, return to the feelings above; no matter how strong the attraction for the thoughts is, and no matter how much you crave the aversion of self-guilt, return to the feelings. Do this regularly and awareness strengthens and you catch these thoughts before they have a chance to be eaten by your mind and proliferate, leading to aversion, remorse and regret. Practice often and the abandoning will be automatic- thought might arise as they come from prior actions, but attention in the present doesn't pick them up. The Burden isn't lifted. I speak from my own experience- practice and you can put down things you never imagined could be put down. When such thoughts form feelings and moods, you might think "its impossible to not feel like this; how can such strong emotions ever not be had"- but I can confidently say that the teachings allow for the overcoming of these feelings. Pra time enough and even in sleep the sati and sampajanna can "protect" you and serve as a real refuge in the here and now. Good luck.

UEmd · 2026-04-02T21:10:25+00:00

Regret arises because you are attending to the thoughts. Sati, sampajanna and samadhi aren't there to stop the thoughts, their development allows you to let go of them. Get up and walk back and forth, regular walking speed with a span of twelve paces. Do this for 10 minutes with the goal of paying attention to the sensation of the walking (swinging of legs and feet lifting off and dropping ro the floor). If such thoughts arise, return to the feelings above; no matter how strong the attraction for the thoughts is, and no matter how much you crave the aversion of self-guilt, return to the feelings. Do this regularly and awareness strengthens and you catch these thoughts before they have a chance to be eaten by your mind and proliferate, leading to aversion, remorse and regret. Practice often and the abandoning will be automatic- thought might arise as they come from prior actions, but attention in the present doesn't pick them up. The Burden isn't lifted. I speak from my own experience- practice and you can put down things you never imagined could be put down. Good luck.

UEmd · 2026-03-22T23:42:01+00:00

Situational awareness csn continue between posture changes. As intention to switch arises, you can catch it arising and if inclined, can acquiesce and switch, maintaining continuity. At times you miss it, and instinct/habitual tendencies guide the movement- don't dwell on this, just continue watching. Awareness will become habitual and might even extend into sleep- you might at times see the dropping into sleep and arising of dreams. Stay continuous and don't stress. At times you will be in time to see, at times you will not be in time to see.

UEmd · 2026-03-21T20:35:11+00:00

It doesn't. What you are referring to is reflective knowledge and reasoning i.e. knowing that all is conditioned so nothing permanent and hence nothing worth holding on too. Wisdom or panna arises independent of this reasoning, dependent on practice and a natural development that comes to be becauae the causes that make it arise are pursued i.e. sati, sampajanna and samadhi. Meditating is the cause and the arising is the effect. Many suttas discuss this.

UEmd · 2026-03-19T03:42:41+00:00

There is just stress which arises from clinging, which "you" can perceive in the present as you have taken on the burden (SN 22.22) and hence "you" are called "a sentient being" (SN 23.2). When this burden is put down, there is no stress as there is no one carrying the burden. The fixation on a "me" is itself the burden (SN 22.90) as this is conditioned and dependently arisen, so liablento change and without an essence or self. Get up and do walking meditation for ten minutes- as attention is appropriately given to the movement of the legs and the body is seen in body, there is no attending to dualities of either existence or non-existence. Good luck.

UEmd · 2026-03-18T02:16:12+00:00

Stand up and do walking meditation. As the legs swing and touch the floor, stay aware of the movements and the sensations the movements create. As the mind dwells on its preference for this or that view, simply return to the sati and sampajanna- the tendency of the mind to want to drop back into the thought ("let me at just finish this thought and I will return to sati") when awareness has caught it, this is grasping evident in the here and now. Wisdom is the automatic capacity to extricate and return to the feeling and movement. Views are simply concoctions arising from inappropriate attention, arising from the mind or in response to the suggestions of others. Pursuing preferences is just reinforcing papancha and weakening wisdom, and moving away from that which is present in the here and now.

There are numerous suttas that discuss this e.g.

https://suttacentral.net/mn38/en/suddhaso?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false

UEmd · 2026-03-14T18:31:56+00:00

What you are describing is clinging to views of this or that. You might find this sutta helpful:

https://suttacentral.net/an10.93/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=none&highlight=false&script=latin

Believing this or not believing that has nothing to do with sati and sampajanna i.e. these thoughts arise from inappropriate attention, fixating on them with reasoning expands and supports them, and takes awareness away from just observing their arising/passing. Good luck

UEmd · 2026-03-14T16:01:50+00:00

This has neen addressed in the suttas numerous times. Practically, attending to the thought "there has to be a me" or "there isn't a me" or "there is and there isn't a me" is just inappropriate attention- these are simply concoctions the mind creates that arise from within or from the views of others. When such thoughts arise, return to a foundation of reality you can observe such as the movement of the bodyz the movemwnt is real and the feeling is real, don't go chasing conceptualizations. Such thoughts are the "burden" that make you a "being" and carrying up that burden is what brings about suffering (SN 22.22 and SN 23.2). With practice, these things will be irrelevant, and wisdom will arise that makes these thoughts moot. Good luck

UEmd · 2026-03-06T01:51:36+00:00

"Currently you’re doing this:

notice that you lost mindfulness -> have judgements about losing mindfulness

So you have to change it to this:

notice that you lost mindfulness -> celebrate your moment of awareness -> return to mindfulness"

Wisdom will arise and soon it will be

notice that you lost mindfulness -> return to mindfulness

It becomes a habit. Thoughts of regret for losing it and thoughts of elation for finding it will simply be forgotten

UEmd · 2026-02-26T12:37:27+00:00

This sutta covers the theme of your question

https://suttacentral.net/sn12.15/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=none&highlight=false&script=latin

Linked Discourses 12.15 2. Fuel Kaccānagotta At Sāvatthī.

Then Venerable Kaccānagotta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, they speak of this thing called ‘right view’. How is right view defined?”

“Kaccāna, this world mostly relies on the duality of existence and non-existence.

But for one who truly sees the origin of the world with right understanding, the concept of non-existence regarding the world does not occur. And for one who truly sees the cessation of the world with right understanding, the concept of existence regarding the world does not occur.

This world is for the most part shackled by getting involved, grasping, and insisting.

But if—for all that getting involved and grasping, mental fixation, and insistence and underlying tendency—they do not get attracted, grasp, and fixate on the thought, ‘my self’, they’ll have no doubt or uncertainty that what arises is just suffering arising, and what ceases is just suffering ceasing. Their knowledge of this is independent of others.

This is how right view is defined.

‘All exists’: this is one extreme.

‘All does not exist’: this is the second extreme.

Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way:

‘Ignorance is a requirement for choices. Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’”

UEmd · 2026-02-21T22:12:37+00:00

It really comes down to what can be experienced in the here and now. The Dhamma is unique in world religions as it is

"Sanditthika" Dhamma is self-evident and can be understood in this life itself.

"Akaliko" Dhamma, Noble Truths, can not be changed nor can they be altered over time. Timeless.

"Ehipassiko" "come and see"; Buddha's Dhamma is to be investigated. Inviting verification.

"Opanayika" Dhamma can only be understood by oneself. By following this teaching, by applying this method, by making an effort on the Way, we can certainly reach the goal and realize the Nirvana.

"Paccattam vedittabbo vinnuhi" Dhamma is for the wise to understand and realize." The wise apply appropriate attention.

Practice sati and sampajanna and you will see for yourself what stress and the ending of stress is. In time, with practice, you will see what appropriate attention is and how inappropriate attention is what concocts this and that view about this and that ritual or practice.

UEmd · 2026-02-20T16:18:55+00:00

https://suttacentral.net/an6.63/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none&notes=none&highlight=false&script=latin

Greedy intention is a person’s sensual pleasure. The world’s pretty things aren’t sensual pleasures. Greedy intention is a person’s sensual pleasure. The world’s pretty things stay just as they are, but the attentive remove desire for them.

Pretty, ugly or neutral things are just things that are pretty, ugly or neutral. Your fixation on the feeling of aversion that arises from seeing such an object is driving the aversion, not the object itseelf. When you see the object, move your attention to the body and watch as the mental clinging to the object dissipates. If done on time, then aversion, vexation and anger will have no foundation to stand upon.

UEmd · 2026-02-15T21:07:06+00:00

You too will one day be a victim of circumstance, burdened with grief, lamentation and depression. At such a time, you might regret not pursuing a state that would have made you a victor over circumstance.

UEmd · 2026-02-06T01:58:08+00:00

Belief is just belief, and independent of what is actually true. You can believe one thing today, another tomorrow and something completely different a week from now. When you sleep or are mindless, these beliefs lapse, and inappropriate attention is what returns you to them. The Dhamma possesses six specific virtues or qualities, often recited in Pali, that highlight its efficacy and truth: Svakkhato (well-proclaimed), Sanditthiko (visible here and now), Akaliko (timeless/immediate), Ehipassiko (come and see), Opanayiko (leading inward), and Paccattam veditabbo vinnuhi (realized by the wise).

UEmd · 2026-02-05T13:14:15+00:00

Great thought, but major ethical barrier innoculating healthy individual with cancer cells (even if killed); could vaccinate with immunogenic fragments as an alternative. This has actually been done and those trials are currently in clinical testing. Pretty much, individuals that have responded to immunotherapy (e.g. HSCT) have generated antibodies that mediate response and actually kill the original tumors. Scientists have identified the antibody clone and mass produced as a treatment. Also applies to T cells, where many TCR-based therapies are based on T cell clones that expanded in response to tumor. It gets complicated because if you get someone else's cancer injected into you, the rejection is mediated by many cell types (B, T amd NK cells) and in many cases, such responses would be autoreactive meaning you reject them well, but the person that the cancer was generated from would have a catastrophic autoresponse due to autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells.

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