Don't Cling!

By Glenn Gustafson, OPB

The Atthakavagga is considered by many to be the oldest collection of discourses we have from the Buddha, and express a pragmatic approach to the cessation of dissatisfaction. This book presents a new interpretation of this this collection focusing on how we can use it in our everyday lives. For each discourse the author presents an introduction; the traditional, versed text; and a Dharma Meditation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Glenn Gustafson, OPB
• Release date: Jan 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463684269

Glenn Gustafson, OPB

A Buddhist monk in the Order of Pragmatic Buddhists, Glenn "earns his rice" as a sales engineer for a software company. He is the Chapter Leader for the Central Ohio Center for Pragmatic Buddhism and teaches meditation in Columbus, OH.

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Don’t Cling!

Copyright 2019 Glenn Ge Jie Gustafson, OPB

Published by Glenn Ge Jie Gustafson at Smashwords

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Table of Contents

Introduction

The Pragmatic Teachings of the Atthakavagga

I - Discourse on Sense Desires

II - Octet on the Cave

III - Octet on the Corrupt

IV - Octet on the Pure

V - Octet on the Ultimate

VI - Discourse on Aging and Death

VII - Discourse to Tissa Mettayya

VIII - Discourse to Pasura

IX - Discourse to Magandiya

X - Discourse on Those at Peace

XI - Discourse on Quarrels and Contentions

XII - Small Discourse on Arguments

XIII - Greater Discourse on Arguments

XIV - Discourse on Those Attaining Release

XV - Discourse on Taking up a Stick

XVI - Discourse to Sariputra

Afterward

About Sensei Glenn

Other books by Sensei Glenn

Connect with Sensei Glenn

Introduction

I began writing this principally to increase my own comprehension of this important text of early Buddhism. For this translation – or better, this reinterpretation – I am relying on a number of different translations including those on the www.accesstoinsight.org web site but heavily on the work of Pannobhasa Bhikkhu, a monk in upper Myanmar. He published his work for free distribution in 1999 CE (2543 BE) and it can be found at:

http://www.suttas.net/english/suttas/khuddaka-nikaya/sutta-nipata/Atthakavagga-Pannobhasa.pdf.

I find that it speaks to me in a way that other, perhaps more scholarly, translations don’t. He kept the poetic structure of the early Pali; but his English version is not always clear or easily comprehended. He also included the Pali verse by verse so that is was easy to go in and see where and why other translations differed from his and make my own decision on what interpretation I wanted to use.

My principal aim in this reinterpretation is to bring this text into a more modern, Western idiom which I hope will help to broaden the appeal of this sutta. I use gender neutral terminology throughout and have tried to only use comparisons and metaphors that will be commonly understood in the West.

I have also taken inspiration from Brad Warner’s book Don’t Be a Jerk where he transmutes the works of Dogen Zenji into modern idiom. I wanted to do away with the poetic structure and verse numbering of the direct translation in favor of a similar transmutation of this important text into something that not only appeals to but hopefully inspires Western readers. I decided to present both my prose transmutation along with my poetic or - for lack of a better word - versed interpretation for those who might wish to use the more formal versification for sutta practice.

The Atthakavagga is generally regarded as one of - if not the - earliest collections of discourses of the Buddha. This is based on the archaic phraseology used in the collection as well as the simple, straightforward presentation; without the repetition and duplication so common in later suttas. There is also the fact that within the Atthakavagga there is a total absence of metaphysical references and speculation and no teaching about things like nirvana that would become the basis of a more developed Buddhism reflected in the later suttas. This collection principally confines itself to instruction on becoming a wise and peaceful person. They are also addressed directly to the needs of the bhikkhus - those who chose to give up all and vow themselves to a celibate life following the Buddha but seemingly to these bhikkhus while they were still wandering mendicants prior to the more monastic settings that arose later.

One major change in concept that I have taken is that I have not used the term monk or anything similar when bhikkhu is used in the Pali but have rather used practitioner in the Mahayana sense that realization can come to all who practice the Way not just to those who have become home leavers.

I have also made significant changes to the wording of the Discourse to Tissa Mettayya for very much the same reason. This discourse teaches the error of any sexual activity to those seeking to be bhikkhus; yet the overall lesson is still appropriate today when we recast it from a teaching on avoiding all sexual activity to one on avoiding sexual immorality. This again opens up the teaching from only monks to all people without diluting the overall message. Sexual immorality is a pragmatic term – appropriate to me as a Pragmatic Buddhist - that may change with cultures and times but will always carry with it an admonition against harm – either to oneself or to another. Therefore, I think this is an entirely appropriate edit.

Many of these discourses are important to understand in today’s pluralistic world as they focus on not placing one philosophy over another, nor judging one superior and others inferior. Always they emphasize that the wise person will refuse to be pulled into disagreements knowing that clinging to any philosophy is to not remain free.

I have included not only my interpretation of the sutta but also short commentaries on each of the discourses as well as a longer Dharma Meditation on each. I hope that these will be seen as I have intended - not as statements of a single truth but rather as conversation starters for those wishing to explore how the discourses apply in their own lives.

I must also apologize for my lack of poetic talent. While I have maintained the verse structure of these discourses my presentation is far from poetic. I hope you will forgive this lack and still gain some benefit from them.

As Pannobhasa Bhikkhu ends his preface, I also say: May all who thirst for wisdom be satisfied and may all beings be well and abide in equanimity, peace and happiness.

Glenn Ge Jie Gustafson, OPB

Columbus, Ohio, USA

2563 BE, 2019 CE

The Pragmatic Teachings of the Atthakavagga

So what is the thrust of this collection of poems? They do not present us with the lists that are so popular in Buddhism - no Four Noble Truths or Five Poisons or any such things. They do not mention past lives, rebirth or samsara save in some vague references. Karma makes no appearance in any of the sixteen discourses. So what do they teach? They teach non-clinging. It’s as simple as that…and as complicated.

They can basically be divided into two broad categories of things to which we should not cling: sensual pleasures and views/philosophies. They also include descriptions of the people who practice this non-clinging, called sages or muni in Pali. Finally they give advice on how to practice on this quest for non-clinging. This advice is directed toward home-leaving monks; but I have attempted in this volume to expand its audience to include all those who wish to find the way of peace, both within themselves and within their communities.

Is this just a way of rejection and renunciation? No, I don’t think it