Found 10 results for vanity

The Buddha shares the three kinds of best confidence - 1) in the Buddha, 2) in the mental quality of fading of desire, and 3) in the community of the Blessed One’s disciples.

Bhikkhus, however many |mental qualities::characteristics, traits, and tendencies of the mind, shaped by repeated actions and sustained attention, guided by particular ways of understanding; they may be wholesome or unwholesome, bright or dark [dhammā]| there are—whether |conditioned::constructed, created, fabricated [saṅkhata]| or |unconditioned::not created, unconstructed, unformed, epithet of Nibbāna [asaṅkhata]|—the |fading of desire::disappearance of desire, dispassion, disenchantment, detachment [virāga]| is regarded as the foremost among them. That is, the |crushing of conceit::removing vanity, subduing pride [madanimmadana]|, the |dispelling of thirst::removal of thirst [pipāsavinaya]|, the |uprooting of clinging::eradication of attachment [ālayasamugghāta]|, the |breaking off the cycle of existence::ending continued existence [vaṭṭupaccheda]|, the |wearing away of craving::depletion of desire, extinction of longing [taṇhakkhaya]|, the fading of desire, |gradual ending::cessation, termination [nirodha]|, |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|. Those, bhikkhus, who place their confidence in the teaching of fading of desire, place their confidence in the best. And for those who place their confidence in the best, the result is the best.

The Buddha shares a simile of a mountain to illustrate the inevitability of old age and death, and the importance of living by the Dhamma.

“Venerable sir, there are crowned noble-warrior kings, who are |intoxicated with the vanity of power::drunk with authority [ssariyamadamatta]| and |overcome by greed for sensual pleasure::consumed by the desire for sensual gratification [kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhita]|, who, having conquered a vast territory, dwell as rulers. I have been engaged in attending to the affairs of these kings.”

The Buddha teaches the importance of frequently reflecting upon the five subjects of 1) aging, 2) illness, 3) death, 4) separation from everyone and everything dear and pleasing, and 5) one’s relation to one’s actions.

1 For the sake of what benefit should a woman, a man, a householder, or one gone forth frequently reflect thus: ‘I am subject to aging, I am not exempt from growing old’? In their youth, beings |are intoxicated::have vanity, pride, conceit [mada]| with their youth, and when they are intoxicated with their youth, they engage in misconduct by body, speech, and mind. But when one frequently reflects upon this subject, the intoxication with their youth is either entirely abandoned or diminished. It is for the sake of this benefit that a woman, a man, a householder, or one gone forth should frequently reflect thus: ‘I am subject to aging, I am not exempt from growing old.’

The Buddha illustrates that his true inheritance is the Dhamma, not material possessions. Venerable Sāriputta clarifies the practice of seclusion by listing numerous harmful qualities to abandon and the Middle Way that leads to abandoning of them, to clear vision, wisdom, tranquility, to full awakening.

In this case, friends, |anger::rage, wrath, fury, indignation [kodha]| is harmful, |resentment::bearing a grudge, harboring enmity [upanāha]| is harmful ... |contempt::ungratefulness, depreciation, denigration, disrespect, belittlement, disparagement [makkha]| is harmful, |feuding::quarreling, rivalry, opposition, struggle, conflict [paḷāsa]| is harmful, |jealousy::envy [issā]| is harmful, |stinginess::selfishness, meanness, tight-fistedness [macchera]| is harmful, |deceit::trick, illusion, hypocrisy [māya]| is harmful, |treachery::conning, deviousness, scamming [sāṭheyya]| is harmful, |stubbornness::bullheadedness, inflexibility [thambha]| is harmful, |aggressiveness::hostile or violent behavior towards living beings [sārambha]| is harmful, |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth [māna]| is harmful, |arrogance::haughtiness, self-importance [atimāna]| is harmful, |vanity::indulgence, excess, pleasure, intoxication [mada]| is harmful, |negligence::carelessness, heedlessness [pamāda]| is harmful. There is a Middle Way for the abandoning of these harmful qualities, which produces clarity in vision, which produces wisdom, which leads to tranquility, to directly knowing, to full awakening, to Nibbāna. What, friends, is the Middle Way that produces clarity in vision, wisdom, and that leads to tranquility, directly knowing, full awakening, and Nibbāna? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right collectedness. This, friends, is the Middle Way that produces clarity in vision, wisdom, and that leads to tranquility, directly knowing, full awakening, and Nibbāna.”

The Buddha uses the simile of a defiled cloth to explain how the mind can be similarly defiled by various impurities, and how it can be purified by abandoning them. And it is through this very practice that one arrives at unshakeable faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. The Buddha also addresses a brahmin in verses who believes in purification by bathing in river.

Bhikkhus, having understood, ‘Craving and unbalanced greed is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ the bhikkhu abandons craving and unbalanced greed; having understood, ‘Ill will is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons ill will; having understood, ‘Anger is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons anger; having understood, ‘Resentment is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons resentment; having understood, ‘Contempt is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons contempt; having understood, ‘Feuding is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons feuding; having understood, ‘Jealousy is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons jealousy; having understood, ‘Stinginess is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons stinginess; having understood, ‘Deceit is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons deceit; having understood, ‘Treachery is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons treachery; having understood, ‘Stubbornness is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons stubbornness; having understood, ‘Aggressiveness is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons aggressiveness; having understood, ‘Conceit is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons conceit; having understood, ‘Arrogance is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons arrogance; having understood, ‘Vanity is an impurity that defiles the mind,‘ he abandons vanity; having understood, ‘Negligence is an impurity of the mind,‘ he abandons negligence.

Dhammapada verses 129-145 explore the themes of non-violence, the consequences of harmful actions, and the importance of self-discipline. Through metaphors of a broken gong, a well-trained horse, and skilled artisans, the verses emphasize that true purification comes not from external austerities but from inner restraint, mindfulness, and ethical conduct. The inevitability of death and the suffering caused by harming others are highlighted alongside the rewards of peace and wisdom for those who cultivate virtuous behavior.

All fear |punishment::rod, stick [daṇḍa]|, all fear death; Considering others like oneself, one should neither |kill::beat, strike, thrash, stab, execute [hanati]| nor cause to kill.

The venerable Nandaka teaches Sāḷha and his friend about how to independently verify the unwholesome and wholesome mental qualities.

Thus have I heard — Once, the venerable Nandaka was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in the Eastern Park, at Migāramāta’s mansion. Then Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson, and Sāṇo, Sekhuniya’s grandson, approached the venerable Nandaka. Having approached, they paid homage to the venerable Nandaka and sat down to one side. While seated to one side, the venerable Nandaka said to Sāḷha, Migāra’s grandson:

The Buddha explains the three unwholesome roots and the three wholesome roots.

“Bhikkhus, there are these three unwholesome roots. What three? |Greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]|, |aversion::ill will, hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|, and |illusion::delusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]|.

The Buddha explains the faults concerning this life and the next life, the strivings for laypeople and those who have gone forth, the things that cause regret and do not cause regret, the importance of not resting content with wholesome qualities, the two things that cause regret and do not cause regret, the two dark and bright qualities, and the two occasions for approaching the rains retreat.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!”

The Buddha explains the difference between cultivation and lack of cultivation with regard to body and mind, and recounts his own journey to full awakening.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Vesāli::capital of the Licchavīs [vesālī]|, in the |Great Forest::name of a forest outside Vesāli; lit. great forest [mahāvana]|, in the hall with the peaked roof.

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