Investigating the Dhamma Investigating the Dhamma A Collection of Papers by Bhikkhu Bodhi Buddhist Publication Society 54 Sangharaja Mawatha PO Box 61 Kandy Sri Lanka http://www.bps.lk First edition: 2015. Information on the sources of and the copyrights to the individual essays is given on the sources page. National Library of Sri Lanka-Cataloguing in Publication Data Bhikkhu Bodhi Investigating the Dhamma: a Collection of Papers by Bhikkhu Bodhi / Bhikkhu Bodhi; ed. by Bhikkhu Nyanatusita.- Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society Inc, 2015 BP 437.- 182p; 22cm. ISBN 978-955-24-0416-0 i. 294.3 DDC 23ii. Title iii. Bhikkhu Nyanatusita ed. 1. Buddhism ISBN: 978-955-24-0416-0 Typeset at the BPS in URW Palladio ITU Printed by Ajith Printers, 85/4, Old Kesbewa Road, Gangodawila, Nugegoda. Sources 1. “Aggregates and Clinging Aggregates” was originally published in Pali Buddhist Review, Vol. 1, 1976, pp. 91–102. Reprinted with the permission of Russell Webb. 2. “Dance or Cessation?” is an unpublished paper written in 1989. 3. “Anattá as Strategy and Ontology” is an unpublished paper written in 1993. 4. “A Critical Examination of Ñáóavìra’s ‘A Note on Paþiccasamuppáda’” was originally published as two parts in Buddhist Studies Review. Vol. 15, No. 1, 1998: 43–64 and Vol. 15, No. 2, 1998: 157–181. Reprinted with the permission of Russell Webb. 5. “Review of Buddhism without Beliefs” was originally published in Buddhist Publication Society Newsletter No. 38, 1st Mailing 1998 and Journal of Buddhist Ethics, Vol. 5, 1998: 14–21. 6. “The Jhánas and the Lay Disciple” was originally published in Buddhist Studies In Honour of Professor Lily de Silva, edited by P.D. Premasiri et al, Peradeniya, 2001: 36–64. Reprinted with the permission of P.D. Premasiri. 7. “What Does Mindfulness Really Mean?” was originally published in Contemporary Buddhism, Vol. 12, 2011, pp. 19– 39. Reprinted with the permission of Taylor & Francis Publishers. 8. “Deconstructing Constructions” is an unpublished paper written in 2014. Contents Preface ix Abbreviations xi Aggregates and Clinging Aggregates (Khandhá/Upádánakkhandhá) ...............................................1 Dance or Cessation? ........................................................................16 Anattá as Strategy and Ontology ..................................................25 A Critical Examination of Ñáóavìra Thera’s “A Note on Paþiccasamuppáda” ............................................40 Review of Buddhism without Beliefs ...........................................83 The Jhánas and the Lay Disciple According to the Páli Suttas ..................................................................................91 What Does Mindfulness Really Mean? ......................................122 Deconstructing Constructions: The Role of Saòkhárá in the Buddha’s Discourses .............................................................150 Preface This book brings together eight essays of Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, five of which have been published in academic journals, and three of which have not been published before. The aim of this collection is to make these essays available to a wider readership as well as to celebrate Bhikkhu Bodhi’s seventieth birthday. Most of the essays are critiques of modern interpretations or reinterpretations of aspects of the Dhamma that Bhikkhu Bodhi considers to be at odds with the Buddha’s teachings. These responses are made from the perspective of a traditional Theraváda scholar and practitioner who has an academic background in Western philosophy and therefore are of interest to both practicing Buddhists and academics. The essays show Bhikkhu Bodhi’s great knowledge of the Dhamma as well as his unwavering dedication in promoting a right understanding of it. While Dhamma Reflections, the previous collection of essays by Bhikkhu Bodhi published by BPS, mainly contained short essays written for a wider Buddhist readership, the essays in the present book deal with profound aspects of the Dhamma and mostly were written for those who are more familiar with the Buddha’s teachings of the Theraváda tradition. The essays are arranged in chronological order, starting with an essay written in 1976 and finishing with an essay written in 2014. Here is a brief overview of the essays: Essay 1, “Aggregates and Clinging Aggregates” is a detailed investigation of the meaning of the five aggregates of clinging (pañcupádánakkhandhá). Essay 2, “Dance or Cessation?” is a refutation of the unortho- dox views of the eco-philosopher Joanna Macy regarding nib- bána, dependent arising, and the idea of momentariness. ix —— Investigating the Dhamma —— Essay 3, “Anattá as Strategy and Ontology” is a critique of Ajahn Þhánissaro’s “Not-self strategy,” arguing that the Buddha’s anattá-teaching is both pragmatic and ontological. Essay 4, “A Critical Examination of Ñáóavìra’s ‘A Note on Paþiccasamuppáda’” is a critique of the “one-life interpretation” of the twelve-factored formula of dependent arising. Bhikkhu Bodhi shows that some of the Buddha’s discourses do support the traditional three-lives interpretation. Essay 5, “Review of Buddhism without Beliefs” reviews a book of the agnostic Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor. Bhikkhu Bodhi questions the author’s idea that the Buddha’s teaching should be viewed as “an existential, therapeutic, and liberating agnosticism.” Essay 6, “The Jhánas and the Lay Disciple” is an investiga- tion of whether the jhánas are necessary for the attainment of the first stage of awakening, known as stream-entry. Essay 7, “What Does Mindfulness Really Mean?” examines the original meaning of sati, “mindfulness” in the Buddha’s teachings in contrast to modern popular therapeutic interpretations. Essay 8, “Deconstructing Constructions” explores the Páli term saòkhárá, one of the pivotal concepts in the Buddha’s discourses. The abbreviation and reference system of Páli texts that was used in the earlier essays has been adapted to fit the modern system as used in the later essays. Moreover, the sections of the earlier essays have been numbered in the manner of the later essays. Section headings have been added to the third essay to make it more accessible. BPS Editor x Abbreviations Unless marked otherwise, all references to Páli texts are to the editions published by the Pali Text Society. Canonical references are to sutta number, followed by volume and page of the Pali Text Society Páli edition. In essay 7 these are in turn followed by title and page number of the translations of the “Teachings of the Buddha” Series of Wisdom Publications. A Aòguttara Nikáya (PTS page number) AN Aòguttara Nikáya (Sutta number) As Atthasálinì, Dhammasaògaóì-aþþhakathá CDB Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi, Boston 2000) D Dìgha Nikáya (PTS page number) DN Dìgha Nikáya (Sutta number) LDB Long Discourses of the Buddha (Maurice Walshe, Boston 1995) MLDB Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Ñáóamoli and Bodhi, Boston 1995) M Majjhima Nikáya (PTS page number) MN Majjhima Nikáya (Sutta number) Mp Manorathapuraóì, Aòguttara-nikáya-aþþhakathá NDB The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi, Boston 2012) Paþis Paþisambhidámagga Pp Puggalapaññatti PTS Pali Text Society SÁ Saíyuktágama S Saíyutta Nikáya (PTS page number) SN Saíyutta Nikáya (Sutta number) Sn Suttanipáta (Verse number) Spk Sáratthapakkásinì, Saíyutta-nikáya-aþþhakathá T Taishõ Chinese Tripiþaka (CBETA edition) Vism Visuddhimagga xi