ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

easoning should precede faith and devotion. Therefore, everyone should Endeavour to better his
or her knowledge in religious affairs.
Confusion between Faith and Love
Today some virtuous persons are confused of faith with love or affection. Many a devotee will
revere Dhamma teachers with pleasant voices and personalities who give good instructions. If
they respect and honor them only for their good ethical conduct, it is faith. However, if they are
attached to such teachers like their own relatives it is mixture of faith and love.
In Gotama Buddha's time, disciples such as the Venerable Vakkali, and Minister Channa not
only revered the Buddha but also loved him personally. Although faith was present, there also
was attachment, which is unwholesome.
Some people accept doctrines and instructions through personal attachment; such attachments
some times can promote knowledge and wisdom and enhance fulfillment of one’s Perfections. If
wholesome mental factors are cultivated because of personal attachments, then it is beneficial.
So even small unwholesome attachments can lead to good states of mind. In this view, teachers
and preachers should teach the Dhamma with sincerity and goodwill to promote such
developments. In addition, disciples and devotees, on their part, should practice the teaching to
get beneficial results.
3.2. Mindfulness - Sati
Recollecting, remembering or heedfulness is definitive terms for mindfulness, which is known as
sati in Pali. There are various forms of mindfulness.
Example: One recalls the meritorious deeds performed in the past: one listens attentively so that
one can remember the Dhamma discourses. While meditating. one concentrates deeply not to
lose the object of meditation. This is mindfulness.
Sometimes you look forward to meritorious deeds to do tomorrow or in the future. You take care
to observe moral precepts and not to breach any precepts. You are mindful to restrain the arising
of greed, anger, pride and ignorance. You recall the counsels of your teachers. Only such forms
of mindfulness concerning wholesome matters are called mindfulness -sati. Such true
mindfulness, watchfulness, vigilance should prevail in one’s mind. Therefore when a bhikkhu
administers precepts to lay devotees, he always reminds them to observe precepts diligently with
due mindfulness. He reminds them thus at the end of giving precepts:
“Accomplish the meritorious deeds with non-negligence or diligence and in Pali -."Appamadena
sampadetha"
The Buddha also taught thus:
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