kalyanamithra said:
Dear friends,
Nice article in simple language...
Want to find more on this topic?
A Deshana by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero on "Pina ha Kusalaya" is found here:
http://www.gautamabuddha.ca/bana/sinhala/126_Pena_ha_Kusalaya.mp3
Theruwan saranai!
I admit that I have missed few things (I feel as mistakes) in original article by Sampath. Please examine what I am saying carefully against Dhamma...
I should have highlighted these before... I am sorry I could not take time to carefully read it...
I only read it (as I ought to have) now after posting my second one on the thread... I will be more careful the next time...
1. Never think that Pina extends Sasara; That's a Myth... It is Patichchasamuppadaya that does it... Otherwise Budhurajanan wahanse would never have said "Pinata Bhaya Wenna Epa...".
2. We should not say that Lobha, Dvesha and Moha is the base of Pina... It's looking down upon pina.. Moreover we know that Metta Bhavanava (a chittha kamma) which we are advised to do is one of the most meritorious deeds...
You can find more from the Deshana I had referred to... I recommend listening to that; and verifying it with the Teachings of Buddha...
Doing punya karma does not mean we will be born again, because arya ashtangika marga (yes, it's a kusala) nullifies all Sanskara setp by step. If concened; it should be on getting rid of Apunya and Akusal
becase if we die with paticcasamuppada active we are sure to be born... For that: we can do nothing, but following the Path (i.e. arya ashtangika magga)...
We would understand this only when we understand (or have firm shraddha on how Dhamma describes) Paticcasamuppada; Sankhara; Asava; etc.
See how our mind gets misled.. to believe in what appears "obvious" (to our avijjasahagatha minds). See how cautious we should be when discussing Dhamma... I think it's due to Avijja Asawa.
Dear friends, there's another thing that I have to contradict in the article.
It says we have to "methana sita thama meheviya yuththe thama kalyanamithraya bavata path vu sithaya"

Beware! See how our mind is! We should always have Dhamma for guidance...

Why? our mind is always (until person becomes Arhath) trying to mislead us...
[A person attained Sothapathi is guided correctly not because he/she trusts his mind... but because he/she is firm in Shraddha; knows the Avijjasahagatha nature of our mind; and understand there is a Truth in Dhamma...]
I think there is a nice Thera Gatha in which a Thero endeavoring to be rahathan wahanse who takes up robes and leaves for the forest following his desire, addresses his mind on seeing how it prevents progression in the Path...
I will try to locate the audio; but I do not have a book to extract the info

Hope someone can post it...
However we should not worry about this nature of our mind.. We should be happy that we have at last started to see from the viewpoint of Dhamma...

It's true that we have long to go to realize the Truth; let's not give up...
As for Pin/Kusal; best thing is doing both Pin and Kusal whenever possible... even without trying to discern which are Pin and which are Kusal... be cautious of sources when taking Dhamma material... (so I invite you to verify what I stated with that Deshana and/or the Teachings... )
Theruwan saranai