Samanera Panha (The ten questions a samanera should answer)
From TheBuddhism.Net
by Inoka Makalanda
According to Buddhist monastic rules (Vinaya) a person must be 20 years old to undertake “Upasampada” to become a monk or a nun. All that are under 20 years must stay as novices or samaneras till they attain the proper age.
But, there had been instances where Buddha had ordained child prodigies.
Sopaka was only 7 years old when he was rescued by Buddha from a cemetery. He had been bound to a corpse and was on the verge of being eaten by jackals. His brilliance in answering the ten questions Buddha asked, made him a monk at that tender age.
Dharma Wheel
The ten questions Buddha asked and the answers little Sopaka gave:
What is ‘one’? All beings live on food.
What is ‘two’? Mind & matter (Name & form)
What is ‘three’? Feelings of comfort, sorrow and indifference
What is ‘four’? The Four Noble Truths
Suffering (Dukkha Sathyaya),
Origin of suffering (Samudaya Sathyaya),
Cessation of suffering (Nirodha Sathyaya),
Path to the cessation of Suffering (Marga Sathyaya)
What is ‘five’? The five functions or aspects that constitute the human being
Form or matter (Rupa),
Sensation or feeling (Vedana),
Perception or conception(Sanna),
Mental formations or impulses (Sankhara),
Consciousness or discernment (Vinnana)}
What is ‘six’? The six faculties (Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body & mind)
What is ‘seven’? Seven facts of enlightenment
Mindfulness (to remember Dhamma) – “Sathi”
Investigation (of Dhamma) – “Dhamma Vichaya”
Energy – “Viriya”
Joy or Rapture – “Peethi”
Relaxation or tranquility (of both body & mind) – “Passaddhi”
Concentration (of mind) – “Samadhi”
Equanimity – “Upekkha”
What is ‘eight’? The Noble Eighthfold Path
Right view (Samma Ditti)
Right intention (Samma Sankappa)
Right speech (Samma Wacha)
Right action (Samma Kammantha)
Right livelihood (Samma Ajeewa)
Right effort (Samma Vayama)
Right mindfulness (Samma Sathi)
Right concentration (Samma Samadhi)
What is ‘nine’? Nine abodes or types of beings (Seven stations of consciousness and two spheres)
Beings who are different in body and different in perception (Nanaththa kaya, Nanaththa sanna)
Beings who are different in body but equal in perception (Nanaththa kaya, Ekaththa sanna)
Beings who are equal in body but different in perception (Ekaththa kaya, Nanaththa sanna)
Beings who are equal in body and equal in perception (Ekaththakaya, Ekaththasanna)
Beings who are without perception and feeling (Asanna plane)
Beings who have completely overcome the perceptions of matter and the disappearance of
perceptions of sense reaction and the non attention to perceptions of variety thinking “Boundless is space” (Akasanancayatana)
Beings who have completely overcome the sphere of boundless consciousness thinking “Boundless is consciousness” (Vinnanancayatana)
Beings who have completely overcome the sphere of boundless consciousness thinking “nothing is there” (Akincannayatana)
Beings who have completely overcome the sphere of nothingness are reborn in the sphere of neither perception nor non- perception (Neva sanna nasannayatana)
What is ‘ten’? The ten attributes of an Arahanth such as the Noble Eighthfold Path, right vision and wisdom.
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Can you please let me know where can I find these questions in the scriptures (e.g. path – suththa pitaka – kuddaka nikaya etc)
Thanks for sharing it…
To what is two Arahath Sopaka said Nama/Rupa. Nama/Rupa does not mean mind & matter. What is nama? It is feeling, perception, volition, contact or touch and attention. What is rupa? It is the form-perception derived from that which is formed of the four maha bhuthas. Nama/Rupa does not stay separately but together and is associated all the time with consciousness. Such a consciousness is called illustrated-consciousness as with worldly beings. In Arahaths the consciousness is not illustrated with nama/rupa. Vipassana Meditation enables one to slowly erase the ilustrations be they good or bad and achieve the ultimate of Nirvana.
Amazing further proof that reincarnation exists and that people who have practiced before can retain their knowledge.