59-05-032 Proceeding

129 Proceedings of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Congress 4. Expected Outcome 4.1 The sources and the method used for alleviating sleepiness in the Saundarananda. 4.2 Application of the method for alleviating sleepiness in the Saundarananda and the modern method. 5. Results Chapter 14 of the Saundarananda contains 52 verses, and not more than 15 verses describes about the method for alleviating sleepiness, which was taught by the Buddha to Bhikṣu Nanda. At this point, we must go back to the background of the poet, who was born in the brahmanism family, and later had true faith in Buddhism. By study each work of Aśvaghoṣa, it is found that he has a fair knowledge of the original Theravada teachings. The Saundarananda is influenced by the Tipiṭaka, written in Pāli. The poet had changed some suttas from the Tipiṭaka and created a new plot by changing the characters in the story, and inserted some contents for the literary sentiment. Like an issue of the method for alleviating sleepiness in this work, it is supposed that Aśvaghoṣa was influenced by the Tipiṭaka of theTheravada, from the chapter called “Moggallana Sutta,” in the Commentary division. In an explanation of the Abhidharma , sleepiness on one of 14 akusalacetasika (unwholesomeMental Factors).This factor called “ middhaṁ ”, means sloth or indolence. It can be described as 1. Astate improper forwork ( akammaññatā ), 2. Internal covertness (toprevent cetasika which is born with cita ) ( antosamorodho ), 3. Sleepiness; nodded; began to doze ( pacalāyikā ), 4. Wrong reflection ( ayonisomanasikāra ) 6 . While, in the Sutanta Piṭaka, there is a section which describes what the Buddha taught BhikṣuMoggallana about themethod for Alleviating Sleepiness. When the Buddha stayed in the Bhagga country, He knew by his profoundmeditation that Bhikṣu Moggallana sat and was sleepy in the Magadha country, He went to present Himself before Moggallana with a miracle and taught the method for Alleviating Sleepiness, which can be summarized into 8 methods. “1. You should have a closely promise in the mind (It is possibly that to remind of the useful memory from the six senses). 2. You should reflect on the dharma that you have learnt and listened to. 3. You should preach the dharma that you have learnt and listened to. (possible that to recite dharma aloud), 4. You should pick your ears, and caress the body. 5. You should get up to wash your face, look all the directions, and face to the sky. 6. You should have ālokasaññā 7 in the mind (it may mean that to keep thinking of lightness in the mind always, such as while being in the night, he should think as the day). 7. You should do meditation walking, and be aware of the body. 8. You should lie down on the right side, the feet rest overlapping on each other (in this case suggested that if the above 7 methods can’t help, and still sleepy, he should 6 Mahamakut Buddhist Foundation. Phratraipidok lae athakatha, Book 76 (translation), Phraabhithampidok Thammasangkhini, Book 2. (Nakhonpathom: Mahamakut Buddhist Foundation Press, 2003), 415 - 417. 7 Ālokasannā means consciousness or faculty of sight or perception. Cited in: Rhys Davids. Pali Text Society Pali- English Dictionary. Accessed April 12, 2015. Available from www.buddhistboards.com