Introduction Many people think that hiri (moral shame) and ottappa (fear of wrongdoing) are too heavy for meditation. However, we will discuss not only why they are good qualities but beautiful ones too. These two mental factors are known as the protectors of the world (lokapāla-dhammā). Why Are They Beautiful? In a previous post and video, I discussed the sobhana cetasikas — the beautiful universal mental factors that arise in all wholesome states. There are 19 of them, and among them are hiri and ottappa (Moral Shame, and Moral Dread).

What does it technically mean to have a “beautiful mind” in meditation—beyond vague metaphores or mysticism. Defining the Beautiful Mind When modern teachers describe deep samatha (concentration) meditation as “beautiful,” they speak in mystical metaphors. However, real Theravāda Buddhism involves the Abhidhamma. The Abhidhamma is not for scholarly proliferation. It is for knowing how the mind works and applying the mind in that way. The Abhidhamma provides a precise definition: sobhāna cetasikā, or beautiful mental factors.

Irrawaddi River, Bagan, 2015 There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about what the Abhidhamma is all about. If I were to describe a river based on Suttanta values and then describe it again in terms of Abhidhamma and commentary values, Abhidhamma will be very clear in its validity and purpose. I don’t recall the Buddha explaining rivers in Suttas in the way I will explain them. However, I will try to explain them “as if” they were spoken in the Suttas and also “as if” they were mentioned in the Abhidhamma and Commentaries.

Free Book: Abhidhamma Lessons PDF Abhidhamma Lessons Here is a book I wrote long ago that relates the Abhidhamma to Computer Science. As a programmer from the nineties, I “clicked” with the abhidhamma after reading just a small amount. When I learned that the mind does only one thing at a time, it instantly clicked with a graduate class I had taken on digital circuits. It gave me the faith in the Abhidhamma early on which is very rare among Western Monks and Western Theravada Buddhist lay people. Most of the Western scholars are outspoken against the Abhidhamma. I am no scholar by any right, but I hope this can create an interest and restore some faith.