Giuliano Giustarini | Mahidol University (original) (raw)
Papers by Giuliano Giustarini
Vita Pensata - ISSN 2038-4386, 2024
In the Indian society at the times of the Buddha, the relationship with the Sacred (intended as a... more In the Indian society at the times of the Buddha, the relationship with the Sacred (intended as alterity, transcendence, or ultimate meaning/purpose) is conjugated through a range of modes, and thus brings about distinct and yet intertwined figures. These modes and figures assume specific traits within Buddhist scriptures in Pāli language, especially in the Canonical ones. The investigation of illustrative passages from the Pāli Buddhist Canon allows to free up the notion of Sacred from strictly theological conceptual tangles, to shed light upon the philosophical
significance of this conjugation of the Sacred, and last to detect the pragmatically ethical scenarios that such conjugation potentially unfolds.
Kervan, 2024
This paper addresses the Sudattasutta of the Pāli Yakkhasaṃyutta and its direct commentary (aṭṭha... more This paper addresses the Sudattasutta of the Pāli Yakkhasaṃyutta and its direct commentary (aṭṭhakathā), both extremely significant in outlining meditative techniques that entail the figure of the Buddha as their object in order to arouse and cultivate wholesome factors of the path to liberation, such as faith and joy. These practices, applied to a variety of meditative techniques, have become popular in contemporary South-East Asia and, to some extent, in contemporary Theravāda worldwide. The examination of the Sudattasutta and its aṭṭhakathā— with the original translation of the latter—will shed light upon the dawn of this contemplative practice and of the cultural background behind it.
Numen, 2023
This article addresses the intersection of the oral tradition with textual contents in Pāli Buddh... more This article addresses the intersection of the oral tradition with textual contents in Pāli Buddhist literature, by focusing mostly on the Suttapiṭaka. Lexicon and stylistic features can be seen as intentional strategies to enhance specific mnemonic and meditative qualities in the disciples, thus working symbiotically with the instructions they convey. By examining selected passages, I will demonstrate a functional interrelationship of three main factors: the lexicon of listening, the emphasis on attention, and meditative instructions. These three factors, in turn, rely upon the authoritative power of the scriptures, which is constructed and reinforced with specific rhetorical stratagems to raise and enhance meditative qualities in the disciples.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2023
The Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā, attributed to Ānanda, is a sub-commentary of one of the seven books of the... more The Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā, attributed to Ānanda, is a sub-commentary of one of the seven books of the Pāli Abhidhamma-piṭaka, the Vibhaṅga, and the direct commentary of its commentary, Buddhaghosa’s Sammohavinodanī. In the section on the satipaṭṭhāna method, Ānanda proposes exegetical strategies to solve some seeming contradiction between Buddhaghosa’s interpretation of the Vibhaṅga and the Sutta’s framework that the Satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅga refers to. An examination of exemplary passages from the Satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅga of the Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā will shed light upon the originality of Ānanda’s thought and its influence on Dhammapāla’s commentaries.
This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probabl... more This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probably in the sixteenth century, with the canonical sources (mainly from the Suttapiṭaka and the Abhidhammapiṭaka) that inspired the symbology adopted by the text. The analysis indicates that this symbology, which permeates Buddhist tradition in Thailand, was developed through several stages under the influence of Pāli commentarial literature and of paracanonical texts such as the Milindapañha.
Journal of Indian Philosophy
The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discu... more The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discuss the phases of intrauterine development. By adopting a terminology remarkably comparable to that of other Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts, they illustrate fundamental Buddhist teachings like the non-self (anattā) view and the dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda). I here offer a translation of these three texts, preceded by an introductory outline of their contents.
Journal of religion and health, Jan 2, 2017
This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the "unc... more This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the "uncompounded" (asaṅkhata) is valued over and above what is "compounded" (saṅkhata), the texts also encourage careful attention to relative (or, physical) health. The mind is the laboratory and the object of a thorough work meant to lead to final liberation from mental affliction and from the cycle of existence, whereas the body is perceived as impure, limited, and intrinsically unsatisfactory. Nonetheless, a disciple of the Buddha is supposed to take care of his/her own and others' physical wellbeing, and monastic equipment includes a set of medicines. "Ultimate health" is the final goal, but conventional healthcare supports the path to nibbāna and represents a value per se. The present article will explore the intricate connection between these two dimensions.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2014
The Vimokkhakathā, a section of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, expounds the longest list of vimokkhas (re... more The Vimokkhakathā, a section of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, expounds the longest list of vimokkhas (releases, deliverances) found in Pali; it also finely elaborates on the notion of vimokkha through a crucial shift in Theravāda exegesis. In order to explore the meaning and nuances of vimokkha in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, this article focuses on its classifications and definitions, discussing their relation to the standard lists found in the Nikāyas. This examination highlights a multifaceted soteriology that supplies meditative practice with a consistent wholesome attitude; I will also demonstrate how various microstructure-levels affect the macrostructure of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, which in turn draws upon the wider structure of the Tipiṭaka. In addition, the commentary to the enunciation of the releases (Vimokkhuddesavaṇṇanā), translated in Appendix, clarifies the structure of the vimokkhas, and their relationship with the whole Paṭisambhidāmagga.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2012
Asian Literature and Translation
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2021
The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discu... more The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discuss the phases of intrauterine development. By adopting a terminology remarkably comparable to that of other Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts, they illustrate fundamental Buddhist teachings like the non-self (anattā) view and the dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda). I here offer a translation of these three texts, preceded by an introductory outline of their contents.
Kervan – International Journal of Afro-Asiatic Studies, 2021
This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probabl... more This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probably in the sixteenth century, with the canonical sources (mainly from the Suttapiṭaka and the Abhidhammapiṭaka) that inspired the symbology adopted by the text. The analysis indicates that this symbology, which permeates Buddhist tradition in Thailand, was developed through several stages under the influence of Pāli commentarial literature and of paracanonical texts such as the Milindapañha.
Sati, 2019
Il discorso del Buddha qui tradotto illustra una pratica di contemplazione delle sei basi dei sen... more Il discorso del Buddha qui tradotto illustra una pratica di contemplazione delle sei basi dei sensi secondo il parametro dell'insoddisfazione intrinseca riguardo all'esperienza sensoriale, della sua impermanenza, e dell'assenza di un sé separato. Questa pratica, che fa parte del quarto satipaṭṭhāna, culmina nel lasciar andare e, infine, nella liberazione dal saṃsāra. Il commento che segue offre una lista di interpretazioni dell'occhio (cakkhu), includendo la vista ordinaria e vari livelli di visione profonda. Lo stile commentariale è influenzato dall'elaborazione filosofica fiorita nella letteratura Abhidhamma del Canone pali, che esamina in dettaglio i vari aspetti degli oggetti osservati, fisici o mentali, al fine di metterne in luce la loro natura composta e favorire la disidentificazione dal condizionato. Traduzione dell'Ajjhattāniccasutta (Saḷāyatana-saṃyutta, S CST4 IV.1, PTS IV.1) Questo ho udito. In un'occasione il Beato si trovava a Sāvatthi, nel bosco di Jeta, nel giardino di delizie donato da Anāthapiṇḍika. Lì il Beato si rivolse ai bhikkhu: "O bhikkhu". E i bhikkhu risposero al Beato: "O Beato". Il Beato disse ciò: "L'occhio, o monaci, è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un "sé". Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. L'orecchio è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. Il naso è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. La lingua è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un sé. Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. La fisicità è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. La mente è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un sé. Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. Vedendo così, o monaci, il degno discepolo che ha ascoltato [gli insegnamenti] si disinteressa dell'occhio, si disinteressa dell'orecchio, si disinteressa del naso, si La versione definitiva è su Sati, rivista dell'A.Me.Co., 2019, n. 1, pp. 66-72.
This article consists of a study of two commentaries to the Nakulapitāsutta, a Buddhist text from... more This article consists of a study of two commentaries to the Nakulapitāsutta, a Buddhist text from the Pali Khandhasaṃyutta. This sutta addresses the key concept of liberation from the perspective of illness, decay and death, and offers an incisive description of the five aggregates of personality. The two commentaries present variegate exegetical approaches to the root-text, mostly based upon a sophisticated system of cross-references wisely intertwined with a bulk of original elucidations. This combination illustrates some prominent aspects of Pali Buddhist philosophy and provides a precious series of lexicographical interpretations that surely deserve further studies.
According to Buddhist soteriology, fear is a direct cause of suffering and one of the main obstac... more According to Buddhist soteriology, fear is a direct cause of suffering and one of the main obstacles in the path to liberation. Pāli Suttas and Abhidhamma present a number of sophisticated strategies to deal with fear and to overcome it. Nevertheless, in the Nikāyas and in the Abhidhamma there are also consistent instructions about implementing fear in meditative practices and considering it as a valuable ally in the pursuit of nibbāna. By means of a lexicographical study of selected passages and especially of two compounds (bhayūparata and abhayūparata), this paper demonstrates that fear may have the crucial function of stimulating the meditator: through reiterated admonishments and reflections that evoke a feeling of dread, the meditator gets weary of unwholesome patterns and is prompted to put effort in his/her own practice. Evidence proves that this set of instructions is ultimately consistent with the several teachings that emphasize the importance of counteracting fear and fostering fearlessness, which is described as a quality of liberation as well as an attitude to be cultivated. In fact, a close analysis of the dynamics involved in bhaya (fear) and abhaya (fearlessness) as graphically depicted in the Nikāyas and in the Abhidhamma texts, reveals that stirring fear and letting go of fear are two essential steps of the same process.
This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the 'uncompou... more This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the 'uncompounded' (asaṅkhata) is valued over and above what is 'compounded'
(saṅkhata), the texts also encourage careful attention to relative (or, physical) health. The mind is the laboratory and the object of a thorough work meant to lead to final liberation from mental affliction and from the cycle of existence, whereas the body is perceived as impure, limited, and intrinsically unsatisfactory. Nonetheless, a disciple of the Buddha is supposed to take care of his/her own and others’ physical wellbeing, and monastic equipment includes a set of medicines. ‘Ultimate health’ is the final goal, but conventional healthcare supports the path to nibbāna and represents a value per se. The present article will explore the intricate connection between these two dimensions.
Slides of the public lecture given at the Sigmund Freud Privat Universität - Wien, 7th May 2015
Ppt of the paper for the conference "Buddhism and Wellbeing", University of British Columbia, 28t... more Ppt of the paper for the conference "Buddhism and Wellbeing", University of British Columbia, 28th May 2015
Vita Pensata - ISSN 2038-4386, 2024
In the Indian society at the times of the Buddha, the relationship with the Sacred (intended as a... more In the Indian society at the times of the Buddha, the relationship with the Sacred (intended as alterity, transcendence, or ultimate meaning/purpose) is conjugated through a range of modes, and thus brings about distinct and yet intertwined figures. These modes and figures assume specific traits within Buddhist scriptures in Pāli language, especially in the Canonical ones. The investigation of illustrative passages from the Pāli Buddhist Canon allows to free up the notion of Sacred from strictly theological conceptual tangles, to shed light upon the philosophical
significance of this conjugation of the Sacred, and last to detect the pragmatically ethical scenarios that such conjugation potentially unfolds.
Kervan, 2024
This paper addresses the Sudattasutta of the Pāli Yakkhasaṃyutta and its direct commentary (aṭṭha... more This paper addresses the Sudattasutta of the Pāli Yakkhasaṃyutta and its direct commentary (aṭṭhakathā), both extremely significant in outlining meditative techniques that entail the figure of the Buddha as their object in order to arouse and cultivate wholesome factors of the path to liberation, such as faith and joy. These practices, applied to a variety of meditative techniques, have become popular in contemporary South-East Asia and, to some extent, in contemporary Theravāda worldwide. The examination of the Sudattasutta and its aṭṭhakathā— with the original translation of the latter—will shed light upon the dawn of this contemplative practice and of the cultural background behind it.
Numen, 2023
This article addresses the intersection of the oral tradition with textual contents in Pāli Buddh... more This article addresses the intersection of the oral tradition with textual contents in Pāli Buddhist literature, by focusing mostly on the Suttapiṭaka. Lexicon and stylistic features can be seen as intentional strategies to enhance specific mnemonic and meditative qualities in the disciples, thus working symbiotically with the instructions they convey. By examining selected passages, I will demonstrate a functional interrelationship of three main factors: the lexicon of listening, the emphasis on attention, and meditative instructions. These three factors, in turn, rely upon the authoritative power of the scriptures, which is constructed and reinforced with specific rhetorical stratagems to raise and enhance meditative qualities in the disciples.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2023
The Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā, attributed to Ānanda, is a sub-commentary of one of the seven books of the... more The Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā, attributed to Ānanda, is a sub-commentary of one of the seven books of the Pāli Abhidhamma-piṭaka, the Vibhaṅga, and the direct commentary of its commentary, Buddhaghosa’s Sammohavinodanī. In the section on the satipaṭṭhāna method, Ānanda proposes exegetical strategies to solve some seeming contradiction between Buddhaghosa’s interpretation of the Vibhaṅga and the Sutta’s framework that the Satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅga refers to. An examination of exemplary passages from the Satipaṭṭhānavibhaṅga of the Vibhaṅga Mūlaṭīkā will shed light upon the originality of Ānanda’s thought and its influence on Dhammapāla’s commentaries.
This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probabl... more This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probably in the sixteenth century, with the canonical sources (mainly from the Suttapiṭaka and the Abhidhammapiṭaka) that inspired the symbology adopted by the text. The analysis indicates that this symbology, which permeates Buddhist tradition in Thailand, was developed through several stages under the influence of Pāli commentarial literature and of paracanonical texts such as the Milindapañha.
Journal of Indian Philosophy
The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discu... more The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discuss the phases of intrauterine development. By adopting a terminology remarkably comparable to that of other Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts, they illustrate fundamental Buddhist teachings like the non-self (anattā) view and the dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda). I here offer a translation of these three texts, preceded by an introductory outline of their contents.
Journal of religion and health, Jan 2, 2017
This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the "unc... more This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the "uncompounded" (asaṅkhata) is valued over and above what is "compounded" (saṅkhata), the texts also encourage careful attention to relative (or, physical) health. The mind is the laboratory and the object of a thorough work meant to lead to final liberation from mental affliction and from the cycle of existence, whereas the body is perceived as impure, limited, and intrinsically unsatisfactory. Nonetheless, a disciple of the Buddha is supposed to take care of his/her own and others' physical wellbeing, and monastic equipment includes a set of medicines. "Ultimate health" is the final goal, but conventional healthcare supports the path to nibbāna and represents a value per se. The present article will explore the intricate connection between these two dimensions.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2014
The Vimokkhakathā, a section of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, expounds the longest list of vimokkhas (re... more The Vimokkhakathā, a section of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, expounds the longest list of vimokkhas (releases, deliverances) found in Pali; it also finely elaborates on the notion of vimokkha through a crucial shift in Theravāda exegesis. In order to explore the meaning and nuances of vimokkha in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, this article focuses on its classifications and definitions, discussing their relation to the standard lists found in the Nikāyas. This examination highlights a multifaceted soteriology that supplies meditative practice with a consistent wholesome attitude; I will also demonstrate how various microstructure-levels affect the macrostructure of the Paṭisambhidāmagga, which in turn draws upon the wider structure of the Tipiṭaka. In addition, the commentary to the enunciation of the releases (Vimokkhuddesavaṇṇanā), translated in Appendix, clarifies the structure of the vimokkhas, and their relationship with the whole Paṭisambhidāmagga.
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2012
Asian Literature and Translation
Journal of Indian Philosophy, 2021
The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discu... more The Indakasutta, its commentary (aṭṭhakathā), and sub-commentary (purāṇa-ṭīkā) describe and discuss the phases of intrauterine development. By adopting a terminology remarkably comparable to that of other Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts, they illustrate fundamental Buddhist teachings like the non-self (anattā) view and the dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda). I here offer a translation of these three texts, preceded by an introductory outline of their contents.
Kervan – International Journal of Afro-Asiatic Studies, 2021
This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probabl... more This article compares the Buddhapādamaṅgala, a Pāli work written in the Ayutthaya kingdom probably in the sixteenth century, with the canonical sources (mainly from the Suttapiṭaka and the Abhidhammapiṭaka) that inspired the symbology adopted by the text. The analysis indicates that this symbology, which permeates Buddhist tradition in Thailand, was developed through several stages under the influence of Pāli commentarial literature and of paracanonical texts such as the Milindapañha.
Sati, 2019
Il discorso del Buddha qui tradotto illustra una pratica di contemplazione delle sei basi dei sen... more Il discorso del Buddha qui tradotto illustra una pratica di contemplazione delle sei basi dei sensi secondo il parametro dell'insoddisfazione intrinseca riguardo all'esperienza sensoriale, della sua impermanenza, e dell'assenza di un sé separato. Questa pratica, che fa parte del quarto satipaṭṭhāna, culmina nel lasciar andare e, infine, nella liberazione dal saṃsāra. Il commento che segue offre una lista di interpretazioni dell'occhio (cakkhu), includendo la vista ordinaria e vari livelli di visione profonda. Lo stile commentariale è influenzato dall'elaborazione filosofica fiorita nella letteratura Abhidhamma del Canone pali, che esamina in dettaglio i vari aspetti degli oggetti osservati, fisici o mentali, al fine di metterne in luce la loro natura composta e favorire la disidentificazione dal condizionato. Traduzione dell'Ajjhattāniccasutta (Saḷāyatana-saṃyutta, S CST4 IV.1, PTS IV.1) Questo ho udito. In un'occasione il Beato si trovava a Sāvatthi, nel bosco di Jeta, nel giardino di delizie donato da Anāthapiṇḍika. Lì il Beato si rivolse ai bhikkhu: "O bhikkhu". E i bhikkhu risposero al Beato: "O Beato". Il Beato disse ciò: "L'occhio, o monaci, è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un "sé". Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. L'orecchio è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. Il naso è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. La lingua è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un sé. Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. La fisicità è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente… etc. La mente è impermanente. Ciò che è impermanente è insoddisfacente, ciò che è insoddisfacente è privo di un sé. Ciò che è privo di un sé deve essere visto per quel che è per mezzo della giusta comprensione profonda in questi termini: questo non è mio, questo non sono io, questo non è il mio sé. Vedendo così, o monaci, il degno discepolo che ha ascoltato [gli insegnamenti] si disinteressa dell'occhio, si disinteressa dell'orecchio, si disinteressa del naso, si La versione definitiva è su Sati, rivista dell'A.Me.Co., 2019, n. 1, pp. 66-72.
This article consists of a study of two commentaries to the Nakulapitāsutta, a Buddhist text from... more This article consists of a study of two commentaries to the Nakulapitāsutta, a Buddhist text from the Pali Khandhasaṃyutta. This sutta addresses the key concept of liberation from the perspective of illness, decay and death, and offers an incisive description of the five aggregates of personality. The two commentaries present variegate exegetical approaches to the root-text, mostly based upon a sophisticated system of cross-references wisely intertwined with a bulk of original elucidations. This combination illustrates some prominent aspects of Pali Buddhist philosophy and provides a precious series of lexicographical interpretations that surely deserve further studies.
According to Buddhist soteriology, fear is a direct cause of suffering and one of the main obstac... more According to Buddhist soteriology, fear is a direct cause of suffering and one of the main obstacles in the path to liberation. Pāli Suttas and Abhidhamma present a number of sophisticated strategies to deal with fear and to overcome it. Nevertheless, in the Nikāyas and in the Abhidhamma there are also consistent instructions about implementing fear in meditative practices and considering it as a valuable ally in the pursuit of nibbāna. By means of a lexicographical study of selected passages and especially of two compounds (bhayūparata and abhayūparata), this paper demonstrates that fear may have the crucial function of stimulating the meditator: through reiterated admonishments and reflections that evoke a feeling of dread, the meditator gets weary of unwholesome patterns and is prompted to put effort in his/her own practice. Evidence proves that this set of instructions is ultimately consistent with the several teachings that emphasize the importance of counteracting fear and fostering fearlessness, which is described as a quality of liberation as well as an attitude to be cultivated. In fact, a close analysis of the dynamics involved in bhaya (fear) and abhaya (fearlessness) as graphically depicted in the Nikāyas and in the Abhidhamma texts, reveals that stirring fear and letting go of fear are two essential steps of the same process.
This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the 'uncompou... more This article addresses an apparent paradox found in Pali Buddhist literature: while the 'uncompounded' (asaṅkhata) is valued over and above what is 'compounded'
(saṅkhata), the texts also encourage careful attention to relative (or, physical) health. The mind is the laboratory and the object of a thorough work meant to lead to final liberation from mental affliction and from the cycle of existence, whereas the body is perceived as impure, limited, and intrinsically unsatisfactory. Nonetheless, a disciple of the Buddha is supposed to take care of his/her own and others’ physical wellbeing, and monastic equipment includes a set of medicines. ‘Ultimate health’ is the final goal, but conventional healthcare supports the path to nibbāna and represents a value per se. The present article will explore the intricate connection between these two dimensions.
Slides of the public lecture given at the Sigmund Freud Privat Universität - Wien, 7th May 2015
Ppt of the paper for the conference "Buddhism and Wellbeing", University of British Columbia, 28t... more Ppt of the paper for the conference "Buddhism and Wellbeing", University of British Columbia, 28th May 2015
Avijjāsutta (Maggasaṃyutta, Saṃyutta Nikāya V.1) Evaṃ me sutaṃ – ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiya... more Avijjāsutta
(Maggasaṃyutta, Saṃyutta Nikāya V.1)
Evaṃ me sutaṃ – ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi – ‘‘bhikkhavo’’ti. ‘‘Bhadante’’ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. Bhagavā etadavoca –
‘‘Avijjā, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ samāpattiyā, anvadeva [anudeva (sī. pī. ka.)] ahirikaṃ anottappaṃ. Avijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, aviddasuno micchādiṭṭhi pahoti; micchādiṭṭhissa micchāsaṅkappo pahoti; micchāsaṅkappassa micchāvācā pahoti; micchāvācassa micchākammanto pahoti; micchākammantassa micchāājīvo pahoti; micchāājīvassa micchāvāyāmo pahoti; micchāvāyāmassa micchāsati pahoti; micchāsatissa micchāsamādhi pahoti.
‘‘Vijjā ca kho, bhikkhave, pubbaṅgamā kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ samāpattiyā, anvadeva hirottappaṃ. Vijjāgatassa, bhikkhave, viddasuno sammādiṭṭhi pahoti; sammādiṭṭhissa sammāsaṅkappo pahoti; sammāsaṅkappassa sammāvācā pahoti; sammāvācassa sammākammanto pahoti; sammākammantassa sammāājīvo pahoti; sammāājīvassa sammāvāyāmo pahoti; sammāvāyāmassa sammāsati pahoti; sammāsatissa sammāsamādhi pahotī’’ti.
Il Canone buddhista pali è noto per la sua forte enfasi sugli aspetti soteriologici degli insegna... more Il Canone buddhista pali è noto per la sua forte enfasi sugli aspetti soteriologici degli insegnamenti del Buddha: ogni elemento narrativo o filosofico è facilmente riconducibile a un sistema di indicazioni pratiche esplicitamente descritto come sentiero (magga) in grado di guidare gli esseri da uno stato insoddisfacente (dukkha) alla libertà (vimutti) da questo stato. All’interno del sentiero si trovano l’articolato dettato della disciplina morale (sīla), il tirocinio delle tecniche meditative (samādhi), e lo sviluppo delle facoltà cognitive (paññā). L’attenzione a questa caratteristica rischia di lasciare in ombra gli aspetti ontologici degli insegnamenti e di non coglierne la funzionalità rispetto alla soteriologia stessa. Infatti, nonostante il Buddha del Canone pali lasci deliberatamente evase (avyākata) alcune questioni filosofiche, non mancano nei Sutta discussioni sull’origine e sulla natura dell’esistente, e si sottolinea come errori concettuali in tal senso possano ostacolare il cammino salvifico. La lettura di alcuni passi scelti dai Sutta, alla luce dell’Abhidhamma e delle esegesi successive, offrirà indizi palesi di una critica alla credenza di un principio creatore, personificato o meno, responsabile della condizione degli esseri. Tale critica appare in linea con alcuni cardini del pensiero buddhista (e.g. il tilakkhaṇa, la legge del kamma, il paṭiccasamuppāda), e con le variegate descrizioni di dimensioni ed entità ‘invisibili’ (devaloka, yakkha, nāga, etc.) che ricorrono nel Canone pali.
Material for the course on Abhidhamma Studies at Mahidol University, International PhD Program in... more Material for the course on Abhidhamma Studies at Mahidol University, International PhD Program in Buddhist Studies. First recitation
La letteratura buddhista del canone pali presenta un’estesa tassonomia di esercizi di meditazione... more La letteratura buddhista del canone pali presenta un’estesa tassonomia di esercizi di meditazione. Lo scopo di questi esercizi è di raggiungere alti livelli di concentrazione e da lì forme di conoscenza intuitiva atte a dissipare l’illusione e a liberare la mente dalle contaminazioni mentali. Questo processo, descritto anche all’interno delle narrazioni tradizionali della vita del Buddha, verrà esaminato attraverso le sue principali fasi e componenti: prerequisiti, facoltà accessorie variamente interrelate, esercizi specifici per la focalizzazione dell’attenzione su un oggetto, rimedi agli impedimenti alla concentrazione, stadi profondi di assorbimento e relative acquisizioni, modelli progressivi di acquietamento della mente, contromisure all’identificazione egoica della mente con i livelli di concentrazione raggiunti, maturazione dei fattori contemplativi e cognitivi, rottura degli schemi del saṃsāra e conseguente liberazione.
Si analizzeranno alcuni testi e passi dedicati alla concentrazione meditativa, tratti dal Suttapiṭaka e da lavori esegetici, dal punto di vista delle sfumature lessicali, dei riferimenti incrociati, della coerenza dei contenuti, e dell’impatto di queste classificazioni sulla filosofia del buddhismo antico tout court, con particolare attenzione all’ontologia e all’epistemologia.
[![Research paper thumbnail of Giustarini - Sati [cover]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/63968230/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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La pratica della consapevolezza: sati nel Canone buddhista pali, 2020
Questo lavoro esplora il concetto di sati nella letteratura buddhista pali esaminandone le dinami... more Questo lavoro esplora il concetto di sati nella letteratura buddhista pali esaminandone le dinamiche attraverso i quattro strumenti della consapevolezza (satipaṭṭhāna), riconosciuti come fattori cruciali nel sentiero (magga) buddhista per la liberazione (vimutti). Questo sentiero abbraccia la disciplina morale (sīla), la meditazione o concentrazione (samādhi) e la comprensione profonda (paññā). I quattro satipaṭṭhāna appartengono all'area meditativa di questo triplice tirocinio, la quale poggia sulla disciplina morale e a sua volta sostiene la comprensione profonda, e sono descritti come "il sentiero diretto alla fine della sofferenza".La piattaforma testuale dell'analisi qui condotta consiste nel corpus letterario dei Nikāya, vale a dire le cinque raccolte scritturali che rappresentano il cosiddetto "Canestro dei discorsi" (Sutta-piṭaka). La tradizione buddhista Theravāda attribuisce questi insegnamenti al Buddha stesso e pertanto li considera la massima autorità per la comprensione della filosofia e della pratica buddhiste. Nel presente lavoro si presta particolare attenzione alle esegesi offerte dai testi di Abhidhamma, dalla letteratura paracanonica e dai commentari.