Vanna-maccharia, stinginess in regard to one's reputations: What to practice in order to get rid of it?

Question

Vaṇṇā-maccharia, stinginess in regard to one's honor, reputation, not't letting make others use it, envy to lose it, is one of the five kinds of maccharia, based on ingratitude, wrong view, and a quality not only absent in all Noble Once, but also a hindrance to attain whatever Jhana, path or fruit.

What are practices to train to learn not being stingy in regard of ones honour, beauty, sublimity?

What and where to give into?

What traditional practice is done by faithful followers in that regard?

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A/the realated topic with given space for discussion and possible answer can be found here.

(note that this question is not given for trade, stacks, exchange or entertainment, but for ones work trough maccharia to escape the wheel here and liberation)

Answer 1

Perception of impermanence

Bhikkhus, to the bhikkhu practicing the perception of impermanence and abiding much in it, gain, honour and fame keeps away, it shrinks and rolls away. The mind stretches out and gets established in equanimity or loathing

“And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘Form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional activities are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.’ Thus he dwells contemplating impermanence in these five aggregates subject to clinging. This is called the perception of impermanence.

Perception of impermanence in all conditioned things;

“And what, Ānanda, is the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena? Here, a bhikkhu is repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by all conditioned phenomena. This is called the perception of impermanence in all conditioned phenomena.

These too will be helpful;

Perception of all formations as undesirable;

Bhikkhus, to the bhikkhu practicing the perception of unpleasantness in impermanence and abiding much in it, a keen perception of fear, for laziness, distraction, negligence and non-reflection gets established, like to a slayer with raised sword.

Perception of non-delight in the all worlds;

Bhikkhus, to the bhikkhu practicing the perception of non-attachment to all the world and abiding much in it, the manifold beauty of the world, keeps away, it shrinks and rolls away. The mind stretches out and gets established in equanimity or loathing.

“And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-delight in the entire world? Here, a bhikkhu refrains from any engagement and clinging, mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies in regard to the world, abandoning them without clinging to them. This is called the perception of non-delight in the entire world.

Perception of non-self;

Bhikkhus, to the bhikkhu practicing the perception of lacking a self in unpleasantness and abiding much in it, whatever distinctions arise as superior, inferior or equal in the sixfold conscious body and all external signs, are appeased and well released.

“And what, Ānanda, is the perception of non-self? Here, having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut, a bhikkhu reflects thus: ‘The eye is non-self, forms are non-self; the ear is non-self, sounds are non-self; the nose is non-self, odors are non-self; the tongue is non-self, tastes are non-self; the body is non-self, tactile objects are non-self; the mind is non-self, mental phenomena are non-self.’ Thus he dwells contemplating non-self in these six internal and external sense bases. This is called the perception of non-self.

Answer 2

At the surface, you can look at how we do unskilled bodily, verbal and metal volitional formations due to stinginess for reputation (vanna maccariya). For example, one utters false speech to maintain a status. One kills, steals, etc. (all 10 can be looked at this way).

But to understand this in the Noble sense, you need to first understand the arising phenomena of stinginess. As explained in the Vattupama Sutta (Simile of the Cloth) it can be understood that it is because of Disparaging (palaso); and underneath that is difference in volitional formations (sankhara). For example, the person who lies to maintain a reputation have given different values to such statuses and disparage one status over another and holding on to that idea now doing even immoral acts (dussilam) to maintain it. This way we roam in samsara.

In order to go further deep, you need to understand how the stream of consciousness flow. You may not understand that without the pre-requisite dhamma therefore I won't try to explain it here.

Stinginess for reputation is connected with misapprehending feeling as pleasure but it has to be understood with above flow of consciousness and how the five-fold stinginess attributing to each other to maintain the flow.

Person who has destroyed all cankers (i.e. an arahat) does not have stinginess.

If you are interested in learning more, take a look at discussions in English stream on this website: https://visuddhimagga.info/

Answer 3

In a gamified system like SE/SO reputation and score is a source of motivation.

In a Buddhist context, this can be both:

• stinginess as to one's gains (Lābha-macchariya) - in this case, gain in reputation
• stinginess as to one's status (Vaṇṇa-macchariya) - in this case, total reputations accumulated

But for this system to work gamified element is essential as this is tied to the privileges on getting on the site. Also, votes and acceptance can guide people who are not very knowledgeable in Dhamma to finding better answers. So one should vote on and accept answers which one sees as being in line with the Dhamma and downvote on ones which seam not being in line with the Dhamma. (Use this sparingly as it might agitate users.)

In the real world giving something has merit as it is useful to others. In this system, one can give to questions and answers as bounty. If one is attached to reputation then this may help reduce macchariya. But a better way is not to be bothered with the reputation gains. If you are mentally not attached then this will not hinder the achievement of Jhana. Having said it is better to put bounties more sparingly to questions which might attract great answers which are useful to the spread of dhamma. Also awarding a bounty may be en endorsement that one agrees with the answer and it is in line with the Dhamma. This should not be left to the system alone. People without much knowledge can use this to distinguish what is in line with the Dhamma and what is not using this as a cue.

To summarise, votes, accepting and bounties serve a purpose, even in spreading the Dhamma. One should explore how this works for oneself and use it wisely so that it aids the spread of the dhamma signalling to other users about the correctness and acceptability of what is being said. Also, look at the system like a hammer. If you are using it there is a particular way to use it. If you do not hit with the head it does not work. So try to put the system to work in a way which benefits the dhamma the most. This being backed by good volition would also mean positive karma.

Answer 4

Let my person give an answer to it in practical ways, related to ones situation, for inspiring of better rhetorical answers by those skilled in such that many could grasp the essence easier and related to ones Nissaya and used bearable food, ways of speech:

Reputations are used to overcome all personal reputations, similar to conceit, so a requirement on the path, given by the three Governing principles, like the four prerequisites, good livelihood and use of food, nourishment. Without such, upholding such, one is not able to walk, has no joy and dies of another time yet not secured. So the Buddha advised on many places, in many ways, to act after merits and gain and to look after ones "beauty with care. Yet by sharing, giving one gain, yet by sharing , giving upwardly one gains ways upwardly. By sharing and giving to equal and lower, one stays where one is or falls of. Not giving, sharing, fire, foods, Kings, thieves and death will take them away and so decay.

The ignorant does not see the value of reputation and how to use them for a better. How much ever he gains by merits, he will waste them off by himself or give them, share them upwardly. He may look for some like a perfect one on not attentive observation of his way of actions related to reputations, received from either wise or fools.

A good householders way to use ones reputations, honor and estimate for better becoming is to invest them upwardly. One could use them equal to material gains:

• 25% for ones join and life from it
• 25% for security and bad times
• 25% for investments to gain more reputations
• 25% to make merits (best toward giving to the virtuous individuals, the Tripple Gems)

The last is usually done by Veneration, by giving reputations toward the Sangha.

An ordinary monks training is avoid accumulation of personal honor and to receive no personal reputations and if given forward them all to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. To give way reputations upwardly and outwardly intentional would be a violation of his rules.

A Noble Ones ways in regard of reputations is not to hold on them, being free from stinginess. Not free from greed yet, he might up and on take some personal but would not hold on them as soon as it can be given away. Of course such would never intentional give reputations upwardly.

A Perfect One, being free of taking anything personal, does neither accept reputations personal nor would he still hold on some. He shines by being ride of touch by reputations.

In regard of teaching the Dhamma, as the highest field for reputation:

Candūpama Sutta: Comparable to the Moon

..."There is the case, Bhikkhus, that a Bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma, thinking: 'Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me. Having learned my Dhamma, may they be settled in believe in it. Having been settled in believe in it, may they show their settlement in believe," this is a kind of Bhikkhu, Bhikkhus, who is giving teaching on Dhamma impurely.

There is the case, Bhikkhus, that a Bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma, thinking: 'The Dhamma of the Blessed One is well taught, direct visible, timeless, inviting to come and see, appropriate, to be self-experianced by the wise. Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me. Having learned the Dhamma, may they understand. Having understood the Dhamma, may they practice accordingly.' So he teaches the Dhamma because of the excellence nature of the Dhamma; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion and kindness, out of concern. This is a kind of Bhikkhu, Bhikkhus, who is giving teaching on Dhamma purely.

Kassapa, Bhikkhus, teaches the Dhamma, thinking: 'The Dhamma of the Blessed One is well taught, direct visible, timeless, inviting to come and see, appropriate, to be self-experianced by the wise. Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me. Having learned the Dhamma, may they understand. Having understood the Dhamma, may they practice accordingly.' He teaches the Dhamma because of the excellence nature of the Dhamma; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion and kindness, out of concern.

What are ways of sharing reputations:

After having proved and investigated, praising of what is worthy to praise, blame of what is worthy to blame, taking worldly loses, even that of friends, to bear. Practicing sharing merits, inviting, expressing joy in merits of others. Bowing, greeting, veneration, hospitality toward those worthy of such of all what has become natural by those having reached the Noble Domain. Putting higher always on higher place, knowing the foremost as foremost, the elder, the more advanced and always give to known such by words, signs and speech and in proper ways, never out for harming others with ones gift, never act deceitful with ones shares for favors.

Note that if using the reputations actually owned by the Tripple Gems, given by the Buddha, by using his heritage, his label, for others then liberation and toward to it, one does not only harm oneself but many by this thieving, fraud.

May it be of good inspiration and motivation to reflect further and possible start to practice it much for many.

(note that this gift of Dhamma is not given for trade, stacks, exchange or entertainment, but for ones work trough maccharia to escape the wheel here and liberation)