External Satipatthana

Reading about the Satipatthana sutta I came across this text by Bhikkhu Analayo

“Familiarity with the presence or absence of lust, anger, and delusion within will in turn facilitate recognizing the same externally, when such presence or absence manifests in others.
Such recognition can rely on tacial expression, tone of voice, and bodily posture as pointers to the mental condition of another”

Are there any other references to this sort of thing?

Certainly! The recognition of mental states based on facial expressions, tone of voice, bodily postures, and other external cues has been a topic of interest not just in ancient spiritual traditions, but also in modern psychology, non-verbal communication research, and various other disciplines. Here are some references and concepts related to this:

1. Paul Ekman’s Research on Facial Expressions: Ekman is a psychologist who has done extensive research on the universality of facial expressions. He identified six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise) that have universally recognized facial expressions across cultures.
2. Nonverbal Communication: This is a broad field that examines how people communicate through means other than verbal language, including through gestures, posture, distance, eye contact, and facial expressions.
3. Emotional Intelligence: Daniel Goleman popularized the concept of emotional intelligence, which includes the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
4. Mirror Neurons: These are a type of brain cell that fires both when an individual acts and when the individual observes the same action performed by someone else. Some researchers suggest that mirror neurons play a role in empathy and understanding the emotions of others.
5. Yoga and Ayurveda: In Indian traditions, there are references to understanding the disposition of a person through their physical posture, facial features, and even the color and quality of their skin. For instance, certain postures or features might be associated with particular doshas (vata, pitta, kapha).
6. Confucianism: Confucian teachings also emphasize the importance of non-verbal cues. Confucians believe that moral character can be discerned from facial expressions and behavior.
7. Other Buddhist Texts: The ability to discern the mental states of others, often referred to as the “divine eye” (dibba-cakkhu), is mentioned in various places in the Pali Canon, the scriptures that contain the Theravāda Buddhist teachings.
8. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): While some claims of NLP are controversial and lack empirical support, the field does explore the relationship between language, behavior, and thought. Part of NLP training involves recognizing and interpreting non-verbal cues.

While these references span from ancient wisdom to modern psychology, they all touch upon the human ability to infer internal states from external cues. It’s a testament to the enduring human interest in understanding the inner workings of the mind and its manifestations in behavior and appearance.

Tell me more about ‘divine eye’ please.

The “divine eye” (dibba-cakkhu) in Buddhist tradition refers to a supernatural power or psychic ability that enables one to see beyond the ordinary human range of vision. It’s one of the several supernormal powers (often called “siddhis” in other spiritual traditions) that advanced meditators can supposedly develop. Here’s a closer look at the divine eye:

1. Definition: The divine eye is described as the ability to see divine beings, witness events happening in far-off places, and perceive the karmic fates of other beings. This includes seeing their rebirths based on their past actions (karma).
2. Context: The divine eye, along with other powers like the divine ear (clairaudience), the ability to read minds, and the ability to recollect past lives, is often listed among the supernormal powers that the Buddha himself was said to possess.
3. Development: In the Pali Canon, the development of the divine eye is often associated with deep concentration, particularly with the mastery of the fourth jhāna (a deep state of meditative absorption). While in this state of concentration, a meditator can then direct their mind to the cultivation of the divine eye.
4. Purpose: The Buddha frequently cautioned against becoming attached to or overly interested in these powers, as they can become a distraction from the ultimate goal of enlightenment. However, he also acknowledged their usefulness in certain contexts. For example, with the divine eye, the Buddha was said to observe the karmic fates of individuals, allowing him to teach the Dharma more effectively.
5. Examples from Texts: There are many instances in the Pali Canon where the Buddha or advanced disciples use the divine eye. One famous example is the Ratana Sutta, where the Buddha used the divine eye to observe the suffering of beings in the city of Vesali and then delivered a discourse to alleviate it.
6. Contemporary Interpretations: Modern interpretations of the divine eye vary. Some traditional Buddhists take these descriptions literally, believing that such abilities can indeed be developed. Others, especially in the West, may see them as metaphorical or symbolic, emphasizing the Buddha’s deep insight into the nature of reality.

In essence, while the divine eye is a fascinating concept, its true value in the Buddhist path is not the power itself but the deeper insight into the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self nature of reality that underpins these abilities.