Eighteen Days In Solitude--Dhamma Instructions in a Meditation Retreat

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
註冊時間: 2017-03-03, 08:00

Day 9: 25th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 13:56

Day 9: 25th October, 2002

Today we continue on the body consciousness to contemplate the impermanence of form (rūpa). We come to the stage of what is the path and what is not the path – maggāmaggañānadassana. We’re arriving on the path (way) but still can be strayed away from the way as taking what is not the path knowledge as the path knowledge (i.e., Nibbāna).

[Yogis discern anicca is on the way, only continue to walk forwards. But the 10 insight corruptions come in and mistaken with the path knowledge.]

It’s still not on the straight path yet, and you can be strayed away from it. For my duty, I have to help you not to stray away from it. Now we’re starting to see impermanence. Some of you had confusion to what I mentioned yesterday (i.e., on anicca – the rise and fall of phenomena).

The Buddha taught to Ven. Meghiya was by seeing anicca and understand the nature of not-self (anatta). In Mogok Sayadaw’s talk, sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā – all conditioned phenomena are impermanent. Whatever arising dhamma is by causes. The result dhamma is called Saṅkhāra. These words; anicca, unstable, rise and fall, etc. are the same meanings. The Burmese word for anicca is falling apart, vanishing. So some of you think that this is only anicca. Changing one by one, vibrations, etc. are also anicca.

You have to establish samādhi for sometimes. Samādhi by itself can’t give you the path and the fruit (magga/phala), and only vipassanā. If you want to drink water and have to use the cup. But you only drink the water. With the cup of samādhi and you’re taking the water of wisdom. Therefore, you establish samādhi. The most important point is sati, so stick with it. If the mind becomes calm, and moving the mind from the entrance of the nostrils to the top of the head. It’s like the head light of a torch light pointing at there. That means not moving the mind here and there.

[Note: The teacher himself was quite a learned person and had extensive knowledge and a practical man. He himself had experiences with U Ba Khin’s system but also extensively used Mogok Sayadaw’s talks in his teachings. Here I am not presenting a fixed system. People can use whatever methods they like. I am only presenting the process of a practice so that people can correct themselves in their practices without a teacher. Mogok Sayadaw’s talks were also not a fixed system. He used his Abhidhamma and Suttas knowledges with direct experiences to clear the path.]


It’s like the example of a tiger hidden behind a bush and catching its prey. In the same way, the yogi’s ñāṇa tiger is hidden behind the samādhi bush and catching the khandha prey appears. We’re contemplating form, so that seeing the changes of form elements. It’s not only changing now. It changes all the time. Before we didn’t know how to do it and not seen it. Maybe you can feel the sensations spreading to the whole face or to the whole body.

Maybe your laps, waist, chest, etc. are becoming tight and stiff like pressing with a wooden plank. Or the chest is like supporting with an iron bar, or the feet are poking with a stick, etc. (The 4 great elements show their changing nature – viparinama lakkhana, i.e., characteristics of change in many different ways.) These are the nature of earth element arises.

This is the impermanence of earth element. Before it was not existing. And now it’s arising. At the place of arising existed a vanished one (the old one disappears and a new one appears at the same place). For you to see this nature I showed you by breaking a stick. After the breaking and the broken stick appears and at the same time the good one disappears.

We think that the arising and vanishing are separated. It doesn’t. At the arising place of the broken one, the good one vanishes. If something arises and something vanishes. In the arising nature includes the vanishing nature. Not to contemplate as the arising is before and the vanishing is after. You have to make it clear in your mind. The arising is replacing the old one. When a physical tightness arises and the non-tightness before is not existing anymore. In the beginning of sitting was no pain neutral feeling (upekkha vedana).

Later painful feeling arises. It’s dukkha arising. At the time neutral feeling (upekkha vedana) vanishes. With nyan (Burmese Pali word for ñāṇa) observes and knows that it’s not there anymore. If something arises and something existed before is not there. Abandoning its nature is called impermanence. So something arises and one thing vanishes. And don’t look for it. This is one kind of impermanence.


Another kind is a dhamma (phenomenon) arises. It has movements and not calm, like vibrations and bubblings. These are also impermanent, arising and vanishing one by one. It’s too fast that you can’t observe one by one. Within a second forms are arising and vanishing 5,000 billion times and minds are 100,000 billion times. You can’t discern that much. This was the knowledge of a Buddha.

Therefore the vibrations are also impermanent. After appearing and arising by movements is also impermanence. Happening in this way and something arises at other place of the body also impermanent. The yogi’s mind from here and moves to the new object which is just arising. This is not seeing impermanence yet. For example, knowing as tensions, hot, warm, cold, etc. are not impermanent.

So don’t use concepts and will become confusion. Knowing it as khandha arises. If you don’t catch on it and lost your mindfulness (sati). If something arises and something is already gone. Therefore, whatever arises is impermanent, and taking it as anicca. Try to catch on the beginning. As example, a pain becomes bigger and bigger and more painful.

These are changing phenomena. So movements and changes are also impermanent. The smaller one disappears and the bigger one appears. If you take it as these are changing from something is eternalism (sassata ditthi) (i.e., similar to a soul changes from one body to another body). It’s one thing (phenomenon) vanishes and another one arises. The smaller one (sensation) has already disappeared. These are khandha arising and khandha vanishing. It arises and vanishes on its own nature that nothing to do with me. You don’t have to go in and feel it. Contemplate it as a stranger (alien-prato).

I am talking about the changing of knowledge. These are khandha arising and vanishing. Nothing to do with me and quite a different thing. This is called contemplating with distancing from the objects. Someone’s child has car accident. It’s not relating to you and not feel sorrow. Because the child is a stranger for you. If he/she is your own child and will suffer. Try to get the beginning. Watch and observe how it changes.

This is observing and seeing the continuous process you have to follow to the end until it stop, knowing it as contemplating of impermanence. It arises one by one and follow the changing process to the end. If you are unable to contemplate by distancing from it and ditthi is stuck with you. Following and contemplating the strong unpleasant feeling is like a hunter follows the foot tracks of a prey. The important point is distancing yourself from it and contemplating like a stranger.


One thing have to be careful is not enduring the pain by repeating anicca, anicca, etc. This is not knowledge but resistance to the pain. Must not contemplate with the desire of wanting the pain to go away. If the wanting mind for the pain to go away arises and ditthi is with you. Then you’re not contemplating it like a stranger. Even if this wanting mind arises and contemplate its impermanence. Here we’re contemplating form but anyone of the 5 khandhas can arise. If feeling and mind arise also must contemplate them.

The main point is the mind of wanting it to vanish and the aversion arises from impatience. Don’t go in and feel it. Have to contemplate them. If nothing arises and go back to the nostrils. Re-establish samādhi. (It’s like a spider after catching the insect and go back to the centre of the web.) Wanting to breathe in mind and wanting to breathe out mind are impermanent.


Walking meditation is establishing samādhi. But lifting, stepping, etc. are changing. They are arising and passing away. Going and moving all these are impermanent. Only in the walking meditation is not including the nostrils and the top of the head. Standing and lying down postures are the same as sitting meditation. The important point in walking meditations is catching on with every part of the process.

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
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Day 10: 26th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 13:59

Day 10: 26th October, 2002

Today is the section of contemplating to see more impermanence of the khandha. I’ll talk about the points have to be careful. What’s the nature of the impermanent khandha? Even we contemplate body/kāya and seeing of their solidity is not seeing impermanence. It needs to get rid of the view of head, body, hands and feet, etc. All these are concepts and not real phenomena. What are the real phenomena? The nature of the elements combine together and shape the body (kāya), or matter (rūpa).

The real existence is hardness nature nature, softness nature nature, etc. For easy to remember (or communicate) and make the convention of earth element (pathavī). If they are arising have to know their natural qualities. Even we’re talking with concepts as our legs, hands are tense and stiff, must know their nature of hardness, stiffness, etc. with knowledge (ñāṇa). Mogok Sayadaw said that these were not the kinds of knowing with the eyes, the ears, etc.

Discernment of impermanence is not seeing the solidity, instead its intrinsic nature. Can you show it by handling it? Is it stable? It doesn’t. After all it has the nature of oppression (pilanatha). The intrinsic nature is now arising and now ceasing. We see the refined mind and body and its impermanence. This is knowing with the bodily consciousness. After it arises already abandons the original nature or something already exists is vanished.

The original situation vanishes and something arises. If you know something is arising and something has vanished. In changing also, an original situation is gone. In the moving phenomenon, is it still at the original place? At the original place it has vanished. Vibrations are also showing the arising and passing away. These things are happening in the mind. You don’t know them with eyes, ears, etc. Now it arises and now observe it. Knowing not there is vipassanā magga (insight knowledge).

The khandha shows its impermanence and the yogi observes with ñāṇa. Knowing that it’s arising and passing away. These are impermanent and unstable dhammas. Now a layman comes and sees me. After that he goes away and not exists anymore. Don’t think as such, he’ll be in some place. This is thinking with ditthi. Yesterday you all had seen me. Is me a permanent monk? This monk is here today and yesterday monk was also here. Are they the same? They aren’t the same. But if you look at them and it look like the same. Which one is right looking with the eyes or with knowledge?


If not contemplate with insight for the whole day, whatever seeing is wrong seeing. Seeing the dhamma as it really is yathābhūta ñāṇa. Seeing with the eyes is wrong seeing? Not see their arising and passing away that we have desire for them. If becomes affection, then it is craving (tanhā). With clinging and come action (upādāna and kamma) will lead to the plane of misery.

How many times each day we’re going to the woeful plane? It seems that we come to human life (world) for collecting the requisites to the plane of misery. If we know this, it’s quite frightening. If we do whatever the khandha asking for is going towards woeful plane. Ledi Sayadaw said that the 6 sense doors were like train stations. Because everyday with many kammas are like many trains leaving from the stations. If you discern impermanence is seeing rightly. And then craving and clinging cease. Nothing is worthy of attachment.

By seeing anicca and you don’t want it. Before you didn’t know that and you desired it. After you really know and don’t like it. After tanhā dies and you’re safe from the kammas to painful destinations (unwholesome actions). Therefore Mogok Sayadaw said forcefully and encouragingly that if you discern impermanence would attain Dhamma in this life. And then free from the dangers of painful destinations.

A lay woman came and asked me; “Could I fall into woeful plane in next life if I discern impermanence?” “Even though you can’t fall into it in next life, after that born into a family with wrong views and it could be happened again.” (The Ven. himself was a good example.) If you become a human being or a heavenly being with wrong views and next life it could be happened. (For example, the 500 heavenly nymphs of Subrahma Devata.) It will only have security for one life. This is cūla-sotāpnnna.

At the time of seeing a lot of impermanence it can have problem. You can also see it here and there in spots. At the time it’s strong and will see it in the whole body. In any part of the body you see more or less is not the point. Don’t take it as only you see a lot will attain Dhamma. Seeing them as vibrations / sensations is also mean unstable nature. Could we get old slowly if it’s stable? Before you didn’t know these things.

Now you know about them. If you are able to practice in accordance with the impermanence, and also near death impermanence will arise. Mostly impermanent feelings will arise. Would you cry as very painful if they arise? So contemplate to discern them. If you’re crying as save me! Help me! Who can save you? Also family members come and disturb you that die like a dog or a pig. So near death don’t care for anyone instead following with the impermanence.

At that moment if you die instantly, it’s death consciousness with the magga (insight path factors). And then instantly birth consciousness arises. It’s not arriving here and there between the intermediate state (some Buddhists believe this state). Born as a ghost (peta) also one of the destinations. (This is one of the possibility of intermediate state for short period.) Can be born as any kinds of living beings. Do you still afraid if you see impermanence? A lay woman came and told me that she didn’t afraid to die (because she knew it with direct experience).


It’s important to have this knowledge. By practicing this Dhamma and not afraid of death. Because you have seen one’s own death for many times. Also become seeing impermanence and die. Even not become a sotāpanna in this life and next life birth consciousness is with the path factors (magga). A human being is born with lobha mind (mind with greed).

So after born and lobha is with us. If you discern impermanence, this life and next life will be safe. If you die with impermanence in this life, and in next life the rebirth consciousness is with the path factors. No need for any special practice. (It happened as the rebirth of a devata. This was mentioned by the Buddha in a sutta of Aṅguttara Nikāya.) Impermanent phenomenon comes before and follow with the contemplative mind after is magga (i.e., anicca and magga).

Continue the following with contemplation in this way is called bhāvita-bhahulikata, contemplating many times. Have to know each point with contemplation. Don’t let defilements come in between them. In other words not letting this or that states of mind comes in. If you can do it within an hour like this and can enter the stream. If the contemplation is not good then something is wrong. And then become dissatisfaction with the unclear seeing of impermanence.

There’re other things such as, the elements combine together oppress the yogi will arise. Such as the whole body is like prickling and poking with needles and thorns. The head is like pressing with a stone. If you say I can’t bear it and giving up, all these mean; with few discernment become dissatisfaction and with severe oppression can’t bear with it. Then kilesas come in between and ditthi is stuck with you. If you can look at it like a stranger at nearby will bear it.

Today I’m talking are 2 points; practicing become anicca and magga, and not let kilesa comes in between them. The khandha is showing its own nature. So don’t go in and confuse it with me and mine. Don’t let ditthi sticks with it. It happens by itself that no need to worry about it. You can’t behave like a stranger that go in and feel with it. So stand nearby and observe.


I’m talking to you the way of contemplation. If you can’t contemplate like this and can’t attain the Dhamma. Sometimes ago, someone saw the head burst open with the brain. A lay woman yogi in Taunggnoo (his meditation centre) ran to me and said that she saw the head burst open and the brain came out. I asked her to touch her head and said to her nothing was wrong, so went on with the contemplation. If not she would become out of control because she couldn’t strip off her wrong views.

Even you can discern impermanence is not enough. Also need to distance yourself from it. All these happening are not me and not mine (These points are very important for yogis. Therefore Mogok Sayadaw strongly emphasized to dispel wrong views with Dependent Arising process before the practice). Regarding them as like a stranger and nothing to do with you. It’s khandha arising and not a solidity. Is there anything leaving behind after arises? No objects are leaving behind.

So it’s not-self (anatta). If you discern anicca and also see anatta. After die and cremate become ashes, and later will mix up with the soil. So nothing is leaving behind. But after people die their names inscribe on the graveyard stones. Don’t make any markings, after die no solid objects leave behind. Only the energy of wholesome and unwholesome kammas which one had done leaving behind us.

Every day human beings are searching things with greed that these things will pull them down to painful destinations. The task can save you is only vipassanā practice. Mogok Sayadaw urged us for practice before death came. After getting old and can’t do the practice is a great loss. Therefore have to be practiced at the time you still have the strength. Faith, health and straight-forwardness and discern impermanence (the factors for seeing Dhamma); must have strong faith, good health and practice to see impermanence.

(The Buddha’s teaching on faith – saddhā was not a blind faith but a true faith comes from direct experience. The Buddha and his disciples never said, just believed me. Therefore in the Noble Eightfold Path was not included. But in the 5 spiritual faculties is the first one. We need trust on the teaching and trying it out ourselves, and then can believe it as right or wrong.)

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
註冊時間: 2017-03-03, 08:00

Day 11: 27th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:01

Day 11: 27th October, 2002

Today we change the way of contemplation on the khandha arising. We have to ascend the insight process like a ladder. And must know these nature (i.e, the process of insight knowledges). If you’re discerning impermanence and on the way with the path factors (magga).

This is the knowledge of rise and fall (udayabbaya ñāṇaṃ) or yathābhūta ñāṇaṃ (the knowledge as it really is). In discernment of impermanence has 2 parts; immature and mature levels. At the time seeing the material elements are changing in many different ways. From the immature stage to ascend the mature stage have to cross over through a level.

This is a difficult point (level). The yogi can have light appears like in samatha practice (i.e, obasa, these 2 are different kinds). It’s brilliant and bright. It’s also like pointing at you with a bright light. Or it like under the sun and moon light. Therefore light can appear. Rapture (piti) can arise also. Tears can come out by seeing things never seen before with rapture. Gooseflesh can arise. Tranquility (passadhi) can arise.

The whole body becomes light and comfortable, etc. These dhammas are corruptions (upakkilesa) and forbid the path and fruit. All these things, such as coolness, mind and body become happy, joy and seeing light, etc. can be taken as attaining the Dhamma. And then can be stopped at there. Sometimes sitting meditation is quite good and you like it. Next time when you sit and expect this experience again and this becomes attachment (nikanti / tanhā).

Taking pleasure in it is the worst thing. If these things arise and contemplate their impermanence. Let me tell you an incident. Last week a lay man was practicing standing meditation. From behind his ankle a very cold energy arose. It went up to the leg, the lap and the head. In his life never had an experience like this before. It didn’t come up like a spreading . Instead it ascended like a cold bar and he fell down on the floor. At the time of falling down he didn’t know about it. And he only knew it after on the floor.

At that time he also felt very cold. He made a conclusion as attaining the Dhamma (i.e., realization of Nibbāba). But impermanence was still there. The cold sensations itself are impermanent. He made the conclusion without knowing its phenomena. He was waiting for me to report his experience. I told him that tomorrow we could make a test and could enter into the fruition state. I told him how to do it, and he couldn’t. In this kind of things, not the Path Knowledge can be taken as the Path Knowledge. if these things arise just contemplates their impermanence.


Again, we’ll climb up another mount. After seeing impermanence and will climb up another level of the disenchanting of impermanence. The way of Mogok Sayadaw was climbing with 3 knowledges, as mentioned in the First Discourse of the Buddha (also in many other suttas). The first is sacca-ñāṇa – knowledge of seeing the truth. After that come kicca-ñāṇa – functional knowledge of seeing the truth.

What’s the function of the khandha? Kata-ñāṇa – the ending of the impermanent khandhas, attaining the Path Knowledge. Mogok Sayadaw expressed these knowledges as seeing impermanence, disenchanting of impermanence and the ending of impermanence respectively. There are stages of insight knowledges. These are:

Knowledge of rise and fall of formations – udayabbaya-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of the dissolution of formations – bańga-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of dissolving things as fearful – bhaya-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of disenchantment fearful things as dangerous -ādīnava-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of disenchantment with all formations – nįbbidā-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of desire for deliverance – muñcitukamyatā-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of reflecting contemplation – patisaṅkhā-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of equanimity towards formations – saṅkhārupekkhā-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of conformity – anuloma-ñāṇaṃ.
Knowledge of changing of lineage – gotrabu-ñāṇaṃ and the Path Knowledge – magga-ñāṇaṃ.

Mogok Sayadaw said it was not necessary going into these 10 stages. (Knowledge one to nine are impermanent. It’s like sharpening a knife. It’s becoming sharper and sharper but only the same knife.) The yogi himself can’t know all of them. Here the yogi really can know are 3 stages. These are seeing impermanence (udayabbaya-ñāṇaṃ), disenchantment with impermanence (nibbida-ñāṇaṃ) and not wanting this khandha and the ending of all impermanence (Path Knowledge). All these impermanences come to an end and the body becomes cool. It happens extraordinarily 2 times. This is the Path Knowledge (magga-ñāṇaṃ). (This last point here was mentioned in his own biography.)

Today we’ll climb up to the level of disenchantment with formations. We contemplate with the changing of the knowledge. How is the process going? The tension, stiffness, etc. arise in the khandha are khandhas arising. Mosquito bites and pain arises also khandha arises. After contemplating of impermanence and going on to nibbida-ñāṇaṃ. Sabbe saṅkhāra aniccā-ti, yādā paññāya passati; Atha nibbindati dukkhakhe, Esa maggo visudhiyā:

All conditioned phenomena are impermanent, when one sees this with insight wisdom, one becomes weary of dukkha (i.e., the khandha). This is the path to purity. We have to contemplate to see the impermanence of dukkha sacca. If you get this khandha, ageing, sickness and death are with it. Because of ignorance and craving that we get it. We get the horrible khandha. It’s suffering khandha.

Why impermanence becomes dukkha sacca? We must know how to reflect the nature of dukkha. As dukkha, we see everything as not good. It’s not like this. In the First Discourse of the Buddha it mentioned that pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā. – clinging to the 5 khandhas is dukkha. Clinging to the 5 khandhas that dukkha arises. Don’t know the arising and vanishing phenomena that wanting to own this khandha. Wanting to make it me and mine. It’s wrong view. With clinging and trying to get it. Let’s say buying a car. Before the buying, in the shop it’s not mine.

After buying and making it mine. And it becomes mine. During the time of using it and has an accident. It damages and the mind suffers. Because taking it as mine and don’t know it’ll be perished. Mogok Sayadaw said, there was nothing crazier than making something which was not existing as mine. If you make things which can be perished as mine and will suffer.

One time a female anesthetist came with a nun and asking for help. She lost one of her diamond earrings. The nun told her that this monk could get it back for her. Who was beating her and crying? The mind attached to the diamond earring was beating her. A businessman his only son died and became sorrow and lamentation.

The son was filial and third year medical student. He had a lot of hope and expectation for him that suffered so much. In the world people are suffered because they have strong desire and attachment to things as mine. They are suffered because of impermanence. If don’t know how to reflect rightly and wisely have to be suffered.


There’re 3 types of dukkha. (i.e., dukkha-dukkha, saṅkhāra dukkha and viparinama dukkha). The first one is dukkha comes with birth, for example, dukkha for eating food. You have to eat everyday. We can’t live without eating. It’s suffering. Could you live without drinking? You couldn’t and it’s suffering. These things are, you don’t have to create. It comes with nature. This is original dukkha. When you’re sitting very long and becoming painful and aching. So these are called dukkha-dukkha.

We create dukkha for the welfare of the mind and body is conditioned dukkha (saṅkhāra dukkha). As example, for comfort in sitting we buy sofas and using it. Everyday what we’re doing all of them are dukkha. We get the khandhas and have these dukkha. Therefore saṅkhāra dukkha is wanting to free from dukkha-dukkha and we have to condition it.

The last dukkha is changing dukkha (viparinama dukkha). For example, you buy a bunch of bananas and leaving there. It becomes perishing day by day.

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
註冊時間: 2017-03-03, 08:00

Day 12: 28th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:02

Day 12: 28th October, 2002

We’re arriving at the two third of the practice. We have to climb up the difficult part. According to Sayadawgyi we had already seen impermanence. After seeing impermanence and arrive to weariness. Yesterday some yogis experienced the corruptions of insight. Developing from the immature stage to the mature stage. If you’re arriving at nibbida-ñāṇaṃ and it’s the stage of the purification of the way (patipadā-ñānadassanavisuddhi). After that is the Path Knowledge – purification by knowledge and vision (ñāṇadassanavissuddhi).

This is the time of near the top of the mountain. At this time you must have stable mindfulness. Sati is not only doing the practice of ānāpāna. You must have sati in everywhere. You’ll encounter with problem and destruction. Loosing of sati and instantly unseen beings (paraloka) will come in and disturb you. (i.e., not for every yogi).

After you’re on the path many kinds of counterfeit things can come in. Yesterday I went out for awhile, and after came back a female yogi informed me. She said that during her meditation and heard someone came and told her. She had attained the Dhamma and would propagate the teaching. I told her that it wasn’t. Someone from outside came and possessed her. We have to be careful for these kinds of things.

We had these experiences before and reminding you. The spirits are worrying of the yogis attaining the Dhamma. They think that if this person is liberated and will not come to their spirit world. Therefore they come and disturb the yogis. All these experiences happened before at our centre. In Sayadawgyi’s (i.e., Mogok Sayadaw) talk mentioned the 3 governing principles, first on oneself, and then the surrounding worlds.

Shouldn’t think other beings don’t know what we’re doing. Sayadawgyi said if you know yourself, and from your deity onwards and other beings also could know it. So stay with sati and stick with it. (Here the words – your deity means not our own deities. These are the spirits living near or around us – unseen beings.)


Another point to remind you is practicing so good that mind-body become peaceful. Any mental object appears have to be contemplated. If you taking pleasure in it is lobha (greed). You have to abandon all of them. Have to be mindful, if not it comes in and disturbs you. Another point is can be fallen into bhavaṅga citta (life continuum mind). Become unconscious is called fall into bhavaṅga. Something like fallen into sleep.

If you become unconscious and difficult to attain the Dhamma. And also not let kelisa comes in between the contemplation. Have to be in the process of anicca and magga continuously (i.e., every time dhamma shows impermanence and knowing with the path factors). And must know them as dukkha. Will encounter things arise in the khandha you never experience before.

The changing of the physical elements and unbearable things will arise. If they arise, it’s impermanent dukkha sacca. Whatever seeing in the eyes also have to contemplate. Some spirits will come and want to share our merits. If you see them have to contemplate. Whatever you see is impermanence dukkha sacca. All these are concepts and not the refined impermanent of mind and form.

Seeing, hearing, smelling, etc. are impermanent dukkha sacca. If someone is out of sati and with yawning, the spirit has done it. He wants me to know it. So he reminds me about the loosing sati of my yogis. (This was a tree spirit – and became the protector of the Ven. during his practice in a forest.)


Now it’s arising and now knowing it. It’s in the present moment. In Sayadawgyi’s talk anicca, dukkha and anatta are the impermanent khandhas. Not the anicca of the head, body, hands and feet. Because of impermanence that it’s dukkha. It’s unstable that human beings are suffered. It seems, anicca dukkha and anatta are 3 different dhammas but in reality it’s only one dhamma. It’s one dhamma with 3 natures. After arising and vanishing, no solid object is leaving behind us. Until now what you tell me are with concepts. (i.e., during the interview with the yogis.)

For example, my back is aching, the whole head seems bigger, etc. These are concepts and solidity. During the contemplation don’t include these things. Contemplate to see their intrinsic nature, such as hot, cold, hardness, stiffness, etc. To catch on the beginning of the arising phenomenon. Every impermanence has the beginning. From non-existing to existing is impermanent. Also from existing to non-existing is impermanent. From non-existing to existing, and then moving here to there.

From the place of the beginning , it arises and movs to another place. Does it still at the first place? Moving is changing. For example, I had been mentioned about a lay man yogi’s experience before (see the 11th day talk). A cold bar of energy appeared from his back ankle and starting to move upwardly to the head. The changing of the mind and matter at the first place is not following to the second place, etc.

It has disappeared at the first place. It’s the same as the impermanent mind and matter of the first foot step not arriving to the second foot step. So you can’t find back this impermanent mind and form again. In every foot step of mind and matter are dying. Therefore in Sayadawgyi’s talk, if you discern impermanence and see anicca, dukkha, anatta, asubha and dukkha sacca. You see these 5 points at the same time.


In the beginning of the sitting, nothing arises yet. And then you move your samādhi to the top of the head and it starts showing its nature. Wherever it shows you and catch on the beginning of the arising dhamma. It means to be mindful. Sayadawgyi said that ehi-passiko – the dhamma was calling at you, came and contemplated me. Sanditthiko – you would see it yourself.

The chaotic situations are impermanent. Is it stopping or moving? It’s never stopping. From small and it becomes bigger. And from big and it can become smaller. You can see its disintegration, movement and change, etc. All these unstable movements are impermanent. In vipassanā contemplation, it also needs endurance. These natural phenomena happen by itself that we can’t want them to be liked that. You have to observe and contemplate according to its nature.

For example, the yogi is wanting the pain to go away. Then he says,”I can’t bear it and change the posture.” Ditthi is sticking with the yogi. Why? Because you are unable to contemplate like a stranger. It’s nothing to do with you. You can’t get it what you want to be. It happens by its nature that you have to observe like a stranger nearby. This point is very important. It needs sati, and always sticks with it. Out of sati and ditthi sticks with you. You know the arising dhamma and then the mind leaving it and can move to other place.

That is the mind moving towards a stronger object. Don’t become uncertainty as which one have to contemplate. You have to contemplate where the mind is. Ehi-passiko – have to contemplate where it’s calling you. Then you know it arising and contemplate its continuous process. Follow it and observe. This is following the impermanent process. You know the arising and then observe; not there anymore. Maybe some dhammas arise in this way. Also other kinds of phenomena can arise. It’ll oppress you. Pilanatho: the khandha will show its dukkha sacca.

Three or four elements can oppress you. At that time you don’t need to analyze the elements. You have to observe them how it’s changing and happening. Like a hunter following the foot prints of the prey. It can become slowly bigger and more severe. At that time the yogi can go in and feel it directly. And then wanting it to be vanished. This is craving-tanhā. And it turns towards clinging and action (upādāna and kamma).

If lobha arises know instantly and abandon it. Have to contemplate this mental state. Adjusting yourself by not letting kilesas come in and following the process closely. It’ll be ended at some place. There is nothing not ending. Maybe it takes 4 or 5 minutes or half an hour to end. Even can oppress you for an hour (nothing is sure). From that time onwards no need for time table.


If not ending you shouldn’t change it. Or if happening too long and you have to stop it. At lunch time you can stop it. And at other times you can’t change it and following to the end. It’s like mount climbing. If you arrive to the top and it will end. Stiffness, tenseness, etc, whatever it’s slowly growing, to the most painful, the most itching, etc. The ending means it’s not arising again. You can try it out. Feeling (vedana) increasing or whatever increases, you need the courage. You will feel like, it comes and oppressing you.

At that time you should not be annoyed and must be in calm. Having the facial expression means, you go in and feel with it. These things are existing not only now but also before. After the abandoning of ignorance (avijjā) and knowledge (vijjā) arises that knowing directly by oneself. It exists before and oppresses us in our whole life. Because of them we become old. We contemplate it carefully with knowledge.

The contemplative mind is also changing. You should not change and follow it with endurance. Reflecting as if we get the khandha must suffer like this again. At the ending of it the whole body is feeling cool and happy. After dukkha and sukha exists. We have to follow it until mind and body become peaceful. The process is slowly disappearing. Again it arises one by one like a chain, and following it to the end. After that it can be arisen another one.

After one and half hours, if it arises again will not contemplate it. Shouldn’t follow it for 2 or 3 hours. Increasing half an hour for contemplation, if doesn’t end and leaving it there. If not it will become immune. We follow it in an appropriate way. Next time if we follow it for 2 hours, then 2 hours only. We practice samādhi with walking meditation. In every step of walking, contemplate to see its impermanence. And you’ll become weary about walking. It’s dukkha.

Before even you didn’t know carrying around one’s own burdened khandha. If you getting old will find out that standing, sitting and going, etc, are great dukkha. Dukkheñāṇaṃ – after knowing dukkha, and the other side is dukkhe-nirodheñāṇaṃ – knowing the cessation of dukkha. You make a decision that it’s really dukkha. Do you want it? You’re wanting it because not knowing it as dukkha. It’s really dukkha, except dukkha, and nothing exists. If you really see its faults and don’t have desire for the khandhas. At here yogis can have problems. It’s oppressing you so much that even don’t want to continue anymore. This can be possible. You become very tired about it.

Therefore Mogok Sayadaw had said that if you didn’t want to contemplate still had to stick with it. If you don’t contemplate, will continue to have this khandha. And you can’t free from it. It’s unbearable that you don’t want to contemplate. Ditthi sticks with you again. You only see these things and weary about it that become disenchanting. Like it or not, you have to contemplate. Not wanting to contemplate and you continue your contemplation is non-greed (alobha).

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Day 13: 29th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:03

Day 13: 29th October, 2002

If you are arriving to this stage other mental states can arise. One thing have to be careful is not losing your sati. It’s important of having strong sati. In walking meditation sati must stick with it, and increasing your time for it. After this and only 5 days left. Maybe you’ll think as could I attain it? Here you have to know are; approaching a teacher and listening Dhamma.

The teacher is explaining to you how to do the practice – it’s ñāta pariññā. This is the part of a teacher’s teaching and correcting, which the yogis should know. It’s the part, which a teacher has to be fulfilled. In the second part a teacher can’t do it for you. The yogis should have the intention of doing things exactly what the teacher has taught and exhorted. It means if you practice like this and can attain it.

This part includes faith (saddhā) and effort (viriya). Therefore there are 2 parts connection with the teacher and yogis. The third part which the teacher and yogi can’t do it. It’ll happen in accordance with the Dhamma nature. You have to understand these natures clearly. These Dhammas are happening by its nature. You do your practice and the Dhammas do its process. For your understanding, practice is like a person building a fire.

In the ancient time rubbing 2 pieces of bamboo for fire. After it’s hot enough and fire comes out. If you’re cutting off the bamboos and looking for fire, you can’t find it. (He gave the simile of a king’s searching for the music in the harp.) In the harp there was no music (sound). In the same way fire not exists in the bamboo. Therefore Nibbāna not exists in this khandha.

How does Nibbāna arise? It arises by practice (purification). With the practice, if the time is ripe Path and Fruit arise. Your mind can be confused as originally not exists and where it’s arising from? However you cut off a mango tree and looking for the mango fruit, you can’t find it there. Also it doesn’t exist in the mango seed either. The mango tree functions its own matter and when the time comes it flowers and grows out.

The small mango fruit appears and grows slowly. Nibbāna element also not originally exists in the khandha. For someone who practices when the time is ripe it’ll appear. Only don’t know when and how it’ll appear. A yogi is like climbing a mountain. During the practice it’ll arise.


Now some yogis are on the path to the goal. For some, their minds are running outside. People are also talking about their feelings and experiences with concepts. For example, it’s like pricking with a thorn on the feet, etc, taking the khandha as solidity. Don’t take it with concepts, but as khandha arises. All the 5 khandhas arise together. Tension, hot, cold, etc., whatever arises is khandha arising. If with concepts, you will go in and feel it.

These khandhas are arising as its intrinsic nature. It shouldn’t mix with the solid body. It arises and then vanishes. Also should not be disappointed with it. After establishing samādhi and concentrate the mind on the top of the head. And then if hot, numbness, etc. appears at any place of the khandha and observe it. It’s ehi-passiko – come and contemplate me. So seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, etc. any of them arise and contemplate it as anicca.

Don’t make them as any solidity. Sanditthiko – will see impermanence directly. Khandha is impermanent and knowing it is magga (anicca and magga). Impermanence and magga must go together continuously. Don’t let any kilesa comes in between them. Sayadawgyi said that if kilesa not came in between them and by practicing in the morning would realize Dhamma in the evening (also mentioned by the Buddha).

He gave guarantee to us. If the time is ripe and it’ll appear instantly. Here are the differences between someone easy to attain Dhamma and someone not. There are also many reasons. Some yogis even can’t stabilize their postures up to this day. Their resolutions are not succeeded. During the practice their minds are here and there. I am also observing them. They are appearing to be in the practice but their hands are moving, etc.

The mind is going back to the past objects and thinking about them. So they forget about the meditation object. If the mind is not quiet like this and they can’t ascend the mount. You have to practice become anicca and magga by yourself. I can only encourage you. You can’t concentrate in the practice that kilesa come in. Uplifting your mind again as I must attain it. The desire for attainment is lobha (greed).

Sayadawgyi said that in practice this kind of lobha mind couldn’t fall into apāya. Should have this kind of lobha. Its nature is attaining of Nibbāna. Lobha here is the motivated power of the mind. Even you become a stream enterer (sotāpanna) and still have tanhā. But sotāpanna can’t fall into painful destinations. Therefore this tanhā is good to have. If your faith is going down and uplifting it.

From here onwards practice is become very important. On climbing the last stage of a high mountain and there can be many things lead to mishaps. Without sati and right decision can’t overcome it. There are 4 types of yogis. Difficult with the practice and slow attainment. Make notes of them and check for oneself. These things are coming with you from the past.

If you dicern impermanence and having the potentiality of attainment in this life. You have the ariyan seed as (potentiality of a noble being) a tihetuka person (a person born with 3 wholesome roots, such as non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion). Don’t think that you can’t make it. And you’ll get it. But you have to practice with the difficulties and it takes more times.

Difficult with the practice and quick attainment. I had seen these kinds of yogi before. Easy with the practice and slow attainment. This kind of yogi doesn’t see difficulties. I had known a lay woman doctor from Mandalay in this type. Easy with the practice and quick attainment. This is a special person. You can’t decide yourself in this type. It’ll appear by practice. If other can realize it and I must also. You have to practice with this kind of spirit. One of the possible problems here is impermanence become not very clear. If you contemplate on it as dukkha sacca also solve the problem.

But the yogi becomes dissatisfaction with it, at that time it’ll not go away. It reinforces itself for the strike. It looks like a climber reinforces his strength from crossing one mount to the other mount. If you can’t contemplate it like a stranger and will sink in there. Without sati and can’t bear that you let go of it. Then it becomes a problem.

Watching impermanence like a stranger at nearby is magga. You have to be in ready to face the arising phenomena. Don’t give up your resolution. You catch on the beginning and following to the end of the process. It’s dukkha, and without any essence. You’ll see this point. If the time is up and the process not ends, then don’t take the time limit, and have to follow to the end.


Increase half an hour for sitting and walking meditations. After one and half hours and the process is not ending, then change the posture. After changing the posture, it doesn’t matter the process is continuous or not. If not continue, it can change into another thing. It can arise in many ways, and seems like fighting a battle. Also counterfeit dhammas can come in, such as light and lightness of the body.

Whatever arises contemplate its impermanence. Not looking for them and take pleasure in it. Separate yourself from it with the contemplation. You’ll see the khandha as nothing can be held on to life. It’s arising and vanishing. Nothing is leaving behind and everything is useless. Life existence is nothing. Human being are taking all these seriously. With all this clinging to concepts and wrong views come in. Whatever your status and job may be after death becomes nothing.

Even you’re still alive and have no essence. So it’s anatta – not-self. Today we contemplate anatta. What are the meanings of all these things happening to you. You’ll experience them as pricking with thorns, poking with stick, etc. in the body. (Yogis are having different experiences. It depends on the 4 great elements.) What is the essence of it? Pains and knowing them are arising and vanishing. Whatever arises and vanishes, no essence at all. There is no solidity to hold on.

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Day 14: 30th October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:05

Day 14: 30th October, 2002

According to the purification process, today is reaching to the top of the mountain. Therefore we have to practice up to the level of the path knowledge of the stream entrance (sotāpatti magga). This week the progress of the yogis is in the satisfied level. We’re now arriving to the section of seeing a lot of anicca and become disenchanting.

This level is purification of the way – patipadāñānadassanavisuddhi, and becoming a noble disciple (ariyasavaka). You’re on the straight path and can’t stray away from it. If you continue with the practice and it becomes the path knowledge. Ñānadassanavisuddhi – purification by knowledge and vision is called sotāpatti magga – the knowledge of the stream entrance. You’re arriving at the distance of one armed length of it. You have to be careful for one thing.

Even though it’s sure for arriving there, still can encounter disturbances and become low spirited. The path is straight now but it needs to walk straightly. The main factor is the mind power. Importance of practicing with patience, endurance and perseverance. The main necessity is sati. Except seeing all the arising phenomena with the 3 universal characteristics and not let other sense objects to come in. Especially it needs to be careful not let other thoughts and imaginations to come in.

When the khandha is changing and it shows you extraordinary things which never seen before. If you think it as happening in my body or coming from outside and you’re straying away from it. It’s quite clear that you’re not contemplating what happen in the present moment khandha. This is one way of sticking with ditthi. Whatever arising is impermanent khandha. It’s the arising of the khandha nature. It shows its own nature.

All the arising are saṅkhāra dhammas (conditioned phenomena). After arising and it has to be vanished. Observe with knowledge and seeing it as dukkha. So it’s dukkha arising. Why is that? There are 2 reasons for it. First, it’s not stable. And second, it’s oppressive. It has the nature of oppression without any pity. Iron is destroyed by rust.

In the same way the phenomena oppress oneself are in the khandha. Greed, hatred and delusion are the dhammas pushing you down the cliff. These are clear for the yogis themselves. It makes them unbearable. (Advanced yogis experience the oppressive nature of the 4 great elements.) We must change the way of contemplation.


Now we’re in the section of how to react to impermanence. Let your body pains and not the mind. These words are not for good listening. It’s talking about how to practice. Isn’t it painful when the dhamma arises to oppress the khandha? It’ll, but don’t let the mind pains. I’ll ask you. Whose mind is painful if the body pains? You’ll answer me as I am the one who pains.

This is a worldling without knowledge – asutava puthujjana. A worldling without knowledge will take it this way. But a disciple of a noble one with the knowledge (sutavā ariyasāvaka) sees the khandha as not me and not mine. Someone after seeing anicca becomes a disciple of the noble one. He has the support and comfort in the Buddha’s sāsana (dispensation of the Buddha).

It’s like a drowned person, after his feet touching the bottom and then exposes his head above the water. And free from the danger of painful destination for one life. If you encounter with oppressive nature and it’s important how to practice with insight. If the yogi doesn’t has the preparation of how to contemplate with insight, when the body pains and the mind also. You’ll say, I can’t bear it and change the posture. This is the mind pains with the body. This matter is very important in near death when oppress by illness.

To prepare for these things it needs the strength of the mind power. It needs a lot of sati and stable resolution. All difficulties must overcome with resolution / determination. In the world everyone is afraid of death (for common people). Here let me die. I am not afraid. With the khandha exists and never free from dukkha. Therefore I must practice to free from dukkha. I’m daring to say for you. You’ll not die. Must have the courage for adventure. It’s better for dying with practice than dying with stupidity.

What can be happened if you continue to climb up? The yogis becomes very tired and would say I can’t climb up the mount. And then wanting to put down the burden and the practice to continue. Even some came and told me, “If I can’t get the Path Knowledge, let it be.” They had changed their minds in this matter but in the wrong way. Some saw the faults of the khandha.

But there are 2 ways about it; totally giving up the practice or continue the practice to the end. The right way is I must free from myself from this khandha. If not I’ll drift away and sink in the ocean of saṁsāra. So I can’t give it up. I must practice to overcome it. Have to reflect in this way.


After you transcend it and arrive to the knowledge of reflecting contemplation – patisankhañānam. What’ll happen after making the decision and practice? You discern the phenomena not very clear and disappointed with it. Before you encounter the strong experiences and now mild phenomena arise. However, still all of them are dukkha arising and dukkha changing. It is showing its own nature. If you contemplate on form (rūpa) and seeing the form nature.

Form shows its nature and don’t take it as my arising. Leaving it as a stranger and don’t take yourself in it. Let the body pains and not the mind, are only possible if you contemplate it as stranger. It means put down wrong view (i.e., not identify with it as me and mine). Your discernment becomes not clear and don’t take it as become easier. It’s like from the mount to climb up another higher point and you can’t jump up from here.

You have to go down again and climb up again. In climbing down is comfortable. The phenomena are reinforcing to strike you down. You have to know about this point. Don’t think that contemplation is not good. This means you are going in and feeling with it. The phenomena strike down on you and by giving up can’t achieve the goal. When it come to you and must be in ready for it. It’s nothing to do with me and happen by its way. During the contemplation don’t react with resistance. With the contemplation of separation and there is no resistance. Observing like someone with ease at nearby.

This is equanimity towards the conditioned phenomena. Let it be and do what it wants with the oppression. This time I must separate you forever with the practice (i.e., the khandha – the oppressor). It’s the knowledge of equanimity towards the formations – saṅkhārupekkhāñānam. The slogan here is, “Don’t be in concerns; if concern and out of balance.” You can’t be out of balance even for once; and with it becomes fruitless. Can’t make any mistakes. Whatever happening is dukkha sacca. It’s nothing to do with me. Let it happens and dies.


I’ll tell you how to continue with the practice. Let go of your mind for comfort. Don’t sit with usual posture, but with a difficult posture. (as e.g., from a Burmese posture to half lotus or full lotus postures.) And then practice with equanimity towards whatever is arising. Now it’s only 4 days left. We’re now arriving to the very good level and can’t practice in an easy way.

Like a tiger holding and biting its prey without letting go to climb the highest point. Mind power with persistence is very important. Making a determination, for e.g., for one hour and one hour. If it’s not ending and you have to follow it to the end. However severe the pain is have to follow it to the end. You need the strength of mind.

You have to fight it until you win. We’re now climbing up to the highest point of the mountain. You can’t make decision by yourself for what’s happening. Experiencing of something which is strange and don’t make the conclusion as the Dhamma (i.e., Nibbāna). You must inform me what you’re experiencing.

I also not mention these things to you beforehand. If I tell you and will come and inform me that same thing. A lay man experienced a cold bar of energy came to the head. It was very cold and suddenly he fell down. But the cold bar of energy was still there. In a shock and he thought it was the attainment. He made the conclusion as it was the Path Knowledge.

The ending of impermanence means doesn’t have anything to contemplate. In a blip everything has ceased. If you still have something for contemplation and not the Path Knowledge. So you have to continue with the contemplation. Inform me only what you have seen. Today contemplation is let the body pain but not the mind.

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Nalorakk
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Day 15: 31st October, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:06

Day 15: 31st October, 2002

We’re now at the last stage of climbing up the mount, purification by knowledge and vision – Ñānadassanavisuddhi. We must have right attention (yoniso). With the wrong attention can’t attain the Dhamma. These words are very important for the yogis. With right attention, must climb the last stage. Because yogis have to use knowledge. In practice, one part of it is one’s activities, such as standing, sitting and walking, etc.

It’s important to have right attitude. What means wrong attention? Sometimes ago a lay woman came and told me; her whole body was cold. Talking with right attention, then it was khandha arising. A lay woman has said to me; “Isn’t the khandha a self-body?” Khandha is an intrinsic nature, and no body. If something is arising; for example, a mosquito bites.

Then we make it as a mosquito bites. Every noting is saññā – perception. The pain is feeling (vedanākkhandha). Wanting to change is volitional formation (saṅkhārakkhandha). Knowing is consciousness (viññāṇaṃ). The body or form is rūpakkhandha (body aggregate). If something arises, both of the mind and body arise. Knowing the arising is sati. Without sati and not knowing the arising. Taking the khandha’s arising as me and mine are wrong attention.

One can strip off ditthi is right attention. Note this point carefully. The way of contemplation is; if the khandha shows you and follow with knowledge (ñāṇa). From the explanation of Mogok Sayadaw’s talks this point was important. Form (rūpa) is changing nature. Vinñāṇaṃ – consciousness is knowing nature. These are not my arising and not my knowing. Vedana – feeling is feeling nature and not I feel. Saññā – perception is perceiving nature.

Saṅkhāra – volition is motivating. Therefore all the khandhas function their own matters or business, and then all pass away. Don’t include me and other into it. Khandha arises is ehi-passiko – calling you for contemplation. Therefore khandha is calling and ñāna following.

Follow with the knowledge of right view. Can strip off ditthi (wrong view) is sati (mindfulness with right attention). For example, yesterday a lay woman was practicing in standing posture. After feeling a cold sensation on the back, without aware she let go of sati and sat down. This was stuck with ditthi.


For the other lay man, he didn’t have sati and fell down to the floor. Even after falling down he continued to experience the cold sensation. Instead of continued with the contemplation and he took it as the attainment. He made a conclusion by himself and became wrong attention. Remember for this point. Whatever khandha arises, don’t stop the contemplation. If it’s really ending and there is nothing for contemplation.

The ending also shows its characteristic. I’m not daring to talk about this point here. If I tell it, during the sitting people will expect for it. Even near the last day mention it, can have problems. So you know the importance of right attention. First, don’t let ditthi stick with you. And second, don’t let go off sati. With loosing awareness and it takes more time for the practice. It’s amazing that the khandha shows the things you have never seen before. You’ll know yourself of the khandha has these things.

It seems like your internal organs are twisting, wanting to vomit, feeling cold and burning with fire, etc. There was an old man called U Nyo came and practiced with me. I told him that he was old enough for the practice. But he didn’t listen and stayed for the practice. He was from Pyinmana (now the capital city of Burma). He was loved by many and talking to people by wasting time. At night time interview he didn’t know what to say. But he was clever and listening to what others were saying and using of them.

When I was scolding him and asking me what could be experienced in the practice. Then, I replied to him that it would be liked experiencing burning with the fire and feeling cold by pouring icy water on the body. It would be liked feeling a stone underneath the buttocks. And it would like the back was poking with a wooden plank. Also it would like poking into the calves with an iron rod or needles. And then he thought that this monk was crazy. Without needles and how could it be poked with them. And without fire and how could it be burned with fire.

So I put him under the control of a lay woman yogi for his practice. The next day he came to told me his experience and asked forgiveness. He said; “I had been insulted you. It happened to me as you had said yesterday.” When the khandha is telling us, and we have to believe it. This old man was really practiced hard and at the age of 72 he realized the Dhamma.


Don’t come and ask me how it’ll happen for the discerning of impermanence and its disenchantment. With the practice and you’ll find out. At the ending also the khandha will show you. If you stop it without the ending and the process will take longer period. A lay man was oppressing by wind element in the body. And during the sitting he was nearly jumping up like hit with an electric shock. He asked me had any connection with the unseen being.

Then I told him that it was the air element. He continued with the practice and the problem stopped by itself. For the right attention, it depends on right view to the khandhas. Where the Path and Fruit knowledge are existing? It exists in the khandha. Khandha’s ending is magga (the Path Knowledge). You may be taken it as in the body. By analyzing the body and you can’t find it anywhere. It exists at the ending of the 5 khandhas. It exists at the ending of the present khandhas. Khandha is dukkha sacca.

Therefore Nibbāna is the cessation of dukkha. Khandhas not arise is Nibbāna. The ending of khandha is Nibbāna. Tension, stiffness, pressure, movement, etc., most of these things will come first. After that cold, hot, like burning with fire arise. The cold here is touching with a block of ice and shivering with cold. A lay woman was not following these things to the end that the process continued to exist. The successive little endings are insight knowledges arising.

Even a process is not ending will take longer time and have to follow it to the end. But at the time of lunch you can stop it. But some yogis had the knowledge of disenchantment (nibbida ñāna) that not ate the lunch and continuing with their practices. Even if we don’t want to eat also have to eat. Another thing is not wanting to contemplate and tired of it. Mogak Sayadaw said that not wanting to contemplate, still had to contemplate. You have to contemplate the not wanting mind.

You must have the spirit of achieving it. Not wanting is without craving (tanhā). If you have craving, then clinging and action arise (tanhā→upādāna→kamma). If the not wanting mind arises and it’s a great joy for you (i.e., because it is closer to Nibbāna). Practicing with not wanting mind is non-greed (alobha). With the wanting mind is greed (lobha). If you are practicing with the desire mind and will not get it. The lay man came to see me yesterday was U Myint Htoo, and he told me about his experience.

When I heard it and made my heart beating. He said that it was like cutting his feet with the razor blades, and his chest was piercing with a spear. I told him to stop the practice and went for a rest. Because he was practicing very hard and asking him for a rest. But he decided to continue with the practice. Instead of going into sleep and he was contemplating in the lying posture.

I taught the yogis to lie down on the right side. First, he inclined to the right, but his mind was wanting to turn to the left. With the turning of the body to the left and the Path Knowledge arose. (It was very similar to the Ven. Ānanda’s realization.)

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
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Day 16: 1st November, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:07

Day 16: 1st November, 2002

In vipassanā practice, the first knowledge is sabbe saṅkhāra anicca – the 5 khandhas arise by conditioning are impermanent. The first thing is to know this view. In the whole world everything exists are saṅkhāra loka – conditioned world. Forests, mountains, earth, water, human beings, etc. are arising by causes. Therefore these things are results. We need to know why it’s arising. We arrived into this life according to our past kammas.

After arriving here not only kamma, but also mind (citta), temperature (utu), food (āhāra) are conditioning our lives. Utu is weather or temperature. Āhāra is things which we eat and drink for survival and development of this khandha (body). It is depending on these 4 causes. To become a human being is with the wholesome kamma. If you could check human beings, nearly all of them came from the woeful planes.

After their unwholesome kammic debts had finished and came up to the human plane. (This point was mentioned by the Buddha in some suttas). You can’t calculate and estimate them as come from human or heavenly planes. According to the teachings, indiscernable beginning of the saṁsāra (round of existence), many Buddhas had arisen more than the sand grains in the Ganges River. We had missed these Buddhas because we were born with the 8 faults.

[These are: 3 planes of misery (i.e., hell beings + animals +petas), arūpa Brahma gods and Brahma gods without perceptions, human beings with 3 unwholesome roots, border areas where the teachings can’t reach, have wrong views and the periods when the Buddhas were not arising.]

Even a Buddha arose we didn’t have the chances to meet him and listen to the Dhamma. These were the reasons we had missed with many Buddhas in saṁsāra. In saṁsāra our bones were piling up like mountains. And mostly born in hells became animals and petas. Now, we’re with the force of wholesome kammas and have this human life. The reasons as a very fortunate human being are; encountering with the Buddha’s sāsana and also in the period of liberation (vimuttiyuga).

This is the period of 500 years between 2500 B.E. and 3000 B.E. If practice Dhamma within these 500 years can attain Path and Fruition Knowledges. After these periods and arriving back to dāna, sīla era. There are no other fortunate things such as encountering with the chances of freeing oneself from the danger of woeful plane. Born in developed countries, consuming and wasting wealth are not the real happiness.

There are people jumping from high buildings and other ways of suicide exist. Therefore they have unhappiness and sorrow. People are saying U.S.A is very rich. Sometimes people were killed by gun men. So they can’t move freely. Why these things are happening to them? They don’t know it. (i.e., wrong educations and wrong knowledges in many ways.) They don’t have peace and happiness. Don’t think that with money and you’ll have happiness and security. Even though our country is poor and has difficulties in lives, it’s not a big problem. With Dhamma we can bear it.

(This is not an exaggeration. Someone knows about Burmese Buddhism and modern Burmese History will appreciate it.)


We must practice hard for not falling into woeful plane again. We must contemplate saṅkhāra dhammas with knowledge. Don’t think as whatever arises by causes has stability and permanence. It’s anicca; “yadā paññāya passati – when one sees these with insight wisdom.” Contemplate these phenomena with pañña as unstable and impermanent. Without looking at outside, and the internal phenomena of pains, aches, numbness, etc. all are saṅkhāra arising.

These are resultant phenomena, and arising by causes. It’s saṅkhāra dhamma, mind and body, the 5 khandhas. All are the same in different names. Saṅkhāra dhamma arises at the present moment khandha, and contemplate it with paññā. Don’t take the unstable dhamma as me and mine. Impermanent dhamma is not good and suffering (Dukkha means disgusting and useless). If you’re making the impermanent dhamma as me and mine, and becoming more dukkha. And also you will be far from Path and Fruition Knowledges.

Today take more care for the practice. To be mindful. Me is attā and mine is attāniya. In the world human sufferings are coming from seeing everything and making them as mine. Me exists that mine arises. it needs to analyze with knowledge – me and mine not exist.


“Atha nibbindati dukkhe – one becomes weary of dukkha.” First, contemplate impermanence, and then you will see dukkha. The truth of dukkha. has 4 characteristics. These are: Pilanato – Always oppressing without sympathy; the natural oppressive dhamma which we have it. Saṅkhatato – Oppress by tanha with conditioning. We have to look after the body all the time for survival, and also with jobs as a living. Protecting for it when it’s cold or hot, from mosquitoes bite, washing the face, brushing teeth, going to the toilet, bathing, etc. by conditioning it in many ways.

We support it for the whole day and by feeding. Are you not tired about it? What are you gaining from it? Nothing! You get only aging, sickness and death. You benefit nothing from it. You have to look after it for the whole time doing this and that. All these things are sankhatato conditioning and making adjustments. It’s quite a suffering. Santapato – Always burning with the fire of kilesas. What’ll happen tomorrow we don’t know? Everyday after waking up we’re worrying for our wives and children (including for oneself and there are many things to talk about it.)

We are always in the state of worries and concerns. With worry and concern for our livelihoods. In the whole world because of these worries and concerns that new dukkhas, are arising successively. With the attaining of the khandhas and the whole world is burning with the fire of defilements. (If we observe and contemplate today world situations things are becoming worse and worse. Over greed, hatred and delusion that human beings develop unsustainable economics, science and technology, etc.)

You must see the fault of the khandhas. Viparinamato – Oppressing by changing. Everyday the khandha is moving towards ageing, sickness and death. You can’t make it not getting old. There are many diseases. Some are unable to cure, new and strange diseases are arising. When we were young never heard about cancers, AIDS, etc. Still now we can’t overcome malaria disease. We’re worrying about these things. Why we’re alive? It’s not wrong, if you say just for suffering.

Why we’re here? For sufferings and living with sufferings. We can’t make dukkha not to arise that learn how to live with it. For example, we’re struggling and competing with other passengers in riding public buses. What’s the affection of it if you’re in this kind of life? Do you want it again if you see the faults of this khandha? Why do you want this khandha? Because you don’t see the faults. If you see it and you don’t want it.


For an example, a woman had a son. The son grown up and fell in love with a girl in the village. Then the mother forbade him by saying, “Son, you shouldn’t love this girl.” Do you think he would accept it? After not succeeded and she told him, “Son, I’ll not say again. But tomorrow is full-moon day. The moon is bright and beautiful. At night if you go to her, don’t come back, wait and see what’ll happen!” Then the time arrived, at 11 p.m the girl asked him to leave. He responded to her; “I’ll not go home tonight.” and embracing her tightly.

At 12 a.m midnight a rounded thing shot out instantly from his bosom. When he looked up and it was the girl’s head. It was called witch bright (direct translation of the Burmese words.) In reality she was a witch. He didn’t dare to get up, instead in the state of fright and trembling. He had to embrace her body and waiting there. In the early morning it went back to normal again.

The next night the mother asked him; “My son, do you want to go again tonight?” the mother asked him because seeing his unhappy face. His answer was; “Oh! No, I’ll never go again.” Why he responded like this? Because he saw the great fault of her. If it’s you old guys and will go back again. Because you don’t see the fault of it. (referred to the audience.) Weariness and disenchantment of the khandhas means, seeing the faults of the khandhas with knowledge. Development is practicing to see its faults. Only seeing it as dukkha that you’ll become weary of it.

Your weariness even become not wanting to practice. Mind and body become tired of it. Even though you don’t want to contemplate it still have to contemplate. At last become; “Esa maggo visuddhiya – it’s the path to purify.” With the purified mind and magga arises. The mind not purify is because of ditthi (wrong view). After ditthi falls off and magga arises. The whole time you’re struggling with the practice means how much clever ditthi is. It’s sticking with you in many different ways. For example, a strange thing happens and you don’t contemplate and the mind is following with it.


Therefore the most important point is stabilizing your sati. If something happens without sati and ditthi is sticking with the mind. You must not concern for the khandha. The purification of knowledge is magga – Ñānadassanavisuddhi. I’ll talk about the arising of magga. But don’t expect for it to arise. I’m only wanting you to know how it happens. It’s something like the whole burning body of dukkha sacca instantly falls away. Or like a light which instantly go out. If it’s slowly ceasing or reducing, then it’s not magga. It’s happening within a second.

How quick it is, even sometimes you don’t know it? You don’t have time to think about it. It’s akaliko – giving the result without delay. After the Path Knowledge arises and instantly follow with 2 fruition cittas. (Someone with keen faculties follow with 3 fruition cittas.) The fruition cittas are enjoying the result of magga citta. This kind of experience you have never been enjoyed in the world. It’s supramundane – lokuttara and within a second. Just only think and this kind of thing happens again.

I’m not saying you have to believe it. It’s true or not you can be tested. You have to show me by entering the fruition state. Some yogis don’t have anything for contemplation and it’s peaceful. With this don’t make a decision yet. With the peacefulness and it’s like a statue. Have to make a resolution before entering the fruition state. If you make a resolution for an hour time and like a statue for an hour. You don’t need to check it with the clock. After opening the eyes and it’s exactly an hour. Not in accordance with these 2 points, then not the Path Knowledge.

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Nalorakk
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Day 17: 2nd November, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:09

Day 17: 2nd November, 2002

It’s important to think about that today we’re closer to the top of the mountain, and have to practice hard. The retreat will finish tomorrow and could I attain the Dhamma? Is it possible for me? All these thoughts can come in. If it comes in have to be aware that it’s ditthi. I’m talking a lot on ditthi and the yogis become in confusion. Then you may ask; “Ven. Can’t we free from ditthi?”

Yesterday a lay woman said to me; “Ven. Sir, shouldn’t we battle with it for winning?” Why should you battle for winning? It’s wanting for success. What is wanting? Wanting is greed – lobha. Then I told to her; “Don’t want to win and also don’t want to lose.” Middle way means stay away from the 2 extremes. In the Dhammapada, the Buddha said about not winning and not losing.

Then how should we do it? Have to practice become someone abandons winning and losing because both of them have the self view. Because the winner can have danger. You’ll think of when he’ll fight me back. And the loser has stress. Someone abandons both is happy. At that time the mind can be in the state of imbalance (i.e., with the extremes), and samadhi decreases. Climb to the top in a normal way and you’ll arrive there. If you stop or slow down and will not arrive there.

Ledi Sayadawgyi had said before, you just soaked the beans in the water and when the time was ripe it would expand (i.e., a type of large bean common in Burma). In the world all the phenomena have their times. You plant a mango tree and want it to bear fruits tomorrow is impossible. In the winter wanting it to bear fruits also impossible. It’ll bear fruits in the summer time. Performing our tasks also in the same way. It’ll finish when the time is ripe.

There was a Hindu story. A gardener domesticated a monkey at home. One day he had a business to go somewhere and instructed the monkey; “I have planted some small plants. You need to water them to take roots.” The monkey was intelligent and watering the small plants everyday. After watered them for sometimes, came back to pulled them out to check the roots. And then planted them back into the soil.

If the monkey did it like that the plants would never take roots. The Buddha and Sayadawgyi (i.e., Mogok Sayadaw) had said that the yogis should do like someone rubbing 2 pieces of bamboos to get fire. After rubbing for sometimes become tired but the fire still not coming out yet. So I’ll rest for awhile. Here also you’re working hard and still not seeing Nibbāna yet. We’re tired now and should have a rest.

After rejuvenate our strength and continue it. Now, I already have heard some voices like this from you. If I don’t get it now and will continue with this together in the future. It shows the sign of low spirits. During the time of rubbing the bamboos for fire and become tired, then resting for a while and continue will never get the fire. Therefore whatever it may be, wanting to get the fire has to continuously rub the bamboos from the beginning to the end until it comes out.


Sayadawgyi said of arriving to the knowledge of disenchantment would know the uselessness of the khandha and would you want it again (i.e., disgusting and useless – without essence). Not wanting is the most important point. By getting the khandhas, bones were piling up like mountains. I want to talk about myself. Compare with you all I’m very unlucky. Because I was living among wrong views and doctrines (these were God based religions, western and eastern philosophies and other worldly knowledges) until my 35 years of age (see the introduction).

Most of my past lives were born as Buddhists, even not an ordinary one. Instead I was serving for the benefits of the Buddha Sāsana (such as Buddhist kings). But not became a stream enterer before (i.e., sotāpanna) that in this life was born into the parents of without the Sāsana. If you were born by Muslim parents and also became a Muslim. You did not have any chance and choice for selections. I tried to become a Buddhist from the time I had the knowledge about Buddhism.

Only at the age of 35 that I became a Buddhist. At the time of making this decision still not a true Buddhist yet and only in name. Every year in the university I filled my application forms as no religions. (Here he continued to talk about his early life as a Buddhist and got lost in wrong teachings of worldly sects, such as tantra, mantra, and occult practices.) I took myself as a bodhisatta and not practiced vipassanā. A bodhisatta (as a real one) must have completed with the following 8 factors.

[These are:
1. A human being.
2. A male.
3. In this life he must mature with the paramis of becoming an arahant.
4. Encountered with a living Buddha (for the prophecy).
5. With the status of a hermit or a monk.
6. Completed with abhiññā (supernormal powers).
7. Making a very difficult offering (giving up his own life for it).
8. A strong desire of becoming a Buddha.]

it’s only right as a human and a male for me. I don’t have other qualities; such as encountered a Buddha and had his prophecy before. I had made myself as a bodhisatta with conceit and craziness (most people are self style bodhisattas). At the time when I made the decision of practicing vipassanā, my age was near 50.


Luckily I did the practice. And when I was discerning impermanence suffered greatly for 3 times. This was near the arising of the knowledge of disenchantment. At that time I didn’t know Mogok Sayadaw’s teaching yet. But I did know the nature of how knowledges happened. It seemed like bitten by 9 poisonous snakes, and I was very frightened. Enough was enough, and I didn’t want to become a Buddha anymore.

At once I put down my desire of becoming a future Buddha. Having this severe and miserable khandha and I didn’t want to become a Buddha. Even this kind of khandha I didn’t want it for another life. I would fight with it to the end. My mind changed in to this direction. The description about baṅgañānam – the knowledge of dissolution and bhayañānam – the knowledge of fearful were the whole body falling apart like sand grains. So I was waiting for it to happen. But what I experienced was like this.

A very sharp pointed iron rod which was firing into red hot. It seemed like with this red hot sharp pointed rod poking in between the big toe and the other toe. It was burning, hot and sharp sensations. With one poking and burst into flames. It was happening for the whole day. It was internal combustion. I went to the teacher and reported about it; “You told us before that it was like sand grains fallen apart. But I was burning with fire.” The teacher gave me the answer; “Yogis are not the same nature.

Some are leading by air element, some fire element and some earth element, etc. So there are different yogis. The elements have 7 types of nature.” Later I knew these things gradually.

(The teacher was talking about the common experience in the practice. there was a book on samatha/vipassanā practice by one of the Saya Thetgyi’s disciples. It was “Ditthadhamma Vipassanā” and a clear explanation about the experiences of insight development, based from the suttas, commentaries, Ledi’s Dipanis and yogis’ experiences.)

Later U Ko Lay was approaching to me. (U Ko Lay was a former vice-chancellor of Mandalay University and a disciple of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.) He said to me; “U Sun Lwin, you’ll realize the Dhamma. This Dhamma had been confirmed practically before. But don’t talk with other.” At that time I was doing walking meditation. I didn’t reply to him because I had already made the resolution of noble silence. And then I did the practice without any deviation from the instruction.

My insight knowledges were changing progressively. At that time I didn’t know anything about dispelling wrong views. (Not studied Mogok Sayadaw’s dhamma talks yet.) But I did know about dispelling ditthi with the practice. I had put down my desire of becoming a Buddha. If I didn’t get this khandha again was good enough for me.


And then arriving to the knowledge of equanimity towards formation (saṅkhārupekkhañāṇaṃ). I knew that my knowledge was changing. There were some Dhamma Quotations pasted in the meditation centre. One of them was; “Don’t concern about it; with the concerning and it’ll be slanted and overturned.” (The Dhamma Quotations seemed to be based on the sutta: “Bowl of Oil” in the Satipatthānasaṃytta. A death sentenced prisoner carried a bowl of oil filled to the brim.

He had to pass between the crowd and the most beautiful girl of the land who danced and sung exquisitely. If the prisoner was becoming restless and the oil bowl would be slanted, his head would be chopped off. Because an executioner was following behind him with a sword. If the prisoner had passed the crowd without spilling of any oil and he was free.) I didn’t understand them. If you’re arriving to the last stage have to be equanimous or indifferent to the formations (saṅkhāra dhamma).

Don’t want to be in winning and losing, but to be in equanimity. If not ditthi will stick with you. We’re not free from ditthi for our whole lives. We’re suffered from ditthi. It’s our companion from young ages. From births parents were starting to teach us. They’re our first teachers. They’re teachers teaching you to stick with ditthi. I’m not blaming the parents. In accordance with the culture they have to be in this way. This is your father, mother, grandpa, grandma, etc.

By giving names and become you and me. If I’m calling your name and will turn around and looking at me. Even it’s the same name and you’ll turn around. It’s not easy to change the whole process. We are in conditioning and it becomes a habit. We are making it to become a habitual tendency. The Russian psychologist Dr. Pavalov said that human beings were exercising themselves from the conscious mind into unconscious mind. For example, type-writing, playing piano, etc.

With learning and practicing, at last no need to do it carefully or mindfully and it becomes automatic. In the world all we learn are for doing in this way, changing the conscious into unconscious mind. This is the way of worldlings. The way of the Buddha was doing everything knowingly and mindfully. This is not an easy way, making the conditioning into deconditioning. Is it not become conditioned by doing it again and again?


Dr. Pavalov did an experiment about it. In the morning he placed a plate of foods near a dog, and bound it with a chain for not reaching the foods. After ringing the bell and put the plate of foods in front of it. And then only the dog had the chance to eat the foods. Next day fed the dog in this way for sometimes. At last he rang the bell and not gave foods to the dog.

Even the dog not seeing the foods and its saliva were dripping off. We’re making the conditioning in the reverse way. We’re practicing satipatthāna for changing the unconscious mind into conscious mind. Before ditthi stuck with us was not knowing clearly. So we need to contemplate with sati. Mogok Sayadaw said that without the middle way couldn’t realize Dhamma. In reality only after dispelled ditthi is on the middle way. (This point is very important for all Buddhists, especially for practicing yogis.)

Practicing in the extreme way will not realize the Dhamma. It’s self-mortification – atta-kilamathā-nuyogo. Another way is; I’ll realize the Dhamma, so following one’s desire in the practice. When in the difficult situations and wanting to give up. Enough now! I’ll try it again in next time. If you’re giving up, then this is following your desire. It’s the easy way – kāma-sukhallikānuyogo.
You have to practice in the middle way. It’s equanimity – upekkha. You’re seeing anicca, dukkha and anatta. How to pay attention to (or) contemplate it? This also not to do for a long period of time. Now instantly ditthi falls off and instantly magga arises (Path Knowledge).


The lay man came yesterday night was upasaka U Myint Htoo. In my whole life of propagating the Dhamma I had never seen a yogi suffered more than him. At the time of near realization his under feet were like cutting open with the razor blades. He informed me, “Ven. It’s so painful that my tears were falling down with the pain.” He was a teacher at a Mogok Vipassanā Centre. (As a teacher himself and not realized the Dhamma yet.)

He had been practiced for a long time, so lay down his conceit when came to me for the practice. He made a decision of during the practice, if the teacher was saying as white colour and it would be white colour. (i.e., have confidence in the teacher. This point is very important for yogi who practices under a teacher.) I would do it whatever the teacher told me.

Only after making this determination and came to me for the practice. (He had made the right decision. There was an interesting incident between Sariputta and his former teacher Sañjaya Belatthaputta. After he and Mahā Moggallana became stream winner (sotāpannas) and they went to see Sañjaya. They requested him together became the disciples of the Buddha. He rejected by asking them as, in the world which types of people were more between the wise and the fool. Sariputta gave the answer of more foolish people than wise. So Sañjaya told him not to worry for him of no followers.

Because more fools would come to him and only a few would go to samana Gotama.) When he was suffered very badly and I asked him to have a rest. And then he asked me; “Ven. Do you know my spiritual faculties?” It wasn’t, and only I wanted him to have a rest. Not because I had this knowledge on faculties. At that time it appeared in my mind like this that asking him to rest. (Ven. Ānanda also practicing very hard and his spiritual faculties were in the state of imbalance.

He wanted to lie down mindfully and had the realization between the process.) Without the practice having a rest made him uneasy. But he continued with the contemplation by lying down. He was practicing after the dhamma talk at 7 p.m and nothing had happened. So it was better for him to sleep. It was between 10 and 11 p.m. From lying down with his back and he turned to the right side. I told them before that yogis should lie down on the right side. But he wanted to turn to the left side.

During turning the body from the right to the left side, as soon as his left side body was touching the floor and magga arose. (The Path Knowledge.) Therefore realization of Dhamma is not just by sitting. When you let go of yourself and it can happen. It could be possible within a second. Wanting to attain the Dhamma, let me die with the practice is including lobha and dosa states of mind. With the practice has to be indifferent or equanimous to the situations. Attainment or non-attainment is not our matters. Our task is practicing rightly.

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
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Day 18: 3rd November, 2002

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-14, 14:10

Day 18: 3rd November, 2002

Today is arriving to the last day. Let me give you the 5 precepts today. Because after arrive back home and you can take your dinner. So it’s not the observance day precepts (i.e., the 8 precepts). It’s the last day and the mind becomes restless. You may think I would not realize it. Even this state of mind was arising yesterday to some yogis. If I don’t get it this time and next time I’ll do it again.

This is wrong thinking. The period you have from the morning until mid-day is very important. You only don’t know about it but the Dhamma develops regularly by itself. Here the point is, it still not arriving to the level it should be or turning point. In Mogok Sayadaw’s talks anubodha ñāna was like this or that nature when it arrives to this level.

These kinds of knowledge taught by teachers. (There are 2 knowledges, anubodha ñāna and pativeda ñāna or insight knowledges and the Path Knowledge.) Without listening Dhamma talks you can’t do the practice. People want to practice at my centre have to listen or study my Dhamma lectures on Dependent Origination (Paticcasamupada). These were 7 days lectures.

The knowledge comes from these are called ñāta-pariññā – fundamental knowledge with full understanding. (These are; knowledge about mind and matter, and the knowledge of cause and effect. In vipassanā practice there are 3 stages of full understanding. Ñāta-pariññā – knowing their natural characteristics – sabhava lakkhanas. Tirana-pariññā – understanding with one’s own decision.

Knowing with the 3 characteristics, as insight knowledges: sammasana ñāna and udayabbaya ñāṇa. Pahana-pariññā – knowing with gradual abandoning, as insight knowledges: from baṅga ñāṇa onwards.) All these lectures explained what was Dependent Origination, what were khandhas – groups of aggregates, āyatana – sense bases, etc. Talks were giving in details for 7 days with 14 talks.

(For all Buddhists to have these intellectual knowledges are important as a true Buddhist, if not just in names only. Mogok Sayadaw used it as suññatā dhammas.)

With these talks khandha paticcasamupada processes are in the yogis’ minds. Mogok Meditation Centres are also teaching these things. But here I talk more widely and in details. Here, we have to use these knowledges. First, dispelling ditthi by listening to Dhamma talks. After that during the practice to use them here. (This point is even more important for someone without a teacher or stay away from a teacher during the practice.)


First, working with to get the sacca ñāṇa. This is called anubodha ñāna. It’s practicing with the knowledge gain from a teacher. I had been a teacher in the university before. In university there are curriculums, different courses of study which are directions and how to do it with them in each level. There are 3 parts, here in our practice. The first part is satipatthāna–to develop a strong mindfulness (sati).

We had been worked for 7 days with samādhi. What happened among the yogis? Some not practiced properly that not arrived to the level it needed. They didn’t arrive to the levels of upacāra and ekaggatā samādhi (access and one-pointedness of samādhi).

After 7 days, we have to change for the development of insight. I have laid down the programme in this way; after this and that etc. If the yogis within the 7 days not attaining the samādhi by practicing loosely, then only wasting times without samādhi. These yogis will encounter difficulties in the practice onward. For a meditation retreat the yogis should prepare himself for it. Someone came here with other encouragement and practiced without the yogi standard couldn’t realize the Dhamma.

This point is very important. Yogi must behave like a yogi. Therefore the yogi took it as not important and practiced loosely. Yogi has to live alone with one mind. Must live alone without companions and looking for a quiet place. Where can you find it in Rangoon? Therefore don’t talk with others. In the past ages hermits and sages renounced the world for this purpose.

The yogi must practice with the supreme effort (sammappathāna) and with the spirit of without giving up. I was thinking about the differences between someone could attain the Dhamma and someone not. I found out a significant point. The one could realize Dhamma put his mind in the practice for the whole time. Every time if he had problems, came and asked me. It was seriousness in the practice. He had the desire (chanda) of using his whole mind and body in the practice. They had very strong interest in the practice. Therefore they were easy to realize the Dhamma.


In this retreat I have strong expectation, because seeing some yogis with their mature spiritual faculties. Yesterday already one person had appeared for the goal. This is the first time organized retreat in Rangoon. I have been worried that it wouldn’t go well. Yesterday with the success of a yogi and it was worthy for it. Now, the time still we have is valuable. It doesn’t need a lot of time for the Path and Fruit Knowledges to arise. If the time is right and instantly within a second.

Only we don’t know when it’ll arise that have to practice continuously. We must practice with anubodha ñāna. You must follow exactly what the teacher has said. Must have strong faith (confident in the Dhamma) and good health. With the practice we found out that yogis’ healths were becoming better. (Buddhists had many records on these cases. Because of the bojjhaṅga – factors of enlightenment or purification of the mind, the body illness come from the mind or kammic illness can be cured.) We didn’t find people became unhealthy.

Practicing with straightforward mind is also important. You shouldn’t lie yourself and others. Don’t say which is not happening as it happens. During the interviews not deceive the teacher (most importantly for oneself). Practicing diligently all days and nights and the mind has to be in the practice. With these factors will discern impermanence. (Mogok Sayadaw made it as some Dhamma verses for yogis. He said if a yogi developed these 5 factors would realize Dhamma.)

Within 10 days you’ll discern impermanence. (Maybe this is one of the reasons Sayagyi UBa Khin started the 10 days retreat at his centre.) And then a female devotee (upasika) came and asked me; “Ven. Could we discern impermanence?” I told her; “I promise, you can do it. But I can’t promise you for the disenchantment of impermanence and its ending.” (i.e., nibbida ñāṇa and the Path Knowledge.) Discerning impermanence is call cūla-sotāpanna.

The doors to woeful planes are closed for one life time. This is a state of a 3 rooted person. (Born with 3 wholesome roots – non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion.) Before I had arranged 10 days retreats and only found one yogi had the attainment. After the yogis were discerning impermanence, 10 days had come to an end. They didn’t have the chances and times to follow for disenchantment and its ending. Then we’ll try for 18 days (such as now here).

If we can’t have the results and then for 27 days. With the arrangements for 18 days and found 2 or 3 yogis had the results. At one time even found 15 yogis at my centre in Taunggnoo. Someone with sharp knowledge (wisdom faculty) and can be practiced like a genuine yogi will realize it. It’s impossible for all the yogis.


For yogis still not get the results, this time is very important. With the maturity of the anubodha ñāna and pativeda ñāṇa arises. The yogis have to practice like rubbing 2 pieces of bamboos. What are the differences between anubodha and pativeda ñāṇas? Anubodha ñāṇa has 2 points. In theory there are a lot to say. This khandha is inconstant. You have to discern impermanence. This is not me and mine.

What did the engineer who came yesterday and said to me? He said to me; “I’m contemplating but don’t believe in impermanence, inconstant anicca.” This is the nature of someone couldn’t realize Dhamma. He was growing up all the times with the stable constant nicca. And then I gave him an example; “Today you’re getting older than yesterday.” “Are they the same, between the khandha of today and the khandha of yesterday?”

He answered that it couldn’t be the same. If, it was not the same, then there were a lot of impermanence arising and passing away between yesterday and today. During the practice he couldn’t see it. But thinking with knowledge he could see it. I asked him again; “Now, you’re sitting here. What happen to the floor and the khandha? Are they at a stand-still?”

He answered that they were at a standstill. I told him; “They are not in a standstill and moving with the earth. Can’t you see it?” “Yes, I am” “But you couldn’t see it with the eyes. So look at it with knowledge. Which one is more right?”

He answered that looking with knowledge is more right. These are the things blocking your way. Climbing up to the 2nd level is dukkha sacca (the truth of dukkha). In the khandha only dukkha exists. I had seen yogis oppressed by air element (vāyo dhātu). You only see the movements of the air element and not as oppression by them. In the khandha, there are stiffness, tension, pain, etc.

Many kinds of oppression arise. Is it suffering or happiness? It’s suffering. Do you see it? No! I don’t see it. Why don’t you see it? It’s good to ask this question. You had been taught to live with dukkha in your life. There are a lot of economic difficulties and problems in Burma (i.e., from 1962 onward). But still you know how to live with it. Because you had been taught about dukkha sacca. Therefore with these attachments, even encounter with dukkha and don’t know to resist it. Khandha only shows you one thing. Whatever arises is dukkha.


The lay man U Myint Htoo, his under feet were like cutting open with razor blades. Every time he practiced and it happened to him. Who knows! What he had been done in his past lives? Is it good to feel it? Is it not suffering? Sometimes a yogi’s head was hitting the floor with bang! bang! by the air element. It was oppressing the yogi. The oppressive dhamma is its original nature. Having it and you have been oppressed by it. We don’t have yogis with water element here (āpo dhātu).

There was a Shan woman practicing with standing meditation and all the urines fell out. Her whole body was wet with sweats. All the liquid came out from the body. (Shan State is in N.E of Burma and known as Thai Yai in Thailand.) Khandha only shows you one thing which is dukkha. It’s impermanent, dukkha and not-self (anicca, dukkha and anatta), actually they are one.

How does anubodha ñāṇa change into pativeda ñāṇa? There is knowing it with penetration. How to know it with penetration? Making a decision with your own knowledge as truly dukkha and completely believe in it. During the practice you feel pains and aches and may think it as dukkha. After you take it off and not think in that way anymore. So you have been like this before and now (also in the future).

Never can convince you that it’s dukkha. At the time when you penetrate it as truly dukkha and ceases with a blip! Why the Path Knowledge not arises? Because anubodha ñāna is not mature yet. First, the factors of enlightenment arise (i.e., bojjhaṅga dhammas). And then the spiritual faculties (indriya) become mature. After that it becomes powers (bala).

We have to make it strong for leading to the Path Knowledge. Early before your knowledge came from the teacher. Now, you know it by yourself. You’re still wanting because not disenchanting with it. The reason is you don’t believe in dukkha. If you have confidence in it as truly dukkha, then ditthi falls off and the Path Knowledge arises.

Why you have been so long in saṁsāra? Because you’re concerning for the khandha. Whatever you’re feeding the khandha and at last it becomes useless. This mouth is wasting the money which you have been earned. (The Ven. told the story of Mandalay U Gyaw and an old beggar. U Gyaw was a rich man in Mandalay and a contemporary of Ledi Sayadaw. His name was mentioned in Ledi Sayadaw’s biography.

One day an old beggar was passing by his house. He invited him in and served with delicious foods. After finished and asked him how he felt about the foods. The old beggar’s answer was; “I don’t know it’s good or not. But what I know is whatever good or bad, become excrements are the same.” Human beings are wasting their times, energies and natural resources for sensual pleasures. The outcomes are natural disasters and many problems in societies.)

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