Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 4

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 4-10

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-27, 13:45

[10] The Six Oceans of Māgandiya
25th December 1960, 5th to 8th September 1961

T1
[The Buddha compared the 6 sense-doors with the 6 oceans which never overflowed or human beings never fulfilled their desire. The oceans can be dry up when the world comes to an end. But living beings desire never dry up & it can be only by the Noble Eightfold Path. Māgandiya Brahmin disagreed with the Buddha because the Buddha cut off desire.

His view was increasing desire. But the Buddha said that he cut off desire & found the real happiness (i.e, Nibbāna) was incomparable by the sensual pleasure. We can contemplate sensual pleasure as real dukkha. Even these momentary pleasure are not easy to come by and only with hard works.]

The eye looking at forms and never enough for it. The ear hearing the voice of son & daughter and never enough for them etc. Therefore the 6 sensual doors are like the 6 oceans. You can’t never fill them in full.

Filling them is only one person. By filling it until you die. But the eye door never enough for it, and you are overcome by tiredness. By filling them & at last end up in the coffin.

The monks asked the Buddha, “What is called the ocean?” The Buddha answered that the water in the natural ocean could be dry up when the 6 suns came out. But the kilesa water from your 6 sense-doors would be never dry up. Busy by filling is not only one’s own 6 oceans but there are also extra oceans have to be filled. (i.e, family members).

Their leader is tanhā. It’s like a blind man filling a pot with holes in it. Tanhā hole is very wide so can’t never fill it. (Sayadaw told the Māgandiya’s story) Māgandiya brahmin quoted his view from their ancient text to oppose the Buddha’s view.

The Buddha had seen the real happiness of Nibbāna & not indulged in the desire & attachment of sensuality. These are inferior dhammas. People are still can’t find anything better than that, & in craziness for them. Still can’t find the real happiness & take these as the real things. And take the SUFFERING as the HAPPINESS.


T2
[Sayadaw said saṁsāra should be taken the khandha as arising & passing away moment to moment continually. This is a more practical in sense. Past is only a memory, so can’t do anything about it. The beginning of saṁsāra is khandha. The ending of saṁsāra is the ending of khandha. So the present saṁsāra is more important. From here can cut off the future saṁsāra or to continue.

The Buddha stayed at Kuru State. After the old Māgandiya brahmin became an arahant & one day the Buddha went to the fire place of Bharadvaja brahmin He sat on the grass near him for a few days. So the brahmin was looked after the sitting place properly. One day the old Māgandiya’s nephew young Māgandiya had a walk & came to his friend Bharadvaja’s place.

He saw the sitting place very clean & tidy that asked him who sitting place it was. After he heard the name of the Buddha & said that it was unlucky for him to see the Gautama’s sitting place. Bharadvaja asked him why? Because he cut off worldly affairs was the answer. Bharadvaja said to him that he should not say in this way, & Gautama was worshipped by many.

Māgandiya retorted as if he met the Buddha would say the same thing to him. From far away the Buddha heard their conservations with the divine ear. He came to their place & said directly to Māgandiya about their conversations.

Māgandiya was shocked by what he heard from the Buddha. Then the Buddha explained his way of practice to cut off worldly desire. By observing whatever arising from the 6 sense_doors, & tanhā is cutting off]

Connections of dukkha are saṁsāra. Cutting of dukkha is the stopping of saṁsāra Connection of mind-body processes are saṁsāra. Connections of khandha in a circle is saṁsāra. Don’t take saṁsāra with months & years. As example, you open your eyes & seeing arises.

This is the beginning of saṁsāra. It starts from the aggregate of consciousness. It will not wrong, if you take the beginning of saṁsāra as from the khandha. After the seeing & the next mind khandha of wanting mind arises. This is another saṁsāra.

Now, it’s already 2 saṁsāras. Saṁsāra becomes increasing. If it’s continuous and up to kamma, and Dependent Arising is completed. You’ll get the future birth. This is the extension of saṁsāra. After getting a new khandha and follow by ageing, sickness & death. This is also saṁsāra. From the seeing consciousness to kamma is present saṁsāra.

From birth onwards is future saṁsāra. The Buddha asked to cut off the present saṁsāra was to stop the future saṁsāra. Stopping the process of increasing, & saṁsāra will stop. From present saṁsāra to future saṁsāra is the increasing of saṁsāra (continued the Māgandiya story)

Māgandiya liked the increasing of desire. You all are the same. So you all are the relatives of Māgandiya. Not understanding of Dependent Arising & all are like him. From the point of truth people like the increasing of dukkha. With more increasing of dukkha is more falling of tears. More increasing of sorrow & lamentation will follow. It’s true to say that all of you are the relatives of Māgandiya and with his wrong view.

The Buddha taught to Māgandiya the above mentioned Dhamma. Every time of seeing, contemplate the impermanence of form becomes the path factors. This was the doctorine of the Buddha for the cutting off craving. Māgandiya doctorine was increasing of craving. Just seeing is a neutral mind & without any fault.

But by continuing the process has fault. Therefore stop the tanhā, upādāna & kamma arise by practice. With the contemplation is cutting off samudaya & dukkha. Māgandiya believed according to their text (It was misinterpretation by them). Others also have their own records. If all these are have differences will bring to arguments. Taking the khandha process is the right one.


T3
[ in the beginning Sayadaw gave instruction on how to listen Sacca Dhamma. If the monk talks on vedana the yogi should listen with the ear but the mind observes vedana. In this way during the talk discerns anicca, becomes nibbida nyan (knowledge of disenchantment) & magga nyan (path knowledge) successively. During magga nyan moment you can’t hear the talk anymore.

Sayadaw said no one realized Nibbāna just by listening only. However quick the enlightenment was more or less it needs to contemplate. Sayadaw encouraged his disciple practice diligently. He said the preacher & the listeners were moving toward death in moment to moment. So everyone could die at any time. If we die before the realization will miss the good chances.

Whoever observes anicca at this moment he was wise & not foolish. Should not determine wise & fool with concept. Determine with the moments to moment practice. (In the later period of 1961 to 1962 Sayadaw gave talk usually based on strong saṁvega, urging & encouraging his disciples practiced diligently without wasting time. Sayadaw mentioned on death very often in his talks. He knew the time of his death a long time ago.)

Moment to moment time concept is very important to yogis or Buddhists because reality & experiences are moment. Practice, doing merits, realization etc. all actions are momentary. In each moment without practice we are influent by avijjā & tanhā & then towards jati or birth of misery. By practice with each moment influence by sati & paññā, and then towards Nibbāna.

The Buddha said to Māgandiya that he knew sensual pleasure very well as a prince & enjoyed the highest sensual pleasure, & awared of it empty nature. So he gave it up, led a homeless life for the real happiness, & realized Nibbāna. The Buddha used simile to compare sensual pleasure & Nibbāna.

Human sensual pleasure were nothing, if compare to heavenly pleasures (Here Sayadaw gave the analogy of a hungry dog eating human excrement which are very common in poor countries. But for human this view is very disgusting).

Another example was a man infested by leprosy had to scratch the itchy sensation & sometimes used the heat of fire to alleviate it. After curing the disease he will never close to the heat of fire anymore]


If the khandha is talking about impermanence to you during the talk, and you get the yathābhūta nyan. At that moments your ears are hearing the talk & also the mind observes the khandha with seeing impermanence & identity view falls away. The Dhamma is talking to you & the mind appreciates it. After that come disenchantment to the khandha, the mind develops & wants to free from it.

Tanhā becomes thinner that develops to this knowledge. By continuous observing the impermanence of the khandha and it comes to an end. At that time you can’t hear the talk & the mind inclining towards Nibbāna. In the time of the Buddha some people realized Nibbāna by listening talks & at the same time observing the khandha. Without knowing these, people think it as just by listening. It didn’t happen just by listening.

Give an example, if you are observing a carcass of a dog for some period of time. It is becoming slowly bloated & livid with various worms & eaten by vultures. Later you’ll find its disappearance. Here also the same it’s becoming clear with the developing knowledge. Our only concern is for the continuation of the knowledge.

At the same time to see Nibbāna & kilesa dies out. In this way during the time of the Buddha became sotāpana to arahant. After the talks they didn’t want to leave but wanted to report their experiences to the Buddha. I am urging you very often to practice hard is death can come to you at any time. If you are still not discerning anicca is the time of a fool.


By discerning anicca is the time of the wise. The time of the wise & the fool are decided by time moment. Without attention can’t see impermanence is living with ignorance. Therefore it’s foolishness. If you discern it, so it’s wise. The fool goes to the plane of misery. The wise goes to the blissful plane (sugati) & Nibbāna. Death is also momentary.

If another moment not arises then it’s death. Nibbāna is also in the moment. If kilesa not arise in the next moment, then it’s Nibbāna. Therefore 7 years old novices were arrived to Nibbāna. It’s not only for the grown up. To make these decisions. By cutting of Dependent Arising is wise & not cutting off is foolish. After this mind & next mind not arises is dead.

After this mind & a foolish mind arises is living with a foolish life. But with the wholesome mind arises is living with a wise life. When a hell being was arriving in hell & questioning by Yama, king of the Hell. The questions were connection with the Dependent Arising. They were suffered in hell accordingly by the decision of the dhamma, which they had commited.

(Continued Māgandiya’s story) Every dhamma arises no contemplation is the increasing of dedilements. With contemplation is cutting off it. All the dhammas arising from the 6 sense-doors are in these processes. Sound sleep is unconscious mind which is life-continuum mind (bhavanga-citta).

You can’t sleep is active mind (javana citta) & a lot of thinking going on. Whatever mind state arise contemplate its impermanence. (The Buddha told about his bodhisatta life with sensual pleasure).

Sensual pleasures are increasing desire. You are taking pleasure in family life & wealth is not seeing Nibbāna. The Buddha said if you really see Nibbāna & you would not taking pleasure in them. It was like the differences between worldly pleasure & heavenly pleasure. Another one is when a human seeing a dog eating excrement becomes disgust with it. In the same way practice to have right view.

If you take pleasure in your own things still not have right view. Next example was a man had leprosy. If you are in pleasure with your family & wealth is like a leper. Wanting to go near a pit of glowing embers. After curing the disease doesn’t want to go near the heat anymore.


T4
[The way of Māgandiya’s tradition was the continuation of Dependent Arising. That is; contact ->feeling->craving->clinging->action. The Buddha’s way was the cutting off Dependent Arising. That is; ­contact ceases -> feeling ceases-> craving ceases-> clinging ceases->action ceases.

Sayadaw gave a very good example the differences between sensual pleasure & Nibbāna peace. The rich man Visākha after became an anagamin (non-returner) not interested in his beautiful wife Dhammadina & wealth. We are always get lost in unreal things because of the kilesas. (Continued the Māgandiya’s story from T3) After cured of his leprosy, 2 strong men grasped this man & forcefully pushed him near the fire again.

But he would reject it. Ordinary people are like this because of their kilesa disease take impermanence as permanence, dukkha as sukha, not-self as self, not beautiful as beautiful, & get lost in sensual pleasure. These are like fire & burning, but take it as cool & pleasant. In some discourses the Buddha compared the body with disease. Now he was free from kilesa disease & a real happy person.

Then the Buddha recited these verses: “Arogyaṁ paramaṁ labhaṁ……….. Nibbānaṁ paramuṁ sukhaṁ” “Health is the best fortune …….. Nibbāna is the foremost happiness, and the Noble Eightfold Path is the best way.”

Māgandiya requested the Buddha to show him the way to real happiness. But the Buddha said to him that he was born with blindness, So, must cure his vision first & then could show him the way.]

(In the beginning Sayadaw made a very important point) The Buddha with the 5 great sacrifices fulfilled his paramis (perfections for Buddhahood) were not for Nibbāna. (Offered his life, bodily parts, great wealth, wife & children) If he wanted it he would get it at the time of the Buddha Dipenkara as the hermit Sumedha. It was only for the living beings.

Therefore we should respect & show gratitude for his great compassion & love with diligent practice. In the Mahā-suññāta Sutta the Buddha mentioned to Ānanda, “Ānanda engage with me in friendliness & not in opposition what I have admonished & have faith & follow accordingly with it.”

Therefore don’t show disrespect & in-gratitude to the Buddha. Before we fall into hell, correct out mistakes & practice hard (Sayadaw mentioned the 2 different ways of Dependent Arising) Cutting off the increasing of craving by not letting tanhā, upādana & kamma arise. The dying of craving is the death of papanca dhamma (tanhā, māna & dithi)


Before seeing the real Dhamma & we are tortured by the fake dhamma (i.e Nibbāna & worldly dhamma). If you try hard & see the real one; “Do you want the fake one?” Seeing the real one & don’t want the fake is natural. If you see the real Nibbāna will not want the family members & wealth.

Do you still happy at home after become a non-returner? (Sayadaw gave the example of Visākha as the point for overcame sensual pleasure). Torture by the fake one is increasing craving & will arrive to the plane of misery.

Thinking of living together with family member & wealth bring coolness is a kind of craziness. Most of you think, arriving at a cool place like the Dhamma Hall is not for you all. But arriving at a hot place after going back home is cool for you. All have strange disease. It’s over crazy, crazy disease. Fire is a natural heat.

Only a crazy person is going near a pit of glowing embers. A person with inversion will go near it. Therefore the Buddha taught us to contemplate the khandha as disease, sore etc. if you still not see impermanence is a double blind person.


T5
[Continued the above talk to the verses which the Buddha recited to Māgandiya. The Pali verses were handing down from the past Buddha until to the time of Gautama Buddha & preserved in the Brahmin tradition. But they were using it for the worldly ceremonies.

The Buddha’s instruction to Māgandiya had 3 points;
① Approaching a teacher for instruction,
② Listening to the Sacca Dhamma,
③ Practice the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.

In all these points, the 3rd is the most important one. Sayadaw explained on practice the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma as seeing reality as it’s, & will lead to Nibbāna. In Pali is Dhammanu_dhamma patipatti.

The mind knows the reality of what really exist in the khandha. (According to Sayadaw it’s the nature of anicca or the 3 universal characteristics). It opens up the Dhamma Eye. Then ignorance become knowing or knowledge.

The knowledge of eye (ñāñā cakkhu) is opening up. Living beings were born with blindness & die with blindness in saṁsāra, & never had been seen the light of Dhamma. Saṁsāra is like the prison of darkness. Revolving in saṁsāra is like changing prison to prison. And never find peace & real happiness.

Sayadaw said that in the beginning of the practice manodvāra pasāda-mind door sensitivity is not clear & bright. Therefore seeing annica is not very clear & intermittent. And with the continuous diligent practice becomes clearer & brighter and discerning more & more.]

First, you discern the impermanence of the khandha. After that comes the disenchantment of the impermanence of the khandha. Later knowing the khandha as truth of dukkha & developing to the point of not wanting it. At last all the disenchanted khandha are disappeared. With all the disappearance; “Are there still any pain & discomfort like the disease & sore exist?” Without any of these is Nibbāna.

The Buddha also taught in this way. All these impermanence were originally existing. We can’t see them because of greed, hatred & delusion. Also not follow to the ending of them that can’t arrive to Nibbāna. The Buddha taught it existed within the 2 armed-length khandha.

After if you can’t find the body and will arrive there. Making yourself to clear about this point by practice. It existed, so the Buddha taught about it. Before it arises the mind (nyan) is staying straight with the impermanence.

After that the mind (ñāña) is staying straight with no impermanence. No impermanence is Nibbāna. (Sayadaw in many of his talks was using language skillfully in many ways to explain the Dhamma)

Knowing this is Path knowledge. Only the one who practices will see it. All of your duties is following up to the end of impermanence. Don’t ask for something which can’t be given (by prayers & vows).

You have to get it only by practice. If you don’t get Nibbāna only will get dukkha. The gatha (verses) on Nibbāna was reciting by the brahmins for good fortune. If you still don’t know the reality of the khandha is wasting your times among the blind people. The real existence is impermanence but your knowing are my son, my daughter etc… If you know the reality then ignorance becomes knowledge.

Āloko udapādi; _light appears. If someone dies without getting the light is the corpse of a blind. Our grandparents & parents were also died in this way. In next life will fall from a cliff because moving like a blind person. Whatever realms of existence you are in it’s only a prison. You must afraid of dying without getting any light for your both eyes.

With continuous practice the mind is becoming clearer. Later mind sensitivity (mano pasāda) & the knowing mind will fit in together. When this comes & become a person with light. The dying of the blind will take rebirth accordingly to the arrangement of kammas. A person is gaining light can take rebirth accordingly to his desire.

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Nalorakk
文章: 418
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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 4-11

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-27, 14:06

[11] Tanhā the Tailor
29th December 1960

[Near the end of the talk Sayadaw made a very interesting point on the existence of Nibbānic element. His logic was simple by using the 4 Noble Truth & their functions in the direct experiences of yogis. From these points we can know what Nibbāna is.]

The Buddha taught on how a Dhamma preacher mind should be in teaching to people.
① May they be well & can listen to this talk.
② With metta in mind, may they understand what I have to talk.
③ May they can practice accordingly after understanding of the Dhamma.

If a monk possesses these 3 states of mind & teaching to people is a good teaching. From your side is after listening to the talk, practice & better become a stream-enterer (sotāpanna) to arahant. I will listen to the talk; try to understand it & practice for the realization of the highest level. You must have the aspiration to achieve the highest level.

If you underestimate yourself then will achieve the lower level. Aspire to achieve the middle & higher levels which you can achieve accordingly. There were some evidences of existing stories. The Buddha always encouraged to the monks for the achievement of highest levels to end dukkha. (Sayadaw told the story of Ven. Nandaka for this talk.) Nandaka was very well known in teaching by using similes & examples in the time of the Buddha.

Yesterday I had explained some of the similes by him. In the body has 6 sense-doors sensitivities (pasāda rūpa). Outside has 6 sense-objects. We take these things as me & mine. In between, tanhā is connecting them, and joining the sense-objects & sense-doors.

Tanhā is the cause of dukkha (Samudaya sacca). Its existence is the cause of suffering. You must cut it off with the knife of path factors. In this way it can’t connect the inside & outside that samudaya sacca dies out. The 2 dukkhas cease & Nibbāna appears.


The monks taught 500 bhikkhunis before Nandaka, but no one had the realization. Because they had the desire for Nandaka’s talk. Nandaka & the bhikkhunis were having kammic links for many lives time. He gave the simile of a dead cow. The cow body like the internal bases (ajjhattā āyatanā) & the hide outside like external bases (bahiddhā āyatanā).

Skin muscles, connective tissues & attachments in between are like tanhā. In the same way in practice must cut off tanhā with the knife of bojjhanga or magganga (factors of awakening or factors of the path).

They asked him how to contemplate & cut it off? He asked them in the following way.
“Is form permanent or impermanent?”
“It’s impermanent, ven. Sir.”

“It’s impermanent, dukkha or sukha?”
“It’ s dukkha, ven. Sir.”

“If so, can you say this is mine, this I am, & this is myself?”
“It’s not, ven. Sir.”

“In the same way the eye, ….. etc. Contemplate the impermanence of the both sides.
When it is cutting off, it is tanhā which connecting them in the middle. In this case impermanence still has any bodily form?”
“No, ven. Sir.”

“Without it can tanhā connect them?”
“No, ven. Sir.”

Tanhā can exist only by connecting them. Can’t connect, then it ceases to exist. By contemplation of mind & body & tanhā dies away. Because it cut off the phenomena which tanhā is connecting them. Tanhā can exist by connecting the internal & external. By contemplation of impermanence ditthi & tanhā die out. The knife is like magganga or bojjhanga.

Practice hard with right effort (sammā-vāyāma). Hold the knife & cut it off. Don’t leave it there, only with the hand of right effort & by holding the knife of right view that tanhā will cut off. In the 5 path factors; mindfulness (sati) effort (viriya) & concentration (samādhi) are the hand & right view (sammā sitthi), right intention (sammā_sankappa) are the knife.

You can’t do it by prayers. You can’t cut it with the mouth (These 2 points are practicing by most Buddhists in the later period of Buddhism). Without tanhā arises clinging, action & birth are cutting off. If you practice with one of the satipatthāna and will be succeeded Tanhā connects to all the 5 khandhas. Therefore if you contemplate one of them tanhā dies out.


In the Dependent Arising; connecting death & birth are craving, clinging & action. Death is dukkha & birth is dukkha. Sense-objects & sense-doors are also truth of dukkha. In practice don’t forget the dictum, “Be mindful, put effort to contemplate with wisdom.” Whatever dhamma arises be mindful of it & contemplate persistently with wisdom. Impermanence is dukkha sacca, contemplation is magga sacca & the death of tanhā is samudaya sacca.

In the 4 Noble Truths if dukkha & samudaya die out only nirodha & magga are leaving behind or the peacefulness & knowingness are leaving behind. Therefore, nothing exists in Nibbāna is impossible (some Buddists & non-Buddists take Nibbāna as nothingness). During his life an arahant has nirodha & magga or peace & knowing (He can stay in fruition state if he wishes).

After he put down his burdened khandha & no magga khandha anymore (After an arahant passed away). But the peaceful happiness (santi sukha) of Nibbāna is leaving behind or undying is leaving behind. Staying with happiness is Nibbāna. (Sayadaw continued to the end of Nandaka’s story).

All the bhikkhunis realized the Dhamma respectively according to their aspirations. This story testified this point. There are 4 piles of excrements (kilesas). If any one of them left over still not good yet. Therefore you have to clean out all of them.

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Nalorakk
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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 4-12

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-27, 14:30

[12] How to Open Your Eye?
(30th December 1960, 30th May to 1st June 1961)

[The following 4 talks were based on the Indriya-bhāvanā Sutta, Majjima Nikāya, the development of the Faculties, Sutta NO.152.]

T1
I am worrying of you as living a negligent life. Should have a reliance with you. Without it will encounter dukkha. (These were the words the Buddha reminded the monks in the sutta of Anguttara Nikāya) The Buddha reminded us to rely on impermanence, because it ended Dukkha. He mentioned 8 kinds of reliance & the last one was impermanence.

If you contemplate all the ending of impermanence & will get the knowledge of ending dukkha. Take reliance on the 2 knowledges of seeing impermanence & the ending of it (i.e, Yathābhūta Nyan & Magga Nyan). During on the journey of life and dying moment you need to rely on it. At near death with contemplation can become a stream-enterer to an arahat. (There were a few stories at the time of the Buddha, for example-Ven. Phegguna).

Even the Buddha had to rely on impermanence. If you enter the fruition state (phala samāpatti) have to start from impermanence. I will talk on how to see thing is the true reliance. On seeing hateful things and become angry. On seeing affectionate things and become greedy. On seeing neither hateful nor affectionate things and become deluded.

These are during the time of opening your eyes. How to use the 6 sense faculties without harm? Don’t observe the outside objects but instead observe what is arising in the heart. Seeing is the cause & the arising dhamma in the heart is the result. This is the resultant phenomenon (paticcasamupana dhamma). It is gross & compounded phenomenon (Sankhata dhamma). Contemplate the arising phenomenon as compounded.


After contemplation, it’s not there. Every greed, anger & delusion arise contemplate in this way. All of their non-existings are similar. As impermanence they are the same. The path factors are seeing it. All the knowings (knowledges) are seeing the non-existings (i.e, vanishing or disappearing). Seeing all the arising dhammas as impermanence in series. These are not an ordinary thing.

It is vipassanupekkha nyan (equanimity of insight). You contemplate all of them with equanimity, & not seeing as greed, anger & delusion. This is true development of faculties. Continue with the contemplation & arrive to the knowledge of equanimity towards formations (sankharupekkha ñāna). After that it is the Path Knowledge.


In this way by using the 6 sense faculties is without harm. It’s easy to practice also. You have to practice until it becomes your own nature. The Buddha said that whoever practiced & became natural, then it was easy like closing & opening your eyes. If you can practice up to this point, & it becomes a true reliance (He continued to talk about the dying moments by seeing anicca as mentioned in the Aṅguttara Nikāya).

In these 3 knowledges (i.e, vipassanupekkha nyan, sankharupekkha nyan & magga nyan); if you die with the vipassanupekkha nyan or sankharupekkha nyan & after arriving to the heavenly realm become a stream-enterer. If you don’t rely on insight knowledge what will happen? If you die with greed, anger & delusion will arrive to peta, hell & animal realms.


T2
[In the beginning Sayadaw mentioned the important, & also interesting about the power of Dhamma. Listening to the Dhamma carefully, make effort to remember them, & then put into practice. In this way Dhamma can be enshrined in the mind and body becomes a Dhamma Cetiya (shrine). It will protect the yogi from dangers & difficulties.

The examples were, the Buddha’s Conquest of the 8 Adversities (see the Jaya-mangala-attha-gāthā). The Buddha after his enlightenment was looking for someone who he could take on refuge. But he never found anyone who could be excellent than him in sīla, samādhi & paññā. He became a Buddha by the Dhamma. So he took the Dhamma, the 4 Noble Truths as a refuge & teacher.

The Brahma God Sahampati agreed with him because the past Buddhas were also doing the same thing before (This point is very important, because these episodes showed that there was no Creator God & Creation existed in the whole Cosmos).

All living beings because of their wholesome & unwholesome dhammas or kammas are travelling in the round of existence. Sayadaw taught his disciples how to contemplate the Dhamma Buddha or Nyan Buddha & not the physical Buddha. Have to penetrate to the Dhamma Buddha.


So, we must rely on wholesome dhamma, especially the supramurdane Dhamma (lokuttara Dhamma). Because of our wholesome dhammas of the past, now we meet the Buddha’s Dhamma which is the most difficult to come by. Therefore, we must use this chance fully to go up higher & higher to transcend Dukkha & not for going downwards]


The Buddha taught the Dhamma from external. Whoever listening with the above mentioned 3 ways, then the Dhamma will enshrine in our body (There are always 2 causes; i.e, external & internal causes effect every living beings.

The most important one is the internal one). Path factors are the Dhamma Ceti. Why the Buddha became the great conqueror of the 8 adversities? Because his khandha became a Dhamma Ceti.

The physical Buddha didn’t know anything. Only the Nyan Buddha knew it. Therefore, when we are performing puja (devotional practices) must reaching to the internal knowledge Buddha. Becomes a stream-enterer (sotāpanna) also not the body, but the Path Knowledge. You came to this human life was sending by the dhamma.

There are 2 kinds of dhamma; right & wrong dhammas (sammā-dhamma & micchā-dhamma) or the 8 right path factors (sammā-magganga) & the 8 wrong path factors (micchā-magganga). Close the doors to the planes of misery are also dhamma. It does not need to teach people for the dhammas which send them to the planes of misery. Everyone has done it & can do it.

The 3 cariyas of the Buddha were; for his benefit, for the benefit of his relatives, & for the benefit of living beings that he had to fulfilled his perfections (paramis). It’s very important of able to distinguish between friends & foes. (Recounted the story of Sodeyya Brahman on this point).

I am warning you all not to shun away from the salvation of the Dhamma. Dhamma sent you here & you are completed with the five rarities (i.e, Encountering the teachings of the Buddha, a teacher who can teach the sacca Dhamma, understanding of it, etc…)


You only need to go upwardly for ending dukkha. But if you don’t respect the Dhamma & going downward is not proper. (continued the Indriya-bhavana Sutta) Now is the time for us to always living together with Dhamma which will save us from the whole saṁsāra. When seeing a form; can become joy (somanassa) or displeasure (domanassa) or neither joy nor displeasure (upekkha). With an object can become 3 states of mind.

If no salvation of Dhamma comes in dukkha will continue to arise. Because of the 3 types of feeling, Dependent Arising will continue in the beginning, middle & the end (see the 12 links of Dependent Arising; pleasant feeling in the middle, unpleasant feeling in the end & neutral feeling in the beginning.


Living being are always going down stream & never up stream. After his enlightenment, the Buddha saw this point. Therefore he became disappointed to teach them. I’ll show you some insight contemplations. From the 3 types of feelings; if one of them is arising & contemplate as it’s the resultant phenomenon arising by causes.

In this way the view of a person, a being is falling away. Contemplate it as arising & passing away. In this way the 3 types of feeling are becoming a series of equanimity of insight (vipassanupekkha nyan).


T3
[Sayadaw told the story of the sutta: on one occasion the Buddha was staying among the Kajjangalas (People of the Kajjangala Village) in the Bamboo Grove. During a Dhamma talk he asked the young brahmin Uttara, how his teacher Pārāsivi brahmin taught & trained on the 6 sense faculties.

He replied that by closing the eyes, ears…. etc, & no defilements arose. Then the Buddha responded by saying as followed. Then, in this way people were born blind & deaf already no defilements. Uttara became silent by the words of the Buddha. However, nobody can close the mind door. Therefore the Buddha gave a talk on how to restrain the sense faculties.

Whatever arises from the 6 sense doors; e.g feeling arises (sukha, dukkha or upekkha) observe their annica & it becomes upekkha. They are conditioning by causes. These are kilesa & coarse, & the result of the causes. Whatever arises is sakhārā – conditioned thing.

By seeing anicca becomes upekkha & called sankhārupekkhā (not react to sankhara as like or dislike). It’s very quickly leading to sankhārupekkha nyan (knowledge of equanimity towards formations which is close to the Path knowledge (magga nyan).]


(Sayadaw described the practice from hearing) From the 6 sense doors let whatever arises. But the important thing is can be let the contemplating knowledge comes in to know it. Whatever arising in the body is coarse, so that you know it.

First, you have to know it from behind as it is arising by causes (the arising dhamma). Second, after this contemplation, the arising dhamma is not there anymore (that becomes the passing away dhamma). First is arising & second is passing away.

[(Special note: In 18th November 1956, Sayadaw gave a talk on insight meditation by way of vitakka (thought) & vicāra (examination). Here is extract from some of them)]


Vitakka is thinking or thought, & vicāra is all round examination. The Buddha taught the first jhana with vitakka & vicāra and also the path factors with it.

Today I will talk about its implementation (here he used vedana of the 6 sense-doors). Whatever feelings are arising from the 6 sense doors & think about it as, what it is? After that examine the feeling as it exists or not. This is vicāra or examination. If you use vitakka & vicāra in this way you see feeling & also its impermanence.

For example, you see something with the eye & don’t know what it is, then there is no vitakka & vicāra. Someone who has thinking & examination get the path factors. The thinking of I-ness or identity view is falling away. Thinking is vatakka & examination is vicāra. Knowing of the non-existing is paññā. Therefore every time you open your eyes must have seeing with thinking & examination.

The dissolution of phenomenon is useless (feeling or any sankhara dhamma). The uselessness is the truth of dukkha (in some of his talks Sayadaw explained dukkha as disgusting & useless; Duk-disgusting, Kha-useless). If you are in thinking & examination will know the truth of dukkha.

Disappearing is death. Death is arriving at dukkha. If you are thinking & examining in this way even hell fire will be extinguished. Even no need to mention about sorrow, lamentation & suffering in the heart]


(continued from the main talk) ① is arising dhamma, & ② is passing away dhamma. In this way greed, hatred & delusion dhmmas can’t follow from behind. Is this difficult for you? Every time dhamma arises is by cause, & have to know it as not there.

If you ask what is Nibbāna? It’s the cutting off Dependent Arising in the beginning, in the middle & in the end sections. Whichever section is cutting off, then it’s Nibbāna. Every time a dhamma arises, if you can contemplate its impermanence and not becomes lobha, dosa & moha dhammas.

Because these are only impermanent. All these impermanent dhammas are arising in series. So it’s called vipassanupekkha. If a being falls into hell will receive double increments. Because the hell being is suffering in hell that always in the state of displeasure (domanassa).

Therefore, it is not easy to talk about the lifespan in hell. (This is one of the reasons that hell beings don’t have a definite life span. Sayadaw mentioned it for his listeners. It reminded them for practicing diligently to end suffering in hell).


T4
The Budhha taught this sutta for vipassanā practice was it could become the most quickest & effective way. In the time of the Buddha there were also many practiced for insight & gave wrong teachings. (continued the story of the Sutta) How do you close the mind door of muddy kilesas? Even may be you can close the other 5 doors.

The Buddha taught the ariyan way of development of the faculties. Thoughts from the mind door create greed, hatred & delusion. Let it be arisen. Only with the arising dhamma, there will be an object for contemplation. For a dead person he has nothing to contemplate. It’s important to contemplate the arising dhamma. Where are birth, ageing & death, the truth of dukkha come from?

If you trace the reverse order of the Dependent Arising process (the 12 links) & will find out that it came from craving (tanhā).

[ craving <- clinging <- action <- birth, ageing & death.]


It arises from the thinking of the mind door. Thought arises from the mind object (dhamma arom) & mind door (mano dvāra). The arising cause is called paticcasamupada & the arising result is called paticcasamupana. The arising dhamma is coarse & the cause of thinking.

It is compounded dhamma (sankhata dhamma). If you know it as a compounded dhamma, then including anicca in it. You know it arising because it’s coarse. And when you contemplate (think about) it’s not there. You know the arising & passing away of the compounded dhamma (sankhata dhamma). In the place of greed you only discern impermanence. This contemplation is called vipassanupekkha nyan.

Therefore anicca is close to Nibbāna. Because its nature is similar to sankhārupekkha nyan. Therefore the harmlessness of sense faculties is depending on contemplation. In talking about the way to Nibbāna by using long method, and it becomes long. By short method, it becomes short.

In short, it only exists as; ① impermanence and, ② the ending of impermanence.

Analyzing by truth it is only dukkha saca & nirodha sacca (impermanence is dukkha & the ending of it is nirodha. (In some suttas the Buddha himself expressed his teachings as he only taught dukkha & the ending of dukkha, in the past, present & future. All the Buddhas were/will the same. Any teaching not ending for dukkha is not the Buddha’s teachings).

Analyzing by knowledge (nyan), only vipassanā nyan & magga nyan (insight knowledge & path knowledge) or the knowledge seeing impermanence & the knowledge seeing the cessation of impermanence. In this case the 10 insight knowledges & the 16 insight knowledges are right or-wrong? These are also right. These were the insight knowledges of Ven. Sariputta’s great wisdom. These are long in given names, but in the real process is not long.


Insight knowledge kills the coarse defilement & path knowledge kills the refine one (anusaya-latent one). In the time of the Buddha there were many examples of getting enlightenments within a sitting (mostly listening talks). These were happening because of the short knowledge. If impermanence ceases, dukkha & kilesa are also ceased.

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

Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 4-13

文章 Nalorakk » 2018-12-27, 14:40

[13] The Road Map to Nibbāna
6th January 1961 & 19th to 20th September 1961

[ the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove. After the Rain Retreat some monks from the native land of the Buddha visited him. He asked them who was their teacher. They answered that he was Punna Mantaniputta (Mantani’s son). How he taught them?

Punna taught them as an exampler. He taught what himself had practiced. The Buddha praised him. At that time Ven. Sāriputta was near & wanted to meet him. After this occasion, the Buddha went to Sāvatthi. Sometimes later Punna went to Sāvatthi & paid respect to the Buddha. One of Ven. Sāriputta’s disciple came to him & gave the news.

After exchanged words with the Buddha, Punna left for the Andarana Forest for the day’s abiding. Sāriputta followed him from a distance. Both of them stayed at some distances apart & entered into Phalasamāpatti (staying in the fruition state). Both of them came out from it in the eveing. And then Sāriputta approached him & asked questions.

Qs & As were as follow:
Q1 Do you learn the teaching from the Buddha for sila practice (silavisuddhi)?
A: Punna’s answer- not for it.

Q2 For samādhi practice (cittavisuddhi)?
no

Q3 For right view(Ditthivisuddhi)
no

Q4 For overcoming doubt (kankhāvitarana- visuddhi)?
no

Q5 For discerning impermanence (maggā maggañānadassana visuddhi)?
no

Q6 For the knowledge from Bhanga Nyan (knowledge of the dissolution) to Gotrabhu Nyan (knowledge of the change of lineage)These are called-Purification of the way (patipadāñānadassana visuddhi)? The answer was: no
Q7 For the Path Knowledge (maggañānadassana visuddhi)?
no

Q8: So, for what purpose you are practicing the Dhamma.
A: Only for the sake of Nibbāna. And then Sāriputta said to Punna; “Let me continue to ask you.”


1 By silā practice can realize Nibbāna?
No, if possible all worldlings (puthujjana) will realize it.
From ② to ⑦ , also asked in this way. He answered all of them in negative.

Because all of them were sankhata dhamma (conditioned Dhamma) & not Nibbāna which was asankhata Dhamma (Unconditioned phenomenon). Sāriputta praised him. Punna gave an analogy for the 7 purification processes. King Pasenadi Kosala from Sāvatthi wanted to go to Sāketa, 700 miles far away (The mileage was not mentioned in the sutta.

Sayadaw used it only for a clear explanation. Most monks used the sutta teachings exactly mentioned in the suttas words by words in Pali & translate into their own language, & with explanation. But he was different, only used the points & facts for teaching. His talks were only for practical purpose).

The king’s servants arranged chariots for him to change after each 100 miles. After he arrived Sāketa by the last 7th chariot came down from it & entered Sāketa. In this analogy, the 1st chariot was sīla & the last 7th was magga.]


According to the purification (visuddhi) there are 7 stages. By vipassanā process; seeing impermanence, become disenchantment & ending of impermanence. Why I have to give this talk because I am afraid that you have the mistaken contenments (There are a lot of food for thought in this remark. Most Buddhists only satisfy with making merits & observing sīla).

The knowledge of seeing Nibbāna is the knowledge of purification (i.e the 7th stage). Path knowledge is also impermanence and it’s not Nibbāna yet. It’s still not asankhata dhamma (unconditioned dhamma). I am asking you to contemplate the impermanence of the knowledge, because they are also impermanent.

So that you know they are also sankhata dhamma. All the 7 dhammas (7 stages) are only the way to Nibbāna. They themselves are not Nibbānic Element. Only you have overcome your doubt should contemplate impermanence (Practice from 4th to 5th stage)

(This is one of the reasons why Sayadaw asked disciples to give up wrong view & overcoming doubt before insight practice were from the sutta teachings & evidences. For this point he always emphasized the teaching of Dependent Arising).

If you discern impermanence don’t give up. After thoroughly penetrate dukkha you are on the 7th chariot. Path knowledge is still impermanent. After you come down from it and arrive Nibbāna. These 7 stages are functioning process.


T2
[In the beginning for 30 minutes Sayadaw talked about the danger & cleverness of tanhā. Punna was foremost in giving Dhamma talks, & enlightened people. Ananda had entered the stream by him. He taught people by his own examples, such as few wishes & contentment, etc.

Enter & stay in Phalasamāpatti could prolong one’s life & delay the time of death. (The Buddha during his last 3 months in life very sick & in this way waited his last disciple Subhadda).

Buddists practice for the ending of upādāna dhamma. If people can realize Nibbāna by samatha then all the Brahma gods will be in that group. Purification by view can be possible with a teacher’s explanation. For overcoming doubt & discovering impermanence can possible by the help of a good teacher. Even Path & Fruition Knowledges are not Nibbāna, still within the province of conditioned dhamma of impermanence.

Punna rejected all the 7 stages of purifications because still these were not the Nibbānic Element where all the clinging dhammas were ceased. Entered into the fruition attainment is also inclining towards Nibbāna. Fruition state of minds are continuously arising & vanishing. Nibbāna is always exists & without impermanence.]


People who are making prayers for this & that lives are called lustful hedonists. If you go back home have to battle in war, because it controls by a crazy person (referred to tanhā). If you can’t conquer tanhā & see it, will never realize Nibbāna. If he comes in, you have to know it quickly. Punna was very good in giving Dhamma talks. Could teach people became stream enterer to non-returner.

He was praised by the Buddha & must be a great person. Phalasamāpatti means the knowledge (nyan) staying with the ending or cessation of dhkkha. It can expand the life span & delay the time of death. The questions & answers between Sāriputta & Punna was for the future generation to understand on practice. Punna answered that practicing was for Nibbāna. Sāriputta satisfied with his answers but continued to ask questions for more clarification.


With a good teacher we can know about the mind & body, also cause & effect dhammas (3rd &4th purifications). Seeing impermanence also with the help of a good teacher (the 5th purification). Path & Fruition Knowledges are sankhata dhammas & vanishing dhammas. Nibbāna can’t vanish, so asankhata dhamma. The mind of the path & Fruition knowledges are arising & vanishing. So they can’t be Nibbāna. Nibbāna is always exists. All the clingings are totally ceased in Nibbāna. Totally without any impermanence is Nibbāna.


T3
[In the beginning Sayadaw explained the 5 spiritual faculties & how to adjust them with Ananda’s last effort for arahantship. Viriya (persistence), samādhi (concentration), saddhā (faith) & paññā (wisdom) become imbalance create hindrance (nīvarana). Sayadaw said practiced diligently & no development means the faculties are becoming imbalance.

(continued the sutta) The 7 visuddhis are not Nibbāna. But they support each other successively; e.g sīla supports the development of samādhi. With samādhi has clear seeing & purified view. With purification of view overcomes doubt. After overcoming doubt can see impermanence by contemplation, & imperfection of insight (vipassanupakilesa) arises as aura of light (obasa) etc., (There are 10 of them).

Punna gave the 7 chariots as an analogy. The 7 chariots are the 7 visuddhis, Sāketa was Nibbāna & king Pasenadi was yogi. If you arrive at the knowledge of disenchantment become don’t want to contemplate & run away from it. But you must have to contemplate with patience. With continuous contemplation penetrates Dukkha & impermanence comes to an end.]


The ears listen to the talk & nyan (mind) turning towards the khandha. If you discern anicca, have the paramis to be here and can realize the Dhamma. Don’t think about paramis instead make a decision that you already have it. You already have it, but if you think you are not is a mistake. In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the Buddha mentioned 5 factors which referred to the completion of paramis (i.e, the 5 difficulties to encounter as mentioned before).

Therefore no need to looking back but only making effort for practice to complete it. The Buddha’s Teaching (Sāsāna) exits like a lightning in a raining dark night (we take it for granted & wasting time for useless things). Now, you are encountering with it that no need to doubt about your perfection. You only need for diligent practice.


(Sayadaw talked about the 5 spiritual faculties by using Ananda’s last struggle for enlightenment). He was practicing walking meditation by overexertion & not got the result. Because Samādhi was left behind. Without the help of a teacher & not practice rightly can’t get the result.

Over effort becomes restlessness (uddhacca) & over samādhi becomes torpor. Send your effort & samādhi in balance towards impermanence. Faith & wisdom need to be made balance. You must have the faith for realization. Over faith inclines towards affection. Our wisdom (intelligence) becomes cunning. Sending 4 of them in balance towards impermanence.


Mindfulness is never excessive like other dhammas. You must always has mindfulness. If all these 5 spiritual faculties are in balance, you will sure of getting the result. (e.g. in Ananda’s case). This is an important point. In practice making adjustment is important.


(continued the sutta) In fruition state the khandha still exists but the mind is inclining towards Nibbāna. Even Path Knowledge is impermanence and sankhata dhamma. Up to the Path Knowledge arise by conditioning. The fruition knowledge is also the same. A person with purified view is overcoming doubt. Without doubt can discern anicca.

The 7 visruddhis are helping each other in stages to Nibbāna. They themselves are not Nibbāna (gave the analogy of 7 chariots). I have been explained the mind/ body process, so you have been come down from the 3rd .

Everyday I explain the Dependent Arising and you have come down from the 4th also. You all are contemplating impermanence, so on the 5th chariot. If you are really becoming disenhantment to the impermanence of dukkha, then on the 6th chariot. If seeing the ending of it, on the 7th chariot. Some of you are already on the 6th.

Today I give this talk is let the yogis know themselves which chariot they are on. The chariot you are in, talking to you that Nibbāna is near or far away. The words Nibbāna far away is true to people who are not in practice. This is DEFILEMENT. It’s depending on the practice.

If you are disenchanting to the impermanent process, & the knowledge of not wanting, it will arise in short moments. If you are in the fruition knowledge then you are already stepping down from the 7th chariot, & entering the city of Sāketa, which is NIBBĀNA.

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