Part 8
[01] The Three Words
[02] Are You The Wise or The Fool?
[03] The Power of the Dhamma
[04] To Nibbāna without New Kammas
[05] Negligence and Suffering
[06] On Anatta
[07] Two Causes of No Realization
[08] With Tanhā & Māna To Nibbāna
[09] The Extension of Saṁsara
[10] With Kilesa Sap, No Real Happiness
[11] Unwise Attention and Prayers
[12] Truth is in the Khandha
[13] Nibbāna is The Foremost Happiness
[14] To has Compassion and Wisdom for Oneself
[15] About The Mind
[16] On Nibbāna
[17] Two Different Dhammas
[18] Two Knowledge of the Truth
[19] Right Association
[20] Important of knowing the Truth
[21] Answer to a Buddist
[22] Three steps to Nibbana
[23] Wrong View on Nibbāna
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-1
[01] The Three Worlds
15th to 21st February 1962
T1
All mundane matters (lokiya) are the world (loka). Supramundane element or dhamma (lokuttara) is the phenomenon outside of the world. There are nine lokuttara dhammas; 4 path knowledges, 4 Fruition Knowledges & Nibbāna.
The bhikkhus asked The Buddha; ‘‘What is the world?’’ The Buddha’s answer was the arising &passing away was the world. The worldly phenomena are encountering with the arising & passing away. They are not free from the arising & passing away. Supramundane dhamma transcends the worldly dhammas.
These are the 4 paths & the 4 Fruition Knowledges including Nibbāna as supramundane dhammas. But Nibbāna transcends loka. All worldlings don’t know that loka is dukkha. They don’t know the present dukkha & desire for the future dukkha.
Before when your businesses were going very well also dukkha. Not going well is separating from dukkha. When these worldly dhammas of anatta comes in & let you have the sense of urgency (saṁvega). And it’s reminding you to get out from the loka. Before you got the license was bodily dukkha (kayika dukkha because busy with greed).
Now, you don’t get it & have mental dukkha. Turning around with samudaya & dukkha are the matters of human beings. They take it as the economic development. These are the fire & fuels going on burning in turns. (This talk was given to a couple who were his close disciples & business people).
It made the Buddha didn’t has the chance to come in & teach people. These are the matters of the people don’t understand loka. You have to cut off loka means the loka process of the khandha. It means to get out from the sankhara loka(conditioned world) of the D.A process.
From ignorance to birth & death are the cycle of the world ( i-e, the 12 links of the D.A process. In this process only samudaya sacca & dukkha sacca exist. Only fire & fuel are going around with it. We build our own fire & burn ourselves. If we are free from the fire of greed & our tears will come out. Because we don’t get what we want. It doesn’t burn ourselves that tears come out.
If you are happy in the world, contemplate the impermenence of the happy mind. And craving & clinging will not arise. If you become disappointment; contemplate dosa. And it becomes the supramundane dhamma to transcend the world. With the samudaya & dukkha disappear & the cycle of the process also disappears. And then a clear thing appears.
The cycle of the processes are the turning around of samudaya & dukkha. Without the fuels & fire arise the clear thing appears. People are preferring of fuels & fire. Therefore, without them, its difficult to talk about & appreciate Nibbāna. Mundane Knowledge (vipassanā knowledges)
is clearing out things for peace. Supramundane knowledge (i-e Path Knowledge) is peaceful and without other things. People are taking things not peaceful as happiness that to talk about Nibbāna is very difficult. Someone is asking the question of if I am arriving to Nibbāna what kind of thing is with me there?
He doesn’t know the extinction of the fire and fuels. And not understand samudaya and dukkha, and take Nibbāna as nothing exists. People don’t understand the dukkha of the arising and vanishing of loka and reenter into the world. They never heard about the peace of the supramundane dhamma.
T2
The 6 sense doors are loka. In the Samyutta Nikāya, the Buddha taught as there was the arising of loka and the cessation of loka. The whole process of D.A is loka. For e.g, from the seeing consciousness (from the eye door) arises to the end of the D.A process are sorrow, lamentation, pain and grief. (the 12 links) The other sense doors also should understand in this way.
If phenomena have their arising and must have their cessation. From feeling(vedana) not follows to craving (tanhā), and loka nirodho (cessation of the world) starts from here. If craving ceases the world also ceases. No need to afraid of action(kamma). If craving ceases, there are no more good and bad actions. You all are expecting good kammas. Without kammas cease will never arrive to Nibbāna.
We have to let the causes of kammas which are craving and clinging to cease. You all like good kammas and not bad kammas. I exhort you of shouldn’t like both of them. Whatever kamma there is only birth arises. Birth is the truth of dukkha (dukkha sacca)and you should practice to make kammas cease. Vipassanā practice is the cessation of loka. Family businesses (concerning about family life, making money, etc) are the arising of loka.
There are the ways of upstream and downstream. You have to put a lot of effort to achieve the way of the upstream. Someone talking about the disappointment of loka is establishing the future loka. Someone afraid of loka is not like this. Disenchantment with loka is contemplating the impermanence of whatever arises from the 6 sense doors.
Dissapointment and disenchantment are different in these ways. Disappointment with loka is common saying and without practice. Living beings are running around in the loka. Their lokas will follow and oppress them. The old kammas follow and oppress you if you can’t run away from them. You can free from them only by transcending loka.
One’s own created loka of good and bad kammas oppress oneself. Even you are afraid of loka and don’t know how to run away will oppress by them. The person wants freedom has to discern loka. Contemplate until disenchantment with it. And then continue until to the end and will transcend loka.
T3
First, to know about the 3 worlds, satta loka is the world of living beings, such as human beings, animals, etc. (i-e, the 31 realms of existence). Okasa loka is; the natural world such as forests, mountains, earth, etc. Sankhara loka is mind and body phenomena which are arising and passing away moment to moment.
(Satta and okasa lokas are depending on this sankhara loka- the natural law. Without this natural law nothing can be existed, except Nibbāna. The Buddha knew these 3 worlds and so called him as lokavidu- Knower of the worlds-one of the 9 attributes of the Buddha.
The Buddha taught as any loka was not good. Sankhara loka is arising and vanishing. Okasa loka is destroyed by fire at the time of Doomsday. It’s functioning according to the natural law like a yearly cycle). As satta loka, human beings, animals, etc, all are born and die ( It’s going on and on, non-stop, except the Nibbāna element).
Therefore, all 3 lokas are truth of dukkha (dukkha sacca). So, don’t get the knowledge of knowing lokas that people are thinking as this and that loka may be good. Therefore, they want to change from here to there (So in human histories and religions, Buddhists or non- Buddhists created paradises without understanding these worlds).
If you really want to search for something and do it for transcending the loka. Everyone stays in loka will encounter the 8 worldly winds (i-e, gain and loss, status and disgrace, censure and praise, pain and pleasure).
T4
Whatever arises by conditioning is sankhara loka. Everything arises and passes away is the world (loka). Therefore, it’s in the province of dukkha sacca. Only get out from the conditioned world and cease from all lokas. In the Dhammasangani, the Buddha taught sankhata dhamma and asankhata dhamma- conditioned phenomena and unconditioned phenomenon.
These are; dhammas of arising and passing away and Nibbāna dhamma of not arising nor passing away. We have to get out from the sankhata dhamma. Mind and body are sankhata dhamma. The body arises by the conditioning of kamma, citta, utu and ahara. And mind arises by the conditioning of sense object and sense door.
Therefore I am asking you to do the vipassanā contemplation on the sankhata. Unwholesome, sankhata dhammas send beings to the planes of misery. And wholesome sankhata dhammas send beings to the planes of bliss. All sankhata dhammas are governing by ignorance. Avijjā paccaya sankhara – ignorance conditions volitional formation. And then consciousness arises. Here means birth consciousness.
It’s birth (jati) and the truth of dukkha. So, it can’t get out from sankhata. This is the birth dukkha of the people who don’t want to get out from sankhata. Living beings don’t know about loka and running in the loka. Only by knowing sankhata will arrive to asankhata Nibbāna. If not never can arrive there.
The Buddha never used asankhata as loka. Loka is perishable. Therefore, used it as asankhata dhamma. By observing sankhata and will see its vanishing. And then become disenchanted and not wanting of it. In this way and seeing Nibbāna. If not will not see it. Only by seeing sankhata and can appreciate asankhata. Sankhata are arising with conditioning by others but we take it as our own.
So, we do like it. After knowing it as not belong to us and not happen according to our desire. And also we knew that they are consumed by death. Therefore, start looking for the deathless and wanting to turn towards asankhata. The sankhata persom doesn’t has a permanent place. By prayers we got the things which are not always exist.
These prayers are the same meanings as let me become suffering and not happen to my own desire. (Sayadaw continued to talk the Subrahma Devata’s story) The devatas’ existences were conditioned by wholesome kammas (kusala sankhara) and it was destroyed by unwholesome kamma (akusala sankhara).
These 500 celestial nymphs died instantly and fell into hell. Now with pleasure and joy, later with sorrow and cry. This was the way of sankhata people. Subrahma deva was piercing by 2 dukkhas. He became sorrow for the deceased and painful for the waiting dukkha ahead.
He and the other 500 celestial nymphs were after 7 days would fall into hell. He had foreseen his destination in hell dukkha and certain about it. And later with the practice of vipassanā and ended the hell dukkha (Suhrahma deva and the 500 celestial nymphs went to see the Buddha, listened to his talk and all entered the stream.)
T5
If believe in satta loka exists and must know that we have wrong views. Not understanding of satta loka is sticking with wrong view. If you think human beings, celestial beings and brahma gods exist and it becomes wrong view. With this and the question must come up as, after a living being dies where he has gone.
It happens to you because of taking it as a living being. It’s the view of the eternalism (sassata ditthi). Between the 2 processes it seems never disappears. Put the wrong view in the D.A process and it’s with craving/tanhā(it was mahā tanhā – big craving, and mentioned by the Buddha in the Mahā-tanhāsankhaya Sutta of Majjima Nikāya). No living beings, but only dukkha sacca of the impermanent mind and body exist. If you are stopping at satta loka and wrong views arise.
For e.g, with your finger nail and scratches on your arm. Feeling (or sensation) and the knowing mind ( i-e, consciousness) arise here and vanish here. Do they move to anywhere?
(Sayadaw continued to tell the story of Anuradha). The wanderers asked Ven. Anuradha, ‘‘Does a being exist after death?’’ It was the same meaning as permanent. This was the question of the eternalist.
‘‘Does a being not exist after death?’’ This was the question of the annihilationist.
‘‘A being both exists and doesn’t exist after death’’ This was syncretic view. Ekacca sassata ditthi – partial eternalism.
‘‘A being neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death.’’ This was evasive skepticism – Amaravikkhepa ditthi.
This answered was only free from telling lie. The answer as exists can be wrong and does not exist also can be wrong. So someone gave the evasive answer. Ven. Anuradha answered to them as the Buddha didn’t teach in these ways. Anuradha thought that if they asked him more it would be quite difficult. So he himself had wrong views. He reported the incidence to the Buddha.
The Buddha questioned him; ‘‘Form (rūpa) is permanent or impermanent?’’
‘‘It’s impermanent, Ven. Sir.’’
‘‘Impermanent is sukka (happiness) or dukkha(suffering)?’’
‘‘It’s dukkha, Ven. Sir.’’
‘‘Dukkha is atta(self) or anatta(not-self)?’’
‘‘It’s anatta, Ven. Sir.’’
And then Anuradha entered the stream. He answered all these questions by contemplating his khandha.
The Buddha questioned him in this way for all the 5 khandhas one by one. After became a sotapaññā and the Buddha questioned him again.
‘‘ Except the form, is there any being or not?’’
‘‘Can’t take them as a being, Ven. Sir.’’
Only dukkha arises and dukkha censes and no living being there. If asking with a living being and don’t answer them. In the khandha only dukkha arises and dukkha ceases and no other thing exists. If you know it thoroughly will enter the stream. Only Knowing about satta loka is still not enough. To transcend satta loka have to be done with the practice. It’s sure that this can be possible only by discerning impermanence.
T6
Mind and body combine together is called satta loka(most beings have mind and body. But there are also beings with form only and mind only) Don’t understand satta loka and wrong views arise. Ditthi falls away is Nibbāna. So, stopping at satta loka and ditthi not falls away.
Before the practice, firstly have to dispel wrong views and doubt. (Sayadaw gave the reason with Ven. Anuradha’s story). Where is ditthi coming from? It is from the living beings’ khandhas.
If believing in living beings exist and it will arise as I am thin, I am fat, etc are talking about by looking at living beings. With the living beings disappear and nyan reaching to the khandhas and ditthi falls away. Have to penetrate the living being. Moving away from the living being and let nyan(knowledge) focus in the khandhas. Deceiving by the satta loka and many wrong views can arise.
The khandhas are covering up by the satta loka. Without the living being disappears, 3 kinds of D.A processes can arise. Taking note of these 2 points; 1. Have to know about satta loka and 2. Moving away from it. Don’t reject the conventional truth and let not stick with wrong views. Not knowing these things and not easy for practice.
I mention them because it’s important. Not understanding satta loka can fall into the planes of misery. Not knowing the ultimate reality (paramattha dhamma) will not realize the Path and Fruition Knowledges. I remind you to use them in the proper places.
By rejecting the satta loka with the view of no father and mother can commit the 5 heavy kammas. In this way it becomes the danger for the path knowledge. With the sila is breaking down and not getting the Path and Fruition Knowledges. With this khandha can develop wrong views and also Nibbāna.
T7
Knowing how to use satta loka rightly can arrive to blissful destinations (sugati). If not can arrive to woeful destinations (dugati).
① Only uncover satta loka and sankhara loka appears. Penetrate sankhara loka with knowledge and anicca appears. It’s in accordanace with the verse, sabbe sankhara anicca- all conditioned phenomena are impermanent.
② Sankhara loka combines with nyan become vipassanā.
③ The ending of sankhara loka combines with nyan become the Path Knowledge.
Today I teach 3 points(1,2&3). Most people can’t uncover satta loka and die (die with the perception of satta loka). The memories with sorrow for 3 years and 3 rains for the deceased persons or the loved ones are coming from not overcoming satta loka.
Some people put advertisements in the newspapers are the same meaning as we are going to the apāyas-woeful planes. (Because clinging with sorrow, lamentation, etc.) Even these the airs of taking pride in these rememberances. The saying of attending of a funeral is equal to 10 times to a monastery. It is right only if people can contemplate on anicca, dukkha and anatta with it.
If not every attending a funeral is trying to arrive the apāya (i-e, instead of dhamma contemplation with talking and socializing on worldly matters to each other). Atta ditthi (wrong view of self) comes from looking at the khandhas in wrong ways. I’ll teach you how to look at the khandhas.
When you are looking at the khandhas and knowing it as the conditioned form (rūpa sankhara), the conditioned feeling (vedana sankhara),etc. are arising. These are not man nor woman and only conditioned aggregates are arising. This is the right seeing. Then no satta loka appears.
The sankhara loka is teaching you as now it’s arising and now it’s passing away. You have to follow the sankhara loka up to the end. Only by seeing sankhara and will see anicca. Because the Buddha said that, sabbe sankhara anicca- all formations are impermenent.
If you want to arrive Nibbāna, remove satta loka and to find out the sankhara. And then observe its nature, and where it will end. You will see the arising and passing away. And then you have to follow its ending. If the impermanence of the dukkha ceases and seeing the ending of loka. The ending of loka is NIBBĀNA.
15th to 21st February 1962
T1
All mundane matters (lokiya) are the world (loka). Supramundane element or dhamma (lokuttara) is the phenomenon outside of the world. There are nine lokuttara dhammas; 4 path knowledges, 4 Fruition Knowledges & Nibbāna.
The bhikkhus asked The Buddha; ‘‘What is the world?’’ The Buddha’s answer was the arising &passing away was the world. The worldly phenomena are encountering with the arising & passing away. They are not free from the arising & passing away. Supramundane dhamma transcends the worldly dhammas.
These are the 4 paths & the 4 Fruition Knowledges including Nibbāna as supramundane dhammas. But Nibbāna transcends loka. All worldlings don’t know that loka is dukkha. They don’t know the present dukkha & desire for the future dukkha.
Before when your businesses were going very well also dukkha. Not going well is separating from dukkha. When these worldly dhammas of anatta comes in & let you have the sense of urgency (saṁvega). And it’s reminding you to get out from the loka. Before you got the license was bodily dukkha (kayika dukkha because busy with greed).
Now, you don’t get it & have mental dukkha. Turning around with samudaya & dukkha are the matters of human beings. They take it as the economic development. These are the fire & fuels going on burning in turns. (This talk was given to a couple who were his close disciples & business people).
It made the Buddha didn’t has the chance to come in & teach people. These are the matters of the people don’t understand loka. You have to cut off loka means the loka process of the khandha. It means to get out from the sankhara loka(conditioned world) of the D.A process.
From ignorance to birth & death are the cycle of the world ( i-e, the 12 links of the D.A process. In this process only samudaya sacca & dukkha sacca exist. Only fire & fuel are going around with it. We build our own fire & burn ourselves. If we are free from the fire of greed & our tears will come out. Because we don’t get what we want. It doesn’t burn ourselves that tears come out.
If you are happy in the world, contemplate the impermenence of the happy mind. And craving & clinging will not arise. If you become disappointment; contemplate dosa. And it becomes the supramundane dhamma to transcend the world. With the samudaya & dukkha disappear & the cycle of the process also disappears. And then a clear thing appears.
The cycle of the processes are the turning around of samudaya & dukkha. Without the fuels & fire arise the clear thing appears. People are preferring of fuels & fire. Therefore, without them, its difficult to talk about & appreciate Nibbāna. Mundane Knowledge (vipassanā knowledges)
is clearing out things for peace. Supramundane knowledge (i-e Path Knowledge) is peaceful and without other things. People are taking things not peaceful as happiness that to talk about Nibbāna is very difficult. Someone is asking the question of if I am arriving to Nibbāna what kind of thing is with me there?
He doesn’t know the extinction of the fire and fuels. And not understand samudaya and dukkha, and take Nibbāna as nothing exists. People don’t understand the dukkha of the arising and vanishing of loka and reenter into the world. They never heard about the peace of the supramundane dhamma.
T2
The 6 sense doors are loka. In the Samyutta Nikāya, the Buddha taught as there was the arising of loka and the cessation of loka. The whole process of D.A is loka. For e.g, from the seeing consciousness (from the eye door) arises to the end of the D.A process are sorrow, lamentation, pain and grief. (the 12 links) The other sense doors also should understand in this way.
If phenomena have their arising and must have their cessation. From feeling(vedana) not follows to craving (tanhā), and loka nirodho (cessation of the world) starts from here. If craving ceases the world also ceases. No need to afraid of action(kamma). If craving ceases, there are no more good and bad actions. You all are expecting good kammas. Without kammas cease will never arrive to Nibbāna.
We have to let the causes of kammas which are craving and clinging to cease. You all like good kammas and not bad kammas. I exhort you of shouldn’t like both of them. Whatever kamma there is only birth arises. Birth is the truth of dukkha (dukkha sacca)and you should practice to make kammas cease. Vipassanā practice is the cessation of loka. Family businesses (concerning about family life, making money, etc) are the arising of loka.
There are the ways of upstream and downstream. You have to put a lot of effort to achieve the way of the upstream. Someone talking about the disappointment of loka is establishing the future loka. Someone afraid of loka is not like this. Disenchantment with loka is contemplating the impermanence of whatever arises from the 6 sense doors.
Dissapointment and disenchantment are different in these ways. Disappointment with loka is common saying and without practice. Living beings are running around in the loka. Their lokas will follow and oppress them. The old kammas follow and oppress you if you can’t run away from them. You can free from them only by transcending loka.
One’s own created loka of good and bad kammas oppress oneself. Even you are afraid of loka and don’t know how to run away will oppress by them. The person wants freedom has to discern loka. Contemplate until disenchantment with it. And then continue until to the end and will transcend loka.
T3
First, to know about the 3 worlds, satta loka is the world of living beings, such as human beings, animals, etc. (i-e, the 31 realms of existence). Okasa loka is; the natural world such as forests, mountains, earth, etc. Sankhara loka is mind and body phenomena which are arising and passing away moment to moment.
(Satta and okasa lokas are depending on this sankhara loka- the natural law. Without this natural law nothing can be existed, except Nibbāna. The Buddha knew these 3 worlds and so called him as lokavidu- Knower of the worlds-one of the 9 attributes of the Buddha.
The Buddha taught as any loka was not good. Sankhara loka is arising and vanishing. Okasa loka is destroyed by fire at the time of Doomsday. It’s functioning according to the natural law like a yearly cycle). As satta loka, human beings, animals, etc, all are born and die ( It’s going on and on, non-stop, except the Nibbāna element).
Therefore, all 3 lokas are truth of dukkha (dukkha sacca). So, don’t get the knowledge of knowing lokas that people are thinking as this and that loka may be good. Therefore, they want to change from here to there (So in human histories and religions, Buddhists or non- Buddhists created paradises without understanding these worlds).
If you really want to search for something and do it for transcending the loka. Everyone stays in loka will encounter the 8 worldly winds (i-e, gain and loss, status and disgrace, censure and praise, pain and pleasure).
T4
Whatever arises by conditioning is sankhara loka. Everything arises and passes away is the world (loka). Therefore, it’s in the province of dukkha sacca. Only get out from the conditioned world and cease from all lokas. In the Dhammasangani, the Buddha taught sankhata dhamma and asankhata dhamma- conditioned phenomena and unconditioned phenomenon.
These are; dhammas of arising and passing away and Nibbāna dhamma of not arising nor passing away. We have to get out from the sankhata dhamma. Mind and body are sankhata dhamma. The body arises by the conditioning of kamma, citta, utu and ahara. And mind arises by the conditioning of sense object and sense door.
Therefore I am asking you to do the vipassanā contemplation on the sankhata. Unwholesome, sankhata dhammas send beings to the planes of misery. And wholesome sankhata dhammas send beings to the planes of bliss. All sankhata dhammas are governing by ignorance. Avijjā paccaya sankhara – ignorance conditions volitional formation. And then consciousness arises. Here means birth consciousness.
It’s birth (jati) and the truth of dukkha. So, it can’t get out from sankhata. This is the birth dukkha of the people who don’t want to get out from sankhata. Living beings don’t know about loka and running in the loka. Only by knowing sankhata will arrive to asankhata Nibbāna. If not never can arrive there.
The Buddha never used asankhata as loka. Loka is perishable. Therefore, used it as asankhata dhamma. By observing sankhata and will see its vanishing. And then become disenchanted and not wanting of it. In this way and seeing Nibbāna. If not will not see it. Only by seeing sankhata and can appreciate asankhata. Sankhata are arising with conditioning by others but we take it as our own.
So, we do like it. After knowing it as not belong to us and not happen according to our desire. And also we knew that they are consumed by death. Therefore, start looking for the deathless and wanting to turn towards asankhata. The sankhata persom doesn’t has a permanent place. By prayers we got the things which are not always exist.
These prayers are the same meanings as let me become suffering and not happen to my own desire. (Sayadaw continued to talk the Subrahma Devata’s story) The devatas’ existences were conditioned by wholesome kammas (kusala sankhara) and it was destroyed by unwholesome kamma (akusala sankhara).
These 500 celestial nymphs died instantly and fell into hell. Now with pleasure and joy, later with sorrow and cry. This was the way of sankhata people. Subrahma deva was piercing by 2 dukkhas. He became sorrow for the deceased and painful for the waiting dukkha ahead.
He and the other 500 celestial nymphs were after 7 days would fall into hell. He had foreseen his destination in hell dukkha and certain about it. And later with the practice of vipassanā and ended the hell dukkha (Suhrahma deva and the 500 celestial nymphs went to see the Buddha, listened to his talk and all entered the stream.)
T5
If believe in satta loka exists and must know that we have wrong views. Not understanding of satta loka is sticking with wrong view. If you think human beings, celestial beings and brahma gods exist and it becomes wrong view. With this and the question must come up as, after a living being dies where he has gone.
It happens to you because of taking it as a living being. It’s the view of the eternalism (sassata ditthi). Between the 2 processes it seems never disappears. Put the wrong view in the D.A process and it’s with craving/tanhā(it was mahā tanhā – big craving, and mentioned by the Buddha in the Mahā-tanhāsankhaya Sutta of Majjima Nikāya). No living beings, but only dukkha sacca of the impermanent mind and body exist. If you are stopping at satta loka and wrong views arise.
For e.g, with your finger nail and scratches on your arm. Feeling (or sensation) and the knowing mind ( i-e, consciousness) arise here and vanish here. Do they move to anywhere?
(Sayadaw continued to tell the story of Anuradha). The wanderers asked Ven. Anuradha, ‘‘Does a being exist after death?’’ It was the same meaning as permanent. This was the question of the eternalist.
‘‘Does a being not exist after death?’’ This was the question of the annihilationist.
‘‘A being both exists and doesn’t exist after death’’ This was syncretic view. Ekacca sassata ditthi – partial eternalism.
‘‘A being neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death.’’ This was evasive skepticism – Amaravikkhepa ditthi.
This answered was only free from telling lie. The answer as exists can be wrong and does not exist also can be wrong. So someone gave the evasive answer. Ven. Anuradha answered to them as the Buddha didn’t teach in these ways. Anuradha thought that if they asked him more it would be quite difficult. So he himself had wrong views. He reported the incidence to the Buddha.
The Buddha questioned him; ‘‘Form (rūpa) is permanent or impermanent?’’
‘‘It’s impermanent, Ven. Sir.’’
‘‘Impermanent is sukka (happiness) or dukkha(suffering)?’’
‘‘It’s dukkha, Ven. Sir.’’
‘‘Dukkha is atta(self) or anatta(not-self)?’’
‘‘It’s anatta, Ven. Sir.’’
And then Anuradha entered the stream. He answered all these questions by contemplating his khandha.
The Buddha questioned him in this way for all the 5 khandhas one by one. After became a sotapaññā and the Buddha questioned him again.
‘‘ Except the form, is there any being or not?’’
‘‘Can’t take them as a being, Ven. Sir.’’
Only dukkha arises and dukkha censes and no living being there. If asking with a living being and don’t answer them. In the khandha only dukkha arises and dukkha ceases and no other thing exists. If you know it thoroughly will enter the stream. Only Knowing about satta loka is still not enough. To transcend satta loka have to be done with the practice. It’s sure that this can be possible only by discerning impermanence.
T6
Mind and body combine together is called satta loka(most beings have mind and body. But there are also beings with form only and mind only) Don’t understand satta loka and wrong views arise. Ditthi falls away is Nibbāna. So, stopping at satta loka and ditthi not falls away.
Before the practice, firstly have to dispel wrong views and doubt. (Sayadaw gave the reason with Ven. Anuradha’s story). Where is ditthi coming from? It is from the living beings’ khandhas.
If believing in living beings exist and it will arise as I am thin, I am fat, etc are talking about by looking at living beings. With the living beings disappear and nyan reaching to the khandhas and ditthi falls away. Have to penetrate the living being. Moving away from the living being and let nyan(knowledge) focus in the khandhas. Deceiving by the satta loka and many wrong views can arise.
The khandhas are covering up by the satta loka. Without the living being disappears, 3 kinds of D.A processes can arise. Taking note of these 2 points; 1. Have to know about satta loka and 2. Moving away from it. Don’t reject the conventional truth and let not stick with wrong views. Not knowing these things and not easy for practice.
I mention them because it’s important. Not understanding satta loka can fall into the planes of misery. Not knowing the ultimate reality (paramattha dhamma) will not realize the Path and Fruition Knowledges. I remind you to use them in the proper places.
By rejecting the satta loka with the view of no father and mother can commit the 5 heavy kammas. In this way it becomes the danger for the path knowledge. With the sila is breaking down and not getting the Path and Fruition Knowledges. With this khandha can develop wrong views and also Nibbāna.
T7
Knowing how to use satta loka rightly can arrive to blissful destinations (sugati). If not can arrive to woeful destinations (dugati).
① Only uncover satta loka and sankhara loka appears. Penetrate sankhara loka with knowledge and anicca appears. It’s in accordanace with the verse, sabbe sankhara anicca- all conditioned phenomena are impermanent.
② Sankhara loka combines with nyan become vipassanā.
③ The ending of sankhara loka combines with nyan become the Path Knowledge.
Today I teach 3 points(1,2&3). Most people can’t uncover satta loka and die (die with the perception of satta loka). The memories with sorrow for 3 years and 3 rains for the deceased persons or the loved ones are coming from not overcoming satta loka.
Some people put advertisements in the newspapers are the same meaning as we are going to the apāyas-woeful planes. (Because clinging with sorrow, lamentation, etc.) Even these the airs of taking pride in these rememberances. The saying of attending of a funeral is equal to 10 times to a monastery. It is right only if people can contemplate on anicca, dukkha and anatta with it.
If not every attending a funeral is trying to arrive the apāya (i-e, instead of dhamma contemplation with talking and socializing on worldly matters to each other). Atta ditthi (wrong view of self) comes from looking at the khandhas in wrong ways. I’ll teach you how to look at the khandhas.
When you are looking at the khandhas and knowing it as the conditioned form (rūpa sankhara), the conditioned feeling (vedana sankhara),etc. are arising. These are not man nor woman and only conditioned aggregates are arising. This is the right seeing. Then no satta loka appears.
The sankhara loka is teaching you as now it’s arising and now it’s passing away. You have to follow the sankhara loka up to the end. Only by seeing sankhara and will see anicca. Because the Buddha said that, sabbe sankhara anicca- all formations are impermenent.
If you want to arrive Nibbāna, remove satta loka and to find out the sankhara. And then observe its nature, and where it will end. You will see the arising and passing away. And then you have to follow its ending. If the impermanence of the dukkha ceases and seeing the ending of loka. The ending of loka is NIBBĀNA.
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-2
[02] Are You The Wise or The Fool?
5th and 6th March 1962
There are 3 culprits making the khandhas; i-e, ignorance, craving and action (avijjā, tanhā and kamma). Therefore, everyone with the possessing of the khandha is a fool. In this life and continues to create ignorance, craving and action are like stupid again (Sayadaw compared them as poisons).
In the past lives people had drunk these poisons and now have sufferings. If redrink it again in this life is foolish, and if not it’s wise. Going the way of feeling conditions craving- vedana paccaya tanhā is a fool.
Going the way of feeling conditions wisdom – vedana baccaya – paññā is a wise person. Avijjā and tanhā are the 2 ring leaders of the fools. If you can make them not come to you is a wise person. According to the D.A process, if section ② connects with section ③ is a fool (i-e, vedana tanhā).
If stop at section ② is a wise person (i-e, stop at vedana)(see the 12 links of D.A process). It’s unnecessary to teach for getting a dying body again. Possessing a dying body, but people don’t know what to do for not getting it. If you connect with section ③. And section ④, it will come to you is inescapable (i-e, kamma birth).
Knowing the mistake as wrong and still can become a wise person. A fool can’t make you suffer. Yourself is a fool making you suffer (This point is important and also connect with believing in cause and effect. If we blame our dukkha on others can’t solve the problems and have to correct ourselves).
The dhamma of the world and the dhamma of the Buddha are not the same. These family members you encounter are only temporary. You must take it as temporarily and don’t attach to them. Not accepting this and it becomes wrong. (This talk was to a family couple who were very close to Sayadaw).
Whatever kinds of khandha people have all are the fools. Association with the foolish dhamma in oneself is called a fool (i-e, associate with lobha dosa, moha, etc.) The fool and the wise are nothing to do with association with people. Instead associate with unwholesome dhammas and becomes a fool.
Taking the matter as association with the dhammas and become a fool and wise. The meanings in the Mangala Sutta (Discourse on the Blessings) didn’t mean with the person or being but with the dhammas. Don’t take it as association with the concepts but with the ultimate realities. In the heart fills with unwholesome dhamma is a fool and with wholesome dhamma is a wise person.
If you ask for a standard as taking the personality or the dhamma, then take the dhammas. In this way free from wrong views. Each day how many times a fool or a wise can be known by checking oneself. Associate with wrong dhammas becomes a fool. For e.g, someone has a very bad habit.
If you know it as foolish, then make it wise. If you don’t know your foolishness is foolish and becoming worse. By the contact of sense objects and sense doors unwholesome dhammas arise and you have to correct it.
And if you know yourself as foolish becomes vipassanā. The foolish mind is anicca and the knowing mind is magga. It becomes the contemplation of the mind (cittānupassanā). If a wise mind arises, also contemplate its impermanence. It becomes right view and it’s paññā. This becomes association with the wise.
If you don’t know impermanence, it becomes ignorance. This is association with the fool. Vipassanā doesn’t mean going to a meditation centre for practice. Have to contemplate your khandha. You have to practice to know yourself. Practise insight is association with the wise and without it with the fool.
Puja ca pujaniyanam- with the practice is worshipping to the Dhamma. This is mangala- uttamam the great blessing. After the enlightenment, the Buddha himself took the Dhamma as a refuge, because there was no one greater than him. With the practice of maggabrahmacariya (path of the holy life) the wise ends dukkha. Without its practice the fool returns to dukkha.
5th and 6th March 1962
There are 3 culprits making the khandhas; i-e, ignorance, craving and action (avijjā, tanhā and kamma). Therefore, everyone with the possessing of the khandha is a fool. In this life and continues to create ignorance, craving and action are like stupid again (Sayadaw compared them as poisons).
In the past lives people had drunk these poisons and now have sufferings. If redrink it again in this life is foolish, and if not it’s wise. Going the way of feeling conditions craving- vedana paccaya tanhā is a fool.
Going the way of feeling conditions wisdom – vedana baccaya – paññā is a wise person. Avijjā and tanhā are the 2 ring leaders of the fools. If you can make them not come to you is a wise person. According to the D.A process, if section ② connects with section ③ is a fool (i-e, vedana tanhā).
If stop at section ② is a wise person (i-e, stop at vedana)(see the 12 links of D.A process). It’s unnecessary to teach for getting a dying body again. Possessing a dying body, but people don’t know what to do for not getting it. If you connect with section ③. And section ④, it will come to you is inescapable (i-e, kamma birth).
Knowing the mistake as wrong and still can become a wise person. A fool can’t make you suffer. Yourself is a fool making you suffer (This point is important and also connect with believing in cause and effect. If we blame our dukkha on others can’t solve the problems and have to correct ourselves).
The dhamma of the world and the dhamma of the Buddha are not the same. These family members you encounter are only temporary. You must take it as temporarily and don’t attach to them. Not accepting this and it becomes wrong. (This talk was to a family couple who were very close to Sayadaw).
Whatever kinds of khandha people have all are the fools. Association with the foolish dhamma in oneself is called a fool (i-e, associate with lobha dosa, moha, etc.) The fool and the wise are nothing to do with association with people. Instead associate with unwholesome dhammas and becomes a fool.
Taking the matter as association with the dhammas and become a fool and wise. The meanings in the Mangala Sutta (Discourse on the Blessings) didn’t mean with the person or being but with the dhammas. Don’t take it as association with the concepts but with the ultimate realities. In the heart fills with unwholesome dhamma is a fool and with wholesome dhamma is a wise person.
If you ask for a standard as taking the personality or the dhamma, then take the dhammas. In this way free from wrong views. Each day how many times a fool or a wise can be known by checking oneself. Associate with wrong dhammas becomes a fool. For e.g, someone has a very bad habit.
If you know it as foolish, then make it wise. If you don’t know your foolishness is foolish and becoming worse. By the contact of sense objects and sense doors unwholesome dhammas arise and you have to correct it.
And if you know yourself as foolish becomes vipassanā. The foolish mind is anicca and the knowing mind is magga. It becomes the contemplation of the mind (cittānupassanā). If a wise mind arises, also contemplate its impermanence. It becomes right view and it’s paññā. This becomes association with the wise.
If you don’t know impermanence, it becomes ignorance. This is association with the fool. Vipassanā doesn’t mean going to a meditation centre for practice. Have to contemplate your khandha. You have to practice to know yourself. Practise insight is association with the wise and without it with the fool.
Puja ca pujaniyanam- with the practice is worshipping to the Dhamma. This is mangala- uttamam the great blessing. After the enlightenment, the Buddha himself took the Dhamma as a refuge, because there was no one greater than him. With the practice of maggabrahmacariya (path of the holy life) the wise ends dukkha. Without its practice the fool returns to dukkha.
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-3
[03] The Power of the Dhamma
14th March 1962
It’s like a man builds up a fire. We have to practice until defilements are dried up. By listening the dhamma talk once and not understand, continue to listen it again and again. Listening dhamma talk is worldly merit. After listening and contemplation is transcendantal merit. After becoming a sotāpanna and don’t satisfy with it.
What should one has continued to do for becoming a once-returner (i-e, sakadāgāmin). Continue to practice with these 11 points (Contemplate the 5 khandhas) as, impermanence, suffering, disease, a tumour, a dart, misery, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty and not self).
There is no other strange dhamma for it. A sotāpanna only abandons wrong views, doubt and wrong practices. He still has defilements for the blissful existences. This means still has birth, ageing and death. For an example, first time shaving the head hairs of a baby the coarse hairs are gone, but still has the refined hairs are intact.
So, you have to sharpen this knife (the knife of the 8 path factors) again and continue to shave the refined hairs. Ven. Ananda was already a sotāpanna when he entered among the arahats, but Ven. Mahā-kassapa ridiculed him as a smelly ram. You all think yourselves as not smelly, but for the ariyans you are smelly. (Sayadaw continued to explain the eradication of successive kilesas).
The kilesas of the higher existence have to be eradicated with its own knowledges. Therefore, it’s clear that continue to develop their own knowledges respectively. After becoming an arahant and not just sleeping and doing nothing. Continue to do the same practice. Arahants still continue to have the dukkha sacca of the khandha of this life.
Therefore, the khandhas are still arising and passing away, with pains and aches. Still has the bodily dukkha, but not the mental dukkha. The physical body pains, but no mental pains. So, he is thinking as I must incline towards the freedom of dukkha. And he makes his mind inclines towards the freedom of dukkha which is no connection with the khandhas.
By doing the same practice only can enter the fruition state. No connection with the khandhas is freedom from the burdened khandhas. (For this point sayadaw explained the famous saying of the Ven. Sariputta on the Burdened Khandhas).
Here is to start again from impermanence, but no Path Knowledge arises. (Each Path Knowledge arises only with each realization). And then it turns towards Nibbānic element. Without the arising of Path and Fruition Knowledges (as in the moments of realization) and it is seeing Nibbāna.
After seeing impermanence comes fruition knowledge (This is not the fruition knowledge arises after the Path Knowledge) After that it is inclining towards Nibbānic element. With these fruition knowledges and the mind is staying with Nibbāna for a long time. If looking at the body it’s clear and light with healthy form (rūpa).
Therefore, arahant to arahant asking to each other after they emerged from the fruition state, by seeing their bright clear complexion. These forms are free from kilesas and no connection with them. Even the Buddha asked his monks in this way. Just think about it, the heart without the form of lobha, dosa and moha and instead with the form of fruition mind.
These are the supramundane form. The cause is pure and the result is pure. We can saw this in the attainment of cessation (nirodha sammapatti). By giving dāna to an arahant after came out from this attainment gave the result instantly. These attainments were using for the staying away from the burdened khandha and helping other. For e.g, Ven. Mahākassapa was helping the poors.
(Told the story of Sakka, king of the Tavatimsa Heaven deceived him as a poor old man for the benefit). Connection with defilements are the form and mind of painful existences. When someone becomes very angry the form are very coare. (In a documentary film of a crown prince with his facial appearance before the assassination of his royal family was quite shocking).
Even before death people faces have their predictions (In a documentary film in China, a middle aged wealthy and good looking woman died with cancer in the hospital looked like a ghost). Only leading by wholesome dhammas and life becomes bright. In the worldly matters also have to search wealth, happiness and prosperity with wholesome dhammas, and not with greed. One of the attributes of the ariya sangha is like a fertile soil for good merits.
Even ariyas are different from the sotāpanna to arahant, their qualities for making merits are like the different qualities of soil for the crops. Like the different qualities of the crops grow from a bad soil and good soil. At any place giving people troubles are coming from kilesa. This is making you in stress and strain. Whoever welcomes it has disadvantages.
It rejects everything is good. It hinders the Path and Fruition Knowledges and reduce your advantage. Staying away farther and farther from kilesa is more and more beneficial. But you all don’t know in this way. By sila we get the human khandhas. Wholesome dhammas are feeding and looking after us. But we think it as tanhā done it for us.
We are not every clear between the main and the secondary causes. By knowing the main cause only reaching the goal. Everything of goodness comes from the base of practice (i-e, need to always develop the practice of wholesome and ariya dhamma in our daily life).
14th March 1962
It’s like a man builds up a fire. We have to practice until defilements are dried up. By listening the dhamma talk once and not understand, continue to listen it again and again. Listening dhamma talk is worldly merit. After listening and contemplation is transcendantal merit. After becoming a sotāpanna and don’t satisfy with it.
What should one has continued to do for becoming a once-returner (i-e, sakadāgāmin). Continue to practice with these 11 points (Contemplate the 5 khandhas) as, impermanence, suffering, disease, a tumour, a dart, misery, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty and not self).
There is no other strange dhamma for it. A sotāpanna only abandons wrong views, doubt and wrong practices. He still has defilements for the blissful existences. This means still has birth, ageing and death. For an example, first time shaving the head hairs of a baby the coarse hairs are gone, but still has the refined hairs are intact.
So, you have to sharpen this knife (the knife of the 8 path factors) again and continue to shave the refined hairs. Ven. Ananda was already a sotāpanna when he entered among the arahats, but Ven. Mahā-kassapa ridiculed him as a smelly ram. You all think yourselves as not smelly, but for the ariyans you are smelly. (Sayadaw continued to explain the eradication of successive kilesas).
The kilesas of the higher existence have to be eradicated with its own knowledges. Therefore, it’s clear that continue to develop their own knowledges respectively. After becoming an arahant and not just sleeping and doing nothing. Continue to do the same practice. Arahants still continue to have the dukkha sacca of the khandha of this life.
Therefore, the khandhas are still arising and passing away, with pains and aches. Still has the bodily dukkha, but not the mental dukkha. The physical body pains, but no mental pains. So, he is thinking as I must incline towards the freedom of dukkha. And he makes his mind inclines towards the freedom of dukkha which is no connection with the khandhas.
By doing the same practice only can enter the fruition state. No connection with the khandhas is freedom from the burdened khandhas. (For this point sayadaw explained the famous saying of the Ven. Sariputta on the Burdened Khandhas).
Here is to start again from impermanence, but no Path Knowledge arises. (Each Path Knowledge arises only with each realization). And then it turns towards Nibbānic element. Without the arising of Path and Fruition Knowledges (as in the moments of realization) and it is seeing Nibbāna.
After seeing impermanence comes fruition knowledge (This is not the fruition knowledge arises after the Path Knowledge) After that it is inclining towards Nibbānic element. With these fruition knowledges and the mind is staying with Nibbāna for a long time. If looking at the body it’s clear and light with healthy form (rūpa).
Therefore, arahant to arahant asking to each other after they emerged from the fruition state, by seeing their bright clear complexion. These forms are free from kilesas and no connection with them. Even the Buddha asked his monks in this way. Just think about it, the heart without the form of lobha, dosa and moha and instead with the form of fruition mind.
These are the supramundane form. The cause is pure and the result is pure. We can saw this in the attainment of cessation (nirodha sammapatti). By giving dāna to an arahant after came out from this attainment gave the result instantly. These attainments were using for the staying away from the burdened khandha and helping other. For e.g, Ven. Mahākassapa was helping the poors.
(Told the story of Sakka, king of the Tavatimsa Heaven deceived him as a poor old man for the benefit). Connection with defilements are the form and mind of painful existences. When someone becomes very angry the form are very coare. (In a documentary film of a crown prince with his facial appearance before the assassination of his royal family was quite shocking).
Even before death people faces have their predictions (In a documentary film in China, a middle aged wealthy and good looking woman died with cancer in the hospital looked like a ghost). Only leading by wholesome dhammas and life becomes bright. In the worldly matters also have to search wealth, happiness and prosperity with wholesome dhammas, and not with greed. One of the attributes of the ariya sangha is like a fertile soil for good merits.
Even ariyas are different from the sotāpanna to arahant, their qualities for making merits are like the different qualities of soil for the crops. Like the different qualities of the crops grow from a bad soil and good soil. At any place giving people troubles are coming from kilesa. This is making you in stress and strain. Whoever welcomes it has disadvantages.
It rejects everything is good. It hinders the Path and Fruition Knowledges and reduce your advantage. Staying away farther and farther from kilesa is more and more beneficial. But you all don’t know in this way. By sila we get the human khandhas. Wholesome dhammas are feeding and looking after us. But we think it as tanhā done it for us.
We are not every clear between the main and the secondary causes. By knowing the main cause only reaching the goal. Everything of goodness comes from the base of practice (i-e, need to always develop the practice of wholesome and ariya dhamma in our daily life).
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-4
[04] To Nibbāna without New Kammas
15th March 1962
[This talks based on Kammanava Purana Sutta of Salayatanasamyutta, Samyutta Nikāya. The original sutta was short and simple. Sayadaw talk was also simple but interesting and profound. It gave us a lot of contemplation on kamma connection with the practice. Without a good teacher’s guidance, we can even create good kammas to prolong our dukkha. We can see this a lot in the later Buddhist tradition.
The Buddha said that there were 4 dhammas on kamma.
1. Old kamma
2. New kamma
3. The cessation of kamma
4. The way to the ending of kamma.
Sayadaw emphasized that every teaching of the Buddha was for practice, if we know how to do it. 1. Old kamma : The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and life continuum mind (bhavanga citta) are continuing to exist because of the old kamma or past kamma.
The bhavanga cittas are continually existing after birth consciousness and up to death consciousness (birth and death consciousnesses are also bhavanga cittas). The embryo in the mother’s womb alive with these cittas.
New kamma : Bodily, verbal and mind actions ( kaya, vaci, and mano kammas). Base on the 6 sense doors and 6 sense objects and we create these actions all the times. All living beings create new kammas with the old kammas every moment. During sleep we are alive with the old kammas of bhavanga cittas.
The cessation of kammas; Without the ending of new kammas and Nibbāna is never realized. They will continuously give the results on and on without end. Without the cessation of new kammas and Nibbāna can’t arise. The way to the ending of kamas: The Noble Eightfold Path.]
The Buddha taught about the 4 things on kamma. These were old and new kammas, the cessation of kamma and the way to the cessation of kamma.
1. The old kamma
2. The new kamma
3. The place of the cessation of kamma
4. The practice on the cessation of kamma.
These are the dhamma for practice. No dhamma is not connecting with practice. We don’t know how to put into practice that it becomes only teaching. On old kamma; eye, ear nose, tongue, body and mind, (i-e the bhavanga citta) are made by old kammas.
Now you are listening to the talk with the result of the old kamma. The new kammas are now you are doing with bodily, verbal, and thinking, and planning of mental actions. These things are arising in this life. Now you are sitting here and not free from old and new kammas. You are alive with these kammas.
By thinking and planning you are alive with the mind. Going and moving is alive with the body. When we are talking alive with verbal action. With breathing is alive with the old kamma. Seeing with the eye is alive with the old kamma.
Therefore, when people are getting older and the seeing power is becoming weaker. You can say all these are kammic aggregates is not wrong. If present kammas are not ceased and far from Nibbāna. Because of this; mind and body still arise.
The Buddha taught that kamma gives the result. Waking up from the early morning these kamma are start coming. Without their cessation will never realize Nibbāna. Present kammas are arising like the mushrooms. The place of the cessation of the present kammas is Nibbāna.
Let it be the old kamma. Until the new kammas are not ceasing, the present and future results will keep coming up. (The last 2 sentences had connection. And had some hidden meanings in them).
If the new kammas are not ceased Nibbāna will not arise. People are ignorant about this and thinking that it’s good to continue the new kammas. So, they are doing good merits. The Buddha was cutting off kammas. You all are connecting kammas.
So, you’ll only get dukkha sacca. Not knowing the dhamma and people are staying away from the path. Even they are expecting the old good kammas. (Such as when I’ll have good luck). Cutting off kamma is Nibbāna, if not only connecting with dukkha. In today dhamma talk all these point are becoming clear.
People don’t know how to make kammas cease. And they are straying away from the path. They are not doing the practice which should be done. (Most Buddhists know the practice are wasting their precious times by doing many things which are useless and no essence).
They are worry and afraid of the cessation of kamma. They have the desire of the connection of good kamma. So, they appreciate for the arising of dukkha. They want Nibbāna but what they are doing is dukkha sacca. Instead of relying on the knowledge (nyan) as parents and rely on kamma as parents.
Therefore, they are swimming in the ocean of suffering. With the understanding of truth (sacca) can know these nature. If not you’ll not understand them. The Buddha also taught for relying on kamma. But not knowing the whole teaching and missing the most basic point.
The practice of the cessation of kamma is contemplating the arising of dhamma from the sense doors of the old kamma. These are everyday I am teaching to you. In this way the bodily, verbal and mental actions are not arising and become cessation. Kamma not arising is the path factors.
Therefore, path factors are cutting off kamma. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do the good and wholesome kamma of dāna, sila, etc. But doing it by leading with the insight knowledge. Kamma following behind and nyan leading infront that it become the type of kamma sending to Nibbāna.
In the Satipatthāna Sutta also mentioned to contemplated wholesome mental states. Without vipassanā knowledge whatever you are doing is straying away from the main point. Event though path factors are called kamma. Actually it’s leading as knowledge (nyan).
15th March 1962
[This talks based on Kammanava Purana Sutta of Salayatanasamyutta, Samyutta Nikāya. The original sutta was short and simple. Sayadaw talk was also simple but interesting and profound. It gave us a lot of contemplation on kamma connection with the practice. Without a good teacher’s guidance, we can even create good kammas to prolong our dukkha. We can see this a lot in the later Buddhist tradition.
The Buddha said that there were 4 dhammas on kamma.
1. Old kamma
2. New kamma
3. The cessation of kamma
4. The way to the ending of kamma.
Sayadaw emphasized that every teaching of the Buddha was for practice, if we know how to do it. 1. Old kamma : The eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and life continuum mind (bhavanga citta) are continuing to exist because of the old kamma or past kamma.
The bhavanga cittas are continually existing after birth consciousness and up to death consciousness (birth and death consciousnesses are also bhavanga cittas). The embryo in the mother’s womb alive with these cittas.
New kamma : Bodily, verbal and mind actions ( kaya, vaci, and mano kammas). Base on the 6 sense doors and 6 sense objects and we create these actions all the times. All living beings create new kammas with the old kammas every moment. During sleep we are alive with the old kammas of bhavanga cittas.
The cessation of kammas; Without the ending of new kammas and Nibbāna is never realized. They will continuously give the results on and on without end. Without the cessation of new kammas and Nibbāna can’t arise. The way to the ending of kamas: The Noble Eightfold Path.]
The Buddha taught about the 4 things on kamma. These were old and new kammas, the cessation of kamma and the way to the cessation of kamma.
1. The old kamma
2. The new kamma
3. The place of the cessation of kamma
4. The practice on the cessation of kamma.
These are the dhamma for practice. No dhamma is not connecting with practice. We don’t know how to put into practice that it becomes only teaching. On old kamma; eye, ear nose, tongue, body and mind, (i-e the bhavanga citta) are made by old kammas.
Now you are listening to the talk with the result of the old kamma. The new kammas are now you are doing with bodily, verbal, and thinking, and planning of mental actions. These things are arising in this life. Now you are sitting here and not free from old and new kammas. You are alive with these kammas.
By thinking and planning you are alive with the mind. Going and moving is alive with the body. When we are talking alive with verbal action. With breathing is alive with the old kamma. Seeing with the eye is alive with the old kamma.
Therefore, when people are getting older and the seeing power is becoming weaker. You can say all these are kammic aggregates is not wrong. If present kammas are not ceased and far from Nibbāna. Because of this; mind and body still arise.
The Buddha taught that kamma gives the result. Waking up from the early morning these kamma are start coming. Without their cessation will never realize Nibbāna. Present kammas are arising like the mushrooms. The place of the cessation of the present kammas is Nibbāna.
Let it be the old kamma. Until the new kammas are not ceasing, the present and future results will keep coming up. (The last 2 sentences had connection. And had some hidden meanings in them).
If the new kammas are not ceased Nibbāna will not arise. People are ignorant about this and thinking that it’s good to continue the new kammas. So, they are doing good merits. The Buddha was cutting off kammas. You all are connecting kammas.
So, you’ll only get dukkha sacca. Not knowing the dhamma and people are staying away from the path. Even they are expecting the old good kammas. (Such as when I’ll have good luck). Cutting off kamma is Nibbāna, if not only connecting with dukkha. In today dhamma talk all these point are becoming clear.
People don’t know how to make kammas cease. And they are straying away from the path. They are not doing the practice which should be done. (Most Buddhists know the practice are wasting their precious times by doing many things which are useless and no essence).
They are worry and afraid of the cessation of kamma. They have the desire of the connection of good kamma. So, they appreciate for the arising of dukkha. They want Nibbāna but what they are doing is dukkha sacca. Instead of relying on the knowledge (nyan) as parents and rely on kamma as parents.
Therefore, they are swimming in the ocean of suffering. With the understanding of truth (sacca) can know these nature. If not you’ll not understand them. The Buddha also taught for relying on kamma. But not knowing the whole teaching and missing the most basic point.
The practice of the cessation of kamma is contemplating the arising of dhamma from the sense doors of the old kamma. These are everyday I am teaching to you. In this way the bodily, verbal and mental actions are not arising and become cessation. Kamma not arising is the path factors.
Therefore, path factors are cutting off kamma. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do the good and wholesome kamma of dāna, sila, etc. But doing it by leading with the insight knowledge. Kamma following behind and nyan leading infront that it become the type of kamma sending to Nibbāna.
In the Satipatthāna Sutta also mentioned to contemplated wholesome mental states. Without vipassanā knowledge whatever you are doing is straying away from the main point. Event though path factors are called kamma. Actually it’s leading as knowledge (nyan).
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-5
[05] Negligence and Suffering
23rd and 24th March 1962
T1
[In the beginning sayadaw told about the story of Sumedha, the hermit with great compassion for living beings decided to become the future Buddha]
After he became the Buddha could only give instructions. He gave the instruction of not to be heedless. Warning us not forgot the khandha and observed it for what was happening with it. You would see Nibbāna according with your own knowledge which had realized.
Practice and develop in accordance with the process of knowledges. Don’t be in heedless situation with the matters of family and business. Listening to what the khandha was telling you. What the Buddha said was very important. The fault of negligence is very great. Akaliko – it’ll give you the result. Heedless situation is; ignorance conditions volitional formation (avijjā paccaya sankhara)……..to birth (jati).
You have dukkha already and grabbing on to the next dukkha. At near death the mental images of actions (kamma) arise (He gave some of the hell images). At the time he remembers as I am wrong. At that time, he knows the great fault of heedless. (Sayadaw mentioned the frightful situations in hell).
After seeing the mental images of action (kamma namitta) and death comes. At near death wanting to change the situation is very difficult. This is the fault of negligence. For the older people not to be ended up in crying is not to be heedless before. With the wrong living is bad dying. There is no one can help you. Tears are streaming down. It gives the result even in this life. (Follow with sorrow, lamentation, pain and grief).
During the dying, action, mental image on action, mental image of the destination (kamma, kamma namitta and gati namitta) and any one of them will appears. After the five active mind moments and dies. In a single wink of an eye the mind arising and passing away for one hundred thousand billion times (1,000,000,000,000). So, it doesn’t take long.
For some people after the 8 active mind moments and die. With the heedlessness is the heedless mind action, with heedfulness is the heedful mind action and kammas will give the result accordingly. Therefore, one should take oneself as importance. Family members have their own kammas.
We have to drop off all these my concern and his concern. Why? Concern for him and you go to apāya (woeful plane). Concern for yourself also go to apāya (woeful plane). Therefore, don’t reverse the Buddha’s words. Also have to take your life as importance. It’s important not to forget with mindfulness and wisdom.
T2
The fault of forgetfulness is living together and not knowing about the khandha. We are talking and moving with this khandha and not knowing about it.
[You must observe this khandha to see its oppressive nature (pilanato) and itself is oppressed by tanhā (sankhatato).]
The truth of dukkha has 4 meanings. (The first 2 are pilanato & sankhatato – which mean oppressive (active) & oppressed (passive) natures. Khandha oppresses its owner and itself has been oppressed by tanhā with conditioning). With this practice and develop the knowledge of function (kicca nyan). It’s important to know the function of the khandha.
By reviewing, some know the realizing of the stream entrance (as a sotāpanna) but some don’t. (Sayadaw gave the example of Mahānama, the cousin of the Buddha). The ordinary knowledge about the khandha dukkha is the knowledge of function. Seeing the khandha arising and passing away is becoming kicca nyan. It also becomes knowledge and non-greed (vijjā and alobha).
At the time of making prayer for the khandha was with ignorance and greed. Seeing the arising and passing away is knowledge (nyan) and not wanting it is non-greed. By seeing the oppression of the khandha and do you want to make it as me or mine? Not taking it as me and mine and wrong view falls away.
If you don’t want, with the observing and it is cutting off. As an example, you are under the electric light and instantly the light disappears. The oppressive and oppressed khandha disappears. This is dukkha disappears.
The dukkha you get disappears under your own knowledge. There is no dukkha and you know it by yourself. The first knowing is Path Knowledge (magga nyan). Knowing its changes for 2 or 3 times (depending on the yogi) are fruition knowledges (Phala nyan). Reviewing the disappearance is reviewing knowledge (Paccavekkhana nyan).
The task of separating of dukkha is everyone ought to do it (Instead, majority of people are enjoying with the polluted things like the worms in the laterine). In the world the dukkha we see are distinct dukkha (paraka dukkha). Even these kinds of dukkha are known by animals. It’s delusive dukkha.
These kinds of dukkha can’t develop the liberation knowledge. Only you see the dukkha of the oppressive khandha and this knowledge will come. You see the dukkha when you’re still healthy. This dukkha is not the kind of dukkha when you are crying with pain and aches. All of you think as we are healthy. Only you see the never healthy dukkha is the real dukkha.
You see the khandha in relative truth and think it as healthy. Only you see its ultimate real nature and know unhealthy. It’s called indistinct dukkha (aparaka dukkha – because can’t see with the eye). Only the supramundane genius knows it (not the worldly genius). Only you encounter the teaching of the Buddha you know about it. It appears only by observing with the eye of knowledge.
Paraka dukkha can be protected with the protective chant (parittas).With the paraka dukkha the desire for getting well arises (i.e, tanhā). With the aparaka dukkha not wanting arises (i-e, alobha). These are very different and opposite. You can realize Nibbāna only with non-greed. If you practice at the time of not healthy tanhā will come. Practise when you are still healthy and tanhā will not come.
23rd and 24th March 1962
T1
[In the beginning sayadaw told about the story of Sumedha, the hermit with great compassion for living beings decided to become the future Buddha]
After he became the Buddha could only give instructions. He gave the instruction of not to be heedless. Warning us not forgot the khandha and observed it for what was happening with it. You would see Nibbāna according with your own knowledge which had realized.
Practice and develop in accordance with the process of knowledges. Don’t be in heedless situation with the matters of family and business. Listening to what the khandha was telling you. What the Buddha said was very important. The fault of negligence is very great. Akaliko – it’ll give you the result. Heedless situation is; ignorance conditions volitional formation (avijjā paccaya sankhara)……..to birth (jati).
You have dukkha already and grabbing on to the next dukkha. At near death the mental images of actions (kamma) arise (He gave some of the hell images). At the time he remembers as I am wrong. At that time, he knows the great fault of heedless. (Sayadaw mentioned the frightful situations in hell).
After seeing the mental images of action (kamma namitta) and death comes. At near death wanting to change the situation is very difficult. This is the fault of negligence. For the older people not to be ended up in crying is not to be heedless before. With the wrong living is bad dying. There is no one can help you. Tears are streaming down. It gives the result even in this life. (Follow with sorrow, lamentation, pain and grief).
During the dying, action, mental image on action, mental image of the destination (kamma, kamma namitta and gati namitta) and any one of them will appears. After the five active mind moments and dies. In a single wink of an eye the mind arising and passing away for one hundred thousand billion times (1,000,000,000,000). So, it doesn’t take long.
For some people after the 8 active mind moments and die. With the heedlessness is the heedless mind action, with heedfulness is the heedful mind action and kammas will give the result accordingly. Therefore, one should take oneself as importance. Family members have their own kammas.
We have to drop off all these my concern and his concern. Why? Concern for him and you go to apāya (woeful plane). Concern for yourself also go to apāya (woeful plane). Therefore, don’t reverse the Buddha’s words. Also have to take your life as importance. It’s important not to forget with mindfulness and wisdom.
T2
The fault of forgetfulness is living together and not knowing about the khandha. We are talking and moving with this khandha and not knowing about it.
[You must observe this khandha to see its oppressive nature (pilanato) and itself is oppressed by tanhā (sankhatato).]
The truth of dukkha has 4 meanings. (The first 2 are pilanato & sankhatato – which mean oppressive (active) & oppressed (passive) natures. Khandha oppresses its owner and itself has been oppressed by tanhā with conditioning). With this practice and develop the knowledge of function (kicca nyan). It’s important to know the function of the khandha.
By reviewing, some know the realizing of the stream entrance (as a sotāpanna) but some don’t. (Sayadaw gave the example of Mahānama, the cousin of the Buddha). The ordinary knowledge about the khandha dukkha is the knowledge of function. Seeing the khandha arising and passing away is becoming kicca nyan. It also becomes knowledge and non-greed (vijjā and alobha).
At the time of making prayer for the khandha was with ignorance and greed. Seeing the arising and passing away is knowledge (nyan) and not wanting it is non-greed. By seeing the oppression of the khandha and do you want to make it as me or mine? Not taking it as me and mine and wrong view falls away.
If you don’t want, with the observing and it is cutting off. As an example, you are under the electric light and instantly the light disappears. The oppressive and oppressed khandha disappears. This is dukkha disappears.
The dukkha you get disappears under your own knowledge. There is no dukkha and you know it by yourself. The first knowing is Path Knowledge (magga nyan). Knowing its changes for 2 or 3 times (depending on the yogi) are fruition knowledges (Phala nyan). Reviewing the disappearance is reviewing knowledge (Paccavekkhana nyan).
The task of separating of dukkha is everyone ought to do it (Instead, majority of people are enjoying with the polluted things like the worms in the laterine). In the world the dukkha we see are distinct dukkha (paraka dukkha). Even these kinds of dukkha are known by animals. It’s delusive dukkha.
These kinds of dukkha can’t develop the liberation knowledge. Only you see the dukkha of the oppressive khandha and this knowledge will come. You see the dukkha when you’re still healthy. This dukkha is not the kind of dukkha when you are crying with pain and aches. All of you think as we are healthy. Only you see the never healthy dukkha is the real dukkha.
You see the khandha in relative truth and think it as healthy. Only you see its ultimate real nature and know unhealthy. It’s called indistinct dukkha (aparaka dukkha – because can’t see with the eye). Only the supramundane genius knows it (not the worldly genius). Only you encounter the teaching of the Buddha you know about it. It appears only by observing with the eye of knowledge.
Paraka dukkha can be protected with the protective chant (parittas).With the paraka dukkha the desire for getting well arises (i.e, tanhā). With the aparaka dukkha not wanting arises (i-e, alobha). These are very different and opposite. You can realize Nibbāna only with non-greed. If you practice at the time of not healthy tanhā will come. Practise when you are still healthy and tanhā will not come.
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-6
[06] On Anatta
18th and 19th April 1962
T1
We are living together with the thing not belong to us. It’s sure that this khandha not follows our own desire even for a bit. It’s ungovernable anatta. I want you to realize the anatta nyan (knowledge of not-self) and not the intellectual anatta. Of the 5 khandhas, you have to see one of them.
Only seeing anatta with knowledge and self view falls away. Self view and identity view are the same (atta ditthi and sakkāya ditthi). Impermanence, dukka and not-self, all of them are important. By seeing one of them and know all. To become the wisdom of anatta, nyan must penetrate the khandha. All 3 of them are arriving to Nibbāna.
The knowledge in accordance with the 3 characteristics are right dhamma. That is, anicca and magga, dukkha and magga, and anatta and magga (The same meaning as direct understanding the 3 characteristics with knowledge).
Why the Buddha taught three kinds? Some were familiar with anicca and the Buddha taught anicca. The others were also in the same way. According to their characters and preferences, and taught three kinds. Anicca is arising and passing away. Dukkha also arising and passing away. Three of them are the same nature. People are making notes of them in different ways.
The differences are the cause or the result? It’s the result of the yogi. If you see the arising and passing away and will know all of them. If you get the mundane knowledge (insight knowledge) and also will get the supramundane knowledge (Path Knowledge). Our contemplation of the arising and passing away is not-self. Why? The arising is not by oneself. The passing away is also not by oneself. It happens accordingly to nature.
If the “I-ness” not comes in disturbing and it becomes anatta. Why even people don’t realize the lowest Path Knowledge? (i-e, Stream entrance). Because we disturb the arising and passing away as I, me, etc. If mixing-up with the “I” and becomes the identity view (sakkāya ditthi). If you don’t mix-up and not become wrong view.
Making friends with the 4 planes of misery is mixing-up with the “I-ness” into the dhamma nature. If you penetrate anatta will enter the stream. Not encounter with good teacher and with wrong teaching of the tradition that have wrong views. Even so, if we don’t mix it up and not satisfy with it. I’ll tell you the fault of mixing-up.
According to the D.A process; clinging to view action is painful birth. Do you believe that wrong view send beings to painful births? It’s not breaking sila and samadhi, but by breaking bhavana (mind development). Bhikkhu Tissa died and became a louse because he took the robe as mine. For going to the planes of misery you know how to mix things up.
If you want to, have to mix with wisdom. Everytime impermanence arises inclining towards it with knowledge. In this way clinging falls away with wrong view. Birth to the planes of misery are also ceased. If you mix-up with the “I-ness” and birth to woeful planes will arise.
The Buddha gave a comparison for wrong view had fallen away. He compared the sands in Mount Meru and the sands on his finger nail, with wrong view fell away. Dukkha still existed was like the sands on my finger nail. Your digging of the earth for gem stones are not the sure thing. You all are working hard for the uncertainties. (But don’t want to look at impermanence which always exists. You let go of the sure thing & work hard for the uncertainties).
So, just doing for the real happiness. You have to be very careful. If not, what you are doing is going towards the planes of misery. (Most of the people in the audience were gems mines owners and gems traders).
Talk 2:
Sakkāya is the 5 khandhas. If the “I-ness” goes into one of them, sakkāya and ditthi become mix-up. (Sayadaw gave examples for each of the khandhas). Mix-up the non-existence of I-ness with the khandhas. If sakkāya stays by itself has no problem. If the I-ness goes to mix-up and become problems (All the worldly problems from family to the whole society have connection with it).
A cobra stays alone by itself and nothing happen. If you go and touch it and will become suffering. In the same way you go and touch sakkāya with wrong view and arrive to woeful planes. You have to remember this, in only speech I’ll mix it but not in thought. For e.g, not I perceive, but the perception is. Not I done it, but the volition (cetana) is, etc. Identity view arises with eternalism.
Yesterday was I and today also I, etc. Yesterday I was not perished and today I still exist. Based on Sakkāya ditthi and sassata ditthi follows behind. With sakkāya ditthi all the wrong views are following up. If you abandon it and all fall away. It’s so terrible indeed.
The Buddha taught that sakkāya ditthi fell off was a very important matter. The Buddha gave an example of its importance. When your head hairs were on fire, you had to extinguish it as quickly as possible without any delay (from Samyutta Nikāya).
If, it exists and all the unwholesome things can happen (Sayadaw gave many example in daily life experiences. And told about the heavy kammas of King Ajjatasattu and Devadatta. So, the Buddha referred to it as Big Craving-mahā-tanhā). Without it falling away whatever you are doing always has the danger of into the woeful planes. This is dhamma niyama (natural procedure).
Without the Buddha, these dhammas also exist. Only the Buddha gave the names to it. Wholesome dhammas send beings to blissful planes. Wrong view also pulling done beings into the planes of misery. The matter of abandoning wrong view is very important. Identity view is wrong view. In its place, if right view comes in and solve the problem.
You have to know form dhamma as form. And then contemplate impermanence. It’s form and also anicca. What is good is feeling. Feeling is impermanence, so identity view can’t come in. There are 3 stages for wrong view falls away, by intellect, contemplation and abandoning. A person seeing the ending of dukkha is with the abandoning of wrong view. It’s not yet the time for smiling. After you are safety from the planes of misery and you can smile.
If you are doing other things before hand is foolishness. Intellectually without dispel identity view before, even the Buddha was giving talk couldn’t realize Nibbāna. (For this point, Sayadaw told the story of Saccaka – The debater) The Buddha gave talk to him but his wrong view not fell away.
He carried the mental impression (vāsanā) with him. (Saccaka’s encounter with The Buddha was not wasted. Because in the future in Sri Lanka, born again as human, became a monk & transcended dukkha).
Some people think that by encountering the Buddha will realize the Dhamma. You have to remember, only ditthi falls away will free from dukkha. Some also think, with dana practice will get Nibbāna. You have to do dāna practice and also dispel ditthi. Dispelling ditthi in 3 ways; ñāta pariññā, tirana pariññā and pahana pariññā.
When people asking questions to the disciples of the Buddha, they replied that if they knew would answer it. For the Buddha, he would answer any questions without conditions. In the world only anatta exists. And outside the world also anatta exists (that is Nibbāna. Some Buddhists take Nibbāna as atta and thinking that they can come and go according to their own desires).
18th and 19th April 1962
T1
We are living together with the thing not belong to us. It’s sure that this khandha not follows our own desire even for a bit. It’s ungovernable anatta. I want you to realize the anatta nyan (knowledge of not-self) and not the intellectual anatta. Of the 5 khandhas, you have to see one of them.
Only seeing anatta with knowledge and self view falls away. Self view and identity view are the same (atta ditthi and sakkāya ditthi). Impermanence, dukka and not-self, all of them are important. By seeing one of them and know all. To become the wisdom of anatta, nyan must penetrate the khandha. All 3 of them are arriving to Nibbāna.
The knowledge in accordance with the 3 characteristics are right dhamma. That is, anicca and magga, dukkha and magga, and anatta and magga (The same meaning as direct understanding the 3 characteristics with knowledge).
Why the Buddha taught three kinds? Some were familiar with anicca and the Buddha taught anicca. The others were also in the same way. According to their characters and preferences, and taught three kinds. Anicca is arising and passing away. Dukkha also arising and passing away. Three of them are the same nature. People are making notes of them in different ways.
The differences are the cause or the result? It’s the result of the yogi. If you see the arising and passing away and will know all of them. If you get the mundane knowledge (insight knowledge) and also will get the supramundane knowledge (Path Knowledge). Our contemplation of the arising and passing away is not-self. Why? The arising is not by oneself. The passing away is also not by oneself. It happens accordingly to nature.
If the “I-ness” not comes in disturbing and it becomes anatta. Why even people don’t realize the lowest Path Knowledge? (i-e, Stream entrance). Because we disturb the arising and passing away as I, me, etc. If mixing-up with the “I” and becomes the identity view (sakkāya ditthi). If you don’t mix-up and not become wrong view.
Making friends with the 4 planes of misery is mixing-up with the “I-ness” into the dhamma nature. If you penetrate anatta will enter the stream. Not encounter with good teacher and with wrong teaching of the tradition that have wrong views. Even so, if we don’t mix it up and not satisfy with it. I’ll tell you the fault of mixing-up.
According to the D.A process; clinging to view action is painful birth. Do you believe that wrong view send beings to painful births? It’s not breaking sila and samadhi, but by breaking bhavana (mind development). Bhikkhu Tissa died and became a louse because he took the robe as mine. For going to the planes of misery you know how to mix things up.
If you want to, have to mix with wisdom. Everytime impermanence arises inclining towards it with knowledge. In this way clinging falls away with wrong view. Birth to the planes of misery are also ceased. If you mix-up with the “I-ness” and birth to woeful planes will arise.
The Buddha gave a comparison for wrong view had fallen away. He compared the sands in Mount Meru and the sands on his finger nail, with wrong view fell away. Dukkha still existed was like the sands on my finger nail. Your digging of the earth for gem stones are not the sure thing. You all are working hard for the uncertainties. (But don’t want to look at impermanence which always exists. You let go of the sure thing & work hard for the uncertainties).
So, just doing for the real happiness. You have to be very careful. If not, what you are doing is going towards the planes of misery. (Most of the people in the audience were gems mines owners and gems traders).
Talk 2:
Sakkāya is the 5 khandhas. If the “I-ness” goes into one of them, sakkāya and ditthi become mix-up. (Sayadaw gave examples for each of the khandhas). Mix-up the non-existence of I-ness with the khandhas. If sakkāya stays by itself has no problem. If the I-ness goes to mix-up and become problems (All the worldly problems from family to the whole society have connection with it).
A cobra stays alone by itself and nothing happen. If you go and touch it and will become suffering. In the same way you go and touch sakkāya with wrong view and arrive to woeful planes. You have to remember this, in only speech I’ll mix it but not in thought. For e.g, not I perceive, but the perception is. Not I done it, but the volition (cetana) is, etc. Identity view arises with eternalism.
Yesterday was I and today also I, etc. Yesterday I was not perished and today I still exist. Based on Sakkāya ditthi and sassata ditthi follows behind. With sakkāya ditthi all the wrong views are following up. If you abandon it and all fall away. It’s so terrible indeed.
The Buddha taught that sakkāya ditthi fell off was a very important matter. The Buddha gave an example of its importance. When your head hairs were on fire, you had to extinguish it as quickly as possible without any delay (from Samyutta Nikāya).
If, it exists and all the unwholesome things can happen (Sayadaw gave many example in daily life experiences. And told about the heavy kammas of King Ajjatasattu and Devadatta. So, the Buddha referred to it as Big Craving-mahā-tanhā). Without it falling away whatever you are doing always has the danger of into the woeful planes. This is dhamma niyama (natural procedure).
Without the Buddha, these dhammas also exist. Only the Buddha gave the names to it. Wholesome dhammas send beings to blissful planes. Wrong view also pulling done beings into the planes of misery. The matter of abandoning wrong view is very important. Identity view is wrong view. In its place, if right view comes in and solve the problem.
You have to know form dhamma as form. And then contemplate impermanence. It’s form and also anicca. What is good is feeling. Feeling is impermanence, so identity view can’t come in. There are 3 stages for wrong view falls away, by intellect, contemplation and abandoning. A person seeing the ending of dukkha is with the abandoning of wrong view. It’s not yet the time for smiling. After you are safety from the planes of misery and you can smile.
If you are doing other things before hand is foolishness. Intellectually without dispel identity view before, even the Buddha was giving talk couldn’t realize Nibbāna. (For this point, Sayadaw told the story of Saccaka – The debater) The Buddha gave talk to him but his wrong view not fell away.
He carried the mental impression (vāsanā) with him. (Saccaka’s encounter with The Buddha was not wasted. Because in the future in Sri Lanka, born again as human, became a monk & transcended dukkha).
Some people think that by encountering the Buddha will realize the Dhamma. You have to remember, only ditthi falls away will free from dukkha. Some also think, with dana practice will get Nibbāna. You have to do dāna practice and also dispel ditthi. Dispelling ditthi in 3 ways; ñāta pariññā, tirana pariññā and pahana pariññā.
When people asking questions to the disciples of the Buddha, they replied that if they knew would answer it. For the Buddha, he would answer any questions without conditions. In the world only anatta exists. And outside the world also anatta exists (that is Nibbāna. Some Buddhists take Nibbāna as atta and thinking that they can come and go according to their own desires).
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-7
[07] Two Causes of No Realization
21st April 1962
[There are 2 causes for yogis not realize Nibbāna. 1. Not following the practice to the end. 2. Association with bad companions. These yogis are sure for enlightenment because they have the potentiality for it. But the above 2 factors spoil their realization.
In the Kandaraka Sutta, Majjima Nikāya, the Buddha taught Pessa, the elephant driver’s son on the 4 kinds of person found in the world. 1. Doing things torments and tortures oneself. 2. Doing things torments and tortures others. 3.
Doing things torments & torture oneself and others. 4. The one who torments neither but lives a truly holy life. What are these things? 1. Someone has lobha, dosa and moha and doing things effect oneself and nothing to do with others.
For e.g, extreme ascetism. 2. Wrong livelihood – miccha ajiva, such as fishing, animal farming, stealing, robbering, etc. 3. Sacrifice of animals for spirits. 4. Satipatthāna practice. After giving this talk in gist and the Buddha asked Pessa’s opinion on it. He gave answer for the 4.
And the Buddha began to explain in details for them. But as that time someone came and informed him on business. He got up and left the place. After he left the Buddha said to the other listeners that Pessa was in great loss. Because if he continued to listen the talk and in the end would enter the stream (Will become a sotāpanna).
(Here was quite an instersting point to contemplate. The Buddha had great compassion for living beings and why he didn’t stop Pessa to get up & let him continued to listen his talk. Pessa had the potentiality for enlightenment if he continued to listen, may be his mind couldn’t concentrate in the talk.
So the Buddha couldn’t do anything about it. Some Buddhists are making vows to encounter outside powers for their enlightenment. But, the sure thing for enlightenment is to rely on one’s own power. Because Buddha and arahats are only showing the way).
In Pali, it was kariya parihani – declining in actions which should has to be done. For the second cause of association with bad compassion and destroy one’s own potentiality of enlightenment was King Ajjatasattu. He killed his father King Bimbisara because of Devadatta’s advice.
Sayadaw taught how to practice vipassanā. The yogi must know 3 points; 1. Anicca – impermanence 2. Anicca lakkhana – characteristic of impermenence 3.Anicca lakkhana nyan – The knowledge of the characteristic of impermenence. He said, during watching with sati and whatever arises know it as anicca]
The Buddha taught; sabbe sankhara anicca; 1. Therefore, whatever dhamma arises is anicca. 2. After arising and passing away and not existing is anicca lakkhana 3. After anicca and nyan can follow behind is anicca lakkhana nyan. Anicca and nyan can’t happen at the same time. Nyan can’t parallel with anicca. Nyan must parallel with lakkhana. Practitioner has to catch on lakkhana with observing.
Only lakkhana and nyan can be in parallel. Dhamma (The arising dhamma) shows its lakkhana and nyan knows it. Only the arising dhamma not exists and nyan can come in. If the lakkhana and nyan (the knowing) are in parallel, and to become a stream enterer is easy.
Only the contemplative object not exists is its lakkhana. The differences between anicca and lakkhana are become clear. Anicca lakkhana means without the khandha is its characteristic. Asking you contemplate the not existing lakkhana. But it’s not asking you to contemplate not existed thing which is abhava paññātti (a thing not really exists, only exists as a concept).
Asking you to contemplate lakkhana is concept or ultimate reality? If you contemplate the concept can’t see Nibbāna. Asking you to contemplate from the existence to non-existence is not concept. For e.g, in contemplation of the mind, contemplative knowledge (nyan) is aggregate of mental formation (sankharakkhandha). Two khandhas can’t in parallel.
Only viññānakkhandha disappears and sankharakkhana can come in. Two minds can’t in parallel that you can’t see the lakkhana at the same time. You can follow after with nyan and this is the lakkhana of not existing. You can’t catch the anicca but only the lakkhanas. (The arising phenomenon is anicca, and after disappearing is lakkhana).
What are the benefits of lakkhana nyan? It abandons khandha and tanhā. Infront no khandha exists and behind tanhā can’t come in. No khandha & tanhā is Nibbāna. Therefore discern anicca is like a momentary Nibbāna. Khandha extincts is Nibbāna. Abandon tanhā also Nibbāna. Therefore, during the time of seeing impermanence is getting momentary Nibbāna.
(So, what are the differences between momentary and permanent Nibbāna?) (These are the explanations from the Samyutta Nikaya Commentary. You have to continue the contemplation. At the time of khandhas are ended, abandon khandha and tanhā and experience Nibbāna.
If all the khandhas are ended will experience Nibbāna Element clearly. This is path knowledge. Lokiya vipassanā magga and lokuttara magga are different in this way. (i-e, mundane insight knowledge and supramundane Path Knowledge).
In this life, even people have the potentiality to get the path and fruition knowledges; by not following the dhamma to the end, and association with bad friends, with these 2 reasons can’t realize the Dhamma. ( Sayadaw told the stories of Pessa and King Ajjatasattu, referred to these 2 points.
The Buddha discussed 4 kinds of persons found in the world to Pessa the elephant driver’s son and Kandaraka the wanderer) Doing things torment and torture oneself. With lobha, dosa and moha dissatisfy with oneself. Wasting time by doing unsatisfactory practices. It’s nothing to do with others.
Give you an example, the Hindu practices of diving in the river, sitting near fire, etc. (extreme ascetism) by tormenting and torturing oneself. At first, the Buddha told it in gist and wanted to comment in detail. But at that time someone came and informed Pessa on his home business.
How anicca appears in knowledge (nyan)? Watching and observing the khandha, and it arises as a blip. Note the arising dhamma as anicca. Because the 5 khandhas are anicca. What is anicca lakkhana? Does the arising dhamma disappears and still exists? After disappears and not exists is anicca lakkhana. The not existed nature is anicca lakkhana. The arising dhamma is anicca but not shows its lakkhana yet. After the disappearance and its lakkhana appears.
Therefore, knowledge can’t parallel with anicca. Only can paralleled with lakkhana. Anicca lakkhana means not the dhamma still exists, but not exists. Refer to the object of contemplation not exist anymore is anicca lakkhana. If you contemplate totally non-existing things are not anicca lakkhana. To contemplate from the existing thing is anicca lakkhana. Concept is totally not existing dhamma.
For e.g, contemplation on mind, the arising is viññānakkhandha and the contemplative mind is sankharakkhandha. Two khandhas can’t be in parallel. If you contemplate the existence, nyan can’t follow behind. Therefore, the existence is anicca, vanishing is lakkhana and knowing is nyan. You cannot catch on anicca but only on lakkhana. The comtemplative knowledge extinguishes khandha and tanhā.
The root is still not cutting off yet. But you get the momentary Nibbāna. It’s abandoning khandha and tanhā. You are getting the forerunner of Nibbāna. Therefore, insight knowledge has great benefits. The path knowledge abandons khandha and tanhā and at the sametime seeing Nibbāna.
21st April 1962
[There are 2 causes for yogis not realize Nibbāna. 1. Not following the practice to the end. 2. Association with bad companions. These yogis are sure for enlightenment because they have the potentiality for it. But the above 2 factors spoil their realization.
In the Kandaraka Sutta, Majjima Nikāya, the Buddha taught Pessa, the elephant driver’s son on the 4 kinds of person found in the world. 1. Doing things torments and tortures oneself. 2. Doing things torments and tortures others. 3.
Doing things torments & torture oneself and others. 4. The one who torments neither but lives a truly holy life. What are these things? 1. Someone has lobha, dosa and moha and doing things effect oneself and nothing to do with others.
For e.g, extreme ascetism. 2. Wrong livelihood – miccha ajiva, such as fishing, animal farming, stealing, robbering, etc. 3. Sacrifice of animals for spirits. 4. Satipatthāna practice. After giving this talk in gist and the Buddha asked Pessa’s opinion on it. He gave answer for the 4.
And the Buddha began to explain in details for them. But as that time someone came and informed him on business. He got up and left the place. After he left the Buddha said to the other listeners that Pessa was in great loss. Because if he continued to listen the talk and in the end would enter the stream (Will become a sotāpanna).
(Here was quite an instersting point to contemplate. The Buddha had great compassion for living beings and why he didn’t stop Pessa to get up & let him continued to listen his talk. Pessa had the potentiality for enlightenment if he continued to listen, may be his mind couldn’t concentrate in the talk.
So the Buddha couldn’t do anything about it. Some Buddhists are making vows to encounter outside powers for their enlightenment. But, the sure thing for enlightenment is to rely on one’s own power. Because Buddha and arahats are only showing the way).
In Pali, it was kariya parihani – declining in actions which should has to be done. For the second cause of association with bad compassion and destroy one’s own potentiality of enlightenment was King Ajjatasattu. He killed his father King Bimbisara because of Devadatta’s advice.
Sayadaw taught how to practice vipassanā. The yogi must know 3 points; 1. Anicca – impermanence 2. Anicca lakkhana – characteristic of impermenence 3.Anicca lakkhana nyan – The knowledge of the characteristic of impermenence. He said, during watching with sati and whatever arises know it as anicca]
The Buddha taught; sabbe sankhara anicca; 1. Therefore, whatever dhamma arises is anicca. 2. After arising and passing away and not existing is anicca lakkhana 3. After anicca and nyan can follow behind is anicca lakkhana nyan. Anicca and nyan can’t happen at the same time. Nyan can’t parallel with anicca. Nyan must parallel with lakkhana. Practitioner has to catch on lakkhana with observing.
Only lakkhana and nyan can be in parallel. Dhamma (The arising dhamma) shows its lakkhana and nyan knows it. Only the arising dhamma not exists and nyan can come in. If the lakkhana and nyan (the knowing) are in parallel, and to become a stream enterer is easy.
Only the contemplative object not exists is its lakkhana. The differences between anicca and lakkhana are become clear. Anicca lakkhana means without the khandha is its characteristic. Asking you contemplate the not existing lakkhana. But it’s not asking you to contemplate not existed thing which is abhava paññātti (a thing not really exists, only exists as a concept).
Asking you to contemplate lakkhana is concept or ultimate reality? If you contemplate the concept can’t see Nibbāna. Asking you to contemplate from the existence to non-existence is not concept. For e.g, in contemplation of the mind, contemplative knowledge (nyan) is aggregate of mental formation (sankharakkhandha). Two khandhas can’t in parallel.
Only viññānakkhandha disappears and sankharakkhana can come in. Two minds can’t in parallel that you can’t see the lakkhana at the same time. You can follow after with nyan and this is the lakkhana of not existing. You can’t catch the anicca but only the lakkhanas. (The arising phenomenon is anicca, and after disappearing is lakkhana).
What are the benefits of lakkhana nyan? It abandons khandha and tanhā. Infront no khandha exists and behind tanhā can’t come in. No khandha & tanhā is Nibbāna. Therefore discern anicca is like a momentary Nibbāna. Khandha extincts is Nibbāna. Abandon tanhā also Nibbāna. Therefore, during the time of seeing impermanence is getting momentary Nibbāna.
(So, what are the differences between momentary and permanent Nibbāna?) (These are the explanations from the Samyutta Nikaya Commentary. You have to continue the contemplation. At the time of khandhas are ended, abandon khandha and tanhā and experience Nibbāna.
If all the khandhas are ended will experience Nibbāna Element clearly. This is path knowledge. Lokiya vipassanā magga and lokuttara magga are different in this way. (i-e, mundane insight knowledge and supramundane Path Knowledge).
In this life, even people have the potentiality to get the path and fruition knowledges; by not following the dhamma to the end, and association with bad friends, with these 2 reasons can’t realize the Dhamma. ( Sayadaw told the stories of Pessa and King Ajjatasattu, referred to these 2 points.
The Buddha discussed 4 kinds of persons found in the world to Pessa the elephant driver’s son and Kandaraka the wanderer) Doing things torment and torture oneself. With lobha, dosa and moha dissatisfy with oneself. Wasting time by doing unsatisfactory practices. It’s nothing to do with others.
Give you an example, the Hindu practices of diving in the river, sitting near fire, etc. (extreme ascetism) by tormenting and torturing oneself. At first, the Buddha told it in gist and wanted to comment in detail. But at that time someone came and informed Pessa on his home business.
How anicca appears in knowledge (nyan)? Watching and observing the khandha, and it arises as a blip. Note the arising dhamma as anicca. Because the 5 khandhas are anicca. What is anicca lakkhana? Does the arising dhamma disappears and still exists? After disappears and not exists is anicca lakkhana. The not existed nature is anicca lakkhana. The arising dhamma is anicca but not shows its lakkhana yet. After the disappearance and its lakkhana appears.
Therefore, knowledge can’t parallel with anicca. Only can paralleled with lakkhana. Anicca lakkhana means not the dhamma still exists, but not exists. Refer to the object of contemplation not exist anymore is anicca lakkhana. If you contemplate totally non-existing things are not anicca lakkhana. To contemplate from the existing thing is anicca lakkhana. Concept is totally not existing dhamma.
For e.g, contemplation on mind, the arising is viññānakkhandha and the contemplative mind is sankharakkhandha. Two khandhas can’t be in parallel. If you contemplate the existence, nyan can’t follow behind. Therefore, the existence is anicca, vanishing is lakkhana and knowing is nyan. You cannot catch on anicca but only on lakkhana. The comtemplative knowledge extinguishes khandha and tanhā.
The root is still not cutting off yet. But you get the momentary Nibbāna. It’s abandoning khandha and tanhā. You are getting the forerunner of Nibbāna. Therefore, insight knowledge has great benefits. The path knowledge abandons khandha and tanhā and at the sametime seeing Nibbāna.
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-8
[08] With Tanhā & Māna To Nibbāna
13 May 1962
There are also tanhā and māna which yogis should have in practice. Mostly tanhā and māna should not be have in most cases. For e.g, in practice of Dhamma, if someone can realize Nibbāna, I myself also can get it. With the desire for Nibbāna and try with māna. (For these dhamma talk, sayadaw told the story of Ven. Ananda and a bhikkuni).
On consuming foods and drinks the desire for consuming arises. But we have to reflect it as for the sake of practicing dhamma that consume foods and drinks. In this way tanhā is abandoning. This is consuming with the desire for practicing the holy dhamma. It’s controlling tanhā with knowledge (nyan). Some people can give the reasoning. Tanhā has already arisen and black kamma.
So, it should give the black result. It’s right, but if it will give the result must be in this life and can’t follow to next life. It’s difficult to find someone knows how to consume foods. If not, it’s like eating poison. If you want to eat with contemplation of impermanence and also all right. They are the same.
In a talk on foods offering, dated 22nd April, 1962, to the monks and lay disciples at Mogok Centre, Sayadaw taught them how to consume foods.
Today, dāna is offering for the realization of Nibbāna. During the eating don’t consume with lobha, dosa and moha. Spreading/ sending metta to the donors and eat the foods. If you eat in a usual way and go back home will pay your debts with the khandhas.
We consume foods with spreading metta and reflection/ contemplation are paying your debts. (He explained the reflection of foods by the monks). Don’t take it as only teaching for the monks. It relates to everyone. (In Thailand there are 4 reflections on the 4 requisites by monks and lay Buddhists as elements, foulness-asubha and not-self for every day reflection).
In this way including with metta and paññā and you are not in debts. If you eat and still find faults with the foods and become a fault. Another way of consuming is with vipassanā contemplation. Foods and tongue contact and taste consciousness arises. It arises by 2 causes. After arising and disappears. Eating with the impermanence also not in debts, because not getting the khandha.
Therefore, whatever food you are eating, consume with metta and knowledge. We consume foods with the 4 noble truth. These were coming from the Samyutta Nikāya. We consume things with the goal of freedom from becoming a slave and arriving at Nibbāna.
Yogis should practice hard with māna. When you realize the Dhamma and it cut off māna. It’s like use poison as medicine. Without tanhā and māna in the practice effort (viriya) becomes weak. If you don’t really desire Nibbāna you’ll not do it. With tanhā and get Nibbāna, and it also abandons tanhā.
Practice without desire and the practice will be in normal way (not much development). It becomes slow. Practicing with strong desire, can quickly realize it. Why it takes very slow for the realization is today become clear. Because without the desire of tanhā.
In the 37 Bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma, there are 4 bases of power – Iddhipāda. The first one is desire (chanda). You have to understand māna also in this way. Don’t take it as only the path knowledge abandons tanhā and māna. Insight knowledges also abandon them.
Even with the help of tanhā and māna and still can’t realize Nibbāna, at least with the effort develops insight knowledges. Nyan is cutting off them. In the beginning of practice yogis should work hard with tanhā and māna.
13 May 1962
There are also tanhā and māna which yogis should have in practice. Mostly tanhā and māna should not be have in most cases. For e.g, in practice of Dhamma, if someone can realize Nibbāna, I myself also can get it. With the desire for Nibbāna and try with māna. (For these dhamma talk, sayadaw told the story of Ven. Ananda and a bhikkuni).
On consuming foods and drinks the desire for consuming arises. But we have to reflect it as for the sake of practicing dhamma that consume foods and drinks. In this way tanhā is abandoning. This is consuming with the desire for practicing the holy dhamma. It’s controlling tanhā with knowledge (nyan). Some people can give the reasoning. Tanhā has already arisen and black kamma.
So, it should give the black result. It’s right, but if it will give the result must be in this life and can’t follow to next life. It’s difficult to find someone knows how to consume foods. If not, it’s like eating poison. If you want to eat with contemplation of impermanence and also all right. They are the same.
In a talk on foods offering, dated 22nd April, 1962, to the monks and lay disciples at Mogok Centre, Sayadaw taught them how to consume foods.
Today, dāna is offering for the realization of Nibbāna. During the eating don’t consume with lobha, dosa and moha. Spreading/ sending metta to the donors and eat the foods. If you eat in a usual way and go back home will pay your debts with the khandhas.
We consume foods with spreading metta and reflection/ contemplation are paying your debts. (He explained the reflection of foods by the monks). Don’t take it as only teaching for the monks. It relates to everyone. (In Thailand there are 4 reflections on the 4 requisites by monks and lay Buddhists as elements, foulness-asubha and not-self for every day reflection).
In this way including with metta and paññā and you are not in debts. If you eat and still find faults with the foods and become a fault. Another way of consuming is with vipassanā contemplation. Foods and tongue contact and taste consciousness arises. It arises by 2 causes. After arising and disappears. Eating with the impermanence also not in debts, because not getting the khandha.
Therefore, whatever food you are eating, consume with metta and knowledge. We consume foods with the 4 noble truth. These were coming from the Samyutta Nikāya. We consume things with the goal of freedom from becoming a slave and arriving at Nibbāna.
Yogis should practice hard with māna. When you realize the Dhamma and it cut off māna. It’s like use poison as medicine. Without tanhā and māna in the practice effort (viriya) becomes weak. If you don’t really desire Nibbāna you’ll not do it. With tanhā and get Nibbāna, and it also abandons tanhā.
Practice without desire and the practice will be in normal way (not much development). It becomes slow. Practicing with strong desire, can quickly realize it. Why it takes very slow for the realization is today become clear. Because without the desire of tanhā.
In the 37 Bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma, there are 4 bases of power – Iddhipāda. The first one is desire (chanda). You have to understand māna also in this way. Don’t take it as only the path knowledge abandons tanhā and māna. Insight knowledges also abandon them.
Even with the help of tanhā and māna and still can’t realize Nibbāna, at least with the effort develops insight knowledges. Nyan is cutting off them. In the beginning of practice yogis should work hard with tanhā and māna.
Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw--Part 8-9
[09] The Extension of Saṁsara
15th May 1962
[Tanhā, māna and ditthi are the dhammas extend the saṁsāra (round of existence). The Noble Eightfold Path is the dhamma cutting off saṁsāra. The Q&A between, Ven. Mahākotthita and Ven. Sariputta were about these dhammas. Mahākotthita asked questions and Sariputta answered them.
1. Q: After the 6 ayatanas (6 sense bases) cease, something still has come to be? (i-e, asking with sassata ditthi)
A: Don’t ask in this way.
2. Q: After the 6 ayatanas cease, something not come to be? (asking with uccheda ditthi)
A: Don’t ask in this way.
Q3 and 4 were asking with the wrong views of ekacca sassata ditthi and amaravikkhepa ditthi.
The answers were in the same way.
Sayadaw said, these were concerning about the nāma/ rūpa process. He used cittānupassanā to explain them. After the mind ceases and Nibbāna appears, Therefore, after 6 ayatanas cease is Nibbāna. Mahākotthita was asking as something happened mean as a being or papanca (i.e, tanhā, māna& ditthi). After papanca ceased ni-papanca arises (without papanca is Nibbāna).
Sayadaw gave a very simple vipassanā instruction. Whatever mind arises observe its anicca. Observe ① with ②; ①. Is the arising dhamma and ②. Is the observing mind. And will see impermanence. Two minds can’t arise together. Of the 6 ayatanas, mind base (manayatana) is where papanca dhammas arise.]
In the khandha there are 2 kinds of dhamma. Dhammas extend dukkha and not extend dukkha. A person knows this khandha as dukkha will not extend dukkha. Dukkha with dukkha connecting and continuing is papanca dhamma. Death connects with birth both of them are dukkha (cutijati). Dhamma not extend dukkha are ni-papanea dhamma (without papanca).
If you want to end dukkha have to practice and stop papanca dhamma to arise. All of you have a lot of extension of dhamma. To abandon them you need the help of a teacher. And you must also practice hard. The extension of dhamma are tanhā, māna and ditthi.
The non- extension of dhamma are the path factors. Both of them arise from the heart. Dhamma abandoning them only exist in the Buddha Teachings. The extension of dhamma exists all the time. (All other systems and knowledges exist outside the teachings). What extend them and have to be abandoned? This question arises. (Sayadaw told the Q&A between Ven. Mahākotthita and Ven. Sariputta)
If the ayatanas are ceased; are there still other kilesas arise? The answer will be not in this way. Cakkhayatana (eye-base) to kayayatana (bodily – base) are the 5 form bases (eye, ear, nose, tongue and body). Manayatana (mind-base) is only one. Adding them become 6-sense-bases. After they are ceased, other kilesa still arise? Or Is there anything exists?
Don’t ask in this way. At the place of cessation Nibbāna must appear. With these 6 ayatanas dhamma can arrive to Nibbāna. Ven. Sariputta talked about the contemplation of impermanence of the 6 ayatanas. It included both body contemplation and mind.
So, all the minds cease nothing arise and only Nibbāna appears. This is not a person nor a being. So, you didn’t need to ask; isn’t something arising? There is no papanca and it’s the same asking as; is there any papanca? If papanca ceases and Nibbāna appears. Don’t have any doubt about it. Someone still not ending yet has to follow to the end.
All the 4 Qs were asking with wrong views. Both arahats were making the decision for us. If papanca ceases and it’s Nibbāna. And if not ceases and khandha will arise. Wanting to end dukkha, you have to kill the cause of papanca. It’s the mind or the mind-base. (Sayadaw continued to teach cittānupassanā).
Mind is viññānakkhandha. Contemplate ① with ②. Everytime ① arises and contemplate with ②. You know it as not there. ① arises and follow with ②, and papanca will cease. For e.g, the mind of wanting to eat something arises and you contemplate after and it’s there or not?
Two minds can’t arise in parallel. Pre-mind ceases and the post-mind can arise. The arising mind is ①. And the not existing of the mind is ②. Follows ① with ②. is enough. (Only the arising mind disappears and the observing mind can take it place.
So, the observing mind seeing it as not there. This is seeing emptiness. The pre-mind arises and follows with the post-mind. Then papanca disappears without arising. Give an e.g, in the snake area you keep a mongoose and snakes disappear without coming.
Therefore, it abandons pananca is clear. (Sayadaw continued to explain the insight process of seeing impermanence, its disenchantment and its ending). Don’t be afraid of birth (jati), but to the papanca dhamma. Because birth is the result and pananca is the cause of it. Dukkha disappears and sukha arises. Light appears and darkness disappears.
15th May 1962
[Tanhā, māna and ditthi are the dhammas extend the saṁsāra (round of existence). The Noble Eightfold Path is the dhamma cutting off saṁsāra. The Q&A between, Ven. Mahākotthita and Ven. Sariputta were about these dhammas. Mahākotthita asked questions and Sariputta answered them.
1. Q: After the 6 ayatanas (6 sense bases) cease, something still has come to be? (i-e, asking with sassata ditthi)
A: Don’t ask in this way.
2. Q: After the 6 ayatanas cease, something not come to be? (asking with uccheda ditthi)
A: Don’t ask in this way.
Q3 and 4 were asking with the wrong views of ekacca sassata ditthi and amaravikkhepa ditthi.
The answers were in the same way.
Sayadaw said, these were concerning about the nāma/ rūpa process. He used cittānupassanā to explain them. After the mind ceases and Nibbāna appears, Therefore, after 6 ayatanas cease is Nibbāna. Mahākotthita was asking as something happened mean as a being or papanca (i.e, tanhā, māna& ditthi). After papanca ceased ni-papanca arises (without papanca is Nibbāna).
Sayadaw gave a very simple vipassanā instruction. Whatever mind arises observe its anicca. Observe ① with ②; ①. Is the arising dhamma and ②. Is the observing mind. And will see impermanence. Two minds can’t arise together. Of the 6 ayatanas, mind base (manayatana) is where papanca dhammas arise.]
In the khandha there are 2 kinds of dhamma. Dhammas extend dukkha and not extend dukkha. A person knows this khandha as dukkha will not extend dukkha. Dukkha with dukkha connecting and continuing is papanca dhamma. Death connects with birth both of them are dukkha (cutijati). Dhamma not extend dukkha are ni-papanea dhamma (without papanca).
If you want to end dukkha have to practice and stop papanca dhamma to arise. All of you have a lot of extension of dhamma. To abandon them you need the help of a teacher. And you must also practice hard. The extension of dhamma are tanhā, māna and ditthi.
The non- extension of dhamma are the path factors. Both of them arise from the heart. Dhamma abandoning them only exist in the Buddha Teachings. The extension of dhamma exists all the time. (All other systems and knowledges exist outside the teachings). What extend them and have to be abandoned? This question arises. (Sayadaw told the Q&A between Ven. Mahākotthita and Ven. Sariputta)
If the ayatanas are ceased; are there still other kilesas arise? The answer will be not in this way. Cakkhayatana (eye-base) to kayayatana (bodily – base) are the 5 form bases (eye, ear, nose, tongue and body). Manayatana (mind-base) is only one. Adding them become 6-sense-bases. After they are ceased, other kilesa still arise? Or Is there anything exists?
Don’t ask in this way. At the place of cessation Nibbāna must appear. With these 6 ayatanas dhamma can arrive to Nibbāna. Ven. Sariputta talked about the contemplation of impermanence of the 6 ayatanas. It included both body contemplation and mind.
So, all the minds cease nothing arise and only Nibbāna appears. This is not a person nor a being. So, you didn’t need to ask; isn’t something arising? There is no papanca and it’s the same asking as; is there any papanca? If papanca ceases and Nibbāna appears. Don’t have any doubt about it. Someone still not ending yet has to follow to the end.
All the 4 Qs were asking with wrong views. Both arahats were making the decision for us. If papanca ceases and it’s Nibbāna. And if not ceases and khandha will arise. Wanting to end dukkha, you have to kill the cause of papanca. It’s the mind or the mind-base. (Sayadaw continued to teach cittānupassanā).
Mind is viññānakkhandha. Contemplate ① with ②. Everytime ① arises and contemplate with ②. You know it as not there. ① arises and follow with ②, and papanca will cease. For e.g, the mind of wanting to eat something arises and you contemplate after and it’s there or not?
Two minds can’t arise in parallel. Pre-mind ceases and the post-mind can arise. The arising mind is ①. And the not existing of the mind is ②. Follows ① with ②. is enough. (Only the arising mind disappears and the observing mind can take it place.
So, the observing mind seeing it as not there. This is seeing emptiness. The pre-mind arises and follows with the post-mind. Then papanca disappears without arising. Give an e.g, in the snake area you keep a mongoose and snakes disappear without coming.
Therefore, it abandons pananca is clear. (Sayadaw continued to explain the insight process of seeing impermanence, its disenchantment and its ending). Don’t be afraid of birth (jati), but to the papanca dhamma. Because birth is the result and pananca is the cause of it. Dukkha disappears and sukha arises. Light appears and darkness disappears.