Meditation and Vipassana---6
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Fruits and benefits
In DN III,131 the Blessed One said to Venerable Cunda thus: “Friends, those who live given to these four ways of luxurious living could expect four fruits, four benefits. What four? Here, friends, a monk, by the destruction of three fetters, is a stream-entrant, not liable to sink into unlucky existences and is assured of going through to enlightenment. This is the first fruit, the first benefit. Again, friends, a monk, by the destruction of three fetters and the reduction of lust, hate and ignorance, is a once-returner, who returns only once to this world and accomplishes the destruction of ill. This is the second fruit, the second benefit. Again, friends, a monk, by the destruction of the five lower fetters, will be reborn spontaneously (in the pure abodes), not liable to return, attaining parinibbāna there. This is the third fruit, the third benefit. Again, friends, a monk, by the destruction of the cankers, canker-less, mind-freed (cetovimutti), wisdom-freed (paññāvimutti), himself realizing it here and now, attains to and abides therein. This is the fourth fruit, the fourth benefit.”
Therefore checking the words of what the Blessed One said about the five fetters, setting oneself on the right path to eradicate those defilements will definitely earn oneself the fruits and benefits in times to come.
In the “Simile of the Raft”, the Blessed One said: “Even good states of mind has to be abandoned, what more the worst states of mind?” In meditation and vipassana some states of mind are so fine and subtle that a meditator does not discerned them as impermanent, and mistaken them for Enlightenment or cessation of suffering, they are just another states of mind or consciousness, we have to be particularly mindful of when we encounter them, they are to be abandoned as well!
Everything that we do in life is revolved around the building up or strengthening of the self, whether we eat, or sleep, study, or work, fall in love with someone, quarreling or fighting with someone, arguing a point, or forming a family with somebody, or embarking on a new venture, or lamenting over some disaster or loss, struggling with the illness-decimated body for the last breath, the identity of Self is always there.
The Self is but a mental process which is changing constantly with the condition or the environment, it doesn’t stay the same for a second, not even while we sleep, it will only stop when life comes to an end. The rebirth of a being is the phenomena of nama-rupa of a being contaminated with a thick dose of avijjā! This particular fetter we need to understand it fully as it leads to further sufferings. Understanding these sufferings, the cause of sufferings, the way of eliminating the sufferings, and how effectively we eliminate or remove them, would take time only when we have traversed the path fully, and understand the sufferings fully, then it is possible to remove the root cause of our transmigration.
But there were some of the aspirants who attained wisdom-deliverance as recorded in the texts. In the Kitagiri Sutta: "Behold, monks, a certain individual abides, not having attained in the body to those peaceful, formless emancipations that transcend form, but he perceives by his wisdom that the corruptions are extinguished. This individual, monks, is said to be delivered by wisdom." (MN I, 477-478) This is a sukkhavipassaka, i.e., a bare insight worker.
In Putta Sutta it mentioned: "And how, monks, is a person a blue lotus-recluse? Herein a monk, by destroying the cankers (āsavas), has reached the heart’s release, the release by wisdom that is free from the cankers, and having realised it abides therein. Yet he does not abide experiencing with his own person the eight deliverances. Thus, monks, is a person a blue-lotus recluse (samana-pundarika)." (AN II, 87) This is also a sukkhavipassaka, i.e., a bare insight worker. They both can attain jhanas if they wish.
However, the attainment of jhanas is an indispensable part of the training towards enlightenment, and certainly is a more speedily course of the spiritual path.
May you attain peace. Sadhu X3
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Cloncurry, Queensland, 7/7/2007
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Saturday, 22 November 2008
Meditation and Vipassana---5
Meditation and Vipassana---5
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Vipassana
All phenomena around us are nothing but composite of materials which are made up by the four basic elements, i.e., earth, water, fire, and air. The Blessed One advised his disciples that to effectively destroy our wrong view that the form or body as ‘me’ or ‘I’ or ‘belongs to me’ is to investigate or contemplate thoroughly from outside of us first, then gradually working inwards to our body. Next you investigate from the past, present, and future times, next you go to other categories as listed below. One by one where a practitioner works his way to eliminate his wrong view or attachment about these forms, with persistent effort one may one day attain the noble fruit (phala), when one is working on those attachment it is considered one is on the path (magga).
The purpose of training of wisdom is to realize Nibbana. There are ten subjects for contemplation and recollection:
1. Contemplation of impermanence (Anicca).
2. Contemplation of selflessness (Anatta).
3. Contemplation of loathsomeness of the body (Asubha).
4. Contemplation of disadvantage (danger).
5. Contemplation of abandonment and renunciation.
6. Contemplation of detachment.
7. Contemplation of liberation (Vimokkha).
8. Contemplation of distaste for the samsaric world.
9. Contemplation of impermanence of all composite things.
10. Mindfulness of in breathing and out breathing. (Anapanasati)(AN V.108)
The Nama Rupa and consciousness are interweaved so tightly that we are often unable to separate them, in SN 47.5.2 the Blessed One said: “by the arising of Nama Rupa comes the arising of mind, by the ceasing of Nama Rupa comes the ceasing of mind.” In DN 11 the Blessed One said: “But, Bhikkhus, you should not ask your question in this way : where do the four great elements; ie. earth, water, fire, and wind, cease without remainder? Instead, you should put the question thus : where do earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing? Where are long and short, small and great, fair and foul, where the Nama Rupa are totally destroyed? And the answer is : Where consciousness is non manifestative, boundless, all luminous; that’s where earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing. There both the long and short, small and great, fair and foul, there Nama Rupa are wholly destroyed. With the cessation of consciousness this is all destroyed.” Therefore the Blessed One shown us clearly that the world arises dependent on the consciousness, the world does not exist independently of the consciousness.
It was further explained in AN IV, 336-347, the Blessed One said: “Monks, when mindfulness and clear comprehension are not there, in him who lacks mindfulness and clear comprehension, the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil is destroyed; when conscientiousness and fear of doing evil are not there, in him who lacks conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, the sufficing condition of restraint of the senses is destroyed; when there is no restraint of the senses, in him who lacks restraint of the senses, the sufficing condition of virtue is destroyed; when there is no virtue, in him who lacks virtue, the sufficing condition of right concentration is destroyed; when there is no right concentration, in him who lacks right concentration, the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of things as they really are (yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana) is destroyed; when there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, in him who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they really are, the sufficing condition of disenchantment-dispassion is destroyed; when there is no disenchantment-dispassion, in him who lacks disenchantment-dispassion, the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of freedom is destroyed. Just as, monks, twigs, bark, sapwood, and heartwood do not come to perfection in a tree lacking branches and leaves, so, monks, when no mindfulness and clear comprehension are there, the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil is destroyed....
When there are present mindfulness and clear comprehension, he who is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil; when there are present conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, he who is endowed with conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of restraint of the senses; when there is present restraint of the senses, he who is endowed with restraint of the senses, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of virtue; when there is present virtue, he who is endowed with virtue, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of right concentration; when there is right concentration, he who is endowed with right concentration, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of things as they really are; when there is present knowledge and vision of things as they really are, he who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they really are, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of disenchantment-dispassion; when there is present disenchantment-dispassion, he who is endowed with knowledge and vision of freedom. Just as, monks, twigs, bark, sapwood, and heartwood come to perfection in a tree possessing branches and leaves, so, monks, when mindfulness and clear comprehension are there, he who is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil...”
There are sixteen levels of contemplative knowledge, these sixteen knowledge are progressive:
1. Knowledge on the name and form (Namarupa pariccheda ñāna).
2. Knowledge on the causes (Paccaya pariggaha ñāna).
3. Knowledge on the characteristics of phenomena (Comprehension knowledge, Sammasana ñāna).
4. Knowledge on the arising and passing away of phenomena (Udayabbaya ñāna).
5. Knowledge on the decaying of phenomena (Bhanga ñāna).
6. Knowledge on the fearsome of phenomena (Bhaya ñāna).
7. Knowledge on the disadvantages of repetitive birth (Adinava ñāna).
8. Knowledge on the disgust of repetitive birth (Nibbida ñāna).
9. Knowledge on the renunciation (Muncitukamyata ñāna).
10. Knowledge on the reviewing the progress (Patisankha ñāna).
11. Knowledge on the renouncing of the formation (Sankharuppekka ñāna).
12. Knowledge on the entering of the holy stream (Anuloma ñāna).
13. Knowledge on the state of sainthood (Gotrabhucitta)
14. Knowledge on the paths (maggacitta).
15. Knowledge on the fruits (phalacitta).
16. Knowledge on the remainder defilements (Paccavekkhana ñāna).
These sixteen knowledge are gauges which the medieval Theras had devised as way to summarize our experience on the holy path. We have to be mindful of the difference between worded category and experience, and avoid being caught in these arbitrary categories, and lose touch with our practical experience which is real and useful. We should investigate our experience and only use these categories as a milestone to check our progress.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Vipassana
All phenomena around us are nothing but composite of materials which are made up by the four basic elements, i.e., earth, water, fire, and air. The Blessed One advised his disciples that to effectively destroy our wrong view that the form or body as ‘me’ or ‘I’ or ‘belongs to me’ is to investigate or contemplate thoroughly from outside of us first, then gradually working inwards to our body. Next you investigate from the past, present, and future times, next you go to other categories as listed below. One by one where a practitioner works his way to eliminate his wrong view or attachment about these forms, with persistent effort one may one day attain the noble fruit (phala), when one is working on those attachment it is considered one is on the path (magga).
The purpose of training of wisdom is to realize Nibbana. There are ten subjects for contemplation and recollection:
1. Contemplation of impermanence (Anicca).
2. Contemplation of selflessness (Anatta).
3. Contemplation of loathsomeness of the body (Asubha).
4. Contemplation of disadvantage (danger).
5. Contemplation of abandonment and renunciation.
6. Contemplation of detachment.
7. Contemplation of liberation (Vimokkha).
8. Contemplation of distaste for the samsaric world.
9. Contemplation of impermanence of all composite things.
10. Mindfulness of in breathing and out breathing. (Anapanasati)(AN V.108)
The Nama Rupa and consciousness are interweaved so tightly that we are often unable to separate them, in SN 47.5.2 the Blessed One said: “by the arising of Nama Rupa comes the arising of mind, by the ceasing of Nama Rupa comes the ceasing of mind.” In DN 11 the Blessed One said: “But, Bhikkhus, you should not ask your question in this way : where do the four great elements; ie. earth, water, fire, and wind, cease without remainder? Instead, you should put the question thus : where do earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing? Where are long and short, small and great, fair and foul, where the Nama Rupa are totally destroyed? And the answer is : Where consciousness is non manifestative, boundless, all luminous; that’s where earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing. There both the long and short, small and great, fair and foul, there Nama Rupa are wholly destroyed. With the cessation of consciousness this is all destroyed.” Therefore the Blessed One shown us clearly that the world arises dependent on the consciousness, the world does not exist independently of the consciousness.
It was further explained in AN IV, 336-347, the Blessed One said: “Monks, when mindfulness and clear comprehension are not there, in him who lacks mindfulness and clear comprehension, the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil is destroyed; when conscientiousness and fear of doing evil are not there, in him who lacks conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, the sufficing condition of restraint of the senses is destroyed; when there is no restraint of the senses, in him who lacks restraint of the senses, the sufficing condition of virtue is destroyed; when there is no virtue, in him who lacks virtue, the sufficing condition of right concentration is destroyed; when there is no right concentration, in him who lacks right concentration, the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of things as they really are (yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana) is destroyed; when there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, in him who lacks knowledge and vision of things as they really are, the sufficing condition of disenchantment-dispassion is destroyed; when there is no disenchantment-dispassion, in him who lacks disenchantment-dispassion, the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of freedom is destroyed. Just as, monks, twigs, bark, sapwood, and heartwood do not come to perfection in a tree lacking branches and leaves, so, monks, when no mindfulness and clear comprehension are there, the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil is destroyed....
When there are present mindfulness and clear comprehension, he who is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil; when there are present conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, he who is endowed with conscientiousness and fear of doing evil, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of restraint of the senses; when there is present restraint of the senses, he who is endowed with restraint of the senses, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of virtue; when there is present virtue, he who is endowed with virtue, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of right concentration; when there is right concentration, he who is endowed with right concentration, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of knowledge and vision of things as they really are; when there is present knowledge and vision of things as they really are, he who is endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they really are, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of disenchantment-dispassion; when there is present disenchantment-dispassion, he who is endowed with knowledge and vision of freedom. Just as, monks, twigs, bark, sapwood, and heartwood come to perfection in a tree possessing branches and leaves, so, monks, when mindfulness and clear comprehension are there, he who is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, he is endowed with the sufficing condition of conscientiousness and fear of doing evil...”
There are sixteen levels of contemplative knowledge, these sixteen knowledge are progressive:
1. Knowledge on the name and form (Namarupa pariccheda ñāna).
2. Knowledge on the causes (Paccaya pariggaha ñāna).
3. Knowledge on the characteristics of phenomena (Comprehension knowledge, Sammasana ñāna).
4. Knowledge on the arising and passing away of phenomena (Udayabbaya ñāna).
5. Knowledge on the decaying of phenomena (Bhanga ñāna).
6. Knowledge on the fearsome of phenomena (Bhaya ñāna).
7. Knowledge on the disadvantages of repetitive birth (Adinava ñāna).
8. Knowledge on the disgust of repetitive birth (Nibbida ñāna).
9. Knowledge on the renunciation (Muncitukamyata ñāna).
10. Knowledge on the reviewing the progress (Patisankha ñāna).
11. Knowledge on the renouncing of the formation (Sankharuppekka ñāna).
12. Knowledge on the entering of the holy stream (Anuloma ñāna).
13. Knowledge on the state of sainthood (Gotrabhucitta)
14. Knowledge on the paths (maggacitta).
15. Knowledge on the fruits (phalacitta).
16. Knowledge on the remainder defilements (Paccavekkhana ñāna).
These sixteen knowledge are gauges which the medieval Theras had devised as way to summarize our experience on the holy path. We have to be mindful of the difference between worded category and experience, and avoid being caught in these arbitrary categories, and lose touch with our practical experience which is real and useful. We should investigate our experience and only use these categories as a milestone to check our progress.
Meditation and Vipassana---4
Meditation and Vipassana---4
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati)
Of all those forty different types of meditation mentioned above, breathing meditation is considered of prime importance, the Blessed One taught this in two different ways; in the Satipatthāna Sutta (MN 10, DN 22) (sati means memorizing) and elsewhere, four steps of practice are given, which also leads one to insights.
1. “Consciously (sato) he inhales; consciously he exhales. Inhaling a long breath, he knows, - ‘ I am inhaling a long breath’. Exhaling a long breath, he knows . ‘I am exhaling a long breath.’ ”
2. “Inhaling a short breath, he knows - ‘I am inhaling a short breath’. Exhaling a short breath, he knows - ‘I am exhaling a short breath.’”
3. “Experiencing the entire (breathing) process (sabbakayapatisamvedt) ‘I will inhale’, thus he trains himself. Experiencing the entire (breathing) process ‘I will exhale’ - thus he trains himself.”
4. “Calming the body of respirations (passambhayam kayasamkharam), ‘I will inhale’ - thus he trains himself. Calming the body of respirations, ‘I will exhale’ - thus he trains himself.” (Satipatthana Sutta)
The 'Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing' (Ānāpānasati Sutta, MN 118) and other suttas have 16 steps of practice, which divide the practice into four groups of four steps. The first three apply to both tranquility (samatha) and insight meditation (vipassana), while the fourth refers to pure insight meditation only. The second and the third group require the attainment of the absorptions (samadhi).
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati)
Of all those forty different types of meditation mentioned above, breathing meditation is considered of prime importance, the Blessed One taught this in two different ways; in the Satipatthāna Sutta (MN 10, DN 22) (sati means memorizing) and elsewhere, four steps of practice are given, which also leads one to insights.
1. “Consciously (sato) he inhales; consciously he exhales. Inhaling a long breath, he knows, - ‘ I am inhaling a long breath’. Exhaling a long breath, he knows . ‘I am exhaling a long breath.’ ”
2. “Inhaling a short breath, he knows - ‘I am inhaling a short breath’. Exhaling a short breath, he knows - ‘I am exhaling a short breath.’”
3. “Experiencing the entire (breathing) process (sabbakayapatisamvedt) ‘I will inhale’, thus he trains himself. Experiencing the entire (breathing) process ‘I will exhale’ - thus he trains himself.”
4. “Calming the body of respirations (passambhayam kayasamkharam), ‘I will inhale’ - thus he trains himself. Calming the body of respirations, ‘I will exhale’ - thus he trains himself.” (Satipatthana Sutta)
The 'Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing' (Ānāpānasati Sutta, MN 118) and other suttas have 16 steps of practice, which divide the practice into four groups of four steps. The first three apply to both tranquility (samatha) and insight meditation (vipassana), while the fourth refers to pure insight meditation only. The second and the third group require the attainment of the absorptions (samadhi).
Meditation and Vipassana---3
Meditation and Vipassana---3
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Developing the five faculties
Besides the seven factors mentioned above, there are five other faculties which we need to look at, they are;
1. The faculty of conviction (saddha),
2. The faculty of persistence (indriya),
3. The faculty of mindfulness (sati),
4. The faculty of concentration (samadhi),
5. The faculty of discernment (pañña).
The faculty of conviction relates to our faith, while persistence is the effort of practice, the faculty of mindfulness is the four foundations of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration is the four meditative jhanas, lastly the faculty of discernment is the investigation of dhammas and the practice of vipassana or the training of wisdom.
In SN 47.1.6 the Blessed One said if we were to direct our attention to the external sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations, we are straying into Mara’s territories, and that would be to our perils! In MN 14 a prominent Sakyan called Mahanama (sakadagamin) came to seek advice from the Buddha saying that even though he contemplates the perils of greed, hatred and delusion yet they still invade his mind, the Blessed One said as long as he does not attain to piti and sukha (3rd and 4th jhanas) that are apart from sensual pleasures, and the unwholesome mental states, or to something more peaceful than that, he may still be attracted to sensual pleasures!
In SN 43 and AN2.11.9 mentioned that right view is established through listening to the deliberation of Dhamma and thereafter pondering over the teaching thoroughly (yoniso manasikara), and this will be the prerequisites for one to attain Sotapanna. In SN55.1.2 it mentioned about the ariya Sotapanna as having faith in the Triple Gems, i.e., Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and also pure morality (sila), without having to attain meditative jhanas. In MN 22 it mentioned that the Sotapanna as having destroyed the first three fetters i.e., doubt(vicikiccha), adhering to wrong rites and ritual or ceremonies (silabbataparamasa), and wrong view of body(sakkaya ditthi); the Sakadagamin as further weaken the remainder three fetters of greed(lobha), hatred(dosa) and delusion(moha). In AN3.85; 9.12 mentioned that both Sotapanna and Sakadagamin require perfect sila; Anagamin requires perfect sila, samadhi and pañña. This means that both Sotapanna and Sakadagamin do not require meditative jhanas whereas the Anagamin and Arahant require jhanas.
Gradually developing the meditative skills
In AN 4.20.194 and MN 52 both stated clearly that to gain liberation, one needs to develop the meditative skills of jhanas.
The Blessed One taught forty different types of meditation:
1. Ten topics on Anussati (recollection of Buddhist teachings),
2. Ten topics on Kasinas (basic elements and colour light),
3. Ten topics on impurities (asubha, decaying corpse and 32 bodily parts),
4. Four topics on formless realms (arupavacara),
5. Four topics on loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity (appamanna),
6. One topic on the four elements in our body (catudhatuvavatthana),
7. One topic on the contemplation of food consumption (ahare patikkhulasanna).
The most commonly taught is the Anapanasati which is mindfulness on the breaths, this is the best of all methods for anyone, it helps to calm the mind, bring the mind into focus, and when a meditator contemplates about the breaths, he knows clearly that the body is dependent on the breaths, it cannot be my body!
There are four meditative stages; i.e., jhanas:
1. The first jhana requires at least two ingredients: Vitakka and vicara, it means initial attention and sustained attention on the subject of meditation.
2. The second jhana requires at least on ingredient: piti, it means joy.
3. The third jhana requires at least one ingredient: sukha, it means bliss.
4. The fourth jhana requires at least one ingredient: samadhi, it means single pointed mind, or ekaggata, it means single-ness. The other factor is upekkha, it means equanimity. The training on Anapanasati can lead the meditator to all these four jhanas.
The Blessed One said clearly in Samadhi Sutta (SN 3.363): Monks! You must develop your meditative power, a monk with such power can rightly see the truth. What does he know? He knows rightly: ‘this is suffering’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the origin of sufferings’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the cessation of sufferings’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the path leading to the cessation of sufferings’. Therefore meditative skill is an indispensable factors in the Buddhist liberation.
Besides, a meditator should also be able to master the following five skills:
1. Switching jhanas at will; move from one jhana to the other (avajjana vasi).
2. Entering jhanas at will. Move from outside of jhana into jhana (samapajjana vasi).
3. Staying in jhana at will (adhitthana vasi).
4. Leaving jhana at will (vutthana vasi).
5. Examining the factors of jhanas at will (paccavekkhana vasi).
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Developing the five faculties
Besides the seven factors mentioned above, there are five other faculties which we need to look at, they are;
1. The faculty of conviction (saddha),
2. The faculty of persistence (indriya),
3. The faculty of mindfulness (sati),
4. The faculty of concentration (samadhi),
5. The faculty of discernment (pañña).
The faculty of conviction relates to our faith, while persistence is the effort of practice, the faculty of mindfulness is the four foundations of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration is the four meditative jhanas, lastly the faculty of discernment is the investigation of dhammas and the practice of vipassana or the training of wisdom.
In SN 47.1.6 the Blessed One said if we were to direct our attention to the external sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations, we are straying into Mara’s territories, and that would be to our perils! In MN 14 a prominent Sakyan called Mahanama (sakadagamin) came to seek advice from the Buddha saying that even though he contemplates the perils of greed, hatred and delusion yet they still invade his mind, the Blessed One said as long as he does not attain to piti and sukha (3rd and 4th jhanas) that are apart from sensual pleasures, and the unwholesome mental states, or to something more peaceful than that, he may still be attracted to sensual pleasures!
In SN 43 and AN2.11.9 mentioned that right view is established through listening to the deliberation of Dhamma and thereafter pondering over the teaching thoroughly (yoniso manasikara), and this will be the prerequisites for one to attain Sotapanna. In SN55.1.2 it mentioned about the ariya Sotapanna as having faith in the Triple Gems, i.e., Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and also pure morality (sila), without having to attain meditative jhanas. In MN 22 it mentioned that the Sotapanna as having destroyed the first three fetters i.e., doubt(vicikiccha), adhering to wrong rites and ritual or ceremonies (silabbataparamasa), and wrong view of body(sakkaya ditthi); the Sakadagamin as further weaken the remainder three fetters of greed(lobha), hatred(dosa) and delusion(moha). In AN3.85; 9.12 mentioned that both Sotapanna and Sakadagamin require perfect sila; Anagamin requires perfect sila, samadhi and pañña. This means that both Sotapanna and Sakadagamin do not require meditative jhanas whereas the Anagamin and Arahant require jhanas.
Gradually developing the meditative skills
In AN 4.20.194 and MN 52 both stated clearly that to gain liberation, one needs to develop the meditative skills of jhanas.
The Blessed One taught forty different types of meditation:
1. Ten topics on Anussati (recollection of Buddhist teachings),
2. Ten topics on Kasinas (basic elements and colour light),
3. Ten topics on impurities (asubha, decaying corpse and 32 bodily parts),
4. Four topics on formless realms (arupavacara),
5. Four topics on loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity (appamanna),
6. One topic on the four elements in our body (catudhatuvavatthana),
7. One topic on the contemplation of food consumption (ahare patikkhulasanna).
The most commonly taught is the Anapanasati which is mindfulness on the breaths, this is the best of all methods for anyone, it helps to calm the mind, bring the mind into focus, and when a meditator contemplates about the breaths, he knows clearly that the body is dependent on the breaths, it cannot be my body!
There are four meditative stages; i.e., jhanas:
1. The first jhana requires at least two ingredients: Vitakka and vicara, it means initial attention and sustained attention on the subject of meditation.
2. The second jhana requires at least on ingredient: piti, it means joy.
3. The third jhana requires at least one ingredient: sukha, it means bliss.
4. The fourth jhana requires at least one ingredient: samadhi, it means single pointed mind, or ekaggata, it means single-ness. The other factor is upekkha, it means equanimity. The training on Anapanasati can lead the meditator to all these four jhanas.
The Blessed One said clearly in Samadhi Sutta (SN 3.363): Monks! You must develop your meditative power, a monk with such power can rightly see the truth. What does he know? He knows rightly: ‘this is suffering’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the origin of sufferings’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the cessation of sufferings’; he knows rightly: ‘this is the path leading to the cessation of sufferings’. Therefore meditative skill is an indispensable factors in the Buddhist liberation.
Besides, a meditator should also be able to master the following five skills:
1. Switching jhanas at will; move from one jhana to the other (avajjana vasi).
2. Entering jhanas at will. Move from outside of jhana into jhana (samapajjana vasi).
3. Staying in jhana at will (adhitthana vasi).
4. Leaving jhana at will (vutthana vasi).
5. Examining the factors of jhanas at will (paccavekkhana vasi).
Meditation and Vipassana---2
Meditation and Vipassana---2
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Understanding ourselves
From the previous chapters, where we have discussed how to put in efforts to subdue or remove our hindrances or obstacles (Nīvarana); they are;
1. Sensual desire (kāmacchanda),
2. Ill will (Vyāpāda),
3. Sloth and drowsiness (thīna, middha),
4. Restlessness and anxiety (uddhacca, kukkucca), and
5. Doubt or uncertainty (vicikīcchā).
These are the bad or negative tendencies in ourselves, therefore we have to identify them and have them subdued and removed gradually, because these are the hurdles and obstructions to our progress on the spiritual path.
Promoting our good qualities
From the traditional view, the factors that one should try to promote are the thirty seven stages of practice (bodhipakkiya); i.e., the four foundations of mindfulness, four persistent efforts, four miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path.
We will certainly come to realize that in fostering the seven factors of enlightenment (Satta bojjhangāni), we will make progress in our spiritual practice, and make our spiritual journey much smoother. These factors are;
1. Mindfulness (sati),
2. Investigation of the Dhamma (Dhammavicaya),
3. Energy or persistent effort (Viriya),
4. Rapture or joy (Piti),
5. Calm or meditative calm abiding (Passaddhi),
6. Meditative concentration (Samādhi), and
7. Equanimity (Upekkā) or letting go.
Mindfulness is none other than the four Foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana), ie; mindfulness on the body, mindfulness of the feelings, mindfulness on the mental states, and mindfulness on the Dhamma.
Investigation of the Dhamma is the applying of the medicines for our ills, in the word of the Blessed One, applying loving kindness for our anger and dislike; applying compassion for our hatred and ill will; applying sympathetic joy for our jealously; applying mindfulness on the breath for our wandering mind; applying persistent effort for our laziness; applying faith in the triple gems for our doubts; applying mindfulness of the illumination for our sloth and torpor; applying mindfulness on the impurities and death for our sensual desires; applying mindfulness on the impermanency for our wrong view of permanency; applying mindfulness on the sufferings for our wrong view of pleasantness; applying mindfulness on Dependent Origination for our wrong view of self and ego.
Energy or persistent effort is the applying of effort on four aspects of our activities;
1. Restraining the appearance of negative tendencies,
2. Subduing the appeared negative acts,
3. Fostering the appearance of virtuous tendencies,
4. Developing the appeared virtuous acts.
Rapture or joy is the cultivation of four meditative jhanas.
Calm and meditative calm abiding is the cultivation of four meditative jhanas.
Meditative concentration is the cultivation of meditative jhanas.
Equanimity or the letting go is the realization of the selflessness.
These factors must be cultivated and developed, because with these factors well developed, it leads us to full realization, to wisdom and to Nibbana.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Understanding ourselves
From the previous chapters, where we have discussed how to put in efforts to subdue or remove our hindrances or obstacles (Nīvarana); they are;
1. Sensual desire (kāmacchanda),
2. Ill will (Vyāpāda),
3. Sloth and drowsiness (thīna, middha),
4. Restlessness and anxiety (uddhacca, kukkucca), and
5. Doubt or uncertainty (vicikīcchā).
These are the bad or negative tendencies in ourselves, therefore we have to identify them and have them subdued and removed gradually, because these are the hurdles and obstructions to our progress on the spiritual path.
Promoting our good qualities
From the traditional view, the factors that one should try to promote are the thirty seven stages of practice (bodhipakkiya); i.e., the four foundations of mindfulness, four persistent efforts, four miraculous powers, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path.
We will certainly come to realize that in fostering the seven factors of enlightenment (Satta bojjhangāni), we will make progress in our spiritual practice, and make our spiritual journey much smoother. These factors are;
1. Mindfulness (sati),
2. Investigation of the Dhamma (Dhammavicaya),
3. Energy or persistent effort (Viriya),
4. Rapture or joy (Piti),
5. Calm or meditative calm abiding (Passaddhi),
6. Meditative concentration (Samādhi), and
7. Equanimity (Upekkā) or letting go.
Mindfulness is none other than the four Foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana), ie; mindfulness on the body, mindfulness of the feelings, mindfulness on the mental states, and mindfulness on the Dhamma.
Investigation of the Dhamma is the applying of the medicines for our ills, in the word of the Blessed One, applying loving kindness for our anger and dislike; applying compassion for our hatred and ill will; applying sympathetic joy for our jealously; applying mindfulness on the breath for our wandering mind; applying persistent effort for our laziness; applying faith in the triple gems for our doubts; applying mindfulness of the illumination for our sloth and torpor; applying mindfulness on the impurities and death for our sensual desires; applying mindfulness on the impermanency for our wrong view of permanency; applying mindfulness on the sufferings for our wrong view of pleasantness; applying mindfulness on Dependent Origination for our wrong view of self and ego.
Energy or persistent effort is the applying of effort on four aspects of our activities;
1. Restraining the appearance of negative tendencies,
2. Subduing the appeared negative acts,
3. Fostering the appearance of virtuous tendencies,
4. Developing the appeared virtuous acts.
Rapture or joy is the cultivation of four meditative jhanas.
Calm and meditative calm abiding is the cultivation of four meditative jhanas.
Meditative concentration is the cultivation of meditative jhanas.
Equanimity or the letting go is the realization of the selflessness.
These factors must be cultivated and developed, because with these factors well developed, it leads us to full realization, to wisdom and to Nibbana.
Meditation and Vipassana---1
Meditation and Vipassana---1
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
Why meditate?
We have to do our training of observing the code of conduct (Sila) first, this gives rise to a clean life, and it forms the basis for meditation practice.
Meditation involves both the body and the mind. In meditation we keep our body still and train our mind so that it becomes peaceful and focused (samatha and samadhi), meditation or mind training means simply aware of our being, not judging, not thinking, just being simply aware of ourselves.
Mind training consists of two areas, the Tranquility (Samatha) meditation and the Contemplation (Vipassana) meditation. Samatha means mental tranquility, when mental purity is attained through samatha, it is very sharp and see thing as it is clearly, the developed mind then abandons lust and so the mind is free of entanglement. It also has other auxiliary abilities like clairvoyance, transforming and changing objects, remembering pass lives etc.
In meditation we achieve three things: (1) Our mind become pure and luminous; (2) This pure mind is used as a tools for penetrating to the truths of phenomena; (3) It leads to the spiritual paths and attainments.
The Blessed One said in Anguttara Nikaya: “Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed ordinary person doesn't discern that it actually is present, which is why I tell you that -- for the uninstructed ordinary person -- there is no development of the mind." {I,vi,1}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones discerns that it actually is present, which is why I tell you that -- for the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones -- there is development of the mind." {I,vi,2}
The training of wisdom is the third training which leads a practitioner to liberation and freedom. This involves the contemplation (vipassana) of the characteristics of phenomena, they are all impermanent, subject to decay and destruction, and therefore is of the nature of imperfection and suffering, and if these phenomena are such, it naturally leads a meditator to come to investigate whether there is such a person called ‘me’ or ‘I’, for those keen meditator, you can take the advice of the Blessed One that there is no me or I.
The arising of insight or wisdom requires the purification of the morality (Silavisuddhi), and mind (Cittavisuddhi) as its roots. Purification of the morality is the adherence of the Five precepts (panca sila), the stricter Eight precepts (atthanga sila), and the novices’ Ten precepts (dasa sila), and the fourfold virtue of the ordained sangha, i.e., purity of Pātimokkha, restraint of the senses, purity of livelihood, purity in the use of the four requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine. Purification of mind is the attainment of the four rupa and the four arupa jhanas. Besides, it requires the inhibition of the five hindrances, i.e., sensual desires, ill-will, restlessness, sloth and torpor, and doubts. The insight would not arise if the virtue is not purified and the mental quiescence is not developed.
Vipassana is made up of two words, ‘vi’ is a prefix meaning separation, and ‘passana’ is to see, to observe; combining the two words means to observe and separate from our wrong view. Contemplative meditation is seeing the phenomena as they are, ie. impermanence, unsatisfactory, and selfless, and gaining insights into them so that our attachment and our ignorance to those phenomena around us could be abandoned, and gaining freedom by wisdom. (AN 2.3.10)
In meditation one deepens one’s practice through the practice of the four foundations of Satipatthana, which means the four foundations of mindfulness---mindfulness of the body, feelings, mental states, and the dhammas. With its perfection one develops the mind to a level it cuts off the tendency to fray into thinking easily, and with the purified mind ie. the attainment of meditative jhanas, one can see intuitively and clearly the selfless nature of the five aggregates, which then leads to Enlightenment and ultimately to Nibbana.
Friday, 21 November 2008
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---11
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---11
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The absence of self
What we can called ourselves are but the aggregates of body, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness, besides these, if we were to search thoroughly there is nothing else that we can called our own. The body is but the combination of the four elements, i.e.; solid element, liquid element, fire element and the air element; or to look at it more closely, we find the thirty-two parts as mentioned in Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta or Maha-rahulovada Sutta, or the twenty four derived components as listed above. They are all impermanent; hence there is no perpetual self! The feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness arise through the six doors (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind) contact the outer phenomena, five of the six door are the body which is impermanent, the mind is able to function due to its base on the five doors, therefore the mind door and the consciousness are all impermanent, hence there is no perpetual self!
Then the Blessed One analysed the impersonality (anattá) and emptiness (suññatā) of the five aggregates in SN. XXII, 49, as:
"Whatever there is of form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, whether past, present or future, one's own or external, gross or subtle, lofty or low, far or near, this one should understand according to reality and true wisdom: 'This does not belong to me, this is not me, this is not my Ego.' "
And he further analysed it: "Suppose that a man who is not blind were to behold the many bubbles on the Ganges as they are drifting along; and he should watch them and carefully examine them. After carefully examining them, however, they will appear to him empty, unreal and unsubstantial. In exactly the same way does the monk behold all the physical form phenomena ... feelings ... perceptions ... mental formations ... states of consciousness, whether they be of the past, present or future ... far or near. And he watches them and examines them carefully; and after carefully examining them, they appear to him empty, unreal and unsubstantial." (SN. XXII, 95)
The five aggregates are compared, respectively, to a lump of froth, a bubble, a mirage, a coreless plantain stem, and a conjuring trick (SN. XXII, 95).
In the Blessed One’s system of training, the hardest is the stilling of thoughts and consciousnesses, this the Blessed One said: “Where consciousness is signless, boundless, all luminous, that is where earth, water, fire and air find no footing. There are long and short, small and great, fair and foul. There ‘name and form’ are wholly destroyed. With cessation of consciousness, this is all destroyed” (DN I.223) the methods of getting there are nothing but meditation and contemplation.
We are consisted of the two broad components, i.e. the body (rūpa) and the mind (nāma), or a detailed classification of five aggregates (khandha), due to our attachment and extreme grasping on them, the Blessed One termed them as grasped aggregates (upādānakkhandha); these five aggregates are, i.e.,
(1) the form aggregate (rūpa-kkhandha),
(2) the feeling aggregate (vedanā-kkhandha),
(3) the perception aggregate (saññā-kkhandha),
(4) the mental formation aggregate (sankhára-kkhandha),
(5) the consciousness aggragate (viññána-kkhandha).
These five aggregates never exist for a single moment unchanged, permanent, as belonged to an entity of a permanent nature. The fact that these five are so easily misunderstood by the ignorant is that the mind see the continuity of the aggregate, and think they are me or mine.
That is why the Blessed One has to break them down into components like a butcher were to cut open a cow’s carcass and find that there is no such thing as a ‘Cow’.
In SN. XXII, 56, there five aggregates were defined as: "What, O monks, is the physical form? The four primary elements (mahā-bhūta or dhātu) and form depending thereon, this is called the aggregate of form.
The physical form are composed of by the four elements, i.e., the solid, or earth-element (pathavī- dhātu), the liquid, or water element (āpo-dhātu), the heat, or fire-element (tejo-dhātu), the motion, or wind element (vāyo-dhātu).
In Abhidhamma texts, the physical form is further divided into twenty four derived components, i.e., eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, form, sound, smell, taste, femininity (itthindriya), virility (purisindriya), mind base (hadaya-vatthu), bodily expression (kāya-viññatti), verbal expression (vací-viññatti), physical life force (rūpa jívita), space element (ākāsa-dhātu), physical agility (rūpassa lahutā), physical elasticity (rūpassa mudutā), physical adaptability (rūpassa kammaññatā), physical growth (rūpassa upacaya), physical continuity (rūpassa santati), decay (jarā), impermanence (aniccatā), nutriment (āhāra).
"What, O monks, is the aggregate of feeling? There are six types of feeling: reaction to visual impression, to sound impression, to smell impression, to taste impression, to bodily impression, and to mind impression....
All feelings are classified into five types; bodily pleasant feeling (kāyikā sukhā vedanā, sukhā), bodily painful feeling (kāyikā dukkhā vedanā, dukkhā), mental pleasant feeling (cetasikā sukhā vedanā, somanassa), mental painful feeling (cetasikā dukkhā vedanā, domanassa), and indifferent feeling (adukkha-m-asukhā vedanā, upekkhā).
"What, O monks, is the aggregate of perception? There are six types of perception: perception of visual objects, of sounds, of smells, of tastes, of bodily impressions, and of mental impressions....
All perceptions are divided into six types: perception of form, sound, odour, taste, bodily impression, and mental impression.
"What, O monks, is the aggregate of mental formations? There are six types of mental states (cetanā): with regard to visual objects, to sounds, to smells, to tastes, to bodily impressions and to mind objects....
This group comprises fifty mental phenomena, of which eleven are general psychological elements, twenty-five lofty (sobhana) qualities, fourteen karmically unwholesome qualities.
"What, O monks, is the aggregate of consciousness? There are six types of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness."
The Blessed One pointed out that these five aggregates are inseparable:
''Whatever, O brother, there exists of feeling, of perception and of mental formations, these things are associated, not dissociated, and it is impossible to separate one from the other and show their difference. For whatever one feels, one perceives; and whatever one perceives, there is consciousness" (MN. 43). This is the greatest difficulty one faced in trying to contemplate and analyse about the body and the mind.
He said further: "Impossible is it for anyone to explain the passing out of one existence and the entering into a new existence, or the growth, increase and development of consciousness independent of physical form, feeling, perception and mental formations" (SN. XII, 53)
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro, Sydney, 1998. Revised in Taipei 3/ 2006, Adelaide 8/2007.
Notes:
[1] Right view on the ownership of kamma: All beings are owners of their kamma, inherit their kamma, are born of their kamma, are created by their kamma, are linked to their kamma and any intentional action (ie, kamma) they do, whether good or bad, the effects of that will be theirs, following them like a shadow, that follows.
[2] Giving alms has good effects, any self sacrifice results in pleasure, small gifts are also beneficial. There is resulting fruition thus of any good and bad behaviour. There is moral efficacy of any relation to mother and father. There is this world and there are other worlds. There are beings who are spontaneously and instantaneously born. There exist good and pure recluses and priests in this world, who having followed the right method of practice, themselves by their own supra-human abilities, have directly experienced the other worlds and who explain them and thereby make them known here.
[3] Right view of such is suffering; Right view of such is the cause of suffering; Right view of such is the end of suffering; Right view of such is the way to end suffering.
[4] Right contemplation is being motivated by a general absence of greed, craving, and desire. It is to give generously by relinquishing possessiveness, and to detach from the five sense-desires of tempting sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches, and to cut attachment to the five clusters of clinging to forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness.
[5] Right contemplation for non ill will is being motivated by universal friendliness, infinite goodwill, care, non anger, free of hate and a sympathy wishing and working for all sentient being's happiness, content, comfort, benefit and welfare.
[6] Right contemplation for harmlessness is being motivated by absolute non violence, absence of cruelty, and by compassionate pity, thereby offering all sentient beings guaranteed safety and protection from any evil, painful, bad or wrong treatment. Such giving of fearlessness is right contemplation or right motivation.
[7] The ten beneficial subjects of conversation: talk on the modesty of having few wants, talk on the bliss of contentment, talk on the joy of seclusion, talk on the ease of disentanglement, talk on the energy of enthusiasm, talk on the advantage of pure morality, talk on the calm of concentration, talk on the insight of understanding, talk on the freedom of release, talk on the direct knowledge and vision of release.
[8] The noble speech are; eliminating any false speech the noble friend dwells avoiding all lies, a truth-speaker, one to be relied on, trustworthy, loyal, not a deceiver of the world.
Abstaining from malicious speech, he does not tell them there, whatever he has heard about those here, or repeat here, whatever he heard there, repeat and harming those there. Thus is he a reconciler of those in conflict and a diplomat ending quarrels? The noble friend is rejoicing in peace, loving it, delighting in it, one who defends peace.
Abandoning all harsh and aggressive speech he refrains from it. He speaks whatever is blameless and pleasing to the ear, agreeable, touching the heart, elegant, gratifying and appealing to many.
Discarding idle and empty chatter, he speaks at the right time and only about what is correct, advantageous and to the point, of Dhamma and self control. He is a speaker whose words are to be treasured, timely, reasoned, well-defined, well-formulated, beneficial and leading to the goal.
[9] The many kinds of idle gossip and frivolous talk: such as talk on kings, robbers, ministers, armies, dangers, wars, foods, drinks, clothing, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, countries, women, heroes, places, amusements, the dead, trifles, the origin of the world, the origin of the sea, whether metaphysical things are so or are not so. Such talk is pointless, irrelevant, detrimental, and empty of any good.
[10] There are three types of right action; avoiding all killing and injuring of any living being, abstaining from taking and stealing what is not given, stopping all misuse of sexual misconduct.
The first is the ending of intentional killing or destroying of beings either by physical action or by verbal incitement, ranging from killing eggs of lice and bugs, or causing abortion,
to any slaughter of living creatures, including human beings.
Secondly is the restraint from taking, what is not given, means abstaining from taking, with intention to steal, living beings or non-living articles, which have an owner, removing or appropriating them, without the owner's consent, either by physical effort or by inciting another to do so.
Thirdly is the restraint from sexual misconduct means abstention from any kind of sex, which will cause pain and suffering to others. Examples will be adultery, since this causes the disruption of marriage, rape, intercourse with minors protected by parents, and perversion of others.
Included here also is abstention from use of alcohols, drugs and any kinds of intoxicants, which causes carelessness, and gambling with cards, dices, on horses, government supported public gambling etc.
[11] Right livelihood has five types; earning a living not by trading of any living beings, earning a living not by selling any meat nor flesh, earning a living not by selling any weapons, earning a living not by dealing in alcohol nor drugs, earning a living not by selling any poison.
Right livelihood for Buddhist monks and nuns: Neither living nor receiving food by astrology, soothsaying, prediction of future events, nor by palmistry, geomancy, dream reading, charms and spells, or divination, nor by any rituals, running errands nor messages, flattering, arranging marriages, funerals nor divorces, medical praxis, nor by producing art nor poetry, nor by disputation or debate, this is right livelihood. Knowing right and wrong livelihood as right and wrong livelihood is right view. Awareness of presence of right and wrong livelihood is right awareness. Exchanging wrong livelihood with right livelihood is right effort.
[12] There are four types of right efforts: the effort to overcome already present detrimental mental states; the effort to prevent future detrimental mental states from arising; the effort to begin developing yet unarisen advantageous mental states; the effort to maintain and perfect already arisen advantageous mental states.
Again the four types of right efforts are 1: Control 2: Overcoming 3: Development 4: Maintenance.
What is the effort of control? When seeing an object with the eye, one neither grasps after the whole object, nor any of its details, thereby one strives to prevent bad, detrimental states, such as longing and misery, to flood in on one. One guards and controls the sense of sight and do similarly with the other senses.
What is the effort of overcoming? One does not accept any lust, hate or anger that has arisen, but leaves it instantly, dispels it, destroys it, and makes it vanish.
What is the effort of development? One develops the enlightenment factor of awareness, of investigation of Dhamma, of energy, of joy, of tranquility, of concentration, and the enlightenment factor of equanimity based on solitude, detachment, and ceasing, which is leading to maturity and culmination of spiritual self surrender.
What is the effort of maintenance? One dominated by desire maintains firmly in his mind a favourable object of concentration, such as a skeleton, or a corpse that is full of worms, bluish black, full of holes, bloated, while one dominated by anger maintains firmly in his mind a favourable object of concentration, such as infinite loving kindness, compassion, mutual joy or well balanced equanimity. Thus knowing right and wrong effort as right and wrong effort is right view. Awareness of presence of right and wrong effort is right awareness. Right effort has the function of striving, exertion and endurance.
[13] The Buddha said there are four types of Right Awareness: 1: The awareness of the body merely as a transient and compounded form. 2: The awareness of feelings just as assigned and passing emotional responses. 3: The awareness of mind only as a group of habituated and temporary moods. 4: The awareness of phenomena simply as momentary and constructed mental states. Right awareness is aware of these four, while being alert, clearly comprehending and mindful. And put away longing towards and aversion against anything in this world.
[14] The Buddha said: “Having eliminated the five mental hindrances, mental defects that obstruct understanding, quite secluded from sensual desires, protected from any detrimental mental state, one enters and dwells in the 1st jhana; full of joy and pleasure born of solitude, joined with directed and sustained thought. One makes this joy and pleasure born of seclusion drench, saturate, soak, and suffuse the body, so there is no part of the entire body not inundated by this joy and pleasure. Just as a skilled bath man puts soap powder in a copper basin and sprinkling it gradually with water, whips it until the water soaks and pervades all the soap powder, yet without dripping, so too, do the friend make the joy and pleasure born of solitude permeate and pervade the entire body.
Again, friends, with the stilling of directed and sustained thought, one enters and dwells in the 2nd jhana, calmed assurance and unification of mind with joy and pleasure now born of concentration, devoid of any thought! One makes the joy and pleasure born of concentration drench, saturate, soak, and suffuse the body, so there is no part of the whole body not inundated by this joy and pleasure. Just as a lake whose waters welled up from below within it itself, and it had no other sources neither by showers of rain, then this cool fount of water welling up from within would suffuse, fill, and pervade the entire lake, so do one make this joy and pleasure born of concentration infuse this entire body.
Again, friends, with the fading away of joy, the friend dwells in equanimity, aware and clearly comprehending, still feeling pleasure in the body, one enters upon and remains in the 3rd jhana, regarding which the Noble Ones declare: 'In aware equanimity one dwells in pleasure.' One makes the pleasure apart from of joy flood, saturate, soak, and suffuses the body, so there is no part of one's whole body not inundated by this pleasure divested of joy. Just as in a lotus pond some lotuses are born, grow and thrive immersed under the water and the cool water soaks them from their roots to their tips, so too, do a friend make the pleasure divested of joy drench, fill, flood and pervade this entire body.
Again, friends, with the leaving behind of both pleasure and pain, and with the prior disappearance of both joy and sorrow, one enters and dwells in the 4th jhana; a stilled mental state of awareness, purified by an equanimity of neither-pain-nor-pleasure. One sits illuminating the body internally with this pure bright mind, so there is no part of one's whole body not illuminated by this pure bright mind. Just as a man were sitting covered from the head down with a white cloth, so that no part of his whole body was uncovered by this white textile; so one sits encompassing this entire body with a pure bright radiant mind, so there is no part of one's whole body not illuminated by this pure bright and luminous mind. No trivial worldly pleasure surpasses such sublime bliss.”
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro, Brisbane Jetavana Burmese Monastery, 2/5/2008
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The gist of Buddha’s teaching---10
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---10
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The nature of suffering
In AN. III, 35, it is said: "Did you, O man, never see in the world a man or a woman eighty, ninety or a hundred years old, frail, crooked as a gable-roof, bent down, resting on crutches, with tottering steps, infirm, youth long since fled, with broken teeth, grey and scanty hair, or bald headed, wrinkled, with blotched limbs? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to old age, that you also cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world a man or a woman, who being sick, afflicted and grievously ill, and wallowing in their own filth, was lifted up by some people, and put down by others? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to disease, that you also cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world the corpse of a man or a woman, one or two or three days after death, swollen up, blue-black in colour, and full of corruption? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to death, that you also cannot escape it?"
The Suttas mentioned above all explain the nature of suffering amply, we need to understand the suffering in the context that whatever that is subject to change, then it is of the nature of suffering, because we will lament over its decay, change in appearance, destruction, disappearance, and loss. Why is it so? Because it is supported by very unstable conditions, conditions which are of short life span.
The sufferings of old age, sickness and death is approaching us like a great mountain crushing all beings in its path, the Blessed One advised the King Pasenadi of Kosala to practice the Dhamma, to live calmly, to do good and make merit.
‘What do you think, great king? Suppose a man, trustworthy and reliable, were to come to you from the east and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the east. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings [in its path]. Do whatever you think should be done.' Then a second man were to come to you from the west... Then a third man were to come to you from the north... Then a fourth man were to come to you from the south and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the south. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings. Do whatever you think should be done.' If, your majesty, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life -- the human state being so hard to obtain -- what should be done?’
‘If, Lord, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life -- the human state being so hard to obtain -- what else should be done but Dhamma conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?’” (SN III, 25, Pabbatopama Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
When the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then two feeble old brahmans who were said to be 120 years old came to visit the Buddha for a good advice:
“Master Gotama, we are brahmans -- feeble old men, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. And we have done no admirable deeds, no skillful deeds, no deeds that allay our fears. Teach us, Master Gotama. Instruct us, Master Gotama, for our long-term benefit and happiness."
"Indeed, brahmans, you are feeble old men, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. And you have done no admirable deeds, no skillful deeds, and no deeds that allay your fears. This world is swept away by aging, by illness, by death. With the world thus swept away by aging, illness, and death, any restraint of body, speech, and intellect practiced here will be one's shelter, cave, island, and refuge after death in the world beyond."
It's swept along:
life, its next-to-nothing span.
For one swept on by aging
no shelters exist.
Keeping sight of this danger in death,
do meritorious deeds
that bring bliss.
Whoever here is restrained
in body, speech, and awareness,
who makes merit while he's alive:
that will be for his bliss after death. (AN III, 51,Dvejana Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
When a house is on fire,
the vessel salvaged
is the one that will be of use,
not the one left there to burn.
So when the world is on fire
with aging and death,
one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:
what's given is well salvaged.
Whoever here is restrained
in body, speech, and awareness;
who makes merit while he's alive:
that will be for his bliss after death. ”(AN III,52, Dvejana Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The nature of suffering
In AN. III, 35, it is said: "Did you, O man, never see in the world a man or a woman eighty, ninety or a hundred years old, frail, crooked as a gable-roof, bent down, resting on crutches, with tottering steps, infirm, youth long since fled, with broken teeth, grey and scanty hair, or bald headed, wrinkled, with blotched limbs? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to old age, that you also cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world a man or a woman, who being sick, afflicted and grievously ill, and wallowing in their own filth, was lifted up by some people, and put down by others? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to disease, that you also cannot escape it?
Did you never see in the world the corpse of a man or a woman, one or two or three days after death, swollen up, blue-black in colour, and full of corruption? And did it never occur to you that you also are subject to death, that you also cannot escape it?"
The Suttas mentioned above all explain the nature of suffering amply, we need to understand the suffering in the context that whatever that is subject to change, then it is of the nature of suffering, because we will lament over its decay, change in appearance, destruction, disappearance, and loss. Why is it so? Because it is supported by very unstable conditions, conditions which are of short life span.
The sufferings of old age, sickness and death is approaching us like a great mountain crushing all beings in its path, the Blessed One advised the King Pasenadi of Kosala to practice the Dhamma, to live calmly, to do good and make merit.
‘What do you think, great king? Suppose a man, trustworthy and reliable, were to come to you from the east and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the east. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings [in its path]. Do whatever you think should be done.' Then a second man were to come to you from the west... Then a third man were to come to you from the north... Then a fourth man were to come to you from the south and on arrival would say: 'If it please your majesty, you should know that I come from the south. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings. Do whatever you think should be done.' If, your majesty, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life -- the human state being so hard to obtain -- what should be done?’
‘If, Lord, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life -- the human state being so hard to obtain -- what else should be done but Dhamma conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?’” (SN III, 25, Pabbatopama Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
When the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then two feeble old brahmans who were said to be 120 years old came to visit the Buddha for a good advice:
“Master Gotama, we are brahmans -- feeble old men, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. And we have done no admirable deeds, no skillful deeds, no deeds that allay our fears. Teach us, Master Gotama. Instruct us, Master Gotama, for our long-term benefit and happiness."
"Indeed, brahmans, you are feeble old men, aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. And you have done no admirable deeds, no skillful deeds, and no deeds that allay your fears. This world is swept away by aging, by illness, by death. With the world thus swept away by aging, illness, and death, any restraint of body, speech, and intellect practiced here will be one's shelter, cave, island, and refuge after death in the world beyond."
It's swept along:
life, its next-to-nothing span.
For one swept on by aging
no shelters exist.
Keeping sight of this danger in death,
do meritorious deeds
that bring bliss.
Whoever here is restrained
in body, speech, and awareness,
who makes merit while he's alive:
that will be for his bliss after death. (AN III, 51,Dvejana Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
When a house is on fire,
the vessel salvaged
is the one that will be of use,
not the one left there to burn.
So when the world is on fire
with aging and death,
one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:
what's given is well salvaged.
Whoever here is restrained
in body, speech, and awareness;
who makes merit while he's alive:
that will be for his bliss after death. ”(AN III,52, Dvejana Sutta, Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---9
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---9
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
4. The three characteristics
Impermanence of all phenomena
All phenomena regardless whether they are physical or mental are impermanent, subject to change by the various conditions, they are inconstant, and they are very fragile indeed. People without proper instruction on the Dhamma, do not know about this fact, or do not know how to contemplate their nature, and so, they are constantly fooled by outer appearances, could not let go of the attachment to those various forms around them.
Death is around us, it happens to our relatives, friends, people whom we don’t know, it will affect everyone who is alive and well, yet the ignorant takes no notice of it. People are falling all around us, and yet we never think one day we will also die! The Blessed One said in Pabbatopama Sutta illustrated this with a simile of the mountain, he declared loudly: “I inform you, great king (King Pasenadi), I announce to you, great king: aging and death are rolling in on you. When aging and death are rolling in on you, great king, what should be done? (King Pasenadi:) As aging and death are rolling in on me, Lord! what else should be done but Dhamma conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds.” The Blessed One reiterated that by saying in stanzas :
“So a wise person,
seeing his own good,
steadfast, secures confidence
in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
One who practices the Dhamma
in thought, word, and deed,
receives praise here on earth
and after death rejoices in heaven.”
It is indeed that we have been wandering in samsara for such a long time, and we have shed much tears enough to fill the four great oceans to the brim, that it’s time to wake up to this fact. The Blessed One said in Assu Sutta : ‘From an inconceivable past comes transmigration, a beginning point is not evident, though beings blinded by ignorance and fettered by craving are wandering on. It is far too long that you have experienced suffering, pain (when meeting the unfavorable conditions), loss (of the loved one), filling the cemeteries. It is enough to be disenchanted with all composite things (the five aggregates), enough to be dispassionate, enough to be released.’
In order to fully realized and awakened to this truth, one needs to practice frequently so as to quench the fire of the three poisons. The Blessed One said: ‘The perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence(in a form realm), removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am. Just as in the autumn a farmer, ploughing with a large plough cuts through all the spreading rootlets as he ploughs; in the same way, bhikkhus, the perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence, removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am.’ (SN XXII 102)
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
4. The three characteristics
Impermanence of all phenomena
All phenomena regardless whether they are physical or mental are impermanent, subject to change by the various conditions, they are inconstant, and they are very fragile indeed. People without proper instruction on the Dhamma, do not know about this fact, or do not know how to contemplate their nature, and so, they are constantly fooled by outer appearances, could not let go of the attachment to those various forms around them.
Death is around us, it happens to our relatives, friends, people whom we don’t know, it will affect everyone who is alive and well, yet the ignorant takes no notice of it. People are falling all around us, and yet we never think one day we will also die! The Blessed One said in Pabbatopama Sutta illustrated this with a simile of the mountain, he declared loudly: “I inform you, great king (King Pasenadi), I announce to you, great king: aging and death are rolling in on you. When aging and death are rolling in on you, great king, what should be done? (King Pasenadi:) As aging and death are rolling in on me, Lord! what else should be done but Dhamma conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds.” The Blessed One reiterated that by saying in stanzas :
“So a wise person,
seeing his own good,
steadfast, secures confidence
in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
One who practices the Dhamma
in thought, word, and deed,
receives praise here on earth
and after death rejoices in heaven.”
It is indeed that we have been wandering in samsara for such a long time, and we have shed much tears enough to fill the four great oceans to the brim, that it’s time to wake up to this fact. The Blessed One said in Assu Sutta : ‘From an inconceivable past comes transmigration, a beginning point is not evident, though beings blinded by ignorance and fettered by craving are wandering on. It is far too long that you have experienced suffering, pain (when meeting the unfavorable conditions), loss (of the loved one), filling the cemeteries. It is enough to be disenchanted with all composite things (the five aggregates), enough to be dispassionate, enough to be released.’
In order to fully realized and awakened to this truth, one needs to practice frequently so as to quench the fire of the three poisons. The Blessed One said: ‘The perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence(in a form realm), removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am. Just as in the autumn a farmer, ploughing with a large plough cuts through all the spreading rootlets as he ploughs; in the same way, bhikkhus, the perceiving of impermanence, bhikkhus, developed and frequently practiced, removes all sensual passion, removes passion for material existence, removes all passion for becoming, removes all ignorance, removes and abolishes all conceit of ‘I’am.’ (SN XXII 102)
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---8
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---8
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The twelve Dependent Cessations
Understanding the causation in the above, the cessation of suffering is just simply stopping or abandoning the above series of origination.
The Buddha said: “From the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of mental formations.
From the cessation of mental formations comes the cessation of consciousness.
From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name and form.
From the cessation of name and form comes the cessation of the six sense doors.
From the cessation of the six sense doors comes the cessation of contact.
From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.
From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving.
From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging.
From the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of becoming.
From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth.
From the cessation of birth, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease.” ( Kaccayanagotta Sutta )
The retrogressive order of Dependent Cessation excludes the expediency of a creator God, and leaves the salvation from samsara in our hand squarely.
What we understand about the "rebirth" of any being is a mundane understanding, from the supramundane viewpoint the Buddha explained that there is no being re-born, there is just the phenomena of birth and death. For those people during Buddha times who believed in rebirth, the Blessed One taught the wandering of the beings among the various realms, and then the Blessed One taught the teaching of "dependent origination" to them, as it is easier for those people to understand this. As for those who have a higher parami of intelligence, the Blessed One taught them directly the teaching of “Anatta”, as demonstrated by the second teaching on “Three characteristics” to the five ascetics.
For those who don’t believe in rebirth prior to embarking on the eightfold noble path, there is no need for the Blessed One to talk about the wandering of the beings in Samsara and of rebirth; this might lead to the wrong view of an eternal being or a ‘soul’.
For example, when a musician plays the flute, there is no storage of the sound played beforehand. When the music stops, it does not go anywhere else. It came into existence by way of the construction of the flute, the flow of air and the playing of the musician, which are the conditions for its existence. When the music stops, it is devoid of those conditions, it just simply goes out of existence.
Similarly all the components which conditions the appearance of a being, both material and immaterial components, come into existence, they just play their role for its appearance, and then when the conditions which support their existence disappeared or deteriorated, then that being disappeared or passed away.
What we call a person is just the coming together of various components and the working of the various components with each other. It is impossible to find a permanent entity. Yet the paradox is: there is clearly a path to be followed and there is walking to be done, but there is no walker. There are actions and performance which must be worked out but there is no actor. Our pre-conceived idea of an immutable self is a mirage only.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The twelve Dependent Cessations
Understanding the causation in the above, the cessation of suffering is just simply stopping or abandoning the above series of origination.
The Buddha said: “From the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of mental formations.
From the cessation of mental formations comes the cessation of consciousness.
From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name and form.
From the cessation of name and form comes the cessation of the six sense doors.
From the cessation of the six sense doors comes the cessation of contact.
From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.
From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving.
From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging.
From the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of becoming.
From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth.
From the cessation of birth, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all cease.” ( Kaccayanagotta Sutta )
The retrogressive order of Dependent Cessation excludes the expediency of a creator God, and leaves the salvation from samsara in our hand squarely.
What we understand about the "rebirth" of any being is a mundane understanding, from the supramundane viewpoint the Buddha explained that there is no being re-born, there is just the phenomena of birth and death. For those people during Buddha times who believed in rebirth, the Blessed One taught the wandering of the beings among the various realms, and then the Blessed One taught the teaching of "dependent origination" to them, as it is easier for those people to understand this. As for those who have a higher parami of intelligence, the Blessed One taught them directly the teaching of “Anatta”, as demonstrated by the second teaching on “Three characteristics” to the five ascetics.
For those who don’t believe in rebirth prior to embarking on the eightfold noble path, there is no need for the Blessed One to talk about the wandering of the beings in Samsara and of rebirth; this might lead to the wrong view of an eternal being or a ‘soul’.
For example, when a musician plays the flute, there is no storage of the sound played beforehand. When the music stops, it does not go anywhere else. It came into existence by way of the construction of the flute, the flow of air and the playing of the musician, which are the conditions for its existence. When the music stops, it is devoid of those conditions, it just simply goes out of existence.
Similarly all the components which conditions the appearance of a being, both material and immaterial components, come into existence, they just play their role for its appearance, and then when the conditions which support their existence disappeared or deteriorated, then that being disappeared or passed away.
What we call a person is just the coming together of various components and the working of the various components with each other. It is impossible to find a permanent entity. Yet the paradox is: there is clearly a path to be followed and there is walking to be done, but there is no walker. There are actions and performance which must be worked out but there is no actor. Our pre-conceived idea of an immutable self is a mirage only.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---7
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---7
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
3. The twelve Dependent Origination
The twelve Dependent Origination explains about the operation how a sentient being wanders in samsara. The proper understanding of this teaching would entail many years of investigation and contemplation.
There are two aspects of it;
First it explains the origin of the whole mess of ignorance, action, kamma, birth, aging and death, and rebirth.
The second explains the quenching of the desires, renunciation, inaction, and thus stopping and terminating the whole mess of sufferings.
In the Buddhist teaching of kamma and rebirth, it is explained from the basis of cause and effect, this is in line with the teaching of Dependent Origination; in actual fact all mental and physical phenomena work on the basis of cause and effect.
The Blessed One said: “Whoever sees Dependent Origination sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees Dependent Origination.”( Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta) That is why this specific teaching is a very important one for any seeker, because it contains the crucial teaching about selflessness and liberation.
The twelve Dependent Originations
The Buddha said: “From ignorance as a requisite condition come mental formations.
From mental formations as a requisite condition comes consciousness.
From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name and form.
From name and form as a requisite condition come the six sense doors.
From the six sense doors as a requisite condition comes contact.
From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.
From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.
From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging.
From clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming.
From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.
From birth as a requisite condition, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all come.”
This progressive order of Dependent Origination explains the whole process of our sufferings in the three planes of repeated existence, but the Blessed One employed more than one way to explain the causal interdependence of suffering and rebirth;
1. In the Samyutta Agama 290 it listed three factors from the sixth to the seven.
2. In the DN 15 Mahanidana Sutta listed ten factors from the second to the twelve.
3. In the Samyutta Agama 296 it listed seventeen factors from the first to eleven plus sickness, death (marana), sorrow (soka), lamentation (parideva), pain (dukkha), and despair (upayasa).
4. In the Samyutta Nikaya II (p.112) it listed twenty four elaboration of the Dependent Origination.
From the above texts it clearly shows that ignorance is not the first cause, as elsewhere in the Tipitaka it has been stated that the beginning is not known.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
3. The twelve Dependent Origination
The twelve Dependent Origination explains about the operation how a sentient being wanders in samsara. The proper understanding of this teaching would entail many years of investigation and contemplation.
There are two aspects of it;
First it explains the origin of the whole mess of ignorance, action, kamma, birth, aging and death, and rebirth.
The second explains the quenching of the desires, renunciation, inaction, and thus stopping and terminating the whole mess of sufferings.
In the Buddhist teaching of kamma and rebirth, it is explained from the basis of cause and effect, this is in line with the teaching of Dependent Origination; in actual fact all mental and physical phenomena work on the basis of cause and effect.
The Blessed One said: “Whoever sees Dependent Origination sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees Dependent Origination.”( Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta) That is why this specific teaching is a very important one for any seeker, because it contains the crucial teaching about selflessness and liberation.
The twelve Dependent Originations
The Buddha said: “From ignorance as a requisite condition come mental formations.
From mental formations as a requisite condition comes consciousness.
From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name and form.
From name and form as a requisite condition come the six sense doors.
From the six sense doors as a requisite condition comes contact.
From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling.
From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving.
From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging.
From clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming.
From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth.
From birth as a requisite condition, then aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all come.”
This progressive order of Dependent Origination explains the whole process of our sufferings in the three planes of repeated existence, but the Blessed One employed more than one way to explain the causal interdependence of suffering and rebirth;
1. In the Samyutta Agama 290 it listed three factors from the sixth to the seven.
2. In the DN 15 Mahanidana Sutta listed ten factors from the second to the twelve.
3. In the Samyutta Agama 296 it listed seventeen factors from the first to eleven plus sickness, death (marana), sorrow (soka), lamentation (parideva), pain (dukkha), and despair (upayasa).
4. In the Samyutta Nikaya II (p.112) it listed twenty four elaboration of the Dependent Origination.
From the above texts it clearly shows that ignorance is not the first cause, as elsewhere in the Tipitaka it has been stated that the beginning is not known.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---6
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---6
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
2. The eightfold path
Right view is the view about life as a whole, common people believes there is a life after death, such as those of Christian and Hindu belief, they believe in a permanent self; while other believes life ends on death. Both of these are considered as wrong view in Buddhism, which is why believing in the triple gems is considered rare, because The Blessed One teaches us that the consciousness is impermanent, and we don’t have a soul other than consciousness.
Right contemplation is to apply the teaching into practice internally, constantly reflecting about the impermanency of phenomena, the nature of suffering, and selflessness nature of these phenomena.
Right action is to observe three physical actions of no killing, no stealing, and no sexual misconduct.
Right speech is to speak truthfully, no harsh languages, no divisive talk, and no idle gossips.
Right livelihood is to engage oneself in the correct way of maintaining one’s living. Any occupation that inflicts harms on others is considered wrong livelihood. These include gambling, selling of alcohol and illicit drugs, poison, making and selling of weapons, dealing in the breeding and slaughtering of animal or fish, dealing in sex trade, smuggling and tax evasion etc.
Right effort is the most important of this path, constantly preventing the appearing of non virtuous thoughts, constantly cutting off these; constantly cultivating the good thoughts, constantly nurturing these.
Right mindfulness is the mindful of the body, contemplating the body, putting in effort, and training in the mindfulness, freeing oneself from greed and weariness; and the other three foundations of mindfulness: feeling, mental states, and Dhamma.
Right meditation is the practice of mental concentration. When a practitioner is able to focus his/her mind one-pointedly, then that mind is clear and dustless and able to penetrate into the true nature of ourselves, thereby attaining liberation by practising the dual methods of mental purification and investigation.
In DN 16 the Blessed One said to Subhadda: “In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first (stream-enterer), second (once returner), third (non returner), or fourth (Arahant) degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be empty of arahants.”
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
2. The eightfold path
Right view is the view about life as a whole, common people believes there is a life after death, such as those of Christian and Hindu belief, they believe in a permanent self; while other believes life ends on death. Both of these are considered as wrong view in Buddhism, which is why believing in the triple gems is considered rare, because The Blessed One teaches us that the consciousness is impermanent, and we don’t have a soul other than consciousness.
Right contemplation is to apply the teaching into practice internally, constantly reflecting about the impermanency of phenomena, the nature of suffering, and selflessness nature of these phenomena.
Right action is to observe three physical actions of no killing, no stealing, and no sexual misconduct.
Right speech is to speak truthfully, no harsh languages, no divisive talk, and no idle gossips.
Right livelihood is to engage oneself in the correct way of maintaining one’s living. Any occupation that inflicts harms on others is considered wrong livelihood. These include gambling, selling of alcohol and illicit drugs, poison, making and selling of weapons, dealing in the breeding and slaughtering of animal or fish, dealing in sex trade, smuggling and tax evasion etc.
Right effort is the most important of this path, constantly preventing the appearing of non virtuous thoughts, constantly cutting off these; constantly cultivating the good thoughts, constantly nurturing these.
Right mindfulness is the mindful of the body, contemplating the body, putting in effort, and training in the mindfulness, freeing oneself from greed and weariness; and the other three foundations of mindfulness: feeling, mental states, and Dhamma.
Right meditation is the practice of mental concentration. When a practitioner is able to focus his/her mind one-pointedly, then that mind is clear and dustless and able to penetrate into the true nature of ourselves, thereby attaining liberation by practising the dual methods of mental purification and investigation.
In DN 16 the Blessed One said to Subhadda: “In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first (stream-enterer), second (once returner), third (non returner), or fourth (Arahant) degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be empty of arahants.”
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---5
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---5
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering
“This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering. It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely: Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness (mindfulness) and Right Concentration (meditation).”
The truth of the path, the Eight Noble Path is not like the Ten Commandments, here there is no enforcement on any individual. This is the medicine for the sickness we suffered, Buddha advised “Friends! Live the holy life, for the complete destruction of sufferings.” The Tipitaka has many instructions on the abandonment of negative mental defilements, The Blessed one said:” For all noble act, it is not equivalent to 1/16 of practice of karuna (compassion), it is the mental freedom of harming; of all that shine, star light is not equivalent to 1/16 that of moonlight. The Noble Eightfold Path is for the attainment of Nibbana.
The Blessed One described this path as such: “It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king's minister, saying, ‘Sire! You should know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path... I followed it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. Sire! Rebuild that city.’ The king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would become powerful, rich, and well-populated, fully grown and prosperous.
In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging and death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging and death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging and death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging and death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name-and-form... consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.
Following it, I came to direct knowledge of formations, direct knowledge of the origination of formations, direct knowledge of the cessation of formations, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of formations. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it to monks, nuns, male lay followers and female lay followers, so that this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated, wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial and human beings.” (SN XII 65)
This path can be broadly divided into three, ie; the training of discipline or morality, the training of mind or concentration, and the training of wisdom. Ven. Sister Dhammadinna said to the enquiring Visakha: “The three trainings are not included under the noble eightfold path, friend Visakha, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three trainings. Right speech, right action, and right livelihood come under the training of Morality. Right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration come under the training of Concentration. Right view and right thought come under the training of Wisdom.” (MN 44)
Wisdom:
(1) Right View or Understanding
(a) Right View on the operation of kamma. [1]
(b) Right View on the ten kinds of virtuous activities. [2]
(c) Right View on the Four Noble Truths. [3]
(d) Right view on the Triple Jewels.
(2) Right Thought or contemplation
(a) Right Thought of clinging. [4]
(b) Right Thought of benevolence. [5]
(c) Right Thought of harmlessness. [6]
Morality:
(3) Right Speech---engage oneself in right speech [7] and the noble speech [8]
(a) Refraining from false speech.
(b) Refraining from harsh words.
(c) Refraining from slanderous speech.
(d) Refraining from frivolous talk. [9]
(4) Right Action [10]
(a) Refraining from killing.
(b) Refraining from stealing.
(c) Refraining from sexual misconduct.
(5) Right Livelihood [11]
(a) Avoid dealing in weapons and arms.
(b) Avoid dealing in human beings.
(c) Avoid dealing in animals and flesh.
(d) Avoid dealing in intoxicating drinks.
(e) Avoid dealing in poison.
Concentration:
(6) Right Effort [12]
(a) To prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome mental states.
(b) To discard unwholesome mental state that has arisen.
(c) To develop the wholesome mental states.
(d) To promote the wholesome mental states that has arisen.
(7) Right Awareness [13] or mindfulness
(a) Mindfulness of the body.
(b) Mindfulness of feelings.
(c) Mindfulness of states of mind.
(d) Mindfulness of mental objects or phenomena.
(8) Right Concentration [14]
(a) First jhana.
(b) Second jhana.
(c) Third jhana.
(d) Fourth jhana.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering
“This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering. It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely: Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness (mindfulness) and Right Concentration (meditation).”
The truth of the path, the Eight Noble Path is not like the Ten Commandments, here there is no enforcement on any individual. This is the medicine for the sickness we suffered, Buddha advised “Friends! Live the holy life, for the complete destruction of sufferings.” The Tipitaka has many instructions on the abandonment of negative mental defilements, The Blessed one said:” For all noble act, it is not equivalent to 1/16 of practice of karuna (compassion), it is the mental freedom of harming; of all that shine, star light is not equivalent to 1/16 that of moonlight. The Noble Eightfold Path is for the attainment of Nibbana.
The Blessed One described this path as such: “It is just as if a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king's minister, saying, ‘Sire! You should know that while traveling along a wilderness track I saw an ancient path... I followed it... I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital... complete with parks, groves, and ponds, walled, delightful. Sire! Rebuild that city.’ The king or king's minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would become powerful, rich, and well-populated, fully grown and prosperous.
In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging and death, direct knowledge of the origination of aging and death, direct knowledge of the cessation of aging and death, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of aging and death. I followed that path. Following it, I came to direct knowledge of birth... becoming... clinging... craving... feeling... contact... the six sense media... name-and-form... consciousness, direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.
Following it, I came to direct knowledge of formations, direct knowledge of the origination of formations, direct knowledge of the cessation of formations, direct knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of formations. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it to monks, nuns, male lay followers and female lay followers, so that this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated, wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial and human beings.” (SN XII 65)
This path can be broadly divided into three, ie; the training of discipline or morality, the training of mind or concentration, and the training of wisdom. Ven. Sister Dhammadinna said to the enquiring Visakha: “The three trainings are not included under the noble eightfold path, friend Visakha, but the noble eightfold path is included under the three trainings. Right speech, right action, and right livelihood come under the training of Morality. Right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration come under the training of Concentration. Right view and right thought come under the training of Wisdom.” (MN 44)
Wisdom:
(1) Right View or Understanding
(a) Right View on the operation of kamma. [1]
(b) Right View on the ten kinds of virtuous activities. [2]
(c) Right View on the Four Noble Truths. [3]
(d) Right view on the Triple Jewels.
(2) Right Thought or contemplation
(a) Right Thought of clinging. [4]
(b) Right Thought of benevolence. [5]
(c) Right Thought of harmlessness. [6]
Morality:
(3) Right Speech---engage oneself in right speech [7] and the noble speech [8]
(a) Refraining from false speech.
(b) Refraining from harsh words.
(c) Refraining from slanderous speech.
(d) Refraining from frivolous talk. [9]
(4) Right Action [10]
(a) Refraining from killing.
(b) Refraining from stealing.
(c) Refraining from sexual misconduct.
(5) Right Livelihood [11]
(a) Avoid dealing in weapons and arms.
(b) Avoid dealing in human beings.
(c) Avoid dealing in animals and flesh.
(d) Avoid dealing in intoxicating drinks.
(e) Avoid dealing in poison.
Concentration:
(6) Right Effort [12]
(a) To prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome mental states.
(b) To discard unwholesome mental state that has arisen.
(c) To develop the wholesome mental states.
(d) To promote the wholesome mental states that has arisen.
(7) Right Awareness [13] or mindfulness
(a) Mindfulness of the body.
(b) Mindfulness of feelings.
(c) Mindfulness of states of mind.
(d) Mindfulness of mental objects or phenomena.
(8) Right Concentration [14]
(a) First jhana.
(b) Second jhana.
(c) Third jhana.
(d) Fourth jhana.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---4
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---4
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering
The third truth is the truth of the cessation of suffering, the Buddha said: “This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering. It is complete cessation of suffering, giving it up, renouncing it, release from it, detachment from it.”
Only when a person has begun their practice, then through a few years of training in the moral discipline, meditation, and cultivation of wisdom, then this person may know how to give up their desires, bad habits, inner negative tendencies, learn to renounce them one by one, and learn to detach from them. This is not easy; it requires a lot of effort, determination, and practice to get to the core of our inner being.
It is not something impossible or un-achievable, it is for those who are having faith and determination to try, the cessation of suffering is for a practitioner to investigate and thoroughly eliminate all attachments here and now, it is not for next life, or relying on some super-being or Bodhisatta to lend a hand, it is to be self-help, self effort, self renunciation, self detachment from craving, and self release from those attachment. This is why Dhamma is to be realized individually by the wise with personal effort. (paccattam veditabbo viññūhi)
The cessation of suffering is the extinction of the three poisons, ie; Nibbāna. Buddhaghosa explained in Vissudhimagga: “It is called disillusionment of vanity (mada), on coming to it, all kinds of vanity, such as the vanity of conceit, and vanity of manhood, are disillusioned, undone, done away with. And it is called elimination of thirst, because on coming to it, all thirst for sense desires is eliminated and quenched. But it is called abolition of reliance, because on coming to it, reliance on five cords of sense desire is abolished. It is called the termination of the round, because on coming to it, the round of the three planes of existence is terminated. It is called destruction of craving, because on coming to it, craving is entirely destroyed, fades away and ceases. It is called Nibbāna, because it has gone away from (Nikkhanta), escaped from (nissata). It is dissociated from craving, which has acquired the common usage name ‘fastening’ (vāna). Because by ensuring successive becoming, craving serves as a joining together, a binding together, a lacing together, of the four kinds of generation (yoni), five destinies (gati), seven stations of consciousness (viññanatthiti) and nine abodes of beings (sattāvāsa).”
The Buddha said: “Monks! There is a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, non-compounded. Monks! If that unborn, not-become, not-made, non-compounded were not, there would be apparent no escape from this here that is born, become, made, compounded.” (Udana, p.80-1) Therefore Nibbāna is not annihilationist, but it is a state to be reached not through praying, arguing, or logic, or intellectual understanding, but through personal experience.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering
The third truth is the truth of the cessation of suffering, the Buddha said: “This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering. It is complete cessation of suffering, giving it up, renouncing it, release from it, detachment from it.”
Only when a person has begun their practice, then through a few years of training in the moral discipline, meditation, and cultivation of wisdom, then this person may know how to give up their desires, bad habits, inner negative tendencies, learn to renounce them one by one, and learn to detach from them. This is not easy; it requires a lot of effort, determination, and practice to get to the core of our inner being.
It is not something impossible or un-achievable, it is for those who are having faith and determination to try, the cessation of suffering is for a practitioner to investigate and thoroughly eliminate all attachments here and now, it is not for next life, or relying on some super-being or Bodhisatta to lend a hand, it is to be self-help, self effort, self renunciation, self detachment from craving, and self release from those attachment. This is why Dhamma is to be realized individually by the wise with personal effort. (paccattam veditabbo viññūhi)
The cessation of suffering is the extinction of the three poisons, ie; Nibbāna. Buddhaghosa explained in Vissudhimagga: “It is called disillusionment of vanity (mada), on coming to it, all kinds of vanity, such as the vanity of conceit, and vanity of manhood, are disillusioned, undone, done away with. And it is called elimination of thirst, because on coming to it, all thirst for sense desires is eliminated and quenched. But it is called abolition of reliance, because on coming to it, reliance on five cords of sense desire is abolished. It is called the termination of the round, because on coming to it, the round of the three planes of existence is terminated. It is called destruction of craving, because on coming to it, craving is entirely destroyed, fades away and ceases. It is called Nibbāna, because it has gone away from (Nikkhanta), escaped from (nissata). It is dissociated from craving, which has acquired the common usage name ‘fastening’ (vāna). Because by ensuring successive becoming, craving serves as a joining together, a binding together, a lacing together, of the four kinds of generation (yoni), five destinies (gati), seven stations of consciousness (viññanatthiti) and nine abodes of beings (sattāvāsa).”
The Buddha said: “Monks! There is a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, non-compounded. Monks! If that unborn, not-become, not-made, non-compounded were not, there would be apparent no escape from this here that is born, become, made, compounded.” (Udana, p.80-1) Therefore Nibbāna is not annihilationist, but it is a state to be reached not through praying, arguing, or logic, or intellectual understanding, but through personal experience.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---3
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---3
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering
The second truth is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the Buddha said: “This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering: it is this craving (Tanhā) which produced rebirth (ponobhavikā), bound up with pleasure and greed. It finds fresh delight now here and now there, namely: craving for sense pleasures (kama-tanhā), craving for existence (bhava-tanhā) or becoming and craving for non-existence or self annihilation (vibhava-tanhā).”
This second truth of cause of suffering, in broad sense, it means the attachment to life and the happiness therein.
Tanhā can be rendered as thirst (pipāsa), desire (chanda), lust (rāga), greed (gedha), delight (nandi), attachment (rati), love (pema), affection (sineha), passion (parilāha), etc. As it is conditioned, so the Buddha had shown us with his own experience that when craving ceases, the suffering also ceases to be.
This is absolutely true with all of us, we are all bound up by all sort of desires and craving. When we are healthy, we want to enjoy the various kinds of food, clothes, and possessions; when we are sick, we are scare and don’t want the illness; when we are told that we are going to die, we are absolutely frantic and not willing to die, we want to live for ever! When we know that there is no more hope of recovery, we want to go to heaven! For those people who can’t escape from their troubles, they want the easiest way out by killing themselves!
Our craving on the six sense doors of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind and the six sense objects of sights, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects are twelve cravings, they increase threefold for the craving for sense pleasure, craving for beings and the craving for the non-beings; they are multiplied again by the three periods of time for past, present and future, thus making it a hundred and eight types of cravings!
The dependent origination is perhaps the hardest to understand, there are twelve factors, and some of the text listed as few as five factors. The important one is the consciousness attaches to the namarupa, Buddha explained to Ananda: “if the consciousness doesn’t enter the womb, will nama and rupa attach to one another?” Ananda replied No! Consciousness has six types; i.e. eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and mind consciousness. In every existence, being enters a new form or body, from there he/she uses the various sense doors and consciousness starts to operate and accumulate, and in each existence, the total sum of consciousness from a previous existence is then transferred to the new body, from there consciousness starts to accumulate again. Therefore the consciousness is an ever changing sankhara or phenomena, it is not a permanent entity as most people have understood.
The wheel of life depicting the twelve dependent originations can be seen in the paintings of Tibet, Avijja or ignorance is depicted as a pig, greed as a rooster, and hatred as snake. Our mind is like that of a monkey!
There are verses in Dhammapada which explains the craving; “From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. For him who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief; where is the fear?” (verse 216) “Just as a tree cut down sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, while the latent craving that lies dormant is not rooted out, suffering springs up again and again.” (verse 338)
There are three types of craving, the craving for sensual pleasure (kama tanhā), the craving for being (bhava tanhā), and the craving for non-being (vibhava tanhā).
With the craving for sensual pleasure (kama tanhā), the Buddha explained how he overcame his craving to an ascetic Magandiya; “Having understood as they (craving) actually are the origin; the disappearance, the gratification, the dangers, and the escape in the case of sensual pleasures, I abandoned craving for sensual pleasures and I abide without thirst, with a mind inwardly at peace. I see other beings who are not free from lust for sensual pleasures being devoured by craving for sensual pleasures, and I do not envy them, nor do I delights therein. Why is that? Because there is, Magandiya, a delight apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, which surpass divine bliss. Since I take delight in that I do not envy what is inferior, nor do I delight therein.” (MN I)
The craving for being (bhava tanhā) is the craving that there is a permanent being or soul within one’s body. When a person finds gratification in visible forms, thinking that form is permanent, lasting, eternal, then lust arises with an eternalist view, then it is craving for being, the craving for becoming. This being survives death, and is reborn again and again to experience life or to do spiritual practice, craving that the soul finally departs from this world, he/she will be united with a God or Brahma. The Buddha has mentioned fifty five eternalist views in the Brahmajala Sutta.
The craving for non-being (vibhava tanhā) is the opposite of the above. They don’t recognize there is a permanent being; we are merely a psycho-physical entity which exists once only, after death there is nothing left. When one thinks: “Form is annihilated, destroyed, and does not exist after death.” the lust arises with an annihilationist view, then it is craving for non-being. People holding such view think that the life is short and exists only temporarily; therefore one should enjoy life while one can. This kind of erroneous view is prevalent, and it prevents a person from taking on religious life. The Buddha has mentioned seven types of nihilist views in the Brahmajala Sutta.
With these three cravings in the mind, and the craving is one of the taint (asava) which is supported by the taint of ignorance, then personality or ego arises. Ignorance then acts as a condition to reinforce craving. This is why the first point of ignorance is beginning-less and not determinable. Due to ignorance, there arises this whole mess of sufferings.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering
The second truth is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the Buddha said: “This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering: it is this craving (Tanhā) which produced rebirth (ponobhavikā), bound up with pleasure and greed. It finds fresh delight now here and now there, namely: craving for sense pleasures (kama-tanhā), craving for existence (bhava-tanhā) or becoming and craving for non-existence or self annihilation (vibhava-tanhā).”
This second truth of cause of suffering, in broad sense, it means the attachment to life and the happiness therein.
Tanhā can be rendered as thirst (pipāsa), desire (chanda), lust (rāga), greed (gedha), delight (nandi), attachment (rati), love (pema), affection (sineha), passion (parilāha), etc. As it is conditioned, so the Buddha had shown us with his own experience that when craving ceases, the suffering also ceases to be.
This is absolutely true with all of us, we are all bound up by all sort of desires and craving. When we are healthy, we want to enjoy the various kinds of food, clothes, and possessions; when we are sick, we are scare and don’t want the illness; when we are told that we are going to die, we are absolutely frantic and not willing to die, we want to live for ever! When we know that there is no more hope of recovery, we want to go to heaven! For those people who can’t escape from their troubles, they want the easiest way out by killing themselves!
Our craving on the six sense doors of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind and the six sense objects of sights, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects are twelve cravings, they increase threefold for the craving for sense pleasure, craving for beings and the craving for the non-beings; they are multiplied again by the three periods of time for past, present and future, thus making it a hundred and eight types of cravings!
The dependent origination is perhaps the hardest to understand, there are twelve factors, and some of the text listed as few as five factors. The important one is the consciousness attaches to the namarupa, Buddha explained to Ananda: “if the consciousness doesn’t enter the womb, will nama and rupa attach to one another?” Ananda replied No! Consciousness has six types; i.e. eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and mind consciousness. In every existence, being enters a new form or body, from there he/she uses the various sense doors and consciousness starts to operate and accumulate, and in each existence, the total sum of consciousness from a previous existence is then transferred to the new body, from there consciousness starts to accumulate again. Therefore the consciousness is an ever changing sankhara or phenomena, it is not a permanent entity as most people have understood.
The wheel of life depicting the twelve dependent originations can be seen in the paintings of Tibet, Avijja or ignorance is depicted as a pig, greed as a rooster, and hatred as snake. Our mind is like that of a monkey!
There are verses in Dhammapada which explains the craving; “From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. For him who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief; where is the fear?” (verse 216) “Just as a tree cut down sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm, even so, while the latent craving that lies dormant is not rooted out, suffering springs up again and again.” (verse 338)
There are three types of craving, the craving for sensual pleasure (kama tanhā), the craving for being (bhava tanhā), and the craving for non-being (vibhava tanhā).
With the craving for sensual pleasure (kama tanhā), the Buddha explained how he overcame his craving to an ascetic Magandiya; “Having understood as they (craving) actually are the origin; the disappearance, the gratification, the dangers, and the escape in the case of sensual pleasures, I abandoned craving for sensual pleasures and I abide without thirst, with a mind inwardly at peace. I see other beings who are not free from lust for sensual pleasures being devoured by craving for sensual pleasures, and I do not envy them, nor do I delights therein. Why is that? Because there is, Magandiya, a delight apart from sensual pleasures, apart from unwholesome states, which surpass divine bliss. Since I take delight in that I do not envy what is inferior, nor do I delight therein.” (MN I)
The craving for being (bhava tanhā) is the craving that there is a permanent being or soul within one’s body. When a person finds gratification in visible forms, thinking that form is permanent, lasting, eternal, then lust arises with an eternalist view, then it is craving for being, the craving for becoming. This being survives death, and is reborn again and again to experience life or to do spiritual practice, craving that the soul finally departs from this world, he/she will be united with a God or Brahma. The Buddha has mentioned fifty five eternalist views in the Brahmajala Sutta.
The craving for non-being (vibhava tanhā) is the opposite of the above. They don’t recognize there is a permanent being; we are merely a psycho-physical entity which exists once only, after death there is nothing left. When one thinks: “Form is annihilated, destroyed, and does not exist after death.” the lust arises with an annihilationist view, then it is craving for non-being. People holding such view think that the life is short and exists only temporarily; therefore one should enjoy life while one can. This kind of erroneous view is prevalent, and it prevents a person from taking on religious life. The Buddha has mentioned seven types of nihilist views in the Brahmajala Sutta.
With these three cravings in the mind, and the craving is one of the taint (asava) which is supported by the taint of ignorance, then personality or ego arises. Ignorance then acts as a condition to reinforce craving. This is why the first point of ignorance is beginning-less and not determinable. Due to ignorance, there arises this whole mess of sufferings.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---2
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---2
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of Suffering
“This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of Suffering; birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, (sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering,) association with the unloved one or unpleasant condition is suffering, separation from the loved one or pleasant condition is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering - in brief, the five aggregates of attachment are suffering.”
Buddhaghosa explained ‘Dukkha’ as vile or badness, lack of long lasting, beauty, pleasure and self; therefore it has many dangers.
There are three types of sufferings: i.e., the suffering of sufferings (Dukkha dukkha), the suffering of change (Viparināma dukkha), and the suffering of formation (Sankhāra dukkha).
First, it is the suffering of the physical and mental pains we endured throughout life; second, when the change due to age or wear and tear appeared in the objects we liked, or our physical and mental states went through changes; third, that all phenomena regardless of physical or mental (animate or inanimate objects) are composed of various elements, they arise through certain cause and conditions which are all impermanent, subject to change and devoid of a self.
The Blessed One sometimes explained the suffering as twofold, i.e., physical and mental sufferings. Physical sufferings are manifold and we can relieve them to a certain extent by medicine, but the change due to ageing cannot be alleviated through medicine or exercise, people suffered as a result of these, and as such their mind suffered as well. A well trained practitioner can relieve to a great extent these sufferings through a discerning and composed mind about these changes.
In Saccavibhanga Sutta (MN III) Buddha further gave illustration to the whole mess of sufferings as:
1. Birth (Jāti) --- The birth of beings into the various forms of beings, their coming to birth, precipitation in a womb, generation, the manifestation of the aggregates, obtaining the bases for contact.
2. Aging (Jāra) --- The aging of beings in the various forms of beings, their old age, loss of teeth, graying of hairs, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties.
3. Death (Marana) --- The passing of beings out of the various forms, their passing away, dissolution,, disappearance, dying, completion of time, dissolution of the aggregates, laying down of the body.
4. Sorrow (Soka) --- The sorrow, sorrowing, sorrowfulness, inner sorrow, and inner sorrowfulness of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
5. Lamentation (Parideva) --- The wail and lament, wailing and lamenting, bewailing and lamentation of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
6. Pain (Dukkha) --- Bodily pain, bodily discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of bodily contact.
7. Grief (Domanassa) --- Mental pain, mental discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of mental contact.
8. Despair (Upāyāsa) --- The trouble and despair, the tribulation and desperation of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
9. Unable to obtain the desired is suffering (yam pi iccham na labhati) --- The fact that the above situations cannot be averted by mere wishing is suffering.
10. Five aggregates of grasping (Panca upādānakkhandha) --- Physical form, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness affected by clinging, in short, are suffering.
The Blessed One asked his disciples: Is the changing phenomena of suffering or happiness? They replied: It is of suffering! He repeated this question again and again. Only in Nibbana that suffering is ended.
Human beings constantly seeking for security and eternity, although in the deva realm there is no sickness, but they die anyway after a very long life, life has unhappiness as one of its basic ingredients. Life may be described as the creation of God or some other mysterious cause, but certainly from a Buddhist perspective, it arises through cause and condition.
Many people misunderstood the teaching of kamma and labelled Buddhism as fatalism, this is not the case, it is the most liberal explanation about life from any source. Religion has a positive role in our life, Buddhist monks and many laity although have little, but they are generally cheerful and contented.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
The Noble Truth of Suffering
“This is, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of Suffering; birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, (sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering,) association with the unloved one or unpleasant condition is suffering, separation from the loved one or pleasant condition is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering - in brief, the five aggregates of attachment are suffering.”
Buddhaghosa explained ‘Dukkha’ as vile or badness, lack of long lasting, beauty, pleasure and self; therefore it has many dangers.
There are three types of sufferings: i.e., the suffering of sufferings (Dukkha dukkha), the suffering of change (Viparināma dukkha), and the suffering of formation (Sankhāra dukkha).
First, it is the suffering of the physical and mental pains we endured throughout life; second, when the change due to age or wear and tear appeared in the objects we liked, or our physical and mental states went through changes; third, that all phenomena regardless of physical or mental (animate or inanimate objects) are composed of various elements, they arise through certain cause and conditions which are all impermanent, subject to change and devoid of a self.
The Blessed One sometimes explained the suffering as twofold, i.e., physical and mental sufferings. Physical sufferings are manifold and we can relieve them to a certain extent by medicine, but the change due to ageing cannot be alleviated through medicine or exercise, people suffered as a result of these, and as such their mind suffered as well. A well trained practitioner can relieve to a great extent these sufferings through a discerning and composed mind about these changes.
In Saccavibhanga Sutta (MN III) Buddha further gave illustration to the whole mess of sufferings as:
1. Birth (Jāti) --- The birth of beings into the various forms of beings, their coming to birth, precipitation in a womb, generation, the manifestation of the aggregates, obtaining the bases for contact.
2. Aging (Jāra) --- The aging of beings in the various forms of beings, their old age, loss of teeth, graying of hairs, wrinkling of skin, decline of life, weakness of faculties.
3. Death (Marana) --- The passing of beings out of the various forms, their passing away, dissolution,, disappearance, dying, completion of time, dissolution of the aggregates, laying down of the body.
4. Sorrow (Soka) --- The sorrow, sorrowing, sorrowfulness, inner sorrow, and inner sorrowfulness of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
5. Lamentation (Parideva) --- The wail and lament, wailing and lamenting, bewailing and lamentation of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
6. Pain (Dukkha) --- Bodily pain, bodily discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of bodily contact.
7. Grief (Domanassa) --- Mental pain, mental discomfort, painful, uncomfortable feeling born of mental contact.
8. Despair (Upāyāsa) --- The trouble and despair, the tribulation and desperation of one who has encountered some misfortune or is affected by some painful state.
9. Unable to obtain the desired is suffering (yam pi iccham na labhati) --- The fact that the above situations cannot be averted by mere wishing is suffering.
10. Five aggregates of grasping (Panca upādānakkhandha) --- Physical form, feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness affected by clinging, in short, are suffering.
The Blessed One asked his disciples: Is the changing phenomena of suffering or happiness? They replied: It is of suffering! He repeated this question again and again. Only in Nibbana that suffering is ended.
Human beings constantly seeking for security and eternity, although in the deva realm there is no sickness, but they die anyway after a very long life, life has unhappiness as one of its basic ingredients. Life may be described as the creation of God or some other mysterious cause, but certainly from a Buddhist perspective, it arises through cause and condition.
Many people misunderstood the teaching of kamma and labelled Buddhism as fatalism, this is not the case, it is the most liberal explanation about life from any source. Religion has a positive role in our life, Buddhist monks and many laity although have little, but they are generally cheerful and contented.
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---1
The gist of Buddha’s teaching---1
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Buddharatana Monastery of Australia
1. The four noble truths
It was through the request made by the Brahma Sahampati that the Blessed One decided to teach the Dhamma (Ayacana Sutta), the first discourse in which the Doctrine of the Four Noble Truths was proclaimed to the five ascetics at Isipatana’s Deer Park (Dhamma-cakkapavattana Sutta ).
The four Noble Truths is the central and most important teaching by the Blessed One, these are the true pictures of the world. The Truth of Path leading to the cessation of suffering is the way to Nibbana, but is rarely trotted by the folks, only the wise one can travel this path.
The Buddha’s teaching and path of liberation are contained in the four noble truths. The Buddha is not the inventor of this teaching, he discovered it, and he described it as being an old discarded city with its houses, gardens and avenues all intact. He refers to his teaching like the medicine for the sick. We are tormented by endless suffering, shedding much tear filling the four oceans until they are full to the brim.
The Buddha said: “It's because of not understanding and not penetrating four things that we have wandered and transmigrated on such a long, long time, you and I. Which four?
It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble virtue (sila) that we have wandered and transmigrated on such a long, long time, you and I.
It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble concentration (samadhi) that we have wandered and transmigrated on such a long, long time, you and I.
It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble discernment (pañña) that we have wandered and transmigrated on such a long, long time, you and I.
It's because of not understanding and not penetrating noble release that we have wandered and transmigrated on such a long, long time, you and I.
But when noble virtue is understood and penetrated, when noble concentration... noble discernment... noble release is understood and penetrated, then craving for becoming is destroyed, the guide to becoming (craving and attachment) is ended, there is now no further becoming.” (AN IV.1)
Why choose Buddhism?---8
Why choose Buddhism?---8
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Liberation is possible in this very life
Prince Siddartha took up the homeless life and wandered in search of the Nibbana which is the total quenching of all dukkha, he studied under two famous teachers of India at that time and found nothing higher than nevasaññanasaññayatana (the mental state of neither perception nor non perception), a state of mental tranquility with the consciousness switching from being aware to non awareness. They think that is Nibbana, but he did not accept that. So he decided to search on his own until he discovered that Nibbana is the coolness of our mental defilements. It is the exhaustion of all the heat produced by our mental defilements.
Nibbana is not the mind, but is something which the mind can experience, as the Blessed One put it, it is a certain ayatana our wisdom can experience it. Forms, sounds, smells, flavors, and tactile sensations are material or physical ayatana that our body experience. Akasanancayatana (the experience of endless space) up to and including nevasaññanasaññayatana are mental ayatana our mind experience. Therefore Nibbana is a spiritual ayatana for our mind to realize.
We cannot create Nibbana because it is beyond all causes and conditions, but we can create the conditions for realizing Nibbana, i.e., all actions which lead to the abandonment of the defilements. Nibbana is termed: the Deathless, Permanence, Peace, Safety, Health, Diseaselessness, Freedom, Emancipation, Shelter, Refuge, Immunity, Island, Highest Benefit, Supreme Joy, the Other Shore, Cool, etc; nevertheless it is the end of suffering, the end of endless samsara.
Helping others
Our mind can be developed slowly and subtlely, through the observation of discipline, mind training in meditation and vipassana, then it will accrue merits for us in the consciousness, these are very subtle, more subtle than our gross body. Training our mind to help other people has a profound impact on our mind. When we hear that other people are suffering and in need of some help, if we offer our help, the mind experiences elation and joy, and then happiness and peace, then we can discover the strength of our mind. One who cultivates the mind this way until it is firmly established in the Dhamma, our practice is on the right path.
We all need good friend, friend who is selfless, not just helpful, but to be able to lend a helping hand when we are in danger. Developing our mind to lend a helping hand to those in need is noble, holy, and pure.
Conclusion
Buddhism is certainly not for the ordinary, it is only reserved for those who have the wisdom eyes. Suffering is everywhere but few see it; people die all over the world but few notice that it will come to them. Kamma is operating independently without any superpower directing it but few understand it; the body-mind aggregates are so complex that few manage to untangle it. The holy path is so clear and direct but few wish to walk on it. The worlding tormented by suffering continuously for so long but few wish to get out of it.
Only when our heart is truly touched, having trust and with confidence in the Dhamma, then it opens to us the way of the holy path.
References:
1. Tipitaka
2. Buddhist meditation, by Piyadassi Mahathera.
3. All of us, by Sister Ayya Khema.
4. Here and now, by Sisiter Ayya khema.
5. What is the triple gem? By Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
6. Fundamentals of vipassana meditation, by Mahasi Sayadaw.
7. Nibbana for everyone, by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Jetavana Burmese Monastery, Ellen Grove, Queensland, 30/5/2008
http://buddhism.sampasite.com
http://groups.google.com/group/learning-buddhism
http://ti-sarana.blogspot.com
http://bratana.earth.prohosting.com/
Why choose Buddhism?---7
Why choose Buddhism?---7
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Contemplation on the aggregates
How do we develop the insight then? Insight is developed by meditating on the five aggregates of grasping daily and continuously. We contemplate on the aggregates whenever they arise in order that we may not cling to them. If we fail to do so clingings will arise. As we cling to them as permanent, happy and self or belongs to self. Through contemplating them continuously our clingings to the aggregates cease, then we are on the path leading to Nibbana.
The mind is so closely linked with the body that mental states affect the body's health and well being, so in order to keep our well being, we need to keep the mind pure. At the beginning, we should contemplate on four Noble Truths: birth, aging, sickness, and death as it affect our body. And then we contemplate them in the four postures of sitting, walking, standing or lying down; the mind that is well trained will gradually deepen into concentration. Then contemplate the body as it is and after it dies, where it will disintegrate into the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air. This applies to our own body as well as the bodies of others.
We contemplate the various parts of the body as: “This is hair.”; “This is body hair.”; “These are nails.”; “These are teeth.”; “This is skin.” etc., going through the thirty two parts of the body systematically. Then finally we can see these things clearly. When we contemplate in this way repeatedly within and without, visualizing the body newly dead and long dead, with dogs and vultures devouring its flesh, our mind will become calm and eventually gain insight. In the Maha-satipatthana Sutta (The Discourse on great frames of reference) the Blessed One taught the contemplation of the body as above. During the ordination of monk, where a preceptor teach the candidate the contemplation of hairs of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, and skin, these are basic theme of meditation. Because we get obsessed with our body, which is wrapped up by a thin layer of skin from head to toe, the skin is what we are appeared to others. And we think of our body as lovable and precious, and long for it, it is because we are deceived by the wrapping skin. If we can see the body analytically, we will see a different picture, when the body is devoid of skin, we would not see it as attractive.
In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma), the Blessed One teaches us that the body goes through birth, aging, sickness and death, they are suffering. By observing our own body and applying the Dhamma we understand the teaching. Which is why the Dhamma is Akaliko: to be seen here and now. Ehi-passiko: not delay in time, and Opanayiko: inviting one to come and see, and then Paccattam: onward leading (to Nibbana), then Veditabbo viññuhiti: to be known by the wise, each for himself. This is how we contemplate the body so as to see it as unattractive, and seeing with wisdom the body as composed of various elements and this is clear to us.
Then on contemplating the feeling we have to contemplate body and mental pain as well as body and mental pleasure. Pleasure is more difficult to contemplate than pain because our mind easily goes for it, whereas pain no one likes it. Similarly to physical form, feeling also arises and disappears; it arises with contact, after some length of time it also wanes. Therefore it is of the same nature as form, which is impermanence.
He Blessed One said: “So seeing all these things, the instructed disciple of the Ariyan disregards material form, disregards feeling and so on (five aggregates).” (SN, III, 68)
Eightfold Noble path is really a self help to salvation and liberation, the Buddhists don’t rely on the God for him to redeem their sins and relieve of their sufferings. They rely on their own effort, there is really no such God. If there is, he is also subject to the operation of kamma.
When you know for sure that all five aggregates are impermanent, suffering and not-self, would you still cling to sense objects as permanent, happy, beautiful, or good?
At one time the Blessed One told a group of monks: “Material form, monks, is impermanent. What is impermanent, that is suffering. What is suffering, that is not the self. What is not self, that is not mine, then am I not, this is not my self. As it really
comes to be, one should discern it thus by right wisdom” (S. II, 19)
The Blessed One explained this to the monks as such: “Why Monks! Do you say Sankhara? Because they are composed or collected together (Abhi-sankharouti). What is compounded (sankhata) and what is the compound that they compose? They compose the material body (rupa) as a compound of form (rupa); they compose the feeling as a compound of feeling (vedana); they compose the perception as a compound of perception (sanna); they compose the activities as a compound of activities (sankhara); they compose the consciousness as a compound of consciousness (vinnanam). Thus they are composed and collected together as a compound. Therefore, Monks! The term Sankhara. ” (SN III,87)
The Buddha said: “Conditioned phenomena (sankhara) are impermanent, subject to rise and fall. Having arisen they cease, their stilling (of these) is bliss.” The word sankhara refers to this body and mind. Sankharas are impermanent and unstable, having come into being they disappear, having arisen they pass away, and yet we wants them to be permanent. This is foolishness. Just like our breaths, having come in, it goes out; that's its nature, that's how it is. The inhalation and exhalation have to alternate, when we finish inhalation, then we exhale, it is just natural. But we want things to be permanent, but they can't be, it is impossible. Having been born, we get old and sick and then we die, and that is just natural. All sankharas are impermanent, the Great Teacher saw that all sankharas are impermanent, and so he taught us to let go of our attachment to them.
True happiness is not found in the deceptive sense pleasures world, we come to this world not just to pursue pleasures, as they are false, impermanent, and unworthy of our interest. Although there are enjoyments in the world, but worldly pleasures are short lived, the craving inevitably ends up with disappointment and suffering. Without wisdom, our craving will keep us chasig from one disappointment to another.
In the Dependent Origination of aggregates the Blessed One said: “The stopping of the six doors leads to the stopping of contact; the stopping of contact leads to the stopping of feeling; the stopping of feeling leads to the stopping of craving; the stopping of craving leads to the stopping of grasping, the stopping of grasping leads to the stopping of becoming, the stopping of becoming leads to the stopping of birth; the stopping of birth leads to the stopping of grief, suffering, sorrow, despair, and lamentation. Thus comes to be the stopping of this entire mass of ill.” (M. I, 337; S. II, 1-3) When we meet up with the pleasurable, we have to stop the six doors from contacting the agreeable sense objects, these require months and years of mindful observation and practice of abandoning.
People always have hope, planning for this and that, and running everywhere, ambitions drive them crazy. When we take up meditation we hope to become famous meditators, or become meditation teacher, we fail to realize that they are all in the mind, just play of the mind. Mind does not operate independently from the six doors or the body-mind aggregates, we need to learn to be contemplative in order to observe the rising and ceasing of the mind states, and then we would not be hoping for anything. Why is that? Because it is all transient, it is impermanence. It will all come to naught.
Clear insight dos not come about by thinking. It comes through persistent practice of meditation and vipassana. It needs calm and clear mind away from mundane awareness to actualize this. We have to contemplate on everything that comes into our field of consciousness. If we don't contemplate it will not give rise to true knowledge. Just like we contemplate on the body, we have to probe deeply into the ways in which our body is, its physical elements, growth cycle, its reactions to stimulation, its care, etc. This is why we need to understand the body thoroughly, this prevent our mind from straying off the path, and keep the mind defilements at bay.
The sensual craving or the desire, lust, and love that provoke our mind in search of new enjoyment based on past sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations. Our perceptions and memories of them bring them back to deceive us as being good, enjoyable, and happy. This is our defiled mental tendencies, we might let go of the minor attachment, but cling tightly to the dear one, so it is not easy to curb our mental defilements. We have to fight hard, or we will lose and suffer longer in samsara. We have to find the Middle Way so we will be able to observe with mindfulness and discernment, and then we will maintain that mind state and keep it with us all the time.
We have to gain mastery over our enemies, that cravings and defilements in our mind, and evaluate our strength, because those defilements and cravings have had the power over us for such a long long time. We have to figure out how to overcome them, root them out, so that our mindfulness and discernment can spot them whenever it arises. This battle will go on until we reach the Stainless. If we lose, we have to think of a new strategy, otherwise, we will keep losing. Our defilements and the five aggregates are the hordes of Mara, they come to burn us, keeping us in samsara.
The Blessed One said: “Form is suffering; feeling, perception, thought-formations, and consciousness are all suffering.” If we don’t see them as suffering, we have not even started on the holy path. Our mind get deluded and go in search for pleasure, we still don't know the Truth of sufering. But when we realize there's no real pleasure to be found, the mind settles down and becomes still. We need to see the true nature of these aggregates, they are composed of components and supported by conditions, and they are not us or ours. Starting with the body and work our way towards other aggregates, analyze them into various elements, then it will become crystal clear.
The Nama Rupa and consciousness are interwoven so tightly that we are often unable to separate them, in SN 47.5.2 the Blessed One said: “by the arising of Nama Rupa comes the arising of mind, by the ceasing of Nama Rupa comes the ceasing of mind.” In DN 11 the Blessed One said: “But, Bhikkhus, you should not ask your question in this way : where do the four great elements; ie. earth, water, fire, and wind, cease without remainder? Instead, you should put the question thus : where do earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing? Where are long and short, small and great, fair and foul, where the Nama Rupa are totally destroyed? And the answer is: Where consciousness is non manifestative, boundless, all luminous; that’s where earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing. There both the long and short, small and great, fair and foul, there Nama Rupa are wholly destroyed. With the cessation of consciousness this is all destroyed.” Therefore the Blessed One shown us clearly that the world arises dependent on the consciousness, the world does not exist independently of the consciousness.
Bhikkhu Dhammavaro
Contemplation on the aggregates
How do we develop the insight then? Insight is developed by meditating on the five aggregates of grasping daily and continuously. We contemplate on the aggregates whenever they arise in order that we may not cling to them. If we fail to do so clingings will arise. As we cling to them as permanent, happy and self or belongs to self. Through contemplating them continuously our clingings to the aggregates cease, then we are on the path leading to Nibbana.
The mind is so closely linked with the body that mental states affect the body's health and well being, so in order to keep our well being, we need to keep the mind pure. At the beginning, we should contemplate on four Noble Truths: birth, aging, sickness, and death as it affect our body. And then we contemplate them in the four postures of sitting, walking, standing or lying down; the mind that is well trained will gradually deepen into concentration. Then contemplate the body as it is and after it dies, where it will disintegrate into the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air. This applies to our own body as well as the bodies of others.
We contemplate the various parts of the body as: “This is hair.”; “This is body hair.”; “These are nails.”; “These are teeth.”; “This is skin.” etc., going through the thirty two parts of the body systematically. Then finally we can see these things clearly. When we contemplate in this way repeatedly within and without, visualizing the body newly dead and long dead, with dogs and vultures devouring its flesh, our mind will become calm and eventually gain insight. In the Maha-satipatthana Sutta (The Discourse on great frames of reference) the Blessed One taught the contemplation of the body as above. During the ordination of monk, where a preceptor teach the candidate the contemplation of hairs of the head, hairs of the body, nails, teeth, and skin, these are basic theme of meditation. Because we get obsessed with our body, which is wrapped up by a thin layer of skin from head to toe, the skin is what we are appeared to others. And we think of our body as lovable and precious, and long for it, it is because we are deceived by the wrapping skin. If we can see the body analytically, we will see a different picture, when the body is devoid of skin, we would not see it as attractive.
In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma), the Blessed One teaches us that the body goes through birth, aging, sickness and death, they are suffering. By observing our own body and applying the Dhamma we understand the teaching. Which is why the Dhamma is Akaliko: to be seen here and now. Ehi-passiko: not delay in time, and Opanayiko: inviting one to come and see, and then Paccattam: onward leading (to Nibbana), then Veditabbo viññuhiti: to be known by the wise, each for himself. This is how we contemplate the body so as to see it as unattractive, and seeing with wisdom the body as composed of various elements and this is clear to us.
Then on contemplating the feeling we have to contemplate body and mental pain as well as body and mental pleasure. Pleasure is more difficult to contemplate than pain because our mind easily goes for it, whereas pain no one likes it. Similarly to physical form, feeling also arises and disappears; it arises with contact, after some length of time it also wanes. Therefore it is of the same nature as form, which is impermanence.
He Blessed One said: “So seeing all these things, the instructed disciple of the Ariyan disregards material form, disregards feeling and so on (five aggregates).” (SN, III, 68)
Eightfold Noble path is really a self help to salvation and liberation, the Buddhists don’t rely on the God for him to redeem their sins and relieve of their sufferings. They rely on their own effort, there is really no such God. If there is, he is also subject to the operation of kamma.
When you know for sure that all five aggregates are impermanent, suffering and not-self, would you still cling to sense objects as permanent, happy, beautiful, or good?
At one time the Blessed One told a group of monks: “Material form, monks, is impermanent. What is impermanent, that is suffering. What is suffering, that is not the self. What is not self, that is not mine, then am I not, this is not my self. As it really
comes to be, one should discern it thus by right wisdom” (S. II, 19)
The Blessed One explained this to the monks as such: “Why Monks! Do you say Sankhara? Because they are composed or collected together (Abhi-sankharouti). What is compounded (sankhata) and what is the compound that they compose? They compose the material body (rupa) as a compound of form (rupa); they compose the feeling as a compound of feeling (vedana); they compose the perception as a compound of perception (sanna); they compose the activities as a compound of activities (sankhara); they compose the consciousness as a compound of consciousness (vinnanam). Thus they are composed and collected together as a compound. Therefore, Monks! The term Sankhara. ” (SN III,87)
The Buddha said: “Conditioned phenomena (sankhara) are impermanent, subject to rise and fall. Having arisen they cease, their stilling (of these) is bliss.” The word sankhara refers to this body and mind. Sankharas are impermanent and unstable, having come into being they disappear, having arisen they pass away, and yet we wants them to be permanent. This is foolishness. Just like our breaths, having come in, it goes out; that's its nature, that's how it is. The inhalation and exhalation have to alternate, when we finish inhalation, then we exhale, it is just natural. But we want things to be permanent, but they can't be, it is impossible. Having been born, we get old and sick and then we die, and that is just natural. All sankharas are impermanent, the Great Teacher saw that all sankharas are impermanent, and so he taught us to let go of our attachment to them.
True happiness is not found in the deceptive sense pleasures world, we come to this world not just to pursue pleasures, as they are false, impermanent, and unworthy of our interest. Although there are enjoyments in the world, but worldly pleasures are short lived, the craving inevitably ends up with disappointment and suffering. Without wisdom, our craving will keep us chasig from one disappointment to another.
In the Dependent Origination of aggregates the Blessed One said: “The stopping of the six doors leads to the stopping of contact; the stopping of contact leads to the stopping of feeling; the stopping of feeling leads to the stopping of craving; the stopping of craving leads to the stopping of grasping, the stopping of grasping leads to the stopping of becoming, the stopping of becoming leads to the stopping of birth; the stopping of birth leads to the stopping of grief, suffering, sorrow, despair, and lamentation. Thus comes to be the stopping of this entire mass of ill.” (M. I, 337; S. II, 1-3) When we meet up with the pleasurable, we have to stop the six doors from contacting the agreeable sense objects, these require months and years of mindful observation and practice of abandoning.
People always have hope, planning for this and that, and running everywhere, ambitions drive them crazy. When we take up meditation we hope to become famous meditators, or become meditation teacher, we fail to realize that they are all in the mind, just play of the mind. Mind does not operate independently from the six doors or the body-mind aggregates, we need to learn to be contemplative in order to observe the rising and ceasing of the mind states, and then we would not be hoping for anything. Why is that? Because it is all transient, it is impermanence. It will all come to naught.
Clear insight dos not come about by thinking. It comes through persistent practice of meditation and vipassana. It needs calm and clear mind away from mundane awareness to actualize this. We have to contemplate on everything that comes into our field of consciousness. If we don't contemplate it will not give rise to true knowledge. Just like we contemplate on the body, we have to probe deeply into the ways in which our body is, its physical elements, growth cycle, its reactions to stimulation, its care, etc. This is why we need to understand the body thoroughly, this prevent our mind from straying off the path, and keep the mind defilements at bay.
The sensual craving or the desire, lust, and love that provoke our mind in search of new enjoyment based on past sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations. Our perceptions and memories of them bring them back to deceive us as being good, enjoyable, and happy. This is our defiled mental tendencies, we might let go of the minor attachment, but cling tightly to the dear one, so it is not easy to curb our mental defilements. We have to fight hard, or we will lose and suffer longer in samsara. We have to find the Middle Way so we will be able to observe with mindfulness and discernment, and then we will maintain that mind state and keep it with us all the time.
We have to gain mastery over our enemies, that cravings and defilements in our mind, and evaluate our strength, because those defilements and cravings have had the power over us for such a long long time. We have to figure out how to overcome them, root them out, so that our mindfulness and discernment can spot them whenever it arises. This battle will go on until we reach the Stainless. If we lose, we have to think of a new strategy, otherwise, we will keep losing. Our defilements and the five aggregates are the hordes of Mara, they come to burn us, keeping us in samsara.
The Blessed One said: “Form is suffering; feeling, perception, thought-formations, and consciousness are all suffering.” If we don’t see them as suffering, we have not even started on the holy path. Our mind get deluded and go in search for pleasure, we still don't know the Truth of sufering. But when we realize there's no real pleasure to be found, the mind settles down and becomes still. We need to see the true nature of these aggregates, they are composed of components and supported by conditions, and they are not us or ours. Starting with the body and work our way towards other aggregates, analyze them into various elements, then it will become crystal clear.
The Nama Rupa and consciousness are interwoven so tightly that we are often unable to separate them, in SN 47.5.2 the Blessed One said: “by the arising of Nama Rupa comes the arising of mind, by the ceasing of Nama Rupa comes the ceasing of mind.” In DN 11 the Blessed One said: “But, Bhikkhus, you should not ask your question in this way : where do the four great elements; ie. earth, water, fire, and wind, cease without remainder? Instead, you should put the question thus : where do earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing? Where are long and short, small and great, fair and foul, where the Nama Rupa are totally destroyed? And the answer is: Where consciousness is non manifestative, boundless, all luminous; that’s where earth, water, fire, and wind find no footing. There both the long and short, small and great, fair and foul, there Nama Rupa are wholly destroyed. With the cessation of consciousness this is all destroyed.” Therefore the Blessed One shown us clearly that the world arises dependent on the consciousness, the world does not exist independently of the consciousness.
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