FOREWORD
The foundations of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths (ariyasaccani) namely, the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the extinction of suffering and the truth of the path leading to the deliverance from suffering. Whether the Buddhas arise or not these Four Noble Truths exist in the universe. The Buddhas only reveal these truths which lie hidden in the dark abyss of time.
There have been quite a few books written by Eastern and Western scholars to enlighten the readers on the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths. This new treatise is another attempt made by the learned Sayadaw Bhaddanta Revata , based on the Pali Texts, Commentaries and traditions prevailing in Myanmar. Having studied the Dhamma (the teachings of the Buddha) thoroughly and practiced it diligently for a long time, the author of this book achieves remarkably clear and thorough exposition of the doctrine of the Four Noble Truths from a practical stand-point.
We read in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Buddhist canon of the predominant mental attitude of the people of India-extreme asceticism on one side and extreme luxury on the other. Prince Siddattha, before he became the Buddha, saw these attitudes clearly since his youth he had a great desire to find a solution to this problem of suffering, its cause and its removal. With this object in view he renounced his worldly life and approached all the teachers of the different schools of thought of his time, but nobody was competent to give him what he earnestly sought. He strenuously practised all forms of severe austerities and made a superhuman effort for six long years. Eventually his delicate body was reduced to almost a skeleton. The more he tormented his body, the further he was away from his goal. Having realized the utter futility of self-mortification, he finally decided to follow a different course, avoiding the two extremes of self-mortification and self-indulgence.
The new path which he discovered was the middle way. The Four Noble Truths subsequently became one of the salient characteristics of his teachings. By following this path his wisdom grew into his fullest power and he discovered the Four Noble Truths, understood things as they truly were, and finally attained full enlightenment. As a man Prince Siddattha, by his own will, effort, wisdom and compassion, attained Buddhahood - that highest possible state of perfection- and he revealed to mankind the only straight path that leads thereto.
The starting point of Buddhism is right understanding ( sammaditthi ) of the Four Noble Truths. Here it should be noted that these fundamental Truths are not speculative theories. They are unalterable Truths discovered by direct experience, which everyone can confirm himself. The Buddha did not encourage any metaphysical speculation. From the relative truths (sammuti sacca ) he reached the absolute truth ( paramattha sacca ) and the only faith called for in Buddhism is the kind of faith or confidence based on experience or knowledge of truth.
To the seekers after truth the Buddha said, 'Do not believe in anything on mere hearsay; do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and handed down through generations; do not believe in rumors or anything because people talk much about it; do not believe anything simply because the written testimony of some ancient sage is shown to you; never believe in anything because the custom of many years leads you to regard it as truth; do not believe in anything in the mere authority of your teacher or monks. According to your own experience and after thorough investigation, whatever agrees with your reason and is conductive to your own well-being and to that of all other living beings, accept that as truth and live accordingly.' (Kalama Sutta, Anguttara.)
A laudable effort has been made by the author to give a clear exposition of the Four Noble Truths in a suitable form. This book is intended to make available to those who are really interested in the teachings of the Buddhas as a guide to the right path to deliverance from all suffering by means of the right understanding of the Four Noble Truths, and also to the English reading public an English version of these Truths. It is written in simple, easy language which is easily intelligible to the average students.
Venerable Bhaddanta Thitthila, Aggamahapandita
Yangon, 1346- B.E. (1984)
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions by the author to the
Preachers of the Dhamma and Learners (Yogi)
Of the Dhamma.
In the interest of the prolongation of the Buddha's Teachings, Sasana, in the three-fold aspects of Learning (pariyatti), practice (patipatti) and Attainment (pativedha), a preacher of the Dhamma should give the following preliminary to a learner or Yogi who seeks his guidance:-
1. Let him/ her learn by heart the Pali and the meaning of Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta, or at least the Four Noble Truths (therein);
2. Or, if even that should appear too hard, let him memorize the following verse and its meaning:
'Yam kinci dukkham sambhoti
Sabbam chanda raga mklaka
Chandaraga nirodhena
Na'tthi dukkhassas sambhavo.'
All woes (dukkha) that ever arise
Are rooted in volitional activities (sankhara):
With the cessation of volitional activities,
There is no more arising of woes (dukkha).
(For the fuller interpretation see P.44 below).
3. Or, if even that also should prove too hard,
Let him memorize the following simple verse
which is the essence of the Four Noble Truths:
'Because one craves for being,
Rebirth and all woes arise.
Abandon the craving,
And there ends all woes.'
'Understanding (the Truth of Dukkha),1
Eradicating Craving, 2
Realizing Cessation (of craving).3
This is the three-stage practice for stream-entry'4
*(This is the epitome which will be expanded in this book).
(1) Having the Right Understanding that existence is dukkha is called sacca nana or knowledge of the Truth.
(2) Having known that craving is the origin of rebirth which is recurrent dukkha, the yogi eradicates craving through purposive meditation. This is called kicca nana.
(3) After diligent practice he wins insight and realizes cessation of craving: this is nibbana, peace. Knowledge of having realized cessation is called kata nana.
(4) 'Stream-entry', sotapatti magga, the First Stage of enlightenment along the Eightfold Noble Path.
4. Further, let him memorize the thirty-two constituents of the body (dvuttimsakaram) such as hair of the head, (kesa), hair of the body (loma), etc.
Such memorizing equips the Yogi with (a minimum of) the Learning aspect.
5. Having seen that the yogi has memorized that much, the preacher should dwell at length on the Four Noble Truths according to the author's works on the subject.
6. Let the yogi get himself thoroughly acquainted with the teaching and then contemplate on the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths so that the second-hand knowledge becomes direct, first-hand knowledge or self experience of the Truth.
N.B. This contemplation in fact amounts to real practice in the teaching, which is called ‘sitting in meditation,' ‘developing insight (vipassana),' ‘dispelling distraction or mental restlessness (uddhaccam), or cultivating insight-knowledge into the Truth along the Path (magga sacca bhavana). One who contemplates on the Truth is a true follower or practitioner of the Buddha's Teaching.
7. When the Yogi has persisted in the contemplation the knowledge of Truth sacca nana will dawn on him.
8. Then the teacher may gauge the progress of the pupil whether Truth has actually been grasped by the latter. This is ascertainable from the type of answer the yogi gives on being asked about certain topical questions by the teacher. The teacher may, if he is so satisfied, tell his pupil that the latter is firmly established in the teaching, having attained Insight-knowledge.
9. It must be impressed upon the pupil, if he is a lay disciple, by the teacher that for this practice one must take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma (i.e., the teachings of the Buddha) and the sangha, the Noble Order of the Buddha's disciples, who individually are called bhikkhus). Further, one must abandon the false belief in self (atta ditthi). Also, one must live on a means of livelihood free from the three kinds of physical misconduct (i.e., killing, stealing and sexual misbehavior) and the four kinds of verbal misconduct (i.e., lying, creating misunderstanding between persons, harsh speech and frivolous talk or gossiping).
10. Let the yogi memorize and devote his thoughts by telling beads to the key words about the Truth, viz:
'Arising is suffering (dukkha) :
Non-arising is peace (nibbana).'
(uppado dukkham anupado nibbanam).
11. Let both teacher and pupil strive to become ‘learned, practised and attained' ‘under the Buddha's Teaching, having knowledge of the truth. Let them be constantly mindful that only thus can they hope to escape the perils of the four miserable states of existence (apaya)* and of round of births (samsara).
12. For certain individuals, it is quite possible to attain ‘Stream-entry' (sota patti magga) just by reading, digesting (and, of course, contemplating) the Introduction (pp. 3-19) only.
May the elder Bhikkhus at the head of the various monasteries in view of prolongation of the due Attainments in the light of the Learning (of the Dhamma), teach the samaneras (novices) and lay pupils under their charges the Four Noble Truths as taught by the Buddha in Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta.
* ‘The four miserable states of existence or apaya:' (1) the torturous realms of incessant retribution (niraya), (2) animals, (3) hungry and miserable beings (peta) and (4) frightened and hapless beings (askra kaya).'
These four planes of existence are the destinies that await the evil-doers. By evil-doing is meant the ten kinds of immorality consisting of the three kinds of physical misconduct, the four kinds of verbal misconduct (which have been referred to under item 9 above) and the three kinds of mental action, i.e., covetousness (abijjha), ill will (vyapada) and wrong view (micchaditthi).
(End of 'Instructions')
PREFACE
The scope of this book is quite limited (but effective for practice). For, unlike the 'Path of Purification', 'Visuddhi Magga' (the monumental work by the Great Elder Buddhaghosa, 5th C.,) which deals with the threefold training (sekkha) comprising the cultivation of Virtue (sila), Concentration (Samadhi), and Knowledge (panna) for the eradication of Craving (tanha) and realization of Nibbana based on the following verse :-
Sile patitthaya naro sapanno
Cittam pannanca bhavayam
Atap+ nipako bhikkhu
So imam vijataye jatam- - Samyutta Nikaya, Sagatha Vagga, V. 167
(A person of native wisdom
Establishes himself in virtuous conduct,
And develops concentration and Insight-knowledge;
Such an ardent and sagacious bhikkhu
Can clear the tangle of lust
That catches the world.)
This book focuses on the root of suffering or ills (dukkha); it is mainly based on the verse:-
Ye dhamma hetuppabhava
Tesam hetum tathagato aha
Tesanca yo nirodho
Evam vadi mahasamano -Vinaya, Maha Vagga.
The essence of this verse is that:
Through the arising of craving (tanha) as cause, there arises birth (jati) and all the bundle of ills (dukkha) as the necessary result. Where craving is uprooted through the Path-knowledge (magga nana), birth and all the bundle of ills arise no more.
That was what the Venerable Assaji taught succinctly. It sheds sufficient light on the Four Noble Truths for one to discern them.
To relate the background story in brief:
Upatissa the ascetic (who later became the Venerable Sariputta, (one of Gotama Buddha's two chief disciples or Maha savakas), wandering (in the forest) in his earnest quest for the answer to the riddle of birth, ageing, disease and death that are the scourge of humanity, met the Venerable Assaji. He asked the bhikkhu what sort of doctrine the Buddha taught his followers. The Noble bhikkhu replied in the above-quoted verse which is pithy but enlightening enough. Upatissa, on hearing just the first two lines of the stanza, gained enlightenment and attained to Stream-entry (sota patti magga).
The underlying meaning of those two lines dawned on Upatissa that the cause of birth is none other than caving. Once this causal law has been seen through, it necessarily follows to the amazingly sharp knowledge of Upatissa-that when craving is abandoned then no Birth and its woeful consequences can arise. Yes, cast aside craving, and birth ceases. Cessation means shifting of interest from craving to non-craving that is Nibbana. Thus one enters (patti) the ‘Stream' of Truth (sota) and attains to Stream-entry (sota patti magga), the First stage of Path-knowledge or magga nana.And that was precisely the necessary Insight gained then by Upatissa.
The full meaning of the four-line stanza is this:-
'Birth, ageing, disease and death-
The whole set of suffering
That constitutes the Noble truth of suffering (dukkha sacca)
Spring from craving which is the cause.
The cessation of both the cause and the consequence
Has been pointed out by the Tathagata,
The One who has thus come-
i.e., who has arisen to declare the Four Noble Truths
In the manner of all previous Buddhas.
This is what the Great Sage taught'.
So the essence is: Birth and the sorrows that it entails are caused by craving; when craving is rooted out by the Path-knowledge birth and its consequent woes cease. That is the end of all sorrows (dukkha),that is Nibbana where birth is no more (ajata).
In this book the First Chapter gives a brief outline of the Four Noble Truths, which is expanded in the Second Chapter where the Noble Truths of dukkha is discussed in the light of Purity of Vision or ditthi visuddhi. In the Third Chapter the cause of dukkha or the (second) Noble Truth of the cause or samudaya sacca is explained, which once seen, dispels all doubts in regard to past, present and future (kanka vitarana visuddhi). In the Fourth Chapter the (third) Noble Truth of Cessation (nirodha sacca) is explained which establishes the reality of Nibbana and how it may be realized; in the Fifth Chapter the essentials of the Insight (vipassana) and the gaining thereof through Purity of knowledge (nandassana visuddhi). The Sixth Chapter deals with various methods of working for Insight to widen the scope of learning (and practice).
A Word of Recommendation
By the Venerable Sasana, Head of Hmangin
Monastery in Minbu (Magwe Division).
The Venerable Sasana, aged 71, a bhikkhu of 51 vasa standing, wise of scriptural learning and accustomed to imparting it to others, residing at Hmangin Monastery in Minbu, having thoroughly edited and reviewed this work entitled CATUSACCA DALHI KAMMA KATHA or 'A Treatise on Establishment in the Four Noble Truths,' believes that this book is very suitable for those earnest seekers of enlightenment aspiring for the nine supra-mundane (lokuttara) classes of knowledge.
It is therefore gladly endorsed that the book will serve as a manual to the attentive reader towards gaining penetrative knowledge of the Four Noble Truths.
(Signed) Ven. Sasana
Hmangin Sayadaw.
* Sasana; in this context, means Dhamma and vinaya. Dhamma here refers to the Suttas and Abhidhamma; vinaya is the vinaya pitaka, rules of conduct for members of the Order, Sangha. All of them, sasana, may be rendered as the Buddha's teaching. Some render sasana as ‘dispensation'.
TO THE READER:
In this book quotations from the Pali and commentaries (atthakathas) thereon are explained in Myanmar in some places, whereas in other places only the Myanmar renderings are given for easier reading. These renderings are faithfully done to bring out the original sense.
The main purpose of the book is for a quick grasping of the Buddha's Teaching. The quotations and references to the Text (i.e. Pali), are mere aids to understanding. If the reader gets the message and gains a sense of remorse and urgency leading to a wearisome attitude to the suffering- laden life and thence the cessation of Craving-which means gaining Insight Knowledge- those aids will have become dispensable.
Accordingly, the absence of textual references should be taken as not lacking in authority; rather they are left out for easier reading. It is, to my knowledge, the style adopted by many an elderly one (maha thera) of yore.
A Biographical Sketch
Date of birth and Birthplace
The author was born on Wednesday, the fourteenth waxing day of Tagu (falling before the Myanmar New Year Day), 1230 Myanmar Era (1868 Christian Era), in the town of Sagu in Minbu District (Magwe Division).
Lay name and Lineage
As a lay person the author was named U Shwe Hline (Hlaing). His father was a physician, a descendant of a high official of the royal court at Ava, known as Min Ye Htut, holder of the royal title Naymyo-zeyya-thura, who was entrusted by King Hsinbyushin (the second son of Alaungpaya, popularly called Alaung-mintaragyi) to set up fresh settlements in central Myanmar.
Min Ye Htut developed the barren area around the small towns of Sagu and Salin, setting up agricultural villages called Pyilongyaw, Me-yin-thee-gon and Phalandaw, etc., near Pwintbyu, around Shwepanmyaing Pagoda which lies midway between Sagu and Salin. These villages became new settlements of Shans and Burmans whose main occupation was farming.
At the time of the dethronement of King Thibaw (1885), U Shwe Hline was a novice or samanera in the monastery whose head was the Venerable Ottama. This Abbot U Ottama was no other than the celebrated Boh Ottama or Mingyi Boh Ottama who left the monastic life to lead a band of rebels from central Myanmar against the British invaders and gave up his life in the heroic struggle. U Shwe Hline was one of the adopted sons of Sayadaw (Boh) Ottama.
Lay Life and Activities
U Shwe Hline qualified himself in land surveying and served the British Government as a Survey Inspector in Minbu. Later he became a Third Grade Pleader and advanced to the Second Grade. For quite a long time he volunteered as a religious preacher for the local voluntary Buddhist Association called Sammakammanta (Right Action) Association, a branch of the country-wide Young Men's Buddhist Association movement.
His Other Works
At the age of forty-nine U Shwe Hline published Amoghakala Nibbana Maggapatipatti, a treatise on Buddhist practice leading to Nibbana. It is now extinct.* at that time the author had set up a religious group that routinely
* N.B.-Two years after the ninth reprinting of the present book, the supposedly extinct book referred to here emerged, the only surviving copy, 74 years after its publication, in Natmauk; and it has now been reprinted by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
recited the succinct Myanmar verses (by Ledi Sayadaw) on Abhidhammattha Sangaha. He also taught this subject of ‘Condensed Abhidhamma' to the group.
The three works:
Hetu-phala-katha
Nama-rupa-pariccheda-katha
Dassanena-pahatabba-katha
Formed 'A Manual of Buddhist Practice for Supramundane Knowledge' which was (completed by U Shwe Hline in 1919; 1280 B.E.) at the age of fifty. It was edited and reviewed by the Venerable Pannajota, head of Maha-Sukhitarama Monastery in Minbu in 1282 B.E., and published in 1284 B.E. According to the author's notes the three treatises were based on Dhammasaangani (the first book of the seven Abhidhamma texts) and Atthasalini, the commentary thereon.
Acquisition of Scriptural Learning
During the years of serving as an honorary trustee of the Pagoda near Minbu U Shwe Hline spent most of his time studying seriously the Tipataka or the set of Three Baskets of canonical literature which he received as a personal gift, out of esteem, from the famous recluse U Khanti of Mandalay Hill. He also Shwe Settawstudied at the feet of such well known teachers as Ledi Sayadaw, acknowledged authorities both in scholarship and in practice.
U Shwe Hline Becomes a Bhikkhu
It was a May morning in 1944, on the full-moon day of the Myanmar month of Kason (Vasak). The re-occupation forces of British- American bombers raided Minbu that razed the whole town to the ground, killing or wounding over a thousand people. U Shwe Hline's house was also destroyed. But miraculously, the post by which he was squatting stood intact. All his household property was gone without a trace. Only the ‘Manual' referred to above somehow remained amidst the unsightly debris. Seized by a sense of urgency and remorse (samvega), U Shwe Hline decided, there and then, that he would renounce the world and become a bhikkhu. A hunt for the necessary paraphernalia* for a bhikkhu's entry into the order, the Sangha- which consists of eight items- was made in the devastated town. Only a precious single set was somehow collected. And so U Shwe Hline got admission into the Sangha as a bhikkhu; his preceptor was the head of Kan-U Monastery in Sagu. The bhikkhu name of U Shwe Hline was (Venerable) Revata.
* ‘The necessary paraphernalia,' parikkhara: the eight requisites, viz: three robes, alms- bowl, razor, needle, girdle, water-strainer.
The writing of This Book
Now that no Pitaka literature was left with him after the bombing of Minbu, the Venerable Revata (U Shwe Hline) felt the need to preserve what had been stored up in his memory, for he had memorized routinely much of Pitaka literature over the long years. So he recited them day and night lest they faded out from his memory. His preceptor expressed wonder and approval at his perseverance.
The bhikkhu felt a sense of mission. He wished to leave for posterity a sort of short-cut approach to gain enlightenment, at least to the First stage of Stream-entry (sota patti magga) that would render them safe from the four apaya * or miserable states.* (See, f.n. to page ( v ) above). He therefore set out on his book, CATUSACCA DALHI KAMMA KATHA, working throughout the entire day time without even resting for a short nap, while working in the night in poor subdued light. For, it was a time when air raids were being expected any time. Since there was no stationer he had to collect one-sided (used) paper for his material. The book was completed and faired out by himself when he was seventy-nine, i.e., in 1309 B.E. It went to the press the same year.
Other works by the Author
His other works were written in Yangon between 1949 and 1956 and they included:-
Saccadipaka Katha
Sotapatti-magga Katha
Ditthi vicikiccha pahatabba Katha
Niyyanika-magga Katha
Chadhatu-magga Katha
Atthadhamma-patisambhida-magga Katha
A strange Event
Some strange and remarkable events marked the author's life. Some of them are:
During his short stay in Yangon in 1949 when it was barely three days for the beginning of the year's (1311 B.E.) vassa, Buddhist rains-retreat period* i.e., on the 12th of Waso (vasak) he insisted on going to Minbu for the vassa. It was obviously impossible, for insurgency was at its peak when Governments' authority stretched hardly beyond the capital city of Yangon. When the lay disciples protested that it was a tall order, the aged bhikkhu simply said, 'I am going to make it.'
* 'Rains-retreat period': under the Discipline, bhikkhus are required to stay at a monastery, without making overnight journeys, for the rainy period of three months beginning from the full-moon day of Waso (mid-July).
The next day, on the thirteenth waxing day of Waso, the news that Meiktila, Yenangyaung and Chauk were reoccupied simultaneously by the Government forces led by Colonel Zaw Khaung reached the Army Chief of Staff (now the president of the Union of Myanmar). The Government assigned the task of restoring civil administration in the reoccupied area to the Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, to be assisted by the Director-General of Police and three special commissioners in charge of Northern Myanmar. Special permission was sought and obtained from the Army Chief of Staff to let the Venerable Revata accompany the team of officials proceeding to Chauk in four-seated plane. Thence the old bhikkhu proceeded to Minbu by boat just in time for the vasa.
A Strange Dream
It was the time when the historic Sixth Buddhist Convention under the auspices of the Venerable Nyaungyan Sayadaw was in progress. On a certain morning (at about eight o' clock) the Venerable Revata related how he had had the remarkable dream in the small hours of the previous night. He saw himself in the dream floating (walking) in space with the eight bhikkhu requisites on his person and the parasol shading above him. After waking up from the dream he contemplated mindfulness until dawn. And it was indescribably fruitful.
Close Shaves
The old bhikkhu continued to relate the close shaves he had experienced in his life. When he was a boy he and his elder brother set out in a small boat from Dedaye in the Delta Division, to gather firewood. They were caught in a storm which sank their boat. He was adrift in the river for seven whole days and yet miraculously managed to survive.
On another occasion, when he was back in central Myanmar, he got seriously ill. Everyone had given up hope: some were actually making his coffin, some were going to the monastery to ask of the Sangha for administering the funeral rites. However, Death again evaded him somehow. Then there was the miraculous escape from the bombing in Minbu referred to earlier.
From those appointments with Death he had come out unclaimed by death somehow. He took them to mean only one thing: that he would not yet breathe his last until he had gained enlightenment in the Myanmar.
The Venerable Nyaungyan Sayadaw's Applause
Barely an hour after the Venerable Revata's recounting of his strange experiences, there arrived, quite unexpectedly, the Venerable Nyaungyan Sayadaw. The much-revered Elder had come to express his applause for the Venerable Revata's book, Catusacca Dalhi Kamma Katha. He said the chief merit of the book lay in its scriptural basis. 'Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu'(Good, good, good) said he.
Honored By the Venerable Myatheindan Sayadaw
The following day the Venerable Myatheindan Sayadaw of Mandalay called. He came to request the Venerable Revata to come and stay at Bagaya Monastery in Amarapura. With the advanced age of the author in mind, he promised the best care for the honored guest there. This earnest request he repeated twice later.
Enlightenment
It was late in the evening, about 9 o'clock, towards the end of May, 1956, when the author's personal attendant (kappiya) Maung Ba Chit in breathless excitement called out: 'Come, look! It's amazing! The Reverend!' No sooner had he mumbled those rather vague words than he ran back to the monastery (which was just within the compound of the old bhikkhu's son U Chan Tha). Thinking that the old bhikkhu might have been taken ill, people rushed to the monastery with medicines. But they were pleasantly surprised. For, instead of a lying old bhikkhu as expected, it was a sitting bhikkhu upright and cross-legged, with his face calm and serene, the like of which they had never seen before in him.
'The burden has been laid down.
Peace: Yes, peaceful it is.
Know all existence as Impermanence (anicca),
Ill (dukkha), not-self (anatta)
In the ultimate sense.'
Those were the jubilant words that came out solemnly, yet sweetly, from the sedate bhikkhu.
Repaying the Kindness of Lay disciples of His Home Town
Early in July, not long after the beginning of the Vasa period, the Venerable Revata told his disciples he wanted to pay a visit to Minbu soon: he wished to repay the kindness of the lay disciples of his home town, Minbu. It was pointed but to him that the trip would not be advisable considering his age (for he was 88 then): his health was not too good. The prevalent heavy rains were definitely unsuitable for making a trip to the jetty. Besides, medical attendance must also be arranged for the journey. To all this reasoned discussion the old bhikkhu merely said, 'Don't you worry. Everything will be all right.' And so his will had to be conceded to. At the time of going to the jetty the pouring rain suddenly stopped. When he had been settled in his first class cabin it was discovered that his next-room occupant was a doctor proceeding to Mandalay. The doctor readily volunteered to attend to the aged and ailing bhikkhu on the journey. (Minbu is midway on the riverine journey up the Irrawaddy).
The DemiseThe elder Revata (Bhaddanta Revata), author of the book, passed away on the 16th April 1957 at Laythagon (also known as Dat-taw-gon) Monastery in Minbu. He was in his 90th year then.
-Recounted by U Chan Tha, (I.C.S.), Retired Secretary to the Government, son of the author.-
A Word of Thanks
In this ninth reprinting of CATUSACCA DALHI KAMMA KATHA, all the sources of the quotations and references have been mentioned as footnotes, thanks to the painstaking efforts of the editors who are learned in Pali. For this and for the overall high standard of corrections in printing I am deeply grateful to all members of the staff of the Press Department of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
(Signed) Chan Tha
A TREATISE ON
ESTABLISHMENT IN THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
'Catusacca Dalhi Kamma Katha'
Table of Contents Page
Foreword I
Instruction III
Preface VII
Biographical sketch of the author XI
Preliminary: Homage to the Three Gems 1
Introduction 3
Title of the book, etc. 3
The Author's Custom in Preaching and The Disciple's Obligation 3
The Various Modes of Preaching Adopted by the Buddha 6
The meaning of Religious Practice 6
Unless the Four Noble Truths are Comprehended Rebirth or samsara is never ended. 8
The Buddha's Exhortation 9
The Duties of the Preacher and the Listener 9
The Buddha's Exhortation to Gain the Path-Knowledge as Real Relief and Support 9
The Wrong View, How It Begins and Ends 10
The Profundity of Not-self or Anatta 11
Contemplating Anatta: per Commentary 12
Don't miss the Essence: 12
Path Knowledge (Magga nana) and Fruition Knowledge (phala nana) 13
The Plan of the Book 14
Chapter one – An Exposition of the Four Noble Truths
An Exposition of the Four Noble Truths 15
The Characteristics, etc., of the Noble Truth of Suffering of (Dukkha Sacca) 16
The Characteristic, etc., of the Origin of Dukkha, that is Samudayasacca 19
Question and Answer 19
The Characteristic, etc., of the Truth of Cessation (Nirodhasacca) 20
The Characteristic, etc., of the Path or Maggasacca 21
How the Four Noble Truths May Be Discerned 22
Where the Cause Ceases, No Result Ever Arises 22
Contemplating the Present Dukkha, Its Origin, Its Cessation that is Walking the Path 23
A Single Consciousness of Cessation of Craving. Accomplishes the Four Functions of the Path-Knowledge 24
Wrong Objective in Practice Brings Great Loss 26
Where Dukkha Lies and How It Ceases 27
How Impermanence, Ill and Not-self May Be Discerned through Self-analysis 28
Contemplating on the Full Significance of the Text on the Four Noble Truths 29
The Four Noble Truths in a Nutshell 30
How One Comes To Be Called 'One Endowed With Insight Into The Four Noble Truths' 30
How Pleasant Feeling Causes Ten Kinds of Ill (dukkha) 32
How the Suffering-fraught Resultant (Rebirth) May Be Halted 32
How suffering (dukkha) May Be Brought To An End: Another Way 33
The Mental Process of Path-Consciousness According to the Commentaries 34
How the Darkness of Ignorance, Craving and Wrong View is dispelled at the Fleeting Moment of Path-consciousness 36
Nibbana to be the Object of Thought in Practice as per Metta Sutta 36
The Noble Practice or Brahmacariya Defined 37
Nibbana Actually Exists - vide Udana 37
Realizing Nibbana - It Meaning 38
Contemplating the Four Noble Truths in Plain (Myanmar) Terms 39
Another Method in Plain (Myanmar) Terms 39
From Cause arises Result: when Cause ceases Result ceases 40
Contemplating for the Cessation of Craving for Existence 41
Towards Attaining 'Stream-entry' Here and Now 42
Comprehending the Four Noble Truths in Plain (Myanmar) Terms 43
Telling the Beads towards Uprooting Craving for Existence 43
Contemplating For Convergence of Nibbana as Mental Object and Path-Consciousness 44
Comprehending the Four Noble Truths through Their Essential Features 46
Why does one make efforts in the Practice of the Dhamma? 48
Impersonality or Not-self (annata) must be perceived in the first place 51
Questions and Answers bringing out the Not-self Character 52
Mental Culture per PatisambhidaMagga for a speedy realization of Nibbana 53
The Unique Character of Tranquillity of Nibbana 58
Analyzing One's Body in the Ultimate Truth 59
The Difference in Practising for Stream-entry and for the higher Path-Knowledge 60
Examining Oneself Whether One Has Attained to the Path or Not 61
Ledi Sayadaw's Method of Reviewing One's Own Attainment 62
Criteria for Judging Attainment to Stream-entry per the Mirror Discourse, Salayatana Samyutta 63
How One Established in Fruition (phala) Dwells In It 64
How on attaining Fruition one's consciousness is fixed on Nibbana as its sole object 65
Factors Essential for Attaining of Stream-entry 65
Mode of Practice to attain Stream-entry 66
Concluding Remarks on Chapter One 67
Chapter two – On the Purity of View
On the Purity of View 69
The Noble Truth of Dukkha Explained in Terms of Purity of View 69
The Character of Consciousness or Mind 71
Mental Concomitants and Their Characteristics, etc., 71
The Twenty-eight Kinds of Material Quality (rupa) 74
The Characteristics etc., of Materiality or Matter 75
The Insensateness etc., of Matter 76
No Person, Being or Life Apart From Mind and Matter 78
How the Five Aggregates are conventionally Called a Being: an Example 79
Matter merely has illusory substance, form, and outward appearance 80
The Uninformed Person Views Mind and Matter Complex as 'I' 80
The five Aggregates in their Ultimate State (sakkaya) and the Five Aggregates Viewed erroneously (ditthi): their Distinction Explained 82
When the Wrong View of Self Vanishes All Other Wrong View Vanish 83
Purity of View through the analytical perception of Mind versus Matter 83
Mind, though dependent on Matter, is distinct phenomenon: an example 83
How Contact and the other four phenomena arise 84
A Possible Question 84
Neither Mind nor Matter is strong enough by itself, but when in combination they are capable and competent 85
The mutuality of mind and Matter: example of man and boat 86
Neither Mind nor Matter can function alone: example of a puppet 87
Mind-and-Matter are in reality devoid of life 87
Functioning of Mind-and-Matter Conceived as 87
Activities of a Being or a Person: Simile of cart and draught-oxen 88
Concluding Remarks on Chapter Two (on Purity of View) 89
Chapter three – On the cause of Dukkha
On the cause of Dukkha 91
Introduction 91
Purification by overcoming Doubt 91
The Root-cause and the Conditioning Factors that give rise to Mind-and-Matter 91
Knowledge Discerning the Conditionality of Mind-and-Matter in the Three Periods of Time 93
From Ignorance, Craving, Clinging as mother, and Kamma as father, their offspring Mind-and-Matter ensues 93
How Ignorance is the basic cause of the round of defilements or kilesa vatta 94
The Characteristic, etc., of Avijja (Ignorance) 95
Craving, the Root cause of Future Birth: on Example 96
The Characteristic, etc., of Tanha (Craving) 97
'Wrong View' (miccahaditthi) Explained 97
How Ignorance cum Craving prolong Samsara and how their cessation breaks the round of rebirths 98
The Stupidity of the acquirer of kammic actions exemplified 99
The Various Resultants of the Various Kammic Actions such as 'Weighty' Kamma, etc., 100
The time when Kamma takes effect 101
The Fourfold Advent of Death and the Signs portending the Next Existence 102
The Various Possibilities for States of Rebirth according to the present state of existence 106
Nothing actuality passes on from the existence to the next rebirth-liking consciousness takes place through kammic force: some examples 107
How Resultants inexorably follow Volitional Actions 108
There is no Brahma or Creator that creates the world but only causes and conditions that gives rise to the five aggregates 109
How the World is Perpetuated by Kamma and Resultants 109
Cause is spoken of as 'doer' and resultant as 'suffer' by way of conventional usage only (pannatti). 111
Benefit of Attaining Purity through Overcoming Doubt: Concluding Remarks 112
Otherwise known as 'Firmly-footed in the Dhamma', etc. 113
Knowledge Discerning Conditionality makes Stream-entry Within Reach 113
One Within Reach of Stream-Entry is Secure. 114
Chapter four – On the Cessation of Dukkha
On the Cessation of Dukkha 115
The Twin Method of Contemplation 115
Distinguishing Between the Features of Conditioned Things and Unconditioned Things 116
The Unconditioned Nibbana Extolled By the Buddha 116
Why Nibbana Is Said To Be Unconditioned 117
Why Nibbana is called Cessation (Nirodha) 117
Ill (dukkha) and Happiness (sukha) Distinguished 117
Comprehending the Four Noble Truths and Nibbana by the Law of Dependent Origination 118
Mediating on the Seventy-seven Subjects for Insight-Knowledge per PatisambhidaMagga 120
Meditating in Forward Order (of the Law of Dependent Origination) 121
The Origin and Cessation of the World of Conditioned Existence 122
When Cause Ceases, No Resultant Ensues 123
Penetrating the Four Noble Truths Through the Fifty Kinds of Knowledge About the Arising and Passing Away of Phenomena 123
Sense -bases As Sources of Dukkha- and Cessation of Dukkha Through Them 126
Craving, Wrong View and Clinging Are the Fuel That Keep The Flame of Existence Alive 127
Nibbana Is a Complete Departure from Lustful Thoughts, So Is Conducive To Cessation of Craving and Passions,128
Nibbana Is Worthy of Being Perpetually Borne In Mind 129
Chapter five – On the Path
On the Path 131
The Characteristic, etc., of the Noble Truth of the Path (Magga Sacca) 131
Contemplating On the Aggregates According To the Path per Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta 132
Discriminating between what is the Path and what is not; between what is to be rejected and what to be developed 133
The Meaning of Lokuttara or the Supramundane 133
The Difference in practising for Stream-entry and for the three higher Path-Knowledge134
'First, dispel doubt', the Buddha's Exhortation to the Thousand Ascetics 135
Preparing the Mind For Meditative Practice 136
'Who meditates?' There Is None only the Desire Is There. (Reference Ariyavamsa Katha). 136
The Path-Knowledge In Its Mundane Stage And Supramundane Stage 137
In Meditating ‘Cessation is bliss', Concentrate on Cessation, Not On Bliss. 138
Developing Insight (vipassana): Significance of the Term 138
On Discriminating the Characteristic, etc., of Impermanence, Ill, Not-self. 139
The Group of Five Saw the Truth on Perceiving Dukkha 141
The Causes and the Conditions Themselves Are Impermanent, Troublesome and Unreal 142
Dukkha Explained In Twelve Ways According to Satipatthana Sutta 143
Once Fallen Into the Four Miserable States, Fortunate Existence Is a Far Cry: Simile of Mother and Child 146
Ignorance and Craving Prolong Samsara: Anamatagga Sutta 146
Reflecting on the Twelve-fold Evils of the Round of Rebirths, Samsara 150
How Samsara's Cyclic Suffering Is Perpetuated 151
How Samsara's Cyclic Suffering Can Be Broken 151
Meditating on the dissolution of things brings seven kinds of knowledge leading to the Path. 152
Comprehending Nibbana through Contemplating On the Forty Features (to's) of the Five Aggregates 153
Some of the Forty Features explained 161
Birth, the root of all woes 162
Contemplating In Pairs the Fifteen Woes Side By Side the Fifteen Blessings of Nibbana 163
The Fifteen Pairs of Dukkha and Nibbana Juxtaposed 165
Contemplating the voidness of the five aggregates, etc., their soullessness, in six ways 166
Contemplating on the voidness of the five aggregates their soullessness, in twelve ways 166
Perceiving the voidness or emptiness, the yogi develops a complete Equanimity towards all conditioned things 167
'Purity of Vision', nanadassana visuddhi 168
The Three Aspects of Release (vimokkha) 168
Plunging into the Supramundane, Gotrabhu 169
The Five Aggregates compared to a she-demon under human disguise whom one got wedded 172
The Thought-process at the moment of Stream-entry 174
Two kinds of comprehending the Four Noble Truths: Knowledge through learning And Knowledge by insight 175
The Moment Stream-entry is attained; the eight-fold wrong way is abandoned 176
The Path-Knowledge in the mundane and the supramundane stages 176
Stream-entry puts an end to the five aggregates both present and future 177
The Path-Knowledge of Stream-entry roots out latent defilements that defy the three time concept 178
Path-consciousness accomplishes a fourfold function: a simile 179
The Four Paths and the defilements or fetters they extirpate 180
The 'Eight Noble Ones' explained 182
There Kinds of Rejection 183
The three lower Path - Knowledge are like flashes of lighting; 183
arahatta magga is like sakka's celestial weapon that destroys all enemies Dukkha is contemptible, empty 184
Craving, the cause of dukkha, needs allied dhammas for effectiveness 184
Cessation means the entire stoppage of all the five kinds of destination (gati) 185
Anupadisesa nibbana as described in Patisambhida Magga 186
The Sixteen Points of Significance in the Four Noble Truths 187
Contemplating on the Four Noble Truths: simile of the burden 188
Contemplating on the Four Noble Truths: another simile 188
Why the Buddha expounded the Four Truths in the order of Dukkha, the Cause, Cessation and the way to Cessation188
There are only four ultimate truths no more, no less 189
There is no doer or no suffer or apart from the Fourth Truths 189
The Sixteen Functions Required of the Path 190
Twelve Kinds of Path-Knowledge reckoned in three ways regarding the Four Truths 190
'Realizing Nibbana': the Significance of the Phrase 191
Criteria for Judging Whether One Has Attained the Path and Its Fruition or not 192
Why Nibbana is called Peace 192
Three Kinds of Happiness: santi sukka, phala sukka and vedayita sukha distinguished 193
Why Nibbana is worthy of delighting in 193
Nibbana is the Dhamma worth bearing in mind perpetually by the wise 194
Why nibbana is free from ageing, disease and death, how it is 'the Glorious City'. 194
Proper Wishing in dedicating a meritorious deed 195
Chapter six – Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous 197
'Better to live a day knowing the Truth than living a hundred years in ignorance.' 197
'Better to live a day comprehending the rise and fall of conditioned things ---' 197
'Better to live a day making steadfast efforts ---' 197
'Better than sole lordship over earth, etc., is the Fruition of Stream-entry.' 198
Delight in the Dhamma excels all delights 198
The gift of the Dhamma dealing with the Noble Truths is supreme even among gifts of the Dhamma198
Greed, hate and delusion destroy one who harbours them 199
'There is no fire like the fire of passion' 199
'Terrible Is the Fire of Passion, Heavy like Mount Meru is the Burden of Existence' 199
On setting up an island of refuge that can withstand the floods of defilements 200
How the Defilements are purged 200
The Buddha's Exhortation To the bhikkhus In Patimokkha 200
The Four Kinds of Knowledge and the five Kinds of Right Understanding 201
How to Dispel Personality-belief, How To Overcome Ignorance, How To Break Up the Linkage Of Craving 202
Why Some Attain the Path Here and Now, And Others Do Not: the Buddha's Reply To Sakka's Query. 202
'The Wise One', etc., Attributes Of An Arahat Explained 203
'Gaining Relief under the Buddha's Teaching: the significance of the expression 204
'How dukkha arises: how it ceases' - the Buddha's discourse to Bhadrakagamani 205
The five aggregates are like a disease that demands constant care 206
On dispelling belief in self or ego 207
Not knowing the Truth, samsara grinds on: Knowing the Truth, samsara is stopped 207
Who cause dukkha? No one: only ignorance is to blame 208
How the Wheel of existences, samsara, is stopped: a simile 209
The endless process of rebirths, samsara 209
The Buddha's reply to Suciloma the Demon 209
The difference between a worldling and an ariya who has won the First Path (Sotapanna)210
For Stream-entry Knowledge, asceticism is not necessary 211
The four conditions necessary for gaining Stream-entry 212
The Twelve Constituents of the Law of Dependent Origination, Paticca Samuppada 212
The Characteristic, etc., of the twelve constituents of Dependent Origination 213
The Four Profundities of Dependent Origination in a nutshell 216
The Four Profundities Explained 216
Dependent Origination in Forward Order as taught to the Venerable Ananda 218
How craving for pleasant feeling entails the ten kinds of ill 218
The Ten Ills (above) in the reverse order of contemplation 219
Contemplating in the Forward Order 219
Contemplating Dependent Origination in its forty-four aspects as per Patisambhida Magga 220
The Eight Kinds of Doubt 221
Doubts vanish when one has Discrimination of meaning (Result) and Discrimination of the dhamma (cause) 224
Eulogy on Nibbana: contrasting with mind-matter complex 226
Contemplating on the wearisome round of rebirths 226
Judging whether someone is a Brahmana (Noble One) or not by his speech 227
An arahat cannot be seen through by devas 227
Why an Arahat is called a 'bhikkhu' 227
He who does not cling is a ‘Brahmana' 228
An Arahat is unmoved by pain or pleasure 228
On the loathsomeness of the body: a discourse to Theri Ruppananda 228
'First, tame yourself' 228
Righteous conduct safeguards all 229
The wise man is guided by righteousness only, disregarding praise or censure 229
On the choice of a good friend 230
Merit and demerit are worlds apart in their resultants 230
Knowing one's own folly is wisdom itself 230
Manners bespeak a man 231
Only when one sees the Truth can one make proper assessment of others 231
How the Buddha and the Noble Ones renounce the world of three spheres of existence 232
The highly profitable method of contemplating on the Thirty-two parts or components of the body233
Who is the one that carries out actions, big or small? 234
The Story of the fifteen hundred bhikkhus who won 234
enlightenment through contemplating on the thirty-two parts of the body
The nature of the thirty-two component parts as meditation subject for Path-Knowledge 235
The six sense-bases viewed from the ultimate truth aspect 236
Date of completion of the present book 236
Conclusion 237