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DHAMMA PADETHA
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(Serialised)
If Eliminated, Happiness Will Follow
Although all beings living in this world wish to be free from suffering they keep encountering all kinds of suffering. The root causes are r±ga, dosa and moha. So long as these manifest themselves there will be suffering. If only r±ga, dosa and moha can be eliminated there will be true happiness. That is why Lord Buddha had discoursed on three kinds of dhamma for the elimination of r±ga, dosa and moha.
(1) To eliminate r±ga (lobha), asubha kammaµµh±na must be practised.
(2) To eliminate dosa, mett± kammaµµh±na must be practised
(3) To eliminate moha, insight meditation must be practised (Am 2/388)
(1) To eliminate r±ga, asubha kammaµµh±na must be practised means: If you think that your own body or khandha as well as other people's bodies are pleasing (subha), you become attached, which is r±ga. Only if you can contemplate they are repulsive (asubha) you will be free from r±ga, attachment. That is what Lord Buddha had instructed to eliminate r±ga, attachment, by asubha kammaµµh±na (reflecting on the repellent nature of a corpse). There are two kinds of asubha: asubha of the dead person, and asubha of a living person. The dead person's asubha is more obvious than the asubha of the living person. Asubha of a living person i.e. the repulsive nature is not so obvious because of clothing and cosmetics. It seems to be pleasing and loveable. On the contrary the nature of both has no difference.
You can see the repulsive nature of the corpse only once in a while. But the repulsive nature of the living person can always be seen. However, people do not realize the repellent nature of the living person. They think it to be loveable and pleasing. That is why they become attached to the person, which is r±ga. To be able to eliminate attachment (r±ga), beginning from your own body, you must perceive the repellent nature of other people's bodies, which is asubha. If you can realize asubha within yourself, you will perceive the asubha of others' bodies. That is why you must first and foremost try and realize asubha of yourself.
How r±ga is eliminated by Asubha
If you are mindful of all the things that come out of your body nothing is pleasing. You will find that they are unpleasant and have a repellent nature.
Excretion from the eyes, ears, nose are all repulsive. Spit and phlegm from your mouth, urine, stool all have bad smell. Sweat from ninety-nine thousand holes of the body are sticky and have bad smell. Everything that comes out of your body is unpleasing, having a repellent nature. That is why your own body, in reality, is asubha.
When you realize that your own body, in reality, is asubha, you discover that other bodies (aggregates) are, in reality, asubha. Those who have perceived that their own bodies as well as other people's are asubha, they will be free from attachments (r±ga) from their own bodies and other people's bodies. That is why Lord Buddha had said, attachment (r±ga) must be eradicated by asubha kammaµµh±na.'
Once, while Ashin ¾nand± was residing at Jetavana monastery at S±vatthi he went into S±vatthi town for alms-food followed by a young monk Ashin Vaªgisa. At the invitation of the King and ministers, Ashin ¾nand± went to their houses, where beautifully dressed maidens did the needful duties. Ashin Vangisa told Ashin ¾nand± that he had become attached to the maidens, which was r±ga. Ashin ¾nand± replied and urged the young monk to practise Asubha kammaµµh±na and eliminate attachment (r±ga).
Because of the attachment, (r±ga) for the females, Ashin Vaªgisa was about to be degenerated from the sasana and get into trouble. As instructed by Ashin ¾nand± he practised asubha kammaµµh±na, and because he could annihilate r±ga he stayed happily in the sasana till he became an arahant.
(2) To practise mett± kammaµµh±na to eliminate, dosa means: dosa and mett± are just the antithesis like water and fire. Dosa is like fire. An angry person burns himself and makes other people heated. When a certain person commits a crime due to dosa, other people also become angry immediately and are heated up. When there is fire in a town, it spreads from one house to another immediately. In the same way dosa spreads from one person to another and become heated. That is why dosa is compared to fire.
mett± is like water. One who has mett± is peaceful oneself and makes other people peaceful. When one speaks and does things with mett± for another person the other person also returns mett± and makes the first person happy by doing things for him. mett± is reciprocal which spreads from one person to another and is peaceful. That is why mett± is like water, cool and refreshing.
How Dosa is eliminated by mett±
The mett± that is developed and cultivated towards all those who come into contact with you, and all those living in the ten directions, by reflecting, 'May they all be happy and healthy like myself' , is known as mental (manokamma) mett±. When you instruct for other people to be happy verbally it is verbal (vacikamma) mett±. Doing or performing things for other people physically is physical (kayakanmma) mett±. In this way, while there is physical (Kayakamma) mett±, verbal (Vacikamma) mett±, mental (Manokamma) mett± in you, dosa has no chance to arise. Because you have eradicated dosa you will live peacefully. Those who can practise mett± kammaµµh±na till they achieve mett± jhana, will have their dosa eliminated and attain the highest happiness in the mundane world, which cannot be compared with any kind of happiness.
Because of the instigation of M±gandi, King Udena sent a poisoned arrow towards Samm±v±ti and five hundred attendants, which could kill all. Since Samm±v±ti and five hundred attendants were practising mett± kammaµµh±na, the arrow, instead of going forth, turned back towards King Udena. Hence King Udena bowed down and pleaded with Samm±v±ti. Thus because of extending mett±, Samm±v±ti and five hundred attendants escaped death and lived happily.
(3) To eliminate moha one must practise insight meditation. Moha and wisdom are directly opposite. Moha is likened to darkness and wisdom is compared to light. If there is no sunlight or moonlight, it becomes dark.
When the sunlight or moonlight appears, darkness disappears. In the same way where there is no wisdom light, there will be darkness of moha. When there appears wisdom light, the darkness of moha is eliminated. That is why Lord Buddha had instructed to practise insight meditation to annihilate moha.
Moha makes one, who is possessed with moha, bewildered. It makes one think wrongful things to be right, and rightful things to be wrong. It makes one do things that should not be done, and things that should be done is left undone. It makes one think that he possesses things that do not belong to him. It went wrong in every case and degeneration results. That is why moha is likened to darkness.
Wisdom makes one, who possesses wisdom, realize things in the true sense without having doubts. It makes one know whether something is beneficial or not. It makes one avoid things that are unbeneficial, and do things that are beneficial and therefore, one enjoys longevity, living a long life. It also makes one become an ariya, live happily with lots of benefit.
That is why wisdom is compared to light.
How moha is eliminated by wisdom
To enable one to eradicate moha one must practise satipatthana vipassan± meditation.
vipassan± is the wisdom that eliminates moha. When one practises mindfulness meditation one must choose a quiet place and sit cross-legged or folding the knees, a posture which one can sit for long.
If you wish to note breath-in and breath-out, you must keep your noting mind at the tip of your nostrils. As you breathe in, the air touches your' nostrils and you must make a mental note, 'breathing in' and when you breathe out, the air touches your nostrils and you must note, 'breathing out'. When your insight or vipassan± ñ±na develops you will realize that the air touching the nostril and your noting mind are two separate phenomena.
The air touching and the physical body that is sitting are r³pa which does not know anything. The conscious mind that is aware of the breath coming in and going out is n±ma. You shall discern those two phenomena. In this khandh± (aggregates), there is r³pa, which does not know anything and n±ma, the conscious mind that knows. Thus, you gain vipassan± insight which distinguishes between n±ma and r³pa. There is nothing but mind and matter. You discover that there is no such thing as atta or self in reality. Thus, the wrong view atta, mistakenly thought as self is eliminated. vipassan± insight paññ±", has annihilated moha.
As you keep on practising, vipassan± insight develops, step by step, and while noting the breath-in and breath-out, touching the nostrils, you will realize that they pass away one after another. The noting mind also disappears. Then you perceive that touching is impermanent (anicca), the noting mind is also impermanent (anicca). The disappearance is so rapid that it seems to oppress you, that is dukkha. You cannot, by any means, prevent the rapid disappearance. It happens of its own accord. It is uncontrollable, therefore, it is anatta. Hence, you achieve vipassan± ñ±na.
Before practising mindfulness meditation you had thought wrongfully that your body is permanent (nicca), happiness (sukha) and self/ego (atta), all are eradicated by vipassan± meditation. vipassan± insight has annihilated moha.
According to the method of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, sit in a quiet place and when you inhale, the abdomen rises and you must note attentively from the beginning of rising, step by step, the sensation of the stomach becoming tense and label mentally 'rising'; when you exhale the abdomen falls gradually, you must note by being aware of the movement from beginning to end attentively and precisely and label mentally 'falling' When vipassan± ñ±na deepens you realize that rising and falling, and the noting mind are two separate phenomena.
Rising, falling and the body sitting, that does not know anything, are r³pa. You realize that the noting mind is n±ma. In your body, there is r³pa that does not know anything and n±ma which is the conscious mind. There are but these two, n±ma and r³pa, which you can discern. This is vipassan± insight. You realize truthfully that there is no such thing as ego, self or atta body. The wrongful thought that r³pa and n±ma are self, ego or atta body is annihilated. This annihilation is annihilating moha by vipassan± panna.
As you continue practising, vipassan± ñ±na becomes stronger and as you note rising, falling you discover that the rising and falling sensations disappear one after another. The phenomena of rising and falling are impermanent or transient, (anicca), the noting mind is also impermanent (anicca). The disappearances are so rapid that they seem to oppress you, (dukkha), you cannot by any means control or prevent the disappearances or the passing away of the phenomena, they occur of their own accord. Hence there is no self, i.e. anatta. This realization is vipassan± ñ±na.
The wrong view held before practising mindfulness meditation, that your body is nicca, sukha, atta are all eradicated. This is eliminating moha by vipassan± ñ±na.
By practising vipassan± meditation, you will be fully endowed with anicca, dukkha, anatta ñ±na. r±ga, dosa, moha will be eliminated by magga ñ±na and according to your perfection or parami you will become Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami, Arahanta and attain Nibbana.
Those who are residing together with virtuous people are happy in this life and in sa½s±ra. Those who are living together with virtuous people are free from demerits and therefore happy. They also have opportunities to do merit and thus they will be happy in future lives. That is why, they themselves wish to be virtuous and also wish to live together with virtuous people and associate with them. They even pray that they may meet with virtuous people in their future existences.
Virtuous people from ancient times, like the Buddha-to-be, also pray that they may meet virtuous people. At one time, the Buddha-to-be Akitti Hermit was staying induced with the bliss of jh±na attainment near a tree. At the time the king of the celestials revered the Buddha-to-be hermit so much that he said 'O Hermit, please make a wish' and the Buddha-to-be Akitti Hermit replied:
(a) I do not wish to see fools. I wish to see wise and virtuous people;
(b) I do not wish to hear the voice of the fool I wish to hear the voice of wise and virtuous people;
(c) I do not wish to associate with fools. I wish to associate with wise virtuous people;
(d) I do not wish to converse with fools. I wish to converse with wise virtuous people; and
(e) I do not wish to be friendly with fools. I wish to be friendly with wise virtuous people.
Thus He said that He only wished to meet with virtuous people.
That is why, when He was enlightened and became the Buddha, He had discoursed on the seven qualities of a virtuous person so as to realize how to be a virtuous person and how to know whether a person is virtuous. These qualities are:
(1) Saddh± — faith, belief, confidence
(2) s²la— morality, to have control over physical and verbal actions
(3) Hiri — to be ashamed of doing unwholesome actions
(4) Ottappa— moral dread, to be fearful of doing unwholesome actions
(5) Suta — to have knowledge
(6) C±ga — generosity, to give charity
(7) Paññ± — to know the truth (An 2/398)
(1) Saddh±- faith means, faith in Buddha, dhamma, sangha, kamma and the results of kamma. It is a combination of two words belief and clarity. Belief is belief in the Buddha, dhamma, sangha, kamma and the results of kamrna. Clarity is clarity of the process of the mind. When you pay homage to the triple gems, when you are doing meritorious deeds, such as d±na, your mind is clear and feel delighted. That is because of saddh±.
Saddh± is the best basic factor to increase meritorious deeds, attain noble birth, in good destination (sugati) and finally reach nibb±na. That is why the Lord Buddha had said that saddh± is like a good friend, like the hand, like wealth and property, and like good seeds.
How it is like a good friend
Those who are travelling to other countries and other places which they have never been to, are in great need of a good friend. Because the good friend sends you to places you wish to get to, you reach there in happiness. In the same way, saddh± sends you to the higher planes you wish to get to. It also sends you to nibb±na. That is why saddh± is like a good friend, which is one of the qualities of a virtuous person.
How it is like the hand
The hand is the most useful for your body. It cleans any dirt and tries to arrange things that do not look good. It keeps by valuables, and things though not valuable but useful. Similarly, those who have saddh± which is like the hand, are able to do deeds of merit by doing d±na and gain d±na merit. By observing s²la , one can also gain s²lamerit By practising samatha vipassana meditation, one can also gain bhavana merit. That is why s±ddha is like the hand, which is one of the qualities of a virtuous person. (Am 2/304)
How it is like wealth and gems
Those who have wealth and property can have good food, clothing, vehicles, houses and buildings and live happily. Likewise, those who have s±ddha can enjoy the happiness of human life and deva life by giving d±na or charity and observing s²la. By practising samatha they can reach the realm of brahma and enjoy the happiness. That is why s±ddha is like gems and wealth, which is one of the qualities of a virtuous person. (Sam 1/216)
How it is like good seeds
Good seeds have two functions, which are going down as roots and going up as shoots and branches. With these two functions they make the trees grow and bear fruits and flowers. In the same way those who have s±ddha can observe s²la, which is like roots and practise samatha and vipassana, which are like shoots and branches. With these s²lamerit and samatha and vipassana merit they can attain nibb±na, which are like fruits and flowers. Therefore, s±ddha is like a good seed, which is one of the qualities of a virtuous person.
In this way, s±ddha, like a good friend, like the hand, like wealth, property and jewels, like good seeds, is one of the noble qualities of a virtuous person, and serves as a good foundation in gaining and cultivating merits, reaching good destinations and realizing the bliss of nibb±na.
(2) s²la- to have control over physical and verbal actions.
Refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from telling lies, refraining from intoxicants- this five precepts, and eight or nine precepts etc. are s²la.
Those who observe s²lasecurely, get five kinds of benefit which are:
(a) acquiring wealth and property easily and abundantly;
(b) having fame with good reputation;
(c) able to enter any kind of function happily without a sense of inferiority;
(d) while nearing death, seeing good signs and dying peacefully; and
(e) being reborn in the realms of the devas.
Those who practise meditation must have s²la and only if their s²la is spotless there can be sam±dhi. Only when there is sam±dhi, there occurs vipassana insight. Only when vipassana insight is complete, there will be magga and phala ñ±ºa. Only when there is magga and phala ñ±ºa you will reach nibb±na. Hence s²lais a good basic factor to reach nibb±na, which is one of the qualities of a virtuous person.
(3) Hiri - Moral shame; to be ashamed of doing demerits or unwholesome actions. Abstaining from killing, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from false speech, slander, using harsh and abusive language, talking frivolously which is unbeneficial etc. To be ashamed of committing the ten unwholesome actions.
(4) Ottappa - Moral dread, fearing of committing immoral actions. To have fear of killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, speaking falsely, causing disharmony, speaking harshly using abusive language, talking frivolously which is unbeneficial. To have fear or moral dread in committing ten unwholesome actions.
Having distinctions in Hiri and Ottappa
A virtuous person reasons to himself. "I being a descendant of noble parents, an elderly person, courageous, a keeper of good and noble mind, endowed with knowledge, will be inappropriate in doing demerits". Thus he reasons and is ashamed of doing unwholesome actions which is hiri.
A virtuous person reasons to himself, I fear to be despised by myself and by others, I fear to be punished by the law or ruler, I fear the danger of apaya and therefore am afraid of unwholesome actions, which is ottappa. In this way hiri differs from ottappa.
Hiri and ottappa are causes to have s²la securely. s²la is the cause of sam±dhi, sam±dhi is the cause of vipassan± insight. Vipassan± ñ±ºa is the cause of magga phala ñ±ºa. In this way hiri and ottappa are the causes of magga phala ñ±ºa step by step, they are qualities of a virtuous person.
(5) Suta - knowledge means:
To learn pitakas or scriptures discoursed by Lord Buddha and to understand them. Only if you comprehend them will you be able to practise correctly. Only if you can practise correctly or with the correct method will it be beneficial till you reach nibban±, which you have aspired for. That is why, to have suta is one of the qualities of a virtuous person.
Nowadays, having dhamma talks and listening to them, studying Buddhist scriptures are to have suta.
If you do not study the Pitakas, discoursed by Lord Buddha, and do not have suta, you will not understand the nature of dhamma and may misinterpret it. Those who have not learnt Abhidhamma may have wrong views.
For example: Avarice (macchariya) and wrong (kukkucca), and jealousy (issa) and macchariya, are wrongly interpreted.
Instead of saying macchariya for stinginess they use the word kukkucca wrongly.
To be jealous of other people's richness which is issa they misuse the word macchariya.
Jealousy issa, must be eliminated by sympathetic joy (mudit±), stinginess (macchariya) must be eliminated by mett±. To be worried over unwholesome actions that have been done and wholesome actions that have not been done (kukkucca), must be eliminated by samatha and vipassana meditations.
(6) Caga -generosity, giving charity means:
Giving away to parents and relatives, to be charitable to the poor, the needy, and offering things to sangha, nuns and virtuous people.
Those who give charity have five benefits:
(a) loved and revered by other people;
(b) approached by virtuous people;
(c) famous with good reputation;
(d) entering into all kinds of audiences delightfully; These are the four benefits at present
(e) being reborn at the abode of the celestials after death.
Those who give charity, in every existence:
(a) live a long life i.e. longevity;
(b) possess beauty, good looks;
(c) happiness, materially and spiritually;
(d) having lots of attendants; and
(e) having authority/supremacy in every way, are the five benefits they get.
Motto: Longevity, good looks, happiness,
with lots of attendants and authority.
These are the five benefits of caga.
When entering sasana as a monk,
(a) having robes in abundance,
(b) having alms-food in abundance,
(c) having several monasteries and buildings,
(d) having medicines and requisites in abundance,
(e) loved and revered by monks residing together,
are also five benefits that shall be enjoyed.
Because of c±ga, giving charity, you have clarity of mind when practising meditation, which helps to attain jh±na magga, phala, and therefore, attain noble dhamma rapidly. That is why c±ga, giving charity, is one of the qualities of a virtuous person.
(7) Paññ± - knowing things truthfully means: To know whether it is the cause of suffering or not; to know whether it is the cause of happiness or not and whether it is beneficial in this life or not, and whether it is beneficial in future lives or not. Knowing these things is paññ±.
The paññ±, an ariya person must possess, is knowing the arising and passing of phenomena (Udayabbaya). What a puthujjana virtuous person must possess is Kammassakkata paññ±. Kammassakkata pññ± means to know that kamma is the only property one owns.
What you have acquired, gathered and saved up, in reality, is not your own. Even in this very life, floods, fire, tyrants, robbers and those who do not love you can destroy them. You cannot, by any means, take them to future existences. That is why wealth and property are not your own but owned by many.
The d±na merit you have done, s²la merit, bh±vana merit which you have practised, only these merits, will give you many kinds of benefits in a series of existences till you reach nibb±na. To know that these are your own property is known as kammmassakkata paññ±. Those who have kammassakkata paññ± and practise satipaµµh±na vipassan± meditation correctly or with the correct method, will reach nibb±na with magga phala ñ±ºa according to their paramis or perfection. That is why paññ± is one of the characteristics of a virtuous person.
If those, who have these seven characteristics or qualities of a virtuous person, practise satipaµµh±na vipassan± meditation, they will attain nibb±na with magga phala ñ±ºa according to their p±ram²s or perfection.
Sons and daughters of good parentage, who wish to attain magga-phala ñ±ºa and nibb±na must practise so as to be fully endowed with the seven qualities of a virtuous person and must also associate with people, who possess the seven qualities of a virtuous person.
Buddhists wish to have a lot of merit. They believe that merit is truly dependable. Because of this belief, they try to gain D±na, sila, and bh±vana merits, which are within their reach. They perform D±na meritorious deeds continuously especially in conformity with the saying: "charity and libation-water being always in hand." They also wish to know the benefits of many kinds of D±na they perform. That is why Lord Buddha, on being asked by a certain deity, had discoursed the six kinds of D±na and the kinds of benefit they reap:
(1) One who donates, alms-food, fruits and desserts gets the benefit of having strength and energy.
(2) One who donates robes and clothes has the benefit of possessing good looks
(3) One who donates vehicles gets the benefit of happiness physically and spiritually
(4) One who donates light gets the benefit of having good eyesight
(5) One who donates monastery gets all the four benefits
(6) One who donates dhamma by giving dhamma talks reaches nibb±na.
Lord Buddha discoursed that they can get these benefits because offertories, that would give them these benefits, were offered to the recipients.
(1) The benefit of getting strength and energy by offering alms-food.
In saying that one gets the benefit of having strength and energy by offering food, fruits and sweets, here is an example: one who has not had food for two or three days becomes weak and has no more energy to perform his duties or things that he must do.
That is why one who donates alms-food, fruits and sweets is like donating strength and energy and therefore, gets the benefit of having strength and energy in every existence.
Lord Buddha had discoursed in Bhojana Sutta about the five benefits that a donor of food and sweets/desserts can get in every existence.
(1) Longevity, living a long life,
(2) having good looks,
(3) getting physical and spiritual happiness,
(4) endowed with strength and energy, and
(5) endowed with knowledge and wisdom. The donor gets these five benefits without having to pray for them. (Am 2/35)
(2) Getting the benefit of having beauty by donating clothes and robes.
In saying that one who donates clothes and robes get the benefit of possessing beauty means: although one may have good looks, if the clothes worn are dirty and ragged, it will be a bad sight. People will not care to look at the sight. If that person wears good clothes he she will look more presentable. Even if those people, who do not have good looks will look presentable when good clothes are worn. That is why those who donate clothes and robes will get the benefit of looking beautiful in every birth.
The dos and the don'ts in donating things to get the benefit of having good looks in other suttas.
(a) preparing and cooking food properly and offer-in!
(b) Donating clothes and robes and decoration for monasteries, Buddha images and pagodas
(c) Sweeping and doing environmental cleanliness
(d) Refraining from getting very angry or furious By doing and avoiding these, one will get the benefit of looking beautiful in every birth.
(3) Getting the benefit of happiness by donating vehicles.
In saying that one who donates gets the benefit of being happy bodily and mentally: one who has to travel a long distance without a vehicle, umbrella or footwear has to bear the heat and the cold and because one has, spent one's energy, one suffers a lot. Whereas, one who travels with footwear, umbrella or in a vehicle such as a motor vehicle reaches the destination happily. That is why those who donate vehicles get the benefit of having happiness materially and spiritually.
Among vehicles, monks and samaneras cannot ride on carts drawn by animals such as elephants, horses etc. They can only ride on vehicles driven by engines.
Donating umbrella, footwear, walking sticks, bedsteads, chairs, bridges, stairways, repairing roads, and providing the monks with transportation, using boats and motor vehicles, are also included in the donation of vehicles. That is why those, who are unhappy bodily and mentally because of sickness or other causes, should donate umbrellas, slippers, walking sticks, bedsteads and chairs. Also repair roads, build bridges and stairways. Sending and meeting sangha, elderly people and sick people by boats, steamers and motor vehicles are also included in the donation.
(4) Getting the benefit of good-eye sight by donating lights.
In saying that one who donates lights gets the benefit of having good eye-sight means: however good one's eyesight may be, when it is dark, one cannot see what one should see, such objects like monasteries, Buddha images and pagodas. Only when it is lighted, one can see monasteries, Buddha images and pagodas, which are sense objects. That is why those who donate lights get the benefit of clearness of eye-sight.
Those who have weak eye-sight must donate lights at the monasteries, Buddha images and pagodas. To have lights, fluorescent lamps and electric bulbs may be donated. Those who wish for Divine eye, the super normal power (Dibbacakkhu abhinnana), to be able to see tiny-little and far-away things by which the natural eye cannot see in the human abode as well as in the realms of the devas, must donate lights.
(5) Getting all benefits by donating monasteries
In saying that one who donates monasteries get all the four benefits;
(a) Because one has travelled a long distance and has no food, one has lost energy and is exhausted. When that person gets into the monastery, lies down and takes a rest one is rested and regains energy. That is why one who donates monasteries gets the benefit of having energy.
(b) Travelling a long distance to places when the heat of the sun and wind is intense, one becomes sunburnt and looks ugly. But on taking a closed-door rest in the monastery, one shall look presentable again. That is why one who donates monasteries gets the benefit of possessing good looks in every birth.
(c) Those who do not have monasteries and those who have to live outside the monastery suffer miseries physically and mentally, because of gad-fly mosquito and fly bites and also because of extreme heat and cold weather. Those who stay in a monastery are free from these troubles and are happy. That is why those who donate monasteries get the benefit of being happy physically and spiritually in every existence. Those who study scriptures in a safe monastery are happy physically and mentally, and therefore get concentration and learn rapidly.
Those who practise Vipassana Meditation in a safe monastery because it is clean and tidy, gain joy (piti). This piti leads to physical and mental happiness (sukha). This sukha leads to calmness of the mind sam±dhi. This sam±dhi leads to the realization of vipassana insight that knows the cause and effect of n±ma, r³pa (mind and matter). When vipassana insight is complete, they will reach nibb±na with magga phala nñ±na.
(d) Those who travel to distant places where the sun and the wind are extremely hot, their eyes become blurred, heated and ached. When they get rest in a monastery, in a closed-door security, their eyes will become good and clear again. Therefore, those who donate monasteries also get the benefit of having good and clear eye-sight.
(6) Getting the benefit of nibb±na by giving dhamma discourses.
In saying that one who donates dhamma gets the benefit of the happiness of nibb±na means: because when people have no opportunity to listen to dhamma talks they fail to do D±na, observe sila and practise samatha and vipassana meditation, and therefore cannot attain nibb±na. Only when people have the opportunity to listen to dhamma talks, they will carry out D±na, sila, samatha and vipassana meditations and reach nibb±na. Thus, those who donate dhamma by giving dhamma lectures will attain nibb±na.
When giving dhamma lectures there need not be a hundred or a thousand audiences.
Teaching p±li, aµµhakath±, answering those who come to ask the nature of dhamma as they do not know; giving instructions to meditate kammatth±na, making arrangements for dhamma lectures are all giving dhamma discourses. It amounts to the donation of nibb±na.
The admonishings and teachings of parents, elder brothers and sisters, young and elder aunts to young sons and daughters, young brothers and sisters, young nephews and nieces by saying, "Do not kill, if you kill, your life will be shortened, if you don't kill, your life will be long", also is giving dhamma talks and donating nibb±na.
Motto; By killing, your life is shortened.
By not killing, your life is lengthened.
"Do not steal other people's property. If you steal you will be poor, with scarcity of things. If you do not steal, you will have lots of property.
Motto: Stealing makes scarcity of things. If not, there'll be lots of things.
Do not commit sexual misconduct with other people's sons and daughters. If you do, people will hate you. If you do not, you will be loved by other people.
Motto: Committing sexual misconduct, will be hated. If not, will be loved.
Do not tell lies. If you do, people will not listen to you and will be rebellious. If you do not tell lies people will listen to you, and take your words seriously.
Motto: Telling lies, your word is not serious.
If you do not, your word becomes serious.
Do not take intoxicants. If you do, you will become forgetful, dull and cannot learn anything. If you do not take intoxicants, you will, have a good memory, be intelligent, and learn many things quickly.
Motto: Taking intoxicants becomes forgetful.
If abstained, will have good memory and be intellectual.
Teaching in that way too is giving dhamma talk which will help listeners attain nibb±na.
Conclusion
This book Dhamma Padetha is the essence of Dhamma taken from P±li, aµµhakath±. Sons and daughters of good parentage, who read and study this book, who give talks and who follow and practise, may you all have the benefits in the mundane and supramundane worlds till you attain the true bliss of nibb±na.
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
Dhamma Padetha
Volume 1. concludes here
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