I AM NOT!

Rt. Venerable U Lokanatha, World Maha-Dhammaduta,

Patron-in-Chief, World Institute of Buddhist Culture, Mandalay (Burma).

Vol. III, No. 4, 1958

A sermon delivered before distinguished audience in the Hall of The World Institute of Buddhist Culture, on the 30th November 1957, at an extraurdinery meeting, on the eve of the Institute going into Recess for 6 months. (Editor, "Light of Buddha" )

"Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-Sam-Buddhassa!"
"Adoration to Him The Blessed One, The Perfect One,
The Supremely Awakened One!"

        There are TWO Kinds of Religions:

        (1) One Kind is based on Pure Knowledge Alone.

        (2) The Other Kind is based on blind faith, empty dogmas, rites and ceremonies, sacraments, hocus-pocus.

         Buddhism is Pure Knowledge Alone. Buddhism is based on the Universal Doctrine of Impermanence which knocks out the "Self" and gives Selflessness, Perfection, Arahatship, Nibbana!

        While all other Religions say "I AM", Buddhism is the Only Religion Which courageously says "I AM NOT! ! !"

         And hence Buddhism is the Only Religion of

         Boundless Selfless Loving-kindness.

        In The Maha-Rahulovada Sutta, Our Lord Buddha says to His son Rahula: O, Rahula, Pathavi the Earth Element is within the body and without the body, internal and external. What is the Internal Earth Element? Anything solid in the body is Earth. And the solid parts are twenty in number, i.e., hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bone, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, lower intestine, upper intestine, stomach, faeces, brain in the head.

         Now, Earth is Earth, whether internal or external it makes absolutely no difference. If we wish to know the totality of the Earth Element, we would have to add the Internal Earth Element to the External Earth Element to get the sum total of all the Earth Element in the whole universe. Which means to say, Earth is Earth, it is transitory, fraught with suffering, and void, not me, not mine, not myself. What is not myself I let go. Letting go, I am freed from slavery to the Earth Element Outside, freed from slavery to the Earth Element Inside. So that though there may be a disturbance of the Earth Element Outside, the Earth may quake and break, the Sage is unmoved and undisturbed. And though there may be a disturbance of the Earth Element Inside, the hair and teeth may fall off, the bones may break, the kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, and stomach may be out of gear, cancer may invade and spread over the body; but the truly Noble Disciple will know that Earth is Earth, not me, not mine, not myself. What is not myself I let go. Letting go, I am freed from slavery to the Earth Element Outside, freed from slavery to the Earth Element Inside. So he overflows with Loathing, Abhorrence, Disgust for Earth within and without. Disgust leads to Detachment, Detachment leads to Deliverance! THUS is realized the State where Our Lord Buddha declared. "O Bhikkhus, when the body is sick, let not the Mind be sick." And this is the First Deliverance the Noble Disciple attains on The Way to Nibbana.

        Similarly, O Rahula, Apo the Water Element is within the body and without the body, internal and external. What is the Internal Water Element? Anything watery and fluid in the body is Water. And the liquid parts are twelve in number, i.e.., bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovic fluid, urine.

         Now, Water is Water, whether internal or external it makes absolutely no difference. If we wish to know the totality of the Water Element, we would have to add the Internal Water Element to the External Water Element to get the sum total of all the Water Element in the whole universe. Which means to say, Water is Water, it is transitory, fraught with suffering, and void, not me, not mine, not myself. What is not myself I let go. Letting go, I am freed from slavery to the Water Element Outside, freed from slavery to the Water Element inside. So that though there may be a disturbance of the Water Element Outside, the rain cloud may burst, floods may engulf the land, waves may roll sky high, the Sage is unmoved and undisturbed thereby. And though there may be a disturbance of the Water Element Inside, the bile may go out of order, pus may appear, there may be a disturbance of the blood, there may be urine trouble; but the truly Noble Disciple will know that Water is Water, not me, not mine, not myself. What is not myself I let go. Letting go, I am freed from slavery to the Water Element Outside, freed from slavery to the Water Element Inside. So he overflows with Loathing, Abhorrence, Disgust for Water within and without. Disgust leads to Detachment, Detachment leads to Deliverance! THUS is realized the State where Our Lord Buddha declared, "O, Bhikkhus, when the body is sick, let not the Mind be sick." And this is the Second Deliverance the Noble Disciple attains on The Way to Nibbana.

         You are Vayo Air, Tejo Fire, Akasa Space, O Rahula! These Elements are within the body and without the body, and are exactly the same whether internal or external. Therefore, in exactly the same way as already explained, overflow with utter Loathing, Abhorrence, Disgust for all the Elements within and without. Disgust leads to Detachment, Detachment leads to Deliverance! And this is The Supreme Deliverance the Noble Disciple attains by fiery ardent effort!

         You are Pathavi Earth Element, O Rahula. Therefore grow like the Earth Element of which You are! Just as the Great Earth, no matter what is thrown upon it sweet or foul, is never concerned thereby, is never elated if roses or lotuses are thrown upon it, nor dejected if defiled with excreta or urine; in exactly the same way, O Rahula, in the ups and downs of life, whether faced by blame or praise, gains or losses, whether fortune smiles. upon You or misfortune frowns upon You, never be elated nor dejected, but forever maintain an even temper, practising poised equanimity like the mighty Earth of which You are; for, as You do so, no suffering will ever touch You, O Rahula!

         Similarly, O Rahula, You are Water, Air, Fire, Space. Then kindly grow like the Elements of which You are and You will never suffer O Rahula!

         Grow in Metta Loving-kindness, O Rahula, for as You do so, Vyapada, Malevolence will surely pass away.

        Grow in Karuna Compassion, O Rahula, for as You do so Vihesa, Vexations will surely pass away.

        Grow in Mudita Sympathetic Gladness, O Rahula, for as You do Arati, Aversions will surely pass away.

         Grow in Upekkha, Equanimity, O Rahula, for as You do so Patigha, Repugnance will surely pass away.

        Grow in the practice of Asubha-Kammatthana, O Rahula, seeing the foul nature of the body living or dead, for as You do so, all lust, all passion, all sensuality will surely pass away!

         Grow in the perception of Impermanence, O Rahula, for as You do so, the I-conceit, the pride which says "I am", will surely pass away, leading You to Utter Selflessness, Arahatship, Nibbana!

         To meditate on Impermanence is The Highest Merit. Our Lord Buddha said (Anguttara-Nikaya IX, 20): "Though, filled with faith, one takes refuge in The Buddha, His Law, and His Order, the Merit of observing the Five Precepts with faithful heart is Greater. Even greater than the preceding is the Merit of cultivating a Heart full of Boundless Selfless Loving-kindness. But THIS indeed is The Greatest Possible Merit, transcending every other Merit is the Merit gained through cultivating, developing, and making become the mighty thought of IMPERMANENCE, be it only for a moment!"

         And why?

         Because Meditation on Impermanence is The Only Meditation Which knocks out the "self" and leads to Utter Selflessness which is Perfection, Arahatship, Nibbana!

         Therefore, O Devotees, kindly fix the Mind on Impermanence and keep it there even for a few minutes each and every day! THIS indeed is The Highest Possible Merit!

         "All is Becoming, Nothing IS!" Then plunge into The Void Sunnata and realize the folly of enjoyment in the absence of an "Enjoyer"! Here is The Highest Happiness of Perfect Peace which is gained through Disgust, Detachment, Deliverance!

         Where is Impermanence clearly seen? At the tip of the nose, watching the oxygen rushing in and the carbon dioxide rushing out!

         Don't breathe as the animals breathe. Breathe as the Philosophers breathe. The animals breathe unmindfully; they don't even know they are breathing in and out. The Philosophers are clearly aware of the in-breathings and out-breathings. From the cradle to the present, you have been breathing, and you will go on breathing to the grave. There is a diamond mine at the lip of the nose, nay, there is Nibbana Immortality at the nose-tip if You fix the mind there and breathe the Philosophical Way to gain the Perception of Impermanence, knock out the Self, and attain Nibbana!

         Grow in the practice of Anapana-Sati, Inhaling and Exhaling Mindfully, O Rahula, for as You do so, great is the Fruit, great is the Profit, he breathes his last wittingly and not unwittingly, O Rahula!

        By winning the Jhanas Absorptions through the practice of Anapana Sati, the Yogavacara knows his last Breath, and, knowing his last Breath, He will fix his mind on the Finest Last Thought of D.D.D., i.e., Disgust, Detachment, Deliverance, and attain Nibbana at the very last moment! For, it is the very last Thought which determines the future birth of the dying person. Hence, if the very last Thought is D.D.D., Disgust, Detachment, Deliverance, there is no rebirth for the Delivered One!

         Therefore, when You see a person dying, there is no need to weep and distract his mind with useless tears at the last moment. Rise to the occasion and become his greatest Dayaka Benefactor by establishing his Mind on the Last Thought of D.D.D, Disgust, Detachment, Deliverance, and thereby sending him to Nibbana, the State of Deathlessness and immortality! For, there is no difference between the Arahant who has destroyed all the cankers and the Yogavacara whose very last thought is D.D.D., Disgust, Detachment. Deliverance — They have both attained Nibbana! Blessings, Blessings, and more Blessings!