"Approach to Nibbana"

Nayaka Myittha Sayadaw,
VEN. U VASAVA

Mahasi Meditation Centre, Yangon, Myanmar, 1999

         Today I am going to give you a dhamma talk on "Approach to Nibbana". In this dhamma talk, first let us try and understand briefly the meaning of the word" Nibbana". Nibbana is derived from Pali and composed of two syllables (Ni + vana). Ni means extinguished or annihilated. Vana means desire or craving (tanha). So together Nivana or Nibbana means. " Freedom from desire" or" Extinction of kilesa (defilements).

         When we search the source that perpetuates the sentient beings to be whirling around in the endless round of rebirths we find the clinging or desire (tanha) as the main cause. As soon as clinging develops, efforts must at once be made to satisfy the desire. Then volitional activities would start operating. In the present context they may be called Kamma-formations, for they are responsible for forming or shaping actions.

         These kammas are of three kinds: -

1. Bodily actions - Kaya - kamma
2. Verbal actions - Vaci - kamma
3. Mental activities - mano - kamma

         Apart from the period they are in sound sleep, all the sentient beings are preoccupied with one of these three activities all the time. Even when the body is at rest and one is verbally silent, the mind is active with all kinds of thoughts and imaginations.

         Dependent on these kamma formations there arises mind and matter aggregates. These resultant mental and physical aggregates are invariably marked by the three characteristics of Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha (suffering) and Anatta (impersonality) As stated above, all sentient beings arise in the forms of mental and physical aggregates with these three inherent characteristics, dependent on kamma formations, conditioned by the craving or desire (tanha).

         Now, if one wants a tree or a plant to wither, one has to cut off it's tap root or the main root. So also, when one wishes to cease the endless cycle of suffering one has to eradicate the craving (tanha), the chief root of suffering and of the ever continuing cycle of rebirths. Again when one trace the source of craving (tanha), one finds ignorance (avijja) as its originator. Avijja, ignorance, unknowing is synonymous with delusion. In literal sense, it is moha cetasika. It is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling mans mental eyes and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things.

         It is the delusion tricking beings by making life appear to them as permanent, happy, substantial and beautiful and preventing them from seeing that everything in reality is impermanent, liable to suffering, void of I and mine, and basically impure. Under the influence of delusion beings are forced to suffer in the ceaseless round of rebirth, old age, sickness and death.

         If one can overcome this delusion or ignorance by diligent mindfulness in accordance with Satipatthana vipassana meditation one will gradually approach eternal bliss of Nibbana, the end of all suffering. That is why the Lord Buddha admonished thus to one Bhikkhu named Tissa Thera as mentioned in the Dhammapada Text.

         O! Monk I Yogavacare Bhikkhus must indulge in Appamada dhamma-diligent mindfulness. They should see the pamada dhamma or heedlessness as terrific danger. Prompted by such right view, if you devote yourself in the practice of Samatha and vipassana meditation, you can gradually develop various stages of magga and phala (Path and fruition). thereby approaching Nibbana, freed from the tanha or craving the root cause of suffering.

         Bhikkhu Tissa Thera, by making good use of mindfulness Appamada dhamma, contemplated most earnestly on all physical and mental phenomena while sitting, standing walking, lying, eating etc. He was so fully engrossed in Satipatthana vipassana meditation, his mind was cleansed of all mental defilements or kilesas, and he attained step by step all the four stages of magga and phala (Path and Fruition) and became an Arahat, freed from the kilesa, the cause of all suffering.

         May our meditators also be able to indulge in Appamada dhamma diligent mindfulness and realise Nibbana, the peaceful end of all suffering.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

        Today I am going to give you meditators Some knowledgeable facts about the mind as Dhamma gift. This Dhamma was exhorted by the Lord Buddha in reply to the request made by one deva-celestial being, while he was residing at Jetavana Monastery at Savatthi, over two thousand five hundred years ago. Before we begin to learn this dhamma, let us study something about the basic nature of the mind.

        The mind is defined as the seat of consciousness, thought, volition and feeling. This consciousness (Vinnana in Pali) furnishes the bare cognition of the object. Its character, intensity and clarity are chiefly determined by the inseparably linked 3 other mental groups (feeling, perception and mental formations). According to the six sense bases and the corresponding six objects it divides into six kinds.

        Conditioned through the eye an the visible object, eye-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the ear and the audible object, ear-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the nose and the olfactive object, nose-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the tongue and the gustative object, tongue-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the body and the bodily impression, body-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the subconscious mind (bhavanga-mano) and the mind object, mind-consciousness arises.

        It is of utmost importance for one to perceive this consciousness at the very moment of its occurrence. That can only be done by diligent mindfulness in accordance with Satipatthana Vipassana meditation. If this consciousness is not noted at the very moment of its appearance by strenuous contemplation, the true nature of its impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and egolessness cannot be clearly perceived and delusion of permanence, satisfactoriness and self arise.

        Our meditators here, while contemplating in accordance with the Buddha's admonishment of Cittanupassana bhavana clearly perceive the consciousness as well as the metal objects disappear at the moment of noting. Whatever physical and mental phenomena arises through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body sense and mind disppears when noted. That is the fundamental character of impermanence.

        The consciousness (i.e. mind) is capable of producing a variety of diversity of effects in action All the good and bad acts in various deeds are accomplished by the mind. You all are here because your mind's inclination brought you to this meditation centre. Now let us study the conversation between Lord Buddha and the deva, on the subject of the mind. Deva enquired: -

        O! Lord Buddha, what is influencing and conditioning the sentient beings. What is the sole power that induces the sentient beings into action ? Lord Buddha's reply: -

        O! Deva it is the Mind that is influencing and conditioning all the sentient beings. All sentient beings have to obey the driving force of the Mind, and act accordingly.

        Deva being pleased with the Lord Buddha's reply went back to his abode. It is evident that, being deluded by the kilesas or mental defilements, the sentient beings are motivated to commit the evil deeds by the mind. To cleanse the mental defilements, it is of paramount importance to note all the mental and physical phenomena at the moment of arising.

        By Satipatthana Vipassana meditation, the meditators perceive the true nature of the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and egolessness of all phenomena there by all the mental impurities are eliminated. After eradicating mental defilements, the meditator will be able to cultivate proper understanding and finally gain wisdom and liberation from all suffering.

        I conclude my dhamma talk by wishing, may all our meditators be able to contemplate the Satipatthana meditation diligently and attain Path, Fruition and Nibbana in the shortest possible time.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

        Today's Dhamma Talk will be given by Mahasi Nayaka Sayadaw U Vasava of Mahasi Meditation Centre.

       Every one wants to be happy. What must one do and how should one live to be happy? This every one should know. Out of compassion for beings the Buddha has taught us "The Way to Happiness". Happiness is of two kinds. (1) happiness in this life and (2) happiness in future life. Happiness in this life can be brought about by Four sampadas, namely, (1) Utthana sampada, (2) Arakkha-sampada (3) Kalyanamittatta and (4) samajivita.

        Of four, (1) Utthana-sampada means alertness or diligence in doing business. In whatever work you do, be it agriculture, commerce, or educational work, you should show your skill and work diligently. If you work like this, you will earn what you deserve. This is obvious enough.

       (2) Arakkha-sampada means wariness, being watchful so that your worldly possessions may not be lost, this too is obvious.

        (3) Kalyanamittatta means association with good friends, friends who can help you in working for your well being. To have such good friends, it is important that your dealings with people should be motivated by metta, good-will or love. According to the Buddha, a good friend has to be one who has the virtues of Saddha (faith), (Sila) morality, Caga (liberality) and Panna (wisdom). Why? If the friend lacks in faith, your faith can fail. If the friend is not liberal, and is not wise in matter of the law, you too will be lacking in liberality, and higher wisdom.

        (4) Samajivita means right livelihood, or living within your means. You should spend less than your income not more. If possible, you should lay aside a quarter of your income for emergency needs. Reinvest half of your income and spend the rest quarter only. There are many instances of people who live within their means and become rich. There are likewise many instances of people who become rich by following the other Sampadas explained above.

        Therefore, to be well off and be happy, one has to try to live by these Sampadas.

        It is more important to be happy in one's future lives, throughout Samsara, the round of rebirth, than to be happy just now. So to be happy through out the round of rebirths, the Buddha has taught us four other Sampadas. They are (1) Saddha-sampada, (2) Sila-sampada, (3) Caga-sampada and (4) Panna-sampada.

        Of the four, (1) Saddha-sampada is faith. In what one should have faith. One should have faith in the true Buddha, the true Dhamma, the true Sangha, and Kamma and its effects. The true Buddha has nine virtues. Of the nine virtues one is Araham. It means one who is cleansed of all kilesas or defilements, greed, hatred and so on. Sammasambuddha means one who knows the four truths by his own knowledge. Buddha means one who has the virtue of knowing all the dhammas by omniscience and preaching the four noble truths so that beings too may know them. Once endowed with three virtues, the other six virtues follow. Putting faith in the Buddha with these virtues is true faith. To have such faith is Saddha-sampada. The true Dhamma is the nine Lokuttara (supramundane) dhammas consisting of the four Ariyan Paths. The four Ariyan Fruitions and Nibbana, and the teaching which makes known these nine to us. These ten are the true Dhamma.

        The true Sangha is the order of disciples of the Buddha, who are pursuing the practice of Sila (morality), Samadhi (concentration), and Panna (higher wisdom) do that they may be free from all kilesas like greed and hatred.

        Faith in the true Dhamma and true Sangha is true faith. To have such faith too is Saddha-sampada

        Today we will conclude our Dhamma Talk at this point.

        So by meditating on arising material forms and mental qualities beginning with rising and falling and making efforts may you develop the insight knowledge that realise the impermanent, suffering and non-self nature of the rupas and namas and may you very soon reach the Ariyan Path and Fruition and Nibbana.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

       To-day, I am going to deliver a Dhamma Talk on "The way to happiness" part II, in continuation of the talk I have given last week. In the last talk out of the four Sampadas for the happiness in future existences, I have explained in detail the first Sampada of faith or Saddha. Now let us continue to try and understand the second virtue or Sila - Sampada.

        The word Sila is Pali word. In simple term it is the restraint not to commit the unwholesome deeds by bodily action (Kaya Kamma) and by word of mouth (Vaci kamma). When one possesses the morality Virtue it is said to be Sila-Sampada. A morally Virtuous person has a clear conscience and he is endowed with the following five benefits: -

1. A Virtuous person, due to his heedfulness can become prosperous and wealthy in his livelihood.
2. The reputation of a Virtuous person permeates far and wide.
3. A Virtuous person is self-confident and never timid to appear in any assembly.
4. A Virtuous person being free from evils and due to his good moral conduct he is unwavering and peaceful at the time of death.
5. By dint of his wholesome deeds a Virtuous person is reborn in the celestial or Deva world-the pleasurable abodes of the noble ones or Sugati after death.

        This morality or sila is the staircase to Deva-world. Moreover it is the gate-way to Nibbana - the freedom from all kinds of suffering. Morality is the basis of all the mundane as well as the supermundane attainments.

        The morality to be observed by lay people is briefly prescribed as five precepts -

1. Panatipata Virati=abstinence from killing living beings.
2. Adinnadana Virati=abstinence from stealing.
3. Kamesumicchacara Virati=sexual misconduct
4. Musavada Virati=abstinence from telling lies
5. Surameraya-majja-ppamadatthana Virati=abstinence from taking intoxicants and drugs.

        One who practises strict observance of these five moral virtues can be regarded as noble and is on the way to happiness.

        Now let us continue to try and understand the third quality for the future happiness Caga Sampada. Caga Sampada means generosity or liberality Virtue. It is advised by the wise that the householder should divide his accumulated wealth into four parts and manage his family. Two parts to be reinvested for further profits. One part to be saved for emergency fund and remainning one part to make use on the daily expenses and alms-giving. Such judicious economic planning will bring happiness to one's life now and hereafter.

       One should be aware of the fact that these riches if not wisely used or safeguarded can be subject to obstruction by five enemies such as flood disasters, fire hazards, oppressive monarchs, robbers and unscrupulous heirs.

        Next, let us try to understand the fourth Virtue for future happiness, Panna Sampada. Panna Sampada means one to be endowed with wisdom. This wisdom is very important. Even in worldly affairs one should be wise to be successful in managing one's livelihood.

        In the practice for the spiritual development or mental culture one must possess intuitive wisdom to discriminate between the mental and physical phenomenas (Nama-rupa pariccheda nana); the (causal) relationship between these psychophysical phenomenas (Paccayapariggaha nana). These psychophysical phenomenas after arising and brief static moment, pass away instantaneously i.e. Uppada, Thiti and bhanga. This is the insight wisdom of Udayabbaya nana.

       One shold strive father to attain the path and fruition knowledge of Magga and phala nana. Only magga and phala nana can effectively eradicate mental defilements or kilesa. Insight knowledge can obliterate the mental defliements just temporarily. If one wishes to be completely delivered from suffering one should exert one self in the practice of insight meditation until one attains the path and fruition knowledge.

       The Lord Buddha has exhorted to practise for these four virtues on Sampadas to realise the eternal bliss or the final goal, Nibbana. May all our meditators be able to practise for these four virtues or Sampadas fully and attain the various insight-wisdom, path and fruithion knowledge and completely eradicate all the mental defilements, culminating in the realisation of the eternal bliss of Nibbana.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

        Today's my dhamma talk is on the subject of Freedom or Liberation. This admonishment was delivered to the five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus or devoted meditators, by the Lord Buddha, over 2500 years ago, while he was residing at the Jetavana monastery, which was built on the garden land of Prince Jeta in the vicinity of Indian Capital city- Savatthi.

        First and foremost let us try and understand the meaning of the word" Freedom" or "Liberation". Freedom means everyone must be free from oppression and torture without any infringement on one's individual rights. Freedom may be distinguished into two types. One is temporary freedom and the other is perpetual freedom. In other words, it may also be stated as worldly freedom and samsaric (cycle of rebirths) liberation, worldly freedom is just temporary freedom and samsaric freedom means perpetual liberation.

        Yes, in this hostile world of humans, individuals, partisans and countries transgress each others rights by misusing their economic power and military might. The so-called super powers enslave the weaker ones, exploit their resources by oppression and torture. This kind of misfortune one encounters in this life may not extend to future ones. He may be liberated at the demise of this existence. Hence we say that such kind of liberation is temporary freedom or worldly freedom.

        The most frightful suffering is to be swept away in the sea of samsarsa - the continuous process of ever again and again being born, growing old, suffering and dying. More precisely, put. Samsara is the unbroken chain of the fivefold Khandha-combinations, which is constantly changing from moment to moment follow continuously one upon the other through inconceivable periods of time, as conditioned by Avijja (Ignorance or Delusion), Tanha (Craving) and Kamma (Volition).

        Avijja, ignorance, unknowing, synonymous with delusion (moha) is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling man's mental eye and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things. It is the delusion tricking beings by making life appear to them as permanent, happy, substantial and beautiful and preventing them from seeing that everything in reality is impermanent, liable to suffering, void of I and mine, and basically impure.

        Influenced by Avijja, tanha-craving for the sense objects arises. Motivated by tanha one performs the action by body, speech or mind through kamma or volition. That is what the Lord Buddha called action, (Cetanaham Bhikkhave Kammam vadam.) These kammic actions cause rebirth with resultant consequences of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair. old age and death.

        The deliverance from this samsaric cycle of rebirths and suffering can only be regarded as the perpetual liberation. To attain such perpetual freedom one must strive to eradicate Avijja, tanha and kamma. Now let us try and understand how the five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus practised in accordance with the Lord Budha's admonishment and achieved the perpetual freedom.

       The five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus went to a forest retreat and practised Vipassana meditation. As they could not achieve satisfactory progress in their practice after some time, they returned to the Lord Buddha for further instructions. The moment they entered. the compound of the Jestavana Monastery the rain started falling, heavily. So they had to take shelter form the rain in a nearby building. While they were waiting for the rain to stop, they saw the rain drops from the edge of the roof falling onto the waterbed on the ground creating the foam bubbles forming and disappearing. As they' continued watching the scene their attention diverted to their own bodies and contemplated on the physical and mental phenomena arising and dissolving from moment to moment like those foam bubbles.

        The Lord Buddha being aware of their state of mind by Divine Eye, exhorted them from His residential quarters.

        Yatha Pubbulakam Passe

        Yatha Passe maricikam

        Evam Lokam avakkhamtam

        Maccu raja nupassati

        O! Dear son Bhikkhus, just as you have witnessed the foam bubbles forming and instantancously dissolving or same as the flash of a lightening disappearing immediately, so also, all the mental and physical phenomena in the Sankhara Loka of your bodies are arising, and passing away from moment to monent. By streneous contemplation, if you can clearly perceive with full awareness, their impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, impersonality and loathsome character, you will escape the domain of death and be perpetually freed from the undesirable suffering of repeated rebirth, aging, sickness and death.

        While attentively listening the Lord Buddha's teaching, they contemplated with full concentration on the physical and mental phenomenas in their bodies. They attain various stages of meditational insight and ariya magga phala (path and fruition) and all became Arahats. After the attainment of Arahatship, as the Avijja, tanha, kamma kilesas are completely eradicated, they are perpetually freed from the undesirable suffering of rebirth, old age, sickness and death.

        May you all meditators, also, by making use of the Lord Buddha's admonishment contemplate on the meditation objects most earnestly and annihilate the Avijja, tanha, kamma kilesas completely and be perpetually liberated from the undesirable samsaric suffering of rebirth, old age, sickness and death.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

        The title of my Dhamma talk today is The struggle

        Regarding this discourse, there are two kinds of struggles. (1)External struggle (2) Internal struggle. Out of the two:

        (1) External struggle means to make strenuous effort to overcome the extreme attachment and from grasping of the animate and inanimate sensual objects which is the main sourse of greed and avarice.

        It is affirmatively stated in the Pitaka scriptures that sharing with or giving away of ones possessions to other needy or worthy persons is like fighting the enemy in a battle because, one has to suppress greed and avarice to indulge in generosity and liberality.

        To cite an examples; During Buddha's life time in India at Savatthi capital, there lived a brahmin couple. They were so poor, that they possessed only one shawl to share between the two and they are called EKASATAKA (single shawl) couple.

        One day, when they heard that the Lord Buddha was giving dhamma discourses at Jetavana monastery, the desire to listen to the discourses arosed in their heart. But as they have only one shawl to put on both of them could not go to the monastery together at the same time. So they decided that the wife should attend the day sermon and husband the night sermon.

        While the husband brahmin was listening to the Buddha's discourse, a strong Saddha (a faith) arosed in him to offer something to the Lord Buddha. Since he had nothing else he thought of offering the only possession of the single shwal which he had to share with his wife, to the Buddha. At that moment the opposing thought arosed in him arguing the fact that without the shwal the wife would be obliged to stay indoors at home, not abling to attend the functions or the dhamma discourses.

       Thus, the conflicting thoughts of, to offer the shawl or not, started struggling in his mind for the whole of the night discourse. To every thought of offering the shawl, about a thousand opposing negative thoughts arosed in his mind. Though, the opposing forces of conflict in his mind were not in proportion; as a valiant warrior can vanquish a thousand ordinary soldiers in the battle front, he finally conquered his opposing negative thoughts and he succeeded in offering the shawl to the Buddha at dawn when the discourse came to a conclution.

       (2) Now, let us talk about the "Internal struggle". "Internal struggle" means the effort made to subdue, attenuate and finally eradicate the negative forces that defile one's mind. Out of the two struggles this internal struggle is more difficult to combat, for which, the Lord Buddha had elaborated detail strategy in Mahasatipatthana sutta: (a) The targets to be attacked (b) Weapons to be equipped. (c) The time to assault. (d) The prize of victory.

        (a) The targets to be attacked are the material or physical part of the body; the feelings or sensations, the consciousness or mind and its concomitants, and dhamma or all the mental and physical objects that arise through the six sense doors of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. These are to be noted as the four targets.

        (b) Weapons to be equipped are; - Viriya or effort, Sati or mindfulness, Samadhi or concentration, discriminating knowledge or panna and Vitakka or initial application of the mind onto the object.

        (c) The time to assault: - Assault here means the mindful noting of all the objects, as they arise through the six sense doors. The time to assault means at the moment of their arising. Though mindfulness is the main emphasis. Other faculties of energy, concentration, wisdom and initial application are also included. To clarify, let us apply the simile by choosing one target in our body in sitting meditation, when the abdomen of one's body is moving up and down. One should intently make a mental note of rising and falling of the abdomen when the sensations arise, or when thinking remenbering or any other object that arise, from the six sense doors should also be mindfully noted. The relentless mindful noting of all the psychophysical phenomeans from six sense doors amount to attacking the tergets with assault weapons at the time of occurrence.

        (d) Now, the prize of victory: - The benefit of mindfulness meditation according to the doctrinal proclamation is the complete eradication of greed, anger and delusion. When one incessantly contemplate on all the objects as they arise through six sense doors, are clearly perceives their natural characteristics and as the practical benefit of meditation, the attachment or craving, the anger or aversion and other mental defilements are surmounted at that moment.

        Truly, all living beings, not aware of the arising and passing away of the psycho-physical phenomena due to their heedlessness, they conceive and attach these phenomena as permanent, pleasant, substantial, ego, an individual etc.

        The meditators, who most ardently and respectfully contemplate on these phenomena according to Satipatthina sutta as expounded by the Lord Buddha, dearly perceive the impermanence (anicca), the unsatisfactoriness (dukkha) and egolessness (anatta characteristics at that moment.

        Thus intensively and diligently meditating, one can final eradicate the mental defilements of greed (lobha), anger (dosa) ar delusion (moha) and attain the successive stages of path and fruitic and realize the perpetual bliss of Nibbana.

       May you all audiences be able to fight againt the defiling enemies as mentioned above and gain the peerless bliss of Nibbana in the shortest possible time.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

       The title of my Dhamma Talk today is "Black and White Tug-of-war". Here, black and white is used as a simile for defiled mind and virtuous mind respectively. One's mind is sometimes tainted with defilements and at other times wholesome and clean. That is because one cannot give thorough attention and wise consideration when the mind is exposed to sense objects.

        Wrongful observation for the objects create mental defilements and correct speculation of the objects in their true nature will produce wholesome and clean mind. Defiled mind is the basic cause of unwholesome deeds and wholesome mind is the motivating factor for all meritorious acts.

        Another important influencing factor is the 'Appamada Dhamma" or mindfulness. Now let us study the Lord Buddha's admonishment of Dhanansani Sutta so as to enable us to understand the different tendencies and attitudes of one who has properly developed mindfulness and the other who has not.

       Over 2500 years ago, during the time of our Lord Buddha, there lived in Rajagaha, Capital of India, one Brahmin lady named Dhanansani and Bharadvaja Brahmin as husband and wife. Though the husband was the close associate of the Miccha-Ditthi Ascetics whereas the wife was the noble devotee of our Lord Buddha.

       One day, the husband has invited his Miccha-Ditthi associates to his house for lunch. He forewarned his wife not to utter any word of reverence for the Lord Buddha as it was her custom to do so whenever she met any trivial mishap, lest it might irritate his guests.

        On the day of the feast, while they were serving the meal to those guests, the wife tripped and fell. She quickly got up, fold her hands towards the direction of Lord Buddha's Jetavana monastery and paid obeisance, "Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa ". The moment they heard the sound of the obeisance of the host lady to the Lord Buddha, all those Miccha-Ditthi guests were greatly annoyed and left the house in commotion.

       Such form of uncivilized reaction is due to the unwise consideration of the circumstance and unmindfulness nature of the Miccha-Ditthi Ascetics having no control over their emotions.

        The husband, not having the heart to confront his wife, went to Jetavana monastery and project his anger oyer the Lord Buddha, babbling all kinds of abusive language. Then he tried to trap the Lord Buddha with the uncertain questions in the hope of insulting and defaming on the Lord Buddha's reply. He queried thus O! Lord Gotama Buddha ....

1. By cutting what one can live peacefully?
2. By cutting what one can live without anxiety?
3. Which one dhamma you Lord Gotama Buddha would like to annihilate?

        He asked these questions with the expectation of accusing the Lord Buddha as unwholesome murderer if the Lord Buddha answered - one must kill the hateful person to live in peace. But the Enlightened, Omniscient Buddha answered his with magnanimous compassion.

        O! Bharadvaja Brahmin, if one is able to eradicate the anger and hatred, mental defilement, by Vipassana meditation, one can live in peace and without anxiety. All the noble persons always strive to annihilate the lethal, obnoxious anger and hatred, poison like mental defilement.

        On hearing the Lord Buddha's admonishment, he overcame the influence of anger and cooled down with the peaceful heart. He contemplated on the pleasantness and tranquility and attain the insight wisdom thereby cleansing all the mental defilements and became an Arahat.

       So I wish you all meditators by making use of the Lord Buddha's " Appamada Dhamma " (Satipatthana Vipassana meditation) may be able to cleanse your mind of all the defilements and attain the Eternal Bliss of Nibbana, deliverance from all suffering.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

       The subject of todays dhamma talk is "Correct Path leads to Nibbana". Pali word Magganga is the combination of the two components Magga and Anga. Magga means Path and Anga means features.

       There are, many paths. Path leading to your house to the forest, to the village, to the towns and cities etc. So also there are various destinations for all living beings. Path leading to human world, Deva world, Brahma world and Apaya world ( the four lower worlds of the animal world, ghost world, demon world and hell. Finally there is path leading to Nibbana.

        Only when one treads the right path. one can reach the desired goal. Now if you all are asked which way you want to go, you all will answer that you wish to go to Nibbana. To reach this Nibbana, you must take the path that has eight noble features. These eight features can be categorised into three groups.

       1. Morality (Sila) group-3 features viz.

• Samma-vacca- Right speech
• Samma-ajiva'a - Right livelihood
• Samm-kammanta - Right bodily action

       2. Concentration (Samadhi) group-3 feature viz.

• Samma-vayama - Right effort
• Samma-sati - Right mindfulness
• Samma-samadhi - Right concentration

       3. Wisdom (Panna) group-2 feature viz.

• Samma-ditthi - Right view
• Samma-sankappa- Right thought

        Those who want to attain Nibbana must strive for it. First one has to observe strict morality (Sila). Then basing on the foundation of the morality, one must develop concentration (Samadhi) by ardently contemplating the most prominent objects of the body with relentless effort.

        There are six sense organs in one's body which can be contemplated on as meditation objects viz., eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. Our most Venerable Benefactor Mahasi Sayadaw has taught us to begin contemplating on our body, in which the most prominent and easiest object to note is the rising and falling of the abdomen with the inbreathing and outbreathing.

        When the abdomen distends with inbreathing, one notes as rising, when it collapses due to outbreathing, one notes as falling. Just as one, whose guide in a strange land has advanced to a considerable distance must follow him with greatest care not to lose sight of him, so also meditator must note with full awareness the phenomena of rising and falling most diligently.

        On continuously noting thus, the arising of the objects and the noting mind will synchronise in deep concentration. As the concentration gradually matures, the meditator will realise that the rising or falling of the abdomen is one thing and the knowing or the noting mind is the other. Then the meditator will also perceive all the objects after arising passes away by its own accord.

        Such realisation in the true nature of the phenomena is the accomplishment of the wisdom (Panna) Magganga. Samma-ditthi and Samma-sankappa. When Panna Magganga is fully developed, the meditator understands the three characteristics- the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and egolesness of all the phenomena.

        Being thus gradually step by step progresses into penetrating insight, the meditator's defilements such as greed, anger and delusion will be eradicated and finally attains the realisation of Nibbana.

        So may you all meditators choose the right Eightfold Noble path to practise and develop the Magga Phala Nanna and finally realise Nibbana.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

        Today I am going to deliver you a Dhamma talk on "How to lead a life free from anxiety or grief", it is "Soka" in pali-meaning troubled state of mind. According to the Abhidhamma, it is Domanassa Cetasika-dukkha-vedana, mentally painful or disagreeable feeling. Grief or anxiety is always associated with antipathy and grudge and therefore kammically unwholesome.

        Everyone wishes to live peaceftully and happily free from anxiety or grief. Yet, they are inevitably afflicted with grief somehow or other in their lifetime. When we scrutinize the root cause, it is found that people are immersed in woeful state due to one of the five forms or ruination or loss. i.e. Byassana in pali.

       The five forms fo ruination or loss are:

1. Nati Byassana - loss of kin or relatives

2. Bhoga Byassana-loss of wealth or means

3. Roga Byassana-deterioration of health due to illness

4. Ditthi Byassana-dissolution of noble concepts

5. Sila Byassana - dissolution of probity

        When one encounters any of these five forms of ruination or loss one is overwhelmed by anxiety or grief. Then, another cause of anxiety or grief is due to one of the four Asavas or cankers (syn: influxes, taints, corruptions). They are the four fluxions of 1. desire, 2. craving , 3. wrong view, 4. ignorance. Let us verify this cause with example sometime later.

        It is most important to know how to expel grief or anxiety. It cannot be done by scientific experiments. It can only be achieved by the Lord Buddha's Dhamma. The Lord Buddha has advocated the sure way of eradication of grief in his admonishment on Satipatthana Sutta or the four foundations of mindfulness as such: O! Dear sons and daughters! " Ekayano". There is no other way, Satipatthana Vipassana meditation is the one and only way for you all to attain Nibbana and deliverance from anxiety, grief and all kinds of suffering.

        Now, let us study about someone who made use of the Lord, Buddha's admonishment to eliminate his grief as recorded in Canonical texts. The incident took place in Indian Capital city of Rajagaha over 2500 years ago. At that time the Lord Buddha was residing at the King Bimbisara maharaja's Veluvana garden monastery.

        As was the customary of the laity to seek solace from the Buddha. Dhamma and Samgha whenever they were afflicted with calamities, one day maharaja King Bimbisara's youthful son, prince Abhaya Rijakumara appeared before the Lord Buddha. He bowed down in front of the Lord Buddha wailing and imploring to quench his grief stricken burning heart at the death of his beloved dancer girl.

        The accident happened at the height of entertainment party for the youthful prince given in honour of his victorious achievements on the battle front. The king father has granted his son seven days of sovereign power with all the luxuries and grandeur. On the last day of festivities, while the young beautiful dancer was charming the youthful prince with all her art and craft, she dropped dead at the climax of the garden revelry.

        He was so tormented by this harsh catastrophe he felt as if his heart and soul were burning under seven scorching sun. In the midst of his tragedy it came to his senses that the Lord Buddha is the only refuge to alleviate his suffering. In so thinking he went to the Lord Buddha immediately after the cremation of the young dancer girl.

        On arrival at the Lord Buddha's monastery he instantly entreated the Lord Buddha to extinguish his burning heart. With sweet, compassionate voice, the Lord Buddha consoled him thus: O! Young Prince, brace yourself up, be mindful and do not be desperate. Due to your firm attachment to this girl, you have shed infinite amount of tears at the loss of her in your past existences. On hearing the Lord Buddha's soothing words, the young prince's grief alleviated and became remorseful in the wake of apprehension at the prospect of a continuum of rebirths and suffering.

        Then the Lord Buddha continued; - Now be attentive, be cautious and just consider how your body is like a King's decorated coach which gradually lost its grandeur and finally disintegrate. Your body, a composite of five aggregates of physical and mental phenomena is impermanent, arising and dissolving moment to moment. It is unsatisfactory, impersonal and there is nothing worthy of attachment.

        The young prince while listening the Lord Buddha's preaching very attentively, contemplated on all physical and mental phenomena. With clear comprehension he perceives the impermanence of all meditation objects and their unsatisfactoriness and egolessness. His meditation insight progresses step by step and finally he achieved the Sotapatti Magga Nana, thereby he was freed from his grief and was suffused with bliss and tranquillity.

        So also my you all meditators diligently practise the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation and attain various insight nana in the shortest possible time.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

       The subject of today's Dhamma Talk for all oy you to study is the "Reality and the Right View". Reality means the things those are truly present. One should have correct understanding of truly present things. All living and non-living are compounded by elements, those are existent in one moment and non-existent in another moment.

        One has to contemplate on meditation objects to know with clear comprehension when the component elements are existent and when they are not. First one has to understand that in every individual any one of the six sense consciousness of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind is arising from moment to moment.

        It is important for one to have the correct understanding of these phenomena at the time of their occurrence. The correct understanding means not just ordinary awareness of the sense, but perceiving knowledge and clear comprehension, in compliance with the Lord Buddha's admonishment. Only with such penetrating meditational insight, one can attain Nibbana

        The said six sense consciousness arise dependent on the following four stations:

1. Kaya - Physical body
2. Vedana - Feeling
3. Citta - Consciousness
4. Dhamma - Mind and Mind objects

       These four stations are to be found in one's own body. To have correct understanding, one must practise the Lord Buddha's Satipatthana Vipassana meditation. No one can achieve clear comprehension just by postulations and imaginations. The Lord Buddha's Satipatthana Vipassana meditation practice is programmed as: -

        (1) The four stations - Kaya, Vedana, Citta, Dhamma.

       (2) Method of practise being:

1. Viriya - effort.
2. Samadhi - concentration,
3. Vitakka - thought conception,
4. Sammavaca - right speech,
5. Sammakammanata - right bodily action,
6. Sammaajiva - right livelihood,
7. Sati - mindfulness,
8. Panna - wisdom,

        With these eight means one practises contemplation using the four stations as objects.

       (3) The immediate gain one gets while contemplating is the cleansing of the mind from the defilements of craving and ill-will. Furthermore one will be bestowed with seven other benefits

• (a) Purification of the mind
• (b) Overcoming of grief and anxiety
• (c) Overcoming of lamentation and crying
• (d) The cessation of physical suffering
• (e) The elimination of mental distress
• (f) The attainment of enlightenment, the Path and Fruition (Magga and Phala)
• (g) Extinction of Vana or Tanha and realisation of Nibbana.

        Now let us try and understand one out of the above mentioned seven benefits by studying the incident that happened in India during the Lord Buddha's lifetime. One Brahmin peasant became well-acquainted with the Lord Buddha. Out of Veneration he was rejoicing with the intention of offering the Lord Buddha some of paddy after the harvest. Unfortunately, just the night before the harvesting day, the heavy rainfall with gale storms flooded his paddy fields, completely destroying his crops.

       The Brahmin peasant was so grief-stricken and he was helpless with the unexpected disaster. The Lord Buddha on hearing the Brahmin peasant's tragedy visited him out of compassion. The Lord Buddha after saying consolation words, taught him how to overcome grief by attentively making note of the mental and physical phenomena at the very moment of arising and disappearing, in accordance with the Satipatthana Vipassana mediation.

        The Brahmin peasant complied the Lord Buddha's instructions and contemplated diligently and achieve the meditational insight progressing stage by stage and finally cleansed of mental defilements and attain the Sotapatti Magga and Phala (Path and Fruition). So, may you all meditators be able to contemplate on all the mental and physical phenomena with correct understanding of the reality and attain Magga and Phala Nana and realise Nibbana

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!

       Today's my dhamma talk for all meditators to listen and learn is "What is the most important matter in life".

        This admonishment was given by the Lord Buddha, in reply to the request made by one Celestial Brahma, while the Lord Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery in the Southern outskirts of Indian Capital Savatthi. Before we start with this admonishment I want to express my opinion on every body's attitude in this regard.

       If you ask anybody "What is the most important matter in life ?", everybody will commonly answer my health and means of living is the most important. Yes, it may be right if you consider on the welfare of just this present existence only. But one should be far-sighted for the welfare of the future existences to come and also deliverance from the life's suffering.

        Now let us take the lesson from the conversation between the Lord Buddha and the Celestial Brahma

       Celestial Brahma's Comment: -

        O ! Lord Buddha, as for one, whose chest has been pierced by a spear or whose hair is on fire being in critical condition of life and death, it is most important for him to take out the spear or to extinguish the fire and get the medical attention urgently, it is most important for one to eradicate the craving (Tanha) that is firmly grasping on the sensual objects by diligent mindfulness.

       The Lord Buddha's reply: -

        O celestial Brahma, I agree with your comment that one should strive to eradicate the craving with the same urgency of a person in critical condition with a spear pierced in his heart or with his hair on fire. But I want to improve your statement and simile by correcting the order of the urgency and importance.

       I proclaim that first and foremost, one should strive to eradicate the Sakkaya-Ditthi with the same urgency and importance of a person in critical condition of life and death. The word Sakkaya-Ditthi is composed of Sa + Kaya + Ditthi. It is the Pali word. Sa means existent, Kaya means group of mind and matter (nama-rupa). Ditthi means view or belief Together, Sakkaya-Ditthi means the personality belief on five aggregates (corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations or consciousness) as I, he, man, woman, soul or self. It is the conceptional delusion without any truth in the ultimate sense.

       If one can not eradicate this Sakkaya-Ditthi, it will lead him to an undesirable, unpleasant and disagreeable state of woe and suffering in the four apaya worlds: the animal world, ghost world, demon-world, and hell.. What the Lord Buddha means in this preaching was that the Yogavacara or devoted meditator may not be reborn in Apaya existences even if he is still unable to eradicate the craving on the sensual objects but he cannot escape from the four Apaya worlds if he has not attained the Namarupa Pariccheda Nana-that knowledge of the distinction between mentality and materiality, to eliminate Sakkaya Ditthi. That is why the Lord Buddha replied the eradication of the Sakkaya Ditthi as the most important matter in life for the deliverance from the Apaya sufferings.

       Now, I wish may you all devoted meditators, paying heed to this dhamma talk, be able to contemplate earnestly on the physical and mental phenomena occurring and disappearing in one's own body and attain that knowledge of the distinction between the conscious mind (Nama) and materiality (Rupa) and escape from the Apaya suffering.

       Today my dhamma talk is "Easy access to Nibbana". I would like to expound this dhamma under two headings : -

       (1) One must be vigilant with mindfulness.

       (2) One is liable to danger when heedless.

        Out of the two, the first one is mindfulness dhamma. Our Lord Buddha has admonishment us to be mindful of one's bodily actions in all postures of walking, standing, sitting and lying down. So also one should be mindful of the objects presenting to us: through six sense doors, such as seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching and thoughts. Even the daily acts of personal hygiene ;should not be carried out heedlessly.

        Whenever the changing movements occur in the bodily actions, one should be fully aware and mindfully contemplate in accordance with the Lord Buddha's admonishment that "one must, be vigilant with mindfulness". There is no excess in mindfulness but only lack of it.

       Next heading : One is liable to danger when heedless.

        How? One will be tormented by old age, illness, death and the woeful states in the lower worlds of existences. One should remind oneself of such dangers to be vigilant with mindfulness.

        When one is fully accustomed to mindfulness and practise tranquillity and insight meditations, he can attain progressive stages of insight knowledge and finally realise Nibbana dhamma. This exposition was delivered by the Lord Buddha while residing at Jetavana monastery of Savatti in India, to one Bhikkhu named Ven. Tissa who was practising solitary retreat in the vicinity of Savatthi.

        During Buddha's time as there were many Bhikkhus having the name Tissa, this particular Bhikkhu was addressed as "Nigama Vasi Tissa" meaning "Villager Tissa". He possessed the following four outstanding virtues -

1. APPICCHATA=frugality, wanting little, having on few wishes
2. SANTUTTHITA=satisfaction and happiness with whatever one possess. Contentment
3. PAVIVITTA=separation, seclusion and detachment from individuals, mental defilements and psychophysical formations
4. ARADDHA VIRIYA=striving, exerting oneself, making strenuous effort to free oneself from mental defilements.

        One who aspires for the attainment of Nibbana should strive to subdue the craving for the possession of animate and inanimate sense objects, should be well contended with whatever gets for a living. One should dwell free from individual associates and mental defilements. One should be able to exert with strenous effort and unshakeable resolution to meditate for the attainment of Path, Fruition and Nibbana.

        Venerable, "Nigamavasi Tissa", being endowed with the above mentioned virtues was meditating ardently, when the Lord Buddha delivered a dhamma stanza beginning "Appamada rato etc. Venerable Tissa's strong deep concentration on the arising and passing away of psychophysical phenomena developed into progressive insight delivering him from all formations, enabling him to attain the four stages of noble Path and Fruitions, culminating in the realisation of perpetual bliss of Nibbana Dhamma.

        In conclusion I would like to wish you all dhama loving meditators not to be always heedless in mindfulness insight meditation and attain the ultimate reality and blissful dhamma of Nibbana with the cessation of all the psychophysical formations.

Sadhu!        Sadhu!        Sadhu!