dhammacakkappavattana sutta - mahasi sayadaw

8/6/2019 Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta - Mahasi Sayadaw

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no more effort need be exerted by him. He will land automatically on theother side of the stream. Developing the vipassan magga may be likenedto the approach to the stream with speed and jumping. Landing on the otherside of the stream is comparable to the realization of Ariya magga inconsequence of the momentum gained from the vipassan magga .

Therefore we summarise again, by reciting

Basic, Precurser, Ariya Path,

Developing them leads to Nibbna.

and end the discourse here today.

May you all good people in this audience, by virtue of having givenrespectful attention to this great Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, be able to develop the Middle Path, otherwise called the NobleEightfold Path and by means of the Path and Fruition according as you wish,attain the Nibbna, the end of all sufferings.

Sdhu! Sdhu! Sdhu!

End of Part III of the Discourse on Dhammacakka Sutta


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CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE DISPARITY

Srattha Dpan, a sub-commentary on Vinaya has made thefollowing critical remarks on the disparity of the sutta texts mentionedabove; the sentence 'vydipi dukkho' does not appear in the detaileddefinition of dukkha sacc given in the Vibhanga of Abhidhamm Piaka.Accordingly, Visuddhi Magga in giving the comprehensive definition of dukkha sacc does not include this sentence which exists only in theDhammacakkapavattana sutta text. A careful investigation should be madeas to why this sentence appears only in Dhammacakka sutta and not in anyother suttas". It went on to state; "Again, in the comprehensive definition of Dukkha Sacc in the Vibhanga of Abhidhamma, the words soka paridevadukkha domanasupyasa pi dukkha come immediately after "maranampidukkha. These words are missing in the Dhammacakka Sutta. Why itshould be so should also be closely examined."

The author of the sub commentary did not seem too happy overthese various definitions in the texts. He did not therefore give anyexposition on these words "vyadipi dukkho' which are not present in othersuttas and on which the commentary remained silent. We had taken up thesuggestion made by the author of the sub commentary to conduct anenquiry into these differences and had made the following findings as to howthese differences had come about.

It cannot but be that the Buddha had given consistent definition of Dukkha Sacc in every discourse on the subject. We have come to theconclusion that the Theras, the Vinayabearers, who made a specialised studyof Vinaya, not being equally well-versed in matters pertaining to Suttas andAbhidhamm, had caused the insertion of the words 'vydipi dukkh' andthe deletion of the words 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupyspidukkha' in the Dhammacakka discourse in the Mahvagga Pi Text of theVinaya Piaka. Their version of the Dhammacakka thus appears in the Vinayadifferently from the Sutta and Abhidhamm Pi Canons.

Our conclusion is based on the consideration that the commentarieson Sutta and Abhidhamm which give expositions on the short definition of Dukkha Sacc do not provide any explanatory note on 'vydipi dukkha' buton 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupysa pi dukkha' and on the fact thatthe comment arise nor the sub-commentaries made any mention of thedifferences in the Pi Texts.


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The author of the sub-commentary 'Srattha Dpan' was a venerablethera who lived during the reign of King Prakkama Bhu between A. D 1153and A.D, 1186. Counting back from M.E 1324, it was about seven hundred oreight hundred years ago. The commentators and the sub-commentatorsfrom the Venerable Buddhaghosa down to the Venerable Dhammapla livedabout 1300 to 1600 years ago. These ancient commentators and sub-commentators who wrote exegeses on the Dhammacakka sutta of SaccSayutta in the Sayutta Mahvagga of Pi canons, did not make anymention of the disparity in the Texts. Their silence was simply because of thefact that the Dhammacakka sutta as it existed then was no different fromthose given in the Pi Texts of other Suttas and Abhidhamm.

However, by the time the author of the sub-commentary, SratthaDpan came upon the scene about 500 years later, the disagreement hadcropped up between the various Pi texts which he duly discovered. Hetherefore strongly urged for a critical examination and close investigation of the cause of variance in the texts.

Were we to take that the Buddha gave at the very first discourse adefinition of Dukkha Sacc differing from other versions, it would amount toholding the view that the Buddha started off at the first discourse with onedefinition of dukkha, then changing it later to a different version. This kindof view would be highly improper. A proper method of consideration wouldbe that the Buddha, whose knowledge of all things is un-impeded beingblessed with sabbanuta a , had given the same definition consistentlythroughout, but that later on, Vinaya-bearers, owing to defective intelligenceand memory, had caused these discrepancies to creep into the texts in thecourse of handing them down from generation to generation. Instances of textual discrepancies are well known in modern times. The commentary andsub-commentary texts are found to vary from country to country. It isobvious that such disagreements were not present in the original texts, butdeveloped only in the later periods.

After careful scrutiny as set out above, we have come to theconclusion that other texts are accurate and that the Dhammacakka sutta,now in extent, has, in its section in the definition of Dukkha Sacc ,supplemental words of "vydhi pi dukkho" while the words "soka paridevadukkha domanssupysa pi dukka" are missing. Our conclusion is also basedon the consideration that 'vy is comprised in the word di-illness'dukkha of the larger sentence of 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupysa pi dukkha' ,whereas 'soka' etc. are not embraced by the term 'vydi'.

We therefore believe that the texts bearing 'soka parideva dukkhadomanassupysa pi dukkha' without the words 'vy are accurate and inaccord with the Canonical teachings of the Buddha. We have engaged in the


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above scrutiny of the varying texts, as we intend to use in our discourse thefollowing version which we believe to be accurate. dhi pi dukkho'

ACCURATE PALI TEXT ON DEFINITION OF DUKKHA SACCA

Ida kho pana, Bhikkhave, dukkha, ariyasaccahm. jtipi dukkh, jarpi dukkh maranampi dukkha, soka parideva dukkhadomanassupayasapi dukkha, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogodukkho. Yampicca na labhati, tampi dukkha Samkhitte na

pancupdnakkhand dukkh.

"Bhikkhus, what I am going to teach presently is the Noble Truth of suffering or the real suffering which the Ariyas should know. The newbecoming (birth) is also suffering; getting old (ageing) is also suffering; deathis also suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are alsosuffering; association or connection with unlovable person or objects orhateful person and objects is also suffering; separation from love able personand objects or the loved person and objects is also suffering; desiring to getand not getting it, that desire or craving is also suffering (Commentary onSutta Mahv); or alternatively, desiring to get and not getting what onewants is also suffering (Vibhanga Sub-commentary). In short, the fiveaggregates which form the object of attachment or the group nma-rpa

which clings to the notion of I, mine, permanence, satisfactoriness (sukha) ,self are, indeed, suffering."

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

Many systems of religious beliefs exist in the world, eachexpounding its own view of what it considers to be the essence of Truth. The

teachings in other systems of religions are not based on personal realizationof Truth, but merely on speculative thinking. Their followers accept suchteachings not through personal experience either, but only on faith. All suchteachings which fall outside of Buddhism are comprised in sixty-two kind of wrong beliefs enumerated in the Brahmajla sutta by the Blessed One.

But speculation has no place in Buddha's Teachings. The Truth hetaught was discovered by himself through his own insight. The Four Noble

Truths he taught with their definition had been gained through his superior

penetrative insight, developed by following the Middle path otherwise calledthe Noble Eightfold Path. (which, as stated above, leads to higher knowledgeproducing penetrative Insight). These Four Noble Truths are:


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1. Dukkha sacc .... The Truth of suffering.

2. S... The Truth of the origin of suffering. amudaya sacc

3. Nirodha sacc ... The Truth of the cessation of suffering.

4. Magga sacc .. The Truth of the Path or Way leading to thecessation of suffering.

It is most essential to know these Four Truths. Only with theapprehension of the Truth of Suffering, suffering may be avoided for whichthe cause of suffering must also be known. Again, in order to achievecessation of suffering, there must be knowledge of what constitutes realcessation of suffering. Finally, the extinction of suffering cannot be broughtabout without knowledge of the practical way of accomplishing it. Henceknowledge of the Four Truths is indispensable.

Having come upon these four essential Truths, the Buddhaenumerated them in their sequence. The first Truth dealt with was the Truthof suffering, which he described as: 1. New becoming (Re-birth) 2. Gettingold (Old age) 3. Death 4. Sorrow 5. Lamentation 6. Physical Pain 7. Grief 8.Despair 9. Association with hateful ones 10. Separation from the loved ones11. Not getting what one wants 12. In brief, the five groups of grasping(clinging). This is the translation of the Pi passage quoted above.

(1) JTI DUKKH ... SUFFERING OF NEW BECOMING (RE-BIRTH)

By new becoming (re-birth) is meant the dissolution of nma, rpaat the last moment in the last existence and after death, the first moment of genesis of new nma; rpa in the new existence as conditioned by kamma.

This first genesis serving as a connecting link with the past life is termedlinking conception, paisandhe, initial formation of fresh nma and rpa . If this formation takes place in a mother's womb, we have womb conception,gabbhaseyaka paisandhe, which may be of two types: Oviparous, andhaja

paisandhe, when the conception takes place in an egg-shell in the womband viviparous, jalabuja paisandhe , when the embryo freely develops in thewomb till birth takes place.


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6. Pariyya dukkha 7.

Nippariyya dukkha -- These two forming the third group.

Of these seven types, bodily pains, aches and discomforts are a formof suffering just as worry, misery, unhappiness and sadness constituteanother form. The two forms combined together make the first type of suffering -- Dukkha-dukkha . Its nature is suffering, its name is suffering;hence it is dukkha-dukkha dreaded by every sentient being.

1. Mnemonic note : unendurable physical and mental suffering is dukkha-dukkha.

VIPARINMA DUKKHA

Pleasurable physical sensations arising from agreeable tactileimpressions known as Kya sukha; joyful state of mind arising fromreviewing pleasant sense-objects known as Cetasika Sukha; these two formsof happy states please every one, every creature. All beings go after thesetwo happy states day and night, even risk their lives and when these areattained, their happiness knows no bound. Nevertheless, while they arerejoicing with blissful contentment, if the sense-objects which have giventhem such intense delight and enjoyment disappear or get destroyed, greatwould be their agitation followed by intense distress.

When the wealth they have accumulated in the form of gold, moneyor property suddenly get lost through one reason or the other; when death orseparation comes to one's beloved member of the Family, spouse orchildren, intense grief and distress ensue, which may even cause mentalderangement. Thus these two forms of happiness, kya sukha and cetasikasukha , are also a type of suffering known as viparinma dukkha , sufferingbecause of change. While they last, they may appear very enjoyable, only tobe replaced by extreme grief and despair when the vanish. Hence they aredukkha all the same.

2. Mnemonic note : Happiness arising from physical comfort and mental joyis called viparinma dukkha.

SANKHRA DUKKHA


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The ordinary every day scene which one sees, hears or comes intocontact with, indifferent sense-objects, inspire neither a feeling of pleasureor well-being nor of pain or unpleasantness. This neutral, medial conditionwhich by its nature is neither painful nor pleasurable is termed equanimousfeeling, upekkh vedan . This neutral equanimity does not, however, existpermanently. It needs constant maintenance of necessary conditions forcontinuity of this medial state. This implies laborious effort which, of course,is dukkha . Hence this equanimous feeling, neither painful nor pleasurable, istermed sakhra dukkha . In addition to this equanimous feeling, all theother formations of nma and rpa of the mundane sphere are also calledsakhra dukkha as they need constant conditioning.

3. Mnemonic note : Equanimous feeling and nma, rpa formations of mundane sphere are called sankhra dukkha.

Feeling of happiness also requires constant conditioning for itsmaintenance and as such should be classified as sakhkhra dukkha, butthe commentators left it out of this classification as it had been given aseparate name as viparinma dukkha . Nevertheless, it should be regardedas sakhra dukkha too since it is very plain that considerable application isneeded for its maintenance.

The three types of dukkha explained above should be well

understood as a complete grasp of these types will help in understanding the Truth of suffering.

4. Physical ailments such as ear-ache, tooth-ache, head-ache,flatulence etc. and mental afflictions arising out of unfulfilled desire, burningrage, disappointments, miseries and worries are called 'concealed suffering',Paicchanna dukkha, because they are known only to the suffering individualand become known to others only when intimated by them. As such sufferingis not openly evident, it is also called 'un-evident, non-apparent suffering',

Apkata dukkha.

5. Physical affliction such as from sword cuts, spear thrusts or bulletwounds is not hidden but quite apparent and openly evident. It is called,therefore, 'exposed suffering; Apaicchanna dukkha' or 'evident suffering',Pakata dukkha. Dukkha.


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6. All formations of rpa and nma which can give rise to physicaland mental afflictions are not in essence suffering but as they are the basisof suffering of one form or another, they are known as pariyya dukkha,quite dreadful in view of the suffering which will surely arise from them. As inthe example just given, it is dreadful like giving one's guarantee to atransaction by signing a bond for which recompensation has to be madelater.

7. The dukkha-dukkha type of suffering is intrinsic. There is nobeating about the bush as to its action, and is, therefore, known as 'directsuffering' nippariyya dukkha.

Of these seven types of dukkha, jti or taking birth in a new

existence comes under pariy according to the above classification. All kindsof suffering in hell such as subjection to millions of years of incineration byhell-fires, tortures by the hell-keepers, arise because of birth in hell as aconsequence of past ya dukkhaakusala kamma . All kinds of suffering in therealm of petas such as starvation, scorching fires for millions and millions of years arise because of birth in that realm as a consequence of akusalakamma. Hardships and troubles in the animal kingdom suffered by suchanimals as cattle, elephant, horse, dog, pig, chicken, bird, goat, sheep,insects etc., arise because they happen to take birth in animal existence.

Human misery characterised by scarcity of essentials for living suchas food, clothing etc. is brought about by the fact of taking birth in thehuman existence. Even when well provided for as in the case of affluentpeople, there is no escape from suffering, inflicted on them in the form of physical and mental distress due to illness and disease or unfulfilled desire,fear of oppression by the enemies, ageing, etc. All these miseries comeabout because of jti in the human world. Being, thus, the foundation for allthe sufferings that ensue throughout the whole span of life, taking birth in aparticular existence, jti , is regarded as dukkha.

MISERY IN A MOTHER'S WOMB

When one takes conception in a mother's womb, one comes intobeing in the disgusting womb which is situated in between the stomach,filled with indigested food, and the rectum, the receptacle for excreta, facesand urine, depending for one's body substance on the parent's sperm andblood, very loathsome indeed! The very thought of having to stay in thefilthy mass of the sperm and blood is revolting and nauseating. And there isno knowing whether one has descended into a human womb or the womb of a cow or a dog.


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A dhamma teaching thera of 20 or 30 years ago used to recite averse 'Dhamma cradle, Emerald cradle' in the course of his sermons. Theverse gave a description of various kinds of cradles ranging from emerald-studded golden cradles for royal infants to the miserable wicker baskets of poverty stricken families. In one stanza of the verse was the query, 'Ageingis gradually creeping. For which cradle are you heading?' This question isquite apt since after ageing comes finally death. And if craving, tah, stillremains, death will inevitably be followed by re-birth in a new existence.Even if one is reborn in the human plane, one is bound to start life in onecradle or another. The question is 'Which kind of cradle"' emerald studdedgolden cradle awaits those with abundance of wholesome kammas; whilethose burdened with unwholesome kammas will head straight for a wickerbasket in a wretched home. The verse was an exhortation urging people todo meritorious deeds for assurance of a high class cradle in their nextexistence.

We would also urge you now just to ponder a while on the question of which mother's womb you are destined to. And to become mindful of thedreadful suffering attendant upon birth and work for cessation of cycle of re-births. Even if one cannot strive for complete liberation yet, at least toendeavor for security against lowly destinations.

What we have described now is how one is faced with dreadfulsuffering of re-birth from the moment of descent into the mother's womb,them during the period of gestation for 9 or 10 months, other sufferingsfollow. When the mother suddenly moves, sits down or stands up, theextreme suffering one undergoes is like a kid being whirled round by adrunkard or a young snake's fallen into the hands of a snake-charmer. Theyoung creature in the womb of a modern mother, much give to athleticexercises, is likely to be subjected to more intense sufferings. When themother happens to drink something cold or swallow anything hot or acid, hissuffering becomes a real torture.

SUFFERING AT BIRTH

In addition, it is said that obstetric pains of a mother at child-birthcould be so excruciating as to prove even fatal; the child's agony could be noless and could prove fatal too. The pain, that arises after birth when hisdelicate body is taken in by rough hands, washed and rubbed with roughclothes, is like scrapping the sore spots of a very tender wound. The painsdescribed so far relate to suffering, gone through from the moment of conception to the time of birth.


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SUFFERING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE LIFE

Thereafter, there will, of course, be distresses and discomforts suchas stiffness, heat, cold, itchiness while he is still too young to alleviate themhimself by changing of postures through moving, shaking, sitting orstanding. Innumerable difficulties are bound to follow when he grows up andcomes face to face with the problems of earning a livelihood. He will becomesubjected to maltreatments and oppressions by others, disease andillnesses.

One goes through all these sufferings simply because one happens to

take a new existence. Accordingly, jti , re-birth, being the foundation of allthe miseries of the whole existence, is defined as dukkha by the Buddha. Acareful consideration will confirm the accuracy of this definition. Re-birth isreally dreadful like signing a document which later will give rise tocomplications. Thus jti is dukkha because of its dreadfulness. Tosummarise, the physical and mental afflictions are occasioned (arise)because of jti in each existence. Only when there is no more re-birth willthere be total release from these inflections. Thus the Blessed One hadtaught that the very origination of new existence, jti is suffering.

Mnemonic notes:

1. Dukkha is met with in every existence.

2. No jti, no dukkha. 3. Therefore originations of new existence,

jti, is dukkh .

2. SUFFERING BECAUSE OF AGEING -- JAR DUKKHA

Ageing means becoming grey-haired, toothless, wrinkled, bent, deaf andpoor in eyesight, in other words, decay which has set in, very recognizably,in the aggregates of nma and rpa of a particular existence. Butthe ageing of the nma components of the body is not so apparent;indications of it such as failing memory and dotage become noticeable onlywhen one very old and then only to close associates.


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The physical ageing goes on all throughout life quite unmistakably,but becomes very noticeable only when one is getting fairly old and nolonger youthful. The under-ten has not the same body as the above-ten.

There is continuous change in physical appearance. The above-twenties andthirties assume an appearance quite different from that of the younger days. These changes are indications of the ageing that is taking place. But here, byageing, jar , we mean decaying in the sense of getting grey-haired etc.which are clearly discernable.

Jar (ageing) is concerned with just the static moment (thiti) of theaggregates of nma and rpa and has no essence of pain or suffering as itis: But because of ageing, there occurs failing of vital force in the wholesystem of the body, impairment of eyesight, and hearing, wearing out of thesense of smell and taste, undermining of physical strength, growingunattractiveness, vanishing of youthfulness, loss of memory and intellectualpower, disrespect and contempt on the part of the young people (beingaddressed as old foggy, grand sire, granny etc.), treatment as a drag on thesociety. Such disabilities, of course, give rise to physical and mentalsuffering. Since it forms the source of physical and mental suffering, theBuddha had said that jar , ageing is fearful dukkha . People are really afraidof old age. They are for ever seeking means and ways of stemming theadvent of old age. But all in vain. With grey hairs and falling teeth etc., decaysets in inexorably. That ageing is such a dreadful dukkha is so plain that weneed make no further elaboration on it.

3. DEATH AS SUFFERING --- MARAN DUKKHA

Death means the extinction of jvita nma, rpa, or the life principle,which has been in ceaseless operation since the time of conception asconditioned by individual kamma in a particular existence. Referring to this,the Buddha had said, "sabbe bhyantimaccuno" , all mortals are in constantfear of death. Death as conditioned by birth, death by violence, death bynatural causes, death from termination of the life-span, death fromexhaustion of wholesome kammic results are all synonymous termsdescribing the same phenomenon of extinction of the life principle, jvitanma, rpa .

Death means just the moment of dissolution of the jvita nma, rpaand is not by itself pain nor distress. However, when death comes, one hasto abandon the physical body and leave behind one's dear and near ones,relatives and friends together with all of one's own properties. The thought of leaving the present existence is very frightening and every mortal is seizedwith fear of death. Uncertainty as to which existence one is bound to after


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death causes great fright too. Because of its fearsome, dreadful nature, theBuddha had described death as dukkha.

According to the commentary, wicked men burdened with

unwholesome past, see on their death-bed, the evil deeds they had done orsigns of their foul deeds or signs of the apya state in which they aredoomed to take re-birth, all of which giving them intense mental anguish.Good men with accumulations of wholesome kammas suffer too as theydwell on the approaching death, because they cannot bear to part from allthat they hold dear, beloved ones and properties.

As death draws near, all mortal beings are subjected to severeattacks of disease and illness which rack the body with unbearable pains.

Death being the basis of all such physical and mental pins, has thus beennamed dukkha by the Blessed One.

4. SORROW AS SUFFERING --- SOKA DUKKHA

sorrow is the worrying and the state of being alarmed in one affected by lossof relatives, etc. 1. When loss occurs of relatives through burglary, robbery,

epidemics, fire, flood or storm, the misfortune is termed Soka,tivyasana; 2. When destruction of insurgency property or possessions isoccasioned by King's action (government), theft or fire disaster, it is knownas bhogavyasana; 3. Deterioration in health and longevity brought about bypernicious illness or disease is called rogavyasana; 4. Lapses in morality isslavyasana and 5. Deviation from the Right View to the Wrong View isdihivyasana.

Sorrow with intense worry and alarm is felt especially when one is

bereaved of loved ones such as husband, wife, sons and daughters, brothers,sisters etc., or when disastrous economic misfortune befalls one. This soka ,sorrow is strictly speaking domanassa vedan , a displeasurable feeling andas such is intrinsic suffering dukkha-dukkha . Overwhelming distressoccasioned by sorrow is liable to cause pyrosis or heartburn which maycontribute to premature ageing and even death. Being thus a basis for otherphysical pains, too, soka is fearsome and is therefore named dukkha by theBlessed One.

Every one is in fear of sorrow. Capitalizing on this fear, many bookshave been written on the subject of 'freedom from sorrow'. But the realfreeform from sorrow may be achieved only through practice of the Four


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Foundations of Mindfulness. By developing the Four Foundations of mindfulness complete freedom from sorrow can be enjoyed as exemplifiedby the minister Santati and Patsra ther. At present times, too, distressedpersons, some having lost husbands or others troubled by business failures,have come to our meditation Centre to practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Day by day their sorrow gets diminished gradually and finallythere comes to them complete freedom from sorrow.

5. LAMENTATION AS SUFFERING -- PARIDEVA DUKKHA

Lamentation is the material quality of sound produced by wailing on the partof one affected by loss of relatives or property. Absent-mindedly andhysterically the distressed one clamours, proclaiming the virtues of the dead

and the quality of the lost property or denouncing the enemy or agencyresponsible for his disaster.

In the abstract sense, lamentation is the material quality of soundand therefore not suffering in essence. But such willing and hystericalproclamations produce physical discomfort and pain. The Buddha had,therefore, declared parideva, lamentation, as dukkha . To cry is to besubjected to pain which is, therefore, suffering or dukkha in Pi.

6. PHYSICAL PAIN --- DUKKHA

Physical discomforts in the body such as stiffness, feeling hot, aching,tiredness, itchiness are suffering. These physical pains are true intrinsicsuffering called dukkha-dukkha , which every one knows and is afraidof. Even animals such as dogs, pigs, fowls or birds run away to safety at theslightest hint of getting beaten or shot at because they too are afraid of

physical pain. That physical pain is suffering needs no elaboration. It isimportant to know that vydhi, sickness or disease, comes under thiscategory of dukkha, physical pain. Physical pain is generally followed bymental distress and for thus serving as a cause of mental pain too, it isnamed dukkha , dreadful suffering.

If physical pain is mindfully noted in accordance with theSatipatthna method, mental pain is averted. Only physical pain is felt then.

The Blessed One spoke in praise of this practice by which mental pain is

averted and one suffers only physical pain. Permitting mental suffering toarise by failure to make note of the physical pain is denounced by theBuddha. "It is like", He said, "attempting to remove the first thorn which is


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hurting by pricking out with another thorn, when the second thorn breaksand remains embedded in the flesh. One suffers then two pains, one fromthe first thorn and additional pain from the second thorn." This illustrationdeserves careful consideration.

7. GRIEF AS SUFFERING -- DOMANASSA.

grief, denotes mental agony such as displeasure solicitude (anxiety), misery,sadness, fear etc. Domanassa also is intrinsic suffering,Domanassa, dukkha-dukkha . All mortal beings are well acquainted with it andfear it, which therefore needs no elaboration. Domanassa not onlyoppresses the mind but may also torture the body. When one is fiercelygripped by grief, one goes about dejectedly without sleep or food for days on

end, with the consequent impairment of health and even advent of death. Itis truly a formidable dukkha from which only Angmis and Arahats areexempt. Individuals who practise Satipatthna meditation can overcomegrief if they make strenuous effort of noting it as it arises. In this way theycan reduce the pain of grief to a considerable extent even if they cannotovercome it completely.

8. SUFFERING OF DESPAIR -- UPYSA.

Upysa, despair, is ill-humour or resentment produced by excessive

mental agony in one affected by loss of relatives etc., (tivyasana). Itcauses repeated bemoaning over the loss resulting in burning of the mindand physical distress. Upysa is, therefore, dukkha, suffering because of the intense burning of the mind and physical pain accompanying it. People,accordingly, recognize the state of despair as a fearsome dukkha.

The commentary illustrates the differences between soka, paridevaand upysa , sorrow, grief and despair, as follows: Sorrow is like cooking of oil or dye-solution in a pot over a slow fire. Lamentation is like its boiling overwhen cooking over a quick fire. Despair is like what remains in the pot afterit has boiled over and is unable to do so any more, going on cooking in thepot till it dries up.

9. SUFFERING OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE HATEFUL.

Association with the hateful is meeting with disagreeable beings andsakhra formations. Such meeting is not itself unbearable pain but when


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one meets with disagreeable beings or undesirable objects, reaction sets inat once in the form of mental disturbance and physical discomposure. As itserves as a cause of mental and physical distresses, association with thehateful is designated by the Buddha as dukkha, dreadful suffering. Theworld in general also recognizes such encounters as undesirable suffering.Some people may go to the extent of making a wish (praying) not to havethe misfortune of encountering undesirable person or things in thesuccession of existence. But in the world where pleasantness andunpleasantness co-exist, one has to face both according to circumstance.One's wish may be fulfilled, if at all, only partially by having less occasions toface unpleasant people and objects.

The important thing is to endeavor to meet unpleasant situationswith correct mental attitude. The best course of action is to revert to thepractice of Satipatthna, that is, noting incessantly so that the mentalprocess stands at the stage of just 'hearing', 'seeing' etc. Whenunpleasurable sensations are felt in the body, mental distress must beaverted by continuous noting of 'touching', 'knowing', 'paining' etc.

10. SUFFERING OF SEPARATION FROM THE BELOVED.

Separation from the loved is to be parted from agreeable beings and

sakhra formations. Such separation is not itself a painful feeling. However,when separation takes place, by death or while still alive, from beloved ones(husbands, wives, children), or when parted from one's treasuredpossessions, mental agony sets in at once. It may even develop into sorrow,lamentation and despair. One is bound to be overwhelmed with grief undersuch circumstances. As it promotes such various mental afflictions, theBlessed One had called the separation from the loved ones and desirableobjects, dukkha, dreadful suffering. The world also recognizes suchseparation as painful suffering. Some even make the wish of being to bealways together with their loved ones throughout the succession of existences. Such wishes may be fulfilled when there is sufficiency of goodkamma.

The family of the millionaire Mendaka comprising of his wife, his sonand daughter-in-law together with their servant girl, once made such a wish,to be always together in future existences, by offering food to aPaccekabuddha. As a result of this good kamma, their wish became fulfilledand they were born together forming the same group of five at the time of our Buddha. But such kind of wish tending to promote clinging fetters is veryinappropriate for the individual with the firm resolve of complete releasefrom the sufferings of sasra .


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11. SUFFERING OF NOT GETTING WHAT ONE WANTS.

It is suffering for not getting what one wants or suffering that arises

out of desire for some unobtainable object. Without practising anddeveloping the Eightfold Path, the desire comes to the beings, "Oh, that wewere not subjected to becoming (birth), ageing, disease and death. Oh, thatwe were not subjected to sorrow and lamentation etc." These, of course, willnot come about by mere wishing and not getting what one wants causesmental anguish. Therefore the Buddha had described such desires asdukkha, dreadful suffering. Here, the object of one's desire is not limited tothe Nibbna only which is free from birth, ageing etc., but is meant toinclude also the worldly gains and wealth which cannot be attained just bymere desiring. Not getting them as the desires is also dukkha.

12. SUFFERING OF THE FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING.

The eleven types of suffering starting from suffering of birth (jti) tosuffering of not getting what one wants (icchitalba dukkha) arise onlybecause there are the five groups of grasping, u pdnakkhand; they arisedependent on these five groups. In short, therefore, 'these five groups of grasping' is the truth of suffering.

The aggregates of material and mental formations which form theobjects of clinging or grasping are called up dnakkhand, groups of grasping. These five groups of grasping are made up to: (1) The group of material forms (2) The group of feeling (3) The group of perception (4) Thegroup of mental concomitants (5) The group of consciousness.

All sentient beings exist as such only with these five groups formingtheir substantive mass. They cling to their body which is merely anaggregate of material forms, regarding, it as I, my body, permanent etc.Hence the group of material form is called the group of grasping.

The mental states made-up of consciousness and mentalconcomitants (cetasikas) are also grasped at, taking them to be I, my mind,it is I who thinks, permanent etc. So the mental states, nma, are alsoknown as groups of grasping. This is how attachment occurs on the groups of

rpa and nma as a whole.


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THE UPDNAKKHANDS AT THE MOMENT OF SEEING

To consider each separate phenomenon in detail, theupdnakkhand is conspicuous every time one sees an object, Likewise, the

updnakkhand is prominent on every occasion of hearing, smelling,tasting, touching, imagining (thinking). At the moment of seeing, the seeingeyes, the object of sight and consciousness of seeing are quite conspicuous.In this consciousness of seeing are comprised pleasant or unpleasant feelingof seeing, perception or recognition of the object seen, making effort andbending the mind to accomplish the act of seeing and the knowledge that anobject is just seen.

People who cannot practise insight meditation or those, practising

the insight meditation, who have not yet advanced to the stage of appreciating the nature of anicca, dukkha, anatta, remain attached to theeye, object of sight, etc. They regard the clear eye-sight as I, as my eye andpermanent. When they see the body and limbs, the attachment arises; "I seemy own body; this is my hand, it exists permanently." Seeing other people,they appear as a person, a creature, enduring, lasting. Because of sucharousal of attachment to them, material forms of eye and object of sight aretermed rpaupdnakkandh .

In addition to pleasant feeling or unpleasant feeling in seeing anobject, there is also neutral feeling which is not considered separately hereto economise space. What is concerned with wholesome neutral feeling isincluded in pleasant feeling; what is concerned with unwholesome neutralfeeling is included in unpleasant feeling. Both pleasant and unpleasantfeelings give rise to attachments: "It is I; it is my feeling; it is everlasting; Ifeel well; I feed terrible." Causing attachments in this way, pleasant orunpleasant feeling in seeing an object is called vedanupdna-kkhandh.

On perceiving an object, attachment arises in this way too: Irecognize it; I don't forget it. So it is termed the grasping group of perception, san-updnakkhandh .

Exercise of the will to see an object is cetan, volition. In thevocabulary of the texts. It is termed incitement, exhortation, or urging. Butwill or volition expresses its meaning quite clearly Manasikra , which goesalong with cetan , is pondering or bending the mind towards an object.

Then there is phassa , contact, which comes into play too, but as cetan andmanasikra are the predominating factors, we will mention only these two. There is attachment towards, them too, as I or enduring; hence these twomental concomitants of willing and bending the mind involved in an act of


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seeing are named sakhra-updnakkhandh . By sakhra is meantconditioning; in the case of seeing, it means bringing about conditions toaccomplish the act of seeing.

Just knowing that an object is seen is eye-consciousness which is alsoattached to as I see, I know, the seeing I is everlasting. Because of thepossibility of such attachment consciousness is called vina-updnakkhandh .

To recapitulate:-

(1) At the moment of seeing 'the eye and object of sight are rpa-updnakkhandh .

(2) Feeling pleasant or unpleasant is vedan-updnakkhandh.

(3) Recognizing or remembering the object is sa .-updnakkhandh

(4) The will to see and turning the attention on the object is sakhra-updnakkhandh .

(5) Just knowing that an object is seen is vi . na-up dnakkhandh

To note as seeing, seeing every time an object is seen is to enable

one to see the said five groups of rpa and nma as they really are andhaving seen them, to remain at the stage of just seeing and not to becomeattached to them as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good etc.

To understand the purpose of noting every phenomenon, we haveprovided the following aphorism:

Fundamental principles of practice of vipassan meditation.


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(1) By contemplating what, is vipassan Insight developed?

(2) By noting as they really are the five aggregates which may causeattachment.

(3) When and for what purpose should they be noted?

(4) They should be noted at the moment of arising to cut off attachment.

(5) Failing to note at the moment of arising opens the way to attachment tothem as permanent, pleasant or self.

(6) Noting the five aggregates every time they arise, dispels attachment. Thus clear insight as to their impermanence, unsatisfactoriness or sufferingis developed.

In (5) above, 'at the moment of arising' means at the moment of seeing, hearing etc. In (6) above, 'every time they arise' connotes every actof seeing, hearing etc., as it happens.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF HEARING

At the moment of hearing, obviously there is ear which can heareasily; there is also sound which is quite audible and consciousness which

knows that a sound has been heard. In this consciousness of hearing iscomprised pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing, perception of thesound, willing, (exertion) and turning the mind towards the object of soundto accomplish the act of hearing and just knowing that a sound has beenheard.

People who has not the opportunity to practise mindfulness andtherefore who has not the knowledge of reality as it truly is become attachedto all phenomena (dhammas) prominent at the moment of hearing as I,

mine, etc. Because of the liability of such attachments, the ear and thematerial body of sound are known as rpa-updnakkhandh . The pleasantor unpleasant feeling of hearing is vedan-updnakkhandh. The


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perception of sound is sa . Exercise of the will to hear a sound andturning the mind towards it is -updnakkhandhsakhra-updnakkhandh . Just knowing that a sound has been heard is vi . Torecapitulate: na-updnakkhandh

(1) At the moment of hearing, the ear and sound are rpa-updnakkhandh .

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing is vedan-updnakkhandh .

(3) Recognising or remembering the sound is sa .-updnakkhandh

(4) To will to hear the sound and turning the attention towards it issakhra-updnakkhandh .

(5) Just knowing that a sound has been heard is vina-updnakkhandh .

To note as hearing, hearing every time a sound is heard is to enableone to see the said five groups of rpa and nma as they really are andhaving heard the sound, to remain at the stage of just hearing and not tobecome attached to it as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good etc.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF SMELLING

At the moment of smelling, there is clearly the material body of thenose, there is also the smell and the consciousness which knows the smell.In this consciousness of smelling is comprised the pleasant or unpleasantfeeling of smelling, recognition of the smell; exercise of the will to smell andto turn the attention towards the smelling object and just knowing of thesmell.

Failure to note as smelling, smelling and to see the phenomenon of

smelling as it truly is results in attachment to it as I, mine etc. Because of thepossibility of such attachments, the nose, the smell and the consciousness of smell are known as updnakkhandh . To recapitulate:


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(1) At the moment of eating, the tongue and the taste are rpa-updnakkhandh .

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of taste is vedan-updnakkhandh .

(3) Recognising or remembering the taste is sa-updnakkhandh .

(4) Exercise of the will to taste and to turn the attention towards the objectof taste is sakhra-updnakkhandh .

(5) Just knowing of the taste is vina-updnakkhandh .

While eating the food, preparing a morsel of the food in the hand,bringing it up and putting it in the mouth, and chewing it; all these actionsare concerned with knowing the sensation of touch; knowing the taste on thetongue while chewing the food, however, is consciousness of the taste. Thus,noting the taste on every occasion of eating the food has to be carried out tosee as they really are, the five groups of nma and rpa which manifestthemselves at the time of tasting and to remain at the stage of just tastingso that no attachment to it as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good etc., canarise.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF TOUCHING

The sense of touch encompasses a wide field. Throughout the wholebody of a person, wherever flesh and blood are in good condition, is diffusedkyapasda rpa , the sentient surface, which gives the sense of touch. Bothinside the body, in the flesh, in the blood, in muscles, bones etc, and outsidethe body, on the skin, this sensitive principle lies spread out not leaving anarea the size of a pin-point.

Wherever this sensitive principle exists, the sense of touch may befelt. At the moment of touching, the sensitive principle which has the abilityto seize the material tactile body is prominent. It becomes evident as the siteof impact but not as any form or shape. Likewise, the sensitive parts of ear,


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nose and tongue become evident as sites of impact where sense of hearing,smell and taste are developed.

Also prominent at the moment of impact is the material tactile body,

which may be any of the three elements; pathav, tejo or vyo . Thehardness, roughness, smoothness and softness one feels is pathav; theheat felt or the warmth or cold is tejo; stiffness, pressure or motion is vyo .Such sensations of touch may arise as a result of friction between differentelements in the body; or through contact, outside the body, with clothing,bedding, seats, earth, water, wind, fire or heat of the sun. Such impactsproduce very vivid sensations of touch. The consciousness of touchcomprises of pleasant or unpleasant feeling perception of the impact,exercise of the will and bending of the mind to accomplish the act of touching and just knowing that a contact has been established. The feelingof pleasure or unpleasantness is especially vivid. Physical pain is the feelingof suffering (dukkhave-dan) which arises through disagreeable contacts.

Failure to be mindful at the moment of touch and to see the reality asit truly is, results in the development of attachment as I, mine etc, towardsall these objects which become prominent at the time of touching.Accordingly, the site of touch, the sentient surface (sensitive principle), thefeeling of touch and knowing that a contact has been made, are calledupdnakkhandhs .

Mnemonic note:

(1) At the moment of touching, the sentient surface and the impact of thetouch are rpa-updnakkhandh .

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of touch is vedanupdnak-khandh .

(3) Recognising or remembering the touch is sa-updnakkhandh .

(4) Exercising the will and turning the attention to accomplish the act of touching is sakhra-updnakkhandh .

(5) Just knowing that a contact has been made is vinupdnak-khandh .


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Practice of noting the bodily postures such as going, standing, sitting,sleeping, bending, stretching, moving, rising and falling, etc. is made just tobe mindful of these Groups of Grasping. When noting these body postures,the specially perceptible element of vyo which causes stiffness, pressureand motion, is seen as it truly is, just a material body rpa without anypower of cognition. The knowing mind which takes note of the body posturesis also seen as it truly is, consciousness, n , which cognizes an object. Thusat every occasion of noting, there is always a pair: marpa , the object whichis taken note of and n , the knowing mind which takes note of it. Afterperceiving this fact exactly and clearly, there follows the knowledge of causeand effect. There is the 'going posture' because of the desire to go. Thenperceiving clearly that marpa , the object noted and n , the knowing mind,arise and vanish, arise afresh and vanish again at the very moment of noting, realization comes to the yog that these phenomena are transient,painful, distressing and are happening according to their own nature and aretherefore not controllable, maanatta . Because of this realization orconviction, there is no longer any attachment on going, standing, sitting etc.,as I or mine.

This is how attachment is cut off in accordance with the MahSatipatthna Sutta which says, "There is no more attachment on any thing of the world, namely, the material body or the five aggregates". To be thus freefrom attachment, mindfulness on the body, the feeling, the mind and themental objects has to be developed.

Painful feelings such as stiffness, feeling hot, acheing, itching etc.,become evident at the location of impact. Failure to note the distress as itoccurs and to see its true nature results in attachments: I feel stiff, I feel hot,I feel painful, I am distressed. It is to avoid such attachments that mindfulnoting of the distressful feeling has to be made to realize its true nature.Continuous and close watching of the painful feelings will reveal clearly howpainful feelings of stiffness, hotness, aches appear to come up afresh in the

body one after another in succession. Then personal conviction will comethat these painful feelings come into existence for a moment only and thenvanish away and that they are, therefore, of impermanent nature. They areno longer grasped at as I, mine, permanent. One becomes free fromattachments. Hence this need for mindful note taking.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF THINKING

Mental activities such as thinking, imagining are very extensive inscope and of frequent occurrence. In waking moments, the mind is almostconstantly active. Even in the absence of any attractive, pleasant objects in


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one's surroundings, imagination creates them to appear as if in realexistence. The hindrances, namely, sensual desires, ill-will, sloth and torpor,restlessness and worry, skeptical doubts are concerned with such mentalactivities. So are the thoughts or reflections on lust, ill-will and cruelty(kma vitakka, vypda vitakka and vihimsa vitakka) . Unless these mentalactivities are mindfully noted as they occur, they are liable to be identified asself (atta) , a living entity. Hence it is very important to note each mentalactivity as it occurs.

When carefully analysed, mental activities are also five aggregates of grasping, updnak-khandhs . Thinking may be accompanied by a happyfeeling (somanassa) or an unpleasant feeling (domanassa) ; or thinking mayarise accompanied by neither pleasant nor unpleasant feeling but a neutralfeeling (upekkh vedan) . When there is no mindfulness on these threetypes of feeling as they occur, they are liable to be grasped at as "I feelpleasant, I feel fine, I feel miserable, I feel bad. I feel neither pleasant norunpleasant". For this liability of causing such attachments, these three typesof feeling are known as vedan-updnakkhandh .

Then, there is also evident Sa, sense-perception whichrecognises the object on which the mind is dwelling. This sa is speciallypronounced when trying to remember facts to speak about or when engagedin making calculations in checking accounts. Concerning this sa , wrongnotions may arise 'I remember. I have good memory'. Hence it is calledsa-updnakkhandh .

At the moment of thinking or exercising imagination, there comesinto noticeable action, phassa , clear awareness of the presence of theobject; vitakka , mental inclination towards the object; manasik fixing theattention on the object; ra,cetan , which incites and urges, 'Let it be thiswise, let it be that wise'. The role of cetan is especially pronounced when,for instance, an important matter happens to come up in the mind at thedead of night and it cannot be attended to. The driving urge of cetan 'Gonow and tell him' is very prominent. That immoral thoughts are accompaniedby lobha, dosa etc., and moral thoughts by alobha, adosa, amoha, sadh,sati etc., is clearly discerned.

The mental concomitants phassa, cetan and manasikra areinciting agents responsible for arising of thoughts (ideas, imaginations,concepts) one after another in succession. They are also at the back of everyact of speaking and body movements such as going, standing, sitting,sleeping, bending, stretching etc. The incitement, the urge concerned witheach mental, vocal or physical activity is sakhra which condition an act byprompting, inducing, directing etc. This conditioning role of sakhra mayresult in its being identified as a person or a living entity and wrongly


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cleaved to as I. The notion 'I think, I speak, I go, I do' is wrong attachment tothis conditioning 'sakhra' . Such attachment is known as clinging tokrakatta, attachment to performing-self. Therefore the sakhras namely

phassa, cetan, manasikra etc., are called sakhra-updnakkhandh .

Then at the moment of thinking, there is evident also consciousnessof the act of thinking. Burmese people regard consciousness and mentalconcomitants together as just mind, citta. This consciousness of the act of thinking is very commonly viewed as soul, ego, atta for which reasonconsciousness is also known as vi .nupdnakkhandh

In addition, at the moment of thinking, the material body whichprovides the base for thinking is also so evident that the uninformed people

believe it is the material body which is thinking. For this reason, the materialbody which provides the base for thinking is known as rpa-updnakkhandh .

The object of thought may be material, rpa mental, nma , or paatti , name, idea (notion, concept). These also serve as objects of attachment. The material object belongs to rpa-updnakkhandh . Themental object is classified under the four categories of the nma-updnakkhandh . Pannatti may be included in the material or mental

group of grasping which ever it corresponds. For instance, in 'Ya picchana labhati' 'tampi dukkham' 'not getting what one wants is suffering' 'notgetting what one wants' is neither material nor mental; just pannatti . Thecommentarial note in Mla Tk on this point says that the desire for theunattainable should be taken as dukkha.

We have made a complete analysis of the five groups of graspingwhich become evident at the moment of thinking. To recapitulate:-

(1) The material body which forms the basis of thinking at the moment of thinking is rpa-updnakkhandh .

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of thinking is vedan-updna-kkhandh .

(3) Recognising or remembering the object of thought is sa-updnakkhandh .


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(4) Mental urging and inclination to accomplish the act of thinking, saying ordoing is sakhra-updnakkhandh .

(5) Just being conscious of thinking is via-updnakkhandh .

It is very important to realize the true nature of thought by beingmindful of it every time thinking occurs. Failing to take note of it and thusfailing to recognize its real nature will lead to attachment to it as I, mine,permanent, pleasant, good, etc. The majority of people in these days arealmost constantly clinging to these mental objects. Such attachments giverise to active processes for becoming, in accordance with 'updnapaccaya

bhavo' of the Law of Dependent Origination, Paicca Samuppda. And inevery state of new becoming, there awaits old age, disease, death followedby sufferings of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.

If, however, mindfulness is developed on each occurrence of athought, its real nature of impermanence, painfulness and insubstantiality,(anicca, dukkha, anatta) will become evident. Having thus known its truenature, no attachment to it arises; hence no active processes for newbecoming take place. And when there is no new becoming, the mass of

suffering represented by old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation etc. iscompletely eliminated. This cessation of suffering as a result of mindfulnesson each thought as it occurs is momentary. But if the practice of notingevery thought is continued, gaining temporary cessation on each noting, bythe time the Ariya magga becomes fully developed, the mass of sufferingwill have been completely eradicated. Thus while being occupied with theexercise of noting rising, falling, sitting, touching, if any thought or ideaintervenes, it should be noted as 'thinking' or 'idealing'.

The detailed analysis we have made above will demonstrate clearlythat what becomes prominent at the six moments of seeing, hearing,smelling, tasting and touching and thinking are merely five groups of grasping. To common people who cannot practise this exercise of noting, atthe moment of seeing, the subject which sees is obviously some substantialbody; the external object which is seen is also obviously a woman, a man, asubstantial body. Likewise with the phenomena of hearing, etc. In reality,however, there is no such substance or mass to form a physical body, onlythe five groups of grasping. Nothing exists except at the six moments of seeing, hearing etc. They become evident only at the six moments and whatbecome evident then are also just the five groups of grasping.


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SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING

Dreadful sufferings of new becoming, old age, death, sorrow, grief,etc., arise because of the five groups of grasping. So long as these five

groups of grasping exist, dreadful sufferings of becoming, getting old, death,etc., will persists. Therefore the five groups of grasping are themselvesdreadful suffering. In short, because there is physical body, rpa , physicaland mental sufferings dependent upon rpa arise. Because there is theknowing mind, nma , physical and mental sufferings based on it, arise.

Therefore, rpa and nma constituting the five groups of grasping aredreadful suffering.

In other words, the unbearable physical and mental distresses are

dreadful intrinsic sufferings known as dukkha-dukkha. Every one fears them. Thus, dukkha vedan , feeling of pain, otherwise updnakkhandh is thereal Truth of Suffering.

Pleasant sensations in the body and mind are agreeable, delightful,enjoyable while they last, but when they vanish, they are replaced bydiscomfort, dissatisfaction which of course is suffering. This kind of suffering,known as viparinma dukkha , comes about through change or conversionfrom a pleasant state or condition to something different and is terrible. To

the Ariyas, the Noble Ones, pleasant sensations are like the ogress, whobewitched people with her beauty and turned mad. For them, pleasantsensations are dreadful updnakkhandhs all the same and constitute thereal Truth of Suffering. At the same time, pleasant sensations are transitoryand require constant conditioning effort to maintain the status quo . This of course is irksome and is therefore in this wise too real dukkha.

The remaining upekkh vedan , the neutral feeling and theupdnakkhandhs of sa, sakhra, via and rpa are always in astate of flux, transitory and therefore to the Noble Ones they are alsodreadful. As death awaits constantly, having to rely on the impermanentupdna-kkhandhs for physical substance (mass or support) is dreadful, likeliving in a building which shows signs of collapsing at any moment.

The transitory nature of the updnakkhandh requires constanteffort at conditioning for the maintenance of the status quo . This sakhradukkha , the troublesome task of conditioning, is also dreadful. Therefore tothe Noble Ones, not only the pleasant or unpleasant feelings but theremaining updnakkhandhs are also dreadful Truth of Suffering.


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As all the five groups of grasping are regarded by the Noble Ones as

really terrible suffering, the Blessed One had said in conclusion of thedefinition of the Truth of Suffering, "In short, the five groups of graspingotherwise called nma and rpa which could cause attachments as I, mine,permanent, blissful, self, ego are just dreadful suffering."

UPDNA AND UPDNAKKHANDH

Now are will describe the difference between updna andupdnakkhandh . Updna means tenaciously clinging or grasping of which there are four types:

(a) kmupdna .... Grasping of sense-desires. It is attachment born of craving for sensual desires.

(b) Dihupdna ... Grasping of false views. It is the attachment to the viewthat there is no kamma and the result there of, there is no after-life, noSupreme Buddha, no Arahat. All other wrong views, apart from attdihiand slabbata. parmsa dihi are known as dihupdna.

(c) Slabbatupdna .... Grasping of mere rites and ceremonies, ritualism. Itis the practice of certain rituals or ceremonies, which have nothing to do withunderstanding of the four Noble Truths nor development of the EightfoldPath, with the belief that they will lead to release from suffering of sasra ,and to permanent peace free from old age, disease and death. It is a brandof micchdihi , holding what is wrong as right.

(d) Attavdupdna .... Grasping of the theory of soul. It is attachment tothe belief in soul, ego, a living entity. It is the same as the wrong view of personality-belief, sakkyadihi and self, attadihi .

Of the four types of grasping, kmupdna is clinging to sensualdesire, craving for them. The remaining are all various kinds of wrong views.

Therefore we can summarise (1) Two kinds of grasping, upadna : wrongview and craving for sense-desires.


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There are thus two kinds of attachments, updnas , one arising outof desire for pleasurable senses and the other because of wrong views. Theobjects of such attachments, updnas, consist of the aggregates of rpaand the aggregates of nma and are known as updnakkhandh . Summa-rising, we have (2) Objects which can cause attachments as I, mine areupdnakkhandh , groups of grasping.

The attachment as I is attadihi , the wrong view of self, which opensthe way to the remaining two wrong views. When attachment arises out of desire, the objects of desire which may not even belong to one, are graspedat as if they are one's own. The Pi Texts describe how this desire leads tothe possessive grasping in these words: "eta mama . This is mine". Wehave summarised in mnemonic (2) above this Pi Text description of possessive grasping.

The aggregates of nma, rpa which can cause attachment through

wrong belief as self, living entity or possessive clinging as mine are calledaggregates of grasping, updnakkhandh . The mental aggregates whichcannot give rise to clinging through desire or wrong view are called justkhandhas, aggregates and not updnakkhandhs. aggregates of grasping.Such mental aggregates are the supra-mundane vedan. sa, sakhraand vi a of the four Paths and the four Fruitions. They constitute merelyaggregates of feeling. aggregates of perception, aggregates of formationsand aggregates of consciousness and are not classed as aggregates of grasping, updna-kkhandh .

The mundane types of material body, vedan, sa, sakhra andvia we have repeatedly mentioned above are the aggregates whichincite attachments and are therefore called aggregates of grasping, namely,(3) Rpa, vedan, sa, sakhra and via .

The mundane aggregates of rpa, nma are the material bodies andrpavacara citta and cetasikas which become manifest at the six doors of senses to a person of no jhnic attainments every time he sees, hears,smells, tastes, touches or thinks. To a person of jhnic attainments,rpavacara and arpavacara jhna cittas also become manifest at themind's door in addition to the above aggregates. All these five groups of grasping are the truths of suffering which form suitable objects forvipassan meditation. The Blessed One later described them as dhammaswhich should be understood exactly and rightly through vipassan Insight,through knowledge of the Path. In the third part of our discourse, we haddefined sammdihi Path as the knowledge of the truth of suffering, that is,the knowledge which accrues from contemplation on these five groups of grasping.


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(11) It is futile to wish for freedom from ageing, disease and death and allkinds of suffering without developing the Eightfold Path; that wish will neverbe fulfilled. Thus wishing to get something which is unattainable is alsosuffering. In the mundane world, too, to hanker after what is not attainable isalso suffering.

(12) To summarise, the eleven types of suffering described above, the fiveaggregates which can incite attachments as I, mine, is really the Truth of Suffering.

We have fairly fully dealt with the definition and enumeration of the Truth of Suffering and have taken sometime over it. We shall end theDiscourse here for today.

May you all good people in this audience, by virtue of having givenrespectful attention to this great discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, be able to develop the Middle Path otherwise called the NobleEightfold Path, by contemplating on the five groups of grasping, the Truth of Suffering, which should be clearly and completely understood, and by meansof the Path and Fruition according to your wish, attain and realize soon theNibbna, the end of all sufferings.

Sdhu! Sdhu! Sdhu!

End of Part IV of the Discourse on Dhammacakka


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Chapter 5

THE GREAT DISCOURSE ON THE TURNING OF THE WHEEL OF DHAMMA

PART V

(The New Moon of Thadingyut, 1324 M.E.)

Last week on the 8th waning day of Thadingyut, when we gave the

discourse on the 4th part of the Sutta, we had dealt with the exposition onthe truth of suffering. We will go on today with the exposition of the Truth of the origin of Suffering. First, we shall go over again the headings of the four

Truths:

1. Dukkha sacc - The truth of suffering.

2. Samudaya sacc - The truth of the origin of suffering.

3. Nirodha sacc - The truth of the cessation of suffering.

4. Magga sacc - The truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

As explained in the 4th part of the discourse, after defining the Truthof suffering which He had discovered personally by penetrative insight, theBlessed One went on giving the definition of the Truth of the origin of suffering.

SAMUDAYA SACC


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Ida kho pana, Bhikkhave, dukkha-sannudayo ariya sacca: Yyatah ponobhavik nandrgasahagat tatra tatrbhinandin. seyathida,kmatanh, bhavatanh, vibhavatanh .

Bhikkhus, what I will presently teach is the Noble Truth concerningthe origin of suffering or the Truth which Noble Ones should know. There isthis hunger, this craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth and is bound upwith pleasure and attachment (or has the nature of pleasure andattachment); seeks delight, finds gratification now here, now there,everywhere. What is this tah, craving? It is of three kinds namely,kmatah , the sensual craving, the desire for enjoyment of sensuouspleasures; bhavatah , craving for eternal existence, holding the eternity-belief; vibhavatah , craving for non-existence (self-annihilation), believingthat there is nothing after death. These three kinds of craving are the truthof the origin of suffering.

The truth of the origin of suffering, that is, craving is the causalagency responsible for all kinds of suffering, already explained, starting fromthe suffering of fresh becoming to suffering of the five aggregates of grasping. To eliminate suffering, it is essential to know the cause of suffering. It is like making a diagnosis to know the cause of an ailment, sothat it may be cured. The Blessed One had personally penetrated to thistruth of the cause of suffering and had consequently entirely eradicatedsuffering by removing its cause. The samudaya sacc is nothing but tah ,craving or hunger. It is like feeling thirsty or hungry. Tah is thirst orhunger for sense objects.

The craving for sense objects gives rise to fresh becoming(ponobhavika) . So long as one remains in the grip of this tah , continuousrebirths will take place. We shall discuss how fresh rebirths take place laterin the discourse. This tah finds pleasure in sense objects and clings tothem. It is delighted with seemingly pleasant sense objects and even as oilor dye solution remains absorbed on any surface it happens to come intocontact, tah holds on to the sense objects tenaciously. This tah findsgratification here, there, everywhere. There is never any boredom ormonotony in the pursuit of pleasure. Any seemingly pleasurable senseobject, wherever it presents itself gives delight.

In the human world, life in the lower strata of society many beanything but attractive or pleasant to people of higher station. Yet we cansee people, unfortunately born into poor circum-stances, enjoying,nevertheless, their lives wherever they may be. Likewise, to the humanmind, animal life is unpleasurable, repulsive, horrible. To assume thephysical body of a snake or an insect is an abominable thought for a humanbeing. Yet if unfortunately rebirth takes place in an animal world, a being is


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quite pleased with his physical body and finds delight in its life. It is becauseof the nature of tah which finds gratification in every existence, in everysense object, wherever it may be. The Blessed One had therefore describedtah as finding pleasure here, there, in every existence, in every senseobject. This is well illustrated by the stories of Sampeya Nga king andQueen Upari.

THE STORY OF SAMPEYA NGA KING

In one existence, the Bodhisatta was born into a poor family in thevicinity of the river Sampa. Envious of the life of pleasure enjoyed by theSmpeya Nga king, the Bodhisatta engaged himself in the good deeds of giving alms and observing, the precepts. As a result, when he passed away,

he was reborn spontaneously in the realm of the Ngas, and found himself seated on the throne of the Sampeya Nga king, in the full shape and formof a Nga being. Now, Nga is a species of snake. To be reborn as a snakefrom the human existence is really frightful and abominable. The Bodhisatta,looking at his repulsive, horrible new form, reflected thus: "As a result of mygood deeds of charity and observance of morality, I could have been rebornin any of the six realms of the devas. But because I had wished for thepleasures of the Nga king, I am reborn into this world of reptiles. Oh! To diewould be better than to live the life of a snake", and he even played with theidea of committing suicide.

In the meanwhile, a young female by the name of Sumana gave a

signal to other young Nga females to commence entertaining their newking. The young Nga females, assuming the appearance of beautiful devis,goddesses, started singing and dancing and playing various musicalinstruments. Seeing the beautiful goddesses entertaining him with song,dance and music, the Sampeya Nga king imagined his Nga abode to thepalace of the king of the gods and felt very pleased. He also took on theappearance of a god himself and joined the female Ngas in their revelrieswith much delight.

But being a Bodhisatta, he easily regained the sense of reality, andresolved to be born again as a human being so that he could further promotehis pramis , the virtuous qualities of almsgiving, keeping precepts etc. Inpursuance of this resolution, the Sampeya king later came to the humanworld and seeking solitude in a forest, kept observance of the moralprecepts.

The point we wish to make in this story of the Sampeya Nga king isthat from the human point of view, the body of a reptile is horrible, repulsive.


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At the initial stage of the Nga life, the Bodhisatta also viewed his new lifewith horror and revulsion; but the sight of the attractive female Ngasbrought about a change in his outlook, which kept him reveling anddelighting in the Nga existence as if it were the home of gods. It is tahwhich seeks delight here, there, everywhere rebirth takes place that madethe Bodhisatta enjoy his Nga life after the initial revulsion. There was alsothe wish he had made, while he was a poor man in the human world, for thepleasurable life of a Nga king. This wish or craving was also tah whichlanded him in the realm of the Ngas, in accordance with the words of theBlessed One; "Ponobhavik --- gives rise to new birth".

THE STORY OF QUEEN UPARI

Queen Upari was the chief queen of King of Assaka who once ruledover the country of Ksi at its capital Ptali. She was said to be of greatbeauty. Ancient kings used to select the most attractive maidens of theirkingdom to become their queens. Consequently all their queens were notedfor their charm and loveliness. Queen Upari was outstanding amongst thembecause of her raving beauty and enchantment. Bewitched by her alluringcomeliness, King Assaka had lost his heart on her.

Much adored by the monarch and while still in the prime of her

beauty and charm, Queen Upari went to the gods' abode. Now 'to go to theabode of the celestial beings' is a Burmese cultural usage to denote thedeath of a royal personage. Likewise, 'flying back' means the passing awayof Buddhist monk, a mere cultural usage. A dead person finds rebirth in anexistence as conditioned by Kamma, the previous volitional activities. As ithappened, the Queen Upari, in spite of the saying according to the culturalusage that 'she had gone to the god's abode', actually made her rebirth inthe abode of the lowly beetles.

With the passing away of his adored queen, King Assaka wasconsumed by fiercely burning fires of sorrow and lamentation. He caused thecorpse of the queen embalmed in oil, to be placed in a glass coffin and keptunderneath his bedstead. Overwhelmed by grief, the king lay on the bedwithout food or sleep, wailing, moaning over the loss of his beloved queen.

The royal relatives and his wise ministers tried to console him and give hissolace by reminding him of the nature of impermanence and conditionality of existence, all to no avail. The corpse in the coffin, being embalmed in oil,would remain well preserved just like being treated with chemicalpreservatives of modern times. The queen would therefore appear to theking as if she was lying, sleeping in the coffin. The sight of the corpse actedlike fuel to his burning sorrows and lamentations which continued toconsume him for seven days.


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At that time, the Bodhisatta was a hermit, endowed with abhi,supernormal jhnic powers, living in the forest of the Himalayas. Hehappened to scan the whole world using his abhi , and saw King Assakain the throes of intense sorrow. He knew also that no one but himself couldsave the king from his misery. He therefore made his way to the royalgarden of King Assaka by means of his jhnic powers.

There a young Brahmin came to see the hermit who made enquiriesof him about the King Assaka. The young man told him how the king wasbeing overwhelmed by grief and requested him to save the king. "We do notknow the king. But if he came and asked us, we could tell him about hiswife's present existence", replied the hermit. Thereupon the young manwent to the king and said to him, "Great Sir, a hermit endowed with celestialeye and celestial ear has arrived in the royal garden. He said he knew andcould show the present existence of the departed queen. It would beworthwhile to go and see him".

Upon hearing that the hermit could show him the queen in herpresent existence, the king immediately took off for the royal gardens in acarriage. Arriving there, he paid respectful homage to the hermit andaddressed him. "Reverend Sir, is it true that you claim to know the presentexistence of the queen Upari?" On the hermit admitting his claim, the kingwanted to know where she was re-born now.

"Oh, great King, Queen Upari took delight in her beauteousappearance and was very vain about it. She had spent her time engagedonly in beautifying herself to make herself more alluringly attractive,forgetting all the while to perform meritorious deeds, to give alms andobserve moral precepts. In consequence, she has passed over to a lowlyexistence. She is presently reborn as a female cowdung-beetle in this verygarden", the hermit told the whole story very frankly.

Persons favored by fortune enjoying privileges of wealth, family,education, rank, physical beauty etc., are prone to exhibit haughtiness intheir dealings with others. Shrouded in their own vanity and self-esteem,they become neglectful in their performance of meritorious deeds. Humilityplays no part in their make-up. The Blessed One had taught in theCakammavibhaga sutta that such vain-glorious, haughty persons areliable to land up in lowly inferior re-births. On the other hand, unpretentiouspersons who show humility and pay reverential respects to those deservingof homage will be reborn in noble families.


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Queen Upari of our story was extremely beautiful and being the chief

queen of the ruling monarch was of very high status in life. She had her headturned by these pre-eminent qualities and looked down with contempt onthose she should have shown her respects. For such unwholesome attitudesand actions, it may be presumed she was reborn a lowly female cowdung-beetle. On hearing this account of rebirth of his beloved queen as a femalebeetle, King Assaka promptly rejected it, saying "I don't believe it."

The hermit replied, "I can show you the female beetle and make hertalk too." The king said, "All right. Please do and make her talk too." Thehermit using his supernatural powers of abhi made a vow for both themale and female beetles to make their appearance before the king.

When the male and female beetles emerged from the heap of cowdung into the presence of the king, the hermit said, "Oh King, the femalebeetle which is following from behind was your chief queen Upari devi.Having abandoned you, she is now trailing the male cowdung-beetlewherever it goes. Oh King, have a good look at the female beetle who waslately your chief queen Upari."

The king refused to believe the hermit. "I can't believe that such an

intelligent being as my queen Upari was reborn as this female beetle", saidthe king.

True, for those who do not quite believe in the laws of kamma and itsresultant effect, who do not understand the principles of conditionality orcausal relationship, as explained in Paiccasa-muppda, it would be difficultto accept that a being of the human world should have gone down so low asto become a mere beetle. Even in these days of ssan when Buddha'steachings are widely prevalent, there are some people holding the view that"when man dies, he cannot descend into an existence inferior to that of ahuman being". So it is not surprising that during the dark ages whenBuddha's dispensations were yet unheard of, such stories of incarnationwere received with scepticism.

Nevertheless, according to the teachings of the Buddha, for so longas one has not yet attained the status of an Ariya, one can descend from thehuman world or the celestial realm into the four lower states of existence;conditioned by the bad kamma and the mental reflex just before death,rebirth may take place in the lower order of beings. On the other hand,conditioned by good kamma and wholesome mental attitude on the

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dhammacakkappavattana sutta - mahasi sayadaw

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