By Nina van Gorkom
This book is not yet published in print format and this online version is in unedited text format without correct Pali accents.
During our sessions we went into the details of the Abhidhamma . Without knowledge of the Abhidhamma we cannot understand the different cittas which arise, we cannot understand that our life is nama and rupa.
Nama and rupa are paramattha dhammas, they are real in the ultimate sense. We cannot be reminded often enough that the objects of sati and panna are paramattha dhammas which appear now through the six doors. We should not believe too soon that we have understood this already. We may have only theoretical knowledge of paramattha dhammas. Acharn Somphon reminded us: "What appears through the eyes cannot be anything else but visible object, it is not a concept." We keep on forgetting this, we often forget that concepts of persons and things are not real in the ultimate sense. So long as concepts hide paramattha dhammas, realities cannot be known as non-self. We still believe that it is I who is seeing, instead of dhamma which sees. We think of a thing which is hard instead of knowing that hardness is dhamma.
During the sessions we were reminded time and again that listening and considering are conditions for the arising of awareness of nama and rupa. Listening is never lost because during these moments understanding is accumulated. Before we listened to the Dhamma we did not pay attention to the characteristics of realities. We touched many things which were hard but we did not pay attention to the reality of hardness. We were absorbed in conventional truth, in the things we touched. After having listened to the Dhamma we begin to realize that hardness is a rupa appearing through the bodysense. When sati arises we come to understand the difference between the moments we are absorbed in concepts and the moments paramattha dhammas appear one at a time through one of the six doors. Sati can be aware of the characteristic of hardness without thinking of names. At the moment we think of words or names the reality of hardness has vanished already. When panna knows this reality as nama and that reality as rupa, it means that realities are seen as non-self.
The benefit of satipatthana is having less ignorance of paramattha dhammas. When there is a moment of sati its benefit can be understood; during that moment one begins to understand what dhamma is: a reality which does not last and which is non-self. Seeing the benefit of satipatthana is a condition for its arising.
Some people think that they should be in quiet surroundings in order to concentrate on the arising and falling away of nama and rupa. However, they merely think of the arising and falling away of nama and rupa and there is no panna which knows one characteristic of nama and of rupa at a time as impermanent and non-self. The goal of the development of satipatthana is the eradication of the wrong view of self and later on of all other defilements. The different stages of vipassana nana arise in a specific order; the first stage of maha-vipassana, knowledge of the arising and falling away of nama and rupa, cannot arise before the preceding three stages which are "tender insight", taruna vipassana. If panna does not distinguish between the characteristic of nama and of rupa and if it does not know all kinds of realities as they appear one at a time through the six doors , how could the arising and falling away of one nama and of one rupa at a time be experienced? We may find it complicated to study the different stages of vipassana, but ignorance of these stages may lead to wrong practice.
We read in the "Gradual Sayings" (II, Book of the Fours, Ch V, 1, Concentration) that the Buddha explained about four ways of developing concentration . The first kind, concentration in samatha leading to jhana, is the concentration which leads to "happy living in this very life". The second kind, concentration on "light", is also developed in samatha. When it is more developed it leads to "nana dassana", "knowledge and vision" . The Commentary, the "Manorathapurani" explains that this is the "divine eye" or clearvoyance, a power acquired in samatha. The third kind of concentration leads to "mindfulness and well-awareness". We read:
Herein, monks, the feelings which arise in a monk are evident to him, the feelings which abide with him are evident to him, the feelings which come to an end in him are evident to him. The perceptions (sanna) which arise in him... the trains of thought (vitakka) which arise in him, which abide with him, which come to an end in him are evident to him. This, monks, is called "the making-concentration-to-become which conduces to mindfulness and well-awareness."
As to the fourth kind of concentration, this leads, when it is developed, to the destruction of the asavas . We read:
Herein a monk dwells observing the rise and fall in the five khandhas of grasping , thus: Such is rupa, such is the arising of rupa, such its vanishing. Such is feeling... such is perception... such are the activities, such the arising of the activities, such their vanishing. Such is consciousness... such the arising of consciousness, such its vanishing. This, monks, is called "the making-concentration-to-become which conduces to the destruction of the asavas"....
When right understanding of nama and rupa is developed in vipassana, there is also concentration, samadhi cetasika, which accompanies panna, but one does not have to think of concentration. If one tries to concentrate, there may be lobha, attachment, accompanied by wrong view.
The Commentary to the above quoted text gives a clear explanation about awareness of only one object at a time, in the context of the knowledge of the arising and falling away of nama and rupa. The objects of panna are the same, no matter one begins to develop satipatthana or later on when panna becomes more accomplished as the stages of vipassana nana arise. The objects are all conditioned nama and rupa which are here classified as the five khandhas. We read that the monk who realizes "udayabbhaya nana" sees the arising and falling away of realities. He knows that this is rupa, that only this rupa appears and that apart from this rupa no other rupa appears. He realizes that this is the origination of rupa, the arising of this rupa, and he realizes its extinction. And it is the same for feeling and the other khandhas.
In the case of right mindfulness of the feeling which appears there is only that object, no other object appears at that moment. It is the same for sanna, remembrance or perception, for the other cetasikas apart from feeling and perception (sankharakkhandha, the khandha of formations), and for citta. At this moment it seems that seeing and hearing appear at the same time, but there is only one citta experiencing one object at a time. When seeing is the object of mindfulness, just that reality appears, and no other reality appears at that moment. When seeing appears there cannot be thinking at the same time. When we hear the sound of a fan we may think of the concept "fan", but we do not think all the time of concepts, also hearing arises in between. Sati can begin to notice one characteristic at a time, such as hearing or sound. If that is the case we should remember that sati is conditioned by listening, that it is not self who notices different characteristics. If we forget this there is clinging to the self. So long as the difference between nama and rupa is not known doubt will arise about their characteristics, but doubts disappear by the development of satipatthana, Acharn Santi reminded us.
The objects of panna are all the objects appearing at this moment in our daily life: they may be pleasant or unpleasant, kusala or akusala. We read about the objects of vipassana in the "Path of Discrimination", the "Patisambhidamagga" . We read in the First or Great Division, I, Treatise on Knowledge, Ch XV, Defining Internally, that one "defines" or develops understanding of the internal realities and these are the internal ayatanas . We read:
How is it that understanding of defining internally is knowledge of difference in the physical bases?
How does he define dhammas internally?
He defines the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind internally.
When panna is developed in vipassana one does not confuse the different doorways with each other, there is only one reality appearing at a time through one doorway.
We read that he considers the conditions for the arising of the bases, namely ignorance and craving. He considers the characteristics of impermanence, dukkha and anatta. In the course of the development of panna clinging to the bases is abandoned.
The Commentary, the Saddhammappakasini, states that the eye does not exist before its arising, that it is there after its arising, that after its falling away it will not return. The commentary states that it is not stable, that it cannot last, that it is unsure and insignificant (viparinama). It is subject to change because of decay and death.
When we consider the impermanence of realities we think of different terms which describe impermanence, but when panna of vipassana arises it can penetrate immediately the nature of impermanence.
In Ch XVI of the "Patisambiddha Magga" we read about "Defining Externally". The understanding of the "defining" of the external realities is knowledge of the difference in the objects experienced through the different doorways and these are the external ayatanas. Someone who develops understanding of the objects experienced through the six doors does not confuse these objects with one another as they appear through the different doorways. He realizes that these objects are different, arising because of different conditions. Panna realizes that visible object is different from sound, panna does not join different realities together as a whole, as the world of persons and things. We read:
How does he define dhammas externally?
He defines visible objects externally, he defines sounds... odours... flavours... tangible objects... he defines dhammas externally.
We read that he considers the conditions for the arising of external realities, namely ignorance and craving. He considers the characteristics of impermanence, dukkha and anatta and in the course of the development of pannna clinging to the external objects is abandoned.
In Chapter XVI, we read about the understanding of "defining behaviour", cariya. Cariya, behaviour or conduct is, according to the Commentary, conduct of citta towards the object it experiences. There are three kinds of behaviour: behaviour of consciousness, behaviour of unknowing, and behaviour of knowledge. This is not theory, but it concerns our life all day long. Behaviour of consciousness, citta, includes the cittas which arise in processes and which experience objects through the six doors, except the mind-door adverting-consciousness preceding the javana cittas which can be kusala or akusala, and the javana cittas themselves, since these are classified in the following sections.
In the following section in the "Patisambiddha Magga" we read about the "behaviour of unknowing", which includes the mind-door adverting-consciousness (mano-dvaravajjana-citta), a kiriyacitta, neither kusala nor akusala , and the akusala javana cittas which follow. This reminds us that ignorance is the root of everything which is akusala. We read about cittas with greed for agreeable visible objects, sounds, and the other sense objects, cittas with hate for disagreeable objects. We read about cittas with delusion, with conceit, wrong view, agitation and doubt. All day long there are cittas arising in processes and when they appear they can be objects of right understanding.
The Commentary explains that the "behaviour of unknowing" is conduct with ignorance, conduct because of ignorance, conduct with regard to the object which is not known or conduct which is ignorance.
In the following section we read about the "behaviour of knowledge". This includes the mind-door adverting-consciousness, which is neither kusala nor akusala, and the kusala javana-cittas which contemplate the three characteristics of impermanence, dukkha and anatta, and which go on developing insight until enlightenment is attained, even to the degree of the phala-cittas (lokuttara vipaka which is fruition-consciousness) of the arahat.
The Commentary explains that the "behaviour of knowledge" is conduct with knowledge, conduct because of knowledge, conduct towards the object which has been understood or conduct which is knowledge. "Knowledge" stands for the Pali term nana, which is panna cetasika.
We read further on in the "Path of Discrimination" (395):
The behaviour of consciousness is one, the behaviour of unknowing is another, the behaviour of knowledge is another.
Knowledge is in the sense of that being known and understanding is in the sense of the act of understanding that. Hence it was said: "Understanding of defining behaviour is knowledge of difference in behaviour."
Thus we see that all the different cittas which appear can be object of understanding, nothing is excluded, not even akusala cittas. Also the cittas with panna which develop vipassana are objects of understanding, otherwise panna will be taken for self and there cannot be any progress.
Lokuttara panna, supramundane panna, which accompanies the magga-citta, path-consciousness, arising when enlightenment is attained, eradicates defilements and experiences nibbana. Defilements are eradicated at the different stages of enlightenment until they are all eradicated at the attainment of the fourth stage of enlightenment, the stage of the arahat. So long as there are defilements there are conditions for rebirth, we continue to be in the cycle of samsara, the cycle of birth and death. At this moment we do not see the danger of being in the cycle of birth and death. By the development of vipassana the danger of rebirth will be seen more and more. Birth as a human being is the result of kusala kamma, but, so long as one has not become a sotapanna, akusala kamma may produce an unhappy rebirth in the future.
The Buddha compared the accumulation of conditions for rebirth with the building of a house, and the freedom from samsara with the destruction of this house. We read in the Commentary to the "Chronicle of Buddhas" (Buddhavamsa), the "Clarifier of the Sweet Meaning" (Madhuratthavilasini), in the section on the "Jewel Walk", that the Buddha, after his enlightenment said:
Seeking but not finding the house-builder, I travelled through countless births in samsara. Dukkha is birth again and again. House-builder, you have been seen now; you shall not build the house again. All your rafters are broken down, your ridge-pole demolished too. Now my mind has attained what is without constructions, and reached the destruction of cravings....
*******Chapter 6
The Eradication of Defilements
During our sessions in Thaton, coffee, tea and leechy juice was passed around. The leechy juice was made from fruits of the orchard belonging to the owner of the hotel. We cannot help having attachment as soon as we taste a delicious flavour. However, we cannot force ourselves not to have lobha, it arises when there are conditions for it but it can be object of right understanding. The different degrees of defilements were another topic of our discussions. Akusala citta arises more often than we realize. Many times we do not recognize akusala as akusala because we have accumulated ignorance from life to life. Through the development of vipassana we learn that akusala is a conditioned reality, non-self. Only right understanding developed in vipassana can eventually eradicate akusala. So long as we take it for self it cannot be eradicated. When we listen to the Dhamma and study what the Buddha taught about akusala cittas we shall have less ignorance about them. It is most beneficial to learn the details of the different types of cittas and the conditions through which they arise, otherwise we take akusala for kusala, and we do not notice that there is akusala citta when it is more subtle. By the study of the Dhamma we begin to think in the right way about realities and this can be a condition later on for the arising of samma-sati, right mindfulness.
Akusala cittas can be coarse, medium or subtle. The coarse defilements, vitikkama kilesa, are the unwholesome actions through body, speech or mind, such as killing, stealing or lying. The medium defilements, pariyutthana kilesa, are the akusala cetasikas which arise with the citta but which do not have the intensity to motivate unwholesome deeds at that moment. Akusala cittas can be classified according to their roots, hetus ,in three groups: lobha-mula-cittas, which are rooted in moha, ignorance, and in attachment, lobha; dosa-mula-cittas, which are rooted in moha and dosa, aversion; moha-mula-cittas which have moha as their only root. Besides the roots there are other akusala cetasikas which arise with these akusala cittas.
The subtle defilements, anusaya, do not arise with akusala citta, but they are latent tendencies; they lie dormant, they are like microbes investing the body. We do not notice them, but they are there, accumulated in the citta; they are pertinacious and they condition the arising of defilements again and again. The inherent or latent tendencies have been accumulated from life to life. The first javana cittas of every living being who is born are lobha-mulacittas, cittas rooted in attachment. These are conditioned by the latent tendencies accumulated in the past.
After many happy hours of listening to the Dhamma in the Dong Devi Temple we made a walk in the dusk, enjoying the view of the mountains. A beautiful meal was served to us outside and then we traveled to Chiang Dao where we arrived towards the evening. Here, in the hall of the Hotel where we stayed, Acharn Sujin arranged another Dhamma discussion. One of the topics was the latent tendencies. There are seven latent tendencies:
the latent tendency of desire for sense pleasure (kamaraganusaya)
the latent tendency of aversion (patighanusaya)
the latent tendency of conceit (mananusaya)
the latent tendency of wrong view (ditthanusaya)
the latent tendency of doubt (vicikicchanusaya)
the latent tendency of desire for becoming (bhava-raganusaya)
the latent tendency of ignorance (avijjanusaya)
Acharn Sujin pointed out that we do not have to learn this list by heart, but that we can remember them when we consider the different akusala cittas which are conditioned by them. When lobha-mula-citta arises which likes pleasant objects it is clear that there is the latent tendency of desire for sense pleasure which is unabandoned; it does not arise with the citta but it conditions the arising of lobha. So long as this latent tendency has not been eradicated it conditions attachment to sense objects again and again. Even when we walk or move our hand there is likely to be attachment. After seeing or hearing there is attachment very often, but we do not notice it. Cittas arise and fall away extremely rapidly. The lobha-mula-citta falls away again, it is gone, but there is a new accumulation of the tendency to lobha added to what was there already. Unwholesome tendencies are carried on from one moment of citta to the next one since each citta is succeeded by the next citta. If we consider this it helps us to see the danger of akusala dhammas. The study of each detail of the Dhamma is beneficial, it can be a condition to be less neglectful with regard to the development of kusala. When our objective is not dana, generosity, sila, which includes not only abstaining from ill deeds but also helping others and paying respect, or mental development, which includes study of the Dhamma, the development of calm and of vipassana, we act, speak and think with akusala citta. Conceit and wrong view can accompany lobha-mula-citta, but they do not accompany every lobha-mula-citta and they do not arise at the same time. When conceit or wrong view arises they are conditioned by the latent tendencies of conceit and wrong view. Clinging to rebirth accompanies lobha-mula-citta, and when it arises it is clear that the latent tendency of desire for becoming is still unabandoned. Thus, when we consider lobha-mula-citta, we can remember four latent tendencies which condition itsaccompanying akusala cetasikas: attachment to sense pleasures, wrong view, conceit and attachment to rebirth.
When an unpleasant object is experienced, dosa-mula-citta is likely to arise. So long as the latent tendency of patigha, which is aversion, is unabandoned it conditions the arising of dosa-mula-citta.
Ignorance arises with each type of akusala citta. So long as the latent tendency of ignorance has not been abandoned there will be akusala citta. There are two types of moha-mula-citta which have moha as their only root: one type is accompanied by doubt and one is called "accompanied by restlessness" . When one has doubt about the Buddhas teaching, about enlightenment, about nama and rupa, it is evident that the latent tendency of doubt is still unabandoned. When we consider the two types of moha-mula-citta which are bound to arise in our life, we can remember that the two latent tendencies of ignorance and doubt are unabandoned. Thus, the akusala cittas which are classified according to their roots and the akusala dhammas which can accompany them can remind us of the latent tendencies which are still there, unabandoned, like the germs of the disease of defilements.
The latent tendencies are eradicated at different stages of enlightenment: wrong view and doubt are eradicated by the sotapanna; desire for sense-pleasures and aversion are not eradicated by the sakadagami (the once-returner, who has attained the second stage of enlightenment) but they have become attenuated; these tendencies are eradicated by the anagami (the non-returner who has attained the third stage of enlightenment); clinging to rebirth and ignorance are eradicated by the arahat. The latent tendencies are deeply rooted and hard to eradicate. By the development of samatha to the degree of jhana, absorption, defilements can be temporarily subdued, but the latent tendencies cannot be eradicated. Only by the development of vipassana all latent tendencies can be completely eradicated so that there are no conditions for the arising of akusala dhammas.
We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (IV, Salayatana Vagga, Fourth Fifty, Ch 3, 190, The Sap-tree) that the Buddha said to the monks:
"If in any monk or nun, monks, that lust, that malice, that ignorance which is in objects cognizable by the eye exists, be not abandoned, then, when even trifling objects, not to speak of considerable objects, cognizable by the eye, come into the range of the eye, they overspread the heart. Why so? Because, monks, that lust, that malice, that ignorance exists, is not yet abandoned.
If any monk or nun, monks, that lust... that is in mental objects cognizable by the mind exists, be not abandoned... they overspread the heart. Why so? Because of that lust... that is not yet abandoned.
Suppose, monks, a sap-tree, either a bo-tree or a banyan or fig-tree or bunched fig-tree or any tender young tree. Then if a man cuts into it with a sharp axe, whenever he does so the sap flows out, does it not?"
"Yes, lord."
"Why so?"
"Because sap is in it, lord."
"Just so, monks, if in any monk or nun that lust, that malice, that ignorance which is in objects cognizable by the eye... in the tongue... in mental objects cognizable by the mind exists, be not abandoned, then, when even trifling objects, not to speak of considerable objects, cognizable by the eye come into the range of the eye, they overspread the heart. Why so? Because that lust... is not yet abandoned. But if they be abandoned they do not overspread the heart.
Suppose, monks, a sap-tree, either a bo-tree or banyan or fig-tree or bunched fig-tree that is dried up, sapless, past its season, and a man with a sharp axe cut into it. Would sap come out?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Why not?"
"Because no sap is in it, lord."
" Just so, monks, as I have said... if in any monk or nun that lust, that malice, that ignorance which is in objects cognizable by the eye exist not, if they be abandoned,- then, when even trifling objects, not to speak of considerable objects, come into the range of the eye, they do not overspread the heart. Why so? Because that lust, that malice, that ignorance exist not, because they are abandoned.
So also of the tongue and mental objects cognizable by the eye... they do not overspread the heart because they exist not, because they are abandoned."
Learning about the latent tendencies which condition defilements teaches us that defilements are non-self, anatta. Time and again akusala cittas arise, but often we do not notice them. Medium defilement, pariyutthana kilesa, which arises with akusala citta may be, for example, lobha which arises after seeing or hearing, a slight attachment to visible object or sound which we do not notice. There are different degrees of medium defilements, they can be very slight or more intense. We discussed defilements which are classified in different groups, such as the "fetters" (samyoyana) which fetter us to rebirth again and again, or the "intoxicants" or "cankers" (asavas), which are fermenting and keep on flowing from birth to death. Acharn Sujin reminded us that even a slight attachment is a canker. The asavas are:
the canker of sensuous desire
the canker of becoming (birth)
the canker of wrong view
the canker of ignorance.
They are not theory, they pertain to our daily life. The canker of ignorance keeps on flowing, we are ignorant of what occurs innumerable times in daily life, of seeing or hearing. Acharn Sujin spoke many times about seeing which sees visible object. Some people may not find it interesting to hear so often about seeing, but it is most beneficial to be reminded of seeing which sees visible object. We can realize our ignorance at such moments. We forget that seeing only sees what impinges on the eyesense: colour or visible object. It is at another moment that we think of the person or thing we perceive. Cittas arise and fall away extremely rapidly, but we do not realize that cittas arise and fall away, succeeding one another. When we read the scriptures we can notice that the Buddha repeated time and again that pleasant or unpleasant objects are experienced through the eyes, the ears and the other doorways, and that on account of the objects defilements arise. We cannot be reminded of the truth often enough. We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (IV, Salayatana Vagga, Kindred Sayings on Sense, Second Fifty, Ch 5, 94, Including (the sixfold sense-sphere) that the Buddha said:
There are these six spheres of contact, monks, which are untamed, unguarded, unwatched, unrestrained, bringers of Ill. What six?
The eye, monks... the tongue... the mind, ... are untamed... bringers of Ill
There are these six spheres of contact, monks, which are well tamed, well guarded, well watched, well restrained, bringers of happiness. What six?
The eye... the tongue... the mind...
Thus spoke the Exalted One... Then the Master added this further:-
He meets with Ill, monks, who has not tamed
The sixfold impact of the sphere of sense.
They who have learned the mastery of these,
With faith as companion,- they dwell free from lust.
Beholding with the eye delightful things
Or things unlovely, let him restrain his bent
To lust for loveliness, and let him not
Corrupt his heart with thoughts of "O, it is dear".
And when, again, sounds sweet or harsh he hears,
Not led astray by sweetness, let him check
The error of his senses. Let him not
Corrupt his heart with thoughts of "O, it is sweet."
If some delightful fragrance meet the nose,
And then again some foul malodorous stench,
Let him restrain repugnance for that stench,
Nor yet be led by lust for what is sweet.
Should he taste savours that are sweet and choice,
And then again what is bitter to the tongue,
He should not greedily devour the sweet,
Nor yet show loathing for the bitter taste.
By pleasures impact not inebriate,
Nor yet distracted by the touch of pain,
To pain and pleasure both indifferent
Let him be free from likings and dislikes.
Obsessed (by lusts) are others: so obsessed
They know and so they fare. But he dispels
All the worlds vulgar fashionings of mind,
And treads the path renunciation-bound.
By contact of these six, if mind be trained,
The heart is never shaken any more.
Overcome these two, O monks,- lust and hate.
Pass you beyond the bounds of birth and death.
The arahat has eradicated all defilements and he is freed from the cycle of birth and death. We cannot force ourselves not to have defilements, but they can be objects of awareness so that they can be seen as they are, as impermanent and anatta. Through the development of satipatthana we shall come to know our defilements. We should understand our defilements, not avoid being aware of them; that is wrong practice which is a form of ditthi, wrong view. Only the sotapanna has eradicated wrong practice. If we try to induce sati, there is wrong practice; we are already on the wrong Path, and if this is not known, right understanding cannot develop. We may mislead ourselves taking akusala for kusala. We may believe that there is confidence, saddha, when we listen to the Dhamma, but there may be moments of clinging to calm or to pleasant feeling while we listen. Or there may be conceit with regard to kusala, we find "our kusala" very important. When we find ourselves important there is conceit. Khun Tongchai reminded us of the passage about the objects of conceit in the "Book of Analysis" (Vibhanga, Ch 17, Analysis of Small Items):
Pride of birth; pride of clan; pride of health; pride of youth; pride of life; pride of gain; pride of being honoured; pride of being respected; pride of prominence; pride of having adherents; pride of wealth; pride of appearance; pride of erudition; pride of intelligence; pride of being a knowledgeable authority....
Khun Tongchai Sangrat had collected several texts which he read from a notebook. He is called the "Diamond", he is the "Diamond of the North", because he lives in Chiangmai. He organizes Dhamma discussions and supports the Dong Devi Temple. Some years ago he showed great hospitality to the people of the Dhamma Study and Propagation Foundation in his Lana Resort. He promotes Acharn Sujins radio programs in many radio stations all over Thailand. Thanks to his efforts many people can listen to her talks and learn about the development of satipatthana.
Conceit is so deeply rooted and it takes many lives before also the more subtle forms of conceit are eradicated; only the arahat eradicates conceit completely. The sotapanna has eradicated wrong view, and although he does not take any reality for self, he may still cling to his abilities and his wisdom with conceit.
Acharn Sujin reminded us that there are many moments of conceit we do not notice. For example when someones dress is red we may think: "O, look at that red dress", and then there may be some contempt; we may think with conceit that we would not dress in that way. We are so used to finding ourselves important that we overlook such moments. Conceit may arise when we speak, when we stress what we say with gestures; we find our words very important. We may have conceit because of honour or possessions, but the citta which thinks of the importance of honour and possessions falls away immediately. Through the development of satipatthana one will acquire more understanding of citta which falls away immediately, more understanding that life is only one moment of citta. We do not own honour and possessions.
********
Chapter 7
The Perfections
Panna which eradicates all defilements has to be developed gradually, during countless lives. There is no way to realize its development more rapidly. We have to listen to the Dhamma and carefully consider what we hear. We cannot do anything else, Acharn Sujin said. When panna has grown it will realize the true nature of nama and rupa. The fact that we cannot do anything to hasten the development of panna does not mean that we should be idle, doing nothing. All kinds of kusala for which there is an opportunity can be developed together with satipatthana. The Buddha, when he was a Bodhisatta, developed during countless lives the "perfections", paramis, wholesome qualities which he accumulated, so that in his last life he could attain Buddhahood. These perfections are: dana or generosity, sila or wholesome conduct, nekkhamma or renunciation, panna, viriya or energy, khanti or patience, sacca or truthfulness, aditthana or determination, metta or loving kindness, upekkha or equanimity. We too need to develop the perfections together with satipatthana, so that there will once in the future be the right conditions for the attainment of enlightenment.
During our last evening in Thaton we discussed some aspects of the perfections. They had been a topic of Dhamma discussions many times before, also in India, but there are always new aspects when we consider their practice in the situation of daily life. Acharn Sujin had warned us not to cling to an idea of self who wants to "have" the perfections, because that is not the way to accumulate them. There may be clinging to kusala or there may be conceit with regard to kusala, and therefore we need the perfection of truthfulness or sincerity to detect these defilements. We should have the sincere inclination to develop the perfections with the aim to have less defilements.
We may wonder to what extent generosity and metta should be developed towards a person who asks too much from us. Acharn Santi reminded me that we develop metta in order to have less defilements. It is of no use to think for a long time about the other person, about situations, or to wonder to what extent we should develop metta. We should consider the citta which develops the perfection of metta. There is no specific order in which the perfections should be developed; they can all be developed together. Acharn Sujin stressed once that none of the perfections should be neglected, that we need the support of all of them so that we can reach the goal. When we listen to the Dhamma there should be patience, we should not wish for a quick result of the development of right understanding. We should listen without wishing to acquire something for ourselves, such as honour or esteem. When our goal is the development of understanding there is renunciation or detachment, nekkhamma. All ways of wholesomeness are nekkhamma, because during such moments one renounces akusala, one does not cling and there is no selfishness. When we feel tired we need virya, energy, so that we make an effort to listen to the Dhamma; we also need determination to continue to listen, to consider the Dhamma and to develop satipatthana.
Sila should be developed together with satipatthana. Some people believe that they have purity of sila when they do not transgress the five precepts. However, without satipatthana one takes sila for self, there is no purity of sila (sila visuddhi). The sotapanna will never transgress the five precepts and he does not take sila for self. The person who has not attained enlightenment may observe the precepts for a long time, but when for example his life is in danger he may transgress them. Moreover, he has not eradicated the wrong view of self. There are many kinds of sila; it can, for example, be classified as avoidance (varitta) and performance (caritta). Avoidance is abstaining from akusala. Performance includes wholesome actions through body and speech such as helping, paying respect and politeness. We read in the Commentary to the "Basket of Conduct" (Cariyapitaka), the "Paramatthadipani" about the sila of the Bodhisatta:
Thus, esteeming virtue (sila) as the foundation for all achievements- as the soil for the origination of all Buddha-qualities, the beginning, footing, head, and chief of all dhammas issuing in Buddhahood- and recognizing gain, honour, and fame as a foe in the guise of a friend, a bodhisatta should diligently and thoroughly perfect his virtue as a hen guards his eggs: through the power of mindfulness and clear comprehension in the control of bodily and vocal action, in the taming of the sense-faculties, in purification of livelihood, and in the use of the requisites ....
The vicissitudes of the world are gain and loss, honour and lack of honour, praise and blame, wellbeing and pain. We only desire pleasant worldly conditions, but we do not see them as ennemies in the guise of friends. We cling to them and we do not see that they are subject to change, and we may even commit akusala kamma such as lying or stealing in order to obtain them.
With regard to virtue as performance, we read about the courteous conduct of the Bodhisatta towards those who deserved respect. He was assisting others, he was fulfilling his duties, he helped people in explaining Dhamma. He was contented with little and saw danger in the slightest faults. We may forget that sila has many more aspects apart from observing the five precepts. Sila leads to tranquillity, happiness and absence of remorse.
Sila also includes guarding the six doors with sati (indriya samvara sila). When we experience a pleasant object through one of the senses attachment is likely to arise, and when we experience an unpleasant object, aversion is likely to arise. When there is awareness of nama and rupa, no matter whether we experience a pleasant object or an unpleasant object, the doorways are guarded, there is no akusala citta on account of the object which is experienced.
The last day of our sessions, at the airport of Chiangmai, I remarked to Acharn Sujin that it is very difficult to practise patience and kindness towards a person who behaves to us in a disagreeable way. Acharn Sujin answered that one needs unpleasant situations to practise the perfections. If there is no unpleasant situation how can one develop them? We read in the Commentary, the "Paramatthadipani" about the Bodhisattas practice of patience when he considered the following:
"If there were no wrong-doers, how could I accomplish the perfection of patience?" And: "Although he is a wrong-doer now, in the past he was my benefactor." And: "A wrong-doer is also a benefactor, for he is the basis for the developing of patience."
In the ultimate sense there is no "other person" who is disagreeable and no self to whom he is disagreeable. The Bodhisatta considered about this:
"All those dhammas by which wrong was done, and those to whom it was done-- all those, at this very moment, have ceased. With whom, then, should you now be angry, and by whom should anger be aroused? When all dhammas are not-self, who can do wrong to whom?"
We read in the same Commentary that wisdom is the chief cause for the practice of the other perfections. We read:
Again, only the man of wisdom can patiently tolerate the wrongs of others, not the dull-witted man. In the man lacking wisdom, the wrongs of others only provoke impatience; but for the wise, they call his patience into play and make it grow even stronger....
When we hear unpleasant words we can remember that hearing is only vipaka, the result of kamma, a deed performed in the past. Instead of being upset there can be equanimity, upekkha, and also metta, benevolence. We can be intent on the welfare of any person, even if he is not agreeable, that is true metta. Metta is different from liking a particular person, metta is impartial. When we do not retort disagreeable speech with angry words we practise the perfection of sila. Thus, in difficult situations the perfections can be practised together with satipatthana. We should remember that all the perfections pertain to our daily life. Situations are difficult very often, and then we should ask ourselves:"Where are the perfections of patience, metta, upekkha and energy, where is the determination to practise kusala?" The situation is a test for the practice of the perfections.
During these days of Dhamma discussions we received many precious reminders from Acharn Sujin, from Acharn Somphon, from Acharn Santi, and from many of our friends. Listening helps to gain more confidence in the Buddhas teaching. We can verify the truth of what he taught about nama and rupa: seeing is conditioned by eyesense and visible object; hearing is conditioned by earsense and sound, and it is the same for the other doorways. We cannot control seeing or hearing, these experiences are vipaka, conditioned by kamma. On account of what we experience through the senses attachment or aversion are bound to arise. These accompany akusala citta. The Buddha explained in detail what kusala is and what akusala, and he taught the development of satipatthana which eventually leads to freedom from defilements. When we develop satipatthana we actually take our refuge in the Buddha. To what extent we take refuge in him depends on the development of understanding. People have fear of accidents, sickness, death and rebirth, but the recollection of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha can banish all fear.
We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (I, Sagatha-Vagga, Ch XI, Sakka, 3, The Top of the Banner) that the Buddha explained to the monks that when they dwell in the forest or empty places and fear would arise, they should recollect the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. We can apply his advice in our own situation, when we have an occasion to be fearful. The Buddha spoke in the following verse:
Whenever in forest or in leafy shade
Or lonely empty places you abide,
Call to your mind, bhikkhus, the Enlightened One;
No fear, no sense of peril will you know.
Or if you cannot on the Buddha think-
The chief, the senior of the world, the Bull of men-
Then call to mind the Dhamma, the well-taught guide.
Or if you cannot think of the Dhamma-
The well-taught doctrine wherein guidance lies-
Then turn your thoughts to the Community,
Unrivalled field where men may sow good deeds .
If you in Buddha, Dhamma, Community thus refuge take,
Fear, panic, creeping of the flesh will never arise.
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