We read in the "Mahå Parinibbåna Sutta" (Dígha Nikåya 16, The Book of the Great Decease, 100-101) 1 that the Buddha spoke to Ånanda about his old age, being in his eightieth year, and that he said that his life was spent:

Therefore, Ånanda, be an island to yourself, a refuge to yourself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.

And how, Ånanda, is a monk an island to himself, a refuge to himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge?

When he dwells contemplating body in the body... feeling in the feelings, mind in the mind, and mental objects in the mental objects, earnestly, clearly comprehending, and mindfully, after having overcome desire and sorrow in regard to the world, then, truly, he is an island to himself, a refuge to himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge.

Those monks of mine, Ånanda, who now, or after I am gone, abide as an island to themselves, as a refuge to themselves, seeking no other refuge; having the Dhamma as their island and refuge, seeking no other refuge; it is they who will become the highest, if they have the desire to learn.

When we were sitting near the Bodhi Tree for a Dhamma discussion, Acharn Sujin said that we are an island to ourselves when we develop understanding ourselves. We listen in order to have more understanding and we consider what we heard. It has to be our own understanding, nobody else can develop it for us.

We read in this Sutta about the four Applications of Mindfulness: physical phenomena, feelings, cittas, and dhammas, that is, cetasikas and other realities under different aspects not included in the other three Applications of Mindfulness. Acharn Sujin explained that when we read about these four Applications of Mindfulness, we should not merely think of their names. They should remind us to be aware of the reality that appears now. When people read in the section on the Application of Mindfulness of the Body about mindfulness of breath or the cemetery meditations, they wonder in what way they should apply this. People have different accumulated inclinations and therefore, there is no rule that everybody should also develop samatha. Some people have accumulated skill to develop high degrees of calm even to the degree of jhåna, absorption, and they may develop calm with meditation subjects such as breath or the foulness of the body. There is no rule that people should develop samatha, calm, to a high degree before they develop insight. But no matter what one's inclinations are, one should know and understand that what appears because of conditions is impermanent and non-self. After each section of the Applications of Mindfulness, it has been repeatedly stated that one should contemplate the origination and dissolution of realities. This understanding can only be acquired by the development of insight, right understanding of the reality that appears now. Also the citta that develops mindfulness on breathing as a meditation subject of samatha is impermanent and non-self. We should not forget that the four Applications of Mindfulness include all the common realities of our daily life, such as pain, pleasant feeling, hearing, tasting, sound or tangible object. These are the objects of satipaììhåna.

We have ignorance and wrong view of all realities, we see all the pleasant things of life as a true refuge. We do not realize that all conditioned dhammas are susceptible to change and decay. We should listen to the Dhamma as it is explained by the right friend in Dhamma. In India Acharn Sujin proved again and again to be our right friend in Dhamma. We should consider carefully what we learnt through her and apply it by the development of right understanding of nåma and rúpa. Gradually the characteristics of nåma and rúpa can be understood as they really are and they can be seen as impermanent, dukkha (unsatisfactory or suffering) and anattå, non-self. In this way we shall realize that Dhamma is our true refuge, that there is no external refuge.

We should know what can be the object of sati and paññå when satipaììhåna is developed: one reality at a time as it appears through one of the sense-doors or the mind-door. When we taste a flavour we usually are forgetful of realities and we think of the concept of the flavour, such as an apple or a sweet. When we have studied the Dhamma there may be conditions for the arising of sati that is non-forgetful of the reality that appears. It can be mindful of the flavour and then understanding can develop of its true nature so that it can be realized as a rúpa appearing through the tongue. Flavour has a characteristic that can be known directly, without the need to think about it or to name it flavour. We can change the name flavour, but its characteristic is unalterable. Thus, characteristics of realities can be directly understood when they appear one at a time, without the need to think about them. Satipaììhåna is at first very slight, we hardly know what it is. But when it arises more often we know. It is followed by thinking, but we can realize that it is thinking.

Acharn Sujin said: "The theory of satipaììhåna is not too difficult, but there may not be enough conditions for the arising of right awareness. One is not used to the characteristic of awareness. If there can be thinking of nåma and rúpa, why can't there be awareness of them? Right now there is the test of one's understanding of seeing, hearing or thinking. While one is listening all realities arise and fall away because of the appropriate conditions... Paññå can know at which moment there is satipaììhåna and at which moment there is not. Sati of satipaììhåna arises and falls away very rapidly and one thinks about satipaììhåna and the object of satipaììhåna. Later on the difference between such moments can be known. Paññå should be keen enough to see the difference. The eightfold Path is difficult because it has to be developed with detachment. Having the intention or the wish to develop it is not the Path; if one wishes to know a reality even if that reality seems to be clear, it is wrong, and paññå should be very keen to realize this. The Path cannot be developed by the intention to know realities. The wrong practice can only be eradicated by the path-consciousness (magga-citta) of the sotåpanna, the person who attains the first stage of enlightenment."

Satipaììhåna is not concentration or trying to focus on a specific reality. There are so many pittfalls by which we mistake for satipaììhåna what is not satipaììhåna. For example, we experience for a moment just sound, no other reality and then we believe that this is satipaììhåna. However, akusala citta with attachment can also experience the paramattha dhamma that is sound. Acharn Sujin spoke about hardness that can be experienced by different types of citta. She said that we all notice when something hard impinges on the bodysense, that also a child can notice this. Body-consciousness experiences hardness, it is vipåkacitta, result of kamma, and this citta is not accompanied by awareness. One may fix one's attention with lobha on a paramattha dhamma such as hardness , but that is not satipaììhåna. Or there maybe a moment of sati and then quickly after that there is again lobha trying to hold on to the object. Cittas arise and pass away so fast. Paññå must be very keen to discern all those different moments. We are likely to have many misconceptions of what sati is. We forget that sati falls away in splitseconds, just like all other conditioned realities. Do we believe that sati does not fall away and, while it is lasting, that it can be aware now of this reality and then of that reality? We may have intellectual understanding of the fact that sati falls away immediately, but, unknowingly, we may still tend to hold on to sati as if it could last. We take sati for self and that is a hindrance to its arising.

Listening to the Dhamma and considering what we heard can condition the arising of sati. It depends on someone's accumulated inclinations how deeply he will consider what he hears. Nobody can control the arising of mindfulness, it all depends on the accumulated conditions for it. Nobody can control the object of mindfulness either. As we were often reminded: nobody can choose to see, nobody can choose to hear, nobody can choose to have sati. It will arise when there are the right conditions. We may try to have conditions as a support for paññå but this is motivated by clinging to the concept of self. Acharn Sujin stressed that we need more understanding of the truth of non-self as a firm foundation that can condition the arising of right awareness. She said:

"When a characteristic of a reality appears, do we just remember the name of that reality, or is there sati arising because of its own conditions? A reality such as seeing may appear, but it appears for a very short time, and then it falls away. Sati arises for a very short moment and then it falls away. Sati that is aware without trying to focus on a reality is right awareness. But the clinging to the concept of self comes in between all the time. It is very difficult to become detached from it. Gradually we can become familiar with the different characteristics that appear."

Acharn Sujin explained many times how important it is to be sincere as to one's own development. We should realize when there is satipaììhåna and when there is not, we should realize what we understand already and what not yet. She stressed that it is the task of sati to be mindful of realities, not our task. If we deeply consider this, we shall be less inclined to think of sati with attachment, or to try to induce sati. By listening to the Dhamma and considering what we hear, right understanding of the way to develop satipaììhåna grows, and thus, conditions are gradually accumulated for the arising of sati of satipaììhåna. When sati of satipaììhåna arises and is aware of a characteristic, paññå can understand what sati is and in this way the difference can be discerned between the moment that there is sati and the moment that there is forgetfulness of realities. When sati is mindful of a reality, paññå, understanding of that characteristic, can gradually develop.

Acharn Sujin reminded us many times that we should have no expectations with regard to the arising of sati and paññå:

"One can live happily with regard to the development of understanding, and this can be very natural. If there is very little paññå, one sees one's own accumulations and one knows that one cannot have what has not been accumulated. Someone may dislike his accumulations, but if there is more understanding he can take life easy. When paññå arises there are no expectations, the function of paññå is detachment. If there is not enough understanding and there is desire for sati and paññå, they cannot arise.

We should know, if there is interest to listen, that it is not self who has an interest, but that it arises because of conditions."

When we were in Sarnath, the Head Monk, the Ven. Kahawatte Sri Sumedha, showed us great kindness and hospitality, inviting us to use his office for Dhamma discussions, and later on arranging for a "high tea" to be offered to us. While we were sitting at a long table in his office we heard every now and then the call of a bird that was kept there. When we hear sound, almost immediately we think of a concept. We should not try to avoid thinking of concepts, thinking arises naturally and it is also a kind of nåma. When we hear a bird's call or the voices of people it is natural to think of concepts, of mental images we have of animals and people. However, we do not think all the time, there are also other realities such as hearing, seeing or experiencing hardness. They arise and fall away in splitseconds, but we do not realize this and we remember concepts on account of what was perceived.

Nåma and rúpa are not concepts, they are not imaginary, but they are dhammas each with their own characteristic. When a characteristic of nåma or rúpa appears, sati can be aware of them without thinking of their names.

During our journey Acharn Sujin stressed often that no names or words are needed when there is awareness of characteristics of realities. This is a reminder for us, since we are so used to think in words about realities instead of being directly aware of them. She explained:

"Awareness should be natural; it just follows the moment of experiencing an object by "studying" it with awareness, so that there is a beginning of understanding, instead of just thinking in words. Without thinking in words there can be right awareness of a reality, and awareness falls away. There should be no expectation of other moments of awareness."

Listening to Acharn Sujin's explanations is a condition for more understanding of paramattha dhammas, such as hearing and sound. Intellectual understanding of them is a foundation for the arising of direct awareness, provided we do not obstruct the arising of satipaììhåna by wishing to have sati. When sound appears there must be the nåma which hears that sound, but paññå has to be developed so that it clearly understands nåma as nåma and rúpa as rúpa. Acharn Sujin explained:

" Rúpa cannot experience anything and nåma is quite different from rúpa. When sati of satipaììhåna arises it is aware of only one characteristic at a time, for example of sound. There is nobody who hears, there is nothing else but sound and hearing that hears the sound. There is nobody at all, nowhere. If there is an idea of somewhere, there is thinking of some place, memory of place and people, of me, of the whole body. When understanding of sound is developed, it is just sound. People try to focus, to concentrate with the idea of self. Sound is appearing and citta experiences it, there are only these realities. There is nobody in this room. This can be directly experienced by gradually developing right understanding and this is the right Path."

When we meet other people and we talk to them, we forget that, in the ultimate sense, there is nobody, that we are alone with nåma and rúpa. If we do not know the characteristic that appears we think of this or that person. There must be citta that experiences an object. Colour appears, thus there must be a citta that is seeing. Visible object or colour is the only rúpa that is visible, that can be seen. Seeing sees for an extremely short moment and then it is gone, and also visible object falls away, nothing remains. When we look at people they seem to last, and this is because we think for a long time of shape and form of people and of things. There are many different moments of thinking and these fall away. Thinking is a paramattha dhamma, but the concepts that are the objects of thinking are not paramattha dhammas. We can learn to discern when we are in the world of concepts and when in the world of paramattha dhammas. We cannot immediately have right understanding of paramattha dhammas, but we can begin to develop it.

I asked Acharn Sujin why, in particular, visible object seems to appear for a long time. She answered:

"It seems to appear for a long time, but when there is more understanding of it, it will appear more shortly. Only one kind of rúpa can be seen. When we are thinking of shape and form, it is remembrance of a concept, different from visible object. There is thinking and remembrance of what is seen. Other rúpas such as hardness or sound do not interest us as much as visible object."

The Buddha has taught us the truth of paramattha dhammas he had realized when he attained enlightenment, and that is why we can develop today right understanding of all phenomena of our life. From the following Sutta we can learn that the Dhamma is our true refuge when we see the five khandhas 1 , conditioned nåma and rúpa, as they are: impermanent, dukkha and anattå, non-self. This understanding is developed through satipaììhåna. We read in the Kindred Sayings (III, Khandhå-vagga, The First Fifty, Ch 5, On Being an Island to oneself 2 ) that the Buddha said:

Monks, be islands to yourselves, be your own refuge, having no other; let the Dhamma be an island and a refuge to you, having no other. Those who are islands to themselves... should investigate to the very heart of things: "What is the source of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair? How do they arise?"

Here, monks the uninstructed worldling... regards the body as self, the self as having body, body as being in the self, or the self as being in the body. Change occurs in this man's body, and it becomes different. On account of this change and difference, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair arise. (similarly with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, consciousness.)

But seeing the body's impermanence, its changeability, its waning, its ceasing, he says, "formerly as well as now, all bodies were impermanent and unsatisfacory, and subject to change." Thus, seeing this as it really is, with perfect insight, he abandons all sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. He is not worried at their abandonment, but unworried lives at ease, and thus living at ease he is said to be "assuredly delivered." (Similarly with feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness.)

1. The five khandhas are: rúpakkhandha, physical phenomena; vedanåkkhandha, feelings; saññåkkhandha, remembrance or perception; saòkhårakkhandha, mental formations including all cetasikas except feeling and remembrance; viññåùakkhandha, consciousness.

2. I used the translation by M O' C. Walshe, Wheel Publication No. 318-321.

The Buddha taught that there is no self and therefore it was very appropriate that in all the holy sites Acharn Sujin reminded us of our clinging to a self. She said:

"We say that there is no self, but do we understand by insight knowledge realities as nåma dhamma and as rúpa dhamma? Nobody can change their characteristics, they have no owner. We have to listen in order to understand their characteristics and if there is gradually more understanding, sati will arise. It is the task of sati to be aware, not our task."

We cling to ourselves, to our actions, speech and thoughts, but we do not notice this. When we listen to the Dhamma or read a sutta, is there not an idea of self who is doing this? The test is always at this moment. Only paññå can eliminate clinging to the idea of self and all kinds of lobha, "we" cannot do this.

There are different ways of thinking of ourselves. We may think of ourselves with wrong view, diììhi, or just with clinging that is unaccompanied by wrong view, or with conceit, måna. There are eight types of citta rooted in lobha, lobha-múla-cittas, four of which are accompanied by wrong view and four without wrong view. Conceit can accompany lobha-múla-citta that is without wrong view, but it does not arise all the time with these types of lobha-múla-citta 1. Wrong view is eradicated at the attainment of the first stage of enlightenment, the stage of the streamwinner, sotåpanna. However, he can still think of himself with attachment, or with conceit.

We have accumulated these three ways of clinging to self for aeons. Attachment to sense objects, kåmaråga (which is lobha cetasika), wrong view, diììhi, and conceit, måna, are latent tendencies, anusayas, that are very persistent. Latent tendencies are subtle defilements that lie dormant in the citta and do not arise with the citta, but they condition the arising of akusala dhammas time and again.

Acharn Sujin referred to a Sutta about lobha in the "Kindred Sayings" , the "Resident Pupil" (IV, Kindred Sayings on Sense, Fourth Fifty, Ch 5, § 150), where lobha is compared to a resident pupil, a companion one lives with, and to a teacher, who tells someone what to do. Lobha is our life-long companion, it follows us everywhere. Lobha can also be compared to a teacher, who, as Acharn Sujin said, suggests going here or there, and who is followed by citta who obeys the teacher. There is seeing and then clinging, there is hearing and then clinging, there is thinking and then clinging. She said that we know the coarse lobha, but not the more subtle lobha. For example, when we are seeing now we may not notice that we like what we see, but still, there may be a subtle clinging to seeing or to visible object. We often do not notice it when there is akusala citta, in particular when attachment or anger are not strong. When our objective is not dåna, síla or bhåvana, our actions, speech and thoughts are motivated by akusala cittas, and these are bound to be lobha-múla-cittas very often. When we, for example, are just daydreaming, we may not notice it when there is lobha.

We read in the Sutta of "The Resident Pupil" that the Buddha said:

Without a resident pupil, monks, and without a teacher this righteous life is lived.

A monk who dwells with a resident pupil or dwells with a teacher dwells woefully, dwells not at ease. And how, monks, does a monk who has a resident pupil, who has a teacher, not dwell at ease?

Herein, monks, in a monk who sees an object with the eye, there arise evil, unprofitable states, memories and aspirations connected with fetters. Evil, unprofitable states are resident, reside in him. Hence he is called "co-resident". They beset him, those evil, unprofitable states beset him. Therefore he is called "dwelling with a teacher."

So also with the ear... the tongue... the mind... Thus, monks, a monk who has a resident pupil, who has a teacher dwells not at ease.

The opposite has been stated about a monk who dwells without a resident pupil and without a teacher. He dwells at ease.

Acharn Sujin asked someone of our group who had gone shopping whether "the teacher" had told her to go to the market. Everything is dhamma, lobha and dosa are dhamma, but we still consider them as "my lobha", "my dosa".

We had a Dhamma discussion sitting on the grass near the great Stupa in Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon to his five disciples. There were many people going around the Stupa and Burmese pilgrims were beating a drum and chanting to express their respect to the Buddha. After our discussion we were also going around the Stupa three times with lighted candles. Instead of thoughts of reverence I happened to have thoughts of dosa because of something that worried me. However, I remembered a conversation I had with a friend who had told me that we do not necessarily have wholesome thoughts at the holy sites. It is very natural that there are also akusala cittas. Then I considered that it did not matter to have dosa. Later on Acharn Sujin reminded me that even such thoughts can be motivated by lobha: someone may like it that he is unconcerned about his dosa. This shows again how easily we can be deceived with regard to ourselves.

Attachment to sense objects can only be eradicated at the attainment of the third stage of enlightenment, the stage of the non-returner, anågåmí. First wrong view of realities, diììhi, has to be eradicated before other defilements can be eradicated. We have the latent tendency of wrong view, diììhanussaya, and this can condition the arising of lobha-múla-citta (citta rooted in attachment) that is accompanied by wrong view. When we have studied the Dhamma we may have intellectual understanding of the Buddha's teaching on nåma and rúpa, but we may still follow the wrong practice instead of developing right understanding of what appears now. Wrong practice is a way of wrong view, diììhi. We may engage in wrong practice without noticing this. We may, for example, believe that we should visit the holy sites and pay respect to the Buddha's relics in order to have more sati of satipaììhåna. Acharn Supee reminded us that we may try to induce sati by acting in a specific way. That is not the right Path. He explained that the "teacher" lobha may tell us to follow special techniques in order to gain more understanding, but that this is not the development of right understanding of realities that are conditioned and appear now.

Acharn Sujin always stresses that we cannot do anything to have sati, it arises because of its own conditions. When we listen to the Dhamma conditions for the arising of sati are accumulated. However, we may still unknowingly try to be aware. It is paññå that can detect such moments.

Conceit, måna, is another akusala cetasika that can arise with lobha-múla-citta. When there is conceit we attach importance to ourselves. Because of conceit we compare ourselves with others: we think ourselves better, equal or less than someone else. However, also when we do not compare ourselves with others we may find ourselves important and then there is conceit. Acharn Sujin reminded us that even when we laugh, conceit may arise. When we laugh about the way someone else is dressed, there can be conceit: we may find that he is dressed in a funny way while we are well dressed. Also when we are with other people who tell us stories and we join in their laughter we may find ourselves important, we may attach importance to our way of laughing, our manners. Acharn Supee explained that when there is a sense of "me" and "he" there may already be conceit. Conceit may arise when we think of someone else who takes medicine while we do not have to take it; when we think of ourselves who perspire in the hot climate of India, while others do not; when we think of ourselves who have taken the food from the buffet table already while others have not yet; when we think of ourselves who visit the holy sites, while others do not. There are countless instances of thinking with conceit, but these are very intricate. When we have a thought of "me and the others" and our objective is not dåna, síla or bhåvanå, very often conceit is bound to arise. Even when we think, "He sits there and I am here", there can already be conceit, Acharn Supee said.

When we have mettå, loving kindness, for someone else, we do not think with conceit, thus this is a way to have less akusala when we are with others. However, cittas arise and fall away very rapidly, and there may even be clinging to the idea of trying to have mettå instead of conceit. Mettå and conceit can arise very rapidly one after the other. Only paññå can know these different moments. Acharn Sujin said:

"If we try to analyse different moments it is not paññå, it is thinking. When there is more understanding there will be less thinking about `me' all the time. We should think of other people rather than thinking of ourselves. Any time satipaììhåna arises, it is so useful. It is like a drop of water falling in a big jar, even if it is a tiny drop."

In other words, eventually the jar will be filled with water, even if there is a little drop at a time. Evenso, a short moment of sati is useful, because it is accumulated little by little, so that right understanding can grow.

We learn that all realities are anattå, but we have wrong understanding of anattå. We forget that the reality appearing at this moment is anattå. Acharn Sujin stressed the importance of truthfulness and sincerity. We should be sincere as to our development of understanding and not pretend to know what we do not know yet. Someone asked what an "upright person" is. Acharn Sujin answered:

"An upright person knows that dhamma is dhamma, non-self. One becomes an upright person by listening, considering and awareness. When satipaììhåna arises, and a person is aware of the characteristic that appears, studies it and understands it, he follows the right Path. He is not following another practice, different from the right Path. Gradually he studies realities and understands them, and he is not neglectful, so that insight knowledge can arise. He knows that he cannot select any object of satipaììhåna."

She reminded us many times that the development of paññå should be very natural, that we can learn about our own accumulations. We can take life easy, not, of course, as an excuse for akusala, but we should not worry about it. Lobha arises because it is accumulated, otherwise it would not arise. We have to be sincere, truthful. It is good to know our accumulated inclinations. She said: "If akusala does not arise, how can we know that we still have it?" Thus, we can learn from our akusala. This is the way to develop understanding.

Acharn Sujin explained in particular the different conditions for the arising of lobha, because it arises more often than we ever thought and we are inclined to take it for self. The Buddha taught twentyfour classes of conditions, paccayas, for the phenomena of our life, so that we can have more understanding of the truth of non-self. Nåma can condition nåma, rúpa can condition rúpa, nåma and rúpa can condition each other in various ways. Citta, cetasika and rúpa cannot arise without conditions.

There are several conditions that operate at the same time when a reality arises. The object citta experiences is one of the conditions for the arising of citta. Each citta experiences an object, and there cannot be citta without experiencing an object; the object conditions citta by way of object-condition, årammaùa-paccaya. Some objects are very desirable and then one gives preponderance to them; they condition the citta by way of object predominance-condition, årammaùådhipati-paccaya 2 . Only desirable objects can condition the citta by way of object predominance-condition, not unpleasant objects, such as painful feeling. Wholesomeness such as dåna or the development of right understanding can be object predominance-condition for the kusala citta that esteems it and gives preponderance to it. A desirable object that is experienced can condition lobha by way of object predominance-condition. In the hotels where we stayed there was a large selection of delicious foods displayed on the buffet table in the dining hall. Each one of us selected different dishes. Acharn Sujin said:

"When you go to select food, what conditions the selection? When an object is so very pleasant, you will not let go of it, you want to have it more than anything else. When you see many different things and you select something in particular, this is because of the object predominance-condition, the object conditions one to cling to it. Lobha is so attached to that object."

When we like an object, we may want to have it again and again, not merely once. We accumulate clinging to that particular object. That object conditions clinging by way of object strong dependence-condition, årammaùúpanissaya-paccaya 3; it has become a powerful inducement, a cogent reason for lobha. Acharn Sujin said:

"You may like a special kind of fruit, and it will happen again that you like it. That object becomes your strong dependence-condition for continuing to like it; you like it not just once. You want to have it again and again, and this becomes a habit. That is why we like different things."

The teaching of conditions is not theory, we can understand conditions whenever they appear. We can know what object we like in particular and what object can be a strong dependence-condition for liking it. Thus, in the case of clinging, the object predominance-condition indicates that the object is highly desirable so that it conditions lobha to have preference for it. The object that is strong dependence-condition indicates that lobha becomes strongly dependent on it, that it is a cogent reason for lobha. These conditions do not operate only in the case of defilements, but also in the case of kusala citta.

There are several more conditions for the arising of lobha in daily life. We accumulate different tendencies, different likes and dislikes, because each citta that arises and falls away is immediately succeeded by the next citta without any interval. Each citta conditions the succeeding citta by way of proximity-condition, anantara-paccaya 4. That is why all our accumulated tendencies can go on from one citta to the next citta, from life to life. Another condition that concerns the way a preceding citta conditions the succeeding citta is the proximity strong dependence-condition, anantarupanissaya-paccaya 5. This condition is similar to the proximity-condition, but it is not identical. The proximity strong dependence-condition indicates how forcefully a preceding citta can condition the subsequent citta: the preceding citta is a cogent reason for the arising of the subsequent citta. Thus, with regard to proximity-condition and proximity strong dependence-condition there is a difference in the conditioning force that brings about the appropriate effect. When, for example, strong dosa, aversion, arises quite suddenly, we may ask ourselves how that could happen. Our accumulated dosa conditions the arising of dosa at the right time; the preceding citta is then a powerful inducement for the arising of such a degree of dosa at the succeeding moment. It has to happen, it is beyond control, because it is depending on the appropriate conditions. This is also true for lobha, and for kusala. Our accumulated tendencies are carried on from moment to moment in the series of cittas of which our life consist. This series must go on and on from this life to the next life, by way of proximity-condition and by way of proximity strong dependence-condition. Nothing can arrest this chain of life except the dying-consciousness of the arahat, which is not succeeded by rebirth-consciousness.

The wholesome and unwholesome tendencies we accumulate today condition future moments of kusala citta and akusala citta. They condition these by way of natural strong dependence-condition, pakatupanissaya-paccaya 6, another condition among the twentyfour classes of conditions. We think of kusala and akusala that we performed as "ours", but they are just dhammas, devoid of self, that arise because of their own conditions. We see that people have different manners, different ways of walking or sitting. This is due to experiences and tendencies accumulated in the past.

Thus, there are three kinds of strong dependence-condition:

object strong dependence-condition

proximity strong dependence-condition

natural strong dependence-condition

The Buddha realized the conditions for all phenomena of life thoroughly when he attained Buddhahood. All these conditions are realities, not terms, but the terms are needed to explain realities.

When we listen to the Dhamma the tendency to listen and to consider what we hear is accumulated from moment to moment. Right understanding can become an object strong dependence-condition: we see the value of understanding based on listening and this conditions us to listen again and again. We accumulate the tendency to listen and to consider what we hear, this becomes a natural strong dependence-condition for right understanding. The different conditions that play their part in our life are very intricate. Understanding that arises with the citta can condition the arising of a succeeding moment of understanding, not only by way of proximity condition, but also by way of proximity strong dependence-condition, anantarupanissaya-paccaya. The accumulation of sobhana cetasikas such as confidence, saddhå and mindfulness, sati, and other wholesome qualities may be ready to condition that very moment of paññå. When the accumulated conditions are sufficient they can condition higher levels of paññå: stages of insight knowledge and even lokuttara (supramundane) paññå, arising at the attainment of enlightenment, but "we" cannot induce this. It is most valuable to understand more about the different kinds of conditions that play their part in our life. This understanding will prevent us from following the wrong Path and it will help us to realize this moment as non-self, no matter it is kusala or akusala.

The Buddha exhorted people to eradicate akusala and to develop kusala, but can "we" do this? Acharn Sujin said:

"Is it correct to say that a self can eradicate akusala and develop kusala? Kusala is dhamma and akusala is dhamma, they arise because of their appropriate conditions. One does not like to have akusala, and one likes to have kusala, but can kusala arise often? If there is right understanding, it is a condition to have gradually less akusala, because one can be aware of akusala as akusala. But there is no self who wants to have kusala and to eradicate akusala. Kusala and akusala are anattå. We can verify for ourselves whether we can have kusala to the degree we wish or not."

If there are no conditions for kusala, we cannot force its arising. There are many degrees of kusala that can eliminate akusala. It depends on the individual to which kind of kusala he is mostly inclined, to dåna, síla, samatha or to the development of right understanding.

We read in the "Dhammmapada" (Khuddaka Nikåya), vs. 183:

Not to do any evil, to cultivate wholesomeness, to purify one's mind,- this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

This is a short text but deep in meaning. When we develop right understanding of all realities appearing through the six doors we "purify the mind". Then we can see akusala and kusala as dhammas that arise because of the appropriate conditions and that are non-self. This understanding is the condition to refrain from akusala and to cultivate kusala.

1. In the second Book of the Abhidhamma, the "Book of Analysis" Ch 17, "Analysis of Small Items" different ways of craving have been explained in connection with oneself. One thinks of oneself with craving, with wrong view and with conceit. Craving, taùhå, wrong view, diììhi and conceit, måna, are three factors that slow down the development of insight. They are also called papañca, diffuseness or aberrations. See my "In Asoka's Footsteps", Ch 4.

2. Årammaùa means object and adhipati means predominance.

3. Upanissaya means support or dependence. Årammaùúpanissaya-paccaya is also translated as decisive support-condition of object.

4. Anantara means without any interval.

5. This is also translated as decisive support of proximity-condition.

6. Pakati means natural. The natural strong dependence-condition is very wide, it also includes, for example, kusala that can condition the arising of akusala later on, or akusala that can condition the arising of kusala later on .

The Understanding of the four noble Truths

Attachment, lobha, and aversion, dosa, frequently arise in our daily life. We know in theory that they are dhammas, non-self, but when they arise, do we realize them as only nåma elements? We notice it when we have dosa but we think about "our dosa" or name it dosa, instead of realizing it as a nåma element. Lobha and dosa are cetasikas accompanying akusala citta. In theory we know that citta is different from cetasika. Citta experiences an object, it is the chief in knowing the object, and the accompanying cetasikas that share the same object have each their own characteristic and function. Lobha and dosa are different cetasikas. We can begin to be aware of them when they appear, but only when paññå has been developed to the stage of insight knowledge can it clearly see lobha and dosa as nåma elements devoid of self. At this moment we still confuse the characteristic of nåma such as seeing with rúpa such as visible object, and thus, we are bound to take them for self. It is necessary to listen to the Dhamma and consider it over and over again, otherwise there is no foundation for right awareness of nåma and rúpa. This should not discourage us, we can continue to study with awareness any kind of reality that appears. This kind of study is the beginning of understanding the characteristics of realities. Acharn Sujin said:

"Intellectual understanding is not enough, it is only thinking about realities. But knowing this is in itself a condition for right awareness. Awareness can arise very naturally. We touch many things in a day without awareness. When there is a moment of right understanding, there is sati, samådhi (concentration or one-pointedness) and effort, and there is no need to think, "I should try more." There is effort already. The understanding of non-self will grow. Nobody can condition anything, even a reality such as sound. Sound arises when there are conditions for it. Who can do anything? There are conditions for each reality."

Effort, viriya, is a cetasika arising with many cittas, it can accompany akusala citta and kusala citta. Thus, when there is mindfulness of a nåma or rúpa, effort, viriya, accompanies the kusala citta. With regard to concentration, samådhi, this is a cetasika that accompanies each citta, thus also the kusala citta with mindfulness. We should not try to focus on one particular dhamma, then there is a concept of self who selects an object of mindfulness and that is a hindrance to the development of paññå.

The last day of a long and strenuous bus journey we traveled from Gaya to Nålandå and then on to Patna. The road from Gaya to Nålandå was full of deep holes, and while the bus was trying to avoid these holes it was rocking to and fro, from side to side, like a boat going on a rough sea. We had lunch in the Thai monastery of Nålandå where we offered dåna to the monks. After Nålandå the bus was frequently held up in the towns and villages where huge, sometimes frightenings crowds celebrated the last day of the Hindu festival of Durka Pujjå. We arrived in Patna around nine in the evening and this was the end of our two weeks journey. This extremely long day caused me to have severe stomach aches while sitting in the bus and during these moments I was considering painful feeling and pondering over it. Later on, in Patna, Acharn Sujin reminded me of the difference between awareness and thinking:

"There is still the idea of, `it is my pain'. Even though pain has a characteristic it is still me, me, me. There can be thinking, `pain is not mine, it is just a reality', but pain arises and falls away while there is thinking about it. Do we really know nåma and rúpa? We should know that pain is a reality which is nåma, but is there development of understanding of any kind of dhamma so that insight knowledge, vipassanå ñåùa can arise? Everyone knows that there is pain, but it is `my pain' until it is understood as just a reality. The concept of me or mine is deeply rooted, until understanding is developed to the stage that nåma is realized as nåma and rúpa as rúpa.

There can be awareness of a reality as nåma, as just the reality that experiences, even if it is not clear yet. It is developing, there can be some understanding of the characteristic of nåma. When paññå has been developed to the degree of vipassanå ñåùa the understanding of nåma and rúpa will be clearer. How can that degree of understanding arise if there are no moments of developing understanding now? Paññå has to begin."

When sati of satipaììhåna arises, it can be aware of realities that appear through the six doorways. One can begin to be aware of nåma, the reality that experiences, and rúpa, the reality that does not experience, even though their characteristics are not yet clearly understood. There can gradually more understanding of nåma and rúpa.

There are seven kinds of rúpa that appear all the time in daily life: visible object appears through the eye-door, sound through the ear-door, odour through the nose-door, and flavour through the tongue-door. Through the bodysense there is the experience of solidity, appearing as hardness or softness, temperature, appearing as heat or cold, and motion, appearing as motion or pressure. After these rúpas have been experienced through their relevant sense-doors, they are experienced through the mind-door. Afterwards other mind-door processes of cittas arise that know concepts on account of the rúpas that have been experienced. Processes of cittas experiencing rúpas through the sense-door and then through the mind-door arise and fall away extremely rapidly. We do not notice it that a particular rúpa is experienced through the mind-door after it has been experienced through a sense-door. We are ignorant of the mind-door process. Nåmas, citta and cetasika, are experienced only through the mind-door. When there is awareness of seeing it has arisen in a sense-door process and then fallen away, but its characteristic still appears and it can be object of mindfulness arising in another process.

We listen to the Dhamma and in this way we have more understanding of the reality appearing at this moment, be it nåma or rúpa, be it kusala or akusala. When understanding based on listening has been developed there are conditions for the arising of direct awareness of the characteristics of nåma and rúpa as they appear one at a time. When satipaììhåna has been developed more thoroughly, stages of vipassanå ñåùa, insight knowledge, can be reached. The first stage is: distinguishing the difference between the characteristic of nåma and the characteristic of rúpa, nåma-rúpa-pariccheda-ñåùa. This kind of paññå realizes through the mind-door the difference between nåma and rúpa. A moment of insight knowledge is different from the moments when nåma and rúpa seem to appear together, such as seeing and visible object. When insight knowledge arises there is no self, nåma and rúpa appear one at a time as non-self. There is no world, no thinking of concepts of person or thing, there is nothing else appearing but nåma and rúpa.

When nåma and rúpa appear as they are through the mind-door, there is no doubt about what nåma is and what rúpa is, and no confusion about what the mind-door is. There is no thinking about the different doorways, the cittas arising in a sense-door process and the mind-door process succeed one another extremely rapidly. After the moments of vipassanå ñåùa have fallen away, doubt arises again, and thus, one has to continue developing insight so that the following stages of vipassanå ñåùa can arise. However, one should be detached and not try to reach higher stages. Acharn Sujin said:

"Ignorance and desire are hindrances to the development of vipassanå. One should not be interested in it whether the next stage of vipassanå ñåùa arises or not, otherwise there are expectations again. It does not matter when the next stage of vipassanå ñåùa arises. With vipassanå ñåùa paññå has reached another level. Paññå is non-self."

So long as enlightenment has not been attained, the idea of self has not been eradicated yet and one has to continue developing satipaììhåna so that higher stages of insight can be reached and eventually enlightenment can be attained.

At this moment lobha and dosa may appear, but they do not appear as merely dhammas, elements devoid of self. Acharn Sujin said, "Kusala and akusala appear, but it is "us" all the time. We think of kusala that has fallen away with an idea of self." Someone asked, when lobha and dosa are realized as only nåmas, whether their different characteristics are also known. They have different characteristics but now we do not know yet as nåmas. When paññå has been developed to the degree of insight knowledge, their characteristics do not change, but they are realized as nåma elements devoid of self. Paññå realizes akusala as dhamma and kusala as dhamma, it realizes all that appears as dhamma.

We discussed different sounds that can be loud or soft, and different flavours that can be sweet or sour. Someone wondered whether these different characteristics appear when there is awareness and they are realized as just rúpa. Acharn Sujin answered:

"Citta can experience everything, there is no need to use the names low or loud sound. Citta can know everything and paññå can understand everything that appears."

It is the same with the different flavours, their characteristics cannot be altered; they are, for example, sweet or sour and they appear as such. Paññå can realize them as only rúpa, and this is different from thinking of concepts, such as an apple that is sour or sugar that is sweet. There can be awareness of realities as they naturally appear, we should not imagine that there is a neutral sound or a neutral flavour.

Someone had doubts whether it would ever be possible to attain insight knowledge. Acharn Sujin answered that what the Buddha taught is the truth and that what is true can be realized. If we do not know the characteristic of the reality appearing at this moment we cannot realize the four noble Truths and become enlighhtened. The understanding of the four noble Truths is not merely knowing their names: the noble truth of dukkha, of the origin of dukkha, of the cessation of dukkha and of the way leading to the cessation of dukkha. Dukkha is the truth that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and thus unsatisfactory, that they are no refuge. The origin of dukkha is craving: so long as there is craving we are in the cycle of birth and death and there is no end to dukkha. The cessation of dukkha is nibbåna. The way leading to the cessation of dukkha is the eightfold Path. The Truth of dukkha has to be understood, the Truth of the origin of dukkha, craving, has to be abandoned, the Truth of the cessation of dukkha, nibbåna, has to be realized, and the Truth of the way leading to the cessation of dukkha has to be developed.

We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (V, The Great Chapter, Kindred Sayings about the Truths, Ch 2, The Foundation of the Kingdom of the Dhamma), that the Buddha, when he was dwelling at Isipatana, in the Deer-park, explained to the five disciples the four noble Truths.

The Commentary to this Sutta, the "Såratthappakåsiní, explains about three "rounds" or intertwined phases 1 of realizing the four noble Truths:

knowledge of the truth, sacca ñåùa

knowledge of the task that has to be performed, kicca ñåùa

knowledge of the task that has been done, kata ñåùa 2

We read in the Sutta referred to above (in § 2) that the Buddha, after he explained the four noble Truths, said:

Monks, at the thought: This is the noble Truth about dukkha, - there arose in me, concerning things unlearnt before by Tathågatas 3, vision, insight, understanding and wisdom, there arose in me light.

Monks, at the thought: This noble Truth about dukkha is to be understood...

At the thought: This noble Truth about dukkha has been understood (by me),- there arose in me, concerning things unlearnt before by Tathågatas, vision, insight, understanding and wisdom, there arose in me light.

Monks, at the thought: This is the noble Truth about the arising of dukkha... there arose in me light.

Monks, at the thought: This arising of dukkha must be put away...

Monks, at the thought: This arising of dukkha has been put away... there arose in me light.

In the same way the Buddha explained about the third noble Truth, the ceasing of dukkha: the comprehension of it, knowledge of the task, namely, that it is to be realized, and knowledge that it has been realized. He explained about the fourth noble Truth, the way leading to the ceasing of dukkha: the comprehension of it, knowledge of the task, namely that it has to be developed, and knowledge that it has been developed.

Acharn Sujin referred very often to these three "rounds" or phases and explained that without the first phase, the firm understanding of what the four noble Truths are, there cannot be the second phase, the performing of the task, that is, satipaììhåna, nor the third phase, the fruit of the practice, that is, the penetration of the true nature of realities.

With regard to the first phase, she said that there should be the firm intellectual understanding of the first noble Truth, and that means understanding that there is dhamma at this moment, that everything that appears is dhamma. Dukkha is the characteristic of dhamma that arises and falls away at this moment. We cannot control what has arisen because of conditions. It only lasts for an extremely short time, it has to fall away. When seeing appears there cannot be hearing, hearing must have fallen away. There can only be one citta at a time experiencing an object. Seeing, hearing or thinking are insignificant dhammas that arise just for an extremely short moment and are then gone. They are impermanent and thus dukkha, unsatisfactory.

As regards the second noble Truth, we should thoroughly understand that attachment is the cause of dukkha. We should realize it when we cling to the idea of self. When we are seeing, thinking or considering the Dhamma there may be an idea of self who does so. When we are looking for ways and means to have more awareness, we cling to wrong practice, a form of wrong view, diììhi, which causes us to deviate from the right Path. Wrong practice prevents us from naturally developing the understanding of realities. It is necessary to have a keener and more refined knowledge of attachment, otherwise it cannot be eradicated. We can find out that it arises countless times, more often than we ever thought.

As regards the third noble Truth, this is nibbåna, and nibbåna means the end of clinging and all other defilements. We should have the firm intellectual understanding that detachment and the eradication of defilements is the goal. We should be convinced that it is possible to attain this goal if we follow the right Path.

As regards the fourth Noble Truth, the way leading to the end of dukkha, we should have the firm understanding that the development of satipaììhåna is the only way leading to this goal. We should understand the difference between right view and wrong view. When we are really convinced that there is no other way but the development of satipaììhåna, we shall not deviate from the right Path. Thus, we should not follow after the past nor desire for the future, we should be aware of any reality appearing now.

When we listen to the Dhamma and consider what we hear the intellectual understanding of realities, that is, the first phase, sacca ñåùa, gradually develops and then it can condition the arising of satipaììhåna. This means that the second phase, knowledge of the task, kicca ñåùa, begins to develop. The practice, paìipatti, is actually knowledge of the task that is to be performed, kicca ñåùa. Thus, there are different levels of paññå: intellectual understanding based on listening to the Dhamma, and paññå accompanied by sati that is directly aware of the characteristics of realities appearing now through one of the six doorways. These are the dhammas we studied and considered before, but now they can gradually be verified and directly understood. Knowing the difference between the moment there is no sati but only thinking about nåma and rúpa, and the moment there is awareness of one characteristic of nåma or rúpa at a time is the beginning of the development of satipaììhåna. Gradually we shall realize nåma as nåma, and rúpa as rúpa, we shall realize their different characteristics.

When one has reached the second phase, knowledge of the task or the practice, the first phase, intellectual understanding of the truth, is not abandoned but develops further. One understands more deeply what the four noble Truths are and one sees more clearly that satipaììhåna, awareness of what appears now is the only way leading to detachment from the idea of self and to nibbåna which is the end of defilements. The clinging to self is deeply accumulated and very persistent. When paññå develops it sees even the more subtle clinging to a self or the clinging to sati. A moment of right awareness is very short and attachment can arise in alternation with clinging. If paññå is not keen enough, one will deviate from the right Path. There cannot be immediately clear understanding of realities, but we can begin to develop understanding of the realities we used to take for people, beings and things.

Acharn Sujin reminded us that we should not move away from the present moment and that we should abandon desire for sati. She said that it seems that we wish to develop sati, reach the stages of insight and attain enlightenment, all for our own sake. However, the goal of the development of satipaììhåna should be understanding of the truth of anattå, thus, the truth that there is no "me".

When the first stage of insight knowledge arises, paññå has reached a higher level. At the first stage of insight the difference between nåma and rúpa is realized, but not yet their arising and falling away. As we have seen, there is at that moment no notion of self, no world, only nåma and rúpa. Although there is some result of the development of satipaììhåna, paññå has to be developed further. One begins to realize the arising and falling away of realities at the third stage of insight knowledge, and more fully at the fourth stage that is called the first stage of mahå-vipassanå ñåùa. In the course of the different stages of insight paññå penetrates more thoroughly the three characteristics of impermanence, dukkha and anattå, and it realizes the danger and disadvantages of conditioned dhammas, of nåma and rúpa. Paññå sees the unconditioned dhamma, nibbåna, as true peace, as the deliverance from conditioned dhammas. When finally nibbåna is attained, the four noble Truths are penetrated, and the third phase, kata ñåùa, which through the successive stages of insight knowledge has gradually been developing, has been fulfilled. Then, the task that had to be done has been done.

When the third phase develops, the first and the second phases are not finished or abandoned, they also develop together with it. Thus we see that there are many degrees in each of the three phases of knowledge of the four noble Truths. They are intertwined phases. When the first stage of enlightenment, the stage of the "streamwinner", sotåpanna, is attained, the latent tendency of wrong view and of doubt about realities is completely eradicated. However, before enlightenment was attained, the tendencies to wrong view and doubt were gradually being eliminated by the development of insight, otherwise they could not become completely eradicated. After the first stage of enlightenment has been attained, paññå has to develop further to the second, the third and the fourth stage of enlightenment. At the stage of arahatship the task has been completely fulfilled: what had to be understood has been fully penetrated and what had to be abandoned has been completely eradicated.

Acharn Sujin stressed the importance of the three phases because they make it apparent that sati and paññå of satipaììhåna can only arise when there are the right conditions, a firm foundation knowledge of what the objects of satipaììhåna are and of the way of its development, that is, the development of right understanding of dhamma appearing now. The three phases make it clear that the development of satipaììhåna is very gradual and they remind us of the importance of the goal of the development of understanding: detachment from the clinging to self and the abandonment of all defilements.

In the following sutta we are reminded that ignorance and wrong view give rise to all kinds of akusala, whereas right understanding leads to freedom from all defilements. The "streamwinner", sotåpanna, who has attained the first stage of enlightenment, has eradicated wrong view and wrong practice, he cannot deviate from the right Path. He has no more conditions to commit evil deeds leading to an unhappy rebirth. We read in the "Gradual Sayings" (Book of the Tens, Ch XI, § 5, By knowledge):

Monks, when ignorance leads the way, by the reaching of states unprofitable, shamelessness and recklessness follow in its train. In one who is swayed by ignorance and is void of sense, wrong view springs up. Wrong view gives rise to wrong thinking, wrong thinking to wrong speech, wrong speech to wrong action, wrong action to wrong livelihood, wrong livelihood to wrong effort, wrong effort to wrong mindfulness, wrong mindfulness to wrong concentration, that to wrong knowledge, and that to wrong release.

But, monks, when knowledge leads the way, by the attainment of profitable states, the sense of shame and self-restraint follow in its train. In one who is swayed by knowledge and has good sense, right view springs up. Right view

gives rise to right thinking... right concentration gives rise to right knowledge, and that to right release.

1. In Påli parivaììaÿ, which means cycle or round. There are three rounds or intertwined phases, that is to say, one phase runs into the next one. As will be explained, when there is the second phase, the first phase is not abandoned, and when there is the third phase, the first and the second phases are not abandoned.

2. Sacca means truth and ñåùa means knowledge; kicca means task; kata means what has been done.

3. Tathågata or "thus gone", an epithet of the Buddha

The Cycle of Birth and Death

In Lumbini we sat down for a Dhamma discussion near the pool that reminds us of the two streams of water coming down from the sky which were used as a water libation for the Bodhisatta and his mother, just after he was born. As we read in the Commentary to the "Chronicle of Buddhas" (the "Clarifier of Sweet Meaning"), the Bodhisatta took seven strides and, scanning all the quarters of the world, he said: "I am chief in the world, I am best in the world, I am eldest in the world. This is the last birth, there is not now again-becoming."

We still cling to rebirth and we are very far from reaching the end of rebirth. We cling to the five khandhas that constitute what we call a "person". One of our friends asked Acharn Sujin why the five khandhas are a burden. She was referring to the following sutta: "The Burden" (Kindred Sayings III, Khandhå-vagga, Kindred Sayings on Elements, First Fifty, Ch 3, §22) 1. We read:

Monks, I will explain to you the burden, the laying hold of the burden, the holding on to the burden, the laying down of the burden. Listen.

What, monks, is the burden?

"The five khandhas of clinging" is the answer. Which five? They are the khandha of clinging to corporeality... to feelings... to perceptions... to mental formations... to consciousness. This, monks, is called "the burden".

What is the laying hold of the burden?

The answer is that it is the person, the Venerable So-and-so, of such-and-such a family. This, monks, is called "the laying hold of the burden".

What is the holding on to the burden? The answer is that it is that craving which gives rise to fresh rebirth and, bound up with lust and greed, now here now there finds ever fresh delight. It is sensual craving, craving for existence, craving for non-existence. This, monks, is called "the holding on to the burden."

What is the laying down of the burden? It is the complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and giving up, liberation and detachment from it. This, monks, is called "the laying down of the burden."

Thus said the Blessed One, the Wellfarere spoke thus; the Teacher then said:

The five khandhas are the heavy load,

The seizing of the load is man.

Holding it is dukkha,

Laying down the load is bliss (sukha).

Laying down this heavy load,

And no other taking up,

By uprooting all desire,

Hunger is stilled, Nibbåna is gained.

Acharn Sujin said about seeing the five khandhas as a burden:

"The body, rúpakkhandha, is a burden, because we have to look after it from birth to death. Also the nåma-khandhas are a burden, but we do not consider them as a burden. We have to see and we have to hear already for countless aeons. We are not tired of seeing, it is not self. It must arise, it lasts for an extremely short while and then it must fall away, it is dukkha. Visible object impinges just for a moment on the eyesense, it is seen and then it falls away. Realities appear through the six doors very shortly and then fall away, there is nothing left. We keep on thinking on account of what is experienced through the six doors, but there is no self who thinks. There must be right understanding so that the khandhas can be seen as a burden."

So long as there is ignorance and clinging the khandhas have to arise again and again, there will be the continuation of the cycle of birth and death. The khandhas have to arise and to fall away, and thus, they are dukkha. In the above-quoted sutta it is explained that craving, the second noble Truth is the cause of dukkha and that the extinction of craving means the ceasing of dukkha.

After our discussion we showed our respect to the Buddha by walking three times around in the area of the pillar erected by King Asoka. This pillar, impressive because of its simplicity, has the inscription commemorating King Asoka's visit:

"By His Sacred and Gracious Majesty the King, when he had been consecrated twenty years, having come in person and reverence having been done- inasmuch as `Here was born Buddha, the sage of the Såkyas'- a stone bearing a horse was cause to be made and a stone pillar was erected.

Inasmuch as `Here the Holy One was born,' the village of Lummini was released from religious cesses and required to pay one-eighth as land revenue."

One can still see the small remnant of an old statue placed on the ground next to the pillar.

During our pilgrimages in India we always discussed the perfections, påramís, accumulated by the Buddha during his lives as a Bodhisatta. The perfections are most important, because if they are not developed together with satipaììhåna defilements cannot be eradicated. Each of the perfections helps to eliminate the clinging to the idea of self and they can support the paññå which can eventually eradicate all defilements. The perfections are: liberality, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, resolution, loving kindness and equanimity. These qualities are only perfections when they are developed without thinking to gain something for oneself. They should be developed with the aim of having less selfishness, less defilements. Acharn Sujin explained that we should not think, "Now I shall develop this perfection, then that", because then we try to develop them with an idea of self. The development of the perfections is conditioned by listening to the Dhamma. If we do not listen and study there is a concept of self who performs kusala. She said:

"When we listen to the Dhamma there is the perfection of patience already. There can be perfections at each moment of our life, and there is no need to think of a specific perfection. There can be more patience. We accumulate the perfections and see ever more clearly the ugliness of akusala. However, when there are conditions, akusala arises."

Dåna is opposed to lobha, dosa and moha. When we are generous, there is alobha, non-attachment, otherwise we would not be able to give. There is also adosa, non-aversion: there is no aversion or sadness when the receiver is unkind and does not appreciate our gift. When we are angry, we are absorbed in an idea of a person instead of being aware of nåma and rúpa. At the moment of generosity there cannot be moha, the cetasika arising with all akusala cittas. All perfections are opposed to lobha, dosa and moha. When satipaììhåna arises at the moments we perform wholesome deeds, the idea of self who performs them can be eliminated. When mettå arises, there is also patience, patience with regard to people and circumstances. In Savatthí we had a bad hotel room full of insects everywhere, even in bed. One of our friends laughed about it that these crawled into her ears. Acharn Sujin reminded me that if we would complain and ask for a change of room, someone else would have the uncomfortable room and thus, we would have lack of mettå, we would think of ourselves instead of other people. When we see the value of mettå we can develop it. We can understand that whatever happens arises because of conditions. Akusala kamma conditions akusala vipåka and kusala kamma conditions kusala vipåka, nobody can prevent this. Sometimes we have to experience an unpleasant object and sometimes a pleasant object. We admired Acharn Sujin's great patience when she had to pose for the cameras countless times. Sometimes she could not take any step without the cameras being focussed on her. She told me that she just thinks of the happiness of others. Thus, mettå conditions patience. When we were in Kusinåra, in the temple of the reclining Buddha, we recollected the Buddha's parinibbåna. Ever since the moment of his enlightenment until his passing away he had taught satipaììhåna, the only way leading to the end of the cycle of birth and death, and he himself had reached the end of the cycle. The monk held a long discourse and it was extremely hot in this temple. Acharn Sujin reminded me that we should have mettå for the monk who held the discourse. If there is mettå we have no aversion.

When we were sitting near the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya there was a good opportunity to express my appreciation of all the kusala performed by my friends. This is a way of dåna, it is anumodanå 2 dåna. I paid respect to Acharn Sujin who had given us so much Dhamma every day, explaining to us with great patience the development of satipaììhåna and helping us to see our clinging to the self more and more. I also expressed my appreciation to all my friends who had been full of kindness to me and had helped me with their generosity and consideration in many ways. When during bus stops we had to walk through bushes and on rough grounds there was always someone helping me. Or when I was coughing I immediately received a medicine from one of my friends.

The morning before our departure from the hotel in Gaya, I said to Acharn Supee that, when I would be back in Holland, I would miss the company of my friends and the countless Dhamma reminders we received all day. We had the following conversation:

Supee: The firm understanding of the Dhamma is the condition for the arising of sati of the level of considering, even though it is not yet of the level of direct awareness, satipaììhåna. We can consider the Dhamma everywhere, it does not matter what we are doing.

Nina: But in India we have more opportunities for Dhamma conversations and for considering the Dhamma.

Supee: There are more conditions in India, but if the understanding of realities is firm enough, there are conditions for the arising of satipaììhåna, even if you have complicated work to do. If one's understanding is not firm enough, one can read the scriptures and study them, so that there are more conditions for sati of the level of considering realities. When we have Dhamma discussions with friends there are conditions for the arising of sati of the level of considering realities, but this is not sufficient. Satipaììhåna should arise in daily life, also when your work is complicated, and it should be aware of all kinds of realities in all circumstances. Even when you are angry, there can also be awareness of anger. We should not select a specific situation and believe that we have to be with Dhamma friends.

Nina: We cannot select a particular situation or force the arising of sati. The arising of sati depends on the conditions in the case of each individual, people are not the same.

Supee: In the beginning satipaììhåna does not have enough strength. It seems that it arises more often when we have Dhamma discussions with friends, but it does not arise naturally in daily life. When satipaììhåna is firmly established there are conditions for its arising, no matter where we are, and it can be aware of all realities. Paññå becomes keener and more refined.

Nina: It is paññå that performs its own task. I always forget that it is not self who understands.

Supee: It is natural that we have an idea of self who considers the Dhamma. Paññå should become keener so that it can understand that it is not self who considers the Dhamma. When there is more understanding, paññå realizes that even an idea of self considering the teachings is also a dhamma, a reality.

Nina: I understand more that there is clinging to a self so often.

Supee: There can gradually be more understanding about the clinging to a self, paññå can realize all such moments. When paññå is keener it knows that it is a kind of nåma that clings to the idea of self. Paññå can understand the more subtle lobha and the other defilements.

If there is no awareness and understanding of all realities, there is lobha that selects to go to a particular place in order to hear Dhamma discussions. One may want to avoid doing complicated work. There may be paññå that sees the value of Dhamma discussions or there may be lobha that selects such a situation. The moments of clinging and of real understanding are very close.

Nina: The moments of lobha and of paññå arise alternately.

There may be wrong practice but we may not notice this. Even when there is an idea of self who guides just a little it prevents us from knowing the present moment. We may unknowingly separate satipaììhåna from daily life. Wrong practice does not lead out of the cycle of birth and death whereas right practice does. We still cling to rebirth and we may not see the disadvantage and danger of rebirth. However, we may come to see the ugliness of defilements and the benefit of having less defilements. When all defilements have been eradicated by paññå, it means that there will be no more rebirth. We read in the "Kindred Sayings" (II, Nidåna-vagga, Kindred Sayings on Cause, Ch I, § 3, The Way) that the Buddha, while dwelling near Såvatthí, said to the monks:

Which, monks, is the wrong way? "Conditioned by ignorance activities come to pass; conditioned by activities consciousness"... even (the way of) the uprising of this entire mass of dukkha. This is called the wrong way.

And which is the right way? "But from the utter fading away and ceasing of ignorance (comes) the ceasing of activities; from the ceasing of activities (comes) ceasing of consciousness"... even (the way of) the ceasing of this entire mass of dukkha. This is called the right way.

Ignorance is the factor that is mentioned first in the teaching of the conditions for the cycle of birth and death, the "Dependent Origination", Paticcasamuppåda. Ignorance conditions the "activities", or "kamma-formations" (abhisaòkhåra), which are: akusala kamma or "demeritorious kamma formations" (apuññ'åbhisaòkhåra 3 ), kusala kamma of the sense-sphere and rúpa-jhåna (fine material jhåna) or "meritorious kamma-formations" (puññ'åbhisaòkhåra), and kusala kamma of the degree of arúpa-jhåna (immaterial jhåna 4 ) or "imperturbable kamma-formations" (åneñj'åbhisaòkhåra). Kusala kamma of the degree of arúpa-jhåna is more subtle and more refined. These three kinds of kamma-formations are links in the Dependent Origination, they condition consciousness that is vipåka in the form of rebirth and in the form of vipåka arising in the course of life. So long as ignorance of realities has not been eradicated, there are kamma-formations that condition vipåka and thus, the cycle of birth and death continues, there is no end to dukkha. When ignorance and the other defilements have been eradicated, the cycle comes to an end.

One may wonder why even meritorious kamma-formations and imperturbable kamma-formations are the wrong way. These lead to rebirth in the happy sensuous planes, in the fine material planes, which are the result of rúpa-jhåna, or in the immaterial planes, which are the result of arúpa-jhåna, and therefore, they lead to the continuation of the cycle of birth and death.

The Commentary to this Sutta, the "Såratthappakåsiní", states: "The wrong way5 is the way that does not deliver beings from dukkha." The Commentary explains that in this respect also the attainment of the stages of jhåna (the eight jhåna samåpatti, including rúpa-jhåna and arúpa-jhåna) and the five "supra-natural powers" (abhiññås 6) are part of the cycle (vaììa) and are as such the wrong way of practice. The way of practice by which ignorance and the other defilements are completely eradicated and nibbåna is attained is the right way. Further on, the Commentary explains that in this sutta the practice is considered from the point of view of the result it leads to: the continuation of the cycle (vaììa) or the end of the cycle (vivaììa). When it leads to the end of defilements, nibbåna, it is the right way practice.

The Commentary states that even the offering of one ladle of rice or a handful of leaves can be the right way of practice, leading out of the cycle. When someone performs dåna together with satipaììhåna, without the idea of self who is giving, the giving is very pure, it is the right practice.

During the two weeks of our pilgrimage we heard day after day Acharn Sujin's We read in the "Basket of Conduct" (Cariyåpiìaka, Khuddhaka Nikåya, Minor Anthologies III) Division I, the Perfection of Giving 1, Conduct of Akitti, that the Buddha, during the life he was the ascetic Akitti, gave alms to Sakka, the King of the Devas of Thirtythree who came to him in the disguise of a brahman. Akitti only had leaves without oil or salt, but he gave all he had gathered. Also a second and a third time he gave as before. He went without food but he was delighted. He said:

If for only a month or for two months I were to find a worthy recipient, unmoved, unflinching, I would give the supreme gift.

While I was giving him the gift I did not aspire for fame or gain. Aspiring for omniscience I did those deeds (of merit).

By awareness of nåma and rúpa, the idea of self developing kusala can be eliminated. The Buddha praised all kinds of kusala: dåna, síla, samatha and vipassanå. For people who have accumulations for the development of calm, even to the degree of jhåna, but who do not develop insight as well, defilements can be subdued but not eradicated. As we have seen, jhåna leads to rebirth in higher planes and thus sustains existence in the cycle. Those who develop calm to the degree of jhåna as well as insight, can be aware of realities appearing through the six doorways, including the jhåna-citta. Then they follow the right practice leading to the elimination of wrong view, ignorance and all defilements, thus, the practice leading to the end of the cycle.

We read in the Scriptures that the Buddha spoke about exerting right effort for kusala, and people may misunderstand such passages. They believe that they should try to have kusala and make an effort for satipaììhåna. However, effort, viriya, is a cetasika arising with many cittas, with akusala cittas as well as with kusala cittas. When we perform kusala, kusala viriya accompanies the kusala citta already because of conditions. We discussed the four right efforts, sammå-padhånas: the effort of avoiding akusala not yet arisen, of overcoming akusala already arisen, of developing kusala not yet arisen and of maintaining kusala already arisen. They are part of the factors pertaining to enlightenment, bodhipakkhiya dhammas 7. Acharn Sujin explained that when there is a moment of satipaììhåna the four right efforts perform their functions. When they accompany the citta that is "mundane", lokiya, not yet lokuttara, they have not yet reached fulfillment. They develop together with satipaììhåna and the other factors pertaining to enlightenment until lokuttara citta arises when enlightenment is attained. Then lokuttara paññå accompaying the magga-citta, path-consciousness, experiences nibbåna and eradicates the latent tendencies of defilements in accordance with the stage of enlightenment that is attained. Also the other factors accompanying paññå experience nibbåna while they perform their functions at that moment. Acharn Sujin explained:

"When at the moment of enlightenment supramundane (lokuttara) paññå experiences nibbåna, it supports the other factors pertaining to enlightenment, so that they can perform their functions completely. When there is a moment of understanding that accompanies lokiya citta the latent tendencies, anusayas, are eliminated to a certain extent, but not completely. If there is no gradual decrease of them, how could paññå eradicate them at the moment of enlightenment? Then paññå, that was developed through satipaììhåna and reached the stages of insight knowledge, vipassanå ñåùa, can completely eradicate latent tendencies."

During the two weeks of our pilgrimage we heard day after day Acharn Sujin's most valuable explanations about the development of satipaììhåna. Also during our long bus trips we could listen to tapes on Dhamma and in between we had many opportunities for dhamma discussions with our friends. Acharn Sujin often reminded us of the importance of the three "rounds" or intertwining phases: understanding of the truth, sacca ñåùa, knowledge of the task to be performed, kicca ñåùa, which is the practice, and knowledge of the task that has been done, kata ñåùa. When we carefully consider these three phases we can see the necessity of intellectual understanding as a firm foundation of understanding of the level of the practice, paìipatti, that is, awareness of the present moment. The more we understand the appropriate conditions for the arising of satipaììhåna, the less shall we have anxiety about the countless moments of forgetfulness. When we unknowingly try to have sati it is wrong practice, a form of wrong view that is only eradicated by the sotåpanna.

When there are no conditions for the arising of sati, it does not arise, but, someone may wonder, is there any action that can be taken? We should continue to study and consider all realities of our daily life, with the aim to have more understanding of them. Our aim should not be having more moments of sati, that is desire and thus counteractive to the arising of sati.

The four Applications of Mindfulness of body, feelings, cittas and dhammas include, as we have seen, all realities of daily life. They are explained under many different aspects with the aim to remind us that whatever appears in our life can be the object of mindfulness and right understanding. We cling to "our feeling", be it pleasant, unpleasant or indifferent feeling. We cling to "our remembrance" (saññå), whenever we remember or recognize someone or something. Feeling and remembrance are dhammas, they are cetasikas arising with the citta. We have intellectual understanding of the difference between citta and cetasika, but they are not clearly understood as different nåmas before the first stage of insight knowledge has been reached. Still, we can begin to be aware of nåma such as feeling or remembrance when they appear, so that understanding can gradually develop and the different characteristics of citta and cetasika can be realized as nåma elements devoid of self.

We heard each day that we should develop understanding with courage and gladness. Acharn Sujin asked me whether I have gladness of the level of pariyatti, intellectual understanding, or of the level of practice. I answered that it is of the level of pariyatti. Her question was a good pointer for me. We think about courage and cheerfulness, but when there is satipaììhåna there is no need to think of them, because there are conditions already to be courageous continuing its development and not to be downhearted. The difference between the levels of intellectual understanding and understanding based on the practice, I found, became clearer during our pilgrimage. If we do not know the difference we are bound to take thinking for awareness.

Acharn Sujin stressed all the time that everything is dhamma, and that means, realities are non-self. It became more apparent to me how deeply rooted our clinging to the idea of self is. We wish to develop satipaììhåna "for our own sake", as Acharn Sujin said, and this had not occurred to me before. We may cling to "our progress". There is such a deeply rooted idea of "I know, I understand, I consider", but we usually do not notice this. There are many moments of listening to the Dhamma, they do not last, and therefore, we should not take them for self. I had not noticed before that also listening can be taken for self.

I am most grateful to Acharn Sujin for pointing out the different moments of more subtle clinging that are bound to arise. When we see the extent of the clinging to ourselves, we shall have more confidence in the teachings and we shall have a deeper respect for the Buddha who taught all realities in detail. Considering the Dhamma is the greatest respect we could show to the Buddha at the holy sites. We know that understanding should be developed until we realize that in truth all that appears is dhamma.

1. I used the translation by M.Walshe, Wheel no. 318-321, B.P.S. Kandy.

2. Anumodanå means thanksgiving or appreciation.

3.Puñña means merit or kusala, and apuñña means akusala. In the teaching of the Dependent Origination kamma is called: abhisaòkhåra, that which arranges, forms or conditions.

4. Jhåna is absorption concentration that can be attained through the development of calm, samatha, by means of a meditation subject. Rúpa-jhåna is attained by means of a meditation subject still dependent on materiality, and arúpa-jhåna is attained by means of a meditation subject that is not dependent on materiality.

5. In Påli: patipadå, meaning: way, path, means of reaching a goal, progress.

6. The five supramundane powers, abhiññås, such as magical powers, Divine Ear, are the results of jhåna. There is a sixth supramundane power and that is the extinction of all defilements at the attainment of arahatship.

7. The 37 factors pertaining to enlightenment, bodhipakkhiya dhammas are:

the four applications of mindfulness (satipaììhånas)

the four right efforts (sammå-padhånas)

the four bases of success (iddhi-pådas)