Everyone wants to be happy. What must one do and how should one live to be happy? This everyone should know. Out of compassion for beings the Buddha has taught us “the Way to Happiness.” Happiness is of two kinds; happiness in this life and happiness in future life. Happiness in this life can be brought about by Four sampadæs, namely. Utthæna sampadæ, Arakkha-sampadæ, Kalyænamittatæ and samajivita.

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

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

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

Samajøvita means right livelihood, or living within your means. You should spend less than your income not more. If possible, you should lay aside a quarter of your income and spend the rest. There are many instances of people who live within their means and become rich. There are likewise many instances of people who become rich by following the other Sampadæs explained above.

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

It is more important to be happy in one future lives, throughout Samsæra, the round of rebirth, than to be happy just now, so to be happy through out the round of rebirths, the Buddha has taught us four other Sampadæs. They are Saddha-sampadæ, søla-sampadæ, Cægasampadæ and Paññæ-sampadæ.

Of the four, Saddha-sampadæ is faith in what one should have faith in, what should one have faith in? One should have faith in the true Buddha, the true Dhamma, the true Sangha, and Kæmma and its effects. The true Buddha has nine virtues. Of the nine virtues one is Arahaµ. It means one who is cleansed of all kilessas or defilements, greed, hatred and so on, Sammæsambuddha means one who knows the four truths by his own knowledge. Buddha means one who has the virtue of knowing all the dhammas by omniscience and preaching the four truths so that beings too may know them. Once endowed with three virtues, the other six virtues follow. Putting faith in the Buddha with these virtues is true faith. To have such faith is Sanda-sampadas. The true Dhamma is the nine Lokuttaræ (super-mudane) dhammas consisting of the four Ariyan Paths. The four Ariyan Fruitions and Nibbæna, and the teaching which makes known these nine to us. These are the true Dhamma.

The true Sa³gha is the order of disciples of the Buddha, who are pursuing the practice of Søla (morality), Samædhi (concentration), and Paññæ (higher wisdom) so that they may be free from all kilesas like greed and hate.

Faith in the true Dhamma and true Sa³gha is true faith. To have such faith too is Saddha sampadæ.

Belief in Kamma and its effects, belief that a bad Kamma (deed, action) bring bad fruit and good kamma brings good fruit, is true faith, to have this faith also is saddha-sampadæ. To have faith in Kamma and its effect is essential. If one does not believe in Kamma and its effects and wrongly believes that some one will save us or that an Almighty Being is arranging the good and bad results for creatures, one will not do good deeds and will do bad deeds instead.

So, having not done good deeds, he will not enjoy happiness but meet with sufferings, which are the result of bad deeds. It is just like someone who, having eaten bad food instead of good or proper food, has to suffer from illness.

In this connection I will tell you a true story. In the days of the Buddha there was at Sævatthi a rich Bramhman called Todeyya, who was the king’s seer. He had a wealth of 870 million dollars. This Brahmin did not give anything himself and used to speak to those about him. “If you give, you lose what you have. So don’t give.” He died greatly attached to his wealth and was born a dog at his own house.

One day the Buddha on his round for alms came to that house and entered it as he wanted to preach the true Dhamma to the young man Subha, the son of the Brahmin Todeyya. The dog that was the Brahaman Todeyya in his former birth, came running and then barked at the Buddha. At this the Blessed One spoke to him; “Hey, toeyya, you showed disrespect to me in your former birth, so you have become a dog. Now again you are barking at me and will be reborn in Avøci Hell for this bad action”. On hearing this, the dog thought, “the recluse Gotama knows me”. Feeling very ill at ease he went to the kitchen and lay down to sleep in the ashes there. Being the young man’s pet as he was, he used to sleep in his own comfortable bed. When the young man Subha saw him sleeping thus in the ashes, he inquired into the matter and learnt of everything.

Young Subha said to himself; according to the Brahma¼a religion, my father must have been born a Brahmæ. When the recluse Gotama called the dog “Todeyya he was saying that my father is now born a dog. He speaks whatever comes to his lips” He was offended and came to the Buddha to accuse him of speaking falsehood. He asked the Buddha what he had said and the Buddha told him what he had said. Then, to let the young man know the truth, the Buddha asked him. “Isn’t there anything your father hasn’t disclosed?” The young man replied that a total of four hundred thousand, one hundred thousand in cash and three hundred thousand in kind, had been missing.

The Buddha said to him, “Feed the dog well and before he falls asleep ask him. He will disclose everything”. Subha thought, “If what the recluse Gotama says turns out to be true, I will get the riches. If it is wrong, I can accuse him of falsehood.” So he fed the dog and asked him. The dog led him to where the riches were buried. On recovering the riches, Subha said to himself, “The recluse Gotama knows the secrets hidden to us by transmigration. He is indeed the Buddha who knows all the Dhammas.” He began to have faith in the Buddha. Later, he came to the Lord with fourteen difficult questions.

His questions are briefly to this effect;

“Why is it that among human beings some live short, some live long, some have poor health, some have good health, some are ugly, some are beautiful, some are friends-less, some have plenty, some are poor, some are rich, some are low-born, some are height-born, some are ignorant, some are intelligent? Why is it there are the low and high states?”

To this the Buddha replied;

“Kammassaka mænava satta Kammadæyæda kammayoni kammabandhu kammappatisarana, kammaµ satte vibhajati, yadidaµ hinappa-nitaya”

“Owners of their deeds, young man, are the beings, heirs of their deeds, their deeds are the wombs that bear them, their deeds are their relatives, their deeds are their refuge. Their deeds differentiate the beings into low and high states”

This is a brief statement on how Kamma works. The young man Subha did not understand this brief statement. So he asked the Lord to preach in details, too.

1 & 2 Short and Long Lives.

If a woman or a man kills a living being, as a result of this deed of killing, she or he, the killer, after dying, arises in Apæya state, in hell. If born a woman or man again, she or he will live a short life. One who abstains from killing, after dying, will arise in Deva heaven. If born a man, he will live long.

3 & 4 Sickness and Health.

One who hurts others will arise in Apæya. If born a man he will be full of sickness. If being kind he hurts not, he will be reborn a Deva. If born a man he will be free from sickness and will be healthful.

5 & 6 Ugliness and Beauty

One who is full of anger will arise in Apæya. If born a man he will be ugly. One who controls his anger and shows forbearance will be reborn a deva. If born a man, he will have good looks.

7 & 8 Having Few and Many Friends

If one feels jealous of others people’s wealth, he will arise in apæya. If born a man, he will become friendless. If, instead of jealousy, one feels rejoice, he will be reborn a deva. If born a man, he will have many friends.

9 & 10 Poverty and Wealth

If one does not give and prevent others from giving, he will arise in Apæya. If born a man, he will be poor. If one gives, he will be born a deva. When born a man, he will be wealthy.

11 & 12 Low-born and High-born

If brings proud a person does not show respect to whom respect is due, he will be born in Apæya. If born a man, he will be born in the low class. If he shows respect for those to whom respect is due, he will be reborn in a deva. If born a man, he will be born in high class.

13 & 14 Ignorance and Intelligence.

If he never asks questions as to what is good and what is evil (as a result of bad deed, having done or spoken what ought not to have been done or spoken) he will be born in Apæya. If born a man he will become an ignorant person. If he asked “What is good? What is evil? What is to blame? What is blameless? What ought to be done? What ought not to be done? What deed will bring disadvantage and suffering for long what deed will bring advantage and happiness for long?” He will be reborn a deva. If born a man he will be wise and intelligent.

These are seven bad demeritorious deeds that will bring suffering and the seven good (meritorious) deeds that will bring happiness. Here the seven bad deeds arise, when there is no mettæ, good will and when anger and others prevails. So, if you keep on cultivating mettæ, love or good will, there will be no occasion for the bad deeds to come up, loving kindness.

Everyone wants to be happy oneself, and free from suffering. At the same time he wishes others peace and happiness This is a very good thing indeed and no one can find fault with such a thing. To cultivate mettæ, one thinks of men, devas or animals individually or collectively and says in one’s mind “May he be Happy!” “May they be Happy!”

You can think of someone or many you see around you and cultivate mettæ towards them, “May he be Happy!” “May they be Happy!” This you do in your mind only. If possible, you help them with words of love. If there is something you can do, you do it personally to help them. Even if you can’t help them by bodily action or words, you refrain from acting or speaking what should not be done or said. This is cultivating mettæ in deeds and words.

Although you may not have seen them, you can think of all beings, men, devas, and animals and wish “May he be Happy!” “May they be Happy!” You cultivate love in mind only. You do this for five minutes, ten minutes, half an hour, an hour, or more, for as long as you can afford. If all goes well, you can gain Jhæna, you will be born in the Brahmæ world and live happily there for aeons.

But the Buddha did not want us to rest content with happiness in the Brahmæ heaven only. Once an old Brahmin named Dhananjani, while lying on his death-bed, sent for the Venerable Særiputta to hear the Dhamma from him. The Venerable Særiputta preached him on how to cultivate mettæ, love and karuna, compassion, and so on-a training that can cause one to be reborn in the Brahmæ world. Then he returned to his monastery. Dhananjani, the Brahmin meditated on mettæ and very soon passed away, as a result of his mettæ jhæna he arose in the Brahma heaven. It may not have taken him even an hour, for he died and became a Brahma before the Ven. Særi-putta had reached his monastery. The Buddha blamed Særiputta for failing to preach Vipassanæ, insight, and for preaching only mettæ meditation which can bring about just Brahma-birth. So Særiputta at once went to the Dhananjani Brahmin and preached him Vipassanæ, the Dhamma that will lead one to the Path and Fruition, to Nibbæna. The Brahmin on his part Meditated and realized the Path-Fruition and Nibbæna. Therefore, it is not suitable for us to stop our talk after just speaking about mettæ, the practice that can lead one to Jhæna. We will have to talk about vipassanæ, the practice that will lead to talk about vipassanæ, the practice that will lead one to the Path-Fruition and to Nibbæna. Therefore, it is not suitable for us to stop our talk after just speaking about mettæ, the practice that can lead one to Jhæna. We will have to talk about vipassanæ, the practice that will lead one to the Path-Fruition and to Nibbæna.

Vipassanæ is meditating on the arising and the passing away of the five Upædænakkhandhæs and knowing that all are amnicca, dukkha, anatta-impermanent, suffering and not self. Upædæna, grasping, is made of Ta¼hæ, craving and Di¥¥hi, wrong view, the view there is a living atta, self. The material and mental aggregates grasped by Ta¼ha and Da¥¥hi are called Upædænakkhandæs. These material and mental aggregates manifest themselves when you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think.

If one fails to note them as they come up and does not know them as they really are, one mistakes them for permanent things, happy things, good things, attas or souls and clings to them with ta¼hæ and da¥¥hi. In order that we may not cling to them, we have to note whatever material or mental thing comes up when we see or hear and so on. How must we do it?

In the Sataip¥¥hæna-Sutta we are taught to observe the bodily movement like walking standing sitting and so on and to be aware “walking” “standing” “sitting” and so forth. Pleasant and unpleasant feelings too, we are taught to be aware, “It is a pleasant feeling or good” “It is unpleasant feeling or bad” and so forth. Minds or thoughts, too, we are taught to be aware “It is passionate or “It is dispassionate,” “It is anger” or “It is dispassionate”, "It is anger” or “It is not anger” and so on. The Dhamma too, we are taught to be aware of. Of these Dhammas, the form eye, the visibles object, the consciousness of “seeing” and so on, manifest themselves whenever you see or hear. So you note “seeing” when you see, hearing” when you hear, and so on. [Though it should be taught fully as “I am seeing”, “I am hearing”, and so on, to quicken the noting we are teaching our disciples to note “seeing” “hearing” and so on.]

“If you fail to note and do not know them as they really are, when you see or hear, ræga or pleasures in the things seen or sound heard, or dosa or anger” or such kilesas arise moral and immoral deeds. Because of these deeds you may be born in the lower states of Apæya or you may be born a man or a deva and suffer old age, illness, death or such miseries. So, one who fails to meditate on the arising material and mental things and fails to know them as they really are is far away from Nibbæna. This is explained in Mælukyaputta Sutta.

One who makes a habit of noting whatever he sees or hears knows very clearly for himself that things come and go without staying for a moment and comprehends that they are impermanent, suffering mere psycho-physical phenomena without a self. Knowing them as they really are, he lets no chance for the arising of the kilesas such as Ræga, desire for the things seen, dosa, anger about them, and so on. They are calmed in him. Once free from both moral and immoral deeds. So, he is free from suffering of being reborn in lower states and from being reborn in the world of man and gods to suffer old age, illness and death. This is how one gains peace and freedom in connection with one’s meditation. When this meditational insight, which brings freedom from sufferings, is fully developed, one realizes Nibbæna, through the knowledge of the path and Fruition of Arahatship. Eventually, one realizes Nibbæna through the Path and Fruition of Arahatship, and puts and end to all sufferings. Therefore, one who meditates on the arising material and mental phenomena to understand them as they really are whenever he sees or hears and so on is near to Nibbæna, the end of suffering. This, too, is explained in Mælukyaputta-Sutta.

Thus, whatever comes up through the six doors or sense organs, like seeing or hearing, we have to note and be aware “seeing” “hearing”. But to the beginner to note and aware of every arising is quite impossible. So he must begin with a few things that can be easily discerned. Only then can concentration be developed easily and so can insight knowledge.

Every time you breathe in and breathe out, your abdomen moves, and its rising and falling is quite plain and easy to meditate on. That is why we instruct our disciples to begin our meditating with this; As the abdomen rises, note “rising”. As its falls, note “falling”. This rising and Falling is væyo-dhætu, the air element or the element of motion. The word rising and falling does not matter. The point is to discern the material form motion.

If, while noting the rising and falling of the abdomen, any thought or imagination comes up, note “imagining” “thinking”. This is Cittænupassanæ Satipa¥¥hæna, Contemplation of Mind. After noting the mind, you can go back to noting the rising and falling. If a painful sensation comes up to the body, you have to note it. After that go back to the rising and falling. If there is any bending or stretching of the limbs, you must note “bending” “stretching”. Whatever bodily movement there is, you have to note it. This is Kæyænupassanæ Satipa¥¥hæna-contemplation of the body. When you see, you must note “seeing” “seeing”. When you hear, you must note “hearing” “hearing”. This is Dhammænupassanæ, contemplation of the mental states.

If you keep on meditating on whatever comes up, your consideration becomes strong. Then you distinguish between rþpa-what is to be cognized and næma, what cognizes, and you know how cause brings effect and how this cause and effect relation goes on. You know how new things arise and arise, and pass and pass away. Then you plainly see for yourself how things come and go without staying a moment. So all are impermanent. How death can come any moment. So all are suffering. How they happen in spite of yourself. So all are not self. Knowing all these is insight knowledge. While you are thus meditating, and as your insight develops there comes to you, the knowledge of the Ariyan Path and Fruition. If you reach the lowest of the Knowledge of the Path and Fruition of Sotæpatti, stream wining, you are saved from the four lower states of Apæya, for ever. You will be reborn to high and happy lives in the world of men and gods. Within seven births of these happy lives, you will reach the path and Fruition of Arahatship and become an Arahat. After Parinibbæna (or passing away) of the Arahat, no news births, no new rþpas and will be eternal peace.

So, by meditating on the arising material forms and mental qualities beginning with the rising and falling, and making efforts, may you develop the insight knowledge that realizes the impermanent, suffering and not-self nature of the rþpas and næmas and may you very soon reach the Ariyan Path and fruition and Nibbæna!

Sædhu! Sædhu! Sædhu!