PART II

(Delivered on the full moon day of Tawthalin, 1326 M.E., corresponding to September 21, 1964).

In my dissertation on Nibbæna, last week, I defined it as the cessation of the three rounds of suffering. Today, I shall attempt at differentiating sa³khæra from Nibbæna according to the Pæ¹i Text, Patisambhidæ Magga. (sa³khæra is a multi-significant term, ordinarily referring to all mental states. It has been variously translated as volitional or conditioning activities, or mental formations or kamma-formations. Here it is applied to all conditioned things which are subject to change-- Translator.

Sa£khæra and Nibbæna

(1) UPPÆDA AND ANUPPÆDA

The Text says: uppædo sa³khæra; anuppæ-do nibbænaµ. It means that arising as sa³khæra, and not-arising is Nibbæna.

Meditating yogøs know inwardly that every conditioned thing comes up afresh every time it gets dissolved. As sa³khæruppekkhæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of equanimity towards the five khandhæs or aggregates, develops, he becomes aware of a state which is beyond the phenomena of arising and passing away. It means that it has gone beyond sa³khæra to come nearer to Nibbæna. Sa³khæra is diametrically opposed to Nibbæna; and the two are incompatible. If one exists, the other disappears. Where there is no arising, there is Nibbæna; and conversely where there is arising, there is no Nibbæna. One can see no light in the darkness, and no darkness in the light.

With sentient beings, næma and rþpa renew their states at the time of conception. It happens in this way, Immediately after rebirth-consciousness, bhava³ga (passive consciousness or factor of life) arises. It is from this moment of arising that material phenomena arising from the mind spring up. This process continues and næma and rþpa come into being in succession in accordance with the types of consciousness appropriate to the objects perceived. For instance, mind-consciousness occurs when one thinks of an object, and touch consciousness when one touches it; and through such consciousness is conditioned næmarþpa, mentality-materiality or psycho-physical entity. This “becoming” goes throughout life, after birth has taken place. When this life has run its course, it is renewed in the next existence and this goes on ad infinitum. In other words, formations, influenced jointly or unitedly by kamma, moral or immoral types of consciousness, citta, mind, utu, climatic conditions and æhæra, nutriment, are termed sa³khæra which can be perceived by insight-knowledge. After repeated meditational exercises, a yogø will experience that his consciousness, without prompting, flows on like a stream into the region of non esse. That moment of realization of the cessation is the moment of nibbæna-bliss which makes itself felt through the knowledge of the Path and its fruition.

(2) PAVATTA AND APAVATTA

The Text says: Pavattaµ sa³khæra; æpa-vattaµ nibbænaµ. It means: occurrence is sa³khæra, and non-occurrence is nibbæna. Pavatti strictly means a course of existence between rebirth-consciousness and death consciousness.

Næma and rþpa are constantly formed through the process of arising and passing away and they flow like a stream. When an object of mind or an object of sense enters this stream, other types of consciousness, such as mind-consciousness or touch-consciousness occur, as stated before, appropriate to the objects perceived. Conditioned things are formed in this way and life-continuum goes on like a running stream. That being so, worldlings think that the continuous mass of mentality-materiality exists without suffering any change. They think that their bodies that they see now at the present moment are the same as that existed when they were young. Form such notions arises attachment to self and to the idea of permanence of self. Owing to this attachment realities are not appreciated. When they experience the onset of pleasurable sensations assailing their minds, they mistake them for happiness. Not being able to grasp the ultimate truth like næma and rþpa, they are led to believe in nicca, permanence, sukha, happiness, and atta, self.

The meditating yogø knows through insight the process of formation and dissolution of conditioned things. So his conviction in impermanence stands firm. He also realizes that what is impermanent is unsatisfactory, and what is unsatisfactory is suffering. He sees no “I” in any phenomenon. As he notes the arising and passing away of næma and rþpa, he perceives that this round of formation and dissolution is endless. What he thus sees with the aid of insight-meditation is pavatta. Concentrating his mind on it incessantly, he arrives at sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of equanimity, when he is inclined to the element of peace where the stream of næma and rþpa ceases to flow. As nothing occurs at this stage, it is called apavatta. That moment when this knowledge blooms forth through the consciousness of the Path and its fruition is the moment of truth when the yogø becomes at one with Nibbæna.

(3) NIMITTA AND ANIMITTA

The Text says: Nimittaµ sa³khæra; animittaµ nibbænaµ. It means: the presence of signs (of conditioned things or sentient existence) is sa³khæra; and absence of those signs is nibbæna. In other words, Nibbæna is signless.

Those not given to insight-meditation believe that the objects that they see have definite shapes or forms or dimensions. Even the meditating yogø thinks so in the beginning of his meditional exercises. In accordance with the rules of Satipa¥¥hæna, he may be noting the fact that he is walking as he walks, but he cannot shake off his awareness that, in the process of walking, his leg is being lifted and that his body is moving. He feels the sensation of movement of his form, the body. Similarly when he is noting the rising and falling of his abdomen, he is always reminded of the shape and form of his abdomen. It means that he is aware of the signs of the presence of conditioned things which are subject to change. These signs are sa³khæra.

However, when he attains a higher stage of insight-knowledge, he is only aware of væyo, the element of motion, which arises and then disappears. He now gains the conviction that all is impermanent. In this way he arrives at bha³ga ñæ¼a, knowledge of dissolution of conditioned things.

SIGNLESSNESS FELT THROUGH BHA£GA ÑƤA

Visuddhi Magga has this to say:

            Næne tikkhe vahante sa³khæra lahum upatthahantesu uppædaµ væ thitin pavattaµ væ nimittaµ væ na sammapunæti, khaya vaya bheda nirodhe yeva sati santitthati.

When his knowledge works keenly, formations become quickly apparent. Then he no longer extends his mindfulness to their arising or presence or occurrence or sign but brings it to bear only on their cessation as destruction, fall and break-up.

(This translation is by bhikkhu Ñæ¼a-moli in his “The Path of Purification,” published by R. Semage, Colombo, 1956.)

When the yogø’s knowledge is rendered sharp with the practice of meditation, the act of noting and recognizing the object under observation is quickened so much so that, when he becomes aware of the formations, sa³khæra, he could extend his mindfulness only to the cessation of the phenomenon. This happens in this way.

Each thought-moment of consciousness has three instants, namely, uppædi (arising or genesis) as the beginning, thiti, (static state or development) as the intermediate, and bha³ga (cessation or dissolution) as the end of the phenomenon of consciousness that takes place.

Before the practice of insight-meditation, the yogø is not conscious of these three instants of the thought-moments. To him, therefore, all forms, conventional concepts and signs indicate that every phenomenon takes place as one continuous chain of events. He think that events flow like a stream without a break. When he starts developing the foremost step in meditation, namely, næmarþpa pariccheda ñæ¼a, knowledge arrived at by dissecting mind and body into their ultimate parts, his notions of continuity dwindle to a certain extent. When sammæsana ñæ¼a is developed in him, he gains the knowledge of the arisings and ceasings of the past, present and future events as uppæda, thiti and bha³ga. But even then he thinks that they are durable since they are concatenated. When udayabbaya ñæ¼a, knowledge of the rise and fall of aggregates, is realized, he is aware of the beginning, uppæda, and end, bha³ga, of the thought-moment, the actual occurrence, pavatta, the intermediate instant, being not apparent. When bha³ga ñæ¼a, knowledge of dissolution, is realized, the signs of sa³khæra relating to arising and development subside leaving only dissolution or cessation for the yogø to notice. But it does not mean that he is now in sight of Nibbæna. He has been enabled to recognize sa³khæra only with the application of the Three Marks of anicca, dukkha and anatta. It is only when he attains sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of equanimity towards all conditioned things, that he is able to cultivate indifference to all signs that indicate formations or sa³khæra, namely, arising, development and cessation. When, finally, he reflects with paccavekkha¼æ ñæ¼a, knowledge of self-appreciation, on the Path, its fruition, passions already destroyed, passions to be further destroyed and Nibbæna, then he arrives at the ultimate stage where all signs of sa³khæra disappear.

NIBBÆNA: ITS CHARACTERISTICS, FUNCTIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS

Commentaries describe Nibbæna by its chacteristics, functions and manifestations. The characteristic of Nibbæna is peace, its function deathlessness and its manifestation signlessness. Insight into signlessness can be achieved only through the knowledge of the Path and its fruition aided by the knowledge of self-appreciation, paccavekkha¼æ ñæ¼a. As Noble Ones reflect on the Path and its fruition the absence of form, conventional concept and sign becomes apparent.

NIBBNÆ IS FORMLESS

In Milinda Pañhæ, Nægasena thera told King Milinda that there is nothing that can be equated with Nibbæbna. It has no shape or form, no size, and no dimension. It cannot be perceived by reasoning, or by disputation, or by metaphorical presentation. It is beyond compare. It is neither white nor black, nor bright nor dark, nor big nor small. Nibbæna is the cessation of the three rounds of defilement, action and action-result. Writing in 1305 M.E.(1943) I said in my “insight-meditation” by way of introduction.

Nibbæna is not a mansion or a palace. It is no city. It is not light. There is no luminescence in Nibbæna. It has no element of lucidity and coolness. Mansions, places, cities, light, luminescence, lucidity and coolness are not unconditioned, asa³khata, or ultimate realities, paramattha.

I wrote that piece objectively without intending to impugn anything to anybody. But later I found a book which represents Nibbæna as an expanse of luminosity. Readers might think that I was writing a tirade against the writer of that book. But no! I wrote without any thought of it. I now repeat the words of Milinda Pañhæ when I say that Nibbæna is Formless. A yogø concentrating on it with sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a (knowledge of equanimity), anuloma ñæ¼a (knowledge of adaptation) and gotrabhu ñæ¼a (knowledge of overcoming worldly lineage with Nibbæna as its object) will get lost in the stream of consciousness which acknowledges the cessation of all sa³khæra. At this stage, both the noting mind and the object noted appear to be dissolving.

(4) ÆYUHANÆ AND ANÆYUHANÆ

The Text says: Æyuhanæ sa³khæra; anæ-yuhanæ nibbænaµ. It means accumulation (of actions) is sa³khæra and non-accumulation is Nibbæna. Grammatical connotation of æyuhanæ is “constructing or assembling.” as in constructing a house where the builder assembles materials in an appropriate manner. Efforts to accumulate actions constitute sa³khæra. Where such efforts are wanting, there you will find Nibbæna.

As sa³khæra’s function is to accumulate, its characteristic is formation, which may be either passive or active. Where formation is conditioned by the four composite factors of the so-called being, namely, kammic force, mind, climate and nutriment, it is passive. Næma and rþpa are subjected to these four factors. It is with reference to this næmarþpa that we say all sa³khæras are impermanent, unsatisfactory and unsubstantial. Cetasika is concomitant of consciousness, and it is also called sa³khærakkhandhæ, mental formation. When it operates to cause mental, verbal or physical conduct, the characteristic of sa³khæra is said to be active. Cetanæ is volition which is a component of cetasika. It produces vipæka, result, either good or bad, in conformity with the mental, verbal and physical actions performed meritoriously or demeritoriously. kusala or akusalas arise in this manner, and it is this kamma that is active sa³khæra that causes the renewal of existence after the old khandhæs have passed away. Where cetanæ fails to occur, no new næma and rþpa arise.

But as shown previously, in the absence of defilements, actions become mainly functional and ineffective Defilements are eliminated when the Path and its fruition are reached through insight-meditation. Freed from the influence of kilesas, past kammas are rendered effete, and they are utterly unable to bring about the formation of a new existence. With arahats all khandhæs cease together with all passions; and this state of Nibbæna is known as anupædisesa.

KAMMA-ACTIONS DO NOT CEASE WITHOUT EXERTION

It has been suggested that anæyuhanæ is the opposite of making exertions to accumulate actions that bring about kamma-formations. If this is not seen in its  proper light, it may be misinterpreted that one should make no effort to accumulate actions. What is meant here is that in the absence of defilements, actions cannot accumulate, and that, therefore, meritorious deeds appear to be superfluous with reference to the Arahats. You should not run away with the idea that if you do not do anything, there will be no kammic force, and therefore, no kamma-result. That may be possible, but impracticable. Certain elements wrongly interpret the Text and say, “All efforts lead to suffering. Making no effort is cessation, and is, therefore, Nibbæna. Almsgiving, practising morality and meditating for mental development are superfluous. Keep the mind inert. This leads to Nibbæna.” In 1952, when I came to Yangon, I heard over the radio such teachings which might please those who have no mind to exert in the practice of the dhamma. Such teachings are contrary to what Buddha taught. In the Pi¥akas it has been said that all akusala (malevolence should be shunned and that charity, morality and mental development must be practised. No-where has it been said that no kusala (benevolence) should be done! Without the accumulation of good deeds, bad kamma can never be obviated.

THE FLESH IS PRONE TO EVIL

Doing good needs faith, willingness and effort. It is difficult of achievement. To accomplish, it is like going against the tide. Evil, however, can be easily done, for to commit them no special effort or impetus is necessary. It goes naturally. Therefore we say that an evildoer drifts with the tide. When law and prudence intervene, akusala, bad actions, are checked to a certain extent. For ordinary worldlings there are only two things to choose--to do good, kusala kamma, or to do evil, akusala kamma. For so long as good deeds remain undone, evil will predominate. If, for every hundred minutes, ninety minutes are devoted to the execution of evil by akusala citta, malevolent mind, there will be only ten minutes left for kusala citta, benevolent mind, to work its way. If this bare ten minutes of good deeds are to be abandoned, evil will get the better of you for fully a hundred minutes.

A person not practising bhævanæ, mental discipline, has no way of knowing how to put evil in restraint. For, in the face of various objects that give pleasure to the senses, how can an ordinary men control has mind not to get attached to sensual pleasures? He will forever be pleased with what desirable objects that he sees or hears.

A family man hardly exercises restraint in the fulfillment of his family’s desires and wants, and he will go any length to realize it. A single man, without the ties of marriage, will also be unable to resist the temptation offered by pleasurable sense-objects. Since he has all the privileges of enjoying what is there to be enjoyed, he would not care to control his passions of greed, anger and ignorance. He is sure to let off his anger if he encounters any objects which he regards as undesirable. There is the story of an uncle and a nephew regarding mind-control. The younger man used to say, “Leave the mind alone, By giving it the reins, it can keep out kilesæ of its own accord.” The elder man seemed to get disgusted with such wisecracks and gave his nephew a slap on the cheek. When asked why he did so, the uncle explained that he was testing the truth of the statement made. The young man, needless to say, became very angry. Anger can be discarded only when Arahatship is attained through the practice of insight-meditation.

In Buddha’s time, Særiputtaræ was known for his calmness. He was never angry. A Brahmin, not believing in the elder’s conquest of passions, came up to him from behind and gave him a blow. Særiputtaræ, however, moved on unperturbed. Then only did the brahmin realize his mistake, and made apologies. An Arahat possesses equanimity through the extermination or all passions like anger, etc., with the practice of insight-meditation which brings forth Path-consciousness.

When you see disgusting things can you control your mind so that you do not feel revolting, sad, dejected or troubled? Without the practice of insight-meditation you can never know how to control the mind.

WHERE KUSALA IS WANTING, AKUSALA DOMINATES

Where kusala is not practised, akusala prevails. If one practises charity, morality and mental development, one can be comfortably reborn in the world of men or devas, even though one may not have aspired to the Path and its fruition. In the latter predicament of not having been able to realize the Path, if one practises mental development wherever one is reborn, one can in the end tread the Path. But if one neglects doing good unable to accumulates goodness, one’s bad actions will lead to results appropriate to what one has done, and one will suffer for them. One may even go to nether worlds. Hence instructions not to practise good must be viewed with apprehension. That is the reason why I always insist on all and sundry to do meritorious deeds. Let me repeat here that anæyuhanæ does not mean to shun doing good. It only means that is abandons kusala or akusala that gives rise to rebirth-consciousness. Good actions help to develop bha³ga ñæ¼a, knowledge of dissolving things as fearful, ædinava ñæ¼a, knowledge of fearful things as baneful and nibbidæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of baneful things as disgusting.

ARAHATS NEVER ABANDON KUSALA KAMMAS

Freed of all defilements like greed, anger and ignorance, Arahats never commit evil deeds. That is quite obvious. Questions may arise, however, whether merits can be accumulated with them for their practice of charity, morality, concentration, insight-meditation, loving-kindness doing obeisance to Buddha; but since defilements are absent, such good deeds produce no results. It may be remembered that in Namakæra Devotional Verse Buddha is described as having renounced both kusala and akusala kammas for he has eliminated the rounds of defilement and action. Arahats can also eliminate them. But unlike Buddha they cannot do away with væsanæ, impression of the past good or bad actions remaining on the mind. Here, in the Devotional verse renunciation of kusala kammas means that actions are rendered ineffective because defilements have been exterminated by means of Path-consciousness.

For worldling actions, moral or immoral, both past and present, produce results in the form of rebirth-linking. In this way sentient beings go through innumerable existence. For so long as khandhæs continue to arise, suffering is endless.

(5) PATISANDHI AND APPATISANDHI

Of this rebirth-linking, Patisaµbhidæ Magga has this to say: patisandhi sa³khæræ; appasandhi nibbænaµ. It means rebirth-linking is sa³khæra; absence of rebirth-linking is Nibbæna.

Rebirth-linking is so called because it links across the gap separating the end of the former existence from the beginning of the next existence. Past existence becomes linked with the present ad infinitum for so long as the law of actions is working. This linking brings about life in nether worlds, or in petæ world, or in animal world, or, for that matter in other worlds as well. To be born again and again in the abodes of suffering just mentioned is horrible indeed. Unless one gains Arahatship, one will be lost in the round of existence. Even sotæpannas will have to go for seven rounds in the sphere of the senses. A sakadægæmi has two existences to go. An anægæm: shall roam about in suddhavæsa plane where he is destined to attain Arahatship. For the rest all will be in the realm of defilement that paves the way to endless rebirths. But as I have said, with Arahats all the three rounds of action, defilement and result of action cease. This is appatisandhi, the characteristic of Nibbæna. It may, therefore, be said that Nibbæna is Unborn.

Those who have developed bhaya, ædinava and nibbidæ ñæ¼as usually suffers from ennui becoming disgusted with the round of sufferings, having realized the truth through Path-consciousness. Looking forward to Nibbæna, they practise insight-meditation to eliminate defilements and tread the Path. This is the realization of Nibbæna itself; but as the substrata of existence have not yet been discarded, it is called saupadisesa nibbæna in contradistinction to anupadisesa nibbæna, where no aggregates remain after the extirpation of all passions.

THREE LOADS

We are all carrying heavy loads-the load of kilesæ, the load of abhisa³khæra and the load of khandhæ.

A. Kilesa Load

Kilesæ, defilement, embraces all passions such as greed, anger and ignorance or delusion. It imposes a heavy burden on us -- a burden of sins, for man is prone to committing murder, thievery, etc., at the dictates of his passions. Evil deeds cause suffering.

B. ÆBHISA£KHÆRA-LOAD

Accumulation of actions, moral or immoral, performed by an individual, is æbhisa³khæra, which is another name for kamma-formations. It is also a heavy load. When actions performed are evil, they lead the evil-doer to worlds of suffering like hell. When an individual is reborn in happy conditions, as in heaven, as a result of moral actions, he will still be troubled with old age, disease and death. Whether he is satisfied with his kamma-results or not, he cannot get away from these three undesirable conditions. So he carries his load of actions, willy-nilly, unable to avoid the round of suffering. Even when he is reborn a man, he may be so reborn in wretched poverty, afflicted with disease and troubled with ill-health. Even though he may have good kamma-results awaiting him, he may not have the opportunity to enjoy these results if bad kamma overtakes him afterwards. He will, as usual, be forced to put up with miseries. In real life, it may be possible for him to avoid punishment for his crimes. If he has a good lawyer to plead for him, he may come out of the case an innocent man. In extenuating circumstances, he may bribe for his freedom. And then, there is amnesty to save him. But with kamma there is no escape from the law of retribution. If may be lying dormant for eons in the course of the rounds of existence, but when it discovers an opportunity to rear its head, it will make its presence felt. Heavy, therefore, is the load of actions and action-results!

There is only one way to abandon the abhisa³khæra-load; and that is for the yogø to practise insight-meditation. If he attains the state of a sotæpanna, all unprofitable actions cease; and he can never go down to nether worlds. If he attains Arahatship, all the loads will be lifted off his shoulders, and no new “becoming” will arise. But before a Worthy One enters the state of parinibbæna, the past bad kammas can take their effects. It is said that even Buddhas cannot evade vipækas or kamma-results, or the results of residual bad actions (inherited, as if it were, from former existences.)

C. KHANDHÆ-LOAD

Because of the abhisa³khæra-load, the khandhæ-load has to be carried from existence to existence. New khandhæs arise as a consequence of the past old khandhæs. They are very active, constantly moving about walking, sitting, standing or lying down. They have to be fed cleansed and clothed. They like pleasure and so they have to be appeased with objects that give them pleasurable sensations. In an attempt to fulfil their desires, one is compelled to do things which are sinful. When a crime is committed, it affects only the environment that surrounds the criminal, and that is the end of it. But when an immoral act is committed, it worries the sinner throughout the endless rounds of existence. To escape from them he will have to accumulate good actions with the development of good perception, good formation and good consciousness. When one gets old, one feels the heavy burden. He learns that it has to be carried not for one brief moment but for life, nay, for the entire saµsæra, without any respite, without any limit of weight or distance of time. I have told you elsewhere about the rounds of defilement, of action and of action-result. In essence, these three rounds have a bearing on the three loads that I am talking about.

To sum up, all defilements of the mind like greed, anger and ignorance constitute the load of kilesæ, all moral or immoral actions constitute the load of abhisa³khæræ, and all the five aggregates constitute the load of khandhæs.

UNLOADING ALL BURDENS

Since Arahats have eliminated all defilements through Path-consciousness, they succeed in laying down the burden of kilesæ; and that being so, their past kammas are rendered ineffective after their parinibbæna. This is to say past kammas can no longer create new “becoming” for then. But during their life time, they continue to give results for their actions. Commentaries say that Buddha was affluent in his day because of his past good kammas. But he was accused of being immoral by Sundari, the female ascetic, because his past vipæka (action-result) was working against him at that time. With Sivali thera, bountifulness was his hall-mark, because he was generous in giving alms in his previous existences. With Lokasatissa poverty and want troubled him always because of his past kamma of niggardliness.

THE CORD OF EXISTENCE

Arahats are often described as holy men with no burden on their shoulders. Their accomplishment is the realization of the fruits of the Path. With them the cord of existence has been severed. In modern parlance we use the expression: cutting the chains. But with Arahats it is more than cutting the chains of human bondage. Saµyojana, the bond of human passion which entangles man to endless round of existence, is entirely cut off by Arahat. Freed from this chain of existence, it is no longer necessary for them to be born anew. A man negligent of the dhamma fails to cut off the chain of existence which could, at one time or another, drag him down to four nether worlds if his kammas prove bad. Hence the Dhammapada says, “A worldling negligent of the dhamma makes four nether worlds his permanent residence.”

Men live in their own houses. If circumstances compel them to visit other people’s houses, they might stay there for a while as guests and return to their own houses. In the same way, when their permanent address is hell, they might, once in a while, pay a visit to higher planes of existence to come back to their rightful place. Sometimes, people born unto this world as men or women go up to the sphere of the Brahmas by dint of their good kammas. But the cord of sensual existence drags him down to the human abode. So they die as Brahmas to be reborn as men or women in this world.

When a tether is short the bullock cannot roam about beyond what the tether allows. In the same way a man tethered to a cord of narrow confines of existence cannot go beyond those confines. When his cord of existence allows him to roam about only in form sphere or formless sphere, he will never be able to go beyond the limits to approach Nibbæna. Hence he continues to live in misery, suffering, old age, ill-health and death. But Arahats know that they have cut off the cord of existence once and for all.

FIVE FACULTIES OF THE SENSES

Arahats are praised for their achievement in the extermination of æsava, canker, and kilesæ, defilement. (æsava in all worldlings to rise as depravities to the surface as soon as opportunity arises.) Like all sentient beings, Arahats possess faculties of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching since all sense-bases are situated in their physical bodies. As these sense-bases remain unimpaired with them, they can see, hear, smell, taste and touch the sense-objects and differentiate which among them is good or bad. In matters of five faculties of the senses, they are like ordinary human beings because they cannot as yet do away with vedanæ, sensation. They know what misery is like and what happiness is like. But since they have discarded defilements like anger, etc., they do not feel unhappy, although, of course, they may recognize physical discomforts as such. Conditioned by seasonal changes, they may feel hot or cold. They may feel fit or unfit according to their conditions of health. When objects of sense are not pleasing they may feel awkward physically, but mentally they are indifferent. They have virtually no interest in pleasure or pain. No greed, nor anger nor ignorance arise in him on account of the pleasurable sensations created by sense-objects.

CESSATION OF LUST

In the Arahat, ræga, lust, has ceased arising and so are anger and ignorance. He sees, eye-consciousness arises; he knows, but he has no feelings of lust, anger and ignorance. All passions are spent with him. This cessation of passion is saupædisesa nibbæna, annihilation of the flames to lust, anger and ignorance with the substrata of being remaining.

Once the Path is realized an Arahat enjoys saupædisesa nibbæna till he enters parinibbæna. He is absolutely happy in that state because he has discarded all suffering caused by the round of defilement. But the body -- the aggregates -- still remain with him, and this for one or two thousand cycles in the case of those who realized the Path while in the plane of the Brahmas. This is good in a way, because in that world physical suffering and unpleasant objects are non-existent. But for those who realized the Path in this human world, he will have to put up with the ills that the flesh is heir to, for instance, the drudgery of making daily rounds for food, washing the face or taking bath daily, etc. In this way he, althougth an Arahat, has to carry the burden of the aggregates in spite of the fact that he has no attachment for them.

Bakula thera, who gained pre-eminence as the healthiest among Buddha’s disciples, lived to be 160, becoming an Arahat at the age of 80 and dying, that is, entering parinibbæna, 80 years after. That means that he carried the load of his khandhæs for 160 years becoming liberated from the shackles of the aggregates as well as human passions only after parinibbæna. But he neither wished for long life nor for death. I told you last week that an Arahat neither yearns for life nor for death although he eagerly awaits parinibbæna.

AnupÆdisesa NibbÆna

Anupædisesa nibbæna is the annihilation of passions together with the aggregates. Thus it has been expounded in Itivuttaka. It says it is the attainment by a noble bhikkhu who is worthy of respect and homage earned by dint of his abandonment of canker and defilement, having practised all there is to be practised, having accomplished all there is to be accomplished, having laid down the burden of khandhæs, having cut off the cord of existence, having been emancipated though knowledge fully-acquired, having rejected vedanæ, sensation, as not delightful, and finally, having gained peace and tranquility during his life-time.

The important point to note here is that vedanæ ceases with the parinibbæna of the Arahat. For worldlings, and even for trained yogøs, it cannot be discarded. They are wont to accept it as delightful, and, therefore, there arises in them an attachment to it. Being attached to vedanæ, they take it on even at the moment of death-consciousness. It, therefore, flows on, as arising of rebirth-linking consciousness. Consequently new becoming arises. But with the Arahat the cessation of vedanæ has been initiated in his life-time. It may be remembered that an analogy has been drawn from the dying out of a flame with regard to that cessation. This dying out started in his life-time. Since vedanæ has thus been smouldered, there is no opportunity for becoming to rear its head after his parinibbæna.

What has been said about vedanæ applies mutatis mutandis to saññæ, perception, sa³khæra, mental formations, and viññæna, consciousness, which all cease as vedanæ ceases. Together with rñpa, matter, they all constitute khandhæ depending on which vipæka, result of actions, comes into being. With the negation of khandhæ and vipæka, annihilation is finally accomplished by the Arahat without the strata of existence remaining.

TWO NOTEWORTHY VERSES

Regarding the two elements of Nibbæna, there are two gæthas (verses) taken from Itivuttaka, which are worthy of note.

Duve imæ cakkhumatæ pakæsitæ,
Nibbænadhætu anissitena tædinæ;
Ekæ hi dhætu idha di¥¥hadhammikæ,
Saupædisesæ bhavanettisa³khayæ.
Anupædisesæ pana saµparæyikæ,
Yamhi nirujjhanti bhavæni sabbaso.
Ye etadannæya padaµ asa³khkataµ,
Vimuttacittæ bhavanettisa³khayæ;
Te dhammasærædhigamæ khaye ræte,
Pahamsu te sabbabhavæni tædino.

Without dependence (on wrong views created by craving), in full possession of equanimity (towards sense-objects, pleasant or unpleasant), and in exercise of the eye of Wisdom, Buddha has clearly shown the two elements of Nibbæna. One element, saupædisesa Nibbæna, is the cessation of defilements with the substrata of existence remaining, and it is quite apparent here and now. It signifies the severance of the cord of existence.

Anupædisesa Nibbæna becomes apparent only after parinibbæna. In this element, annihilation of becoming is complete. Knowing these two elements as Unformed or Uncreated by virtue of Path-consciousness, the Arahats are emancipated from being subjected to becoming. Having realized the essence of the dhamma, and having achieved equanimity towards all sense-objects, good or bad, they delight in the extinction of formations.

In my last lecture anupædisesa Nibbæna was shown as an abode where the element of peace resides. This is said figuratively. For it has no location. Neither is it a cause nor an effect. In the Commentaries, saupædisesa Nibbæna is shown as the destruction and absence of ræga, lust, without indicating any location, or cause or effect.

It will not be strictly proper to say that the Path and its fruition inclining towards their objective, Nibbæna, is the cause and the cessation of defilements in the two elements is the effect. It may also be noted that Peace to which the Path and its fruition are inclined is ordinary Nibbæna and the two elements now under review are extraordinary Nibbæna. Both of them are one and the same possessing santi, one of the characteristics of Nibbæna.

Nibbæna is timeless. And so it will be equally improper to ask if the Path, at the moment of cessation of defilements, inclines towards Nibbæna in the very course of its establishment, that is, in the present time or weather it looks forward to the future Nibbæna with its annihilation of khandhæs after the Arahat’s parinibbæna. But here Nibbæna is kælavimutti, beyond the concept of time. Consider Anussayas, inclinations that contribute to the formation of lust, anger and ignorance. Worldlings possess them in abundance. They arise when conditions are favourable. They cannot be assigned to the past, or present or future. Since they are timeless, there cessation is also timeless.

Consider also the phenomenon of cessation. It is neither a happening nor an arising. You cannot say that it arose, or it is arising, or it will arise. It has no relation to time. Hence, strictly speaking, we do not say that cessation has completed. It comes along with the moment when Path-consciousness occurs. When defilements cease, the Khandhæs, dependent on them, lose the opportunity to arise. The phenomenon in this instance is Kælavimutti. It is of no avail, therefore, to ask whether Path-consciousness inclines to the present or to the future.

Where the round of upæda, genesis, thiti, static, and bha³ga, cessation, is operating, the best dhamma is concentration and meditation on the fruition of the Path. When the Absolute is arrived at with the disappearance of these three instants of the thought moment, Nibbæna is realized. It is the highest stage. When Arahats arose from the meditation of Nibbæna during the attainment of the fruits of the Paths, they used to express their delight as follows:

Susukhaµ vata nibbænaµ, sammæsañ-buddha desitañ;

Asokaµ virajaµ, khemaµ yattha dukkhaµ nirujjhati.

All sufferings are exterminated at Nibbæna where there is no sorrow, no passion and no danger. Blissful indeed is Nibbæna shown by the All-enlightened.

Arahats, therefore, are inclined towards this blissful state of anupædisesa nibbæna where all matter, mind and mental formations become extinct. Since they do away with the round of suffering, no becoming arises.

May all who have listened with respectful attention to this discourse on Nibbæna attain it in a short space of time through the consciousness of the Path and its fruition.

Sædhu!    Sædhu!     Sædhu!