PART III

(Delivered on the 8th waning day of Tawthalin, 1326 M.E. corresponding to September 29, 1964).

Having explained the two elements of Nibbæna, I shall resume this discourse with the Hymn of Triumph uttered by Buddha on the occasion when Bæhiyadæruciriya, the Worthy One, entered anupædisesa nibbæba.

THE HYMN

Yattha æpo ca pathavø, tejo væyo na gædhati;
Na tattha sukkæ jotanti, adicco nappakæsati;
Na tattha candimæ bhæti, tamo tattha ba vijjati.
Yadæ ca attanæ vedli, muni monena bræhmano;
Atha rþpa arþpa ca, sukhadukkhæ pamuccati.

In the realm of Nibbæna, there is no primary element of water, earth, heat and cold, or air, There no star shines, no sun illumines and no moon brightens. And, yet, darkness is absent.

A sage comes to know Nibbæna by his own effort as he gets enlightened through acquiring the knowledge of the Path, and, ultimately becomes an Arahat. He is then liberated from matter and nonmatter, or from happiness and misery.

Dependent on the four dhætus, primary elements of earth (solidity), water (fluidity), heat and cold (temperature) and air (motive force), matter arises causing attachment to sense-objects like forms and sounds. When those elements become extinct, matter dissolves into nothingness. It is absent in Nibbæna. Where there is no matter there can be no light or darkness.

I have repeatedly stressed the point that Nibbæna has no foothold anywhere, because it is impossible to locate where the cessation of the arising of mind and matter takes place. In one sutta it has been expressly stated that Nibbæna knows no abode. In another it has been mentioned that in this one-fathom long body the four Truths have been proclaimed. The Abhidhammæ, however, says that Nibbæna is extraneous to the body. You will find the explanations when later I deal with internal (subjective) and external (objective) sense-based or æyatanas.

Matter exists in Form Spheres, and mind in formless Spheres. But parinibbæna delivers an Arahat from the dominance of mind and matter. So we speak of the parinibbæna of Bæhiyadæruciriya as deliverance from the round of suffering.

THE STORY OF BÆHIYADÆRUCIRIYA

In the time of Buddha, a merchant, by the name of Bæhiya, sailed the seven seas for trading. He was successful in all his previous ventures; but on the last occasion, his ship wrecked. All sailors and men got drowned and he alone was saved. He was lashed to the shores of Supparaka landing place. Having been tossed about in the sea, he lost all his clothes. When he got to the dry land, he made for himself a girdle of leaves stitched together with small sticks. He seized a begging bowl from a shrine, and with it he went round the village for alms-food. By the girdle he wore, the residents of the place mistook him for an Arahat and offered him food and clothing. But Bæhiya thought to himself that if he donned the clothes offered him, public esteem towards him as an Arahat would be shattered. So he stuck to his girdle for a dress. The people continued to revere him as an Arahat, and, as such, his fame spread far and wide. In course of time, he himself came to believe that he was really an Arahat.

At that time there was a Brahma, an anægæmi (non-returner), in the abode of Brahmas, and he knew Bæhiya’s precedents. He came down to earth, and, approaching Bæhiya, told the truth-that the latter was no Arahat and that he was practising no dhamma worthy of an Arahat.

 “Bæhiya!” the Brahma said, “you were one of seven of us who practised the dhamma during the time of Buddha Kassapa. Of the seven I was the eldest, now reborn an anægæmi in this world of the Brahmas. In those days your faith in the dhamma was so intense that when you were offered food by Arahat you refused it lest it would hamper in the way of realization of the dhamma. Now you have become an imposter, well-pleased with what affluence you have achieved through deception. You are no Arahat, possessing no moral qualities that belong to an arahat.”

Bæhiya, on hearing this, became greatly mortified and requested the Brahma to guide him to the presence of an Arahat, if there were one. The latter told him that Buddha, a true Arahat, was residing at that time in the Jetavana monastery at Sævatthi.

            Bæhiya went to the monastery as directed, and when he got there Buddha was not there having gone to town for a round of alms. But he at once followed Buddha where he was, and when he met the Blessed One, he made the request to preach. But his request was refused, for the time and occasion were inappropriate. But Bæhiya insisted and made the request three times. Buddha forbore this in the end and gave him the following advice, which has been incorporated in Bæhiya sutta.

JUST SEE AS YOU SEE IT

In Bæhiya Sutta, the following occurs:

            Tasmætiha te Bæhiya evaµ sikkhitabbaµ,“Di¥¥he di¥¥hamattaµ bhavissati, sute sutamattaµ bhavissati, mute mutamattaµ bhavissati, viññæte viññætaµattaµ bhavissati” ti; evañhi te Bæhiya sikkhitabbaµ.

Bæhiya, since you insist, I now enjoin you to practise this: when you see, you just see it; when you hear, you just hear it; when you know, you just know it; and when you think, you just think it. You must practise this way of cognizing the phenomenon just as it occurs.

This is the vipassanæ method known as “di¥¥he di¥¥hamattaµ (Just see as you see it, and nothing more.) There are six sense-doors though which six sense-bases perceive their respective six sense-objects. Here, for the sake of brevity, only four examples of perception are given. When a man sees an object, he does not leave seeing alone. He does not stop at seeing. He does not just see it. He goes further than that and dwells his mind on things incidental to the act of seeing, for instance, on the shape and form of the thing seen, weighting in his mind whether it is desirable or repugnant and feeling sensations of pain or pleasure reacting according to its nature. Of course he is pleased when it gives him pleasure; but when he sees what he considers as ugliness, he becomes not only disconcerted, but also disgusted and angry. Even when he is indifferent to it, the fact still remains that ego-entity has arisen in him. “I see it,” he thinks; and that “I” appears to him as permanent. If he just sees it and notes that he has seen it, without ruminating on the nature of the subject that sees it, the object that is seen and the incidents of seeing, that would have been merely just seeing. But to see a thing and stop at seeing it is not easy of accomplishment. If you fail to recognize only the act of seeing for the sake of seeing, you cannot help taking cognizance of the individual or the thing that you see, thinking in your mind whether he or it is agreeable to you or not. If you like what you see, affection will grow; but if you do not, hatred will gnaw your heart. Even when you are indifferent to whomever you see, you would have already cultivated in your mind the idea of individuality and permanence of that individuality. You will find it difficult to break yourself away from this notion of ego-entity. It is only through the practice of insight-meditation that you will rightly know how to see just only what you see and nothing more.

Without practising insight-meditation, it will not be possible for a layman to stop short at hearing when he hears, at smelling when he smells, at tasting when he tastes and at touching when he touches. The most difficult to achieve is to stop at thinking as he thinks. It is, therefore, advised that he notes continually the phenomenon as it happens. In the beginning it is almost impossible for him to note all the phenomenon of seeing, hearing etc. So begin with one particular phenomenon as you practise meditation. In the teaching of Satipa¥¥hæna, it has been laid down that one should note walking as one walks. This is watching the phenomenon of movement, the working of væyo, the element of motion. When you stand up, note that you are standing up; when you sit down, note that you are sitting down. During such moments you may experience some tangible things happening in your body. Note them. As for us we recommend you to watch the rising and falling of the abdomen as you take up meditation.

As you are observing the rising and falling of the abdomen in conformity with the method of meditation practice, your mind may wander, and you will start thinking this and that. Note what you are thinking about. At times, as you meditate, you may feel tired, or hot and stuffy or painful. Note these sensations too. As you feel tired, you may improve your posture. Note every movement that you make as you seek comfort. As you are meditating you may hear extraneous sounds, which must also be noted as they arise. Briefly put, you must note your own behaviour, both physical and mental, together with sensations that you feel. When there is nothing to note in particular, concentrate your mind on your belly as in the beginning.

As concentration develops you will find that, when you see, seeing is momentarily established just to get dissolved the next moment. The same may be said of the phenomena of hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking. As you note the act of hearing, both the sound and the perception of the sound disappear. When you feel hurt, both the infliction causing hurt and the feeling of pain disappear. You concentrate on seeing, noting inwardly what you know as seeing. Subsequently, seeing, noting and knowing get dissolved. Then knowledge will arise in you that what arises passes away, and that, therefore, the phenomenon of seeing is impermanent. This knowledge of the transitory nature of things is aniccænupassanæ ñæ¼a. What arises only to get dissolved is not satisfactory; and therefore this phenomenon is, after all, dukkha, suffering. This knowledge of the realization of the truth relating to suffering is dukkhænupassanæ ñæ¼a. Further, anattænupassanæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of the realization of the unsubstantial nature of things, is also developed as you get convinced that it is in the nature of things just to happen of their own accord.

Bæhiya, having been endowed with pæramø, perfections, gained insight as he listened to what Buddha taught him. When he saw an object, he noted just what he saw and did nothing more. As he watched the phenomenon as it happened, nothing arose in his mind beyond the fact that he saw. He did not, as he watched the phenomenon, think to himself, “I see it. This is my self who is seeing it.” As his mind got freed from clinging, egoistic pride and wrong views, together with the notion of self, were dispelled.

Buddha further told him:

            Tato tvaµ bæhiya nevidha na huraµ na ubhayamantarena, esevanto dukkhassa.

Bæhiya! When no attachment occurs as you see, neither this world nor other worlds will be with you. The fact that existence is thus negated delivers you from the round of suffering. In that state you reach the ultimate -- Nibbæna.

One bereft of clinging, egoistic pride and wrong views, all defilements cease. Where defilements are absent, existence itself, whether in the present or in the future, may be said to have become extinct. Not becoming means the end of suffering which is anupædisesa nibbæna.

Here commentaries in Udæna a¥¥ahkathæ are more eliciting. There are six pairs of æyatanas, sense bases, consisting of six sense-organs, namely, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, grouped as internal, and six sense-objects, namely, form, sound, odour, taste, contact and ideas, grouped as external. When one gets detached from such defilements as clinging and the like through the development of insight-knowledge, one gets also detached from both the internal (subjective) and external (objective) sense-bases. You or your “self” no longer abide in the mind-door, sense-object and consciousness. This cessation of the functions of these sense-bases is Nibbæna itself.

This agrees with the actual experience of the meditating yogø. In the early stages of the vipassanæ practice, he has to bend his mind on the mind door, sense-object and consciousness to note the arising and passing away of næma and rþpa. He is all the time aware of the rise and fall of aggregates. When his insight-knowledge matures, his mind flows, as if it were, into the cessation of all phenomena of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching and knowing, when he is said to have come face to face with Nibbæna.

BÆHIYA BECAME AN ARAHAT

While Bæhiya was listening to the teaching of Buddha, he became an Arahat. When the Enlightened One resumed his way for his usual round of alms, Bæhiya went in search of clothings discarded by others so that they could be converted into a monk’s robe, for, he had by now intended to get ordained. But, unfortunately, a cow tending her calves attacked him. He died on the spot.

When Buddha returned to his monastery, he found the body of the Arahat, Bæhiya. He caused it to be cremated in a fitting manner and told his disciples to erect a cetiya (pagoda) in his memory. The monk at the monastery asked Buddha where Bæhiya could be reborn. Buddha replied that he had become an arahat before he died, and that; therefore, he had entered parinibbæna, uttering the gæthæ cited earlier with reference to Nibbæna where four primary elements are non-existent.

Commentaries say that Bæhiya died as he was gored by a cow who was a woman in one of its previous existences. He wronged the woman, robbing and raping her; and she died swearing vengeance on him. She was reborn an ogress many a time, and he, a man to be killed by her.

Thus he had died many a death in the hands of the ogress. His unwholesome deeds followed him like a shadow, causing untold miseries often in the nether worlds. It was all as a result of his bad kamma. Had he not attained Arahatship after meeting Buddha, he would continue of suffer by his foul deeds. But, now, although his death was caused by a cow in the manner described, all suffering ceased with him on his attainment of Nibbæna where no aggregates arise. Buddha, therefore, looked upon his death as a triumph. In fact he honoured the deceased as the most preeminent among his disciples in the matter of gaining supernormal powers in the quickest possible time.

THE EYE AND VISUAL PERCEPTION

Salæyatana Saµyutta has this to say

            Tasmætiha bhikkhave se æyatane veditabbe; Yatthæ cakkhu ca nirujjhati, rþpasaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyata-ne veditabbe.

O bhikhus! You should cultivate knowledge of the mind-base bent on Nibbæna, where the eye, the visual organ, and the form, the sense-object perceived by the eye, cease together. This cessation (of the origin of visual perception) is Nibbæna itself.

Thus said Buddha regarding the cessation of the twin æyatana, the sense organ and the sense-object. This is how Nibbæna is realized through meditating the phenomenon of seeing. When a yogøs is watchful over the rising and falling of the abdomen, or over the physical movement of sitting or standing, or over the phenomena of seeing, hearing, etc., during his meditational exercises, he will become aware of the dissolution process. If so, knowledge of dissolution, bha³ga ñæ¼a, becomes developed in him. Form the point of view of the subject who sees, there is absolutely nothing for him to say, “It is I,” or “I exist.” And from the point of view of the object that is seen, there is nothing to show, “It is a thing. It is an individual.” Thus one cannot find anything worthy of attachment. As this fact is being meditated upon, one gets to sa³khæruppekkhæ ñæ¼a, awareness of the states of mind and body and of mental formations. Eventually he will become aware of the cessation of all aggregates. When this stage is reached, you might even feel that all matter in your body had disappeared. That is why it is said: “Cakkhu ca nirujjhati,” which means that the organ of seeing ceases (to function). On meditating further, you will notice that the form, the mind and the perception, all relating to the phenomenon of seeing, have been swept away to nonentity. The relevant quotation is “Rþpaññæ ca nirujjhati,” meaning that the visual perception of form ceases (to arise). All in all this denotes cessation of the sense-base and the sense-object. Once these twin æyatanas cease, Nibbæna may be said to be in sight.

THE EAR AND AUDITORY PERCEPTION

            Yattha sotañca nirujjhati, saddasaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyatane veditabbe.

            In Nibbæna the organ of hearing ceases and so does auditory perception. Be it noted that this cessation of the æyatanas of the sense organ and sense-object relating to hearing is Nibbæna.

As sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a is developed, when you hear a sound, you happen to note it; and as soon as you have noted it, you become aware of the dissolution of the aggregates of mind, matter and mental formations. At this stage you feel that your whole body, with its organs of hearing, disappears altogether. It is as if you do not hear the sense-object, and that, therefore, you are not cognisant of it.

THE NOSE AND OLFACTORY PERCEPTION

Yattha ghænañca nirujjhati, gandhasaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyatane veditabbe.

            In Nibbæna the organ of smelling ceases, and so does olfactory perception. Be it noted that this cessation of the æyatanas of the sense organ and the sense-object relating to odour is Nibbæba.

When sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a is developed, you will sense the smell as you get it. As you go on meditation on it, a stage will be reached when you become aware of the cessation of mind matter and mental formations. The entire process of olfactory perception seems to disappear altogether as you note it.

THE TONGUE AND GUSTATORY PERCEPTION

            Yattha jivhæ ca nirujjhati, rasasaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyatane veditabbe.

            In Nibbæna the organ of tasting ceases, and so does gustatory perception. Be it noted that this cessation of the æyatanas of the sense organ and sense-object relating to taste is Nibbæna.

When sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a is developed, the meditating yogø may note the taste of the food he is eating; and from this he proceeds to the stage when he realizes how the aggregates of mind, matter and mental formations cease.

Commentaries mention innumerable instances of monks attaining Arahatship as they meditated on the taste of the rice-gruel that they were taking. As they took it with mindfulness, they were aware of the passing away of the aggregates of mind, matter and mental formations.

THE BODY AND TACTILE PERCEPTION

            Yattha kæyo ca nirujjhati, photthabbasaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyatane veditabbe.

            In Nibbæna the body possessing the sense of touch ceases, and so does tactile perception. Be it noted that this cessation of the æyatanas of the body and bodily impressions is Nibbæna.

For a meditation yogø, the body is the sense-object, which has to be watched most of the time. When sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a is developed as you are noting the body that gives tactile perception, you become aware of the dissolution of mind, matter and mental formations, and the act of noting the phenomenon disappears altogether.

The Mind and Perception of Ideas

Yattha mana ca nirujjhati, dhammæsaññæ ca nirujjhati, se æyatane veditabbe.

In Nibbæna the mind together with perception of ideas ceases. Be it noted that this cessation of the æyatanas of mind-base and mind-object is Nibbæna.

This is the discovery of Nibbæna through the perception of the mind. Possibly, this discovery can be the most frequent. When sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a is developed gross sense-objects disappear, subtler ones taking their place, as a yogø notes the arising and passing away of the phenomenon. Here he comes to think that his whole body vanishes with only perception remaining. For, as he notes the rising and falling of his abdomen, that rising and falling disappear, and he becomes aware only of the fact that he is perceiving the rising and falling. Concentrating on this mind, matter and mental formations cease. This awareness of the cessation is Nibbæna.

CESSATION OF ÆYATANAS IS NIBBÆNA

To sum up, the cessation of æyatanas is Nibbæna. In the commentary on Pañcattaya sutta, the negation of the six pairs of æyatanas has been shown as Nibbæna. Ænandæ confirmed this by saying that according to Buddha, Nibbæna means the cessation of the six organs of sense and six sense-bases-meaning, of course, the cessation of their operations. Dependent on the internal æyatanas of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind notions of ego-entity arise, and then we say that, this is an individual, this is a man, and this is a woman. When these egoistical ideas are dispelled, peace is established with the cessation of suffering relating to aging and death. The cessation of external æyatanas of form, sound, odour, taste, contact and ideas are only secondary to the extermination of suffering; but as they are the adjuncts of the internal æyatanas, it is only when they cease that others follow suit. Negation of these pairs of æyatanas is Nibbæna.

FIXING THE MIND ON NIBBÆNA

In Milinda Pañhæ, there is a passage dealing with directing attention to Nibbæna.

            Tassa taµ cittaµ aparæparaµ manasikæroto pavattaµ smatikkhamitvæ appavattaµ okkamati, appavattamanuppatto mahæræja sammæpatipanno nibbænaµ sacchikarotiti vuccati.

The yogø who, again and again, fixes his mind (on a mind-object) crosses the stream of occurrence over to the state of non-occurrence.

O King! If he, who has thus arrived at the state of non-occurrence, practises in the right way, he may be said to have come face to face with Nibbæna.

As the meditating yogø becomes aware of the dissolution of things as he observes their rise and fall, a sense of disgust assails him and he begins to develop the desire to abandon them. Næma and rþpa that arise and pass away flow on like a stream continuously without end. As he concentrates on this flow, he becomes just perceptive to it automatically. He does not go beyond this perceptive stage. Later he becomes indifferent to it, because, by now, he has developed sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a. Concentrating further on the phenomenon, he discovers that the mind that perceives and the object that is perceived arrive at cessation together. This is transition from occurrence to nonoccurrence. You may recall to mind what I said elsewhere in relation to Nibbæna: what occurs is sa³khæra; and what does not occur is Nibbæna.

RIGHT METHOD OF PRACTICE

Nægasena thera enjoined King Milinda to practise in the right way which is herein explained.

Anyone aspiring to Nibbæna must first and foremost achieve søla visuddhi, purity of morality. A layman must at least observe the five precepts and æjivatthamaka søla, property of conduct. (This relates to practising Right Speech, Right action and Right Livelihood. Right speech can be developed through abstaining from tale-bearing, harsh language and vain talk. Right Action is accomplished through abstaining from killing, stealing and committing sexual impropriety. Right Livelihood means the right way of living.) Having achieved this, citta visuddhi, purity of mind, must be practised through concentration or jhæna (absorptions). If a man has developed perfection, he may practise the first, second, third and fourth jhænas progressively. On the attainment of jhænas progressively, nivara¼as, hindrances, will be removed. Hindrances to progress are sensuous desire, hatred, sloth and torpor, restlessness and brooding and doubt. After the realization of jhæna, he must practise insight-meditation.

Even when a yogø cannot aspire to jhæna, he must bend his efforts to get possession of upacæra samædhi proximate concentration. Even when he cannot practise this, he should begin with the exercise of concentrating his mind on the four primary elements, or the 18 material qualities of matter, or the 12 external and internal sense-bases, or the five aggregates, or least of all, the two aspects of næmarþpa, mentality-materiality. According to Mahæ Satipa¥¥hæna sutta, he should concentrate on the four elements of earth, air, water and heat and cold, on sensations, on mind, etc. The text says, “When you go, know that you go.” In this manner you note to know that you are standing when you stand and that you are sitting when you sit. Then the mind will not wander. It gets stuck up, as if it were, to the object noted. Then you should know that you have achieved purity of mind when all hindrances get removed. This stage is recognized as vipassanæ kha¼ika samædhi, a kind of mindfulness established momentarily, which is as good as arriving at proximate concentration. Briefly put, purity of mind means a state of mind unhampered by lowly conduct and defilements.

A yogø accomplished in purity of mind notes the rise and fall of næma and rþpa in relation to the three marks of anicca, impermanence, dukkha, suffering, and anatta, unsubstantiality. He meditates: “Matter is not permanent; sensation is not permanent, etc.”

Then he gets bored and disgusted with all these næma and rþpa. When he becomes detached from mind, matter and mental formations in all sincerity, he has no craving for them. Becoming weary with life, he gets disgusted with it, abandons all desires, and finally achieves emancipation. Now the path is frustified.

Patisaµabbhidæ Magga mentions many stages of insight-knowledge that should be progressively realized by a yogø practising meditation.

But those who are loth to practise insight-meditation or to encourage others practising it make statements which should never be made. They used to say, “Now that we know the unsatisfactory nature of kamma formations, practising meditation is unnecessary or superfluous. If you concentrate on suffering, you will be confronted with suffering. If you let the mind go, all is done. You need not take the trouble of noting it.” Such an advice contradicts the doctrine laid down by Buddha. What do these advisors really know? Their knowledge of formations as suffering is superficial. They cannot go deep into absolute realities. If they truly realize what dukkha is, they are bound to get disgusted with it and they will certainly try to get away from it. They assert that they know dukkha, but they do not actually feel that næma and rþpa are unsatisfactory. Ennui cannot be developed in their minds. So they do not actually feel disgusted with conditioned things. They have no desire to abandon them. In fact they would like to embrace and accept them.

SENSE OF DISGUST

Knowledge of baneful things as disgusting is Nibbidæ ñæ¼a. This sense of disgust is described in the commentaries with the analogy of a fisherman who catches fish with an open-ended trap. When he thinks that a fish has been caught, he puts his hand into the trap and takes it out. But he discovers that he has caught a snake with three circular marks around its neck. Realizing that he has made the greatest mistake in his life, he gets disgusted with himself and feels repugnant to the poisonous reptile. Three times he waves it over his head and finally fling it away with all his might.

Those who regard the aggregates of næma and rþpa as highly desirable are very much like that fisherman who caught the snake in his hands. Before knowing what he had caught, he was overjoyed, but when he discovered it with three circular marks around its neck, he got terribly frightened. As a yogø notes the rise and fall of aggregates, he will be reminded of the three marks of impermanence, suffering and unsubstantiality, and as he applies them to the phenomenon on which he is meditating, he comes to the realization that all conditioned things are baneful and disgusting. No ordinary worldling can regard his own body of khandhæs as very much like a snake. The mere knowledge of its resemblance to a loathsome creature will not be enough to make him disgusted with his own body. One must be truly convinced of the reality of human suffering in the abstract.

It is only when a yogø gains insight into the real nature of mind and matter that he feels repugnant to them and considers all attachment as useless and empty. Eventually he develops indifference to the rise and fall of aggregates to arrive at sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a, when all formations can be looked upon with an equanimity of mind. In the beginning one has to make an equanimity of mind. In the beginning one has to make special effort to come to this stage of knowledge, but with continued practice equanimity arises naturally as soon as he contemplates on the rise and fall of conditioned things. When you have acquired that knowledge, you feel that you at once become cognisant of the phenomena, but you are not affected by them, whether they are agreeable or pleasing or not. No attachment arises in your mind when it dwells on pleasurable objects. Neither will you be disconcerted by disagreeable things. You have now developed stoicism in the manner of Arahats. At this stage of mental development, there may be occasions when your mind would like to roam about leaving the object of concentration behind, but as you gain experience your mind would refuse to get away from the object on which it dwells.

With this right method of practising insight-meditation, you proceed from sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a to anuloma ñæ¼a, when you gain adaptive knowledge in preparation for the realization of the four Noble Truths. Peace is established once you have discarded the state of occurrence to get to its opposite end, non-occurrence.

Nibbæna cannot be seen with the naked eye. It can be seen inwardly as the cessation of all phenomena.

As a result of your listening to this discourse with respectful attention, may you be able to practise the right way to meditation on the cessation of all suffering caused by the mind-door, sense-objects and consciousness, becoming liberated from the shackles of the six pairs of sense-bases to reach the ultimate stage where the continual flow of næma and rþpa is forever halted!

Sædhu!    Sædhu!     Sædhu!