PART IV

            (Delivered on the 15th waning of Tawthalin, 1326 M.E corresponding to October 6, 1964)

Nibbæna, cessation of lust and hatred, is the very antithesis of defilement. The term, “sa³khæra-nirodho,”  meaning the end of all mental or kamma formations, is applied to Nibbæna. It is, therefore, in direct opposition to sa³khæra. When the nature of Nibbæna is expounded, it is but fitting that kilseæ, defilement, and sa³khæra, mental formations, should also be explained. Tonight I shall attempt at giving you the explanation.

RESPECTFUL ATTENTION

When Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery in Sævatthi, he used to preach Nibbæna to his disciples in the evening in the ante-room of his perfumed chamber. About this the scriptures have this to say.

            The monks pricked up their ears while listening to the Dhamma, with a sincere desire to be intellectually benefited, and with such mindfulness and concentration that focus attention only on one object.

I urge the audience to listen to this discourse in the manner of the monks who paid respectful attention to Buddha’s teaching, all minds concentrating on the dhamma.

The Attentiveness of a Female Spirit

Once, as Buddha was preaching, a female yakkha or spirit, wandered near the monastery with her offspring in search of food. Although yakkhas are classified as deities, their status is very low. They have no proper abode. They are never adequately clothed or fed. Punabbasumætæ -- for, that is the name of the female spirit -- was accompanied by her daughter Uttaræ and her son Punabbasu.

When she got to the main gate leading to the monastery, all was quiet. She thought there might be alms-giving and entered the building in the hope of getting something to eat.

When she got as far as the altar, she found herself amidst a congregation of monks and laymen listening to Buddha’s sermon. As he preached in a mellifluent voice, she listened to him with rapt attention, completely enthralled. But her children were so beset with hunger, that they could not remain quiet. “Mother! Give us food!” they cried.

“My dears!” entreated Punabbasumætæ, “Please be quite while the Great Teacher of men and devas is preaching the dhamma. He is discussing Nibbæna which severs all chains of suffering. My love and devotion to Nibbæna have grown in me exceedingly.”

Nibbæna is cessation of suffering. When, therefore, one is afflicted with sorrow and misery, one yearns for Nibbæna. That is natural. When a man is in the best of health, he is not interested in medicine. Under healthy conditions he does not consider the subject of health is important. But when he gets older and becomes sick, he ruminates on the benefits of health. As he wants to get his sickness cured, he now listens with respectful attention to well-wishers prescribing medicine for him.

In much the same way Punabbasumætæ listened to Buddha’s discourse on Nibbæna. She might be suffering at this moment from intense hunger, and as she was destitute she had to be begging for herself and her children. Born into this sensual world, she bore children who must needs be looked after. But being subjected to untold misery and suffering, she yearned for Nibbæna. She told her children that she loved them, but she emphasised that her love and devotion for Nibbæna was greater than her maternal love.

Piyo loke sako putto,
Piyo loke sako pati,
Tato piyataræ mayhaµ,
Assa dhamassa magganæ.

            It is the way of the world to love one’s son and to love one’s husband. But I love searching for the dhamma more than loving them.

            For, love for my son and for my husband cannot extricate me from suffering. Only by listening to the dhamma can I get liberated from the round of suffering.

Devout mothers do generally pay respectful attention to preaching; but they are harassed by their crying children. But the children of this female yakkha appeared to be docile and obedient. They listened to Buddha’s sermon well and respectfully after they had been chastised by their mother.

Buddha foresaw that both the mother and the children would become sotæpannas, stream-winners, after they had heard the dhamma. So he preached the Four Noble Truths. Punabbasumætæ and her son became sotæpannas accordingly.

As she became a stream-winner, her life changed completely. She was forthwith transformed into a decent deity, beautiful, well-clothed and well-fed. Uttaræ, her daughter, was too young to understand the dhamma; albeit she profited from her mother’s accumulation of merit.

ABOUT THE NATURE OF NIBBÆNA

In the Pæ¹i canon of Udæna the following passage occurs relating to what Buddha uttered in triumph in relation to the nature of Nibbæna. This utterance has been incorporated into the Canon as Nibbæna-patisaµyutta Udæna.

Atthi bhikkhave tadæyatanaµ; yattha neva pathavø na æpo, na tejo, na væyo, na ækæsænañcæyatanaµ, na viññænañcæyatanaµ, na ækincaññæyatanaµ. na nevasæññæcæyatanaµ; næyaµ loko na para loko; na ubho candimasuriyæ; tatræpæhaµ bhikkave neva ægattim vadæmi, na gatim, na thitim, na cutim, na upapattin; appatitthaµ appavattaµ anæramman mevetaµ; esevanto dukkhassa.

O bhikkhus! Nibbæna to which six sense-bases are inclined is real. But it has no elements of earth, water, life and air. It is neither the realm of Infinity of Space (ækæsænañcæyatana), not the realm of Infinity of Consciousness (viññænañcæyatana), nor the realm of Nothingness (ækiñcaññæya-tana), nor the realm of Neither Perception nor Not Perception (nevasaññænæsaññæyatana). Its denotes neither this world nor other worlds. No moon nor sun shines there. I never maintain that in Nibbæna there are goings and comings. It has no foothold or residence. It is Deathless, Unborn and Unformed. It has no abode. Nothing ever occurs there. It has no sense-objects. It is the end of suffering.

NIBBÆNA IS REAL

Since Nibbæna means the cessation of mind, matter and mental formations, suggestions have been often put forward that it signifies nothing and it, therefore, is useless. But Nibbæna is absolute reality, the reality of the nullification of the activities of mind, matter and mental formations to which the knowledge of magga (Path), phala (Fruition of the Path) and paccavekkhana (self-examination) is inclined. It is the mind-object to which this knowledge is directed. Buddhas, Arahats and Nobles Ones vouch for the truth of its reality. For the sake of argument, let us say that there is no Nibbæna where all the rounds of defilement, action and action result cease. Then no one in this Universe can find peace. In the absence of Nibbæna, defilement will play havoc with our lives to produce action, which will bring about action-result, which will create conditions for the rise of a new body of khandhæs attended by suffering. It is only the Path and its Fruition that can exterminate defilements, and this extermination will put the round of suffering to an end. This cessation of suffering is real. Buddhas and Arahats actually reach this stage of reality, and after their parinibbæna all sufferings come to an end.

NO PRIMARY ELEMENTS IN NIBBÆNA

In Nibbæna there are no element of earth or solidity, no element of water or fluidity, no element of fire or thermal energy and no element of air or motive force that can usually be met with in the world of the Senses, such as the world of men and devas, or in the world of Form, such as the world of corporeal Brahmas etc. Possessing solidity, men, devas and Brahmas assume shapes and forms. Cessation means the end of such shapes and forms that possess mass. In the absence of mass, there are no elements of fluidity, thermal energy and motive force.

Matter non-existence in NibbÆna

In the absence of the four primary elements there can be no upæda rþpa, or matter formed by these four elements, for instance, the eye and the eye-object, the ear and the ear-object etc. Since they are absent there will be no phenomena of seeing, hearing etc. which occur in Sense Sphere as sense-sphere consciousness and in Form Sphere as form-sphere consciousness.

Consider this. Without eyes one cannot see; without ears one cannot hear; without nose one cannot smell; without tongue one cannot taste; and without body one cannot get the sensation of touch. Pasæda rþpas are the seats of sensation or the five sense organs which form the bases of consciousness. Devoid of the organs of sense, consciousness cannot arise. In the world of the Brahmas, cakkhu pasæda (eye-basis) and sota pasæda (ear-basis) only are extant, ghæna pasæda (nose-basis), jivhæ pasæda (tongue basis) and kæya pasæda (body-basis) being absent. So Brahmas may possess noses and tongues in rudimentary forms or bodies or masses in great dimensions, but they do not know what smell is, what taste is and what bodily impression is. But there is hadaya vatthu, seat of consciousness usually called heart-basis, in all sentient beings, whether of human or deva or Brahma world. So in these three worlds, thought, knowledge and absorptions of jhæna can occur.

Absence of Mind dependent on Matter

As I have said, as there are no primary elements in Nibbæna, all rþpas or matter dependant on these four elements are non-existent. Because of the absence of these rþpas, there are no cittas (mind or consciousness) appetaining to kæmævacara, the realm of the senses, or to rupævacara, the realm of Form-as, for instance, the first jhænic consciousness. For brevity’s sake I discuss only about citta or mind, but whenever citta is mentioned one must remember its concomitant, cetasika.

Now the question arises whether in Nibbæna there are still extant cittas or consciousness that arise without depending on rþpa or matter as, for example, arupævacara consciousness.

ABSENCE OF ARUPÆVACARA CITTA

Here, the Text is also very explicit about the absence of formless Sphere, arþpævacara, in Nibbæna, whether it be consciousness appertaining to the abode of the Infinity of Space(Ækæsænañcæyatana), or to the abode of the Infinity of Consciousness (Viññænañcæyatana), or to the abode of Nothingness (Akiñcaññæyatana), or to the abode of Neither Perception nor, Not, Perception (Nevasaññænæ-saññyatana). In the realm of the Infinity of Space, rebirth-linking begins with the advent of vipæka citta, consciousness relating to action-result, citta, mind and cetasika, its concomitant. Normally for worldlings, during the course of existence between rebirth-linking and death, wholesome (kusala) or unwholesome (akusala) consciousness, together with their concomitants arise. When such worldlings are duly trained in the law they are known as sekkhas. Such sekkhas may become Arahats when they are reborn in the realm of the infinity of Space. In that case, only wholesome and inoperative (kiriya) consciousness arise together with their respective concomitants. But matter is absent there. Only næma, citta and cetasika-all in a state of flux-are present. In that realm all phenomena are psychical. It just occurs to me that psychic beings need no food, clothing or shelter. But it is usual for artists and painters to depict this realm and others of the Formless Sphere as having palaces and mansions. But in Nibbæna they will be superfluous, as in Nibbæna there is neither mind or matter.

Today non-Buddhists have become highly interested in space, but the space they have in mind is in the material sense. They may not, therefore, be able to assimilate the idea of the existence of the realm of Infinity of Space But Buddha clearly differentiates the realm of mind and its constituents together with its state of absorptions (jhæna) from the realm of no-mind where all its concomitants and absorptions are nullified. A meditating yogø who concentrates his mind on the arise and fall of the aggregates can aspire to reaching that stage of knowledge of equanimity called sa³kkhærþpekkha ñæ¼a. If he reaches that stage, he would feel the disappearance of his physical self, experiencing only a stream of consciousness that floats in space. As his knowledge progresses this stream will become clearer and clearer. Strictly speaking, this is not absorption on Infinity of Space; but it is a vipassanæ-insight akin to that absorption.

From the foregoing it may also be adduced that there is no consciousness and its concomitant appertaining to the realm of Infinity of Consciousness; and the same may be said of consciousness and its concomitant appertaining to the realm of Nothingness, and of Neither Perception nor Not Perception. The last plane of existence is the highest where perception is so subtle that it can be described as an intermediate stage between perception and non-perception. Equally subtle are pahssa, contact, vedanæ, sensation, citta, mind, and cetasika, concomitant of the mind that can be met with in that realm. In Nibbæna such subtleties of the mind are entirely absent.

Those lacking in faith in the dhamma and unable to realize the attainment of jhæna or samæpatti, mode of ecstatic meditation, abrogate all teachings relating to the realms of existence just above described. What such sceptice should do is to practise insight-meditation as taught by Buddha. If they do this they will attain jhæna that belongs to the realm of Neither Perception nor Not Perception, and realize for themselves the difference between the jhænic state in Formless Sphere and Nibbæna where such a state becomes redundant. It is fruitless to reject jhæna and Nibbæna without any practical investigation.

ABSENCE OF BOTH MIND AND MATTER IN NIBBÆNA

In Nibbæna there are no such things as næma or citta or cetasika which can be met with in Sense-Sphere of Form-Sphere. It naturally follows that mind and matter that belong to the 31 planes of existence are totally absent in Nibbæna. But some would like to advance an unusual proposition that after the parinibbæna of Buddha and his Arahats, they acquire a special kind of mind and matter in Nibbæna. Such an extraordinary way of thinking may appeal to those who cannot do away with atta or ego.

With regard to this proposition a learned Sayædaw reasoned that if there is a special kind of mind and matter in Nibbæna, there must also be a special kind of rebirth which gives rise to a special kind of old age, disease and death which in turn bring about a special kind of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress and despair. When the teachings explicitly say cessation, it will be an impropriety to go beyond it and formulate the idea of a special kind of existence. Extinction points to nothing but nothingness. Nibbæna, which is not involved in næma and rþpa, cannot be made to get involved either in this world or in other worlds.

NibbÆna is Beyond All Worlds

            Hence the Text says, “Nayaµ loko, na paroloko,” which means “neither in this world nor in other worlds.” In the absence of matter there can be no concept of darkness; and in the absence of the concept of darkness, there can be no concept of light. Hence in Nibbæna there is no sun nor moon. Where no new bodies of the khandhæs arise there can be no darkness or light. But the question arises whether it is possible for sentient beings to come to Nibbæna in the way that beings from the nether worlds come to the human world, or beings from the human world come to the world of devas. But in Nibbæna there are no such comings. The usual term to describe the realization of Nibbæna is that Buddhas and Arahats “enter” Nibbæna, or specifically, anupædisesa Nibbæna. This does not mean the arrival of the new khandhæs but the cutting off of the flow of næma and rþpa that causes existence. It is the complete extinction of aggregates; and this extinction is recognized as anupædisesa Nibbæna. It is not a place where beings make their landing from other planes of existence.

No one goes out or gets transported from Nibbæna to other planes of existence either. Beings with wholesome kammas depart this human world for the world of devas; and those from heaven might also come down to earth as human beings. Those with unwholesome kammas might prefer to going down to the nether worlds. In Nibbæna there are no such goings.

Attributes Of Nibbæna

NIBBÆNA HAS NO MASS

It is often asked whether Buddhas and Arahats exist as individuals in Nibbæna. There is no mass in Nibbæna. As it is not built up with a special kind of matter or mind, it cannot be looked upon as a mountain peopled by individuals, standing solidly across the firmament like heaven or earth.

NIBBÆNA IS DEATHLESS AND BIRTHLESS

In the 31 planes of existence one is born to die and be reborn to die again. Nibbæna is Deathless and Birthless. In the world of devas and Brahmas birth means sudden appearance, and death sudden disappearance. Nibbæna is cessation of all khandhæs. In such a cessation there is neither appearance nor disappearance.

NIBBÆNA HAS NO ABODE

Nibbæna has no abode, and, therefore, it cannot be located. It is neither here nor there. It is not in the heavens. In the term, næmarþpa, næma denotes that it embraces Nibbæna; but it is, in that context, neither cita (consciousness) nor cetasika (its concomitant). So the three aspects of consciousness, namely, upæda, arising, thiti, static, and bha³ga, dissolution, are non-existent in Nibbæna. Figuratively speaking, Nibbæna abides in this one-fathom-long body.

NO OCCURRENCE OF NÆMARÞPA

In this body of the khandhæs, næma and rþpa are continually in a state of flux and so we say that they flow like a stream incessantly. A yogø who has realized the knowledge of the rise and fall of conditioned things is aware of næmarþpa arising now and passing away the next moment. When he has developed the knowledge of equanimity in himself he feels that the whole stream of næma and rþpa stop flowing. This is extinction.

NIBBÆNA OFFERS YOU NO SENSE-OBJECTS

In the absence of næma, rþpa, citta, cetasika etc., there can be no sense-objects and in the absence of sense-objects no opportunities arise for mental formations to play their pact.

NIBBÆNA MEANS THE END OF SUFFERING

Since there are no primary elements and no næmarþpa, everything ceases, and this cessation give rise of eternal peace. All sufferings end.

Rohitassa Sutta

Nibbæna is not situated anywhere, but, figuratively speaking, it resides inside the body of an arahat. This is mentioned in Rohitassa Sutta in Saµyutta and A³guttara Nikæyas.

When Buddha was residing in Jetavana monastery in Sævatthi, a deva, by the name of Rohitassa, approached him and asked: “Reverend Sir! Is it possible for one to go to the end of the world where there is no becoming, no ageing, no death and no rebirth?”

YOU CANNOT WALK TO THE END OF THE WORLD

Buddha answered this question thus:

            Yutta kho ævuso na jæyati, na jiyati, na miyati, na cavati, na upappajjati; næhaµ “taµ gamanena lokassa antaµ ñæteyyaµ da¥¥heyuµ patteya” yanti vadæmi.

Young friend! I have never maintained that one can walk to the end of the world where there is no becoming, no ageing, no death and rebirth. I never say that by such means the end of the world can be reached, realized and known.

Rohitassa was very much pleased with this exposition. He was at one time an ascetic possessing supernormal knowledge with which he attempted to seek the end of the world. He walked the universe stepping in one stride from one planet to another for fully a century, but his relentless search bore no fruit. At the end of his mission, he died and was reborn a deva in the same universe which he had traversed far and wide as a powerful ascetic. What he had in mind was, however, the material universe. What Buddha had in mind in answering him was the round of suffering caused by the perpetual flux of næma and rþpa. It is only when this round ceases can one reach the end of the world.

SUFFERING END WITH END OF THE WORLD

Buddha then continued:

            Na kho panæhaµ ævuso apatvæ lokassa antaµ dukkhassa antakiriyaµ vadæmi; api ca khvæhaµ ævuso imasmimyeva vyæmamatte kalevare sosaññimhi samanake lokañca pañña-pemi lokasaµ-udayañca lokanirodhañca lokanirodhagæminiñca patipadaµ.

And, young friend, I do not say that all sufferings will cease without reaching the end of the world. But I do say in a conventional sense that the world or the universe lies in this one-fathom-long body which possesses mind and perception. I also teach the genesis of the universe, the cessation of the universe and the way leading to the cessation of the universe.

If one cannot reach the end of the universe though physical exertions, one can get there through the exercise of knowledge of wisdom. What Buddha means by the universe is suffering. One who fails to get to its end through wisdom cannot attain the state of cessation of suffering. The entire universe conditioned by the flux of næma and rþpa is the universe of suffering beyond which lies Nibbæna.

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS RESIDE IN THE BODY

In this one-fathom-long body the universe can be proclaimed. It is all dukkha, suffering, and so it reveals the Truth of suffering. In it there can also be found the cause of suffering, and so it teaches us the Truth of the Cause of Suffering. In it there can be sought emancipation from suffering, and so it also shows us the truth of the Cessation of Suffering. And, this cessation can be realized also in itself. It, therefore, shows us the Way Leading to the Cessation of Suffering. Hence all these four Noble Truths can be discovered in the bodies of beings belonging to this universe.

You cannot locate Nibbæna. Before entering parinibbæna Arahats still carry the burden of the khandhas which all cease to arise after the parinibbæna. It may be said that this cessation takes place inside the body of the Arahats. Hence we speak conventionally of the existence of Nibbæna inside our bodies of the khandhæs. according, however, to Abhidhamma, Nibbæna is extraneous to the body. That is the reason why in the Udæna Pæ¹i Text it is described as appatitthaµ which means “having no place to stand on.”

The Universe Within Us

The Truth of Suffering relates to the suffering inherent in the five aggregates of clinging, upædænakkhandhæ, which arises in the sense-base as reflected by the sense-object which enters the sense-door. When you look at a thing, the eye base receives the image of the eye-object through the eye-door, and the contact established between the base and the object lets you know that you have seen the thing. This phenomenon of seeing is quite obvious. You know that you have eyes and feel that you are in full possession of them. You, as a seer, exist. The object you see is clear and pleasing to your mind. Consider in like manner the remaining phenomena of hearing, tasting and so on. Whenever each of them arises, attachment or clinging to the sense object under observation is developed. When you see someone, you recognize that someone as man or woman possessing features which appear as agreeable to you. You at once get attached to him or her. Your eye and the eye-object constitute upædænakhandhæ, the aggregate of clinging to form or matter.

When you recognize what you see, you should know that viññæna, consciousness, is operating you now have vinñænupædænakkhandhæ, the aggregate of clinging to sensation. Having seen the object, sensation pleasurable or otherwise, arises in you. It is vedanæ. Now you have developed vedanupædænakkhandhæ, aggregate of clinging to consciousness. You usually note what you see so that you can recall it to mind when occasion demands. Saññæ, perception, has developed in you; and you now have saññupædænakkhandhæ, aggregate of clinging to perception. Then there are the volitional activities that take place in your mind in relation to wholesome or unwholesome deeds that you commit. Such mental states outside the domain of feeling and perception constitute sa³khæra to which you get attached. Thus arises sa³khærupædænækkhandhæ, aggregate of clinging to mental formations. Now from this act of seeing, hearing, etc., all the five aggregates of clinging have arisen.

These aggregates are always arising in us; but the arising is so instantaneous that we hardly notice it. We almost always fail to capture the moment when the phenomenon occurs. But with mindfulness or insight meditation we can note the arising and passing away of upædænakkhandhæs to realize the fact that this state of flux is highly unsatisfactory, and that such unsatisfactoriness is dukkha, suffering, itself.

These five aggregates of clinging form this universe. They reveal us the Truth of Suffering. As an ordinary individual fails to note seeing just as he sees, and therefore, becomes unable to grasp the real nature of the phenomenon at the instant it arises, he feels that his seeing is pleasurable. He takes dukkha, suffering for sukkah, pleasure; and thus a liking for pleasure is developed. This is clinging which becomes intensified not craving. As he makes efforts to fulfil his desire to appease his sense of attachment, kamma-formations take place. Now sa³khæra is brought into play. Because of the action of sa³khæras, a dying man perceives through his mind-door his own actions, kamma, signs of actions, kamma-nimitta, and signs of destiny, gati-nimitta. His mind will be bent on these objects because of his sense of attachment. He is very much like a man drowning. He grapples whatever object that comes by. He grapples the object of his mind, ærammana. Then death consciousness occurs, and as he leaves behind his khandhæs, this consciousness recedes into the past. But as his attachment cannot be done away with, the mind-object, derived from the death consciousness of his previous existence, influences the rebirth-linking consciousness of his previous existence, influences the rebirth-linking consciousness that has just occurred in this present existence. Thus a new life begins with a new citta; and this citta links the past with the present. It is, therefore, called patisandhi citta, rebirth-linking consciousness. This consciousness is then succeeded by mental contents of the factor of life. When cittas occur, their concomitants, cetasikas, follow them. Then rþpas which are dependent on them arise. If craving, ta¼hæ, cannot be cut off these næmas and rþpa continue to come up ad-infinitum throughout existences. Hence, ta¼hæ is the cause that brings about this universe, and since this universe is a mass of suffering, it holds up the Truth of the Cause of Suffering for all to see.

Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching are all the factors of dukkha, an it is on that score that ta¼hæ becomes samudaya, the cause. Because of this samudaya, we like to see, hear, taste, smell and touch. And again dukkha arises. And these are the Truth of suffering and the Truth of the Cause of Suffering.

MEDITATING ON FOUR ELEMENTS

Consciousness occurs when contact is established between the sense-base and the sense-object. A meditator starts with the practice of concentrating his mind on this phenomenon of consciousness that arises originally from the four essential properties of matter, namely, pathavø (solidity), tejo (thermal energy), væyo (motive force) and æpo (fluidity). When Mahæsatipa¥¥hæna sutta says, “I know I am going when I go” it is a direction to the yogø to know the element of motion that is brought into play through contact which excited consciousness. When you are sitting, know that you are sitting, noting the physical tension brought about by the act of sitting. You might then be aware of other physical or mental phenomena taking place in conjunction with the posture that you are assuming. For instance, you might have noticed that as you sit, your feet are touching each other, your hands are interlocking each other, your wearing apparel is clinging to your body, and so on and so forth. When you observe them with mindfulness you will come to realize the nature of the activities of matter that arises as sense-base and sense-object come into contact with each other.

AN EASY STEP IN MEDITATION

So that both the young and the old can take up meditation, we prescribe what we consider to be an easy course in insight-meditation beginning with noting the rising and falling of the abdomen. As you breathe in the abdomen becomes distended, and as you breathe out it subsides. You will experience the motion of the rising and falling of the abdominal wall and recognize it as the activity of the element of motion, væyo. You note this. That is to say, you concentrate your mind on the rising and falling of the abdomen with the intellectual appreciation of the nature of the phenomenon. There shall be no respite between the two consecutive movements. Keep your mind fixed on the start of the rising movement following it till it ends, and switch over to the start of the falling movement till it also ends. But, if, in the process, you notice that there is some respite after breathing in or after breathing out, you must be mindful that you are sitting (if you sit while meditating) in the meanwhile. At times ideas will be formed in your mind. You may think of something. Or you may have some intention to do this or that. Note all such ideations. Whenever your mind “swims” away, as the Myanmar expression has it, from the mainstream of mindfulness, you follow it. Don’t let it get away from your mental grip. You continue noting the phenomenon of thinking. Then resume noting the movements of your abdomen. Sometimes you may encounter sensations, mostly unpleasant, because you feel stiff and tired, or hot and painful as you sit meditating. In that case note this tiredness and pain; and when such sensations disappear concentrate your attention again on the rising and falling of the abdomen. To put it briefly, please note the movements of the abdomen, both your physical and psychological behaviour and experience so that there can be no interval in the whole process of meditation during which your mind is kept idle. If you have no special object on which to focus your attention, you keep on noting as usual the rising and falling of your abdomen which is distended and tense at one moment and relaxed and flaccid at the next.

As your power of concentration improves you will notice that each movement of the muscle has many distinct pieces of action that may be called incidents and that each incident arises and then disappears Each appearance or disappearance that occurs in succession is palpable. This observation applies to the mind-object. But the noting mind, the subject, also behaves in much the same way as the object, now appearing and now disappearing in quick succession. As your observation gets keener and keener moment by moment, you recognize every part of the phenomenon that happens and dissolves, as if each has been set apart from the other to take its own course. As the noting mind and the noted mind-object come to pass as if for the sake of dissolution, it now dawns upon you that they are transient. They are forever in a state of flux. It is their inherent nature to arise and vanish. Such transience is the most unsatisfactory. What is unsatisfactory is suffering. Now you have arrived at the knowledge of the Truth of Suffering.This enlightenment dispels ignorance, avijjæ. Therefore, ta¼hæ, craving, fails to assert itself as your mind-object. As craving is absent, upædæna, attachment, cannot act as its accomplice. As no attachment occurs, no volitional activites can operate for the satisfaction of desires conjured up by the mind and its object. It means that no actions can be formed when we say that no kamma-formations arise, when kamma-formations cease no rebirth-linking consciousness can take place. So there will be no new birth, that is to say no new khandhæs. This indicates the cessation of suffering and of the cause leading to suffering. At that particular instant when you recognize this cessation you realize Nibbæna. This may be only for one moment, but that moment is the most precious. Noting and knowing the phenomena which ultimately leads to the knowledge of cessation tantamount to worldly (lokiya) realization of the Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of Suffering.

It is, therefore, commonly said that in the body of the meditating yogø the four Noble Truths reside.

As sa³khærþpekkhæ ñæ¼a, knowledge of equanimity towards the five aggregates, is achieved, one becomes so absorbed in meditation that one feels one’s body, together with its sense of touch and perception, comes to cessation. Hence the Text further says:

            In Nibbæna this body, together with its sense touch and the working of æyatanas, sense-bases, ceases. One must be aware of such cessation.

This, in effect, is the realization of Nibbæna peace through the Aryan Path. Hence the commentaries add:

            In this one-fathom-long body is proclaimed the Universe, where the Truth of suffering, the Truth of the Cause of Suffering, the Truth of the Cessation of suffering and this the truth of the Noble Eightfold Path can be discovered. Know, my dear friend, that with these words I do not proclaim the reality of the Four Noble Truths in such inanimate objects as grass or wood, but in body made up of the four primary elements.

The Truth of Suffering is evident everywhere; but the Truth of the Cause of Suffering can be adduced from the intrinsic nature of all worldings who cannot get rid of defilements of the mind. Before one can tread the Path one can search for the Cause through the introspection of one’s own body. The Truth of the Cessation of the Cause if conventionally said to be present in the Noble-Ones despite the fact that they may have some residues of defilements and khandhæs within them.

With Arahats, however, as defilements have been totally exterminated, cessation is said to have been achieved. The Noble Truth of the Eightfold Path can, of course, be discovered in the body of the Arahat heading for the Path and its Fruition. Here it is meant to show that Nibbæna-peace can be realized only with the total extinction of næmarþpa and its concomitants.

SUFFERING AND ITS CAUSE BECOME MANIFEST DURING IDEATION

            In the foregoing I have shown how aggregate of clinging arise through the interaction of sense-bases like the eye, ear, etc., and of sense objects like form, sound, etc. Now I shall deal with the interaction between the mind and mind-object-which in ordinary language, is ideation-that gives rise to aggregates of clinging. An introspection into this nature of ideation will give out the truth relating to suffering and its cause.

            As you think you are aware where the seat of thinking lies. Obviously it lies in your body and in your heart-base. Add to them the mind-object. Depending on these three-factors of the process of ideation, thoughts, intentions, desires, etc., arise. If you fail to note the real nature of this process, you might be led to believe that the entire physical body together with its mind base is your ownself. “Here I am” you might say to your self, “This body is mine. It is I who am thinking. This is my thought. I am the mind-object. Or, he is the mind-object”. You might formulate such ideas in your head. But in fact the dhammas that arise as you think and try to know what you think are all the aggregates of clinging, upædænakkhandhæ. These aggregates are all a mass of suffering. Now you see the Truth of Suffering. These aggregates of clinging may be categorised as follows:-

1. At the time of ideation, the mind-base and the body which forms the seat of the mind start operating. They constitute the aggregates of clinging to matter, upædanakkhandhæ.

2. Then thinking occurs. All thoughts and ideas constitute the aggregates of clinging to consciousness, viññænupædænakkhandhæ.

3. Then feelings arise, discriminating between pleasure and pain generally. They constitute the aggregates of clinging to sensations, vedanupædæ-nakkhandhæ.

4. Then perceptions arise noting the mind-object. They constitute the aggregates of clinging to perceptions, saññupadænakkhandhæ.

5. Then mental formations occur. They constitute the aggregates of clinging to mental formations. sa³khærupædænakkhandhæ.

The last-mentioned aggregates, the products of volition, are extremely conspicuous; you can find them everywhere. When consciousness is developed through the act of seeing, hearing, etc., mental formations take place in the form of thoughts and emotions. This is how desire and attachment for the pleasures of the senses arise. As you see or hear things, you discriminate between good and bad or between wholesome and unwholesome. There will be an affinity for things you consider to be pleasant. But when they are not to your liking, anger, disgust, and loathsomeness assail your mind. This leads you to the growth of egoistical pride that persuades you to formulate wrong views. Then doubts, jealousy, anxiety and restlessness come trailing behind to trouble you. On the other hand, it is also quite possible for you to have developed wholesome thoughts like faith, charity, mindfulness, even temper sympathy, kindness and so forth as you think well and rightly of the sense-objects you observe. All these tendencies, whether wholesome or otherwise are sa³khærakkhandhæs, aggregates of mental formations. When you intend to sit, or stand, or go, or speak, this sa³khæra is at work. If your volition is wholesome, wholesome kammas, actions, are found; if not, unwholesome kammas. The world of these aggregates of clinging to formations is verily the Universe; and this Universe is a mass of suffering. Those not used to the application of insight-knowledge to the absolute realities of suffering through meditation exercises develop a wrong sense of exhilaration over their thoughts and ideas, hoping for the better even when they come face to face with miseries. They are pleased with the idea of the existence of self. They long for its prosperity, mistaking pain for happiness. In this way attachment grows in them; and they make all kinds of endeavours to satisfy their desires. To appease them, they will not hesitate to kill, or steal, or rob, or cheat, or commit all sorts of crimes. Others, however, may do wholesome deeds with a view to accumulate good merits in their future lives or rounds of existence. Kamma-formations arise in accordance with merits or demerits that they achieve. When dying, actions, sights of actions and signs of destiny appear as sense-objects to be perceived by sense-bases; and depending on what appears in their mind’s eyes, as we say in ordinary parlance, rebirthlinking consciousness is formed in the next new existence where fresh sense-bases and sense-objects interact as before to produce clinging, craving and attachment which all go to make up the same round of suffering. For, the entire string of ta¼hæ, upædæna, kamma and bhava spells nothing but the Truth of Suffering. It is only when this string is cut off with the knowledge of equanimity towards conditioned things that Nibbæna-peace can be established. So Buddha has this to say:

            Where mind and perception with the mind cease, there is cessation of all æyatanas or sense-bases, and this should be known (by the meditating yogø).

This cessation is Nibbæna. In the Text the word mana is used, and this needs clarification. It has been used in view of a combination of the two types of consciousness, namely, bhava³ga, passive consciousness, and avajjana, apprehending consciousness. Bhava³ga is the state of mind that occurs while one is dreaming or half-asleep. It is not as important as avajjana which needs to be closely observed so that you become aware of its cessation. In the Text the word, dhamma sañña, is also used. It means the perception of the sense-object. But with regard to this, we usually say citta or mind for easy understanding. So I have rendered this apprehending consciousness simply as citta. What is meant here is the cessation or the extinction of the citta which takes in the mind-object, and the citta which ordinarily knows, and the citta which finally apprehends. This represents the three phases of the citta in operation. Their cessation denotes the complete annihilation of all formations: the complete annihilation of all formations: and therein lies Nibbæna. This dhamma can be realized only with the practice of insight-meditation. When the mind is inclined to Nibbæna, all forms of consciousness cease, when Path consciousness and Fruition consciousness are realized.

DISCOVERY OF NIBBÆNA WHERE THE UNIVERSE ENDS

In the third part of this part of this discourse, it has been shown that as we are noting the phenomenon of seeing, both the eye-base and perception of form get dissolved that as we are noting the phenomenon of hearing, both the ear-base and perception of sound get dissolved, that as we are noting the phenomenon of smelling both the nose-base and perception of smell get dissolved, that as we are noting the phenomenon of tasting, both the tongue-base and perception of taste get dissolved, that as we are noting the phenomenon of touching both the body and perception of touch get dissolved and that as we are noting ideation, both the mind and perception of ideas get dissolved. To know this dissolution or cessation of visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile mental perceptions at the six mind-doors denotes the realization of the Truth of the Cessation of the cause of Suffering. This discovery of cessation cannot be realized by just thinking or imagining, but actual practice of meditating on næmarþpa till knowledge of equanimity is achieved. When it is truly realized conviction that all conditioned things spell suffering will be gained. You will also come to the conclusion that craving for that suffering is suffering itself. When craving is dispelled no new becoming can arise. On the attainment of enlightenment Buddha uttered this udæna, Word of Triumph denoting satisfaction over his conquest of craving.

            Anekajæti saµsæraµ, sandhævissaµ anibbisaµ Gahakæraµ gavesanto, dukkhæ jati punoppunaµ.

            Gahakæra di¥¥hosi, puna gehaµ na kæhasi, Sabbæ te Phæsukæ bhaggæ, gahakutaµ visa³khataµ. Visækhæragataµ, cittaµ, ta¼hænaµ khayamajjhagæ.

            I have gone through the round of rebirths seeking the builder of the house (of this khandhæs) but to no avail for lack of wisdom. To be born again and again is misery indeed! Now, house-builder! I have thee beholden! Thou shalt no longer build any house again, for thy beams and rafters have been pulled down and the ridge-pole dismantled. My mind, inclined to the annihilation of all kamma-formations, has attained the end of cravings.

Needless to say, the house-builder is ta¼hæ, craving, which builds the house of the khandhæs in the round of existences, thus bringing forth the rise of jæti, becoming, the most horrifying of all miseries and pain that can be encountered. If he is not discovered, he will continue building the house again and again. You may not have any inclination to go down to the nether worlds, but ta¼hæ will insist on your taking up residence in the house he builds there. You shall never find him if you fail to gain sammæsaµbhodhi ñæ¼a or enlightenment. Buddha, before the realization of this wisdom, had to go round and round through myriads of rebirths.

If has now become a custom with Buddhists in Myanmar to recite the two gæthæs of the udæna when cetiyas or images are to be sanctified. It is also not unusual for the laity to recite paticcasamuppæda (law of causality) both in direct and reverse order during that ceremony. This Law was meditated upon by Buddha on the seventh day of his enlightenment. The sanctification-ceremony is called “anekazatin” in Myanmar. This practice does not prevail in Thailand or Ceylon.

APPATITTHA, NO FOOTHOLD

What is important to note is that Nibbæna has no foothold. It has no location. When we speak of Nibbæna as residing within this one-fathom-long body, we mean to say it metaphorically. This has been emphasised again and again. No doubt, dukkha caccæ, the Truth of Suffering, and samudaya saccæ, the Truth of the Cause of Suffering, are actually apparent in the body of any individual. Magga saccæ, the Truth of the Path, lies latent in the yogø who practises insight-meditation to arrive at the Noble Path. Nirodha saccæ, the Truth of the Cessation of the Cause of Suffering, which is Nibbæna itself, resides in the body of the Noble Ones who have inclined to the Path and its Fruition. So it may be said that it is always present in the bodies of the Arahats.

But this does not mean to say that Nibbæna exists with the Noble Ones in the strict materialistic sense of the word. In the heart of the Noble Ones all defilements have been exterminated. This extermination has been given a location in a figurative sense; and this has been explicitly mentioned in Visuddhi Magga thus:-

            Nibbæna has no location. But when speaking of cessation of defilements, the place where defilements are situated have to be mentioned. So a location is indicated metaphorically.

In the usual saying that eyes are lovely and that craving for those lovely eyes are extinguished, you cannot actually locate where such extinguishment takes place. Therefore, we can only speak figuratively of the place where Nibbæna is situated.

Abhidhamma is explicit on this point. It clearly states that Nibbæna is extraneous to the body. It is accomplished outside the body, bahiddha. Hence we say that is has no residence, no abode and location.

As a result of listening well and respectfully to this discourse on Nibbæna, may this audience enter Nibbæna, the end of the world of suffering, through the revelation of the Truth of Suffering arrived at by the practice of insight-meditation.

Sædhu!    Sædhu!     SædhU!