This book on Puræbheda Sutta Dhamma is the last of a series of six Discourses delivered by the Lord Buddha on the occasion of the huge Congregation called ‘Mahæsamaya’, which took place in the Mahævun forest lying adjacent to the Himalayas near the city of Kapilavatthu. Present at this unprecedented Congregation were innumerable number of Devas and Brahmæs from ten thousand Universes who had come over of their own accord without being invited, to pay obeisance to the Lord Buddha and the five hundred full-bloom Arahats. These Arahats gathered round the Lord Buddha soon after their attainment of Arahatta-phala to pay homage. The wide expanse of the pleasant Mahævum forest and entire Universe were overflowed with a multitude of Devas and Brahmæs eager to listen to what the Buddha would preach. The illustrious gathering of Celestial Beings was unparalleled with the Lord Buddha occupying a central pivoted position emitting brilliant rays of Divine Light in six different colours, flanked by the highly noble Arahats who had then just eliminated and cleansed themselves of the impurities of all kilesæs, passionate desires. The Lord Buddha, after his intuitive observation with His Divine Eye on the idiosyncrasies of the respective Devas and Brahmæs, preached the six different Discourses suited to those present at the congregation according to their respective inherent nature of character and mental disposition to enable them to gain the awakening consciousness-Enlightenment. Of the six discourses, this Puræbheda Sutta Dhamma was meant for the extremely wise persons of erudition with very keen intellect. Realizing by his intuition that no common person in the Universe would have the aptitude to raise questions to fulfil the curiosity of those Devas and Brahmæs, the Exalted One had created an Image of his own Self, a replica, called Nimmita, by his supernatural faculty Abhiñ¼æ. This created Image of the Buddha after descending from the firmament with radiance took his seat majestically before the real living Buddha, and commenced raising problematic questions relating to all the six Discourses. The first of the Discourses was the Sammæ Paribbæjanøya Sutta, meant for those Devas and Brahmæs who were dominated by the habit of ræga. The last of these was Puræbheda Sutta as stated earlier. It is so profound that ordinary men of intellect would find it difficult to explain. It will even be far more difficult to make it comprehensible with particular reference to the actual application and practice of pa¥ipatti. And yet, the Venerable Mahæsø Sayædaw with his penetrating wisdom and great compassion had elucidated this remarkable Sutta Dhamma outlining a variety of methods with reference to A¥¥hakathæ and ¿økæs. The phraseology was brilliantly couched in common usages of plain Myanmar currently in use to make all and sundry easily understand the deeper aspect of the desanæ. This Puræbhèda Sutta Dhamma originally comprises fourteen (14) Verses of which only One is a question, while the rest thirteen are answers. The object of the question is to find out what kind of “morality” or “attributes” should a person possess to be deserving of being regarded as an Upasanta, a noble personage of great learning with serenity of mind. Buddha had purposely made repeated utterances in verses conveying the same sense to make his illustrious audience easily understandable. The fundamental point stressed therein is to strive for personal realization of the Dhamma during one’s present lifetime before death. The answers relating to the Noble attributes of the Dhamma lay emphasis on the need to eradicate ta¼hæ in as much as clinging attachment to all pleasures of life can drag a person down to the nether world. The noble qualities of an Upasanta or Santa individual are described fully with lucidity. It has also been made obvious that a Santa individual is an Arahat in whom all kilesæs have been extinguished. The method of severing the bonds of kilesæs has been effectively prescribed, and this method of practice is nothing but Vipassanæ. This would involve contemplation of the four foundations of Mindfulness, called Satipa¥¥hæna. It has been clearly stated that this meditational exercise must be developed to ensure better prospects for one’s future existence after demise. It is also revealed that while living, an ordinary worldling will be beset with so many kinds of pitfalls in his life time and with obsessions in the shape of anger, hatred, envy, pride, worry and improper behaviour, and that if these evils cannot be rejected by contemplating and noting in his pursuit of worldly affairs or spiritual knowledge, he will remain unliberated from the crushing miseries and sufferings in the present existence and in the life hereafter. If vices become predominant by the fuelling up of his craving desires, it is most likely that he will descend to the realm of Apæya, the Nether World. The best remedy therefore lies in practising Vipassanæ-bhævanæ for one’s own salvation so as to attain ariya-magga-phala. Different stages of achievement that can be reached up to Sa³khærþpekkhæ-ñæ¼a leading to Nibbæna has been elaborated by the Thanks-Worthy Sayædawphayagø, the author of this Sutta according to the desanæ. While making emphasis on the significance of Vipassanæ meditation, the method of rejecting all kinds of vulgarisms and kukkucca, verbally, mentally and physically, has been lucidly explained. Clear exposition has been made that by contemplating and noting with good concentration after equipping oneself with the purity of søla, morality, one can achieve the highest state in progressive Insight. Further amplification has been made in this Sutta Dhamma relating to the essential need to avoid all improper behaviours, to subdue anger and to eschew self-conceit which can react sharply to hinder the progress in the realization of the noble Dhamma. Furthermore, this Sutta Dhamma has been clearly explained by the author, besprinkling it with relevant anecdotes, making it all the more effective and interesting. The Venerable Mahæsø Sayædawphayagø with his talented genius has made us fully understand without skepticism the attributes of Vipassanæ meditation. This is the only way to gain insight knowledge stage by stage bringing arahatta-magga-phala within easy reach if there is faith, devotion and diligence. Furthermore, the noble attributes of an Arahat are amply described. The unprecedented nature and scope of this highly philosophical Sutta Dhamma, now expounded by the Venerable Mahæsø Sayædaw in simple language, which had once made its impact on a deeply appreciative audience to attain Arahatship in myriads on the spot, will, I am sure, likewise bring beneficial results to all Yogøs, monks and laymen alike. The Venerable Sayædawgyi had emphasized the goal of Nibbæna as attainable in this very life existence. The proper practice of Buddha’s doctrine is clearly manifested to have involved a technique of living, which, while not worrying about the past, or the present or the future, would place upon the individual the art of living in sanctity until he has attained in this life the goal, Nibbæna. This way of living is essentially to practise Vipassanæ meditation by developing constant mindfulness on the phenomenal occurrences of body and mind to the extent of gaining full awareness or perception of their true characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self, which will eventually lead to insight wisdom of varying degrees up to the attainment of arahatship. By this ultimate attainment, kilesæs together with ta¼hæ and di¥¥hi which in fact bind a person from one existence to another, will be completely eradicated. One should therefore strive to accomplish this Dhamma. It is quite obvious that neither Buddha, nor anyone, prayer nor bribe, can help and that man alone is the architect of his future. May you all be able to put forth spiritual strenuousness and to practise virtues unceasingly as a Santa individual does, and work out a way of life that would end in the realization of the goal, here and now. MIN
SWE SECRETARY Buddha
Sæsana Nuggaha Organization
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