SAMMÆPARIBBÆJANIYA SUTTA INTRODUTION First and foremost, it appears appropriate to make a brief mention of the events leading to the exposition of this sutta by the Blessed One. Thereafter, throwing light on the essence of this Discourse will, it is hoped, bring easier appreciation of the precious dhamma expounded by an illustrious disciple of the Buddha, the Venerable Mahæsi Sayædaw of Myanmar, whose intellectual and spiritual achievement in the field of Buddhism stands prominent in the world today. During the interim period between the fourth and fifth Vassa(Lent) on the full moon day of the month of the Nayon after his achievement of the Supreme Enlightenment, the Buddha went into retreat and seated himself under the pleasant foliage of a huge and majestic tree in the Mahäwun forest in the neighbourhood of the capital city of Kapilavatthu. At this juncture five-hundred monks who were the princes of the Sakya clan and who had then achieved the stage of Sotæpanna, being bent upon gaining higher progressive insight, sought for and received the sublime teaching of the Blessed One. Having done so they respectively retreated to suitable secluded spots such as the cool shade of age-old trees, ravines and valleys in that forest to continue practising kamma¥¥hæna meditation. After serious meditation, they attained Arahatship on the eve of the night of the very day they went into further meditation. Having reached Arahatship, the first monk who become Arahat made his way to the Buddha to pay obeisance and report about his accomplishment of the final sanctification as an Arahat. After taking his seat in an appropriate place before the Buddha, he looked back to find out if there was any other person besides him who had come to report of his own achievement just as he did. On seeing one monk coming to report to the Buddha, he dismissed his original idea of reporting to the Buddha of his spiritual attainment. He therefore remained in his sitting posture and immersed himself in deep silence. Then another monk followed suit and then another and sat at the foot of the Exalted One. In this manner there was a continuous flow of newly-fledged five hundred Arahats taking seat and paying obeisance to the Buddha. When all these Arahats had thus assembled at the feet of the Exalted One, Devas and Brahmäs from ten-thousand Universes appeared successively to pay respectful homage to the Blessed One and the five hundred Arahats. It was stated that there were only a few who had failed to make their appearance on this auspicious occasion. The huge Congregation or the Assembly of a multitude of devas and brahmäs is known as Mahæsamaya. At this congregation the Buddha solemnly proclaimed the number of devas who were present and their respective celestial abodes from where they came to join the Assembly. The words so uttered by the Buddha were given the name of Mahæsamaya Sutta and were recited as such at the great Buddhist Council. The impact of the Buddha’s announcement on the Devas and Brahmæs brought about a fitting composure in them. They were in a state of bliss, mentally strong, firm and receptive. The Buddha then delivered a series of discourses, six in number the essence of each different discourse or sutta being intended to fall in with the natural tendency and idiosyncrasy of the respective deva or brahmæ. Of these six suttas, the first is “Sammæpraibbæjaniya Sutta Dhamma.” which is truly meant for those devas and brahmæs who have the instinctive tendency to indulge in sensual pleasures or in other words, who are dominated by the habit of räga or pleasurable desires. This is the Discourse, the subject matter of which is now being presented for the benefit of all mankind (veneyya). From the very outset of this sutta, the question was put by Nimmita Buddha, the created image of the Buddha, to the Blessed One. It began with the Nimmita Buddha eulogising the noble qualities and supreme attributes of the Lord Buddha in the following way; “In this Universe (kämaloka) all sentient beings are not only drifting along with the tide of kæma, sensual pleasures, but are also drowned in them. It is because of their attachment to sensual existence that they are thus drifting and submerged in the raging waters of Existence (bhava). This being the result of wrong belief, only those who have faith in the Buddha’s dhamma in this sæsanä will have the chance of being liberated from this whirlpool. Wrong believers are simply drifting and sinking. Not knowing the truth of the law of impermanence, etc., they are carried away by the rush of turbulent waters of ignorance of great immensity. The Buddha, however, has escaped from the four whirlpools and reached the other side of the bank, the zone of freedom called Nibbæna. With the attainment of Arahatta maggaphala, all craving desires become extinct and this extinction is known as saupadisesanibbæna, the meaning of which is peace and serenity unperturbed by all sensual pleasures of existence, i.e., annihilation of all kilesæs except the five khandhas. For this reason, the mind of the Blessed One is absolutely calm, tranquil and unruffled without the slightest tinge of kilesæs. “Following this eulogy, it poses a query as to how a bhikkhu who leads a holy life of solitude in a remote forest after abandoning his home and family and after discarding all worldly pleasures should conduct himself well so as to escape from this mundane world and from all fetters. Thereafter, the interrogation and answers cover a wide range of human thoughts explaining the right and wrong relating to the true concept of the Buddhist way of life. Beginning with the noble advice to dispel erroneous views such as beliefs in ominous signs, ill omens, bad dreams, weird sounds and other various kinds of superstition such as fatalism, supernatural occurrences portending good or evil, prophesy and propitiating of nats, and blind belief in astrology, it comprehends the method of extinguishing human passions, evil desire, greed, attachment and lust. Furthermore, elucidation has been made how to tread on the right path, how magga-phala ñæ¼a can be achieved through vipassanæ mediation and how freedom can be gained from three kind of bhava, viz., kæmabhava, rþpabhava and arþpabhava, “sensual existence, corporeal existence and formless existence.” This sutta gives a comprehensive treatment of the fundamentals of the principles of Buddhism. It also prescribes the ways and means to combat and overcome mæna (conceit or pride) arising from egoism, anger, hatred and all other feelings of animosity and sceptical doubts. Moreover it shows us the way to devote to the practice of bhævanæ, vipassanæ meditation, to get rid of these human imperfections and shortcomings which will only bring demerits. It enjoin us to practise the bhævanæ, mettæ, muditæ, karu¼æ, upekkhæ and to diligently follow the Noble Eightfold Path and to gain realization of the Four Truths that will lead to the cessation of dukkha sacca, the existence, i. e., Nibbæna, (the Summum Bonum of Buddhism). The methods of meditation exercise to be employed are also explained in brief. The ten saµyojanas, the bond, of human passion which bind men to continued existence and which can be got rid of by Arahatship are outlined. While listening to this Sutta with concentrated mindfulness, one hundred thousand crores of devas and brahmãs attained Arahatship. The number of those who achieved various stages of vipassanæ mægga-phala ñã¼a was, however innumerable. It is really surprising that the Venerable Mahæsi Sayædaw, the author of this Sutta in Myanmar version has been able to compress into a small volume various aspects of the noble dhamma, which serves as an antidote to all ills and misery. May all beings be well and happy. Min
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