Discourse on Defilement

Transcription

Before aught else, please permit me to talk a little about something in particular. I would like to say that I have the greatest respect for Venerable Brahmamoli. He is a Maha Thera who brings forth the light of insight meditation He is a friend in the holy life, and is a fellow student of Ven. Asabha Maha Thera I have come to respect him like a brother Whenever he has any business, I come to be of service to him. Because in Thailand, there is only this one monastic official bringing forth the light of insight meditation I want to encourage and support this work of his. So I come to be of service to him. Even though one might be more senior than another, we don't cling to that. because we think of the Buddha's teaching as the main objective One who does the work that is the proper foundation of the teachings of the Buddha in regards to the teaching, "dve me bhikkave dhurani" "O monks, there are two duties in Buddhism: the duty of study and the duty of insight." These are the duties in the Buddhist religion. The venerable works on this duty; out of love for the Buddhist religion I acquiesce to come be of service to him. Even though I might have other work, I feel the need to sacrifice it for this important work of the Buddhist religion. I would thus sacrifice all other work. This is what I would like to say, from the heart, as to why I have come. I didn't expect anything at all in return; to support the Buddhist religion is the reason I'm here. The human race is born into three categories: putthujana, kalyanajana and ariyapuggala. putthujana are fully immersed in defilements. The defilements of the human race make one lose confidence. So much that the Buddha himself thought against teaching. But the kalyanajana, these are the good people. Good people, good monks, good novices, Monks who do good things, etc. All of you monastic teachers here are kalyanajana. Ariya puggala are those who are far (ya) from defilements (ari). Who have discarded defilements little by little. They are those who have cleansed their defilements already. They are ones who are far already; those who are far away. The goal is to become ariya puggala those who are far from defilements. Practice, self-improvement; the development of insight in line with the four foundations of mindfulness, is a cleansing developing the mind for the purpose of purification. The second goal is to end sorrow, lamentation and despair. Whether one is a lay person, a monk, even a teacher; when one is insulted or hurt by students, supporters, etc. there will arise sorrow. But if we practice, afterwards even sadness will not make us angered. We will discard it, be at ease be at peace. We will decrease, discard, and desist. We will not be angered. Afterwards we will be able to catch in time all sorrow that arises in the present and future. The third goal is to overcome suffering, whether it comes from the body - arising from sickness; this or that ailment arising from the environment, arising from food arising from the mind, or arising from kamma; whatever, these sicknesses arise for humankind. One will be able to forbear and overcome these things. Even bodily suffering can be overcome. Everything is impermanent, suffering and non-self. When we practice, we can overcome them; seeing that they are just as they are. Seeing that it changes, it is unsatisfying, it is non-self, it can be overcome; that sickness will leave, will disappear. And in regards to the mind. Gain, fame, praise, happiness; blame, suffering When these come to us, there will arise sorrow. One will become free from such sorrow; it will come to an end. The fourth goal is reaching the right path, the truth of life - the noble path and fruition. We will come to know what are body and mind. Once we know body and mind, we will learn what controls body and mind - that impermanence, suffering, and non-self control them, as well. After seeing this we realize path and fruition. These things that are difficult for humankind to realize: path, fruition and release. If one doesn't practice, one will never know what is the noble path, what is the noble fruition. One has to understand body and mind first. Then, that body and mind are controlled by the three characteristics Body and mind are uncertain - changing, impermanent; they are unsatisfying, suffering; they are non-self, not ours, we can't control them. We will know these things according to reality. And the fifth goal is freedom from suffering. This is the destination of our path. The liberation from suffering, Nibbana. The mind wanders about in greater and lesser becoming Mindfulness has to note it; mindfulness of the mind. If one doesn't have mindfulness as a guide, the mind will lead one on and on. One will go to be born in hell, heaven, the brahma worlds or where ever. We need to use mindfulness to block the mind. Whatever object arises, mindfulness must note it and the mind will enter into freedom from suffering - that is, Nibbana. However it may be, our practice of insight meditation is to do away with craving. Circumscribing the defilements, making them weaker. Once they have been weakened, the mind will reach the end of suffering. Just like an arrow - if the shot from the bow is too weak, it will fall short of its target. In the same way, the practice of insight meditation is to prevent craving from becoming strong, having any power. Making craving become less. "One perceives all formations as undesirable." Where ever we come to be, it is not stable. Where ever we come to be, it is suffering. Where ever we come to be, it is not ours. When we see this, we will reach the end of suffering. This is the destination on the path for humanity, everyone. We all have to practice insight meditation. In summary, the goals of the Buddha's teaching are 1. For purification 2. For the eradication of sorrow, lamentation and despair 3. For the overcoming of bodily and mental pain 4. For the realization of the truth 5. For nibbana The four foundations of mindfulness are the core of our practice because they are the heart of the tipitaka. We have to undertake the duty of study and the duty of insight. The duty of study we have undertaken already. As for the duty of insight, we need to learn how to practice. If we want to study from beginning to end, we have to take 1st, 2nd, 3rd dhamma study exams and study the suttas, vinaya, and abhidhamma. 1st, 2nd, 3rd minor Abhidhamma, 1st, 2nd, 3rd major Abhidhamma... These we don't have to study. This is study from beginning to end. We have come here to study just enough. Studying just enough means studying just insight meditation in line with the four foundations of mindfulness. For this is the heart of the Buddhist religion. The heart of the tipitaka right here. Foundation of mindfulness means something on which to establish mindfulness established on the body, the feelings, the mind and dhamma. Establishing mindfulness on the body, the feelings, the mind and dhamma. Body - we start with mindful prostration, then walking "stepping right, stepping left" then we sit and meditate starting with the breath. In the Visuddhimagga, there are eight levels of mindfulness of breathing But in basic practice, we use three: counting the breath, following the breath, and watching the contact of the breath. Counting the breath is called "ganananāya" Following the breath is called "anubandhanāya" Watching the contact of the breath is called "samphusanāya". We watch the contact of the breath; the breath enters, the stomach rises, the breath leaves, the stomach falls. This is called "samphusanāya". Then feelings - there are three: painful feelings, pleasant feelings and neutral feelings. painful feelings are aching pleasant feelings are feelings of comfort calm is a neutral feelings. As for mind, the objects of the sense are like water. The mind is like a boat, and mindfulness is like the captain. We must follow and note the mind. When the mind comes in contact with the objects of the sense, mindfulness must note it. Dhamma is the five aggregates and the five hindrances. The five aggregates are body, feelings, memories, thoughts and consciousness. In brief, they are only - body and mind. Body is just body, feelings, memories, thoughts, and consciousness are mind. Altogether, there is only body and mind. the rising of the abdomen is body, the falling is body; that which goes to know is the mind. Only body and mind. The five hindrances as well are dhamma. Sensual desire, Ill-will, sloth and torpor, worry and restlessness, and skeptical doubt. Liking, disliking, drowsiness, distraction and doubt - these five. liking is noted as "liking, liking"; disliking as "disliking, disliking" drowsiness as "drowsy, drowsy"; distraction as "distracted, distracted" doubt as "doubting, doubting"; then return to "rising, falling". This is dhamma. So we go back and forth between body, feelings, mind and dhamma, and the objects of insight meditation will arise. Insight means to see clearly. We will see clearly that inside ourselves is only suffering. The Buddha had us to learn about what is inside ourselves first. Once we know this about ourselves, we see that the whole world is suffering as well. Inside ourselves there is nothing certain; the whole world is also uncertain. Inside of ourselves, nothing is self; the whole world is also not self. Everything is not ours; it doesn't belong to anyone in this world. So the Buddha called it non-self. So, we have to establish mindfulness at the body, feelings, mind and dhamma and we will see clearly in regards to these three things. Once we see these three things clearly, we will come to reach freedom from suffering, nibbana. The noble path and fruit are entered into via one of three paths: The first path is the "signless path", entering via impermanence; second is the "desireless path", entering via suffering; third is the "emptiness path", entering via non-self. This is as to entering. Nibbana is entered into via one of these three paths. So, we have to establish mindfulness at the body, feelings, mind and dhamma. Once we set ourselves on these four things, the objects of insight meditation will arise. We will see clearly one of three things: we will know impermanence, we will know suffering and we will know non-self. Some people enter into nibbana via impermanence. Some people enter because they have suffering; they enter via the path of seeing suffering. Some people know non-self; they enter via the path of seeing non-self. The cessation of suffering comes via one of these three paths. Once we know these three things, we will come to reach freedom from suffering, nibbana. This great discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness; once we understand the manner of development in this way, we have to ask, what are the benefits we get from it? We will get four benefits: 1. When we die, we will not become lost; we will be mindful. 2. After we have died - in this birth, because of your coming to practice insight meditation, you will not go to the four realms of loss. You will have to be reborn as angels. You will be born in heaven. You will not go to the realm of hell. You will only go to the heavenly realms. Even if one comes for three days, seven days, or just visit to practice, it is a great wholesomeness. "The defiled mind will surely go to hell; the undefiled mind will surely go to heaven." This is truth. If one dies with impurity, hell is certain. We have to make our minds pure. When we contact with the four foundations of mindfulness, heaven is certain. This is in regards to death; all beings must die. Don't overlook this fact; all people must be made to know that this path leads to heaven and nibbana, because it makes the mind pure. When we contact with mindfulness, this is the second benefit; a good destination. 3. It stays as a precondition for the future. Your coming to practice here will not leave you throughout all of your rebirths. It will follow you through every life. The mind that comes in contact with these four foundations of mindfulness if one doesn't attain enlightenment in this life, one will attain it in a later life. There was a monk who had the dullest wit of all, getting nothing out of studying; he went to ask to disrobe from the Buddha. The Buddha said, "Don't. Don't disrobe yet." Because the knowledge of the Buddha, he could recall the past without limit. There are four things without limit: the knowledge of the Buddha, the world of beings, the universe, and space. These things have no limit. As to the knowledge of the Buddha, the Buddha would teach the dhamma looking to see what sort of preconditions they had cultivated from the past. The Buddha looked back into the past. The Buddha's knowledge has no limit. Other religious followers can remember back forty aeons; they still can attain such knowledge. Ordinary enlightened disciples can remember back 100 eons to 1,000 aeons. The eighty great enlightened disciples can remember back 100,000 aeons. The two chief enlightened disciples can remember one uncountable era and 100,000 aeons. Private Buddhas can remember two uncountables and 100,000 aeons. As to the world of beings, those who don't practice insight will be born and die, born and die without knowing any end. Without knowing where to go. The world of beings, those who don't practice the dhamma. They are born and die, born and die. The world of beings thus has no limit. The universe has no limit; the light from one universe doesn't reach the next. Space has no limit; there is space everywhere. This is enough; the reason for bringing up these things that have no limit is to explain how the goodness developed here will follow you from life to life, as a precondition. If you don't attain knowledge in this life, you will attain it in the time of a Buddha to come. 4. There will come one of two things - two certificates of achievement either one will end all birth in this life, or as a non-returner, one will not be born in a womb again; one will be born rather in heaven, and from heaven come to practice. When the Buddha Sri Ariya Metteyya is born one will listen to his teaching and become enlightened instantly. So, the discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness has a curriculum of seven years. If one feels the need, one can go up to Khao Yai. You don't have to come down at all. Stay up on Khao Yai for seven years. For certain, rebirth will be finished for you. Khao Yai is a place where the venerable has made a school for the whole world. Khao Yai is a school for the whole world. Whoever feels the need to end suffering now, go there. I think that is enough time for this instruction on the theory of practice. so, I ask to end here. To end this instruction on practice By the power of this goodness I wish to make a determination that the goodness and perfections which all of you have cultivated and accumulated may be a supportive condition for you to realize path, fruition and nibbana in the present or some life to come. And during this practice in the present, may you be released from suffering, released from danger, released from all sickness, and may you find happiness in the cool shade of the dhamma of the fully enlightened Buddha for all time and at all times. May it be so.