the past eight weeks, we have been expounding the Dhammacakka, dealing
with definitions and explanations of the two extreme parts (practices),
how the Blessed One had discarded these two extreme practices and come
upon the middle Path, otherwise called the Noble Eightfold Path, by
means of which vision arose, insight arose in him. We have also explained
how the Path leads to the calming of the defilements, and to the higher
knowledge which gives penetrative insight into the four Truths and to
realization of Nibbăna. We have given, too, comprehensive exposition
on the Eightfold Path and how it may be developed. We shall now start
considering the Four Noble Truths which the Blessed One penetrated into
by adopting the Middle Path, otherwise known as the Noble Eightfold
TRUTH OF SUFFERING - DUKKHA SACCÂ
This Păli passage
which gives definition and enumeration of the dukkha saccă,
is quoted from the Dhammacakka Sutta now in extant. The sentence 'vyădipi
dukkhă' in this passage appears to be extraneous, not being found
in the Pali definitions of dukkha saccă provided in other
suttas. At the same time, the words 'soka parideva dukkha domanassu-păyasă
pi' which come after 'maranaő pi dukkhaő' in other suttas
are missing in the existing text of Dhammacakka Sutta. There exists
this disagreement between Dhammacakka Sutta and other suttas in the
definition of dukkha saccă.
The author of the sub-commentary did not seem too happy over these various definitions in the texts. He did not, therefore, give any exposition on these words 'vyădipi dukkha' which are not present in other suttas and on which the commentary remained silent. We had taken up the suggestion made by the author of the sub-commentary to conduct an enquiry into these differences and had made the following findings as to how these differences had come about.
It cannot be that the Buddha had given consistent definition of dukkha saccă in every discourse on the subject. We have come to the conclusion that the Theras, the Vinaya-bearers who made a specialised study of vinaya, not being equally well-versed in matters pertaining to suttas and abhidhamma, had caused the insertion of the words 'vyădipi dukkha' and the deletion of the words 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupăyăsapi dukkha' in the Dhammacakka discourse in the Mahavagga Pali Text of the Vinaya Pitaka. Their version of the Dhammacakka thus appears in the Vinaya differently from the Sutta and Abhidhamma Pali Canons.
Our conclusion is based on the consideration that the commentaries on Sutta and Abhidhamma, which give expositions on the short definition of dukkha saccă, do not provide any explanatory note on vyădipi dukkha, but on soka parideva dukkha domanassupăyăsa pi dukkha and on the fact that the comment arise nor the sub-commentaries made any mention of the differences in the Păli texts.
The author of the sub-commentary, Sărattha Dipani, was a venerable thera who lived during the reign of King Prakkama Băhu between A.D. 1153 and and A.D. 1186. Counting back from B.E. 1324, it was about 700 or 800 years ago. The commentators and the sub-commentators from the Venerable Buddhaghosa down to the Venerable Dhammapăla lived about 1300 to 1600 years ago. These ancient commentators and sub-commentators who wrote exegeses on the Dhammacakka sutta of Sacca Samyutta in the Samyutta Mahăvagga of the Păli Canon, did not make any mention of the disparity in the texts. Their silence was simply because of the fact that the Dhammacakka Sutta as it existed then was no different from those given in the Păli text of other Suttas and Abhidhamma.
However, by the time the author of the sub-commentary, Sărattha Dipani, came upon the scene about 500 years later. the disagreement had cropped up between the various Pali texts which he duly discovered. He, therefore, strongly urged for a critical examination and close investigation of the cause of variance in the texts.
Are we to take that the Buddha gave at the very first discourse a definition of dukkha saccă which is different from other versions? If we do, it would amount to holding the view that the Buddha started off at the first discourse with one definition of dukkha, then changing it later to a different version. This kind of view would be highly improper. A proper method of consideration would be that the Buddha, whose knowledge of all things is unimpeded, being blessed with sabbańńuta ńăna, had given the same definition consistently throughout, but that later on, Vinaya-bearers, owing to defective intelligence and memory, had caused these discrepancies to creep into the texts in the course of handing them down from generation to generation. Instances of textual discrepancies are well-known in modern times. The commentary and sub-commentary texts are found to vary from country to country. It is obvious that such disagreement were not present in the original texts, but developed only in later periods.
After careful scrutiny as set out above, we have come to the conclusion that other texts are accurate and that the Dhammacakka sutta, now in extent, has in its section on the definition of dukkha saccă, supplemental words of 'vyădhi pi dukkho' while the words 'soka paridava dukkha domanassapăyăsa pi dukkha' are missing. Our conclusion is also based on the consideration that 'vyăhi-illness' is comprised in the word dukkha of the larger sentence of 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupăyăsa pi dukkha', whereas 'soka', etc., are not embraced by the term 'vyădi'.
believe that the texts bearing 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupăyăsa
pi dukkha' without the words 'vyădhi pi dukkho' are
accurate and in accord with the canonical teachings of the Buddha.
We have engaged in the above scrutiny of the varying texts as we intend
to use the following version in our discourse because we believe it
to be accurate.
what I am going to teach presently is the Noble Truth of Suffering
or the real suffering which the ariyas should know. The new becoming
(birth) is also suffering; getting old (ageing) is also suffering;
death is also suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair
are also suffering; association or connection with unlovable persons
and objects or hateful persons and objects is also suffering; separation
from lovable person and objects is also suffering; desiring to get
and not getting it, that desire or craving is also suffering (commentary
on Sutta Mahăvă); or alternatively, desiring to get and not getting
what one does not want is also suffering (Vibhanga sub-commentary).
In short, the five aggregates which form the object of attachment
or the group of năma-rupa which clings to the notion of I,
mine, permanence, satisfactoriness (sukha), self, are indeed
Speculation does not have a place in the Buddha's Teachings. The Truth he taught was discovered by himself through his own insight. The Four Noble Truths he taught with their definition had been gained through his superior penetrative insight, developed by following the Middle Path, otherwise called the Noble Eightfold Path which, as stated above, leads to higher knowledge producing penetrative Insight. These Four Noble Truths are:
It is most essential to know these Four Truths. Only with the apprehension of the Truth of Suffering, suffering may be avoided for which the cause of suffering must also be known. Again, in order to achieve cessation of suffering, there must be knowledge of what constitutes real cessation of suffering. Finally, the extinction of suffering cannot be brought about without knowledge of the practical way of accomplishing it. Hence, knowledge of the Four Truths is indispensable.
Having come upon these four essential Truths, the Buddha enumerated them in their sequence. The first Truth dealt with was the Truth of Suffering, which he described as:
This is the translation
of the Păli passage quoted above.
Womb conception, according to Buddhist scriptures, has its origin in the semen and blood of the parents. Western medical science holds the view that conception results from the union of father's sperm and mother's ovum. The two views may be reconciled by taking that father's sperm and mother's blood are involved in a conception. This union of sperm and blood of parents, leading to the formation of resultant new năma and rupa, constitutes what is known as rebirth, which may take place either in states of woe (apăya) or in the human world, as conditioned by past akusala kamma or kusala kamma respectively.
Conception in moisture-laden media such as moss, etc. (sansedaja), represents the coming into existence of some larvae, etc. Being not visible by human eyes such as deities, demons, ghosts and denizens of the woeful states assume spontaneous re-birth or autogenesis known as opapătika conception, with knowing mind and physical body completely developed.
In all these four types of conception, the first moment of conceiving or genesis definitely constitutes jăti, beginning of new existence. No suffering or pain as such exists at the first moment of genesis. Since this first arising or origination of life serves as a basis for later appearance of physical pain and mental suffering throughout the whole of the ensuing existence, jăti is termed 'suffering'.It is like putting one's signature on a document as a guarantor of some questionable transactions. There is no trouble, of course, at the time of signing the instrument of the transactions, but as it is certain to give rise to later complications, the act of signing the document amounts to involvement in dreadful trouble or in other words 'suffering'. For further elucidation, suffering may be classified under seven categories:
Of these seven types, bodily pains, aches and discomfort are a form of suffering just as worry, misery, unhappiness and sadness constitute another form. The two forms combine to make the first type of suffering . . . dukkha-dukkha. Its nature is suffering, its name is suffering. Hence, it is dukkha-dukkha, dreaded by every sentient being.
note: unendurable physical and mental suffering is dukkha-dukkha.
When the wealth they have accumulated in the form of gold, money or property suddenly is lost through one reason or another,; when death or separation comes to one's beloved member of the family, spouse or children, intense grief and distress ensue, which may even cause mental derangement. Thus, these two forms of happiness, kăya sukha and cetasika sukha, are also a type of suffering known as viparinăma dukkha (suffering because of change). While they last, they may appear very enjoyable, only to be replaced by extreme grief and despair when they vanish. Hence, they are dukkha all the same.
note: Happiness arising from physical comfort and mental joy is called
3. Mnemonic note: Equanimous feeling and năma, rupa formations of mundane sphere are called sankhăra dukkha.
Feeling of happiness also requires constant conditioning for its maintenance and as such should be classified as sankhăra dukkha, but the commentators left it out of this classification as it had been given a separate name as viparinăma dukkha. Nevertheless, it should be regarded as sankhăra dukkha too since it is very plain that considerable application is needed for its maintenance.
The three types
of dukkha explained above should be well understood as a complete
grasp of these types will help in understanding the Truth of Suffering.
Of these seven types of dukkha, jăti or taking birth in a new existence comes under pariyăya dukkha according to the above classification. All kinds of suffering in hell such as subjection to millions of years of incineration by hell-fires, tortures by the hell-keepers, arise because of birth in hell as a consequence of past akusala kamma. All kinds of suffering in the realm of petas such as starvation, scorching fires for millions and millions of years arise because of birth in that realm as a consequence of akusala kamma. Hardships and troubles in the animal kingdom suffered by animals such as cattle, elephant, horse, dog, pig, chicken, bird, goat, sheep, insects, etc. arise because they happen to take birth in animal existence.
Human misery characterised
by scarcity of essentials for living such as food, clothing, etc.
is brought about by the fact of taking birth in the human existence.
Even when well-provided for as in the case of affluent people, there
is no escape from suffering, inflicted on them in the form of physical
and mental distress due to illness and disease or unfulfilled desire,
fear of oppression by the enemies, ageing, etc. All these miseries
come about because of jăti in the human world. Being thus, the foundation
for all the suffeirngs that ensue throughout the whole span of life,
taking birth in a particular existence, jăti, is regarded
A dhamma-teaching thera of 20 or 30 years ago used to recite a verse 'Dhamma cradle, Emerald cradle' in the course of his sermons. The verse gave a description of various kinds of cradles ranging from emerald-studded golden cradles for royal infants to the miserable wicker baskets of poverty-stricken families. In one stanza of the verse was the query 'Ageing is gradually creeping. For which cradle are you heading?' This question is quite apt since after ageing comes finally death. And if craving (tannhă) still remains, death will inevitably be followed by rebirth in a new existence. Even if one is reborn in the human plane, one is bound to start life in one cradle or another. The question is 'Which kind of cradle?' Emerald studded golden cradle awaits those with abundance of wholesome kammas; while those burdened with unwholesome kammas will head straight for a wicker basket in a wretched home. The verse was an exhortation urging people to do meritorious deeds for assurance of a high class cradle in their next existence.
We would also
urge you now just to ponder a while on the question of which mother's
womb you are destined to. And to become mindful of the dreadful suffering
attendant upon birth and work for cessation of cycle of rebirths.
Even if one cannot strive for complete liberation yet, at least endeavour
for security against lowly destinations.
The physical ageing goes on throughout life quite unmistakably, but becomes very noticeable only when one advances in age and is no longer youthful. The under ten-year-old age group does not have the same body as those older than them. There is continuous change in physical appearance. The above twenties and thirties assume an appearance quite different from that of their younger days. These changes are indications of the ageing that is taking place. Here, by ageing (jară) we mean decaying in the sense of getting grey-haired, etc., which is clearly discernible.
(ageing) is concerned with just the static moment (thiti)
of the aggregates of năma and rupa and has no essence
of pain or suffering as it is. Because of ageing,, there occurs failing
of vital force in the whole system of the body, impairment of eyesight,
and hearing, wearing out of the sense of smell and taste, undermining
of physical strength, growing unattractiveness, loss of youthfulness,
loss of memory and intellectual power, disrespect and contempt on
the part of the young people (being addressed as old foggy, grand
sire, granny, etc.), treatment as a drag on the society. Such disabilities,
of course, give rise to physical and mental suffering. Since it forms
the source of physical and mental suffering, the Buddha had said that
jară (ageing) is fearful dukkha. People are really afraid
of old age. They are forever seeking ways and means of stemming the
advent of old age. But all in vain. Decay sets in inexorably with
grey hair and falling teeth, etc. That ageing is such a dreadful dukkha
is so plain that we need make no further elaboration on it.
Death means just the moment of dissolution of the jivita năma, rupa and is not by itself pain nor distress. However, when death comes, one has to abandon the physical body and leave behind one's dear and near ones, relatives and friends, together with all of one's own properties. The thought of leaving the present existence is very frightening and every mortal is seized with fear of death. Uncertainty as to which existence one is bound to after death causes great fear too. Because of its fearsome, dreadful nature, the Buddha had described death as dukkha.
According to the commentary, wicked men burdened with unwholesome past, see on their death-bed the evil deeds they had done or signs of their foul deeds or signs of the apăya state in which they are doomed to take rebirth, all of which give them instense mental anguish. Good men with accumulation of wholesome kammas suffer too as they dwell on the approaching death because they cannot bear to part from all that they hold dear, beloved ones and properties.
As death draws
near, all mortal beings are subjected to severe attacks of diseases
and illnesses which rack the body with unbearable pain. Death being
the basis of all such physical and mental pain, has thus been named
dukkha by the Blessed One.
Sorrow with intense worry and alarm is felt especially when one is bereaved of lowed ones such as husband, wife, sons and daughters, brothers, sisters, etc., or when disastrous economic misfortune befalls one. This soka, sorrow is, strictly speaking, domanassa vedană (a displeasurable feeling) and as such is intrinsic suffering (dukkha-dukkha). Overwhelming distress occasioned by sorrow is liable to cause pyrosis or heartburn which may contribute to premature ageing and even death. Being a basis for other physical pain, too, soka is fearsome and is, therefore, named dukkha by the Blessed One.
Everyone is in
fear of sorrow. Capitalizing on this fear, many books have been written
on the subject of 'freedom from sorrow', but the real freedom from
sorrow may be achieved only through the practice of the Four Foundations
of Mindfulness. By developing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness,
complete freedom from sorrow can be enjoyed as exemplified by the
minister Santati and Patăsăra Theri. At present times, too, distressed
persons, some having lost husbands or others troubled by business
failures, have come to our meditation centre to practise the Four
Foundations of Mindfulness. Day by day, their sorrow diminished gradually
and finally complete freedom from sorrow comes to them.
In the abstract
sense, lamentation is the material quality of sound and, therefore,
not suffering in essence. However, such wailing and hysterical proclamations
produce physical discomfort and pain. The Buddha had, therefore, declared
parideva (lamentation) as dukkha. To cry is to be
subjected to pain which is suffering or dukkha in Pali.
If physical pain
is mindfully noted in accordance with the Satipatthăna method, mental
pain is averted. Only physical pain is felt then. The Blessed One
spoke in praise of this practice by which mental pain is averted and
one suffers only physical pain. Permitting mental suffering to arise
by failing to make note of the physical pain is denounced by the Buddha.
"It is like," he said, "attempting to remove the first
thorn which is hurting by pricking out with another thorn, when the
second thorn breaks and remains embedded in the flesh. One then suffers
two pains, one from the first thorn and the additional pain from the
second thorn." This illustration deserves careful consideration.
The commentary illustrates the differences between soka (sorrow), parideva (grief) and upăyăsa (despair) as follows:
Sorrow is like
cooking oil or dye-solution in a pot over a slow fire. Lamentation
is like its boiling over when cooking over a quick fire. Despair is
like what remains in the pot after it has boiled over and is unable
to do so anymore, going on cooking in the pot till it dries up.
thing is to endeavour to meet unpleasant situations with correct mental
attitude. The best course of action is to revert to the practice of
Satipatthăna, that is, noting incessantly so that the mental process
stands at the stage of just 'hearing', 'seeing', etc. When unpleasurable
sensations are felt in the body, mental distress must be averted by
continuous noting of 'touching', 'knowing', 'pain', etc.
The family of
the millionaire, Mendaka, comprising his wife, his son and daughter-in-law
together with their servant girl, once made such a wish-to be always
together in future existences-by offering food to a Paccekabuddha.
As a result of this good kamma, their wish became fulfilled and they
were born together forming the same group of five at the time of our
Buddha. However, such kind of wish tend to promote clinging fetters
and is very inappropriate for the individual with the firm resolve
of complete release from the sufferings of samsara.
The aggregates of material and mental formations which form the objects of clinging or grasping are called upădănakkhandă, groups of grasping. These five groups of grasping are made up of:
All sentient beings exist as such only with these five groups forming their substantive mass. They cling to their body which is merely an aggregate of material forms, regarding it as 'I', 'my body', 'permanent', etc. Hence, the group of material form is called the group of grasping.
The mental states,
made up of consciousness and mental concomitants (cetasikas),
are also grasped at, taking them to be 'I', 'my mind', 'it is I who
think', 'permanent', etc. So the mental states (năma) are
also known as groups of grasping. This is how attachment occurs on
the groups of rupa and năma as a whole.
People who cannot practise insight meditation or those practising insight meditation, who have not yet advanced to the stage of appreciating the nature of anicca, dukkha, anatta, remain attached to the eye, object of sight, etc. They regard the clear eyesight as 'I', as 'my eye' and 'permanent'. When they see the body and limbs, the attachment arises, 'I see my own body; this is my hand, it exists permanently.' Seeing other people, they appear as a person, a creature, enduring, lasting. Because of such arousal of attachment to them material forms of eye and object of sight are termed rupa-upădănakkhandă.
In addition to pleasant feeling or unpleasant feeling in seeing an object, there is also neutral feeling which is not elaborated separately here due to space constraint. What is concerned with wholesome neutral feeling is included in pleasant feeling; what is concerned with unwholesome neutral feeling is included in unpleasant feeling. Both pleasant and unpleasant feelings give rise to attachment: 'It is I', 'It is my feeling', it is everlasting', 'I feel well', 'I feel terrible'. Causing attachment in this way, pleasant or unpleasant feeling on seeing an object, is called vedană-upădănakkhandha.
On perceiving an object, attachment arises in this way too: 'I recognize it', 'I don't forget it'. So it is termed the grasping group of perception (sańńa-upădănakkhandă).
Exercising the will to see an object is called cetană (volition). In the vocabulary of the text, it is termed incitement, exhortation, or urging, but will or volition expresses its meaning quite clearly. Manasikăra, which goes along with cetană, is pondering or bending the mind towards an object. Then there is phassa (contact) which comes into play too, but as cetană and manasikăra are the predominating factors, we will mention only these two. There is also attachment towards them as 'I' or 'enduring'. Hence, these two mental concomitants of willing and bending the mind involved in an act of seeing are named sankhara-upădănakkhandha. By sankhara, it is meant conditioning. In the case of seeing, it means bringing about conditions to accomplish the act of seeing.
Just knowing that an object is seen is eye-consciousness, which is also attached to 'as I see, I know', the seeing 'I' is everlasting. Because of the possibility of such attachment, consciousness is called vińńăna-upădănakkhandă.
To note seeing as 'seeing' every time an object is seen is to enable one to see the said five groups of rupa and năma as they really are, and having seen them, to remain at the stage of just seeing and not to become attached to them as 'I', 'mine', 'permanent', 'pleasant', 'good', etc.
the purpose of noting every phenomenon, we have provided the following
In (3) above,
'at the moment of arising' means at the moment of seeing, hearing,
etc. In (4) above, 'every time they arise' connotes every act of seeing,
hearing, etc., as it happens.
People who have not the opportunity to practise mindfulness and, therefore, have no knowledge of reality as it truly is, become attached to all phenomena (dhammas) prominent at the moment of hearing as 'I', 'mine', etc. Because of the liability of such attachments, the ear and the material body of sound are known as rupa-upădănakkhandă. The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing is vedană-upădănakkhandă. The perception of sound is sańńă-upădănakkhandă. Exercising the will to see an object and turning the mind towards it is sankhara-upădănakkhandă. Just knowing that a sound has been heard is vińńăna-upădănakkhandă. To recapitulate:
To note hearing
as 'hearing' every time a sound is heard is to enable one to see the
said five groups of rupa and năma as they really are and having heard
the sound, to remain at the stage of just hearing and not become attached
to it as 'I', 'mine', 'permanent', 'pleasant', 'good', etc.
Failure to note smelling as 'smelling' and to see the phenomenon of smelling as it truly is results in attachment to it as 'I', 'mine', etc. Because of the possibility of such attachment, the nose, the smell and the consciousness of smell are known as upădănakkhandhas. To recapitulate:
To note smelling
as 'smelling' every time a smell is smelt is to see the said five
groups of rupa and năma as they really are, and having smelt the smell,
to remain at the stage of just smelling and not to become attached
to it as 'I', 'mine', 'pleasant', 'unpleasant', 'good', etc.
Failure to note eating as 'eating' at the moment of eating and to see the phenomenon of eating as it truly is, results in attachment to it as 'I', 'mine', etc. Because of the possibility of such attachment, the tongue, the taste, and the consciousness of taste are known as upădănakkhandhas.
While eating the
food, preparing a morsel of the food in the hand, bringing it up and
putting it in the mouth, and chewing it; all these actions are concerned
with knowing the sensation of touch; knowing the taste on the tongue
while chewing the food, however, is consciousness of the taste. Thus,
noting the taste on every occasion of eating the food has to be carried
out to see as they really are, the five groups of năma and
rupa, which manifest themselves at the time of tasting and
to remain at the stage of just tasting so that no attachment to it
as 'I', 'mine', 'permanent', 'pleasant', 'good', etc. can arise.
Wherever this sensitive principle exists, the sense of touch may be felt. At the moment of touching, the sentitive principle which has the ability to seize the material tactile body is prominent. It becomes evident as the site of impact but not as any form or shape. Likewise, the sensitive parts of the ears, nose and tongue become evident as sites of impact where sense of hearing, smell and taste are developed.
Also prominent at the moment of impact is the material tactile body which may be any of the three elements: pathavi, tejo or vayo. The hardness, roughness, smoothness and softness one feels is pathavi; the heat felt or the warmth or cold is tejo; stiffness, pressure or motion is vayo. Such sensations of touch may arise as a result of friction between different elements in the body; or through contact, outside the body, with clothing, bedding, seats, earth, water, wind, fire or heat of the sun. Such impacts produce very vivid sensations of touch. The consciousness of touch comprises of pleasant or unpleasant feeling, perception of the impact, exercise of the will and bending of the mind to accomplish the act of touching and just knowing that a contact has been established. The feeling of pleasure or unpleasantness is especially vivid. Physical pain is the feeling of suffering (dukkhavedană) which arises through disagreeable contacts.
Failure to be mindful at the moment of touch and to see the reality as it truly is, results in the development of attachment as 'I', 'mine', etc., towards all those objects which become prominent at the time of touching. Accordingly, the site of touch, the sentient surface (sensitive principle), the feeling of touch and knowing that a contact has been made, are called upădănakkhandhas.
Practice of noting the bodily postures such as going, standing, sitting, sleeping, bending, stretching, moving, rising and falling, etc. is made just to be mindful of these Groups of Grasping. When noting these body postures, the specially perceptible element of văyo which causes stiffness, pressure and motion, is seen as it truly is, just a material body (rupa) without any power of cognition. The knowing mind which takes note of the body postures is also seen as it truly is, consciousness (năma) which cognizes an object. Thus at every occasion of noting, there is always a pair: rupa (the object) which is taken note of and năma (the knowing mind which takes note of it). After perceiving his fact exactly and clearly, there follows the knowledge of cause and effect. There is the 'going posture' because of the desire to go. Then, perceiving clearly that rupa (the object noted) and năma (the knowing mind) arise and vanish, arise afresh and vanish again at the very moment of noting, realization comes to the yogi that these phenomena are transient, painful, distressing and are happening according to their own nature and are, therefore, not controllable (anatta). Because of this realization or conviction, there is no longer any attachment on going, standing, sitting, etc., as 'I', or 'mine'.
This is how attachment
is cut off in accordance with the Maha Satipatthăna Sutta which says:
"There is no more attachment on anything of the world, namely,
the material body or the five aggregates." To be thus free from
attachment, mindfulness on the body, the feeling, the mind and the
mental objects has to be developed.
When carefully analysed, mental activities are also five aggregates of grasping (upădănakkhandhas). Thinking may be accompanied by a happy feeling (somanassa) or an unpleasant feeling (domanassa); or thinking may arise accompanied by neither pleasant or unpleasant feeling, but a neutral feeling (upekkhă vedană). When there is no mindfulness on these three types of feelings as they occur, they are liable to be grasped at as 'I feel pleasant, I feel fine, I feel miserable, I feel bad. I feel neither pleasant nor unpleasant'. For this liability of causing such attachments, these three types of feelings are known as vedană-upădănakkhandha.
Then, there is also evident sańńă (sense-perception) which recognizes the object on which the mind is dwelling. This sańńă is specially pronounced when trying to remember facts to speak about or when engaged in making calculations in checking accounts. Concerning this sańńă, wrong notions may arise 'I remember. I have good memory'. Hence, it is called sańńă-upădănakkhandha.
At the moment of thinking or exercising imagination, there comes into noticeable action, phassa (clear awareness of the presence of the object), vitakka (mental inclination towards the object), manasikăra (fixing the attention on the object), cetană which incites and urges, 'Let it be this wise, let it be that wise'. The role of cetană is especially pronounced when, for instance, an important matter happens to come up in the mind at the dead of night and it cannot be attended to. The driving urge of cetana 'go now and tell him' is very prominent. That immoral thoughts are accompanied by lobha, dosa, etc., and moral thoughts by alobha, adosa, amoha, saddhă, sati, etc., is clearly discerned.
The mental concomitants
phassa, cetană and manasikăra are inciting agents
responsible for arising of thoughts (ideas, imagination, concepts)
one after another in succession. They are also at the back of every
act of speaking and body movements such as going, standing, sitting,
sleeping, bending, stretching, etc. The incitement, the urge concerned
with each mental, vocal or physical activity is sankhăra
which conditions an act by prompting, inducing, directing, etc. This
conditioning role of sankhăra may result in its being identified as
a person or a living entity and wrongly cleaved to as 'I'. The notion
'I think, I speak, I go, I do' is wrong attachment to this conditioning
sankhăra. Such attachment is known as clinging to kărakatta
(attachment to performing-self). Therefore, the sankhăras,
namely, phassa, cetană, manasikăra, etc., are called
In addition, at the moment of thinking, the material body which provides the base for thinking is also so evident that the uninformed people believe it is the material body which is thinking. For this reason, the material body which provides the base for thinking is known as rupa-upădănakkhandha.
The object of thought may be material (rupa), mental (năma), or name, idea, notion, concept (pańńăti). These also serve as objects of attachment. The material object belongs to rupa-upădănakkhandha. The mental object is classified under the four categories of the năma-upădănakkhandha. Pańńăti may be included in the material or mental group of grasping, whichever it corresponds with. For instance, in 'yam picchaő na labhati, taőpi dukkham' (not getting what one wants is suffering, not getting what one wants) is neither material nor mental; just pańńăti. The commentarial note in Mula Tika on this point says that the desire for the unattainable should be taken as dukkha.
We have made a complete analysis of the five groups of grasping which become evident at the moment of thinking. To recapitulate:
It is very important to realize the true nature of thought by being mindful of it every time thinking occurs. Failing to take note of it and thus failing to recognize its real nature will lead to attachment to it as 'I', 'mine', 'permanent', 'pleasant', 'good', etc. The majority of people in these days are almost constantly clinging to these mental objects. Such attachments give rise to active processes for becoming, in accordance with upadanapaccayo bhavo of the Law of Dependent Origination, Paticca Samuppăda. And in every state of new becoming, there awaits old age, disease, death, followed by sufferings of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.
If, however, mindfulness is developed on each occurrence of a thought, its real nature of impermanence, painfulness and insubstantiality (anicca, dukkha, anatta) will become evident. Having thus known its true nature, no attachment to it arises. Hence, no active processes for new becoming take place. And when there is no new becoming, the mass of suffering represented by old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, etc., is completely eliminated. This cessation of suffering as a result of mindfulness on each thought as it occurs is momentary. But, if the practice of noting every thought is continued, gaining temporary cessation on each noting, by the time the ariya magga becomes fully developed the mass of suffering will have been completely eradicated. Thus, while being occupied with the exercise of noting 'rising', 'falling', 'sitting', 'touching', if any thought or idea intervenes, it should be noted as 'thinking' or 'idealing'.
The detailed analysis
we have made above will demonstrate clearly that what becomes prominent
at the six moments of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching
and thinking are merely five groups of grasping. To common people
who cannot practise this exercise of noting, at the moment of seeing,
the subject which sees is obviously some substantial body; the external
object which is seen is also obviously a woman, a man, a substantial
body. Likewise, with the phenomena of hearing, etc. In reality, however,
there is no such substance or mass to form a physical body. Only the
five groups of grasping. Nothing exists except at the six moments
of seeing, hearing, etc. They become evident only at the six moments
and what become evident then are also just the five groups of grasping.
In other words, the unbearable physical and mental distresses are dreadful intrinsic sufferings known as dukkha-dukkha. Everyone fears them. Thus, dukkha vedană (feeling of pain), otherwise upădănakkhandha, is the real Truth of Suffering.
Pleasant sensations in the body and mind are agreeable, delightful, enjoyable while they last, but when they vanish, they are replaced by discomfort, dissatisfaction which, of course, is suffering. This kind of suffering, known as viparinăma dukkha, comes about through change or conversion from a pleasant state or condition to something different and is terrible. To the Ariyas, the Noble Ones, pleasant sensations are like the ogress who bewitched people with her beauty and turned them mad. For them, pleasant sensations are dreadful upădănakkhandhas all the same and constitute the real Truth of Suffering. At the same time, pleasant sensations are transitory and require constant conditioning effort to maintain the status quo. This, of course, is irksome and is, therefore, to the wise real dukkha.
The remaining upekkhă vedană, the neutral feeling and the upădănakkhandhas of sańńă, sankhăra, vińńăna and rupa are always in a state of flux, transitory and, therefore, to the Noble Ones also dreadful. As death awaits constantly, having to rely on the impermanent upădănakkhandhas for physical substance (mass or support) is dreadful, like living in a building which shows signs of collapsing at any moment.
The transitory nature of the upădănakkhandha requires constant effort at conditioning for the maintenance of the status quo. This sankhara dukkha, the troublesome task of conditioning, is also dreadful. Therefore, to the Noble Ones, not only the pleasant or unpleasant feelings, but the remaining upădănakkhandhas are also dreadful truths of suffering.
As all the five
groups of grasping are regarded by the Noble Ones as really terrible
suffering, the Blessed One had said in conclusion of the definition
of the Truth of Suffering: "In short, the five groups of grasping,
otherwise called năma and rupa which could cause
attachments as 'I', 'mine', 'permanent', 'blissful', 'self', 'ego'
are just dreadful sufferings."
Of the four types of grasping, kămupădăna is clinging to sensual desires, craving for them. The remaining are all various kinds of wrong views. Therefore, we can summarise (1) two kinds of grasping (upădăna): wrong view and craving for sense desires.
There are thus two kinds of attachments (upădănas) - one arising out of desire for pleasurable senses and the other because of wrong views. The objects of such attachments (upădănas) consist of the aggregates of rupa and the aggregates of năma and are known as upădănakkhandha. Summarising, we have (2) objects which can cause attachments as 'I', 'mine' are upădănakkhandha (groups of grasping).
The attachment as 'I' is attaditthi, the wrong view of self, which opens the way to the remaining two wrong views. When attachment arises out of desire, the objects of desire which may not even belong to one, are grasped at as if they are one's own. The Păli texts describe how this desire leads to the possessive grasping in these words: 'Etaő mama . . . This is mine.' We have summarized in mnemonics (2) above this Păli texts description of possessive grasping.
The aggregates of năma, rupa which can cause attachment through wrong belief as self, living entity or possessive clinging as 'mine' are called aggregates of grasping (upădănakkhandhas). The mental aggregates which cannot give rise to clinging through desire or wrong view are called just khandhas (aggregates) and not upădănakkhandhas (aggregates of grasping). Such mental aggregates are the supra-mundane vedană, sańńă, san.khăra and vińńăna of the four Paths and the four Fruitions. They constitute merely aggregates of feeling, aggregates of perception, aggregates of formations and aggregates of consciousness and are not classed as aggregates of grasping (upădănakkhandhas).
The mundane types of material body, vedană, sańńă, sankhăra and vińńăna we have repeatedly mentioned above are the aggregates which incite attachment and are, therefore, called aggregates of grasping, namely, (3) rupa, vedană, sańńă, san.khăra and vińńăna.
The mundane aggregates of rupa, năma are the material bodies and rupavacara citta and cetasikas which become manifest at the six doors of senses to a person of no jhănic attainments every time he sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches or thinks. To a person of jhanic attainments, rupavacara and arupavacara jhăna cittas also become manifest at the mind's door in addition to the above aggregates. All these five groups of grasping are the Truths of suffering which form suitable objects for Vipassană meditation. The Blessed One later described them as dhammas which should be understood exactly and rightly through Vipassană Insight, through knowledge of the Path. In the third part of our discourse, we had defined sammăditthi Path as the knowledge of Truth of Suffering, i.e. the knowledge which accrues from contemplation on these five groups of grasping.
Here, it must be stressed that these rupa, năma groups of grasping should be personally realized at the real truth of suffering by clearly perceiving their nature of arising, vanishing, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, insubstantiality by observing mindfully rupa -upădănakkhandha (eye and sight, ear and sound, etc.) and năma-upădănakkhandhas (eye consciousness, ear consciousness, etc.) when they manifest themselves at the six doors of senses on every occasion of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking.
It is a matter of gratification that some yogis of this centre have seen reality as it is by the practice of mindfulness in accordance with Satipatthăna method, i.e. taking note of every manifestation as it occurs at each of the six doors of senses. They should congratulate themselves that they have come to know the Dhamma as taught by the Blessed One: 'In short, the five groups of grasping are suffering' and strive all the more strenuously to attain more complete knowledge. To recapitulate, we shall go over again the mnemonics of the 12 types of the Truth of Suffering.
We have fairly fully dealt with the definition and enumeration of the Truth of Suffering and have taken some time over it. We shall end the discourse here for today.
May you all good people in this audience, by virtue of having given respectful attention to this great Discourse on the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, be able to develop the Middle Path, otherwise called the Noble Eightfold Path, by contemplating on the five groups of grasping, the Truth of Suffering which should be clearly and completely understood, and by means of the Path and Fruition according to your wish, attain and realize soon Nibbăna, the end of all sufferings.