Khandha Fuel, Kilesa Fire and Nibbāna


revised on 2019-12-02


Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; no date noted

Someone discerns impermanence is near to the Nibbāna element. It will change instantly if the causes are ready for him. These were mentioned by the Buddha in the Udāna Pali. No one asked him about them. But he himself wanted the monks to know it. It was not teaching for a particular person.

Whatever khandha we have it, starts from not knowing (ignorance/avijjā). However, it is true indeed that everyday it becomes not good after you get it. (Mentioned some of the everyday saṅkhāra dukkha. These are really heavy burdened dukkha. Human beings, always living with delusion (moha), are not aware of it.

Even they fall in love with saṅkhāra dukkha.) By feeding and looking after it will never give you any benefit and satisfaction. Nothing is good will happen, instead only dukkha is increasing. You may think human life is good to have it. Yes, it’s better than animals except it has the chance to end dukkha; otherwis, nothing is good about it.

(In millions of Buddhists how many of them really practice. No need to mention about non-Buddhist, the outsiders.)

You’re taking the fuel as a lump of gold. Khandha is like fuel and kilesa is fire. The eleven kinds of fire are encircling the khandha and burning with it. Thirty-one realms of existence are like big fire. Without the cessation of ignorance (avijjā), volitional formation (saṅkhāra) is as fuels as changing the realms of existence; and then burning with the fire of defilements.

Only with the extinction of fuel, fire will have peace. If dukkha exists, and then sukha also must exist. It is because of not knowing how to go there that not arriving there. Taking pleasure in burning with fire is ignorant pleasure (nutty human beings). Practising insight is expelling the defilements hidden in the khandha.

Then it’s the extinguisher (i.e., vipassanā) of the kilesa fire. Only by using the path of holy water that kilesa fire will die out. There must be a place existed with the fuel and fire are extinct. With fuel and fire together beings are wandering in the 31 realms of existence with shame and disadvantage. We are looking for bodies for the funeral invitations.

The Buddha taught in the Udāna Pali that the place of Nibbāna where the fuel and fire had been extinguished really existed. I told you because it had been experienced by myself. Atthi bhikkhave ajātaṁ, abhutaṁ, asaṅkhataṁ, etc. Monks! There is an existing of an unborn, un-become, unconditioned, etc.

Not knowing is avijjā, and taṇhā is taking pleasure in things. We’re with ignorance and taking pleasure in the fuel and fire. With the cessation of both and the right knowing arises. This body is conditioned phenomena (saṅkhata dhamma) and arising by kamma, citta, utu and āhāra. Starting from the exit of saṅkhata (conditioned) will arrive to the asaṅkhata (unconditioned).

Saṅkhata and saṅkhāra are the same meaning. Mind phenomena (nāma dhamma) are the cause of sense objects (aroms/ ārammaṇa) and sense doors (dvāras). Therefore, any one of the mind and body (nāma and rūpa) phenomena are not making by us. (Also not by the Creator which is non-existing concept.)

The Buddha said; sabbe saṅkhāra anicca – therefore mind and body only have impermanence. Arising is saṅkhāra and dissolution is anicca. You will find out the exit if you’re discerning impermanence. You are ready for stepping out from the exit if becoming disenchanted. Mind / body disappear and asaṅkhāta Nibbāna arises if not wanting the saṅkhāra dukkha.


revised on 2019-12-02; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4371&p=36309#p36309 (posted on 2019-04-13)


  • Content of Part 12 on "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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