The Continuation of Dependent Arising

revised on 2019-04-19

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 15th November 1960

This body is the continuation of dependent arising from the 6-sense doors. If you know the arising phenomena, you will dispel the view of annihilation. If you see the disappearing of phenomena, you dispel the stability view of permanence, and know that the results are coming from the causes, then dispel the view of annihilation. With the understanding of the arising and passing away phenomena of dependent arising and wrong views fall away. After dispelling wrong view and practice you will appreciate its impermanent nature. This is also in the middle way. The middle way is the Noble Eightfold Path. As U Tan Daing's saying (later became one of his closed disciples), "It happened by itself and gone by itself", seems like a not-self nature. It's still a colloquial language with wrong view (i.e. without causes). The usage by one who has dispelled wrong view is that causes are passing away and also the results are. The causes are arising and so do the results are. Then it clears up views of permanence and annihilation. Arising by causes and passing way by causes is on the middle way. Contemplation without any knowledge before-hand is impossible. Without understanding the dependent arising you never dispel wrong view. This was mentioned by the Buddha himself. The knowledge of rise and fall (udayabbayañāṇa) will come later. Before this there are two kinds of other knowledge. These are the knowledge of mind and form and the knowledge of cause and effect. Without these knowledge you are practicing with wrong views. To give up wrong view should contemplate the mind; and for craving contemplate feeling. According to the commentary, wrong view is mostly ingrained in the mind. By observing one's own mind no need to find a place for practice.

Whatever mind state arises it is the object of insight. Only need to follow by contemplation. Observe (1) with (2). This is the whole vipassanā. Every (1) arising and following with (2), then no craving and clinging can follow behind. (1) is anicca and (2) is vipassanā knowledge (ñāṇa). Contemplate every mind arise. You can't know the bhavaṅga citta (life-continuum) and also not necessary. (1) is the mind arising, (2) is the observing mind. (U Tun Yin, a disciple, asked Sayadaw "Is it necessary to find a quiet place for practice?")(Sayadaw answered that it was alright if he could not control his mind.) Practicing vipassanā can be contemplated anywhere. Some were doing their jobs and achieved realization. If you delay your practice and death come earlier will be difficult. As an example, the two samatha teachers of the Bodhisatta died a little earlier that missed the chances for enlightenment. (Sayadaw continued to explain how to contemplate impermanence.) For example, the mind of wanting to eat arises and when you contemplate it, you see that it's not there anymore. Don't take it as the concept of nothingness (abhava paññatti). Without the wanting to eat mind ceases, the observing mind can't arise (Two cittas can't arise together and one follows the other.). Vipassanā is to see the non-existence. I'll explain it. People are saying as seeing impermanence. We know that a man can't alive with 2 minds. Contemplate (1) with (2) and seeing that (1) is not there anymore. This is contemplating non-existence. We know the earlier mind was not there is insight knowledge (vipassanā ñāṇa). (U Tun Yin said to Sayadaw that it was not clear to him.) Now, you are alive with this arising mind moment. As an example, you are alive with the wanting to eat mind. The Buddha asked to observe the arising mind. When you observe: "Is it still there?" Vipassanā means contemplate the non-existence, non-existence of the first mind. But don't take it as a concept. Originally, not exist is the concept of nothingness (abhava paññatti). Asking you to contemplate the non-existence is true. If you contemplate the existence, then it becomes permanence. A man should be alive with each arising mind, not with the passing away mind and impossible nature. When the observing mind comes in and you see the non-existence (of the arising mind). Vipassanā means to observe the non-existence. If you observe the existence, it becomes permanence (nicca). Vipassanā is to see the impermanent characteristics. This refinement is leading to Nibbāna element. If it is coarse you can't see it. Is it contemplating the totally non-existence or the non-existence of the existence? It's to know the non-existence of the existence. If I ask you to contemplate nothingness, then it becomes a concept. It's called tissari paññatti – half concept (i.e. the existence to non-existence). By contemplating the existence to non-existence then the concept of a person disappears. Commentary also explained in this way. (Sayadaw recited the Pali verse) Hutvā – after arising, abhāvattena – and not exist, aniccaṁ – is impermenent. (Hutvā abhāvattena aniccaṁ) (After arising and then not exist, it is impermanent). Therefore, observe the existence to non-existence. Observe oneself dies and oneself does not exist, or oneself dies and totally disappears. The higher insight knowledge also observes (1) with (2). If you don't know the Satipaṭṭhāna, then never mind. Can observe the (1) with (2) is enough.

The meaning of tissari paññatti is the contemplation of the non-existence dhamma. Contemplate the non-existence of the arising dhamma (Tissari – That arising dhamma; Paññatti – of non-existence). It's arising and passing away. It's called udayabbaya ñāṇa. The meaning of can't alive with 2-minds is after arises has to pass away. At first I said contemplate (1) with (2). After you understand it, I have to say again to contemplate the non-existence of (1) with (2). People are talking about 10-insight knowledges or 16-insight knowledges. But in the end all are contemplating (1) with (2). To become a Buddha was between feeling and craving. Don't let craving come in. The Buddha was arisen not in India. It was the concept Buddha. The real paramattha Buddha was between feeling and craving. The Path (magga) is cutting actions (kamma). The Path of Stream Entry (sotāpatti magga) is cutting all the kammas to painful rebirths (dugati bhava). Therefore, the Buddha delivered on the 4-types of kamma in The Kukkuravatika Sutta. Neither black nor white kammas are from all the insight knowledges to Path Knowledge. (See MN 57: Kukkuravatika (or Kukkuravatiya) Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya)

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revised on 2019-04-19; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2945&p=32935#p32942 (posted on 2016-07-23)

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

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• Content of "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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