The Source of Great Sufferings

revised on 2021-03-15

Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 4th October 1961

The Buddha urged us to destroy the source of hell root, the identity view − sakkāya diṭṭhi. Many types of mind arise with conditions. We take them as my mind. Whatever of the arising mind, don’t take it as I-making. Desiring to eat something arises is a type of mind arises. Desiring to sleep arises is a type of mind arises, etc.

Whatever state of mind arises, making note of them as in the same way if you know them as arising with their own matters. And it becomes evidence that these are not me and not mine. It’s the most important for the me and the mine to fall away. If the me falls away, wrong view — diṭṭhi is falling away. If mine falls away, the craving − taṇhā is falling away. If you ask, “How we do it?” Every time mind arises, you must know it as not me, but only mind arises by conditions. If you know every mind arises, wrong view falls off. What I am saying now is easy. With yourself and you forget it (not knowing or lost mindfulness when it arises).

When the desire to sleep arises, it becomes I want to sleep. Don’t mix with the me. Simply know it as a sleepy mind arises. If you mix it up, it become wrong view. In you only one mind after one mind is arising.

If you know them as such, it becomes insight for dispelling wrong view. This is not the insight of anicca and dukkha, but a person or a being disappears. I’ll dispel your doubt later. Now it's still in the stage of dispelling the identity view. It still needs to dispel eternal view and view of annihilation.

Note these points carefully. Only a Buddha had arisen into this world and had the chances to hear about it (Except a Buddha, nobody can teach them. So, wrong views are very deep rooted in every living being. Therefore, the Buddha said the permanent homes of living beings were the woeful planes).

If you are making something which is not me as me and it’ll connect things. How does it connect? You are making other things as my son, my wife, etc. The disease of wrong views will develop. You are thinking the arising phenomenon is me and the other thing as mine. Note them seriously.

Because of this, killing father and mother, cheating and deceiving others and people’s belongings, etc. and all unwholesome dhammas develop from wrong views. So we have to destroy them first. It’s true as the source of hells. I am worrying all of you will fall into hells and helping you to cut off this root. After craving to eat taṇhā arises, the big taṇhā of clinging arises as I can’t control without it.

There are two kinds of taṇhā: taṇhā of thinking and clinging. After that, it's the task effort — kamma. These three things exist everywhere (i.e., without contemplation). ① Taṇhā paccaya ② upādāna paccaya ③ kamma-bhāva paccaya jāti. Paccaya means condition. Without any condition, nothing can arise.

I am explaining clearly. These three points are main factors. Have to remember these three points. From all the six senses-doors, these three points are in line. Paccaya means the cause condition. The result is without break. In the process of taṇhā paccaya upādāna, after taṇhā ceases, upādāna arises.

Why taṇhā has to cease? Paccaya is the cause and which cause? The cause of the dhamma which has ceased before (here is taṇhā). With the condition of taṇhā, upādāna arises. After taṇhā has ceased, leaves the cause of condition behind. So taṇhā has ceased but let upādāna arises. This is nothing do with reciting by heart of the text. Taṇhā has the cause. It has the cause to let upādāna arises.

Isn’t arising automatically? All our minds processes are going on like this, by the front causes. The front cause and the after result have connection. In this way, it's free from uccheda view. Cause and effect are not annihilated. Uccheda means annihilated. You may think with the contemplation of anicca, dukkha and anatta, it will realize Nibbāna. If hindered by this wrong view can’t realize it. After clearing it away, will realize it. And if not, you could not realize it.

In the time of the Buddha, some monks couldn’t realize Nibbāna without clearing away these views and practicing because it was hindered by wrong views. Even though taṇhā has ceased, leaving the power behind and the result of upādāna arises. From the time of you know these things, not go to painful birth (According to some of Sayadaw’s talks only for next one or two lives. Especially for his lay followers listened to his talks every day.)

This is not a small power. You are free from identity and eternal views if you discern the passing away dhamma (i.e., impermanent). Although taṇhā has passed away and seeing upādāna arises and free from uccheda view.

So every time seeing impermanence free from three wrong views (①, ②, ③).

I’ll continue to talk about it if you are not clear because it’s the seed of hell. It's not kamma which sends you there. Diṭṭhi — wrong view, sends you there: taking taṇhā as me, upādāna as me, and kamma as me.

There is no me but you take it as me and falling into there (hells). But you are thinking that unwholesome dhammas send beings there. It’s by the order of wrong views. Kamma can’t do anything after diṭṭhi is destroyed.

(Sayadaw gave the simile of the judge – diṭṭhi, and the executioner – kamma). Therefore, diṭṭhi is more fearful than kamma. But you all are afraid of kamma. In the suttas the Buddha said that freedom from the painful destinations (apāyabhūmi) was abandoning of diṭṭhi and doubt. He did not mention the abandoning of kamma but you all are talking as by kamma.

(Identity view itself cannot send beings to painful births. But it is the source of all wrong views to arise. With wrong views being are easier to create unwholesome actions which can send beings to painful births.)

revised on 2021-03-15; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4202&p=36033#p36033 (posted on 2019-02-26)

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