Importance of the Truth of Dukkha

revised on 2019-11-05

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 11th December 1960

We start from truth of dukkha — dukkha sacca, mind and body. After that dukkha develop. Become a human, a deity, etc. are only in speech. And only dukkha is increasing, taking this in mind as a truth. It only exists as dukkha arises and dukkha passes away. (Sayadaw mentioned about human’s dukkha starting from a mother’s womb. Later comes out and growth).

It really exists that only dukkha arising and dukkha passing away. If not, you’ll confuse with it as man and woman etc., and then follow with sorrow and lamentation because you lost your dukkha sacca.

(It is interesting to reflect. Actually human embryo starts from a very tiny spot of mind and matter process without human form. After become mature and has a human form. After born and get lost in concept).

When we are alive and substitute with mind and body process. When we die mind and body perishes. It was starting with the truth of dukkha. After born and lost dukkha sacca. Therefore, if something happening to us and we have to cry for it. We should make the decision that except dukkha sacca there is nothing about it.

In the beginning starts with dukkha, in the middle lives with dukkha, and in the ends also end with dukkha. Except these, no other things exist. You all have lost three of them. Not aware of them as arising and passing dukkha sacca. You are lost the original thing.

By knowing them as in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end is only dukkha. It will only tell its dukkha nature when someone is sick and dying. It’s telling you its dukkha nature. Originally it’s loathsome nature (loathsome, foulness). So at dying, only tell its loathsomeness. If you say why it happens to me, then you lost the principle.

Crying for it is not important, but will arrive to painful births. Because crying is dosa and smiling is lobha. If you lost the principle of dukkha sacca will arrive to the painful births. Originally it’s truth of dukkha.

Therefore, start with dukkha sacca, and then mature with dukkha, in the end lost with dukkha. If you not lost the principle, sorrow and lamentation will not arise. If you lost the principle, that means you want to cry. If we don’t lose the principle or arising and vanishing dukkha, we will arrive Nibbāna. Not knowing the principle is tears and hell. Having lost the principle is also tears and hell.

You must remember these two points. With losing the principle, the four woeful planes are not safety for us. Every time you have to know it as truth of dukkha with your own knowledge. When this knowing comes to an end, Path Knowledge will arise.

I am telling you the reality. You have to practice accordingly with the reality and the knowing together. If you know in this way, the dhamma leading towards crying is no more in your mind. From becoming sotāpanna to Buddha, each one’s reality and knowing have to be the same (i.e., when arising, knowing the arising; when vanishing, knowing its vanishing).

From the beginning to the end, don’t get lost the dukkha principle. Reality and the knowing have to be the same or fit in together (i.e., anicca and ñāṇa). When the Path Knowledge arises, sorrow and lamentation will extinguish. That’s Nibbāna. This also mentioned in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.

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revised on 2019-11-05; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4202&p=36037#p36037 (posted on 2019-02-26)

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• Content of Part 9 on "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of Publications of Ven. Uttamo

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