Fulfilling One’s Duty

revised on 2021-07-28

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 27th May 1961

Someone is wasting the chance of Path and Fruit (Magga and Phala) if he can’t catch up to the point of truth (sacca). The person who is listening to the teaching but not following to the end is also not getting the Path Knowledge.

(To support these two points. Sayadaw told the stories of Ven. Sāriputta and Dhānañjāni brahman; and laymen Pesa of the Buddha Kassapa’s time. Sāriputta taught the brahman the samatha dhamma and he was reborn in the Brahma world.

But he had the potentiality for enlightenment. Later Sāriputta went there again and taught him vipassanā dhamma. Pesa’s story had been mentioned before).

Even someone has the pāramīs, these two points are important. Teacher and student, if each person is lacking one of these points will lose the chance for realization. A person can be checked with the following five points whether he has the pāramīs or not. These are:

① Encounter with the Buddha’s sāsana.

② Meeting with those who can teach the sacca dhamma, that is the Buddha or the disciples of the Buddha.

③ Able to listen and understand the sacca dhamma.

④ Can practice in accordance with the Dhamma – (Here Sayadaw was emphasized the discerning of impermanence.)

⑤ Repay the gratitude to the teacher with the successful practice.

If you complete with ①, ② and ③ points and have the pāramīs. If you can complete ④ and ⑤ with the practice and fulfill the goal.

The sutta discourses were the khandha records. Entering the Path has to look at the khandha. (Giving the Dhammapada story of two monks; one was a scholar and the other was a yogi. The scholar couldn’t answer the practical questions put by the Buddha. But the yogi could answer them.)

We can perform the sāsana duty with learning (pariyatti) and practical knowledges (patipatti). The real learning knowledge comes from the practical knowledges of the khandha. Don’t know the khandha directly and only from the books can be bitten by taṇhā, māna and diṭṭhi.

One can realize Path and Fruit if knowledge (ñāṇa) is in accordance with the reality. One thing you have to remember is, if kilesas come in and it takes longer. Therefore it is important not let kilesas come in between the reality and knowledge. Practice in the morning and it can be realized in the evening. Practice in the evening and it can be realized in the morning (half day).

A wanderer asked Ven. Sāriputta; “What is the most difficult thing in loka – the world?” Ven. Sāriputta’s answers were; Free from businesses (activities) for the practice; live in seclusion for the practice; and seeing anicca. Not included the pāramīs in these three points. One will realize the Dhamma if practice with these three points.

You will get it (discerning anicca) if you succeed with the no. ③. The Buddha and Sayadaw mentioned the importance of anicca in practice in their suttas and talks)

(Sayadaw continued to talk on the hindrances from the Saṅgārava Sutta, Aṅguttara Nikāya. The reason of having impermanence (conditioned dhamma) and can’t discern it is covering by hindrances. Then, how to solve it? For example, lobha arises and it will cover up impermanence. First, you have to contemplate the impermanence of lobha mind. After that continue the contemplation whatever the khandha shows you. Because of these hindrances that can’t realize Path and Fruit.

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revised on 2021-07-28; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4241&p=36213#p36213 (posted on 2019-03-31)

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• Content of Part 10 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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