Grown up With Ignorance

revised on 2021-07-28

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 18th October 1961

The Buddha exhorted us that we should stay with mindfulness and wisdom after he had gone; keeping with sati in the body and analyze with wisdom. In this way, we can see all the process of the khandha. You all have to try it because in the pāḷi of Saṃyutta Nikāya the Buddha had reminded us for many times. Absence of mindfulness is leading to great fault for oneself. You’re living with the body all the times but no mindfulness that can’t discern with wisdom. Therefore, you’re grown up with ignorance (avijjā) of not knowing. It’s frightening indeed; like an ox grown up with ignorance and just for working without any freedom. You all grown up with ignorance that the Buddha has no chance arisen for you. You have the Buddha image (statue) at your home altar (All Buddhists in Theravada countries have Buddha statues at their altars) but no Buddha appears in your knowledge (ñāṇa). Vaṭṭamūlaṃ avijjā—the root of the round of existence is ignorance. Whenever you’re not free from the round of existence and everything you do in daily life is like changing prison (i.e., all the unwholesome and wholesome kammas lead to existences are like changing dukkha prisons).

Listening sacca-dhamma (teaching on truth) and wise attention (yoniso) will fulfill the practice. So, don’t put the causes on the perfection (pāramīs). The path will arise if you know it as the truth of dukkha. Whatever you do with craving is searching for death. (see the 12 links of D. A. process). You’re looking for it even before this khandha dies. You’re daring to die like the insects rushing towards fire. It's a fool (bāla) to look for death if one is born to die!. Searching for freedom from death is the wise person (paṇḍita). Be mindful and observe with wisdom is the medicine of the Buddha. You’re afraid of death and approach a doctor. In the same way, you have to take the Buddha medicine if you are really afraid of death. Only the Buddha was a real doctor. He was the teacher of gods and humans—Satthā Devamanussānaṁ. The three cups of medicine of the Buddha are the medicines of anicca, dukkha and anatta. People who contemplate impermanence are taking the medicine. This is the medicine for undying, so you have to drink it with satisfaction. It’s not good to drink it later. Drink it for a while and put it aside also not good. Is it good to take a lot of medicine or little of them? (it’s good to take a little.) In this case, take it quickly when you’re still young with sharp mind. For some they died earlier before they took the medicine of dukkha sacca. I am urging you to finish the medicine.

(Sayadaw continued on the cittānupassanā practice)

Whatever arises on the body is body consciousness, for examples, itches, pains, etc., appear on the body. It does not appear at the tips of hair and on dry skins—also on finger and toe nails. Except on these few places, it appears everywhere (i.e., internal and external). At wherever when it arises, follow its impermanence. When seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting consciousness arise and contemplate at the arising places. When the mind of greed (lobha) arises, contemplate its impermanence at the heart area of blood (where mental factors of the mind appear)—also the same with angry mind, doubting mind (vicikicchā), etc. There are two host minds—wanting to breathe-in mind and breathe-out mind. Non-delusion mind (amoha citta) is the contemplative mind or the knowing mind. Non-greed (alobha citta) and non-anger (adosa citta) are also arising in the heart. This is the process of the practice.

For the worldlings, only these 13 types of consciousness can arise. The other 12 can’t arise if one of them arises. There is always one of them arises and contemplate to know about them. Non-existing of it (its disappearance) is impermanent (anicca) and the knowing of it is knowledge (magga). And then it becomes the contemplation of the mind (cittānupassanā). The Buddha administered us for three cups of medicine. But taking one cup of them will cure your illness (i.e., anicca medicine). You have to take it too much (i.e., three cups) that I add them together and give you one cup. It was enough if you discern impermanence (anicca). (Here Mogok Sayadawgyi was very wise and practical. If we go and check the Pāḷi suttas teaching it was also simple and direct not complicated. So, we should not confuse and doubt about them. If people like to be complicated and it’s up to them.) I only worry that you don’t follow behind with magga. Let the process of magga follow behind anicca continuously and with the practice in the morning will realize Dhamma (i.e., Nibbāna) in the evening and vice versa. In the practice there are no dhammas come and disturb the yogi. It’s only you don’t know how to deal with it. The defiled minds (kilesa cittas) also come in for the contemplation. These minds are also from these 13 types of consciousness. They come and invite you to contemplate them—ehipassiko.

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revised on 2021-07-28

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• Content of Part 13 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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According to the translator— Ven. Uttamo's words, this is strictly for free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma—Dhamma Dāna. You may re-format, reprint, translate, and redistribute this work in any medium.