Perfection for Nibbāna

revised on 2021-01-11

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; (no date)

Amata means deathless which is Nibbāna. The way or path to the deathless is the path factors (maggaṅga) or the four paths (magga)

[This talk was based on a sutta in the Saṁyutta Nikāya, but Sayadaw did not mention its name.]

You have to go straight and will arrive to the deathless. You encountered me this life because you had fulfilled your perfection (pāramī). Making wished for life existence was making prayers to die with feeling because at any time never lacking from feeling (i.e., vedanā, which is one of the five khandhas, is present momentarily.)

Not knowing of dukkha sacca that beings prayed for vedanā.

Making wished was taṇhā and what they got was the killer (khandha).

Nibbāna only attains by contemplating with magga sacca on the dukkha sacca. Contemplating on the arising and vanishing of phenomena is developing dukkha sacca. Come out from impermanence and arrive Nibbāna (the Buddha taught in Udāna Pāli). Not seeing impermanence is coming out from impermanence.

At first contemplate impermanence with the five path factors (maggaṅga). After the ending of impermanence completes with the eight path factors and it is on the main road of the path (magga), with the continuous walking it’ll be sure of arriving at the deathless Nibbāna. The eight path factors (Nobel Eightfold Path) send the yogi to the deathless. Without the five path factors arising can’t become the eight path factors, or no insight knowledge (vipassanā ñāṇa) and the path knowledge can’t arise. Whenever you observe the khandha only impermanence exists. (i.e., udayabbaya—arising and vanishing). Only those who know the impermanence of the dukkha and thus awaken to it; only then will they emerge from impermanence and attain Nibbāna. I want you to come out from here (i.e., anicca) that importantly I have to tell it. This khandha is full of dukkha; anicca khandha disappears is dukkha disappear. The absence of dukkha is Nibbāna; and the knowledge which there is no dukkha existed is path wisdom.

Therefore, in the Udāna Pāli, the Buddha mentioned as there was Nibbāna without any conditions. What kind of conditions is Nibbāna? It’s object condition—ārammaṇa paccayo. You have to note it carefully. It’s ārammaṇika-adhipati paccayo—predominant object condition.

It’s as a sense object condition for people who had no defilements—kilesa. Nibbāna is nāma dhamma—mind phenomenon. It will not let the mind incline towards it with the kilesas of greed (lobha), anger (dosa) and delusion (moha). Nibbāna does not accept anyone who has pollution, otherwise, it would not call people to incline towards it. It doesn’t have connection with any kilesa.

Why have you still not seen it yet? Because you still have pollution in your heart. So Nibbāna is selecting people. First with insight knowledges to clear away defilements (kilesa). It will accept the mind inclines towards Nibbāna with the path knowledge of no defilement at last. In this case, vipassanā ñāṇa is still cleaning up defilements and magga ñāṇa has finished it. It’s still cleaning kilesa if still seeing of impermanence. After piling up the kilesa rubbish, and burn it down with maggaṅga fire that Nibbāna invites coming to see it. (this is the commentary gave the example.) Even it’s not easy to clean kilesa to finish it still far away. It can’t be possible to see Nibbāna which is the ending of anicca if still not discerning of anicca. If seeing impermanence dawn is arising which was mentioned in the Nāmarūpa-pariccheda textbook. Transcendental knowledge has to be arisen by discerning of anicca. When the day dawns, the sun will soon be out.

You don’t need any pāramī (perfection)—The Buddha taught the five padaniyangas; and if practicing in accordance with it, you would realize Nibbāna. The main factor in this is the discernment of impermanence.

The five padaniyangas are: ① Have strong faith ② Good health ③ Practicing with straight forward mind ④ Practicing diligently ⑤ Discerning of impermanence

Therefore, discerning of impermanence means one has the perfection that you have to continue the practice.

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revised on 2021-01-11

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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.