Buddhist and Non-Buddhist

revised on 2024-06-09

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 31st August 1961

The Buddha taught that on the way to Nibbāna, if you don’t have a good guide, you can't realise it. The guide here is a noble being (here someone experienced in Dhamma is referred to the Buddha in the Māgandiya Sutta). If a good guide like the Buddha was not arising in the world and humans worshipped and believed everything which they desired and fell to painful existences (apāyas). If we follow the following points and practice, we will be free from disease and know Nibbāna; i.e., approaching a noble being, listening to his teaching and practising accordingly.

At seeing something, if you do not contemplate the beginning of the D.A. process, anger arises with the seeing. If you can contemplate the beginning and D.A. process can’t follow you at the end (i.e., dosa, soka, parideva, etc., after the seeing and the D.A. process stops). Therefore, the D.A. process will stop or continue, you know it by yourself. This is the inside sāsana dhamma (i.e., Buddhadhamma) that you know like this. If you see something and become disappointed and this is outside sāsana dhamma (teachings of other faiths). This is usual (like a tradition). D.A. process revolves outside the teachings (all other faiths). D.A. process can stop only at inside dhamma.

Do you have the Sāsana or not? Investigate and observe yourself. The Buddha Sāsana has to be distinguished with the khandha process, and not with the years and months. At the time not contemplating with insight is outside the teaching, if you contemplate you’ll become an insider of Dhamma (a person who is a Buddhist or non-Buddhist also determines with this point). Outside the Buddha-Sāsana, the knowledge of belief in the results of action (kamma sakkata ñāṇa) is the end path of some faiths. Except this knowledge there are more dhammas leading to woeful existences.

(This point is important to contemplate up to international level. Nowadays we see and encounter a lot of violence and cruelty going on around the world. Even some Buddhists or Buddhist countries are not immune from it. Therefore, believing in kamma alone is not enough for becoming a Buddhist. A true Buddhist should understand the D.A. teaching very well.)

Whatever arises in you is saṅkhāra (conditioned phenomenon). Saṅkhāra is not only kamma (volition which is saṅkhārakkhandha). There is no person and no being in it, then the identity view falls away. It’s the saṅkhāra khandha body and there is no man and woman in it. All arising is saṅkhāra—sabbe saṅkhāra. If you discern saṅkhāra and don’t worry will attain the path knowledge (magga ñāṇa). The reason of not attaining path and fruit (magga and phala) is making saṅkhāra into a person and a being. Therefore, it continues the D.A. process with diṭṭhi. If you know sabbe saṅkhāra (all conditioned phenomena) identity view and annihilation view are falling away. There is one more addition to it. Sabbe saṅkhāra anicca— all conditioned phenomena are after arising and passing away.

After discerning anicca, become free from permanent view (sassata diṭṭhi). This becomes the right view where three wrong views die away.

(Sayadaw continued to explain the insight process of discerning anicca, disenchanting of anicca and the ending of aniccas by using the Dhammapada verses of 277, 278 and 279; please see it in the Dhammapada.)

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revised on 2024-06-09

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• Content of Part 14 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.