Every Buddhist Should Know

revised on 2024-03-27

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 11th October 1961

There are two kinds of knowledge; the knowledge of inside and outside sāsanas. (i.e., two main right views— sammā-diṭṭhi). When doing dāna (giving, charity) if someone takes it as— I do it so I get the result, then sakkāya-diṭṭhi (self—atta) sticking with the merits. The self view of I and me is interfering with the merits. Although it’s right, self view atta-diṭṭhi has combined with it. This is called taint of the wrong view—ditthāsava. In this case it’ll give the result inside the province of taint—āsavas. This knowledge is called kammasakkata ñāṇa, and it can’t strip off wrong view. Freedom from taints (āsavas) is Nibbāna. Nibbāna does not accept the wrong view with it. You have to do merits but with the knowledge of saccānulomika ñāṇa— knowledge in accordance with the truth. This is the knowledge of contemplation with insight to the khandha (knowledge discerning of truth). You have to change your mind as-wanting to free from the impermanence of the truth of Dukkha, that giving or making this merit. In this way both knowledges of kammassakatā ñāṇa and saccānulomika ñāṇa are in this merit. It’ll give the result of vivaṭṭa-nibbāna— freedom from rounds of existence which is Nibbāna. This is the merit of the Buddha-Sāsana (never found it in others worldly or faiths) You have to make merits with insight contemplation. This is making by dāna after stripping of diṭṭhi (the kind of merit give the result of Nibbāna). Everyday I am reminding you of paying attention to your khandha with ñāṇa means giving with the saccānulomika ñāṇa. This is the task every Buddhist should know about it. It’ll be beneficial up to Nibbāna.

(continued the Sakka’s story on Taṇhā) Taṇhā is extinct by contemplating whatever three feelings (Sukha, dukkha and neutral feelings) is arising. At the six senses of door totally nine kinds of feeling can arise (see the Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta). With the insight knowledge of → anicca, after the preceding khandha ceases (seeing its disappearance) and following by ending taṇhā (taṇhā, upādāna and kamma not arise (See the 12 links of D.A)

Therefore, the task of insight is abandoning of khandha and taṇhā (at the time of the insight). In the middle alive with the knowledge (ñāṇa). Khandha disappeared— and alive with knowledge (ñāṇa)— taṇhā ceased (no arising) [Sayadawji describes it as momentary Nibbāna] If you still not attain Nibbāna with the practice and at near death, die with anicca by contemplating the khandha. Then at near death can realise Dhamma by abandoning the khandha and taṇhā, upādāna and kamma. In the past (monks and people) normally encouraged the dying person to remember the merits he/she had done before. This is the far cause, instead we have to contemplate anicca of the khandha. During the contemplation kilesa has no chance to arise that attains the momentary Nibbāna. This is not the permanent cessation of taṇhā. It’s the tadaṅga cessation and attaining the momentary Nibbāna. Someone with no practice … connects to taṇhā, upādāna and kamma continuously (So saṁsāra is very long). Even with death I want you to die by attaining momentary Nibbāna. This person dies by attaining Nibbāna (for a short period). Don’t worry, momentary Nibbāna is for sure. After death, arrive at sugati heaven sending by the cause of discerning anicca. This process is proximity condition (anantara paccayo) or without delay (i.e., no intermediate state as some Mahāyanists believe, such as 49 days etc.)

Between the two, no other mind exists. Contemplating knowledge of anicca instantly arises and seeing rise and fall, disenchantment of anicca and the ending of anicca become sotāpanna. This was a dying person with momentary nibbāna and said by the Buddha; so don’t give up the practice. Therefore, you have to try to discern anicca will attain it, at least near death. According to the Buddha, becoming a sotāpanna in heaven was earlier than the being knowing himself as a devatā (The mind process is very quick. In a sutta there was a practising monk who died with the practice and instantly became a devatā in heaven. But he didn’t know that he was there and took himself as still a monk. This evidence supports the non-existence of an intermediate state.) Dying with momentary nibbāna here and attain the permanent Nibbāna there. I am only worrying that you don’t practise. This is the great benefit of discerning anicca.

(Sayadaw gave a very simple example of vedanā anicca). You scratch your arm with a finger. You’ll find out that after arising and then it does not exist. It’s arising there and disappearing or vanishing at the same place without changing place. This is insight knowledge—vipassanā magga. I’ll continue to talk about supra-mundane knowledge— lokuttara magga. This knowledge abandons khandha and taṇhā and seeing Nibbāna. Seeing of Nibbāna is the only thing more than insight knowledge. If you discern aniccas, you have to follow it until its end (no more arising). With anicca exists and also there is the existence of its end. You’ll not see the abandonment of taṇhā (i.e., anusaya extincts or no anusaya). With the ending of anicca you see that no khandha exists. So the ending of khandha is Nibbāna. This is the sign posts of the vipassanā process. The practitioner himself can know whether he is there or not. Sakka asked the Buddha of the quickest way to Nibbāna which transcended the destruction and vanishing of phenomena. Insight knowledge performs two duties, while the path knowledge has three duties.

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revised on 2024-03-27

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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.