The Five Rarities

revised on 2024-03-27

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 5th to 7th April 1962

[These three talks based on a sutta in the Aṅguttara N., Book of the fives]

① A Buddha appeared in the world was a very, very rare thing or matter to come by. Most of the world systems are empty worlds (suñña-kappa) and (?? with ??) no appearance of a Buddha. There are only with construction and destruction of many world systems. Within these periods no one knows how to cultivate goodness and jhāna practices. So there's no need to say about the way to Nibbāna. Therefore, living beings were mostly in dugatis (i.e., apāyas). Humans are doing things blindly with wrong views that most of them sinking in the downwards ways of saṁsāra (the doors to hells, animals and ghosts realms are opened for them. these things are created by their defiled minds and actions, not by God.)

② Someone who can teach the sacca dhammas of the Buddha is also a very rare thing or matter to come by. (e.g., Ledi Sayadawgyi, Mogok Sayadaw who was extremely rare among Dhamma teachers

③ Humans with a desire mind to listen and understand the sacca dhammas also a very difficult thing or matter to do it (even among Buddhists). There are three ways to listen to Dhamma 1. Normal way 2. with contemplation 3. Direct practise the 8-fold paths or put into practice. Every Buddhist should listen to Dhamma up to the last stage for practice, then it will benefit. All the Buddha Dhammas are for practice.

Even though the Buddha does not exist anymore, the Dhamma Buddha still exists. The Dhamma is the real-Buddha (Buddha taught to the monk Vakkali— You see Dhamma and see the Buddha.) He became Buddha with the Dhamma. Everyone becomes a noble being (ariya) because of Dhamma. If we don’t practice in accordance with Dhamma, then Buddhists are not his true children and disobedient to him. So we are in without the Sāsana (just sinking in the downward saṁsāra with other faith followers)

④ Put into practice accordingly to the nature of Dhamma is also a rare thing to happen. (i.e., become Dhammānudhammappaṭipatti ). For example, when observing the khandhas instead of seeing anicca only see it as nicca (constant) which becomes only dhamma and not dhammānudhammappaṭipatti— not accordingly to the nature of dhamma. Also instead of dukkha, anatta and asubha but seen as sukha, atta and subha and not become anu-paṭipatti.

You attain Nibbāna only if Dhamma fits to anu-paṭipatti (Dhamma = anu-paṭipatti). Number ④ point is the most important factor for realisation of Nibbāna. The first three factors in saṁsāra could happen to most beings. This one may be the most difficult one to achieve. If the practice is not fitting to anu-dhammapaṭipatti inversions (vipallāsa) come in the practice. It becomes a wrong perception, knowing and viewing which are kilesas coming in the practice, and will not attain Nibbāna.

Sayadaw gave an example of the practice of observing according to the Dhamma. He said if dukkha vedanā arises and knows it as vedanā and then observes its anicca. This is anu-paṭipatti. On the contrary, it is wrong to think of what happened to me as a feeling; or that this is how I feel. There are three points in contemplation-perceive as vedanā, knowing as vedanā and contemplate it as anicca. These Dhammas are very difficult to see and to know, so they are very hard to come by. Contemplate with right perception, knowing and view. If you can contemplate in this way you will attain Dhamma not very long because no kilesas are coming in. With no contemplation it becomes zero. With the right contemplation it’s closest to Nibbāna.

Only becoming Dhammānudhammappaṭipatti is arriving at the middle way. (?? The only way to be middle of the road is to be a Dhammānudhammappaṭipatti. OR Only becoming Dhammānudhammappaṭipatti is the middle way. ??) If not it’s arriving at the way to D.A. process. (?? If not, that's the way to arrive at the D.A. process. ??) All the Buddha’s teachings of practice are middle way, if not it’s not the way of the Buddha.

⑤ Repay the Gratitude (kataññutā-katavedi) is not in the sense of worldly affair, but by practising Dhamma and realise the fruits of the practice. This is also very rare indeed. Repaying the gratitude of one’s parents is also very important. The Buddha was warning us of the right time to repay the gratitude (Today, even the Chinese - mainly the younger generation - are increasingly ignoring this important responsibility as human beings. They’re influenced by western views following the sun setting in the western hemisphere.) For the yogis first they have to finish their practices above everything. As an example, Sāriputta never went back after he left his home behind, and only after finishing his practice he went back to repay the gratitude to his mother. (The Buddha also). This is the right time to do because time is precious and Dhammānu-dhammappaṭipatti chances are very rare to come by in the whole of Saṁsāra!

The five dullabha dhammas is talking about the five kinds of rare things to have (In the sutta, AN 5:143 Sārandadasuttaṃ — the 500 hundred Licchavis were arguing about “the manifestation of five gems which are rare in the world.” According to them the gems of elephant, the horse, the jewel woman and the steward, etc. Nowaday for humans the rare things for them to be quite different. It depends on their defilements.) Suñña-kappa is the useless-ear and mostly beings are in apāyas. It’s very rare to find someone who can teach what the Buddha had taught. If Dhamma exists then the Buddha still exists. If you do things which he didn’t taught it become useless and far from path and fruit. The Buddha was leaving behind Dhamma Inheritance for us and if we’re misusing them becoming the same as evil sons and daughters to good parents. There are three kinds of listening to Dhamma— just for listening, noting with contemplation and following the instructions and practice. These are necessary for how to listen Dhamma. Only with the practice the dullabha dhammas of no. ①, no. ② and no. ③ are to be fulfilled.

The khandha body is showing its anicca to you. If you don’t see anicca and instead seeing of nicca it becomes dhamma but not according to its nature (i.e., anupaṭipatti). You’re not practise in accordance with it. The khandha is showing its dukkha and you think it as sukha. The khandha is showing its asubha and you think it as subha. For example-it shows its excrement, urine, etc. but you take it as beautiful (humans too crazy for sexual pleasure they are chasing for these things of the opposite sex and sometimes even end up with suicide or killing others for these dirty things. Worse than this is the abnormality of homosexuality, even animals not interested in it.) You’ll attain path and fruit only by practising accordingly what the dhamma is showing you. It’s quite rare to see someone in this situation. If you can practise accordingly you can attain path and fruit quickly. No. ①, no. ② and no. ③ could be possible to people, but if you do not fit in with no. ④ can’t get path and fruit. It’s clear as the most important point. Mostly people are doing prayers (pūjā) instead of pratising rightly. Dhamma is showing its anicca and taking it as nicca then inversion comes in (i.e., wrong perceiving, knowing and viewing). If you are completed with the above three points and lacking this one (no.4) can’t get the path knowledge.

This has nothing to do with pāramīs. We are not looking or observing it correctly. What will happen if it doesn't fit with it? Three kinds of D.A. process comes in or kilesa coming in between them. Even the practitioner can’t get it and there is no need to talk about others. For example, on the body dukkha vedanā arises and you know it as dukkha vedanā and then pay attention to its vanishing. Perceiving and knowing it as dukkha vedanā and paying attention to its vanishing. If not like this and what happened to me? Become wrong perceiving. You have to contemplate with the right perception knowing and viewing. If your contemplation fits these three points you will get Dhamma not very long. If not contemplated it becomes zero. It’s not an empty zero. The zero which leads you to apāyas. In-stead of practising accordingly you’re practising not accordingly. Therefore, the Buddha was warning us as-if hundred thousand humans die and after death no one reborn in sugatis. Human beings have a desire to live in the world of rising and vanishing. They don’t like the non-arising and non-vanishing, this is referring to the middle way of Dhammānu dhamma paṭipatti.

The Buddha mentioned— it’s rare with someone who understands and repays back the gratitude which is on him. In which we should emphasize it as a main factor. We should practise and make ourselves for safety first, and after that think for others (Sayadaw gave the example of Sāriputta to his mom) You have done your matter first and then the matters of others. The Buddha was reminding people whether man or woman whoever desires for Nibbāna must have this kind of spirit. (Some Buddhists make vows that are impossible to fulfill, such as "I will not attain Nibbāna until all sentient beings are liberated.") It was something like— only after all the oceanic water was drunk by me and became empty then I would attain Nibbāna. This is going against the Buddha.)

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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.