Whoever Loves Dukkha Not Attain Nibbāna

revised on 2024-06-10

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 9th May 1962

[Based on the Naked ascetic Kassapa Discourse, Saṁyutta N. SN 12.17]

In the time or even before the Buddha, people were asking the ten questions which the Buddha never answered for them. These are ten abyākata dhammas, which are based on wrong views and have no benefits. The naked ascetic Kassapa also asked some of them to the Buddha.

① Is suffering created by oneself? The Buddha's answer is – Not so. It's not good to ask this way. One has done it and one has to suffer, which becomes sassata-diṭṭhi. With this wrong view, one can’t attain Dhamma; it prevents the path and fruition of knowledges. With the causes, the result arises.

② Is suffering created by another? The one who has done it is one person and the outcome of suffering is another person. There is no cause and effect relationship. (The Buddha’s answer is also “Not so.”) This is uccheda-diṭṭhi. As an example, people often say – I have suffered because of others.

③ Is suffering created both by oneself and by another? (The answer is also Not so!) This question involves a combination of two wrong views.

④ Did suffering happen by chance? The answer is – Not so. This is a wrong view that rejects the cause.

⑤ Is there no suffering? There is suffering.

⑥ Do you not know about suffering? The Buddha’s answer is – He knows about it.

If you want to know dukkha, you have to understand the paṭiccasamuppāda. (Sayadaw explained the 12 links for the arising of dukkha). Loka (the world, i.e., mind and form) only has a cause and effect connection and no person or being. It’s only operating with samudaya and dukkha (cause and effect). After the dispelling of diṭṭhi, one must practice. (Dispel wrong views first and then practice). Therefore, it only exists as a dukkha machine which is turning on and on. Whoever loves (likes) dukkha cannot attain Nibbāna. There are many people who love Dukkha (even though most people don’t know about it). Understanding dukkha and the fear of dukkha are the most difficult things for human beings. Sayadaw continued to say that many Buddhas have arisen, as many as sand grains in the Ganges River in India, but now we are still here.

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revised on 2024-06-10

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• Content of Part 15 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.