Happy with the Oppressive Khandha

revised on 2024-06-10

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 5th to 6th June 1962

Birth, ageing, and death are the truths of dukkha. Birth is coming, ageing is living, and death is dying; all these are bad indeed. Only these things exist in the internal nature of the khandha body (This represents the sub-moments of each mind moment, arising, presence, and dissolution.) We own the three factors of dukkha. If you don’t know these three factors, whatever existence you’re arriving at starts from taṇhā. Wherever you’re happy is bhava-taṇhā — craving for existence. It’s controlled by not knowing avijjā. So, you make companionship with these three factors of dukkha. If you’re happy with the oppression, it means only craziness (pīḷanaṭṭha). This is becoming crazy with kilesas. The duty of birth (jāti) throws you into the prison (paṭisandhi). Ageing (jara) is beating and torturing you until you’re flat out (can’t get up). After that, it will send you to the hand of death (maraṇa). I am teaching you to change the way before you’re arriving at death from ageing. If you’ve arrived there, I can’t do anything for it. So, you have to search for the parting way. It’s not good from the beginning (jāti), in the middle (jara) or in the end (maraṇa) that asks you to find the parting way. You have to follow the noble path. Tomorrow, I’ll continue to talk about it.

Postponing the Dhamma practice for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow means sassata diṭṭhi is prompting you to do it.

(From the beginning to half an hour, Sayadaw was talking about jāti, jara, and maraṇa and then continued to talk about the Devadaha Sutta).

It’s very important to understand the doctrine of the Buddha. Most Buddhists don’t understand it, even though they worship him. This is only paying respect but not following his Dhamma instruction (important to all Buddhist traditions). The Buddha's doctrine is the abandonment of taṇhā, which clings to the five khandhas. Therefore, its doctrine advocates no affection for the khandha. So, don’t go in front of the Buddha asking for things he disapproves of (i.e., to get jāti, e.g., Mahāyanists).

With an affection for the khandha, when it changes, sorrow, lamentation, etc., follow behind it. Having no affection for the khandha is moving towards Death with a Smile.

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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.