Two Dhamma Lights

revised on 2024-06-10

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 23rd June 1962

[This talk is inspirational and instills confidence in the practice]

There are two correct seeings: seeing with the insight path factors and seeing with the path factors (i.e., vipassanā maggaṅga and magga ñāṇa). Whatever phenomenon (dhamma) you’re contemplating over a long period will not be perceived as mind, feeling, etc., but only as the rising and falling of anicca. This is the observation of saṅkhāra dukkha. This type of seeing can only be seen within the Buddha Sāsana. Whatever arises in the khandha, note it as saṅkhāra dukkha. This is the precursor to the arising of the supra-mundane path factor (i.e., lokuttara magga or magga ñāṇa). If you die with this seeing, you will not descend to apāyas; as soon as you reach sugati, the authentic magga (referred to as magga ñāṇa) arises.

(This point was mentioned in the Sotānugata Sutta at Aṅguttara Nikāya, AN 4.191. This point is interesting: those who are reborn in a celestial realm. The Buddha goes and helps someone who has this quality (someone who has the potential for realization).

The Buddha will certainly help someone or people who have this view. For someone, this is the view of freeing oneself from dukkha (Sayadaw gave the example of Ven. Cūḷa-panthaka). If you’re not seeing it, there is no benefit to becoming a human. (This point is very important for Buddhists to not miss this precious chance).

If one does not possess this view, even meeting the Buddha, he can’t do anything. Saṅkhāra dukkha always exists in the khandha. Don’t get a good teacher that it makes people blind (it appears they have a good eye but can’t see). Some pray, "May I meet the future Buddha Metteyya!" If you don’t have this ñāṇa with you and meet him, it will also be useless. You can’t be liberated by him.

(This point is very important for Buddhists who believe in some vows and mantras that can help them with some Buddhas, bodhisattvas at Buddha Lands. Most of them only have one light, which is believing in the law of kamma and not knowing about the five darknesses and five lights.)

You have to practice hard to discern this view. Seeing once, seeing twice, with seeing a lot of them, you have to note it as supra-mundane knowledge that will arise. If you follow the end of aniccas, saṅkhāra dukkha will come to an end, and magga sammā diṭṭhi will arise. The path knowledge meets with asaṅkhāta sukha. In the past, monks did not teach this kind of Dhamma; they did not talk about it, and most people think Nibbāna is very far away for them, unable to reach it because they think it's far away for them. (It’s interesting to contemplate these factors in Thai and Burmese Buddhism before the end of the 19th century, i.e., before the Thai forest tradition and Ledi Sayadaw)

The Buddha also talked about it; if you practice it yourself, the practice will tell you that it’s near. My worry is that you don’t do the practice. There is nothing to be low-spirited about. Getting the anicca khandha is getting the vaṭṭa-khandha. You’ll be liberated from vipāka-vaṭṭa by not seeing aniccas anymore (i.e., as a result of the round of existence). Peace and coolness are left behind in the khandha. Mind and body become light, and gladness arises as a heavy load is lifted off – free from the dangers of WOEFUL EXISTENCES – ĀPAYAS.

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revised on 2024-06-10

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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.