Don’t Waste Your Times

revised on 2024-08-12

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 9th June 1962

[In this talk, we see the strong exhortation by Sayadaw to his listeners for their spiritual development. This is his last visit to Mogok and after a few months, he will put down his burdened suffering khandha for eternal peace.]

You all were missing the two good noble truths (nirodha and magga saccas) in the whole of saṁsāra and also never had a good living. Never having a life with no worries and no dying. The maggan way is free from fear, fright, and crying. The reason why the Buddha had fulfilled all the different perfections (i.e., ten pāramitās) was to search for the maggan path (to end dukkha and teach living beings). We only have to follow the path he searched for us. So, no need to give many reasons and arguments (see the later tradition) for it. Don’t be too slow in following it, because the path can disappear (it seems to refer to his teachings). All these points are mentioned in the Saṁyutta Nikāya. You are getting the way of the practice easily and don’t postpone the time for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Death will overcome you, because it’s the non-self khandha.

[Sayadaw explained the four meanings of magga sacca (the noble path) and gave instructions for the practice.] What does the khandha tell you? What does the khandha originally have? Sabbe Saṅkhāra anicca – all conditions are impermanent. This is anicca vata saṅkhāra khandha — with compounded things and impermanence. It’s conditioned by others and arises and vanishes. It’s important to discern the phenomenon arising here and vanishing here. Don’t ask the question of where it comes from and after it vanishes where it goes? It comes from an unseen place and arises here. It arises in this place with causes and after it vanishes, doesn’t go anywhere, and it disappears here. You have to watch and observe it arise and vanish here. This is vipassanā. It was like lightning in the dark sky (i.e., from Udāna Pāli). As an example, when bathing with cold water, every time you pour water on the body, warmness vanishes and coldness arises. If samādhi becomes mature, the form of the khandha disappears and only seeing anicca remains.

You’ll see the real existence of paramatā dhamma vanishing. You have to follow the arising of them in the whole khandha. In the Saṁyutta Nikāya, it is mentioned that searching within the two arms' length of the khandha will reveal Nibbāna. In the khandha, there is only the arising of dukkha and the vanishing of dukkha. Form (rūpa), feeling (vedanā), etc., are only names. If you discern the impermanence of dukkha, you are attaining the path factors (maggaṅga). It’s only through contemplation, not by prayers. The development of the path factors cuts off the water root of Taṇhā.

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revised on 2024-08-12

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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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