Wrong Views on Nibbāna

revised on 2024-06-10

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 7th October 1962

Saṅkhāra is the dhamma of making something. It makes the khandha. Not desiring anything is Nibbāna, but don’t take it as though nothing exists. It has no Dukkha. At the place of Dukkha, Sukha arises. Where no khandha exists, one is freed from the round of existence (vaṭṭa). I am asking you to contemplate the khandha until its disappearance to let you know about the freedom of your own vaṭṭa. Dukkha exists in section 2, the cessation of Dukkha is also there (i.e., sec. 2, see the 12 links of the D.A Chart).

People think of Nibbāna as a big city or place (some Buddhists even created paradises, a permanent Heaven for Atta-Nibbāna). Nibbāna means it has no Dukkha!

[The above hour-long talk is on the subject of the three rounds of existence, i.e., kilesa-vaṭṭa, kamma-vaṭṭa, and vipāka vaṭṭa. Sayadawgyi explains them using the 12 links of the D.A process chart. He discusses Nibbāna in various ways in some talks. He believes that wrong views on Nibbāna prevent realization of the Dhamma. There are many misunderstandings and misinterpretations of Nibbāna, even among Buddhists.]

The outsiders’ nibbāna is diṭṭha-dhamma nibbāna — worldly sensual pleasure, which is associated with western-hedonism. Their seeing is burning with sensual lust, hearing, smelling, tasting, etc., are also burning with lust. Therefore, they will never appreciate Dukkha and Nibbāna. Some Buddhists (including monks) interpret their Suññatā-Vāda as "everything is empty." Therefore, they don’t consider Nibbāna as emptiness and have created something tangible. This allows them to come and go as they wish, due to their strong and deeply rooted bhavataṇhā. Thus, they can assist others by coming and going like the Hindu Avatar. Without an understanding and appreciation of Dukkha, one will never know about Nibbāna. Always thinking with diṭṭhi and taṇhā, they never fully appreciate and understand Dukkha and Nibbāna.

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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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