The Oceans Never Dry

revised on 2024-07-10

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 18th to 20th March 1962

Ocean means a lot of water. According to the Buddha, there are still things greater than that. There are six oceans comprising human eyes, ears, nose, etc. that exist in the khandha body. The eye-doors are never satisfied with seeing things. It never seems enough for them. They never fill up, even at death. The real ocean still can be dried up when seven suns come out (appear), but the six oceans of sense doors never dry up (see the seven suns discourse in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, Book of Sevens).

They never dry up even as lives continue on and on. These are the real oceans. "Enough with seeing and listening" never arises with human beings. They are never free from paying taxes for these holes. What are you doing every day? You are filling these things with water that can’t be full. (Sayadaw gave many examples for the six sense doors in daily life. Humans should really contemplate the dangers and destruction coming from the indulgence of sensual pleasures which are lowly and momentary. The price for them is too much, even relating to human survival. See severe climate changes and pollution of the Earth).

Human stupidity is extremely strong. Even when one’s own khandha ocean can’t be filled, they’re searching for the khandhas of family members. They are doing the tasks that will never finish (even after death).

The Buddha said that a fool is alone in filling these six oceans (from Salāyatana Saṃyutta, Samudra Sutta).

You must be able to distinguish between one’s own business and the business of others. The oppressive nature of the khandha is its own matter. Your own business or matter is separated from it. Making fulfillment for the desire of the six sense doors is not one’s business. If you take on the duties of the khandha, that is its business. You know the khandha as dukkha and make an effort to separate from it. This is one’s own matter. The matter of becoming a slave for the khandha is its matter. The matter of struggling to be free from the khandha is one’s business. Regarding the khandha, its matters are many and one’s matters are little. Someone who doesn’t know the Dhamma never concerns themselves with their own matters. Doing the khandha’s business is samudaya and dukkha saccas. Doing one’s own business is magga and nirodha saccas. The four truths are included there.

[Note: The above talk can be summarized as focusing on one’s own welfare versus the welfare of the khandha. One’s welfare is to end dukkha, whereas the welfare of the khandha is continuing or enlarging dukkha. From the sutta teachings and Sayadaw’s talks, we know our human stupidity has no limits and is quite dangerous. It makes the readers or listeners develop strong saṁvega and weariness toward the world.]

The Buddha exhorts us to avoid places where we should not go. If one’s body has sores and wounds, entering into the thorny wood is not good. The whole body is covered with sores, and one who has sores must shun away from thorns. If not, it increases dukkha domanassa (physical and mental pains). All the six sense doors are sores. If you open your eyes and take it as affectionate, then the lobha sore grows. Family members are thorns. Therefore, lobha, dosa, moha, etc., sores increase. Love and hate sores of lobha and dosa arise by contacting the objects of thorn. People want to go to these places and seek pleasures even though Dhamma forbids them. Whoever lacks vipassanā always has the moha sore arise. The khandha is vedanākkhandha that already has sores. He doesn’t know about Vedanā and also enters into the thorny wood; this patient is a crazy one.

It means he is worried about not getting dukkha that he has to enter into the thorns. The Buddha was asking – why do these things happen? According to him, it is due to not understanding restraint and having no restraint (saṁvara and asaṁvara). Therefore, people have no restraints. It happens due to a lack of restraint on sense objects and sense doors.

If you don’t want this to happen, contemplate the aniccas of ārammaṇas and dvāras (objects and doors). Saṁvara is very important. With satipaṭṭhāna practice, you will not be pricked by thorns and no increase in sores. Without vipassanā, you are not free from sores, and they only increase. It can be called indriya-saṁvara or vipassanā.

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revised on 2024-07-10

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• Content of Part 16 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.