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Lessons in Detachment.
Chapter 1.
During one of our long and strenuous bus rides through India Lodewijk
recited this sutta to our friends.
Venerable Monks,
On behalf of this group of Thai and foreign pilgrims under the spiritual
leadership of Acharn Sujin Boriharnwanaket and the practical
leadership of Mr. Suwat Chansuvityanant, I wish to thank you for giving
us this opportunity to perform Sangha Dåna. We wish to pay our
deepest respect to you and to the memory of the Ven. Anagarika
Dharmapala, the founder of the Mahå-Bodhi Society of India, who
revived Buddhism in India.
We admire your courage to go forth from home into homelessness. You
carry a heavy, almost awesome responsibility to preserve and to
propagate the Buddha’s teachings.
Our world is threatened by war, terrorism, religious intolerance and
fundamentalism. How can Buddhists contribute to peace and
understanding? The answer is not obvious. From my discussions with
my wife Nina in the last few weeks, four elements, basic tenets of the
Buddhis teachings come to my mind.
First: the anusayas, the latent tendencies, unwholesome inclinations
that lie dormant in each citta. Why do governments and people never
seem to learn from history and continue to make the same mistakes?
The answer is, partly, ignorance of the anusayas. Knowing one’s
anusayas is very basic. We also have to develop the perfection of
truthfulness in knowing and understanding our anusayas.
Second: Satipaììhåna. Last week Nina and I visited the place Kuru in
Eastern New Delhi, where the Lord Buddha preached the Satipaììhåna
Sutta. The place is now clean, well kept and well guarded. Now trees
have been planted. Sitting besides the rock inscription of King Ashoka,
Nina read to me the Satipaììhåna Sutta. It was very peaceful. Far from
getting the full meaning of the sutta, I understood at least clearly that
the four applications of mindfulness are not theory, but pertain to
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everyday life and basic human behaviour.
Third: the four Brahma Vihåras of mettå, loving kindness, karuùa,
compassion, muditå, sympathetic joy and upekkhå, equanimity, which
are the fundamentals of any peaceful society. The importance of the
four Brahma Vihåras cannot be stressed enough.
Fourth: good friendship and association with the wise. I wish to take
this opportunity to thank Acharn Sujin and all our Thai friends and also
our foreign friends, including Sarah and Jonothan Abbot, for helping us
in trying to understand the Dhamma.
From the immense wealth of the Buddhist teachings, these four
elements come to my mind: understanding the latent tendencies,
satipaììhåna, the four Brahma Vihåras and good friendship and
association with the wise. By observing and being mindful of these four
elements and by living in accordance with these elements, Buddhists
can contribute to peace and understanding.
Therefore, venerable monks, whilst thanking you again for giving us
this opportunity to perform Sangha Dåna, we urge, we pray you to
persevere in your formidable task of preserving and propagating the
teachings.
*******
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Chapter 2
Since each citta that arises and falls away is immediately succeeded by
the next citta, unwholesome and wholesome inclinations are
accumulated from moment to moment and from life to life. Wholesome
qualities, such as generosity and loving kindness are accumulated and
can therefore condition the arising again of kusala citta with generosity
and loving kindness. Unwholesome qualities are also accumulated and
can therefore condition the arising again of akusala citta.
The latent tendencies, anusayas, are unwholesome inclinations that are
accumulated and these are classified as a group of seven defilements.
They condition the arising of many kinds of akusala cittas. They are the
following:
sense-desire (kåma-råga), aversion (paìigha), conceit (måna), wrong
view (diììhi), doubt (vicikicchå), desire for becoming (continued
existence, bhavaråga), and ignorance (avijjå).
It is essential to have more understanding of the latent tendencies and
their strength. They are called subtle defilements because they do not
arise together with akusala citta, but they condition the arising of
akusala citta. They lie dormant in the citta like microbes infesting the
body. So long as they have not been eradicated they can strongly
condition and influence our behaviour, they are powerful. We are like
sick people, because the latent tendencies can condition the arising of
akusala citta at any time when there are the appropriate conditions.
Only by the magga-citta, path-consciousness, arising when
enlightenment is attained, the latent tendencies can be fully
eradicated. Latent tendencies are accumulated in each citta, from birth
to death. They are accumulated even in kusala citta.
Accumulated ignorance of realities and clinging are like a black curtain,
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they prevent us from seeing realities as they are. When we see, it
always seems that we see people and things, whereas in reality only
visible object can impinge on the eyesense. We are drowning in the
ocean of concepts, but when there is awareness and understanding we
are on the island of Dhamma, the island of satipaììhåna. We read in the
Parinibbåna Sutta (Wheel Publication, 67-69) that the Buddha spoke
about his old age, and exhorted Ånanda:
******
8
Chapter 3.
Satipaììhåna
Satipaììhåna pertains to our conduct in every day life. The goal of the
teachings is detachment from the concept of self and from all akusala.
When we cling less to the idea of self there are more conditions for
wholesomeness through body, speech and mind. Mindfulness and right
understanding of all dhammas that appear lead to detachment from
the concept of self. Sati and paññå are realities that can only arise
when there are the right conditions, nobody can cause their arising at
will. This will be clearer when we consider the different levels of sati.
Sati arises with dåna, with síla and with bhåvanå, including samatha
and vipassanå. Sati is non-forgetful of what is kusala, it arises with
each kusala citta. When there is an opportunity for generosity, sati is
heedful, non-forgetful, so that this opportunity is not wasted.
When sati does not arise, we are forgetful of kusala and we are unable
to be generous. When there is an opportunity for dåna, we are often
neglectful and we waste this opportunity. When sati does not arise, we
are unable to give, we are stingy.
Many conditions are necessary for the arising of kusala citta: former
accumulations of kusala and association with wise friends are important
conditions. Also reading the scriptures, hearing the Dhamma and
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considering what we heard are conditions for seeing the benefit of
kusala and the disadvantage of akusala. Thus, we cannot make kusala
arise at will, it has no possessor, there is no one who can direct its
arising.
In order to understand what sati of satipaììhåna is, we have to know
what its object is. The Buddha speaks about all realities we can
experience one at a time through the six doors. He speaks about
seeing, visible object, hearing, sound, attachment, anger. These
dhammas occur in daily life, and we can thoroughly penetrate their true
characteristics only by mindfulness and understanding when they
appear at this moment. Therefore, we should ask ourselves: what does
paññå understand at this moment? Does it understand what seeing is,
what hearing is? After seeing, hearing or the other sense-cognitions
defilements arise on account of what we experience. We should realize
all such moments as conditioned dhammas.
Only one reality can be experienced through one doorway at a time.
When there is understanding of visible object as a dhamma
experienced through the eyesense, there can be correct thinking of it.
At such a moment we do not pay attention to the image of a whole or
the details. When we are dreaming it seems that we see people and
things, but in a dream our eyes are closed and we do not see, there is
no visible object impinging on the eyesense. We merely remember
what was seen before. Visible object has completely gone and what is
left is only an image or concept we think of. Also when we are awake
we often live as it were in a dream. Time and again it seems that we
see people and things whereas in reality only visible object can be
seen.
We are drowning in the ocean of concepts, we are usually lost in
thinking about people and events. But Dhamma is our island when we
can begin to develop understanding of nåma and rúpa. As the Buddha
said in the “Mahå-Parinibbåna sutta” : be ye an island unto yourselves,
a refuge unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge: with the Teaching
as your island, the Teaching as your refuge, seeking no other refuge...”
The Buddha taught us the Dhamma so that we can develop our own
understanding.
It is essential to know the difference between the moments when we
are lost in thinking of concepts and when there is awareness of just one
characteristic appearing through one doorway at a time. When
awareness arises the characteristic of the reality that appears at the
present moment is the object of awareness, and in this way one knows
the difference between a moment of awareness and a moment without
awareness.
Paññå leads to detachment from the idea of self and also from all
objects we experience. I told Acharn Sujin that I was worried about
Lodewijk’s health and she answered that worry is only nåma. I found
this answer like a cold shower, a bitter medicine, but it is the truth.
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Even when we understand the truth in theory, we may not be ready yet
to accept the truth.
We find our problems most important and we are drowning in the
ocean of concepts, but we should remember that there is the island of
Dhamma. Acharn Sujin said that we should understand the real
meaning of dukkha: the truth that there are only elements which do not
last. We should not try to have less clinging, less worry, but
understanding can be naturally developed of whatever dhamma
occurs. We should have understanding of worry as only a conditioned
dhamma that is already past, otherwise we cling to the idea of “my
worry”. What she said is deep, it is wise, it is most effective.
When we were going around the Stupa in Kusinåra which
commemorates the Buddha’s parinibbåna, Acharn Sujin reminded me
that through the development of understanding there can be
detachment from visible object and also from thinking. When I said that
I find detachment most difficult, she stressed: “It has to be developed!”
First we have only intellectual understanding of nåma and rúpa, but
understanding can be developed so that direct understanding can
arise. It is bound to take a long time to become detached from realities.
Through satipaììhåna we shall have more understanding of life and
death.
We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (V, Mahåvagga, Book III, Ch 2, § 3,
Cunda) that the novice Cunda was in attendance on Såriputta who
passed finally away. Cunda and Ånanda came to see the Buddha and
told him about Såriputta’s passing away. Ånanda said that he was
distressed by his death. The Buddha asked him whether when Såriputta
passed away he took with him the constituents of virtue, concentration,
wisdom, release and release by knowing and seeing. Ånanda answered
that he did not and spoke the following words:
We believe that we see persons, and this prevents us from realizing the
impermanence of visible object.
Thirdly, we are also misled by remembrance of a “group”, gaùa saññå.
We experience nåmas as a group, a whole, and rúpas as a group. We
see only a “whole” of different dhammas. We cling to the idea of a
person who exists, whereas in reality a person is only citta, cetasika
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and rúpa which arise and fall away immediately.
Nåma and rúpa are impersonal elements. We should remember the
words of the Burmese Abhidhamma teacher Thein Nyun in his preface
to the third Book of the Abhidhamma, the Discourse on Elements
(Dhåtu-Kathå, P.T.S.):
"Because the functions of the elements give rise to the concepts of
continuity, collection and form, the ideas arise:
1)the initial effort that has to be exerted when a deed is about to be
performed and
2) the care that has to be taken while the deed is being performed to
its completion and this leads to the subsequent ideas
3)"I can perform" and
4) "I can feel".
Thus these four imaginary characteristic functions of being have
brought about a deep-rooted belief in their existence.
But the elements have not the time or span of duration to carry out
such functions."
When I was standing next to Acharn Sujin in Savatthí near the place of
the Buddha’s dwelling, I said that I kept on thinking with attachment to
whatever I experience. She answered that it is helpful to remember
that there are conditions for all dhammas that occur, and that thinking
is only a conditioned dhamma.
All situations in our life can be a test for our understanding, no matter
we have pleasant or sorrowful experiences. Satipaììhåna can be
developed naturally in daily life so that we come to understand our
accumulated wholesome and unwholesome inclinations. Eventually
these can be known as non-self.
Through satipaììhåna we learn that whatever is experienced are only
nåmas and rúpas arising because of conditions. The four applications of
mindfulness are not theory, but pertain to everyday life and basic
human behaviour. The understanding of our life as nåma and rúpa will
lead to more patience when we face difficult situations and to more
tolerance in our dealings with others. If we do not develop
understanding we shall be lost in pleasure, we shall stay in the ocean of
ignorance and clinging. Dhamma should be our island in this ocean.
*******
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Chapter 4.
Lodewijk read during our long bus trips the sutta of the “Divine
Messengers” (Gradual Sayings, Book of the Threes, Ch IV, § 35,
translation by Ven. Nyanaponika, Wheel 155-158, B.P.S. Kandy). The
Buddha spoke to the monks about three divine messengers: old age,
sickness and death. A person who has immoral conduct in deeds, words
and thoughts is reborn in hell. The warders take him and bring him
before Yama the Lord (of Death). We read that they said:
“This man, O majesty, had no respect for father and mother, nor for
recluses and priests, nor did he honour the elders of the family. May
your majesty inflict due punishment on him.”
Then, monks, King Yama questions that man, examines and addresses
him concerning the first divine messemger:
“Did you not see, my good man, the first messenger appearing among
men?”
And he replies:”No, Lord, I did not see him.”
Then King Yama says to him: ”But, my good man, did you not see
among people a woman or a man, aged eighty, ninety or a hundred
years, frail, bent like a roof gable, crooked, leaning on a stick, shakily
going along, ailing, his youth and vigour gone, with broken teeth, with
grey and scanty hair or none, wrinkled, with blotched limbs?”
And the man replies, “I have seen it, Lord.”
Then King Yama says to him: “My good man, did it never occur to you
who are intelligent and old enough, ‘I too am subject to old age and
cannot escape it. Let me now do noble deeds by body, speech and
mind’?”
“No Lord. I could not do it, I was negligent.”
We then read that King Yama said that he would experience the fruit of
his evil action.
We read that King Yama then questioned him about the second divine
messenger:
“Did you not see, my good man, the second divine messenger
appearing among men?”
“No, Lord, I did not see him.”
“But, my good man, have you not seen among people a woman or a
man who was sick and in pain, seriously ill, lying in his own filth, who
had to be lifted up by some, and put to bed by others?”
“Yes, Lord, this I have seen.”
“Then, my good man, did it never occur to you who are intelligent and
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old enough, ‘I too am subject to sickness and cannot escape it. Let me
now do noble deeds by body, speech and mind”?”
“No, Lord, I could not do it. I was negligent.”
We read that King Yama said that he would experience the fruit of his
evil action. King Yama then questioned him about the third divine
messenger:
“But my good man, have you not seen among people a woman or a
man who had died one day ago or two, or three days ago, the corpse
being swollen, discoloured and festering?”
“Yes, Lord, this I have seen.”
“Then, my good man, did it never occur to you who are intelligent and
old enough, ‘I too am subject to death and cannot escape it. Let me
now do noble deeds by body, speech and mind”?”
“No, Lord, I could not do it. I was negligent.”
We then read that he had to suffer as the result of his evil deeds
grievous torments in hell.
This sutta exhorts us not to be negligent in kusala, but to perform good
deeds through body, speech and mind whenever there is an
opportunity.
In India we were often disturbed by beggars who would touch us, or
even push us or make us stumble while we were walking to the holy
places. Conceit is bound to arise while we are thinking: why are they
doing this to us? We cling to the importance of self and this can
condition aversion, dosa. Such situations are a test for our patience. If
there would be less clinging to a person or a self there would be more
conditions for kusala citta. Wrong view of personality, sakkaya diììhi, is
a main cause of many other defilements. The sotåpanna who has
eradicated wrong view cannot transgress the five precepts anymore, he
does not steal, kill, lie or harm other beings by evil deeds.
I am inclined to be angry because of what others do to me. I am
thinking of a situation and I blame others. I am always thinking of other
people as being the cause of my aversion. This kind of thinking is not
helpful to cure anger.
The Buddha taught us that anger arises with the citta and that it has
nothing to do with the outward circumstances and other people. Anger
has become a habit, because formerly we were angry many times. We
accumulated this inclination from life to life. There are conditions for its
arising, it is conditioned by lobha, attachment. When things are not the
way we would like them to be we have aversion. It is also conditioned
by ignorance of realities.
Aversion, dosa, and attachment, lobha, are real for everybody, no
matter how we call them. They are not situations, they are not persons,
not conventional realities. They are real in the ultimate sense. It is
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important to learn their different characteristics when they appear. In
this way there can be right understanding of dhammas as impersonal
elements, not self or mine.
I said to Acharn Sujin that I cling to people who are dear to me, that I
cling to the idea of a person. She said: is seeing Nina, is hearing Nina?
The answer is no, these cittas arise and fall away immediately.
Whatever appears does so because of its own conditions, and this can
help us to have a certain degree of detachment, although it is mostly
on the level of intellectual understanding. The purpose of the teachings
is not to stop thinking, clinging to persons or worrying about them, but
to understand such moments as dhammas arising because of their own
conditions.
We cling to insignificant dhammas that do not last, not even a
splitsecond. It is beneficial to learn their true nature of anattå, non-self.
When we do not cling to people and are not absorbed in situations
there are more opportunities for the Brahma vihåras of mettå, karuùa
(compassion), muditå (sympathetic joy) and upekkhå (equanimity).
When mettå arises, we do not expect kindness from other people. If
they do not like our generosity or help, we should not mind.
Understanding of realities is the foremost condition of seeing the
disadvantage of akusala and the benefit of kusala, and it helps us not
to take kusala and akusala for self.
When there is awareness and right understanding we are not troubled
by any situation. We can understand any situation, as only citta,
cetasika (mental factors accompanying citta) and rúpa (physical
phenomena). The more we read and consider the teachings, the more
we come to understand that dhammas arise because of their own
conditions, that they are anattå. We cling to mettå and take it for “my
mettå”, but it should be understood as a conditioned dhamma. If we
had not heard about the characteristic of true mettå we could not think
about it or develop it.
Acharn Sujin had arranged for the giving of food to beggar children
outside the gates of the Jeta Grove. All the children lined up very
peacefully and we shared out the packedges of food that were brought
from Thailand. This was a happy occasion to develop mettå and dåna
naturally and spontaneously. When mettå arises, there are no
conditions for aversion about other people’s contrarious behaviour, we
do not harm or hurt others, but we see them as true friends. The four
Brahma Vihåras are the fundamentals of a peaceful society.
We see many poor people in India and instead of aversion about their
condition there can be compassion and also equanimity. Equanimity,
upekkhå, is another brahma vihåra. This is not indifferent feeling but it
is the sobhana cetasika evenmindedness, tatramajjhattatå. We are not
always able to help other people who suffer from a loss of dear ones or
a calamity. When we remember that nobody can prevent kamma from
producing its appropriate result, kusala citta arises instead of aversion.
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When we have anxiety because of the sorrowful events that occur in
the world, we should remember that whatever happens is conditioned.
Kusala citta can motivate us to speak consoling words with kindness
and compassion. We may have worry and anxiety about someone
else’s health, but understanding of the truth of kamma and vipåka can
condition evenmindedness instead of anxiety.
Mettå and upekkhå are also qualities that are perfections, påramís.
Each time we are on pilgrimage in India, we reflect on the perfections
the Buddha had to accumulate during countless lives before he became
the Sammåsambuddha. The perfections are an unique, unsurpassed,
unequalled set of moral and spiritual ideas, covering all aspects of
human behaviour. Acharn Sujin said that it is of no use to cling to the
names of the perfections, but that all of them have to be developed at
this moment. When there is an opportunity for kusala through body,
speech or mind, we should not delay the performance of kusala and at
such moments the perfections are developing.
The perfections of generosity, síla, renunciation, wisdom, energy,
patience, truthfulness, determination, mettå and upekkhå are all
connected with each other. When mettå arises, the citta is humble and
gentle and at such a moment one also observes síla, one does not hurt
others. Síla is one of the perfections. When we attend to the needs of
others, we renounce our own comfort, we develop the perfection of
renunciation. We should remember the Sutta of the Divine Messengers,
which is an exhortation not to be negligent in performing kusala
through body, speech and mind when we see an old person or a sick
person. We may regret our negligence later on, we are also subject to
old age, sickness and death.
Paññå is the leader of all perfections, it supports all levels of kusala,
and without right understanding of dhammas the perfections cannot be
developed. The perfections are means to become purified of akusala. It
is not beneficial to cling to an idea of “my resolve for mettå” and the
other perfections. Kusala is not “I” or “mine”, but a dhamma arising
because of conditions. Paññå is the leader of all perfections, it supports
all levels of kusala, and without right understanding of dhammas the
perfections cannot be developed.
The purpose of the teachings is detachment from the idea of self and
from all realities, even from kusala. There is no specific time for the
development of the perfections, it can gradually become one’s nature
to develop them. When we see someone, can there be friendliness or
compassion?
Patience, khanti, is one of the perfections, but we may easily take for
patience what is not patience but akusala citta. When someone else
speaks disagreeable words to us and we do not answer back, we may
believe that we are patient, wheas in reality we may keep silent with
akusala cittas. Or we have an idea of “my patience” and cling to it.
Patience does not mean indolence and despair. When we have patience
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we are courageous and we persevere in the development of
understanding and all kinds of kusala, even though we do not notice a
rapid progress. Acharn Sujin reminded us of the Buddha’s words about
patience, courage and cheerfulness. We should be happy and grateful
that we can still listen to the Buddha’s teachings, even though he
passed away many centuries ago.
Acharn Sujin said that the perfections wash away the dust from the
citta. They lead to detachment. Our goal should be more understanding
and less attachment.
*******
Chapter 5.
I will teach you a teaching, brethren, for the abandoning of the all by
fully knowing, by comprehending it. Do you listen to it. And what,
brethren is that teaching?
The eye, brethren, must be abandoned by fully knowing, by
comprehending it. Objects... eye-consciousness... eye-contact... that
weal or woe or neutral state... that also must be abandoned by fully
knowing, by comprehending it.
The tongue... savours and the rest... that weal or woe... which arises
owing to mind-contact,- that also must be abandoned by fully knowing
it, by comprehending it.
All the objects that appear through the six doors should be fully known;
when they are understood as elements devoid of self, there can be
detachment from them. Since we have accumulated ignorance from life
to life, understanding cannot develop rapidly, without there being the
right conditions for it. We need to listen again and again and be
reminded to be aware of all dhammas that appear.
Although the long bus trips were most exhausting, Acharn Sujin was
never tired to explain Dhamma to us. I am most grateful for all her
reminders, specifically those she gave me in the different situations we
had to face. She pointed out to us when we were clinging to the idea of
self, which is deeply engrained.
We read in the “Dhammapada” (translated by Ven. Narada), verses 76-
77 :
Should one see a wise man, who, like a revealer of treasures, points out
faults and reproves, let one associate with such a wise person; it will be
better, not worse, for him who associates with such a one.
Let him advise, instruct, and dissuade one from evil; truly pleasing is he
to the good, displeasing is he to the bad.
“Of a monk, Meghiya, who has a noble friend, a noble companion and
associate, it can be expected that he will be virtuous... that he will
engage in talks befitting the austere life and helpful to mental clarity...
that his energy will be set upon the abandoning of everything harmful
and the acquiring of everything beneficial... that he will be equipped
with the wisdom that perceives the rise and fall (of conditioned things);
which is noble and penetrating and leads to the complete destruction
of suffering.”
****
Nina van Gorkom