Special Dhamma Discourse at Manikkawatta Sri Vijayarama Maha Vihara | Ven Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero

මුල් සිංහල වීඩියෝව සඳහා Play කරන්න

Special Dhamma Discourse at Manikkawatta Sri Vijayarama Maha Vihara | Ven Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero 

Now, as Buddhists, what do we hope for when listening to Dhamma? What is our ultimate hope? Nibbāna. What is Nibbāna? It's the state of coolness. It's in the hope of Nibbāna that those who have gone for refuge in the Buddha, and those who have gone for refuge in the Triple Gem, strive for Nibbāna.

Now, raise your hand if you are listening to Dhamma with the aim of attaining Nibbāna in this very life. (Looks around) Alright, some people have raised their hands. Now, what about in this life? "I can't do it in this life. I will do these meritorious deeds and strive for it in another life." Is there anyone who thinks like that? Ah, alright.

So, when we talk about the Buddha's Dhamma, the word "Nibbāna" is used. What exactly is Nibbāna? If you are to realize Nibbāna, what do you think Nibbāna is? When someone dies, they put a small plaque saying "May they attain Nibbāna Sukha" (the bliss of Nibbāna). What is Nibbāna Sukha? Ah, tranquility, no rebirth. No rebirth. So, does that mean you shouldn't die, or you should not be reborn? Is Nibbāna something you attain when you die? Or is it something you attain while living? If it's something you attain while living, then what is that Nibbāna? Ah, no, I'm not asking that. When you attain Nibbāna, the word Nibbāna means "extinguished." What is extinguished? When a lamp is extinguished, we say it's extinguished. When a fire is blazing, and it's extinguished, we say it has been extinguished. The very same word. The extinguishing of a fire.

What needs to be burning for it to be extinguished? Something must be burning, right? For Nibbāna to be, something must be burning. So, you don't have an experience of Nibbāna. But do you have an experience of what is burning? If a lamp is lit here, you can see it, right? Whether it's lit or not. Right? If a lamp is lit, you can see it. What does it mean when a light is on? Now, if you switch it off over there, what do we say? We say it's "extinguished." So, before it was extinguished, what was happening? It was blazing. What was it doing? It was blazing. That's how we say it in language, right? It was lit.

So, as Buddhists, if we are looking for extinguishment, for Nibbāna, then something must be burning, right? What needs to be burning? It needs to be blazing. It needs to be inflamed. Now, are you all blazing? Ah, what's blazing? Those are superficial words. Even if you say defilements (kilesa), you don't really know them. Lust (rāga), aversion (dvesa), delusion (moha). Now, what is lust then? Ah, that word is correct. We cling to something. What do we do? What are you all clinging to now? What is it? When your mind is burning, we said it's clinging. We said it's clinging with desire. What are you clinging to with desire? Ah, no, those are words you've heard from books and elsewhere. You are not clinging to those. Ah, not those. Not those that are meaningful.

Now, imagine you're going home, and someone has moved the fence of your land, broken a wall. Will you burn then, or not? Will you set aside listening to Dhamma and then look for who did it, or not? Will you go and dismantle the fence again, or not? At that time, is your mind extinguished or burning? That's what you are clinging to. What are they? Your own. Why? Now, if someone moves fences in other people's lands, you don't say anything, do you? You consider it your own. What do you consider your own right now? Think about it. If someone forcefully takes away what you consider your own, will your mind ignite? Will it ignite or not? Now, those concepts like "existence" and "becoming" are what you've heard from Dhamma. Look at what you are really clinging to. Do you understand?

So, when you're here, you might get a message that a close relative, a Dharma friend, is in trouble. Will you get agitated or not? Ah, if that happens, will you listen to Dhamma? Or will you get up and leave? Ah, will you leave or not? Now, if you hear a message about someone you don't know in Israel or Iraq, you won't get up and leave, will you? Why? Because if someone you consider "your own" in your country, your child, is in trouble, you will go. There's a big attachment there, isn't there? Doesn't the fire ignite for the things you are attached to? You understand that.

So, look at what you are attached to. Yes, that's what I'm asking. These are very simple things I'm asking. What are you attached to? Ah, children! It's simple, isn't it? If you try to grasp these things through words, you will never understand the extinguishment of this Dhamma, nor will you understand its flaming up. What won't you understand? First, you must find the reasons for the fire to be extinguished. Who should look for the reasons for fire? Is it your husband or your children? No, find the reasons for your own fire.

Now, who is extinguished? Yourself. Who is extinguished? You are extinguished. You are burning. Those who clung to the Buddha's Dhamma cannot attain Nibbāna. If you want to, you can find your own fire and extinguish yourself. First, don't look for extinguishment. What should you find? You must know that the fire is burning to extinguish it. If your house is on fire and you don't know it, will you try to extinguish it? Will you try? When you see it burning at some point, that's when you'll try to extinguish it like crazy.

These Buddhists don't try to extinguish their minds. Why don't they try? They don't know it's burning. What don't they know? They don't know it's burning. If you know very well that you are burning, then no one needs to tell you to extinguish it. Now, you listen to Dhamma out of habit. Muslims pray out of habit. Buddhists do their rituals out of habit. Catholics go to church. Buddhists listen to Dhamma and go to temples. These things are not done with the expectation of achieving extinguishment. They are done for culture. What is it for? It ends there. Why? If you still don't truly know your own fire, no one can extinguish it.

It's a simple thing. If something of yours is burning and you don't know it, you won't try to extinguish it. You will only try to extinguish it when you see or realize it. What do you do then? You put some sand, or water, or a piece of cloth, and what do you do? Now, how many people's houses burn down at night without them knowing, while they are sleeping? That's why they sleep. If they knew, they wouldn't sleep, would they? Because they don't know, what happens? They don't try to extinguish it. Do you understand what I'm saying?

Now, look, the Buddha showed what you burn for. This is it, children. Most of the burning happens because of this. Because of what, children? Now, I came to Avissawella once, to Eheliyagoda, about a year or two ago. Some people we knew, from about ten houses near Eheliyagoda town, were coming back from somewhere near Kataragama after a motorcycle accident. You might have heard the news. When they came, the people realized their children had died and were brought home. Why? Now, when those things are spoken of, they cry, cry, cry, until they run out of tears. Ah, why is that? Do they burn or not? Do they get scorched or not? They get scorched.

But previously, these people didn't try to extinguish the world, did they? Why? Even though there was such a burning inside, they didn't know about it. If they had known, then... Now, you have children. You don't know that you burn because of them, just a little bit. But if some real destruction happens, if they die, or become disabled, then you feel it. You know how much fire it is. Do you feel it or not? You feel it. That's one thing that burns: attachment to children. Attachment to whom? Attachment to children.

Next is land and property. Most lawsuits are about what? Land and property. Most lawsuits are between your own siblings. With brothers and sisters, or with your own parents, putting a wall in the middle of a house like this. You've seen it. They are Buddhists. That's how it is when issues arise. So why? What happens if you lose it? If you lose it, you burn. Ah, even if you gain it, you burn. If you gain it, then there's anger, "He did that, he did this, we did this for our parents, our parents didn't give us enough." Even if you gain, you burn. If you don't gain, you burn too. Is that true?

So, where does that fire ignite? Within yourself. Where does it ignite? Within your inner self. Now, next is your body. What if something happens to it? Suddenly, your eyesight is gone because something hit you. Do you burn or not? You burn. Now, if you get cancer, or various diseases that make you unable to get up. Ah, do you burn or not? You burn. "Burning" means being tormented, suffering, feeling anxious.

Now, first, before understanding the subtle, understand the coarse. What can be understood coarsely is what is perceived. What is it? Now, there's a big fire. Then it's seen as big, isn't it? That fire is then seen coarsely. A huge fire. Then, when that is extinguished, there's the ember fire. There's fire in the embers too. It scorches. That's also burning. So, first, before understanding the big things, you need to understand the coarse things. Then everything will be understood as impermanent (anicca). Do you understand? Do you understand or not? Do you all understand or not? Ah, you understand.

So, what is extinguishment? Extinguishment means, if someone puts up a fence on your land when you're passing by, you don't care. You don't feel it. You don't get scorched. There's no attachment. What isn't there? There's no attachment. That means, whatever physical things they do, you don't get scorched by them. Why? You don't have an attachment to them. What don't you have? You don't have an attachment. So, even if there's no attachment, you might file a lawsuit because you need to live. But you won't feel it in your chest, whether you gain or lose. That's because you are extinguished from it. What has happened? You are extinguished. That fire is extinguished.

Now, children die. Some people have trained their minds, by listening to Dhamma, to be able to cope. They don't mind. They go, bury the body, give alms, and then they are at peace. They don't cry and cry. Now, if it were you, then... So, no fire ignites for them. It is extinguished. What has happened? Now, I know some people who have listened to my Dhamma discourses. A mother and a father. They have been listening for about 10-12 years. Their son got married and went to England, a doctor. He got a virus there and died in two months. His body was brought back in a coffin.

So, the girl he married, also a doctor, was scared that the parents would accuse her. But they said, "Daughter, don't cry so much. Take care of yourself. Don't bring death here. We will just perform the funeral rites and give alms, that's all." Now, can you all calm your minds like that? Can you? Even the coffin wasn't opened. No point now that he's dead. They didn't scold the daughter-in-law or anything. But when he was at home, he used to accuse me. He didn't like them watching those TV series; they didn't allow him to watch them at home. The reason he went abroad was because he couldn't live freely at home. But later, my friend, the girl he married, came to me and said, "What amazing parents! They didn't say a single word. 'The body must be there. After that, you have a right to marry, we will give you that too.'" So, I think about the temples even now. Do you understand?

So, if your child dies, can you perform your duties and live in peace like that? No, right? That means you burn. What happens? They had practiced Dhamma a lot, listened, and understood. So, they mentally removed their attachments. They only performed their duties. It didn't matter much. "This mother, whenever she died or lived, she was going to die anyway. I knew that beforehand." So, there are people who have listened to this Dhamma and composed their minds.

During the time of the living Buddha, there was a woman who had 16 children. Her husband was a general in the king's army. There was a small issue with the government. She was a very wealthy woman. She invited 250 monks, including Sariputta Thero, for alms-giving at her house. Her children and husband had gone to war. She received the news while serving alms that her husband and children had died. You've heard the story, Pandula Malli. She absorbed that news and continued serving alms. What did she do? She served alms. When she finished serving alms, a servant accidentally spilled some oil, and the woman said, "Bring a piece of cloth and wipe it. Don't waste it."

Then that woman said, "Look at this greed. After giving so much, they are even collecting this oil." Ah, then she said, "It's not greed like that. My 16 children and husband have died, and I am giving these alms. So, I have no greed. Using things carefully and greed are two different things." Alright? So, she told Sariputta Thero, "It's not a problem for me." Now, did she burn? That is Nibbāna. Nibbāna is not something you get anew. It's the nature of the mind when things you are mentally attached to are understood and removed from the mind. What did I say? When things the mind is attached to are removed from the mind through understanding, that is the nature of the mind. It is natural.

When things are attached to the mind, no matter how much Dhamma you listen to, when those things change or are destroyed, or when you think they are destroyed, do you burn or not? You burn. In such a situation, listening to Dhamma thousands of times is useless if you haven't understood. Do you understand? So, Nibbāna is not something strange. It's a natural state of your mind. And on top of that natural state, we have created these attachments.

There's a small child. A week or two after birth. Now, if an aunt or uncle of that child dies, will they cry for them? Will they cry? Why are they not crying now? Is it because they listened to Dhamma? They haven't even learned a language yet to understand Dhamma. Ah, we are the ones who say "aunt," "uncle," "brother," "mother," "father." Even if the mother dies when the child is small, it doesn't matter. What happens? They don't care. Why? Because the mind is naturally not attached yet. What is it not yet? Not attached. Therefore, there's no way for it to burn.

Now, as you grow older, you gradually get attached to your mother. You get attached to your father. Then parents say, "This is your property." You get attached to land and property. You get attached to friends. You get attached to siblings. That's when you start burning. What do you start doing? Burning. Otherwise, even as a small child, you should have burned, right? No, does that happen? It doesn't happen like that. Do you understand what I'm saying? So, it's not when you're little that you get attached, but gradually as you get older.

Now, who has more craving and desire, small children or parents? Ah, no, not really. Small children are also influenced by their parents. The Buddha says that growing old is like a pile of dirt. A whole pile of dirt. He directly says it's a pile of dirt, an unpurified heap, in the Malunkyaputta Sutta. Growing old, becoming an adult, means being impure. What is not pure? Alright.

Now, children bow to parents, right? If it were truly right, parents should bow to children. Why? Because you should honor and worship the pure person. Now, whose mind is pure, your children's or yours? According to Buddhism, we worship those whose minds are pure. So, if that's true, you should bow to your children, shouldn't you? Why? Because they are still pure. When they reach your age, they will somehow get into your habits. If not, they will acquire them. Right?

Now, if there was a good child, they wouldn't care much for land and property. They would say, "Give these to auntie and uncle." What do the parents say then? "You still don't understand." They say that, don't they? Life is a very strange thing. Now, I've looked at this, our mothers are also old now. Our mother raised me, raised our sister. Now, I see the people in our village. I ordained in our village. I've known all of them since I was small. Now, they are old. They get sick quickly now. We need to take care of them, right? Over 70 years old, fallen to the ground. Our mothers only cared for us, didn't they? They didn't care for other children like that. You too are caring for your children, aren't you? They did the same. But when they get sick, their own people take care of them.

Now, I was recently told, "I can't even see properly now, with my eyes. If I want, I can give money to someone." Now, someone else has to take care of them, don't they? Now, you raised a daughter, but she's not here. She's in other countries. So, at least you spent money only on us, didn't you? You didn't spend money on other children, did you? But when you're in trouble, someone you don't even know comes to your aid. Is that true or false? Think about what I'm saying.

So, I know another person. Yesterday, I told his sister, who listens to my Dhamma discourses, that he has two children. One is 21 and abroad, and the other is studying in Sri Lanka, doing a degree. Now, about eight months ago, the father had an accident. The father was a bit miserly, the one who had the accident. Alright? So, he was miserly and gathered money for whom? For his children. For his home. Alright, now after eight months, the children don't even visit him. He's still in the hospital. I'm telling you, think carefully. The children don't visit him. The one who is abroad doesn't even call. But his sister, who listens to my discourses, sends all the money to him. Alright? And that sister, while he was alive, he told her she was wasting his things. So, I wonder, life is like that. Now, she's doing it because she knows Dhamma. She doesn't have a great attachment to money. That person helps. Alright?

So, now look, he was miserly and gathered money for his two children, refusing to give even alms when he had money. Now, are his two children there for him when he needs a sip of water or some oil to apply? This is true. What I'm saying is not all children are like that; some are virtuous and good. Sometimes, those children take care of their parents. But often, it's like that. I've seen it with my own eyes. They only care about their own lives. What kind of life? They come for a day or two, cry, and then abandon them.

But those people, there were poor children, but he never helped them with education. There were helpless people, but he never helped them when he had the means. Who did he help? Only those he considered "his own." He bought clothes, sent them to school, saved up, and bought cars, all for whom? Yes, what I'm saying, please look at it with open eyes. Alright? Now, when you're helpless in the end, what happens? Either a doctor you've never known, a medicine provider. Or someone who seeks merit in life helps you. Someone we never helped helps us.

So, look, what a strange life we lead! Are we living with understanding? A life without any understanding. If you knew this from the beginning, what would you do? While taking care of your children, you would also care for other helpless people in society. Not to get help, but to care for them. Why? Because when we are helpless, most of the time, the person who comes to our aid is someone we never helped. Is that true or false? So, if that's true, it's better if we helped such people when we were able to, isn't it? That is the Buddha's Dhamma. Right?

When the Buddha attained Parinibbāna, the water was offered by those who had ordained under the Buddha, not by those who were considered his relatives, right? That's how it is. He said the last offering he received before his Parinibbāna and the first offering he received before his Buddhahood were equally great. The Buddha said that. Why? The last offering, he (the Buddha) could help others by listening to Dhamma and getting help. But for the one who gives the last offering, there's no such thing. He won't meet the Buddha again. Right? He offers that help without any expectation. It's the same before Buddhahood. When he received alms, he didn't know if he would become a Buddha or not. He didn't know any of that. They gave alms without expectation. What kind of alms? So, those who were unknown, whom he didn't know, were the ones who offered such help. So, he said they were great.

So, if life is like that, what should you do? Instead of holding onto things as "mine" and accumulating them, please think carefully about what I'm saying and live with your eyes open. Right? Now, when I look at this life, I told my mothers too. "You spent on us, you spent on our sister, but who is looking after you now? We just come and visit." This is a common Dhamma. After that, that's the truth. But then a fire ignites in your chest, isn't it? What did you say? "This is mine," "my children," "my land." Now, if there happens to be a virtuous child, they will do it. Virtuous means that child knows that the parents helped them.

...they know what to do. They will make such a sacrifice. Even today, with our country's economic situation, when children go to other countries, they also become helpless. Because they can't leave their children studying there and come back. Even if they want to take care, they can't. They become helpless in that way too. I'm not blaming anyone here; this is just how life is. What did I say? I'm not talking about the faults of children or the faults of parents; it's just the nature of life. So, it needs to be understood. If someone listening now is young, they need to understand that accumulating and gathering things just for "me, mine, mine" is useless. You should also help those you don't know. And don't expect anything in return for that help. Because who will help us when we are helpless someday? Most often, it's someone we've never helped. Look, isn't that how it is?

Now, when a bus crashes, do our relatives come running to the hospital? No, they don't know us, they haven't seen us. That's how people sacrifice their time, isn't it? By the time those we helped arrive, we might already be dead. So, think about what I'm saying; life is like that. In such a life, the Buddha said that when you are excessively attached, only fire remains. What alone remains? Fire.

Now, don't parents think, "I did this for my children, I did that"? They think that, because they have a mind. And they burn again. What happens? They burn. Do they burn or not? Because it comes to mind, "When I was sick, I did this, I took them to school." They try to console themselves, thinking, "They are my children." At that time, it's either an unknown person bringing medicine, right? So, if you understand this beforehand, and don't cling to things as "yours" excessively, by performing your duties and caring for everyone, such thoughts won't arise. Then it will come to mind, "I helped many people I didn't know." You won't have accumulated things by clinging to life as "yours" too much. So, then you won't have regret. You won't have fire. What won't you have? No fire. Right?

So, that's why, I say, live life with your eyes wide open, understanding these things. Otherwise, if you live haphazardly, in the end, only a curse will remain. What alone will remain? A curse. What is the curse? The things you are attached to will be lost. That's the nature of this world, things are lost, they are destroyed. So, when you see them being destroyed, you can't bear it. You burn. What happens? You ignite. Your chest ignites. You become agitated. Because you haven't realized Nibbāna, because you don't know extinguishment. You don't know extinguishment because you haven't truly understood burning.

Now, the Buddha then shows us to find out why you burn. The fire is the result, isn't it? Why do we fall victim to that situation? He said the word, "We get attached with desire." What happens? We get attached with desire. That's where it comes from. For example, before you get married, you don't know the person you're marrying. You only know them a little while before marriage. Before you knew them, before you met them, before you got involved with them, if that person had an accident, would you feel sad? No, you wouldn't feel such sadness. Why? Before you knew them, before you became friends, before love arose, if something happened to them, would you suffer?

Now, after marriage and having children, on the day after you initially got attached, trouble comes. Is it sad or not? Ah, it's very sad. Then a child is born. After the child is born, trouble comes. Is it sad for one of you now, or not? After a while, it's the same whether they die or live. That's the nature of short life. Now, the biggest thing is, when you get tired and suffer and suffer, your attachments become weaker. Think about this when attachments are strong. Right? Some, even when they get old, still have that attachment.

So, then, in life, who created the attachments? You yourself. Who? Next, the Buddha asks a crucial question: Who are you? Now, you are attached. Who is attached? You. You are attached to your children. You are attached to land and property. You are attached to your appearance. Now, the next question the Buddha asks is, "Who are you?" This is the very first thing for a Buddhist following the Buddha's Dhamma: understanding who you are, not eliminating craving. Not eliminating attachments. The first question for becoming a Buddhist is to understand who you are. What should you do? Tell me. Understand who "you" are.

Now, first, you don't need to remove attachments to your children. You don't need to remove attachments to land and property. Alright? You don't need to strive to remove any other attachments you have. Just know that they are burning. What should you know? Know that they are blazing. But you don't need to remove the fire that is already burning. However, the first thing the Buddha says is, "Who is this 'you'?" This is the main question. Now, because of this person called "you," you create those attachments for yourself, right? Because of the fear of not being helpless, attachment comes. The most important thing in Buddhism is showing that. What is "you"? Who is "you" now? Now, ask yourself, who is "you"?

Now, who are you, sir? If you say it, I can't hear you. No, those are words you've heard. I'm asking from experience, who are you? Again, whether I ask this from Dhamma books or not, it's the same. I'm asking a simple question. Now, you always say "my Dhamma," right? So, who is there? There's the person called "me," right? You exist. Alright? "My land," "my vehicles," "it's mine." "What I thought was right." You think that, don't you? Now, who is that person? Saying it's a collection of parts is what books say. That's not your experience.

Now, you see an accident. When you see it, when you report it, do you say what's in books, or what you saw? I'm asking about an accident. So, whether I ask you about Dhamma or not, it's the same. So, always think of "yourself." That's what I'm asking about. Who is "yourself"? Is it your son? Ah, now there's no point asking anyone about yourself, is there? Who are you? Who is that person recording here? Who are you? Who am I? Who am I? What's your name? Where's your village? Now, whose details are you talking about? Your own details.

That's the attachment. So, if I ask about you, isn't that what you'd have to say? There's nothing else, is there? Now, if you ask "who are you," isn't that what you'd have to say? If someone asks your name somewhere, do you say it or not? You say it. You don't say your neighbor's name, do you? Who are you married to? Then do you say it or not? You say it. Who are your children? That means it's about what you consider "yours." Think, think. At that moment, is it Dhamma that answers, or your life?

So, that's what I'm trying to say, who do you take yourself to be? What's your home address? They ask that, don't they? They ask in court too. Ah, and you answer, don't you? Do you have brothers and sisters? Have you been to school? They ask, don't they? When they ask, do you answer or not? You answer. That's what you take yourself to be. So, to show yourself as "you," do you need the help of something or not? Do you need the help of something or not? Now, you need your name. Your name isn't even yours; it's something your parents or someone else gave you. Can I talk about "me" without saying "Tharaka, Tharaka"? No. Can you? Can't you? No. I saw a Beli tree. Now, can I talk about "me" without saying "Beli tree"? No. I hear the sound of a vehicle. You can say that.

So, now look, when you talk about "me," what happens? You use the vehicle as an aid. Do you understand or not? So, when you're about to talk about yourself, what else do you need? What do you need? You need some help. You need data. You need details. Can you talk about yourself without any of those things? Can you talk about yourself without any other data or details? That mother has listened to too much Dhamma. That's why she doesn't understand something so simply explained. That "name and form" is like saying "vehicle." Again, the word. Can you talk about yourself without the words "name and form"? I am name and form. So, I manifest with the words "name and form."

Now, if you listen to "me" at this very moment, you can understand who "you" are. So, the Buddha says that's the first thing for a Buddhist: before eliminating craving and eliminating attachments, he says, first find out who you are. Who is it? Who is "you"? So, the Buddha gives an aid for that. The aid is that "you" is something like this, something like that. The Buddha says it doesn't truly exist. What doesn't truly exist? That "self" doesn't truly exist. The Buddha understood that and taught the doctrine of Anattā (non-self). What doctrine? The Buddha's understanding is that there is no self, there is non-self. What is there? The Pali word for "you" is "attā." "Attā" then goes to "atta," which goes to "ātman." Alright? In the Buddha's language, in Sinhalese, it's "thaman" (self/you).

So, now, do you think there's a person called "you" or not? I want the correct answer. That means I don't want the answer the Buddha gave; I want the answer you think. Do you think there's a person called "you" or not? Ah, raise your hand if you think there is. Raise it high. Those people are right. They are the ones who listen to Dhamma and become. The others just heard some words, just a little bit. We do all these actions thinking that there's a person called "us," right? We do it thinking it's real. The Buddha's understanding is Anattā (non-self). We haven't understood such a Dhamma yet. First, you must accept it, right?

Now, if someone goes to Australia, we say, "I went to Australia and came back," or "He went and came back." Now, if we also hear that and say, "We also went to Australia," is that right or wrong? Is that right or wrong? It's wrong. We haven't gone yet. We only heard it from someone who went. Do you understand what I'm saying? Similarly, the Buddha's understanding, his Dhamma understanding, is that there was a person called "self" before he became a Buddha. But when he searched for the truth, such a thing actually thinking that was wrong. Thinking of a "self" like that was wrong. It's an illusion (māyā). What did I say? An illusion. Then he told us, he taught us the Dhamma, that it's an illusion, and you too should realize it for yourselves. That's where you enter the Sasana (the Buddha's dispensation). Enter what? The Sasana.

So, first, if you seek extinguishment, if you want to enter the Buddha's Sasana, you need to understand who you are. During the time of the living Buddha, there were some princes. You know these stories, so I won't elaborate too much. These were from wealthy families. They each had about 20 girlfriends. One didn't. He paid money and hired a girl to go enjoy themselves. So, when they went and were enjoying themselves, swimming and drinking in a pool, what did the one they paid for do? She had no attachment to them, right? She was there for the money. She thought, "This is the time to take these clothes and jewelry and leave." While they were naked and bathing, she took everything and left. That's the real story, isn't it? Haven't you heard that story?

So, she didn't care. She thought, "I won't get another chance like this." They were probably drunk and oblivious, so she took their stuff and left. Now, when they came out and looked, they had no clothes to wear. What had happened to everything? They were valuable clothes for a king. Were clothes rare back then? She took all their loved ones' things too. Now they are searching everywhere for that girl. They can't find her. Then, on their way, they see the Buddha. They don't know he's the Buddha. At that time, the Buddha was about 35-36 years old, newly enlightened. Alright? So, they saw him and thought, "This is a recluse."

So, they asked, "Have you seen anyone who looks like this, with these features, going this way?" Then the Buddha asked, "There's no point asking me about people going anywhere. Ask me who you are. Then I will tell you." What did he ask? He asked about "you," and then he would tell them. Those people were a bit educated, intelligent, and wise. That word resonated with them. "It's more valuable to find out about ourselves than to find out about people going anywhere, isn't it?" "Can you tell us about ourselves?" "Yes, I can, that's why I said it." So, a discussion arose with them. Not like this, but a discussion in the forest. Alright? As a result of that discussion, they understood who they were. What did they do? They understood. Now, did they understand it after going home, or during that Dhamma discussion? During the discussion.

Now, if you all participate properly in this, you too can find out who you are before leaving here. I can help you with that. Alright. So, the first thing is, "you" exist, that's true. It's based on that. Now, you think it's true because you say, "My children, this is mine." Now, we need a post, right? You can't tie an ox where there's no post. Now we think there's no post here. We imagine there's a post here and tie an ox. So, is it attached to it? No, it's not. So, we made a mistake by imagining it's attached. There's no post, right? People put a pot on the stove, imagining there's fire. There's no fire. So, was that thought right or wrong? Wrong, isn't it?

Similarly, now, before that, when we pour oil into a pot, do we pour it thinking there's a pot or thinking there isn't? Thinking there is a pot. Ah, when the oil spills on the ground, that's when you realize, "Oh, the pot wasn't there!" Something like that might have happened. You imagine the tea kettle is hot and touch it. Then, as soon as you burn yourself, you get an understanding. What happens? You come back to your senses and touch it suddenly. Then it's hot. Then you get an understanding, and you quickly pull your hand away, right? Now, did you touch it thinking it was hot or thinking it wasn't? Not thinking. So, was your assumption right or wrong? Wrong.

Similarly, the Buddha says that even though you think there's a person called "you," no one knows the real story of it. What story? The real story. If you find the real story, then you will find who "you" are. Now, there is no real story. Alright?

Now, first, I told you that to showcase yourself, to boast about yourself, we do that, right? We say, "I met him, I met her," etc. Without that, no one would ask who "you" are, right? Either you passed this exam, passed that exam. Went to that country, went to this country. Have so much land. Have so much. Right? You manifest yourself through something. Now, when you sleep, do you feel very important? When you're asleep, do you feel important? When you're sound asleep, do you realize you have land and vehicles and are educated? You don't think like that. So, where did that person called "you" go when you were asleep? Where did it go?

Now, you wake up. What happens? You wake up. As soon as you wake up, the child asks, "Haven't you woken up yet?" Who is asking now? Who is asking that? Yourself. Now, has the person called "you" manifested or not? Has it manifested or not? The one who wasn't there when sleeping has manifested now, hasn't it? Ah, from the moment you manifest upon waking until evening, who thinks and works? Ah, "you" think. Then, if there's a wife and husband, they say, "You don't understand." "This is how it is." "Yes, he's a man." "But he doesn't understand." Now, who thinks what is right and argues? Ah, then the child comes and thinks, "Mother doesn't understand that going to school today is useless." So, now the children, thinking of themselves as "who," now each person manifests themselves. Who manifests themselves? Were they there until now or not? No, they weren't there until they fell asleep and until they woke up. Do they manifest as soon as they wake up or not? They manifest.

So, the person called "you" is not a fixed entity. It's someone who emerges through various things. What did I say? It emerges through various things and events. What are the events? When you see with your eyes, something appears through your eyes, then the chairman is sound asleep. When you see something with your eyes, "you" emerge. Alright? Or when you hear something with your ear. Now, your husband or wife came and secretly went somewhere. Now, who is listening? Who is listening with their ear? Who is listening? Or your child. You have a young child. They came and went like that. If not, the parents ask. Now, who do you think is listening when you listen? Then you ask, "Who did you talk to? Show me your friends." Now, who is seeing inside? So, "you" emerge through hearing something. Who and through what? Through something heard. Through something seen.

Next, through something smelled. For example, when eating food, "Oh, the food at that shop is delicious; I've eaten there before." Do you say that or not? Or, "This is bland, no salt, no sugar, I've eaten this before." Do you say that or not? "You" emerge through taste. Or when you touch something, "you" emerge through touch. Alright? Or when you think in your mind. When do you do it? When you think. We emerge more when we think. "He did this to me. Wait. When I asked for help, he couldn't give it. Let him ask from us now." Do you think that or not? You manifest yourself by thinking. Who manifests yourself? The Buddha shows us how the person called "you" emerges. There is an eye. There is a form. Here, there is a form. A mind arises in it. What arises? Consciousness arises.

Then, when the eye, form, and consciousness come together, we say, "I see." What do we say? "I see." At the point of seeing, there is no person called "you." There is only seeing. Now, we mentally grasp what we see. We grasp it with thoughts in our mind. That's when the feeling of "self" emerges. What emerges? The feeling of "self" emerges. You hear something good with your ear. When you hear it, there is the ear, the sounds, and the mind. Ah, then there is only the "hearing." Now, we mentally grasp that sound we hear. When we grasp it, a feeling of "self" arises. What is it? "I hear." Who hears? "I hear."

So, the Buddha says the opposite of that. Now, you see something. When you see it, don't grasp it with your mind. Don't get attached. Don't get connected. Then he asks, "Will the person called 'you' emerge?" Does it emerge? No. Only if you grasp that object. Only if what happens? Only then does that feeling emerge. Now, raise your hand if you understand that. Who understood? Ah, "you" did, right? So, did you hear it again or not? You heard it. Now, how did you hear it there? The ear touched, I heard the sound I made, the mind arose. Ah, when I asked "Did you understand?" you said, "Yes, I understood, 'I' myself emerged." Who emerged?

The Buddha gives an analogy for this. A dog is tied with a chain. The dog can only go as far as the length of that chain, right? It can't go beyond that. Even if it jumps, it's only as high as the chain. Ah, even the dog tied to a post is tied to something. It can go. Similarly, he says, this human being, every being, revolves around what they call "self." The chain is the self. You can't revolve beyond that. Even if you see with your eye, it's "self." Even if you hear with your ear, it's "self." The cycle of existence (samsāra) is said to revolve around this. Nothing goes beyond that. It's exactly like a dog tied to a chain. Do you understand?

So, now, I asked if you understood. Then the feeling of "I understood" suddenly arises in your mind. Now, the Buddha says to understand what that feeling is. Now, what you are doing by listening to Dhamma is called "hearing" (sravana). From hearing comes thinking. From thinking comes "you" emerging again. But if you do the opposite, if you practice "mental cultivation" (manasikāra), you will not arise. Now, when I say that, it's a bit difficult to understand, isn't it? Because it's difficult to understand, I'll give an analogy. What am I giving? An analogy. Let's use the same dog.

Now, the dog is walking. When the dog is walking with you, it means you're going for a walk. Then there's a lake or a pond or something. Suddenly the dog stops. You also stop. The dog suddenly barks and barks and barks. Because its own shadow falls into the water, it thinks there's another dog. What does it think is there? It thinks there's another dog. Now, when our shadow falls, we don't bark, do we? Why don't we bark? We have an understanding that this is... there's no other person here. What is here? As human beings, we have that understanding, so we don't even think about it. We don't even think it's a shadow. Understanding is like that. We don't even need to think about it; we've already understood it.

Now, the dog has no understanding of its shadow. What does the dog think? If you look from the dog's perspective, what does the dog think? Does it think there's a shadow? Or does it think there's a dog? It thinks there's a dog. No matter how much we pull on the chain, it keeps barking. Have you seen such things? Ah, so is that dog deluded? Or has it seen the truth? Is the dog barking out of delusion or because it has seen the truth? Can you hear? No. Deluded. The dog's view is wrong. What did I say? The dog's view is wrong. There is no dog there. It's deceived and barking.

Now, it barks and barks and barks until it's tired, and then it stops barking. Then it secretly looks again. It secretly barks again and then stops. Now, it then thinks there might not be a dog there. What does it think is not there? Now, was that thought right or wrong? The dog thinks, after barking and barking until it's tired, that there might not be a dog there. So, when it thinks that, is the dog's view right or wrong? Is it right to think there's no dog there? Raise your hand if you think it's right. Just one or two. Ah, raise it high, just a little bit, so I can see. So, those people who think it's right. Raise your hand if you think it's wrong. Ah, is it right or wrong? Ah, what's wrong? Now, the dog thinking there's no dog, what's wrong with that? What understanding is missing?

Now, thinking there's a dog there is a big mistake. A fundamental mistake. It's clearly visible that it's a shadow, not a dog. Any human can understand that thinking there's a dog there is wrong. It takes a little effort to understand that thinking there's no dog there is also wrong. Now, this is what happens to people who practice Dhamma meditation. They meditate and think there is no self. Now, this analogy is meant for you to understand, for you to grasp. Alright? It's like those who divide things into pieces. Ah, dividing into pieces, these pure octads, these four great elements. Then they say, "There's no person called 'you' then."

Now, there's a room downstairs. I tell this gentleman, "Open that closed room and see if there's anyone inside." So, you go. You open the closed door and look, and then you come and tell me if there was anyone inside. What would your answer be? Ah, if you didn't find a human or a person, what would your answer be? But you were there, weren't you? Now, do you understand what I'm saying? So, is the answer "no one" right or wrong? It's wrong. Why? You were there, weren't you? Similarly, when something is said to be "not there," you are there. Now, this bottle is here. Something that exists can cease to exist. You can say it's not there after it burns or is thrown away. So, we only think something is not there if it was there. Ah, then that's correct.

However, now, does the dog think there is a dog or not? There wasn't actually a dog, just a shadow. So, saying "no" as an answer is wrong. Do you understand? So, what is the truth there? What is the reality? Now, how should the dog that is barking and barking see the truth? Now, we see the truth, don't we? We didn't think it was a shadow. We didn't think anything. We don't bark at it either. We have an understanding. That it's a shadow. We don't need to think about that understanding in words again. What did I say about understanding? Now, when our hand gets burned from heat, do we think, "The kettle is hot, my hand is cold, and it burned when I touched it"? Do we understand it? It's understood instantaneously. What happens? Instantaneously. No words are needed for it. Right? To understand it.

What is the truth there? So, can anyone say there is no shadow there? Can anyone say that our shadow and the dog's shadow falling into the water don't fall? That's wrong. Light, our physical body, and water, with all those aids, a shadow is created there. What did I say? A shadow is created. It's not a lie. If the light is gone, or the water is gone, or the form is gone, the shadow won't be created. Something is created due to a cause. What happens? That created thing, because the dog doesn't know the truth, it gets deluded. It thinks there's a dog. What does it think is there? It thinks there's a dog.

Now, raise your hand if you understand this analogy of the Dhamma I'm talking about. You don't need to understand anything else about the analogy. Just raise your hand if you understand that the dog gets deceived. Ah, first understand that. Then you can apply it to the analogy. Right? Now, apply that point. When we see something, like the dog lost its understanding at that moment, we too lose our understanding at that moment. When we see something with our eyes, the self emerges. Who emerges? The self emerges because something is formed. The eye, the form, and consciousness are formed. As a result of that formation, the phenomenon of seeing occurs. Now, if there's no eye, or if the eye is blind, you don't see, do you? If the ear is deaf, you don't hear, do you? So, even if there's an eye and a form, you don't get seeing just like that. The mind also joins in. If we're thinking about something else, do we see the things that are there? No, we don't. The mind also joins. When the eye, the form, and the mind combine, a new product is born, called seeing. What is it? Seeing. When there's a form, light, and water, a new product is formed, called a shadow. What is it called? A shadow. So, a shadow is not our form. A shadow is not light. A shadow is not water. It's a new thing formed with the help of all three. Similarly, our seeing is not the eye, nor the form, nor the mind. It's a formation from the combination of all three. Tinnang sangati passō - the combination of three. What happens from the combination of three? There's the phenomenon called seeing. There's the phenomenon called hearing. Don't think too much about this; there's nothing to think about. This is a simple thing. There is a phenomenon called seeing.

Now, the dog didn't recognize its shadow as a shadow, did it? It didn't understand. It started seeing a dog. We too, within that formation, what happens to us? We start seeing ourselves. What do we start seeing? Ourselves. So, is seeing yourself a right view or a wrong view? Is it a right view or a wrong view? The Buddha says that seeing oneself is a wrong view. What is it? It's a wrong view. There is no such thing as a "self" that truly exists. There is only the phenomenon of hearing. What is there? Hearing. There is only seeing. When you then get attached to that with thoughts, what happens? The self emerges. That feeling of "self" that emerges is not actually a person called "me" who exists. Now, if you remove those phenomena, what happens? You remove the eye, remove the form, remove the mind. Can you then establish a "self"? You can't. Now, as I said, if you remove the water, remove the light. Can you then establish a "shadow"? Can you? The Buddha says that people live their lives with such a wrong view. This is called Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. What is it called? It's a word in the Pali language. Pali is the language of the Buddha. In it, it's called Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. In Sinhala, it means manifesting the self. You manifest the feeling of "self." So, Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is a wrong view. What kind of view? Wrong. That wrong view is what all beings have. Until a Buddha arises in the world, what wrong view do beings have? Humans? Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. They think there's a person called "self" who exists. They don't know the truth of it. They believe that feeling is real. They think the shadow is a dog. Right? A Buddha arises and understands how this person called "self" is formed. It's because of the eye, form, and consciousness that a wrong understanding is taken from thoughts. That's when the feeling of "self" arises in that being.

So, until now, people have been searching for Nibbāna (extinguishment) for themselves to attain. Now, when you started this Dhamma talk, you sought Nibbāna for yourself. Is it about seeking Nibbāna for yourself now? Do you find Nibbāna when you search for who you are? When you find out who you are, the mind becomes very calm. 180 degrees of calm. Then only 120 remains after that. Only the desire for sensual pleasures remains. The biggest obstacle is not being able to find that. What is it that you can't find now? Now, I said that when understanding arises, we don't even think of it as a shadow, that's how deep our understanding is. Similarly, this explanation given through these words will be instantly apparent to you. This is it. When this is said, you know if it's true or false, don't you? As soon as the truth or falsehood of it is revealed, the path to Nibbāna opens up for that person. What is the path to Nibbāna? The calming of the mind begins. Then, truly, 99% is already extinguished, and only 1% remains. Then, it's about spending time to extinguish that. So, the most important thing in this Buddha Sasana is to find the truth about thinking that "self" is real here. Find what truth? The truth. Now, did I say here that there is no person called "self"? Ah, I didn't teach such a thing. Did I say that there is a person called "self"? I didn't teach such a thing either. Then what did I teach? Ah, in some situation, what happens to us? We come to a wrong idea. Come to what? Wrong ideas.

Now, I'll give an example. I ask him, alright? "Does your sixth brother wear a red shirt or a white shirt?" I ask him that question. You have six brothers. Does the sixth one wear a red shirt or a white shirt? Now, when I ask that, what is your answer? Ah, do you have a sixth brother? Ah, do you have six brothers? No, right? So, then, is the question right or wrong? Is the question I'm asking right or wrong? If you don't have six brothers, can you say whether he wears a white shirt or a black shirt? No, you can't. So, the question asked is wrong. Similarly, they say people came and asked the Buddha, "Does the Tathagata (Buddha) exist after death or not?" They asked him to answer that. Or they ask, "Does the Arahant (enlightened one) exist after death or not?" This is called the ten unanswered questions. Since you haven't studied Buddhism properly yet, you won't get caught up in it. In India, it still exists today. "Does the Tathagata exist after death or not?" The Buddha doesn't answer that. Why doesn't he answer? The question itself is wrong. What did I say? Like the question I asked about a non-existent brother, asking if he wears white. Then people ask, thinking that "self" exists, "Does he exist or not after he dies?" The Buddha says that taking "self" is a wrong understanding. There's no talk about "existing" or "not existing." Even if you say "exists," it's wrong. Even if you say "doesn't exist," what existed must cease to exist. Now, do you understand what I'm saying? That's why the Buddhas don't answer those questions. The question itself is wrong.

Now, you don't have six acres of land at home. I ask, "Have you planted bananas on your six acres of land?" Now, since you don't have six acres, I ask you, "You have six acres, don't you? Have you planted bananas on it?" So, what should that person answer? Ah, do you understand what I'm saying now? So, if someone asks the Buddha, "When did this person called 'self' begin?" "Where did this cycle of existence (samsāra) begin, and where does it end?" The Buddha doesn't answer. Why, man? Something must exist for it to begin. Now, do you understand? Therefore, even though it's like that, why do we feel that we exist? That is our ignorance (avidyā). That is what? Why does the dog see a dog instead of a shadow? That is the deception (māyā). What is it? Deception. Now, when you get rid of that deception, does the dog find a dog there? It doesn't find a dog. Why? When that view becomes correct, he doesn't find a dog. So, if you don't find a dog, there's no point talking about whether there was a dog or not. Similarly, when you search for the person called "self," there is a wrong view about who "self" is. What kind of view? That wrong view is called Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. It arises at every moment. Even now, while listening to this Dhamma, it arises in you. Who is listening to Dhamma? Now, if I ask who is listening to this discourse I'm giving right now, who does your mind say? "I am listening." Now, between the ear, the sound, and consciousness, you chose yourself, didn't you? Do you understand now?

Now, one day you will reach the understanding of this Dhamma. Now, this secret will be revealed to you. It's like the dog's situation. Now, does the feeling of "I understood" emerge or not? Now, the dog understands that there is no dog there, only a shadow. But then, when it walks by the water, does the shadow appear or not? It appears. But now, what happens differently than before? It doesn't bark. Why? That is understanding. What is it? That is understanding. So, the phenomenon of seeing is formed, isn't it? The phenomenon of hearing is formed. You can't say it's not there. It's there at every moment. Because our foolishness is behind that formation, we get caught up in it. Getting caught up, getting caught up, then wanting to be someone in this cycle of existence, not dying and not being reborn again. That Dhamma you are hearing is wrong. Nibbāna is not about not being reborn again. For rebirth to happen, there must be a "self" to exist. When the "self" ceases to exist, that's what not being reborn means. The Dhamma you were taught is wrong. That's how it is. Now, people think of Nibbāna, the story I told, generally monks and people think Nibbāna is about not being reborn again. Who is that? That's what the Buddha calls the doctrine of Uccheda (annihilation). If they had truly asked the Buddha about this Dhamma, he would have driven them away. They are seeking Nibbāna with a view of annihilation. Nibbāna is not like that. Right? So, that topic needs to be elucidated much more.

Now, first, the Buddha clarified this phenomenon. To whom did he clarify and correct it? Who did the Buddha first seek out after gaining this understanding? The five ascetics. He had to go and teach them until morning. What he first clarified until morning was what he clarified to you. Even after clarifying until morning, only one of them gained understanding. Who gained it? One person understood, "That's true." That's what Aññā Kondañña said. The other four didn't understand. They asked with doubt. The Buddha says they had doubt, right? It was only after discussing with them for two or three days that they finally did what? Sakkāya-diṭṭhi was abandoned. Then they understood. Now, how many analogies did I tell you? There are thousands of such analogies that are not in books. The Buddha teaches in various ways. Those are not there. After understanding, they didn't become Arahants. What happened to them first? Sakkāya-diṭṭhi was abandoned. They are now free from wrong understanding and have entered the path to Nibbāna. Then, for three months, the Buddha taught the Ananta-lakkhaṇa Dhamma (Discourse on the Anattā Characteristics). You say impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā), but you misunderstand the Three Characteristics (Tilakkhana). If something is impermanent, is it happiness or suffering? You misunderstand the Three Characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and non-self.

Now, I can't do that sermon at this time, it would take too long. It's on YouTube if you want to watch it, alright? What the Buddha taught is not the impermanence and suffering that you think. It's a very deep story. That deep story can only be taught to someone who has already abandoned Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. It cannot be taught to those who haven't. You think that rice getting infested, buildings getting old, your body decaying, that's impermanence. The Buddha said that's not impermanence. That's also impermanence, that's worldly impermanence. Understanding that doesn't lead one to understand the truth. Right? You think suffering is the feeling in your mind when things you have are lost. The Buddha called that painful feeling (dukkhavedanā). The true Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Ariya Sacca) was something else. The Buddha taught non-self. What is non-self? Sabbē dhammā anattā - all phenomena are non-self. He didn't mean what you think. So, that discourse was given afterwards. They had to discuss that Ananta-lakkhaṇa for three months. Right? So, the first thing is not becoming an Arahant or leaving home and property. What is it? Dispelling your wrong understanding. Is it? To help dispel it. The Buddha says that's not something a human can do. It's not easy. It's very difficult. That means a Buddha must arise in the world. What must arise? A Buddha must arise in the world. A Buddha arises and then grasps this subtle knot. It's not only the Buddha who comprehends this by himself. Pacceka Buddhas (Solitary Buddhas) also comprehend this. But even though Pacceka Buddhas comprehend it, they cannot teach about the abandonment of Sakkāya-diṭṭhi. They teach about giving (dāna) and merit (puñña). Right? They talk about wholesome and unwholesome actions. But to talk about the abandonment of Sakkāya-diṭṭhi, they cannot formulate the words. They have understood it. Right?

So, the specialty of a Buddha is that he can bring this truth into words for people with wisdom (paññā). For what kind of people? For people with wisdom. He brings it into words, and then he says it's not what is said in words. What is said in words is only an aid to reach understanding. The foolish person only grasps the words. Now, when I leave after this discourse, some people will grasp only parts of it, you can see it for yourselves. Because the wise person sees, the analogy is not to be grasped. It's meant to explain something. So, there are still people with wisdom in the world today. They have heard this. Now, you think that this "self" is something that I, by teaching Dhamma, have made thousands or hundreds understand. There are hundreds. Right? So, those people come and gain that understanding. Some then become monks. Some don't become monks; they carry on their duties in lay life. That's fine. Now, Visakha understood the Dhamma at the age of seven. By listening to something her parents said. Anathapindika the householder understood in his youth. Some people understood in their youth. So, if you truly understand here, you will gain understanding. That's why the Buddha says there is an aid you need to receive externally. That's called Kalyāṇa Mitta Sevanaya (association with noble friends). What is it called? Who is a Kalyāṇa Mitta? The Kalyāṇa Mitta you talk about is someone who gives you some food when you have none. Gives you medicine when you're sick. Ah, if you don't have a coffin for a funeral, they bring a coffin for you. Is that a Kalyāṇa Mitta? Those are just other friendships. A Kalyāṇa Mitta is someone who teaches the abandonment of Sakkāya-diṭṭhi, as revealed by the Buddha, in the exact same way. They don't change it. They don't change that Dhamma. Right? Now, you listen to Dhamma, don't you? From morning till evening, it's on those channels. Those people don't even know what they are saying. I too listen to those while going about my day, and they give a completely false discourse. They are lying. Now, we have looked at the Tipitaka. So, when you look, what they say doesn't match the message the Buddha gave. People listen to it, saying, "Sādhu, Sādhu." So, if you listen to Dhamma in the wrong way, the result is wrong. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is not abandoned by that. Those people... so, they die like that, then they say they can't realize Nibbāna without dying. They seek Nibbāna for themselves. Who is it for? Now, did the Buddha seek Nibbāna for himself or ask to find out who he was? Sir, if you still seek Nibbāna today, you still don't know what the root of Buddhism is. If you're seeking Nibbāna, the Buddha says to put Nibbāna aside and find out who you are. Do you understand that?

So, this Nibbāna is not something that you "get." The realization of the wrong view of "self" is itself Nibbāna. It's not something you get. Now, if you took an exam, you get the results for yourself, for your name. But there is no owner for Sotāpanna (stream-entry). The understanding of what "ownership" is, is itself Sotāpanna. So, there, the Dhamma gets a little deeper. Then the way of thinking changes a bit, the pattern changes. Right? Generally, in the world, people search for things for themselves. In the Buddha Sasana, you search for who "you" are. Understand even that word: you search for who "you" are. You abandon the wrong view of "self." That abandonment itself is called reaching Sammā-diṭṭhi (Right View) in Dhamma. Right? So, you don't need to rush for that. There are those discourses. If someone listens systematically and thoughtfully, that person will definitely understand if they have wisdom. Then, they must have wisdom from their upbringing. On the other hand, what is it? The Kalyāṇa Mitta must join in. If these two things happen, what happens? Dhamma understanding is gained. What is gained? Dhamma understanding. So, I can say without fear that many people don't know that. Don't know means they haven't even properly looked at a single discourse of the Buddha. Otherwise, the Buddha has said this. Even during the Buddha's time, things like this happened. They would listen to what the Buddha said. They would memorize it and then, when they went and spoke, they would add their own ideas. Then the Buddha would ask if they would get results. They wouldn't get results. That means it wasn't the path the Buddha showed. They would hear it, take those words, and add their own ideas when speaking. Do you understand? So, that's why, back then, the Buddha, during his time, admonished many people not to do that. What to speak of now when he's not here?

So, the next point is, generally, only people who know about gold know about gold. Not everyone can find out if gold is real or fake. Someone who knows gold well can say, "Is this real gold or fake gold?" Similarly, sometimes, those who don't know about gems might find a piece of stone and throw it away. Or they might put it in a fish tank. But if someone who knows about gems finds it, they know its value. Similarly, only those who know that universe can find it; others cannot. The Buddha's teaching is like that gem. There are always imitations of the true Dhamma arising in the world. What are imitations of the true Dhamma? Oh, people who listen are listening to this Buddha Dhamma, aren't they? But what they're listening to is not the Buddha Dhamma. Now, if you had listened to this Dhamma from a young age until now, you would be a Sotāpanna. That means when you hear it today, you understand those words, I understand what I'm saying, you have heard the words. You have heard Dhamma. You have heard name and form. But you don't know about your own life. Now, this understanding is not about fitting the Dhamma to things. Now, you think this Dhamma is for us to fit things to, don't you? That's what they say, "Fit the Dhamma to yourself." Dhamma is not for fitting. Why? Because then Dhamma becomes one thing, and life becomes another. Then our life is one thing, and Dhamma is outside. We try to match them. That's what people do when they listen to Dhamma. "Oh, that's right. That's right." When they say this, the Dhamma fits perfectly. Now, what is he doing? He's fitting it. What is he doing? He connects it here. There's a house here, and "house" is written there. Small children connect them like this. There's a tree there, and they connect it. They fit it. What do people do? They fit the Dhamma. Dhamma is not for fitting.

So, what should we do now? What is Dhamma? The Buddha teaches like this: The eye, form, and consciousness. That's called tinnang sangati passō in Pali – a combination of three. From that, what arises? Feelings and recognition are born. Now, that's called "teaching Dhamma." Now, is that a fitting, or an application to our lives? Isn't that what we're doing now? The eye, the form, and consciousness combine; isn't that what happens? So, why is there something to fit in that? Does it explain an application of ours? Dhamma and our life are one and the same. They are not two. The way this mind is formed, the way this world is formed, that's what has been taught. There's nothing to fit again. It's just something to contemplate. When you contemplate, the truth is found as it is. What is done? The Buddha uses the word Yoniso Manasikāra. Meditating in accordance with the Dhamma, not according to what you want. If you already know, meditating according to what you want has resulted in this person called "self" becoming what? A complete, utter lie that is believed to be true. Why? Because you thought the way you wanted. That means the truth is one thing, and the way life functions is another. This is thinking one thing. As I said, putting oil, imagining there's a pot. Only when it spills on the ground do you understand, "Oh, what I imagined was wrong." Do you understand? Similarly, our way of thinking is wrong. Dhamma is the true way life functions. There's nothing to fit in it again; it's an application. Is "seeing" a different way? What is "seeing"? It's the eye, form, and consciousness. What is "hearing"? It's the ear, sound, and consciousness. Now, there's nothing to fit in that again. Isn't that what happens when you hear? What else are you fitting? Life is life. Dhamma is not two; it's one.

What is one? So, the day life and Dhamma truly become one, Dhamma understanding is gained. Currently, they are two. Why? Because the self emerges, because the self is believed to be real. Alright. So, I think that's enough for today's discourse. That little girl said she was listening to Dhamma to end rebirth, to end birth, didn't she? Truly, Dhamma is not listened to to end birth or to end being born. It's to be free from both birth and death. What does it mean? The Buddha has said it's freedom from both birth and death. A-jara amara (ageless, deathless). A-jara amara, ajarā-mara, a-jara amara means freedom from both birth and death. Now, when you understand that "self" is wrong, completely, is there anyone to be reborn again? Is there anyone to die again? So, being free from both birth and death is the truth that the Buddha teaches Dhamma about. It's not for eliminating birth. Right? So, hear those usages correctly. If the usage is wrong, everything else will be wrong. Let me give an analogy. Now, a judge gives a verdict. He sends a message to the prison officials, "Don't kill Kumara, release him." So, the person who writes must be there. The person writing puts a comma after "Kumara, don't kill." There's a comma. Or a full stop. Now, what does the prison official receive? The right idea or the wrong idea? See how a full stop changes the meaning. Similarly, if you hear the Buddha's usage (vyāhāra) wrongly, you will have a wrong understanding of the Dhamma. You must hear the usage correctly.

Now, actually, this Dhamma is not understood because of some weakness on your part. What is it? If we were born, and Pali was our mother tongue, we would know what this means. Now, our mother tongue is Sinhala, and the Buddha's language is Magadhi. There's a language barrier here. What kind of barrier? When Sakkāya-diṭṭhi is mentioned, you don't understand it. You don't understand it, do you? So, it doesn't resonate strongly. Ah, but when "bootleg bottles" are mentioned, do you understand or not? Then you understand, right? Why? Because we know it. That's how that language is. Now, what we have is this. You used your youth for raising children, getting married, studying. I used my youth, from age 19, to search for this Dhamma. So, I had to learn the language. I had to go to India. I had to newly seek out the meanings of those. What is this usage in the Pali language? There are still communities like that in India today. What do they mean? What is it? So, it's by researching like that that I teach you this. Otherwise, that language is very difficult. Difficult means, we don't understand French, do we? If someone says something in French and we translate it incorrectly, then we also understand it incorrectly. So, that's why even the words I told you are said by me. Because they have been studied extensively, and this is a small result of about 18 years of effort.

Original Source (Video):

Title: මාණික්කවත්ත ශ්‍රී විජයාරාම මහා විහාරයේ පවතී විශේෂ ධර්ම දේශනය | Ven Thithtagalle Anandasiri Himi

https://youtu.be/PyzrpAI6-KI?si=TRY6mNOnGo67c9nj

Disclaimer

The translations shared on this blog are based on Dhamma sermons originally delivered in Sinhalese. They have been translated into English with the help of AI (ChatGPT & Gemini AI), with the intention of making these teachings more accessible to a broader audience.

Please note that while care has been taken to preserve the meaning and spirit of the original sermons, there may be errors or inaccuracies in translation. These translations are offered in good faith, but they may not fully capture the depth or nuance of the original teachings.

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