Transcending the World Part - 02 | Kaccānagotta Sutta | Thithtagalle Anandasiri Thero

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Transcending the World Part - 02 | Kaccānagotta Suttaṁ | Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero

Next, there is another Sutta here, I will speak about that as well before I go. In it, it says that at one time, the venerable Ananda… For those who had ordained under the venerable Ananda, evaṃ me sutaṃ ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā… The venerable Ananda was dwelling in Sāvatthī, at Jeta's Grove… Now, this was not a day when the Buddha was alive. This must have been after the Buddha's Parinibbāna. On that day, the venerable Ananda was staying at the Jeta's Grove monastery built by the benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika. Tatra kho āyasmā ānando bhikkhū āmantesi… Now, in many suttas, it says that the Buddha addressed them. But in this one, who is it that addressed them? The treasurer of the Dhamma, the Arahant Ananda, addressed them. Bhikkhavoti. Bhadanteti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paccassosuṃ. Āyasmā ānando etadavoca. "Puṇṇa by name, friend…" Now, the venerable Ananda is about to say, "Listen, I will tell you something from the early days of my ordination." Now, this is very important. The venerable Ananda says, "I am telling this to you all as well." "In the early days of my ordination, Mantāniputto āyasmā puṇṇo amhākaṃ navakānaṃ satānaṃ bahūpakāro hoti, the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta was of great help to us who were newly ordained." The Arahant Mantāniputta was of great assistance to me. Who? Puṇṇa Mantāniputta Thero helped me a lot. In the early days of my ordination. That means the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta had ordained before the venerable Ananda. "He was of great assistance in the early days. So maṃ iminā ovādena bahulaṃ ovadati, he often advised me with this advice about the state of being a monk (bhikkhu)." This means that what I am teaching you now… This was most likely spoken after the Parinibbāna of the Buddha and the Parinibbāna of the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta, but I cannot say for certain. Saying that, the venerable Ananda then says, "Friends, listen up."

"Seyyathāpi, āvuso, itthī vā puriso vā daharo vā yuvā…" "Ananda, the thought 'I am' (asmi) arises with clinging, not without clinging (upādāya, no anupādāya)." Ah, so what is it? "Upādāya, āvuso ānanda, asmīti hoti, no anupādāya." Asmīti means 'I am'. What 'I am'? The feeling 'I am'. Look and see, for whom does the feeling 'I am' arise? Now, how does this feeling 'I am' arise? When one is attached. When what happens? When one is attached. Who is teaching this to whom? The venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta. Who is said to have taught this? It is said that the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta told the venerable Ananda, "Ananda, the feeling 'I am' arises only if there is attachment." "Upādāya kho, āvuso ānanda, asmīti hoti, no anupādāya." It does not arise from non-attachment. This means, do you all get the feeling 'I am'? Do you? It is always arising. For a person, what is the reason? 'I am'. 'It is I'. 'It is mine'. What is the reason for the arising of this 'I am'? Because of attachment (upādāna). What is meant by attachment? Is it tying something with a rope, or is it an attachment in the mind? It is attachment by the mind. When that attachment occurs, the idea 'I am' arises, the idea 'this is mine' arises, doesn't it? Now, the idea of 'mine' arises for you regarding your world—your mother, father, sister, land, property, right? Those things you have enclosed, right? Why does that feeling arise? Because of attachment. Know that.

"By clinging to what does 'I am' arise?" By clinging to what? What did I just teach you? What do we get attached to? What do we call our world? It is the mind. What in the mind? The world that arises through forms seen by the eye, the world that arises through sounds heard by the ear, the world that arises through smells from the nose… now, our mother and father, it is after seeing them with our eyes that we keep them in memory, isn't it? We have identified them. So, that world. Then, about that world, isn't it? The thought 'this is my mother' arises in us. It's not about the 60kg poundage that is outside, is it? What is it? It's that image formed in the mind. The one formed in the mind. So, the idea 'I am' arises for us in the present moment in connection with those… those… those forms and signs (nimitta), right? Why does it arise? Due to clinging (upādāya). Because of clinging. For something there is no attachment to, such a feeling doesn't arise, does it? Then we… the thing seen by the eye is made into a form, a mental image. There are form-signs (rūpa nimitta). What are form-signs? Color, sound, smell, touch, and then taste, and then the mental object that comes to the mind. Now, this collection, these mental images… on one hand, although we take it as 'mother', it's not the mother; it is that collection of color-impressions that I have taken as 'I'. Then we experience the mother. What do we do? We experience. Then, feeling (vedanā) is what is taken as 'I'. What is it? Feeling. So, are we really attached to mother, or to form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness (rūpa, vedanā, saññā, saṅkhāra, viññāṇa)? We are actually attached to mother, father, friends, and so on due to our lack of understanding. In reality, we are attached to these forms, feelings, perceptions, and formations. We experience our mother, don't we? Just like experiencing songs, we experience mother. Then, are we experiencing the mother or the feeling? It is the feeling that arose because of that mental object. The feeling that arose because of that perception (saññā). The feeling exists in relation to that identified object, right? This is what is being said. So, there, that pentad of aggregates (pañcakkhandha) is taken as 'I am' because of attachment. Because of what? Attachment is not something strange. It is also thoughts in the mind. What are these? Thoughts. Attachment is that which arises from thoughts. We are attached within thoughts.

So, is this teaching an easy thing or a difficult thing? This is a very difficult thing. That's why you fall alseep. But it's not an easy thing to understand. However, if you understand it, you are saved for all time. For what are you saved? For all time. You become free forever. If you don't understand, you are doomed for all time. That means, at every single moment, you are getting yourself packed up to be doomed. And every moment you pack yourself up, you suffer. What is being constructed at every moment? Only suffering (dukkha). That which is constructed at every moment is suffering. The process of making it your own and shouldering it, what is constructed at every moment? Suffering. You have now been taught the process by which suffering creates more suffering. Alright?

In the sutta, it says, "Friend, is form (rūpa) permanent…?" Then, the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta, recounting the words of the Buddha, has asked Ananda, "Ananda, the world of forms that arises in our mind at this very moment, the world of feelings, the world of perceptions… this world of forms, is it something that changes or something that is stable? Question yourself thinking about this very moment." Now, in your mind, at this moment, you are hearing a sound with your ear, aren't you? So a world of sound is being created, isn't it? Along with that sound-form. Is that a changing thing or a stable thing? It is a changing thing. So this question is asked about this very moment. About which moment? The forms of this moment are a changing thing. Is it permanent (nicca) or impermanent (anicca)? It is impermanent. It changes and passes away. If something is impermanent, if you grasp onto it, does happiness arise or does suffering arise? Something is changing and passing away. Let's say, whatever it is, it is changing in this moment. We try to hold it without letting it change. Then, do we feel happiness or suffering? When you mentally grasp a changing thing as 'I' or 'mine', what arises? Suffering.

Alright? Next, can any of you, this world of sound you hear or the world of form you see, can you hold it the way you want even for a second? Can you? Can you hold it for half an hour? Can you pause it and look at it, like rewinding and pausing a picture on the TV? Can you hold it? That means, can you maintain it according to your own will? You can't. That means it is not-self (anatta). What is it? Not-self. In that case, if that world of forms which arises in your mind at this very moment due to a confluence of causes is changing, and if grasping it causes suffering, and if you cannot control it yourself, is it suitable to take it as 'yours'? Then, is that taking done because of wisdom (paññā) or because of foolishness? Foolishness. Whose foolishness? Whose? Ours… no, mine. It’s not ours, whose is it? It’s because of that stupid ox called 'I' and 'mine'. Have you sold it? Some people say, "sell the ox." Have you sold it? No, you haven't sold the ox, and that's what is being taught here. How to sell the ox to someone. I mean, people say, "we have sold the bull." But even at the time they say they've sold it, they are still tied to the bull. Do you understand? If you have sold it, you can't have it now. Alright? This is teaching how to untie the bull. The venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta frequently asked this of him. From whom? As a help to the venerable Ananda's ordination, he has asked. By asking and asking, he made wisdom arise. That means, what did the venerable Ananda not do? He wasn't thinking all the time, "Oh, I can't stay in this ordination, I'm a prince. Oh my, there are no girls here. I can't go anywhere either." That's what was in his mind. To see that, the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta helped him, it is said. As a help, he would have asked, "Now, you saw something. That damned thing you saw is now changing at this very moment. You can't even stop it. Right?" When you write it down it’s like this, when you ask it it’s like this. "You also understand that you cannot control this. In that case, is it suitable to take it as 'you' or not?" "It is not suitable." "If you take it, what will happen?" "The same thing that happened to Bhadraka the headman will happen." What will happen? If I say it to someone, I will get screwed too. When we are attached to this external world with sensual desire (chanda-rāga), when those things get screwed up, we too get screwed up. Why? Because we are attached. We have grasped it and are holding on. We said 'I', 'mine'. We take it as 'I', 'mine' because of sensual desire. What is it? Sensual desire. Ah, that's what is being taught. So, constantly… that means, when one is a new monk (navaka), if one constantly contemplates this, it's called seeing it as impermanent, dwelling contemplating impermanence (aniccānupassī viharati). What kind of dwelling? Aniccānupassī... virāgānupassī… dwelling while abandoning passion. If one does so, one can remain in the ordination, if one finds spiritual friends (kalyāṇa-mitta) like the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta. If instead they say, "No man, there's this amazing thing, it's so beautiful, let's go," what will happen?

The same thing that happened to the 'uncle' Kiralapana Dhammawijaya could happen. When one understands this Dhamma only superficially, without understanding it from within oneself, one starts to imagine that the world is beautiful. One imagines that it is permanent. I am not saying this to disparage him. This same fate befalls all of us, not just him. Anyone who doesn't understand this properly will meet the same fate. Alright? What is it that is not understood? If one lives seeing this present moment (paccuppanna)… how this world of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness arises, and how one grasps them as 'one's own', and not seeing their changing nature, thinking contrary to it, living in this falsehood… what happens? What will happen to him? His world of thoughts is created. Saṃsāra is created. Suffering is created. He cannot get across from saṃsāra. Alright? He cannot get across from birth, old age, and death in saṃsāra. It's the same for everyone. So, this is not said to put anyone down or to elevate anyone. This is said so that if you can apply it to yourself, you can be liberated. Right.

Right. Uh, next… next he asks, "Friend, whatever form there is, past, future…" He continues to ask at length. I mean, if I were to tell you to take these suttas and read them… this… this Ānanda Sutta, it is in the Saṃyutta Nikāya, in the Khandha Vagga, in the Ānanda Saṃyutta. Look it up. One could give a sermon for hours on this alone. It contains again that… what is it… the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta is in here. That is, the notes from it are here. So, it took a long time for the venerable Ananda after his ordination to realize the truth. I mean, the personality view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) was eliminated quickly. But it took a long time for him to proceed with the work of the Sāsana. As he went on, he was reminded again and again.

Now, there are ordained people here. Now listen. Now, there are these suttas. So, if someone here has a mental state… what is unwise attention (ayoniso manasikāra)? Unwise attention means this world arises, and for him, it perishes right there. But he has a sense of permanence. He has no mindfulness or wisdom about it. At that point, what should a person nearby teach him? "Friend, just come to this moment for a bit." To what moment? "This moment." Isn't it the world of this moment that you have created by combining the past, present, and future? So what happened in this moment also happened in the past moments. And before that, and in future moments, won't the same thing happen, you fool? Huh? So, therefore, what is this? Contemplate this. Then, what would he do? If he says, "Oh, I don't need this," the second time too, this very same thing is taught. If he says he doesn't need it again… why? Because there is no other way to get across. Whatever else you teach him, he cannot be saved. All you can do is shake his head. Whatever else you teach him, he won't understand the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and not-self (anicca, dukkha, anatta).

Now, in the ordinary world, what is understood by anicca, dukkha, anatta? Weevils get into the rice. "Ah, impermanent are all formations!" Huh? "Ah, this building was built and now it's old, isn't it? It's impermanent." That too is impermanence, indeed. But by observing that kind of impermanence, a person does not realize the truth. That is not dwelling contemplating impermanence (aniccānupassī viharati). Why? 'He' exists, and he thinks that the permanent forms in this world are perishing. He thinks that the forms he considers permanent are perishing. In that case, he is always keeping the idea of 'self' in mind. That means, it is of no use to look at things with the 'self' placed at the forefront. You must see how the 'self' itself perishes. What is it? It is in this very moment that this feeling of 'self' is created, isn't it? And it perishes in this very moment. That is what must be seen. How did I say it is created? It is created when one gets attached to form. When one is attached to feeling, this 'I' feeling arises. It's a feeling. So if there is no attachment, such a feeling does not arise, does it? Without a cause, such a thing will not arise. So, in this way, to untie the knot of saṃsāra, or rather, to establish one's mind in reality, in what-is-as-it-is (yathābhūta), the mindfulness and contemplation that leads to the arising of knowledge and vision of things as they are (yathābhūta-ñāṇa-dassana), directing the mind in that way, is called wise attention (yoniso manasikāra). What is it? And the way of thinking about the past, future, and present incorrectly, in a way that we do not see reality, in a way that reality is veiled, in a way that the truth is veiled, is called unwise attention (ayoniso manasikāra).

So, this being… 'being' means all of us… what do we spend most of our time in? In which kind of attention? Unwise attention. What is the sickness in unwise attention? The uninstructed ordinary person (assutavā puthujjana) dwells with unwise attention. That is, ariyadhammassa akovido, unskilled in the noble Dhamma. That means he does not cool down. He catches fire. Now, there is a fire. If you keep bringing more and more firewood and putting it in, what happens? Does the fire reduce or increase? If you bring petrol and pour it on, it increases even more. Huh? When you gather everything, what happens? Does it end, or does the fire increase? So, unwise attention means the fire increases. What increases? The burning increases. Where and when? At that time? At this very time. If one is in a state of unwise attention at this very moment, one is very likely in or near mental distress. That is, sabbe puthujjanā ummattakā – all ordinary persons are mad. Mad. Every time one is with unwise attention… what is it? The only difference is not getting medicine. The one who gives medicine and the one who takes medicine are both mad. Why? Unwise attention.

So what happens if one engages in wise attention? Ah, for him, the noble Dhamma arises. The noble Dhamma… ‘noble’ means cooling, peaceful. He is trying to join the path to the peaceful state of Nibbāna. Who finds Nibbāna? Who attains Nibbāna? There is no 'self' that attains Nibbāna. When one understands one's own wrong methodology, one does not catch fire. That is Nibbāna. What did I say? When you practice unwise attention, you catch fire. When you realize that unwise attention is wrong and come to wise attention, the fire is extinguished. It's like pouring water on it or pulling out the firewood. Then what happens? It is extinguished. What happens? It is extinguished. Ah, then, there is no 'one' who was extinguished. That idea of 'I' and 'mine' arose from wrong, unwise attention. Wise attention is understanding that the idea of 'I' and 'mine' is wrong, isn't it? So when you understand, there is no 'I'. So is there anyone to find Nibbāna? There is no one to find Nibbāna. So that is what is called Nibbāna. There is nothing else to say. Nothing else to point to. If I tell the truth, people won't even follow this Dhamma. Because it is the ordinary person (puthujjana) who comes to the Dhamma. It is the ordinary person who listens to the Dhamma. So, you have to show the ordinary person that they will 'get' something. Otherwise, they won't put in the work. That's why it's said "you will get Nibbāna." So who does it come for initially? To obtain Nibbāna for oneself. What happens later? Even for the Buddha, what has happened to Nibbāna? Our Buddha does not have a Nibbāna that he 'got'. That is, the Buddha did not even grasp Nibbāna. For him, the sense of 'he' or 'self' has been eradicated. It is for us that he becomes 'the Buddha'. Why? Because we have the sense of self (mamatta). The Buddha cannot speak of 'the Buddha' in that way. Why? Because he has attained that realization. What has he attained?

At this time of year, people go to the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa). At this time, without defecating or urinating, they search… we are also like that, aren't we? When we can't find a place, we go looking for some hole. If we can't, we'll even do it in a drain by the road. Defecating, urinating, standing in line properly… who are they going to see? Who are they going to see? To see the Buddha. They go to see the Buddha. Now, they go. After suffering for months observing precepts (upāsaka vows), they go with faith and devotion. Over there, there are a few monks. They take the flowers with reverence, and then just toss them. So, you might think you are seeing the Buddha. But you cannot see the Buddha; you can only know the sign of color (vaṇṇa-nimitta). And that color-sign is also messed up by those guys. To properly grasp the color, the eye needs to be fixed on it for a little while, right? Even if you go to see the Buddha, according to the Buddha's Dhamma, you cannot see the Buddha. What is seen? Only the mere color. Right now, you don't see 'me'; this color is just falling on your eyes. Alright? The ordinary person doesn't know this, right? Until one encounters the noble Dhamma, one doesn't understand these things, right? He thinks, "I can see the Buddha." So, to create the world, one must properly grasp the color that is "the Buddha," right? But they don't even let you grasp that. You can't even see properly at the speed they are going. You should at least be there for a minute, shouldn't you? That is, to create the world and think, "our Buddha," and to pay homage to that world… The venerable Shraddhasila Thero, I hope I meet him somewhere. With the merit of your journey, may you meet him. May you hear a Dhamma like this. Through this Dhamma, may you meet the Buddha. If you listen to this kind of sermon instead of just observing precepts after listening to that Shraddhasila Thero, you will truly cross over. You will become faithful (shraddhasila), not because I am saying it. Not because Thiththagalle Thero is saying it. This is the Buddha, this is Puṇṇa Mantāniputta Thero, this is Ānanda Thero… what is this? This Dhamma arose in the heart of the Buddha. It is through this that one can see the Buddha. And what is the Buddha that is seen? That which is not seen by a 'self'. Ah, if that personality view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), which for so long made you think 'I see the Buddha', is eradicated, then you see the Buddha. What do you see? You see the Buddha.

Now, if I say that, it's not right, is it? Didn't the Buddha say this? Didn't he tell this story? He did. Where? To Vakkali. Vakkali, to be honest, ordained out of sheer fascination with the Buddha's physical form. The Buddha was a very pleasant and handsome person. When you take the form-sign (rūpa-nimitta), the person outside is very beautiful. So, in the ordinary world, one doesn't think, "I am in love with the image in my own mind," does one? What does one think? One doesn't think, "I am in love with a pile of feces and urine," does one? "I am in love with a stunningly beautiful piece." That's how we think. That's the nature of our minds. So, the Buddha was beautiful. So, the venerable Vakkali had a massive crush on the Buddha. He would just sit and look at him. While doing so, he fell ill. What happened? Now, he couldn't go and see the form to create the mental image. He had to create it from what he had seen before. So the Buddha also knew that Vakkali was devoted to him and was near him. So the Buddha thought, "I must go and see this monk." He went. When he went, Vakkali was overjoyed. His mind blossomed. He forgot about his illness. "Oh venerable sir, I haven't been able to see you for a long time…" That's when the Buddha came near me. What did he ask? "Hey, Vakkali." So, "Can you see me with those two eyes?" That's what he asked. "Can you see me with those two eyes of yours?" "No." "How can you truly see me? By seeing the Dhamma I teach." What is it? Which Dhamma? This very thing… for all of you… this moment, this present moment (paccuppanna). Paccuppanna means born of conditions (paticca-samuppanna). This moment has arisen from conditions. If you see the process happening in this moment, ah, then the feeling 'I am, I am mine' arises. That is what the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta says later on. The Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta says that very thing. We will look at it when we get there. If you see that process, what happens? Ah, then you can see the Buddha. That is called seeing the Buddha through the Dhamma. Seeing by what means? "Yo dhammaṃ passati so maṁ passati." "Whoever sees the Dhamma, sees me." So, if someone wants to see me, they must see the Dhamma. It can also be said the other way: Whoever sees the Dhamma, sees the Buddha. Who does he see? Then, is the Buddha that is seen a form? Or a sound?

Now, these devotees who go to worship the tooth relic, what do they see the Buddha with? Huh? In their mind-world. In what world? Like our venerable Shraddhasila Thero… having listened to the sermons he gives, what those sermons say is to somehow make offerings to the tooth relic, make offerings of sermons, offer requisites... It's not our tooth relic. Even if it's a body hair, it doesn't matter, find it and go worship it. Ah, they are going in search of the Buddha that they construct from those sound-images. That Buddha is not the Buddha. Who is it? It's Māra. Who is it? It's Māra who has won. Māra is on your head at that time. At the time of seeing a form, Māra comes in the guise of that form. At the time of hearing a sound, he comes in the guise of that sound. And when you think of the Buddha, he comes in the guise of the Buddha. Alright? How cunning is he? So now, your mothers and fathers, you all... for a long time... now, I don't belong to that category because I know the real story, and that's why I'm teaching this. Alright? There was a time when we didn't know. In that time we didn't know, we all saw the Buddha in that way. How did we see? In this mind-made world. In what world? In truth, that is not the Buddha; it's a collection of our mental pictures. At that moment, it arises and ceases. It arises at that moment and passes away.

So, if you want to know how foolish we, these people, are, a lot of them think of "the Buddha" based on that story... what story? A collection of mental thoughts. So what's in that thought? It is mistaken. What is the mistake? "I," "my Buddha." Because of that, if a statue somewhere is broken, why does their neck break in pain? It's because, like Bhadraka the headman, they have sensual desire (chanda-rāga) for that statue. Now, if a Buddha statue is broken, people don't feel sad about the statue. Why? "My Buddha was broken." The 'my' comes in. Why is it that many people, after hearing this sermon, will curse me or not? Even now, a few are probably cursing, I can see. Will they curse or not? If you go and look, they are cursing. Why do they curse? "This sermon is messing with my Buddha." For someone listening to this, it feels like the Buddha they have constructed is being destroyed, so they get angry. The real Buddha is present. When that wrong view (diṭṭhi) of 'I' and 'mine' is eradicated, that Buddha emerges. To make that emerge, that wrong view must be eradicated.

Now, this Dhamma was preached a very long time ago. Now, Vesak is approaching. I was thinking of bringing up a few sermons like this for Vesak. Now, this… this knot was untangled about 2500, 600, 700 years ago. Is it fortunate or not to be able to hear that untangling explained like this even today? It is a supreme blessing. Alright? Because, in a world where we hear so many miscellaneous things that veil the realization of the truth, to be able to hear something that helps one to practice wise attention (yoniso manasikāra) correctly and enter the noble path is a result of immense past fortune. A blessing.

There is a lot more. We cannot take all of it now… let's take the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta (The Discourse on Right View). I will preach today what I have mentioned. Now, listen to this well. Alright, this is a Sutta, a discourse, that was spoken to a monk named Kaccāna during the time the Buddha was alive. It is about this thing called Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi). What is it? Right View. There is another word for its opposite: Wrong View (micchā-diṭṭhi). Right View, Wrong View. Now, when you were in school, what did you hear sammā-diṭṭhi was? Correct seeing. Then, micchā-diṭṭhi is wrong seeing. What did they say loudly in school that sammā-diṭṭhi means? Right View. Then micchā-diṭṭhi means… So, Right View and Wrong View were words from the Buddha's time. They still exist today. Even today, they are discussed, right? Wrong view and right view.

So, the Buddha constantly spoke of the virtue of Right View. This means that those who listen to this Dhamma should not first aim for morality (sīla). Whether they have precepts or not is their business. Not for concentration (samādhi). Whether they have concentration or not is their business. What must one come to? Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi). Until one comes to Right View, one cannot become a disciple of the Buddha (buddha-śrāvaka). That is why there were so many ascetics from other sects who meditated, weren't there? But they did not become disciples of the Buddha. Why? They didn't have Right View. The Buddha said it clearly: until one comes to Right View, one cannot complete the work of the Sāsana (the Buddha's dispensation). Now, if someone comes to this "Meth Bosewana" (this meditation center), they must first come to that Banyan tree over there. This place is after that. Huh? Without coming there, you cannot come here from above, right? Our people don't have planes yet. I'm using a simile. Just as if you want to come to Meth Bosewana you have to come from that direction, can you come from this direction? That path is overgrown with jungle. You have to come from there. Likewise, to enter the Sāsana, it is only through Right View. What is it? Otherwise, you all are Buddhists by name, on your birth certificate, but you have not yet entered the Buddha's Sāsana. Most people listening to this are also like that. To enter the Buddha's Sāsana… just by listening to this sermon I am giving, it helps, but you cannot enter the Buddha's Sāsana merely by having heard this sermon. What must one come to? Right View. That is, it is a direct experience (pratyakṣa). A knowledge that is not borrowed. One must come to Right View.

So, it is to help you come to Right View that I have created the scope for these sermons. For you all to do what? To listen and apply wise attention (yoniso manasikāra). To apply what? At what time? At this time. Not for some future wise attention, but right in this moment as this Dhamma is being preached. If you can do it for that too, it's because of the wise attention in this moment. Now, the person listening to the sermon on Right View must always… in the Buddha's teaching on Right View, it is always something to be experienced in this moment. At what time? Remember that well. Especially those who are ordained must remember this. At what time? At this very moment. This sermon is for this moment, not for some other time or tune. So, every time a sermon on Right View is seen, this… this teaching of the Buddha on Right View is always to be seen in this very moment. You must remember that. The Buddha sees Nibbāna at this moment. Realizes the truth at this moment. Becomes an Arahant at this moment. Attains Right View at this moment. The wrong ideas of 'I' and 'mine' cease at this moment. That wrong idea also arises at this moment. The understanding of that arising is to be had at this moment. It arises at this moment, and it is to be understood at what moment? Other sermons... this sermon, that sermon... those are useless. At this very moment. That is why when listening to a sermon, establish your mindfulness in this moment, establish your mind in this moment, and listen well.

So, the monk Kaccāna, he understood something about Right View. He understood, he contemplated. He was an intelligent person. He didn't just put things aside... "Venerable sir, this is the key to the Dhamma." Because even the Venerable Aññā Kondañña realized the truth. "Then," he thought, "if I ask the Buddha, the Buddha himself will somehow show me a way. So I don't have to be born again." Because, regarding this Mahā Kaccāna Thero… I don't think this is about that Mahā Kaccāna Thero. This monk did not get to associate with the Buddha frequently. This seems to be a time when he made use of an opportunity he received. So when he came, he didn't beat around the bush with nonsense. He got straight to the question. He paid homage to the Buddha and sat down to one side. With faith… "Blessed One, I am living as a monk." None of that talk. It's obvious he's a monk. It says, the Venerable Kaccānagotta approached the Blessed One, paid homage, and sat down to one side. ekamantaṁ nisinno. Having sat down to one side, he, Kaccānagotta, asked the Blessed One this: "Sammā-diṭṭhi, sammā-diṭṭhī'ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sammā-diṭṭhi hoti?" "Venerable sir, it is said, 'Right View, Right View.' In what way, venerable sir, is there Right View?" To what extent is there Right View?

Then the Buddha said… Ah, it's beautiful. The Buddha, too… now for some, like for Bhadraka the headman, he took them on a long tour, didn't he? He took him to the village, he took him here and there, and after all that, he brought out the point. That is, he went a bit around. It was a long sutta. A saṃyutta sutta. The Dīgha Nikāya has even longer ones. But here, he wasn't like that. He stated the essence directly. "Listen well. This is how it is."

"Dvayaṁnissito kho, kaccāna, loko yebhuyyena." Alright? What is it? Dvayaṁ. Dvi means two. Two sides. I will explain these Pali words because otherwise, what is valuable is for you to understand the idea here today, not just my idea. Dvayaṁ means two. This populace, for the most part, lives relying on two things. "Dvayaṁnissito kho, kaccāna, loko yebhuyyena." "Kaccāna, this world for the most part relies on a duality." When we say 'the world' (loka), who is it? Us. And even from there, this Right View, who is it that needs to establish Right View in this world? Oneself. Who needs to establish it? Here, 'the world' refers to a general principle applicable to every being. Alright?

Now, when you take this Sutta, for the beings in the world to get across from the world, Right View is the gateway. To get across from the world. Like in the universe… now we believe, these scientists, these people believe that there is a gateway from this Earth to the universe. There is such a belief. See if you have heard it. Raise your hands if you have heard this story that there is a gateway to the universe. Yes, there is that story among the space-faring people. There is a gateway to the universe. If you find it, you can go from this planet to another planet. That is, you can go beyond this solar system. A cosmic door. I'm using that as a simile, whether it really exists or not, we don't know, a gateway beyond this planet. But in Tibet, there is. Among the great mountains of Tibet, there are rivers that flow to China. The Tibetans believe that the gateway to the universe is there. Alright? The Tibetans have a belief. That the door to it is there. What I am showing you today through the Kaccānagotta Sutta is truly the gateway to the universe. The gateway of the universe. What universe's gateway? Now, you all only know your own mind-world, don't you? You only know what is seen, heard, sensed, and cognized (diṭṭha-suta-muta-viññāta). You only know the world that is seen, heard, appears, and is felt, right? So, in reality, the world is only that much. It's not about Tibet and beyond. This is showing the gateway from that world to another world, to what world? To the deathless, ageless Nibbāna. And the name of the gateway is what? Right View. That is how one enters. One enters through Right View. So, the question is about this gateway. What are you all trying to hear right now? A few words that are incredibly fortunate.

Why do I say that? People are born, they die, and they die without even getting to ask if such a gateway exists. What happens? They die like flies without even getting to hear if it exists. They associate with monks... They might have heard the name of the door to exit the universe. Because this 'Right View' is mentioned everywhere, morning and evening. But have they understood what it is? I don't think they have understood. Huh? And don't think that the monk living nearby has understood it either. So, many people are born and die without knowing that gateway.

In truth, what world is this? I just taught you again, what is the world? The world created at that moment by the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. The world created at this very moment. Right now, you are in a world of sound. So, one is always revolving in that very world. That world itself arises, and it itself ceases. A person knows nothing beyond that. There is something beyond this. That is the supramundane (lokuttara). Transcending the world. Transcending what? Transcending the world. Now, in this age, there is a way… you can get away from gravity and go. If you have a lot of money, you can go. They call it leaving the planet. When you go, you can have the experience of weightlessness. Those with money can go. Recently a group of women went, those with money, they stayed in space for five days and came back. Creeen! they go up. Planes go like this, but those things go like that. They went beyond gravity. Then the feeling of body weight disappeared. They had the experience and came back. We have now built something called the International Space Station. It is beyond gravity. Alright? That's the external world. If we take that as a simile, similarly, in the mental world… even if those five went beyond gravity up there, I don't know if they are free from this. You cannot transcend the world just because you have money. You have to listen to this Dhamma and do the mental cultivation. Alright? Even if one gets across from this and goes to the space station, what is seen? Again, a form-image. From there, one can see the color of the planet. One sees that perception. They have a larger field of name-and-form (nāma-rūpa) that we don't. From there, you can see how the moon appears. You can see how the sun appears. If the window breaks, you might also get doomed. Why? The radiation from the sun comes unfiltered. Just because you went there, even though you went beyond, in this mental world of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects, there is nothing beyond that. That means, even if I took you to another planet with my power, you would still be subject to these five senses; there is nothing beyond that. It's the same in America, it's the same in space. This means, even though they went out of the Earth, have they gone out of the world? No. They went out of the Earth, but not out of the world. Even if you go from Earth to Mars, again on Mars, it's the same for the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. That's all there is. This means, even if you go to Mars, you have not gone out of the world. Even if you go to the sun, it's the same. People might go to the sun somehow, wearing some kind of suit. But again, it's just forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects. Nothing beyond that. However, if you listen to this sermon of mine… what I am doing is explaining the sermon the Buddha gave to Kaccānagotta. That is… if you properly clarify the sermon the Buddha gave, you all can truly transcend the world. This is about transcending the world. A short sutta.

So, he told Kaccāna, what? "Dvayaṁnissito kho, kaccāna, loko yebhuyyena." "Kaccāna, this world for the most part relies on a duality." "Atthitañceva natthitañca." What is it? "Atthitañca natthitañca." What does atthitañca mean? It relies on the state of 'existence'. What state? The state of 'existence'. What world is this talking about? The world that arises in this very moment, now, after hearing this sound, one relies on the 'existence' of this world. What state? The state of existence. Or else, if not relying on existence, one relies on non-existence. "Natthitañca." What does one rely on? This is called duality. Two things. Existence. Now, we normally talk about it as 'is' and 'is not'. When the Buddha says 'existence' (bhava), he is seeing this moment, this momentariness. Existence-becoming, non-existence-becoming, in this moment. That means, the adherence to the side of 'is' arises in this moment, and the idea of 'is not' also arises and is relied upon in this moment. By whom? By the world. When you take 'the world', apply this to yourself within that world. Let me talk about the mental world.

"Lokasamudayañca kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato yā loke natthitā, sā na hoti." Now, that is a deep phrase. I will explain it. Now, it's like this. If we take it a bit further… you will understand. Whether you are ordained or not, you can understand this. Understand well how this state of 'existence' arises. How being (bhūta) arises. Now, after seeing a form with the eye, our mental world is created. Raise your hands if you have understood that. "Now I understand that it is after a form is created through the eye that I think." Raise your hand high. Let the goosebumps rise on your arm, raise your hand. Ah, you have understood. Good.

Okay, now after seeing a form with the eye, a world is created. When a world is created, a continuity arises for us along with it. We don't think that it is ceasing, do we? What do we think? "It exists." Ah, that is called becoming (bhava), existence-becoming. That is called atthitañca. What is it? Ah, who feels that existence? The one who sees it as 'I', 'for me'... Now, who is seeing? Who has seen this form? We think "I." Look. We have become accustomed, since the day we were born, until we die, we see it as "I see." So, even if I bring you to this moment, at this moment, "I hear." Ah, along with that "I hear," there is a state of existence. The feeling that "it is there" is also felt. What feeling is felt? "It is there." At what time is this felt? At this time. Now, an ordinary person doesn't understand this about this moment. He doesn't understand 'this time', 'that time'. He takes it like a continuous tape and says, "this world exists." This world… what? Do you see this world with your two eyes? Do you feel like it exists? Do you feel like this "Meth Bosewana" is always here? It feels like it exists. That means, many moments are being added up for you. You don't see that this thing arises and ceases in its place, even though I am giving this sermon today. What you see is a continuous existence, the origination (samudaya). So, with 'existence, existence, existence, existence' being piled up, it appears as if there is a real 'being there'. However, it starts from that root.

Now, if you take a firebrand and swing it around like this, you see a circle of fire. You have to start swinging from somewhere, right? From the starting point, you see this circle. Is there really a circle, or is the fire only in one place? It is because of the speed that the circle appears. Because of what? Speed. You get caught in the illusion. In the same way, because this process of seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, happens so rapidly, you don't see it arising and ceasing. You only think, "it exists." So, just as it seems to 'exist', the one called 'I' is also firmly established. Now, it's not like the 'I' arises and ceases, just as thoughts arise and cease. I don't think like that. You create a perception (saññā). A solid perception (ghana-saññā). "I exist." Ah, that is what? The eternity view (sassata-diṭṭhi) is formed from the state of 'existence'. What is eternity view? What is a view (diṭṭhi)? An opinion. What opinion? You come to the opinion that the world exists, it is there. For the most part, you are in that state. You operate from the position that the world exists, right? If the world doesn't exist, what's the point of working?

So, where does this solid idea come from? It springs from this very moment. This mistake is made here. In relation to whom does the world exist? For whom does this world exist? For oneself. Ah, the one who says that the world exists for oneself, that is called the personality-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi). And that sakkāya-diṭṭhi is a wrong view (micchā-diṭṭhi). What kind of view? Sakkāya. So, if the world exists, then one is born after death. Then, the Buddha… it goes on like that. It is projected into the future. If you look from the future, you cannot understand this. You cannot come to Right View. That is why if you understand this moment, if you are attentive in this moment, if you are attentive, then the Buddha says, the origination of the world (loka-samudaya)… what is it? "Lokasamudayañca kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya..." "The non-existence in the world..." This means, the origination of the world... This means, if you are mindful and wise in this moment, with what? If you are in this moment, listening to this Dhamma with this attention directed to your mind, can you take it as 'it exists'? Does the world arise or not? If you are attentive in this moment through this sound… Ah, are you all understanding this sermon or not? You understand. That means the world is being created. The world is being created. To say "I understand the sermon" is to understand this creation of the world. Ah, that is called understanding the world's origination (loka-samudaya). What happens? Ah, that is how the world arises.

Now, I will be silent for a moment and show you how the world arises.

(The monk claps his hands)

Did it arise or not? Huh? Now, what arose, did it cease or not? It arose. Now, if you saw the way it arose at that moment… that sound… afterwards, we add various perceptions to it: "a sound." "It was the monk who clapped." We add things like that. The way it arose… can you now say that this world does not exist? If a world is arising, can you say the world does not exist? For example. Now I show you this. (He shows a handkerchief). Can you say this handkerchief is not there? Is it there or not? Is this handkerchief there or not? It is there. Now, is it there or not? Now its "not-there-ness" exists. Why? Because you remember the handkerchief and then say it is not there. Do you understand what I'm saying? This means, now I… look… I took it here again. Did it come back or not? It came. In the same way, now see, the handkerchief came into your mind. That is, it arose in the mind. If you see that, can you say at this moment that the handkerchief is not there? Ah, he does not come to the idea of non-existence. If one sees the way it arises, one does not come to the view of 'is not'. That is, one does not fall into annihilationism (uccheda). What does one not fall into? Because he sees the way it arises, he cannot say it doesn't exist, because it is arising, isn't it? Then, it ceases right there. The thing that arises in the mind ceases right there. The thing heard by the ear is over when you see with the eye, isn't it? If you see its cessation, can you say 'it exists'? Listen well. Understand this part. This means, in this moment, from the ear… ah, it arises. Ah, then if it arises, fine. You can't say it doesn't exist, because it is arising. And the arising thing ceases. Then, can it exist permanently? Ah, then one cannot go to either of the two wrong ideas. One cannot go to 'it exists'. One cannot go to 'it does not exist'. Do you understand what I am saying? Ah, you can't go to 'it exists'. You can't go to 'it does not exist'. At what time? At this very moment. If you see this as a continuous stretch, you get messed up. If you see it as continuous, you cannot understand. This whole bloody mess is about the present moment (paccuppanna), this moment which has arisen from conditions (paṭicca-samuppanna). Do you understand? The Buddha says, "Lokasamudayañca kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ..." If you, with mindfulness and wisdom… that means with wise attention (yoniso manasikāra) properly applied… that is when reality as it is (yathābhūta) and wisdom (paññā) arise. Ah, when I see from that perspective, I understand, "it arises at this moment." I cannot say it does not exist. An arising is seen. I cannot say it exists. It ceases. It's not that 'I' see it. Something happens, something… it comes and goes. Now, we can come into the middle of that. "I see." Now, from that arising, I come into the middle, and I only see the arising part. Then I say, "this world is eternal (sassata). This world exists. This is permanent." Ah, I come to a view. Why? Who am I coming to now?...'as mine.' One gets attached to what is seen. One gets attached to what is heard. One gets attached to what is thought. Having become attached, one enters into it. The world is created from that attachment. Then, he looks and sees that the thing he was watching ceases. It ceases. Now, only the cessation is seen. "Ah, the world is an illusion. What I saw before doesn't exist now." Doesn't exist for whom? For oneself. Now, that person has fallen into the annihilationist view (uccheda-diṭṭhi). It is from this point... now you all need to listen to this. In the future, if you are to give a sermon on Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi), you must preach it correctly. Alright? Then the person listening will understand these two extremes correctly.

Now, we in the ordinary world are always seeing what is there. We don't see the cessation. We don't see the passing away aspect. Therefore, instead of going to the side of non-existence, we mostly go to the extreme of 'existence'. Some other people, by showing that this is just a collection of the four great elements and breaking it down, by making one meditate, can empty the mind of its object. Then one goes straight to what? To 'non-existence'. But if one sees this with wisdom (paññā), it's not a 'self' that is seeing. It is wisdom that is contemplating the phenomenon itself. Then one doesn't get caught in a view. If there is a view, it gets destroyed. Any wrong idea one has had up to that point is destroyed when one sees it in that moment. If one sees it wrongly, one gets even more entangled. Alright? One gets caught in this when one looks at things as solid.

Right, next the Buddha says, "Loka-nirodhañca kho, kaccāna, yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passato yā loke atthitā, sā na hoti." There isn't a big thing to understand here, it's a small thing. But that small thing is very subtle. Don't try to understand this as some massive thing. There isn't a huge thing to understand. Alright? "Kaccāna, when one sees the cessation of the world with wisdom..." yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya means seeing the cessation with wisdom. "Kaccāna, when you see reality as it is (yathābhūta), if the thought 'it exists' arises for you, ah, that idea will vanish."

Let me explain this with an analogy. You are in love with someone. They send you "I love you" SMS messages, they call you. Then you think that they love you, right? Huh? That is, you think they exist for you, that they are with you. Now, you only get two or three SMS messages a day. They are "giving you medicine" [a Sinhala idiom for giving someone the cold shoulder]. As they say about a girl, "she's giving him the cold shoulder." She doesn't call, this and that. Now what do you think? Now you think, "She... she is becoming what to me? She is ceasing to be for me," right? Then you try to call. She says, "I'm busy now. I can't talk, call me later." Now what? Sometimes they are genuinely busy, but as this goes on, what do you start to feel? What do you usually feel? "It seems like I'm about to get screwed." But when she was calling you constantly, checking up on you, asking "Did you eat? Did you drink?", what was happening? Huh? "Did you wash your ass?" they even ask that. When they did that, it felt like, "Ah, she is with me." This means, when you see existence, you don't see non-existence. When you see non-existence, you don't see existence.

Now take this to that very moment. I told you this to help you understand. If you see how the world is created in that moment, you won't think "it doesn't exist." If you see how it ceases, you can't say "it exists." If you see both, it is you who is seeing, isn't it? If you see with right wisdom (sammappaññā), what happens? Let's move on to the next few words. I have said that much.

Next, the Blessed One... Now, if you... "with right wisdom as it really is, one does not take 'existence' as 'it exists'." Atthitā means existence. Now there is a long phrase. "Upāya-upādānâbhinivesa-vinibandhā..." I can't say it now, my tongue will get twisted. There are four words there. In Pali... upāya. The word upāya means "I draw near to the object taken by the mind." What does upāya mean? Drawing near to the object. One draws near to the object, the sign, the color-sign (vaṇṇa-nimitta). So when the eye, form, and consciousness come together, consciousness grasps the color-impression, one draws near to it. Alright? Having drawn near... "tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso, phassa-paccayā vedanā, vedanā-paccayā taṇhā, taṇhā-paccayā upādānaṁ..." Ah, what is it? This happens in an instant. One draws near to the sign. Next, upādāna means grasping that sign. I'm telling you what happens in this moment. Grasping that object. Abhinivesa—entering into that object. Vinibandha—becoming bound to it. One becomes fixed to that object. Now, one doesn't see 'I' and 'the thing seen' as two separate things. It becomes just 'I'. It's like... now you only see yourself in what was seen. It's like in the 18 Sanni dance, when the dancer comes dressed as a demon, you see the demon Sīriya Yakā. You don't see that 'I' am dressed in the thing seen. If you see Sīriya Yakā, you think you are seeing a great being. The Buddha shows this with words. Upāya-upādāna-abhinivesa-vinibandhā. That means, drawing near to the sign, grasping it, entering into it, plunging into it. To plunge into it means to enter it completely. Then one gets packed into it, one becomes one with it.

About what object does one think this? "Loko yebhuyyena... tañca upādānaṁ cetaso adhiṭṭhānaṁ abhinivesānusayaṁ na upeti." Then the Blessed One says again, by drawing near, grasping, determining with the mind (cetaso adhiṭṭhāna), plunging in, what happens? Grasping it, "attā me'ti." "This is my self." Ah, one grasps it as 'I', 'mine'. Now, that which is seen, how is it grasped as 'I', 'mine'? Not just casually. He says how tightly it is grasped: upāya-upādāna-abhinivesa-vinibandhā. One makes a mental determination, cetaso abhinivesa, one enters into it, upeti, one grasps, upādiyati, one establishes firmly, nādhiṭṭhāti, as 'I', 'mine', attā me'ti. What is this? This is what you all have been doing so far. With what is seen by the eye and heard by the ear, this is all that happens. At every moment, this is all that is done. Grasping. There are two kinds of clinging (upādāna) in that grasping. Either grasping or rejecting. Even if I say "I am angry with you," that is an attachment. If I say "I am your friend," that is also an attachment. That means, those who get angry first can become friends later. That is the nature of attachment.

So the Buddha is showing here what happens to a being. What did he show earlier? How one gets caught in the two extremes. Now he is showing how one gets caught. Next, he shows how one draws near to the object taken, enters it, and becomes one with it. Next, that it is taken as 'I', 'mine'.

"Dukkham'eva uppajjamānaṃ uppajjati." What arises is only suffering. What is it that arises? Suffering. Now, what was born after seeing with the eye? That phenomenon. Now, for this to happen... with seeing by the eye, what is born is form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. One grasps that as 'I', 'mine'. So what was born? Form (rūpa) is a changing thing. The form seen at that moment changes in that moment. That itself is suffering (dukkha). The feeling (vedanā) is what is experienced at that moment, and it changes in that moment. You can't do anything you want; when it ceases, you can't hold on to the feeling. The thing that is perceived (saññā) also changes. I'm not talking about what's outside. What happens inside your mind, inside your head, that changes. Therefore, it is suffering. What is it? Suffering. So, whether you say the world created by seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear is being created, or you say suffering is being created, it is correct. What did I say? If you say the world is created, that is correct. If you say suffering is created, that is also correct. That is why the Buddha said, "Dukkham'eva uppajjamānaṃ..." What arises in this moment is only suffering. What ceases in this moment is what? Only suffering. "Dukkhaṃ nirujjamānaṃ nirujjhati." Look at what he said. That means, when you see with the eye, suffering is actually arising. You don't think that suffering is arising. But truly, what is inside it, when analyzed, is suffering. What arises is only suffering. What ceases is only suffering. "Dukkhaṃ nirujjamānaṃ nirujjhati." Alright?

"One does not doubt (na kaṅkhati) about the arising of suffering." You have no doubt about this process happening in this moment. "Na kaṅkhati, na vicikicchati." You have no perplexity (vicikicchā). "Aparappaccayā ñāṇaṁ'ev'assa ettha hoti." This means, now, if you see what I am teaching from within yourself, it is not something you see because the Buddha said it or because Thiththagalle Thero said it. It is your own knowledge that is not borrowed from another. That is your knowledge. That knowledge (ñāṇa) is received through wisdom (paññā). You just saw the event that happened in the ear, without the 'I', 'mine'. That's all. "Ettha hoti." That's all you saw. Now you see that what the Buddha said, about going to the two extremes of 'is' and 'is not', is not just a lie. You understand from within yourself how eternalism (sassata) and annihilationism (uccheda) are created. Then you understand how eternalism and annihilationism cease. If you take what you see as 'I', 'mine', you can go to those two extremes. Alright? If you see the origination (samudaya), you will not go to the idea of non-existence. If you see the cessation, you will not go to the idea of existence. If you see that... the Buddha says beautifully... "Ettāvatā kho, kaccāna, sammā-diṭṭhi hoti." "To this extent, Kaccāna, there is Right View." That's what was asked, isn't it? "What is Right View?" This is what is called Right View.

So the Buddha would have taught this when he was here. But to explain it to you is not an easy thing. Why isn't it easy? There is a language problem. Language. If our mother tongue were Pali, I could just rattle it off and be done. I am explaining for this long so that we can understand the terminology. So now, when I say 'world', if I don't explain it with these suttas, you won't understand. You won't understand what 'sakkāya' means. That is why... from many suttas... the term 'sensual desire' (chanda-rāga), you don't understand the word. But you understand what it means to be attached to someone, right? You understand that. Right? You understand what it means to love someone. You understand what it means to generate desire.

Right View, sammā-diṭṭhi, is actually becoming a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna). What does it mean to be a Sotāpanna? I don't need to explain it again. It is the vision that closes the doors to the four woeful states. This is a vision (dassana). He now has a vision. He has a noble vision. What vision? It is that noble vision. He doesn't go to 'existence'. He doesn't go to 'non-existence'. Why? Because he sees the world arising. He can't say it doesn't exist. He sees the world ceasing. That comes from the knowledge and vision of reality as it is (yathābhūta-ñāṇa). That is not taken from anyone else; it is seen from within oneself. Now look, there is nothing to grasp here. If you grasp existence, you go to eternalism. If you grasp non-existence, you go to annihilationism. Even though they listen to sermons and call themselves Buddhists, people live in these two views. Eternalism and annihilationism. That is why... about the whole world... now you all... an ordinary person... you know the dedication it takes for a person to go to NASA. One has to study, to make sacrifices. The person who wants to go to Mars has to go without eating or drinking, has to exercise, there are so many things. Even after doing all that and going to space, one doesn't hear about liberation. For one to hear about liberation in space, someone like me has to go with them. Then I can explain, "what you are seeing is just a form-image. The same saṃsāra is being created there too. There too, it is just thoughts; it is just becoming (bhava) that is created in that moment. It is the same clinging (upādāna) that arises in that moment." But if you all hear this, what happens? You all transcend this world. What happens? You transcend. It means that the gateway said to be in Tibet, that true gateway, opens from within yourself. So this is a sermon delivered to transcend the world. It is supramundane (lokuttara). What is it? Supramundane. A person living within the world... if people ever hear this one day, they will understand, "Good heavens, the foolishness we engaged in. This is what we should have dedicated ourselves to. This is what we should have striven for, to understand these few words, isn't it? To understand them from within ourselves, without borrowing... that's what we should have dedicated ourselves to. Instead, we pursued all these ignoble searches, didn't we?" A real sadness will arise. Now, that sadness will not arise for you. Why? Because this has been explained to you now. What was explained? Word by word, the terms were explained, the etymology was explained, the way to think was explained, the way to see was explained. Time was removed and it was explained. The process happening in this very moment was explained. So, if one made certain sacrifices, more than a scientist... leaving behind the five sensual pleasures and coming to listen to the sermon that leads to Right View, that leads to transcending one's world, that leads to Nibbāna... that much is enough.

Now, a person who heard this sermon, who heard this Dhamma, was the benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika. Anāthapiṇḍika was a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna). A Sotāpanna has knowledge that is not borrowed. That is, he has a vision now. He is not yet an Arahant or anything. But he has now entered the path to Nibbāna. He has gone to the gateway of transcending the world. He can see... he sees over there, he sees over here, he sees both sides. One day, he goes to an ashram of other sectarians. He was not someone who had heard a lot of the Buddha's Dhamma. He asks them, "What are your views?" and so on. Then each of those other sectarians, in their ashram, in their temple, state their view. They say, "This is my view. This is my opinion. This is my idea. This is the truth. Nothing else is the truth." About ten of them say this. All ten say that their own view is the correct one. Then they ask him, "Alright, you have heard ours. You have heard our views. What is your view?" they ask. "What is your view?" Alright? This is a sutta I found a long time ago. I don't remember the name of the sutta. "What is your view?" I wrote it down to tell you all. Then... something else... I need to find that sutta and read it properly. I remember that the benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika criticizes the other views. He refutes them. "That is wrong. That is also wrong. That one also has a sense of self in it." He says that. He criticizes them. He has his own knowledge, which arose from within him with the help and support of the Buddha. So he says, "bhūtaṁ, saṅkhataṁ, cetasikaṁ, paṭiccasamuppannaṁ." So he explains the Right View that was just described. "It is constructed in this moment. It is imagined in this moment. It ceases in this very moment. I do not take this as 'I' or 'mine'. This is my idea. The world arises in this moment from seeing a form with the eye, bhūtaṁ. That arisen world ceases with the cessation of its causes, saṅkhataṁ, it is a conditioned phenomenon. Cetasikaṁ, it is made of thoughts. Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ, it is not something that exists on its own; it arises from causes and ceases when the causes cease. That is the idea I hold to, a process." Alright? "It is constructed in this moment. It is constructed from thoughts in this moment. It is conjured up in the mind in this moment. I do not take it as 'I', 'mine', or 'I am'." "What is it? That process that arises... you all take the process that arises in your mind as 'I', 'mine'. I do not take the process that arises in my mind in this moment as 'I', 'mine', or 'my self'. That is my view, my opinion." Then they shout and say, "According to what you are saying, there is still something to grasp there! In what you say, there is something to grasp." Then he says, "Yes. I have not gone to the end of this. I know... I am one who contemplates relinquishment (paṭinissaggānupassī). I am not attached even to this idea. To tell you the truth, I have nothing to grasp. I do not have a view. I am not a person who holds a view. But I have not reached the very end. I will definitely reach that end in the future. As for me, about this thing I have said, I have no fixed view." He says that. Alright? "This is how I have understood what I learned from the Buddha."

Then, after some time has passed and they have argued and criticized each other... they don't understand either. The benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika pays his respects to them as well and says, "I will be going now," and comes to see the Buddha. Having come to see the Buddha, he recounts the incident with the Buddha. "This is what I asked... and this is what they said." The Buddha says, "That is how it should be done. When you go, you should ask like that. They gave their answers, saying only their view was correct and the others were wrong. I pointed out the flaws in their views to them. I criticized them. Then they asked me, and I said this: 'This phenomenon which is dependently arisen (paṭiccasamuppanna), conjured by thoughts in the mind, arising in this moment, I do not take as 'I' or 'mine'. That is the idea.' 'And I have no attachment even to that idea. I have no view.' I told them that straight. Alright?" Then what happens? The Buddha said, "Ah, that is very good. Even a great elder who has been ordained for a long time should answer just like that," and the Buddha was pleased. The Buddha said, "A person who has been ordained for that long would answer just like that. The answer is perfectly correct," and the Buddha also agreed with it. "I agree with you." Alright? Then, the benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika, with faith, paid his respects to the Buddha and left. After he left, the community of monks came and the Buddha told them the story. He was pleased and spoke the praises of Anāthapiṇḍika, saying, "Even a great elder who has been ordained for 100 years, if someone asks him the Dhamma, that is how he should answer." The Buddha ratified it.

So what does this tell us again? Now, the Buddha has preached somewhere like this. That sermon is: "If someone loves you, if someone is dear to you, if someone listens to what you say, there is only one thing you should do for him. What is it? Teach him how to attain Right View. Teaching him any other bloody thing is useless." Making him worship relics is useless. Making him stand in a queue is useless. Making him sit in a latrine pit is useless. What needs to be done directly? Now, if I said this sermon... if I said "latrine pit"... on SLBC, they would cut that bit out. Alright? But to tell you the truth, whatever rituals you do, they are useless. Without being established in Right View... why? Because the one who is not established in Right View will fall right back into the personality-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), saying 'I', 'mine' about everything seen, heard, and sensed. Into what will he fall? He will fall right back into that wrong view. As long as one falls into sakkāya-diṭṭhi, it is useless to even talk about any freedom or liberation for him. Even if he is mindful, he thinks "it is I who is mindful." You all should also see that. If he meditates, "it is I who is meditating." If he keeps precepts, "it is I who is keeping precepts." Even if he preaches the Dhamma, he is the one doing it. It's like that. "I took this Dhamma from the standpoint of sakkāya-diṭṭhi. Ah, I understood it. My goods are in order. Very good, sādhu, sādhu, rejoice, now you can go." If 'I' understood, that's all that happens. That means it is not a 'person' who understands this. It is the nature of the Dhamma. Yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya. It is a knowledge that arises at that moment through seeing things as they are, not something to be taken as 'mine'. If you take it as yours, what has happened again? It has again become just a perception, caught in perception (saññā).

So now, the next question. The Buddha said that in what is seen by the eye there is suffering... "only suffering arises..." What arises is suffering. If it ceases, what ceases is suffering. So, even for a person who has realized the truth, when he sees a form with the eye... an Arahant does not have the five aggregates of clinging (pañcupādānakkhandha), but the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha) are formed. This refers to the contact at the six sense bases. An Arahant who is beyond clinging... if he gets hit by a spear, what happens? He doesn't get hit by two. He gets hit by one. There is one feeling, one is absent. For an ordinary person (puthujjana), it is two spears. Why? He grasps it as 'mine', and gets lost in the hearing, in the feeling, in the perception, and takes it to heart. If he gets a disease, "Oh mother, I got it. My body is finished. Oh no, it's over, it's over. The medicine isn't working. I can't sleep. I can't even eat." That means it's not the disease. He has mentally created his body and attached to it as 'he'. It's the same if he gets cancer. Alright? Now, a person who has the Dhamma gets cancer. They will do chemotherapy. They will do radiation. They will cut it out. They will do whatever the hell they need to do. For him, it is not a mental problem. For you all, it's like that, right? If something is said, "it's mine"... "Oh, I can't eat," that's finished too. When you take it as 'I', there are two sufferings. When you take it as 'mine', there are two sufferings. Alright? The idea of 'I', 'mine'.

Next... the next thing is, this is very important for the Sāsana. I can teach the path to Arahantship to everyone here if I want. I can teach it through sermons. But first, one must arrive at Right View. What must one come to? Right View. Now, there are sermons that show the path all the way to Arahantship, there are plenty of such sermons. Alright? But there is no point in teaching them. First, generate a knowledge that is not borrowed. See what you have heard from within yourself. The next point is, having attained Right View does not cause any problem for lay life. You can live it as you wish, even better than before. But that wrong idea, that wrong view, is gone. Clinging to rites and rituals (sīlabbata-parāmāsa) and so on are gone. Now he clearly sees the gateway to liberation. If he goes, he will complete it. He becomes free from the world. If not, he gradually, gradually moves away from this world and its suffering. Alright? Like that benefactor Anāthapiṇḍika... "I know this... I am contemplating relinquishment (paṭinissaggānupassī). I have to go forward. Even though I have heard, I have yet to open that door."

Right. Now next. Next, there is this verse from the Dhammapada. "Yato yato sammasati, khandhānaṃ udayabbayaṃ; labhatī pītipāmojjaṃ, amataṃ taṃ vijānataṃ." This is very important. "Yato yato sammasati..." If one is mindful in that place... "khandhānaṃ udayabbayaṃ..." One sees the arising and ceasing of these five aggregates (khandha). The arising and ceasing of the aggregates. That means, if you are to do something, what you have to do is this: establish mindfulness in this moment and see the arising. It's not that you think about it. If you do it like that, it's just artificial. You understand, it comes to your mindfulness: "I heard, it ceased. I saw, it ceased. I thought, it ceased." You see it. "Labhatī pītipāmojjaṃ..." Ah, then, tranquility of body and tranquility of mind arise. It's truly amazing. These days I am contemplating these suttas. When I do, I don't feel sleepy at all. Alright? I am contemplating it. The way the Buddha described these signs (nimitta)... I must imagine them, right? To teach them to you again. Even while doing that, the mind is practicing insight (vipassanā) into that moment. In another place it says, "Tattha tattheva vipassati." That is, if a monk... this is said for an ordained person... if he dwells seeing the rise and fall in that very moment...what needs to be done is this. Ah, what happens to him? "Labhatī pītipāmojjaṃ." He can live with great joy. Now, this joyful living doesn't come from practicing mindfulness of breathing or walking meditation; he sees this while going about his work. He lives in the present moment. In moment after moment, some present phenomenon (paccuppanna) arises from causes and ceases. Alright? That is all that happens. Next, when he is coming and going, he sees it. That is when it becomes like what is said, "in the heard, there is only the heard." Ah, that is when the story of Dārucīriya begins to make sense to oneself. The next point is, "amataṃ taṃ..." Ah, he partakes of the bliss of Nibbāna. There isn't a 'person' who partakes of the Deathless (amata). It is within this very seeing that there is complete cooling. That is the person in training (sekha). That is, the person who is on this Dhamma path... even for one who has become an Arahant, the venerable Sariputta says that there is no problem in doing this. Even for an Arahant, it is good to dwell like this to live happily in this life. However, for a person who wants to become a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), you all, especially those who have ordained, or even a layperson, if they wish to attain this realization of the Dhamma, this is what needs to be done. What is it? What needs to be done?

The five aggregates of clinging (pañcupādānakkhandha)... those were just words, but now you have understood. "Ah, in this moment, I see with the eye, it arises, it ceases. I hear with the ear, it arises..." You don't need to name them. In the beginning, it's alright to do that with feeling (vedanā), but after a while, that is not necessary either. Then it just happens. Then, there is nothing for him to take as 'I' or 'mine', is there? If what is seen by the eye ceases right there, there is nothing for him to grasp, is there? He is not created. Even if he is created from thoughts, he too ceases at that moment. The thought that arises is what creates 'I', 'mine', and that too ceases. Now, when it happens like this, what happens? Ah, that is called dwelling on the path that exhausts kamma. What is it? Now, everyone is afraid of kamma, aren't they? I am not afraid of kamma. Why should I be afraid of kamma? The moment I put a 'self' forward, kamma is created for me. The moment I grasp with sensual desire (chanda-rāga) as 'I', 'mine', my fate is sealed by that kamma. It is through that kamma that these six sense bases have been formed. However, now I am dwelling with mindfulness and wisdom, in a way that the arising of 'I', 'mine' is broken. I see the origination and cessation (samudaya-vaya). It is the arising of suffering. The arising of what? Suffering arises, suffering ceases. I see that. So what happens to him then? Kamma is exhausted. As you continuously, continuously, continuously look at it like this, you become free from this bondage of kamma. You are liberated. He overcomes kamma through the Dhamma. He overcomes kamma through the Dhamma.

So, if someone wants... now, 2800 years have passed since the Buddha appeared in this life. We can't say if that relic is real or fake. It could be real, it could be fake. And just because we say so, the crowd that goes to worship in queues won't disappear; they go for the marketing of it. What is said is that the Buddha is wonderful. The Buddha is wonderful for having taught this Dhamma. Then, even the Buddha's bones should be objects of veneration and respect. But that is not what a wise person should be doing. What is it? It is to realize this. What is to be done? To realize. So, we should not feel sadness, hatred, or sorrow for the people who go to realize. Why? It's not like that. That is the nature of the ordinary person (puthujjana). What nature? The nature of the puthujjana. The nature of the puthujjana is to run with the trend, with the wave. To run with what? With the wave. So, when one is a puthujjana, one must have something to see and be happy about. A puthujjana finds happiness only in sensual pleasures (kāmāsvāda), not in the taste of the Dhamma. What does he have? He is in a fire. For someone in that fire, having at least that to be happy about is a mercy. That is why I have no conflict with those who go to worship the tooth relic or with those who worship it. I have compassion. That compassion is that while such a beautiful Dhamma exists, those people have not made enough merit for their ears to hear it. Their minds have not made enough merit to understand it. Their curse has not ended. One who is caught in a curse cannot understand this. Even if you all listen to this, you don't feel like thinking about it. You don't feel like contemplating it. The curse is too strong. That is why you must suffer both spears. When the curse is strong, even if you hear it, you don't feel like thinking about it. The merit to listen has now been fulfilled. The merit to listen is there. I don't know if the merit to think is there. The merit to practice the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma (dhammānudhamma). Alright?

So, next... next there is another small part in that sutta. I will mention it here as well. In the Kaccānagotta Sutta, that part is... "Sabbaṃ atthī'ti kho, kaccāna, ayam'eko anto." "Kaccāna, the view 'everything exists' is one extreme." "Sabbaṃ natthī'ti ayaṃ dutiyo anto." Now, the next line... I will not explain it in much detail now. In it, the Buddha states his position. The talk on Right View is now over. The sermon on Right View is finished. Now the Buddha speaks about the Tathāgata. "Sabbaṃ atthī'ti kho, kaccāna, ayam'eko anto. Sabbaṃ natthī'ti ayaṃ dutiyo anto. Ete te, kaccāna, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṃ deseti." "Kaccāna, 'everything exists' is one extreme. 'Everything does not exist' is another extreme. Avoiding both these extremes, Kaccāna, the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma by the middle way." "Dveme, bhikkhave, antā pabbajitena na sevitabbā." "Monks, there are two extremes that should not be followed by one who has gone forth." What are those two extremes? The one that has gone astray. What? 'Everything exists' and 'everything does not exist' should not be followed by one who has gone forth. Because as long as one follows those two, one can never realize the truth. In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, this is what was explained most clearly to the five ascetics. Why was it explained to them? Because they were living in those two extremes. As long as one is in those two extremes, one cannot realize the truth as an ordained person. One gets stuck either in annihilationism or... right at this moment, even you who are listening to this sermon are stuck in eternalism. You begin your contemplation by thinking of an existence, a continuity. Your world of thoughts is based on this continuity (bhūta). So now, if you go beyond this, you take this as solid. Even in this moment, for some, this arises due to ignorance. If you take it as solid... that is why I focus and preach about this moment, this moment. Nobody else does. Everyone says that the Dhamma can only be realized if you take it to this moment.

Now, regarding this sutta... I took several translations of the sutta. I took the translation by our Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero as well. I must say this. I look at his translations. But here, a big mistake has been made by him. That is, the Dhamma in the translation has been distorted. I think it would be good if those are corrected. Because no one from another religion can harm this Sāsana. They can only break some Buddha statues and some temples. But if the meaning of this Dhamma is misunderstood, no one can realize it. What can't they do? Then, what causes the greatest harm? Breaking Buddha statues and temples, or the distortion of this Dhamma? If the Dhamma is distorted, realization is finished. That is why the Buddha said this Sāsana will decline from within. It might not have been done intentionally. Because... all these explanations... the Buddha's explanations are always said to be for this time, for this moment. Now, in the Gāmaṇi Sutta, he showed him solidity and then said, "Let go of those two and see in this moment." When these are translated, they have been translated in terms of past and future. Then, for the person reading it, a whole big world is conjured up. It is difficult to see insight (vipassanā) within that world. It does not become tattha tattheva vipassati (seeing things then and there). Therefore, those disciples, upon hearing and reading these things, might think, "I cannot realize the Dhamma in this life." And that is true, if you read it like that, you can't. "I will have to realize the Dhamma by going to another world." Ah, then what view is that? It is being established in eternalism, from the view that 'it exists'.

Then who is he talking about? About the Buddha. So now I will tell you who the Buddha is. Listen to this. The Buddha is, Kaccāna... what is it? "Ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato..." The Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma by the middle way. It is not the Middle Path (majjhimā paṭipadā). The Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma by the middle way. How does he say it? "Avijjā-paccayā saṅkhārā..." This is a long sermon, so I will be brief. What is ignorance (avijjā)? Ah, the Buddha has explained it. Ignorance itself is that act of taking things as 'I', 'mine'. What is ignorance? Foolishness. It is due to foolishness that one thinks of something that does not belong to oneself as one's own. Now, if someone here thinks that this "Meth Bosewana" is theirs, what will happen? If Anura thinks this is his, what will happen? Is that right or wrong? Wrong. Why is it wrong? Even if he thinks so until he dies, all he will get is a plot of land for his grave and the bit of food he eats. It's like that. This ignorance is foolishness, to think wrongly that something is mine. Foolishness is to hear it as 'I', 'mine'. Now if Anura thought that this "Budu Sevana" is his... well, it's still just him. The previous owner, Mr. Dissanayake, didn't take it with him either. The owner before him didn't take it either. I won't take it either. I live with that understanding. It's the same for those car owners. Because in reality, we can't consume these things, can we? We can only use them. Remember this well, even Bill Gates cannot consume all the wealth he has amassed. It's only the world of what is seen, heard, sensed, and cognized (diṭṭha-suta-muta-viññāta). Alright? Only the world that is seen, appears, is heard, and felt. And that too gets screwed up in that very moment. It arises (udaya) and passes away (vaya). So, in the end, there is no point in loving it, because you can't even grasp it and hold it for a second before it ceases. Then again, what is seen, heard, sensed, and cognized arises. There is nothing to be attached to on either side. Ignorance. Ignorance is that wrongness. This mistake. So, is there ignorance in this moment? There is. If you grasp what you see and say as 'I', 'mine', it's there. If not, it's not there.

"Avijjā-paccayā saṅkhārā." What are formations (saṅkhāra)? Formations are of three kinds. Here, what are formations? Bodily formation (kāya-saṅkhāra), verbal formation (vacī-saṅkhāra), and mental formation (mano-saṅkhāra). Bodily formation is this in-and-out breath. Ah, that is where kamma comes in. This body is formed... ah, so kamma is involved. Don't think as far as past kamma. When it says bodily formation, it's about this moment. Ignorance is in this moment. Due to the condition of ignorance in this moment, you are breathing in and out. It is in this moment that you think. It is in this moment that words are constructed. Body, speech, and mind. Bodily formation is the in-and-out breath. Verbal formation is the creation of words. Mental formation is the arising of thoughts in the mind. That is being constructed. Is that constructed in this moment? "Avijjā-paccayā saṅkhārā." There is a grasping as 'I', 'mine'. So the other things are also there.

Next, "saṅkhāra-paccayā viññāṇaṁ." Consciousness (viññāṇa) is constructed. What is constructed? Consciousness. Consciousness means knowing. This is the consciousness that goes to the object... it delights in, welcomes, and settles on that object. It is this consciousness that takes the object. It knows the object in this moment. "Tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso." Eye... eye, form, and eye-consciousness. Eye-consciousness (cakkhu-viññāṇa). "Tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso." Consciousness is born right here. So you cannot think of this on a grand scale. Though it describes 12 links, I don't know how the Buddha, with his omniscience, grasped this Dependent Origination happening in this very moment. How suffering is constructed. If it arises, it is suffering that arises. That knowledge that arises then explains this theory. So the Buddha is saying that this is the sermon given by the middle way.

Next, "viññāṇa-paccayā nāmarūpaṁ." Now, I should explain name-and-form (nāma-rūpa) in detail. For now, what is called 'name' (nāma)... the Buddha has explained in places... inside 'name' there is feeling (vedanā). What is there? Feeling. There is perception (saññā). There are formations (saṅkhāra)... ah, the formations here refer to the arising of volition (cetanā). Volitional formations. The formations mentioned before referred to the triad (body, speech, mind). The formations here mean the volition that thinks about it. Volition is you all thinking, you all acting. Those are called mental factors (nāma dhamma). Next, these three are there... now it goes to the five aggregates. These three are taken into the five aggregates... form, feeling... what is it... feeling, perception, volition. Next, there is contact (phassa)... "tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phasso." Contact is a mental factor. Next, there is attention (manasikāra). What is it? Attention. It is what directs the mind to the object. If it directs to a wrong object, it is unwise attention (ayoniso). If it directs to a correct object, it is wise attention (yoniso). This is explaining a process of the mind in this moment. It's like a thousand things happening in the mind. If said from the Abhidhamma point of view, this talk involves about a thousand mind-moments. Good. Name-and-form. What is 'form' (rūpa)? Ah, form means derived form (upādā-rūpa). What is form? It's not the form that is outside. It's the color that the mind takes from the color-impression, the sound-form from the sound, the smell-form from the smell, the taste-form from the tongue... now, even though the rice is here, what is taken from it is only the taste-form. You don't take the rice, do you? Rice doesn't go inside your head, does it? They say you have a 'rice-mole' [a Sinhala joke]. A taste-form is taken. Ah, the taste-form. Next, the mind takes objects. There is a subtle form there too. The mind takes many things as objects. There are subtle forms there too. There are principles, dhamma. Alright. Name-and-form are constructed. On what condition are name-and-form constructed? "Viññāṇa-paccayā nāmarūpaṁ."

So, only if this name-and-form is functioning... a brain-dead person cannot see forms, identify, or breathe. So, the 'eye' is not this physical eye. It's not the eye wearing glasses. The 'eye' there is what arises from name-and-form in this moment. What does it arise from? From name-and-form. The 'ear' is the ear that arises when the sound is heard. It's not this ear, okay. Someone looked at my ear and said something, right? About metals. He said that by looking at this ear. It's not that ear. The 'ear' arises with the sound and ceases with the sound. Alright? This ear will also cease. That ear ceases in that very moment. Ah, that's the ear. Ah, the six sense bases arise.

Next, "nāmarūpa-paccayā saḷāyatanaṁ. Saḷāyatana-paccayā phasso." Again it says contact. Contact happens at the sense base. Next, "phassa-paccayā vedanā. Vedanā-paccayā taṇhā. Taṇhā-paccayā upādānaṁ." What was called sensual desire (chanda-rāga) in one lump sum... that attachment... ah, that happens. "Upādāna-paccayā bhavo." Bhava means becoming, continuity. You see a continuity. That bhava is not being born after dying. This is what happens at the moment of death too. This process happens at the moment of death. The continuity in this moment is bhava. "Bhava-paccayā jāti, jarāmaraṇaṁ soka-parideva-dukkha..." it says all suffering arises. What is the suffering at this moment? What is aging and death (jarāmaraṇa)? The decay of the arising and ceasing eye is called aging (jarā). It breaks down, it crumbles right there. It breaks in this very moment. It matures in this moment, it decays in this moment. It is through this constant decay that we have grown old. This is just one moment seen. But at the time of seeing, it is constantly maturing and decaying. It's not this physical body we see. This is a description of subtle name-and-form in that moment.

Next... "saḷāyatana-paccayā phasso... jāti-jarāmaraṇa-soka-parideva..." all of it is here. Now, we cannot stop that. We cannot stop that eye from being created and ceasing. It changes. Grasping it is suffering. Grief, lamentation, all arise there. "Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti." "Thus is the origination of this whole mass of suffering." Ah, one side of the middle teaching has been shown.

Ah, next the Buddha shows the other side. Ignorance is over. One does not take it as 'I', 'mine'. Now the process happens... suffering is created... one does not take the suffering as 'I', 'mine'. Then, "avijjā-nirodhā saṅkhāra-nirodho." What happens at that time? In that moment, that triad (body, speech, mind) is over. In that moment, there is truly the attainment of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti). "Saṅkhāra-nirodhā viññāṇa-nirodho." At that time, the continuity of consciousness is over. There is nothing for consciousness to grasp. If consciousness falls, name-and-form inevitably falls. "Viññāṇa-nirodhā nāmarūpa-nirodho." Next it says, "nāmarūpa-nirodhā saḷāyatana-nirodho." After that, becoming (bhava) cannot be established. "Bhava-nirodhā jāti-nirodho." With the cessation of birth, what? Grief, lamentation, pain, distress... everything is over. Ah, that is how the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma. So when it is done that way, there is nothing called 'Nibbāna' to be grasped as existent. There is no Nibbāna that 'I' did not attain, and there is no Nibbāna that 'I' did attain. What? There is no Nibbāna I did not get, and no Nibbāna I did get. However, when this exists, this is.

Ah, next... I am turning this into another sutta. In another sutta, the Buddha has explained this very beautifully. Now, this sermon might be a little difficult for you to bear. So I will end it here. If someone listens to it in one go, they will understand. You all should break this down and listen to it maybe five times. Alright? That means, if this sermon was two hours long, listen to it in 25-minute segments. Or in four half-hour segments. If you can, find these suttas and look at the Pali and Sinhala. Those who can't, just listen to this.

After that... "when this exists, this is"... that Pali part is there. I have given it to you. This is how it is. The Buddha says to contemplate what has been taught to you like this. This is from another sutta, I will teach it. "Imasmiṃ sati, idaṃ hoti." Say it loudly. "Imasmiṃ sati, idaṃ hoti." "When this is, that is." Don't get the grammar wrong. Why does it say "is" (hoti / vei in Sinhala)? If it said "was," it's the past. If it said "will be," it's the future. "Is" or "becomes" is present continuous. It is in this moment. Alright? It is in the -ing form. So, "this becomes." "When this is, that is." This means, when ignorance is, formations are. When ignorance is, formations are. You can put anything there. Alright? You can say, "when one is, two is." But this was taught by the Buddha to understand Dependent Origination. So don't put obscenities there, put Dependent Origination. Let's see. When feeling is, craving is. When this is, that is. When craving is, clinging is.

Next, the other part... "imassuppādā, idaṃ uppajjati." "From the arising of this, that arises." That means, from the very arising of feeling, craving arises. So you can substitute anything into that formula.

"Imasmiṃ asati, idaṃ na hoti." "When this is not, that is not." If there is no craving, there is no clinging. You can put those 12 links in there and see for this moment. Alright?

"Imassa nirodhā, idaṃ nirujjhati." "From the cessation of this, that ceases." Ah, the world arose. When this was, the world was. When it was not, it was not. Then you cannot go to the view that the world 'exists', can you? Why can't you? Because it ceases. You cannot go to the view that it 'does not exist', can you? Why? Because it arises. You understand, right? See, without going to a view... the five aggregates of clinging... now, an ordained person should have this memorized. If not, what Dependent Origination is he going to contemplate? Huh? You should write this down on your door, where you do your farming. The four lines in Pali and Sinhala. You must remember it. Having remembered it, you must apply it and see in each moment. Look, when this world arises, this suffering arises. When the world ceases, suffering ceases. At the very arising of the world, suffering arises in this moment. Then it is correct.

Now, I took so many suttas to explain this one small thing. Alright? Now, what should you do? Those who are ordained... do it if you want, or don't. It's all the same to us whether you suffer or not. Now, you were born, you ordained, to end suffering. You have come here to develop a skill... to suffer. They [the ordained] have come to eliminate the skill of suffering. Alright? Two different goals. You all are here to develop the skill of suffering; they are here to eliminate the skill of suffering. That is why they are called monks. The Sāsana is described as having four assemblies: monks, nuns, male lay followers, female lay followers (bhikkhu, bhikkhunī, upāsaka, upāsikā). The upāsaka and upāsikā might say, "I can't do it yet. I need a little more..." The thing for the upāsaka and upāsikā to do is to attain Right View. For the venerable monks, especially... for these people, there is nothing to say. For both groups, for all four—to be a monk (bhikkhu), to be a nun (bhikkhunī), to be a male lay follower (upāsaka), or to be a female lay follower (upāsikā)—Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi) is necessary. Otherwise, it's not possible. Then it's not possible for any of the four. So, if a lay follower has Right View, he belongs to the Sāsana (the Buddha's dispensation). He belongs to the Sāsana. If a monk does not have Right View, he does not belong to the Sāsana. It means he is just wearing a yellow robe. He has shaved his head and put on a yellow robe. That is all.

Now, I did not preach this sermon thinking, "This is what I thought, this is what I understood, this is what I realized." How did I preach it? "This is how the Buddha taught. The venerable Ananda said this, the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta said that..." and what they both said was what they heard from the Buddha. Alright? So now, what should you all do? You must come to that discipleship, take these suttas, comb through them word by word, understand them, and apply them to the present moment. What must you do? Apply them to the present moment.

Initially, the knowledge and vision of things as they are (yathābhūta-ñāṇa) may not arise. But what must you do first? For someone who doesn't understand, what is the first thing to do? Listen. You've heard it now. But once is not enough. You must listen again. What must you do? Listen again. Now that there are recordings, listen again. Listen again. Next, you must memorize these things—the Pali and the correct Sinhala. You must memorize the correct Sinhala I have taught you. Memorize that sutta. It's a short sutta, the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta [here he refers to the Kaccānagotta Sutta he has been explaining]. You must memorize them. What's the point of memorizing these film songs? They are useless. There's no point in memorizing songs. What's the point of learning Python? These are the things to memorize. What is it? You must get these into your head. Alright? So, you memorize them.

"Vacasā paricitā." You practice them with your words. Constantly. "Manasānupekkhitā." Ah, in your free time, when coming and going, instead of gossiping about "he drank this, he did that, she did this, he got screwed over"... not that. Reduce those things a lot. Don't increase them. There's no point in describing the whole cricket match after it's over. So reduce that external talk, talk about this Dhamma, and practice it with your own mind. When you teach it to those who are near you, their ordination will also be benefited.

"Diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā." Then the view becomes well-penetrated. So, you can do these things even without full realization. You can do this much. You can listen, as long as you have ears and can still hear. You can practice with words, because you can speak. Because you can contemplate, you can think with your mind. You can purify that idea. Then, one will attain direct, experiential knowledge (pratyakṣa-ñāṇa). You cannot get that, no matter how. No one can attain that direct experience through sheer effort. What is it? You cannot get direct experience through effort. Direct experience must be received. It is a knowledge that arises automatically. But you can do the part in between with effort. If you tend to forget, you should write down those four lines [from the previous part] and put them up.

The Pali is: Hearing the teaching (suta), bearing it in mind (dhata), familiarizing it by recitation (vacasā paricitā), and examining it with the mind (manasānupekkhitā). Yes. Alright? Then it is said, "diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā." Those five are there. Now, in which sutta are those five? In the Majjhima Nikāya, it explains these five to a Brahmin. Yes. When you go there you can find the meaning. And in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, in the Book of Fives, these five are there. When you take those five and write them down properly in Sinhala, ah, that is the way to study the Buddha's Dhamma.

If one understands it all at once, that is due to merit from a past life. There are such people. If one doesn't realize it at once, by practicing in that way, one will realize it one day. Don't go looking for realization. If you do, who is it that is looking? Why, it is the personality-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) that is looking. Don't go around saying, "I hope I attain realization." Don't wish for it. If you do, look and see: who is it that needs to be realized? Alright? There is no 'one' who gets realized. You are accustomed to a wrong process in your mind. All you have to do is see that wrong process.

Right, the sermon for today is over. I conclude by wishing that you all may receive the strength, courage, and good fortune for this. May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all. May you be well.

Original Source (Video):

Title: ලෝකයෙන් එතෙර වන්න part - 02 | කච්චානගොත්ත සුත්තං | Thithtagalle Anandasiri Thero

https://youtu.be/EazXXli1XqA?si=Pnuh5Kyhu87qCJRj

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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