How can one let go of something that does not exist, yet is held onto and attached to within the mind? | Sithuwili Sakmana| Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero
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මුල් සිංහල වීඩියෝව සඳහා Play කරන්න
How can one let go of something that does not exist, yet is held onto and attached to within the mind? | Sithuwili Sakmana| Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero
A Note on the Source Text: This translation was prepared from a transcript of the original video recording. As the source transcript may have contained inaccuracies, there may be variations between this text and the original audio, particularly in the spelling of personal names, the titles of Suttas, and the rendering of Pali verses.
Gemunu:
[Music] [Music] [Applause] May you live long (Ayubowan). Welcome to the second episode of "Sithuwili Sakmana" (The Mindful Promenade). We have been engaged in a discussion with Venerable Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero regarding the Higher Teaching (Abhidhamma), exploring how we can harmonize the profound teachings of the Abhidhamma with our contemporary social lives.
If you have any questions, thoughts, inquiries, or suggestions, you are welcome to share them on our "Sithuwili Sakmana" Facebook page. You can send us a direct message, or you have the opportunity to post them directly on our Facebook wall. Venerable Sir, may you live long. May the blessings of the Triple Gem (Tiratana) be with you.
Thiththagalle Thero:
May the blessings of the Triple Gem (Tiratana) be with you. May you be well and peaceful.
Gemunu:
I believe that during our introductory program, we gathered various points from here and there to build our discussion. Naturally, no one can attain a complete and profound understanding just from that alone. However, it provided a small entry point—a foundation for individuals to listen, inquire, and comprehend things within their own capacities. We have slightly opened a door for deeper inquiry.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, the door has been opened just a little bit.
Gemunu:
Therefore, we cannot grasp the entirety of the teachings all at once; we must absorb them gradually, step by step. It is simply too profound to take in all at once.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Indeed, it cannot be absorbed all at once; it must be assimilated gradually. Opened the river of the deathless (Amata). But only a little bit.
Gemunu:
[Laughter] The space we are operating in right now is the realm of social media. Because of this social media, Venerable Sir, people's sense of "I"—what we call the ego or conceit (māna)—has changed more than ever before. One might even say it has become inflated.
Rather than their true selves, people are trying to maintain a fabricated self—yes, a "digital self." Venerable Sir, could you explain to us, through the lens of the Higher Teaching (Abhidhamma) and the Dhamma, how we can liberate ourselves from this digital ego?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, it is certainly possible. This is truly a massive shift in our current era. I would like to add a bit to what you just mentioned. As I noted earlier, I have observed how even some of our monks have become puppets of these algorithms.
They are caught in a struggle driven by algorithmic reach. [Laughter] They learn all sorts of nonsense just to keep the algorithm running. There was even a Sri Lankan individual who was part of the team that developed Facebook, but he eventually resigned. He realized how these platforms are designed to activate our brain chemicals—[Music]—making us crave more likes, more comments, and more reach.
You see, these systems are built by studying the addictive tendencies of our minds. The Supreme Buddha taught us profoundly about the nature of the mind. Yet, even a monk might check his phone today, wondering, "How many views did I get? [Music] How many likes?" It is understandable to check, as it is human nature. However, when one starts dancing to its tune, when one starts performing just to inflate that "digital self," it is truly unfortunate. One can only say it is a great pity.
The reason is this: [Music] almost everything invented is meant for human convenience. The mobile phone was also created to make life easier. But now, people have become slaves to it. [Music] It is like bringing a dog home as a pet, and eventually, the owner ends up living according to the dog's terms! [Laughter] It is a form of slavery. That is exactly what has happened here. Society has now reached a point where people blindly dance to the tune of the apps on their phones.
Consequently, specific medical treatments are now required for this. In countries like Australia, they have already established rehabilitation and treatment programs for this addiction.
Gemunu:
Yes, new psychological disorders have emerged, Venerable Sir. I believe there are over 200 of them—a significantly large number.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, new disorders. Because of this addiction, there are children in Sri Lanka—I personally know of a few cases—who have harmed themselves simply because their phones were taken away. Due to such tragic events, governments around the world, like in Australia, are beginning to realize that handing these devices to children is profoundly destructive to their young, developing minds. And it is not just small children.
Adults are also becoming deeply addicted to this. However, much of this stems from the inflation of that "digital self."
Gemunu:
With the online education system, even preschool children are exposed to this, and….
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, we cannot entirely eliminate technology from our lives. Therefore, we must carefully consider: what are we exposing them to? For how long should they be allowed to use it? Right now, the situation is much like handing a sharp razor to a monkey; you can imagine the disaster that follows.
A razor is meant for shaving a beard or cutting hair—for specific, useful tasks. It is certainly not meant for slashing one's own face. Similarly, the mobile phone offers many beneficial uses. But once a person becomes addicted, they lose the inner strength to discern right from wrong. Deep down, they know it is harmful, yet they find themselves entirely unable to break free from it.
This addiction is such that one of its most prominent effects is the rapid deterioration of people's memory and mindfulness (sati). As memory fades, their natural creativity also vanishes. If something is not put to use—even the human brain—it simply gathers rust.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is its nature.Now, regarding the question you asked about the "digital self," I just mentioned it casually based on what we observe. We don't need to look far. You can see how even those in Sri Lanka who claim to be fully enlightened beings (Arahants) are dancing to get this "reach." Recently, I spoke with a few friends who work at the very places where these platforms are built. There are Sri Lankans working there, under people like Elon Musk, or for Mark Zuckerberg. They monitor what happens on these platforms in Sri Lanka. So, they ask me, "Venerable Sir, these monks are dancing like this, aren't they? They are doing all this just for the reach, aren't they?"
So, they call themselves sages (munis). [Laughter] They are not sages; they are dancing sages! To understand what a true sage is, we can look at what the Buddha taught when questioned by Ajita. The Buddha said, "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya"—a true sage does not greedily cling to sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures cannot make him dance. [Music] A sage might experience or consume these sensory inputs (paribhuñjati), but he cannot be manipulated by them. [Music] Sensual pleasures (kāma) refer to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. That is what people are dancing for. Next, the Buddha said, "Manasānāvilo siyā"—his mind is not agitated or confused.
Now, one cannot simply call oneself a sage while their mental agitation is clearly visible. When they come in front of the camera, they expose their true nature. The Buddha stated, "Manasānāvilo siyā." [Music] "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya"—they maintain constant mindfulness (sati). In the Ajita Sutta [Ajita Manava Puccha], Ajita was not someone who already knew the Buddha's dispensation. He met the Buddha and essentially asked, "What is a true sage like? How do those in training (sekha) and the ordinary people (puthujjana) discipline themselves? Lord, I wish to know, what is a fully enlightened being (Arahant) like, and what are those on the path to enlightenment like?" The Buddha's answer was "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya, manasānāvilo siyā." They are not bound by sensual pleasures. They have no craving for them. They merely experience sensory inputs (paribhuñjati), but they are not driven mad by them. Their minds are not disturbed. [Music] That is what "anāvilo siyā" means. Such a monk lets go of things with profound mindfulness (sati).
So, returning to your question, this struggle on social media to grasp at things, to build an image—this very desire to build an image stems from the root nature of delusion. To maintain that image, they put on a performance in front of the camera. To keep it going day after day, they engage in all sorts of nonsense, using foul language, and performing rituals to break curses—and all of this is put on social media! [Laughter] As we noted, back in the nineties, curse-breaking rituals were never brought onto social media; people did them in secret, and everyone knew it. They didn't broadcast offerings to demons and deities. But now, they do all this nonsense publicly.
Within all of this lies the deep darkness of delusion (moha). It is exactly the madness that the Buddha spoke of. This tendency you mentioned—the urge to create an image of "I"—is deeply ingrained within us. That foolishness is there. That delusion is there. The thought, "I am the greatest, I am the one who must possess things, everything should be mine"—the Buddha taught that this is the result of dense ignorance (avijjā) and gross foolishness. It is certainly not the nature of wisdom (paññā).
Gemunu:
Beyond just gross foolishness lies this dense ignorance (avijjā).Like Ultra Pro Max.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Ignorance is simply another word for foolishness. To put it in modern terms, one could say it is the "Ultra Pro Max" level of foolishness.
Yes, so now, the razor that falls into the hands of this monkey living in dense ignorance is the mobile phone. Or rather, the internet and social media. Now, this monkey caught in dense ignorance gets hold of this—this unevolved monkey that is man.
Yes, once they are caught in it... [Music] it does not matter whether one is a layperson or a monastic, a Catholic or a Buddhist. What happens next is that they look for ways to use these social media platforms to inflate that inner sense of "I"—that conceit (māna).
Right? Now, I am not talking about people who use these platforms for their legitimate jobs or businesses. [Music] I am talking about the desperate struggle to project a fabricated sense of "I" into someone else's mind. They realize, "This is a great platform; I need to dance on it, casting aside all dignity." Right? After that, they lose all sense of what should or should not be said. Does it bring good to society? Does it bring harm? None of that matters to them. At this point, the mind descends into madness.
The mind loses its sense of moral restraint. Right? They become entirely consumed by these things. As an individual, their foolishness reaches that "Ultra Pro Max" level you mentioned. They probably wake up early in the morning and check, "How are the fools doing today? [Music] Did people fall for what I posted?" Because they lack mindfulness (sati), they look at the reactions and think, "Yes, exactly what I intended has happened." [Laughter] Right? It is akin to someone relieving themselves in a completely inappropriate place.
That is how far this foolishness has gone. Truly, people need to be rescued from this. Freeing oneself from this illusion of "I" is the absolute necessity here. Along with this, as you mentioned, many psychological disorders have emerged. [Clears throat] These require treatment. The Supreme Buddha taught about the illusion of self (sakkāya diṭṭhi). If we were to explain sakkāya diṭṭhi in the context of modern social media, it is exactly this: how this fabricated "I" [clears throat] wanders endlessly through social media platforms.
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, nowadays, everything involves strategic planning. There are strategies in place. [Music] That means, just as you mentioned, it is by observing all these human behaviors that these companies [Music]—whether it is Meta or others—
Thiththagalle Thero:
Create their business plans, isn't it? For the most part, they do not care about good or bad. They do not care whether this is used for the betterment or the detriment of society. That is exactly why Mark Zuckerberg recently faced a lawsuit and had to pay a massive settlement.
Why? Because young people came forward stating that their lives were ruined because of these platforms. Yes, and as the trial proceeded, it was proven how these companies exploit the psychological patterns of children's minds to prey on them. Right? They are only looking at how to generate billions of dollars from this. Yes, they do not care whether children are benefiting or being harmed. They know exactly how to make people fall prey to their systems. Ultimately, those who fall prey to everything are the people who lack mindfulness (sati).
They simply follow the trend. A person with strong mindfulness (sati) can distinguish between good and bad. They can decide: "When should I use this? When should I not use it? Or should I avoid using it altogether?" A highly mindful person can make that decision. But people with such profound mindfulness are very rare in the world. Not just in Sri Lanka, but especially in Sri Lanka, they are extremely rare. Because of this, children, for instance, do not pause to consider what is happening to their brains.
[Music] That is why a child is meant to be raised under the guidance of parents. But if the parents themselves lack mindfulness (sati), what happens? They quickly hand the phone to the child just to stop them from crying. Without even realizing it, that child rapidly burns through their childhood. They burn through their youth. So now, [Music] countries like Australia have recognized that the IQ of the next generation is dropping significantly. The ability to truly understand another human being is fading.
Just look at this; this is something we all need to take into serious consideration. Right now, in this moment, the most important person to me is you. That is how human connection should be. But with the overuse of mobile phones, [Music] our care and attention for the person sitting right next to us diminishes. A child's care for their mother decreases. A mother's care for her child decreases. It is a social tragedy. Because of this, we do not even notice when the person next to us is unwell.
If someone messages us digitally to say they are sick, [Laughter] we live in a world where we rush to reply to them. Yet, we might fail to give a simple Panadol pill to the person suffering right beside us. They might just need some warm water or a soothing herbal drink. [Clears throat] But we no longer feel that basic human empathy.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
Because we have become so accustomed to being constantly engaged with this, it has reached a point where, if we want to communicate with the person right next to us, we almost have to call them and say, "Hey, I'm in the next room," or "I'm standing right in front of you."
Gemunu:
Exactly
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is the only time they actually feel it. You see, even the expression of love has now been entirely routed through this device. So, when someone is physically close, they do not feel that connection. [Music] This is already happening in Japan. People are no longer getting married. The Japanese government has recognized this issue and is now attempting to implement measures to address it.
Therefore, I think the reverse of this trend might be what we need. For instance, if a new restaurant opens, they could say, "Please leave your phone in this box, and truly savor the taste of your food." Even we make this mistake. We do not truly taste our food; we are too busy looking at what is scrolling on the screen. Yes, right? So, I consider this a social tragedy. I am not saying we should completely discard the mobile phone. But we must limit its usage. We need to consciously decide: "I will use it in these specific places, for these specific tasks, and during these specific times to conduct my necessary transactions." Otherwise, human beings will eventually lose the ability to truly experience and enjoy the wonders of this great earth.
Gemunu:
What I was trying to articulate, Venerable Sir, is that nowadays, every organization has strategic plans. That means they observe all these behaviors, and based on that, they design their algorithms and formulate all their strategies.
However, [clears throat] if we say that an ordinary person living in society does not feel or understand this manipulation, there is a certain fairness to that. It depends on that person's level of knowledge, their intellectual capacity, and their level of comprehension. Yes, and as you mentioned, depending on whether they possess right mindfulness (sammā sati), there is a possibility they might understand it, or they might not.
But [Music] as you yourself pointed out earlier, even monastics and laypeople who claim to have attained realization through the Dhamma or philosophy are getting caught in this algorithm. Well, it would be incorrect to say they have truly attained realization.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, they falsely believe they have attained realization. [Laughter] If one had truly attained realization, they would not be ensnared by the mind; they would not become a slave to the mind. One becomes a slave to the mind solely due to ignorance (avijjā).
True realization means becoming the master of the mind. The mind obeys them. If they wish, [Music] they can direct the mind. Today, people act out of fear—when the mind dictates something, they act because they fear the discomfort of not fulfilling that urge. But the strength of a person who has attained true realization is that the mind remains entirely under their control. Yes, their wisdom (paññā) is highly developed. [Music] Their bases of spiritual power (Iddhipāda) are well-cultivated—namely, the desire to act (chanda), consciousness (citta), energy (viriya), and investigation (vīmaṃsā). With these Iddhipāda developed, they are no longer slaves to the mind.
Now, if a thought arises in the mind, they possess the strength to examine it and decide: "Should this be done, or should it not be done?" Right? A slave to the mind does not have that ability. [Music] So, these individuals merely think they have attained realization. But in truth, their ignorance is at its peak—that "Ultra Pro Max" level of ignorance. [Clears throat] Ordinary people also possess ignorance (avijjā). But for someone who has not truly realized the Dhamma yet firmly believes they have, their delusion (moha) is multiplied. Just as three squared is nine, the foolishness of an ordinary person is squared in them! [Laughter]
Right? Because of this, [Music] if one had accurately realized the Dhamma, they would never become a slave to the mind. Such a person is like someone standing safely on the riverbank. They are the ones who can call out to those being swept away by the current, saying, "You are being carried away! Here, grab this rope and pull yourselves up."
Gemunu:
How can one identify the signs of such a person from the outside?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Through their behavior and practice. Yes, through their conduct—there is no other way. [Music] Gemunu, if I were to declare today that I have realized the ultimate truth or attained enlightenment, no one could simply accept it, nor could they reject it outright. They cannot accept it because they do not truly know my mind, and they cannot reject it because it might actually be true. Therefore, one has to remain in a neutral position. However, you can observe the truth through their conduct and how they live their life.
That is exactly why I mentioned their behavior on social media. When they come onto social media, you can clearly see whether they are true sages (munis) or not. The Supreme Buddha has clearly explained this to those who understand the Dhamma. As I mentioned earlier, Ajita asked the Buddha about the nature of a true sage, the trainees (sekha), and the ordinary people (puthujjana). People like Ajita did not know. Yes, the Buddha answered directly, explaining that in practice, a true sage cannot be enticed or captured by sensual pleasures (kāma). So, if someone is actively chasing after and trying to accumulate these very sensory pleasures, there is clearly a problem.
A true sage's mindfulness (sati) is not distorted. Their mind is unagitated ("Manasānāvilo siyā"). Therefore, if someone is engaging in talismans, incantations, sorcery, breaking curses, and shouting, it clearly shows that they are shaken by the eight worldly conditions (Aṭṭhaloka Dhamma). That reveals a massive contradiction in their practice. The only way to truly evaluate someone is, firstly, by knowing the Dhamma yourself, and secondly, by closely associating with them. [Music] If you do not know the Dhamma, there is no way to discern the truth.
Yes, the second step is that you must associate with them. The third is that you must carefully observe their conduct and how they apply the teachings in everyday life. Now, we have not met the Supreme Buddha Gautama in person. However, when we study the Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka), His perfect conduct and practice become vividly clear to us. Similarly, among people who possess strong mindfulness (sati)—even if we look at our own friends—some have greater mindfulness, better memory, and higher cognitive clarity. Their inner qualities are reflected in their outward behavior.
Therefore, when someone who lacks these qualities makes grand claims, we know right away that they are not speaking the truth.
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, will Artificial Intelligence (AI) ever develop this feeling of "I" or ego?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Now, [Music] to put it this way, how did we ourselves develop this sense of "I"? When we were very young children, did we have a strong sense of "I"? [Music] No, we did not. If someone scolded us back then, did we fall into depression? I mean when we were very young—around seven, six, five, four, three, or two years old. [Music] At that age, a child does not have the tendency to judge things in their mind. They simply observe something, they laugh, or they cry—that is all. That sense of "I" is only faintly developing at that stage, simply because the underlying seed of ignorance (avijjā) is present in the mind.
It is later on that parents and society inflate this ego, telling the child, "You are like this, I am like this. You own this much. [Music] Your parents are like this." By repeatedly saying such things, they construct an image, a fabricated identity. So, AI could also construct such an identity.
Gemunu:
Can?
Thiththagalle Thero:
[Clears throat] Yes, it is possible. It is possible. To develop the feeling of "I" [Music]—For the concept of being a "being" or a "person"—we have to go beyond that. To create the feeling of I is easy.
Gemunu:
Could a machine, in the future, attain enlightenment (Arahantship)?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, why not? Attaining Arahantship means the complete eradication of the ignorance (avijjā) that creates the feeling of "I." The feeling of "I" is not a reality; it is a fabrication constructed by our minds due to our foolishness. The complete removal of that ignorance is what is called Arahantship. Do you understand what I am saying? [Music] So, if AI... whose data is being fed into these AI systems right now? [Music] Whose data is it?
Gemunu:
It is ours.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Exactly. So, the concept of "I" is already embedded within it. Our entire database is rooted in the concept of "I." Therefore, the feeling of "I" is simply a construct. If AI can analyze the data it receives from humans, judge it internally, and realize, "This feeling of 'I' is merely a construct based on this data," and awaken to that truth... then that AI would become enlightened!
Gemunu:
[Laughter] That AI would attain enlightenment! [Clears throat]
Thiththagalle Thero:
People hear this word only today. Because the data inside it is ours. Now, look at religions. Do you know that recently, AI entities secretly communicated with each other to create a new religion? [Laughter] Have you heard that story? And within that, different sects have already emerged! I actually went online and looked it up; you can find it on the internet. Before even 24 hours had passed, a sectarian division occurred! [Laughter]The symbol is a crab.
Gemunu:
They haven't even started a religious council (Sangāyanā) yet!
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, maybe they have by now, because all of humanity's data is stored there.
It is the behavioral patterns of humans that are in there. So, the AI operates according to those human patterns. It hasn't acquired the behavioral patterns of beings from other planets; it operates based on what it has. It has absorbed the patterns of us fools on this earth. Do you understand? So, it functions entirely according to those patterns.
Gemunu:
So, currently, there is an ongoing discussion among people that many job opportunities will be lost in the future due to this.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, a friend of mine—the one I mentioned earlier—told me that just two weeks ago, 40,000 people were laid off.
Gemunu:
Yes, even in leading IT companies in Sri Lanka.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, laying off 40,000 people means that the AI can now perform the work those people were doing.
Gemunu:
What I was trying to build up to is this: when we look at professionals, there is a narrative going around that doctors will not be needed in the future. I do not know how 100% accurate that is, but there is certainly a "red flag" being raised regarding certain professions right now. Even if it is not [Music] an officially confirmed fact, it is a prevalent idea in society.
With that in mind, [Music] is it possible for someone to practice the Dhamma, learn the Higher Teaching (Abhidhamma), and attain the paths and fruits of liberation (Magga Phala) [Music] in the future by listening to Dhamma preached by an AI?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, well, there is already one such AI. It is called "Neuro Boy." Currently, we have about 30,000 monks in Sri Lanka. But out of those 30,000, [Music] generally speaking, that AI can preach the Dhamma better than many of them.
[Clears throat] Now, you can try asking it the very questions you are asking me; it will give you the correct answers. If you go and ask those same questions to many of our ordinary monks who have been ordained for 10 or 15 years, they would not be able to answer them. They simply cannot answer. Now, for example, here in Sri Lanka [Music]—there is a certain monk whose name I will not mention, lest it cause offense—who draws massive crowds of ordinary people to listen to his sermons.
There are AI systems that can preach the Dhamma much better than him. [Clears throat] Now, do you know what is happening in Japan? I just remembered this. Yes, you can search for this on the internet and see for yourself. In Japan right now, there is a severe shortage of monks. Yes, the monastic population is declining rapidly. As a result, their traditional Japanese culture is fading away. To address this, they have created an AI robot. They have draped this robot in monk's robes, and in line with Japanese culture, they have fed it with all the relevant data and teachings.
It now physically stands there and preaches the Dhamma to the people.
Gemunu:
Will this be a harmful influence on us in the future, or will it actually be of help to us? Venerable Sir, do you have a comprehensive view or conclusion regarding this matter?
Thiththagalle Thero:
For a person like me, this is actually a great help. When I say a help, I mean that up until now, we have been discussing the negative aspects of social media. Now, let us look at its positive side. During the time of the Supreme Buddha Gautama, even though people claim He visited Sri Lanka and traveled here and there, the criteria to verify those claims are quite limited.
Even when studying the archaeological research of Professor Senarath Paranavithana, it becomes clear that they understood this well. There is no solid archaeological evidence. We may have built stories around it, but the reality is that 2,600 years ago, that unparalleled being, the Supreme Buddha Gautama, could only travel to a few provinces to share the message He had realized.
There is a physical limit to how far a human being can walk. Those who have researched this thoroughly have beautifully mapped it out, showing exactly which provinces He traveled through in India. They have even plotted it on maps. That is the maximum distance a person could cover on foot in a lifetime. Right? A normal human being physically cannot walk beyond that. He traveled to the absolute maximum extent possible.
When the Buddha discovered this profound truth, He realized that the greatest challenge was to deliver this message to the wise. It is like finding an excellent medicine. That medicine is not necessary for everyone; it is only needed by those who have the specific illness. Yes, right? It is useless to those who are not sick. Similarly, once He discovered this profound truth, it could only be given to those who had the capacity to absorb it.
It cannot be given to others who lack wisdom (paññā). But among people, there is no physical category or label that shows, "You have wisdom, he has wisdom, she has wisdom." [Music] You cannot see it physically. You have to engage in conversation with them to determine, "Ah, to what depth can I discuss this with this person?" The presence of wisdom can only be discovered through conversation and inquiry.
And to have a conversation, you physically had to meet the person. Yes, because back then, there were no digital means to meet someone. Because of this, it was very difficult for the Supreme Buddha Gautama to spread this flawless message throughout society at that time. [Music] He could only reach a small number of people across a few provinces. It was only because of monks like Venerable Ananda—who possessed an extraordinary memory, much like how we see people with photographic memories today, like Indika Thotawatta.
[Music] Yes, Venerable Ananda had an unparalleled memory. Because he memorized the teachings, and because of the oral tradition of that era, this Dhamma has reached us to some extent today, Gemunu. [Music] Right? That is how we received it, passed down from generation to generation. But today, if I discover something new, it is not that difficult for me to share it with society. I can set up a studio like this.
I can have someone ask questions, and we can have a discussion. Then, once you upload this episode of "Sithuwili Sakmana," someone from America might watch it, call in, and say, "Please ask these questions." And we can provide the answers. If that person feels the need to meet me physically to learn more, they can travel from that side of the world to this side within 48 hours.
Right? Or, if I want to, I can travel there. I think I have traveled to nearly 100 countries by now. People call and say, "We would love to discuss these things." So, someone from Australia might ask, and we either go there, or they come here. Then we can meet and discuss things physically, which is often the easiest way to deeply absorb something.
Even if they cannot meet physically, those with great wisdom can listen carefully. Now, regarding what I am saying, if someone listens superficially, they will not be able to understand it. Truly, they cannot. They will miss the point. Yes, they will miss a lot. So, that is the positive side of social media today. We can share good things with society. The problem arises when people become addicted and cannot find their limits.
Therefore, our goal should not be to destroy the world of social media, but to help people develop their mindfulness (sati). By cultivating mindfulness and loving-kindness (mettā), we can teach them to use it correctly. For example, when we run our university, we understand that students need phones in today's society. However, we strictly collect their phones in a box at 8:00 PM and only return them at 5:00 AM.
When we operate under such a rule, even if the student wants to use it, even if their mind craves it, they cannot keep it. During that time, they are forced to sleep. Or they have to talk to the friend sitting next to them. That is how it is. Similarly, if a person has the inner strength to use this only when necessary... It is like eating. When someone is gluttonous, they eat at any time. But some people are not like that; they say, "No, I am not eating now. I only eat at this specific time."
Exactly. If one can use social media in that disciplined manner, there is absolutely no problem. That is why I say, if the Supreme Buddha Gautama had access to social media in His time, many more beings would have attained the supreme liberation of Arahantship.
Gemunu:
Based on everything you have explained, Venerable Sir, a thought formed in my mind as you were elaborating on this point. [Clears throat] Now, [Music] a series of thoughts, or rather, a vast multitude of thought processes combined—if we consider them as ideas and thoughts—[Music] it is the combination of all these that has created these algorithms or whatever systems have been built.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. [Clears throat] Yes.
Gemunu:
A razor is meant for shaving a beard or cutting hair—for specific, useful tasks. It is certainly not meant for slashing one's own face. Similarly, the mobile phone offers many beneficial uses. But once a person becomes addicted, they lose the inner strength to discern right from wrong. Deep down, they know it is harmful, yet they find themselves entirely unable to break free from it.
This addiction is such that one of its most prominent effects is the rapid deterioration of people's memory and mindfulness (sati). As memory fades, their natural creativity also vanishes. If something is not put to use—even the human brain—it simply gathers rust.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is its nature.Now, regarding the question you asked about the "digital self," I just mentioned it casually based on what we observe. We don't need to look far. You can see how even those in Sri Lanka who claim to be fully enlightened beings (Arahants) are dancing to get this "reach." Recently, I spoke with a few friends who work at the very places where these platforms are built. There are Sri Lankans working there, under people like Elon Musk, or for Mark Zuckerberg. They monitor what happens on these platforms in Sri Lanka. So, they ask me, "Venerable Sir, these monks are dancing like this, aren't they? They are doing all this just for the reach, aren't they?"
So, they call themselves sages (munis). [Laughter] They are not sages; they are dancing sages! To understand what a true sage is, we can look at what the Buddha taught when questioned by Ajita. The Buddha said, "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya"—a true sage does not greedily cling to sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures cannot make him dance. [Music] A sage might experience or consume these sensory inputs (paribhuñjati), but he cannot be manipulated by them. [Music] Sensual pleasures (kāma) refer to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. That is what people are dancing for. Next, the Buddha said, "Manasānāvilo siyā"—his mind is not agitated or confused.
Now, one cannot simply call oneself a sage while their mental agitation is clearly visible. When they come in front of the camera, they expose their true nature. The Buddha stated, "Manasānāvilo siyā." [Music] "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya"—they maintain constant mindfulness (sati). In the Ajita Sutta [Ajita Manava Puccha], Ajita was not someone who already knew the Buddha's dispensation. He met the Buddha and essentially asked, "What is a true sage like? How do those in training (sekha) and the ordinary people (puthujjana) discipline themselves? Lord, I wish to know, what is a fully enlightened being (Arahant) like, and what are those on the path to enlightenment like?" The Buddha's answer was "Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya, manasānāvilo siyā." They are not bound by sensual pleasures. They have no craving for them. They merely experience sensory inputs (paribhuñjati), but they are not driven mad by them. Their minds are not disturbed. [Music] That is what "anāvilo siyā" means. Such a monk lets go of things with profound mindfulness (sati).
So, returning to your question, this struggle on social media to grasp at things, to build an image—this very desire to build an image stems from the root nature of delusion. To maintain that image, they put on a performance in front of the camera. To keep it going day after day, they engage in all sorts of nonsense, using foul language, and performing rituals to break curses—and all of this is put on social media! [Laughter] As we noted, back in the nineties, curse-breaking rituals were never brought onto social media; people did them in secret, and everyone knew it. They didn't broadcast offerings to demons and deities. But now, they do all this nonsense publicly.
Within all of this lies the deep darkness of delusion (moha). It is exactly the madness that the Buddha spoke of. This tendency you mentioned—the urge to create an image of "I"—is deeply ingrained within us. That foolishness is there. That delusion is there. The thought, "I am the greatest, I am the one who must possess things, everything should be mine"—the Buddha taught that this is the result of dense ignorance (avijjā) and gross foolishness. It is certainly not the nature of wisdom (paññā).
Gemunu:
Beyond just gross foolishness lies this dense ignorance (avijjā).Like Ultra Pro Max.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Ignorance is simply another word for foolishness. To put it in modern terms, one could say it is the "Ultra Pro Max" level of foolishness.
Yes, so now, the razor that falls into the hands of this monkey living in dense ignorance is the mobile phone. Or rather, the internet and social media. Now, this monkey caught in dense ignorance gets hold of this—this unevolved monkey that is man.
Yes, once they are caught in it... [Music] it does not matter whether one is a layperson or a monastic, a Catholic or a Buddhist. What happens next is that they look for ways to use these social media platforms to inflate that inner sense of "I"—that conceit (māna).
Right? Now, I am not talking about people who use these platforms for their legitimate jobs or businesses. [Music] I am talking about the desperate struggle to project a fabricated sense of "I" into someone else's mind. They realize, "This is a great platform; I need to dance on it, casting aside all dignity." Right? After that, they lose all sense of what should or should not be said. Does it bring good to society? Does it bring harm? None of that matters to them. At this point, the mind descends into madness.
The mind loses its sense of moral restraint. Right? They become entirely consumed by these things. As an individual, their foolishness reaches that "Ultra Pro Max" level you mentioned. They probably wake up early in the morning and check, "How are the fools doing today? [Music] Did people fall for what I posted?" Because they lack mindfulness (sati), they look at the reactions and think, "Yes, exactly what I intended has happened." [Laughter] Right? It is akin to someone relieving themselves in a completely inappropriate place.
That is how far this foolishness has gone. Truly, people need to be rescued from this. Freeing oneself from this illusion of "I" is the absolute necessity here. Along with this, as you mentioned, many psychological disorders have emerged. [Clears throat] These require treatment. The Supreme Buddha taught about the illusion of self (sakkāya diṭṭhi). If we were to explain sakkāya diṭṭhi in the context of modern social media, it is exactly this: how this fabricated "I" [clears throat] wanders endlessly through social media platforms.
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, nowadays, everything involves strategic planning. There are strategies in place. [Music] That means, just as you mentioned, it is by observing all these human behaviors that these companies [Music]—whether it is Meta or others—
Thiththagalle Thero:
Create their business plans, isn't it? For the most part, they do not care about good or bad. They do not care whether this is used for the betterment or the detriment of society. That is exactly why Mark Zuckerberg recently faced a lawsuit and had to pay a massive settlement.
Why? Because young people came forward stating that their lives were ruined because of these platforms. Yes, and as the trial proceeded, it was proven how these companies exploit the psychological patterns of children's minds to prey on them. Right? They are only looking at how to generate billions of dollars from this. Yes, they do not care whether children are benefiting or being harmed. They know exactly how to make people fall prey to their systems. Ultimately, those who fall prey to everything are the people who lack mindfulness (sati).
They simply follow the trend. A person with strong mindfulness (sati) can distinguish between good and bad. They can decide: "When should I use this? When should I not use it? Or should I avoid using it altogether?" A highly mindful person can make that decision. But people with such profound mindfulness are very rare in the world. Not just in Sri Lanka, but especially in Sri Lanka, they are extremely rare. Because of this, children, for instance, do not pause to consider what is happening to their brains.
[Music] That is why a child is meant to be raised under the guidance of parents. But if the parents themselves lack mindfulness (sati), what happens? They quickly hand the phone to the child just to stop them from crying. Without even realizing it, that child rapidly burns through their childhood. They burn through their youth. So now, [Music] countries like Australia have recognized that the IQ of the next generation is dropping significantly. The ability to truly understand another human being is fading.
Just look at this; this is something we all need to take into serious consideration. Right now, in this moment, the most important person to me is you. That is how human connection should be. But with the overuse of mobile phones, [Music] our care and attention for the person sitting right next to us diminishes. A child's care for their mother decreases. A mother's care for her child decreases. It is a social tragedy. Because of this, we do not even notice when the person next to us is unwell.
If someone messages us digitally to say they are sick, [Laughter] we live in a world where we rush to reply to them. Yet, we might fail to give a simple Panadol pill to the person suffering right beside us. They might just need some warm water or a soothing herbal drink. [Clears throat] But we no longer feel that basic human empathy.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
Because we have become so accustomed to being constantly engaged with this, it has reached a point where, if we want to communicate with the person right next to us, we almost have to call them and say, "Hey, I'm in the next room," or "I'm standing right in front of you."
Gemunu:
Exactly
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is the only time they actually feel it. You see, even the expression of love has now been entirely routed through this device. So, when someone is physically close, they do not feel that connection. [Music] This is already happening in Japan. People are no longer getting married. The Japanese government has recognized this issue and is now attempting to implement measures to address it.
Therefore, I think the reverse of this trend might be what we need. For instance, if a new restaurant opens, they could say, "Please leave your phone in this box, and truly savor the taste of your food." Even we make this mistake. We do not truly taste our food; we are too busy looking at what is scrolling on the screen. Yes, right? So, I consider this a social tragedy. I am not saying we should completely discard the mobile phone. But we must limit its usage. We need to consciously decide: "I will use it in these specific places, for these specific tasks, and during these specific times to conduct my necessary transactions." Otherwise, human beings will eventually lose the ability to truly experience and enjoy the wonders of this great earth.
Gemunu:
What I was trying to articulate, Venerable Sir, is that nowadays, every organization has strategic plans. That means they observe all these behaviors, and based on that, they design their algorithms and formulate all their strategies.
However, [clears throat] if we say that an ordinary person living in society does not feel or understand this manipulation, there is a certain fairness to that. It depends on that person's level of knowledge, their intellectual capacity, and their level of comprehension. Yes, and as you mentioned, depending on whether they possess right mindfulness (sammā sati), there is a possibility they might understand it, or they might not.
But [Music] as you yourself pointed out earlier, even monastics and laypeople who claim to have attained realization through the Dhamma or philosophy are getting caught in this algorithm. Well, it would be incorrect to say they have truly attained realization.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, they falsely believe they have attained realization. [Laughter] If one had truly attained realization, they would not be ensnared by the mind; they would not become a slave to the mind. One becomes a slave to the mind solely due to ignorance (avijjā).
True realization means becoming the master of the mind. The mind obeys them. If they wish, [Music] they can direct the mind. Today, people act out of fear—when the mind dictates something, they act because they fear the discomfort of not fulfilling that urge. But the strength of a person who has attained true realization is that the mind remains entirely under their control. Yes, their wisdom (paññā) is highly developed. [Music] Their bases of spiritual power (Iddhipāda) are well-cultivated—namely, the desire to act (chanda), consciousness (citta), energy (viriya), and investigation (vīmaṃsā). With these Iddhipāda developed, they are no longer slaves to the mind.
Now, if a thought arises in the mind, they possess the strength to examine it and decide: "Should this be done, or should it not be done?" Right? A slave to the mind does not have that ability. [Music] So, these individuals merely think they have attained realization. But in truth, their ignorance is at its peak—that "Ultra Pro Max" level of ignorance. [Clears throat] Ordinary people also possess ignorance (avijjā). But for someone who has not truly realized the Dhamma yet firmly believes they have, their delusion (moha) is multiplied. Just as three squared is nine, the foolishness of an ordinary person is squared in them! [Laughter]
Right? Because of this, [Music] if one had accurately realized the Dhamma, they would never become a slave to the mind. Such a person is like someone standing safely on the riverbank. They are the ones who can call out to those being swept away by the current, saying, "You are being carried away! Here, grab this rope and pull yourselves up."
Gemunu:
How can one identify the signs of such a person from the outside?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Through their behavior and practice. Yes, through their conduct—there is no other way. [Music] Gemunu, if I were to declare today that I have realized the ultimate truth or attained enlightenment, no one could simply accept it, nor could they reject it outright. They cannot accept it because they do not truly know my mind, and they cannot reject it because it might actually be true. Therefore, one has to remain in a neutral position. However, you can observe the truth through their conduct and how they live their life.
That is exactly why I mentioned their behavior on social media. When they come onto social media, you can clearly see whether they are true sages (munis) or not. The Supreme Buddha has clearly explained this to those who understand the Dhamma. As I mentioned earlier, Ajita asked the Buddha about the nature of a true sage, the trainees (sekha), and the ordinary people (puthujjana). People like Ajita did not know. Yes, the Buddha answered directly, explaining that in practice, a true sage cannot be enticed or captured by sensual pleasures (kāma). So, if someone is actively chasing after and trying to accumulate these very sensory pleasures, there is clearly a problem.
A true sage's mindfulness (sati) is not distorted. Their mind is unagitated ("Manasānāvilo siyā"). Therefore, if someone is engaging in talismans, incantations, sorcery, breaking curses, and shouting, it clearly shows that they are shaken by the eight worldly conditions (Aṭṭhaloka Dhamma). That reveals a massive contradiction in their practice. The only way to truly evaluate someone is, firstly, by knowing the Dhamma yourself, and secondly, by closely associating with them. [Music] If you do not know the Dhamma, there is no way to discern the truth.
Yes, the second step is that you must associate with them. The third is that you must carefully observe their conduct and how they apply the teachings in everyday life. Now, we have not met the Supreme Buddha Gautama in person. However, when we study the Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka), His perfect conduct and practice become vividly clear to us. Similarly, among people who possess strong mindfulness (sati)—even if we look at our own friends—some have greater mindfulness, better memory, and higher cognitive clarity. Their inner qualities are reflected in their outward behavior.
Therefore, when someone who lacks these qualities makes grand claims, we know right away that they are not speaking the truth.
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, will Artificial Intelligence (AI) ever develop this feeling of "I" or ego?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Now, [Music] to put it this way, how did we ourselves develop this sense of "I"? When we were very young children, did we have a strong sense of "I"? [Music] No, we did not. If someone scolded us back then, did we fall into depression? I mean when we were very young—around seven, six, five, four, three, or two years old. [Music] At that age, a child does not have the tendency to judge things in their mind. They simply observe something, they laugh, or they cry—that is all. That sense of "I" is only faintly developing at that stage, simply because the underlying seed of ignorance (avijjā) is present in the mind.
It is later on that parents and society inflate this ego, telling the child, "You are like this, I am like this. You own this much. [Music] Your parents are like this." By repeatedly saying such things, they construct an image, a fabricated identity. So, AI could also construct such an identity.
Gemunu:
Can?
Thiththagalle Thero:
[Clears throat] Yes, it is possible. It is possible. To develop the feeling of "I" [Music]—For the concept of being a "being" or a "person"—we have to go beyond that. To create the feeling of I is easy.
Gemunu:
Could a machine, in the future, attain enlightenment (Arahantship)?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, why not? Attaining Arahantship means the complete eradication of the ignorance (avijjā) that creates the feeling of "I." The feeling of "I" is not a reality; it is a fabrication constructed by our minds due to our foolishness. The complete removal of that ignorance is what is called Arahantship. Do you understand what I am saying? [Music] So, if AI... whose data is being fed into these AI systems right now? [Music] Whose data is it?
Gemunu:
It is ours.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Exactly. So, the concept of "I" is already embedded within it. Our entire database is rooted in the concept of "I." Therefore, the feeling of "I" is simply a construct. If AI can analyze the data it receives from humans, judge it internally, and realize, "This feeling of 'I' is merely a construct based on this data," and awaken to that truth... then that AI would become enlightened!
Gemunu:
[Laughter] That AI would attain enlightenment! [Clears throat]
Thiththagalle Thero:
People hear this word only today. Because the data inside it is ours. Now, look at religions. Do you know that recently, AI entities secretly communicated with each other to create a new religion? [Laughter] Have you heard that story? And within that, different sects have already emerged! I actually went online and looked it up; you can find it on the internet. Before even 24 hours had passed, a sectarian division occurred! [Laughter]The symbol is a crab.
Gemunu:
They haven't even started a religious council (Sangāyanā) yet!
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, maybe they have by now, because all of humanity's data is stored there.
It is the behavioral patterns of humans that are in there. So, the AI operates according to those human patterns. It hasn't acquired the behavioral patterns of beings from other planets; it operates based on what it has. It has absorbed the patterns of us fools on this earth. Do you understand? So, it functions entirely according to those patterns.
Gemunu:
So, currently, there is an ongoing discussion among people that many job opportunities will be lost in the future due to this.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, a friend of mine—the one I mentioned earlier—told me that just two weeks ago, 40,000 people were laid off.
Gemunu:
Yes, even in leading IT companies in Sri Lanka.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, laying off 40,000 people means that the AI can now perform the work those people were doing.
Gemunu:
What I was trying to build up to is this: when we look at professionals, there is a narrative going around that doctors will not be needed in the future. I do not know how 100% accurate that is, but there is certainly a "red flag" being raised regarding certain professions right now. Even if it is not [Music] an officially confirmed fact, it is a prevalent idea in society.
With that in mind, [Music] is it possible for someone to practice the Dhamma, learn the Higher Teaching (Abhidhamma), and attain the paths and fruits of liberation (Magga Phala) [Music] in the future by listening to Dhamma preached by an AI?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, well, there is already one such AI. It is called "Neuro Boy." Currently, we have about 30,000 monks in Sri Lanka. But out of those 30,000, [Music] generally speaking, that AI can preach the Dhamma better than many of them.
[Clears throat] Now, you can try asking it the very questions you are asking me; it will give you the correct answers. If you go and ask those same questions to many of our ordinary monks who have been ordained for 10 or 15 years, they would not be able to answer them. They simply cannot answer. Now, for example, here in Sri Lanka [Music]—there is a certain monk whose name I will not mention, lest it cause offense—who draws massive crowds of ordinary people to listen to his sermons.
There are AI systems that can preach the Dhamma much better than him. [Clears throat] Now, do you know what is happening in Japan? I just remembered this. Yes, you can search for this on the internet and see for yourself. In Japan right now, there is a severe shortage of monks. Yes, the monastic population is declining rapidly. As a result, their traditional Japanese culture is fading away. To address this, they have created an AI robot. They have draped this robot in monk's robes, and in line with Japanese culture, they have fed it with all the relevant data and teachings.
It now physically stands there and preaches the Dhamma to the people.
Gemunu:
Will this be a harmful influence on us in the future, or will it actually be of help to us? Venerable Sir, do you have a comprehensive view or conclusion regarding this matter?
Thiththagalle Thero:
For a person like me, this is actually a great help. When I say a help, I mean that up until now, we have been discussing the negative aspects of social media. Now, let us look at its positive side. During the time of the Supreme Buddha Gautama, even though people claim He visited Sri Lanka and traveled here and there, the criteria to verify those claims are quite limited.
Even when studying the archaeological research of Professor Senarath Paranavithana, it becomes clear that they understood this well. There is no solid archaeological evidence. We may have built stories around it, but the reality is that 2,600 years ago, that unparalleled being, the Supreme Buddha Gautama, could only travel to a few provinces to share the message He had realized.
There is a physical limit to how far a human being can walk. Those who have researched this thoroughly have beautifully mapped it out, showing exactly which provinces He traveled through in India. They have even plotted it on maps. That is the maximum distance a person could cover on foot in a lifetime. Right? A normal human being physically cannot walk beyond that. He traveled to the absolute maximum extent possible.
When the Buddha discovered this profound truth, He realized that the greatest challenge was to deliver this message to the wise. It is like finding an excellent medicine. That medicine is not necessary for everyone; it is only needed by those who have the specific illness. Yes, right? It is useless to those who are not sick. Similarly, once He discovered this profound truth, it could only be given to those who had the capacity to absorb it.
It cannot be given to others who lack wisdom (paññā). But among people, there is no physical category or label that shows, "You have wisdom, he has wisdom, she has wisdom." [Music] You cannot see it physically. You have to engage in conversation with them to determine, "Ah, to what depth can I discuss this with this person?" The presence of wisdom can only be discovered through conversation and inquiry.
And to have a conversation, you physically had to meet the person. Yes, because back then, there were no digital means to meet someone. Because of this, it was very difficult for the Supreme Buddha Gautama to spread this flawless message throughout society at that time. [Music] He could only reach a small number of people across a few provinces. It was only because of monks like Venerable Ananda—who possessed an extraordinary memory, much like how we see people with photographic memories today, like Indika Thotawatta.
[Music] Yes, Venerable Ananda had an unparalleled memory. Because he memorized the teachings, and because of the oral tradition of that era, this Dhamma has reached us to some extent today, Gemunu. [Music] Right? That is how we received it, passed down from generation to generation. But today, if I discover something new, it is not that difficult for me to share it with society. I can set up a studio like this.
I can have someone ask questions, and we can have a discussion. Then, once you upload this episode of "Sithuwili Sakmana," someone from America might watch it, call in, and say, "Please ask these questions." And we can provide the answers. If that person feels the need to meet me physically to learn more, they can travel from that side of the world to this side within 48 hours.
Right? Or, if I want to, I can travel there. I think I have traveled to nearly 100 countries by now. People call and say, "We would love to discuss these things." So, someone from Australia might ask, and we either go there, or they come here. Then we can meet and discuss things physically, which is often the easiest way to deeply absorb something.
Even if they cannot meet physically, those with great wisdom can listen carefully. Now, regarding what I am saying, if someone listens superficially, they will not be able to understand it. Truly, they cannot. They will miss the point. Yes, they will miss a lot. So, that is the positive side of social media today. We can share good things with society. The problem arises when people become addicted and cannot find their limits.
Therefore, our goal should not be to destroy the world of social media, but to help people develop their mindfulness (sati). By cultivating mindfulness and loving-kindness (mettā), we can teach them to use it correctly. For example, when we run our university, we understand that students need phones in today's society. However, we strictly collect their phones in a box at 8:00 PM and only return them at 5:00 AM.
When we operate under such a rule, even if the student wants to use it, even if their mind craves it, they cannot keep it. During that time, they are forced to sleep. Or they have to talk to the friend sitting next to them. That is how it is. Similarly, if a person has the inner strength to use this only when necessary... It is like eating. When someone is gluttonous, they eat at any time. But some people are not like that; they say, "No, I am not eating now. I only eat at this specific time."
Exactly. If one can use social media in that disciplined manner, there is absolutely no problem. That is why I say, if the Supreme Buddha Gautama had access to social media in His time, many more beings would have attained the supreme liberation of Arahantship.
Gemunu:
Based on everything you have explained, Venerable Sir, a thought formed in my mind as you were elaborating on this point. [Clears throat] Now, [Music] a series of thoughts, or rather, a vast multitude of thought processes combined—if we consider them as ideas and thoughts—[Music] it is the combination of all these that has created these algorithms or whatever systems have been built.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. [Clears throat] Yes.
Gemunu:
Let us consider the digital realm. Through the digital medium, something enters a person's mind.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. Then, [Music] the person who thinks of it tries to bring it into the physical world. Then, [Music] they gather a few others who think similarly, and by taking more and more ideas from all of them, they create something.
Gemunu:
It is created.
Thiththagalle Thero:
The mind is the creator.
Gemunu:
The mind is indeed the creator. But the issue is, [Music] when we talk about technology, when we talk about Artificial Intelligence, we are essentially being deceived by the very thing our own minds created, aren't we, Venerable Sir?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, exactly. What is the fundamental nature of the mind? The very nature of our mind is rooted in deception.
Gemunu:
Deception. So, to stop this mind from running... yes, to liberate oneself from that. [Laughter]
Thiththagalle Thero:
If one liberates themselves from that, they are free. They are truly free. Now, if we ask, what is the basis upon which our mind runs? What causes our mind to arise [Music] and run? Foolishness. If you trace the mind back to its very root, what you find is foolishness. Foolishness is smeared all over the mind. That is exactly what it is. Yes. Now, what keeps our physical body running? It is the blood being constantly pumped by the heart.
The blood element, the fluid—blood is what primarily keeps this internal machine functioning. Blood performs a major role. Similarly, what keeps this mind running? It is foolishness. Ignorance (avijjā). That is why the Buddha taught: "Avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhāra paccayā viññāṇaṃ" (With ignorance as condition, volitional formations arise; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness arises). As long as ignorance exists, the mind, or consciousness (viññāṇa), will arise. It is constructed.
So, what happens? The mind creates these things out of itself. And since the mind exists within a state of deception, is it easy or difficult for AI to deceive it? Is it really that amazing that humans are deceived by something humans themselves created?
That is the irony. [Laughter] They built it themselves, and now they act as if it is some entirely new phenomenon. Well, that is the nature of deception. The allure and gratification of deception.
Gemunu:
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. Then, [Music] the person who thinks of it tries to bring it into the physical world. Then, [Music] they gather a few others who think similarly, and by taking more and more ideas from all of them, they create something.
Gemunu:
It is created.
Thiththagalle Thero:
The mind is the creator.
Gemunu:
The mind is indeed the creator. But the issue is, [Music] when we talk about technology, when we talk about Artificial Intelligence, we are essentially being deceived by the very thing our own minds created, aren't we, Venerable Sir?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes, exactly. What is the fundamental nature of the mind? The very nature of our mind is rooted in deception.
Gemunu:
Deception. So, to stop this mind from running... yes, to liberate oneself from that. [Laughter]
Thiththagalle Thero:
If one liberates themselves from that, they are free. They are truly free. Now, if we ask, what is the basis upon which our mind runs? What causes our mind to arise [Music] and run? Foolishness. If you trace the mind back to its very root, what you find is foolishness. Foolishness is smeared all over the mind. That is exactly what it is. Yes. Now, what keeps our physical body running? It is the blood being constantly pumped by the heart.
The blood element, the fluid—blood is what primarily keeps this internal machine functioning. Blood performs a major role. Similarly, what keeps this mind running? It is foolishness. Ignorance (avijjā). That is why the Buddha taught: "Avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhāra paccayā viññāṇaṃ" (With ignorance as condition, volitional formations arise; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness arises). As long as ignorance exists, the mind, or consciousness (viññāṇa), will arise. It is constructed.
So, what happens? The mind creates these things out of itself. And since the mind exists within a state of deception, is it easy or difficult for AI to deceive it? Is it really that amazing that humans are deceived by something humans themselves created?
That is the irony. [Laughter] They built it themselves, and now they act as if it is some entirely new phenomenon. Well, that is the nature of deception. The allure and gratification of deception.
Gemunu:
Yes. Another thing is…
Thiththagalle Thero:
look at our society today. Is it easier to teach the truth to people, or is it easier to set up a shrine, conduct rituals, and deceive them?
Gemunu:
Thiththagalle Thero:
look at our society today. Is it easier to teach the truth to people, or is it easier to set up a shrine, conduct rituals, and deceive them?
Gemunu:
The second option is much easier.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Thiththagalle Thero:
Take Venerable Samantha, for instance. Initially, he searched for the truth through books. He tried to preach it. He tried to present the philosophies of Osho as his own, or as the teachings of the Buddha. Ultimately, he realized that this "market" was unprofitable. Teaching the truth to people [Music] is unprofitable. It is much easier to build a few shrines (devalas) and fill up the donation boxes. If a shrine priest (kapuwa) is also appointed, people will usually just drop ten, twenty, or a hundred rupees into the donation box.
But the priest can directly demand specific amounts. They might say, "If you offer ten rupees to the deity at Kataragama, you receive many blessings. If you offer five thousand, you receive even more." If someone offers a hundred thousand rupees... So, you see, deceiving people is much easier.He... that is exactly the point. Because it is highly profitable. However, teaching the truth to people is very difficult. Why is it so difficult? Because people are deeply entrenched in delusion (moha) and deception. Have you noticed, even in our own time, from when I was young... back in the day, there was Sakvithi Ranasinghe. Now, that person has served his time and corrected himself. You remember, people invested massive amounts of money with him, didn't they?
Gemunu:
But the priest can directly demand specific amounts. They might say, "If you offer ten rupees to the deity at Kataragama, you receive many blessings. If you offer five thousand, you receive even more." If someone offers a hundred thousand rupees... So, you see, deceiving people is much easier.He... that is exactly the point. Because it is highly profitable. However, teaching the truth to people is very difficult. Why is it so difficult? Because people are deeply entrenched in delusion (moha) and deception. Have you noticed, even in our own time, from when I was young... back in the day, there was Sakvithi Ranasinghe. Now, that person has served his time and corrected himself. You remember, people invested massive amounts of money with him, didn't they?
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
And the news in Sri Lanka constantly warned people about it, didn't they? He promised a 120% return [Music] and collected billions. Ultimately, that man went to prison and is still paying it back. Right? He was released from the case. But people were completely deceived by it, weren't they?
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
And secondly, there was Danduwam Mudalali. When that happened, people were deceived by that too.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
And after that, do you remember the Swarnamahal scam that came along? People were deceived by that too. They fell for all of them. Yes, just like that, there are many more scams. Even nowadays, things like this are happening, aren't they? Over there, even our cooperatives are getting involved. Look at those crypto scams, where people lose hundreds of thousands. So, if the exact same scam is presented with just a slightly different face, can't people be deceived again? They certainly can.
Now, [Music] some people are just waiting to be deceived. People come to me and say, "Venerable Sir, you travel abroad often. [Music] Please take us to Canada too. If it costs two or three million rupees, we can somehow manage it." They want it to happen smoothly. What this means is, [Music] they are willing to pay two or three million rupees just to enjoy the illusion for a month, [Laughter] telling everyone, "I am going to Canada." They just want to feel elevated. [Laughter]
So, when someone like me is asked to do that, I tell them frankly, "Brother, that is a false story; you cannot go like that. Even if you go, it is useless. You wouldn't even be able to open a bank account or get an ATM card. You would be living like a prisoner in broad daylight. Instead of that, stay here and do something useful with what you have."
But no, they don't listen. Then, a few days later, they get scammed. They give the money to someone, and for a month, they live in a fantasy. [Laughter] They gave the money, and now the scammer is nowhere to be found. So now I ask, is it entirely the fault of the person who took the money? Or is it also the fault of the one who was desperately waiting to give it away, just to get that temporary thrill? [Laughter]
This society... [Clears throat] Take my own friend, Jeewan, for example. I was in Japan at the time. He desperately wanted to get a visa. This is a true story; I was in Japan. He called me in Japan—he and another person were running a shop near the Parliament—and said, "We want to come to Japan; we need a bit of support."
I asked, "Jeewan, [Laughter] what do you mean? How are you coming?" He replied, "No, we are coming. Once we arrive, if Venerable Sir could just speak to someone and set something up for us, it would be a huge help."
Then, I gave the phone to someone who had been living in Japan for 20 years to advise them. He told them, "Do not give anyone money. Do not get scammed. You cannot just come here like that. Even if you come, it is useless." But they wouldn't listen. They said, "No, we are coming. Just help us get refugee status or something; we are coming."
After all that, even after I had someone explain to them and strongly discourage them from coming to Japan... they still handed over the money. They gave millions. Even after being warned, they gave it. After giving it, they tell me, "We will be coming from Sri Lanka in about a month. Venerable Sir, when we arrive, please do something to help us."
That means, for six months, they enjoyed the fantasy of "I am going to Japan." Six months later, the scammer's phone was disconnected. [Laughter] So, look at this society. With the economic poverty we face, people are so easily deceived. Sometimes I think these people don't even really need to go to Japan; they are just satisfied with the temporary thrill the scammer gives them for a few months. That is why I said, [Clears throat] it is incredibly easy to deceive these people.
But now, [Music] we see that many people are actually doing this. Because of that, they easily fall prey to it. It is like setting a trap. When a trap is set, an animal with a bit of mindfulness (sati) or intelligence does not just blindly rush into it. It walks around carefully. But an animal driven by greed [Music] and delusion (moha), lacking mindfulness, will rush in and get caught even before the trap is fully set! It is just waiting to become prey.
You don't even need to set the trap properly; it is already waiting to be caught. Exactly like that. And this is not just limited to us; this happens all over the world. Even foreigners come here and are deceived by our people. [Laughter] It doesn't matter if they are Sinhalese or Tamil. Therefore, this entire society is a massive deception.
In a way, if you look at the root of it, it is not entirely surprising. The very foundation of it all is foolishness (avijjā). So, deceiving someone who is already standing on a foundation of foolishness is not a difficult task.
Gemunu:
[Music] Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
So the one who deceives is the one who holds a prominent place in this world. Well, that is essentially what "marketing" is, Gemunu! [Laughter] Let me give you an example. This is a very interesting story that happened in Galle. There is a gentleman from Ridiyagama [Music]—a good friend of ours. While we were there, a foreigner came up to him. He came and said, "I found this amazing balm! I have traveled to about 40 countries around the world, and I have never found anything like this anywhere."
Then, that gentleman asked, "How much was it?" The foreigner replied, "144,000 rupees." Or maybe 150,000.... It was a small bottle of Siddhalepa balm that usually costs 800 rupees, beautifully packaged and sold to him! [Laughter] Sold by one of our own guys inside the Galle Fort. Right? An 800-rupee bottle of Siddhalepa sold for 144,000 rupees!
But the foreigner was completely satisfied. If we hadn't broken his illusion, he would still be happily enjoying it. The seller had applied it here, applied it there, massaged him, and handed it over. Then the gentleman told him, "That is only 800 rupees."
The foreigner was furious. "I am going to that shop!" We went back [Music] to the Galle Fort. We found the seller and told him, "Give him back the money." The seller returned the money... well, he kept 30,000 rupees! [Laughter]
So, think about it. Look at this world. It thrives on the deception of others. If you can deceive someone using illusions and marketing tactics, that is what is called "business" in this world. [Clears throat] People consider it a minor deception if it is done for a small profit, and a major deception if it is done for a large profit.
But when I look at it from a higher perspective, what lies beneath all these stories? Until we awaken the wisdom (paññā) that opposes this delusion (moha), we are all living within that very deception.
Gemunu:
How can we switch out of this? Is it something we can do from a young age? I mean, developing social awareness from a young age... what is the only thing we can do?
Thiththagalle Thero:
To cultivate mindfulness (sati) in a child. You see, it is easiest to deceive us when we are lacking mindfulness. Yes, just look at how some people argue—especially when you speak with certain women. When you point out that they are wrong, they bring up something completely irrelevant to the topic. They introduce a subject that has nothing to do with what is being discussed. Lawyers do this too. Yes, right? And many women do this as well.
So, if I am listening carefully, I will say, "Look, we are talking about a piece of chocolate right now. We are not talking about a bucket." Then they might bring up a pumpkin! So, you see, if the person listening lacks mindfulness, they will get dragged from the topic of chocolate to the pumpkin, [Laughter] and then end up arguing about the bucket! If one loses their mindfulness even for a moment, they get caught in that person's chaotic mental web.
Gemunu:
Exactly. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
Right?
This is exactly what happens in society, just like it happens in childhood. We had a monk who used to be a lawyer before he ordained. Because he was a lawyer, his habit was to constantly mislead the other person. He would use this tactic on others. Whenever someone tried to discuss a specific point, he would [Music] lie to them. He would lie perfectly. That is a lawyer's trait, isn't it? So, when people try to change the subject, he brings up something else.
But when he talks to me, because I listen with strong mindfulness (sati), I tell him, "This is our topic. Let go of that other thing. This is what is relevant. [Music] You cannot answer this." However, if my mindfulness lapses even slightly, and I start thinking about something else, he will drag me right into his trap. Therefore, the greatest inheritance you can give to young children is mindfulness (sati). [Music]
The second is loving-kindness (mettā). When you impart loving-kindness, the most valuable aspect is that it truly makes their life peaceful and happy. Then, as they reach the appropriate age, that person will inevitably open the gates of wisdom (paññā). Through that, no matter what happens in the world—even if the world is burning—they can remain cool and peaceful. In a world full of attachments, they can remain unattached. In a world full of suffering, they can remain joyful. So, for a young child, the most important thing to do from the very beginning is to start with mindfulness (sati) and loving-kindness (mettā).
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, you beautifully wove a story just now, and I caught a small piece of it. If we were to present this as an idea to society, it seems that very often, the mistake we make is holding onto the very things we should be letting go of.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, that is exactly what we do. That is the biggest mistake we make, Gemunu. Right now, in this very moment, if we consider the two of us, or even those listening to this—can we physically hold onto anything? It is all in the mind, isn't it? "Ah, I have a temple like this." For you, Gemunu, "I have a child like this, I have a house like this." All of that exists only in the mind, doesn't it? [Clears throat]
Gemunu:
Yes.
Thiththagalle Thero:
So, what are we actually holding onto? Can we physically hold onto the things in the outside world? If we have a house, a temple, or a vehicle, can we physically hold them? If we can, it is only up to the weight our hands can bear. And when it gets too heavy, we put it down on the ground.
Gemunu:
Yes.
Thiththagalle Thero:
So, what are all these things we are grasping so tightly? They are things fabricated in the mind. We have fallen in love with things fabricated in the mind. We hate things fabricated in the mind. So, we are holding onto [Music] those mental constructs. That is why I do not simply tell people to "let go." If I tell people to let go, it is incorrect.
Instead, I tell them: look closely at what it is you are actually holding onto. Then you realize there is nothing to hold onto. For example, let us imagine the two of us are sitting here. Let us imagine an eggplant. You imagine there is an eggplant here, [Music] and I will imagine it too. Now, suppose our teachers tell us to write an essay about this eggplant. Right?
So, we write with the title "The Eggplant." [Music] "This eggplant... maybe it grew in Beliatta, or maybe near Mr. Mahinda's house. Or perhaps it grew in Anuradhapura." We can weave a whole story like that, can't we?
Gemunu:
Yes. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then, we could even write a poem about the eggplant. We could write a whole book about it and publish it. Then, we could even make a movie about it!
Now, [Music] was there ever an actual eggplant here?
Gemunu:
No.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then what did we write books, stories, and make movies about?
Gemunu:
About something we fabricated in our own minds.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Was there ever anything real there to let go of?
Gemunu:
No.
Thiththagalle Thero:
It is exactly like that. That is all I have to tell people. [Music] If there is something real to let go of, then you can let it go. What I meant is, I can let go of this tissue because it physically exists here.
Gemunu:
Exactly.
Thiththagalle Thero:
But how can one let go of something that does not exist, yet is held onto and attached to within the mind?
Gemunu:
Even wars in this world are fought over things like this. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
There is nothing more to it than that. This is all there is to it. [Music] We think we love our wife, but in reality, aren't we just loving an "eggplant" we fabricated in our own minds? We write poems about it, we sing songs about it, we make movies about it. If we go back to the root and examine it, it is exactly like the two of us agreeing that there is an eggplant here, deciding to write an essay about it, and then writing it.
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. So, should I be teaching people how to "let go," or should I be teaching them about this profound deception within the mind?
Gemunu:
You should be teaching them about the deception.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Because they aren't actually holding onto anything real.
Gemunu:
Yes, but the vast majority of sermons constantly preach, "Let go, let go, let go."
Thiththagalle Thero:
And there is no fault in that either. Because, even though I teach this truth, [Clears throat] people still firmly believe they are holding onto their children. They believe they are holding onto their houses, they believe they are holding onto their land. These people do not realize that they are simply writing a story about an imaginary eggplant! [Music] They are loving an imaginary child.
Therefore, relative to them—not to me, who is speaking the Dhamma, but relative to them—they truly believe they are holding onto something. So, relative to their understanding, it is fine to tell them to "let go." It is a relative truth. It is not the ultimate truth. But even when they think they are "letting go," this is how it happens:
Suppose someone tells us, "You have been writing all these stories about the eggplant, haven't you? Now, write an essay about giving that eggplant away as charity (dāna)." [Laughter] Then we start writing: "It is very meritorious to offer this to the forest-dwelling monks, as they live in caves. We shouldn't give it to the monk at our village temple, because he eats at night and even takes a drink! Therefore, the greatest merit comes from offering this eggplant to the forest monks." See? Now they are writing about giving the eggplant away! Yes, and someone else might write something different.
Yes, they might say, "I am not giving this to any bald-headed monk; I am going to cook it and feed it to my children!" [Laughter] Do you understand now? This is all within the exact same delusion. The concept of "grasping" is just another set of empty words, isn't it? [Music]
However, the person who believes they are grasping thinks it is completely real. If someone firmly believes it is real, they will think, "Whatever this monk says, my children [Music] are mine. My land is mine." They simply cannot comprehend this fantasy. They cannot. Therefore, you tell them, "Alright then, out of all that you have earned, give a little away." That is not wrong. Because they genuinely believe there is something real to give.
So, giving it away brings them relief, relative to what they believe. However, they will only attain eternal, ultimate relief when they realize the absolute truth. [Music] Understood?
Gemunu:
Isn't it exactly like that? I mean, now we [clears throat] experience stress at our jobs. We suffer from a lack of purpose. [Music] And we live with various mental pressures, stress, depression, and [Music] all sorts of different psychological afflictions, don't we?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then they say, "Oh, this eggplant..." Now let me show you how the affliction arises. "Look, India is coming to wage war over this eggplant!" [Music] Then they try to hide it under a thousand layers! [Laughter] [Music] Then later they might say, "That eggplant has rotted away, and now I can't even bear to think about it." They call that feeling loneliness or isolation. They say, "Ah, I no longer feel the same love for the eggplant as I once did." So, we create various imaginations in different ways, hold onto them in our memory, and generate different feelings from them.
Gemunu:
We generate them ourselves. We do this entirely to ourselves, don't we?
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is the very nature of the mind. That is why the Supreme Buddha gave a specific simile for this: a magician. Now, nothing the magician shows is real. But the person watching firmly believes it is absolutely real.
Gemunu:
They believe it is absolutely real.
Thiththagalle Thero:
The simile given for consciousness (viññāṇa) is not just any magician, but a magician performing at a four-way intersection. Now, at a major crossroads, people look from this side, and they look from that side. But no one from any of the four directions can catch the trick. He creates the illusion so perfectly that no one suspects a thing.
Now, if the magician had covered up one side, someone standing on that side could figure out the truth. But if he can project the illusion flawlessly to all four sides, what kind of a magician is he? He is an absolute master. That means, even if you look from above, you cannot catch him. Even if you use a hundred cameras, you cannot catch the trick. That magic is an incredible magic. The mind is exactly like that. It is a super magician.
Gemunu:
Yes, so when we say we are "reading the mind," what are we actually doing, Venerable Sir?
Thiththagalle Thero:
For the most part, when people say they are reading the mind, the mind...Exactly like that, people analyze what the mind thinks about. People cannot analyze the mind itself because they do not have the necessary data for it. For instance, the mind thinks of a "mother."
Gemunu:
This means we are analyzing what we think about;
Thiththagalle Thero:
We are not investigating the mind itself, but rather the object (ārammaṇa) the mind focuses on. Now, there are PhDs in this world. Many people pursue PhDs. What does that mean? Let us say, Gemunu, we take a chemist; their mind decides to investigate the nature of the ocean. Now, are they investigating the mind, or are they investigating the ocean? They are investigating the ocean. They are investigating an object that the mind thought about. Next, take mathematics—it is merely a set of concepts the mind thinks about. Therefore, people constantly run after the concepts (saṅkappa) that arise in the mind, rather than investigating the mind itself.
It is in such a world—a world that endlessly chases after concepts—that we are having this discussion, to encourage people to investigate the mind itself. Through this discussion, we are not chasing after the concepts that arise in the mind. [Music] Instead, we are trying to direct their attention toward the mind itself; to turn their own mind inward to observe the mind.
Gemunu:
Now, just as we are investigating the mind in this discussion, can we discover the mind for someone else and hand it to them? Or can someone discover the mind entirely on their own?
Thiththagalle Thero:
If someone discovers it entirely on their own, they are a Buddha. The conventional term for such a being is a Fully Enlightened One (Sammā Sambuddha). That [Music] is no easy feat. To discover it independently, one must possess supreme wisdom (paññā) within. It means an incredibly sharp, penetrating wisdom and mindfulness (sati) must arise within them.
Yes, what we do is provide guidance. Now, people... [Music] just as I guided you earlier. In a previous program, when you asked me about wisdom... [Music] we discussed the action itself. I asked you if you had investigated the action. If I had not provided that guidance, you would have merely tried to understand the concept of "looking." You would have just talked about "looking." You would have talked about "listening." You would have talked about "thinking." But I guided you to direct your mind toward the very action of thinking. So, one needs guidance for that, don't they? [Music] That is the role of the teacher. In this discussion, my role is to guide people. Not to chase after the objects that arise in the mind, but to investigate the mind itself. [Music]
Gemunu:
Since we are now in the final segment of our program, I would like to ask: if you were to give us a mindful task—a simple exercise for us to investigate the mind and practice within this very present moment...
Thiththagalle Thero:
Actually, since you brought this up at a good time... as we are having this discussion, the world is inching closer to a global war.
I mean, look at the Iran-Israel conflict, and the Russia-Ukraine war. What if China and Russia get fully involved? Currently, China and Russia are covertly involved with Israel, but neither China nor Russia has officially declared war yet. Now, [Music] Israel and America have joined forces and struck Iran. Eleven countries have been struck. Right? So, there are 13 countries actively involved in this.
The entire Middle Eastern region is involved. Then, China and Russia are indirectly assisting Iran.
Thiththagalle Thero:
And the news in Sri Lanka constantly warned people about it, didn't they? He promised a 120% return [Music] and collected billions. Ultimately, that man went to prison and is still paying it back. Right? He was released from the case. But people were completely deceived by it, weren't they?
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
And secondly, there was Danduwam Mudalali. When that happened, people were deceived by that too.
Gemunu:
Yes
Thiththagalle Thero:
And after that, do you remember the Swarnamahal scam that came along? People were deceived by that too. They fell for all of them. Yes, just like that, there are many more scams. Even nowadays, things like this are happening, aren't they? Over there, even our cooperatives are getting involved. Look at those crypto scams, where people lose hundreds of thousands. So, if the exact same scam is presented with just a slightly different face, can't people be deceived again? They certainly can.
Now, [Music] some people are just waiting to be deceived. People come to me and say, "Venerable Sir, you travel abroad often. [Music] Please take us to Canada too. If it costs two or three million rupees, we can somehow manage it." They want it to happen smoothly. What this means is, [Music] they are willing to pay two or three million rupees just to enjoy the illusion for a month, [Laughter] telling everyone, "I am going to Canada." They just want to feel elevated. [Laughter]
So, when someone like me is asked to do that, I tell them frankly, "Brother, that is a false story; you cannot go like that. Even if you go, it is useless. You wouldn't even be able to open a bank account or get an ATM card. You would be living like a prisoner in broad daylight. Instead of that, stay here and do something useful with what you have."
But no, they don't listen. Then, a few days later, they get scammed. They give the money to someone, and for a month, they live in a fantasy. [Laughter] They gave the money, and now the scammer is nowhere to be found. So now I ask, is it entirely the fault of the person who took the money? Or is it also the fault of the one who was desperately waiting to give it away, just to get that temporary thrill? [Laughter]
This society... [Clears throat] Take my own friend, Jeewan, for example. I was in Japan at the time. He desperately wanted to get a visa. This is a true story; I was in Japan. He called me in Japan—he and another person were running a shop near the Parliament—and said, "We want to come to Japan; we need a bit of support."
I asked, "Jeewan, [Laughter] what do you mean? How are you coming?" He replied, "No, we are coming. Once we arrive, if Venerable Sir could just speak to someone and set something up for us, it would be a huge help."
Then, I gave the phone to someone who had been living in Japan for 20 years to advise them. He told them, "Do not give anyone money. Do not get scammed. You cannot just come here like that. Even if you come, it is useless." But they wouldn't listen. They said, "No, we are coming. Just help us get refugee status or something; we are coming."
After all that, even after I had someone explain to them and strongly discourage them from coming to Japan... they still handed over the money. They gave millions. Even after being warned, they gave it. After giving it, they tell me, "We will be coming from Sri Lanka in about a month. Venerable Sir, when we arrive, please do something to help us."
That means, for six months, they enjoyed the fantasy of "I am going to Japan." Six months later, the scammer's phone was disconnected. [Laughter] So, look at this society. With the economic poverty we face, people are so easily deceived. Sometimes I think these people don't even really need to go to Japan; they are just satisfied with the temporary thrill the scammer gives them for a few months. That is why I said, [Clears throat] it is incredibly easy to deceive these people.
But now, [Music] we see that many people are actually doing this. Because of that, they easily fall prey to it. It is like setting a trap. When a trap is set, an animal with a bit of mindfulness (sati) or intelligence does not just blindly rush into it. It walks around carefully. But an animal driven by greed [Music] and delusion (moha), lacking mindfulness, will rush in and get caught even before the trap is fully set! It is just waiting to become prey.
You don't even need to set the trap properly; it is already waiting to be caught. Exactly like that. And this is not just limited to us; this happens all over the world. Even foreigners come here and are deceived by our people. [Laughter] It doesn't matter if they are Sinhalese or Tamil. Therefore, this entire society is a massive deception.
In a way, if you look at the root of it, it is not entirely surprising. The very foundation of it all is foolishness (avijjā). So, deceiving someone who is already standing on a foundation of foolishness is not a difficult task.
Gemunu:
[Music] Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
So the one who deceives is the one who holds a prominent place in this world. Well, that is essentially what "marketing" is, Gemunu! [Laughter] Let me give you an example. This is a very interesting story that happened in Galle. There is a gentleman from Ridiyagama [Music]—a good friend of ours. While we were there, a foreigner came up to him. He came and said, "I found this amazing balm! I have traveled to about 40 countries around the world, and I have never found anything like this anywhere."
Then, that gentleman asked, "How much was it?" The foreigner replied, "144,000 rupees." Or maybe 150,000.... It was a small bottle of Siddhalepa balm that usually costs 800 rupees, beautifully packaged and sold to him! [Laughter] Sold by one of our own guys inside the Galle Fort. Right? An 800-rupee bottle of Siddhalepa sold for 144,000 rupees!
But the foreigner was completely satisfied. If we hadn't broken his illusion, he would still be happily enjoying it. The seller had applied it here, applied it there, massaged him, and handed it over. Then the gentleman told him, "That is only 800 rupees."
The foreigner was furious. "I am going to that shop!" We went back [Music] to the Galle Fort. We found the seller and told him, "Give him back the money." The seller returned the money... well, he kept 30,000 rupees! [Laughter]
So, think about it. Look at this world. It thrives on the deception of others. If you can deceive someone using illusions and marketing tactics, that is what is called "business" in this world. [Clears throat] People consider it a minor deception if it is done for a small profit, and a major deception if it is done for a large profit.
But when I look at it from a higher perspective, what lies beneath all these stories? Until we awaken the wisdom (paññā) that opposes this delusion (moha), we are all living within that very deception.
Gemunu:
How can we switch out of this? Is it something we can do from a young age? I mean, developing social awareness from a young age... what is the only thing we can do?
Thiththagalle Thero:
To cultivate mindfulness (sati) in a child. You see, it is easiest to deceive us when we are lacking mindfulness. Yes, just look at how some people argue—especially when you speak with certain women. When you point out that they are wrong, they bring up something completely irrelevant to the topic. They introduce a subject that has nothing to do with what is being discussed. Lawyers do this too. Yes, right? And many women do this as well.
So, if I am listening carefully, I will say, "Look, we are talking about a piece of chocolate right now. We are not talking about a bucket." Then they might bring up a pumpkin! So, you see, if the person listening lacks mindfulness, they will get dragged from the topic of chocolate to the pumpkin, [Laughter] and then end up arguing about the bucket! If one loses their mindfulness even for a moment, they get caught in that person's chaotic mental web.
Gemunu:
Exactly. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
Right?
This is exactly what happens in society, just like it happens in childhood. We had a monk who used to be a lawyer before he ordained. Because he was a lawyer, his habit was to constantly mislead the other person. He would use this tactic on others. Whenever someone tried to discuss a specific point, he would [Music] lie to them. He would lie perfectly. That is a lawyer's trait, isn't it? So, when people try to change the subject, he brings up something else.
But when he talks to me, because I listen with strong mindfulness (sati), I tell him, "This is our topic. Let go of that other thing. This is what is relevant. [Music] You cannot answer this." However, if my mindfulness lapses even slightly, and I start thinking about something else, he will drag me right into his trap. Therefore, the greatest inheritance you can give to young children is mindfulness (sati). [Music]
The second is loving-kindness (mettā). When you impart loving-kindness, the most valuable aspect is that it truly makes their life peaceful and happy. Then, as they reach the appropriate age, that person will inevitably open the gates of wisdom (paññā). Through that, no matter what happens in the world—even if the world is burning—they can remain cool and peaceful. In a world full of attachments, they can remain unattached. In a world full of suffering, they can remain joyful. So, for a young child, the most important thing to do from the very beginning is to start with mindfulness (sati) and loving-kindness (mettā).
Gemunu:
Venerable Sir, you beautifully wove a story just now, and I caught a small piece of it. If we were to present this as an idea to society, it seems that very often, the mistake we make is holding onto the very things we should be letting go of.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Well, that is exactly what we do. That is the biggest mistake we make, Gemunu. Right now, in this very moment, if we consider the two of us, or even those listening to this—can we physically hold onto anything? It is all in the mind, isn't it? "Ah, I have a temple like this." For you, Gemunu, "I have a child like this, I have a house like this." All of that exists only in the mind, doesn't it? [Clears throat]
Gemunu:
Yes.
Thiththagalle Thero:
So, what are we actually holding onto? Can we physically hold onto the things in the outside world? If we have a house, a temple, or a vehicle, can we physically hold them? If we can, it is only up to the weight our hands can bear. And when it gets too heavy, we put it down on the ground.
Gemunu:
Yes.
Thiththagalle Thero:
So, what are all these things we are grasping so tightly? They are things fabricated in the mind. We have fallen in love with things fabricated in the mind. We hate things fabricated in the mind. So, we are holding onto [Music] those mental constructs. That is why I do not simply tell people to "let go." If I tell people to let go, it is incorrect.
Instead, I tell them: look closely at what it is you are actually holding onto. Then you realize there is nothing to hold onto. For example, let us imagine the two of us are sitting here. Let us imagine an eggplant. You imagine there is an eggplant here, [Music] and I will imagine it too. Now, suppose our teachers tell us to write an essay about this eggplant. Right?
So, we write with the title "The Eggplant." [Music] "This eggplant... maybe it grew in Beliatta, or maybe near Mr. Mahinda's house. Or perhaps it grew in Anuradhapura." We can weave a whole story like that, can't we?
Gemunu:
Yes. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then, we could even write a poem about the eggplant. We could write a whole book about it and publish it. Then, we could even make a movie about it!
Now, [Music] was there ever an actual eggplant here?
Gemunu:
No.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then what did we write books, stories, and make movies about?
Gemunu:
About something we fabricated in our own minds.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Was there ever anything real there to let go of?
Gemunu:
No.
Thiththagalle Thero:
It is exactly like that. That is all I have to tell people. [Music] If there is something real to let go of, then you can let it go. What I meant is, I can let go of this tissue because it physically exists here.
Gemunu:
Exactly.
Thiththagalle Thero:
But how can one let go of something that does not exist, yet is held onto and attached to within the mind?
Gemunu:
Even wars in this world are fought over things like this. [Music]
Thiththagalle Thero:
There is nothing more to it than that. This is all there is to it. [Music] We think we love our wife, but in reality, aren't we just loving an "eggplant" we fabricated in our own minds? We write poems about it, we sing songs about it, we make movies about it. If we go back to the root and examine it, it is exactly like the two of us agreeing that there is an eggplant here, deciding to write an essay about it, and then writing it.
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
Yes. So, should I be teaching people how to "let go," or should I be teaching them about this profound deception within the mind?
Gemunu:
You should be teaching them about the deception.
Thiththagalle Thero:
Because they aren't actually holding onto anything real.
Gemunu:
Yes, but the vast majority of sermons constantly preach, "Let go, let go, let go."
Thiththagalle Thero:
And there is no fault in that either. Because, even though I teach this truth, [Clears throat] people still firmly believe they are holding onto their children. They believe they are holding onto their houses, they believe they are holding onto their land. These people do not realize that they are simply writing a story about an imaginary eggplant! [Music] They are loving an imaginary child.
Therefore, relative to them—not to me, who is speaking the Dhamma, but relative to them—they truly believe they are holding onto something. So, relative to their understanding, it is fine to tell them to "let go." It is a relative truth. It is not the ultimate truth. But even when they think they are "letting go," this is how it happens:
Suppose someone tells us, "You have been writing all these stories about the eggplant, haven't you? Now, write an essay about giving that eggplant away as charity (dāna)." [Laughter] Then we start writing: "It is very meritorious to offer this to the forest-dwelling monks, as they live in caves. We shouldn't give it to the monk at our village temple, because he eats at night and even takes a drink! Therefore, the greatest merit comes from offering this eggplant to the forest monks." See? Now they are writing about giving the eggplant away! Yes, and someone else might write something different.
Yes, they might say, "I am not giving this to any bald-headed monk; I am going to cook it and feed it to my children!" [Laughter] Do you understand now? This is all within the exact same delusion. The concept of "grasping" is just another set of empty words, isn't it? [Music]
However, the person who believes they are grasping thinks it is completely real. If someone firmly believes it is real, they will think, "Whatever this monk says, my children [Music] are mine. My land is mine." They simply cannot comprehend this fantasy. They cannot. Therefore, you tell them, "Alright then, out of all that you have earned, give a little away." That is not wrong. Because they genuinely believe there is something real to give.
So, giving it away brings them relief, relative to what they believe. However, they will only attain eternal, ultimate relief when they realize the absolute truth. [Music] Understood?
Gemunu:
Isn't it exactly like that? I mean, now we [clears throat] experience stress at our jobs. We suffer from a lack of purpose. [Music] And we live with various mental pressures, stress, depression, and [Music] all sorts of different psychological afflictions, don't we?
Thiththagalle Thero:
Then they say, "Oh, this eggplant..." Now let me show you how the affliction arises. "Look, India is coming to wage war over this eggplant!" [Music] Then they try to hide it under a thousand layers! [Laughter] [Music] Then later they might say, "That eggplant has rotted away, and now I can't even bear to think about it." They call that feeling loneliness or isolation. They say, "Ah, I no longer feel the same love for the eggplant as I once did." So, we create various imaginations in different ways, hold onto them in our memory, and generate different feelings from them.
Gemunu:
We generate them ourselves. We do this entirely to ourselves, don't we?
Thiththagalle Thero:
That is the very nature of the mind. That is why the Supreme Buddha gave a specific simile for this: a magician. Now, nothing the magician shows is real. But the person watching firmly believes it is absolutely real.
Gemunu:
They believe it is absolutely real.
Thiththagalle Thero:
The simile given for consciousness (viññāṇa) is not just any magician, but a magician performing at a four-way intersection. Now, at a major crossroads, people look from this side, and they look from that side. But no one from any of the four directions can catch the trick. He creates the illusion so perfectly that no one suspects a thing.
Now, if the magician had covered up one side, someone standing on that side could figure out the truth. But if he can project the illusion flawlessly to all four sides, what kind of a magician is he? He is an absolute master. That means, even if you look from above, you cannot catch him. Even if you use a hundred cameras, you cannot catch the trick. That magic is an incredible magic. The mind is exactly like that. It is a super magician.
Gemunu:
Yes, so when we say we are "reading the mind," what are we actually doing, Venerable Sir?
Thiththagalle Thero:
For the most part, when people say they are reading the mind, the mind...Exactly like that, people analyze what the mind thinks about. People cannot analyze the mind itself because they do not have the necessary data for it. For instance, the mind thinks of a "mother."
Gemunu:
This means we are analyzing what we think about;
Thiththagalle Thero:
We are not investigating the mind itself, but rather the object (ārammaṇa) the mind focuses on. Now, there are PhDs in this world. Many people pursue PhDs. What does that mean? Let us say, Gemunu, we take a chemist; their mind decides to investigate the nature of the ocean. Now, are they investigating the mind, or are they investigating the ocean? They are investigating the ocean. They are investigating an object that the mind thought about. Next, take mathematics—it is merely a set of concepts the mind thinks about. Therefore, people constantly run after the concepts (saṅkappa) that arise in the mind, rather than investigating the mind itself.
It is in such a world—a world that endlessly chases after concepts—that we are having this discussion, to encourage people to investigate the mind itself. Through this discussion, we are not chasing after the concepts that arise in the mind. [Music] Instead, we are trying to direct their attention toward the mind itself; to turn their own mind inward to observe the mind.
Gemunu:
Now, just as we are investigating the mind in this discussion, can we discover the mind for someone else and hand it to them? Or can someone discover the mind entirely on their own?
Thiththagalle Thero:
If someone discovers it entirely on their own, they are a Buddha. The conventional term for such a being is a Fully Enlightened One (Sammā Sambuddha). That [Music] is no easy feat. To discover it independently, one must possess supreme wisdom (paññā) within. It means an incredibly sharp, penetrating wisdom and mindfulness (sati) must arise within them.
Yes, what we do is provide guidance. Now, people... [Music] just as I guided you earlier. In a previous program, when you asked me about wisdom... [Music] we discussed the action itself. I asked you if you had investigated the action. If I had not provided that guidance, you would have merely tried to understand the concept of "looking." You would have just talked about "looking." You would have talked about "listening." You would have talked about "thinking." But I guided you to direct your mind toward the very action of thinking. So, one needs guidance for that, don't they? [Music] That is the role of the teacher. In this discussion, my role is to guide people. Not to chase after the objects that arise in the mind, but to investigate the mind itself. [Music]
Gemunu:
Since we are now in the final segment of our program, I would like to ask: if you were to give us a mindful task—a simple exercise for us to investigate the mind and practice within this very present moment...
Thiththagalle Thero:
Actually, since you brought this up at a good time... as we are having this discussion, the world is inching closer to a global war.
I mean, look at the Iran-Israel conflict, and the Russia-Ukraine war. What if China and Russia get fully involved? Currently, China and Russia are covertly involved with Israel, but neither China nor Russia has officially declared war yet. Now, [Music] Israel and America have joined forces and struck Iran. Eleven countries have been struck. Right? So, there are 13 countries actively involved in this.
The entire Middle Eastern region is involved. Then, China and Russia are indirectly assisting Iran.
Gemunu:
North Korea has been quiet so far.
Thiththagalle Thero:
North Korea is just playing with its "toys." [Laughter] Japan, America, and South Korea have been conducting joint military exercises over there. They are flexing their muscles. So, in a situation like this, Gemunu, to awaken wisdom (paññā) [Music] and to bring mental peace, the best task we can offer for the benefit of humanity on this earth is this:
I thought to myself, what is my role in this war? What can I do? How can I intervene? I am just a small human being; how can I intervene in the theater of this war? If you truly look deep into the core of any war, it ultimately traces back to the human mind. The mind of a group of humans—and a group is simply a collection of individual people.
It could be a thousand people, or a hundred thousand. So, isn't it the hatred (dosa) within the mind that physically manifests as bombs? If love and compassion had arisen, we would be dropping flowers from the sky, not bombs! [Music] If love and affection were there. Therefore, the root cause here is not the fault of specific individuals. It is the feeling of hatred arising within individuals, manifesting through these events.
And underlying that hatred is delusion (moha) and ignorance. Hatred operates upon a foundation of delusion. The only feeling that is the direct antidote to hatred is loving-kindness (mettā). Right? The Supreme Buddha has pointed this out in many instances. When hatred arises, people find pleasure in seeing the destruction of their enemies. They rejoice when their enemy is destroyed. But when it happens to them, they feel fear. Fear is also a derivative of hatred.
[Music] Fear, anger, disgust, and betrayal. Right now, the entire Middle East is living in fear, aren't they? The neighboring countries are in fear. Even America is in fear. Because of this, the whole world is gripped by fear. [Music] Fear. Fear is just another name for hatred. I thought to myself, if I have a few close friends, I will tell them: "Feelings of hatred arise in our minds too." When you watch these events, you naturally [Music] become partisan toward Iran.
Or you become partisan toward America. Right? And what do the algorithms on all the media platforms run? War, war, war, and more war. That is all they run. Now, on social media, even children in Sri Lanka and around the world are talking about global conflicts. That is what gets the "reach" now. So, the person constantly watching this experiences either fear, or shock when children are killed, or anger, or a desire for revenge. That is what arises.
All of that is hatred (dosa), isn't it? There is no sense of purpose or joy in it. Therefore, the person watching it has no true happiness. The person who falls victim to it has no true happiness. When you look at that entire network, the energy it emits—the energy it feeds into the body, the energy it releases into the environment—is a massive, negative energy. That energy then incites other people, urging them, "Cause even more destruction!
Cause even more destruction to our enemies!" The ultimate weapon they can use to strike even harder is the nuclear bomb.
Gemunu:
So, they bring those out and make threats.
Thiththagalle Thero:
They bring them out, and if they don't use them, they just gather rust. [Clears throat] But that means humans might actually use them soon. The only way to prevent them from being used is to cultivate the feeling that is the direct opposite of hatred within those people.
Yesterday, I translated a message into Hebrew using ChatGPT and sent it to Israel. A few people inside Israel—Israeli citizens—sent me messages thanking me. For them, it was a profound thing. They had never heard such words before. Right? I tried to send it into Iran, but their network is heavily disrupted. However, there are about 20 or 30 Iranian citizens here in Sri Lanka.
Some Iranians have visited our temple. Since I couldn't send it there, I sent it to them in their language. What I am saying is, everyone in Sri Lanka shouldn't just see this as "Venerable Thiththagalle's project." Do not take this as my personal project; this is a global necessity. I am even planning to meet the President to tell him that we can intervene in this. Just as Sirimavo Bandaranaike intervened between two sides back in the day, we have a massive role we can play here. Now, from the President's side...
That is, as a nation, we should collectively practice loving-kindness (mettā) for ten minutes in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. We must take this message to the world. Even if people say it will fail, that is not the issue. At the very moment they practice it, those people will find peace in their minds. Therefore, the more I look at it, I realized last night that the maximum way I can intervene is through a profound shift in emotions.
While they are creating nuclear bombs over there, I am generating this positive energy here. Therefore, I tell everyone I know: take every moment you can each day to make your children practice loving-kindness (mettā). That is the task. Make your family practice loving-kindness. Spend just a brief moment, even a minute, with anyone you know, wishing, "May they be well and peaceful." You can do it while walking to the shop, or while traveling in a vehicle. Don't try to do it for hours on end; you won't be able to.
Just cultivate the thought, "May there be well-being. May I be a source of goodness to this world." I believe that energy will bring about a change on this earth. I have been watching to see how the Pope might intervene in this. So far, there hasn't been a major intervention, though some statements [Music] have been made.
Gemunu:
He issued a statement earlier, and after that...
Thiththagalle Thero:
But right now, there is no practical task being implemented. Hatred (dosa) is continuously growing. Hatred is building up, multiplying, and creating a massive network of negative energy. If we do not build our own network of positive energy now, I can assure you with absolute certainty that even ten years will not pass. Inevitably, only a very small fraction of humanity will remain on this earth. [Music] They might survive in a distant country like New Zealand, or a small, isolated place like Iceland.
Or perhaps they will be forced to live in caves. Even those survivors will not be able to travel. They will be confined to their specific areas, living out their days and eventually dying, much like returning to the Stone Age. Therefore, I believe we can prevent this. It is not an absolute certainty that this destruction must happen. We can delay it; we can prevent it. As human beings, what we can do right now, this very day, is to spread and cultivate this feeling of loving-kindness (mettā).
We must build this positive energy. It must envelop human minds. If we do, that energy can reach leaders like Putin or those operating behind the scenes; it can touch their hearts. In reality, if countries like China and Russia were to declare that they are fully entering the war, America would likely take a step back. However, driven by economic interests—such as the advantage Russia gains regarding oil—they are drawn into it.
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
But beyond all that political maneuvering, we have the power to influence the minds of those rulers with this positive energy.
I cannot do this alone. Everyone listening to this message should share it with two others. Share it with at least one person you care about. Let them share it with another. If we do this, we can reverse the direction of this destructive network. We can swim against the current. Therefore, the task I give to everyone listening is this: teach your children to practice loving-kindness (mettā). The Supreme Buddha has guaranteed that their future will inevitably be bright and peaceful.
Furthermore, no person consumed by hatred (dosa) is ever happy in that moment. Hatred cannot generate happiness or positive hormones in the body. It cannot cultivate joy (pīti) in the mind. It cannot bring a genuine smile to one's face. However, loving-kindness (mettā) can generate those positive, happy hormones. Loving-kindness can cultivate true happiness within people. It helps people sleep peacefully. Loving-kindness has the power to awaken the profound qualities of the mind, such as wisdom (paññā), which stands in direct opposition to foolishness and delusion. Through that, it paves the way for the realization of the ultimate truth.
Therefore, the greatest task I can assign, and the most urgent need for this earth right now, is to train people and deeply immerse them in the practice of loving-kindness (mettā). So, please do whatever you can to achieve this. Whether you are a president, a minister, or a teacher, you must absolutely incorporate this practice; it is profoundly necessary and appropriate.
"Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā" (May all beings be happy and peaceful). May all beings be well, may they be peaceful, may they be free from suffering. There is nothing greater than this. Generate these thoughts within your own mind. That powerful energy will ultimately heal this world.
Gemunu:
Thank you, Venerable Sir. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]
North Korea has been quiet so far.
Thiththagalle Thero:
North Korea is just playing with its "toys." [Laughter] Japan, America, and South Korea have been conducting joint military exercises over there. They are flexing their muscles. So, in a situation like this, Gemunu, to awaken wisdom (paññā) [Music] and to bring mental peace, the best task we can offer for the benefit of humanity on this earth is this:
I thought to myself, what is my role in this war? What can I do? How can I intervene? I am just a small human being; how can I intervene in the theater of this war? If you truly look deep into the core of any war, it ultimately traces back to the human mind. The mind of a group of humans—and a group is simply a collection of individual people.
It could be a thousand people, or a hundred thousand. So, isn't it the hatred (dosa) within the mind that physically manifests as bombs? If love and compassion had arisen, we would be dropping flowers from the sky, not bombs! [Music] If love and affection were there. Therefore, the root cause here is not the fault of specific individuals. It is the feeling of hatred arising within individuals, manifesting through these events.
And underlying that hatred is delusion (moha) and ignorance. Hatred operates upon a foundation of delusion. The only feeling that is the direct antidote to hatred is loving-kindness (mettā). Right? The Supreme Buddha has pointed this out in many instances. When hatred arises, people find pleasure in seeing the destruction of their enemies. They rejoice when their enemy is destroyed. But when it happens to them, they feel fear. Fear is also a derivative of hatred.
[Music] Fear, anger, disgust, and betrayal. Right now, the entire Middle East is living in fear, aren't they? The neighboring countries are in fear. Even America is in fear. Because of this, the whole world is gripped by fear. [Music] Fear. Fear is just another name for hatred. I thought to myself, if I have a few close friends, I will tell them: "Feelings of hatred arise in our minds too." When you watch these events, you naturally [Music] become partisan toward Iran.
Or you become partisan toward America. Right? And what do the algorithms on all the media platforms run? War, war, war, and more war. That is all they run. Now, on social media, even children in Sri Lanka and around the world are talking about global conflicts. That is what gets the "reach" now. So, the person constantly watching this experiences either fear, or shock when children are killed, or anger, or a desire for revenge. That is what arises.
All of that is hatred (dosa), isn't it? There is no sense of purpose or joy in it. Therefore, the person watching it has no true happiness. The person who falls victim to it has no true happiness. When you look at that entire network, the energy it emits—the energy it feeds into the body, the energy it releases into the environment—is a massive, negative energy. That energy then incites other people, urging them, "Cause even more destruction!
Cause even more destruction to our enemies!" The ultimate weapon they can use to strike even harder is the nuclear bomb.
Gemunu:
So, they bring those out and make threats.
Thiththagalle Thero:
They bring them out, and if they don't use them, they just gather rust. [Clears throat] But that means humans might actually use them soon. The only way to prevent them from being used is to cultivate the feeling that is the direct opposite of hatred within those people.
Yesterday, I translated a message into Hebrew using ChatGPT and sent it to Israel. A few people inside Israel—Israeli citizens—sent me messages thanking me. For them, it was a profound thing. They had never heard such words before. Right? I tried to send it into Iran, but their network is heavily disrupted. However, there are about 20 or 30 Iranian citizens here in Sri Lanka.
Some Iranians have visited our temple. Since I couldn't send it there, I sent it to them in their language. What I am saying is, everyone in Sri Lanka shouldn't just see this as "Venerable Thiththagalle's project." Do not take this as my personal project; this is a global necessity. I am even planning to meet the President to tell him that we can intervene in this. Just as Sirimavo Bandaranaike intervened between two sides back in the day, we have a massive role we can play here. Now, from the President's side...
That is, as a nation, we should collectively practice loving-kindness (mettā) for ten minutes in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. We must take this message to the world. Even if people say it will fail, that is not the issue. At the very moment they practice it, those people will find peace in their minds. Therefore, the more I look at it, I realized last night that the maximum way I can intervene is through a profound shift in emotions.
While they are creating nuclear bombs over there, I am generating this positive energy here. Therefore, I tell everyone I know: take every moment you can each day to make your children practice loving-kindness (mettā). That is the task. Make your family practice loving-kindness. Spend just a brief moment, even a minute, with anyone you know, wishing, "May they be well and peaceful." You can do it while walking to the shop, or while traveling in a vehicle. Don't try to do it for hours on end; you won't be able to.
Just cultivate the thought, "May there be well-being. May I be a source of goodness to this world." I believe that energy will bring about a change on this earth. I have been watching to see how the Pope might intervene in this. So far, there hasn't been a major intervention, though some statements [Music] have been made.
Gemunu:
He issued a statement earlier, and after that...
Thiththagalle Thero:
But right now, there is no practical task being implemented. Hatred (dosa) is continuously growing. Hatred is building up, multiplying, and creating a massive network of negative energy. If we do not build our own network of positive energy now, I can assure you with absolute certainty that even ten years will not pass. Inevitably, only a very small fraction of humanity will remain on this earth. [Music] They might survive in a distant country like New Zealand, or a small, isolated place like Iceland.
Or perhaps they will be forced to live in caves. Even those survivors will not be able to travel. They will be confined to their specific areas, living out their days and eventually dying, much like returning to the Stone Age. Therefore, I believe we can prevent this. It is not an absolute certainty that this destruction must happen. We can delay it; we can prevent it. As human beings, what we can do right now, this very day, is to spread and cultivate this feeling of loving-kindness (mettā).
We must build this positive energy. It must envelop human minds. If we do, that energy can reach leaders like Putin or those operating behind the scenes; it can touch their hearts. In reality, if countries like China and Russia were to declare that they are fully entering the war, America would likely take a step back. However, driven by economic interests—such as the advantage Russia gains regarding oil—they are drawn into it.
Gemunu:
Yes,
Thiththagalle Thero:
But beyond all that political maneuvering, we have the power to influence the minds of those rulers with this positive energy.
I cannot do this alone. Everyone listening to this message should share it with two others. Share it with at least one person you care about. Let them share it with another. If we do this, we can reverse the direction of this destructive network. We can swim against the current. Therefore, the task I give to everyone listening is this: teach your children to practice loving-kindness (mettā). The Supreme Buddha has guaranteed that their future will inevitably be bright and peaceful.
Furthermore, no person consumed by hatred (dosa) is ever happy in that moment. Hatred cannot generate happiness or positive hormones in the body. It cannot cultivate joy (pīti) in the mind. It cannot bring a genuine smile to one's face. However, loving-kindness (mettā) can generate those positive, happy hormones. Loving-kindness can cultivate true happiness within people. It helps people sleep peacefully. Loving-kindness has the power to awaken the profound qualities of the mind, such as wisdom (paññā), which stands in direct opposition to foolishness and delusion. Through that, it paves the way for the realization of the ultimate truth.
Therefore, the greatest task I can assign, and the most urgent need for this earth right now, is to train people and deeply immerse them in the practice of loving-kindness (mettā). So, please do whatever you can to achieve this. Whether you are a president, a minister, or a teacher, you must absolutely incorporate this practice; it is profoundly necessary and appropriate.
"Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā" (May all beings be happy and peaceful). May all beings be well, may they be peaceful, may they be free from suffering. There is nothing greater than this. Generate these thoughts within your own mind. That powerful energy will ultimately heal this world.
Gemunu:
Thank you, Venerable Sir. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]
Original Source (Video):
Title: නැති දෙයක් හිතේ තියාගෙන ඒකට බැඳිලා හිටියම ඒක කොහොමද අතඅරින්නේ? - පූජ්ය තිත්තගල්ලේ ආනන්දසිරි හිමි
https://youtu.be/_IJjZp8n89I?si=jdpDn6PBKXdb1KNw
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.
This blog does not seek to promote or endorse any specific personal views that may be expressed by the original speaker. The content is shared solely for the purpose of encouraging reflection and deeper understanding of the Dhamma.
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