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The lost knowledge of how to exit from the Samsara

 

“Patichcha Samuppada” The law of cause and effect

To whom it was intended  

This I wrote for my son  

But later thought to give this as my  Birthday Gift to all of you

The Simple English Vocabulary and explanation of Sinhalese Buddhist Dhamma words  used in the document is here
 

අර මස් වැදැල්ලට කව්ද පන දෙන්නේ... ? විඥානය පන දෙන්නේ


මේ ශරීරෙ... පෙර භවයේ අවිද්යා කර්ම තණ්හා උපාදාන හා භව යන හේතුන් ගේ පලයක් ලෙස හටගත්තාවූ ..ඇට කෝ ටු හිටවල .. ලේ නහර වලින් බැදලා .. මස් ඔබ්බල .. සමෙන් තුනීකරලා ඔප දාල .. කන බොන ආහාරයෙන් සෑදුන .. ...මලකදක් වැනිය ..

රූප ශබ්ධ ගන්ධ රස ස්පර්ශ ආදීබාහිර අරමුණු කෙරෙහිහටගත්තාවූ තෘෂ්ණාව නිසා ඒවා විදීමට ආධාරකයක් වූ මෙම කයෙහි බැසගත් විඥානය නිසා මේ කය පන ලබා සවින්ඥානකව හැසිරෙනවා ... නැවතත් රූප ශබ්ධ ගන්ධ රස ස්පර්ශ ආදී අරමුණු ගන්නවා ඒවායින් මනසේ හැගීම් හා මානසික චිත්ර මවා ගෙන දුක සැප දෙක තමා තුලම විදිනවා ...

එම අරමුණු වල ඇත්ත ඇති හැටියේ නොදන්නා කම හෙවත් අවිද්‍යාව නිසා මෝහය හෙවත් මෝඩකමත් රාගය හෙවත් ඇලීමත් ද්වේශය හෙවත් ගැටීමත් උපදවා ගන්නවා .. ඒ හේතුවෙන් මෝහයෙන් බැදී රාගයන් බැදී ද්වේශයෙන් බැදී සසර බැමි සදාගන්නවා ... ඒ හේතුවෙන් සංස්කාර හෙවත් සිතීම් කීම් හා කිරීම් සිදු කිරීම නිසා කර්ම රැස්වෙනවා වගේම සමහර අදහස් උදහස් තදින් අල්ලා ගැනීම හෙවත් උපාදානය සිදුවෙනවා ඒ හේතුවෙන් මේ මම .. මේක මගේ.. මේ ඉන්නේ මගේ ආදරවන්තිය හා දරුවා .. දේපල වස්තුව .. අරය මගේ හතුරා .. විරුද්ධ කාරය වශයෙන් අප වටා ලෝකයක් මවා ගන්නවා එනම් අයිති කරුවෙක් බවට පත්වෙනවා සැමියෙක් බවට පත්වෙනවා පියෙක් බවට පත්වෙනවා වස්තු හිමියෙක් බවට පත් වෙනවා හතුරෙක් බවට පත්වෙනවා ආදී වශයෙන් මේ "බවට පත්වීම" තමා අප වටා ලෝකයක් මවා අපම සදා ගන්නා වර්තමාන භවය ...

මේ අප වටා මවා ගත් භවය නම් වූ ලෝකයක් තුල අප ජීවත්වෙමින් අප්‍රිය හා ප්‍රිය ජාති නිසා ඇතිවෙන දුක සැප විදිනවා ... මෙය නිත්යයි මා කැමති පරිදි පැවතිය යුතුයි ඒවා සැපයි ආත්මයි කියා වැරදි අදහසක්ද අපිම ඇතිකරගන්නවා .දුක්ඛ  සමුදය ආර්ය සත්‍ය  තේරුම්  නොගත් නිසා එනම් මමය මගේය කියා තදින් අල්ල ගැනීමට තරම් වටිනා හා ප්‍රිය ජාති අප සාදාගත් මේ භවය තුල නැති බව ප්‍රඥා චෛතසිකයෙන් තේරුම් නොගත් නිසා එනම් ලෝකයේ අසාරත්වය (අනත්ථ බව) නොවැටහීම නිසා ... ජරාවට පත්වෙන ... ලෙඩදුක් සෑදෙන... කැමති පරිදි නොපවතින සිය වසගයේ තබාගත නොහැකි හා වෙනස්වෙන නිසා දුක් ඇතිවෙන ( අනිච්ච බව) ... පුද්ගලයන් හා වස්තු තුල (දුක්ඛ සත්ය )...අපි නිත්ය සැප හා නොවෙනස් බව ඇතැයි වරදවා සිතා ඒවා සොයනවා මේ ඇත්ත ඇති හැටියේ නොදන්නා කම හෙවත් අවිද්යාව හෙවත් චතුරර්ර්ය සත්ය  නොවැටහීම (හෙවත් මාර්ග සත්‍යය නොදත්කම හෙවත් ආර්ය අෂ්ටාංගික මාර්ගය නොදැන සිටීම ).. නිසා අත් හැරීම නොඇල්ම හා මිදීමේ ශාන්තිය හෙවත් නිවන (නිරෝධ සත්‍ය ‍) නොදත් අපි ප්රර්ථනා කටයුතු දේවල් එක් රැස් කරමින් (උපාදාන) ජීවත් වෙනවා ... ඇති කරගන්නලද තද ඇල්ම හෙවත් තණ්හාව නිසා මරණ මංචකයේදී වත් ... ඒවා අත් හැර යාමට අකමැති වෙනවා ඒ නිසා නැවත ඉපදීමට හේතු එනම් නැවතත් අවිද්යාව කර්ම තණ්හා උපාදාන හා මතු හෙවත් අනාගත භව යන හේතුන් ඇති කරගන්නවා...

මෙසේවූ කල ... ඉහත කී ..පෙර අවිද්යා කර්ම තණ්හා උපාදාන හා භව හේතුන් ගේ පලයක් ලෙස හටගෙන ..ඇට කෝ ටු හිටවල .. ලේ නහර වලින් බැදලා .. මස් ඔබ්බල .. සමෙන් තුනීකරලා ඔප දාල .. කන බොන ආහාරයෙන් සෑදුන .. මේ ශරීරෙ නැවත හදාගන්නවා .. ඔහොම ඉපදෙම්න් .. මැරෙමින් නැවත ඉපදෙම්න් අනවරාග්රවූ සංසාරේ ගමන් කරනවා ..
 

End of the Sinhala  Summary

The lost knowledge of how to exit from the Samsara …. “Patichcha Samuppada” - “The law of cause and effect”

Forward

Patticha Samuppada or dependent origination or the law of cause and effect is a deep and complex topic that is the heart of Lord Buddha’s teachings. Lord Buddha has said if one knows Dependant origination, they know Dhamma. Also if one knows Dhamma, they know Dependant origination. So it is very important as Buddhist to know this teaching. Knowing Dependant origination goes beyond knowing the mere words. It is about learning and understanding the teaching and then being able to apply it into our daily life.

In this article Mr. Lakshman Abeykoon has written in very simple and easy to understand terms an explanation of the law of cause and effect. It is aimed at children who have not had an upbringing in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this article serves as a great introduction to the pali or Singhalese words used to typically describe dependant origination. As it is in words that are easy to understand, I believe it will be a great starting point for children to learn about the Dependant origination and how it applies to their lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to bless Mr. Abeykoon for the wonderful meritorious deed. As a result of this great meritorious deed of sharing Dhamma, may Mr. Abeykoon be well and happy, May he attain Nibbana! May you all learn and understand the dependant origination. May you be able to lead your own lives mindfully and happily in Dhamma! May you be a blessed and guided by the Noble Triple Gems always! May you all attain Nibbana!!

Theruwan Sarani!!

Royal Pandith Venerable M. Dhammagavesi

Chief Incumbent and Abbot of Lankarama Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sangha Nayaka of the Siyam Mahanikaya Malwatte Chapter in Australia



The lost knowledge of how to exit from the Samsara …. “Patichcha Samuppada” - “The law of cause and effect”

 

Introduction

I thought of writing this for the benefit of children who were not born or never lived in Sri Lanka like my son.

My son find it difficult to understand advanced Sinhalese language and the words used in Dhamma Sermons thus miss out the real Buddhist View of the world. there may be many other families like that and this is my gift for them for the month of "Vesak".

I wrote this in very simple everyday English as it is absurd to use highly technical language used by some translators when you talk to children.

Though the words are simple you need to read in carefully as the theories given are profound and every word written is there, because it is absolute necessary for that word to be there in order to convey the meanings. And people live and die never  ever knowing or understanding  what is written here.

The Simple English Vocabulary and explanation of Sinhalese Buddhist Dhamma words  used in the document is here

What is the “Law of Cause and Effect..” ?

Buddhism is a view of life based on the “law of cause and effect” and it is not a religion. Any one who has this view or the vision of cause and effect called “Patichcha Samuppada” in ancient Pali Language is a Buddhist. No matter what religion he or she was born in to. 

The meaning of the word “Patichcha Samuppada” is defined  in English by some monks as “law of cause and effect” by others as "Dependent Origination" but non of these definitions convey the true meaning of the word. "Pati (Bond/Attachment) + Ichcha (Desire/Liking) Sama (With/together/because of) Uppada (Origination/Birth) = Patichcha Samuppada "  Meaning attachment based on desire and resulting origination" or being bonded due to liking and because of that the occurring of regeneration or birth.

Since the “law of cause and effect” is the very core or the heart of the Buddhism. Lord Buddha Said that, who understood this “law of cause and effect” understood the Dharma and hence understood me .

The “law of cause and effect” itself is the mechanism of rebirth, and the driving force of the wheel of “Samsara” ( Samsara means endless cycle of taking births and hence inevitable deaths thus causing the sufferings in the course of life). The only precondition you need to have in order to understand this law of Cause and Effect or the Patichcha Samuppada is your belief that, there is occurrences of rebirth and this is not the one and only life time you have left to live.

 

What is the benefit of knowing this Law of cause and effect … ?

The immediate benefit is that, you will never ever have emotional break downs or mental depressions in the current life.

The over all  benefit is that once you understand “Law of the cause and effect” and how it works or the mechanism of it, you will know that,  how to disable the wheel of “Samsara” or the endless process of Birth and Death which keeps you bound to it and causes the inherent suffering attached with birth such as getting sick, getting old and pain of death etc. As once you were born you were bound to die.

Imagine for a moment that you are playing a computer game. Say for an instance the name of the game is " Domination and control of Is Be's" (Is Be's are also referred to as Souls or Sathwas in a imaginary Galaxy.. How to play the game how to deceive and control stupid Is-Be's  and live like a prince are written in books like "48 Laws of Power and Machiavelli's "The Prince" in that planet ). The game is so absorbing you get addicted in to the character or the “Avathar” you choose to play. You got mesmerized so much, you think you are nothing else but the “Avathar”. You began to think that the game world is real and it is not an illusion.

Our world is meant to be a “choice machine”. The role of this world is that, when you are born into it, it constantly presents you with a vast array of choices. You are invited to believe that this or that thing is important to you, that this cause is worth fighting for, that thing will make you safe, this person knows the truth, that person is trustworthy, this story is the gospel truth, that story is an abject lie, this group is my group and that group is the enemy... and so on and so on.

This world presents you with a non-stop selection of choices for you to believe in. And the instant you do – the very second you take even one of the choices the world is presenting to you, and believe in it as if it were true – you attach yourself to the illusion.

That is when you begin to give your energy to the world. You begin to do this job, vote for that political party, follow this sports team, associate with that group of people, fight for this cause, invest your money in that scheme. And so on and so on. 

What has happened is that you have taken something true – your original pure blissful consciousness of Nirvaanic nature of the mind or the "Prabhaswara Chithaa"– and attached it to something transient and fictitious – the illusions of this world and pollute it with Lust, Anger and Dilution (Raaga, Dwasha, Mooha). These attachments does lead to great pain. As you start to play one of these 3 roles. You are either a victim or else a villain (a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot) or else a rescuer.  

And that pain generated by attachments causes you to fight and struggle. Which in turn causes you to attach even more as it causes you to generate more and more of Lust, Anger and Dilution.  And so you spiral down, deeper and deeper into the illusory world of separation. The thing to understand is that each of you on planet Earth are playing out the roles you have chosen for yourselves. You play massive, long-running games that span many lifetimes so that you can experience yourself as an individual. As separate from each other. As "not-ONE". And that is what life on Earth is like.

(See also  "The Ascension Papers" by Zingdad A very enlightening book giving western view of same point   you can download it here for free  http://zingdad.com/images/downloads/the_ascension_papers_book_1_-_zingdad.pdf )

Photo: Assada. අස්සාද (ආශ්වාද ) is what keeps you bound to this cruel game of life and death called Samsara are also attractions offered to please your five senses as well as the mind. That means visions to please your eyes, sounds to please your ears, smells, tastes, sensory pleasers through your skin. Because of the desire for those attractions ( Those attractions are called in one word  as Kaama's කාම ), like those ants attached to sweet spot, people get attached to the game of samsara.

For that never ending wish we call the “Trushna” or the “Desire” and we say that, person is lost in Samsara due to the Trushna (Desire) . ( the person is “Bhawa Gaami” or the worldly bound). This never ending wish keeps you bound  and imprisoned to this vicious circle of birth and death.
 

Where is Nirvana ..?

Nirvana is not a place as many think. Nirvana is  loosing your identity of self and merging with all  knowing all penetrating existence that is deathless, birth less, formless, shapeless, omnipresent, attribute less, and quality less, ever present, pure loving blissful beyond all perceptions manifestation of universe. When a  tiny drop of water merges with the ocean what happens ? It becomes the whole ocean or the other way  round the  tiny drop becomes as big as the mighty ocean.

 

Since it is the knowledge that liberates you. There is no need to pray to any god for the salvation. While Buddhism does not dispute the existence of the higher godly realms and even talks about godly beings, what Buddhism teach us is that your salvation should be made by yourself through your intellect without waiting for the help from any other force.

What is the 4 Truths you need to know…? 

You can not talk about the “Law of Cause and effect” (Patichcha samuppada)  without talking about  the Four Noble Truths called (Chathurarya Sathya). Because these  two are inseparable. If you know “Chathurarya Sathysa you know Patichcha samuppada and If you know Patichcha Samuppada you know Chathurarya Sathya.

Hence before learning how to exit,  you need to  be armed with a little bit of know how. Specially how a being or a person is lured  to get trapped in this never ending wish that keeps person bound , imprisoned  and slaved to this vicious circle of birth and death called Samsara. It is just like some Casinos use various attractions like food, drinks and other entertainments to keep you inside.

Similarly, what keeps you bound to this cruel game of life and death called Samsara are also attractions offered to please your five senses. That means visions to please your eyes, sounds to please your ears, smells, tastes, sensory pleasers through your skin. All these are dangled in front of your nose and  come nicely wrapped  in the form of love, romance, parties, properties, cars, wealth, family and friends , beautiful bodies, health and wealth. Etc… Etc…

You get sucked in to this trap of lures and you start feasting in these pleasures  with never ending “Desire” and spending your time and energy  to gain more and more of these pleasures by any means possible or being selfish and by hook or crook thus, creating bad Karmas or the minus Game points in the process of it.  

All these are so irresistible, you get lured like a fly in to a honey trap. Once you indulge in it, there comes the Delusion, called “Avidya” or not having the ability see things as they really are. Not being able to understand that these nice things are the cause of your suffering.

Blinded by delusion. You begin to think all these things belongs to you. Your love, your romantic partner, your properties ,your wealth, your status, your body and health, your friends and family. In that way your world is formed  or created around you and you get attached to those perks.

( Note...Definition of Avidya "Avidya or අවිද්‍යා " written also as avijjā" means  thinking that "Kaamas" are of value, pleasurable, good, enjoyable, and stays as you like..  and not realizing that Kaamas lead  you to sufferings and makes you bound to Samsara ... Hence an another name for Kaama is Dukkha (Suffering)

(අවිද්‍යාව යනු වස්තු හා ක්ලේශ කාමයෝ සුබයි සාරයි සැපයි හා තම වසගයේ සදාකල් පවතියි වරදවා වටහා ගැනීමයි  දුක යනු කාමයට තවත් නමකි )

Definition of Kaama (Kaama = Kaa + Ama =  කා + ඇම = Eating the Lure) is the one word which  used to describe  cool things such as visions to please your eyes, sounds to please your ears, smells, tastes, sensory pleasers through your skin, valuable processions ect. All these are dangled in front of your nose and  come nicely wrapped  in the form of love, romance, parties, sexy things properties, cars, wealth, family and friends , beautiful bodies, health and wealth. Etc

Avidya leads to Sankara  Sankara is a single word for mental, physical and verbal actions which means mental thoughts or actions{මනෝ සංකාර also called as Chathanas චේතනා }, + physical actions කාය සංකාර + verbal actionsවචී සංකාර  over a subject matter.. Sankaras  are mainly divided in to two categories Akusala (Sin අකුසල) and Kusala (Meritorius, කුසල) 

Akusala Sankaras අකුසල සංකාර or Sinuous actions happen when these actions are powered either by  Raagas (රාග Greed), Dweshas (ද්වේශ Hatred) or Moohas (මෝහ Ignorance) or all three together and leads to Bad Karmas and bad returns.

කුසල සංකාර Kusala Sankara  or Meritorious actions happen when those actions are powered by Alobha අලෝභ , Adwesha අද්වේශ and Amoha අමෝහ Meaning, Generous, loving and  Sympathetic actions which leads to Good Karmas and good returns.

However  it is necessary to keep in mind that Both good as well as bad Karmas are result in returns and thus  prolonging the  duration of Samsara )

 Now you should be able to understand the  true meaning of  the below words of Lord Buddha.

සබ්බේ සංඛාරා දුක්‌ඛාති .Sabbe Sankara Dukkathi... All types of Sankars ultimately leads to sufferings.. 
යදා පඤ්ඤාය පස්‌සති... Yada panyaya passathi .When some on realize this truth..
අථ නිබ්බින්දති දුක්‌ඛෙ. Atha nibindathi Dukke .He refrains from overly indulging in Kaamas (Remember that another name for Kaama is Dukkha (Suffering)
ඒස මග්ගෝ විසුද්ධියා  Esa maggo Vishuddhiya. ..That is the path for purification of the mind )

As I said above Avidya leads to Sankara  Sankara is a single word for mental, physical and verbal actions. For an example, Mental thoughts or actions{මනෝ සංකාර also called as Chathanas චේතනා } are the ruminating thought process,  which is thinking round and round on something (Roodha රෝධ or having endless mind chatter over something through lust, hatred or ignorance (Raaga, Dwasha, Moha), you create Karmic seeds called "Anushaya" අනුෂය (Defilements).

(And stop thinking like that is called Niroodha නිරෝධ once you stop this mind chatter, the stillness and concentration comes over the mind, which is similar to the  silence and stillness which comes after a heavy rain is over. Thus stopping the endless rain of mind chatter is the way to the purification of the mind )

Therefore refraining from overly indulging in Kaamas (Remember that another name for Kaama is Dukkha (Suffering)) is the way to the purification of mind, that means stopping the ruminating thought process or stopping the thinking of round and round on something leads to attaining the stillness of mind and that is the path for the purification of the mind and  also gaining the Dhyanas ධ්‍යාන  (We will be discussing about ධ්‍යාන  Dhyanas below). Hence it is the path to liberation or the Nirvana.

End of the Note

Because of the delusion “Avidya” , you fail to see the reality. That all these lures or the "Kaamas" are temporary manifestations and they are the cause of your “Suffering”. For an example, your love to some one is your joy as well as the cause of inevitable suffering. Your beautiful body is the cause of your joy as well as inevitable suffering when you get old. Your properties could be your joy as well as sorrow when they break down or get lost. 

Knowing that these attachments to things and people you think are yours is the cause of your Suffering is very important as it is the first important lesson in your jail break. Identifying this normally hidden and sweet wrapped causes of suffering are so important it is labeled as the First Noble truth of 4 Noble truths. 
 

How to become the coolest head around the block when your sweet heart leaves you… 

You may think it is crazy to say that all these goodies such as your love, your romantic partner, your properties, your wealth, your status, your body and health, your friends and family are identified as causes of suffering. Don’t you..? That is the secret, that is why it is hard to find.

Actually there is nothing wrong in enjoying all these things. After all you are a human being and humans are social animals. You need to live a normal comfortable life and enjoy the presence of family and friends and the material comforts. It is perfectly Ok.

What is not OK is getting the wrong ideas. That those are yours and you have the control over those. That is the point you have to be enlightened. So enjoy it but not get overly attached. Not physically throw things away you still have it and enjoy those but mentally, give up everything and be free. So if you loose those physically, you have nothing to be sad,  because you had long ago, given those up in your mind.

Say  for an example, your girlfriend, you treat her nicely as best as you can and enjoy the time with her and have a happy life, suddenly for some reason she leaves you.

Then will you have reason to be depressed.. ? No. Because  you already knew that all these things are impermanent and changing. Knowing that, you had already given it up long ago in your mind. So you become the coolest head around the block. You live like nothing happened. Why ? because you learned a profound secret method of how be the coolest man when the world breaks apart around you. 

What you need to know is that  all these lures are temporary manifestations and the cause of all the suffering you find in this word. If you can gasp the  above explained reason why  the things you hold dear is the root cause of suffering , then you gain a unique wisdom among people who have no clue about it. That Wisdom is called “Dukke Gananam”. Or the realization of the root cause of all sufferings.  Unless you realize it, you will never be interested in finding a solution.

What is Suffering … ?

This desire or the “Trushna” is generated  no where but in your mind. When this desire is not fulfilled due to changes beyond your control such as old age or sickness or love break ups or  fluctuations of wealth est. you suffer. So the reason for your suffering is your desire or the attachment to these ever changing world around you or the “Bhava” . 

Realization of this simple truth is so important it is regarded as the 2^nd Noble Truth  or the “Samudaya Sathya” in Buddhism. That is : Reason for  suffering is Desire or the Attachment in your own mind.  Or the suffering are generated through Desire and attachment. Word “Samudaya” means Generate and “Sathya” means truth. So it is “The truth about the generation of attachments” 

Now you gained another unique wisdom which others do not easily find. That is “Dukka Samudaye Gnanam” The wisdom of knowing where the sufferings occur. That is, it happens not some where out side or by the fault of some one else like the girl friend or the boy friend who broke up with you. But  within in your own self. Inside your mind due to the desires and the attachments you created by yourself you suffer.   

Then you get an answer.  If you can find a way to change your mind and  not generate “Trushna” or the “Desire” in your mind” you can  stop all sorts of sufferings as well as disconnect the attachments and exit from this vicious game of life and gain unshakable tranquility and peace even within what is left to live in this life. Understanding that is the 3^rd Noble Truth called “Nirodha Sathya” Nirodha means disconnect or Disable.. So it is the truth about disconnection of bonds.
 

Until you learn how to change your mind and disconnect the attachment you will be subject to birth and death and in between all these sufferings associated with the birth such as loss of loved ones, loss of freedom, sickness, old age and so on again and again and again with no end as you keep jumping from one life to another enduring endless amount of births and deaths possessing various bodies some desirable some undesirable due to plus or minus Karmic points you acquired during the course of it.

Stop Playing the Game…

As same as in a computer game, this Plus or the good merits points  means in the next jump in to a new body, you will be able to get bonus extras like comfortable easy life beautiful body rich family and good parents. Minus or bad Karmas mean in next life you may born in to a poor family, bad parents, cruel spouse or physical disability or even in some cases a life as an animal.     

PS ( This is an another view point on the same principal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS6GdaSvgHk  see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNlyupEBdeE&t=572s I think these two are important alternative unconnected views of the same principle which does not conflict)

P.S. Almost same thing in different way in different view by Mr. Rich West but  very much worth listening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lqy-wYpX98  which I  too mostly agree

Now it comes to the question What is the method or the path you need to follow in order to change and disconnect the attachment from your mind.. ? . The shortest answer is. “Think in the opposite direction. Not the way you are  sheepishly directed to think by the matrix or the worldly way of thinking but the way opposite to the other people think. Thus you stop participating in the game of  the generation of extreme emotions and desires. Neutralize the flow of the wave of high and low extremes of emotions and settle in a flat line. This is called taking the Middle path or the “Madyama Prathipadawa”  

Using the simple but profound techniques mentioned below, you will be able to live a vary satisfying,  contempt and fulfilling happy life without sufferings and at the same time not generating desires, attachments and associated good and bad karmas.  

That means you stopped playing the game by stopping the creation of the bonds. You had broken free  from the mundane world just by changing the way you think. But the beauty is that  to the outside world and the family,  you look perfectly normal. In fact,  you become a person much better than before as you will notice your gradual changes,  like you become more tolerant, more patient, more kinder, more gentler, more happier, less greedy and a well balanced  stable person who is  not emotionally impacted by any good or bad things life throws at your way. Therefore if you really understood  what is told here you will never ever have emotional break downs or  mental depressions as no true Buddhist will ever get those as he/she knows from deep within the real nature of things in the world their changing nature or the impermanence which goes hand in hand with the associated sufferings. 

When some one asked what is Nirvana .. ? Lord Buddha mentioned  following “Raga hshayo, dwashah shayo, mohah shyo Nibbanam” that means Not generating overly attachments or craving (Raga = passion/lust), not generating dislikes, Intense animosity or hatred (Dwesha = dissension) and Removal of  the ignorance/dilution/ misconception of not  seeing and knowing the real nature of the world around you (Mooha) and gaining the wisdom of seeing and understanding the nature of things as they  truly are  is  the Nirvana.

Hence Nirvana is a condition of mind you gain when you are neutral to outside world and  have the ability to see things in true perspective. You have stopped the game  to look at  a world where others are running like mad chasing insatiable desires. 

This path or the method you need to follow  to gain this ever lasting mental peace and tranquility is called the 4^th noble truth or the “Maarga Sathya”  “ Maarga” means path. “Maarga Sathya” means true path to follow.

The Lost Connection ……

When you talk about “Maarga Sathya” or the True path to follow we need to talk about the “Aaarya Asthangika Marga” or the “Eight fold path which Aaryans follow” which include correct Vision (Which you already got by knowing 4 noble truths) Correct thought (You already have it that is why you read this in order to find out how to get rid of Desires)..

The rest are the right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness and right concentration. I am not going to talk about  it any more as it makes this writing too long.  

If interested, you can do a web search and read. You can find so many articles on the matter as an individual topic.  What you do not easily find is: How The “Chathurarya Sathya”, Patichcha samuppada and Arrya ashtangika Marga are interconnected.

When  you have lost the connection, you lost the Path to Nirvana. That is the reason why that, it is very rare to find people who really understood the path to follow or what needs to be done even among Buddhist Priests who spent whole life studying scriptures. My aim is not discussing the theory which every book written about Buddhism does. But to tell you in simplest possible way what you practically need to do to change your own mind. 

In simplest, what you need to do is two types of simple Meditation. Elaborated in the scripture called “Sathi Pattana Suthra “ (Mind settling scripture) The two types of Meditation are Samatha and Vidarshana.  

In that scripture lord Buddha Said the following: “I promise you this, if some one practices this method given here that person depending on his intellectual ability , either minimum within 7 hours , or medium within 7 days or 7 months or else maximum within 7 years will be able to change his mind and attain the realization of Nirvana “ So is the power of these techniques.

What is Samatha Meditation and what is Vidarshana Meditation .. ? Why  two types.. ?.

The reason is when you want to change your mind what you have to do.. ? First thing is you need to learn to focus your mind  in order to concentrate on some subject . For that you need to learn how to calm the mind. To achieve the calming and concentration ability you start with Samatha Meditation or in other words “Breathing meditation”. Once your mind is calm and settled you slowly move in to the other type of meditation called “Vidarshana” Meaning of the word “Vidarshana” is Analysis. You contemplate on the subject and start thinking in order to realize and convince your self the real Nature of the things.

Before learning breathing meditation to calm your mind you need to know a little bit about the nature the mind specially because this is the reason why people find it is hard to keep attention on one thing  more than a minute before unknowingly  the thoughts wander in to thinking various things than what you wanted to think. The reason is, the two parts of the process. The focus part and the attention part. 

When you begin the berating meditation you first  have to sit in a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor or under a tree etc. and focus on your breathing . The focus point should be the tip of your nose or the upper lip where the air of your breath is touching. You do not follow the breath up or down . You only focus your attention on the movement of air which passes your focus point which is either the tip of the nose or upper lip, where ever you find easy to focus. In that focus point, your  awareness is such you know when you breath long breaths , short breath or heavy ones or light ones. Easy, piecy  isn’t it.. ? Yes in the beginning it is easy but,  after a minute or so you will find that instead of concentrating and watching on the sensation of the movement of upward and downward air touching your tip of lip or nose, your attention has drifted away. Why ?. 

The reason is, when you begin the meditation the focus part of mind direct your attention to the breathing so you are able to focus the attention on it, and the attention is there now. The nature of focus part of the mind is such that, once the attention is there, the focus goes away and  fish out some thing else and brings it back to the attention, thus focus jumps from one to another and like a puppy dog bringing sticks,   it picks up and brings various thoughts in to attention one after another, that is why you loose concentration. 
 

What is the remedy.. ?

The remedy is simple. Every time you breath , think it is the first time you begin. Then the focus part of the mind will bring the breath in to your attention. Next breath also think it as the very first. Thus. Focus – Attention, focus attention to the touch of the air. Thus the mind will not drift away and your attention span will drastically improve. You only need to think every breath is you first breath and you began meditation just now.

Added on 3 January 2021

Another extremely effective method is : When you Inhale, be aware of your inhaling and at the same time think "Sankara Parama Dhkka  සංකාරා පරමා දුක්ඛා "and when you exhale , also be aware of your exhale and think "Nibbanam Parmam Sukam  නිබ්බාණං පරමං සුඛං" that will keep the mind busy.

*Sankara = activities of mental, physical or verbal nature = චේතනා උදාහරණ රාග චේතනා , ද්වේශ චේතනා , මෝහ චේතනා

"Sankara Parama Dhkka  සංකාරා පරමා දුක්ඛා "- Means that Sankaras will ultimately lead to suffering.
"Nibbanam Parmam Sukam  නිබ්බාණං පරමං සුඛං" - Means Ultimate relief from suffering is Nibaana

This is called developing "Anuloma KShantiya and Attaining "Samyaktha Niyamaya" through "Anna Pana Sathi"
ආනා පාන සතිය මගින් ඇතිකරගන්නා අනුලෝමක් ශාන්තිය තුලින් සම්‍යාක්ත නියාමයට බැස ගැනීම

Below part written on January 2019

Buddhist Dhayana Meditation  and Breathing Meditation

(These are very complex knowledge hidden in  Buddhist Thripitaka scriptures, in the past no one even the most scholarly priests had no idea of because they never bothered to read those large volumes.  Up to now  it was hidden from us therefore I even came to know  these recently, I am greatly blessed and so lucky even to hear it, I am very grateful to Priests Ven. Waraka Abhayarathanalankara Thero and his disciple Ven. Walasmulle Abhaya Thero who brought up these knowledge to light. That is why I thought of adding this and I will try my best to explain these as simply as possible.

Breathing meditation is not everything as we thought in the past

The  reason is that the main aim of Buddhist meditation is not the improvement of your focus and attention by concentration on your breath. But cleaning your mind from Defilements of  Raaga, Dwasha and Mooha (lust, enmity, dilution) through the improvement of focus of your attention. If you do not know this simple truth you may waste months  or years of your life time going for meditational retreats to practice breathing technique, but at the end your concentration may improve yet your mind will be still dirty as you will still be an angry, greedy and diluted person once you come out of meditative posture. 

Therefore the following is an extremely very important point:

The real aim  of meditation should be to gain the ability to retain the pure consciousness in the mind called "Prabhaswara Chiththaya" (Pure light thoughts) by not tainting it with defilements. The reason is when you first encounter with something through your senses (Eyes, ears etc) the first thoughts occur in your mind are the recognition up to this recognition part the thoughts are pure. Then you attach defilements to it. Learning not to attach defilements and keeping thoughts pure is the way to not create Karmas or not to play the game and keep your mind clean. It is the way to enlightenment.

For an example. You see a car. What first come to mind ? it is a car ! is it tainted with any thing ? No it is not  tainted. It is just the result of having an eye to see (You got an eye to see due to previous causes such as previous  Karmas or the wishes) up to that point it is pure recognition  or awareness happened due to previous causes. Thus it is not tainted it is recognition or awareness and it is a pure thought, not tainted by any thing. Even at the highest level of attainment such as Arhath or the Buddha still has this.

Every one else who is not attained that level, what happens is, you automatically  create and apply attachments to those awareness's.  Polluting the pure awareness (Prabhaswara Chitth) Attachments such as:

"It is  My beautiful red expensive car " Now what happened  ? Now you attached Lust to it (Raaga).

"It is my enemy's car. He hit and dented my car last week" Now what happened  ? Now you attached Anger to it (Dwasha).

"My beautiful car should always be like this and should be mine for ever  " Now what happened  ? Now you attached Dilution to it (Mooha or the wrong understanding to it as nothing lasts for ever in this world).

How to keep the  Pure Mind (Prabahswara Chitthaya or the pure light thoughts) unpolluted.

Before learning the technique you need to understand few things.  The reality is that, for millions of years, going through  countless births, you had acquired a hard to remove habit of tainting your pure thoughts with lust, enmity, or dilution as soon as those thoughts appears in your mind. Therefore it is not easy to suddenly remove those defilements or impure thoughts.  Because of that, it should happen in three stages. Called 1. Thadhanga  prahana 2. Vishkambana prahana 3 Samuchcheda prahana.

How to explain it simply ? Ok , For an example you want to eradicate a well grown bush in your Garden. First you try to Flatten the bush by pushing it downwards with force (Thadhanga) then you take a knife and cut the bush (Vishkambana) from top.  Even if you cut it, still it can grow back so you need to remove the roots of the tree as well so it will never come back again (Samuchcheda). 

Same is the removal of defilements in the mind:

When you do breathing meditation and concentrating the mind on your breathing, you push back karma creating thoughts (Thadhanga prahana) or the creation of those above said attachments to pure awareness thoughts, but once you stop meditation the thoughts with attachments can come back again like the tree springs back to same position once you remove the force kept it down. So you are not changed. But this meditation is good for improving your concentration, before you start the real cleaning process of the mind . Therefore this is still a  good meditation for Normal Lay people who just want a kind of a meditation for temporary relief.

For those look for ever lasting relief. There is another type of Buddhist Meditation called "Dhayanas" Meaning of word Dhayana is Burning of defilements and those meditations were hidden from us up to last 10 years.  While the breathing meditation can be done by any one even a none Buddhist person and achieve high level of concentration. The requirement for starting Buddhist Dhyanas is that you should have very good understanding of concept of Anichcha , Dukka and Anattha (Things in this world does not stay or behave as you like, it is the root cause of your suffering, hence it is useless to expect that and removing all expectations and leaving behind is the way to liberation) and Asswada*** , Addenawa and Nissarana  Indulgence/gratification( Ashwaada), Consequences of that indulgence/gratification( Aadeenawa) and by seeing  the adverse consequences of that indulgence , the relinquishment (Nissarana) or the  give up or abandonment (Read below for more explanation of this)   . Once you understand these concepts  thoroughly you are in the first stage of  the process of changing your mind and this first step is called "SOTHAPANNA" (Stream entrent - person who has entered the upstream movement of the process of liberation, also called as a person who became an Aaryan, also said as a person who has 7 more life times left to achieve liberation)

(*** Aaswada (Assada අස්සාද (ආශ්වාද )), there is no direct single English word for this Aaa..swada (Pronounsed as :Aaa..h..Swada feeling of AaaH or Wow an extreme feeling of pain or pleasure) it is sometimes pronounced as Assada, the meaning of that is a mixture of   words:: fulfillment of need, choice, indulgence, happiness, pleasure  and satisfaction, gratification there is no single word in English. Here is an Example. The day is a hot day and you are sweating profusely (suffering from heat). Then you switch on a fan and you enjoy the cool breeze. What you felt or enjoyed is: Ashwada. You wrongfully think that fans give you that feeling of  Ashwada  or the satisfaction that is your Avidya (Misconception). Because in a cold day you will not get that by being near a fan . In a cold day when suffering from cold, being near a heater gives you an Ashwada. So the truth or the reality is that, neither fan nor the heater gives you an Ashwada. The truth is in order to feel Ashwada  the first requirement is that you need first to be suffering. Ashwada arises when you get relief from what ever it is the need that you are suffering from. If you have not created that need which brings suffering to you in the first place then you will not be creating and experiencing that  Assada.

That principle is used very cleverly in TV commercials to create a need for some object in the mind of the viewers . Example,... Oh what a feeling.. Toyota !! or ‘I bought a Jeep’ Ad campaigns.

අස්සාද (ආශ්වාද ) Is what keeps you bound to this cruel game of life and death called Samsara are also attractions offered to please your five senses. That means visions to please your eyes, sounds to please your ears, smells, tastes, sensory pleasers through your skin.)

There are four levels in the process of changing the mind from a normal lay person to a fully liberated person or Arhath

Lay person ->Learning Anichcha ,dukka , Annathha from a friend (other words by Listening to Dhamma), realizing that is true and correct and this is the  correct  path to liberation and escape from the trap of Samsara,  and with the understanding of that much, some rough defilements are already completely get removed including the roots of those defilements  (Samuchcheda prahana) The defilements completly gone at that point are the defilements such as the wrong views of that, this world  is desirable and it is a good place to come back again and again is gone, suspicion that this path can be wrong is gone,  and the wrong view such as taking penance and vows may be the correct path will be gone ect, (Those 3 defilements are called Sathkaya drushti, Vichikicha, Seelabbatha pararmrasa) those 3 defilements will be completely gone  - >  Thus having complete confidence of the truth of what he learned about the way world is and the path he has to take to leave it, he becomes Sothapanna Aryan (First step,  up to that no meditation necessary, only need to understand the concept well and  having firm conviction to follow it up, at this stage you have7 life times left to complete the path ) Once you come to that stage, in order to quicken the process and have less births you need to practice Dhayanas (Burning of defilements) by practicing Dhayanas you achieve next levels of the mind changing process.

That is, reducing some more of  hard to remove defilements such as lust anger to certain level (Vishkambana Prahana) you become SAKURDAAGAAMI meaning twice returning person that he has two birth left until full liberation. By this level you have achieved considerable peace of mind and usually wish to continue further and keep practicing Dhayanas or in simple words  keep thinking about Anichcha , Dukka and Anattha (Things in this world does not stay or behave as you like, it is the root cause of your suffering, hence it is useless to expect that and removing all expectations and leaving behind is the way to liberation) and  in a deep meditative thought,  remember that this kind of deep meditative thoughts can be carried out while in any position or way, either sitting in one place or walking, standing, while doing some routine work, like travelling in a train or bus as you already achieved high concentration ability by this time and lot of mundane worries has vanished  and you are beginning to feel  peace of mind and tranquility. This feeling of peace and happiness makes you to go more and more deeper in to the practice which leads to next level of mind changing process.

This level is called ANAGAAMI meaning not returner as he has only one birth left and that birth is not in this world it is in  Shuddhavaasa Brahma loka or in the Pure Lands with vast life spans (Creator Gods according to western  and also the Hindu terminology) by this level very few root defilements are left to remove but he still can live as a normal house holder person. If he still keeps practicing vigorously then he can gain the next and final level of complete removal of impure thoughts which is ARHATH. or full liberation. No causes for a rebirth left as there are no impure thoughts, all causes  for wishing more births removed  thus a fully liberated  living breathing person who does not play this vicious game of samsara. By this level you can not live in a normal household way of life as you are beyond that so you relinquish that life to become a monk or else you will die in 7 days as you have no desire left for having this kind of existence.

Arya Dhayanas (Meditation for the people in the level of SOTHAPANNA and above).

There are 4 levels of dhayanas about which I came to know about recently and first level I can easily achieve, second level I got once. Because of that I can testify up to second level, third and fourth I do not know,  but the two levels what I experienced is what exactly thought by Ven.Monk Walasmulle Abhaya Thero and since the parts what I experienced is correct as described, I believe that the rest should be correct too. Which I have yet to experience, as we know, not every body is equal. According to Ven Monks explanation, there are 3  categories of people due to their previous karmas . Those are, Heena, Madhyama, and Praneetha, for some people Dhayans are slow to come and little evident (Heena) others Medium felt, and for the third group it is throughly and quickly experienced.

Before explaining dhayanas  you need to learn the meanings of few technical words in regard to mind and thought process. Called 5 components of Dhyana or the  5 Dhayana Angas

Vithakka Vichara - Meaning, thoughts or questions (Vithakka) which suddenly appear in mind and the scanning for answers (Vichara) or else Passive thoughts

Savithakaa Savichara -  Meaning, thoughts or questions which you  create with some purpose (Savithakka) in mind and the  looking for answers (Savchara ) or Active thoughts

Preethi - Feeling happy

Sukha - Feeling of comfort , well being and at ease.

Aekagratha - Intense concentration of mind on the subject of focus.

Now I am asking you to do a two minute long experiment. Sit some ware comfortably and close your eyes for two minutes. Think that you put a watcher  or an observer over your mind to watch what thoughts come to mind. Once you close your eyes you will see the for the first minute or so your mind  is relatively still and it does not drift away, you hear dogs barking in the distance, wind blowing, or birds singing, also you feel leg pain or back pain, or hunger ect Note that those are not considered as thoughts those are awareness, a result of having a body and having five senses due to previous wishes or karmas. They are not thoughts and perfectly normal to have so ignore those.  Then  after some times thoughts start to appear such as did I switch off the Kettle or whether husband or son has eaten or what is going to cook for dinner tonight ect . Then you start to resolve those thoughts by  inputting some mental EFFORT, such as I remember there are some potatoes in the kitchen cupboard I will cook it tonight, then question comes should I fry it or boil it ? for that you make another mental EFFORT to answer it, thus the process goes round and round. These are called  Vithakka Vichara  (Passive Thought) the way to stop Vithakka Vichara is to refrain from putting the mental EFFORT. What you have to do is that , when you observe a passive thought came to mind acknowledge the awareness of a thought appearing but do not react to it by putting EFFORT to feed and run with the thought further along. Without fuel to run further the thoughts will subdues. By practicing it for some time, you can stay longer and longer without having passive thoughts appearing. To stop active thoughts  Savithakaa Savichara technique is the same. This is the  easiest technique of quickly gaining mental tranquility than the breathing technique.

Also you need to know the difference between Dhyana and Dhyana Samadi  Dhayana and Dhyana Samadi are two different things Dhyana means climbing to a certain level of Defilement burn like climbing to a certain height or floor of  a building, when practiced well you can be in a dhyana even while you are doing some other thing such as walking or doing some day to day work. Samadhi is relaxing in the achieved level of tranquility like you climbed to a certain floor of a building and decided to stay and enjoy the view for a while. During Samadhi you loose your awareness you are so much in to it gradually you get disconnected from sensory perceptions. Therefore you can not do any other activity except sitting in meditative posture.        

Prathama Dhayana  -First level - You can achieve the first level using the above said process very quickly  you will experience all the above said  5 components of Dhyana Vithakka Vichara, Savithakaa Savichara, Preethi, Sukha, Aekagratha . The Aim is to reduce Vithakka Vichara and  have more Savithakaa Savichara or active thoughts  in mind about the Anichcha, Dukka, Anartha, as well as and Asswada , Addenawa and Nissarana concepts. Use your active thoughts to analyze your life experiences and test these concepts against it, checking whether these concepts are true or not according to your life experiences or others known to you like parents or friends experiences . More you analyze more you will start to see the truth of those, the more you see the truth of it, more you understand the reality and more you will begin to see the happiness of relinquishment  of  attachments such as Lust , Anger and Delution (Raaga, Dwasha, Mooha)  by doing that, more you cultivate unpoluted pure thoughts or the Prabhasvara Chiththa . Which will  bring out  abundance of  Preethi, Sukha,  and Aekagratha  (Happiness , comfort and concentration) and start to feel glowing, a kind of goose bumpy feeling, with tears filling the eyes, you will begin to get tiny glimpses of the  great peace and happiness in Nirvana and feel need for seepeedy liberation. As an aid for gaining active thoughts or Savithakaa Savichara you can use Karmasthana (Karma Displacements) I have translated two of those to English and use it in way that you understand  and think of the meaning of it. This is also called as practicing Vidarshana.

Daily Contemplating on the meaning of the following  2 Karma Displacement thought lines called "Karmasthanas" (Which I had translated in to English) as well as other Karmasthanas (there are many more to choose from. Karmasrhanas are THE SHORT SUMMARIES of  the understanding of dharma you need to think more  thoroughly like why it is so,  is it correct or wrong, can it be applicable to my life and my experiences etc, as just reciting  Karmasthanas like a parrot will not do) given in the following web site will be helpful in  speedy release from the bonds of lust, enmity and ignorance in the mind which keeps you bound in to the world.  Now, once the attention is improved, start the Vidarshana part of the Meditation. That is analysis.

Dwithiya Dhyana  - Second Level

You will achieve this level once all your Passive thoughts are gone they stopped appearing as a result of no feed is given by you to run those.  That itself is a big relief. What is now left is Savithakaa Savichara, Preethi, Sukha,  and Aekagratha You are feeling so much at ease, at one point you will think having active thoughts are also a burden and give up that too. That is the beginning of third level. (From now on this is not my own experience, this is what I learned and could be true.)

Threethiya Dhayana - Third Level

During third level, you give up active thoughts as a burden in order to experience Preethi, Sukha,  and Aekagratha(Happiness , comfort and concentration) by this time  feeling of your inner glowing is so intense  you will begin to see your light body. Some people who had experienced the light complained in a discussion recently that light came once and and was not able to gain it in later attempts. The answer priest gave was the  persons focus had changed from Mukha Nimittha to the light he saw. The purpose of Dhyana is to  further improve the experience of the tranquility and peace of Nirvana you glimpsed in the previous two steps ( hence Mukya Nimithha is Nirvana ) Once you change your focus from that or the Main Aim (Mukha Nimittha) to watching lights  the main focus is lost, with that, light also lost. So you need to ignore  these lights and keep your mind in the experiencing peace of Nirvana.

Chathurtha Dhayana - Fourth and final Level

You enter in to this level by giving up Preethi, Sukha, (Happiness and Comfort) you experienced  as  also a hindrance to the concentration. Thus what is  now left is concentration. During this level of concentration you can feel intense peace. While in  this level  if you want you can develop super human abilities such as seeing past lives, reading other peoples minds, seeing future, seeing other peoples lives, astral travel and seeing other planes of existences' ect. The technique of that the monk was very reluctant to reveal in public. Telling only that if you want to see your past life, while in Chathurtha Dhayana first focus on the furthest point in your childhood you can remember and from that point will and determine in your mind that you want to see beyond that and work further and further to the past. 

End of Up Date (Jan 2019) 

 

Analysis of what.. ? 

What is the most irresistible force this word… ? What makes the continuation of animal and plant life possible in the world..  which makes flowers bloom, Bees ..Humm.. birds sing and people fall in love  ?

It is the sex and the attraction to the physical body. Out of that, the attraction or love for own body  and self preservation instinct is the most intense. Therefore if you know the reality about your own body then the reality about every thing else in the world will be evident to you.

That is why Lord Buddha said .. In this six feet body I will show you the whole world as well as cessation of the world or the Nirvana. 

Thus the Vidarshana is all about the contemplation and analysis of, mainly the own body as well as the body of others.    

This is what you have to think and keep thinking with the now improved attention of the mind. This is called “Kaayanupassana” There are several ways to think. There are a number of different "Kaayas" or the bodies a person can contemplate on.  Any one way or all the ways are ok depending on what is easy for you. Own physical body is only a one type of Kaaya and the easiest one to grasp.

But remember this the only way and there is no other way to change your mind and disconnect from repetitive birth and death circle called “Samsara” and gain the liberation.

What you have to think and convince to your self is this:

This body of mine is the present result of previous life’s ignorance (Avidya) of not being able to seeing things as they really are (Avidya - not being able to  see and analyse in the line of  Indulgence(Ashwaada), Consequences of that indulgence( Aadeenawa) and by seeing  the adverse consequences of that indulgence , the relinquishment (Nissarana) or the  give up or abandonment  ) and  because of that Avidya ( or not seeing the consequences of indulgences and not being able to relinquish) I created  desires (Trushna), which resulted in intense sense of ownership and  attachments (Upadana) and karmas (Good and bad points or merits) while living in the imaginary world of reality I built around me (Bhawa) as a result of these previous causes, I could not see the reality of   the things in the light of Anichcha (Anichcha = Un + Ichcha = Does not stay or behave as desired = constantly changing or dynamic) or the  impermanence ***  of the things I thought which are mine and even at my moment of death I could not leave those behind.

Added on 28/12/2020.

These are very important sermons currently available with English subtitles explaining: What is the ideal way to achieve Nibbāna without delay, while attending to the day-to-day activities of lay life?

Question: Since we have no idea as to when this human life will be over, we need to make progress on the Noble path in this life as quickly as possible. But we are lay people with other responsibilities too. Venerable Bhante, will you be kind enough to tell us the way?

Episode 01

නිවන් දකින හරිමග කුමක්ද ? What is the correct way to attain nibbana ? | With English Subtitles https://youtu.be/cIbUtTVZg3U

Episode 02

දුක්ඛ - දුක්ඛ , සංකාර දුක්ඛ, විපරිණාම දුක්ඛ  Explanation of the three kinds of suffering | With English Subtitles https://youtu.be/J5gOSX4WMhE

In case links are not working here is the transcript in pdf format

How to attain Nibbāna as a Buddhist layman - Part 1 Late Ven. Waharaka Abhayarathanalankara Thero

Waharaka-Thero-Discourse-The-Way-to-Nibbana.pdf

That is all you need to do.. and need to know…  

And again I will remind you that Buddha Said the following: “I promise you this, if some one practices this method given here that person depending on his intellectual ability , either minimum within 7 hours , or medium within 7 days or 7 months or else maximum within 7 years will be able to change his mind and attain the realization of Nirvana “ So is the power of these techniques. 

What next.. ?
 

Keep thinking in the above way at any time you can find a moment to spare. Not only  while you sit and  meditate which usually happen very rare in a practical busy world. But do it when you sit in a train or bus, when you drive to work, when go to sleep or when you eat.

After some time you will begin to get disappointed about,  first your body and subsequently the way the world is set up. Once you get disappointed, you will not get attached. Once the attachment is removed from the mind “ Nacha Kinchi Loke Upadiyathi” Or never creating attachments on any thing in the world , you are liberated.

Now you will understand that, Why..Buddhism teach us that your salvation should be made by yourself through your intellect without waiting for the help from any other force.. Because no one can change your mind except yourself !!!.

You will be free of all worldly bonds. Not even attached to your body. Of course you care about your body better than before in order to maintain, but not to be attached to it, by wrongly thinking this is me and mine. As you clearly begin to  see the difference between the me-consciousness (Vingnana or Naama) and the body  (Ruupa).

Once you removed at least the attachment to the body, (Ruupa) at a letter stage of spiritual enlightenment by using the other 3 remaining methods described in the “Sathipattana Suthra” called “Chittanupassana” “Vedananupassana” and “Dhammanupassana” which are the extensions of the “Kayanupassana” Method given above,  you will learn to remove the attachment to the me-consciousness too (Naama, or the soul conciousness) to become pure-consciousness (Arhath).

Just like the drop of water becoming the whole ocean you merge in to it to that all it is, was and to be. Become one with it . By loosing your identity of self and merging with all  knowing all penetrating existence that is deathless, birth less, suffering less, formless, shapeless, omnipresent, attribute less, and quality less, ever present, pure loving blissful beyond all perceptions manifestation of universe where all Buddhas and Arhaths told that ultimate happiness, peace and bliss is.  

Finally I suggest,  you to do a web search and read more about Sathi Pattana Suthra, Paticchcha Samuppada and Aarya ashtangika Maraga. As I talked and introduced all those Buddhist concepts  very simply in a manner a child could understand it within the context of this writing which, 99% of Buddhist never grasped due to the heavy weight way it is presented to them.  Buddhism is not heavy weight words. It is a practical way of living in this world.

May peace be upon this world !
May all beings are Happy and Well !!
May all beings are infinite boundless, beings of pure light, filled with love compassion and kindness for all other beings, with never occurring a slightest of thought of harming an other being !!!

10 "Ascension papers" ...A very enlightening book giving western view of same point   you can download it here for free

http://zingdad.com/images/downloads/the_ascension_papers_book_1_-_zingdad.pdf

Acknoledgement And Thanks

I wish to thank and convey my heart felt gratitude to Ven. Maaankadawala Suddhassna Maha Thero and the web master of Sudassana.org. For showing the correct path to me so I could understand these Profound Concepts. If not for them I would have been lost in Samsara. Though I have never seen Ven. Maaankadawala Suddhassna Maha Thero in Person. This write up is a result of 6 months of my listening to Maha Thero’s sermons From Dec, 2015 to May 2016 published in www.Sudassana.org.Since all those sermons are in Sinhala Language. I felt sorry and compassion for people like my son who being born and bread in Australia are not fortunate enough to know the Sinhala Language as proficiently as I do in order to grasp the subtle points and meanings in profound theories and concepts given above. 

P.S. 2018 July - during 2017 I came across the discourses of Ven. Walasmullee Abhaya Thero and listened to his  all 90 hours of season 8 discourse. Then I found his teacher Most Ven. Wharaka Abayarathanalankara Thero and  listened to the most of the 106 CD's of  his discourses in the following site. Currently I am listening to the English discourses of Ven. Bhanthe Vimalaramasi which I find also very good. Thus with an open mind and more knowledge I kept updating  the relevant  parts of this page to reflect the gained  and up to date knowledge. Therefore now this is not a one Buddhist teachers discourse in English this is mostly what I came to understand during the  during the period of time passed and believe this is the correct path a normal person can easily understand and follow.

I too as a person born in to a family whose father is a Christian and Mother is Buddhist, I never had a chance even to go to a Buddhist Sunday school to learn Buddhism. Hence there could be some short comings in this write up written within two days solely out of compassion and necessity as there are no English Translations of  these Sermons and some how this void has to be filled even as little as this. Hence if any short comings it is entirely my fault of not knowing how to explain better as I am just a ordinary person and a  parent of a child. 

Also I wish to thank  Ven. Meegahakubure Dhammagavsi Thero. The chief incumbent of Sydney Lankaramaya Temple for encouragement and Support.  As well as agreeing to proof read and write an preface. Without Ven. Meegahakubure Dhammagavsi Theros support  this Dharma Dana may not be possible.

The Gift of Dharma is the Highest Gift an any one can give “ Sabba Daanam Dhrma Daanam Jinathi).

Lakshman Abeykoon M. Sc. (Moscow University) Grad. Certificate. (Melbourne University) Graduate Diploma in Library & Information Services Management (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology - Australia)
 
Email : jyothirvidya@yahoo.com

  

 

 

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