The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

Part III

THE WHEEL OF DHAMMA

PART III

(Dilivered on the Full Moon day of Thadingyut, 1324 B.E.)

Today is the Full Moon day of Thadingyut, 1324, B.E. Buddhist monks have observed Vassa (the rains retreat) for three months since the first day after the Full Moon of Waso. Today is the last day of the three months retreat. During the Vassa period of three months, monks are enjoined not to make overnight journeys except for special reasons approved by the Buddha. They can leave their residence up to seven days for such special reasons. At the termination of tonight, starting from early dawn of tomorrow, Vassa period of three months comes to an end. Monks can henceforth, move about freely for ovemight journeys.

PAVARANA

Accordingly, monks who have business to attend to elsewhere are leaving the residence tomorrow. On the eve of their departure, that is, this evening, they have to perform the Pavarana service. It is a ceremony m which a monk imvites (requests) criticism from his brethren in respect of what has been seen, heard or suspected about his conduct. There may be lapses or faults which one may not be aware of oneself but are noticed by others. If any “fault or error has been committed unwittingly, the other monks of the Assembly can point it out now and suitable corrective measures can thus be taken. Making necessary amends in consequence of criticisms constitutes observance of discipline leading to purification of conduct or sila, (Sila Visuddhi). Only when_purification of sila is assured, one starts practising meditation for the attainment of purification of mind (Citta Visuddhi) and purification of view (Ditthi Visuddhi).

This practice of inviting criticisms (Pavdrand) is highly conducive to maintenence of purity in Buddha's Dispensations (Buddha Sdsand) and to high spiritual attainments such as Jhdna and Magga Phala. It is for this reason that the Buddha had laid down this code of discipline, requiring formal invitation to the Sangha for criticism when there are five Bhikkhus in residence on the Full Moon day of Thadingyut, or to one another if there are less than five Bhikkhus. This is a code of Discipline which a Bhikkhu of good faith should pay great heed to and in conformity with it should eamestly invite criticism concerning one's conduct and begaviour. If any criticism is forthcoming, it should be warmly welcome in the spirit in which it is given and necessary atonements should be made accordingly.

It is just like being pointed out a smudge or stain on one's face by a friend when one is about to leave for a social function or a public gathering. The friendly intimation is received with appreciation and the smudge on the face is removed in time to avoid derision and snigger in public. One is thankful to the friend for having the kindness to point out the stain on one's face. Likewise, the Bhikkhu should welcome with gratitude any fault of his being pointed out by the brethren and attend to its removal. This practice is essential for maintenence of purity in the Buddha's Teaching. Not just following the ‘radition as a mere formality but: with truly sincere wish to eradicate one’s won fault and short-comings, the Bhikkhu should invite criticisms from his brethren and welcome them. At the same time he should also offer in tum criticisms to other Bhikkhus if he happens to see any faults in them. By thus pointing out each other's faults and making sincere efforts to remove them, the holy life can be maintained in a state of faultless purity. That was the reason behind the Buddha's laying down of this code of discipline for the Bhikkhus.

Today fifty Bhikkhus who have resided together during the vassa period have assembled in the Hall to make formal requests to the Sangha for criticism. Each Sangha has participated in this

Pavarana service which has taken nearly an hour. We have come here straight from the Sangha Assembly to continue on the Discourse held last week

ELABORATION ON THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Last week we dealt with only the headings of the Middle Path otherwise called the Eightfold Path. We shall now elaborate on them.

1. Sammd Ditthi . Right View

2. Sammd Sankappa_ - Right Thought

3. Samma Vaca - Right Speech

4. Samma@ Kammanta - Right Action

5. Samma Ajjva - Right Liverlihood

6. Samma Vayama - Right Effort

“7. Sammda Sati - Right Mindfulness

8. Samma@ Samadhi - Right Concentration

The Eightfold Path can be summarised under three groups, namely, sila, samadhi and panna. Right speech, Right action and Right livelihood form the Sila group or Magga. By practising Right speech, Right action and Right livelihood, sila magga is established. Samadhi magga is made up of Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. By practismg them samadhi magga is estab~ lished. Right view and Right thoughts belong to Pannd magga. Developing Right View and Right Thoughts leads one to Vipassana panna (Knowledge of Insight), Magga pannd and Phala Pannd (Knowledge pertaining to Transcendental path and Fruition), that is, wisdom pertainmg to both mundane and supra-mundane levels. We shall describe each of these maggas in detail, emphasising practicel aspects.

THE PATH OF RIGHT SPEECH

What, Bhikkhus, is Right speech ? It is avoidance of telling lies, avoidance of slandering, avoidance of harsh, abusive language, avoidance of frivolous talk or useless chatter. Bhikkhus, avoidance of these four evil speeches is called the Right Speech.

In this definition given by the Buddha, abstinence or avoidance constitites the Right speech. Thus, it should be noted that, even when occasion arises for one to utter false speech, slander, abuse or useless chatter, if one restrains oneself from doing so, one is then establishing the practice of Right Speech. In reality, Right Speech is Samavaca Virati, one of the 52 kinds of cetasika (Mental concomittants), a member of the class of Abstinences. But when one refrains from false speech etc., one will be engaged only in talks which are truthful, gentle and beneficial and which promote harmony. The essential point here is that abstinence from false speech etc, amounts to doing good deed of observing the Silas. One who takes the vow of refraining from, false speech in observance of the five, eight or ten precepts has to refrain at the same time from three evil vocal acts of slandering, abusing and idle talks too.

In addition, whenever one sees, hears, smells, touches or thinks, if one realizes by contemplation the real nature of impermanence, suffering and insubstantiality concerning these sense-objects, no defilements can anse which would cause utterance of wrong speech. This amounts to temporary putting away of anusaya kilesad (latent defilements) including wrong speech by means of Vipassana.

As the knowledge of Insight, Vipassana-ndna, gets fully developed, Nibbana is realized through Ariva Magga nana, knowledge pertaining to Noble Transcendental Path. When that happens, wrong speech will have been completely put away by virtue of sammdavaca virati of the Transcendent.1 Path. Visuddhi Magga Commentary, therefore, states that Sotadpatti Magga, the First Parth, dispels false speech, Andga@mi Magga, the Third Path, dispels slandering and abusive language. Here by speech or language is meant volition, (although it is possible to utter harsh language unaccompanied by volition), Arahatta magga, the Fourth Path, dispels frivolous talks or useless chatter. (It should be understood here, however, that all kinds of lying, slandering and abusive language which would have caused rebirths in realms of misery (apayagamaniya pisu, pharu, sampha) have already been got rid of

by the First Path). The Path of right speech (sammdvadca magga) has therefore, to be followed until all the Four Transcendental Paths have completely established. To summarise: (a) To utter false speech, slander, abuse and useless chatter is indulgence in wrong speech. (b) Avoidance of wrong speech is right speech.

THE PATH OF RIGHT ACTION

What, Bhikkhus, is Right Action? It is the avoidance of killing, avoidance of stealing, and avoidance of unlawful sexual intercourse. Bhikkhus, avoidance of the said three evil physical deeds is the Right Action. Here too, in the definition of Right Action given by the ‘Buddha, avoidance of the three evil physical acts constitutes the Right Action. Thus even when occasion arises for one to commit killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, if one restrains oneself from committing them, one is establishing the practice of Right Action. For example, just scaring away and not killing the mosquito that is biting you amounts to Right Action. Similarly it should be understood with regard to avoidance of stealing or avoidance of sexual misconduct.

An explanation is needed here as to what constitutes unlawful sexual intercourse. There are twenty kinds of females with whom no male person should have sexual mtercourse. Any male who has sexual intercourse with such persons as are under the protection of father, mother, brothers, sisters, relatives, clan elders, and colleagues in meditation or a marned woman or a betrothed girl, commits the evil deed of sexual misconduct. A married woman or a betrothed girl, having sexual relation with another man also commits this evil deed. Avoidance of such evil deeds is Right Action. To summarise: (a) Killing, stealing and sexual misconduct are wrong Actions. (b) Avoidance of these evil deeds is Right Action.

The Path of Right Action should be developed by observance of the moral precepts. It should be developed too by practising Vipassana until the four Arya Maggas (Transcendental Paths) have been completely established.

THE PATH OF RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

Committing three evil acts by deeds and four evil acts by words in order to eam a living constitutes Wrong Livelihood. Avoidance of these evil deeds in eaming one's livelihood means following the Path of Right Livelihood.

"What, Bhikkhus, is Right Livelihood? In this teaching, the noble disciple avoiding a wrong way -of living, gets his livelihood by a right way of living. This is called Right Livelihood."

Wrong livelihood is eaming one's living through unlawful, unwholesome means such as killing and stealing. The three evil acts by deeds and four evil acts by words amnount only to wrong action (Micchaé kammanta) and wrong speech (Micchd vaca) when they have no connection with eaming one's livelihood. They do not form Wrong Livelihood. Thus, for instance, killing flies, mosquitoes, insects, snakes or an enemy through anger or hatred amounts to an evil act of deeds, a wrong action, but not Wrong Livelihood. Killing animals such as poultry, pigs, goats, or fish for the market or for one's own table definitely constitutes Wrong Livelihood.

In general stealing and robbery are motivated by economic reasons. These will therefore be classed as wrong livelihood. When, however, the reason is not economic but revenge or habit, these deeds constitute merely wrong action. Illicit sexual intercourse usually has nothing to do with eaming a livelihood, but seduction of women and ruining them purposely for employment in carnal trade are, of course, Wrong Livelihood.

Lying.is just wrong Speech when not motivated by economic reason; but when falsehood is employed in commercial transactions or in law’ courts to promote business, it amounts to Wrong Livelihood. Similarly slandering, devoid of economic interest, is Wrong Speech. But nowadays false charges or denunciatory remarks are common methods employed to bring discredit to the rival party and as they are mostly concemed with business, they may be regarded as Wrong Livelihood. Harsh speech or abusive language is rarely employed in business transactions and is therefore

usually just Wrong Speech. Modem novels, fictions, stories, plays and dramas, cinemas may all be regarded mostly as means of Wrong Livelihood.Such wrong ways of eaming livelihood (by means of killing, stealing and lying) are deeds which are bereft of moral principles maintained by upright people.

SEEKING WEALTH THROUGH UNLAWFUL MEANS IS

WRONG LIVELIHOOD

One who observes the five precepts has to avoid the above seven evil ways of eaming a livelihood. In the Ajivatthamaka Sila, avoidance of wrong livelihood is included as one of the factors of the eight precepts. Thus avoiding the wrong means of livelihood and eaming one's livelihood in accordance with the moral principles of upright people constitutes nght livelihood. SEEKING WEALTH IN CONSONANCE WITH MORAL

LAW IS RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

Here again, just like sammdvadcG and sammd kammanta, right livelihood, sammd Gjiva is also a practice of avoidance, virati cetasika. Therefore, avoidance of wrong livelihood only is to be regarded as right livelihood. Right livelihood should be developed by observance of precepts. It should be developed too by Vipassana meditation until virati factor of the path is fulfilled. For further elaboration on night livelihood, reference may be made to our discourse on Sallekha Sutta, vol. IL.

These three factors mght speech, mght action and right livelihood belong to the sila group of the eightfold noble path. We shall now proceed to discuss the constituents of the samadhi group.

THE PATH OF RIGHT EFFORT

What, Bhikkhus, is right effort? Here, in this teaching, a Bhikkhu incites his will for the non-arising of the evil, unwholesome things that have not yet arisen and he makes effort, puts forth his energy, exerts his mind and perseveres. He incites his will to abandon, overcome the evil, unwholesome things that have already arisen and he makes effort, puts forth his energy, exerts his mind

and perseveres. He incites his will for the arising of wholesome, profitable things that have not yet arisen and he makes effort, puts forth his energy, exerts his mind and perseveres. Further, he incites his will to maintain the wholesome, profitable things that have already arisen and not to let them go out of his memory but to bring them to growth, to maturity and to the full perfection of development (bhdvand) and he makes effort, puts forth his energy, exerts his mind and perseveres. Such endeavour is called the nght effort, as explained in detail by the Blessed One himself.

What it means is this: (1) Effort to prevent unarisen unwholesome things from arising. Whenever one notices, hears or sees evil acts of killing, stealing, lying being done by others, one must strive hard to put oneself above these unwholesome acts. It is just like trying to safeguard oneself against contagious diseases such as influenza etc., in times of their epidemics.

(2) Effort to dispel, to overcome the evil, unwholesome things that have already arisen. These unwholesome things are of two kinds: (a) Vitakkama akusala, responsible for evil deeds or words such as killing, stealing or lying which one may have already committed and pariyutthdna akusala, which gives rise to thoughts of lust and sensuous desires. (b) Anusaya akusala, which has not yet actually arisen but, lymg dormant, will arise as and when opportunity offer.

Of these two kinds vitakkama akusala is dispelled or put away by sila training: Meticulous observance of silas automatically puts away the evil deeds and words arising out of vitakkama akusala. Evil thoughts of lusts and desires belonging to pariyutthdna akusala are dispelled by samatha vipassana, concentration and insight meditation.

Anusaya akusala may. be momentarily put away by vipassana, insight meditation. Anusaya defilements can be entirely got rid off, rooted out, only when ariya maggandna, knowledge pertaining to the noble path, is attained; it is with this view of completely uprooting this anusaya defilement, that vipassand meditation should be practised. This point is subtle and deep and can be