The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

Part IV

THE WHEEL OR DHAMMA

PART IV

(Dilivered on the 8th waning of Thadingyut, 1324 B.E.)

For the past eight weeks we have been expounding on the Dhammacakka, dealing with definitions and explanations of the two extreme parts (practices), how the Blessed One had discarded these two extreme practicese and come upon the middle Path otherwise called the Noble Eightfold Path by means of which vision arose, insight arose in him: we have also explained how the Path leads to the calming of the defilements, and to the higher knowledge which gives penetrative insight into the four truths and to realization of Nibbana. We have given, too, comprehensive exposition on the Eightfold Path and how it may be developed. We shall now start considering the four noble truths which the Blessed One had penetrated into, by adopting the middle Path otherwise known as the noble Eightfold Path.

TRUTH OF SUFFERING -- DUKKHA SACCA

Idém kho pana. Bhikkhave, dukkham ariya-saccam:

jatipi dukkha. jarapi dukkhad vyddipi dukkho, maranampi

dukkham, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho. piyehi vippayogo

dukkho, yam piccham na labhati tampi dukkham, samkhittena

pancupGdanakkhanda dukkha.

This Pali passage which gives definition and enumeration of the Dukkha saccd, is quoted from the Dhammacakka:Sutta now in extant. The sentence 'vyGdipi dukkhd’ in this passage appears to be extraneous, not being found in the Pali definitions of Dukkha saccd provided in other suttas. At the same time, the words ‘soka parideva dukkha domanassupdyasGpi' which comes after'maranam pi dukkham' in other suttas are missing in the existing text of Dhammacakka Sutta. There exists this disagreement between Dhammacakka Sutta and other suttas in the definition of Dukkha saccé.

CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE DISPARITY

Sarattha Dipani, a sub-commentary on Vinaya has made the following critical remarks on the disparity of the sutta texts mentioned above; the sentence ‘vyadipi dukkha' does not appear in the detailed definition of Dukkha saccd given in the Vibhanga of Abhidhamma Pitaka. Accordingly, Visuddhi Magga in giving the comprehensive definition of dukkha sacc& does not include this sentence which exists only in the Dhammacakkapavattana sutta text A careful investigation should be made as to why this sentence appears only in Dhammacakka sutta and not in any other suttas”. It went on to state; "Again, in the comprehensive definition of Dukkha Sacca in the Vibhanga of Abhidhamma, the words soka parideva dukkha domanasupdyasa pin dukkha come immediately after "maranami dukkham. These words are missing in the Dhammacakka Sutta. Why it should be so should also be closely examined."

The author of the sub commentary did not seem too happy over these various definiticns in the texts. He did not therefore give any exposition on these words "vyadipi dukkha’ which are not present in other suttas and on which the commentary remained silent. We had taken up the suggestion made by the author of the sub commentary to conduct an enquiry into these differences and had made the following findings as to how these differences had come about.

It cannot but be that the Buddha had given consistent definition of Dukkha saccd in every discourse on the subject. We have come to the conclusion that the Theras, the Vinayabearers, who made a specialised study of Vinaya, not being equally weltversed in matters pertaining to Suttas and Abhidhamma, had caused the insertion of the words ‘vyGdipi dukkhd' and the deletion of the words 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupdyGsapi dukkha' in the Dhammacakka discourse in the Mahavagga Pali Text of the Vinaya Pitaka. Their version of the Dhammacakka thus appears in the Vinaya differently from the Sutta and Abhidhamma Pali Canons,

Our conclusion is based on the consideration that the commentanes on Sutta and Abhidhamma which give expositions on the short definition of Dukkha Saccé do not provide any explanatory note on vyddipi dukkha' but on ‘soka parideva dukkha domanassupdaydsa pi dukkha’ and on the fact that the comment aries nor the sub-commentaries made any mention of the differences in the Pah Texts.

~ The author of the sub-commentary 'S4rattha Dipani’ was a venerable thera who lived during the reign of King Prakkama Bahu between A.D 1153 and A.D, 1186. Counting back from B.E 1324, it was about seven hundred or eight hundred years ago. The commentators and the sub-commentators from the Venerable Buddhaghosa down to the Venerable Dhammapa lived about 1300 to 1600 years ago. These ancient commentatos and sub-commentators who wrote exegeses on the Dhammacakka sutta of Sacca Samyutta in the Samyutta Mahdvagga of Pali canons, did not make any mention of the disparity in the Texts. Their silence was simply because of the fact that the Dhammacakka sutta as it existed then was no different_from those given in the Pali Texts of other Suttas and Abhidhamma.

However, by the time the author of the sub-commentary Sarattha Dipani came upon the,,scene about 500 years later, the disagreement had cropped up between the various Pali texts which he duly discovered. He therefore strongly urged for a critical examination and close investigation of the cause of variance in the texts.

Were we to take that the Buddha gave at the very first discourse a definition of Dukkha Sacca differing from other versions, it would amount to holding the view that the Buddha started off at the first discourse with one definition of dukkha, then changing it later to a different version. This kind of view would be highly improper. A proper method of consideration would be that the Buddha. whose knowledge of all things is un-impeded ‘being blessed with sabbannuta nana, had given the same definition consistently throughout, but that later on, Vinaya-bearers, owing to defective

intelligence and memory, had caused these discrepancies to creep into the texts in the course of handing them down from generation to generation. Instances of textual discrepancies are well known in modem times. The commentary and sub-commentary texts are found to vary from country to country. It is obvious that such disagreements were not present in the original texts, but developed only in the later periods.

After careful scrutiny as set out above, we have come to the conclusion that other texts are accurate and that the Dhammacakka sutta, now in extent, has, in its section in the definition of Dukkha saccG, supplemental words of "vyadhi pi dukkho” while the words "soka parideva dukkha domanassupdydsa pi dukka" are missing. Our conclusion is also based on the consideration that 'vyadi-illness’ is comprised in the word dukkha of the larger sentence of 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupaydsa pi dukkha’, whereas ‘soka’ etc. are not embraced by the term '‘wddi’.

We therefore believe that the texts bearing 'soka parideva dukkha domanassupayasa pi dukkha' without the words 'vyadhi pi dukkho’ are accurate and in accord with the Canonical teachings of the Buddha. We have engaged in the above scrutiny of the varying texts, as we intend to use in our discourse the following version which we believe to be accurate.

ACCURATE PALI TEXT ON DEFINITION OF DUKKHA SACCA

Idam kho pana, Bhikkhave, dukkham, ariyasaccahm. jatipi dukkhda, jarapi dukkhd maranampi dukkham, soka parideva dukkha domanassupayasapi dukkha, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, pivehi vippayogo dukkho. Yampiccam na labhati, tampi dukkham Samkhitte na pancupaddnakkhanda dukkha.

"Bhikkhus, what I am going to teach presently is the Noble Truth of suffering or the real suffermg which the Ariyas should know. The new becoming (birth) is also suffering; getting old (ageing) is also suffering; death is also suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are also suffering; association or connec-

tion with unloveable person or objects or hateful person and objects is also suffering; separation from lov able person and objects or the loved person and objects is also suffering: desiring to get and not getting it, that desire or craving is also suffering (Commentary on Sutta Mahava); or altematively, desiring to get and not getting what one wants is also suffering (Vibhanga Sub-commentary). In short, the five aggregates which form the object of attachment or the group of ndma-rupa which clings to the notion of I, mine, permanence, satisfactoriness (sukha), self are, indeed, suffering."

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

Many systems of religious beliefs exist in the world, each expounding its own view of what it considers to be the essence of Truth. The teachings in other systems of religions are not based on personal realization of Truth, but merely on speculative thinking. Their followers accept such teachings not through personal experience either, but only on faith. All such teachings which fall outside of Buddhism are comprised in sixty-two kind of wrong beliefs enumerated in the Brahmajala sutta by the Blessed One. ©

But speculation has no place in Buddha's Teachings. The Truth he taught was discovered by himself through his own insight. The Four Noble Truths he taught with their definition had been gained through his superior penetrative insight, developed by following the Middle path otherwise called the Noble Eightfold Path, (which, as stated above, leads to higher knowledge producing penetrative Insight). These Four Noble Truths are:

1. Dukkha sacca ..The Truth of suffering.

2. Samudaya sacca ...The Truth of the ongin of suffering.

3. Nirodha sacca ... The Truth of the cessation of suffer-

ing.

4. Magga sacca ... The Truth of the Path or Way lead-

ing to the cessation of suffering.

It is most essential to know these Four Truths. Only with the apprehension of the Truth of Suffering, suffering may be avoided for which the cause of suffering must also be known. Again, in

order to achieve cessation of suffering, there must be knowledge of what constitutes real cessation of suffering. Finally, the extinction of suffering cannot be brought about without knowledge of the practicai way of accomplishing it. Hence knowledge of the Four Truths is indispensable.

Having come upon these four essential Truths, the Buddha enumerated them in their sequence. The first Truth dealt with was the Truth of suffering, which he described as: 1. New becoming (Re-birth) 2. Getting old (Old age) 3. Death 4. Sorrow 5. Lamentation 6. Physical Pain 7. Grief 8. Despair 9. Association with hateful ones 10. Separation from the loved ones 11. Not getting what one wants 12. In brief, the five groups of grasping (clinging) This is the translation of the Pali passage quoted above.

(1)JATI DUKKHA ... SUFFERING OF NEW BECOMING (RE-BIRTH)

By new becoming (re-birth) is meant the dissolution of nama, rupa at the last moment in the last existence and after death. the first moment of genesis of new ndma; rupa in the new existence as conditioned by kamma. This first genesis serving as a connecting link with the past life is termed lmking conception, patisandhe, initial formation of fresh ndma and rupa. If this formation takes place in a mother's womb, we have womb conception, gabbhaseyaka patisandhe, which may be of two types: Oviparous, andhaja patisandhe, when the conception takes place in an egg-shell in the womb and viviparous, jalabu ja patisandhe, when the embryo freely develops in the womb till birth takes place.

Womb conception, according to Buddhist scnptures, has its origin in the semen and blood of the parents. Westem medical science holds the view that conception results from the union of father's sperm and mother’s ovum. The two views may be reconciled by taking that father’s sperm and mother's blood are involved in a conception. This union of sperm and blood of parents, leading to the formation of resultant new nama and rupa, constitutes what is known as re-birth which may take place either in states of woe

(apa@ya) or in the human world as conditioned by past akusala kamma or kusala kamma respectively.

Conception in moisture-laden media such as moss etc. (sanseda ja), represents the coming into existence of some larvac etc. Beings not visible by himan eyes such as deities, demons, ghosts and denizens of the woeful states assume spontaneous rebirth or autogenesis known as opapdtika conception, with knowing mind and physical body completely developed.

In all these four types of conception, the first moment of conceiving or genesis definitely constitutes jdti, beginning of new existence. No suffering or pain as such exists, ofcourse, at the first moment of genesis, but since this first arising or origination of life serves as a basis for later appearance of physical pain and mental suffering throughout the whole of the ensuing existence, jati is termed ‘Suffering’. It is like putting one's signature on a document as a guarantor of some questionable transactions. There is no trouble, of course, at the time of signing the instrument of the transactions, but as it is certain to give rise to later complications, the act of singing the document amounts to involvement in dreadful trouble or in other words ‘Suffering’.

For further elucidation, Suffermg may be classified under seven categories:

1. Dukkha.dukkha

2. Viparindma dukkha

3. Sankhdra dukkha -- These three forming one group

4. Paticchanna dukkha

5. Apaticchanna dukkha -- These two forming another

group.

6. Pariydya dukkha

7. Nippariydya dukkha -- These two forming the third

group.

Of these seven types, bodily pains, aches and discomforts are a form of suffering Just as worry, misery, unhappiness and sadness constitute another form. The two forms combined together

make the first type of suffering -- Dukkha-dukkha. Its nature is suffering, its name is suffering: hence it is dukkha-dukkha dreaded by every sentient being.

1. Mnemonic note : unendurable physical und mental suf-

fermg is dukkha-dukkha.

VIPARINAMA DUKKHA

Pleasurable physical sensations arising from agreeable tactile impressions known as Kaya sukha; joyful state of mind arising from reviewing pleasant sense-objects known as Cetasika Sukha; these two forms of happy states please every one, every creature All beings go after these two happy states day and night, even nsk their lives and when these are attained, their happiness knows no bound. Nevertheless, while they are rejoicing with blissful contentment, if the sense-objects which have given them such intense delight and enjoyment disappear or get destroyed, great would be their agitation followed by intense distress. ~

When the wealth they have accumulated in the form of gola. money or property suddenly get lost through one reason or the other; when death or sepaiation comes to one's beloved member of the Family, spouse or children, intense grief and distress ensue, which may even cause mental derangement. Thus these two forms of happiness, kdya sukha and cetasika sukha, are also a type of suffering known as viparindma dukkha, suffering because of change. While they last, they may appear very enjoyable, only to be replaced by extreme grief and despair when they vanish. Hence they are dukkha all the same.

2. Mnemonic note : Happiness arising from physical comfort

and mental joy is called viparinéma dukkha.

Th SANKHARA DUKKHA

The ordinary every day scene which one sees, hears or comes into contact with, indifferent sense-objects, inspire neither a feeling of pleasure or well-being nor of pain or unpleasantness. This