The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

neutral, medial condition which by its nature is neither painful nor pleasurable is termed equanimous feeling, upekkhd vedand. This neutral equanimity does not, however, exist permanently. It needs constant maintenence of necessary conditions for continuity of this medial state. This implies laborious effort which, of course, is dukkha. Hence this equanimous feeling, neither painful nor pleasurable, is termed sankhdra dukkha. \n addition to this equanimous feeling, all the other formations of ndma and rupa of the mundane sphere are also called sankhdra dukkha as they need constant conditioning.

3. Mnemonic note : Equanimous feeling and ndma, rupa

formations of mundane sphere are

called sankhadra dukkha.

Feeling of happiness also requires constant conditioning for its maintenence and as such should be classified as sankhkhdra dukkha, but the commentators left it out of this classificaton as it had been given a separate name as viparindma dukkha. Nevertheless. it should be regarded as sankhara dukkha too since it is very plam that considerable application is needed for its mamtenence.

The three types of dukkha explained above should be well understood as a complete grasp of these types will help in understanding the Truth of suffering.

4. Physical ailments such as ear-ache, tooth-ache, head-ache, flatulence etc. and mental afflictions ansing out of unfulfilled desire, buming rage, disappomtments, miseries and worries are called ‘concealed suffering’, Paticchanna dukk!.a, because they are known only to the suffering individual and become known to others only when intimated by them. As such suffering 1s not poenly evident, it is also called 'un-evident, non-apparent suffering’, Apdkata dukkha.

5. Physical affliction such as from sword cuts, spear thrusts or bullet wounds is not hidden but quite apparent and openly evident. It is called, therefore, ‘exposed suffering; Apaticchanna dukkha’ or ‘evident suffermg’, Pakata dukkha. Dukkha.

6. All formations of rupa and ndma which can give rise to phuysical and mental afflictions are not in essence suffering but as they are the basis of suffering of one form or another, they are known as pariydya dukkha, quite dreadful in view of the suffering which will surely arise from them. As in the examplé just given, it is dreadful like giving one's guarantee to a transaction by signing a bond for which recompensation has to be made later.

7. The dukkha-dukkha type of suffering is intrinsic. There is no beating about the bush as to its action, and is, therefore, known as ‘direct suffering’ nippariydya dukkha.

Of these seven types of dukkha, jati or taking birth in a new existence comes under pariyaya dukkha according to th above classification. All kinds of suffering in hell such as subjection to millions of years of incineration by hell-fires, tortures by the hellkeepers, arise because of birth in hell as a consequence of past akusala kamma. All kinds of suffering in the realm of petas such as starvation, scorching fires for millions and millions of years arise because of birth in that realm as a consequence of akusala kamma. Hardships and troubles in the animal kingdom suffered by such animals as cattle, elephant, horse, dog, pig, chicken, bird, goat. sheep, insects etc., arise because they happen to take birth in animal existence.

Human misery characterised by scarcity of essentials for living such as food, clothing etc. is brought about by the fact of taking birht in the human existence. Even when well provided to: as in the case of affluent people, there isno escape from suffering, inflicted on them in the form of physical and mental distress due to illness and disease or unfulfilled desire, fear of oppression by the enemies, ageing, etc. All these miseries come about because of jati in the human world. Being, thus, the foundation for all the sufferings that ensue throughout the whole span of life, taking birth in a particular existence, jati, is regarded as dukkha.

MISERY IN A MOTHER'S WOMB

, When one takes conception in a mother’s womb, one comes into being in the disgusting womb which is situated in between the stomach, filled with indigested food, and the rectum, the receptacle for excreta, faeces and urine, depending for one's body substance on the parent's sperm and blood, very loathesome indeed! The very thought of having to stay in the filthy mass of the sperm and blood is revolting and nauseating. And there is no knowing whether one has descended into a human womb or the womb of a cow or a dog.

A dhamma teaching thera of 20 or 30 years ago used to recite a verse 'Dhamma cradle, Emerald cradle’ in the course of his sermons. The verse gave adescripton of various kinds of cradles ranging from emerald-studded golden cradles for royal infants to the miserable wicker baskets of poverty stricken families. In one stanza of the verse was the querry, ‘Ageing is gradually creeping. For which cradle are you heading ” This question is quite apt since after ageing comes finally death. And if craving, tanhd, still remains, death will inevitably be followed by re-birth in a new existence. Even if one is rebom in thehuman plane, one is bound to start life in one cradle or another. The question is 'Which kind of cradle" emerald studded golden cradle awaits those with abundance of wholesome kammas; while those burdened with unwholesome kammas will head straight for a wicker basket in a wretched home. The verse was an exhortation urging people to do meritorious deeds for assurance of a high class cradle in their next existence.

We would also urge you now just to ponder a while on the question of which mother’s womb you are destined to. And to become minddul of the dreadful suffering attendant upon birth and work for ‘cessation of cycle of re-births. Even if one cannot strive for complete liberation yet, at least to endeavour for security against lowly destinations.

What we have described now is how one is faced with dreadful suffering of re-birth from the moment of descent into the mothers womb. thenm during the period of gestation for 9 or 10

months, other sufferings follow. When the mother suddenly moves, sits down or stands up, the extreme suffering one undergoes is like a kid being whirled round by a drunkard or a young snake's fallen into the hands of a snake-charmer. The young creature in the womb of a modem mother, much given to athletic exercises, is likely to be subjected to more intense sufferings. When the mother happens to drink something cold or swallow’ anything hot or acid, his suffering becomes a real torture.

SUFFERING AT BIRTH

In addition, it is said that obstetric pains of a mother at child -birth could be so excruciating as to prove even fatal; the child's agony could be no less and could prove fatal too. The pain, that arises after birht when his delicate body is taken in by rough hands, washed and rubbed with rough clothes, is like scrapping the sore spots of a very tender wound. The pains described so far relate to suffering, gone through from the moment of conception to the time of birth.

SUFFERING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE LIFE

Thereafter, there will, of course, be distresses and discomforts such as stiffness, heat, cold, itchiness while he is still too young to alleviate them himself by changing of postures through moving, shaking, sitting or standing. Innumerable difficulties are bound to follow when he grows up and comes face to face with the problems of eaming a livelihood. He will become. subjected to maltreatments and oppressions by others, disease and illnesses

One goes through all these sufferings simply because one happens to take a new existence. Accordingly, jati, re-birth, being the foundation of all the miseries of the whole existence, is defined as dukkha by the Buddha. A careful consideration will confirm the accuracy of this definition. Re-birth is really dreadful hke signing a document which later will give rise to complications. Thus jdati is dukkha because of its dreadfulness. To summarise, the physical and

mental afflictions are occasioned (arise) because of jdti in each existence. Only when there is no more re-birth will there be total release from these inflictions. Thus the Blessed One had taught that the very ongination of new existence, jdfti, is suffering.

Mnemonic hotes:

1. Dukkha is met with in every existence.

2. No jati, no dukkha.

3. Therefore originations of new existence, jati, is dukkhd.

2. SUFFERING BECAUSE OF AGEING --JARA DUKKHA,

Ageing means becoming grey-haired, toothless, wrinkled, bent, deaf and poor in eyesight, in other words, decay which has set in, very recognizably, in the aggregates of ndma and rupa of a particular existence. But the ageing of the ndma components of the body is not so apparent; indications of it such as failing memory and dotage become noticeable only when one very old and then only to close associates.

The physical ageing goes on all throughout life quite unmistakeably, but becomes very noticeable only when one is getting fairly old and no longer youthful. The under-ten has not the same body as the above-ten. There is continuous change in physical appearance. The above-twenties and thirties assume an appearance quite different from that of the younger days. These changes are indications of the agemg that is taking place. But here, by ageing, jard, we mean decaying in the sense of getting grey-gaired etc. which are clearly discemable.

Jard (ageing) is concemed with just the static moment (thiti) of the aggregates of ndma and rupa and has no éssence of pain or suffering as it is: But because of ageing, there occurs failing of vital force in the whole system of the body, impairment: of eyesight, and hearing, wearing out of the sense of smell and taste, undermining of physical strength, growing unattractiveness, vanishing of youthfulness, loss of memory and intellectual power, disrespect and contempt on the part of the young people (being ad-

dressed as old foggy, grand sire, granny etc.), treatment as a drag on the society. Such disabilities, of course, give rise to physical. and mental suffering. Since it forms the source of physical and mental sufferiug, the Buddha had said that jard, ageing is fearful dukkha. People are really afraid of old age. They are for ever seeking means and ways of stemming the advent of old age. But all in vain. With ‘grey hairs and falling teeth etc., decay sets in inexorably. That ageing is such a dreadful dukkha is so plain:that we need make no further elaboration on it.

3. DEATH AS SUFFERING -- MARANA DUKKHA

Death means the extinction of jivita ndma, rupa, or the life principle, which has been in ceaseless opereation since the time of conception as conditioned by individual kamma in a particular existence. Referring to this, the Buddha had said, "sabbe bhdayanti maccuno", all mortals are in constant fear of death. Death as conditioned by birth, death by violence, death by natural causes, death from termination of the life-span, death from exhaustion of wholesome kammic results are all synonymous terms descnbing the same phenemenon of extinction of the life principle, jivita ndma, rupa.

Death means just the moment of dissolution of the jivita nama, rupa and is not by itself pain nor distress. However, when death comes, one has to abandon the physical body and leave behind one's dear and near ones, relatives and friends together with all of one's own properties. The thought of leaving the present existence is very frightening and every mortal is seized with fear of death. Uncertainty as to which existence one is bound to after death causes great fright too. Because of its fearsome, dreadful nature, the Buddha had described death as dukkha.

According to the commentary, wicked men burdened with unwholesome past, see on their death-bed, the evil deeds they had done or signs of their foul deeds or signs of the apdya state in which they are doomed to take, re-birth, all of which giving them intense mental angush. Good men with accurr ilations of wholesome

kammas suffer too as they dwell on the approaching death, because they cannot bear to part from all that they hold dear, beloved ones and properties.

As death draws near, all mortal beings are subjected to severe attacks of disease and illness which rack the body with unbearable pains. Death being the basis of all such physical and mental pains, has thus been named dukkha by the Blessed One.

4. SORROW AS SUFFERING -- SOKA DUKKHA

Soka, sorrow is the worrying and the state of being alarmed in one affected by loss of relatives, etc. 1. When loss occurs of relatives through burglary, robbery, insurgency, epidemics, fire, flood or storm, the misfortune is termed Ndtivyasana; 2. When destruction of property or possessions is occasioned by King’s action (government), theft or fire disaster, it is known as bhogavyasana; 3. Deterioration in health and longevity brought about by pemicious illness or disease is called rogavyasana; 4. Lapses in morality is silavyasana and 5. Deviation from the Right View to the Wrong View is ditthivyasana.

Sorrow with intense worry and alarm is felt especially when one is bereaved of loved ones such as husband, wife, sons and daughters, brothers, sisters etc., or when disastrous economic misfortune befalls one. This soka, sorrow is strictly speaking domanassa vedand, a displeasurable feeling and as such is intrinsic suffering dukkha-dukkha. Overwhelming distress occasioned by sorrow is liable to cause pyrosis or heartbum which may contribute to premature ageing and even death. Bemg thus a basis for other physical pains, too, soka is fearsome and is therefore named dukkha by the Blessed One.

Every one is i fear of sorrow. Capitalizing on this fear, many books have been written on the subject of ‘freedom from sorrow’. But the real freefom from sorrow may be achieved only through practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. By developing the Four Foundations of mindfulness complete freedom

from sorrow can be enjoyed as exemplified by the minister Santati and Patasara theri. At present times, too, distressed persons, some having lost husbands or others troubled by business failures, have come to our meditation Centre to practise the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Day by day their sorrow gets diminished gradually and finally there comes to them complete freedom from sorrow.

5. LAMENTATION AS SUFFERING -- PARIDEVA DUKKHA Lamentation is the material quality of sound produced by wailing on the part of one affected by loss of relatives or property. Absentmindedly and hysterically the distressed one clamours, proclaiming the virtues of the dead and the quality of the lost property or denouncing the enemy or agency responsible for his disaster.

In the abstract sense, lamentation is the material quality of sound and therefore not suffering in essence. But such wiling and hysterical proclammations produce physical discomfort and pain. The Buddha had, therefore, declared parideva, lamentation, as dukkha. To cry is to be subjected to pain which is, therefore, suffering or dukkha in Pali.

6. PHYSICAL PAIN - - DUKKHA

Physical discomforts in the body such as stiffness, feeling hot, acheing, tiredness, itchiness are suffering. These physical pains are true intrinsic suffering called dukkha-dukkha, which every one knows and is afraid of. Even animals such as dogs, pigs, fowls or birds run away to safety at the slightest hint of getting beaten or shot at because they too are afraid of physical pain. That physical pain is suffering needs no elaboration. It is important to know that vyadhi, sickness or disease, comes under this category of dukkha, physical pain. Physical pain is generally followed by mental distress and for thus serving as a cause of mental pain too, it is named dukkha, dreadful suffering.

If physical pain is mindfully noted in accordance with the Satipatthana method, mental pain 1s averted Only physical pain is