The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

felt then. The Blessed One spoke in praise of this practice by which mental pain is averted and one suffers only physical pain. Permitting mental suffering to arise by failure to make note of the physical pain is denounced by the Buddha. "It is like", He said, "attempting to remove the first thom which is hurting by pricking out with another thom, when the second thom breaks and remains embedded in the flesh. One suffers then two pains, one from the first them and additional pain from the second thom." This illustration deserves careful consideration.

7. GRIEF AS SUFFERING - - DOMANASSA.

Domanassa, gnef, denotes mental agony such as displeasure solicitude (anxiety), misery, sadness, fear etc. Domanassa also is intrinsic suffering, dukkha-dukkha. All mortal beings are well acquainted with it and fear it, which therefore needs no elaboration Domanassa not only oppresses the mind but may also torture the body. When one is fiercely gripped by gnef, one goes about dejectedly without sleep or food for days on end, with the consequent impairment of health and even advent of death. It is truely a formidable dukkha from which only Anagamis and Arahats are exempt. Individuals who practise Satipatthana meditation can overcome grief if they make strenuous effort of noting it as it arises. In this way they can reduce the pain of gnef to a considerable extent even if they cannot overcome it completely.

8. SUFFERING OF DESPAIR -- UPAYASA.

Upayasa, despair, is ill-humour or resentment produced by excessive mental agony in one affected by loss of relatives etc. (Nativyadsana). It causes repeated bemoaning over the loss resulting in burning of the mind and physical distress. Updydsa is, therefore. dukkha, suffering because of the intense buming of the mind and physical pain accompanying it. People, accordingly, recognize the state of despair as a fearsome dukkha.

The commentary illustrates the differences between soka,

parideva and updydsa,sorrow, grief and despair, as follows: Sorrow is like cooking of oil or dye-solution in a pot over a slow fire. Lamentation is like its boiling over when cooking over a quick fire. Despair is like what remains in the pot after it has boiled over and ‘s unable to do so any more, going on cooking in the pot till it dries

9. SUFFERING OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE HATEFUL.

Association with the hateful is meeting with disagreeable beings and sankhdra formations. Such meeting is not itself unbearable pam but when one meets with disagreeable beings or undesirable objects, reaction sets in at once in the form of mental disturbance and physical discomposure. As it serves as a cause of mental and physical distresses, association with the hateful is designated by the Buddha as dukkha, dreadful suffering. The world in general also recognizes such encounters as undesirable suffering. Some people may go to the extent of making a wish (praying) not to have the musfortune of encountering undesirable person or things in the succession of existeuces. But in the world where pleasantness and unpleasantness co-exist, one has to face both according to circumstances. One's wish may be fulfilled, if at all, only partially by having less occasions to face unpleasant people and objects.

The important thing is to endeavour to meet unpleasant situations with correct mental attitude. The best course of action is to revert to the practice of Satipatthana, that is, noting incessantly so that the mental process stands at the stage of just ‘hearing’, 'seeing’ etc. When unpleasurable sensations are felt in the body, mental distress must be averted by continuous noting of ‘touching’, 'knowing’, 'paining’ etc.

10. SUFFERING OF SEPARATION FROM THE BELOVED.

Separation from the loved is to be parted from agreeable beings and sankhdra formations. Such separation is not itself a painful feeling. However, when separation takes place, by death or while still alive, from beloved ones (husbands, wives, children), or

when parted from one's treasured possessions, mental agony sets in at once. It may even develop into sorrow, lamentation and despair. One is bound to be overwhelmed with grief under such circumstances. As it promotes such various mental afflictions, the Blessed One had called the separation from the loved ones and desirable objects, dukkha, dreadful suffering. The world also recognizes such separation as painful suffering. Some even make the wish of being to be always together with their loved ones throughout the succession of existences. Such wishes may be fulfilled when there is sufficiency of good kamma.

The family of the millionaire Mendaka comprising of his wife, his son and daughter-in-law together with their servant girl, once made such a wish, to be always together in future existences, by offering food to a Paccekabuddha. As a result of this good kamma, their wish became fulfilled and they were bnom together forming the same group of five at the time of our Buddha. But such kind of wish tending to promote clinging fetters is very appropriate for the individual with the firm resolve of complete release from the sufferings of samsara.

11. SUFFERING OF NOT GETTING WHAT ONE WANTS.

It is suffering for not getting what one wants or suffering that arises out of desire for some unobtainable object. Without practising and developing the Eightfold Path, the desire comes to the beings, "Oh, that we were not subjected to becoming (birth), ageing, disease and death. Oh, that we were rot subjected to sorrow and lamentation etc." These, of course, will not come about by mere wishing and not getting what one wants causes mental anguish. Therefore the Buddha had described such desires as dukkha, dreadful suffering. Here, the object of one's desire is not limited to the Nibbana only which is free from birth, ageing etc., but is meant to include also the worldly gains and wealth which cannot be attained just by mere desiring. Not getting them as the desires is also dukkha.

12. SUFFERING OF THE FIVE PROUPS OF GRASPING.

The eleven types of suffering starting from suffering of birth Vdti) to suffering of not getting what one wants (icchitalaba dnkkha) arise only because there are the five groups of grasping, npaddnakkhanda; they arise dependent on these five groups. In shoit, therefore, 'these five groups of grasping’ is the truth of suffering.

The aggregates of material and mental formations which form the objects of clinging or grasping are called upddanakkhanda, groups of grasping. These five groups of grasping are made up to: (1) The grotip of material forms (2) The group of feeling (3) The group of perception (4) The group of mental concomitants (5) The group of consciousness.

All sentient beings exist as such only with these five groups forming their substantive mass. They cling to their body which is merely an aggregate of material forms, regarding it as I, my body, permanent etc. Hence the group of material fornt is called the group of grasping.

The mental states madeup of consciousness and mental concomitants (cetasikas) are also grasped at, taking them to be L my mind, it is I who thinks, permanent etc. So the mental states, nama. are also known as groups of grasping. This is how attachment occurs on the groups of rupa and ndma as a whole.

THE UPADANAKKHANDAS AT THE MOMENT OF SEEING

To consider each separate phenomenon in detail, the updddnakkhand& is conspicuous every time one sees an object. Likewise, the updddnakkhand@ is prominent on every occassion of hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, imagining (thinking). At the moment of seeing, the seeing eyes, the object of sight and consciousness of seeing are quite conspicuous. In this consciousness of seeing are comprised pleasant or unpleasant feeling of seeing, perception or recognition of the object seen, making effort and bending the mind to accomplish the act of seeing and the knowledge

that an object is just seen.

People who cannot practise msight meditation or those, practising the insight meditation, who have not yet advanced to the stage of appreciating the nature of anicca, dukkha, anatta, remain attached to the eye, object of sight, etc. They regard the clear eyesight as I, as my eye and permanent. When they see the body and limbs, the attachment arises; "I see my own body; this is my hand, it exists permanently." Seeing other people, they appear as a person, a creature, enduring, lasting. Because of such arousal of attachment to them, material forms of eye and object of sight are termed rupaupadanakkandhd.

In addition to pleasant feeling or unpleasant feeling in seemg an object, there is also neutral feeling which is not considered separately here to economise space. What is concemed with wholesome neutral feeling is included in pleasant feeling; what is concemed with unwholesome neutral feeling is included in unpleasant feeling. Both pleasant and unpleasant feelings give rise to attachments: "It is I; it is my feeling; it is everlasting; I feel well; I feel terrible." Causing attachments in this way, pleasant or unpleasant feeling in seeing an object is called vedandupdddanakkhandhd.

On preceiving an object, attachment arises in this way too: I recognize it; I don't forget it. So it is termed the grasping group of perception, sannd-updddnakkhandhd.

Exercise of the will to see an object is cetand, volition. In the vocabulary of the texts. It is termed incitement, exhortation, or urging. But will or volition expresses its meaning quite clearly. ManasikGra, which goes along with cetand, is pondering or bending the mind towards an objet. Then there is phassa, contact, which comes into play too, but as cetand and manasikdra are the pre dominating factors, we will mention only these two. There is attachment towards them too, as I or enduring; hence these two mental concomitants of willing and bending the mind involved in an act of seeing are named sankhdra-upddanakkhandhda. By sankhdra is meant conditioning; in the case of seeing, it means bringing about

conditions to accomplish the act of seeing.

Just knowing that an object is seen is eye-consciousness which is also attached to as I see, I know, the seeing I is everlasting. Because of the possibility of such attachment consciousness is called vinndna-upddanakkhandhd.

To recapitulate:-

(1) At the moment of seeing 'the eye and object of sight

are rupa-upaddnakkhandha.

(2) Feeling pleasant or unpleasant is vedand-

upadanakkhandhda.

(3) Recognizing or remembering the object is sannda-

upadanakkhandhd.

(4) The will to see and tuming the attention on the object

is sankhara-upadanakkhanda.

(5) Just knowing that an object is s.en 1s vinndna-

upadanakkhandhd.

To note as seeing, seeing every time an object is seen is to enable one to see the said five groups of rupa and ndma as they really are and gaving seen them, to remain at the stage of just seeing and not to become attached to them as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good etc.

To understand the purpose of noting every phenomenon, we have provided the follwoing aphorism:

Fundamental principles of practice of vipassand meditation.

(1) By contemplating what, is vipassand Insight developed?

(2) By noting as they really are the five aggregates which

may cause attachment.

(3) When and for what purpose should they be noted ?

(4) They should be noted at the moment of arising to cut

off attachment.

(5) Failing to note at the moment of arising opens the way

to attachment to them as permanent, pleasant or self.

(6). Noting the five aggregates every time they arise, dispels

attachment. Thus clear insight as to their imperma-

nence, unsatisfactoriness or suffering is developed.

In (5) above, ‘at the moment of arising’ means at the moment of seeing, hearing etc. In (6) above, ‘every time they arise’ connotes every act of seeing, hearing etc., as it happens.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF HEARING

At the moment of hearing, obviously there is ear which can hear easily; there is also sound which is quite audible and consciousness which knows that a sound has been heard. In this consciousness of hearing is comprised pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing, percepion of the sound, willing, (exertion) and turning the mind towards the object of sound to accomplish the act of hearing and just knowing that a sound has. been heard.

People who has not the opportunity to practise mindfulness and therefore who has not the knowledge of reality as it truly is, become attached to all phenomena (dhammas) prominent at the moment of hearing as I, mine, etc. Because of the liability of such attachments, the ear and the material body of sound are known as rupa-upadGnakkhadhd. The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing is vedand-upGdanakkhandhd. The perception of sound is sanndupdddnakkhandhd. Exercise of the will to hear a sound and tuming the mind towards it is sankhdra-upddanakkhandha@. Just knowing that a sound has been heard is vinndna-updddnakkhandha. To recapitulate:

(1) At the moment of hearing, the ear and sound are rupa-

upadanakkhandha.

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of hearing is vedand-

upadanakkhandha.

(3) Recognismg or remembering the sound is sannd-

upadanakkhandha.

(4) To will to hear the sound and tuming the attention

towards it is sankhdra-upddanakkhandhda.

(5) Just knowing that a sound has been heard is vinndna-

upddanakkhandhda.

To note as hearing, hearing every time a sound is heard is to enable one to see the said five groups of rupa and nama as they really are and having heard the sound to remain at the stage of just hearing and not to become attached to it as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good ete.

FIVE GROUPS OF GRASPING AT THE MOMENT OF SMELLING

At the moment of smelling, there is clearly the material body of the nose. there is also the smell and the consciousness which knows the smell. In this consciousness of smelling is comprised the pleasant or unpleasant feeling of smelling, recognition of the smell, exercise of the will to smell and to tum the attention towards the smelling object and just knowing of the smell.

Failure tonote as smelling, smelling and to see the phenomenon of smelling as it truly is results in attachment to it as I, mine etc. Because of the possibility of such attachments, the nose, the smell and the consciousness of smell are known as upddanakkhandhd. To. recapitulate:

(1) At the moment of smelling, the nose and the smell are

rupa-upGddnakkhandhd.

(2) The pleasant or unpleasant feeling of smelling is vedand-

(3) Recognising or remembering the smell is sannd-

updadanakkhandhd.

(4) Exercise of the will to smell and tuming the mine

towards the smelling object is sankhdra-upddanak-

khandhd.

(5) Just knowing of the smell is vinndna-updddnakkhandhd.

To note as smelling, smelling every time a smell is smelt is to see the said five groups of rupa and ndma as they really are and having smelt the smell, to remain at the stage of just smelling and not to become attached to it as I, mine, permanent, pleasant, good etc.