The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma

Part VIII

THE GREAT DISCOURSE ON DHAMMACAKKA SUTTA

PART VIII

(Full Moon day of Nhaung Tagu 1324 B.E.)

Our series of lectures on Dhammacakka given at this Hall of Glass was disrupted during our visits to Myitkyina and Bhamo. In our last lecture on the full moon day of Tabaung, we had dealt with twelve kinds of ndna, saccd, kicca and kata, three each for the four truths. Today“we will give an account of when the Buddha did not admit as well as when he did admit attainment of Enlightenment.

WHEN THE BUDDHA DID NOT ADMIT ENLIGHTENMENT

Yavakivanca me, Bhikkhave, imesu_ catusu

ariyasaccesu evam tiparivattam dvadasékaram yathabhutam

ndnadassanam na -suvisuddham ahosi, neva tavadham,

Bhikkhave, sadevake loke samGrake sabrhamake

sassamanabrahmaniya pajadya, sadevamanussdya anuttaram

sammdsambhodim ahhisambudhoti paccanndasim.

"As long, Oh Bhikkhus, as my knowledge of reality and insight regarding the four noble truths in three aspects and twelve ways was not fulluy clear to me, so long did Inot admit to the world with its devas, madras and brahmas, to the mass of beings with its recluses, brahmins, kings and people, that I had understood, attained and realized rightly by myself the mcomparable, the most excellent perfect enlightenment in other words, the perfectly enlightened supreme Buddhahood."

Sammdsambodhi is the arahatta magga ndna which is attained only by the Buddhas. The Buddhas gain this arahatta magga ndna intuitively by their own efforts without any instruction from others. By this ndna, they rightly and perfectly know every thing because with it arises simultaneously the sabbannuta ndna which knows every thing. Therefore this exclusive arahattamagga

saccd of the Buddhas is known as sammdsambodhi; sammd being rightly, sam is by oneself and bodhi means knowledge, knowledge rightly known by self. For Pacceka Buddhas, their arahattamagga ndna is known only as sambodhi, self known knowledge without the qualifying sammd rightly. The arahattamagga nana of the disciples is simply known as bodhi, knowledge, enlightenment without the qualifying sammd and sam.

The arahattamagga ndna that had risen to the Buddhas was known by themselves and rightly. Hence it is called sammdsambodhi. With this nana arises simultaneously sabbanuta ndna which knows all dhamas. After having acquired this faculty of knowing everything. Buddhahood which knows all dhammas was attained. Therefore this sammdsambodhi nana is regarded as the knowledge responsible for attainment of Buddhahood. Thus im the above passage, Buddha said he had not yet admitted attainment of sammdsambodhi nana which would give rise to the Buddhahood.

For how long did he withhold this admission of Buddhahood ? It was stated that he withheld it for as long as his knowledge of the four truths in three aspects of saccd, kicca and kata ndna for each truth, as explained earlier, was not fully clear to him. To fix a definite time limit, it meant that the admission was withheld til early dawn of the day after the fullmoon day of Kason, just before he attained the arahattamagga.

By this pronouncement of non-admission till then, he made it clear that it was out of the question for him to make the claim of Buddhahood during the earlier period when he was engaged in extreme austerities.

In the above passage, three aspects means saccd, kicca and kata nana for each of the four truths. By twelve ways is meant the total number of ndnas evolved for all the four truths, fourfolds of three ndnas. Arahattamagga nana together with these twelve ndnas which appeared before and after it is yathdbhuta nana, knowledge of seeing reality as it is. For as long as this yathdbhuta nadna was not fulluy clear to him, for so long the Blessed One withheld

admission of having attained Buddhahood, perfect enlightenment, sammdasambodhi.

To the query, "Amidst whom was this admission withheld ?" it may be answered, "In this world.” In this world, there are powerful devas of sharp intellect; there are also maras who are antagonistic to the teaching as well as brahmas, more powerful and more intellignet than the devas and mfras. Were attainment of Buddhahood claimed before his knowledge of the four truths was fully clear to him, it would have been difficult for him to give satisfactory replies and answers to questions, inquiries, disputations that would be raised by these devas, maras and brahmas. Keeping aside these devas, maras and brahmas who were not in close association with the human beings, there were in the human world, on the surface of the earth, recluses and ascetics known as samanas and brahmanas. There were also kings popularly designated as the devas and the common people. It would have been difficult too to reply to the investigative enquiries and queries they might happen to make. There were living in those days leaders of religious sects such as Purana Kassapa who claimed to know all about the past, the present and the future. When leamed people, recluses and laymen began to scrutinize their claims, these religious leaders had been found to fall far short of their clams. Had Buddha pronounced his Buddhahood before actual attainment of sammdsambodhi nana, he could also have faced similar predicament.

At one time, even Buddha was confomted by King Pasenadi Kosala who, taking advantage of his kingly position, subjected the Buddha to a searching examination. "Oh Gotama, do you also clamim to understand, achieve, realize the mcomparable, perfect Enlightenment otherwise the Buddhahood ?" In those days the leaders such as- Purana Kassapa etc used to make bold claims of Buddhahood to the common people, but when examined by the King Pasenadi Kosala they had falterred in thew claims. "When even elderly leaders of religious sects hesitate to claim Buddhahood, you, Oh Gotama, who is much younger i age and less

experienced in religious life, do you really admit that you have become a Buddha?" the king persisted in his enquiries by repeating the question.

The Buddha, being true Buddha as he was, was able to give satisfactory answers to the king. Fully convinced with Buddha's supreme attamments, King Pasenadi Kosala took refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha and had become a disciple of the Buddha from that time. Having in mind such people who might examine and investigate him, he said, "I did not declare yet to the world with its devas, maras and Brahmas and to the mass of being with recluses and brahmanas, kings and people that I had attained Buddhahood."

With these words the Buddha let it be known that for so long as he had not become a true Buddha, he should not have made a claim to it. Accordingly, he did not. But when the time came when he should pronounce his Buddhahood, he did pronounce it. And this is how he made his declaration:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BUDDHAHOOD

Yato ca khomme, Bhikkhave, Imesu catusu

ariyasaccesu evam tiparivattam dvadasdkGram yathabhutam

nadnadassanam_ suvisuddham ahosi, athadham, Bhikkhave,

sadevake loke sam@rake sabrahmake sassamanabrahmaniya

pajadya sadevamanussdya anuttaram sammdsambodhim

abhisambuddhoti paccannasim.

"But when, Bhikkhus, my knowledge of reality and insight regarding the four noble truths in three aspects and twelve. ways became fully clear to me, I declared to the world with its devas, maras and brahmas to the mass of beings with its recluses, brahmanas, kings and people that I had understood, attained, and realized mghtly by myself the mcomparable, the most excellent perfect enlightenment, in other words, the perfectly enlightened supreme Buddhahood."

What he declared in the above passage was that only when

his yath@bhuta ndna, knowledge of seeing reality as it truly is, was fully clear in twelve ways derived from three ndnas of saccd, kicca and kata with respect to each of the four truths, he admitted to attainment and realization of the incomparable, the most excellent perfect Enlightenment, the perfectly enlightened supreme Buddhahood. This declaration was made not just to that region, that part of the world but to the whold universe with its powerful devas of sharp intellect, with its maras hostile to the true Teaching and with its more powerful and more intelligent Brahmas. It was meant also for the whole of human world with its leamed recluses and brahmanas, with its kings and peoples.

This declaration was an open invitation to any doubting devas, maras or Brahmas or to any doubting recluses, brahmanas, kings or wise lay persons to investigate, scrutinize his claim and a guaranty to give satisfactory. answers to all their searching enquiries. This is indeed a very bold, solemn declaration not made impetuously or impulsively without due verification, but only after he had scrutinized and reassured himself by retrospection that he had really attained Buddhahood.

CONCLUDING STATEMENT

Ndnanca pana me dassanam iudapdadi "akupp& me vimutti, ayamantimd jati, natthi dani punabbhavo" ii,

Indeed, knowledge and vision arose in me: Unshakeable is my deliverance, (My liberation from defilements is achieved by means of arahattamagga and phala; not just vikkhambhana, putting away kilesa to a dist&nce as by rupa jhdna or arupa jhana. \t is remainderless, rootless eradication of kilesd, a liberation which causes complete calm again. He knew therefore by reflection that the deliverance was unshakable, indestructible ) "This is the last existence; now there is no more rebirth for me. Oh, Bhikkhus, such knowledge and vision had arisen in me," he concluded.

In this concluding statement, by the words "Unshakable is my deliverance" is meant that his deliverance is not like that

obtained by virtue of rupa jhdna and arupa jhdna which may be destroyed again. The individual who has obtained the stage of rupa jhéna and arupa jhdna, is free from kilesa such as kGmacchanda, sensual desire, vyGpdda, ill-will etc. These kilesas remain calm, Suppressed in him. But when his jhdnic attainments deteriorate. sensual desires, ill-will etc make their appearance again. These jhanas only put away the kilesd to a distance, vikkhambhana. The deliverance won by the Buddha was of the samuccheda vimutti type, which completely eradicated the kiles@ without remainder and of the pattipassadi vimutti type, which again calmed down and tranquilized the potency of these defilements. Samuccheda vimutti 1s deliverance by arahatta magga ndna which eradicates without remainder all kilesas whereas patipassadi vimutti is deliverance by means of Arahatta phala ndna which calms down again the potency, of all kilesd. These deliverances remain steadfast and undestroyed. Hence the Blessed One reflected, "Unshakable is my deliverance."

Moreover, having eradicated tanhd otherwise called samudaya saccd by means of Arahatta magga, the Blessed One was free from tanh& which could cause new becoming. For beings still saddled with tanhd, after passing away from one existence they are rebom in the next, holding on to, as objects, one of the signs, kamma, kamma_ nimitta, gati nimitta which appears to them as death approaches. There is always rebirth, a new existence, for beings not yet devoid of tanhd.

Bodhisatta also had passed through many rounds of rebirths in successive existences. Thus at the beginning of Buddhahood. the Blessed One had reflected: "Seekmg in vain, the House Builder Tanha, who repeatedly had framed and built this house of fresh existences, khandhd, because I was not equipped with good vision of arahatta magga nana, (aneka jati samsdram sandhavissam). | had hastened through many rounds of rebirths, cycles of existences Now that with the attainment of sabbannuta ndna together with arahatta nana, | have found you. Oh, builder, Tanha never again

shall you build this house, my khandha.”

In this manner, the Blessed One had given an account of his retrospection. Although fresh existence is no more possible for the Blessed One in the absence of tanhd, he still had to live the present life which had been brought forth by tanhd before its eradication. With retrospective insight he said, "This is my last existence. Now there is no more rebirth for me." These are the concluding words of the Dhammacakka sutta.

MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION

Careful study of the Dhammacakka sutta, beginning with the words "dve me, Bhikkhave, anté pabbajitena na sevitabba” and ending with the words "ayamanti md jati, natthi dani punabbhavoti,” reveals that it deals with the path trodden by the Blessed One, the Dhammas he had discovered and how he had discovered them. As to the practical details of the path, there was little mention of them in a direct way; only the opening lines "should not indulge in the two extremes" conveys some sort of practical instructions to follow. It is therefore a matter for consideration how the early disciples attained the higher knowledge of the path and fruition, by what practical methods and in which manner they attamned their goals. We shall explam this matter now.

HIGHER KNOWLEDGE FOR THE LISTENERS OF THE

TEACHING

In the discourses taught by the Buddha, although there were no precise instructions such as "Practise in this way; bear in mind in this manner," it must be regarded that they contain exhortations and guidance as to what should be followed and what should be avoided. According to the ancient masters, "every word of the Buddha carries an injunction." To illustrate.

Asevand ca bdldnam, panditananca sevand.

Puja ca pujaniyGnam, etam mangalamuttamam.

This verse in the Mangala sutta gives only the enunciation of

the three blessings, namely, "Not to associate with the ignorant, to associate with the wise, to honour those who are worthy of honour, this is the noblest blessing." In this verse, there is no direct exhortation with whom one should dissociate, associate or whom to honour. Nevertheless, it should be taken as an exhortation. Likewise we do not find any direct exhoration or injunction in the Dhammacakka sutta. The Blessed One said simply, "Avoiding the two extreme practices, I have discovered penetratingly the Middle way." This should be regarded as meaning, "Like me, you must avoid the two extremes and follow the practice of the middle path."

In stating "The middle path leads to vision, etc" it should be taken to imply, "If you develop the middle path, vision will arise in you too; higher knowedge will come to you, you will gain benefits till realization of Nibbana." In giving the enunciation of the eightfold path, it should be taken as giving instructions for promoting sila, samadhi and magga paths,

Then, the definition: of dukkhasaccG must be regarded as instructions to make an effort to understand dukkhasaccd comprehensively. Likewise it must be understood that, what was taught as samudaya sacc& was an instruction to remove it; as nirodha sacca and magga saccd as instructions to develop the magga saccd in one's person and realize the nirodha sacca.

Afterwards, when he taught the four saccd ndnas, it must be regarded as an exhortation to strive to attam the four saccd nadnas with regard to the four truths; when he taught about four kicca ndnas it was to mstruct to understand the truth of suffering by contemplating on the phenomenon of anicca etc. This is indeed very obvious. When it was described as dhamma which should be righfty and fully comprehended, it is very clear that it meant that effort should be made to achieve complete and rightful understanding of dukkha sacc@. Dukkha saccd has already been explained previously to consist of jdti etc up to updddnakkhandha which manifest themselves in one's body when seemg, hearing etc. Thus it is understandable that it means contemplation of the nature of