Friday, January 09, 2015

To Whom It May Concern


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Khandhavimutti and Samangiidhamma

Khandhavimutti and Samangiidhamma
Venerable Aacariya Mun Bhuuridatto
Translated from the Thai by
Paññaava.d.dho Bhikkhu
First edition in English 1997

Courtesy: Forest Dhamma of  Wat Pa Baan Taad

THIS BOOK MUST BE GIVEN AWAY FREE AND MUST NOT BE SOLD.

Copyright 1997 © by Wat Pa Baan Taad

This book is a free gift of Dhamma, and may not be offered for sale, for as the Venerable Aacariya Mahaa Boowa Naa.nasampanno has said, "Dhamma has a value beyond all wealth and should not be sold like goods in a market place".

Reproduction of this book, in whole or in part, by any means, for sale or material gain is prohibited.  Permission to reprint in whole or in part for free distribution as a gift of Dhamma, however, is hereby granted, and no further permission need be obtained.  However, this book is not suited to be distributed electronically.  [Due to printing embellishments.  Thus, this transcription should be printed out prior to use, so as to comply with translators copy advice.]

Inquiries may be addressed to :
Wat Pa Baan Taad, c/o Songserm Service,
89, Phosi Road, Udon Thani, 41000 Thailand.

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  Transcription notes:
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        In one of the printed copies in possession of the
        transcriber, the translator appears to have made
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        fluent.  These have been included in this
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        Comments within square brackets "[]" being
        those of the transcriber.  All errors being due
        to the transcriber.
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  PJDaC
]

Namatthu Sugatassa Pañca Dhammakhandhaanii
I humbly bow down and raise my hands in praise of the Venerable Sugata, the Supreme teacher, the Sakya Muni, the supremely self enlightened Lord Buddha - and of the Venerable Nine Navalokuttara Dhammas, and the Ariya Sangha Saavaka.

Here, I will speak of the Dhamma Khandhas in brief by way of Sati Paññaa.

There was once a man who loved himself and whose thoughts were fearful of suffering.  Wanting happiness free from fear and danger he wandered about.  He said "wherever Sukha is, there I want to go", but he wandered about for a long time.  His character was such that he loved himself and was very afraid of death and he truly wanted to get free from old age and death.

One day he came to know the truth and abandoned the cause of suffering (Samudaya) and all forms of the "Sa.nkhaaras".  He then came to a cave of joy where Sukha did not disappear and the cave was like unto his physical body.

He gazed all round this cave with joy, Dukkha collapsed and he was completely at ease.  He knew in himself that his former fear had diminished and he looked back and forth at the mountain in front of him.  Should he go and tell his former friends all about it?  He feared that they would reckon he was mad.  To put up with living alone and finding out about the way of calm, which means stopping the process of thinking and not associating with others, this is better than wandering about in an unseeingly, boastful manner.  For one would soon receive flattery and blame which is all about what brings disturbance and trouble.

                                (_-oOo-_)

There was another good man, afraid of death and full of apprehension, who came up to him*1 {1* This would seem to refer to the first man, above.} and spoke frankly in a way that made one feel sorry for this man.  He asked saying: "you have done a lot of striving and put forward much effort, in all this time have you seen the true Dhamma which the heart longs for, or not?

"Eh! How does he know my mind?"

That good man wanted to stay with him, so he said "Good good.  I give my blessing and I will show you the way to a big mountain cave of happiness where there is no Dukkha.  In other words, Kaayagataasati Bhaavanaa.  Enjoy it and admire it to cool your heart and it will cure all your trouble and turbulence.  It's the path of the Ariyavamsa.  But whether you go along it or not, I am not going to force you nor speak deceptively in fun, for what I say will be the truth."

Then he gave him some riddles to answer and the first riddle was:

What is "rawerng*2"? {*2 A made up word - not in any dictionary.}

He gave the answer.  Runs fast.  Which means the quick way that Viññaa.na moves directly without deviating.  Saññaa goes straight without doubt or hesitation and the heart which dwells inside runs back and forward.  Saññaa pulls one outside and deceives the Citta, making it think in distracted ways, wandering and zigzagging about searching and deceiving one that those are real, which are in fact like magical conjuring tricks.

Question 2.  Who gets free from all five Khandhas?

Answer:  The heart of course!  It alone gets free.  Not being caught up, attached or involved in anything, having done away with the poison of selfishness.  That which deludes is ended and it dwells one and alone.  Then the delusions of Saññaa have no meaning, but still go on in their deluding ways.

Question 3.  In that which is called death, who dies and where?

Answer:  The Sa.nkhaaras die, destroying results.

Question 4.  What is it that makes one go on revolving in the round (of sa.msaara)?

Answer:  The tricks of Saññaa lead one on and make one whirl about.  Belief in Saññaa then wrongly thinks gladly of going on from this world of existence to another realm and so wandering round and round.  One completely forgets the Citta, memory of it being shut out entirely.  Then even by striving to find Dhamma one doesn't see it.

Question 5.  Who defines and who gives meaning to Dhammas?

Answer:  The heart defines and the heart gives meaning to the story by searching out the chief - Saññaa - just that.  It thinks that this is good, grasps evil and pushes one into attachment to love and hate.

Question 6.  Eat once, then no more wandering about to eat?

Answer:  The end of wanting to look and know.  No concern about seeing into the future, for what is disorderly is cleared and cured.  The heart then sits unmoving on its throne and all longing is thrown out.

Question 7.  The four sided pond brimful of water?

Answer:  Dhamma ends desires coming from doubt; clean and all blemishes (ragii)  gone, there is no danger of Saññaa in that field and the Sa.nkhaara Khandhas there, are no trouble.  So the heart is full and overflowing without diminishing.  The sphere of the Citta is silent and stopped without thinking and contemplating.  This is something one should admire and be glad about at all times.  For even if one has been in contact with the ten thousand heavens, it is not the equal of knowing the truth, discarding the Sa.nkhaaras and the ending of desire, all of which are really valuable and important.

Then memory remains just memory, but it doesn't go to excess, and the heart is not obsessed in anything and its struggles have come to an end.  Like putting up a mirror to reflect ones face, then one must not think with Saññaa.  Because that Saññaa is like a mirror image, so one must not be deluded and go the way of creating Sa.nkhaaras.  The heart shifts and then it can catch and see the heart which is not involved (free).  The slight movement in oneself one knows for sure because of the change that takes place.  It is the way of the heart to be impermanent, which goes without saying, and one can know the five Khandhas in their various modes when the Citta moves.  Previously I was deluded, understanding that Saññaa was the heart, thinking that there was an inside and an outside, and this is how I was deceived.

Now my heart is in charge, but this doesn't mean that it depends on one or any number of Saññaa for it is not possessive.  In all things, whether they arise or cease, I have no need to be possessive nor to guard against the group called Saññaa.  It is like going to the top of a very high mountain and looking at the world below and seeing all living beings.

A note of explanation:  Being extremely high and seeing one's own story from the beginning right up to the present is the whole path (magga), like a stairway.

Question 8.  Does the water rise and fall in that (former) state of truth (Sacca.nga)?

Answer:  One cannot reform the changes that take place in the (ruupa) Sa.nkhaaras.  In the normal way, Kamma which is made, has no intentional malice against anyone.  But trying to push it away or hold onto it is stupid and wrong and evil in the Citta.  There is no need to think about going against the normal state of things (Sabhaava) which are in themselves true.  Good and evil, accord with whatever takes place, but one can remain free and they don't involve one's Sa.nkhaaras, which is cool and peaceful.  But when one is familiar with the truth one is bound to dispose of the Sa.nkhaaras which always change about.  When one has seen them and become wearied of them one can let go of them easily and there is no need to force this.  Dhamma is then cool and the heart no longer accepts their characteristics.

Question 9.  Are the five duties complete?

Answer:  The Khandhas are divided up into five bases as far as the affairs of the Sa.nkhaaras are concerned and each group has its duty, which is its business and it cannot take on any other work, being fully loaded already.  They cannot even take up the highest blessings and praise which make for happiness, nor blame and suffering of the worst kind in which one looses everything.  All must go the way of nature and the way of truth.  In all eight (Loka Dhammas) the heart does not turn and become involved because Ruupa Khandha has done its duty and old age and illness cannot be avoided.  The Naama Khandhas then get no rest, like an engine, because they receive the results of the Kamma that has been done.  Good things make them feel glad and gain heart, bad things disturb and agitate the heart and create incessant thought, like a fire burning in the Citta, which is tarnished and dull.  Thoughts arise of themselves of love and anger - but who's to blame?

One wants never to grow old or die.  But can this be?  Such things are just not possible and one becomes silly.  Like not wanting to let the Citta wander about thinking and knowing, but wanting it to remain as "one" with the hope of making a refuge of stillness.  The Citta is by nature changeable and never fixed and unmoving, but Saññaa can sometimes remain for a short while.

If one can "know into*3" {3* Ruutho - know equal to, up to, up with} the natural state of all five Khandhas, this heart will be bright and clean and free from all blemish - which is the end of the story.  If one can know in this way it is very good, because one sees the truth and draws away, free - which is the end of the way.

One doesn't oppose what is normal when one accords with the truth, and whether one is poor or rich, all things and possessions both external and internal and good or evil must cease, fade away and be forgotten.  One cannot grasp anything in the way the heart intends, for the heart is inherently unstable and moves flickering back and forth and one can see and know this and doing so brings great contentment.  Small things obscure large things and knowing does not catch up with them.  So it is that the Khandhas totally obscure Dhamma.  Looking at the Khandhas in dullness one doesn't see Dhamma for the dust*4 {*4 Dust - as the Lord Buddha said: "There are few people who have little dust in their eyes to see Dhamma".} that's always there.  As for Dhamma being larger than the Khandhas - one has no interest in this.

Question 10.  Have - not have, not have - have, what is that?

Answer:  Here I am stuck and I cannot think of any way to answer.  Please point out the meaning of it to me clearly and the answer to this riddle.

                                (_-oOo-_)

Answer:*5 {*5 From here on the questioner and the one questioned have changed places.  Previously the teacher was posing riddles for the pupil to answer.  But from here on the pupil has to ask the questions.}  What is "born" has various things in accordance with the ways of cause and effect.  Then they cease and "have not".  Thus it is obvious that animals and people accord with the first part of the question "have - not have".

The latter part of the question, "not have - have", is Dhamma which is deep and profound.  It is the end of all wanting in all realms of existence (tri bhava).  This "has not" Sa.nkhaaras, and "has" Dhamma, which is firm and stable.  There!  That's it.  The one Dhamma - true solitude.   Dhamma is "The First" unchanging, the most excellent realm (bhava), the supreme calm.

  Then if there's any emotional disturbance (aaramma.na) of the heart it cannot be tolerated and is thrown out - quenched, quiet and still and clear to the heart.  The heart then disentangles itself from intoxication, curing heat and passion and all wanting can be drawn out completely, ending all doubt.

As for being involved with the five Khandhas, this abates and draws to a close.  So that which made one whirl about in the three realms of the universe has been broken and destroyed and even the greatest desires are thrown out and drop away.  Love stops and is completely cured, ending the poison of selfishness, and all troubles such as hatred in the heart are cured and cease.

Questioner.  Please point out other pathways of the heart and the cause of suffering "Samudaya" of the Citta which obscures Dhamma.

Answer:  The cause of suffering (Samudaya) is very extensive.  But bringing it down to its essentials, love pressures the heart to long for the Khandhas.  If Dhamma had stayed with the Citta eternally,  they would have remained separate and the cause of suffering (Samudaya) would never have been.  So you should keep this in mind concerning the way of the Citta, and there is no need to go whirling around incessantly thinking about it until you go mad.  For in whoever the Dhamma does not dwell unshakably attached and gladly, the heart falls into the cause of suffering (Samudaya) longing for a body.  To put it briefly, Dukkha and Dhamma are constantly in the Citta.  Take this in (and work on it) until you have thought and experienced the truth of this for yourself, then you will be entirely cool and peaceful and however much Sukha or Dukkha you have you will not be afraid and you will disentangle from doleful things, which means the cause of suffering (Samudaya), and go towards what is good.  When your "knowing has caught up to" *6  {6* Ruuthao - see Footnote *3} this, you will be near to curing your troubles (heat), enough for you to get some rest and respite to search out and find the path of escape.

The Citta which knows Dhamma forgets the Citta which is attached to dust and the heart always knows for sure the Dhamma which is Sukha and that the Khandhas are truly Dukkha.  Dhamma is bound to be Dhamma and the Khandhas are bound to be the Khandhas that's all, and what is called "cool peace the dispersal of troubles", means the withdrawal of the Citta from the wrong way to which it was firmly attached.

But as for the Sa.nkhaara Khandhas, they are void of Sukha and are truly Dukkha, because they are bound to grow old, be sick and die one day inevitably.  The Citta which knows the supreme Dhamma withdraws from wrong things which are depressing and harmful and these wrong things are severe and serious faults of the heart.  When Dhamma has been seen clearly and these faulty things have been extracted, the poison in the heart is ended and the Citta sees Dhamma overflowing in abundance, which is free from fault.  If one encounters the Dhamma which throws of all bondage, one has Sati within one, one is not involved and one's love for the Khandhas is destroyed and all pleasure in them is ended.  This is the end of all dust and the end of anxiety and concern.  So if one then likes to think, there's no reason why one should not do so, according to one's natural inclinations.

Questioner.  When one doesn't prevent returning, one doesn't listen and turbulence and trouble are free to go on, should one be able to know that evil has arisen?  Because in truth it has.

Answer:  Evil can arise because one doesn't know.  If one can close the door against stupidity one may be very peaceful and evil of all kinds will disappear.  One can't stand it.  So throw it out!  The Khandhas in all things incline to Dukkha and never Sukha.  Formerly I was dull and stupid, as though I had gone into a cave.  A desire to see Dhamma took hold of my heart and I became used to it.  I grasped hold of memory, thinking that it was the heart, which means, until I became used to being obsessed in admiring memory.  I did it for a long time (until) by using memory in the wrong way it shut down and wouldn't let me see.  Then I went astray playing with the five Khandhas - it was pitiable - raising myself up to boast that I was free.  I went around bullying and criticising others who were my friends, which was quite useless.  Going around looking at the faults of others, is what arose in my heart.  Like making a fire to burn myself which was bound to make me dull and dirty.  For whoever is right or wrong and good or evil is so for themselves alone, as for one's own heart, one must try to be guarded and set up carefulness.  Don't let evil things which whirl around come and race around in you.  You should attain merit and right action (Puñña and Kusala) which bring contentment.  Then if one sees others do evil things oneself remains good.

It is impurity (Ragii) which grasps the Khandhas very firmly and having grasped them one is bound to be truly disturbed.  Because old age and death repeatedly come (time after time) and the evil Kilesas of worry and depression crowd in and mill around - full of love and anger.  Faults well up both as strong fear and a heavy Citta with tormenting thoughts.  Time after time, the five sensual emotions Aarama.na come enticingly moving in troops and groups of every kind and variety because one has grasped the five Khandhas as ones own.  Then it is hardly possible for one to get free from Dukkha and danger.

If you have seen your own faults then don't waste time.  Look at the characteristics of the Sa.nkhaaras, which are always impermanent and get used to this.  You will then probably come to admire the Dhamma which is single, the solitary Citta.  That "impermanence" refers to the heart, and its movement comes from memory.  When seen, keep on looking at that movement and stay with it.  Then as soon as all external emotional disturbances (Aarama.na) die away Dhamma appears, and as soon as Dhamma is seen the disturbance of the Citta disappears.  That Citta is not attached to a "mate"*7, {7* In other words, that Citta is not dualistic.} and this much truth is the end of the "door"*8 {8* "Door" probably refers to the reference to "shutting the door" at the beginning of this question.}  Whether one knows the method of the heart in this way, or not, if one "knows up to"*9 {9* Ruuthao - see Footnote3} impermanence, the first free Citta originates.  This is probably the original Citta of the kind that is truly unchanging.  Knowing the origin of this Citta frees one from all falsehood without doubt.

But if one goes outwards at the end of this Citta it is immediately wrong.  What they call darkness is because of the Citta thinking possessively of good.  This possessive Citta is at the end of the Citta which thinks outwardly.

The first Citta is good when Dhamma appears and doubt disappears.  Then there is the seeing of the Dhamma which is excellent and above all worlds.  As for ones previous thinking, searching and whirling around seeking, it all stops, stripped bare and one has reached the end.

But one still has Dukkha in that one must still lie down and sleep and eat food and do whatever is necessary.  But the heart is tamed and close to the origin of the Citta.  In thinking one is not discursive, though it is natural for the Citta that it must think, but as soon as it feels the first free Citta in distress it withdraws into silence and stillness away from that disturbance which is causing trouble.  It is also normal for the Sa.nkhaaras to arise, but they also disappear in a similar way, in fact all such things steadily diminish until non of them are left.

Be careful of the heart when it remembers in subtle ways, for it is likely to put pressure on the Citta to make it become attached in a mere way (without) purpose.  For the heart and its movements (impermanence) keep on recurring by habit.  When one has reached "er i"*10 {10*  "er i" - An exclamation - Oh, I see}, if one knows for oneself the "tunes" of the heart, they are just like magical tricks which deceive one and which the Lord called "Vipassanuupakilesa" *11 {11* Vipassanuupakilesa - distracting phenomena which interfere with insight (Vipassanaa)} - changing forms - which seem to be true, whereas in fact they are not.  Knowing arises of itself and the meaning of it is called "seeing", but it is not like listening and understanding at the level of asking questions.  Also, thinking over carefully, analysing and picking out Ruupa Naama are not seeing self.  You must look one-pointedly  and knowing arises of itself,  not the "song" of thinking, which knows the origin of the Citta; the first Citta free from torment.  The origin of the Citta knows for certain in itself that the Sa.nkhaaras in their incessant changing about do not use a continuous process (like a procession) when they go and look at or know anything, nor do they know things by those things telling them.  The Citta must know the Citta itself.  Because the "song" (of the Sa.nkhaaras) moves on and the Citta knows the movement and the movement then (passes on to the) Cittas which are attached together, one after another.  They cannot be truly separated out, for they are all together as one.  When the Citta is dualistic it is called "Saññaa leading one into involvement".  This instability (impermanence) is oneself focusing on someone else.  Then the heart knows its own deterioration and freedom is obscured, it also becomes insipid and dry and loses the taste of being free from doubt.  It has broken its search into those things which are about one, both externally and internally.  All ones aspirations wither and die away and both anger and love and things which are a load on the heart spread out.

But the desires of the heart can be stopped, getting rid of trouble and torment, and freeing all heaviness of heart and complaints.  Like rain sprinkling over the heart, the heart becomes cool, which it sees for itself.  The heart is cool because it doesn't have to go about seeing people.  Knowing the first Citta in the present frees one from torment.  All good and evil are of no great concern and must die away as well as all that is disorderly and involved.  Live quietly in the origin of the Citta not thinking out and planning things, but conforming to the affairs of the Citta.  This is the end of all thought and concern.  There is no need to fuss and be busy, nor to be careful.  Just lie or sit quiet and free and dwell in the original Citta.

Questioner: You have pointed out the Path (Magga) for me to hear showing the principles sharp and clearly.  You are skilled in displaying points with a very broad scope and very brightly.  But there is still another aspect of the heart which is not free from the cause of suffering (Samudaya).  It would be good if you would please point it out in a special way.

Answer:  The cause of suffering (Samudaya) is the longing of love, and if one is very obsessed, it creates a new dwelling place (bhava) which one doesn't want to give up and escape from.  In the more gross and lower levels this refers to sensual qualities of the five kinds which are blemishes (ragii).  The higher levels point to the cause of suffering (Samudaya) as longing for Jhaana.  If one takes up and follows the methods that are already in the Citta, ones thoughts will become obsessed in the Sa.nkhaaras.  Being totally obsessed in them as one has been in the past for ages, then returning to them thinking that they are good things then going on to develop the Citta in ways that are wrong.  In this way it keeps on forming roots and branches creating endless distractions, going about engrossed in falsehood and not realising that there is anything wrong with it at all.  Whatever things one likes, the emotions (Aarama.na) are obsessed in admiring it.  Obsessed until one forgets oneself, without being afraid of danger.  One is obsessed in seeing the faults of others filled with evil, but the faults of oneself one doesn't see!  Why so?  However many faults other people have they don't make oneself fall into hell at all.  But ones own faults which are sorry and doleful don't need to be many to bring back the results of Kamma (Vipaaka) for one to fall into the greatest hell.  Be diligent in looking at your own faults and make the heart accustomed to giving up those faults entirely.  Then you will surely admire Sukha and the freedom from Dukkha and danger.  When you see your faults clearly you must hurry to cut them off and get rid of them, for it's no use lingering about thinking a lot out and about away from yourself.

In regard to wanting always to be good, this is the basis of the cause of suffering (Samudaya).  It is a great fault and the fear of not being good is very strong.  Good and not good, these are strong poisons in the Citta.  Like a strong fever which comes from contact with an infection, the disease is made worse by poisons and the wrong remedies.  Dhamma doesn't become clear because of wanting good - this is fundamental.  If one has a strong desire for good, this is bound to drag the Citta about, making it think in turbulent ways until the heart deteriorates and everything becomes doleful and this is bound to increase.  This great fault makes one go increasingly further away from the Dhamma which is true.

Questioner.  When you point out the way of the cause of suffering (Samudaya) here, it makes my heart afraid and disturbed.  But when you point out the path (Magga) my heart listens and I can't bear (Samudaya) and throw it all out and withdraw still in the calm heart.  That's the end of it.

[Teacher]:
This is called "Khandhavimutti Samangiidhamma" which is constant, always present, neither arising nor ceasing, and is a natural condition (Sabhaava Dhamma) which is true and singular and neither moves about restlessly to keep going nor loses its substance and meaning.  This is the end of the matter - that's all.

Whether this is right or wrong you must use wisdom to think and look and know!


Pra Bhuuridatta (Mun),
Wat Srapratumwan.
The Author.