UPADOBAGA VIMOKTI
I shall continue to expound upadobaga vimokti. It is a pali
phrase, which means freedom from delusion, indecision, obsession
and motivation. When you say freedom from obsession and motivation,
in the scripture it means that extinguishing avijja and tahna
without reservation. What is your presumption? I will tell
you exactly the way I saw it. Please try and listen carefully.
If there is any doubt, please do not hesitate to ask and
I will answer to the best of my intellectual ability. From aviji ( hell) to nibbana we are infatuated and delighted
by all the dhamma that is why it is very hard for a layman
to attain sotapanna because of the unwillingness to forgo
the dhamma.and the luxury that was acquired. The unwillingness
to forgo had stranded them in the life of the layman. Let
us say that one could advance to become a sotapana, and when
he reaches this stage and began to be delighted with the
burdensome dhamma and reluctant to advance again. Having
known so much about dhamma, he is quite contented and found
himself to be pleased with his achievement. Now that I know
this much dhamma I am satisfied. And this contentment delighted
me. This delight in itself is known as tahna. This tahna
over delights became a disturbance or hindrance again. When
it comes to sakadagamin , with the little of wisdom, he was
delighted and became his hindrance again. This is quite natural
that one is again delighted with the dhamma of sakadagamin
wisdom and it became another disturbance or prohibition.
When you reach anagamin stage strong sensual desire and the
ill will towards others were completely eradicated. Again
he was finding delight in the extinguishment. These enjoyments
became the hindrance to advancement towards arhatship ceased.
When you observed the three signs of beings, annicca dukkha
and annatta, in a fleeting moment then you gain the arhatship
After the attainment of the arhatship one does not become
delighted over the dhamma anymore. One needn't be single-mindedly
be interested over any of the dhamma. This type of people
lives suitably, appropriately and modestly.
What is this arhat magga then? If I have to tell you according
to the scriptures, it is a person who had extinguished all
the lobha, moha and dosa. In Sabukhada Sutta, it mentioned
how this arhata magga eradicate avijja and tanha.. We have
to use our bodies to see the three signs of being How to
observe them? For that I have been searching for this most
noble dhamma of peace and I found it. Can this nibbana that
I have seen be able to make this body produce free from pain
and death? Can this nibbana support and reform this body?
Can this nibbana dhamma be able to do away with the birth,
age, pain and death? As it cannot be done. Therefore it cannot
do anything for our nama-rupa and I realized that my perception
for nibbana is meaningless.
The moment of meaninglessness comes into being; I relinquished
the nibbana dhamma pertaining to nama-rupa. Peaceful nibbana
cannot make the happening mind whose appearance was based
upon perceivable elements, such as un-destructive and permanent.
Even if the peaceful and quite nibbana can make the happening
permanent, the happening, which is the nature, will be annihilated
naturally and will not be there to be treated. How could
the nibbana dhamma that you know will be able to pacify the
nama-rupa? In such case, there is no reason that I should
continue to perceive the nibbana dhamma when I know I can
relinquish it with insight; the avijja and tanha will be
removed without any reservation. For those who are able to
comprehend the avijja and tahna and be free from these two
defilements, as defined in the scriptures as upadabaga vimokti
person. We don't have to cling or attach to any of type of
the dhamma . We don't have to be worry, afraid or loathe
the dukkha or samuddaya.
The reason being the dukkha sicca is an absolute truth.
Samudaya sicca is also an absolute truth. Magga sicca and
nirodha sicca are also the absolute truth and you needn't
have to like or concentrate over these two sicca because
of our desire. Even if we like this dhamma it can never accept
our likes. It doesn't accept our perceptions. Even if we
could perceive, the perceptive wisdom is also impermanent
and hasn't the ability to perceive. You have to overtake
them with the sign of wisdom and only then you will be free
from all dhamma. In another word from sankhata nama rupa
of local mundane or asankhata nama-rupa of the supra mundane,
all our thoughts and intelligent have no choice but to live
appropriately.
When expounding the dhamma of extinguishing the attachment
and you are beginning to get attached to the extinguishment
instead. When dhamma of freedom from attachment is expounded,
you got attached to the freedom again. Like those who dropped
a lump of burning coal and hug a block of ice to avoid the
heat. The extreme heat can be kill as much as the extreme
cold. If you can adjust between the heat and cold you will
be able to live in good health. Dukkha and samudaya are both
sicca. Nirodha and magga are also sicca. For all the sicca
dhamma, which dhamma is to be afraid of, or to eradicate
or to exterminate and which dhamma is to perceive, to visualize,
to proliferate, and to meditate. If we have to choose to
live, we will be living with unbalanced heat and cold and
will be suffering. We will be suffering from the mental diseases.
So, this dukkha and samudaya are also sicca dhamma. Nirodha
and magga are also sicca dhamma. The dukkha and samudaya
sicca are both true dhamma. So are the nirodha and magga
sicca. When you can equally seed the truth as truth with
insight, we can then live in harmony with our society and
livelihood, if need be, we can make use of the dukkha and
samudaya to our advantage. When you use the dukkha and samudaya
and you are getting a detrimental result, then use the nirodha
and magga sicca. What I am preaching is for you to have the
insight so that you can use the sicca appropriately. I am
not asking you to cling on to that dhamma or which dhamma
to reject, but for those who wants to cling on to the extinguishing
dhamma, to forgo the non-extinguishing dhamma, to perceive
the extinguishing dhamma will be an insight and be free from
these ideal.
We then live in accordance to the wisdom of the absolute
truth and carry on with our livelihood, the society and if
needed, to make use of the dukkha and samudaya sicca. When
you found out that by using dukkha and samuddaya sicca, you
are having problems with you livelihood, all you have to
do is to turn to the niroddha and magga sicca. You have to
use it accordingly. I am discoursing so that you will be
able to acquire the wisdom and live with it. I am not asking
you to cling unto which dhamma or which dhamma to
reject. To those whose belief is that you have to reject
the un-extinguishing dhamma and to cling onto the extinguishing
dhamma which is to be perceived will be free.
For those who rejects the dukkha and samudaya and cling
onto the nirodha and magga is like the boy who had a lot
of plaque on his teeth was asked by his father to go and
chew some sugar cane so that the pulp from the cane will
cleanse his teeth. The boy went out and bought some sweet
potato that will thicken the plaque instead. Now I would
like to warn those who accepted this dhamma of extinguishing
have to be very careful. It is like the two clowns in the
troupe; one asking the other to lift his right leg. The second
clown did as instructed. When he was asked again to lift
the left leg, to which he complied. After that he was asked
to lift both his legs he complied but he landed on his buttocks.
Top Here, the dhamma of local
mundane, which we called sankhata, is annissa type, dukkha
type, and they are detestable, miserable dhamma. Do not
study this type of dhamma assiduously. I am requesting
you to live with the dukkha extinguishing dhamma, which
is the first step. I will accept the fact that all of you
are living in this first step for many years. After living
in this manner for a long period now I came along and ask
you to drop it and to visualize where the extinguishing
is. When you know this sign of wisdom, you will not even
attempt to lift both legs spontaneously. You don't want
to lift both legs off the floor simultaneously. All of
you are attached to this idea and wanted to be a sleeping
partner. I will say that all of you wanted to seek refuge
in these cold and quiet places. Whatever statement I have
made, I want you to be able to grasp the idea. Now I want
the audience to concentrate and listen to me carefully.
It is to be freed from both the attachments, i.e. " to be free from extinguishable
attachment" and " to be free from the attachment
to the extinguishable".
Originally I was preaching
so that you will to able to visualize " extinguishing
the attachment." After your realization, you began to
get attached to the extinguishments. When you got attached
the later, what different does it makes? The dhamma has changed
but not the attachment. That is why for the one who has a
kind of dhamma attachment and another with different kind
of dhamma attachment and the third without any kind of attachment,
they will never be able to live in a company and carry on
with a discussion. Even if they do get into a discussion
will never be in harmony.
During Lord Buddha's period, There was a Bhraman by the
name of Dhiganakha who went to Lord Buddha and told him that
he didn't believe in any belief. When he was asked why, the
reason he gave was that he had came across many of those
with belief. Those with belief claimed that their beliefs
were the truth and the other beliefs are false. These believers
became very argumentative and he decided not to believe in
any so as to be free from the other believers. To that Lord
Buddha replied that he had a belief not to believe, isn't
it?
Bhraman Dhiganakha. " Yes,
it is true. What I am guilty of for not having any belief? "
Lord Buddha replied " For those who has no belief
are always in conflict with the believers."
Yes, the one having a dhamma of belief when meeting another
with dhamma of belief, they will always have conflicts in
speech or spirit. And it is the same for those who haven't
any belief to have conflicts with those who have. You are
the one with no belief and you said to those believers that
they held on to beliefs and are exposed to religious fume
and was accused of being religious addicts that is bad. It
is better to be without belief. Those with belief also said
that the one who is lacking of belief is not good. Vis-a-viz.
Lord Buddha. " You
aren't having any belief is also at fault."
Bhraman Dhiganakha."Are you with belief or otherwise?"
Lord Buddha." I am not with those who believes, and
I am also not with those who is without belief."
Bhraman Dhiganakha " How are we going to live freely?"
Lord Buddha answered. "I do not look antagonistically
at those with beliefs nor at those without beliefs. I look
at them as they are and look at them without any distortion.
I live with this wisdom." Having heard what Lord Buddha
had said, the Bhraman was enlightened.
What I want to insinuate is when you are able too observing
the dhamma of non-extinguishments as it is, and to look at
the dhamma of extinguishment as it is. Only then it is real
wisdom. If you live only in the dhamma of extinguishment,
it will be similar to the clown who has lifted one leg and
standing on the other. Now I want to give you the following
example, which might lead you to the idea of wisdom.
There were two friends.
One is called Maung Kan and the other is called Maung Nyan.
One evening, they went to an open air Burmese show. During
the show, at the scenes where the actress was tortured
by the villain during the pine scenes, Maung Kan hated
the villain so much so that he would throw at the villain
whatever he could lay his hands on. Then Maung Nyan said " Maung
Kan, We came here to watch the show isn't it? Now you are
throwing things onto the stage to disrupt the show. One
has to be a good torturer to act like a villain. The director
on purposely selected a good supporting cast for a torturer.
His ability to act that part is by no means easy. How can
he prove his talent when you are disturbing him for the
simple reason you hated him? You have to change yo0ur behavior
so that you can watch and enjoy the show."
Like the advice given by Maung
Nyan, you must not avoid the non-extinguishable dhamma, which
you hate and attached to the extinguishing dhamma, similar
to those who depends on luck instead of wisdom. You are trying
to choose which dhamma you want to live with. Dhamma does
not favor nor tilt for anyone and like the spectator enjoying
the show similar to Maung Nyan.
That is the reason dukkha is the true dhamma. Samudaya is
also the true dhamma. Nirodha and magga are also the true
dhamma. Therefore there is no right or wrong dhamma. There
is no good or evil dhamma. What we really need is the wisdom
to put into application. Those who want the true dhamma dislike
the truth. Hate what they dislike and love what they like.
Avoid what they dislike and attached to what they like and
they are the ordinary stupid person who are searching or
the truth.
When I went to Shwebo Township,
I was asked" When I
am concentrating over the extinguished dhamma , the non-extinguished
dhamma appears again. What should I do so that it will stop
the non-extinguished dhamma from appearing again? As there
isn't any likable dhamma in the extinguishing dhamma and
in the non- extinguishing dhamma, there isn't any dhamma,
which is to be, depised, hated, dislike, attached or discarded.
The wisdom is to know what the dhamma is to be known. The
wisdom cannot kill any dhamma. There isn't any dhamma, which
is waiting for the wisdom to kill. Whatever dhamma is happening
is only momentary and will be annihilated immediately. So
do not come and ask me the means for it not to happen. There
isn't any. When it is not happening, please realize that
it is not happening. When it happens, please realize that
it is happening. This is wisdom.
Top In our minds the thoughts over the dhamma is moving all
the time, and I can see that we are beginning to hate it.
As we hate our lives of laymen and we want to live in a smiling
life of sotapana. After the achievement, we began to search
for sakadagamin, anagamin and arhatship. All that I could
make out is hating this side and liking the other side and
so forth and not realizing the dhamma we are taking turns
to hate and to like all the times. Before you understand
the dhamma you will say this is my head, my feet, my hands,
I saw, I heard, I tasted and so on, isn't it? You love what
there is to be loved. You hate what there is to be hated.
By the time you are of age, you cannot love alone but must
be in pair. When love has bee refused, hate and anger developed.
Angry words are being said. You are moving and moving. You
cannot stand still. If you are still without any movement,
you might as well be dead.
That is why when we say loka, it means that is moving, changing,
renegade and they are never static in any situation. When
it comes to dhamma, they hate the age, pain and death. They
love the non-age, non-pain, and non-death and willing to
go to the extreme in search for them. These people have no
modesty and will go from one meditation center to another,
or one monastery to another to look for the dhamma, isn't
it? Yes, you began to get old as you are searching for the
non-age. You will find the pain while searching for non0-pain.
You will eventually die while searching for the non-death.
The teacher dies, so are the disciples. It is positive that
there will be death in the future. Ask to see if there is
anyone who loves the age, pain and death. No one loves them
and this is why they are meditating month in month out, year
in year out. In this life, even if we do not love it, we
have to kiss it with restrain.
You hate the life of the layman and constantly love the
life of the arahat. Hating the suffering of the samsara and
love the freedom from the suffering samsara. Therefore these
two loves and hate began to appear and they are the samsara.
You must realize that there is no one who has the ability
to stop the happening of the nama-rupa, non-age, non-pain,
and non-death.
This realization is the wisdom and is without high or low
esteem and to know the truth as truth is. If you know that
this wisdom is without attachment to the love and hate and
only be able to see that age, pain and death are merely dhamma.
Having known this, the matter of age or non-age, pain or
non-pain, death or non-death is no more in your thoughts.
If I am asked whether I would like to eat Mandalay Preserved
Tea Leaves or acquire the means to the non-death, my answer
is that I will take the tea leaves instead of non-death,
because I know that there isn't any dhamma which could create
the non-death. Some were asked to meditate over the happening
and annihilation of nama-rupa and some were asked to meditate
over the non-happening and non-annihilation of nibbana. Just
like moving to Mandalay so to avoid living in this local
mundane and isn't true that Mandalay is in the local mundane.
Similar to divorcing a husband for a new one or moving from
one monastery to another. Dhamma of happening and annihilation
are being destroyed all the times. Nibbana of non-happening
and non-annihilation is also the truth. Regarding to the
true dhamma, it can never dominate another dhamma.
That is the reason why the Sayadaw always preached that
the truth is like a mirror. If an ugly person looks at the
mirror of vimokti, it will reflex the ugliness. Therefore
if an ugly person comes along, the mirror cannot discriminate
between like and dislike. It cannot be choosy over whom to
reflex or not. The anxiety is not with the mirror. When a
mirror reflexes a beautiful girl, the mirror did not make
any choice.
Similar to that, those who has the insight and wisdom of
the dhamma hasn't the will of atta or the anxiety to choose
the good dhamma and reject the bad dhamma. One is no more
a slave of dhamma anymore and became the lord of dhamma and
uses the dhamma accordingly. In the past, I was so afraid
of the dhamma that I have to hide, to avoid, and kneel before
it. Ever since I knew the dhamma as dhamma is and from this
wisdom of dukkha, samudaya, nirodha and magga dhamma, my
livelihood and health are all in harmony with the moment.
Whatever dhamma could be developed or utilized appropriately
is considered the Lord of the dhamma. There is no dhamma
to reject, to develop or to attach.
You can no more define this
dhamma as friendly called that as a foe. That is why the
age, pain and death are all dhamma. Non age, non-pain and
non-death are also dhamma. Try and be able to observe the
dhamma. Do not look at it as "I" or "HE",
because by using the "I" and "HE" is
the controversy and became divided and the argument begins.
Sabbe dhamma anatta.
Sabbe =All are.
Dhamma = dhamma
Annatta = Cannot make a happening dhamma to become a non-happening dhamma.
Anatta = Cannot make a non-happening dhamma to become a happening dhamma.
Cannot change the age to non-age.
Cannot change the pain to non-pain.
Cannot change the death to non-death.
These are just as our Lord Buddha had discoursed and I wish
you all will be able to comprehend the wisdom and be able
to use all the dhamma freely.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu
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