- The Concept of Personality
Revealed Through The Pancanikaya
- Ven. Thich Chon-Thien
- Part Three: The Concept of
Personality Revealed Through The Pancanikaya
- III.2 Chapter 2
- Man is Pancakkhandha
Name-and-Form element (Nàma-Rùpa) as
discussed in "the operation of the twelve elements of Dependent Origination" are
the five aggregates of man (Pancakkhandhà), therefore the operation of the twelve
elements really is the operation of Pancakkhandhà, and realizing that operation means
realizing what a man really is.
At the Deer Park (Migadàya), Isipatana at
Bàrànasì, right after the first day of teaching the Four Noble Truths (Cattàri
Ariyasaccàni), from the second day to the fifth, Lord Buddha explained the doctrine of
Pancakkhandhà to Mahàthera Kondanna and his four Dhamma friends. It runs that:
"At Benares, in the Deer Park was the occasion (for
this discourse)At that time the Exalted One thus addressed the band of five
brethren:"Body, brethren, is not the self..., feeling is not the self... likewise
perception, the activities and consciousness are not the self...
Moreover, by this teaching thus uttered the hearts of
those five brethren were freed from the àsavas without grasping". (1)
("Bàrànasiyam nidànam Migadàye // Tatra kho,
Bhagavà, pancavaggiye bhikkhuù àmantesi // la // etad avoca // Ruùpam bhikkhave,
anattà // ... Vedanà anattà / ... Sannà anattà // ... Sankhàrà anattà // ...
Vinnànam anattà // ... Idam avoca Bhagavà // ..imasmimca pana veyyàkaranasmim
bhannamàne pancavaggiyànam bhikkhunam anupàdàya àsavehi cittàni vimuccimsu
ti//"). (2)
Pancakkhandhà is the second discourse
which helped the first five disciples of Lord Buddha destroy completely their defilements
to attain the Arahanthood to see the truth of life and true happiness. Let’s now
examine Lord Buddha’s teachings on it.
III.2.1:THE MEANING OF PANCAKKHANDHA
Lord Buddha defined:
" I will teach you, brethren, the five factors and
the five factors that have to do with grasping. Do Ye listen to it. And what, brethren,
are the five factors? All body, brethren, be it past, future or present, inward or
outward, gross or subtle, low or lofty, far or near, that is called "the body -
factor". Every feeling, perception, all the activities, every consciousness, be it
past, future or present, inward or out ward, etc. That is called the "consciousness -
factor".
These five, brethren, are called the five factors. And
what, brethren, are the five factors that have to do with grasping? Every body, brethren,
be it past, future or present..., be it far or near, is a co - aàsava, and has to do with
grasping. That is called the five factors that have to do with grasping. Every
perception...; All the activities...; whatever consciousness..." (3)
("Panca, bhikkhave, khandhe desissàmi
pancupàdànakkhandhe ca // tam sunàth// Katame ca, bhikkhave, pancakkhandhà // Yam
kinci, bhikkhave, ruùpam atìtànàgatapaccuppannam ... // Yàkàci vedanà... // Ye Keci
sankhàrà...
Yam kinci vinnànam atitànàpaccuppannam... // Ime
vuccanti bhikkhave, pancakkhandhà // Katame ca, bhikkhave, pancupàdànakkhandhà // Yam
kinci, bhikkhave, rupam ... upàdànìyam ayam vuccati rupupàdànakkhandho // Yà kàci
vedanà // pe //
Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, pancupàdànakkha-ndhàti
//") (4)
The above quotation says that:
Aggregate of body (or form) is understood
as a person’s physical body, bodies of others and the material world. Aggregate of
feeling includes feeling of suffering, of happiness and of indifference. It is known as
feelings arising from eye - contact, ear - contact, nose - contact, tongue - contact, body
- contact and mind - contact.
Aggregate of perception includes
perception of body, perception of sound, perception of odour, perception of taste,
perception of touch (or tangibles), and perception of mental objects (or phenomena).
Aggregate of activities (or volition) is
all mental, oral and bodily activities. it also is understood as volitionalacts occasioned
by body, by sound, by odour, by taste, by touching or by ideas. Aggregate of consciousness
includes eye - consciousness, ear - consciousness, nose - consciousness, tongue -
consciousness, body - consciousness and mind - consciousness.
Such is a person ! He is conditioned by
this physical and mental world. He relates closely to others, to society, and to nature,
but can never exist by himself. Therefore, he must be selfless, impermanent. Because of
selflessness and impermanence, a person who always grasp selfness and permanence feels
suffering in life, as Lord Buddha declared:
"Body, brethren, is impermanent. What is impermanent
that is suffering. What is suffering, that is void of self. What is void of self, that is
not mine, I am not it, it is not myself. That is how it is to be regarded by perfect
insight of what it really is.
Feeling is impermanent. etc.
Perception is impermanent. ...
Activities are impermanent. ...
Conscious is impermanent. ..." (5)
(" Ruùpam, bhikkhave, aniccam // yad aniccam tam
dukkham // yam dukkham tad anattà // yad anattà tam netam mama neso ham- asmi na meso
attà ti // Evam etam yathàbhuøtam sammappannàya datthabbam // Vedanà aniccà ... //
Sannà aniccà .... // Sankhàrà aniccà ... // Vinnànam aniccam...
Evam etam yathàbhuøtam sammappannàya datthabbam
//") (6)
And:
" Body, brethren, is void of the self. That which is
the cause, that which is the condition of the arising of body, that also is void of self.
How, brethren, can body, which is compounded of the selfless, come to be the self?
Feeling... Perception... The Activities... Consciousness
is void of the self. That which is the cause, that which is... that also is void of the
self. How can that consciousness, which is compounded of the selfless, come to be the
self?" (7)
("Ruùpam, bhikkhave, ànattà // yo pi hetu yo pi
paccayo ruùpassa uppàdàya so pi anattà //anattasambhutam, bhikkhave, ruùpam kuto
attà bhavissati //
Vedanà anattà // ... Sannà anattà // ...
Sankhàrà anattà //... Vinnànam anattà // yo pi hetu
yo pi paccayo vinnànassa uppàdàya so pi anattà // anattasambhuøtam, bhikkhave,
vinnànam kuto attà bhavissati // //") (8)
The truth of a man is selfless: it is not
his self, it is not his, and he is not it, while the contemporary personality theorists
and educators tend to search for a self and consider that: it is his self, it is his and
he is it, how can they come to solutions for individuals’ problems?(!) Here is the
very crucial point from which the personality theorists and educators know what and how to
educate individuals for a good society and environment they are living in, and for their
happiness. Evidently, it is not easy to convince people to accept this truth of life, but
the point is people should not keep themselves away from it. This demands education to
find the way to do to help people see it as the following teaching shows:
" Just as if, brethren, this river Ganges should
carry down a huge lump of foam, and a keen - sighted man should see it, observe it and
look close into its nature. So seeing it, observing it and looking close into its nature,
he would find it empty, he would find it unsubstantial, he would find it without essence.
What essence, brethren, could there be in a lump of foam? Suppose, brethren, in autumn
time, when the sky-god rains down big drops, a bubble rises on the water and straight way
bursts, and a keen - sighted man should see it, observe it. look close into its nature. So
seeing it, observing it, and looking close into its nature, he would find it empty, he
would find it unsubstantial, he would find it without essence. What essence, brethren,
could there be in a bubble on the water?
Even so, brethren, whatsoever feeling, be it past, future
or present, be it far or near, a brother sees... he finds it without essence. What
essence, brethren, could there be in feeling? ..." (9)
("Seyyathàpi, bhikkhave, ayam Gangà nadìmahantam
phenapindam àvaheyya // tamenam Cakkhumà puriso passeyya nijjhàyeyya yoniso
upaparikkheyya // Tassa tam passato nijjhàyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakanneva
khàyeyya tucchakanneva khàyeyya asàrakanneva khàyeyya // Kinhi siyà, bhikkhave,
phenapinde sàro // Seyyathàpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante
udake bubbulam uppajjati ceva nirujjhati ca // tam evam cakkhumà puriso passeyya
nijjhàyeyya yoniso upaparikkheyya // tassa tam passato nijjhàyato yoniso upaparikkhato
rittakan-neva khàyeyya // tucchakanneva khàyeyya asàrakanneva khàyeyya // kinhi siyà,
bhikkhave, udakabubbule sàro // Evam eva kho, bhikkhave, yà kàci vedanà
atìtànàgatapaccuppannà // pe // ... kinhi siyà, bhikkhave, vedanàya sàro //") (10)
It is similar for a mirage seen in the dry
season at high noontide compared with consciousness and other aggregates.
If a man sees that truth, he comes to feel
disgust at aggregates; feeling disgust he is repelled; by repulsion he is set free and
comes to the Insight that: he is free.
Now, following that regard to things, let
us take a look deep into men’s physical bodies, observe and analyse them, what can we
realize?
That physical body comes from a foetus
made up by the spermatozoon and semen. Thesespermatozoon and semen were created by the
essence of food coming from many conditions in nature which includes the existence of the
Sun about 150 million kilometers away from here.
That baby (child) has been brought up also
by food, etc. It exists out of the intention of a person, and changes all the time...
How can that body regarded as his own
self? Similarly, analysing the aggregate of feeling will help a person see :
- Feeling aggregate is nothing but a mass
of feelings coming from touching which is but the contact of the inward part and the
outward part of the body aggregate. If body aggregate is seen as not the "I",
the "mine" or the "my self" and as emptiness, so is feeling aggregate.
For perception aggregate, it is the
perceptions of body, of sound, of smell, of taste, of touch and of phenomena. These things
belonging to body aggregate are empty, as mentioned above, so those perceptions are also
empty: they must not be considered as the "I", the "mine" or the
"my self"
For Activities aggregate, they are known
as the thought of body, of sound, of smell, of taste, of touch, and of mental objects, but
body, sound, ..., are empty and considered as not the "I", the "mine"
the "my self" so Activities aggregate must be regarded similarly.
For consciousness aggregate, it is the
cognition arising from eye - contact, ear - contact, nose - contact, tongue - contact,
body contact and mind - contact. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind are empty and not
the "I", the "mine" or the "my self"; so is consciousness.
What is called a man is a compound of the
five aggregates which are empty, he must be selfless and not the "I", the
"mine" or the "my self". This sounds rather strange but true.
Such a regard to the five aggregates is
that of wisdom (pannà or vijja) which can help a person to come out of all troubles. It
suggests a person to train himself for a regard of wisdom to things, but not for the
search for a self or personality.
Here, an individual may ask: if
"no-self" is the true self of a human being, then who acts? Who receives the
result of his actions? - These questions implying the meaning of a "self" must
belong to self - thought which is ignorance (avijja) and is of conception but not of
reality. In fact, human beings are there, their actions are there, and the results of
their actions they receive are there. No question on "who" or "why"
exists in reality: it is what to live with, but not to talk about or to think of. There
are only two things to be concerned in the fateful existence of a human being: his
obsessing suffering and his requirement to find out the way to the cessation of that
suffering. His main problem is how to have a right view on these two things as Lord buddha
taught His disciple, Kaccànagotta, that:
" From the very lips of the Exalted one, friend
Channa, from his very lips as he taught brotherKaccànagotta, I heard this: "On two
things, Kaccàna, does this world generally base its view - on existence and on non -
existence. Now he who with right insight sees the arising of the world as it really is,
does not believe in the non - existence of the world. But, Kaccàna, he who with right
insight sees the ceasing of the world as it really is, does not believe in the existence
of the world.
Grasping after systems, imprisoned by dogmas in this
world, Kaccàna, for the most part. And he who does not go after, does not grasp at, does
not take his stand on this system - grasping, this dogma, this mental bias, - such an one
does not say it is my soul. He who thinks, that which arises is but ill: that which
ceases, it is ill such an one has no doubts; no perplexity. In this matter, knowledge not
borrowed from others comes to him. Thus far, Kaccàna, goes right view."
"All exists", Kaccàna, - that is one extreme.
"Nought exists" Kaccàna, - that is the other
extreme. Not approaching either extreme, Kaccàna, the Tathàgata teaches you a doctrine
by the middle way: "Conditioned by ignorance come the activities, conditioned by
activities comes consciousness, and so forth. Thus is the arising of this whole mass of
ill. By the utter fading away and ceasing of ignorance comes the ceasing of the
activities, and so forth. Thus is the ceasing of this entire mass of ill". (11)
("Sammukhà me tam, àvuso Channa, Bhagavato sutam
sammukhà ca patiggahitam Kaccànagottam bhikkhum ovadantassa // Dvayanissito khvàyam
Kaccàna loko, yebhuyyena atthi tanceva natthi tanca // Lokasamudayam, kho Kaccàna,
yathàbhuùtam sammappannàya passato yà loke natthità sà na hoti // loka nirodham kho,
Kaccàna, yathàbhuùtam sammappannàya passato yà loke atthità sà na hoti//
Upàyupàdànàbhinivesavinilbandho khàyam, Kaccàna, loko yebhuyyena // tancàyam
upàyupàdànam cetaso adhitthànàbhinivesànusayàna upeti na upàdiyati //
nàdhitthàti Attà me ti // Dukkham eva uppajjamànam uppajjati dukkham niruddhamànam
nirujjhatìti na kankhati na vicikicchati aparapaccayà nànam evassa ettha hoti //
Ettàvatà kho, Kaccàna, sammàditthi hoti //
Sabbam attìti kho, Kaccàna, ayam eko anto // Sabbam
natthìti ayam dutiyo anto // Ete te Kaccàna ubho ante anupagamma majjhena Tathàgato
dhammam deseti // Avijjàpaccayà sankhàrà... pe... Evam etassa kevalassa
dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti //") (12)
So the above mentioned root problem of
human beings was taught and emphasized by Lord Buddha. It was emphasized several times by
Him as the central point of His teaching as recorded here and there in the Pancanikàya.
He said:
" Both formely and now also, it is just sorrow and
the ceasing of sorrow that I proclaim" (13)
("Sàdhu sàdhu, Anuràdha, pubbe càham, Anuràdha,
etarahi ca dukkhanceva pannàpemi dukkhassa ca nirodhanti //"). (14)
Lord Buddha, in addition to the above
teaching, also emphasized what should be understood by an individual, and what is the
understanding of it so clearly that:
" Brethren, I will show you things that are to be
understood, likewise understanding. Do ye listen to it.
And what, brethren, are the things to be understood, Body,
brethren, is a thing to be understood: feeling is a thing to be understood: perception,
the activities and consciousness also. These, brethren, are the things that are to be
understood.
And what, brethren, is understanding? The destruction of
lust, the destruction of hatred, the destruction of illusion: that; brethren, is called
"understanding". (15)
(" Parinànàeyye ca, bhikkhave, dhamme desisàmi
Parinnanca // tam sunàtha//
Katame ca, bhikkhave, parinneyyà dhammà // Rupam,
bhikkhave, parinneyyo dhammo // Vedanà parinneyyo dhammo // sannà... // sankhàrà ...
// vinnànam... // Ime vuccanti, bhikkhave, parinneyyà dhammà // Katamà ca, bhikkhave,
parinnà // Yo, bhikkhave, ràgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo // ayam vuccati, bhikkhave,
parinnàti //") (16)
In short, Lord Buddha’s teachings
recorded in Pancanikàya are basically concentrated on introducing the five aggregates and
the way of dealing with men’s desires for them which means introducing the arising of
the five aggregates and the ceasing of them. This is a very practical and existential way
of education that suggests to men the purpose of education - which is happiness or the
cessation of suffering -, and the content of education - which is the understanding of the
five aggregates and the way of extinguishing sufferings arising from them - That way also
suggests that the course of modern education, in the name of human beings and their
happiness in this very life, should be based on that purpose and content of education. The
search for truth of man and universe now should turn to be the realization of the five
aggregates, the operation of which will be mentioned next.
III.2.2: THE OPERATION OF PANCAKKHANDHA
As mentioned in (III.2.1.) the operation
of the five aggregates is that of Name-and-Form (nàma - rupa) of Dependent Origination
and so is the operation of Dependent Origination itself. And, the five aggregates co -
exist; they cannot separate from each other. This is an important thing to be noticed
before mentioning the operation of each aggregate.
The operation of Consciousness (Vinnana)
Consciousness is the cause of
Name-and-Form element in Dependent Origination, and so it is understood as the cause of
the five aggregates on the one hand, and on the other hand it is conditioned by the other
eleven elements of Dependent Origination as it is implied in the following teaching:
" Were a man, brethren, to declare thus: "Apart
from body, apart from feeling, apart from perception, apart from the activities, I will
show forth the coming or the going or the decease or the rebirth of consciousness" -
to do that were impossible.
If lust for body, brethren, is abandoned by a brother, by
that abandonment of lust its foothold is cut off. Thereby there is no platform for
consciousness. Likewise as regards feeling, perception, the activities.
So also, brethren, if lust for the consciousness element
be abandoned by a brother, by that abandonment of lust, its foothold is cut off. Thereby
there is no platform for consciousness. Without that platform, consciousness has no
growth, it generates no action and is freed: by freedom it is steady: by its steadiness it
is happy: owing to happiness it is not troubled. Being untroubled, of itself it becomes
utterly weel, so that it knows: "destroyed is rebirth, lived is the righteous; done
is the task, for life in these conditions there is no hereafter".) (17)
("Yo bhikkhave evam vadeyya // Aham annatraruùpà
annatra vedanàya annatra sannàya annatra sankhàrehi vinnànassa àgatim và gatim và
cutim và upapattim và vuddhim và virulhim và vepullam và pannàpessàmìti netam
thànam vijjati //
Rùpadhàtuyà ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ràgo pahìno hoti
// ràgassa pahànà vocchijjatàram - manam patitthà vinnànassa na hoti // Vedanàya
dhàtuyà ce, bhikkhave // Sannàdhàtuyà ce bhikkhave // Sankhàra... Vinnàna...
Tad apatitthitam vinnànam aviruàlham anabhisankhàrànca
vimuttam // vimuttattà thitam thitattà santusitam santusitattà na paritassati //
aparitassam paccattanneva parinibbàyati // Khìnà jàti vusitam brahmacariyam katam
karanìyam nàparam itthattàyàti pajànàtìti //") (18)
Lust for body, feeling, perception, the
activities and consciousness is a mental activity which belongs to the Activities element
(sankhàra) of Dependent Origination or Activities aggregates of the Five aggregates.
Owing to this lust, consciousness arises, develops and matures. This lust for the Five
aggregates exists because of the existence of the satisfaction of the Five aggregates.
This satisfaction exists owing to the fact that one attaches to the selfness of things
which is called Ignorance (avijjà).If the attachment to things (or Ignorance) ceases to
exist, the satisfaction of things cannot exist and one’s lust for the satisfaction of
things also ceases to exist.If one’s lust for things ceases to exist, the cause of
sufferings - which aregrasping, becoming, birth, old-age - cannot appear; then one comes
to extinguish all troubles and attain happiness of one’s free mind. This also means
the cessation of consciousness.
Another aspect of the operation of
Consciousness may be regarded as the cause, the origin and the condition of Name-and-Form
as mentioned in (II.1.2.) - "the meaning and operation of the twelve causes - but it
is not an entity: it includes six groups: eye - consciousness exists when there exists the
contact between eyes and forms, ear - consciousness exists when there exists the contact
between ears and sounds, ..., and mind -consciousness exists when there exists the contact
between mind and mental objects. If the contact does not exist, consciousness cannot be
present and cannot operate. So, consciousness is but the existence of a group of
conditions which must not be regarded as the "I", the "mine" or the
"myself"
The operation of Activities aggregate
(sankhara)
Activities aggregate is the very
Activities element of Dependent Origination. It is a compound of mental activities, oral
activities and bodily activities. It is also regarded as one’s will to live and
defined by Lord Buddha as follows:
"And what, brethren, are the Activities? These six
seats of will: the will that is in body, sound, odour, taste, touch, and in mental images.
These, brethren, are called the Activities. From the arising of contact, comes the arising
of the activities. From the ceasing of contact is the ceasing ofactivities." (19)
("Katame ca, bhikkhave, sankhàrà // chayime,
bhikkhave, cetanàkàyà // ruùpasancetanà // pe / dhammasancetanà // ime vuccanti,
bhikkhave, sankhàrà // Phassasamudayà sankhàrasamudayo // phassasamudayà
sankharànirodho // ayam eva ariyo atthangiko maggo sankhàranirodhagàminì patipadà //
seyyathìdam sammàditthi // pe // sammàsamàdhi //") (20)
The above quotation and what has been
expressed in the Activities element of Dependent Origination in part (II.1.2.) shows that:
* All thoughts of and desires for body,
sound, odour, smell, taste, and mental images of a person make up Activities aggregate
(sankhàra khandha).
* If contact is not present, his feeling
is absent; and his desire for things does not exist, his thought of thing does not come
into existence either. This means Activities aggregate is an empty entity.
* All psychological activities of a person
- such as wishes, vows, wholesome and unwholesome thoughts, hate, love, jealousy, self -
pride, mental reactions to life... - which have created his life in the present and in the
next existence are of Activities aggregate. These things make sense for life, without them
life becomes meaningless. However, the operation of them is but the operation of an
illusion of a self (or ignorance) which says the true meaning of all values of ahuman life
is very shadowy.
In a more positive expression of that
operation, Lord Buddha taught His disciples that:
" And what, monks, is the undertaking of dhamma that
is suffering in the present and results in suffering in the future? In this case, monks,
someone, even with suffering, even with grief, becomes one to make onslaught on creatures
he experiences suffering and grief. Even with suffering, even with grief; he becomes one
who takes what was not given..., he becomes one to behave wrongly in regard to sense
pleasures..., he becomes a liar..., a slanderer..., a harsh speaker..., a frivolous
talker..., he becomes covetous..., malevolent in thought... of wrong view, and because of
his wrong view he experiences suffering and grief. He, at the breaking up of the body
after dying uprises in a sorrowful state, a bad bourn, the abyss, Niraya Hell". (21)
("Katamanca, bhikkhave, dhammasamàdànam
paccuppannadukkhanc’eva àyatinca dukkhavipàkam: Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sahàpi
dukkhena sahàpi domanassena pànàtipàtì hoti pànàtipàtàpacayà ca dukkham
domanassam patisamvedeti, sahàpi dukkhena sahàpi domanassena adinnàdàyì hoti
adinnàdànapaccayà ca dukkham domanassam patisamvedeti, sahàpi dukkhena sahàpi
domanassena kàmesu micchàcàrìhoti kàmesu micchàcàrapaccayà cadukkham domanassam
patisamvedeti, sahàpi dukkhena sahàpi domanassena musàvàdì hoti musàvàdapaccayà ca
dukkham domanassam patisamvedeti, sahàpi dukkhena sahàpi domanassena pisunàvàco hoti
pisunàvàcàpaccayà ca dukkham domanassam patisamvedeti,... pharusàvàco..., ...
samphappalàpì..., ... abhijjhàlu..., ... byàpannacitto..., .. micchàditthi hoti
micchàditthipaccayà ca dukkham domanassam patisamvedeti. So kàyassa bhedà param
maranà apàyam duggatim vinipàtam nirayam upapajjati. Idam vuccati, bhikkhave,
dhammasamàdànam paccuppan-nadukkhan- c’eva àyatinca dukkhavipàkam"). (22)
The above are ten common actions of an
evil worldly man: three of them relate to body; four relate to speech; and three relate to
mind.
In the next paragraphs of the discourse
(suttam), Lord Buddha declared: with regard to those ten volitional actions, there are
people who did them with pleasure and felt satisfied after having done in the present
would receive sufferings as results in the future; there are people, who abstained from
doing them with suffering and grief, and experienced suffering and grief in the present,
would arise in a good, a heaven existence after dying; there are people who abstained from
doing them with pleasure and happiness and experienced pleasure and happiness in the
present, would arise in a good bourn, a heaven existence after dying.
Those ten volitional actions, either good
or evil, are of the operation of Activities aggregate in the sphere of psychological
conditions of the sensual world which is dominated by the five mental factors called five
hindrances: sensual desire, ill - will, sloth and torpor, flurry and worry, and doubt, as
Lord Buddha taught:
" ... The hindrance of sensual desire, of ill - will,
of sloth and torpor, of flurry and worry, and the hindrance of doubt. "Tis a heap of
bad things !" Monks, and in saying this of these five hindrances, one would speak
rightly; for verily, monks, the whole is a heap of bad things, that is to say: these five
hindrances". (23)
("Kàmacchandaniâvaranam,vyàpadaniâvaranam,
thìnamiddhaniâvaranam,uddhaccakukkuccaniâvaranam vicikicchànìvaranam.
Akusalaràsì ti, bhikkhave, vadamàno ime panca
niìvarane sammà vadamàno vadeyya. Kevalo h’ayam, bhikkhave, akusalaràsi yad idam
ime panca nìvaranà ti.") (24)
Those hindrances overspread the heart of a
person, and weaken his insight. To control and deal with them, the person should open a
new course of operation for his Activities aggregate by cultivating two conditions of
meditation: Calm (or samatha) and Insight (or vipassanà) as Lord Buddha showed:
" Monks, for the full comprehension of lust, anger,
delusion, hate, hypocrisy and spite, envy and grudging, deceit and treachery, obstinacy
andimpetuosity, pride and overweening pride, mental intoxication and negligence, for the
utter destruction, abandoning, ending, decay, fading out, ending, giving up and
renunciation thereof these two conditions must be cultivated. What two?
* Calm and Insight. These two must be cultivated."
(25)
("Ràgassa dosassa mohassa kodhassa upanàhassa
makkhassa palàsassa issàya macchariyassa màyàya sàtheyyassa thambhassa sàrambhassa
mànassa atimànassa madassa pamàdassa, bhikkhave, abhinnàya parinnàya
parikkhayàyapahànàya khayàya vayàya viràgàya nirodhàya càgàya patinissaggàya
dve dhammà bhàvetabbà katame dve?
Samatho ca vipassanà ca... pe...Ime dve dhammà
bhàvetabbà ti"). (26)
According to the Discourse on "The
Applications of Mindfulness" (Satipatthànasutta),the Discourse on "The
Uninterrupted" (Annupadasuttam) -Middle Length Sayings Vol. I. and Vol. III - and
many other discourses in Middle Length Sayings, if a person lives with insight, or
practises insight, aloof from sensual pleasures and unskilled states of mind he will enter
on and abide in the first meditation which is accompanied by the five meditative factors:
initial thought, sustained thought, rapture, joy, and one - pointedness of mind. These
five factors come and remove the five hindrances; initial thought removes sloth and
torpor, sustained thought removes doubt, rapture removes ill - will, joy removes flurry
and worry, and one - pointedness of mind removes sensual desire.
If the person allays initial and sustained
thought, he will enter on and abide in the second meditation which is devoid of initial
and sustained thought.
If he continues practising and allaying
the meditative mental factor of rapture, he will enter on and abide in the third
meditation which is accompanied with joy and one - pointedness of mind.
Again, if he gets rid of joy, anguish, he
will enter on and abide in the fourth meditation being with equanimity and one -
pointedness of mind
These four states of mind, from the first
meditation to the fourth meditation, are psychological states of mind of the person who
puts the operation of his Activities aggregate into meditation.
Again, if the person abides in the fourth
meditation and cultivates insight (vipassanà) he will come to gradually destroy the
"Ten mental defilements" (dasa kilesas) to attain the Four Sainthoods
(ariyamaggam and ariyaphalam) as follows:
(1) Through insight (vipassanà), if he destroys the first
three mental defilements: belief in personality (sakkàya-ditthi), doubt (vicikicchà) and
attachment to rules and rituals (sìlabbataparàmàsa), he becomes a Stream-Enterer
(Sotàpanna)
(2) If he continues cultivating and weakening sensuous
craving (Kàmaràga) and ill - will (vyàpàda), he becomes an Once-Returner
(Sakadàgàmi).
(3) If he destroys completely the above five mental
defilements, he becomes a Never-Returner (Anàgàmi)
(4) Lastly, if he continues destroying the last five
mental defilements: craving for fine material existence, craving for formless existence,
conceit, restlessness and ignorance (ruùparàga, aruùparàga, màna, uddhacca and
avijjà), he becomes an Arahanta who destroys completely all causes of sufferings.
During the period of time of practising
insight (vipassanà), the practician puts the operation of Activities aggregate under the
control of insight, or wisdom (pannà) ; this means the operation of wisdom, but not of
ignorance (avijjà), which leads him to liberation and happiness in the here - and - now.
Such is the operation of Activities
aggregate!
Operation of Perception aggregate:
As discussed before, Perception aggregate
is conditioned by the other four aggregates, so its operation must be the operation of
Consciousness, or of Activities, or of the twelve elements of Dependent Origination. In
Kindred Sayings, Vol. III, Lord Buddha defined:
"And what, brethren, is perception? It is these six
seats of perception: perception of sights, perceptionof sounds, of smells, tastes, and
mental images. This is called perception. From the arising of contact (phassa) is the
arising of perception, by the ceasing of contact is the ceasing of perception; this is
that Ariyan Eightfold Path going to the ceasing of perception, to wit - right view, right
understanding, ..., and right concentration". (27)
( "Katamà ca, bhikkhave, sannà // chayime,
bhikkhave, sannàkàyà // ruùpasannà saddasannà gandhasannà rasasannà
photthabbasannà dhammasannà ayam vuccati sannà // Phassasamudayà sannàsamudayo
phassanirodhà sannànirodho // Ayam eva ariyo atthangiko maggo
sannànirodhagàminìpatipadà//seyyathìdam sammàditthi // pe // sammàsamàdhi // la
//vattam tesam natthi pannàpanàya//") (28)
From the above quotation, perception
aggregate, as Consciousness aggregate, cannot arise without contact. With regard to the
operation of Dependent Origination, it may be declared that: without ignorance, without
activities, without consciousness, without Name-and-Form, without six - sense spheres,
without feeling, without craving, without grasping, or without becoming, perception
aggregate cannot arise. Inversely, without perception aggregate, the other aggregates or
the twelve elements of Dependent Origination cannot arise. It is similar for the ceasing
of perception and the ceasing of others. In other words, there are only conditions making
up perceptionand others which exist, but no perception considered as entity exists. In
realizing this truth, a person may detach from all aggregates. From that detachment,
meaning from the ceasing of attachment or grasping, the operation of perception leading to
its ceasing and the ceasing of all troubles will come into existence: this is what is a
way of life of experience, but not of reasons, about which people must not ask why, as
they must not ask why a bird can fly or a fish can swim.
Seeing the above operation means
"right view"; thinking of it means "right thought" (or right
understanding); striving to abide in that vision means "right action",
"right livelyhood", and "right effort"; being mindful of it means
"right mindfulness", concentrating one’s thought on it means "right
concentration". This is a way of cultivating the "Eightfold Paths" leading
to the cessasion of all sufferings.
Operation of Feeling aggregate:
Happiness or suffering is a feeling which
belongs to Feeling aggregate. So, any operation of any aggregate or element of Dependent
Origination leading to the arising of suffering means the operation leading to the arising
of Feeling aggregate; any operation leading to the ceasing of Feeling aggregate, any
operation leading to the ceasing of suffering means the operation leading to the ceasing
of Feeling aggregate.
Lord Buddha taught:
" And what, brethren, is feeling? It is these six
seats of feeling: feeling that is born of contactwith eye, feeling that is born of contact
with ear, born of contact with nose, with tongue, with body, and with mind. That,
brethren, is called feeling. Owing to the arising of contact there is arising of feeling -
owing to the ceasing of contact, there is ceasing of feeling. This is that Eightfold
Ariyan Path going to the ceasing of feeling, to wit: right view, right understanding, ...,
right concentration." (29)
( "Katamà ca, bhikkhave, vedanà // Chayime,
bhikkhave,vedanàkàyà//cakkhusamphassajà vedanà // sotasamphassajà vedanà //
ghànasamphassajà // manosamphassajà ... // ayam vuccati bhikkhave, vedanà //
Phassasamudayà vedanàsamudayo phassanirodhà
vedanànirodho // Ayam eva ariyo atthangiko maggo vedanànirodhagaminì patipàdà //
seyyathìdam sammàditthi // pe // sammàsamàdhi //") (30)
It is quite evident that the satisfaction
of feeling makes arise desire in a person’s mind and the person follow after
pleasures from things. Without feeling, his desire becomes groundless and ceases to exist.
If desire ceases, grasping comes to cease and suffering is not present. This is the
ceasing of ignorance, of activities, of consciousness, of Name-and-Form, ..., and of
becoming. So, the ceasing and arising of feeling are the very ceasing and arising of other
aggregates or elements of Dependent Origination. In other words, the operation of feeling
really is the operation of ignorance (avijjà), and the existence of feeling is but the
existence of ignorance or of self - thought. If a person, through the practice of insight
(vipassanà) realizes this operation, he will surely search for wisdom instead of the
satisfaction of feeling. If not, he will be drowned in his feelings. With that wisdom, he
will be happy living with what he is and what he has in the here - and - now without
worries, and will open a new course of operation of mind to the destruction of feeling
aggregate
Operation of Body aggregate:
Body aggregate is physical or material.
People often have a feeling that it is not difficult to understand it, but in fact, it
really is, because they can understand it only when they understand the operation of the
five aggregates or of the twelve elements of Dependent Origination.
Lord Buddha said:
" And what, brethren, is body? - It is the four great
elements. That, brethren, is called body.
From the arising of food is the arising of body, from the
ceasing of food is the ceasing of body. And the way going to the ceasing of body is this
Ariyan Eightfold Path, to wit: right view, right understanding, ..., right
concentration." (31)
(" Katamanca, bhikkhave, ruùpam // Cattàro ca
mahàbhuùtà catunnam ca mahàbhuùtànam upàdàya ruùpam idam vuccati, bhikkhave,
ruùpam // Àhàrasamudayà ruùpasamudayo // àhàranirodhà ruùpanirodho // Ayam eva
ariyo atthangiko maggo ruùpanirodhagàminì patipadà // seyyathìdam sammàditthi // la
// sammàsamàdhi //".) (32)
Body aggregate is a physical body of a
person which is a compound of the four great elements (water, fire, earth, and air). It is
brought up by food. If food ceases, body ceases to exist. But food is not an entity, it is
conditioned by the presence of the Earth, the Sun, etc. , this means by the whole physical
world which says the existence of body is the existence of this whole world. According to
Dependent Origination, this whole world is the meaning of becoming (bhava or tibhava)
element which is conditioned by the operation of ignorance, of activities, of
consciousness, etc. So, the arising and the ceasing of body aggregate is the arising and
the ceasing of each aggregate or each element of Dependent Origination. And, as mentioned
in "operation of feeling aggregate" above, the way of life to the ceasing of
body is Eightfold Noble Path, in which "right view" and "right
thought" may be known as a person’s regard of wisdom to things: for example, if
the thirty two parts of body are observed, regarded closely again and again, as mentioned
in (III.2.1.), they will be found empty. Because of that regard, the person comes to
disgust at the body; owing to this disgust, he detaches from it. This is an operation of
body controlled by wisdom which leads to the destruction of troubles.
In short, from Lord Buddha’s way of
analysing the five aggregates, as well as Dependent Origination, and from the operation of
the five aggregates and ignorance element the author has described, emerges the
centralpoint of Lord Buddha’s teaching which is the emphasis on showing the truth of
human beings’ suffering and the way to come out of it in introducing the truth of man
and the world. This point is going to be separately mentioned.
III.2.3: THE FIVE AGGREGATES AND THE
PROBLEM OF SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS
The first words Lord Buddha declared in
His first Discourse at the Deer Park (Migadaya) are: "Life is nothing but
suffering" and "The five aggregates are suffering". How important are they
! These words were repeated several times by Him and His disciples during fourty five
years of His preaching Dhamma. Once, at Saàvatthi, He said:
" I will teach you, brethren, pain and the root of
pain. Do you listen to it. And what, brethren, is pain? Body, brethren, is pain: feeling
is pain: perception..., the activities ..., consciousness is pain. That, brethren, is the
meaning of pain.
And what, brethren, is the root of pain? It is this
craving that leads downward to rebirth, along with the lure and the lust, that lingers
longingly now here now there: namely, the craving for sense, the craving for rebirth, the
craving to have done with rebirth". (33)
("Aghan ca, bhikkhave, desissàmi aghamuølanca //
tam sunàtha//. Katamanca, bhikkhave, agham // Ruùpam bhikkhave, agham // vedanà agham
// sannà... // sankhàrà ... // vinnànam agham // Idam vuccati, bhikkhave, agham //
Katamanca, bhikkhave, aghamuùlam // Yàyam tanhàponobbhavikà nandiràgasahagatà tatra
tatràbhinandinì // seyyathìdam Kàmatanhà bhavatanhà vibhavatanhà // Idam vuccati,
bhikkhave, aghamuùlan ti //"). (34)
The above teaching is Lord Buddha’s
typical words on the suffering of human beings which is the result of the arising of
Dependent Origination, also of the arising of the Five aggregates discovered by Him. This
is a great discovery having brought Him to the position of the World - Honoured One. So,
the true meaning of the search for truth of man is the very meaning of the search for the
truth of suffering of life called the Noble truth of suffering. With regard to this truth,
it is not the five aggreates - or human beings and the world - that cause suffering, but a
person’s craving for the five aggregates that causes suffering. Now, the root meaning
of the search for truth of man and life turns to the meaning of examining human
beings’ craving for things. This is the meaning of the operation of craving element
and of Activities aggregate the writer has discussed in (II.1.3.) and in (III.2.2.), and
this is the very operation of Ignorance element (avijjà) of Dependent Origination.
Ignorance means a person’s wrong view
and thought supposing that every existing thing has its own self (or soul), as explained
in (II.1.3.) and (II.2.4.); it also means self - thought of a man. Therefore, studying
self - thought is the main task of studying suffering and happiness of men, and of the
search for truth of man and the world.
It is self - thought which makes up the
essence andvalue of things and causes grasping leading to troubles as Lord Buddha
explained:
" And how, brethren, is there grasping and worry?
Herein, brethren, the untaught many - folk, who discern not those who are Ariyans, who are
unskilled in the Ariyan doctrine, untrained in the Ariyan doctrine, ..., these regard body
as the self, the self as having body, body as being in the self, the self as being in the
body. Of such an one the body alters and becomes ortherwise. Owing to the altering and
otherwiseness of the body, his consciousness is busied with the altering body. From this
being busied with the altering body, worried thoughts arise and persist, laying hold of
the heart. From this laying hold of the heart he becomes troubled, and owing to vexation
and clinging he is worried.
So also with perception, feeling, the activities and
consciousness. Thus, brethren, comes grasping and worry". (35)
("Katham ca, bhikkhave, upàdà - paripassana hoti //
Idha, bhikkhave, assutavà puthujjano ariyànam adassàvì ariyadhammassa akovido
ariyadhamme avinìto sappurisànam adassàvi sapprisa - dhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme
avinìto ruøpam attato sumanupassati // ruøpavantam và attànam // Tassa tam ruøpam
ruøpasmim và attànam // Tassa tam ruøpam viparinamati annathà hoti //
tassaruøpaviparinàmannathàbhàvà ruøpaviparinàm-ànuparivatti vinnathàbhàvà hoti
// tassa ruøpaviparinàmànuparivattajà paritassanà dhammasamuppàdà cittam
pariyàdàyà titthanti // cetaso pariyàdàna uttàsavà ca hoti vighàtavà ca apekhavà
ca upàdàya ca paritassati // Vedanam attato samanussapati...
Sannam // pe // sankhàre // pe // Vinnànam... //
Evam kho, bhikkhave, upàdàparitassanà hoti //")
(36)
The fountain-head of grasping and worry
(or suffering) is therefore the regard of self-thought of a person. Grasping and suffering
do not come from outside, but from the very regard to things of man which may be
completely controled by an individual, and so happiness of man may also come from that
regard. In the next paragraph of the Discourse quoted above, Lord Buddha affirmed: if a
person regards no body, or no feeling, or no perception, or no activities as the self,
..., when the five aggregates alter and become otherwise, worried thoughts do not arise in
his heart, and he does not come to grasp or worry about anything. Without grasping and
worrying, he feels free and happy in the here - and - now. Such is the true way to
happiness which really lies in oneself and in the very regard to things of a person. This
regard is nothing other than "right view" factor of the Eightfold Noble Path
which is the most important factor of the Buddhist way to the Noble Truth and Bliss,
Nibbàna. It is the seeing things as selflessness. The regard which sees the impermanence
and suffering of things will also bring men the same result of freedom and happiness as
the following teaching shows:
"Body, brethren, is impermanent. Feeling...
Perception, Activities... Consciousness...
So seeing, brethren, the well - taught Ariyan disciple to
repelled by body, is repelled by feeling by perception; by the activities, by
consciousness. Being repelled by it he lusts not for it: not lusting he is set free; in
this freedom comes insight that it is a being free. Thus he realizes; "Rebirth is
destroyed, lived is the righteous life, done is my task, for life in these conditions
there is no here after". (37)
("Ruùpam, bhikkhave, aniccam // vedanà... //
sanna... // sankhàrà... Vinnanam aniccam // Evam passam, bhikkhave, sutavà ariyasàvako
rupasmim pi nibbindati // sankhàresu pi nibbindati // vinnanasmim pi nibbindati //
nibbindam virajjati viràgà vimuccati vimuttasmim vimuttam iti nanam hoti // khinàjàti
vusitam brahmacariyam katam karànìyam nàparam itthattàyàti pajànàtìti //")
(38)
The above mentioned regard seeing
selflessness, impermanence and suffering of the five aggregates is called the regard
seeing the "Three Marks of Existence". This is the source of true happiness that
can be tested and experienced by a worldly man in this life as declared by Lord Buddha:
" All forms are selfless" he who knows and sees
this truth becomes passive in pain; this is the way that leads to purity". (39)
(Dhp. 279)
("Sabbe dhammà anattà" ti yadà pannàya
passati, Atha nibbidanti dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyà") (40)
" All created things perish" he who knows and
sees this truth becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity". (41) (Dhp.
277)
("Sabbe sankhàrà aniccà" ti yadà pannàya
passati, Atha nibbidanti dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyà") (42)
" All created things are grief and pain" he who
knows and sees this becomes passive in pain: this is the way to purity". (43)
(Dhp. 278)
("Sabbe sankhàrà dukkhà" ti yadà pannàya
passati, Atha nibbidanti dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyà" ) (44)
Here, the truth of suffering and happiness
and the problem of the Way to the Noble truth and happiness appear very simple, but human
beings’ way of thinking and feeling is too complicated to accept them, then comes to
doubt about them. In the deep of a person’s mind, there is a thought that without
desires, especially sensual and sexual desires, his life becomes empty and meaningless. In
the deep of a person’s heart (or feeling), there exists a feeling considering his
Self his desires: If his desires are destroyed, his self has no condition to survive.
These twothings hinder his mind from seeing and accepting the truth discussed above. These
are the reasons why Lord Buddha hesitated before He turned "the Wheel of
Dhamma", and are the reasons requiring modern systems of education to play
wonderfully their role in educating men to make a choice between lasting suffering and
true happiness, or between taking up the burden and laying down the burden as Lord Buddha
taught:
"The burden is indeed the fivefold mass:
The seizer of the burden, man:
Taking it up is sorrow in this world:
The laying of it down is bliss.
If a man lay this heavy burden down,
And take not any other burden up:
If he draws out that craving, root of all,
No more an - hungered, he is free". (45)
("Bhàrà have pancakkhandhà //
bhàrahàro ca puggalo //
bhàràdànam dukkham loke //
bhàranikkhepanam sukham //
Nikkhipitvà garum bhàram //
annam bhàram ànàdìya //
samuùlam tanham abbhuyha //
nicchàto parinibbuto ti //"). (46)
People should lay down the burden, or deal
with craving for the five aggregates, of course, because of these two reasons:
(1) Because of seeing the dangers caused
by the desire for the satisfaction of the five aggregates, such as sorrow, grief; woe,
lamentation and despair.
(2) Because of seeing the profit gained
from the restraining of craving for the five aggregates, such as a peaceful mind coming
from the absence of sorrow, grief, woe, lamentation and despair, regardless of the change
of things.
This is a very practical, existential and
wise choice to be made. Otherwise, human beings are but shadows staggering in life without
hope for peace.
However, when people go on their ways of
dealing with craving and grasping, they must surely face to difficulties arising from
their sensual, sexual desire, desire for existence and desire for non - existence, then
lots of doubts will arise in them and question: what will happen to them on a desireless
way of life so quiet? How can they leave their intimate desires for sensuality, sexuality,
existence and non-existence for unknown states of mind that seem to be so tasteless to
them? etc- These are very rough questions that have made people flinch in thinking of the
way to come out of them. The author with his determination will come to search for their
solutions in the next part with a belief that true values will be explored somehow.
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