Penetrative Insight to Ending Dukkha, A Paradigm Shift - as Illuminated by Venerable Allawwe Anomadassi Thero.
Teachings of Buddha primarily focus on knowing Dukkha(suffering) and ending Dukkha, by comprehending what Dukkha is, its cause, ending and the Path leading to end Dukkha.
Buddha’s approach to ending Dukkha or the Noble Path entered with the Right View called for a paradigm shift from the practices of the renowned teachers at the time like Alarakalama and Uddkaramaputta and the other seekers of the Truth, during and before his time.
We come across some venerated Buddhist monks in the present era who grasped this previously unseen radical approach of the sublime Teachings of the Buddha written in the Sutra Pitaka of the Buddhist Cannon. Among them are Venerable Nyanathiloka, Venerable Nyanaponika, Venerable Nyanavimala Maha Theros form yester year and Venerable Denmarkaye Nyanadeepa and Ven Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha theros in recent times who had lived exemplary spiritual lives perfecting the three essentials of Buddhist training and discipline ‘Sila’, ‘Samadhi’ and ‘Panna’, keeping to the ancient tradition.
A Thero of modern times who can be identified for having followed the tradition of such great Maha Theros and who had the rare opportunity to closely associate and learn from, Venerable Denmarkaye Nanadeepa and Ven Katukurunde Nyanananda Theros in particular, is Venerable Alawwe Anomadassi of Ranaketuwagala Aranya in Ovilikanda, Mathale.
with Ven Alawwe Anomadassi Thero
Venerable Anomadassi was ordained 18 years ago, on May 14 2003 and shortly after obtaining higher ordination in 2004, decided to spend several years of his monkhood living a monastic life, following the footsteps of the aforementioned Maha Theros, perusing the Supreme Dhamma.
His interest to share the pristine Dhamma he comprehended, began about 6 years ago, encouraged by the enthusiasm of few young followers whom he met during his forest dwelling days. In the years that followed his Dhamma sermons and discussions that penetrated the profound teachings gradually reached those who are in search of the true word of the Buddha throughout the world.
Venerable Anomadassi Thero recently took up the mammoth task of discussing the entire Sutra Pitaka, through a well-structured program delivered on a monthly schedule, a task that is unprecedent, since the time commentaries were written. As a Thero well versed in Pali he has read through the Sutra Pitaka several times and prepared transcripts in his own writing for easy reference, however, takes Buddha Jayanthi Edition of the Pitaka (Cannon) as his primary source of reference when delivering sermons.
This article aims to highlight the need for a shift in our standpoint to understand Damma as illuminated by Venerabel Alawwe Anomadassi Thero through his knowledge and exceptional skill in unravelling the salient and profound aspects of the Buddhist teachings. The discussion based on Maha Punnama Sutra, translated below stresses the importance of developing yonisomanasikara (radical attention) through apt listing and comprehension, to identify the necessity for a shift in the worldly standpoint, in developing the right view. The article in essence presents Ven Theros commentary on particular questions that were discussed on aggregates (khanda) and clinging aggregates (upadanakhanda) in the dialogue between the Buddha and a Bhikkhu.
MAHA
PUNNAMA SUTRA
Introducing Sutras from the Pitaka Ven Anomadassi makes it a point to pay homage to Venerable Arahath Ananda for having made such invaluable contribution in memorising and reciting teachings of the Buddha, as the Blessed One preached, at the First Buddhist Council, held soon after the Mahaparinirvana.
As said before Venerable Thero reads from the Buddha Jayanthi Edition as it is recorded, and shown here in Italics are extracts from the English translation.
So, I have heard, says Arahath Ananda, on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother. And on that occasion — the uposatha of the fifteenth, the night of a very full moon — he was sitting out in the open with the community of monks.
Then one of the
one monk got up from their seat, arranged their robe over one shoulder, raised their
joined palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I’d like to ask The Blessed One
about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.”
“very well then,
monk, take your own seat and ask what you wish.”
The monk took
his seat and said to the Buddha:
Lord are the five aggregates of clinging, form, feeling perception formation and consciousness?
Yes, they are, replied the
Buddha.
Lord what's the root of these
five aggregates of clinging?
Monk, desire is the root of the
five aggregates of clinging.
Is clinging same as the five aggregates of clinging or clinging is one and aggregates of clinging another?
Monk, clinging is neither the
five aggregates of clinging nor another. The desire for five aggregates of
clinging itself is clinging.
Saying, "Very good, lord," the monk... asked him a further question: "Might there be diversity in the desire & passion for the five aggregates of clinging?"
"There might, monk. There is the case where
the thought occurs to someone, 'May I be one with such a form in the future.
May I be one with such a feeling... perception... fabrications... such a
consciousness in the future. This is how there would be
diversity in the desire & passion for the five aggregates of clinging.
Monk, any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of form. Any kind of feeling at all … Any kind of perception at all … Any kind of choices at all … Any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: this is called the aggregate of consciousness. That’s the scope of the term ‘aggregates’ as applied to the aggregates.
Aggregates are bundles or heaps, which are described in relation to past, future, or present: internal, external; course, fine: inferior or superior; far, near external internal, the aggregates are elevenfold. Aggregates cannot be described apart from, form, sensations, perceptions, formations and consciousnesses.
“Interestingly however”, explains Ven Anomadassi, “no reference is made to 'clinging' here, but simply aggregates or Khanda. The discussion now is about the nature of dhamma, not about a person or an experience by a person whereas earlier questions related to a person or personal experience pertaining to clinging.”
Saying, "Very good, lord," the monk... asked a further question: Lord what is the reason for form, how does it come to be, what is it cause? He continued to ask about sensation, perception, formation, consciousness in the same way.
From here onwards Ven Anomadassi Thero’s discussion becomes intriguing as he penetrates the deeper meanings of the Buddha Word.
UPADANAKHANDA AND KHANDA
Venerable Thero explains, the questions before were about five aggregates of clinging and the root for five aggregates of clinging, as a thing that exists so that when the root is known it can be removed (by a person) keeping with the meditation practices at the time. Now the question is about the cause or reason for the form as an aggregate, how it is designated, free of a personal experience (similarly cause or reason for feeling, perception, formation and consciousness).
When examined closely, this question is not about 'a form' but about the cause for form, relationship, how ‘form’ is founded (prathya), the question is not about a thing that exists, it is not about five aggregates of clinging but about five aggregates or khanda, such as rupa khanda, vedanakhanda, sanna khanda, sankara khanda and vinnana khanda.
We find further explanation on khanda in Sattatthana sutta in Samyutta Nikaya where the Blessed One describes the process of seeing the arising ceasing nature of dhamma, with no reference to clinging. We can see here that the Blessed One elaborates on khanda not upadanakhanda.
The Sutra describes seeing khanda as, this is form...this is sensation, this is perception, this is formation and this is consciousness (Ithi rupam, ithi vedana, ithi sanna, ithi sankhara and ithi vinnana). Note here that this teaching does not point to a form as this is form, but unveils the nature of dhamma of a ‘form’, how it is designated, similarly the other four aggregates.
The subtle difference between five clinging aggregates (pancaupadanaskanda) and five aggregates (khanda) needs to be understood distinctly”, Venerable Thero continues his commentary. Frequently referred Sutta to discuss the difference is the Khanda Sutta. However, Khanda sutta does not refer to an Arahath to explain khanda as often said. Common assertion is that an Arahath is the one with five aggregates (khanda) whereas clinging aggregates (panchaupadanakhanda) are associated with the uninstructed lay people as it fits our standpoint. What the Buddha emphasises here is the subtle difference between five clinging aggregates (pancaupadanakhanda) and aggregates (khanda) which makes no connection to the states of an Arahant and an uninstructed person.
Such an assertion unjustly undermines the supreme teacher as if he has made a mistake in his teaching. We can look at Maha Chattarisika Sutta to clarify this further where it refers to the eleven (11) modes of existences experienced through one of the two approaches of practice, the mundane and the supra mundane approaches. The Sutra describes pancaupadankhanda, classified as sasava, meaning that they are prone to clinging – experienced through mundane approach, and khanda classified as anasava, which are said to be not prone to clinging - as experienced through supra mundane approach.
In other words, Anomadassi Thero explains, sasava is the state of existence at the Worldly or Loukika state. Anasava is the transcendent state of dhamma or the Lokottara state, the state explained by the teaching of dependent origination (paticca samuppada) which unravel the way to cross the worldly existence. Now it is clear that the state of Khanda cannot be related to the state of an Arahat who has moved beyond all states of existences. Notwithstanding, it is to be noted that the Five Khandas are only seen through wisdom.
How a practitioner gains such clear vision is explained further in Upanisa Sutta in relation to the law of dependent origination. The knowledge thus gained is explained as, in association with avidya arises sankhara, in association with sankhara arises vinnana and so on leading to dukkha and dukkha nirodhaya (ending Dukkha).
Upanisa Sutra explains the process up to deliverance from seeing dukkha onwards up to attaining Nibbana and gaining Khaye Gnana (wisdom of extinction); suffering (dukkha) leads to confidence (saddha). Confidence leads to delight (pamojja). Delight leads to joy (piti). Joy leads to serenity (passaddhi). Serenity leads to ease (sukha). Ease leads to concentration (samadhi). Concentration leads to knowledge of things as they are (yathabhutanaṇa dassana). It leads to disenchantment (nibbida). Disenchantment leads to detachment (virago). Detachment leads to emancipation (vimutti). Emancipation gives rise to the wisdom of extinction (khaye naṇa)
Venerable Thero emphasises that the Dhamma explained here in Upanisa sutta is not to be taken as an axiom but the process of seeing, this is the form, this is feeling and so on. It emphasises how the nature of dhamma is seen by way of a shift in the worldly standpoint and not as an axiom for an observer to follow.
Buddhas elevenfold analysis of khandas is how they are designated (panavima), hence it cannot relate to the transcendental state or nibbana. The Blessed One explained the true nature of dhamma as Khandas and their causes as elaborated in his teaching of the Law of Dependant Origination.
Tathagatha has preached the causes for the five khandas as follows,
- form caused by four elements
- feeling caused by Contact
- perception caused by Contact
- formation caused by Contact
- consciousnesses caused by Name Matter
Buddha's comprehensive teaching has to be understood as he preached. If his profound dhamma is misunderstood the precious opportunity a person gets in a lifetime or in several rounds of rebirths will be lost. If so, one has to start from scratch.
SIMILIE OF THE MAGICIAN SWALLOWING A SWORD
Ven. Anomadassi Thero brilliantly expands on a simile previously discussed by Ven. Katukurunde Nanananda Thero to illustrate the urgency for a shift in the worldly standpoint to understand Sakkaya and Sakkaya Nirodha, in other words Dukkha and Dukkha Nirodhaya.
A magician on stage is performing an act of swallowing a sword. Amazed by the act we eagerly watch what is unfolding on stage with our eyes and mouth wide open.
Suppose someone known to us sees
us and approach us to say it’s not real! If he says that the sword is made of
plastic and it just collapses within (like a telescopic Arial) during the act
of swallowing, wouldn’t we begin to think and become inquisitive?
We would be keen to investigate on the act only because a trustworthy person known to us told us about the magician’s fake act. While the rest of the audience is absorbed to the performance on stage, we would follow the friend who directs us to watch the act from a different point close to the back of stage.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STANDPOINT TO SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE
Now we begin to see for ourselves how the magician fakes the whole act. We therefore realise that it is only evident when we observe it from the standpoint that our friend wanted us to watch from but not from where the audience is, our normal standpoint. When we return to our seat, we still see as if the man is actually swallowing a sword, however, now we know it’s not real and that we were deceived earlier before observing from a different standpoint.
What is to be noted here is that we did not lose anything just by changing the standpoint but gained the correct viewpoint - abandoning the wrong view we had from the standpoint of the audience caught up with delusion.
When we realise the truth, we are not disheartened anymore by the interruption to our enjoyment caused by our friend, as we know he helped us to move away from the delusion we were caught up with. Teachings of the Buddha are to be understood in this manner, by listening to Dhamma and seeking advice from a salutary friend (Kalyana Mitta) to change our worldly standpoint to a standpoint of seeing things as they really are.
Interestingly, we still see an occurrence here of swallowing a fake sword though we are no more deceived that it is a real sword. We see an occurrence regardless of from which standpoint you are looking. However, what is the actual truth? swallowing the sword (seen with ignorance) or that it’s a fake sword that collapses or retracts during the act?
Now we know what occurs for real.
Having realised the truth of the 'magic', we still see a fake sword that collapses or retracts inside the mouth. Now we must examine this reality too. We see that a real sword never existed to disappear thereafter. Similarly, when seeing the nature of khanda as dhamma it doesn't mean five clinging aggregates that existed before has changed to the state of five Khandas. Seen here is the reality or the nature of dhamma that infers the impermeant and dukkha nature, the state of deliverance, where one cannot gain anything. This can only be observed and comprehended by the one with great wisdom. Our aim is not to see the truth of the sword weather it is fake or not but the truth of the act of swallowing the sword by which we were deceived previously. One has to move beyond this nature of dhamma as well, to attain nibbana.
Buddha’s teaching of the khanda is similar to seeing through the magic of swallowing the sword which we achieved by viewing from the correct standpoint. The Blessed One showed us the need to shift our worldly standpoint by way of developing yonisomanisikara. As when one sees the fake sword being used to deceive us, one can see the true nature of khanda instead of the deceptive pancaupadankhanda by which we are burdened constantly as revealed by the Buddha.
Buddha showed the nature of causality in his teaching of the law of dependant origination, how things are subject to conditions and therefore impermanent, for us to comprehend the nature of dhamma and develop wisdom. One needs high level of wisdom rooted on faith to understand this, faith is paramount as repeatedly expressed in the teachings.
As discussed, when examined in such a way from a different standpoint, the truth is revealed. Holding onto five aggregates of clinging is similar to taking that a real sword being swallowed, seen from the worldly standpoint. Buddha came along and urged the worldlings to change the standpoint so that one can see the truth in the same way that the we saw the reality of the magic from behind the stage, this is the truth that we need to comprehend, the impermanent & suffering nature of all sense experiences such as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and so on, to awaken yonisomanasikara (radical attention) and develop Samma Ditti (Right View).
It is said that soon after his enlightenment The Buddha was hesitant to preach the dhamma he realised as he thought the wordings caught up in sensual pleasures will not comprehend his profound Dhamma. However, accepting the invitation by the Brahma he set the dhamma wheel in motion which continues to spin benefitting not only the humans but all beings in the 31 realms of existence. We are blessed that there are venerable Theros of distinction such as Ven Alawwe Anomadassi who could grasp the essence of the pure word of the Buddha and pass his supreme dhamma to the world ensuring the continuity of the Buddha Sasana.
Comments
Post a Comment