"The Teaching of Six Consciousnesses and Their Cessation" (Chaviññāṇa Nirodha Desanā)

"Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve, apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ;
Ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo, passato udayabbayaṃ"

Translation of the Pali terms:
- Yo ca: Any person, whether monk or layperson
- Udayabbayaṃ: The arising and passing away of the five aggregates (mind-matter phenomena)
- Apassaṃ apassanto: One who does not see or contemplate
- Vassasataṃ: One hundred years
- Jīve: Lives
- Na seyyo: Is not worthy

If one doesn't understand the five aggregates and impermanence, is there any value in being human? Is there any worth in living for a hundred years? Would there even be value in living for 84,000 eons?

- Udayabbayaṃ: The arising and passing away of the five aggregates
- Passanto: One who sees and contemplates
- Ekāhaṃ: One day
- Jīve: Lives
- Seyyo: Is superior/more worthy

Even living for one hour with true seeing is worthy. Even half an hour is worthy. Even one minute is worthy. Isn't this worth examining? These are the essential points. Don't look too far ahead. Isn't it taught as "mere seeing" because of the seeing-knowing mind?

It's like clear water in a vessel. When the water is clear, can't you see everything inside? Then if you add dye - whether green, blue, or red - doesn't it become murky? Can you still see? Can you still see your reflection? No, you can't. Therefore, "mere seeing, mere hearing" is taught as being protected by mindfulness, wisdom, and knowledge, like a protective barrier or fortress of wisdom.

The Venerable Ledi Sayadaw's teaching explains:

"Consider what Ledi Sayadaw teaches: Isn't it taught that eye-consciousness (cakkhuviññāṇa) is impermanent - it arises and passes away? Isn't it taught that ear-consciousness (sotaviññāṇa) arises and passes away after hearing? Isn't it taught that nose-consciousness (ghānaviññāṇa) arises and passes away after smelling?

Isn't it taught that tongue-consciousness (jivhāviññāṇa) passes away after tasting? Isn't it taught that body-consciousness (kāyaviññāṇa) passes away after touching? Isn't it taught that mind-consciousness (manoviññāṇa) passes away after thinking? Indeed, there is nothing but arising and passing away.

Isn't seeing taught as arising? After seeing, doesn't it pass away? When one sees this, isn't it called mindfulness? When mindfulness is present in seeing, and in the remaining six sense doors, doesn't one see impermanence? Isn't it taught to stop at seeing? One sees only impermanence. One sees the five aggregates and sees impermanence.

When impermanence is seen, does craving still arise? When truth is known, doesn't falsehood disappear? Isn't the characteristic of impermanence taught as the truth of suffering? Do greed, hatred, and delusion still arise? This is why the teachings to Mālukyaputta and Bāhiya are given.

The work of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arahantship was completed. How inspiring it is! While on alms round, in such a short time - going to request teachings from the Buddha during alms round.

When the monastic duties were completed, he had no robes. He couldn't remain long in human form - only seven days were permitted. After seven days, the burden of aggregates had to be laid down. If one wanted to stay longer, wouldn't one need to change clothes?

In that era, there weren't even people selling robes. Paṃsukūla robes were made from discarded cloth from village rubbish heaps - worn sarongs, shirts, and longyi. These had to be collected, washed, the firm parts cut away, and sewn together. That's how robes were made by piecing together patches.

Robes were that scarce. When he left, due to past grudge, a yakkhini (demon) disguised as a cow gored him to death. There, Bāhiya attained parinibbāna. When the monks returned from alms round, they saw him dead in the rubbish heap.

Didn't they report this to the Buddha? Bāhiya has died? The Buddha said, "He's not dead - he has attained parinibbāna." Didn't he instruct them to cremate the body? When they cremated him, relics remained. Isn't this worth contemplating? Study it this way..."

The impermanence of the six types of consciousness:
1. Eye-consciousness (cakkhuviññāṇa) - seeing and passing away
2. Ear-consciousness (sotaviññāṇa) - hearing and passing away
3. Nose-consciousness (ghānaviññāṇa) - smelling and passing away
4. Tongue-consciousness (jivhāviññāṇa) - tasting and passing away
5. Body-consciousness (kāyaviññāṇa) - touching and passing away
6. Mind-consciousness (manoviññāṇa) - thinking and passing away

The key points:
- There is nothing but arising and passing away
- When seeing occurs, it arises and passes away
- Mindfulness (sati) is recognizing this process
- When mindfulness is established in all six sense-doors, impermanence becomes clear
- When one sees impermanence, craving (taṇhā) cannot arise
- When truth is known, delusion disappears
- The characteristic of impermanence reveals the truth of suffering (dukkha)