Q & A

Sai Noom Khay: Venerable Ashin Dhammasami, I’ve been reading about the five aggregates in Buddhism, but I find it quite complex. Can you explain how these aggregates interact, starting with the eye door? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Of course, Sai Noom Khay. Let’s start with the basics. In Buddhism, the five aggregates (khandha) are the components that constitute an individual's experience. They include form (rupa), feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), mental formations (sankhara), and consciousness (vinnana). When we talk about the eye door, we are referring to the process of seeing. Sai Noom Khay: I see. So, how do these aggregates interact in the process of seeing? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Imagine you see a beautiful flower. The process begins with contact (phassa) between your eye (form) and the flower (form), which brings together consciousness (vinnana), specifically seeing-consciousness (cakkhu vinnana), and perception (sanna). This contact generates a feeling (vedana), which can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. In this case, seeing the flower might generate a pleasant feeling. Next, perception involves recognizing the flower as a rose. Mental formations (sankhara) come into play as you might decide to pick the flower or simply admire it. Finally, consciousness (vinnana) is the ongoing awareness of the entire process. Sai Noom Khay: That makes sense. But what about the ear door? How do the aggregates interact when we hear something? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a sound impacts the ear-sensitivity (sota-pasada), it initiates the process of hearing. The ear (form) and the sound (form) come into contact, leading to the arising of hearing-consciousness (sota vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as pleasure from hearing music or discomfort from a loud noise. Perception recognizes and interprets the sound, like identifying a song. Mental formations involve deciding whether to continue listening or to cover your ears. Consciousness integrates the awareness of hearing, feeling, perception, and mental formations. Sai Noom Khay: I’m starting to see how these aggregates work together. How about the nose door and the process of smelling? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: For smelling, when an odor impacts the nose-sensitivity (ghana-pasada), it triggers the process of smelling. The nose (form) and the odor (form) contact, leading to the arising of smelling-consciousness (ghana vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as enjoying a pleasant fragrance or disliking a foul odor. Perception recognizes and labels the smell, like identifying the scent of flowers. Mental formations might involve the intention to move closer to the source of the pleasant smell or to avoid the unpleasant one. Consciousness integrates the entire experience. Sai Noom Khay: And what about the tongue door and the process of tasting? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a taste impacts the tongue-sensitivity (jivha-pasada), it initiates the process of tasting. The tongue (form) and the taste (form) contact, leading to the arising of taste-consciousness (jivha vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as the pleasure from tasting something sweet or the discomfort from something bitter. Perception involves recognizing and labeling the taste, like identifying a flavor as salty. Mental formations might involve the intention to eat more of the pleasant-tasting food or to avoid the unpleasant one. Consciousness is the ongoing awareness of this entire process. Sai Noom Khay: Lastly, how do the aggregates interact in the process of touch? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a tactile sensation impacts the body-sensitivity (kaya-pasada), it initiates the process of touch. The body (form) and the tactile object (form) come into contact, leading to the arising of touch-consciousness (kaya vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as the comfort of a soft touch or the pain of a sharp object. Perception involves recognizing and labeling the sensation, like identifying something as smooth or rough. Mental formations might involve the intention to move closer to the source of comfort or to withdraw from the source of pain. Consciousness integrates the awareness of the tactile sensation, feeling, perception, and mental formations. Sai Noom Khay: I understand now how the aggregates interact in different sensory processes. But how do these interactions relate to karma? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Excellent question, Sai Noom Khay. Our intentions and actions, driven by mental formations (sankhara), create karma. For instance, if you decide to pick a flower out of a pure intention to appreciate its beauty, you generate positive karma. If the action is driven by selfish motives, it might generate negative karma. These karmic actions plant seeds (bija) in your mind-stream, which accumulate over time and eventually ripen (vipaka) under the right conditions. This ripening can influence future experiences, including the quality of life, social status, and even the realm of rebirth. Sai Noom Khay: And how does karma influence rebirth? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Karma determines the conditions of rebirth. Based on one's actions, karma can lead to rebirth in one of six realms: the heavenly realm, human realm, asura realm, animal realm, hungry ghost realm, or hell realm. Wholesome actions typically result in favorable rebirths, while unwholesome actions lead to less favorable ones. The process involves the stream of consciousness moving from death (marana) to an intermediate state (antarabhava), and then to a new conception (patisandhi), influenced by accumulated karma. Sai Noom Khay: This has clarified a lot for me, Venerable Ashin Dhammasami. Understanding the interaction of the aggregates and the role of karma provides a comprehensive view of how our actions shape our experiences and future lives. Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: I’m glad to hear that, Sai Noom Khay. Remember, Buddhism teaches us to live mindfully and ethically, not just for a better future but for peace and happiness in the present moment. Keep practicing and exploring these teachings, and you’ll continue to gain deeper insights.

Q & A

Sai Noom Khay: Venerable Ashin Dhammasami, I’ve been thinking more about karma and its impact on rebirth. But I’m curious, how does karma affect our daily lives? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: That’s an important question, Sai Noom Khay. Karma affects our daily lives in many ways, influencing our experiences, relationships, and overall well-being. Every intentional action we take—whether it’s physical, verbal, or mental—creates karma. Let me explain how this works. Sai Noom Khay: Please do. Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: First, it’s essential to understand that karma operates on the principle of cause and effect. When we perform actions with intention, those actions set into motion a series of consequences. Positive actions, driven by wholesome intentions like kindness, generosity, and compassion, lead to positive outcomes. Conversely, negative actions, driven by unwholesome intentions like anger, greed, and ignorance, lead to negative outcomes. Sai Noom Khay: How does this manifest in our daily interactions? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Let’s consider a simple example. Imagine you start your day with a kind act, such as helping a neighbor carry groceries. This act, driven by compassion, generates positive karma. The immediate effect might be a sense of joy and fulfillment, both for you and your neighbor. This positive interaction can set a tone for your day, making you more open and receptive to other positive experiences. Sai Noom Khay: So, positive actions can create a ripple effect? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Exactly. Positive karma can enhance your relationships and interactions. People are naturally drawn to kindness and generosity, so you might find that your acts of kindness lead to stronger, more supportive relationships. Additionally, the joy and satisfaction from these actions can improve your mental and emotional well-being. Sai Noom Khay: What about negative actions? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Negative actions have the opposite effect. Suppose you start your day with an argument, driven by anger or frustration. This creates negative karma, leading to feelings of tension and unease. These negative emotions can carry over into other interactions, creating further conflicts and stress. Over time, consistently negative actions and intentions can lead to a cycle of suffering and unhappiness. Sai Noom Khay: It sounds like being mindful of our intentions and actions is crucial. Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Absolutely. Mindfulness helps us become aware of our intentions and actions, allowing us to choose responses that generate positive karma. It’s also important to practice ethical conduct, such as the Five Precepts in Buddhism: refraining from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. These precepts guide us towards actions that create positive karma and reduce suffering. Sai Noom Khay: Can you give an example of how mental actions create karma? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Certainly. Mental actions, such as thoughts and intentions, also generate karma. For instance, if you cultivate thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion, even without any physical or verbal action, you create positive mental karma. This can lead to a peaceful and joyful state of mind. Conversely, harboring negative thoughts like resentment or jealousy generates negative mental karma, leading to mental unrest and suffering. Sai Noom Khay: How can we cultivate positive karma in our daily lives? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: There are several ways. Practicing generosity, being kind and compassionate, speaking truthfully and respectfully, and maintaining ethical conduct are all ways to generate positive karma. Additionally, mindfulness meditation helps us become more aware of our thoughts and actions, enabling us to choose responses that create positive outcomes. Sai Noom Khay: This gives me a lot to think about. Understanding how karma works in daily life can really help guide my actions and decisions. Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: I’m glad to hear that, Sai Noom Khay. Remember, every moment presents an opportunity to create positive karma. By living mindfully and ethically, we can cultivate a life of peace, happiness, and spiritual growth.

The importance of understanding and believing in kamma as a foundation for spiritual practice.

"In conventional truth through consciousness-seeing, isn't it taught that we must believe in two things - wholesome and unwholesome kamma (kammassakatā sammādiṭṭhi)?

From killing to intoxicants, from killing to wrong view - when transgressing, is it wholesome or unwholesome? Isn't it taught that due to unwholesome kamma, the result is hell, animal realm, peta realm, asura realm after death? Is this happiness or suffering? #This_is_due_to_unwholesome_kamma. Isn't it frightening?

When avoiding these, is it unwholesome or wholesome? Due to wholesome kamma, isn't the result human realm and six deva realms? Suffering or happiness? #Must_believe_in_kamma.

Doesn't the Mogok Sayadaw teach five types of right view:
1. Right view of ownership of kamma (Kammassakatā)
2. Right view of jhāna
3. Right view of insight
4. Right view of the path
5. Right view of fruition

One who believes in kamma, will they still consult astrology? Fortune tellers? Mediums? #No_more_consulting. Consulting these shows lack of faith in kamma.

When hearing harmful speech or false accusations, #one_who_believes_in_kamma_creates_no_new_unwholesome_kamma. They understand causality.

When faced with accusations, they understand #when_time_comes_past_kamma_ripens. Understanding cause and effect (kammaṃ vipākassa), don't old kammic debts get cleared? #Are_new_debts_created?

Without belief in kamma, doesn't anger surge? If it does, is that wholesome or unwholesome? Old debts aren't cleared and new ones are made. This is #due_to_not_believing_in_kamma.

When one understands, knowing cause brings effects, do they still get angry? Aren't old debts cleared? Are new ones created? See how perfectly this fits..."


Sadhu! Together let us keep the Dharma wheel rolling.

Kamma-saddhā, Ñāṇa-nissaya

"In this world, if you believe in kamma, aren't there issues with livelihood, money, rice, and unpaid loans? Whether you're owed one basket or a thousand baskets of rice, ask three times for what you're owed.

When asking, you should ask sweetly, with a pleasant face. Shouldn't you ask politely? If after three times you don't receive it, remember what the venerable teachers say: 'All beings are owners of their kamma.'

'You too have deceived others before,' understand this? Because we've deceived others in past lives, can we escape our turn? This is the result of kamma. Isn't this worth believing? Ask once or twice, but if after three times you don't receive it, understand it's due to cause and effect from your past actions. Isn't this worth examining? Did it happen by itself, or is it the result of causes and conditions?

Now, don't people experience theft of their possessions? Did this happen by itself or through cause and effect? In ancient times, wasn't there the wealthy merchant Jotika in Jambudipa? And his wife Atulakari? Throughout their many lives, no one could steal from them or deceive them. Why? Because throughout their past lives, they were perfect in moral virtue (sīla). Isn't this worth examining?

I heard a story in Mandalay: A son won seven hundred thousand in the lottery. When he gave his father money, he gave it in ten thousand notes. The father said he couldn't exchange it for a five kyat note. The father said, 'Take your money back. I can't exchange it for this five kyat note. This five kyat was earned through pure moral virtue.'

'Your money isn't legal,' he said. Does the government approve of lottery? If not, isn't it illegal? Isn't it wrong? 'Your money isn't pure,' he said. 'I can't exchange it.' Isn't this worth considering?

So purity is important. Look at Jotika and Atulakari - throughout their lives, no one could successfully deceive them. Though some tried to steal, they couldn't. Though some tried to deceive, they couldn't. Because they were perfect in moral virtue."

"Don't Jotika and Atulakari stand as witnesses? Now, we dharma listeners and I experience these things because we too have deceived others in past lives. Can we escape our turn? No, we cannot.

When your possessions are stolen or lost, don't tell anyone. Just keep quiet about it. Don't go around saying 'I had this much stolen last night.' A person of dharma understands that this person (the thief) is now realizing their past actions.

When someone says 'This person cheated me,' or 'They deceived me of three hundred thousand,' they're actually seeing the results of their own past actions coming to fruition.

So when you experience theft or deception, keep it to yourself. It's embarrassing if others hear about it. When you understand this cause and effect relationship, is there still room for anger?

When you look in a mirror, don't you see your own reflection? Similarly, when causes exist, effects appear. We listen to dharma to understand these relationships between actions and their results. Remember: Trust in kamma and rely on wisdom. Isn't this worth contemplating?"

A Beautiful Buddha Image Made by Monk Sanghavarman

When archaeologists excavated an ancient site called Govindnagar, near Mathura, they discovered this beautiful Buddha image lying face down. It was carved from red sandstone. After cleaning, it was revealed to be a work of Gupta-period Buddhist art, dated around B.E. 1100 (c. 557 CE). The Buddha’s face is serene and radiant. Without the inscription at the base, we would not have known who created it.

The inscription on the base is quite clear. It is written in Sanskrit using Brāhmī script from the Gupta period, arranged in three lines:

Line 1: Saṃ(vatsare) 100 10 5 Śrāvaṇa di(vasē) 10 3 asyam divasapurvayam bhagavataḥ daśabalabalinaḥ śākyamunēḥ

Line 2: pratimā pratiṣṭhāpitā bhikṣuṇā saṅghavarmanā yat atra puṇyaṃ tat mātāpitari pūrvavaṅgama kṛtvā sarvasattvānām

Line 3: sarvaduḥkhapahānāyānuttara jñānāvāptayē ghaṭitā dinē

Translation of the inscription:

"Success. In the year 115, on the 13th day of the month of Śrāvaṇa, this image of the Bhagavat (Blessed One), the Śākyamuni possessing the Ten Powers, was installed by the monk Sanghavarman (Saṅghavarman संघवर्मन). Whatever merit has been gained from this creation, may it be dedicated to his mother and father who came before him, and may it also benefit all beings—so that they may be freed from all suffering and attain supreme wisdom."

The sculpture was carved by an artisan named Dina (or Dinna).

Summary:

This standing Buddha image in the gesture of granting blessings (abhaya-mudrā) was created by Venerable Sanghavarman, a learned monk, and dedicated as an offering to his parents. He also extended the merit of this act to all sentient beings. The sculptor was Dinna.

Interestingly, at Kushinagar, another Buddha image in the Parinirvāṇa posture also bears an inscription mentioning an artisan named Dinna. It is possible that the same sculptor created both images, although further study is required to confirm this. What is certain is that the Kushinagar Buddha image also comes from the same Mathura school of sculpture.

Today, this Buddha image is housed in the Mathura Museum, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.