"Aren't there offerings made to be free from the five aggregates (khandha)? Aren't there offerings made for liberation? Should we not examine whether it's samudaya (origin of suffering) or magga (path)? That's why isn't it taught that (1) knowing Dhamma comes first, and (2) making offerings comes second? #This is how offerings become more beneficial, you see. Think about it this way - this kind of thinking is called 'practicing.'
If there's no one teaching about the Four Noble Truths, the Five Aggregates, and Dependent Origination, shouldn't we examine our path? Shouldn't we make offerings (dana)? Shouldn't we observe precepts (sila)? Shouldn't we practice one of the 40 meditation subjects? #If we don't do this practice, we'll head towards the lower realms. It's through these merits that we become humans or devas.
When one understands the Noble Truths and the Five Aggregates, that offering becomes Vivatta-dana (offerings made for liberation). Isn't this called offering made to transcend samsara? #It's offering made to transcend dukkha (suffering). Isn't this different? Yes, it's different.
That's why the texts speak of Vatta-dana and Vivatta-dana, don't they? Vatta-dana is offering for happiness in the 31 planes of existence as humans, devas, or brahmas. Vivatta-dana is offering made with understanding of the aggregates and Noble Truths. Shouldn't we study this? Consider Magga and Nirodha. Remember, thinking like this is practicing.
When Dhamma is lost, find it within yourself - isn't it taught that when you look within, you find the Dhamma?
Practice at the eye when seeing, at the ear when hearing, at the nose when smelling, at the tongue when tasting, at the body when touching, at the mind when thinking. Isn't this what's taught? #Besides these 6 sense-doors, is there anywhere else to find Dhamma?
Earlier when examining the aggregates, we perceived humans, devas, and brahmas. #But at all 6 sense-doors, we only find aggregates. Do we see humans, devas, or brahmas? We find only the five aggregates, but perceive humans, devas, and brahmas. When you hear this often enough, you'll understand. When you understand, you gain Dhamma. Then, #will you still engage in activities that perpetuate samsara? When you know, you abandon it. Don't you then work towards liberation from samsara?
Consider all the Buddhas who have become enlightened. Did they abandon dana or defilements? Did they abandon sila or defilements? Did they abandon samatha or defilements? So #practice is for abandoning defilements, isn't it? Isn't it taught about the three cycles (vatta): kilesa-vatta, kamma-vatta, and vipaka-vatta? Isn't Nibbana taught as freedom from these three cycles? What's needed is the cessation of kilesa-vatta."
"When the Buddha practiced at the Bodhi tree and golden throne, isn't it worth examining what ceased first? One thousand five hundred defilements were extinguished. #When defilements ceased, didn't he become Buddha? Didn't he still have the aggregates? With aggregates remaining, he taught for 45 years. Without aggregates, could he have taught? Therefore, it was the defilements that underwent parinibbāna. Isn't this worth considering?
Even now, cessation of defilements is primary. We meditate to end defilements, we practice walking meditation to end defilements, at the six sense-doors to end defilements. If defilements don't cease, is meditation worthwhile? Consider this - this consideration is practice.
At age 80, after 45 years of teaching, in the Malla kingdom's sal grove, didn't he undergo parinibbāna of the aggregates? That's anupādisesa-nibbāna. At the Bodhi tree and golden throne, didn't the one thousand five hundred defilements undergo parinibbāna? Didn't the aggregates remain? Nibbāna with aggregates remaining is sa-upādisesa-nibbāna.
#We need sa-upādisesa-nibbāna. Isn't this worth examining? These are essential points. When turning wisdom toward the aggregates, isn't it taught: 'The extinction of greed is Nibbāna, the extinction of hatred is Nibbāna, the extinction of delusion is Nibbāna'?
When knowing the five aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as non-self, don't the wrong views about humans, devas, and brahmas fall away? Once wrong view falls away, will you still believe in creation by the Four Great Brahmas? By an eternal god? By Vishnu? Doubt is eliminated. Isn't this worth considering?
Looking further, don't these aggregates show impermanence, suffering, and non-self? Consider this. Form aggregate breaks up and dissolves, isn't it taught to be like a water bubble? Feeling aggregate like a water bubble? Perception aggregate like a mirage? Mental formations aggregate like a banana trunk? Consciousness aggregate like an illusion?
When understanding this clearly and precisely, doesn't identity-view fall away? #When seeing impermanence, doesn't craving die? Doesn't clinging fall away? Don't the defilement-cycle cease? Does the kamma-cycle still come? Does the result-cycle still come? What do we call freedom from these three cycles? (Nibbāna, Lord)."
Even now, cessation of defilements is primary. We meditate to end defilements, we practice walking meditation to end defilements, at the six sense-doors to end defilements. If defilements don't cease, is meditation worthwhile? Consider this - this consideration is practice.
At age 80, after 45 years of teaching, in the Malla kingdom's sal grove, didn't he undergo parinibbāna of the aggregates? That's anupādisesa-nibbāna. At the Bodhi tree and golden throne, didn't the one thousand five hundred defilements undergo parinibbāna? Didn't the aggregates remain? Nibbāna with aggregates remaining is sa-upādisesa-nibbāna.
#We need sa-upādisesa-nibbāna. Isn't this worth examining? These are essential points. When turning wisdom toward the aggregates, isn't it taught: 'The extinction of greed is Nibbāna, the extinction of hatred is Nibbāna, the extinction of delusion is Nibbāna'?
When knowing the five aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as non-self, don't the wrong views about humans, devas, and brahmas fall away? Once wrong view falls away, will you still believe in creation by the Four Great Brahmas? By an eternal god? By Vishnu? Doubt is eliminated. Isn't this worth considering?
Looking further, don't these aggregates show impermanence, suffering, and non-self? Consider this. Form aggregate breaks up and dissolves, isn't it taught to be like a water bubble? Feeling aggregate like a water bubble? Perception aggregate like a mirage? Mental formations aggregate like a banana trunk? Consciousness aggregate like an illusion?
When understanding this clearly and precisely, doesn't identity-view fall away? #When seeing impermanence, doesn't craving die? Doesn't clinging fall away? Don't the defilement-cycle cease? Does the kamma-cycle still come? Does the result-cycle still come? What do we call freedom from these three cycles? (Nibbāna, Lord)."
"Let us recite together --
Form aggregate changes and decays like a bubble in water,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Feeling aggregate experiences like foam on water,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Perception aggregate marks and notes like a mirage,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Mental formations aggregate conditions and motivates like a banana trunk,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Consciousness aggregate knows various objects like a magician's illusion,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Isn't this taught as Path-Knowledge and Fruition-Knowledge? Do greed, hatred, and delusion still arise? One needs to strive to reach this stage. #Only through understanding can we abandon.
Now, when contacting:
The arising and passing of aggregates in the present moment
What Noble Truth is this? (It's the Noble Truth of Suffering, Lord)
What is the understanding? (It's the Noble Truth of the Path, Lord)
What ceases? (It's the Noble Truth of Origin, Lord)
The non-arising of future aggregates? (It's the Noble Truth of Cessation, Lord)
How many sections are in Dependent Origination? (Four sections, Lord)
How many factors in each section? (Five factors, Lord)
Five times four equals? (Twenty)
These eight aspects: (Should be easily memorized as the way to liberation from samsara)
Sadhu! Together let us keep the Dharma wheel rolling."
Form aggregate changes and decays like a bubble in water,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Feeling aggregate experiences like foam on water,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Perception aggregate marks and notes like a mirage,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Mental formations aggregate conditions and motivates like a banana trunk,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Consciousness aggregate knows various objects like a magician's illusion,
Contemplate its arising and passing, to attain Path and Fruition.
Isn't this taught as Path-Knowledge and Fruition-Knowledge? Do greed, hatred, and delusion still arise? One needs to strive to reach this stage. #Only through understanding can we abandon.
Now, when contacting:
The arising and passing of aggregates in the present moment
What Noble Truth is this? (It's the Noble Truth of Suffering, Lord)
What is the understanding? (It's the Noble Truth of the Path, Lord)
What ceases? (It's the Noble Truth of Origin, Lord)
The non-arising of future aggregates? (It's the Noble Truth of Cessation, Lord)
How many sections are in Dependent Origination? (Four sections, Lord)
How many factors in each section? (Five factors, Lord)
Five times four equals? (Twenty)
These eight aspects: (Should be easily memorized as the way to liberation from samsara)
Sadhu! Together let us keep the Dharma wheel rolling."
