Venerable Mogok Sayadaw explains:
"Cittaṃ rakkhatha medhāvī" - One who knows every arising of mind is wise (Yes, Venerable Sir).
Do you understand? (Yes, Venerable Sir)
When you know every arising of mind (That is wisdom, Venerable Sir).
When you know every arising, you also know every passing away (Yes, Venerable Sir).
Follow this - when you know every arising (We know every passing away, Venerable Sir).
Oh, there's no difference between arising and passing - they happen in such quick succession. It arises at moment one and passes at moment two - you don't even notice it (Yes, Venerable Sir).
Finally, when you observe, you just know "there is nothing" (Yes, Venerable Sir). That's all you know. Nothing else (Yes, Venerable Sir).
The Buddha called this knowledge "udayabbaya ñāṇa" (knowledge of arising and passing away).
Yes, he taught it, but the arising (udaya) you see isn't what you think. The passing away (vaya) you see isn't what you think. You just know that things arise and pass by themselves, and then you know "nothing is there" (Yes, Venerable Sir). Do you understand? (Yes, Venerable Sir)
Therefore, you can't rigidly hold onto what's written elsewhere (Yes, Venerable Sir). You must verify through direct experience (diṭṭhadhamma) (Yes, Venerable Sir). Those are just teachings (suta dhamma) (Yes, Venerable Sir). Is it clear? (Yes, it's clear, Venerable Sir)
"In my direct experience, I didn't even see the arising, Venerable Sir. The Buddha says 'udaya' for arising and 'vaya' for passing away. But when I looked with wisdom, I found nothing."
You can't really know it (Yes, Venerable Sir). Do you understand? (Yes, Venerable Sir)
Just knowing "it arose and is not there" is enough (Yes, Venerable Sir).
Very well, now my disciples are established. Have you learned to guard your mind? (Yes, we have learned, Venerable Sir)
Knowing every arising is guarding the mind. When you know every arising (That is guarding, Venerable Sir).
After guarding, dear devotee, "Cittaṃ rakkhatha medhāvī" is fulfilled - the mind is guarded (Yes).
When you know every arising, that is guarding the mind (Yes, Venerable Sir).
By the Most Venerable Aggamahāpaṇḍita
Mogok Sayadaw
Amarapura
(1-1-60)
Sadhu! Together let us keep the Dharma wheel rolling.
