Dhamma Talk

"Let me tell you an unprecedented story. In ancient times, there was Sakka (the king of devas), who was formerly known as Magha. When we say Sakka, this was his previous life, you see. This Magha had four wives: Sudhammā, Sunandā, Sucittā, and Sujātā. Among these four, the youngest, Sujātā, was both his niece and wife. The three elder wives and Magha would work together in villages and towns, making roads smooth and even for five hundred companions and many people to travel easily. Didn't they clean temples and pagodas? Didn't they maintain the cleanliness of monasteries? Was this unwholesome or wholesome? These were wholesome deeds, you see. The youngest, Sujātā, however, only focused on adorning herself for sensual pleasures. Isn't this worth contemplating? Then one day, they all passed away. When they died, Sudhammā, Sunandā, and Sucittā were reborn as devis (female devas) in Tāvatiṃsa heaven. Magha became a deva too. But Sujātā was reborn as a lone crane in a rocky ravine. Then Sakka (formerly Magha) searched throughout the six deva realms but couldn't find her. He looked in the human realm but couldn't find her either. When he searched in the animal realm, he found her alone in a rocky ravine. So didn't Sakka disguise himself as a crane and approach her? Didn't he ask, 'Do you recognize who I really am?' She said no. 'I am your former husband Magha,' he said. 'Yes, that's right,' she replied." "Didn't he ask, 'Do you know where your sisters are?' She said no. 'Would you like to see your sisters?' She said yes. Didn't she ask where they were? 'In the six heavenly realms, in Tāvatiṃsa heaven,' he said. 'But I'm an animal now, how can I go there?' 'If you really want to meet them, I'll help. Come, perch on my hand,' and he took her to the heavenly realm. In heaven, there was Sudhammā's great pavilion, Sunandā's lake, and Sucittā's gardens. He left her near there. He asked Sudhammā, Sunandā, and Sucittā, 'Would you like to see your younger sister Sujātā?' They said yes. 'Where is she?' 'I left her by the lake.' Didn't he ask them to go greet her? So the three sisters went to greet her. They were devis, while Sujātā was just a crane. When they looked closely, they started mocking: 'Oh, look at her head! Look at her legs! Look at her body!' They laughed in various ways and then disappeared. After some time, Sakka came back. 'Magha, did you meet your sisters?' 'Yes,' she said. When he asked what happened, didn't she tell him they just laughed and left? 'Well, well, I'll take you back to your place,' and he returned her to the rocky ravine. 'Would you like to be like them?' 'Yes,' she replied. 'Why didn't you perform meritorious deeds when you were human?' 'Your three sisters performed service (veyyāvacca) at temples and monasteries, they cleaned sacred places, they leveled and smoothed the roads in villages and towns. Why didn't you do such things back then?' Didn't he ask? She replied, 'I never thought it would turn out like this.'" "Consider this - she only focused on beautifying herself. She didn't kill beings, didn't steal, yet she fell into a lower realm. Isn't this worth contemplating? She didn't kill, didn't steal, didn't commit adultery, didn't lie, didn't drink alcohol - wasn't it her delusion (moha) that caused her consciousness to cease in that state? Did she understand about dana (generosity)? Did she understand sila (morality)? Did she understand the truth of the Dhamma and the aggregates? Not knowing is avijjā (ignorance). Due to that deluded mind, her consciousness ceased and she became an animal. Isn't this frightening? This needs to be carefully examined. Then he asked, 'Do you want to be like them?' She said yes. Didn't he tell her she needed to make merit? 'How can I make merit as an animal?' she asked. He said if she truly wanted to make merit, he would tell her how. 'If you kill frogs, fish, or other animals, you'll fall into hell. Then I, Sakka, won't be able to help you. If you're truly willing to make merit, I'll tell you how.' 'Please tell me, I'm very afraid now,' she said. 'From today onwards, don't catch, kill, or eat frogs, fish, or other animals. Only eat what's already dead,' didn't he say? She agreed to this. Magha (Sakka), not fully trusting her, tested her by appearing as a dead fish floating by. She picked it up with her beak, but when it moved, showing it was alive, she released it. Again, he tested her with a fish on the sandbank - when it moved in her beak, she released it. Eventually, without food, didn't she die from starvation? When she died from starvation, she was reborn as a potter's daughter in the kingdom of Varanasi. You see, when the crane had someone to guide her, she endured hunger and thirst, not eating other beings. Didn't this become sila (moral virtue)? That's why she was reborn as a human, as a potter's daughter in Varanasi. Sakka searched for her in the heavenly realms but couldn't find her. Looking in the human realm, he found her as the potter's daughter. Thinking 'I must help her,' Sakka went to give her gold in the form of golden cucumbers. When he reached the city entrance, there were forty or fifty drunkards. 'Buy golden cucumbers! Golden cucumbers!' he called. 'What's the price?' they asked. 'The price is sila,' he said. 'What is sila? Is it green or blue?' they asked. 'No, not like that.' 'Is it short or long?' 'No, not like that. It means not killing other beings, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, and not taking five types of intoxicants.' Well, none of them qualified, these drunkards." "Didn't they direct him to the potter's daughter? When he reached there, he called out 'Golden cucumbers! Golden cucumbers!' She came down to buy them. Didn't she ask the price? 'The price is sila,' he said. 'I'll buy them,' she said. Didn't he ask if she recognized him? She didn't. 'I am your former husband Magha, who saved you when you were a crane. Use this gold, but don't break your sila.' Then he left after giving her the gold. When she died from that life, she was reborn as the daughter of the Asura king. When she came of age, they held a marriage ceremony. Didn't they ask how to arrange it? They would hold a garland-throwing ceremony. When the ceremony was held, Magha (Sakka) disguised himself as an old Asura man and joined the ceremony. Though there were many young devas invited, she didn't throw the garland to any of them. Instead, she threw it to the old man. Isn't this worth contemplating? The young devas left laughing, wondering why she chose an old man when there were so many young ones. Isn't this worth pondering? You see, while humans didn't know, the elements (dhatu) knew. They had been husband and wife in a past life, he had saved her in her crane life, and helped her as the potter's daughter. You see, these wholesome kammic elements don't disappear. Humans might not know, but the elements know. The moment she saw him, loving-kindness (metta) arose. 'Do you recognize me?' he asked. 'No,' she said. 'I am your former husband Magha.' 'Yes, that's right.' As they looked at each other, he transformed into an eighteen-year-old form. When she realized he was Sakka, there was a battle with the Asuras. Due to their different levels of merit and kamma, Sakka won. He took her to the heavenly realm where she reunited with her sisters - all four sisters together again. When the Buddha appeared, didn't they descend to the human realm to listen to the Dhamma? Didn't he teach about the aggregates (khandha), sense bases (ayatana), elements (dhatu), and the Noble Truths?" "When teaching this, aren't the rūpakkhandha (material aggregates) included in the khandhas? There's pathavī-dhātu (earth), āpo-dhātu (water), tejo-dhātu (fire), and vāyo-dhātu (air). Pathavī has the characteristics of hardness and softness. Āpo has the characteristics of cohesion and flowing. Tejo has the characteristics of heat and cold. Vāyo has the characteristics of supporting and movement. Are these four great elements human, deva, or brahma? They're just four primary elements. Where there are four primary elements, aren't there four secondary elements? There's vaṇṇa (color), gandha (smell), rasa (taste), and ojā (nutritive essence). Isn't this worth contemplating? Color element through the eyes, smell element through the nose, six tastes through the tongue (sweet, sour, spicy, salty, bitter, astringent), and the nutritive essence that makes the body grow - aren't these taught? Four secondary elements and four primary elements - combined, don't we get eight elements? Are these eight elements human, deva, or brahma? When these eight elements interact, doesn't sound arise? These are the nine types of matter (navakkalāpa). When we analyze the aggregates, don't we find rūpakkhandha? Whenever two material forms contact each other, don't the four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha) arise? Are these four mental aggregates human, deva, or brahma? Isn't this worth examining? So now we understand the four mental aggregates. When we combine the four mental aggregates with rūpakkhandha, we get the five aggregates. Are these five aggregates human, deva, or brahma? When we see the aggregates, do we still see beings as humans, devas, or brahmas? Why not? When they don't exist, doesn't the wrong view of permanent self as human or deva fall away? Isn't this worth examining? Moreover, doesn't rūpakkhandha arise and pass away? Don't feelings arise and pass away? Doesn't perception arise and pass away? Don't volitional formations arise and pass away? Doesn't consciousness arise and pass away? Do you see the five aggregates? Do you see their arising and passing away? What truth is this? (It's the Truth of Suffering, Dukkha Sacca). Isn't it necessary to truly understand dukkha sacca? When dukkha sacca is truly understood, does craving still come? Does clinging still come? Don't the āsavas of sensual desire (kāmāsava) and becoming (bhavāsava) cease? When the aggregates are understood, don't the āsavas of wrong view (diṭṭhāsava) and ignorance (avijjāsava) cease? Don't all four āsavas end? When they end, doesn't the Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya sacca) die? Doesn't the cycle of aggregates end? Isn't this taught as the Truth of Cessation (nirodha sacca)?" "Then didn't the Buddha tell Magha to look through the glasses he gave? When looking through these glasses of wisdom (vijjā), did he see Sudhammā or did he see just form (rūpa)? Through conceptual thinking, didn't he imagine it was Sudhammā? But what was actually seen - was it Sudhammā or just visual form? Was it Sunandā or just form? Was it Sucittā or just form? Was it Sujātā or just form? Only form was seen. Thinking it was Sudhammā, when touching to make sound - was Sudhammā found or just sound? When thinking of Sunandā, Sucittā, or Sujātā - was anything found besides sound? This is rūpakkhandha of sound. When smelling what was thought to be Sudhammā - was Sudhammā found or just odor? When smelling thinking it was Sunandā, Sucittā, or Sujātā - was anything found besides odor? When tasting what was thought to be Sudhammā - wasn't just salty taste-element found? Was it Sudhammā or taste-element? Sunandā or taste-element? Sucittā or taste-element? Sujātā or taste-element? Only taste-element was found. When touching from head to toe, forward and backward - thinking it was Sudhammā, Sunandā, Sucittā, or Sujātā - was any of them found or just heat and cold? The heat element (uṇha-tejo) and cold element (sīta-tejo) were found. Is it a self that knows hot and cold, or is it body-consciousness (kāya-viññāṇa)? Isn't kāya-viññāṇa a mental phenomenon (nāma)? Aren't hot and cold physical phenomena (rūpa)? These are just mind and matter (nāma-rūpa). Is it Sudhammā or just mind-and-matter? Sunandā or just mind-and-matter? Sucittā or just mind-and-matter? Sujātā or just mind-and-matter? Isn't this taught as knowledge by full understanding (ñāta-pariññā)? This is distinguishing between what appears to be and what actually is. Only mind-and-matter is found. This knowing of mind-and-matter - is it known by a self or by the Path Truth (magga-sacca)? Which path knows it? (The path of Right Concentration, Sammā-samādhi). When one has concentration (samādhi), even if someone speaks harsh words, will there still be anger? Is there anything left to be angry about? That's because of having samādhi. Now, when faces age and become distorted, is it because of having samādhi or lacking it? Isn't this worth examining? Didn't the Mogok Sayadaw teach to 'build a Buddha in your abdomen'? This means developing wisdom. Didn't he teach to work toward gaining wisdom? This is what's essential. Isn't this worth studying thoroughly?" "Don't mind and matter arise and pass away? Are they permanent or impermanent (anicca)? Is impermanence pleasant or suffering? Is suffering (dukkha) to be called happiness (sukha)? Does this suffering have an owner? Does it follow beings' wishes? Does it conform to preferences? Isn't it taught as non-self (anatta)? When seeing impermanence, do you still see mind-and-matter? When seeing suffering, do you still see mind-and-matter? When seeing non-self, do you still see mind-and-matter? Isn't it necessary to distinguish between impermanence and mind-and-matter? Between suffering and mind-and-matter? Between non-self and mind-and-matter? This is full understanding by investigation (tīraṇa-pariññā). When seeing mind-and-matter, do you see Sudhammā? Sunandā? Sucittā? Sujātā? This is full understanding by direct knowledge (ñāta-pariññā). When impermanence, suffering, and non-self are combined, isn't it taught as arising and passing away? Which truth is this? (The Truth of Suffering). Knowing things as they truly are is yathābhūta-ñāṇa. Looking further a second time, do you see anything but arising and passing away? Which truth? (The Truth of Suffering). As wisdom matures in the second stage, doesn't the desire to be free from the aggregates arise? One becomes weary of the world. Isn't this taught as knowledge of disenchantment (nibbindā-ñāṇa)? Looking further a third time, do you see anything but arising and passing away? Which truth? (The Truth of Suffering). Search from head to toe throughout the body - can you find even a needle-point's worth of happiness? If not even a needle-point's worth of happiness is found, isn't it because it doesn't exist? If it doesn't exist, isn't it determined as complete suffering? At that moment of determination, don't the three moral factors of the Path enter - Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood? Combined with the five insight knowledges, don't they complete the eight? When the eight are complete, do you still see the five aggregates? Do you still see arising and passing away? Isn't this taught as supramundane (lokuttara)? Stream-entry path and fruition (sotāpatti-magga and phala) - isn't it worth examining what they eliminate? Aren't the latent defilements (anusaya-kilesa) of wrong view and doubt eliminated? When latent defilements are eliminated, do manifested mental defilements (pariyuṭṭhāna) still arise? If mental defilements don't arise, do physical and verbal misconduct (vītikkama) still occur? If they don't occur, aren't the kammas leading to lower realms exhausted? Doesn't the cycle of aggregates in lower realms end? Isn't this taught as full understanding by abandoning (pahāna-pariññā)?" "When one attains these three kinds of understanding (pariññā) - knowledge of the known (ñāta), investigation (tīraṇa), and abandoning (pahāna) - can all the infinite unwholesome kamma and karmic debts accumulated since beginningless samsara still give results? Haven't they all become ineffective (ahosi-kamma)? Strive to reach this stage! Only with these three insights will true happiness be found. Now: - The present aggregates are arising and passing away What truth is this? (The Truth of Suffering) - The knowing is (The Truth of the Path) - What's abandoned is (The Truth of Origin) - No more becoming is (The Truth of Cessation) How many sections are in Dependent Origination? (Four sections) How many factors in each section? (Five factors) Five times four equals (Twenty) These eight points (should be memorized easily as the way to liberation from samsara) Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!"

King Ashoka Recorded It – Master Xuanzang Confirmed It

In 1174 BE (631 CE), the Chinese monk Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang) undertook his famous pilgrimage to India in search of sacred Buddhist sites and authentic scriptures. As he traveled from Sāvatthī toward Kapilavastu, he recorded encountering an ancient Buddhist site associated with Kāṇakamuni Buddha (พระโกนาคมนะ), one of the past Buddhas.

Xuanzang wrote:

“From the birthplace of Buddha Kakusandha, going northeast for 30 li, one reaches another great ancient city—the birthplace of Buddha Kanakamuni. In front of it is a stone pillar, over 20 chhieh high, with a carved lion on top. An inscription beside it records the deeds of that Buddha. King Ashoka erected it.”
(Tang Xiyuji, vol. 2, p. 238; translated by Siu Sūlun)

Archaeological Discovery:

In 1893 CE (2436 BE), a Nepalese archaeologist rediscovered the remains of Ashoka’s pillar at a site called Niglisagar (or Niglihawa), located about 30 km northwest of Lumbinī, the birthplace of the historical Buddha, in present-day Nepal.

• One fragment was the base of the pillar.

• Another fragment, later found lying beside a pond, was the inscribed shaft.

• The inscription was copied and sent to the Asiatic Society, where scholars successfully translated the Brāhmī script.

The Inscription (transliteration in modern Devanagari):

𑀤𑁂𑀯𑀸𑀦𑀁𑀧𑀺𑀬𑁂𑀦 𑀧𑀺𑀬𑀤𑀲𑀺𑀦 𑀮𑀸𑀚𑀺𑀦 𑀘𑁄𑀤𑀲𑀯𑀲𑀸 𑀪𑀺𑀲𑀺𑀢𑁂𑀦  
𑀩𑀼𑀥𑀲 𑀓𑁄𑀦𑀸𑀓𑀫𑀦𑀲 𑀣𑀼𑀩𑁂𑀤𑀼𑀢𑀺𑀬𑀁 𑀯𑀠𑀺𑀢𑁂  
𑀯𑀺𑀲𑀢𑀺𑀯 𑀲𑀸𑀪𑀺𑀲𑀺𑀢𑁂𑀦𑀘 𑀅𑀢𑀦 𑀅𑀕𑀸𑀘 𑀫𑀳𑀻𑀬𑀺𑀢𑁂  
𑀲𑀺𑀮𑀣𑀩𑁂𑀘 𑀉𑀲𑀧𑀧𑀺𑀢𑁂

Translation:

“In the 14th year of the reign of King Piyadasī, Beloved of the Gods, he came and worshipped here and had a stupa of the Buddha Kanakamuni constructed. In the 20th year of his reign, he visited again and caused this stone pillar to be erected.”

Key Significance:

• Two visits by King Ashoka are recorded:

  1. 14th regnal year – constructed the stupa.

  2. 20th regnal year – returned and erected the stone pillar.

• Ashoka, known for spreading Buddhism across the Indian subcontinent, commissioned these acts to honor past Buddhas as part of his broader religious devotion and political message of Dharma.

• The inscription explicitly connects King Ashoka with Buddha Kanakamuni, confirming Xuanzang’s 7th-century report.

The Site – Niglihawa (Niglisagar):

• Located in present-day Nepal, near the border with India.

• Roughly 30 kilometers northwest of Lumbinī, following Xuanzang’s route.

• The name Niglisagar likely derives from “Nigali”, the name of the ancient Nigali people or village, and “sāgara”, meaning pond.

Today, the site features:

• A stupa mound

• The remains of the Ashokan pillar

• Ongoing pilgrimage activity and scholarly attention

Conclusion:

This discovery is archaeologically invaluable, as it:

1. Corroborates ancient travel records—specifically Xuanzang’s travelogue.

2. Demonstrates Ashoka’s devotion not only to Śākyamuni Buddha, but also to past Buddhas like Kanakamuni.

3. Offers a rare inscription in early Brāhmī, with royal and religious context tied to actual geographical sites we can still visit today.

“Nearly 2,300 years later, a stone pillar and a foreign pilgrim’s journal meet again to confirm the legacy of a great emperor and a timeless Dharma.”

The Exquisite Buddha Image by Venerable Yashadinna

 we revisit the Mathura Museum, a site that preserves some of India’s most elegant examples of early Buddhist art.

In 1862 CE (2405 BE), Alexander Cunningham, one of the founding figures of Indian archaeology, conducted excavations at Jamalpur Mound, near Mathurā. There, he unearthed 35 Buddha images, both intact and fragmented, as well as sculpted red sandstone slabs believed to be parts of monasteries (vihāras) and monastic halls (saṅghārāmas).

These artifacts were eventually curated and displayed when the Mathura Museum was established. Among them, one Buddha image stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship.

Artistic Features:

• The statue has a circular halo (prabhāmaṇḍala).

• The face is full and serene, with an oval-shaped facial structure—hallmarks of Gupta art, although the statue was discovered in Mathurā.

• Unlike typical Mathurā-style art, this piece reflects the stylistic influence of Sarnath, a major artistic and religious center during the Gupta period.

Without the inscription at its base, we would never have known who created this masterpiece.

The Inscription:

There are two lines, written in a mix of Sanskrit and Prakrit, using Brāhmī script:

Line 1:
Deyadharmo yaṁ Śākya-bhikṣo Yaśadinnasya yad atra pu-
Line 2:
ṇyaṁ tad bhavatu mātāpitaro ācāryopadhyāyānāṁ ca sarva-sattvānuttara-jñāna-vāptaye

Translation:

"This meritorious offering (deyadharma) belongs to the Śākya monk named Yashadinna. Whatever merit arises from this offering, may it be dedicated to my mother and father, to my teachers and preceptors, and to all sentient beings for the attainment of unsurpassed wisdom (anuttara-jñāna)."

Interpretation:

• The donor and creator of this sacred Buddha image is Venerable Yashadinna (Sanskrit: यशदिन्न, Pāli: Yasadinna), a monk of the Śākya lineage.

• His dedication of merit aligns with the Mahāyāna spirit—offering not only for his family and teachers but also for all living beings, with the wish for them to attain unexcelled enlightenment.

• The wording follows the traditional format found in both Pāli and Sanskrit, where “mother and father” (mātāpitaro) always places the mother first, showing reverence and cultural norm (not a typographical error).

Historical Context:

• While the specific sect to which Yashadinna belonged is not mentioned, inscriptions found throughout Mathurā from the same era refer to several Buddhist schools, including:

  1. Dharmaguptaka

  2. Mahīśāsaka

  3. Sarvāstivāda

  4. Caitika (Jetiyavāda)

• Cunningham dated the statue to around 900 BE (approximately 43 CE).
  As of 2568 BE (2025 CE), this means the statue is now over 1,500 years old.

Final Reflection:

The image still shines with dignity and grace, a testament to the enduring devotion of its creator. Though Venerable Yashadinna may be long gone, his act of faith, carved into stone, lives on across centuries.

“Though the body perishes, the merit and artistry endure. With reverence, we bow to the venerable teacher.”

Avijjā to Nirodha: Saṅkhāra and Khandha

"Recently heard again: Look with the eyes your parents gave you at birth. 'Oh, five fingers' - isn't that the answer given? Five fingers, right? As long as these fingers exist, will the wrong view of beings as people and devas be eliminated? It's important to dissolve this concept of fingers. As long as fingers exist, people exist, and if people exist, then devas and brahmas exist - all 31 planes exist. If fingers don't exist, people don't exist either.

When looking with the eyes given by parents, we see five fingers. But when looking through the lens of knowledge (vijjā), do we see fingers or just visible form-element? We only see visible form-element.

Let's examine again through the body-door. Don't we call them thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger? Don't we take them as existing?

Now touch with the hand of wisdom given by the Buddha. Do you find fingers or just hardness? When touching the thumb, do you find a thumb or hardness? For each finger - do you find fingers or just hardness?

Can you still find any fingers? If you can't find fingers, can you find a body? If you can't find a body, can you find a person? Why not? Because they don't exist. This is knowledge (vijjā). Isn't this worth contemplating?

Seeing through body parts is ignorance (avijjā). When examining through the body-door, we only find hardness. When looking through the lens of knowledge, we only see visible form. Isn't this worth studying? Think carefully.

If you can't find the 32 parts of the body, can you find a person? If you can't find a person, can you find devas or brahmas? Why not? (Because they don't exist, Venerable Sir). What testifies completely to the non-existence of beings, devas, and brahmas? (Hardness testifies, Venerable Sir). Doesn't the nature of hardness, the element of hardness, the ultimate hardness bear witness?

Don't we get body-consciousness, a mental phenomenon, when knowing hardness? Isn't hardness a physical phenomenon? These are the two things - mind and matter. Therefore, search anywhere in matter - can you find beings? Search anywhere in mind - can you find beings? Why not find them? Isn't it taught as 'void of mind and matter'?

The 32 parts of the body exist conventionally. Beings, devas, and brahmas exist conventionally. Isn't this worth examining? Both the conventional and ultimate exist as mind and matter. How does mind and matter exist? Isn't it worth investigating? They exist as impermanent, as suffering, as non-self."

"Are anicca, dukkha, and anatta good or bad qualities? Day after day, are we living with happiness or suffering? When we truly understand this suffering, do we abandon it or not? Can we abandon it without understanding it? We can only abandon what we understand.

For one who has aggregates, can they escape aging, sickness, and death? What truth is this? (It's the Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir). It's truly suffering. We live with suffering day after day. When we truly understand this as suffering, do we still want to obtain these kinds of aggregates again? Understanding leads to not wanting it. When we understand, don't we abandon it?

Before, didn't we wrongly perceive things as humans, devas, and brahmas? Weren't we wrong in our perception, understanding, and views? These are the three types of perversion (vipallāsa). Isn't this worth examining? This is why craving (taṇhā) and clinging (upādāna) arise. Isn't this worth investigating? Study this.

Looking at these aggregates, we see suffering. But when we wrongly apprehend this suffering, don't we mistakenly see it as human happiness, deva happiness, brahma happiness? Because of this wrong understanding, we performed meritorious formations (puññābhisaṅkhāra) and imperturbable formations (āneñjābhisaṅkhāra). Wanting human aggregates and deva aggregates, didn't we perform acts of giving (dāna)? Didn't we observe moral precepts (sīla)?

Think about it. Isn't this what's taught as meritorious formations? Due to these wholesome deeds of giving and morality, we obtain human existence and deva existence. As humans, can we escape aging, sickness, and death? As devas, can we escape aging, sickness, and death? No, we cannot. What truth is this? (It's the Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir)."

"Practicing the 40 meditation subjects is āneñjābhisaṅkhāra (imperturbable formations). Isn't it taught that with concentration from these practices, one can even know others' thoughts? With further development, one can perform supernatural feats. When consciousness ceases in this way, one obtains brahma aggregates. But can brahmas escape aging, sickness and death? What truth is this? (It's the Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir).

Apuññābhisaṅkhāra (demeritorious formations) leads to the four woeful states. Are these formations satisfactory or not? Formations mean conditioning - conditioning to obtain human aggregates, deva aggregates, brahma aggregates. Human and deva aggregates come from puññābhisaṅkhāra, brahma aggregates from āneñjābhisaṅkhāra, and the four woeful realms' aggregates from apuññābhisaṅkhāra - isn't this what's taught?

Isn't it worth examining these formations? Do they arise by themselves or through causes and conditions? Looking backward, don't we find ignorance (avijjā)? Don't we wrongly apprehend the five aggregates as beings and persons?

Can one who has aggregates escape aging, sickness and death? What truth is this? (It's the Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir). Don't we wrongly perceive this suffering as human happiness, deva happiness, brahma happiness? Isn't this called avijjā? Because of this avijjā, formations arise.

If avijjā ceases, will formations still come? Think about it. Isn't avijjā taught as the cycle of defilements? When there's avijjā, aren't there also craving and clinging? These three - avijjā, taṇhā, upādāna - can be summarized as avijjā. Isn't this worth studying?

When we know them as aggregates, isn't our attention correct? Knowing the five aggregates as impermanent, as suffering, as non-self - isn't this right attention? When we know the five aggregates, doesn't wrong view fall away? Doesn't doubt cease?

When we know impermanence, does craving still come? Does clinging still come? Does kamma still come? Don't the three cycles break? When there's dissolution, doesn't the story of aggregates end? Isn't this taught as the Truth of Cessation (nirodha-sacca)? This must be examined carefully. These are the essential points..."

This teaching emphasizes how proper understanding of suffering leads to dispassion and the desire to abandon saṃsāric existence, rather than performing actions that lead to continued rebirth in various realms.

Develop mindfulness of breathing

“ānāpānassatiṃ, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. ānāpānassati hi te, rāhula, bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā. kathaṃ bhāvitā ca, rāhula, ānāpānassati, kathaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā ? idha, rāhula,..

Pāli Inscription from Nagarjunakonda

Nagarjunakonda

, located in Palnadu District, Andhra Pradesh, India, was once a vast and thriving Buddhist center. Sprawling across a valley, the site originally held over 23 ancient monuments, including monasteries, stupas, and temples.

However, in 1955 CE (2498 BE), the construction of the Nagarjunasagar Dam led to large-scale flooding of the valley. Only a few of the key archaeological structures could be salvaged and relocated; the rest are now submerged beneath the reservoir—a significant loss for Buddhist archaeology and world heritage.

A Rare Pāli Inscription

Among the structures that were documented, one notable discovery is a Pāli inscription, inscribed on a stupa railing post. This is remarkable because Pāli inscriptions in India are extremely rare; most Buddhist inscriptions from the subcontinent are in Prakrit or Sanskrit.

The Inscription:

Written in Brāhmī script, the Pāli lines read:

Namo bhagavato Agapolasa rañño Gotamī putasa Sirivijayasatakarṇisa saṁ 6 ghipa 4 diva Vesa 4 khapunas

Translation:

"Homage to the Blessed One. In the 6th year, on the 4th night of the summer season, in the month of Vesākha... (this is) under the reign of King Sirivijaya Sātakarṇi, son of Gotamī."

Historical Significance:

This inscription provides a rare Pāli-language record of Buddhist devotion and royal patronage in southern India.

It clearly states the name of the king, his royal lineage, and the exact time of the donation or construction:

King Sirivijaya Sātakarṇi, son of Queen Gotamī, of the Sātavāhana dynasty

His reign is dated to approximately 600 BE (57 BCE)

Noteworthy Features:

Clarity of Dating

Inscriptions from the Kuṣāṇa and Sātavāhana periods often precisely mention dates, months, and regnal years—a practice that greatly aids modern historians and archaeologists in reconstructing ancient timelines.

Religious and Political Connection

This inscription shows that Buddhism was actively supported by Sātavāhana kings, and that they commissioned Buddhist monuments such as stupas at important pilgrimage centers like Nagarjunakonda.

Use of Pāli

The usage of Pāli—rather than Sanskrit or Prakrit—suggests that Theravāda or early Buddhist traditions may have had influence in the region, at least during certain periods.

Reflection:

Despite its brevity, this single inscription carries enormous meaning. It connects us to a specific king, a specific moment in time, and a specific act of devotion—the enshrinement of a Buddhist stupa under royal patronage. It is also a precious example of Pāli epigraphy, surviving in a region where such finds are exceedingly rare.

"Even a few carved lines on ancient stone can open a gateway to centuries of devotion, history, and cultural exchange."

Formation of Eye Aggregates

Five aggregates manifest in the body.

The Work of Venerable Dharmanandi – A Masterpiece That Journeyed Far

Today, let us once again visit the ancient city of Mathurā, India, to admire the exquisite Buddhist art that flourished here.

In 1862 CE (2405 BE), the renowned archaeologist Alexander Cunningham excavated a site known as Katra Mound, located near Mathurā. Among the many valuable artifacts discovered was a particularly beautiful seated Buddha image in the Abhaya Mudrā (gesture of fearlessness).

This statue is a clear example of pure Mathurān artistry, distinct from the Gupta-style Buddha images such as those created by Venerable Yasathinna. The stone material used is also different. Standing on each side of the Buddha are two Bodhisattvas, a feature that clearly reflects the influence of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition.

Though the prabhāmaṇḍala (halo) behind the Buddha is partially broken, the statue remains impressive. Given the passage of 1,890 years, we would not have known the identity of the sculptor had it not been for the inscription carved into its base.

The Inscription

The inscription, written in Hybrid Sanskrit using the Brāhmī script, consists of two lines. It was translated by the French scholar Gerard Fussman. The content is as follows:

Transliterated Sanskrit:

Mahārājasya Kaniṣkasya saṁ 4 varṣa 3 di 26 bhikṣusya Bodhisenasya saddhievihārisya bhadantasya Dharmanandisya bodhisattvo pratiṣṭhāpito svakāyaṁ cetiyakūṭeyaṁ saha mātāpitiḥi saha pitāsikāye Bhadraye saha sarvasattvehi

English Translation:

"In the 4th year of King Kaniṣka the Great, in the 3rd month of the rainy season, on the 26th day, this Bodhisattva image was established by Venerable Dharmanandi, the faithful monastery resident and disciple of Bhikṣu Bodhisena, at his own sacred stupa site. It was dedicated together with his father and mother, his paternal aunt Bhadra, and for the benefit of all sentient beings."

Summary:

• The creator of this sacred Bodhisattva image was Venerable Dharmanandi, a disciple of Venerable Bodhisena.

• The statue was dedicated at Dharmanandi’s own religious site (cetiya-kūṭa).

• It was offered together with his parents and his father’s sister, Bhadra, in merit for all living beings—an expression of Mahāyāna compassion.

• The date of creation corresponds to year 4 of King Kaniṣka's reign, which is estimated as 674 BE (170 CE).
  As of today (2025 CE / 2568 BE), this statue is approximately 1,890 years old.

The Statue’s Journey:

After its discovery, Cunningham preserved the statue at the Archaeological Survey of India’s Mathurā office, as there was no museum at the time. Eventually, it was transferred abroad and is now on display at the Kimbell Art Museum in Texas, United States, where it remains to this day.

Reflection:

This single statue, created nearly two millennia ago by a devoted teacher and his family, encapsulates an entire narrative of artistic tradition, religious lineage, and boundless compassion. From ancient Mathurā to a modern Western museum, the image continues to shine as a timeless beacon of Buddhist faith and heritage.

"Chiselled with faith, carried by time—Venerable Dharmanandi’s offering continues to inspire across continents and centuries."

Even This Much Still Has Meaning

Since around 200 BE (343 BCE), Buddhism began to split into numerous sects, ultimately forming 18 schools due to differing interpretations of discipline (vinaya) and doctrine (view). One of these was the Sarvāstivāda school, known in Pāli as Sabbatthikavāda.

Understanding the Names:

Sabbatthikavāda (Pāli):

Sabba = all, atthi = exists, vāda = doctrine

→ “The doctrine that everything exists.”

Sarvāstivāda (Sanskrit):

Sarva = all, asti = exists, vādin = proponent or one who teaches

→ “Those who teach that everything exists.”

This school favored Sanskrit inscriptions, unlike the Theravāda tradition which preserved its texts and inscriptions in Pāli. From around 400 BE (143 BCE) onward, Sarvāstivāda became widespread, especially in northern India and areas as far west as Afghanistan.

Archaeological Evidence:

In 1863 CE (2406 BE), Alexander Cunningham conducted an excavation at the Katra Mound in Mathurā, where he unearthed many Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Among them was one statue of which only the base remained—but even that base contained significant information.

The Inscription:

The inscription was written in a mix of Sanskrit and Prakrit, using the Brāhmī script, and dates to around 600 BE (57 BCE). Despite being fragmentary, it preserves the following content:

Reconstructed lines:

... (upāsikāye) Nandāye kṣatraparṣa

... (Bodhisattva) visa tale

sarvasattvānāṁ hitasukhārtham

sarvāstivādiyānāṁ parigrahe

Translation:

"This Bodhisattva image is a meritorious offering of the laywoman named Nandā, descended from the Kṣatrapa (royal) family. May the merit be for the welfare and happiness of all sentient beings, and may it be dedicated to the masters of the Sarvāstivāda school."

Interpretation:

The donor, Upāsikā Nandā, was a laywoman of noble lineage from the Kṣatrapa dynasty (a lineage of Indo-Scythian or Indo-Parthian rulers).

She dedicated a Bodhisattva image—suggesting Mahāyāna influence—for the benefit of all beings.

Importantly, the inscription explicitly states that this offering was intended for the Sarvāstivāda school, highlighting sectarian affiliation.

Reflection:

Though only the base of the statue remains, the inscription is rich in meaning. It connects us to:

A historical donor of royal heritage

A specific Buddhist sect (Sarvāstivāda)

The intention of universal compassion through merit-making

A glimpse of the sectarian landscape of early Indian Buddhism

“Even a broken base, weathered by time, can still speak volumes across the centuries.”

The Buddha Image by Venerable Teacher Vīrana

Today we journey to the ancient city of Ahichchatra (modern-day Ramnagar), located in Barailly District, Uttar Pradesh, approximately 200 kilometers from Mathurā. This city, too, is one of the ancient urban centers of India with significant Buddhist heritage.

In 1174 BE (631 CE), the famous Chinese monk Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang) visited this city and recorded that there were 30 monasteries with over 3,000 monks, most of whom belonged to the Sammatīya school (a Buddhist sect of the Sthaviravāda lineage).

The site underwent excavation in 1862 CE (2405 BE) under the direction of Alexander Cunningham, who uncovered stupas, monasteries, and many Buddha images at the Chatra Mound within Ahichchatra.

The Discovery:

Among the unearthed artifacts was a particularly elegant seated Buddha image in the gesture of granting blessings (abhaya-mudrā). Flanking the Buddha are two standing Bodhisattvas:

• Vajrapāṇi on the left

• Padmapāṇi on the right

At the base of the image is a sculptural depiction of devotees worshipping the Bodhi Tree, all beautifully carved from red sandstone in the Mathurā style. Scholars believe the statue was carved in Mathurā and then transported to be enshrined in a monastery within Ahichchatra.

The Inscription:

Beneath the base of the Buddha image is an inscription in refined Sanskrit, written in Brāhmī script, consisting of three lines:

Saṁ 30 2 Hemanta 4 Māsa 8 Di Mahārājasya Kaniṣkasya deyadharmo yaṁ Śākya-bhikṣor Bhadanta Vīranasya ca mātāpitṛ…ācāryopadhyāya sarvasattvān…

Translation:

In the 32nd year, 4th month of the winter season, on the 8th day, during the reign of King Kaniṣka the Great, this religious gift (deyadharma) was made by the Śākya monk, the Venerable Vīrana, along with his mother and father, for the benefit and happiness of his teachers, preceptors, and all sentient beings.

Summary:

This Buddha image was created during the reign of King Kaniṣka the Great, one of the most powerful and influential rulers of the Kushan Dynasty, who is known for his patronage of Buddhism.

• The donor of the statue was Venerable Teacher Vīrana, a monk of the Śākya tradition.

• He dedicated the image together with his parents, as a meritorious offering for the benefit of his teachers (ācārya and upādhyāya) and all beings.

Current Location:

Today, this sacred image is housed and displayed at the Delhi Museum (National Museum, Delhi).
Visitors and devotees may pay homage to this extraordinary artifact that reflects the devotion, craftsmanship, and legacy of early Indian Buddhism.

A timeless offering by a devoted monk, now a lasting treasure of Buddhist heritage.