Donation that Liberates from Suffering (Part 2)

Why, after the show of aging, must we suffer the wretched show of sickness? It’s because, despite the possibility of Avijjānirodhā Saṅkhāranirodho (the cessation of formations through the cessation of ignorance), we failed to act upon it. Instead, we acted only upon Avijjāpaccayā Saṅkhārā (formations conditioned by ignorance). We are reaping the bitter fruit of our own folly. Within Avijjānirodhā Saṅkhāranirodho (cessation through the cessation of ignorance), there exists: * Tadaṅganirodho (momentary cessation), * Vikkhambhananirodho (suppression), * Samucchedanirodho (eradication). Because we failed to achieve even a moment's cessation of ignorance (Tadaṅganirodho), we are now forced to endure the great show of sickness, whether we wish to or not. While enduring this suffering, lying helpless on our backs, this very body will head towards the show of death. This disease-ridden body drifts supine towards death. If curled up, it drifts curled – drifting towards the show of death. As the great show of death advances, we are separated from spouse, separated from children, separated from the wealth we accumulated, separated from friends. The great disaster of separation befalls us. Before death, as kamma, kamma-nimitta (signs of past deeds), and gati-nimitta (signs of future destiny) appear, we see terrifying visions: fierce black dogs, vast wilderness, deep ravines, hellfire, hell-beings. Realizing, "Ah, this is where I must go!", we are overcome with terror, despair, and tears. We lament, "Because I lived wrongly, I must die wrongly!", experiencing a suffering beyond consolation. Is this misfortune due to bad luck or circumstance? No! It is solely because we ourselves grasped for things we shouldn't have in the past. Avijjāpaccayā Saṅkhārā – we ourselves performed these deeds. We ourselves created the causes and now we ourselves bear the consequences. Fearing this dreadful death, if we transform our mindset to, "I give alms out of fear!", then the alms-giving becomes motivated by fear of death. Death is Dukkha Sacca (the Noble Truth of Suffering). The fear itself is Magga Sacca (the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering). This body has been racing towards aging ever since conception. From aging, it races towards sickness; from sickness, it races towards death. If we perform alms-giving without developing Vipassanā (Insight) path-knowledge, consciousness turns back towards rebirth. The coming was one round of rebirth; the turning back is another round of rebirth. Once reborn, we age again, sicken again, die again. It just keeps circling endlessly. This is Saṃsāra. From birth (Jāti), it flees towards aging (Jarā). From aging, it flees towards sickness (Byādhi). From sickness, it flees towards death (Maraṇa). Upon reaching death, tormented by sorrow and lamentation (Soka-parideva), it turns back towards birth. This revolving wheel of Saṃsāra will not stop turning until one sees Dukkha Sacca and attains Path knowledge. If, feeling revulsion, hatred, weariness, and disgust towards this endless cycle of Saṃsāra, we transform our mindset to, "I give alms out of revulsion!", then the alms-giving becomes motivated by fear of Saṃsāra. Saṃsāra is Dukkha Sacca (Suffering). The revulsion/fear is Magga Sacca (the Path). When performing generosity (Dāna), it can yield three kinds of happiness: 1. Human happiness, 2. Deva (celestial) happiness, 3. Nibbāna happiness. If one accepts whatever it gives without discernment, blindly, one will get only Dukkha Sacca: human suffering or deva suffering. If one chooses only human or deva happiness, one still gets only Dukkha Sacca. One cannot attain the happiness of Nibbāna. It's not that generosity (Dāna) inherently prolongs Saṃsāra. Saṃsāra is prolonged only through unskillful choice. Generosity offers all three types of happiness. But because people keep choosing only the first two, they only experience Dukkha Sacca. They fail to choose Nibbāna, which is Sukha Sacca (the Truth of Bliss). Therefore, understand that Saṃsāra is long not because of generosity, but because of unskillful choice. Thus, to ensure our generosity yields the fruit of Nibbāna, not the fruit of suffering (Dukkha Sacca), we must give with the aspiration for Nibbāna – the deathless, permanent abode. Strive to give alms motivated by seeing Dukkha Sacca within your own body through developing Path knowledge, giving out of revulsion and hatred towards the suffering of the round of rebirths. Then: The suffering of the round (Dukkha Vatta) is Dukkha Sacca (Suffering). The hatred/revulsion is Magga Sacca (the Path). This is the donation that liberates from suffering (Vat Kyut Alhu). Venerable Dr. Ashin Parami