The Three Types of Saṅkhāra (Volitional Formations) Bear the Same Fruit

Ignorance (avijjā) does not merely fail to know the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca); it also fails to know the Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya sacca). Because it does not know the Origin, it urges craving (taṇhā) and clinging (upādāna) to make wishes. When wishes are made, a second existence is obtained. What is obtained is only the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca). Furthermore, it also fails to know the Truth of Cessation (nirodha sacca). It mistakes human happiness, divine happiness, or Brahma happiness for nirodha sacca. But in truth, what kind of Truth is that? It is the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca). It also fails to know the Truth of the Path (magga sacca). Not knowing the Path Truth, it performs wholesome saṅkhāra (puññābhisaṅkhāra), mistakenly believing this to be the true cause for attaining happy realms (sugati). The result is only the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca) in those realms of existence. Therefore, understand that ignorance (avijjā) is the failure to know all Four Noble Truths. Because ignorance does not know the Four Truths, only the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca) is repeatedly obtained. Ignorance Leads Both Wholesome and Unwholesome Deeds to Suffering Led by ignorance (avijjā) – due to concerns for children, spouse, or livelihood – people become hunters, fishermen, or engage in deceitful and fraudulent livelihoods. These are unwholesome volitional formations (apuññābhisaṅkhāra). Apuñña means unwholesome; abhisaṅkhāra means formation. When unwholesomeness forms kamma, at the moment of death, consciousness (viññāṇa), mind-and-matter (nāmarūpa), the six sense bases (saḷāyatana), contact (phassa), and feeling (vedanā) arise as the five aggregates (khandha) of the woeful planes (apāya), which is the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca). Even when performing wholesome deeds (kusalakamma), the result is the five aggregates of the human, divine, or Brahma realms – wholesome volitional formations (puññābhisaṅkhāra) – yet still the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca). Performing unwholesome deeds (akusala) also results in the five aggregates of the woeful planes and the Truth of Suffering. In this context, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw taught: "The monastery donor, the pagoda donor, and the ox-butcher are all the same." The monastery donor, motivated by ignorance and desire for a future life, performs wholesome deeds but obtains only the Truth of Suffering. The ox-butcher, motivated by ignorance, performs unwholesome saṅkhāra and also obtains only the Truth of Suffering. In terms of the Truth (sacca), they are the same. Difference in Realm, Sameness in Truth However, it is said that in terms of sacca (the ultimate truth of suffering), there is no difference. The monastery or pagoda donor obtains the happy destiny (sugati) of human, divine, or Brahma realms – the Truth of Suffering. The ox-butcher obtains the four woeful destinies (duggati) – the Truth of Suffering. In this way, they are as different as sky and earth. But in terms of the Truth (sacca), they are identical. While the Truth is the same, we can distinguish between sugati (happy destiny) and duggati (woeful destiny). The Truth is the same, but the destinies are different. However, if only the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca) is obtained, neither is good. The suffering of a happy destiny is no more desirable than the suffering of a woeful destiny. Since it's the same Truth of Suffering, one should not prefer any suffering. As the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw illustrated: "Would you prefer to die of diarrhea after eating rotten mangoes, or die of diarrhea after eating the finest mangoes? Which diarrhea death do you prefer? Dying of diarrhea is the same in both cases." The human body is the Truth of Suffering; the animal body is also the Truth of Suffering. Do you desire diarrhea from a happy destiny or diarrhea from a woeful destiny? If you do not desire diarrhea at all, then it is possible to change this. The Common Cause: Ignorance and Volitional Formations Why are the human life and animal life the same in being the Truth of Suffering? It is because the cause – ignorance (avijjā) and volitional formations (saṅkhāra) – is the same. Since the cause is the same, the resultant Truth (sacca) must also be the same. Not understanding these two causes – avijjā and saṅkhāra – leads some religions to believe in an eternal creator God. In reality, acting wholesomely out of ignorance leads to the aggregates of a happy destiny (sugati). Acting unwholesomely out of ignorance leads to the aggregates of a woeful destiny (duggati). Understand that all arising of the aggregates (khandha) is solely due to ignorance (avijjā) and volitional formations (saṅkhāra). A person with ignorance performs saṅkhāra. Ignorance does not know that performing deeds leads to the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca) in the second "section" (i.e., the round of rebirth). Not knowing, they perform wholesome deeds. They do not realize that human and divine existences are the Truth of Suffering. Unaware, they long for these realms and perform wholesome deeds, obtaining results accordingly. Thinking "I am doing this, there is no fault," they perform unwholesome deeds due to not knowing the Truth of Suffering, resulting in the aggregates of the four woeful planes (apāya), the woeful destiny suffering (duggati dukkha sacca), appearing in the second "section." The Path Out: Wisdom in Action All actions performed out of ignorance bear only the fruit of the Truth of Suffering. Performing wholesome deeds yields the fruit of Suffering; performing unwholesome deeds also yields the fruit of Suffering. Therefore, it is not only unwholesome deeds that are fearful; there are also wholesome deeds to be feared. Beyond these wholesome and unwholesome deeds, there are also wholesome deeds involving the attainment of jhāna absorptions (jhāna samāpatti). Performing jhāna-based wholesome deeds results in the five aggregates of the Brahma realm appearing in the second "section." As long as there are aggregates, it is only the Truth of Suffering. Thus, understand that the jhāna path also leads only to the Truth of Suffering. Without wisdom, one might think Brahmās are supremely happy, but the resultant Brahma aggregates are still the Truth of Suffering. Hence, it is taught: "With ignorance as condition, there are immaterial volitional formations (āneñjābhisaṅkhāra)." Therefore, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw instructed: "Do not donate yet. Donate only after knowing." What must be known before donating? One must know the Truth (sacca). If you donate in order to escape from the Truth of Suffering, then it yields the fruit of Nibbāna. It does not lead to the second "section" (rebirth). If, while performing the wholesome deed, you act knowing the Truth of Suffering, intending to be free from the Truth of Suffering, then the Truth of Suffering of the second "section" will not come. Because you donated out of fear of the Truth of Suffering, you will not obtain the Truth of Suffering. If you do not obtain Suffering, you will only obtain the Truth of Happiness (sukha sacca). The Truth of Happiness refers to the Truth of Cessation (nirodha sacca), the cessation of suffering: Nibbāna. Ven. Dr. Ashin Pāramī