Meditation Sequence (4)

The Great Wheel of Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) shows us the continuous process of death and rebirth within our own bodies. It shows us the manner of death, and it shows that after death, a new existence arises. You should understand this as illustrating the process of the body (khandha). Jarāmaraṇa (aging and death) is the result of past kamma (vipākavaṭṭa). It is simply aging and dying. Where does this aging and death come from? Tracing back, it comes from jāti (birth) and paṭisandhi (re-linking consciousness). Because one takes rebirth (paṭisandhi), one must die. Aging and death should be understood as the personal property of the individual who has taken rebirth. Therefore, if one prays for existence in a realm (bhūmi), one will take birth (jāti) and re-link (paṭisandhi) again. If one re-links again, one will inevitably meet with aging and death. Praying for rebirth is the same as praying, "May I obtain aging and death!" If one prays for birth (jāti), one will surely get these things. If one desires birth, whether one likes aging and death or not, one will get it. What one desires is birth; what one gets is aging and death. Birth is suffering (dukkha saccā); aging and death is also suffering (dukkha saccā). Because one does not know this Truth of Suffering, one clings intensely to it. One is desiring suffering itself. It is the same as praying, "May I encounter suffering!" Whether one prays, "May I become a human," "May I become a deva," or "May I become a Brahmā," one will only get the Truth of Suffering. Because beings prayed for existence with ignorance (avijjā), not knowing the Truth, they have now obtained this great five-aggregate body (khandhā) of suffering. Prayers for aging and death (jarāmaraṇa) will surely be fulfilled. Where does this jarāmaraṇa come from? It comes from birth (jāti). Therefore, do not pray for any kind of birth. If you pray, you will only get aging and death. The link between the kamma that can be prayed for and birth (jāti) is explained through kammabhava (kammic process of becoming). Where does jāti come from? It comes from physical deeds (kāyakamma), verbal deeds (vacīkamma), and prayers. Through physical deeds like worship and offerings, and verbal deeds like prayers, one obtains birth (jāti). Understand that the direct cause of jāti is kammabhava. Beings obtained birth because they prayed for a happy human life. Thus, kammabhava is more fearful than jāti. Physical and verbal deeds (kāyakamma, vacīkamma) motivated by desire for existence (bhava) and desire for the Truth of Suffering (dukkha saccā) – this kammabhava is more dreadful than jāti. It is because of kammabhava that jāti arises; if it is not done, jāti does not arise. Searching for the cause of this kammabhava, we find upādāna (clinging). Upādāna is more fearful than kammabhava. It is the Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya saccā). When one acts according to samudaya saccā, one cannot avoid getting this dukkha saccā. It will inevitably be obtained. Taṇhā (craving) is even more fearful than upādāna. All three (taṇhā, upādāna, kammabhava) are samudaya saccā. The person possessing these three samudaya saccā obtains the three dukkha saccā on the other side (jāti, jarāmaraṇa). Tracing the cause of taṇhā, we find vedanā (feeling). Vedanā is more fearful than taṇhā. Therefore, we must contemplate vedanā as it arises and passes away (udayabbaya). If one contemplates its arising and passing away, the Path Knowledge (magga) enters in, and the connection between vedanā and taṇhā is severed. Craving no longer arises towards feeling. Taṇhā arises because of vedanā. All three types of feeling are fearful: 1. A suffering person desires happiness. Suffering is painful feeling (dukkha vedanā); the desire is taṇhā. 2. A happy person desires even more happiness. Happiness is pleasant feeling (sukha vedanā); the desire for more is taṇhā. 3. A person experiencing neither-pleasure-nor-pain also desires happiness. Even middle-class people are not content. The neutral feeling (upekkhā vedanā) is neither-painful-nor-pleasant; the desire for happiness is taṇhā. Wherever a feeling arises, craving (taṇhā) follows. Thus, vedanā paccayā taṇhā (with feeling as condition, craving arises). If one does not understand the nature of feeling, craving will arise. If craving arises, the Truth of the Origin (samudaya saccā) comes. If samudaya saccā arises, the Truth of Suffering (dukkha saccā) will be obtained. If one does not know vedanā, taṇhā comes. This taṇhā rules the entire world. Compelled by taṇhā, beings run about, work, and search. Mostly, taṇhā arises because it likes pleasant feeling (sukha vedanā). Everyone desires happiness, comfort, and good things, so they cannot rest; they must constantly run about searching. They act only as commanded by craving. "Driven by craving, one cannot rest; one must search and strive." Why does this craving arise? Because of feeling (vedanā). Therefore, do not look at feeling as feeling; look at it as impermanent (anicca). When you look at it thus, the knowledge of arising and passing away (udayabbaya ñāṇa) comes. With this knowledge, craving cannot arise. If craving does not arise, the suffering (dukkha) that would arise due to that craving-origin (taṇhā samudaya) also does not come. Vedanā comes from phassa (contact). Contemplate this phassa too as it arises and passes away. Contemplate contact if you wish. Or contemplate within the six sense bases (saḷāyatana): eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Contemplate mind (nāma) if you wish, or contemplate matter (rūpa) if you wish. It's all just causes and their effects. Viññāṇa (consciousness) comes from saṅkhāra (volitional formations). Saṅkhāra refers to wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusala) volitions (cetanā). These saṅkhāra come from avijjā (ignorance). Tracing the root cause of jāti and jarāmaraṇa right back, we find this avijjā. Only when this avijjā ceases will the whole chain collapse, the entire wheel break apart. Therefore, when a lustful mind arises, contemplate the arising and passing away of that lustful mind. The arising and passing away is the Truth of Suffering (dukkha sacca); the contemplating is the Truth of the Path (magga saccā). When feeling is encountered, contemplate its arising and passing away. When mind is encountered, contemplate its arising and passing away. The arising and passing away is dukkha saccā; the contemplating is magga saccā. This is attaining the Path (magga)! The preliminary path (pubba-bhāga magga). Because this magga saccā did not arise in previous lives, we have obtained this body, this aggregate of suffering (dukkha saccā) in this life. Because the Path Knowledge (magga saccā) did not arise, we wandered between only two truths: the Origin (samudaya) and Suffering (dukkha). Not having contemplated the characteristics (lakkhaṇa) of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) in the arising and passing away, the arising and passing away did not appear in the mind. Because it did not appear, the Path Knowledge (magga sacca) was not attained. Therefore, we wandered in the darkness of the Origin (samudaya) and the blackness of Suffering (dukkha). We circled in darkness and blackness. Wandering for an entire saṃsāra in darkness and blackness, even the Buddha could not enter [our understanding], hence we arrived in this life. Since the Buddha could not enter, the Dhamma taught by the Buddha also could not enter. For an entire saṃsāra, we never once obtained the light of the two eyes (wisdom). We lived only in darkness and blackness. The light of the Path (magga) never came. Therefore, strive to contemplate the Truth of Suffering (dukkha saccā). Simply contemplate arising and passing away (udayabbaya) – this is contemplating dukkha saccā. When feeling is encountered, contemplate the arising and passing away of feeling. When mind is encountered, contemplate the arising and passing away of mind. However, do not contemplate them mixed together. There is specific contemplation of feeling (vedanānupassanā) and specific contemplation of mind (cittānupassanā). Therefore, a person inclined towards feelings should contemplate the five or three types of feeling, rotating through them. A person inclined towards mind should contemplate the arising mind states (13 types), following them. By contemplating these, when the knowledge of arising and passing away becomes established, the Path (magga) arises. Understand this Path as Insight Path Knowledge (vipassanā magga). When this vipassanā magga matures, the Supramundane Path (lokuttarā magga) will arise. The distinction between these two Paths is this: The Path that sees arising and passing away is the Mundane Path (lokiya magga), the Insight Path (vipassanā magga). The Path that sees Nibbāna, where there is no arising and passing away, is the Supramundane Path (lokuttara magga). When the contemplation of the vipassanā magga is practiced repeatedly and becomes mature, it transitions into the lokuttarā magga. When it transitions to the lokuttarā magga, the five path factors become fully developed into the Noble Eightfold Path. Dr. Ashin Parami