Meditation Sequence (8)

The monk Yamaka held the view that nothing happens to an Arahant after death, which amounts to saying there is no Nibbāna. When he spread these views, the surrounding monks tried to dissuade him, explaining cause and effect, but he wouldn't accept it. So, the monks went to report the matter to Venerable Sāriputta. Venerable Sāriputta Thera, when evening came, went to see Yamaka. Yamaka was asked to explain his view: "When an Arahant dies, they cease; nothing becomes of them anymore." He was conceiving the Arahant as a person. In truth, there is no person or being to be found in an Arahant. There are only the five aggregates: consciousness, mentality-materiality, the six sense bases, contact, and feeling. When cessation occurs, it is these aggregates that cease. These are neither the Arahant nor a person; they are merely mentality-materiality, the five aggregates. According to Dependent Origination, they are five factors; according to the aggregates, they are five. The "Arahant" is simply not found. Yet, he was speaking while conceiving it as a person. "Yamaka, is it true you hold the view that nothing happens to an Arahant after death?" asked Venerable Sāriputta. "Yes, Venerable Sir," replied Yamaka. "Then, Yamaka, I will question you. Is material form permanent or impermanent?" – "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." – "Is it pleasant or suffering?" – "Suffering." – "Is it self or non-self?" – "Non-self, Venerable Sir." Since he was a meditator, his answers were all correct – this was the very practice he was engaged in. Previously, he hadn't attained the path because he was burdened by wrong view. As Venerable Sāriputta questioned him, Yamaka focused his mind on the aggregates and saw for himself. He became a Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna). He contemplated impermanence, suffering, and non-self (arising and passing away) to their culmination. Having attained Stream-entry, he saw Nibbāna directly. At this point, Venerable Sāriputta asked: "Would you say material form is the Arahant?" – "No, Venerable Sir." – "Is feeling... perception... mental formations... consciousness the Arahant?" – "No, Venerable Sir." He asked thoroughly about all five aggregates, one by one and collectively: "Is the Arahant apart from the aggregate of material form? ... Apart from the aggregate of feeling? ... Apart from all five aggregates?" – "No, Venerable Sir." – "Is the Arahant the totality of these five aggregates?" – "No, Venerable Sir." Now, as a Stream-enterer, Yamaka understood: He could no longer find an "Arahant"; there are only the five aggregates. "Then, why did you hold the view that nothing happens to an Arahant after death?" Venerable Sāriputta asked again. "Before, while practicing insight meditation without having dispelled wrong view, I perceived a person, a being. Now, since there is no person or being, there is also no Arahant, Venerable Sir," replied Yamaka. The conventional designation "Arahant" had vanished. Once it vanished, he was free from the annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi). "Now, if other monks were to ask you, 'Does nothing become of an Arahant after death?', how would you answer?" Venerable Sāriputta inquired further. Yamaka, now a Stream-enterer who knew the reality of Nibbāna, replied: "Venerable Sir, I would answer that the five aggregates are impermanent phenomena. Impermanent phenomena are suffering. I would answer that those sufferings have ceased, have come to an end." If asked, "Where does the Arahant go after death?", he would answer, "Suffering has ceased; suffering has come to an end." The cessation of suffering is Nibbāna. So, he would be pointing to Nibbāna. Having attained Stream-entry, his answers were now correct. Previously, he held the view that "nothing happens." By making the five aggregates into an "Arahant," he was creating a person, clinging to self-identity (sakkāyadiṭṭhi). Since there is no person or being, saying "nothing happens to what doesn't exist" is like saying "nothing happens after death." If one assumes a person or being exists, it leads either to eternalism (sassatadiṭṭhi) or annihilationism (ucchedadiṭṭhi). These wrong views arise because of the assumption of a person or being. Yamaka, because he had conceived the Arahant as a person, was burdened by personality view (sakkāyadiṭṭhi). By saying "nothing happens after death," he was burdened by annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi). It was because of these wrong views that he couldn't attain the path. Looking at common views today: If one says, "One transmigrates to another existence," that is eternalism – implying something permanent transfers. If one says, "Nothing happens after death," that is annihilationism. As long as one holds either of these two views, one cannot attain Nibbāna; one cannot transcend becoming. In the past life, only ignorance (avijjā) and formations (saṅkhāra) existed. In this present life, there are consciousness (viññāṇa), mentality-materiality (nāmarūpa), the six sense bases (saḷāyatana), contact (phassa), and feeling (vedanā). Not a single factor from the past life comes along. If something came along, one could speak of "transmigration." Since nothing comes along, there is no transmigration. It is craving (taṇhā), clinging (upādāna), and kamma that condition the future life. The phenomena of this life do not go to the future life. They cease right here, leaving only residual formations. They cease where they die, perish where they arise. They cannot "go" anywhere. The five aggregates perish right where they arise; they possess no quality of transference. This is why they are taught as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. To object to impermanence, suffering, and non-self is wrong view. Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are the path to Nibbāna; they lead to Nibbāna. Wrong view obstructs this path. By questioning Yamaka, Venerable Sāriputta removed his wrong view. Freed from wrong view, Yamaka contemplated arising and passing away and attained Stream-entry. As impermanence, suffering, and non-self became clear, he progressed through the higher paths and fruits up to Arahantship. Therefore, first dispel the three wrong views: Personality view (sakkāyadiṭṭhi), Eternalism (sassatadiṭṭhi), and Annihilationism (ucchedadiṭṭhi). After that, analyze mentality and materiality. Then, instruct meditation on one aspect of mentality or materiality. Following this sequence leads straight to the goal. Hence, dispelling wrong view should take precedence over intensive meditation. Understanding comes first. Only then practice intensively. Once wrong view is removed, practice. With persistent practice, abandonment (of defilements) will come. The task of the Stream-enterer – abandoning wrong view and doubt – will naturally occur. Yamaka had previously been practicing the contemplation of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. However, because wrong view obstructed him, he didn't attain the path. Once Venerable Sāriputta removed it, he could continue contemplating these very characteristics and progress all the way to Arahantship. Ven. Dr. Ashin Parami