Vāsaka and Dhammadinnā (4)

(This is a continuation of Dāyakā Vāsaka questioning the Venerable Dhammadinnā, an Arahant Bhikkhunī.) “What is the cause of the aggregates (sakkāya)?” “The cause of the aggregates is craving (taṇhā).” According to this answer, the cause of the aggregates (sakkāya), which are the five aggregates (khandhas), is indeed craving, the desire for existence in various realms. Without craving, clinging, and kamma, the aggregates do not arise. Kamma is subordinate to clinging, and clinging is subordinate to craving. Therefore, the root cause of the arising of the aggregates is craving. As long as craving is not eradicated, one will continue to encounter the aggregates again and again. “What is the cessation of the aggregates?” “Nibbāna, which is the cessation and pacification of craving, is the cessation of the aggregates. When craving ceases, the aggregates also cease.” Craving is the truth of the origin (samudaya saccā), and the aggregates are the truth of suffering (dukkha saccā). It should be understood that when the origin ceases, suffering ceases. Although it is said that when craving ceases, the aggregates cease, during one’s lifetime, it is only the cessation and pacification of defilements (kilesa). It can be said that one has attained Nibbāna, where defilements are pacified. However, one has not yet reached the Nibbāna where the aggregates are completely extinguished. Even the Buddha, after attaining enlightenment and before his Parinibbāna, had only conquered the defilements (kilesa māna) but had not yet fully conquered the aggregates (khandha māna). He still experienced the suffering (dukkha) caused by the aggregates. However, as the saying goes, “the body suffers, but the mind does not,” the Buddha endured physical fatigue and suffering but had no sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or despair in his heart. There was physical suffering but no mental suffering. Even when experiencing physical ailments such as wind disease or dysentery, there was no suffering in the mind. The reason he still endured physical suffering was that he had not yet fully conquered the aggregates. Although it is said that the Buddha had conquered the five kinds of pride (māna), there are two aspects: the pride conquered before Parinibbāna and the pride conquered after Parinibbāna. The pride of defilements (kilesa māna) and the pride of divine beings (deva putta māna) had already been conquered before Parinibbāna. The three kinds of pride—aggregate pride (khandha māna), death pride (maccu māna), and formation pride (abhisaṅkhāra māna)—can only be fully conquered after Parinibbāna. Death pride (maccu māna) refers to death itself. After the current aggregates cease, no new aggregates arise, so there is no more death. Therefore, the Buddha is said to have conquered death pride. Formation pride (abhisaṅkhāra māna) refers to the nature of arising and passing away. These arising and passing away phenomena cannot be prevented from occurring. Moreover, formations (abhisaṅkhāra) require constant maintenance, such as walking, eating, bathing, etc. This formation pride can also only be fully conquered after Parinibbāna. However, although the Buddha still had a physical body before his Parinibbāna, he had already attained Nibbāna by focusing his mind on it. “What is the path leading to the cessation of the aggregates?” “The Noble Eightfold Path.” If one cultivates and practices the Noble Eightfold Path, the cause of the aggregates (samudaya) will cease, and the resultant mind and matter (nāma-rūpa) will also cease, thus attaining Nibbāna, the cessation of the aggregates. It should be understood in this way. When one practices insight meditation (vipassanā), the five or eight factors of the path will naturally arise. For those who have not yet attained any path, when practicing insight meditation, they are only cultivating the five factors of the path. Once the first path (sotāpanna) is attained, the five factors immediately become the full eight factors. Therefore, the day when the five factors expand into eight during vipassanā practice is the day one becomes a sotāpanna. For higher paths, one must continue to practice with all eight factors. Whether five or eight, they are still factors of the path. Those with eight factors have the additional three factors of moral discipline (sīla), while those with five factors have not yet fully incorporated the moral discipline factors. This can be called the mundane path (lokiya magga) or the ordinary person’s path (puthujjana magga). The mundane path also destroys defilements, but only temporarily, not permanently. It is important to continue the work of destroying defilements. When the practice matures, permanent destruction will come naturally. Our responsibility is to keep practicing. It must be firmly understood that the path leading to Nibbāna is solely the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. Generosity (dāna), morality (sīla), and concentration (samatha) are only supports for attaining Nibbāna. Only the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path can directly lead to Nibbāna. It is taught that generosity, morality, and concentration are supporting conditions (upanissaya paccayo), while the Noble Eightfold Path is the direct condition (magga paccayo) for attaining Nibbāna. Both conditions are important for attaining Nibbāna, but the direct condition is indispensable. Then, he further asked by separating clinging and the aggregates. (To be continued.)