The Meaning of "Caught in the Cycle of Suffering"

The three rounds of suffering (vatta) are: the round of defilements (kilesa vatta), the round of kamma (kamma vatta), and the round of results (vipāka vatta). In the diagram of Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda), the three factors of ignorance (avijjā), craving (taṇhā), and clinging (upādāna) are encircled with a red line, as are the two factors of volitional formations (saṅkhāra) and kammic existence (kammabhava). Avijjā, taṇhā, and upādāna (3 factors) constitute the kilesa vatta. Saṅkhāra and kammabhava (2 factors) constitute the kamma vatta. The remaining eight factors—consciousness (viññāṇa), mind and matter (nāmarūpa), the six sense bases (saḷāyatana), contact (phassa), feeling (vedanā), birth (jāti), aging and death (jarāmaraṇa), and the process of becoming (upapattibhava)—constitute the vipāka vatta. "Vatta" means "to revolve" or "to whirl." The nature of samsāra is that one is forced to revolve due to these three vattas turning. Yesterday, we discussed how the five aggregates come to be due to avijjā and taṇhā. That very avijjā and taṇhā are the kilesa vatta. Avijjā covers so that one does not know, and taṇhā causes affection for various realms of existence. Thus, every being is merely attached to and cherishes their own life. No matter how bad one's existence may be, they still cherish their own life. The poor enjoy their lives as poor people, the middle-class enjoy their lives as middle-class, and the rich enjoy their lives as rich. Similarly, devas and brahmas also delight in the realms they are born into, and beings in the lower worlds (apāya), due to attachment to existence (bhavanikantika), also cherish the five aggregates (khandhas) they have obtained in that existence. Because they do not have the opportunity to see this body of aggregates as the Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Saccā), they have no desire to escape from this vatta of aggregates. Being covered by avijjā and deceived by taṇhā so that they cannot see this truth, they usually perceive their own body as something lovable, dear, and dependable. Out of affection for their own body, they perform deeds—bodily, verbal, and mental kammas. Any action performed without being free from avijjā and taṇhā becomes saṅkhāra. This saṅkhāra essentially refers to kamma. Therefore, saṅkhāra and kammabhava are the same. Saṅkhāra refers to past kamma, while kammabhava refers to present kamma. This group of phenomena is called kamma vatta. Kilesa vatta gives rise to kamma vatta. Kamma exists because of defilements. Therefore, as long as avijjā and taṇhā exist, saṅkhāra and kammabhava will also exist. Not knowing the body as Dukkha Saccā, and having attachment to existence and attachment to the aggregates, along with taṇhā, all actions, words, and thoughts performed with this persistent avijjā and taṇhā become kamma. According to Paṭiccasamuppāda: "Avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā" (With ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be); "Saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṃ" (With volitional formations as condition, consciousness comes to be). In the past life, since avijjā is the leader, only avijjā is mentioned, but taṇhā is present as its companion. In the past life, with avijjā as the leader and taṇhā as the companion, they performed good and bad kammas, which resulted in obtaining the present body of aggregates. All kammas are saṅkhāra. That kamma, called saṅkhāra, when it yields its result, becomes viññāṇa (consciousness). This viññāṇa is the rebirth-linking consciousness (paṭisandhi viññāṇa) at the beginning of this life. It can also be called the start of this life, birth (jāti). Whether called viññāṇa or jāti, it is only Dukkha Saccā. The result of the kamma vatta performed in the past under the leadership of avijjā and taṇhā is the vipāka vatta. One may call it a human, deva, brahma, or a being in the lower worlds as one likes, but in reality (dhamma), one only finds the five aggregates of Dukkha Saccā. This is the ultimate truth. After the paṭisandhi viññāṇa arises, all the associated mental factors (cetasikas) and matter (rūpa) connected to that paṭisandhi consciousness will also arise. In the diagram, this is seen as nāmarūpa. Then, in due course, the six sense bases (saḷāyatana), contact (phassa), and feeling (vedanā) will inevitably arise. The paṭisandhi viññāṇa consciousness occurs for just one moment and then ceases. That single moment of paṭisandhi consciousness is the initial, tiny consciousness that begins the present life's aggregates. Since it, too, is impermanent, it arises and passes away so quickly that there isn't even enough time to conceptually analyze and describe the moment of conception in terms of mind. It lasts only for one moment of arising and passing away. After that single moment of paṭisandhi consciousness, resultant consciousness continues to arise sequentially. Without consciousness, there is only death. Therefore, even while nestled in the mother's womb, consciousness continues to arise in a continuous stream. Life-continuum consciousness (bhavaṅga citta) constitutes the majority. The resultant consciousness that arises continuously after the paṭisandhi consciousness is called the life-continuum consciousness (pavatti viññāṇa). Therefore, it is important to understand and distinguish viññāṇa into two types: paṭisandhi viññāṇa (rebirth-linking consciousness) and pavatti viññāṇa (life-continuum consciousness). All consciousness that arises after the paṭisandhi consciousness, up until the death consciousness (cuti citta) just before death, is called pavatti viññāṇa. The final moment of consciousness at death is called the cuti citta. Thus, if one divides a single life by consciousness, one finds only three parts: paṭisandhi citta, pavatti citta, and cuti citta. The paṭisandhi viññāṇa arises according to the kamma that is thrown forth. Depending on the kamma one has performed, if the paṭisandhi consciousness results in a good existence, one has a good life; if it results in a bad existence, one has a bad life. Once the paṭisandhi consciousness has arisen, the phenomena of nāmarūpa, saḷāyatana, phassa, and vedanā also inevitably arise. It is the arising of the aggregates. In truth, it is not the arising of a person, but the arising of a group of aggregates, a collection of dhammas. Past dhammas cause present dhammas to arise. However, in the conventional world, it is not seen that way. Even before birth, the concept of a person is already projected: "a son," "a daughter," etc. Only if one has the sharp, penetrating insight to see that it is merely the arising of a group of mental and physical phenomena (nāmakāya, rūpakāya), a collection of dhammas, will one understand according to the nature of dhamma that it is not a person. It is only important to see according to the nature of dhamma. One does not need to go around saying, "You are not a person, you are not a human, you are not a deva, you are the five aggregates." The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw often taught, "Let there be the speech (the conventional truth), but do not have the perception (of a truly existing self)." The aggregates, starting from the paṭisandhi viññāṇa, are themselves the vipāka vatta. One may call it a human, deva, brahma, or a being in the lower worlds as one wishes, but the true, ultimate reality is merely the collection of the five aggregates. All aggregates are vipāka vatta. Therefore, even while people say, "You are going to be caught in the cycle of suffering," the speaker themselves is already caught in the cycle. As long as avijjā and taṇhā are not eradicated, the kamma vatta will not cease. As long as the kamma vatta does not cease, the vipāka vatta aggregates will inevitably arise. Therefore, as long as avijjā and taṇhā are not eradicated, everyone is caught in the cycle. In the past, not knowing the aggregates as Dukkha Saccā, they performed kammas with craving, wishing for a future existence. Due to those kammas, they have now obtained the five aggregates of viññāṇa, nāmarūpa, saḷāyatana, phassa, and vedanā in this life. Avijjā and taṇhā are the kilesa vatta. Because of that kilesa vatta, they perform kammas, which becomes the kamma vatta. That kamma vatta, yielding results according to its nature, gives rise to the vipāka vatta of the five aggregates. Not recognizing this present body as Dukkha Saccā, avijjā arises again. Affection for the aggregates (khandha), desire for the aggregates (taṇhā) arises again. Then, for the sake of prosperity in a future life, to enjoy wealth as a human or deva, they perform meritorious kammas again, causing the kamma vatta to be generated once more. Those kamma vattas will only create the future life's paṭisandhi and the five aggregates—the vipāka vatta—again. Thus, because of kilesa vatta, kamma vatta arises; because of kamma vatta, vipāka vatta arises; from that vipāka vatta, kilesa vatta arises again; kamma is performed again; a future body of vipāka vatta is obtained again; and from that future body, kilesa vatta and kamma vatta arise again, leading to yet another new body. The vatta revolves in this way. The leader of this vatta is avijjā and taṇhā—the kilesa vatta. It is called the head of the vatta (vaṭṭa-sīsa). Therefore, only by being able to "kill" this leading kilesa vatta will the cycle (vatta) stop. Avijjā and taṇhā are the kilesa vatta, and because of this kilesa vatta, kamma arises. Kamma arises only because defilements exist; if there are no defilements, it cannot arise. Although people ordinarily think that kamma is the leader, in truth, kamma is not the leader; defilements are the leader. Therefore, if there are no defilements, there is no kamma; if there is no kamma, there are no aggregates; and when there are no aggregates, one will attain and reach Nibbāna, which is the cessation of all the suffering of the aggregates. Ven. Dr. Ashin Parami