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Venerable Ajahn Pasanno -
What Is Important
This Teaching is translated from a discourse given in the Thai
language by Venerable Pasanno at Buddhamonton (Buddhamandala) near Bangkok in
September, 1987: It was offered during a week of formal meditation
instruction and practice dedicated to His Majesty King Bhumibol on the
occasion of his 60th birthday.
If we are lacking the richness of truth in our hearts,
then when we die and they cremate us, our lives will be
worth no more than the handful of ashes we produce.
The Buddha offered his Teaching to the world with the intention of showing a
way to know Truth - Dhamma. His life-long gesture of renunciation was made so we
could personally know this Truth. The fact that these Teachings are still with
us shows that they have been put to good use by both lay and ordained people
alike. It is important, however, that we understand the need for personal contemplation
of these Teachings for their true value to arise. With such personal
contemplation, if it is right, we can come to sense the completeness, coolness
and calm that they offer.
As a foreigner living here
in Thailand, I find life as a Buddhist monk extremely beneficial. Sometimes
people visiting our monastery, Wat Nanachat, ask me how long I've been a monk.
'Over ten years,' I tell them. 'Is it good?' they like to ask. 'If it wasn't any
good,' I reply, 'why would I have spent over ten years living this way? I could
be doing all sorts of other things.' It is because I personally see the
value of this Way that I live it.
Without clear
understanding of the processes of our hearts, we create all kinds of problems.
We become hot and bothered and are dragged about by emotional states. For there
to be personal and global peace, these states need to be understood: the ways of
the heart need to be seen clearly. This is the function and value of Dhamma.
In contemplating the
Buddhist Way, it is important to see that there is absolutely no obligation or
intimidation involved. Whether we take it up or not is our choice, we have
complete freedom in this regard - the Buddha only offered us an introduction to
the Path. There is no external judge checking upon us. He pointed out that which
leads to true success, to liberation, peace and wisdom; and also that which
leads to failure and confusion. No external authority is making absolute
statements about what is good and bad, right and wrong, and nobody is going to
punish us if our preference is not to follow. However, observe that there is
always that within our own hearts that knows what we are doing.
So it is important that we
consider together how to actually use the Buddha's Teachings and realize for
ourselves their true value. We have all heard many times about the Four Noble
Truths and The Eightfold Path. Maybe we have heard about them to the point where
we take them for granted; we don't think they are so important any more. But
these Teachings are actually referred to as 'The Heart of the Buddha's Way'.
Throughout the forty-five years of his teaching the Buddha never changed or
abandoned them.
Last week in our monastery
I was unable to do walking meditation because I had sprained my ankle. I would
join the community for the sitting period and then when it came time for walking
I would go back to my hut. I made use of the time to go over some of the
chanting that we do. Many times I went over the Buddha's first Discourse - the Dhammacakkappavattana
Sutta - which contains The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. As a
result I discovered many valuable points.
Let us first consider the
context in which these Teachings were offered. The Buddha had spent six long
years striving to see for himself the Truth. He had undergone an incredible
amount of hardship - not like meditators these days, who make a lot of fuss if
conditions are not exactly how they want them. When the Perfect Enlightenment
eventually took place he carefully considered exactly how to go about sharing
his realization. He was thirty-five years of age at the time, not old and senile
- and, as he had been brought up a prince he had had the best education
available. He was in the prime of his life and fully capable of articulating his
understanding. So he wasn't going to hand out the Teachings to just anybody.
He decided that his five
companions during the time of his asceticism were most suited. They were totally
sincere in their efforts, well experienced and intelligent. He then spent
several weeks walking to where they were staying. When eventually he reached
them, he gave the Teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. So
these Teachings are not common and insignificant.
The fact that we have
heard and talked about them many times means we run the risk of their becoming
mere theory for us. However, if we were to talk in a worldly sense about
achieving something, we would understand that it would of course require effort;
likewise in the case of the Eightfold Path. If we make the right effort then
realization can take place.
Now let us consider what
we mean by 'right effort'. The Buddha gave an example of throwing a stick into a
river. If that stick didn't run aground on either the right bank or the left,
and if it didn't sink, then it would definitely reach the sea. In terms of our
practice, the left and right banks are the extremes of clinging to pleasure -
kamasukhallikanuyogo - and clinging to pain - attakilamathanuyogo. Not
sinking means not relinquishing effort. If it weren’t for becoming caught in
sensuality, indulging in negativity and giving up making effort, we would reach Nibbana
- Peace. This is one of the laws of nature. A true appreciation and honest
accordance with the Way shows us that it must be like that.
The Eightfold Path is
called the Middle Way, which means our effort must be in the right amount. If
our actions of body and speech are not in harmony with this Way; if we are
getting caught up in seeking sense pleasure and really indulging in states of
anger and irritability, then definitely it is impossible to see things as they
actually are.
We must constantly endeavor
to make the right kind of effort or we will end up like the stick, and sink.
When we are feeling enthusiastic we can easily give ourselves to the practice.
But it can also happen that at times we are totally disillusioned, even to the
extent that we forget completely the original confidence and faith we had. But
that is natural. It is like swimming a long way; we become tired. We don't need
to panic; simply be still for a while. Then when we have regained strength,
continue. Just don't sink! Understand that much: in accordance with nature that
state will change. Despair, if that is what has arisen, will pass. Just keep
practising. Observing our minds and seeing how our attitudes are continually
changing shows us that impermanence is natural.
Understand how necessary this
kind of contemplation of Dhamma is in our lives. It is like nourishment to the
heart. If we don't have clear understanding, then it is as if something is
missing. Often people who visited Ajahn Chah would say they didn't have time to
practise. They'd say they had too many commitments. He would ask them: 'Do you
have enough time to breather They always replied, 'Oh yes! It's natural to
breathe.'
Isn't cultivating Dhamma as
important as breathing? If we stop breathing then we die. If we are not
established in a right understanding of the Truth of the Way Things Are, then
also we die; we die from that which is truly good, from true ease and true
meaning. If we are lacking the richness of truth in our hearts, then when we die
and they cremate us, our lives will be worth no more than the handful of ashes
we produce - and that's not much! We must investigate how to live in a way that
truly accords with what the Buddha taught. Surely then we could live in harmony
without conflicts, difficulties and problems to resolve.
Sila (morality) is
that which shows us this Middle Way. It points to the avoidance of the extremes
of pleasure and pain - it means knowing the right amount. When we live in the
Middle Way regarding action of body and speech then we don't cause offence to
others; we do what is appropriate for human beings. The practice of formal
meditation is to train our minds and hearts to stay in the Middle Way.
These days, many people who
meditate try to force their minds to be as they want them to be. They sit there
arguing with their thoughts; if their attention wanders they forcibly bring it
back to the breath. Too much forcing is not the Middle Way. The Middle Way is
the ease that arises naturally in the mind when there is the right effort, right
intention and right awareness. When practice is 'right' and there is ease of
mind, we can simply watch the different states that arise and consider their
nature. We don't need to argue with anything. Arguing only causes restlessness.
Whatever emotion arises is within the domain of our awareness, and we simply
watch. Whether it's joyful or the absolute opposite, all experiences are within
the boundaries of our awareness. We just sit, watch, contemplate and recognize
them; they will naturally cease. Why do they cease? Because that is their
nature. It is this realization of the true nature of change that strengthens and
stills the mind. With such insight (panna) there is tranquility (samadhi) and peace.
The Buddha's wisdom is knowing
the right amount. It doesn't mean knowing everything about everything, but
knowing impermanence, knowing suffering, knowing selflessness. The reason we get
caught in seeing things as other than they really are is our lack of wisdom.
With wisdom we know how to let go; to let go of craving, let go of clinging, let
go of beliefs. We let go of the tendency to always see things in relation to a
self.
What we call 'Me' is merely a
convention; we were born without names. Then somebody gave us a name and after
being called it for a while, we start to think that a thing called 'me and mine'
actually exists. Then we feel we have to spend our lives looking after it. The
wisdom of the Buddha knows how to let go of this 'self and all that pertains to
it: possessions, attitudes, views and opinions. It means letting go of the
opportunity for suffering (dukkha) to arise. It means giving occasion for
seeing the true nature of things.
So cultivating the Eightfold
Path develops what is 'right' for human beings. Through the practice of
discipline, tranquility and wisdom (sila, samadhi, panna) we can live in
harmony. Continually being caught up in extreme states is the result of
selfishness; of not knowing the right amount; of not knowing the Middle Way.
This Eightfold Path is a job that we need to do. If done carefully and correctly
the right result will appear.
On reciting the Buddha's First
Discourse last week I was reminded of how the Eightfold Path actually takes
effect. It says in the sutta: Cakkhukarani, nanakarani, upasamaya,
abhinnaya, sambodhaya, nibbanaya samvattati. Which means that this Path
functions by opening the 'Eye of Dhamma' - cakkhukarani; 'giving rise to
insight' -nanakarani; 'giving rise to peace' - upasamaya; 'giving
rise to knowing accurately' - abhinnaya; 'to knowing fully' - sambodhaya; and to 'realizing perfect freedom'
-nibbanaya samvattati. This is the
complete Path that the Buddha teaches. It is a Path that, when cultivated, opens
the eye that sees the Dhamma, knows the Dhamma, and becomes the Dhamma. This is
the eye that sees that any condition that arises also ceases.
In the scriptures we read, that
when the 'Eye of Dhamma' is opened, when we see clearly the way things are, then
we 'Enter the Stream of Dhamma'. It is only this knowledge that arises from the
practice of the Eightfold Path which causes defilements to diminish, brings
peace to the heart, and eventually frees us from all suffering. Therefore it is
of supreme importance to all of us. The Eightfold Path has this function - it is
something that really works.
How we practise the Buddha's
Teachings depends on how we view them. It depends on what we consider as having
value. Please do try to investigate and see that your lives accord with the
Buddha Way.
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