forest SANGHA - Venerable Ajahn Tiradhammo

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Venerable Ajahn Tiradhammo -
The Essence of the Buddha's Teaching

Part Two: The Dhamma

The Right Attitude

1. "Now I say this, Nigrodha: Whatever discerning persons come to me who are honest, open and straightforward -- I will instruct them, I will teach them Dhamma. If they practice in accordance with what is taught, in this very life, within seven years, they will enter on and abide in, know and experience for themselves that unsurpassed culmination of the religious life for the sake of which a person of good family rightly goes forth from the homelife into homelessness. Let alone seven years -- six years; let alone six years -- five years . . . a fortnight; let alone a fortnight -- in seven days they will know and experience this for themselves."
(D.III,55)

The Buddha offers us the possibility of realising spiritual liberation. This is sometimes referred to as the "culmination of the religious life", because it is the ultimate Truth, and realisation of Truth is the principle purpose of human life.
This must be realised by each one of us for ourselves through practising the teachings, rather than merely studying or worshipping them. In order to realise this most people require instruction, and some leave the security and confines of the homelife to be able to explore wider possibilities to the greatest extent.
The Buddha did not offer teachings to people depending upon their class, status or intelligence; he chose those who showed the important qualities of integrity and earnestness -- the fundamental basis for true spiritual endeavour. Integrity is that openness and truthfulness to see things clearly, while earnestness is that perseverance and commitment which keeps us penetrating ever deeper into Truth, in spite of all the obstacles.
The Buddha has tremendous confidence in human beings' ability to put his teachings into practice and realise the Truth of liberation in this very life -- whether in seven years or in seven days!

2. "Nibbana, though very subtle and fine, is not hard to obtain for one intent upon the goal, who is skilled in mind and of gentle manner, and who practises the moral conduct of the Buddha." (Thera.vv71)

"Nibbana, as taught by the fully Enlightened One, is indeed the highest happiness: the sorrowless, stainless peace, wherein suffering is dissolved." (Thera.vv227)

The Buddha's teaching directs us to nibbana, something difficult to describe but within reach of every individual. Out of respect for the lofty heights of spiritual truth, we frequently push the goal out of the realm of human possibility. But the very existence of people who have practised and realised the teachings, as these quotations from some of the Buddha's disciples demonstrate, are an emphatic reminder that nibbana is realisable by the honest and persevering individual following the teachings of the Buddha.
Nibbana is something exceptionally pleasant and worthwhile, whether it is expressed positively as "the highest happiness", or neutrally as "the sorrowless, stainless peace", or negatively as "wherein suffering is dissolved". And it can be realised in this life -- like human happiness, nibbana can be realised here and now.

3. "Bhikkhus, all is burning. And what is the all that is burning?
The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with eye-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning.
Burning with what? Burning with the fire of lust, with the fire of hate, with the fire of delusion; I say it is burning with birth, ageing, death, with sorrow, with lamentation, with pain, with grief, with despair.
The ear is burning, sounds are burning, . . .
The nose is burning, odours are burning, . . .
The tongue is burning, flavours are burning, . . .
The body is burning, tangibles are burning, . . .
The mind is burning, mind-states are burning, mind-consciousness is burning, mind-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant that arises with mind-contact for its indispensable condition, that too is burning.
Burning with what? Burning with the fire of greed, with the fire of aversion, with the fire of delusion; I say it is burning with birth, ageing, death, with sorrow, with lamentation, with pain, with grief, with despair." Vin.I,34-5; S.IV,19-20

In the course of life some people come to realise the limitations of the sensory realm. Initially, we may think that we have complete control over sense impressions – we just need to keep away from those we are averse to and enjoy only those we desire. However, we sooner or later come to see how difficult it is to control what our senses contact. We are continually “burned” by averse impressions. We are “burned” by desireable impressions because we can´t get enough of them.

4. “`The unstable world is brought to an end´; this is the first expounding of Dhamma taught by the Revered One who knows and sees, the worthy one, the fully self awakened one. Because of knowing and seeing and hearing this, I went forth from the homelife into homelessness.
`The world is without shelter or protection´; this is the second expounding of Dhamma . . .
`The world is not one´s own; one must pass away leaving everything´; this is the third expounding of Dhamma . . .
`The world is deficient, unsatisfied, a slave of craving´; this is the fourth expounding of Dhamma taught by the Revered One who knows and sees, the worthy one, the fully self awakened one. Because of knowing and seeing and hearing this, I went forth from the homelife into homelessness.” M.II,68f

Each person has their own reasons for engaging in a spiritual quest. These four reasons were given by one of the Buddha´s early disciples, the son of a wealthy merchant. While we all may appreciate the truth of these statements intellectually, it is the deep and personal realisation of them which upsets our normal view of life. And only in the spiritual realm can answers be obtained.

Self-Reliance

5. "Now, look you Kalamas, do not be led by reports, or tradition, or hearsay. Be not led by the authority of religious texts, nor by mere logic or inference, nor by considering appearances, nor by the delight in speculative opinions, nor by seeming possibilities, nor by the idea: `This is our teacher'. But, O Kalamas, when you know for yourselves that certain things are unwholesome, and wrong, and bad, then give them up . . . And when you know for yourselves that certain things are wholesome and good, then accept them and follow them." A.I,188ff.(Rahula trans.)

The Buddha encouraged the Kalama people, who were visited by a variety of religious teachers expounding a diversity of doctrines, to make a careful personal investigation to ascertain what was really wholesome or unwholesome in these teachings.
Some people may take this to imply a rejection of tradition, texts and teachers. However, what the Buddha is saying is that we should receive the teachings, and then carefully consider, reflect upon, investigate them to see if they are indeed beneficial.
Spiritual experience is a very subjective and personal experience. We need to assume a certain responsibility for our spiritual development and be able to clearly discern what is helpful for us by learning to trust our own "inner wisdom" and rigorously putting the teaching to the test of experience -- do they really work, or do they just sound impressive?

6. "The monk must look for peace within himself and not in any other place. For when a person is inwardly quiet, there is nowhere a self can be found; where, then, could a non-self be found?
There are no waves in the depths of the sea; it is still, unbroken. It is the same with the monk. He is still, without any quiver of desire, without a remnant on which to build pride and desire." Sn.919-920 (Saddhatissa trans.)

Spiritual peace is a subjective experience rather than an external reality. This is found by looking within oneself through the development of internalised meditation practices. The development of Calm Meditation through the use of various concentration exercises can produce a strong feeling of temporary inner quiet. When the mind is able to be collected upon a meditation object, for example, the sensation of natural breathing at the nostrils, the wandering thoughts are calmed and mental noise is silenced. This mental noise or "internal dialogue" is simply obsessive self-reference, either through affirmation or denial. The silencing of mental noise is the silencing of this self-reference with its disturbing pride and desire.
Calm Meditation, however, only provides a temporary experience of quiet. It is the development of Insight Meditation, with emphasis upon penetrating investigative awareness, that one is able to clearly see the true nature of things and free oneself from the very structures and sources of disturbing self-reference. Inner quiet then becomes as stable as the waveless depths of the sea.

7. "By oneself is wrong done, by oneself is one soiled; by oneself is wrong not done, by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend upon oneself; no one can purify another." (Dh.165)

"Though one be victorious in battle over a thousand times a thousand people, yet the victory supreme is victory over oneself." (Dh.103)

The source of our suffering lies within ourselves. The basic cause is selfishness, which is out of harmony with the intrinsic selflessness of the universe. Thus the Buddha's teaching focuses on the internal spiritual practices rather than external religious ceremonies.
In our desire to escape from our suffering we try to manipulate the external world, but we always manipulate it in relation to ourselves. So we are never able to get beyond ourselves, and thus we only create more selfish suffering rather than penetrate to its very source.
Victory over oneself is the rooting out of the self-centred, self-affirming, self-supporting activities which are the source of suffering.

8. "Truly oneself is one's own refuge -- what other refuge can there be? With oneself well-tamed one acquires a refuge hard to obtain. (Dh.160)

"You yourself ought to strive: the Buddhas only show the way. Those who enter upon this way and meditate, are released from the bonds of Death." (Dh.276)

"By endeavour, vigilance, restraint and self-control, let the wise make an island for themselves which no flood can overwhelm." (Dh.25)

The Buddha emphasised the need for individual effort and self-reliance. We have little real control over the external world, but are able to exercise some degree of control over ourselves, so that is where we must start our practice. `Oneself is one's own refuge' literally means `depend upon yourself', `look to yourself', `have confidence in yourself'.
This `self' is the conventional, empirical self which can choose to do good or bad, can make decisions and initiate action. We need to assume responsibility for our actions before we can gain control over our actions. Our suffering is created by our own ignorance. We remedy it through gaining confidence in our own inner wisdom.
The emphasis upon self-reliance is also a reminder not to become overly dependent upon some charismatic or impressive teacher. In their presence it may seem like we are progressing spiritually, but without doing the work ourselves, we are only living on "borrowed wisdom".

Noble Friendship

9. "Ananda: `Sir, fully half of this religious life is friendship with the noble, companionship with the noble, association with the noble.'
Buddha: `Not quite so, Ananda, not quite so. It is the whole, not the half, of this religious life: this friendship with the noble, companionship with the noble, association with the noble.'" (S.V,2)

Although self-reliance is an important foundation for spiritual practice, we can also greatly benefit from the support and guidance of a "noble" friend. A noble friend can point us towards the right path, encourage us beyond our own limits and make us aware of those aspects of ourselves we are frightened of or blind and resistant to.
In the Buddha's teaching companionship with the noble is formally represented by the religious community (Sangha) of monks and nuns who have fully committed themselves to a life of spiritual practice and often offer guidance from their own experience. Informally, however, a noble friend is anyone who offers us good advice and wise reflection so that we can more easily discern a spiritual path in life.
Monks, nuns or lay-people who have realised a sufficient degree of insight are know as the "Ariya Sangha", the real Refuge of Sangha and the most noble of friends. They have at least partially "awakened" to the Truth and can really only be identified by their wisdom rather than their physical appearance.

10. "If you should find a wise person who, like a revealer of treasure, points out your faults and reproves you, associate with them. Association with such a person is for the better not the worse." (Dh.76)

"If, even for a moment, an intelligent person associates with someone wise, quickly they will apprehend the Truth -- just as the tongue apprehends the flavour of soup." Dh.65

We can never underestimate the value of associating with someone wise, since we can benefit from their guidance as quickly as the tongue tastes the flavour of soup. Only a short time with a noble friend can help us unravel the confusion in our minds and bring us closer to realising Truth.
Their words are far more priceless than treasure, for they help us unburden the thoughts and actions that weigh us down and prevent us from realising peace. Even though their reproach may not be to our liking, if they are really "noble" friends, their words are meant for our benefit, although it may take some time to appreciate it!
Many times we suffer because we refuse to acknowledge our own faults or accept that we are fundamentally wrong. Others may see this more clearly than ourselves.

The Path

11. "Bhikkhus, these two extremes should not be practised by one who has gone forth from the homelife into homelessness. What two? There is devotion to indulgence in sense-pleasures, which is low, common, of ordinary people, ignoble and unprofitable; and there is devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble and unprofitable.
"Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata has realised the Middle Way, which gives vision, gives knowledge, and leads to peace, to higher knowledge, to awakening, to nibbana. And what is that Middle Way? It is this Noble Eightfold Path, that is: right view, right attitude, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right collectedness.
This is the Middle Way realised by the Tathagata which gives vision, gives knowledge, and leads to peace, to higher knowledge, to awakening, to nibbana."
Vin.I,10; S.V,420

The Buddha's Path is the Middle Path, a Path avoiding all extremes in practices, attitudes and views. The two main extremes are self-affirming sensual indulgence and self-denying asceticism. Both of these extremes lead to a re-inforcing of self view because they are still centred upon the self -- holding on to it either through pleasant sensuality or painful mortification. The Middle Path is a very subtle and refined balance between affirmation and negation.
More specifically, the Middle Path is not just wishy-washy indecision, but a precise Path comprising eight factors which must all be Nobly "right" and harmonised. When these eight right factors come together, then one's way of life becomes a Noble Spiritual Path.

12. "The Exalted One, while staying at Rajagaha on Vulture's Peak, gave abundant Dhamma-talk to the bhikkhus: Such is moral conduct, such is meditation, such is wisdom. Meditation, when augmented with moral conduct, gives great fruit and great benefit. Wisdom, when augmented with meditation, gives great fruit and great benefit. The mind, when augmented with wisdom, is completely freed from the outflows of selfhood (asava), that is, the outflow of sensuality, the outflow of becoming, the outflow of views and the outflow of ignorance." D.II,81

The Path leading to liberation can be practised and experienced with the help of noble friendship and our own self-motivation. This Path is the development of skilful conduct, meditation and wisdom. Meditation, grounded in harmonious and supportive behaviour, bears the fruit of spiritual wisdom -- liberation of mind and freedom from suffering.
In practice, however, this process occurs in harmonised successive stages. A basis of moral behaviour allows the development of meditation, then, when we bring the collectedness and clarity of meditation to bear upon our behaviour, we gain some insight into the attitudes and actions which cause suffering. Applying wisdom, we can free ourselves from this disturbing behaviour and arrive at a more refined level of collectedness and clarity, which then reveals more refined levels of disharmonious behaviour.
Wisdom arises from seeing these causal patterns of self-inflicted suffering and wisdom is used to free ourselves from these patterns of self-centred `outflowing'.

Skilful Actions

13. "Skilful behaviour is the beginning, the foundation, and the chief cause of all good things. Thus one should purify skilful behaviour.
"Skilful behaviour is the boundary, the control, and the brightening of the mind; and it is the abiding of all the Buddha's. Thus one should purify skilful behaviour."
Theragatha 612-3

"Sandalwood, tagara, lotus, jasmine: above all these kinds of fragrance, the fragrance of virtue is by far the best." Dh.55

Skilful behaviour gives stability and viability to spiritual practice. It is the foundation upon which spiritual practice is built and grounds that practice in one's ordinary, normal life. Otherwise, spiritual practice can too easily become some accessory habit in life, some exceptional but seemingly unliveable experience in life or just a one-off experience which we are unable to contact again.
Skilful behaviour also gives control and a boundary to the mind as an aid to meditation. We may think about all kinds of crazy and immoral things, but our conduct is rooted in harmonious and wholesome actions. Thus we can watch and know the entire range of selfish expressions without needing to follow or react to them.

12. "Ananda, skilful conduct gives freedom from remorse as its gain and advantage; freedom from remorse gives delight as its gain and advantage; delight gives joy; joy gives tranquillity; tranquillity gives well-being; well-being gives collectedness; collectedness gives knowledge and vision of things as they really are; knowledge and vision of things as they really are gives disenchantment and dispassion; disenchantment and dispassion gives knowledge and vision of freedom as its gain and advantage. So indeed, Ananda, skilful conduct gradually leads on to the highest." A.V,2

Skilful conduct or morality provides a foundation for the causal arising of the successive stages of spiritual development. It is not merely an end in itself, although some people may take the freedom from remorse or purity of being which morality engenders as a state of high spiritual attainment. However, many times there is still attachment to that purity, rather than using this worldly state to realise the further qualities of collectedness, knowledge and vision of things as they really are, disenchantment and dispassion, culminating in freedom.