The Noble Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering # 6Suffering [dukkham]: This is the characteristic of built-in hardship seen againThe Three Signs are Known by ‘nana’The Three Signs of Existence [tilakkhana] that are exhibited by all material things are impermanence [aniccam], suffering [dukkham] and not –self [anatta].Impermanence [aniccam]: This is the built-in character of objects that are of a nature to change the whole of the time. Such things as the five Aggregates of the Human Body are changing the whole of the time.Suffering [dukkham]: This is the characteristic of built-in hardship seen again with the Five Aggregates because of the constant stress of arising and decaying. Suffering is spmethin gthat it is hard to tolerate-creating the feelings such as pain and suffering.Not-Self [anatta]: The changeability of the Five Aggre gates makes them of the nature of suffering. When we try to relieve the suffering by trying to prevent the Aggregates from changing, we meet with no success because the Five Aggregates are not under our control. Furthermore, in these Five Aggregates there is no real ‘self’ because the Aggregates are just an assemble of decaying pieces none of which can be identified as ‘self’. These are the signs of the characteristic of ‘not-self’.meditation and wisdom are the only things that can lead one to such cessation.All this is essn only by the eye of the Dhammakaya. All this is known only with the knowing [nana] of the Dhammakaya. The reason why the eight ‘mundane’ bodies cannot know their own nature is because their knowledge is only on the level of ‘consciousness’ or ‘cognition’ – unlike the Dhammalaya, these bodies have no access to ‘knowing’ [nana].The Great Abbot of Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen, Phramonkolthepmuni. Explained the difference between cognition and ‘knowing’ as follows:“The knowledge arising from cognition depends upon the six senses [ayatana] rather than wisdom, therefore the knowledge arising from cognition may be erroneous. The knowledge arising from ‘knowing’, by contrast, depends on the Dhammakaya it is knowledge based on true wisdom such as thefour Noble Truths- accessed by seeing and knowing directly the arising of suffering. Craving as its cause, that because of arising there must be decay i.e. cessation [nirodha] and that self-discipline, meditation and wisdom are the only things that can lead one to such cessation. All this is seen by the eye of the Dhammakaya. All this is known with the knowing [nana] of the Dhammakaya.”If we were to conclude the process of Right Practice by which the bodhisattva was able to attain Buddhahood, then he started by striving in the practice of meditation and insight at the foot of the Bodhi Tree on the eve of Visakha Puja Day. He had made the vow to himself:The bodhisattva then strove in meditation making continuous progress until reaching his avowed goal.For however long it may take me to attain enlightenment as a Fully-Enlightened Buddha, even if my body should shrivel and die leaving only skin, sinew and bone, I will not rise from this meditation seat.The bodhisattva then strove in meditation making continuous progress until reaching his avowed goal. In the first watch of the night, the bodhisattva attained recollection of his own previous lifetimes [pubbenivasanusatinana]. In the second watch of the night he attained knowledge of the birth and rebirth of beings in the cycle of existence according to their karma [cutupapatanana]. In the third watch of the night the bodhisattva attained knowledge that he had eradicated all defilements from his mind [asavakkhayanana]. All three of these attainments came via the eye of the Dhamma Body –not with the human eye or the naked eye. All the knowledge that brought him to Buddhahood came by the ‘knowing’ of the Dhamma Body, not by rationale or reasoning with the logical (human) mind. The Buddha was able to see deepand with certainty into the Three Spheres [bhava] of Existence because he had gone beyond these three spheres by attaining Nirvana.The Lord Buddha was filled with Great Compassion and for this reason he was to teach the Noble Path he had uncoverd for the Benefit of disciples in releasing themselves from the Cycle of Existence and following Him into Nirvana. To follow the Path to completion in such a way is not be yound the capacity fo mere mortals – all it needs is to apply oneself (by the principles of the Four Foundations of Success –iddhipada) to practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.The Lord Buddha was filled with Great Compassion and for this reasonhe was to teach the Noble Path he had uncoverd for the Benefit of disciplesConclusion of the Noble Truth of the Path to the Cessation of SufferingAnyone who has the wisdom to recognize that to cultivate virtues such as self-discipline or generosity is beneficial on three levels can be said to be of Right View. Anyone with the intention to get down to cultivation such virtues as self-dis-ciplin and generosity can be said to be of Right Intention –the intention to abstain from Wrong Speech, Wrong Action and Wrong Livelihood while cultivating generosity and the Precepts. Cultivation loving-kindness [metta] can be said to instill one with Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. Foolowing upone’s Right Intention by cultivation the virtues of generosity and self-discipline is to endow one self with Right Effort and if one’s wholesome attention is something from which your mind never deviates, you can be said to be fo Right Mindfulness. Once one’s mind becomes absorbed and one-pointed, then one can be said to be of Right Concentration." /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " />
The Noble Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering # 6
[ 20 ก.ย. 2554 ] - [ 18265 ]
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