Over two and a half millennia ago, a young prince named Siddhartha, marked by fate to be a Universal Monarch, turned his back on a life of luxury. Clad in the humble robes of an ascetic, he embarked on a profound journey towards perfection, deeply moved by life’s inherent imperfections: the inevitability of aging, illness, death, and the manifold sufferings accompanying them.

Day by day, we witness the myriad imperfections of life, a constant reminder of our shared human condition. Yet, unlike Prince Siddhartha, we often remain blind to these profound truths. Instead, we chase after success, excellence, and a superficial sense of perfection, all the while harboring deep flaws within our very being. It was in stark contrast to this common plight that ascetic Siddhartha Gautama, after six relentless years of spiritual quest, attained the very perfection he had longed for. His enlightenment was a profound purification, a complete cleansing of his mind from all imperfections.

The roots of our imperfection lie in the defilements that reside within our minds. These defilements are the pollutants that taint our mental landscape. At any moment when our thoughts are clouded, it is typically due to the presence of greed, anger, or delusion. From these primary defilements spring forth a cascade of secondary ones, such as envy, jealousy, hypocrisy, conceit, arrogance, and vanity. When our minds are tainted by any of these impurities, our actions—whether physical, verbal, or mental—also lose their purity. Thus, whenever a person commits a wrongful act, speaks harsh words, or entertains harmful thoughts, it’s a reflection of these defilements at play. In stark contrast, one who has completely purged these polluting forces from their mind is known as an ‘Arahant’—a being of absolute perfection. The Supreme Buddha, through his own profound journey and without the need for external guidance, reached this pinnacle of enlightenment, becoming the first Arahant, the very embodiment of perfection.

Lord Buddha’s attainment of perfection was not merely a transient state; it was a profound transformation that permeated every aspect of his life for the 45 years following his enlightenment. His every action, thought, and word reflected this sublime state of being. Having irrevocably relinquished the bonds of greed, anger, and delusion, his mind remained forever untouched by the shadow of defilements. Yet, such unparalleled perfection did not shield him from the scrutiny and challenges of those less wise, who, perhaps unable to comprehend the depth of his enlightenment, sought to test him.

Just five weeks after his enlightenment, Lord Buddha faced a significant test of his newfound perfection, a challenge posed by the daughters of Mara, the very entity he had vanquished on his path to enlightenment. The daughters, Tanha, Arati, and Raga, witnessing their father’s distress, embarked on a mission to avenge his defeat. Their plan was to seduce Lord Buddha with their alluring charms. However, their efforts were in vain. The Supreme Buddha, having completely eradicated lust and thus becoming an Arahant, remained impervious to their temptations. Defeated and dejected, they returned to Mara, who greeted their failure not with sympathy but with biting sarcasm.

“Fools, did you think to drag a mountain with a lily stalk?, to dig a rock with finger nails?, to chew iron with your teeth?, did you seek a foothold in deep water with a mountain on your head? Did you part from Gothama, disappointed as if struck by a spike to your breast?”

It was clear that by then, Mara was humbled by the perfection achieved by the Blessed One.

Nobleman Anathapindika’s profound reverence was manifest in a magnificent gesture: he devoted fifty-four thousand gold sovereigns to the creation of the Jethavana monastery, a sanctuary for the Maha Sangha. This splendid abode was further graced with a unique offering for the Buddha—a seven-roof sandalwood kuti, a symbol of devotion and respect. However, the Blessed One’s stay in this kuti during the vas season was marked by his characteristic detachment. Like a swan gracefully departing a lake, he left the kuti without a trace of attachment. Whether beneath the shelter of trees, in the solitude of caves, or amidst the wilderness of thick forests, Lord Buddha found equal contentment. His indifference to his surroundings was a testament to his profound inner perfection, a state of being free from the clutches of greed.

Another remarkable aspect of the Blessed One’s perfection was his unwavering equanimity, free from even the slightest trace of anger, ill will, hatred, or hostility. This attribute was vividly demonstrated in an encounter with a Brahmin named Akkosaka Bharadvaja. The Brahmin, consumed by fury, hurled rude and harsh words at the Blessed One. Yet, Lord Buddha, entirely unmoved by this outburst, responded with calm advice. Misinterpreting this serene response as anger, the Brahmin remarked, ‘King and the general public believe Master Gotama to be an Arahant, but it seems Master Gotama is prone to anger.’ To this, the Blessed One offered a profound reply: ‘For a person who is tamed, living a righteous life, liberated from suffering through realization, calm and composed; how can there be anger?’

Through this interaction, the Buddha not only demonstrated his own mastery over anger but also imparted this crucial teaching to his disciples. He emphasized the importance of this principle with a powerful analogy, saying, ‘Even if bandits were to sever your limbs with a two-handed saw, if your mind is tainted with anger, then you are not truly practicing my teachings.’ This stark admonition serves as a timeless reminder of the profound impact of relinquishing anger on the path to spiritual perfection.

Furthermore, the Blessed One’s profound wisdom rendered him impervious to deception, for he had thoroughly eradicated the shadow of delusion. This unassailable clarity was evident in his encounters with Mara, who persistently sought to mislead him. On one such occasion, Mara, with cunning intent, approached the Buddha and recited a verse designed to deceive him: ‘I shall trap you with the snare that originates from the mind and moves about the sky. Thus, ascetic, you shall not escape from me.’ This verse, laden with deceit, was a testament to Mara’s determination to bewilder the Enlightened One.

However, the Buddha’s response illuminated the futility of Mara’s attempts, as he replied with unshakable clarity, a mind free from any hint of delusion: ‘I have relinquished the desire for sensual pleasures of forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tangibles that overwhelm the mind. Mara, in this respect, I have defeated you.’ This exchange starkly contrasts the potential vulnerability of an ordinary person, who lacks the Buddha’s unwavering discernment, to Mara’s deceptions. Where many might have faltered, entangled in Mara’s web of illusion, the Buddha stood unyielding, his enlightenment a beacon of unassailable truth.

Lord Buddha’s mind was a haven of tranquility, a sharp distinction to the tumultuous whirl of thoughts and emotions that often characterize our mental state. In a moment of rare disclosure, the Blessed One shared insights into the serene workings of his mind with his disciples. He revealed, ‘Bhikkus, there are two thoughts that frequent my mind: the thought of being unassailable and the thought of being in a state of deep relaxation and isolation. Thus, as I dwell with a mind imbued in loving kindness and non-harm, there occurs in me the recurring thought that ‘may I not harm anyone, whether they are fearful or fearless, with my actions.’ Moreover, as I immerse myself in deep relaxation and isolation, I am often struck by the realization: If there were any defilements within me, they are now all eradicated’

This profound statement offers a glimpse into the exalted state of consciousness achieved by Lord Buddha. It eloquently illustrates the depth of his enlightenment, a mind utterly free from the taints of greed, anger, and delusion, and underscores his unique standing as a spiritual leader whose inner peace and perfection were unparalleled.

In the ‘Nibbana Sutta’, Lord Buddha unveils a profound vision of Nibbana, presenting it as the ultimate resolution to all our imperfections. He describes this exalted state with transcendent clarity: ‘Bhikkus, there exists a realm known as Nibbana, where none of the earthly elements – earth, water, fire, nor wind – hold sway. It is beyond the infinite realms of space, consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception; transcending this world and the next, untouched by the sun or the moon. Here, there is no coming or going, no staying, no decay, nor birth: it is an unestablished, unconditioned realm, beyond the bounds of mental conception. This, Bhikkus, is the cessation of suffering.’

This insightful teaching illuminates the path we should aspire to follow – a journey towards achieving Nibbana, walking in the footsteps of our great teacher, the Supreme Buddha. In his teachings and his being, he embodies the very essence of perfection, guiding us towards a state of ultimate liberation and peace.

By a Venerable Monk of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

Tools of his trade: A hammer, a chisel, and crowbars.

We all encounter significant challenges that make our lives harder than necessary. But consider facing a real mountain, three hundred feet tall, blocking your access to the broader world. This was the reality for Dashrath Manjhi and his village, cut off from society by an immense mountain. Unwavering, Dashrath set out to defeat this literal giant, dedicating 22 years to chisel through it, connecting his community to the outside world.

Humble Beginnings

On Jan. 14, 1929, Dashrath Manjhi was born into the Musahars, the lowest possible caste in Indian society, and which quite literally translates to “rat eaters.” Raised in Gehlaur, India, Manjhi was married to a local village girl named Falguni Devi and sent to work and live onsite at the coal mines of Dhanbad. After seven years of hard labor, he finally returned home, became a day laborer, and started a family.

Gehlaur was a very backward village with no development. Like all other poor villagers, Manjhi had to travel through a narrow and hazardous pass to cross a huge mountain, located between Atri and Wazirgunj region in Gaya district, for daily wants and work. In Gehlaur, as in many nearby villages, the women had to make a difficult journey every day to fetch water for themselves and their families. They had to hike over a 300-foot tall mountain that stood between their village and the nearest river.

One day, Falguni, who was pregnant, was taking lunch for her husband who was working in the fields. She had got to climb the mountain in blistering heat. Unfortunately, Falguni slipped and fell down from the mountain and was injured badly. While Dashrath was waiting for the food when someone from the village informed Dashrath about the accident of his wife. Dashrath ran into shock and took her blood-splattered wife to the nearest town that was about 55 km away. She gave birth to a baby girl but scummed to her injuries.

The Genesis of a Dream

In an effort to prevent such tragedies from happening again, he boldly vowed to carve a path through the mountains. He was so dedicated to the daunting task that he sold his goats in order to buy a hammer and a chisel needed for the feat set before him. Working in the fields during the day and hammering at the mountain at night was difficult, even for young Dashrath who was then in his early twenties.

A Lone Warrior’s Struggle

He decided that making a safer environment for the people in his village, nearby villages, and for generations of travelers was more important than bringing in a steady income. As a result, he quit his day job. Occasionally, he would carry luggage over the mountain for travelers in order to earn some money, but his family sometimes went without food. For 22 years, Manjhi worked to make a safer road through the mountains. He burned firewood on the rocky terrain and splashed the heated surface with water to chisel away at the cracked boulders and turn them into rubble.

Perseverance in the Face of Skepticism

Spending decades trying to accomplish a task seen as nearly impossible is difficult, especially when others in the community don’t agree with what you are doing. There were many people in Dashrath’s village that made fun of him because they thought he was crazy. Dashrath Manjhi recounts, “When I started hammering the hill, people called me a lunatic, but that only steeled my resolve.” The villagers, when word went around, laughed at Manjhi, and said he was nuts. Why spoil womenfolk, some winked. After all, hadn’t generations of women fetched water from the other side? What was so special about his wife? Women were made to fetch and carry, weren’t they?” Dashrath Manjhi was teased, jeered at, and made fun of, but he had the courage and determination to ignore them and keep working. It paid off too, because after enduring the taunts for a while, Manjhi says, “There were quite a few villagers who lent me support later by giving me food and helping me buy tools.” If he had given in to the rest of his community’s bad attitude, he would never have achieved his dream.

Triumph of the Human Spirit

In 1982, Manjhi’s dream of chiseling a path through the mountain to make the trip to the other side safer and shorter was finally achieved with the completion of the 360 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 25 feet high path. People from 60 different villages were able to use his chiseled road to travel to the river, hospital, and school. Thousands of people from his village and others like it use his road every day. The distance of their daily journeys was cut from over 55 km to less than 15 km, using Dashrath’s new road. The villagers call him ‘Baba’, meaning the revered man, and people around the world know him best as ‘The Mountain Man’. Manjhi said, “That mountain had shattered so many pots, claimed lives. I could not bear that it hurt my wife. If it took all my life now, I would carve us a road through the mountain”. But with the passing years, his motivation changed. “My love for my wife was the initial spark that ignited in me the desire to carve out a road. But what kept me working without fear or worry all those years was the desire to see thousands of villagers crossing the hill with ease whenever they wanted,” Manjhi said in an interview. He knew how many people he would be helping with his feat, and his love for those people is what kept him going for twenty-two years.

Beyond the Mountain: A Continuing Legacy

After achieving his goal of making the path safe, Dashrath still wasn’t satisfied; “He began knocking on doors, asking for the road to be tarred, connected to the main road. He walked along the railway line all the way to New Delhi, the capital, collecting signatures of station masters in a book.” In New Delhi, he submitted a petition for his road to be tarred, and for a hospital to be built and water to be piped into his village. Furthermore, he went to the Chief Minister of Bihar, Junta Durbar, to see if his road could be paved. The Chief Minister, honored to meet Dashrath, got up from his chair and offered it to him. The government gave him 5 acres of land as a reward, but he donated it for the building of a hospital. He said, “I do not care for these awards, this fame, the money. All I want is a road, a school, and a hospital for our people. They toil so hard. It will help their women and children.” Sadly, Dashrath never got to see his finished road, which was finally paved in 2012. He passed away from gallbladder cancer on August 17, 2007, but he will be remembered for giving up everything of his own to help others.

The Eternal Lessons of Dashrath Manjhi

Due to Dashrath Manjhi’s extraordinary qualities—empathy, compassion, patience, effort, resilience, and determination—he achieved an astonishing feat despite widespread ridicule. Dashrath Manjhi dedicated years of his life to a noble dream, demonstrating unwavering courage and resolve, and benefiting countless individuals. He inspired many across India and the globe to pursue positive change, irrespective of the required sacrifice or bravery. His sole willingness to tackle such a daunting challenge signifies his extraordinary dedication. Should more individuals emulate Dashrath Manjhi’s actions, driven by love for others, our society would undoubtedly become happier and more prosperous.

In contemporary society, individuals often attribute their failures and difficulties to external forces—governments, politicians, economic systems, corporate entities and environmental changes, and others—instead of harnessing their own effort and perseverance to surmount challenges, thereby enriching themselves and society.

Unbeknownst to Dashrath Manjhi, within him smoldered the embers capable of igniting a blaze of greatness, illuminating the lives of many. Similarly, each of us harbors both positive and negative traits. Our destiny hinges on which qualities we nurture—those that elevate us and our surroundings or those that do not.

Manjhi embodied virtues that the Buddha deemed essential for following the Noble Path. Though unfortunately Manjhi never encountered Buddha’s teachings, we have this privilege. The teachings of the Buddha offer unparalleled guidance in unlocking our best selves. With over 2,500 years since the Buddha’s parinirvana, the luminosity of his dispensation wanes, as does the environment conducive to spiritual development. Our only hope is to steadfastly engage with Buddha’s teachings, believing in their transformative power. Should we falter, we only have ourselves to blame.

The following incident in the Maha-Janaka Jataka amply illustrates the virtues of striving and perseverance. In a past life, the Bodhisattva, born as Prince Maha-Janaka, embarked on a sea voyage to amass fortune to reclaim his kingdom. When his ship sank, he swam for seven days in search of land.

Manimekhala, a deva tasked with rescuing virtuous individuals at sea, appeared to him, questioning his solitary struggle.

“Young man, why are you striving manfully in mid-ocean? Are you all alone? Where are your friends?”

Maha-Janaka thought. “I have been swimming for seven days. All this time, I have not seen another living being. This must be a deva who is speaking to me now!” Aloud he said, “As long as I am alive, I see it as my duty to strive with all my strength.”

“Well, it seems obvious to me that here in the deep sea your striving is useless,” Manimekhala replied. “There’s nothing you can do, and you are going to drown!”

“Why do you say that?” Maha-Janaka retorted. “If l struggle as hard as I can, I cannot be blamed even if l die. He who does as much as he can should not feel ashamed if he fails.”

“Why exhaust yourself for nothing?” the deva taunted him. “Since you are going to die anyway, you might as well relax!”

“The man who thinks that there is no chance to win and, thus, glves up without a fight is the one who should be blamed when he loses!” Maha-Janaka declared. “Only the future will show whether our plans will succeed or fail. Don’t you see, friend deva? My struggling has kept me alive this far, whereas all my companions on the same ship drowned. The ship sank, but I saved myself. Now here I am, and you are standing by my side. As long as I am alive, I will struggle as hard as I can to get through these ocean waves and to reach the shore. As long as my strength holds out, I will strive until I can strive no more.”

“You are truly brave,” Manimekhala shouted, “to continue fighting on in this fierce, unbounded sea, struggling to do your duty like a man never wavering, never shrinking from your task! Tell me where you wish to go. There will be no more obstacles to hamper you!”

When the prince expressed his longing to return to his kingdom, Mithila, the divine Manimekhala tenderly lifted him from the waters, as though he were her own child. With grace, she soared through the skies, swiftly transporting the prince to the royal park of Mithila.

Throughout history, it has consistently been those who exerted effort who savored the fruits of success. This timeless principle holds true in the present and will continue to guide our futures. Therefore, let each of us commit to diligently practicing the sublime teachings of the Buddha. Make no mistake—the ship is indeed sinking, and our individual effort towards enlightenment is the lifeline we must grasp.

Resources:
Kingsley K. (2015). “Dashrath Manjhi.” Retrieved from https://moralheroes.org
“The untold story of Mountain Man – Dasharath Manjhi.” Retrieved from https://timesapplaud.com

By a Venerable Monk of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

In the stillness of the night, Cynthia Jay-Brennan reaches a breaking point. Her blanket has slipped off her paralyzed body, leaving her shivering in the silence. Her husband, Terry Brennan, tenderly restores the cover and returns to sleep, knowing he’ll repeat this act multiple times before dawn.

Life wasn’t always this way for the couple. Once employed as a cocktail waitress and a bartender, they led a modest existence until fortune intervened. On January 26, 2000, Cynthia hit a life-altering $35 million jackpot. Yet, a mere six weeks later, tragedy unfolded—a drunk driver collided with her car, killing her sister and leaving her paralyzed from the chest down.

The Allure of Fortune

Cynthia and Terry were not habitual gamblers, but the allure of a growing Megabucks jackpot proved irresistible. Following a family celebration, Cynthia spent $21 on a slot machine to no avail. Undeterred, she invested another $6. On her final $3, luck intervened, irrevocably altering their lives.

Terry, knowing the pitfalls of sudden wealth, cautioned, “Many people change when this happens. I don’t want anything to change.” Yet change was inevitable, arriving in the cruelest form imaginable. The couple had scarcely begun to savor their newfound wealth when they were married for just five weeks, and then the accident occurred.

The Inescapable Grasp of Kamma

On that ill-fated night, Cynthia was enjoying nickel slots and live music with her family. As she and her sister Lela drove to another casino, a drunk driver, violently crashed into their car. Lela died on impact, and Cynthia was left paralyzed. “I was talking to her about how happy I was, newly married,” Cynthia reminisces. “That’s the last thing I remember.”

Grateful for the financial means to cover her medical expenses, Cynthia confessed, “I’d give every cent I have” to turn back time to the days preceding the accident.

The Profound Teachings of the Buddha on Kamma

“Bhikkhus, this body is not yours, nor does it belong to others. It is old karma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt and experienced,” (SN 12.37)

In light of the Buddha’s teachings, Cynthia’s story serves as a compelling illustration of the complex dynamics of kamma. The Buddha instructs us that our actions, motivated by our will or volition, generate kamma, which in turn shapes our life experiences. Cynthia’s life journey, and that of each one of us, is a tapestry intricately woven from the threads of our past actions and choices.

The Six Senses and the Role of Kamma

“What, bhikkhus, is old kamma? The eye is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt and experienced. The ear is old kamma … The mind is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt and experienced. This is called old kamma.” (SN 35.146)

Don’t we all possess eyes, ears, a nose, a tongue, a body, and a mind? Being born into this human realm signifies the manifestation of these six senses. Thus, birth serves as the catalyst for these senses. And what causes birth? It is the arrangement of kamma coming to fruition (Bhava) that leads to birth. In essence, we are not just influenced by kamma; we are its very products.

The Individual and Universal Impact of Kamma

All our six senses have been molded by our past actions in saṁsara. This explains the diversity among us in aspects like eyesight, hearing, sense of smell, taste, physique, and mental faculties. Our skills and abilities also vary; some of us are wise, while others are not. Some have excellent memory retention, while others struggle. For some, meditation comes
easily, and their minds attain samadhi quickly; for others, meditation is a challenging endeavor.

However, although our life experiences differ due to the influence of past kamma which is unique to each and every individual, the similarity lies in that we all have to feel and experience the consequences.

Understanding “New Kamma”

Buddha also enlightened us on the concept of “new kamma.”

“And what, bhikkhus, is new kamma? Whatever action one does now by body, speech, or mind. This is called new kamma.” (SN 35.146)

To grasp this, let’s consider that we are all shaped by our old kamma, represented by our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Operating from this foundation, we cling to an identity view of “I, me, mine,” and act accordingly through our body, speech, and mind. These actions constitute new kamma. Therefore, each day of our lives involves not only feeling and experiencing the results of old kamma but also accumulating new kamma through our physical, verbal, and mental actions.

The Unpredictable Nature of Kamma’s Consequences

The results of the new kamma we accumulate may manifest in this life, the next, or in any subsequent life within saṁsara, until we escape its relentless cycle. The exact timing, location, and nature of these consequences are beyond human comprehension. Only the Buddha has the wisdom to understand how actions—performed through body, speech, and mind, across past, present, and future—will manifest in terms of their outcomes.

This lack of understanding often leads to questions when we observe someone living an immoral life yet seemingly enjoying happiness and prosperity. “Why do they seem happy and well-off while we, who live ethically and righteously, suffer?”

Our misunderstanding stems from the expectation that the consequences of an evil deed should be immediate. However, as the Buddha explained:

“While milk may curdle quickly, the consequences of an evil deed don’t manifest immediately. Instead, much like embers smoldering under a layer of ash, the repercussions of the evil deed lie dormant, only to ignite later and relentlessly pursue and burn the foolish individual.” (Dhp 71)

Therefore, it’s clear that the consequences of an evil deed may not be immediate. When they do manifest, there is no escape; one must simply endure.

Embracing Acceptance in the Face of Karmic Forces

The Buddha counsels that when we find ourselves unable to surmount hardships or alleviate suffering despite our best efforts, despair is not the answer. Instead, we should acknowledge the role of our past kamma, understanding that certain outcomes are simply beyond our control. Rather than dwelling on what cannot be changed, it is wiser to accept the situation. This acceptance comes with the recognition that powerful karmic forces are at play, and at that moment, patient endurance is the only course of action.

The Path to Acquiring Good Kamma

Understanding the unforgiving nature of kamma, it becomes imperative to be ever-mindful of our actions—whether they are carried out by body, speech, or mind. We should abstain from unwholesome bodily actions such as killing living beings, stealing, and sexual misconduct.

Similarly, we should avoid unwholesome verbal actions like false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech. On the mental front, we should steer clear of covetousness, ill will, and wrong views. By engaging in wholesome actions across these three dimensions, we set ourselves on a path to acquire good kamma, which inevitably leads to favorable outcomes.

The Ultimate Liberation: Cessation of Kamma Through the Noble Eightfold Path

Buddha also taught us the path to halt the accumulation of kamma.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the cessation of kamma? When one reaches liberation through the cessation of bodily action, verbal action, and mental action, this is called the cessation of kamma.”

“And what, bhikkhus, is the way leading to the cessation of kamma? It is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.” (SN 35.146)

The key to liberation lies in the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. As you cultivate this path within yourself, you begin to experience its transformative fruits. Gradually, you achieve the cessation of kamma. Attaining the first stage of enlightenment, known as stream-entry, eradicates the kamma that could lead to rebirth in hellish realms. Reaching the stage of once-returner ensures that you will only be reborn in the sensual realm once more. Achieving the stage of non-returner eliminates all kamma that could result in rebirth in the sensual realm. Finally, fulfilling the Noble Eightfold Path and attaining the state of an Arahant eradicates all kamma.

Therefore, the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path is our singular solution for liberation from the unyielding grip of kamma. Failure to do so may result in a fate as tragic as Cynthia’s—or potentially even worse—repeated countless times in the cycle of saṁsaric existence.

The Journey Towards Karmic Liberation: A Choice We Must Make

In the intricate workings of kamma, every action we undertake serves as a causal link, shaping the contours of our lives and our rebirths. The teachings of the Buddha offer not just an explanation but a solution—a path to halt the relentless cycle of kamma. By diligently practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, we can aspire to reach the ultimate liberation, freeing ourselves from the chains of samsaric existence.

Cynthia’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the inexorable nature of kamma. Yet, it also illuminates the path we can choose to follow—a path that leads to understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, liberation. The choice is ours to make, and the time to make it is now.

By a Venerable Monk of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

Aron Ralston, a mechanical engineer from Denver, Colorado, left his corporate job to pursue his passion for mountaineering. His ambitious goals included conquering Denali in Alaska and scaling all of Colorado’s 59 “fourteeners” alone and during winter. However, his life took a dramatic turn when he became trapped by a boulder while descending into Bluejohn Canyon in southeastern Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. As he descended into Bluejohn Canyon, the boulder dislodged, pinning his right hand against the canyon wall. Trapped 100 feet below ground and 20 miles from help, Ralston faced a dire predicament.

With no means to call for assistance and limited supplies of two burritos, some candy bars, and water, Ralston tried desperately to free his arm. However, his efforts proved futile as the boulder remained immovable. As days passed and his resources dwindled, the severity of his situation became clear.

Dehydrated and desperate, Ralston made a life-altering decision. He resolved to amputate his own arm to escape. Using makeshift tools and summoning unimaginable courage, he broke his bones, fashioned a tourniquet (device that applies pressure to a limb to stop the flow of blood), and with a two-inch knife, began the gruesome process of severing his arm. Enduring excruciating pain, Ralston’s spirit soared. “All the desires, joys, and euphorias of a future life came rushing into me,” he later shared. With each cut, he drew closer to freedom, losing a significant amount of blood along the way.

Driven by an indomitable will to survive, Ralston embarked on an astonishing journey out of the canyon. Climbing, descending cliffs, and navigating treacherous terrain with a single hand, he trekked six grueling miles back to his car, fueled by adrenaline and the desire to live.

In a stroke of fortune, Ralston encountered a Dutch family hiking in the canyon. They offered him sustenance and alerted authorities, leading to his eventual rescue—just four hours after his self-amputation.

Aron Ralston’s remarkable story stands as a testament to the incredible power of the human spirit in the face of insurmountable challenges. His unwavering determination and indomitable will to live carried him through unimaginable pain and hardship, etching his story forever in the annals of survival. However, how long will this triumph endure? Has he truly escaped death once and for all? The perils that lie ahead in his life remain unknown. Moreover, in the context of our samsāric journey, with its endless cycle of rebirth and the frequent experience of dreaded planes of misery, true liberation from such woes becomes an even greater quest.

It is stated in the Dhamma that some individuals are willing to sacrifice their wealth in order to preserve their body organs and limbs. Furthermore, when faced with a life-threatening situation, they display a readiness to relinquish their body organs and limbs, if necessary, to save their own lives. Those who deeply contemplate the teachings of the Dhamma go even further, as they are prepared to surrender not only their wealth, body organs, and limbs, but also their very lives, all in the pursuit of practicing the Dhamma and achieving enlightenment.

How true; in cases where a person’s health is at risk, they might choose to undergo expensive medical treatments, surgeries, or procedures to maintain the functioning of their organs or limbs. These treatments can often come at a significant financial cost, and individuals may be willing to give up their wealth or resources to ensure their physical well-being and quality of life. The value placed on one’s health and the preservation of their body can sometimes outweigh the importance of material wealth.

Then again, like in Aron Ralston’s case in situations where organ failure or severe injury jeopardizes their survival, individuals may opt for organ transplants or amputations to remove damaged or diseased parts of their bodies. This decision is often driven by the instinctual desire to preserve one’s life and overcome the immediate threat to their well-being. The value placed on life itself can surpass attachments to specific body parts, leading individuals to make difficult choices to ensure their continued existence. While such decisions are deeply personal and vary from person to person, the drive to survive can prompt individuals to make extraordinary sacrifices.

Conversely, the wise ones of the world who live by the teachings of the Buddha are willing to give up not only their wealth, body organs, and limbs, but also their very lives, in their pursuit of a lasting solution to the samsāric suffering.

In the time of the Buddha, such a wise person lived in the city of Savatthi. He was a young man, the son of a wealthy Lord. Blessed with a vast fortune of 400 million gold sovereigns, his life seemed filled with opulence and abundance. Yet, beneath the surface of material wealth, a longing for deeper meaning stirred within him. When he encountered the teachings of the Buddha, a profound calling ignited in his heart, urging him to relinquish his worldly attachments and embark on a spiritual quest.

With unwavering determination, the young man boldly renounced his riches, bidding farewell to his family and beloved wife. Embracing the austere life of a monk, he sought solace and serenity along the noble path unveiled by the Buddha. Thus, he became known as Kutumbiyaputta Tissa Thero, residing in a forest near Savatthi, fully immersed in the study and practice of the Dhamma and Vinaya.

Meanwhile, his former wife, now the sole inheritor of his vast fortune, reveled in a life of extravagance and pleasure. She delighted in her newfound freedom, relishing the ability to indulge in the company of any man she desired. However, amidst her carefree existence, a troubling thought crept into her mind. She pondered the possibility of her ex-husband abandoning his monastic vows and returning to lay life. Such an eventuality would shatter her current state of joy and freedom. Determined to prevent this, she hatched a sinister plan.

Contracting a group of ruthless bandits, she furnished them with a detailed description of her former husband’s whereabouts, secluded deep within the forest. Their orders were crystal clear: eliminate him without a trace. Swiftly, the bandits embarked on their mission, closing in on their unsuspecting target, lost in meditation.

Sensing the approach of danger, the astute monk realized his life hung in the balance. Displaying remarkable composure, he turned to address the bandits, his words infused with wisdom and unwavering resolve.

“I entered the monastic life with a singular purpose – to attain enlightenment and free myself from the cycle of suffering. Yet, I humbly admit that I have not yet achieved my goal. I implore you, grant me one more night, until the first rays of tomorrow’s sun, to continue my pursuit of enlightenment. Afterward, you may carry out your intentions as you see fit.”

The bandits, grappling with doubt and suspicion, voiced their concerns. They feared the monk might employ crafty tactics to escape under cover of darkness, betraying their trust. How could they be certain he would not attempt to flee?

With a resolute silence, the monk calmly picked up a sizable rock, positioning himself beneath the shade of a tree, his legs fully extended. Astonishingly, he shattered both his knees with a deliberate strike, leaving the bandits dumbfounded. Radiating unyielding determination, he addressed them once more, his voice brimming with conviction.

“Does this not serve as a testament to my sincerity? With my knees incapacitated you can trust that escape is beyond my reach.”

Rendered speechless by this awe-inspiring act of self-sacrifice, the bandits found themselves unable to muster a response. Their skepticism crumbled in the face of such unwavering resolve.

Bhikkhu Tissa, having intentionally handicapped himself to buy precious time, swiftly redirected his focus to the contemplation of the Dhamma. Throughout the evening and into the night, he endured excruciating pain, suppressing it with unwavering determination. His steadfast commitment to achieving enlightenment before the break of dawn overshadowed the imminent threat of death at the hands of the bandits.

Neither despair nor anger clouded his mind. Not once did he entertain doubts, fearing the possibility of failure.
Against all odds, as the night waned and a new day emerged, Bhikkhu Tissa dispelled the darkness of ignorance, attaining the exalted state of Arahantship. With the first rays of morning casting their gentle glow upon the forest, he faced his demise as an enlightened being, submitting himself to the bandits’ swords. In that profound moment, he transcended the cycle of rebirth, forever liberated from the shackles of suffering. Thus, unlike Aron Ralston, Bhikkhu Tissa found a lasting solution and triumphed over aging, sickness, death and the whole mass of suffering that befalls a person who wanders in samsāra.

We must realize that no amount of wealth or worldly power can free us from the cycle of birth and death. Only the teachings of the Buddha can grant release from this endless wandering. The Dhamma holds the supreme power to guide us toward liberation and alleviate suffering.

Let us humbly seek refuge in the teachings of the Buddha, recognizing their unparalleled significance and the profound transformation they can bring. By nurturing our spiritual growth and cultivating wholesome qualities, we can embark on a journey that leads to true freedom and the highest form of happiness, the supreme bliss of Nibbana.

By a Venerable Monk of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

It is not an exaggeration to say that our whole world revolves around our body. We are known and recognized by our body. We spend a great deal of time taking care of our body. We feed it not once, not twice, but three or more times a day. We wash our body. We buy expensive clothes, perfumes, and accessories for our body. We exercise and rest it. We buy comfortable beds, chairs, and vehicles to keep this body in comfort. We find partners and we get married to satisfy the needs of this body. We take medicine when the body falls ill. We work all our life to earn enough money to do the above and more for our body. Further, arrogant behavior, hatred, jealousy, and many other negative qualities flourish in relation to the body. We must contemplate carefully about the body, otherwise these realities could lead to an argument rather than to understanding.

Now, let us take a moment to think about how this body that we tend to so dearly repays us. We wash it in the night, let’s say, with perfumed soap and warm water and lay it on a very comfortable bed to sleep under a fan or air conditioning if it is hot or in a warm room if it is cold. Next morning when we wake up, how does the body look? There is mucus in the eyes. There are traces of saliva around the mouth. The hair has become knotted and messy. The breath smells awful. We would not meet even our family members without making the body presentable. Why does this happen? This happens because our body changes. It is impermanent; we cannot control the body as we want.

Moreover, what happens if we do not brush our teeth for two days? If we do not shower for three days? If we just let our body be without cleaning it? In three days can we stand our own odor? Why does this happen? Why do you think our underwear becomes dirtier than our other clothes? Because they rub against the body more. We wear clean clothes, but the body soils them. This is the foul nature of the body (asubha). In the noble Dhamma we can compare the body to a decorated pot, punctured with holes and filled with rotten meat. The fluids trickling from that rotten meat ooze through the holes incessantly.

Everyone can see how the body changes over a lifetime. We are all born as infants. We were all babies, then toddlers. We all lived out our childhoods and became adults. By the time we turn 50 or 60 years old, what happens to the body? The hair thins and becomes gray. The skin wrinkles and loses its color. Teeth fall out. Eyesight weakens and gradually fades away. Strength of the limbs slowly deserts us. Sicknesses take up residence in the body. Aches and pains, too. What is meant to happen has happened. The body has changed according to its nature. Its disagreeableness is now prominent, and we have become helpless. However, we do not see this truth. We instead look at photos and say, “Oh, this is me when I was a baby.” “This is me at my wedding.” “This is me with my grandson.” Until a Buddha appears in this world and expounds the noble Dhamma, no one realizes the true nature of the body. The ignorance in us is so strong that we are focused only on the decorations of the pot. And we wish to further beautify it.

If we can see the impermanent and foul nature of the body, our minds become calm and arrogance diminishes. For a simple example, while at a party, if we suddenly remember that we forgot to brush our teeth that morning, how do we feel? We check our breath, we become conscious of how we smile; our self-confidence diminishes. In the same way, if we realize the nature of our body by practicing the noble Dhamma we become humble. In the Sariputta Sīhanāda sutta, Arahant Sāriputta, second only to the Buddha in wisdom, proclaims his humility gained by fully realizing the nature of the body.

In order to penetrate ignorance regarding the body, one should contemplate in eleven different ways.

1.Anniccato – the body is impermanent. It changes. Why does it change? Because it is made up of the four great elements and things that are made up of the elements. And they are subjected to change.

2.Dukkhato – what is impermanent is suffering. We always couple happiness with permanence: “may we be friends forever,” etc. But by nature, the body is impermanent. Therefore, suffering is inevitable.

3.Rogato – the body is vulnerable to numerous illnesses. Once the Buddha said this body is a nest for diseases.

4. Gaṇḍato– the body is like an infected boil filled with pus which aches. In the same way the body aches. Just sitting or sleeping in one posture for too long can make the body ache. A boil is soft and spongy. And it feels good when rubbed gently with oil. Can you see the similarity?

5.Sallato – the body is like a spear stabbed deep into someone. The slightest movement give rise to agony. With age the spear penetrates deeper into the body.

6.Aghato – this body is a burden, a hardship. How much attention does it require? Can we stop attending to it, if we are tired? No, the body will become so nasty, and we will be forced to take care of it.

7.Ābādhato – ailments and sicknesses arise in this body. How we suffer when we get a toothache? An earache? A terminal illness? Not a single part of this body resists illnesses.

8.Parato – the body is alien to us, foreign. It belongs to the four great elements. It also belongs to the bacteria and worms inside it. Once dead, they consume this body.

9.Palokato – the body is like an eggshell. There is no part that cannot be crushed. Even our own body weight can crush a toe or a figure by accident.

10.Suññato the body is empty of an owner, void of a self. If we were the owners of our bodies, then we should be able to control it as we wish. We should be able to command it to reject the coronavirus, and it should oblige.

11.Anattato – the body is impermanent. Thus, it gives rise to suffering. What is impermanent and gives suffering is not “mine,” “I am” or “my self.” The body is devoid of a “self.”

In summary, even though we do not want to contract the coronavirus, our body is ready and willing to accept it. This invisible virus can destroy us once it enters into the body. The virus can accomplish that because the body is impermanent. Therefore, our fear of the virus is, in fact, a fear of the impermanent nature of the body. It is this impermanence that actually kills us. Thus, the body or the form which we regard highly and spend our entire life caring for and fighting for, is indeed an enemy in disguise. Without showing any gratitude for all the hard work we put in, the body never fails to show its true face—its nasty and disagreeable nature. This is the word of the Buddha. To understand the noble teachings, we need to investigate wisely through the noble Dhamma again and again.

Cittuppādampi kho ahaṃ, cunda, kusalesu dhammesu bahukāraṃ vadāmi, ko pana vādo kāyena vācāya anuvidhīyanāsu.

“Cunda, I say that even giving rise to the thought of developing the wholesome is very helpful, so what should be said of the benefit of doing wholesome acts by body and speech.”

MN 8 – Sallekha Sutta

Regardless of what 2021 may have in store for us, may we have the greatest fortune to see the reality of this body through the noble Dhamma!

By Prajapathi Jayawardena

Some groups do not like others to obtain a clear understanding of the Dhamma. It is possible to manipulate society freely as long as ignorance of the Dhamma prevails. In contrast, it is not easy to mislead those who have a good knowledge of the original words of the Buddha recorded in the Pāli Canon. This is the why obstacles are placed to hinder the acquisition of Dhamma knowledge.

This Is the Best Time 

We still have some ability to understand the true nature of life. Therefore, we should not fall victim to the unfortunate fate of being misled by others. We are fortunate to have been born as human beings as a result of our past meritorious deeds; now we possess intelligence and the ability to think well and distinguish between truth and falsehood. Let us develop that mental ability as much as possible. This is called wise consideration (yonisomanasikāra), thinking in line with Dhamma. It is essential in understanding the Dhamma. Wise consideration means directing one’s thinking for the purpose of realizing the Dhamma. The person who possesses this ability is like the tongue that is sensitive to the flavor of the food. 

The Immaculate Dhamma

One who has the ability to think wisely needs to hear the Buddha’s original discourses. These discourses contain clear words devoid of distorted meanings. When the meanings of words are distorted, the Dhamma becomes distorted as well. When the words in the Dhamma are not clearly interpreted, the Dhamma gets distorted. As a result, the distorted Dhamma leads to arguments and debates, instead of creating understanding.

The Buddha’s Dhamma contains clear instructions for realizing the Four Noble Truths in this very life. The noble truth of suffering must be realized. The noble truth of the origin of suffering must be eradicated. The noble truth of the cessation of suffering must be attained. The noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering must be developed. An understanding of these Four Noble Truths gives us right view. Right view does not occur spontaneously; two factors are needed to gain right view. One must get the opportunity to hear the Dhamma that describes the Four Noble Truths and one must develop wise consideration.

The Dhamma and Wise Consideration

After hearing the Dhamma, one must engage in wise consideration, thinking in line with the Dhamma. The Dhamma that one listens to must clearly explain the Four Noble Truths. 

We should rejoice over having the good fortune to study the Buddha’s Dhamma, in its original form, even after twenty-six centuries. We should study this sublime Dhamma with immense respect and confidence. The Dhamma has the power to transform human life and bring complete liberation. We should study the Dhamma until we retain it well in our mind.

We should not seek refuge in our own intelligence. We should beware of people who distort the path to Nibbāna by saying that seeking refuge in the Buddha means seeking refuge in one’s own intelligence. By saying this, they misinterpret the word of Buddha as their own knowledge. With this misunderstanding, one may reject the Buddha and disregard the guidance of the Blessed One. We should protect ourselves by listening only to the authentic Dhamma. Confidence arises when one studies the Dhamma with great respect and thinks: “Millions of people have achieved liberation through this noble Dhamma.” Then the desire arises to retain the Dhamma in one’s mind. When one tries to understand the Dhamma intelligently, it becomes clearer and clearer. 

Begin with Confidence

When one tries to understand the Dhamma intelligently, a very powerful confidence arises in one’s mind that the Buddha definitely achieved the exalted state of Enlightenment without anyone’s help. One also develops a great admiration for the sublime Dhamma. As a result, great respect and admiration arises in one’s mind for the disciples, the community of noble monks who have followed the Dhamma. 

The fortunate person who acquires confidence with proper understanding in this way then develops a desire to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Such a person is referred to in the Dhamma as the faith follower (saddhānusārī). The faith follower has faith foremost in his mind and rejects everything that is contrary to the Dhamma. He accepts only the authentic teachings of the Buddha. He gets established in Dhamma. His confidence is not mere blind faith. Blind faith has no place in the Dhamma taught by the Buddha. There is no room for truth within blind faith.

From Confidence to Wisdom

The confident disciple develops an investigative intellect through wise consideration, which is thinking in accordance with the Dhamma. He hears and learns about the sublime Dhamma containing the truth in the world—the Four Noble Truths. This disciple who directs his thinking for the purpose of understanding the Four Noble Truths is referred to as the Dhamma follower (dhammānusāri).

The Wise One Sees the Dhamma 

The Dhamma follower gradually practices serenity (samatha) and insight (vipassanā) meditation to develop his wisdom toward realization of the Four Noble Truths. He is following the noble path to attain the fruit of stream-entry. He is called the disciple on the path to stream-entry (sotāpatti phala saccikiriyāya paṭipanno).

Right View

The first component of the Noble Eightfold Path is right view. The Buddha stated that the arising of right view in one’s life is the dawning of understanding the truth of life. In the noble path, right view means knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. The disciple has knowledge that: 

There exists a noble truth of suffering that must be realized.

There exists a noble truth of the origin of suffering that must be eradicated.

There exists a noble truth of the cessation of suffering that must be attained.

There exists a noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering that must be developed. 

This is the disciple’s right view. With the arising of right view, self-view (sakkāyadiṭṭhi) is eliminated. Self-view is the deeply rooted view in the mind about the existence of a self over which one exercises control. All doubts about the Triple Gem (the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha) are eliminated. One abandons the mindset of wrongfully grasping behavior and observances. An unshakable confidence in the Triple Gem is established. The disciple with right view maintains virtue (sīla) with proper understanding. He becomes a disciple who is firmly established in the Noble Eightfold Path. The spiritual faculties of confidence (saddhā), effort (vīriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā) are established in his life.

The Buddha identified this disciple as the stream-enterer (sotāpanna), which means one who has entered the Noble Eightfold Path. From that point onward, the stream-enterer continually develops his mind until he realizes Nibbāna. He will never experience suffering again in the animal world, ghost world, asura world, or hell. Within seven lives at most, he will end his journey in the cycle of rebirth.

The Fortunate Disciple

The stream-enterer, who has firmly established his life in the path of the Buddha, is an extremely fortunate person. He is not a helpless, servile person who prays fearfully. He will not betray his faith and confidence for the sake of job, marriage, or livelihood. He will even risk his life to protect his confidence. The Buddha says the great earth will one day crumble to pieces and be destroyed and the great oceans will dry up, however, the confidence of the stream-enterer will not be shaken. His confidence is steadfast; it is immaculate, magnificent, and unflinching.

Please help and encourage everyone you know to acquire this noble confidence. Do not miss this precious opportunity in life.

An excerpt from the book “Dependent Origination” 

authored by Most Venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera

The Buddha said that, in his past lives as a Bodhisatta, he spoke the truth and abided by it, spoke reliable words, never lied, never deceived anyone, revealed things as they really were–he was a person who consistently spoke reliable words. Because of this reason when he became the Buddha, his disciples are aligned according to his will. i.e. they abide by the teachings of the Blessed One. What does this really mean? If we want our subordinates to follow our footsteps then we need to have a merit under our belt and that would be: “not to have lied in our past lives. And if we want to see others obey our orders then this is the merit to be practiced: refraining from telling lies and telling the truth. 

Further, the great sage said that in his past lives, he didn’t divide others, break relationships, or didn’t act in a way that would lead to quarrels. The Blessed One said that he didn’t use divisive speech. Instead of breaking relationships he used words that would reunite those who were divided; he spoke words that foster harmony. He put an end to quarrels among people and rejoiced with the united, delighted in creating concord. Because of this reason, when he attained Buddhahood, his disciples became strong, firm in faith, and united; they march forward helping each other. Remarkable it is, even nowadays, the secret behind us being united as followers of Lord Buddha lies in the fact that our great teacher, the Supreme Buddha, practiced the quality of refraining from divisive speech. 

The Buddha said that during his long journey in saṃsāra as a Bodhisatta, he didn’t scold people, didn’t use words that would lead to a fight, didn’t use words that hurt others, didn’t agitate others and didn’t pressure them. Instead of harsh speech he spoke pleasant, soft and kind words when addressing people. Because of this kamma that he performed he received a beautiful voice just as the voice of Brahmā; and not only that but, as a Buddha his word becomes well-received by many people. 

The fourth quality that the Buddha had practiced is refraining from idle chatter. His way of speaking was never loose. He avoided all unbeneficial words and instead spoke words useful to many. Because of this particular merit that he did it is said in the Lakkhaṇa Sutta that he cannot be defeated by any ascetic or brahmin, deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone in the world. This means the Lord Buddha stands imperturbable, victorious–just like the leader of gods. Especially on Poya days lay-followers should avoid subjects of idle chatter, namely: talk about rulers, thieves, ministers of parliament, armed forces, dangers, wars, food, drink, clothing, beds and chairs, flowers and garlands, perfumes, relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, countries, women, men, heroes, streets, rambling chitchat, departed ones, the world, the sea, and idle chatter that continues thus: ” Do you know? This is how it happened and this is how it didn’t happen.”

In the Cunda Sutta (Aṅguttara Nikāya, Book of Tens) the Buddha defines four unwholesome kinds of speech. These definitions help us better understand them and practice to correct our speech. 

“Here, someone speaks falsehood. If he is summoned to a council, to an assembly, to his relatives’ presence, to his guild, or to the court, and questioned as a witness thus: ‘So, good man, tell what you know,’ then, not knowing, he says, ‘I know,’ or knowing, he says, ‘I do not know’; not seeing, he says, ‘I see,’ or seeing, he says, ‘I do not see.’ Thus he consciously speaks falsehood for his own ends, or for another’s ends, or for some trifling worldly end.

“He speaks divisively. Having heard something here, he repeats it elsewhere in order to divide [those people] from these; or having heard something elsewhere, he repeats it to these people in order to divide [them] from those. Thus he is one who divides those who are united, a creator of divisions, one who enjoys factions, rejoices in factions, delights in factions, a speaker of words that create factions. He speaks harsh words. If a word can be called harsh, coarse, thorn-like, flames anger and destroys the peace of the mind, he speaks such words.

“He speaks harshly. He utters such words as are rough, hard, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger, unconducive to concentration.

“He indulges in idle chatter. He speaks at an improper time, speaks falsely, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks contrary to the Dhamma and the discipline; at an improper time he speaks such words as are worthless, unreasonable, rambling, and unbeneficial.”

The four wholesome kinds of speech are defined in the same sutta as follows.

“Here, someone, having abandoned false speech, abstains from false speech. If he is summoned to a council, to an assembly, to his relatives’ presence, to his guild, or to the court, and questioned as a witness thus: ‘So, good man, tell what you know,’ then, not knowing, he says, ‘I do not know,’ or knowing, he says, ‘I know’; not seeing, he says, ‘I do not see,’ or seeing, he says, ‘I see.’ Thus he does not consciously speak falsehood for his own ends, or for another’s ends, or for some trifling worldly end.

 “Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech. Having heard something here, he does not repeat it elsewhere in order to divide [those people] from these; or having heard something elsewhere, he does not repeat it to these people in order to divide [them] from those. Thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of unity, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord.

“Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. He speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and lovable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many. 

“Having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks at a proper time, speaks truth, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and the discipline; at a proper time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.”

There is another noteworthy point in the Lakkhaṇa Sutta: each time when describing his previous meritorious deeds the Buddha said that by performing merit he was born in heaven. There are false beliefs that have been spreading here in Sri Lanka for a long time: that is, (1) when we do merit saṃsāra becomes prolonged; (2) we should be born again as humans to do merit, and (3) a rebirth in heaven is not prudent. But, please do ask yourself this question: “Would he, the Bodhisatta, who traveled in the long journey of saṃsāra doing meritorious deeds, longing to shorten saṃsāra, intentionally lengthen his journey by doing merit?” Of course not! The Buddha said in the Metta Sutta of the Aṅguttara Nikāya: ‘‘Mā, bhikkhave, puññānaṃ bhāyittha.” Monks, do not be afraid of merit. “Sukhassetaṃ, bhikkhave, adhivacanaṃ yadidaṃ puññānaṃ.” Merit is another word for happiness. 

By refraining from the four types of unwholesome speech described above, and by practicing their opposites instead, i.e. the four kinds of wholesome speech, we are able to collect merit conducive to happiness here and now and happiness in the next life. Nibbana is of course the foremost happiness one can achieve, our final aim in practicing the Buddha’s teachings, and it is to that which we should aspire when doing meritorious deeds.

By a Venerable Thero of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery 

“Bhikkhus, these two bright qualities protect the world. What two? Moral shame and moral dread.”

AN 2.9 – Cariya Sutta

We should have faith in the Buddha’s Enlightenment in order to accept his teachings on the wholesome and unwholesome. If we accept his teachings and gain an understanding of the benefits of cultivating the wholesome, and the dangers involved in engaging in unwholesome actions, bit by bit two qualities develop in us: moral shame (hiri) and moral dread (ottappa).

What Is Moral Shame and Moral Dread?

The Buddha defines moral shame and moral dread, two of the five powers of a trainee (sekha bala), thus:

“And what is the power of moral shame? Here, a noble disciple has a sense of moral shame; he is ashamed of bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct; he is ashamed of acquiring evil, unwholesome qualities. This is called the power of moral shame.

“And what is the power of moral dread? Here, a noble disciple dreads wrongdoing; he dreads bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct; he dreads acquiring evil, unwholesome qualities. This is called the power of moral dread.”

AN 5.2 – Vitthata Sutta

Directed Inward and Outward

Now, though these two qualities are similar, as we can see from the Buddha’s definitions, they are in fact different. The difference lies in their emphasis. Moral shame as a good quality is directed internally, whereas moral dread is directed outwardly. We may understand moral shame as a sense of conscience, or self-esteem, which, upon reflecting on unwholesome actions, considers them unworthy for oneself—“If I were to act in such a way, I would be ashamed of my conduct.” Moral dread, on the other hand, is directed outwardly toward society. When one “dreads bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct,” one is afraid of their dangerous consequences. For example, for a disciple with moral dread established, he/she fears breaking any of the five precepts since, if others found out about one’s misconduct—one’s parents, teachers, friends, peers, spiritual teachers—one would lose face, and perhaps receive punishment for one’s misbehavior. Further, we can also understand moral dread to encompass a reflective understanding of the kammic dangers involved in engaging in unwholesome deeds, for their results (vipāka) bring rebirth in the lower realms and extended periods of suffering.

Guilt and Remorse Are Unwholesome

Moreover, it is prudent to emphasize that moral shame and moral dread are not feelings of guilt or remorse. Guilt and remorse are unwholesome; remorse is one of the five hindrances that block progress in meditation. If for some reason one engages in misconduct—say, out of heedlessness, strong emotions, or a lapse of mindfulness—one should not cultivate feelings of guilt or remorse, but rather endeavor to refrain from such actions in the future. Since the action has already been done, it is in the past now, finished. We need not revive the past by brooding over our previous misdeeds; rather, we should make an effort to purify our actions in the present. To do so, we must cultivate a sense of moral shame and moral dread.

In this way, moral shame and moral dread help us to develop virtue (sīla). To purify our bodily, verbal, and mental actions, we should first establish ourselves in these two internal qualities. If we do not first establish ourselves in these qualities, it will be difficult to properly develop virtue. Why? Because we lack the supporting internal conditions.

Domino Effect

We cannot develop virtue simply out of an act of will; we cannot make the determination: “May I become virtuous!” and develop virtuous behavior through that alone. Rather, we must create the necessary causes in our lives in order to become virtuous. The Buddha, with his all-encompassing wisdom, understood in their entirety the factors involved in developing the mind; and he further understood how these factors influence each other in succession to bring about a domino effect, a concatenation of wholesome qualities with one factor serving as the supporting condition for the arising of the second, the second serving as a supporting condition for the third, etc. In the Aṅguttara Nikāya, we come across a discourse wherein the Buddha explains how the qualities of moral shame and moral dread shape a disciple’s development of the path not just in terms of virtue, but all the way up to liberation, the realization of Nibbāna.

“Monks, (1) when there is no sense of moral shame and moral dread, for one deficient in a sense of moral shame and moral dread, (2) restraint of the sense faculties lacks its proximate cause. When there is no restraint of the sense faculties, for one deficient in restraint of the sense faculties, (3) virtuous behavior lacks its proximate cause. When there is no virtuous behavior, for one deficient in virtuous behavior, (4) right concentration lacks its proximate cause. When there is no right concentration, for one deficient in right concentration, (5) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are lacks its proximate cause. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one deficient in the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, (6) disenchantment and dispassion lack their proximate cause. When there is no disenchantment and dispassion, for one deficient in disenchantment and dispassion, (7) the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.”

Simile of the Tree

The Buddha then proceeds to illustrate this conditioning process with a simile drawn from his surroundings, the forests of ancient India wherein he most often dwelled:

“Suppose there is a tree deficient in branches and foliage. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness; also its bark, softwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness. So too, when there is no sense of moral shame and moral dread, for one deficient in a sense of moral shame and moral dread, restraint of the sense faculties lacks its proximate cause. When there is no restraint of the sense faculties . . . the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.”

AN 7.65 – Hirīottappa Sutta

For a tree to grow properly and fully, it must have enough branches and leaves. Without a certain number of branches and leaves, the tree is unable to reach its full potential in growth. But when a tree has enough branches and leaves, it can grow to its full potential. In the same way, we must base ourselves in moral shame and moral dread in order to fully grow as disciples of the Buddha. The opposites of these qualities—moral shamelessness and moral recklessness—we should make every effort to abandon.

Two Qualities of Utmost Necessity in Developing the Noble Path

The Buddha further describes how essential these qualities are to abandon the unwholesome and develop the wholesome:

“There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as a sense of moral shame is securely settled in [cultivating] wholesome qualities. But when a sense of moral shame has disappeared and moral shamelessness obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome. “There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as moral dread is securely settled in [cultivating] wholesome qualities. But when moral dread has disappeared and lack of moral dread obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.”

AN 5.6 – Samāpatti Sutta

Thus, in order to cultivate wholesome actions, which yield merit and assist us in practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, we should make a concerted effort to establish ourselves in two qualities: moral shame and moral dread. If we are able to do so, surely we will reap the benefits of this Gotama Buddha’s Dispensation.

By a Venerable Thero of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence (ponobhavikā), having the nature of adhering with desire (nandirāgasahagatā), delighting in each and every birth (tatra tatrābhinandini), namely:

• Craving for sensual pleasures (craving for forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and tangibles)
• Craving for existence (believing one’s life to be “me, mine, and my self” and craving for a continued existence of a self)
• Craving for non-existence (the deep-rooted craving for this mind, body, and everything else not to exist. When this craving becomes prominent, it causes rebirth in the formless realms and the impercipient realm)

SN 56.11 – Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta)

The Ignorant Fail to See the Influence of Craving

The Buddha, who eradicated craving, emphatically stated that these three types of craving must be eradicated in order to achieve complete peace in life. At first glance, a person who lives an ordinary life will not see that these three forms of craving exist within him. Rarely does one realize that one is caught up in the fast-acting nature of craving.

This is because many people do not get an opportunity in their lives to listen to the true Dhamma that requires deep study and investigation. One who is naturally inclined toward gratification lives with the constant fear of losing that gratification of the senses. A life afflicted by ignorance and shrouded by self-view is not easily directed toward realization. Yet, if someone directs his wisdom in line with the Buddha’s teachings, he alone will succeed in developing the Noble Eightfold Path to fully realize the Four Noble Truths, and thereby gain ultimate peace in life.

Unique and Unsurpassed Wisdom of the Buddha

Generally, for most people, just the thought of getting rid of craving scares them. But if someone saw the nature of craving, the suffering caused due to craving, how craving conditions clinging, how clinging conditions the arranging of kamma to bear fruit, and how the arranging of kamma to bear fruit causes birth, propelling beings headlong into the misery of saṃsāra—the endless cycle of birth and death—such a person would never relish the continued existence of craving.

One day, a certain deva came to the Buddha and asked: “Who created beings?”

The Blessed One provided a precise answer, saying: “Craving created beings.”

The Buddha did not give these answers based on knowledge heard and learned from someone else. When Buddha achieved enlightenment there arose within the Buddha the vision and knowledge of Dhamma, unheard of before in his life, which is why the Buddha’s knowledge is declared pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu. It is with this exceptional realization Buddha described craving in the following manner.

What Is Craving?

Monks, what is craving? Monks, craving arises in six ways: there arises craving for forms, there arises craving for sounds, there arises craving for odors, there arises craving for flavors, there arises craving for tangibles, there arises craving for mental phenomena. This, monks, is called craving.

SN 12.2 – Analysis of Dependent Origination
(Vibhaṅga Sutta)

Once the Buddha was asked:

What is the arrow that has pierced deep into this life?

The Buddha’s reply was very clear:

Craving is the arrow that has pierced deep into this life.

SN 1.66 – Afflicted (Attahata Sutta)

We Suffer Because of the Things We Love and Desire

In our pursuit of happiness in life we are hell-bent on amassing things we love and desire both animate and inanimate, but Buddha clearly pointed out these in fact are the very things that cause us suffering.

Monks, devas and humans dwell in forms, they are attached to forms, they delight in forms. With the change of forms, having to let go and eliminate the desire for forms, devas and humans dwell in suffering. Monks, devas and humans dwell in sounds… dwell in odors… dwell in flavors… dwell in tangibles… Monks, devas and humans dwell in mental phenomena, they are attached to mental phenomena, they delight in mental phenomena. With the change of mental phenomena, having to let go and eliminate the desire for mental phenomena, devas and humans dwell in suffering.

SN 35.136 – Delight in Forms (Gayha Sutta)

Only the individual who has the ability to understand life deeply will succeed in understanding that beings suffer due to craving. Desire can lead one’s whole life toward utter ruin and immense suffering.

Worldly life is based on desire. Therefore, farsighted thinking is not present in ordinary life. The Buddha understood how beings of the world imprisoned within narrow thinking patterns face various hardships, conflicts, quarrels, and even loss of life—all of which arise because of craving.

The Chain Reaction That Triggers Chaos

From the following excerpt of a discourse by the Buddha it is crystal clear that all the turmoil that exist in the world has craving as its root cause.

Thus, Ānanda, because of feeling craving arises; because of craving there is seeking; because of seeking there is gain; because of gain there is arriving at a decision about what was gained; because of arriving at a decision there is attaching with desire; because of attaching with desire there is the mind’s immersion in what was gained, with the thought: “It is mine;” because of the mind’s immersion in what was gained, with the thought: “It is mine,” there is the arising of the sense of ownership in the mind; because of the arising of the sense of ownership in the mind there arises stinginess; because of stinginess there is safeguarding what was gained; because of the struggle to safeguard what was gained, various evil unwholesome phenomena originate—the taking up of clubs and weapons, conflicts, antagonism and quarrels, puerile scolding, divisive speech, and lying.

DN 15 – The Great Discourse on Causation
(Mahānidāna Sutta)

It is when we study these discourses of the Buddha that we can understand at least to some extent the seriousness of craving. Craving exists like a cancer that has metastasized in all directions. Because of his amazing realization, the Buddha was able to discover how sorrow and suffering originate due to craving.

The Buddha clearly stated that it is craving that creates the beings (taṇhā janeti purisaṃ) of the world; it is craving that raises the beings of the world to suffering, and it is craving that drags the beings of the world from one existence to another.

The Fundamental Cause of Suffering

In this way, craving is the main cause of both present and future conflict, unrest, corruption, deceit, crimes, violence, and terrorism in the world.

For the first time in the history of humankind, the Buddha discovered the source of all the problems in life, through what was truly the greatest scientific research, but which did not involve the use of any external physical equipment but by purifying and developing his mind through the Noble Eightfold Path. There is no place within this discovery for a theory of creation by a god, a theory of a permanent self, or materialism.

There is no creator god in the world capable of challenging the amazing wisdom of the Buddha. He precisely and practically identified craving as the fundamental cause of suffering and ever so compassionately showed us the Noble Path to eradicate craving once and forever.

By a Venerable Thero of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

Ordinary beings beg for life when faced with death. They become utterly helpless. The Buddha described aging and death as follows:

Monks, what is known as aging? The aging of the various beings in the various realms of beings, their growing old, loss of teeth, graying of hair, wrinkling of skin, diminishing of lifespan, maturation of the faculties. This, monks, is called aging.

Monks, what is known as death? The passing away of the various beings from the various realms of beings, their perishing, breakup, disappearance, mortality, death, completion of time, the breakup of the aggregates, abandonment of the body, severance of the life faculty: this is called death. Thus, this aging and this death are together called aging-and-death.

SN 12.2 – Analysis of Dependent Origination
(Vibhaṅga Sutta)

      All of us are living a life that will end in death. Therefore, we should understand this life. If we constantly live our lives revolving around the concept of “mine,” “my self,” and “I am,” we are destined to continue existing in this endless cycle of births and continue to experience the suffering of death. The Buddha’s teachings are clear in the following verse:

Though a person conceives: “I am,” “mine,”
the same he abandons at death.
The wise, being well aware of this,
never do they get attached, saying, “I am,” and “mine.”

Sn 806 – Old Age (Jarā Sutta)

Death becomes a critical, woeful, and terrifying experience for those who live immoral lives. However much one tries to hide or run away, there is no escape from death. At times, we face situations when life becomes unbearable. At such times, we think death would be a solution to end suffering. But when we are faced with death, we wish to be able to live at least a moment longer. We live here for a very brief period of time. Our life exists hand-in-hand with death. We can understand this only when we wisely consider the instructions of the Buddha.

Is it a falsehood to speak of the sorrow and despair that people face due to aging-and-death? All living beings inherit the reality of aging-and-death when they are born. This is certainly a sad fate. All those who fail to understand the reality of aging-and-death become utterly helpless. Those who believe in a powerful creator god pray for deliverance from aging-and-death. Others believe that aging-and-death occurs due to the influence of planetary movements. As a result, they make offerings and sacrifices in the hope of nullifying these supposed astrological effects and warding off aging-and-death. Others believe aging-and-death are natural occurrences. They claim that nature should be allowed to run its course without any intervention. Still others believe karma to be the sole cause of aging-and-death and that there is no possibility of countering the effects of karma.

Aging-and-death cannot be prevented through material comforts and conveniences, such as vehicles, health food and drinks, vitamins, and the medicine of our so-called advanced scientific world. There is no artificial method of avoiding aging-and-death. We have no choice but to face this reality of life. The Buddha had a very clear understanding of this reality.

Short, indeed, is this life;
most die before a hundred years.
Barely does one live longer—
having aged and suffered, one dies.

Sn 804 – Old Age (Jarā Sutta)

Creationist religions avoid discussing the reality of life by teaching that only human beings are subject to aging-and-death and gods are immune to it. Only those who have faith in the god are supposed to be reborn in heaven and become immune to aging-and-death themselves. Those who hold these beliefs do not have the wisdom to understand that death inevitably exists wherever there is birth. The Buddha states that even a god with a lifespan of an eon is subject to aging from the moment of birth. Therefore, aging-and-death is a universal reality that befalls all living beings.

On one occasion, Sakka, lord of the devas, came to meet the Buddha and listened to the sublime Dhamma taught with great compassion. At the end of the discourse, the god Sakka became a stream-enterer. By that time, the god Sakka’s lifespan was almost over. He passed away in the presence of the Buddha and was immediately reborn again as Sakka by spontaneous rebirth. By becoming a stream-enterer he achieved the protection and comfort of not being reborn in a bad destination. God Sakka was delighted with his fortunate rebirth and uttered the following stanza to the Buddha:

While staying right here, remaining in the godly form, my expended lifespan was once again renewed. Great sage, may you know it thus!

DN 21 – The Discourse on Sakka’s Questions
(Sakkapañha Sutta)

We should wisely understand aging-and-death exactly as the Buddha explained it. One who does not have such an understanding get upset and alarmed at the mention of aging-and-death. He insults the sublime Dhamma saying: “Oh, Buddhism only talks about suffering. Why doesn’t it talk about happiness?” That person does not have the ability to investigate wisely and understand the truth about life.

However, the Buddha did not teach that suffering is something to weep about. It would be extremely unfair to say, “Life is suffering. There is nothing we can do about it. So, just endure the suffering.” Such a statement should be rejected.

Some political movements deceive the public by talking about suffering. They lament greatly in political forums that people are suffering immensely due to hunger. Politicians deceive the public with insincere words saying: “People are living in great misery due to the lack of food, housing, jobs, and good earnings. We will eliminate all these problems and create a wonderful world with abundant joy when we come to power.” In this manner, politicians exploit the public by talking about suffering. The vulnerable public is deceived by their crocodile tears.

Some people do not have the intelligence to realize that they have been exploited for a long time by unscrupulous politicians who use the topic of suffering deceptively. Such people say Buddhism only talks about suffering. By making such statements, they insult the Dhamma that teaches the truth about suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the clear path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Their behavior shows that they do not have even the slightest knowledge of what the Buddha taught. However, an intelligent person with a genuine desire to understand the truth will realize that only the Buddha’s Dhamma paves the way to realizing the truth. The Buddha teaches a universal truth, a timeless truth. This truth is a very delightful thing. An honest person finds the truth pleasing and falsehood repulsive. A dishonest person is averse to accepting the truth; he finds the truth bitter. The purest and most delightful truth is contained in the Four Noble Truths. It is an ever-relevant teaching that can be understood even today and one we should all strive to understand.

By a Venerable Thero of Mahmevnawa Buddhist Monastery