Font chữ: + A   + A   + A   + A  

Thus has it been told to me:
Once, the Lord Buddha was staying in Rajagaha at the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then the Layman Visakha approached the nun Dhammadinna, made obeisance to her, sat to a side, and addressed her with these words:
"Venerable Lady, people often speak of "self," discussing the various aspects of "self" and debate about the nature of "self." On this subject, what did the Buddha say?"
"Visakha, my friend, in regards to "the self" the Buddha speaks of five components constituting attachment. Of these, there is the Component of attachment in regards to Matter, in regards to Perceptions, in regards to Determinations, in regards to Feelings, and in regards to consciousness. These five things are the Buddha’s teaching on "The Self""
The Layman Visakha, having agreed with the words of the Nun Dhammadinna presented a new question to her, with these words:
"Venerable Lady, people also engage in heated discussions concerning the arising of self, wondering ‘what brings on self?’ ‘what is the cause of self?’ etc. – How does the Buddha answer this question concerning the origin of "the self?""
"Visakha, my friend, the Buddha says that longing, desires, craving, yearning cause us to take a place in this world—that these passions lead to attachment and greedy thoughts: greed for sensual pleasures, greed for the worldly life, and greed for the holy life. That is the Buddha’s teaching with regards to the origin of self."
Again the Layman proposed a question to the Nun, saying:
"Venerable Lady, people argue about how to achieve an end to self—it is common for people to ask, ‘what is the cessation of self?’ ‘How does one reach this cessation, this end of self?’ – with regards, then, to this matter, what does the Buddha say?"
"Visakha, my friend, in regards to "the end of self" the Buddha speaks of removing the five components constituting attachment that I mentioned before. Again, these consist of the Component of attachment in regards to Matter, in regards to Perceptions, in regards to Determinations, in regards to Feelings, and in regards to consciousness. The removal of these five things, the removal of craving for sensual pleasures, attachment for them, and the removal for the desire of both the worldly life and the holy life is the Buddha’s teaching on "Ending Self."
"Venerable Lady, what then is the path that leads to this end of self? People often discuss theories about a path that takes a person to an end of Self. What does the Buddha have to say with regards to this?"
"Visakha, my friend, the Buddha has stated that this path leading to the end of self is none other than the Noble Eightfold Path. What is this eight faceted path? The first facet, Visakha, is Correct View: where a man discards false views and accepts correct views in accord to what he deems the most logical. The second facet, Visakha, is Correct Thought: where a man discards malicious and idle thoughts and replaces them with healthy, wholesome meaningful and profound thoughts. The third facet, Visakha, is Correct Speech: where a man shuns the use of harsh language, such as unfounded scolding, scolding without grounds to scold: shuns the use of idle and worthless language such as gossip, shuns the use of false language, such as telling lies and embraces the use of kind language, such as bestowing compliments where even the smallest compliment is due, such as circulating truths that do not cause friction, such as enlightening conversation. The fourth facet, Visakha, is Correct Action: where a man shies from brawling and fighting, shies from disrespect, shies from unbeneficial practices and instead embraces meaningful practices, embraces peaceful means, and embraces respect. The Fifth Facet, Visakha, is Correct Livelihood: where a man does not engage in making his living through harm, such as by becoming a butcher, a soldier or general for a warmonger, a thief, a gambler or one who owns a casino, a pimp for sensual or for ideological things, or a barkeep, or a dealer for addictive or controlled substances to people who are not in need of them; instead, he embraces healthy, constructive positions, such as a doctor, a fire fighter, an honest merchant, a guard for an honest merchant, a soldier for a peaceful man, a monk or nun, a keeper of good laws, or the leader of men. The Sixth Facet, Visakha, is Correct Effort: where a man does not lean towards war, does not lean towards evil plots, does not lean toward un-gainful practices, but instead leans towards peace, leans towards plots of a healthy nature, leans towards practices that cultivate enlightenment and mindfulness. The Seventh Facet, Visakha, is Correct Mindfulness: where a man does not dwell on either the set-in-stone past, nor the non-existent future, but instead plans wisely for upcoming events, and remains ever mindful of the present moment, and of the holy Dhamma. The Final Facet, Visakha, is Right Concentration: where a man, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities enters and remains in the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains into rapture and pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness, free from directed thought and evaluation having internal assurance. With the fading of rapture he remains in equanimity, mindful, and fully alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters and remains equanimous and ever mindful with a pleasant abiding. With the abandoning, the forfeit of pleasure and pain; as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress; he enters and remains in the purity of equanimity, mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain."
Visakha then asked a question that occurred to him from what the Venerable Dhammadinna had stated. He said:
"My Lady, is there any other attachment to be found outside of the five components you had mentioned before? Is there any "grasping to" apart from this?"
"My friend Visakha, there is no other attachment to be found outside of those five components; the greed for them is the one, the singular fetter."
"My Lady, how then, does this tainted ‘self’ view come about?"
"My friend Visakha, here the average man, not wise, unlearned, inexperienced, he who has not encountered the wise and noble ones and the other great beings, who is not keen to their Dhamma, who is not trained in the Dhamma, contemplates and is engulfed in matters concerning the "self," in emotions, lost in thoughts that bear no fruit, false perceptions about that which he considers himself to be. This is the manner in which the thought "self" comes to exist in men."
"Well spoken, Noble Lady, but how then does one squash the arising of the thought "self" – how does one remove this fetter, this ball and chain?"
"My friend Visakha, suppose a man becomes a disciple of the noble ones and the other great beings, becomes keen to the Dhamma, or knows the Dhamma, becomes well trained in the Dhamma, he becomes learned and wise: as an instinct, these engulfing thoughts of emotions, of "self," of false perceptions are settled: like one who stops stirring a pot of water – he does not need to do anything but cease stirring, the water stops of itself.
"What again, Venerable Lady, is the Noble Path?"
"As I said before, my friend Visakha, the path to ending thoughts of self is eight faceted; consisting of Correct View, Correct Thought, Correct Speech, Correct Action, Correct Livelihood, Correct Effort, Correct Mindfulness, and Correct Concentration."
"Venerable Lady, does this path exist of itself, or is it a means, created in the mind to serve the mind?"
"Visakha, my friend, this path is but a means, created in the mind to serve the mind. Lo, but this doesn’t add fault to them in any case; for in any era, in any place, this noble eightfold path would still function correctly—it is a truth that is universal."
"Venerable Lady, there are three noble aggregates, that of virtue, that of attentiveness, and that of judgment. Are these to be found within the Eight Faceted Path, or is the Eight Faceted Path spawned of them?"
"My friend Visakha, the Noble Eight Faceted Path is a generation, a creation of the three aggregates you mentioned—the three aggregates are the base of the path. How so? Correct Speech, Correct Action, and Correct Livelihood are spawned from the aggregate of virtue. Speaking correctly, in an honest fashion with noble aims is a virtue. Acting correctly, in a noble fashion with noble aims, doing what needs to be done and helping others, is a virtue. Living correctly, doing no harm, creating value in society is also a virtue. Correct Effort, Correct Mindfulness, and Correct Concentration are spawned from the aggregate of attentiveness. Exerting yourself correctly, always striving for good means and good ends is attentiveness. Being ever mindful of the present moment is attentiveness. Concentrating on the things worthy of concentration is also attentiveness. Correct Views and Correct thoughts go to the aggregate of judgment. Holding views that are true and not false, and not possessing malicious thoughts are both in the aggregate of judgment."
"Venerable Lady, further define attentiveness in this manner for me: what are the signs that attentiveness is present, what are the properties of attentiveness, and how is it developed?"
"My Friend Visakha, attentiveness is defined by single-focused, one pointed-ness of mind. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the signs of attentiveness; they are the Contemplation of the Body; knowing how to breath, knowing the repulsiveness of the body, reflecting on material elements, and knowing the valuable postures—The Contemplation of the Feelings; knowing to focus on feelings, embrace them, accept them, and to let them pass without chagrin or joy—The Contemplation of the Consciousness; knowing to focus on mental states and emotions in the same manner— And The Contemplation of the Dhammas [*]; knowing to contemplate the hindrances in like manner, and to contemplate the noble aspects of the teaching in like manner. The Four Correct Exertions are the properties of Attentiveness; they are—exertion for the sake of guarding the mind against dormant foul qualities— exertion for the sake of the abandoning of arisen, non-dormant foul qualities— exertion for the sake of the cultivation of dormant noble qualities— and exertion for the upkeep and harvest of arisen, non-dormant noble qualities. As to the development of Attentiveness, you must put into practice all of the aforementioned things.
[*] Usually translated as "Mental Objects", this is, however, not very accurate. See "The Four Foundations of Mindfulness" by the Venerable U Sílā nanda, pp. 95
"Excellent, Venerable Lady, but what then is determination?
"My Friend Visakha, there are three aspects to determination. There is determination with regards to the Body, with regards to Speech, and with regards to the Mind."
"Venerable Lady, please define these three aspects for me."
"My friend Visakha, the determination of the Body’s value is breathing. The in and the out of breaths. An unenlightened one breathes, but is not aware of it, but a noble one sees the breath and recognizes it’s true value; watching the breath, using the breath to cultivate calm, peaceful intentions. Breathing without thought creates no benefit, but breathing and observing each in and out of the breath as a breath cultivates value. The determination of speeches value is our thoughts and our ponderings. Whenever we have a thought, it has potential to become words. An unenlightened one turns his thoughts to words without giving it a second notice, but a noble one recognizes that thoughts are the factor determining speeches value. If a harsh word is spoke to a friend with the thought, "I must correct my friend, or my friend will harm himself" then the thought created value in the speech – but if a harsh word is spoke to a friend with the thought, "He is an annoyance, he pesters me" then the thought created demerit in the speech. The determination of the Mind’s value is even more subtle than that, for it is our feelings and our perceptions. An unenlightened man perceives a river and sees a tepid and boring thing, something to be ignored, but a noble one can look at that same river and see it for what it truly is, water that flows and brings benefit to all who live by it. An unenlightened man can pick up a smooth stone and think nothing of it, but a noble one would take in the stone exactly as it is, recognizing it’s true nature.
"Venerable Lady, how do we achieve the end of false perceptions?"
"Visakha, my friend, never once should it occur to the man; "I am going to achieve the end of false perceptions" or "At this moment I am attaining the end of false perceptions" or even "I have attained to the end of false perceptions" – his mind should be developed and led to that point, and he should never have to think in those linear terms."
"Venerable Lady, of a man who has attained to the end of false perceptions, which is the first to cease? Which is the second to cease? Which is the last to cease?"
"Visakha, my friend, the first to cease are the valueless determinations of the body. The second to cease are the valueless determinations of speech. The third to cease are the valueless determinations of the mind."
"Venerable Lady, how does one rise above false perceptions and feelings?"
"Visakha, my friend, it will never occur to the man, "I am about to rise above false perceptions and feelings" – or "I am rising above false perceptions and feelings" – or "I have risen above false perceptions and false feelings." His mind has developed in such a way that he is led gently to this end, and he never had a specific train of ideas concerning his attainments."
"What does a man, rising above these false perceptions and feelings, use first to gain this end? Valuable determinations of the body, valuable determinations of speech, or valuable determinations of the mind?"
"Visakha, my friend, he uses first valuable mental determinations, then valuable bodily determinations, and finally, valuable determinations of speech."
"Venerable Lady, what signs become apparent when the man is rising above false perceptions and feelings?"
"There are three signs, Visakha, the sign of understanding emptiness, the sign of understanding that this is no-sign, and the sign of understanding non-settlement, non-permanence; that there is no permanent foundation. His mind leans away from false perceptions and feelings, and goes toward quiet feelings, that are conducive to attainment."
"Venerable Lady, what are the classes of feelings?"
"Visakha, my friend, there are three classes of feelings: those falling under pleasant, good, and warm, those falling under painful, evil, and cold, and those falling under neutral, dispassionate, and tepid."
"Venerable Lady, what are the feelings falling under pleasant, good, and warm? What are the feelings falling under painful, evil, and cold? What are the feelings falling under neutral, dispassionate, and tepid?
"Visakha, my friend, any feeling that a man finds to bring comfort, any feeling that a man thinks to his liking, and any feeling that a man savors falls under pleasant, good, and warm. Any feeling that a man finds to bring agony, and feeling that a man finds not to his liking, and any feeling that a man loathes falls under painful, evil and cold. Any feeling that a man cannot bring himself to care about, any feeling that a man finds to arise boredom, and any feeling that does not stir any emotion at all in a man falls under neutral, dispassionate, insipid and tepid.
"Venerable Lady, in pleasant feelings, what is good and what is bad? In unpleasant feelings, what is bad, and what is good? In tepid, insipid feelings, what is good, and what is bad?"
"Visakha, my friend, in the pleasant feelings, it’s presence is considered good, it’s removal is considered bad. In unpleasant feelings, it is exactly the opposite, it’s presence being considered bad, it’s removal being considered good. In insipid, tepid feelings, knowledge is wonderful, to be embraced: it brings realizations; while boredom in insipid, tepid feelings is to be shunned, it causes restlessness, and that leads to re-entering the cycle of pleasant and unpleasant.
"Venerable Lady, what dormant, hidden feelings are to be found in pleasant, unpleasant, and insipid, tepid feelings?"
"Visakha, my friend, pleasant feelings can uncover greedy tendencies, slothful tendencies; attachment, clinging, grasping; tendencies that are not conducive to enlightenment. Unpleasant feelings can uncover fearful tendencies, the tendency to hide, aversion; attachment, clinging, grasping; and tendencies that are not conducive to enlightenment. Insipid, tepid feelings can uncover delusions and misguided tendencies; attachment, clinging, grasping; tendencies that are not conducive to enlightenment.
"Venerable Lady, must greedy and slothful tendencies, attachment, clinging and grasping always be the result of pleasant feelings? Must aversion and fear; attachment, clinging, and grasping tendencies always be the result of unpleasant feelings? Must delusion always be the result of insipid, tepid feelings?"
"Nay, friend Visakha, nay. These three categories of feelings do not have to produce these results. By discarding what needs to be discarded, eliminating what needs to be eliminated, destroying what needs to be destroyed, these tendencies do not have to be the result of the three categories of feelings."
"Venerable Lady, pray tell me what it is that must be dispelled from pleasant feelings, unpleasant feelings, and from insipid, tepid feelings."
"Why, Visakha, greedy, slothful tendencies, attachment, clinging and grasping are, of course, what one discards and destroys from pleasant feelings. Fear and aversion, attachment, clinging, and grasping are, naturally, what one discards and destroys from unpleasant feelings, and delusions, ignorance, attachment, clinging and grasping are what one does away with from insipid, tepid feelings."
"So then, Venerable Lady, greed, aversion, and delusions must, in every possible condition of things be dispelled from the three categories of feelings? Forced out of the heart like a con-man banished from the realm? Defeated like a fighter in the arena?"
"Nay, my friend Visakha, nay. Visakha, consider the monk, secluded from sensual desires and from ideas that are not conducive to enlightenment; attained to a pleasantness born from his seclusion, he abides in the First Jhana—his greed for it is destroyed, gently diminished rather than forcefully hurled away, and the greedy tendency is to be found no more within his pleasant feeling. Then the monk reflects on this, and thinks a desire filled thought of, "O! When shall I attain to that enlightened state of mind?" Joy arises in his mind due to his longing for enlightenment, and in that manner aversion to the unpleasant is dispelled. Thus, he has eliminated the feelings of "pleasant" and "unpleasant" – and though they still exist within him, they are changed of him, he is changed to them, and they no longer uncover greed and aversion. Then the monk also dispels insipid, tepid feelings so that they are no longer insipid or tepid, but instead delightful. The ignorance is gone from them, his heart is purified, and he resides in perfect mindfulness and equanimity: he resides in the Fourth Jhana.
"Venerable Lady, what is the opposite of pleasant feelings?
"Visakha, my friend, the opposite of pleasant feelings is unpleasant feelings.
"What, then, is the opposite of unpleasant feelings?
"Pleasant feelings. They are a cycle. One leads to the other."
"What is the opposite of insipid, tepid feelings?"
"Ignorance."
"What is the opposite of ignorance?
"Knowledge."
"What is derived from knowledge?"
"Release."
"What is derived from release?"
"Extinction."
"What is derived from extinction?"
"Visakha, my friend, the question asks for an answer that cannot exist. Visakha the holy life is engulfed in extinction and extinction is the ultimate aim and end. If you doubt, ask the Buddha, and he will verify my words."
Then Visakha, the layman, agreeing with the Nun Dhammadinna, paid homage to her with prostrations, he walked a circle around her in respect, and went to the place where the Buddha was. He paid homage to the Buddha, sat down to one side in respect, told him of his conversation with the Nun Dhammadinna. When he had finished relating her discourse, the Buddha said, "Visakha, the Nun Dhammadinna possesses much wisdom; she spoke exactly as I would have if you had questioned me in like manner. Bear her answers in mind as she has explained them.
The Buddha finished speaking, and Visakha took delight in his words.