The Venerable Acariya Mun said that Paccayakara (Paticcasamuppada) divides into two aspects as described in the scriptures: the pattern of development of Avijja and the pattern of its total dissolution. This can be compared to the blue-print or plan of a prospective building. It is necessary to follow the specification laid down by the engineer in the building construction until its completion. Even though there is no plan for the demolishing of the building, as in the case of demolishing Avijja, the one who does the demolishing must first use Sati-Panna, which is the appropriate Dhamma-pair of reason, to consider the right way.The Avijja of the scriptures is only a description: Avijja conditions the arising of Sankhara; Sankhara conditions the arising of Vinnana, etc., until birth and becomings, Sambhavanti. This is entirely the aspect of Samudaya.
And likewise with just the cessation of Avijja – Sankhara, Vinnana, Nama-Rupa, etc., also accordingly cease. Then there is not any trace of the Kilesa remaining to be the seed for new lives and existences. This is the aspect of Nirodha, described finally in the discussion as Avijja Nirujjhanti – the cessation of ignorance.
Both the aspects of the growth of Avijja, which expands becoming lives, existences, animals and people until old age and finally dissolution; and the aspect of the eradication of Avijja out of the Heart, the cutting off of lives and existences like those who attain to Nibbana by the abolishing of Avijja as the Lord Buddha did, are just a description of Avijja's growth and dissolution. It does not indicate the means of how to develop Avijja so it is powerful enough to cause beings to be born and die without end. Neither does it indicate how Avijja can b abolished so it is gradually cut down until it completely vanishes from within the Heart and is not capable of causing the Heart so freed to be born and die again. He said that this was all that was discussed about Paccayakara.
One who practices for the total eradication of Avijja must depend on the Four Ariya Sacca or the Four Satipatthana, which are the focal points of Avijja, as the way of practice. The Venerable Acariya Mun said that once the Citta had entered into the state devoid of all the various kinds of Rupa-Dhamma, all that remained was to follow Sankhara, the thought processes of the Heart; Vinnana, the awareness of the various things that came into contact, and Vedana-Citta, that produces the appearance of the results of the thought processes and the awareness of Vinnana. This was to be done with Sati and Panna which also only existed in that self-same place. This is because Sankhara thinks out of the Citta and Vinnana acknowledges out of the Citta. Each ceases at the Citta when Sati catches up and Panna discovers the cause and is instantly capable of analysing and clearing up the situation. Then these things can no longer get out of control.
The Heart that is constantly equipped with 'automatic Sati-Panna' as its guardian, is not content with merely observing the episodes created by Sankhara and acknowledged by Vinnana. It is even capable of digging down to the roots, to the origin of Sankhara and Vinnana, to see what causes them to arise; what the driving force is that constantly causes them to be ceaselessly born. This driving force is the real, genuine, Avijja.
This is the way of investigation for the true uprooting of Avijja. It is probing right at the Heart where the home and source of Avijja is embedded. The moment when Maha-Sati – Maha-Panna gets to Avijja, one sees the break up and dissolution of it. This is the way of investigating the real Avijja and is also the true method of uprooting Avijja out of the Heart following the way of Magga and Phala that had been taught by the Sasada – the Lord Buddha.
We are Buddhists with a profound Teacher; so we should have reason as our means of following in our Teacher's footsteps. One shouldn't be one who has only conceited opinions (Mana-Ditthi) and who takes up one's learnt theoretical knowledge and uses it to argue with others rather than using it to overcome the Kilesas. What one usually gains is just empty wind without any essence. If this is the case, the more one learns, the more one knows and is adept in argument, the more useless one becomes. Then there is no mark of the wise man present, following the Sasada – Teacher and the Sasada-Dhamma.
The real Avijja-Tanha is in the Heart. It builds its structural pattern within the Hearts of humans and animals, and is also only cut off and abolished from within the Heart. Nowhere else but here exist the origin and place where the structural patterns of Avijja-Tanha are built and demolished . The moment Avijja dissolves completely one comes to see the stupidity, foolishness, and delusion of oneself, other people, and all the animals. Due to this foolishness they all have to be under its power and command and constantly endue hardships. Even if there is a little Sukha it is as brief as a lightning flash. But these worldly beings are deludedly satisfied and immerse themselves in these existences. They never think about the amount of harm and damage that will come upon them. The same person and the same Citta when fully polished become quite different from before as the sky is from the ground. The Citta that is freed from the power of Avijja is the Citta that does not fall within the bounds and limits of anything within the world of Sammuti. It is the Citta that exists independently, beyond any speculation or description of what that independence is really like. This is called the land of joy and bliss. It is a sphere that belongs to those who possess the power over Sammuti to experience and own. If one wants to see and experience this, one should not be lazy, which is the decoy of Kilesa, Tanha and Avijja.
We are the Bhikkhu company that is fully equipped with everything. Wake up! Don't display the Kilesa by way of one's behaviour and manners which are contrary to Dhamma, the means that leads out of the heap of Dukkha. One will waste the opportunity of one's birth in this form of existence which is a suitable vessel for the Sasana-Dhamma, in both one's present birth and sex.
Venerable Acariya Mun's presentation about Avijja was just as has been written above. What he related concerning the deliverance from Avijja was very far reaching and extraordinarily extensive. What has been presented here was selected to suit our position of being learners. If it were to be treated too deeply it might not be understandable and then one would waste time in reading and not gain the appropriate benefits.
And likewise with just the cessation of Avijja – Sankhara, Vinnana, Nama-Rupa, etc., also accordingly cease. Then there is not any trace of the Kilesa remaining to be the seed for new lives and existences. This is the aspect of Nirodha, described finally in the discussion as Avijja Nirujjhanti – the cessation of ignorance.
Both the aspects of the growth of Avijja, which expands becoming lives, existences, animals and people until old age and finally dissolution; and the aspect of the eradication of Avijja out of the Heart, the cutting off of lives and existences like those who attain to Nibbana by the abolishing of Avijja as the Lord Buddha did, are just a description of Avijja's growth and dissolution. It does not indicate the means of how to develop Avijja so it is powerful enough to cause beings to be born and die without end. Neither does it indicate how Avijja can b abolished so it is gradually cut down until it completely vanishes from within the Heart and is not capable of causing the Heart so freed to be born and die again. He said that this was all that was discussed about Paccayakara.
One who practices for the total eradication of Avijja must depend on the Four Ariya Sacca or the Four Satipatthana, which are the focal points of Avijja, as the way of practice. The Venerable Acariya Mun said that once the Citta had entered into the state devoid of all the various kinds of Rupa-Dhamma, all that remained was to follow Sankhara, the thought processes of the Heart; Vinnana, the awareness of the various things that came into contact, and Vedana-Citta, that produces the appearance of the results of the thought processes and the awareness of Vinnana. This was to be done with Sati and Panna which also only existed in that self-same place. This is because Sankhara thinks out of the Citta and Vinnana acknowledges out of the Citta. Each ceases at the Citta when Sati catches up and Panna discovers the cause and is instantly capable of analysing and clearing up the situation. Then these things can no longer get out of control.
The Heart that is constantly equipped with 'automatic Sati-Panna' as its guardian, is not content with merely observing the episodes created by Sankhara and acknowledged by Vinnana. It is even capable of digging down to the roots, to the origin of Sankhara and Vinnana, to see what causes them to arise; what the driving force is that constantly causes them to be ceaselessly born. This driving force is the real, genuine, Avijja.
This is the way of investigation for the true uprooting of Avijja. It is probing right at the Heart where the home and source of Avijja is embedded. The moment when Maha-Sati – Maha-Panna gets to Avijja, one sees the break up and dissolution of it. This is the way of investigating the real Avijja and is also the true method of uprooting Avijja out of the Heart following the way of Magga and Phala that had been taught by the Sasada – the Lord Buddha.
We are Buddhists with a profound Teacher; so we should have reason as our means of following in our Teacher's footsteps. One shouldn't be one who has only conceited opinions (Mana-Ditthi) and who takes up one's learnt theoretical knowledge and uses it to argue with others rather than using it to overcome the Kilesas. What one usually gains is just empty wind without any essence. If this is the case, the more one learns, the more one knows and is adept in argument, the more useless one becomes. Then there is no mark of the wise man present, following the Sasada – Teacher and the Sasada-Dhamma.
The real Avijja-Tanha is in the Heart. It builds its structural pattern within the Hearts of humans and animals, and is also only cut off and abolished from within the Heart. Nowhere else but here exist the origin and place where the structural patterns of Avijja-Tanha are built and demolished . The moment Avijja dissolves completely one comes to see the stupidity, foolishness, and delusion of oneself, other people, and all the animals. Due to this foolishness they all have to be under its power and command and constantly endue hardships. Even if there is a little Sukha it is as brief as a lightning flash. But these worldly beings are deludedly satisfied and immerse themselves in these existences. They never think about the amount of harm and damage that will come upon them. The same person and the same Citta when fully polished become quite different from before as the sky is from the ground. The Citta that is freed from the power of Avijja is the Citta that does not fall within the bounds and limits of anything within the world of Sammuti. It is the Citta that exists independently, beyond any speculation or description of what that independence is really like. This is called the land of joy and bliss. It is a sphere that belongs to those who possess the power over Sammuti to experience and own. If one wants to see and experience this, one should not be lazy, which is the decoy of Kilesa, Tanha and Avijja.
We are the Bhikkhu company that is fully equipped with everything. Wake up! Don't display the Kilesa by way of one's behaviour and manners which are contrary to Dhamma, the means that leads out of the heap of Dukkha. One will waste the opportunity of one's birth in this form of existence which is a suitable vessel for the Sasana-Dhamma, in both one's present birth and sex.
Venerable Acariya Mun's presentation about Avijja was just as has been written above. What he related concerning the deliverance from Avijja was very far reaching and extraordinarily extensive. What has been presented here was selected to suit our position of being learners. If it were to be treated too deeply it might not be understandable and then one would waste time in reading and not gain the appropriate benefits.
RSS Feed
