“ HOW TO SEARCH FOR A NOBLE FRIEND ”

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

The title of today’s Dhamma talk is “How to search for a noble or good friend. Kalyana-mitta in Pali, meaning a good virtuous person wishing for one’s welfare and prosperity.A good friend is highly essential for the worldly and spiritual progress.  If one is devoid of a good friend and associated with feign and treacherous persons, one’s life is not only unprofitable, but will meet with disaster.

To cite as evidence, during the Lord Buddha’s lifetime, there lived at Benares in India, a wealthy multi-millionaire named Mahadhana.  Instead of studying and learning education, professional or business management for his livelihood, he squandered all his riches in pursuit of sense pleasures with a group of evil and treacherous companions.  As the time passed on, his wealth became exhausted and he had to lead a life of destitute beggar.  In connection with this episode, the Lord Buddha commented as follows:

(1)  If he had exerted in his first youthful age in association with good friends on business and trade, he could become a top grade rich man in Benares.  If he had joined the Sangha Order in my teaching and strived, he could have attained arahathood free from mental defilements.

(2)  If he had made an effort in his middle age of social life, he could become a second grade rich man and in my teaching, he could achieve three stages of Path and Fruition and became a noble Anagami person.

(3)  If he could only repent in his third final stage and strive, hi could become a third grade rich man in worldly life and he could attain Sakadagami-hood in my religious Order, attaining two stages of Path and Fruition.

Now let us continue to make a note of the conversation between the Lord Buddha and Ven. Ananda.  At one time, while Ven. Ananda was contemplating in seclusion, it occurred to his mind that ” to associate with a noble friend can result in half accomplishment.”  He then expressed his thought to the Lord Buddha to get the right answer.  The Lord Buddha rejected saying ” Ananda, do not say so , ” and continued “Ananda, in this world, by associating with a noble friend one can achieve full accomplishment. ” Indeed, by approaching the Noblest of the noble friends like me, beings attain liberation from afflictions of old age, sickness and death and also freedom from rebirth in woeful states.

Further, let us take a lesson from the Lord Buddha’s discourse on four kinds of friends recorded in Samyutta Nikaya, mitta sutta; While the Lord Buddha was residing in Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, a celestial deva approached the Lord Buddha in the middle of the night and put forth the questions as follows:

Oh! Lord Buddha-

Who could be a good friend for a traveler?

Who could be a good friend in one’s home?

Who could be a good friend in social or business dealings?

Who could be a good friend for the future rebirth?

The Lord Buddha answered the deva’s questions thus.

Oh! Deva one who accompanies the traveler on the journey offers both physical and moral support which may alleviate tiresomeness on the way.

In a home, parents are noble friends because the mother has to bear the foetus in her womb and the father has to provide all the requisites.  From the time of delivery parents have to nurture the newborn through all the milestones of age, breast feeding, teaching all the worldly education for proper and moral behavior, providing all necessary requisites of life to their utmost.

Good social friend or business associate is one who is helpful in times of need both materially and psychologically or who reciprocates in good deeds and work for mutual benefit.  Selfish and one-sided exploiter cannot be taken as a true friend.  Then, a noble friend is not only needed for this single life, but essential also in future rebirths until one attain Nibbana.  Hence, the wise use to say ” Always be prudent. ”

Let us continue to study the Lord Buddha’s exposition with regard to this fact about a noble friend for the future rebirth,  practicing personally with noble intention of generous offering of givers and requisites (Dana), observance of moral virtue (Sila), repeated contemplation (Bhavana), etc.  the ten skilful practices, abandoning the unwholesome deeds (Puññakiriyavatthu).  One can only be at peace when one has these (10) noble friends for future rebirths as companions.

So, may all you meditators be able to search and associate in worldly life as well as noble friends of dana, sila,bhavana for the future rebirths and attain perpetual bliss of Nibbana freedom from suffering.

Sadhu!…    Sadhu!…    Sadhu!

“ HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT ANXIETY ”

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

Today, I will deliver a Dhamma talk on living a life free from anxiety or grief.  This troubled state of mind in the pali language is known as Soka.  According to the Abhidhamma,it is Domanassa Cetasika-dukkha-vedana, a mentally painful or disagreeable feeling.  Grief or anxiety is always associated with antipathy and grudge, and is therefore karmically unwholesome.

Everyone wishes to live peacefully and happily, free from anxiety or grief.  Yet, they are inevitably afflicted with grief somehow or other in their lifetime.  When we scrutinize the root cause, it is found that people are immersed in a woeful state due to one of five forms of loss:

When one encounters any of these five forms of loss, one is overwhelmed by anxiety or grief.  Other causes of anxiety or grief include the four Asavas or corruptions:  1. delusion  2. craving        3. wrong view and         4. ignorance.

It is most important to know how to expel grief or anxiety, and it cannot be done through scientific experiments.  It can only be achieved by the Lord Buddha’s Dhamma.  The Lord Buddha has advocated the sure way to eradicate grief in his admonishment of the Satipatthäna Sutta, or The Four Foundations of Mindfulness:  Oh! Dear sons and daughters! “Ekayano.”  There is no other way, Satipatthäna Meditation is the one and only way for you all to attain Nibbana, deliverance from anxiety, grief and suffering.

Now let us study someone who made use of the Lord Buddha’s admonishment to eliminate grief as recorded in the Canonical texts.  The incident took place in the Indian Capital city of Rajagaha over 2500 years ago.  At that time, the Lord Buddha was residing at the King Bimbisara maharaja’s Veluvana garden monastery.  It was the custom of the laity to seek solace from the Buddha, Dahmma and Sangha whenever they were afflicted with calamities.  One day, King Bimbisara’s youthful son, prince Abhaya Rajakumara appeared before the Lord Buddha.  He bowed down in front of Lord Buddha, wailing and imploring to quench his grief stricken heart at the death of his beloved dancing girl.

The accident happened at the height of a party for the youthful prince given to honor his victorious achievements on the battle field. The King father granted his son seven days of sovereign power including all the luxuries and grandeur.  On the last day of festivities, while the young beautiful dancer was charming the youthful prince through her art and craft, she dropped dead at the climax of the garden revelry.

He was so tormented by this harsh catastrophe that he felt as if his heart and soul were burning under a scorching sun.  In the midst of this tragedy, it occurred to him that the Lord Buddha was the only refuge which could alleviate his suffering.  In so thinking, he went to the Lord Buddha immediately after the cremation of the young dancing girl.   On arrival at the Lord Buddha’s monastery, he instantly entreated the Lord Buddha to extinguish his burning heart.  With a sweet compassionate voice, the Lord Buddha consoled him:  “Oh! young prince, bring yourself together, be mindful and not desperate.  Due to your firm attachment to this girl, you have shed an infinite amount of tears at the loss of her in your past existences.”  On hearing the Lord Buddha’s soothing words, the young prince’s grief was alleviated, and he became remorseful at the prospect of continuous rebirths and suffering.

Then, the Lord Buddha continued: “Now be attentive, be cautious and just consider how your body is like a King’s decorated coach which gradually losses it’s grandeur and will finally disintegrate.  Your body, a composite of five aggregates of physical and mental phenomena is impermanent, arises and dissolves moment to moment.  It is unsatifactory, impersonal, and not worthy of attachment.

While listening to the Lord Buddha, the young prince contemplated all physical and mental phenomena.  With clear comprehension, he perceived the impermanence of all meditation objects and their unsatisfactory and egoless nature.  His meditation insight progressed step by step and finally he realized Nibbana by achieving the Sotapatti Magga Ñana.  Thereby, he was delivered from suffering, and was suffused with bliss and tranquility.

So may all you meditators diligently practice the Satipatthäna Meditation, and attain various insights in the shortest possible time.

Sadhu!…    Sadhu!…    Sadhu!

“ FORESTER AND DEFORESTATION ”

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

The title of today’s Dhamma talk is “Forester and Deforestation.” Traditionally, people are either categorized as those who live in rural areas or those who live in the city.  In the spiritual sense, however, there is a different perspective.  In the common worldly life, an area of land covered by trees and undergrowth is called a “forest.”  In the spiritual sense, the mental defilements of greed, anger and delusion are regarded as thick forests, and those tainted with these defilements are said to be “Foresters.”  So, even people living in modernized cities are categorized as (Foresters) if they are not yet freed from mental defilements.

Here, we should try to understand the simile of “Forester and Deforestation.”  In the process of deforestation, the forester must:

Let us study an example cited by the Lord Buddha, during his lifetime in the capital city of Savatthi in India.  The five rich men of the city, after consulting with each other, renounced their household lives and entered the Sangha order.  One day, tormented by the death of an ex-wife, laywoman who had been attending to them personally, the five men wailed woefully.  When some nearby bhikkhus learned about their plight, they took them to the Lord Buddha and reported the matter.

The Lord Buddha admonished them in the following way: Oh! Dear son Bhikkhus, clear the thicket from the defilement forest.  The whole mass of suffering arises dependent on the defilement forest of rebirth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.  So dear sons, clear the symbolized large and small trees and undergrowth of gross, moderate and subtle form of defilements.  Cut them down with the sharp iron sword of insight, Noble Path and Fruition knowledge.

Taking the Lord Buddha’s words into their hearts, the five ex-rich men bhikkhus, by establishing firm effort, a foot hold in the ground of morality, holding the wisdom iron sword in their hands of faith, sharpened on the concentration whet-stone, contemplated or cut down the trees and undergrowth (defilements), completed the deforestation process (eradicated the ego and skeptical doubt) and attained noble Path and Fruition knowledge.

May all you meditators complete the above “deforestation” process, and realize the Nibbana in the shortest possible time.

Sadhu!…          Sadhu!…          Sadhu!

“ DHANAÑJANI SUTTA ”

(BLACK & WHITE TUG-OF-WAR )

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

Sadhu!       Sadhu!        Sadhu!

Today’s Dhamma talk is entitled

“ A FLOWER AND LOFTY NIBBANA ”

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

“A flower and lofty Nibbana.”  This discourse was expounded by the Lord Buddha over 2500 years ago, while he was residing at the JetavanaSavatthi in India, with reference to a young Bhikkhu, a disciple of the Venerable Sariputta Mahathera. Monastery of

There lived in Savatthi, a young handsome man, the son of a goldsmith.  Out of reverence for the Sariputta Mahathera, he entered the Sangha Order under the preceptor-ship of the Sariputta Mahathera. After reflecting that the young Bhikkhu, being handsome and at the prime of his youth, may well be inclined to craving for sensual pleasures, the Elder Thera decided to give him the Asubha bhavana (contemplation on loathsomeness of the body) as a meditation object to curb sensual craving.

Here, it should be noted that because the meditation object given by the Elder did not suit the young Bhikkhu’s propensities, he could not progress in his practice, even for three months during a retreat in the forest.

It has been affirmed in the Buddhist texts that an individual’s dormant proclivities could not be penetrated by anyone but the Buddha.  The Elder, realizing this fact, took the young Bhikkhu and related the matter to the Buddha.

Thereupon, the Lord Buddha scrutinized the matter and read the thoughts of the young Bhikkhu’s mind for his inherent idiosyncrasies and gave him a suitable meditation object.  The Buddha created a beautiful golden lotus flower using his psychic power and said to the young Bhikkhu “Dear son Bhikkhu,” take this golden lotus flower to a secluded corner of the monastery, sit cross legged intent on strenuous effort, gaze at the flower and contemplate incessantly making verbal notations “Lohitakam ! Lohitakam ! (golden-red ! golden-red !).

The reason the Buddha gave this particular meditation object to the young Bhikkhu was that, in his previous five hundred existences prior to this present one, the young Bhikkhu was born as a goldsmith’s son successively, and the attachment to the golden-red color was latent in his heart.  “Salvage the drifting boat by using another boat” as the saying goes.  So, the Buddha used the golden-red color of the lotus as the object of meditation to attract and fix the young Bhikkhu’s mind in concentration.

Thus, intently contemplating, the young Bhikkhu’s mind was cleansed of the mental defilements or kilesæs and as his concentration became stronger and deep, he attained access concentration and hence, all four stages of absorption concentration or Aappana Samadhi in succession.

But what he had attained was just mundane Samatha Jhana only, and it surely was not the final goal of his meditation.  To attain the final goal of NibbanaVipassana Bhavana), that of contemplating on the three characteristics of all psychophysical phenomenas, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and egolessness (Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta) and thereby successively acquire the various stages of insight knowledge. through Path and Fruition knowledge, one must practice Insight meditation (

Buddhas arise in this world for the benefit of all living beings.  The Buddha kept the meditating young Bhikkhu under surveillance to assess his progress or otherwise guide him through his contemplation.  When the Buddha discovered the young Bhikkhu’s inability to progress further, the Buddha willed, using his psychic power, that the lotus flower be faded, and fall petal by petal to the ground.

This incident touched the young Bhikkhu’s heart causing emotional apprehension that “even such a flower, a product of the seasons had to fade and fall to the ground, what will become of my body, compounded by the four conditions of kamma, Citta, (mind or consciousness) season and nutrient.”  With that moral fear, he contemplated intently and incessantly, clearly perceiving the impermanent (Anicca), unsatisfactory (Dukkha) and egoless (Anatta) characteristics of all psycho-physical phenomena.  This in accordance with the aphorism quoted by our late benefactor, most Venerable Mahasi Mahathera: “When the true nature of impermanence is clearly perceived, the remaining two characteristics are also comprehended”.

As the young Bhikkhu’s meditation gathered momentum, the Lord Buddha, using psychic powers, radiated the aura of light from Jetavana monastery and exhorted this message: Oh dear son Bhikkhu!  As an autumn lotus flower is crumpled to destruction by hand, you as a meditator must eliminate all mental defilements by cultivating the path (Magga ñana) of insight knowledge.  The Buddha expounded “the cessation of craving is the true bliss of Nibbana. So, you should incessantly and perseveringly develop the Noble Eight Fold Path.”

On receiving the Buddha’s admonishment, the young Bhikkhu, by applying the simile of the “Lotus Flower,” ardently contemplated the aggregates to clearly perceive the impermanent nature of mind and matter.  He attained successive stages of insight knowledge, and realized the lofty Nibbana Dhamma through the four stages of Path and Fruition knowledge.

May all you meditators, like this young Bhikkhu, be able to apply the nature of impermanent characteristic of external objects to that of one’s aggregate mind and matter, and contemplate to clearly perceive the impermanent characteristic, thereby realizing the lofty dhamma Nibbana, the complete elimination of craving.

Sadhu!…     Sadhu!…     Sadhu!

“DHAMMA TALK ON FREEDOM”

BY NAYAKA MYITTHA SAYADAW, VEN.U VASAVA

MAHASI MEDITATION CENTRE, YANGON, MYANMAR

Today, my Dhamma talk is on the subject of Freedom or Liberation. This admonishment was delivered to the five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus or devoted meditators, by the Lord Buddha, over 2500 years ago, while he was residing at the Jetavana Monastery, which was built on the garden land of Prince Jeta in the vicinity of the Indian Capital city, Savatti.

First, let us try to understand the meaning of the word “Freedom” or “Liberation.”  Freedom means that everyone must be free from oppression and torture, without any infringement on one’s individual rights.  Freedom may be distinguished between two types.  One is temporary freedom, and the other is perpetual freedom.  In other words, it may be stated as worldly freedom and samsaric (cycle of rebirths) liberation; worldly freedom is just temporary, and samsaric freedom means perpetual liberation.

Yes, in this hostile world, individuals, partisans and countries transgress each others rights by misusing their economic power and military might.  The so-called super powers enslave the weaker ones, and exploit their resources by oppression and torture.  This kind of misfortune that one encounters in this life may not extend to future ones.  He may be liberated at the demise of this existence.  Hence, we say that such kind of liberation is temporary, or worldly freedom.

The most frightful suffering is to be swept away in the sea of Samsara, the continuous process of ever again and again being born, growing old, suffering and dying.  More precisely, Samsara is the unbroken chain of the fivefold Khandha combinations, constantly changing from moment to moment, following continuously one upon the other through inconceivable periods of time, as conditioned by Avijja (Ignorance or Delusion) Tanha (Craving) and Kamma (Volition).

Avijja, ignorance, unknowing, synonymous with delusion (moha), is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling man’s mental eye and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things.  It is delusion which tricks sentient beings by making life appear permanent, happy, substantial and beautiful, and prevents them from seeing that everything is impermanent, liable to suffering, void of I and mine, and basically impure.

Influenced by Avijja, Tanha (craving for the sense objects) arises.  Motivated by tanha, one performs the action by body, speech or mind through kamma or volition.  That is what the Lord Buddha called action, (Cetanaham bhikkhave kammam vadami).  These kammical actions cause rebirth with resultant consequences of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair, old age and death.

The deliverance from this samsaric cycle of rebirths and suffering can only be regarded as perpetual liberation.  To attain such perpetual freedom, one must strive to eradicate Avijja, tanha and kamma (ignorance, craving and volition).

Now let us try to understand how the five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus practiced in accordance with the Lord Buddha’s admonishment and achieved perpetual freedom.  The five hundred Yogavacara Bhikkhus went to a forest retreat and practiced Vipassana meditation.  When they could not achieve satisfactory progress in their practice after some time, they returned to the Lord Buddha for further instructions.  The moment they entered the compound of the Jetavana Monastery the rain started falling heavily.  So they had to take shelter from the rain in a nearby building.  While they were waiting for the rain to stop, they saw the rain drops from the edge of the roof falling into the waterbed on the ground from which foam bubbles formed and disappeared.  As they continued watching the scene, their attention diverted to their own bodies and they contemplated the physical and mental phenomena arising and dissolving from moment to moment like those foam bubbles.

The Lord Buddha being aware of their state of mind by divine eye, exhorted them from His residential quarters: Oh! Dear son Bhikkhus, just as you have witnessed the foam bubbles forming and instantaneously dissolving, the same as the flash of a lightening disappearing immediately, so are the mental and physical phenomena in the Sankhara Loka of your bodies arising and passing away from moment to moment.  By strenuous contemplation, if you clearly perceive with full awareness their impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, impersonality and loathsome character, you will escape the domain of death and be perpetually freed from the undesirable suffering of repeated rebirth, aging, sickness and death.

While attentively listening to the Lord Buddha’s teaching, they contemplated with full concentration on the physical and mental phenomenas in their bodies.  They attained various stages of meditational insight and ariya magga phala (Path and Fruition), and became Arahats. After the attainment of Arahatship, as the Avijja, tanha, and kamma kilesas are completely eradicated, they are perpetually freed from the undesirable suffering of rebirth, old age, sickness and death.

May all of you meditators, also, by making use of the Lord Buddha’s admonishment contemplate on the meditation objects most earnestly and annihilate the Avijja, tanha, and kamma kilesas completely, and be perpetually liberated from the undesirable samsaric suffering of rebirth, old age, sickness and death.

Sadhu!..           Sadhu!..           Sadhu!