Birth, Age, Illness and Death

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Anguttaranikaya Tikanipata
Devadutavagga 4, Bhramasutta

Behold, Bhikkhu: In whatever family the child worships the parents at home, that family has brahma; in whatever family the child worships the parents at home, that family has purapacariya; and in whatever family the child worships the parents at home, that family has ahuniyya-puggala. Behold, Bhikkhu: the word brahma is a name for parents; the word purapacariya is a name for parents; and the word ahuniyya-puggala is a name for parents. Why is that? Because parents have much beneficence, nourish, support, and manifest the world to the child.

Parents who assist a child are called brahma, purapacariya and ahuneyya-puggala for the child. Therefore the child with panna would respect and worship parents with food, water, bedding, perfume, bath, and cleansing the feet. Pundits would praise the child for the care and support to the parents. The child, having left this world, would delight in heaven.

Anguttaranikaya Tikanipata
Puttasutta

The child who is a sappurusa, peaceful, with gratitude (katannu-katavedi) who, upon thinking of the parents' purabaguna, would nourish them, do things for them, obey their teachings, return their care in accordance to their status of purabakari, and maintain the family. The child with saddha, complete with sila, would be universally praised.

The Saddhamma
Birth, Age, Illness and Death
by Sujin Boriharnwanaket

Those with faith in the Buddha would respectfully worship and regularly recite mantra. They must also listen to the dhamma and examine it. The more they listen the more they would see the Buddha's supreme panna, for the dhamma that he manifested is the sacca-dhamma, dhamma that really exists and could be proven by all immediately, without any preparation or any waiting in the least. The dhamma keeps those who practice it; kusala would protect them from dukkha and harm.

Were we born in this lifetime just to see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think about the things see, sounds heard, smells, tastes, things touched from birth until death?

We should know that a part of this life is the result of kamma and the other part is the accumulations of kamma that would bring results in the future. We should urgently accumulate kusala since none could know whether we might be leaving this world tomorrow.

For those who are still alive, we should not be over-confident that we already know the dhamma. We should listen to review the dhamma learnt and study it often, examine and consider ourselves, remind ourselves to attend, study and listen to the dhamma until there is panna that understands it, and practice it respectfully.

Dhamma Discussion at the River Kwai Hotel
Kanchanaburi
(October 26, 1987)
by Sujin Boriharnwanaket

The results of kamma begin as soon as we are born, which depends on the kind of vipaka citta that performed the patisandhi function. If the patisandhi-citta were the result of akusala-kamma the result would be birth in hell, as a peta, asurakaya, dog, tiger or chicken, for example. If it were the result of a very weak kusala-kamma, even though born a human, the akusala kamma would persecute the person to make them physically deformed from birth, such as blind or deaf. Having been born, we must see, hear, smell, taste, have body sense contact and think. The instant of seeing is the result of kamma, as are instants of hearing, smelling, tasting good or bad tastes, touching soft, hard, cold or hot things. We could never choose.

Our bodies are also conditioned by kamma. Each rebirth only makes us see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think about things seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched from birth until death.

Each life evolves according to hetu (causes or roots) and paccaya (conditions). Happiness, unhappiness, gladness and sorrow all arise for a single instant and then fall away, gone. Those who are not the arahanta must be born again after death, but as what? If it were the result of akusala kamma they would be born animals, in hell, as the peta, or as the asurakaya. If it were the result of kusala kamma they would be born as humans or deva.

A part of our lives is vipaka or the result of kamma, and the other the accumulation of kamma that will bring results in the future. The instant we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch are the results of kamma, while the instant of thinking is not. There are two kinds of citta that think: good and bad thoughts. Good thinking is to assist, to help other people, with metta (friendship) and karuna (assistance where needed); and thoughts evolving with the attenuation of akusala. Bad thinking is only in ways that are not useful, that harm others if even with just words. For example when we hear something, and without thinking, repeat it without knowing the facts, the words could make others suffer accordingly.

At that instant it is akusala. Akusala is harmful from the very beginning of the thought; the person thinking is more troubled by it, even before others are. Therefore we must see the harm of bad thoughts. The Sammasam- Buddha the Arahanta teaches us that lobha, or clinging, addiction, and attachments to everything would bring unhappiness. Dosa is the reality that is coarse, harsh and harmfully destructive.

All akusala are born of ignorance. Ignorance about from which world we come from, and to which we are going after death. Nor do we know why we are doing what we are doing each day. That the world is in trouble is because it is the slave to feelings of happiness that arise form receiving pleasing things. Once we get what we want, we search for other pleasant things endlessly, without knowing that in reality the good taste of food has gone, the beautiful sound had appeared for just an instant and fallen away. None could ever be the owner of anything since everything arises because of conditions and then very rapidly fall away completely. The healthy body could become ill, and even illnesses could be completely cured and the body be normal again. All are impermanent.

Do not become so attached to the instant that is the result of kusala kamma. We must also be prepared to receive akusala vipaka unwaveringly. At present, there is so much unhappiness because of our unsteadfastness.

To know the truth that everything is normal, 'dhamma is normal': birth is normal, as are age, illness and death, fortune and loss of fortune, fame and loss of fame. Was there ever a person who has never been maligned, who has only ever been respected at all times?

That realities arise and fall away is dukkha, or impermanent, not lasting. The citta arises for an instant and falls away. The next instant of citta would then arise and fall away in ceaseless continuation. The instant of hearing sound is not that of seeing. Panna must know according to the truth in order not to mistake them for the self. As long as both seeing and hearing are mixed there would be an us, the self. Realities arise and fall away in the briefest instant, extremely rapidly. They are realities that truly exist and are very refined, provable but only through much listening to really understand that 'there is dukkha from birth'.

Illness is dukkha, separation from beloved things is dukkha, finding things we do not care for is dukkha. Lobha is the cause that brings unhappiness. To want something without getting it is dukkha, as is hoping for something that does not turn out as one wishes. The best thing is not to hope since everything must arise from causes and conditions anyway whether we hope for it or not. Even the hope itself is dukkha, therefore if you don't want to be unhappy, do not hope. We are born to do our duties as best we can, not to hope for anything in return other than what we have done.

If the results are good, fine, but not to hope that the results would be so good as this or that level. When we have done the best we could we would feel comfortable, because we would not be uneasy that we did not do so well. Therefore we must do the best we could to prevent any discomfort.

When we have done our best, whatever happens will happen. If it turns out well, fine, if not it cannot be helped, nor do we wish for anyone's praise. To do good hoping for praise would again be dukkha: having gone through that much trouble, and receiving no praise. This would be doing good in hopes of praise. Therefore we must be unwavering whether towards blame or praise, and do the best we can without hoping for anything no matter what happens.

We do not have to carry the world on our backs. For example those with many siblings would not have to keep wondering whether their parents love them or whether they love them as much as they do others. Even if our parents do not love us but we do them, we would be happy.

Then there are friends: whether they love us or not is their affair, we should not mind it. But we are their friends and wish them well, then we would be happy. We do not have to worry about their bad characteristics. However, it is our duty to develop our own panna and we could help others as well, with our words, with our thoughts, that is, we would never be harmful to anyone. When someone is a little angry we would know that they are unhappy. When someone dislikes someone else we would realize that they are surely unhappy from that dislike at that moment. Nothing is permanent and we are not long of this world.

Therefore while we are alive we would do what is useful for both parties. We would not give anyone unhappiness and we would not give ourselves unhappiness. How many lifetimes had we accumulated conditions to become our persons?

Even the way we sit, lie down, stand or walk is accumulated by each of us, and in this lifetime we also accumulated more from childhood.

While there is still kamma to give result in this lifetime, we could not die. No matter what we do, we could not. Generally, dukkha of the mind arises from bodily dukkha: when there is illness, there would be worries. The illness would be like being stabbed by the first arrow. However, mental dukkha or worries are like the second arrow that penetrates the same wound again so that it gets worse. No matter how much more we suffer we could not escape the bodily dukkha, since to have a body is to have dukkha, pain from mosquito bites. If there were no worry, the second arrow would not exist, just the first one.

To say that worry and trouble is the second arrow, we would clearly see that the second arrow should never have stabbed us also. When there is bodily dukkha we should heal it without adding the worry and trouble to it. To worry is completely useless, long trains of thought that does not help in any way. When there is illness we should take care of it without wasting time worrying about it.

When we are happy we know how happiness feels. It is the same feeling for others. When we are angry whatever we feel is the same as when another is angry. Love and hate is the same for everyone. Take away the names and there are only realities that arise and fall away as specific dhatu.

The citta is a kind of dhatu. We learn about several dhatu: the earth, water, wind and fire dhatu, but the citta is a special dhatu that is the dhatu that experiences or knows, or the intelligence dhatu. It is an extremely intricate dhatu. People's thoughts could branch off infinitely, because the citta knows so much, thinks so much. Therefore we do not know our minds well enough until we have heard more dhamma and have examined our own citta until we unveil the exact truth of the mind. It does not come from seeing the actions alone. Therefore there must be sati of another level or at the instant of awareness of the state of our own citta, but only if we were straight and true could we know this.

Those who would really study the dhamma must be straight and true so as not to be biased and side with ourselves. The dhamma must be just, according to reality. For example to give dana in reality is not in hopes of compensations or affections, nor that others would return the favor. To give dana should be with the mind that is pure and cleansed of akusala.

The citta arises and falls away with extreme rapidity. Now it's kusala, now akusala, never always kusala, nor always akusala. 'Kusala' is the reality that is good, the cause for good results. 'Akusala' is the reality that is bad, harmful, the cause for bad results. When one has not listened to the dhamma one would not know the truth about realities. Knowledge has many levels. Knowledge at the level of hearing and listening to the dhamma is the knowledge that is unable to eradicate wrong understanding or any akusala. It is only of the level that attenuates ignorance from never having heard the dhamma before.

When we have accumulated panna, we would know that not to be angry is better than to be angry. If we had not accumulated panna we would think that to be angry is better. We must return anger. We would never be able to figure out how not to be angry would be better. Therefore we must examine to see the harm of akusala and see the benefits of kusala, and develop more kusala. Consider our acquaintances: some are good hearted, generous, helpful to others, never says anything bad of others and make others who misunderstand able to reconcile and unite harmoniously. They perform kusala sila or actions that are useful bodily and verbally. Others are the opposite, with only jealousy, anger, thoughts of bad things, have bodily and verbal improprieties, which is not to our, or the listener's, liking. The speakers had forgotten to consider since they did not know that that moment was akusala.

'Dana', giving, arises from time to time. Very stingy people find it very hard to give. The citta that gives dana is a good citta, paccaya for kusala vipaka which is good result.

The Buddha said in the Sutta,

'If anyone knew the result of dana as I do, that person would never consume anything before giving dana.'

For example, people in our household all like good food. If we had good food that we eat alone, it feels uncomfortable since others would like to taste it also. Therefore if we shared it with them from the first, both parties would be happy, not to keep it until it is almost bad before giving it to them. We would be giving it to them anyway; we should give while it is still good, rather than when it is stale and old. We must think of the reverse: if we were the receivers, the happiness we feel in receiving good things is the same for others.

Dana is a good thing, kusala, since at that moment the citta is gentle. If the receiver were a person who did not like us, or is an enemy, at the moment of receiving a nice thing from our friendliness, he would feel gentle and friendly. Not that we expect that he would love us; still we would know that dana is a way to make people gentler, to have kusala and friendship. Even nice words arising from kusala-citta could make people feel good, and the heart of the speaker would also be gentle at that moment. To be a gentle, respectful person would attenuate our ego, pride or self overestimation. Kusala does not consist of dana alone.

Dana is only kusala of the first level. If we give them things and then trouble them with hurtful words, they would not want things that we give, or be too hurt to take our things. If we gave with inappropriate manners or words that discourage others from taking our dana, it would be giving with depreciation, unwillingly. Therefore if it were persons who knew about kusala citta, even to give to a beggar would be with manners: instead of throwing it down, one would give with a smile and perhaps with words or gestures that make them happy instead of looking down on them in the least.

'Sila' is bodily or verbal behavior, consisting of 3 things: to refrain from wrong doing; to be respectful to those worthy of respect; and to help others. But even with dana and sila, and assisting others, the citta is still troubled, unhappy. Therefore there is another level of kusala, or panna to see the harm of akusala citta. Although there might not be any physical or verbal act of wrong doing, the citta is unhappy and worried by akusala. Therefore panna must be accumulated to really see the harm of akusala. The dhamma heard and considered would accumulate in the citta making it knowable through consideration before falling asleep whether the citta is kusala or akusala.

What do we think of as we fall asleep?

If they were thoughts of lobha, they would be endless. Thinking of dosa there would already be displeasure even when the events has not yet arrived, but if there were thoughts about nice things to do for the benefit of others, the heart would be happy.

How can anger be attenuated? With the opposing dhamma, namely metta, friendship, wishing others well, and helpfulness. The word 'metta' in Thai usage is 'mitr' or friend. The in-depth meaning of the word friend is harmlessness towards the person we are friends with. When we are friends with someone we would not vie with them or even think of vying with them for power and prestige. If we vied with anyone, at that moment there would not be friendship for them since friends would always support friends. We could consider whether the citta were friends with anyone at the moment, for example to dine together as friends but to work together without friendship.

To practice dhamma in daily life is to develop kusala.

Everyone wants happiness and hates unhappiness, and has lobha, dosa and moha. But how many has the faith to listen to the dhamma, develop the citta to transcend the unhappiness arising from kilesa, since those with kilesa are unhappy? The moment there is dukkha one should know that it is because of kilesa. More dukkha comes from more kilesa. Less dukkha comes from less kilesa. To have no dukkha at all we must eradicate all kilesa.

When others perform kusala, are we glad for them? Do we anumodana (have empathic joy), or are we indifferent, and do not. When we have died, when others do kusala we would still be indifferent, in the same way as we feel this lifetime. But in this life, if we see anyone doing good and we are glad for them and anumodana, when we are dead we would anumodana when we know of people doing good. The citta of the person who anumodana is a kusala citta. No one could ever take some kusala and give it to another.

Anyone who anumodana, the citta would be kusala. Just as in this life at this instant. It is only that the next lifetime is the not yet visible, depending on the bhumi in which we would be born in. If we were the peta or the deva we could know and anumodana, but it would depend on whether the kusala citta would arise to anumodana.

Nota bene: If this article is paccaya for kusala to arise, we dedicate the kusala to M.L. Taikasem Snidvongse and all those with somanassa citta and anumodana with the kusala.

Reminders
by Sujin Boriharnwanaket

· Those with much time on their hands often think of others' wrong.

· Fights, quarrels, laments and sorrow of entities and the beloved sankhara come with stinginess, regret and selfishness.

· Love for a husband, wife, child and relative is like a thorny grove of bamboo, entangled and unkempt. So too is tanha, raga, saraga, exhilaration, gladness, pleasure, lust from pleasure, lust of the citta, desire, delusion, attachment, sinking, wavering, illusion, tanha that brings rebirth, tanha that renders involvement with dukkha, sewn, tanha like a net, tanha like a river, tanha clinging to arammana, love, close ties, rapt attention, ties, hope, hoping, greed in fortune, wealth, children, life, fame, covetousness, ambition: these are kilesa that firmly grasp, bar, hide, close, tie to dull sorrow. Desires are love, mara's snare, the power of mara, drunk with life, forgetting death.

· Although disappointed love might not cause marital transgressions, it could cause hatred, vengefulness to the point of killing. Lighter than that it might cause jealousy, worry, and dosa. When the desire is not fulfilled there could be vengefulness and ill will, disappointment, trouble, feeling of loss, jealousy, corrosiveness, passion, burning, according to the akusala cetana that thinks and designs in various ways. By personal rights of ownership, there would be trouble, worry, destructive thoughts, hurtful to others and oneself. The more one loves and is disappointed, the more one is unhappy.

· Sorrow, disappointment and desire destroy health, render foolish and without sati, with no panna and unable to solve problems. It makes one lack progress and development, preoccupied about loneliness and regret, weep and lament, and always think of one's own and of others' faults. Love makes one selfish, causing unease for those who witness it, ill will for those involved, in relationships with the loved one. Abnormal citta would arise and cause abnormal actions, from words that cause pain. They create illusions about others, right and wrong, thought turn towards lower things and hurting oneself and others continually. One speaks impolitely, and expect cruelty (from one's own kilesa) in the same household, when one has been deceived in various ways.

· The danger of love with tanha, mana, affection, closeness, emotional ties to husbands, wives, children, and relatives, servants, animals, farms, houses, properties, that we cling to as ours, so that there are quarrels and rivalries and could give rise to wrong actions, physical, verbal and mental, that transgress all the sila. There could be all kinds of ill will, cruel actions and ugly deeds, revenge and spite, through things that make us bad, proclaim our hurt, throw tantrums, from not getting what we desire. Disappointments in love would display ugly and fearful symptoms: red eyes and nose, lack of fear, according to the kilesa accumulated by the individual.

· The amount of lament and grumble from the oppression of unhappiness and sorrow differ according to the persons' habits. Sorrow arises from the particular beloved arammana.

· Seeing the harm of love, there should be metta, friendship, beneficence, helpfulness and support, the sharing of good will towards one another.

· We would never hurt even our enemies and those who are malevolent. The malevolent would have their own akusala, which is not ours. Those who do not receive other's badness are those who overpower their own kilesa, always able to accept their own status with forgiveness, and therefore full of happiness.

· Withstand others' evil and their cruel words with pleasure, have metta for them, think of whatever good they have, forgive and feel sorry for them since they themselves would receive the result of their own kamma. Animals show their bad sides straightforwardly, but humans would hide, disguise, think deeply, pretend not to know. Who would know of an impure mind? But when there is sati one would know that it is kilesa, which only one would know oneself. One must also teach oneself, otherwise the kilesa would accumulate as upanissaya more and more.

· If one could endure and stop anger from arising more often with the arising of sati, and have metta towards whose who hurt or committed transgressions towards one, afterwards one would be less given to anger than others.

· Do not cease to have saddha, continue to develop kusala.

· Anytime the chance presents itself, develop kusala immediately, for later the opportunity might not exist.

· Do not rush when looking for a lost item, take time to look for it, rely on one's good and bad deeds steadfastly. The kamma that caused us to have it could cause us to lose it.

· Punna is the past kusala kamma that is like a close relative and friend that follow, assist and support us. If we are confident in past kamma, it would make us steadfast in always performing only kusala kamma.

· Breath is a very important thing, since life is maintained only the instant there is still breath. Attachments to life, possessions, beauty, knowledge, status and honor all depend on this almost imperceptible, refined matter. All things that seem so great and important in life depend in reality on breath. It arises so little, just from moment to moment. Once breath is gone, all that we cling to as ours is over. Greatness and importance, love and hate are all thoughts while there is breath.

· Home is only the temporary resting place in this world. We should not worry about it; we will be leaving it.

Any kusala that arise from this book is dedicated to M.L. Taikasem Snitvongse, may it be paccaya for him to anumodana in the kusala.

The Dhamma Study and Support Group
Printed this collection taken from talks by
Ajaan Sujin Boriharnwanaket
In memory of the cremation under royal patronage of
M.L. Taikasem Snitvongse
(B.E.2463-2536)