Revolution with a View to Nibb±na

by Thray Sithu Sayagyi U Ba Khin

The following has been reproduced and abridged from the Burmese magazine The Light of the Dhamma. This discourse was given by Sayagyi in 1950 on the full moon day of July, the day known as Dhammacakka day. This day is celebrated because it was during this time of year that the Buddha gave his first discourse to his five companions: the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta (lit., revolving the wheel of Dhamma). In this discourse the Buddha outlines the Four Noble Truths explaining in detail the Eightfold Noble Path; in other words, the very core of his teaching.

The Discourse on the Revolution

The discourse I am going to deliver tonight is
          a discourse on revolution that is apt and proper for the occasion of Dhammacakka day. Some may think that it is a discourse that supports the revolution of a group of persons to free themselves from being suppressed by another group of persons. It is not so. The discourse on revolution that I am going to deliver is a supramundane revolution against one's own polluted mind for the attainment of freedom from the rounds of birth and death, which leads to the realization of nibb±na (the ultimate reality).

It will not be taken wrongly if it is said that the Dhammacakka discourse was delivered by the Buddha who personally revolted against the bondage of the mundane world to gain enlightenment and reach the full extinction of defilements (sa-up±disesa nibb±na) so that all the beings-human, deva and brahm±-might be able to revolt against the bondage of their mundane worlds and reach nibb±na.

To Gain Freedom from the Three Types of Mundane Worlds

The Buddha revolted against the three types of mundane worlds and gained enlightenment in the early hours of Ves±kha day (the full moon of May). He was not satisfied with this achievement only, for because of the perfections (p±ram²s) that he had fulfilled for the benefit of all beings, he also had to impart the method of revolt for all beings to fight for the attainment of their freedom from the three worlds.

Nibb±na-Freedom in Reality

In this revolution with the view to nibb±na, there are so many obstructions which are on the side of ignorance (avijj±) that there seems to no way of escape for us. With the perfections accumulated the Buddha had to defend and fight against the five divisions of M±ra's army, viz., the evil (devaputta m±ra), the defilements (kilesa m±ra), the aggregates (khandha m±ra), the death (maccu m±ra), and the kamma formations (abhisaªkh±ra m±ra). They suppress and imprison us, so that there is no outlet of escape for us.

Before the Buddha delivered the first sermon, during the seven weeks after the enlightenment, he took no nourishment. He was in deep contemplation on the profound details of the Dhamma. It is not an easy matter to save beings from the world entwined in ignorance (avijj±). When all the beings were viewed with the Buddha's eye, after the seventh week, he deliberated whether to deliver the profound Dhamma to beings enmeshed in the defilements. That is why the great brahm± Saham­pati, accompanied by devas and brahm±s, offered the jewelled garland and entreated the Buddha to deliver the Dhamma, beginning with the P±li words: Desetu Bhagav± dhamma½, desetu sugato (O Lord, may the blessed one teach the Dhamma; may the supremely good one teach the Dhamma).

After promising the great brahm± Sahampati that he would teach the Dhamma, he looked to see who among the living human beings had the ability to understand and benefit by the Dhamma. He saw the five ascetics who served him while he practised Dukkharacariya (the rigorous ascetic practices). So the Buddha went to the deer park near V±r±nasi where the five ascetics were, and during the first watch of the night delivered the Dhamma­cakka discourse beginning with Dveme bhik­khave ant± pabbajitena nasevitabb± (These two extremes, bhikkhus, should not be followed by one who has given up the world). This discourse is the way to the transformation of a new personality. In other words, the Noble Path revolts against the mundane path and leads to nibb±na. At the end of the discourse the leader of the five ascetics, Koº­¹añña, became a sot±panna (stream-enterer), i.e., transformed into a new being as a noble person.

At that time the devas and brahm±s who came from the ten thousand universes also became established in their lives as noble beings (ariyas). To become an ariya means to grasp the true essence of the elements of nibb±na and to be free from mental defilements. The realization of nibb±na is becoming a new being, changing from an ordinary worldling to a noble being. It is not possible to transform a person to such a new life by ordinary means of preparation. The Buddha achieved this by the fulfillment of the perfections (p±ram²s) developed through countless aeons. This culminated in the wisdom of omniscience and other wisdoms, and the turning of the wheel of Dhamma.

Why is it called Dhammacakka?

The reason why this very first discourse is called the Dhammacakka discourse is this, as mentioned in the Dhammacakka Kath± of Paµisambhid±-magga:

Dhammapavatanti kenatthena dhamma­cakka½, dhammañca pavatteti cakkañcati.

In what sense is the setting going of Dhamma called dhammacakka? It is the setting going of truth (dhamma) and the wheel (cakka) of the teaching.¹

It is the origin of the Four Noble Truths and it also causes the continuous rotation of the noble Dhamma of the Four Noble Truths. The rotation of the wheel of Dhamma is called the Dhammacakka.

The essence of the Dhammacakka is the Four Noble Truths, which are: dukkha sacca (the truth of suffering); samudaya sacca (the truth of the origin of suffering); nirodha sacca (the truth of the cessation of suffering); magga sacca (the truth of the noble path that leads to the cessation of suffering).

Of these Four Noble Truths, the noble path (magga sacca) which constitutes the Eightfold Noble Path is of the utmost importance. Although the Buddha delivered eighty-four thousand discourses, as occasions arose during the forty-five years of his ministry, the basic practical aspect of his teaching is the Eightfold Noble Path.

The Path of Revolution

The Eightfold Noble Path is composed of three aspects of practical work: morality, concentration and wisdom (s²la, sam±dhi, and paññ±).

The path of morality (s²la) consists of three subdivisions: right speech (samm± v±c±), right action (samm± kammanta) and right livelihood (samm± ±j²va).

The path of concentration (sam±dhi) consists of three subdivisions: right effort (samm± v±y±ma), right mindfulness (samm± sati), right concentration (samm± sam±dhi).

The path of wisdom (paññ±) consists of two subdivisions: right thought (samm± saªkappa) and right view (samm± diµµhi).

As soon as s²la, sam±dhi and paññ±-with paññ± as the leading factor - are properly combined in practice, one is sure to reach the noble path. If one has not reached the path, it is because s²la, sam±dhi and paññ± are not yet properly balanced. The path prepared with these three aspects of practice, is the revolutionary path of the Buddha.

Mind is Supreme

In the path of morality, consisting of right speech, right action and right livelihood, the bodily actions and speech should be bound and restrained. Bodily actions and speech are usually controlled by greed, hatred and delusion (lobha, dosa and moha) which are in turn the servants of craving, conceit and wrong view (taºh±, m±na and micch±-diµµhi). These unwholesome qualities have accompanied us as our habitual inclinations through the cycle of births (sa½s±ra). The bodily action (k±ya kamma) and verbal action (vaci kamma) are the paths of the revolution that should really and truly be revolted against.

Here, as the saying goes, Mano pubbaªgam± dhamm± (mind is the master of the bodily actions and verbal actions). Again, as it is said: Papasmi½ ramati mano (the mind delights in dwelling in evil). It cannot be revolted against by ordinary means but only with great zeal.

May all beings be able to muster immense zeal!

Discipline the Mind

In the Noble Path of right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration, the mind that gives rise to unwholesome bodily actions and verbal actions, should be securely restrained. Then it cannot run amok but will stay calm and collected.

Right concentration cannot be achieved unless there is right effort and right mindfulness, to keep the mind calm and still. To achieve right concentration, mindfulness should be developed with right effort. I want you to believe that with the help and guidance of a person who is competent to help, sam±dhi (concentration) can be rapidly established. The Buddha had to resist and fight against the evil (devaputta m±ra) while he was establishing the first stage of sam±dhi under the bodhi tree. After conquering the evil with the sam±dhi thus established, he subjugated the defilements (kilesa m±ra) and the death (maccu m±ra) with ease. Similarly, nowadays under the guidance and guardianship of a person who is highly developed in the perfections (p±ram²s) and who can, to a certain degree, guard against the dangers of the evil (devaputta m±ra), sam±dhi can be established within a short period.

There are six types of character or nature (carita) affecting all human beings, but it is not possible to know which type a person belongs to, since we do not have the ability to do so. But it is a sure fact that no one is free from delusion (mohacarita), which is none other than ignorance itself. That is why one cannot argue that it is an unnatural process to establish sam±dhi by practising ±n±p±na sati (awareness of the in and out breathing). This practice is suitable for persons with the nature and habitual inclination of delusion (moha). But people may not believe that it is relatively easy to establish sam±dhi by the practice of Anapana.

It is true that it will be difficult to subjugate the mind, to keep it refined and proper and to make it stay where one keeps it-the mind that throughout this cycle of rebirth (sa½s±ra) has freely and wantonly wan­dered, the mind without a custodian, the incessantly restless, mercurial mind. But for those who do not look forward to worldly benefits, but want only the attainment of nibb±na, should they meet the right teacher, it becomes an easy matter.

There are many people who have experienced the clearly shining acquired image (uggaha nimitta) after the first attempt at meditation and the counter image (paµibh±ga nimitta) quite soon afterwards. That is why I would like to request those persons who are practising Dhamma for the realization of nibb±na, not to overlook the s²la-sam±dhi-paññ± triad.

The True Nature

Right thought (samm± saªkappa) is the contemplation of the true nature of the aggregates, sense bases and elements. The knowledge of the true nature after such contemplation is to be called the path of right view (samm± diµµhi). Then the problem arises: what is meant by "true nature" ?

The true nature is this: the mind and matter (n±ma and r³pa) of the five aggregates are incessantly and infallibly breaking down and passing away. This is the true nature of impermanence (anicca). The mind and matter of the five aggregates does not possess even a particle of satisfactoriness and is totally unsatisfactory. This is the true nature of unsatisfactoriness (dukkha). The mind and matter of the five aggregates has nothing to indicate that there is any substantiality such as me, mine and self. This is the true nature of egolessness, impersonality (anatt±).

These true natures are all within the body (which is but one fathom long) of the people who are now listening to this discourse. One must penetrate with one's basic concentration and insight wisdom into this body. One must look critically at the true nature of mind and matter, to remove the conceptual beliefs that are blocking the path. One must repeatedly study the true nature of impermanence, the true nature of suffering, the true nature of egolessness of the five aggregates. And one must develop the ten insight knowledges² of Vipassana. This process is called vipassan±.

After that, from the knowledge gained at the conjunction of the internal and external senses (ajjhat±yatana and bahiddh±yatana) to the contemplation of the eighteen kinds of insight knowledge, is also vipassan±.

Attano sabh±va½ dh±ret² ti dh±tu (contemplation of all kinds of elements which are carrying their own nature is also vipassan±).

These practices are said to be insight wisdom which removes conceptual truth to reach the ultimate truth (from paññatti to paramattha). Fundamentally, it is to be believed that if the triad of s²la, sam±dhi and paññ± is diligently practised, the Four Noble Truths will be comprehended and nibb±na will be realized. At the present time when Vipassana is more widely practised, if there is a strong base of sam±dhi, it is certain that nibb±na is not far off.

But those persons who are dazed by the evil (devaputta m±ra) will think that nothing can be done; they will give up and take the easy way out. When the Buddha saw and admonished the monk Kolita (who was later known as Mah± Moggall±na) for being drowsy during meditation, he said, "Kolita, for a person who is looking for the happiness of nibb±na, why do you want to associate with such undesirables as th²na-middha and pam±da (sloth, torpor and indolence)?"

So get rid of sloth, torpor and indolence with their repercussions and practise the Eightfold Noble Path, the Noble Path which is annunciated in the Dhammacakka.

Throughout sa½s±ra (the cycle of rebirth), for the mind which believes that the compounded mind and body (n±ma-r³pa) is:

nicca (permanent)-revolt against such a mind to open up the realization and knowledge of impermanence (anicca vijj± ñ±ºa)

sukha (pleasurable)-revolt against such a mind to open up the realization and knowledge of suffering (dukkha vijj± ñ±ºa)

att± (self)-revolt against such a mind to open up the realization and knowlege of non-self (anatt± vijj± ñ±ºa).

To Peace and Tranquillity

In brief, from today onwards, may you be able to practise with the utmost effort, to accomplish the supramundane wisdom (lokuttara ñ±ºa), by revolting against the conceptualized mundane world (loka).

May those persons who make the effort and practise, receive and be engulfed by the dhammadh±tu, bodhidh±tu, and nibb±nadh±tu (the vibration of Dhamma, bodhi, or enlightenment, and nibb±na, respectively) of the Buddha.

May they, by their established s²la, sam±dhi and paññ±, utterly destroy the evils who are the colonizers of sa½s±ra, viz., craving, conceit, and wrong view (taºh±, m±na and micch±-diµµhi) and attain swiftly and directly the full extinction of defilements (sa-up±disesa nibb±na), which is beyond all the nature of compounded things (saªkh±ra dhamma).

May they, with the radiant rays of nibb±na that they have received, deliver peace and tranquillity throughout this universe.

¹ Here, according to the commentaries, the word cakka (literally, "wheel" ) has the additional meaning of "the dispensation of Buddha." Therefore this line from Paµisambhid±-magga is indicating that the first discourse of Buddha, in which the basic outline of the entire teaching is laid out, is called Dhammacakka-pavattana because two things are set forth or set going: dhammañca pavatteti (the truth is set forth) and cakkañca pavatteti (the dispensation is set going.) The usual translation, "the rotation of the wheel of Dhamma," implies these two meanings metaphorically.

² For an explanation of the ten insight knowledges, see "The Essentials of Buddha Dhamma in Meditative Practice," pp. 33-4.