Post # 19 - The  Direct Path to Enlightenment; Panna Part 

In  Post # 16 we discussed the Noble Eightfold Path and how it is developed in three parts of Seela, Samadhi and Panna. This Post has Panna Part in more detail.

The Panna Part consists of the factors Samma Sankappa and Samma Ditthi of the Noble Eightfold Path.  We saw how the factors Samma Sankappa and some part of Samma Ditti ( Right View) were developing in the Seela Part. I will therefore only discuss the factor Samma Ditthi in more detail in this Post.

A quote from the web- “Right view (Samma Ditthi) is the forerunner of the entire path, the guide for all the other factors. It enables us to understand our starting point, our destination, and the successive landmarks to pass as the practice advances. To attempt to engage in the practice without a foundation of right view is to risk getting lost in the futility of undirected movement” - unquote.

In the many Dhamma talks we hear of learned Monks referring to Samma Ditthi under Lokiya Smmaditthi (mundane right view) which refer mainly to Karma and Pala (cause and effect) and Lokuttara Smmaditthi (supra - mundane right view or world transcending right view) mainly to do with the four noble truths and the understanding of the four stages of the Path to enlightenment.

A tenfold mundane right view, is also taught. The ten factors described are: 1. there is a benefit in giving alms; 2. there is a benefit of grand offerings; 3. there is a benefit of trivial gifts; 4. there is a result of good and evil deeds;  5. there is special significance of deeds done to one’s mother; 6.  there is special significance of deeds done to one’s father; 7. there are spontaneously arisen beings such as deities, spirits (non-human beings) and brahmas; 8. there is the human world; 9. there are other worlds, such as heavens and hells; 10.there are some people who, by power of concentration,  can see beings reborn in other worlds.

The supra-mundane right view on the other hand is described as right understanding of the four noble truths, which include the realization of nibbana, eradication of self-view or ego, attaining permanent stability in morality and unshakable confidence in the Noble Triple Gem.

In the Sammaditthi Sutta- the discourse on ‘Right View’ as translated from Pali language  by Ñanamoli Thera & Bhikkhu Bodhi,  it is stated that Ven. Sariputta addressed the bhikkhus saying "One of right view, one of right view' is said, friends. In what way is a noble disciple one of right view? It would be the one whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma?  When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome, the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of right view, whose view is straight, and who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma".  And the sutta thus goes on referring to different aspects of right view under Wholesome and the Unwholesome, Nutriment, the Four Noble Truths, Aging and Death, Birth, Being, Clinging, Craving, Feeling, Contact, The Six-fold Base, Mentality-Materiality, Consciousness, Formations, Ignorance and Taints; their nature and their roots. That is what the Venerable Sariputta said". The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Venerable Sariputta's words.

But the explanation about Samma Ditthi that includes all of above and that best suits our purpose, is the one which refers to seeing worldly phenomena in the way the noble ones (Buddhas, Paccheka Buddhas, Arahants) see them. That is developing right views relating to phenomena of the world with Nibbana as the focus .

Ven Gampaha Pemasiri Mahathera of Kanduboda VMC, explains this right view in a way that requires contemplation on six aspects of worldly phenomena. They are respectively kammassakata sammaditthi (way of seeing Kamma and their retribution in relation to Nibbana); Diyana Samma Ditthi (way of developing concentrated mind for realizing Nibbana); Vidarshana Samma Ditthi (seeing Nibbana through insight knowledge by a deep understanding of the true nature of all phenomena); Chatu Sathya Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the four noble truths with Nibbana as the focus); Marga Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the steps in the path to enlightenment/Nibbana); Pala Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the fruition in the path  to enlightenment/ Nibbana).

This may appear to be too deep and daunting at first sight for a lay householder to comprehend. But by attempting to understand what this really means and resorting to a simple method of practice, one may find that the objective can be achieved quite easily. Let us now discuss this simple method.

Firstly this requires the accumulation of knowledge about these six aspects from our traditional methods such as by listening to dhamma and reading about dhamma etc. My suggestion for this is to keep a record of any relevant facts related to these six aspects as they come to your attention. By keeping a notebook we build up little by little the range of facts to be included.  Thereafter summarizing and consolidating this as a ready checklist, you have the material for this contemplative practice. This should be a continuous process as total knowledge is never achieved in a hurry. But to make a start for the present, any accumulated knowledge would be sufficient.

I would now like to as an example list out some content and how they are used in this contemplation. The following listing is by no means typical or sufficient as content for this practice. But they are given only to establish the method as I understand them. What you must create for yourself through the above means will be the best and the most rewarding method to achieve the objective. The list is:

1.0 Kammassakata Sammaditthi (way of seeing Kamma and their retribution in relation to Nibbana)- 

All acts committed by us with will, understanding and mindfulness are accumulated as Kamma. This accumulation is done by thought, word and deed. The ethical quality of the volition segregates them as wholesome or unwholesome, thus shaping our re-becoming. This re-becoming determines our samsaric (cycle of re-birth) process.  By right understanding and engaging in the Dhamma practice to develop the  steps in the path and their fruition (marga pala), to enlightenment/Nibbana - that is engaging in the right kamma - the effects of the accumulated kamma can be mitigated thus shortening the samsaric process.

2.0 Diyana Samma Ditthi (way of developing a concentrated mind for realizing Nibbana) - Advancing in serenity meditation to achieve higher levels of one-pointed and absorbed mind is the basis for developing a mind capable of realizing Nibbana. That is to reach  mind states of high concentration and absorption in an object of attention. This state is called a jahana in the Pali language. They are associated with corresponding jahana factors. These jahana states are four in number. The jahana factors, five in number act in a way to suppress the five hindrances (pancha neewarana) that inhibit our realization of enlightenment. This absorbed and concentrated mind thus developed, is referred to as right concentration in the Noble Eight-fold Path.  Such a developed mind is capable of achieving wisdom. Then by coming out of these jahanas with the concentrated mind thus gained, one can engage in insight meditation to develop the wisdom to experience the state of Nibbana.

3.0 Vidarshana Samma Ditthi (seeing Nibbana through insight knowledge) - One has to engage in insight meditation to develop wisdom (yatha bhutha nanna) to see the true nature of phenomena. That is their impermanence, un-satisfactory nature and nature of non-self - the universal truths. With this wisdom, the attachments to worldly phenomena and views hitherto held of a self, speculative doubt in the noble triple gem, and engaging in mythical rites and rituals (sakkaya ditthi, vicchikichcha, and  seelabbatha paramasa) fade away. This is the initial condition for developing the wisdom (vidya vimukkthi nanna dharshana) for realizing Nibbana.

4.0 Chatu Sathya Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the four noble truths with Nibbana as the focus) - The four Noble Truths are: the truth of suffering (unsatisfactory nature of existence); the truth of the cause of suffering; the truth of the end of suffering; and the truth of the path leading to the end of suffering. Each one signifies the understanding of the truth about life, the reasons behind those truths, the possibility of change and the way of life that can lead to freedom from suffering, ie. Nibbana.

5.0 Marga Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the steps in the path to enlightenment/Nibbana). This understanding develops while we advance in the Noble Eightfold Path. The first understanding in this process is the Path Knowledge (Magga-Nana) of the Stream Entry Path, the first supra mundane vippassana knowledge and takes Nibbana as the object. While mundane vippassana knowledge only suppresses the defilements, Path Knowledge destroys defilements stage by stage. The Stream Entry path knowledge destroys three defilements, the Once Returner path knowledge weakens two defilements, the Non Returner path knowledge destroys these two defilements and Arahant path knowledge destroys all remaining defilements to realize Nibbana.

6.0 Pala Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the fruition in the path to enlightenment/ Nibbana) - The Fruition Knowledge (Pala Nana) is the result of the path knowledge, and follows in the next mind moment. It is also supra mundane with Nibbana as object. In the process of attaining fruition knowledge, the first stage is either the Sadda-nu-sari ( one driven by the trust in the Noble Triple Gem) or Dhamma-nu-sari ( one driven by the inspiration of understanding the true Dhamma) state. Then the knowledge of right view becomes fulfilled with spiritual attainments. This is called the fruits of the path. There are four spiritual stages in which the 10 fetters tying us to the samsaric existence are gradually eradicated. A person in the first stage is known as a stream-enterer or sotapanna. He has eradicated personality belief, skeptical doubt and attachment to mere rites and rituals. A person in the second stage is called sakadagami or once-returner, and has weakened sensual desire and ill will. Those in the third stage are called anagami, or non-returners. They have completely eradicated sensual desire and ill will. Those in the fourth stage are Arahants or Enlightened Ones. They have eradicated craving for fine material existence, craving for immaterial existence, conceit, worry and ignorance. Eradicating last of all, ignorance, because all these fetters are rooted in ignorance. In the final stage, ignorance can be overcome by realizing the Four Noble Truths through right view.
I will elaborate on the Samma Ditti as outlined above in more detail in a later Post.

With the inclusion of the factor Samma Sankappa developed during the Seela Part and adding the Samma Ditthi factor thus developed, and by dedicating a time of day to contemplate on right view as above, one would complete the development of Panna part of the Noble Eightfold Path.

The last four Posts described in detail the development of the stage 1 and 2 of the Noble Eightfold Path. I will in the next post give an outline of the stage 3.