Post # 65 – Nibbana – Part 3

You  need to read Post # 63 & Post # 64 before reading this Post. It must now be very clear that Nibbana is not something mystic and/or divine, which is beyond ones easy reach. It is something that exists as a phenomenon, a reality that is realizable by those who follow Buddha’s teaching.

The reader must now ask himself/herself the question, while all this sounds very profound and true, is Nibbana something that I can realize for myself? The answer that Buddha achieved it and so did all the Arahants ( Noble Ones), may not be enough as a motivation to keep you going. You will need some more details to get activated.

One finds that Nibbana as a phenomenon is not taught in any other religion and is unique to Buddha- Dhamma. So how does one come to terms with this? Why is Buddha-Dhamma so special? This line of questioning therefore requires first an explanation about Buddha-Dhamma itself before discussing Nibbana.

Buddha-Dhamma can be described in many ways. However the one that best suits this discussion is to see Buddha-Dhamma in the light of the following.  It has to be seen not as a religion as religions go. With a religion one can get solace from a divine omnipotent source by prayer. In Buddha-Dhamma it is very clear that one has to work out one’s own salvation. No outside source can help us. Buddha-Dhamma is not a philosophy. Philosophies articulate theories and postulations by different thinkers that are rational and logical. They appeal to the intellectual mind. But philosophies are often not verifiable or can be scientifically tested. On the other hand Buddha-Dhamma is well articulated in the beginning to be true and pure, in the middle to be true and pure and at the end to be true and pure and well consistent and complementary in all three stages. Most of all it can be experienced. For our purpose therefore it is best described only as a  teaching and a practice (way of life) where the factors/aspects can be experienced by anyone who will try. 

The word Buddha-Dhamma is a compound word and has to be explained more in its etymological format for this purpose. The word Dhamma in Buddha-Dhamma, means the abiding laws and principles that govern the processes of the cosmos (soba-dharama). That is, this Dhamma exists today; Dhamma existed yesterday; it existed during the time of Gauthama the Buddha and way before him into the infinite past. Dhamma exists today; it will exist tomorrow and will continue to exist way into the infinity of the future. Therefore this Dhamma is the ultimate reality and the only reality that exists in this cosmos.

The word ‘Buddha’ in the context of Buddha-Dhamma, refers to a title given to a special person who has reached enlightenment through ardent effort and striving to develop the virtues of Seela (Moral Restraint), Samadhi (Tranquil, Concentrated and One-pointed  Mind) , and Panna (Experiential Wisdom) to the highest possible level.  Siddartha Gauthama strived hard and reached this Buddha-hood some 2600 years ago. With this sharp and developed mind he discovered the Dhamma, the existing reality. He did not create it or fashion it to be what it is today, but only saw it. What he saw was the nature of Dhamma; how it functions and influences; how it influences the living being; what the consequence or impact of this influence is; and the way, to cope. This is the doctrine or Buddha-Dhamma. Therefore one could see how special this Buddha-Dhamma is.

What Buddha discovered for our purpose from among everything else, are the four noble truths, the laws of cause and effect and the unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process. This unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process, the effort needed to escape from Samsara and its dangers are well elaborated in many suttas. (Bala Panditha Sutta and Deva Duta Sutta and Petha  Wattu Suttas)

Bhikku Bodhi in his talk on Nibbana says -“The unhappiness people experience psychologically is due to a tension between desire and the lack of what is desired. The two possible approaches to overcome this tension are to obtain what is desired or eliminate desire. Usually man goes for the first option by believing that happiness can be found by getting what you desire or satisfying desire. Getting things from outside is vulnerable for failure. When they are not permanent, the loss is painful. The second option of eliminating desire is independent of external objects and therefore not vulnerable for failure. It is a happiness and inner satisfaction that can never be destroyed. Full freedom from suffering is elimination of craving and ending re-becoming.  It is the state of final deliverance- Nibbana, the ultimate goal of a Buddhist”.

When one sees Nibbana this way, one is encouraged to find out how it can be realized. It is this motivation and inspiration that this Post is aiming to establish.

In some Dhamma Desanas the monks explain a very precise and clear way of attaining Nibbana. The basic steps one has to follow according to these talks, to develop in the path to Nibbana are not too demanding. They seem very encouraging and clear enough to engage in as a practice.

In these talks the learned monks refer to many Suttas in which there are clear ways that a lay-disciple may follow and attain Nibbana.  Ven. Dankande Dharmarathna Thero in his dhamma sermon on ‘Sansaren Etharaweema’ describes the unsatisfactory state of the Samsaric process. Quoting the suttas (Bala Panditha Sutta and Deva Duta Sutta) he explains that by following four virtuous qualities of Kalyana Mitra Sevanaya (associating with noble friends); Saddarma Sravanaya (learning the Dhamma); Yoniso Manasikara (being always mindful and acting wisely with clear comprehension in accordance with Dhamma); and following a Dhamma-nu-Dhamma Prathipadawa (the noble eightfold path) one enters sothapanna margaya, the path. This path and the attainment of its fruition, the Sothapatthi (stream enterer) state, is the first stage in realizing Nibbana. It is a significant mile-stone.

Ven. Madawela Somapala Thero in his Dhamma Desana on ‘Sowan Palaya Labeema’ quotes the sutta (Sotha Patti Sutta in Samyaktha Nikaya) where he explains that Sotha is the Ariya Astangika Margaya (the Noble Eightfold Path).  This path carries you along to Nibbana like a river that flows into the great ocean, without turning back. In these sutta, the Thero explains that in addition to the four fold virtues described earlier, the stream enterer has to also develop unwavering trust (sraddawa) in the Buddha, Dhamma (the teaching), the Sanga (Noble ones) and the Seela (moral restraint).

Upon entering the path one develops Saddha (unwavering trust), Viriya (ardent effort), Sathi (mindfulness), Samadhi (deep concentration) and Panna (experiential wisdom) as faculties and strengths. They help you achieve ‘sothapatthi magga chitta’ and ‘pala chitta’; the two sequential mind states of the path and fruition of Sothapatthi (stream enterer). These two states of magga chitta’ and ‘pala chitta’ gives a first glimpse of Nibbana which hitherto was only an intellectually acquired knowledge. It now becomes, although momentarily, an experience which keeps you on track with no doubt about the path and ultimate end.

This experience is compared to the situation of a man lost in the middle of a jungle in a dark stormy night.  The darkness, the storm and the rain are quite frightening. He wants to somehow escape to a safe place. He is quite lost and he sees no refuge and does not know which way to go. Then suddenly there is a flash of lightning. In that momentary illumination he sees at a distance in the valley below a village where there would be safety. In the darkness, although momentarily, he saw where he must go. There will now be no uncertainty or doubt in his mind as to which direction he has to go. The stream enterer undergoes a similar experience on reaching that attainment. 

These dhamma talks also describe how the path and the progressive attainments of the different stages in the path help to eliminate varies shackles or fetters (sanyojanas) that chain you down to the Samsaric process. There are altogether ten of them. With Sotha Patthi, you rid yourself of three such shackles. They are; the view of- a ‘Me’, a ‘Mine’ and an ‘I am’ (sakkaya ditti); the doubt about the Buddha, his noble qualities along with seven more aspects taught in the Dhamma (Vichi Kichchava); and wrong practices and rituals (Seelabatha Paramasa). With the attainment of this stage in the path, the stream enterer will not be reborn thereafter in the four unhappy realms (Satara Apayas) and avoid ‘ananthariya papa karmas’ the ultimate bad karmas, which drags a being straight to the nirayas (Hell Realms) in the next birth. The stream enterer will also not come under the influence of teachers with wrong views (Mithya Ditti) and will end his Samsaric process somewhere within the next seven rebirths.

This therefore seems the first target for every practitioner of the Dhamma. Further, once you are established in the Sothapatthi Margaya, you will reach an important intermediate state. That is either becoming a Sadda-nu-Sari or Dhamma-nu-Sari.  In the former of the two, unwavering trust in the Noble Triple Gem is the driver which takes you forwards towards the Sothapatthi state. In the case of the latter the driver is the inspiration gained from the understanding of the Dhamma. This inspiration carries you forward. It seems that any one of these intermediate states is quite achievable in this life itself for the one who is practicing in the path and can be the first target to aim at. With these states you leave behind your ‘Puthujana’ (mundane) outlook of life and enter the ‘Ariya Margaya’, the path followed by the noble ones.

From the Sothapatthi state and continuing on with the above practice to a higher degree of qualitative progress, and further development of the understanding of the four noble truths, one reaches the Sakadagami (once returner) state. Then continuing on, the Anagami (non returner) state is reached. Thereafter the final state of Arahant (an enlightened one) is attained after the full development of these virtues to achieve realization of Nibbana.

This step by step path of practice leading to the attainment of Nibbana unfolds in seven stages, known as the seven stages of purification (Satta Visuddhi). They are Purification of Virtue (sila Vissuddhi); Purification of Mind (chitta Vissuddhi); ....of View (ditti Vissuddhi); ....by Overcoming Doubt (kankavitarana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge of what is Path and not Path (maggamagga-nana dassana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge and Vision of the Way (pathipada-nana dassana Vissuddhi); ...of Knowledge and Vision (nana-dassana Vissuddhi )-( Sri Nanarama Mahathera- The Seven Stages of Purification and Insight Knowledges).

This development comes with practice in the Dhamma that Buddha taught out of compassion for all beings. He said “Then you should train yourself –harmoniously, cordially, and without dispute-in the qualities I have pointed out, having known them directly: the four frames of reference (sathara satthi-pattana); four right exertions (samma-padana); the four bases of power (iddhi-pada); the five faculties (indriya); the five strengths (bala); the seven factors of awakening (bojjhanga); the noble eightfold path (ariya-magga) and this forms the heart of my message” – the bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma (Thanissaro Bhikkhu – The wings to awakening)

Attainment of Nibbana is a realization one gets while one is alive. It is attained in two stages. First is when the above purifications and insight knowledge develops to the highest level, all sanyoganas (shackles) are broken and defilements are eliminated. Then you attain the Sow-upadi-shesa Nibbana element, or Kilesa Parinibbana. That is reaching liberation in this present life itself. Bhikkhu Bodhi in his aforementioned talk on Nibbana says this is the Nibbana with a residue remaining- (ie. the five aggregates). It is the attainment by a living Arahant. Then at the end of that life, with the exhaustion of the karma that gave this life and the destruction of the five aggregates, the Arahant reaches the Anu-padi-shesa Nibbana element or Skanda Parinibbana, the Nibbana element without a residue remaining, as the ultimate end without a further re-becoming (In the booklet ‘Niwana’ by Piyadasa Mathugama).

These extracts from text were brought in only for the purpose to show the range of aspects that are there when one tries to learn about Nibbana. They also establish the authenticity of the method and practice in realizing Nibbana, as coming from Buddha’s teaching. These should in no way appear daunting and put you off as a very complex practice. It is to be clearly understood that this is a practicable process requiring only the commitment, the energy and the resolve for attaining this state, which so many Arahants have achieved. We have to appreciate that we are trying to break the Samsaric habits that have been cultivated over eons of time and that is not easy. Also the attainment is not overnight, but has to be obtained step by step by accumulation. The achievement is realized through an incremental process.

Conclusion – Nibbana is the focus in Buddha’s teaching and therefore one must try to motivate oneself to understand this more fully. One has to come to terms with the fact that Samsara is unsatisfactory and dangerous, and one must escape from the cycle of birth and death. One has to realize that this particular human life is a rare opportunity and that it should not be missed to make some progress in the path. The clear steps described to develop, Shadda, Viriya, Sathi, Samadi and Panna have to be learned in detail and the practical way to engage in them in a household life has to be worked out. One must target reaching the preliminary stages of either the Dhamma-nu-Sari or Shradda-nu-Sari in this life itself which is quite achievable. Continuing further, the attainment of the state of Sothapatthi thereafter is within easy reach. What is needed is the basic understanding on how to conduct ones daily lay life to achieve above. Then the next stages of development requires the understanding of how to improve on the qualities in bodhi-pakshika dhamma and the development of the purifications and insight knowledge by regular and appropriate meditative practices in Samatha and Vidhrshana, to culminate the process. Please await Posts on a practical way to engage  in a household life to gain this liberation.

May you get the necessary inspiration!

Post # 64 – Nibbana – Part 2

 You need to read Post # 63 before reading this Post. I will now in this Post, continue the references made to Nibbana by the eminent scholars mentioned earlier  .

All Sankatha Dhamma by their very nature signifies the three phases of,  arising; falling away and in between, a phase called thithassa anyathatta-undergoing change or transformation of what is existing. Nibbana is unconditioned and not produced by causes and conditions. No arising, no passing away and no transformation. Nibbana is the Uttamam Dhammam – the Supreme Dhamma  (Bikkuhu Bodhi on Nibbana)

Other references to Nibbana in this source material include such descriptions as:

Nibbana is a state where- the Pancha Uppadana Skanda (the five aggregates of clinging) does not exist. It is described as the escape from samsara (sasaren nikweema).  Seeing Nibbana is explained as experiencing Nibbana through wisdom.  Nibbana is also described as an avedika suka, as happiness found outside sensory feelings. 

In the ‘talk’ on Nibbana by Bhikku Bodhi, he explains that – “living is seen to be attractive, pleasurable and permanent, and maximizing the enjoyment and personal pleasures seems to be the goal of man. The reason to seek liberation is because; we have to see that our life is burning with greed, hatred and delusion and subject to aging, sickness and death. This is referred to as suffering. The principal cause for this renewed becoming in a new life in Samsara is craving or thanha, the desire for the world full of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations etc.

We continue to seek happiness in all our actions. We try to obtain the objects we desire. When we get them we feel satisfied. These objects are not permanent and loss or degradation of which causes unhappiness and discontent. If on the other hand if we can eliminate desire we are not vulnerable for loss of what we desire resulting in unhappiness. Happiness and contentment obtained from eliminating desire is permanent not subject to external influences”.

When Nibbana is described as elimination of craving or ridding ourselves from defilements or going out of the flame of desire or other such references, they tend to suggest that it is something to be experienced in default. But Nibbana is also described as an existing reality that can be experienced, and transcendent to existing realms of existence.

Theravada tradition refers to existing realities by the key words- Dhamma, Ayathana, Datu and Sathya. Buddha has referred to Nibbana using these terms in many suttas signifying it as an existing reality and an actuality distinguishing it from concepts. Bhikku Bodhi says the Buddha used the following key words to denote this aspect.

By describing it as the Nirwana Dhamma- it is described as a phenomenon to be experienced from supra mundane wisdom (lokuthtara prgnnawa). Thus the keyword Dhamma, when used to describe Nibbana has the connotation of a phenomenon. Phenomena are divided into conditioned phenomena and unconditioned phenomena. Buddha has referred to Nibbana as an asankatha dhamma (unconditioned phenomena) not produced by causes and conditions. An Uttamam Dhamma (a supreme dhamma), which is an existing reality.

The keyword Ayathana when used by Buddha to refer to Nibbana, he brings out a meaning that it is similar in references to different planes of existence (ayathana meaning realms or spheres of existence). Buddha in Udana Paliya has referred to Nibbana as an Ayathana or realm.

By referring to it as Nibbana Dhatu it is being identified as an element. When referred to as Amatha Dhathu, Nibbana means deathless element.  Nibbana Dhathu is compared to an ocean. The explanation is that however many may reach Nibbana, it does not get any fuller, as it is with an ocean with all the rivers flowing into it.

Buddha has also referred to it as a Pada or State. He called it an Amatha Pada deathless state. Bhikkhu Bodhi quotes Buddha’s words as follows: “Monks there is a state which is unborn,            un-created, un-originated (always existing) and unconditioned. If there was not, then there would be no escape from this Samsara which is a state that is born, created, originated and conditioned”.

To explain Nibbana as a Pada or state (a deathless state), one would recall this story as an analogy.

“There is a man being pursued by his enemies. They want to harm him and destroy him. He tries to run away from them and escape. He comes by a raging river and sees the further shore as an escape. He sees a holy man sitting under a tree in contemplation.  He asks the man whether this river is difficult to cross. The man says yes, but you may build yourself a raft from sticks, twigs and reed and use it to cross in safety.  He follows this advice and reaches the safety of the further shore away from his enemies.

The near side of the river where you are now, is Samsara. The enemies are the karmas and kilesas. The raft is the dhamma which can be shed after reaching the further shore. The holy man is the Kalyana Mitra (noble friend) who explains the ways of the Dhamma. The raging river is craving, wrong views and ignorance, containing the currents of kamma oga (current of desire), bhawa oga (current of happening), ditti oga (current of wrong view), and Avijja oga (current of ignorance). The further shore, the escape or the refuge is Nibbana. This is a state which can be reached if you know the way”.

Nibbana has also been described by Buddha as a Sathya, a truth or reality. The word truth is not referring to it as a true statement but as an existing reality.  Nibbana is referred to by the Buddha as the supreme truth, the noble truth and an imperishable truth.

Nibbana’s nature is described both in negative terms and positive terms. Both sides have to be understood to express it in some form of perceptible way. The negative expressions are- negating suffering (dukka nirodha), negating defilements, destruction of craving, dispassion, eliminating lust (virago) etc..

When used with positive expressions Nibbana is referred to as- unexcelled, the ultimate goal, perfect bliss, perfect health, ultimate peace, unique without a parallel, wonderful and marvelous. Nibbana is also described in positive ways by references such as, desirable, pinnacle of happiness, supreme happiness (paramam sukkam), complete happiness, freedom and emancipation, state of fearlessness and equanimity.

The nature of Nibbana is beyond conventional words and language. Nibbana cannot be described in empirical terms that are used to explain mundane experience. It has therefore been described in ways or expressed as states achieved by default, or through a process of exclusion, such as one would explain darkness, which is an existing reality, through an explanation such as absence of light.

When Nibbana is said to be beyond conventional words and language one is reminded of the story of the fish and the tortoise.  This story is also  illustrated in Bhikku Bodhi’s talk on Nibbana.

 “The story goes to say that - there in a forest was a lake where there were some fish and a tortoise who were friends. One day the tortoise went for a walk on dry land and was gone for days. The fish were missing their friend. When the tortoise came back from this walk on dry land, the fish surrounded him and said – “Hello, there you are, where have you been? We missed you all this time”. The Tortoise said he was away, taking a walk on dry land. The fish were puzzled and asked “What is dry land?” The Tortoise was struggling for words to describe and the fish became impatient. They then started questioning the Tortoise….

“Fish (F) - Is there water in this Dry Land?    Tortoise (T) – No, there is no water in dry Land; F - Is it cool and refreshing?  T – No, it is not cool and refreshing?;   F – Are there waves and ripples in dry land?    T – No, there are no waves and ripples;   F – Can you swim it?     T – No, you can’t swim in it. Then the fish said - Oh is it so? Then your dry land can’t be real, it must be only in your imagination?”

Because the tortoise could not explain dry land to the fish whose domain of experience is only water, does not mean that there is nothing called dry land? Thus describing Nibbana in conventional words and language would be like explaining dry land to fish.  

I hope these references made to Nibbana in different discourses by the Buddha, can serve the purpose to establish the authenticity of the phenomenon based on Buddha’s teaching. These references should also satisfy a rational reader to accept that Nibbana is an existing reality and not something mystic or divine.

Please see Post # 65 for a short account on how Nibbana can be realized by a lay follower.

Post # 63 – Nibbana – Part 1

 Are you visiting this Blog for the first time? It would be good if you could visit the 1st Post to know about this Blog, and read the others in sequence.

Nibbana - In Post # 12 and Post # 13 you found a short summary of this topic. At that stage of your study you only needed a short overview. Now that you have come to this stage of development in Buddhist Practices, I feel that you should be given more details on this topic as you are now in a position to get the full benefit from such knowledge. 

 I made a special effort to research on this subject to collect some relevant facts to present before you. The source material was listed in Post # 13.  Researching on these source documents was quite an experience. What I found out from this research is that this is a very extensive topic and needed some effort from me to understand the underlying meaning. So I decided to pick out some special points about Nibbana from this material to share with you as pointers, with the objective of creating sufficient interest and curiosity in your minds. With this interest created I hope you will go out and look for more of such material on Nibbana to learn further about this important subject. Also by this effort I am expecting to place the onus on you to put this subject very high in your agenda in the quest for Dhamma knowledge.

Reference to Nibbana is very common in most Dhamma Desanas (talks). It is indeed the main focus in the Dhamma that Buddha taught. Descriptions given in Dhamma talks about Nibbana are sometimes a little profound or other times somewhat cursory, and are also often misunderstood. People thus tend to treat Nibbana as something mystic and/or divine and one which is beyond ones easy reach. It is also a common belief that Nibbana is something to be achieved after death. The reasons for this may be that it is often referred to in funeral orations and pansakula desanas. Banners and posters are common at funeral houses and cemeteries with the wording ‘May he/she attain Nibbana’ as something meant for a dead person. 

This understanding is of course quite contrary to Buddha’s teaching, where he refers to Nibbana as an existing reality and encourages the disciples to realize Nibbana in this very life itself, as he and all Arahants have demonstrated. Therefore it is very essential that a correct perception of Nibbana is obtained by each one of us.  

If one is motivated to find out the way, and how a step by step practice for the realization of Nibbana is to be followed, he/she will fist want to get a good understanding of the four Noble Truths, consisting of Dhukka or the unsatisfactory nature of existence, the cause, the liberation or Nibbana, and the path of practice to liberation. He/she will then engage with resolve in the initial practices towards the liberation.

The practice that one must follow and the method of attaining Nibbana are also available in several texts and are also described in many Dhamma Desanas (talks). I have quoted such sources in this Post as and when they were used. 

I have tried to list below some of the extracts obtained from the above reference material to give you a glimpse of how Nibbana is described by different authors. They are the references to Nibbana made in different discourses by the Buddha. The purpose of listing them is merely to establish the authenticity of the phenomenon based on Buddha’s own teaching. 

One Author summarizes Nibbana from Buddha’s own words thus- “This is peaceful, this is excellent, namely the stilling of all preparations, the relinquishment of all assets, the destruction of craving, detachment, cessation, extinction” (extracted from, 'Nibbana- The mind stilled -Volume 1' by Ven. Katukurunde Nanananda)

Some Suttas use the word Nibbana in the sense of extinguishing or extinction.  In Samyuktha Nikaya there are as many as 33 terms listed to denote the ultimate aim of Buddha Dhamma that is Nibbana. (says Abbidhamma Archari Piyadasa Matugama)

Another Author describes Nibbana using the ‘fire’ simile, where he attempts to describe the experience resulting from extinguishing or extinction of defilements and craving as “When a fire goes out with the exhaustion of the fuel you would know that it has gone out because the conditions for its existence are no more” (Bikkhu Bodhi on Nibbana). The fire simile also attempts to answer the question posed by the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta to the Buddha, “Whether the Thathagatha after death exists or not exist or both exist and not exist or neither exists nor not exist?

In another reference an Author describes the phenomenon Nibbana as follows (a reference made in the booklet on 'Nivana' by Dharma Achari Piyadasa Matugama, quoting Dhamma Chhaku, SammaDitti and Saccha Vibbanga Suttas ).

“Nivana –lokothtahara sakyathawaya (World transcending reality); nuwanin prathyaksa kala yuthu sathara marga pala as Nivana (realization through experiential wisdom of the four paths and their fruition); Thanahakkayo- Raga, Dosa, Moha durukereema (elimination of lust, ill- will and delusion).  Ayathana Vibbangaya- (destruction of sense faculties); Thrushna Nirodaya- elimination of craving.  Nirvana in Kewatta sutta in Diga-Nikaya is described as Pavathma Sindalima (ceasing of existence), Nivana in Angutara Nikaya is described as Thannahawa vanaseema (destroying desire), Viraga  nirodaya (elimination of lust). 

Abidhamma discourses by Achariya Buddhadasa refer to experiences under Sammuthi Dhamma (concepts) and Paramatta Dhamma (reality). Sammuthi Dhammas are those that are meaningful to the householder in their worldly experiences and Paramatta Dhamma is the reality as is known in lokuttara (supra mundane) experiences.  All phenomena are categorized into Chitta, Chaitasika, Rupa and Nibbana in Abidhamma. Rupa, Chitta and Chithasicas are sankatha dhammas (conditionally arisen through cause and effect) and Nibbana is Asankatha Dhamma (without cause and effect).              

 Due to the need to limit the content in each post to facilitate reading I will end these descriptions here. Please see Post # 64 for the continuation.

Post # 62 – SAMSARA, the CYCLE OF BIRTH  AND  DEATH, IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM – Part 3

It would be good if you could visit the 1st Post to know about this Blog. 

You need to read Post # 60 and Post # 61, before reading this. We are now in the position to discuss the escape from the unsatisfactory samsaric cycle. That is to engage in activities that lead to the complete cessation of suffering, the realization of Nibbana.

The conventional death is just one phase of a continuous cycle of existence, linking our present life and the next, and is a direct result of our accumulated kamma. The past accumulated kamma acts in a subtle way to condition the new life. A person who has acquired wholesome kamma may well be born into happy circumstances, enjoying good health, wealth and family connections. Although the inherited genes from parents play an important part in determining physical and some mental characteristics, kamma may be considered as the driving force. It may well be argued that rebirth to particular parents was the appropriate result of past kamma.

On the other hand, beings born into higher planes than human are said to enjoy blissful existence and thoughts of release from the cycle of re-birth are furthest from their minds. The human plane provides a more balanced environment, where beings experience both happiness as well as unhappiness, and therefore are able to, if they wish, enter the path to liberation. The attainment is not overnight, but has to be obtained step by step in an incremental process.

Bhikku Bodhi the scholar monk from US, in a Dhamma talk stated that: “The cause for unhappiness, discontent and suffering is the tension between desire and the lack of what is desired. The two possible approaches to overcome this tension are to obtain what is desired or eliminate desire. Usually man goes for the first option by believing that happiness can be found by satisfying desire. Getting things from outside is vulnerable for failure. When they are not permanent, the loss is painful. The second option of eliminating desire is independent of external objects and therefore not vulnerable for failure. It is a happiness and inner satisfaction that can never be destroyed. Full freedom from suffering is elimination of craving and ending re-becoming.  It is the state of Nibbana, the ultimate goal of a Buddhist”.

It was seen from the previous posts on Punnya Kamma and Kusala Kamma that acquisition of these virtues were necessary for the well-being in our present life and future lives. Understanding that escape from Samsara advocated in Buddha-Dhamma is the main objective of dhamma practice, one knows that this escape can be difficult to realize in this life, although not impossible. Therefore it is essential to have an insurance to ensure ourselves with a birth in a happy realm in the next birth endowed with necessary means (paramithas) to continue the practice for reaching liberation at the earliest. This particular human life is a rare opportunity we have to make some progress in the path. The clear steps described have to be learned in detail and the practical way to engage in them in a household life has to be worked out.

Upon reaching enlightenment the Buddha discovered the four Noble Truths, consisting of Dhukka or the unsatisfactory nature of existence, the cause, the liberation or Nibbana, and the path of practice to liberation. If one were to single out one truth out of above for the realization of liberation, it is the fourth. Not that it is more important than the others, but because one can engage in a practice to experience the truth when compared to the other three which are more focused on intellectual understanding of the truths. It is a path to spiritual development.  

 When a Buddha arises in this world he discovers this path which has up to then been shrouded in spiritual darkness. He then commits himself to teach this to the people to help them escape from entrapment in the samsara. In his teaching in the Pattica Samupadda (Dependent Origination) Buddha explains the process of re-becoming, pinpointing to the cause, as the clinging rooted in ignorance. By developing right view and other spiritual qualities in the ‘Path’, ignorance (and clinging) is eliminated giving rise to liberating wisdom.

In an article written by Dr. Ari Ubeysekara in 2018 on - Cycle of Birth and Death (samsara) in Theravada Buddhism, this author says that- “According to Buddhist scriptures, it is believed that through meditation, the Buddha gained firsthand knowledge of rebirth and the cycle of birth and death,  before declaring it to the world. During the process of attaining full enlightenment through deep meditation on that night, the Buddha is said to have developed three special types of supreme knowledge, two of which revealed the knowledge of rebirth. During the first watch of the night, the Buddha developed the supreme knowledge (pubbe-nivasanussati nana) through which it was possible to recollect the past lives that the Buddha himself had gone through during the cycle of birth and death. During the second watch of the night, the Buddha developed the divine eye (cutupapatha nana), which revealed how from an inconceivable beginning, other beings were reborn into happy or unhappy existences dependent on their previous skillful and unskillful actions, based on the natural law of cause and effect (kamma)”.

During one’s life there is a recurring succession of streams of consciousness. Each incidence of consciousness goes through three stages. It originates (uppada), persists (tithi), and ceases (bhanga), all in a minute duration of time only to be followed by the origin of another incidence of consciousness. The first consciousness transmits its kammic form and energy over to the next. The subsequent consciousness is completely new and not the same as its predecessor. However, it is not completely independent of the predecessor either, as the new consciousness is conditioned by the kammic form and energy of the previous one.

The recurring stream of consciousness is said to continue on between the end of one life process (death of one life as we know it) and the beginning of another life process (birth of one life as we know it). The newly born being in the next life is described as being neither the same person nor a different person. This process has sometimes been equated to what happens when one candle is lit from another candle where nothing substantial passes from the first candle to the second, but still the flame of the first candle is the cause of the flame in the second candle.

According to Buddhist teaching, one who cultivates the Noble Eight-fold Path with diligence, will sooner or later pass through four progressive stages of spiritual development, finally attaining full enlightenment or Nibbana. The four progressive stages of spiritual development are Stream Enterer (sotapanna); Once Returner (sakadagami); Non-Returner (anagami); Arahat (Noble Being). The way to attain these stages of development was described in Posts #s 16 to 20.

By following virtuous qualities of associating with noble friends; learning the Dhamma;  being always mindful and acting wisely with clear comprehension in accordance with Dhamma; and following  the Noble Eightfold Path and  also developing unwavering trust (Sradda) in the Buddha, Dhamma, the Sanga (the noble community) and the Seela - physical and verbal restraint from doing unwholesome deeds,  one enters Sothapatthi Margaya - stream entry, the  path. This path and the attainment of its fruition, the Sothapatthi - (stream enterer) state, is the first stage in realizing Nibbana.  Upon entering the path one develops Saddha (trust), Viriya (ardent effort), Sathi (mindfulness and clear comprehension), Samadhi (concentrated attention) and Panna (wisdom for understanding reality) as faculties and strengths progressively to higher levels. These progressive attainments of the different stages in the realization Nibbana, helps to eliminate various fetters or shackles (sanyojanas) that chain you down to the Samsaric process. Further, once you are established in the Sothapatthi Margaya, you will reach an important intermediate state before you attain its fruition. That is either becoming a Sadda-nu-sari (one driven by trust) or Dhamma-nu-sari (one driven by understanding of the Dhamma).  In the former, unwavering trust in the Noble Triple Gem is the driver which takes you forwards towards the Sothapatthi state. In the case of the latter, the driver is the inspiration gained from the understanding of the Dhamma. This inspiration carries you forward. Any one of these intermediate states is quite achievable in this life and can be the first target to aim at.

From the Sothapatthi state and continuing on with the above practice to a higher degree of qualitative progress, one reaches the Sakadagami (once returner) state, the Anagami (no returner) state and thereafter the final state of Arahanthood (an enlightened one), ending the Samsaric journey and attaining Nibbana.

I hope with these descriptions I have been able to create in your minds the inspiration to engage in the Dhamma Practice to escape from this dangerous Samsaric Cycle. In the following  Posts I will try to give some more details on Nibbana for your study.

May you get the necessary inspiration!.....

Post # 61 – SAMSARA, the CYCLE OF BIRTH   AND DEATH, IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM – Part 2

Are you visiting this Blog for the first time? It would be good if you could visit the 1st Post to know about this Blog and then read the others in sequence. 

You need to read Post # 60 before reading this.

In Post # 60 you saw an outline of the references made by learned scholars on the topic of Samsara and the need to escape from its entrapment. In this post I will continue such descriptions with reference to the realms of re-birth etc… as described in Theravada Buddha-Dhamma

Realms of Rebirth - Buddhist cosmology, typically describe six realms in which re-becoming may occur. They are the realms of divine beings, humans, animals, demi-gods, hungry ghosts and hells. The six realms are typically divided into higher realms (good and fortunate) and lower realms (evil and unfortunate). The higher realms are the realms of the divine beings and humans; the lower realms are the realms of the animals, demi-gods, hungry ghosts and hell beings. The six realms are organized into thirty one levels. Buddhist texts describe these realms as follows:

Higher Realms (good and fortunate)

Divine realms - those of gods (devas) is the most pleasure-filled among six realms, and typically subdivided into twenty six sub-realms. A rebirth in this heavenly realm is believed to be due to very good kamma accumulation. A Deva does not need to work, and is able to enjoy in the heavenly realm all pleasures found on earth. However, the pleasures of this realm lead to attachment (Upādāna), lack of spiritual pursuits and therefore Samsara.  The vast majority of Buddhist lay people have historically pursued rituals and practices motivated with rebirth into Deva realm. The life period in these realms are quite long compared to the human life span.

Human realm:  Buddhism asserts that one is reborn in this realm with vastly different physical endowments and moral natures because of a being's past kamma. A rebirth in this realm is considered as fortunate because it offers an opportunity to attain Nibbana and end the Saṃsāra cycle.

Lower Realms (evil and unfortunate)

Animal realm: This is a state of existence of a being as an animal. This realm is traditionally thought to be similar to a hellish realm, because animals are believed in Buddhist texts to be driven by impulse and instinct.  They prey on each other and suffer. They accumulate kamma, and are reborn in Samsara.

Demi-god realm (Asura): This is the forth realm of existence in Buddhism. Asura are notable for their anger and some supernormal powers. They fight with the Devas (divine beings), or trouble the Manusya (humans) through illnesses and natural disasters. They accumulate kamma, and are reborn in Samsara. The life period in these realms are quite long compared to human life

Hungry ghost realm: The hungry ghosts and other restless spirits (preta) are rebirths caused by kamma of excessive craving and attachments. They do not have a tangible body, are invisible and constitute only "subtle matter" of a being. Buddhist texts describe them as beings that are extremely thirsty and hungry.  Buddhist traditions in Asia attempt to care for them on ritual days every year, by leaving food and drinks in the open, to feed any hungry ghosts nearby. When their bad kamma runs out, these beings are reborn into another realm. The suffering of the beings born in the realm of the hungry ghosts is far more intense than those born in the animal realm. The life period in these realms are quite long compared to human life

Hell realm: The beings in hell (naraka) enter this realm for serious evil kamma such as theft, lying, adultery and others. The texts vary in their details, but typically describe numerous hellish regions each with different forms of intense suffering. These beings are reborn in another realm after their evil kamma has run its course.  They die, and they get another rebirth. The life period in these realms are quite long compared to human life.

These descriptions may seem to some, as ancient mystic creations that have been passed down the generations for purposes of restraining people from engaging in bad ethical acts, due to fear of such consequences. While this moral objective is tenable and may appeal to a reasonable mind, the validity of these descriptions and their reality per se has to be analyzed intellectually before any judgment is made.

We are prepared to accept that something is real if it can be established by the conventional scientific theories. Also if something is perceptible and can be experienced through our sense faculties of eye, ear etc. we are prepared to accept them. While this is reasonable, we have to know that scientific postulations are ever changing with new discoveries and research. Therefore relying entirely on what science says as presently established about the world outside of its domain is not very wise, given the serious nature of what we are trying to understand. We are all too aware that our sensory perceptions are limited to a regime determined by the strengths of our faculties and the supporting instrumentation and aids presently available. As worldly beings, our domain of experiences is thus limited as aforesaid. However a human being with special intellectual capacity and wisdom and a trained mind can arguably see and understand many phenomena that are not perceptible to an ordinary human mind.

Thus if we can have trust in Buddha’s special abilities as described, we may be well advised to look at what Buddha has experienced and taught  in his search for the truth of the nature of life of all beings. This option therefore is the favored stand point for our decision making in the present context in our pursuit of a specific Practice that we must follow.

Samsara is perpetuated by one's kamma, which is caused by craving and ignorance (avidya). Kamma or 'action' results from an intentional physical, verbal or mental act, which causes a future consequence. Thus acts of body and speech are driven by an underlying intention or will (cetanā), and they are unwholesome or wholesome because they are motivated by unwholesome or wholesome intentions. Acts of body and speech are, then, the end products of particular kinds of mentality. At the same time kamma can exist as a simple 'act of will', a forceful mental intention or volition that does not lead to an act of body or speech.

In the Buddhist view, therefore, the type of birth one has in this life is determined by actions or kamma from the previous lives; and the circumstances of the future rebirth are determined by the actions in the current and previous lives.

Buddhist tradition considers ignorance (avidya) to be the root cause of samsara.  Avidya is misconception and ignorance about reality, leading to grasping and clinging, and repeated rebirth. It is the not-knowingness of things as they truly are. It can be overcome by insight into the true nature of phenomena or reality. The recognition and acceptance of non-self, is called the anatta.  One who no longer sees any soul or self, concludes Ven. Walpola Rahula quoting the Buddha, is the one who has been liberated from the samsara cycles.

Buddhist texts suggest that rebirth occurs through the transfer of vinnana (consciousness) from one life to another. When this transfer of consciousness ceases, then liberation is attained. There is a connection between consciousness, kammic activities, and the cycle of rebirth. With the ceasing of vinnana transfer, there is cessation of "kammic activities", which are considered in Buddhism to be "the cause for the continued perpetuation of cyclic existence.

It is clear that the number of times a person may be reborn is almost infinite. This process of repeated rebirth in saṃsāra is an 'endless wandering'. All living creatures are part of this cyclic movement and will continue to be reborn until they attain Nibbana. While Buddhism considers the liberation from samsara as the ultimate spiritual goal, in traditional practice still Buddhists seek and accumulate merit through good deeds, offerings to monks and various other rituals in order to gain better rebirths rather than nibbana.

Due to the need to limit the contents of each post to facilitate easy reading, I will end these descriptions here. 

Please see the continuation in Post # 62, where reference is made to the escape from the Samsaric Cycle.