A Dhamma reflection during the coup
A Burmese friend of the page has written the following Dhamma reflection. He ask that his name not be included, but he is happy for more practitioners around the world to read his words, written as he continues to lose friends and family members to the coup and to COVID, amidst this current struggle he keeps his mind clear and focused.
Dear Dhamma Friends,
It's 25 days ago I wrote the last Patthan letter to you all. Today is the 1st Waxing Day of Thidingyut month in Myanmar Lunar Calendar and tonight will be the 90th day of my Patthāna chanting that I started on 9th July (the 1st Waxing Day of Waso Month). The Enlightened Buddha started to preach Abhidhamma (the Profound Dhamma) on the full moon day of Waso (the 1st month of Rain Retreat) and finished preaching on the full moon day of Thidingyut (the last month of Rain Retreat period). In Sri Lanka, the former full moon day is known as Esala Poya Day and the latter is known as Vap Poya Day. [Ref: www.lakpura.com] For those who are westerners, whose email addresses are attached herein, it can easily be noted that the first month of Vassa (Rain Retreat Period) usually falls in July and the period normally lasts three months, so the end of the period falls in October usually. These full moon days and the rain retreat period are important to Theravada Buddhists. In honour and memory of the Enlightened Buddha, who ascended to the Tavatimsa Heaven and started to preach on the full moon day of July, I have started to recite Mahā Patthāna since the 1st Waxing Day of the month. The Lord Buddha preached the Abhidhammā texts to Santusita Deva (formerly his mother Mahā Māya Devi who passed away a week after the birth of him and was reborn in the celestial abode of Tavatimsa) and other divines for 3 months and finished preaching on the full moon day of October. [Ref; "Lord Buddha's Sāsanā and Memoirs of Thidingyut Full Moon Day" by Rector Sayadaw Dr. Nanda Mālābhivamsa.] Hence, I have made up my mind and made a self-resolution to chant Mahā Patthāna until the end (New Moon Day) of the last month of Vassa Period (usually falling in October). I will have already recited for 118 days at the end of my resolution. I share all my merits with you all and may your delights lead to the knowledge of the cessation of all mental defilements.
Anyway, I can write a letter to you today on the 90th Day of my chanting. Over the last 25 days, I have been doing good deeds continuously in the emphasis with the Anantara-Paccaya explained in my last letter. For this emphasis, I have stories of my personal experience in connexion with the knowledge of Patthāna, to share with you all which I can prove that the formerly-arisen good states of mind can cause, support and sustain the subsequent good ones.
[ - The preceding good mental states continuously cause and sustain the succeeding good mental states. ]
Just kindly see my example of what I had been doing since after writing the last letter to you all. I stated therein that I was arranging alms-food donation of Mahā Janaka and his Kalyāna-mittas from "Path Nirvana" Foundation for seven needy monasteries in my township. After that donation, I was having a strong wish to help the other needy monasteries in my township, too. Surprisingly and in the energy or condition of Anantara-Paccaya, a friend of Mahā Janaka, who is a Sri Lankan national and lives in Australia, contacted me soon through him that he wished to donate raw alms-food to needy monasteries and meditation centers in my township. Thus, I was helping to arrange his donation to 32 monasteries (including meditation centers) and nunneries as well as 1 girl orphans' home in my town.
While discussing how to arrange this donation, I wished to write a letter on my 72nd chanting-day when Janaka also decided to offer two meals to a meditation center in Yangon for his birthday which fell on September 27th. This new good deed of Mahā Janaka was also produced and he was inspired while I was inspiring his friend from Australia. The meditation center was founded by the well-known Venerable Taw Kuu Monk, an arhat who remained relics when he passed away and his corpse was cremated. He was also a disciple praised by the Great Mahāsi Sayadaw of the 20th Century for his ability to take a meditation continuously for 24 hours without any pause. The fact inspiring Janaka is that the current residing monk (abbot) who is still alive and 93 years old now, can take a meditation continuously for 35 hours long in sitting and the same length of time in standing calmly. He is well known as the Second Taw Kuu Sayadaw and also known to people that he was tested and praised by the well-known arhat Mahā Bodhi Myaing Sayādaw, for his tranquility to be able to sit and meditate continuously for such long without changing any positions, inspirably. He is now very old and taking medical treatment at a hospital in Yangon but his face ever looks so calm, peaceful and smiling as far as we can see his photos sent by a monk from the meditation center. [Kindly find attached photos of him.]
After Janaka's decision to offer meals to the meditators there, my family also decided and pledged to the monk that we are offering meals (a breakfast and a lunch) on October 21st, my parents' wedding anniversary day. The next fact which emphasizes the truth of Anantara-Paccaya, is that Janaka and his Dhamma friends have recently decided again to offer the meals for 2 more days in addition to his birthday offer on September 27th. This is showing that a preceding good mental state causes, supports and sustains the successive good ones continuously. His friend from Australia also donated 5 sacks of raw-rice and 5 buckets of vegetable oil to that center. It is incomparable to offer nutritional donation to the meditators whose mind is calm and leading closer towards the Nirvāna, walking on the Noble Path. As I told them via Messenger, I have ever read the biography of the First Taw Kuu Sayadawgyi, the arhat, since over ten years ago but I never thought that I will be in contact and able to do a donation to this prestigious Taw Kuu Meditation Center together with or based on the merits of my Sri Lankan Dhamma friends. I never imagined to be able to see the Second Taw Kuu Sayadaw whom was praised by the Arhat Mahā Bodhi Myaing Sayadaw. In connexion with Patthāna, there can also truly be a cause in our former life which is related to these deeds in this present life, beyond the reason why Janaka's friend from Australia wished to donate to meditation centers. In connexion with Anantara-Paccaya, his volition for doing a good deed caused not only his following mental states but also caused us to do and join his good deeds. From another perspective, over the last 25 days when I couldn't write to you, I have been doing good deeds continuously and subsequently after Janaka's first alms-food donation to 7 monasteries in my township. [These days, we strongly believe that we can protect both ourselves and our people from the Three Calamities (Pestilence, Warfare & Famine) by doing good deeds continuously more and more. We wish and intend to protect our people by means of the invisible Karmic force or the energy of our good Karmas, so the country will be free from all unfavourable states. This is the only weapon of mine that I pick up and hold at this moment. Only the good can cease the bad. Only our Metta and good Karma can free ourselves from mental impurities (such as hatred, anxiety, disappointment, etc.). I truly believe that our Metta and good Karma may help our people to be soon free from these unfavourable states, too.]
In addition to the aforesaid donations to Sangha (Sangha Dānas), I was also arranging to help and reach out relief aids to the sick and aged people in my wife's village in Ayeyarwady Delta Region. It was pretty delightful to help these sick and aged people there who are in bad need of food. In some aged couples, a spouse is suffering a chronic sickness such as stroke, or his leg is broken or he/she lost his eyesight. Meanwhile, the other spouse works in the fields and earns only MMK-1,000 per morning (though the young labours are paid MMK-1,500 per morning). Some aged people shed tears heartfeltly that they had almost a shortage of food and the amount of money which my organization helped, means a lot to them, indeed. It was really delightful and heartfelt to me, indeed. I wrote to you about this partly in one of my previous letters wherein I stated that my wife's predominant wish (Chandā-dhipati) was fulfilled and finally achieved. [Please, remember my Patthan letter about "Adhipati-Paccaya (Predominant Cause)".] Anyway, I share all my merits and delights with you all.
Today, I am writing to you and sharing a piece of my knowledge about the fifth conditional relation, namely, "Samanantara-Paccaya (Immediacy or Contiguity Condition)". In Visuddhimagga, it states "Anantara(proximity) means: without interval. Anantara and Samanantara(contiguity) are different in name, but the same in meaning." [Ref; Visuddhimagga, XVII, 74.] It continues, "Sam in Samanantara can mean right or proper. Cittas(mental conditions), after it has ceased, the arising of the subsequent citta, without interval; it is Anantara-Paccaya. .............. Samanantara is sometimes translated as immediate contiguity." [Ref; "Conditions: An outline of the 24 conditions as taught in the Abhidhamma" by Nina van Gorkom.] In brief, I prefer to call Samanantara-Paccaya as "Immediacy Condition" according to the translation work by Agganyāni. [Source: Academia.edu.]
It is to note that nearly all the descriptions or contents of Samanantara-Paccaya are the same as Anantara-Paccaya. In many books written by the earlier famous Sinhalese commenter monk and later famous Myanmar monks, such as in the book "Basics of Patthana" written by the Most Venerable Janakābhivamsa, the examples are worth noting to get a clear understanding of the difference and for comparison between the two conditions.
" When the King dies, the Crown Prince, thus, automatically becomes a king in the country. In the same way, the preceding mental states pass away and then the successive ones continuously arise in proximity or contiguity condition. In the case where the King does not die but when he renounces and goes to the forest for higher mental training, there is more sensible to the immediate contiguity of kingship for the Crown Prince. In the same way, the preceding mental states give rise to the successive ones through their cessation. Thus, the successive ones arise immediately after the cessation of the preceding ones. By this means of 'Immediacy Condition' providing direct and instant involement by the preceding ones (through their cessation) to give rise to the successive ones.
Simply, the first simile is referred to Anantara-Paccaya (Proximity Condition) wherein the proximate mental states arise in contiguity condition. The second simile is referred to Samanantara-Paccay(Immediacy Condition), with a little more emphasis just like the power of immediacy of television images. When we see an image on TV, it seems like we are seeing the image stably but in fact, it is a series or a sequence of continuous objects in a very fast process.
Proximity-condition and immediacy-condition are conditions for Cittas(mental states) to arise again and again, in succession. Each citta with its associated Cetasikas(mental factors) falls away and conditions the arising of the succeeding citta with its associated cetasikas. The next citta cannot arise if the preceding citta has not fallen away, there can be only one citta at a time. It is difficult to know the succession of the different cittas since they arise and fall away very rapidly. Attachment may arise in a sense-door process and then in the mind-door process.
[Ref: (i) "Conditions: An outline of the 24 conditions as taught in the Abhidhamma" by Nina van Gorkom|Chapter-IV|2003. (ii) "Patthana Dhamma" by Htoo Naing|Chapter-IX|2005]
There are more important points worth noting and having knowledge about Anantara-Paccaya (Proximity Condition) and Samanantara-Paccaya (Immediacy Condition). In "The Sacred Patthana Dhamma", Venerable Rector Sayadaw Dr. Nanda Mālābhivamsa stated ...
More important is that _ the mental state of the last breath (the end) of a life is called 'death-consciousness (Cuti Citta)'. And, the very first mental state of the next (new) life beyond the death-consciousness of this present life, is called 'rebirth-consciousness (Patisandhi-Citta)'. It's more important to note that there is no interval in between, according to the conditional relation (Patthāna Dhamma). The existences (lives) have been different; old and new. But, as soon as the passing away of 'death-consciousness' of this life, 'rebirth-consciousness' definitely arises immediately. So this means 'Anantara-Paccaya' (as well as 'Samanantara-Paccaya'). Otherwise, some Buddhists (may) have an illusion that there is a soul (traveling) between the death (of the former life) and the rebirth (of the new life). For example, Tibetans believe that one's soul has to await 49 days after he/she dies and before taking a 'rebirth of new life'. Like _ the soul is searching another life. Even in Myanmar, some people are wrongly deluded that it takes 7 days long. In fact, it is not true at all. The process is continous, indeed. Instead, it may be another existence of life as a ghost (Peta). It is also a different life (existence). In summary, 'rebirth-consciousness' arises as soon as 'death-consciousness' passes away. There is no interval in time. Also, no medium or interval of mental states. This is what Anantara-Paccaya is.
He gave a remarkable example that I have also seen and you can also see in your life.
"So, some people ask. For example, one's hand was cut off and he died. There is a scar of cut in the next life. (We've seen that person). Moreover, in our monastery, there is a monk who has a scar of cut on his head. One day when I saw him, I asked him, "What happened to you? Who harmed you by a sword?" He answered, "No. Sir. It's mother-born." (As much as he could remember and tell his parents when he was young,) this scar was attained by the 'attachment' in his former life. How could it be? Before he died, he was attached to the pain of the cut and he died with that attachment. Thus, the scar is striking in this new life. Power of the mind is extremely powerful. It can either survive or kill a life.
Deeper thinking about this example, we can find out the detailed analytical and critical explanations about the sequences of mental states, in other words, the condition of Anantara and Samanantara Paccayas. At a very short instant when he was cut with a sword and just shortly before 'death-consciousness' arose, a continuous series of mental states of 'sense-consciousness', 'recceptive-consciousness' and 'investigative discrimination' which finds out, feels and knows "Oh. I was cut on my head." automatically and naturally. And, continuously associate mental states such as feeling (of a pain "Oh. I am hurt.") and attachment to the pain as "my pain" or the head as "mine", etc.
Observing this process of these mental states, we can become conscious of our mind time by time in our daily life. As the Rector Saydaw speeched, all the conditions are related to each other. Hence, when we explain about a Paccaya, we must also explain and have knowledge of another Paccaya how it is related. Talking about one Paccaya, other Paccayas also come in. Here, we should truly understand the process of continuous sequences of mental states:
the senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) arise from the contact of 'objects' (form/light, sound, odour, taste, tangible object) with 'sense-doors/sense-organs' (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body),
the senses cause 'sense-consciousnesses',
the 'sense-consciousnesses' cause 'receptive consciousness' and 'investigative discrimination',
'feeling' arises from 'receptive consciousness' and 'investigative discrimination',
'attachment' arises from a feeling (happiness or pain), and
Lastly, it produces a Karmic force or power leading to 'rebirth' (unless the process is stopped by 'insights'.)
In short, when we are talking about Anantara-Paccaya(Proximity Condition) and Samanantara-Paccaya(Immediacy Condition) here, the Aramana-Paccaya(Object Condition/Engrossing State or Simulative Cause Condition) also comes in. Moreover, when we talk about a feeling (happiness or pain) and thus-arisen attachment or hatred, it is about 'Hetu-Paccaya(Root Condition)'. In essence and in order to stop all the continuous process of mental states and arising of actions (verbal, and or bodily), we must 'guard the sense doors', i.e. we must watch our sense-doors and every sense as arisen, through our contemplative 'mind', in another word, 'Sati (mindfulness)'. This is all relating to one of the forth-coming Paccayas, namely, Indriya-Paccaya.
Dear all Dhamma friends,
I am concluding my letter of sharing my Patthan knowledge with you all. In fact, in order to share with you, I need to make studies and take references from many books, both in Burmese and English. When I was writing these Patthan letters, books about Patthan were around me. Not only while writing but also priorly, I have to read the books on the purpose of the strength of my letters so for your right understanding and knowledge. I do not dare to write these letters about Mahā Patthāna without any reference at all. Anyway, I am happy to receive some reflections on my letters from some Dhamma friends as below. On September 24th, I received a text from Madam Victoria Robertson via Messenger.
Good Morning from this side of the globe. How are you and your family and village? Woke up prior to stretching and meditation time this morning with the thoughts that I cannot control, change nature, but I can go with the flow of it. Just allowing, allowing, allowing. I am with you _ I support you. I have signed up for a Pali-English course on-line from the Vipassana Reserach Institute. It is a 6 month course. I have studied Pali in the past. Now, that this course has come up thoughts perhaps, promoted by your recent writings to take a refresher course. Thank you. Sending Metta to you all.
And, I was glad to know that she was inspired by my Patthan letters to an extent so far. I also received a message from her that she could organize the Black Heritage 10-day Vipassana course which took 10 years for that to happen. I am privileged to help her from such a prestigious Dhamma lineage of S.N Goenka Ji. Also, I hope that my letters can, somehow, help other Dhamma friends here to an extent.
May you all enjoy the Dhamma knowledge and bliss of knowing of Dhamma.
May you all practice Dhamma as learned.
Sukhī Attanam Pari Harantu.