Editor's Preface (dying)

[punuri]

Editor's Preface

This book contains two sets of newly revised Dhamma talks. The 1980 edition of Amata Dhamma has been completely revised and has new additions, including its new title, To the Last Breath. Directions for Insight — the second part of this book — was only slightly revised, although it now has its proper title back, which somehow had become lost in the first printing. (It was then printed as Directing to Self Penetration.)

As Acharn Panyavaddho explained in the introduction he wrote for the 1980 Amata Dhamma: "(six) of these (seven) talks were given for the benefit of Mrs. Pow-panga Vathanakul, who had been staying in Wat Pa Bahn Tahd, Udorn-thani, Thailand, since the beginning of November 1975. The other talk, The Middle Way (of Practice), was actually given to the assembly of bhikkhus at the Wat in 1962, and was one which Mrs. Pow-panga found useful... She stayed at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd for almost four months and Ven. Acharn Maha Boowa gave about 130 talks during that period."1

The second part of this collection, Directions for Insight, seems to fit in well with the general approach of To the Last Breath. (In fact, both have the same flavor — the taste of freedom — which is the true liberation of heart, without regard to gender, race or age.) It is made up of six Dhamma Talks by Acharn Kor Khao-suan-luang. Khun Phoon Phongphanit, a lay disciple of Acharn Kor, suggested a joint translation (with the editor) of these six Dhamma talks,2 originally printed (in Thai) under the title Na Naew Mong Darn Ny. They form one booklet of a series printed over the years by Upasika Kee Nanayon, who used the pen name Kor Khao-suan-luang. Khun Phoon Phongphanit should receive special thanks for all his work in seeing that translation into print.

The first translation of To the Last Breath (or Amata Dhamma as it was then) was mainly the work of Ven. Bhikkhu A-j-. The present editor, who also assisted at that time, has now completely revised the whole translation and so must bear responsibility for the errors.

Any merit arising from my work on this book, may it be dedicated to my mother. May she find peace and happiness.

A. Bhikkhu

Notes

1. For more about this, see the new section: Epilogue. Other translations of similar Dhamma Talks by Ven. Acharn Maha Boowa are: Straight from the Heart; Things As They Are; Forest Dhamma; The Dhamma Teaching of Acariya Maha Boowa in London; Kammatthana.

2. Please note that this year (1995) a new translation of four of these Talks has appeared, which, to a certain extent, supersedes this pioneer translation. They are contained in a superb collection of Acharn Kor's Dhamma entitled An Unentangled Knowing, The Teachings of a Thai Buddhist Lay Woman, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Dhamma Dana Publications, c/o Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre, Massachusetts 01005, USA.) They can also be found in electronic format on many Buddhist BBSs.

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Introduction

Anyone who has visited the forest monasteries of Thailand will need no introduction. They will have seen Acharns1 who teach in a spontaneous and direct way, and who live as they teach. This is Forest Dhamma, vigorous but without pretension, inspiring one to live and practice the Way rather than reading about it. Yet here is a book — and a translation of a book at that — that can only attempt to offer a partial view of certain aspects of that Teaching.

This is especially so with the first part of this collection of Dhamma talks, To the Last Breath. For these were given under quite special circumstances: A person, quite knowledgeable about Buddhism, is dying of cancer. The emphasis is therefore very much on dealing with pain, suffering and, finally, death. And pointing towards that which is beyond suffering and death.

These circumstances mean that the beginning fundamentals of Dhamma practice are generally assumed to be already understood. (Khun Pow and the other listeners were already well practiced in developing Dhamma in their actions and speech.)2 For those new to Dhamma, however, it is important to remember the special context and to take into account the other Dhamma qualities that make an essential foundation that will need to be cultivated. The Lord Buddha gave an important example of this when he would begin his Dhamma Teaching (to those newly interested) with the Progressive or Graduated Sermon:3

"Then the Lord delivered a graduated discourse to 'Kutadanta,' on generosity, on morality and on heaven, showing the danger, degradation and corruption of sense-desires, and the profit of renunciation. And when the Lord knew that Kutadanta's mind was ready, pliable, free from the hindrances, joyful and calm, then he preached a sermon on Dhamma in brief: on suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path..." 4

It is this 'joyful, calm, pliable, ready mind' — already settled firmly upon foundations of generosity and morality — that is receptive to the powerful Truths about pain, suffering and death. It is at this point that the emphasis changes to energetic striving, to overcoming the obstacles that prevent insight and pin us blindly to the wheel of birth and death.

"Then the Lord said to the monks: 'Now, monks, I declare to you: all conditioned things are of a nature to decay — strive on untiringly.' These were the Tathagata's last words." 5

In this book you will find both these aspects. There are constant references to 'gradually'... 'steadily'... 'step by step'... 'level by level' (of the Graduated Teaching). These lead into a growing emphasis on earnestness and diligence in practice.

Any translation is the impossible search for just the right word. The expression‎ that conveys both the sense and accuracy in a pleasing way; and that also brings with it the spirit of the original. This translation is much more of a blind groping. First, there is the wide language and cultural gap between Thai and English. Then there is the change of medium from the living word to the printed page, which must always lose the dynamism of the original experience.6 Finally, and perhaps the most important point, there is the great profundity of Dhamma, which is really beyond the translators' level of understanding. The reader will therefore need to make due allowance for the deficiencies in this translation effort. The only way truly to understand is to translate it back into your own life, your own experience and practice.

Even with its errors and inadequacies this book is the result of a great effort by many people. It will have all been worth while if a single person finds some truth in it that can help him or her face up to their situation, their illness and pain. Insight into that suffering may they go beyond a mere book's description to true liberation.

Notes

1. Meditation Teachers.

2. See Epilogue.

3. Anupubbikatha. Also see the Appendix.

4. Thus Have I Heard. Page 141/29. (D.i.148) (Maurice Walshe, trans.; London: Wisdom Publications, 1987.)

5. ibid., p. 270/67. (D.ii.156).

6. To help with these points, Pali terms have been kept to a minimum or put in the Glossary. Repetitions — which spoken Thai delights in with its musical variations of words and phrases; and which also serve to reinforce the Dhamma themes — have sometimes been deleted.

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Part One

To the Last Breath
Dhamma Talks on Living and Dying

by

Venerable Acharn Mahaa Boowa Nyanasampanno
of
Wat Pa Bahn Tahd
Udorn-thani, N.E. Thailand

* * *

Biographical Note

Venerable Acharn Maha Boowa was born in Udorn-thani, North-east Thailand in 1913. He became a monk in the customary way at a local monastery and went on to study the Pali language and texts. At this time he also started to meditate but had not yet found a suitable Teacher. Then he caught sight of the Ven. Acharn Mun and immediately felt that this was someone really special, someone who obviously had achieved something from his Dhamma practice.

After finishing his Grade Three Pali studies1 he therefore left the study monastery and followed Ven. Acharn Mun into the forests of N.E. Thailand. When he caught up with Ven. Acharn Mun, he was told to put his academic knowledge to one side and concentrate on meditation. And that was what he did. He often went into solitary retreat in the mountains and jungle but always returned for help and advice from Ven. Acharn Mun. He stayed with Ven. Acharn Mun for seven years, right until the Ven. Acharn's passing away.

The vigour and uncompromising determination of his Dhamma practice attracted other monks dedicated to meditation and this eventually resulted in the founding of Wat Pa Bahn Tahd, in some forest near the village where he was born. This enabled his mother to come and live as a nun at the monastery.

Ven. Acharn Maha Boowa is well known for the fluency and skill of his Dhamma talks, and their direct and dynamic approach. They obviously reflect his own attitude and the way he personally practiced Dhamma. This is best exemplified in the Dhamma talks he gives to those who go to meditate at Wat Pa Bahn Tahd. Such talks usually take place in the cool of the evening, with lamps lit and the only sound being the insects and cicadas in the surrounding jungle. He often begins the Dhamma talk with a few moments of stillness — this is the most preparation he needs — and then quietly begins the Dhamma exposition. As the theme naturally develops, the pace quickens and those listening increasingly feel its strength and depth.

The formal Dhamma talk might last from thirty-five to sixty minutes. Then, after a more general talk, the listeners would all go back to their solitary huts in the jungle to continue the practice, to try to find the Dhamma they had been listening about — inside themselves.

Note

1. On completion of Grade Three Paali, one is given the title Mahaa. There are nine grades in all.

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1. Ready to Go : Ready to Die

This heart of ours is much like a child. The child is unable to take care of itself and so has to depend on mother and father, on guardians and nursemaids, holding on to various people. But the child at least has parents and guardians to look after it, to make sure it seldom meets with harm. Whereas although the heart is always grasping and clinging to various things, it doesn't find any such safety and security.

The heart can't rely on itself and therefore always likes to cling onto things. For the most part, it tends to reach for wrong things, for things that do it harm. The reason it likes to search for and hold on to things, is so that it can find safety, security and comfort for itself. The things it clings to however, are not dependable and so they pose a constant danger for the heart. Whether we are children or already grown up, this is the way our minds tend to be.

Instead of trying to rely on ourselves we always put our hopes in other things, other people. We can't stand on own two feet. This is because the heart isn't wise enough to check whether the objects it grasps hold of are right or wrong, good or bad. It doesn't know how to care for itself, how to help itself, because there's no one to teach it. There's nobody to advise on how to know which things are dangerous and which are beneficial, which things should be held on to and which things shouldn't. The heart therefore continues indiscriminately to grasp hold of anything, whether good or bad, as long as it likes the look of it. Even if it isn't gratifying, the heart's characteristic trait is still to keep on grasping and clinging. Why should it be like this?

Normally, one wouldn't think that a mood1 or a thing that's displeasing is worth clinging to. Yet the heart continues to grasp hold of such things. It clings to anger, to delusion and lust, hatred and disgust, because it becomes involved and caught up in them. We can never say that the heart simply knows an object, for it always gets caught up in it and clings to it. For the most part, those things have nothing good in them.

Why does the heart have to go and grasp at things? It's because it is attracted without realizing the repercussions of its attachment. Even though you may wish to break away from it you can't, because there's something else which is powerful enough to force the heart to grasp and hang on. The object then becomes caught up in emotions, which continually overcloud and obscure yourself. Here we're talking about emotional objects¹ and moods.

Now I'll speak about material objects. The heart will grasp at and cling to whatever object is present. It doesn't matter how trifling or significant, how valuable or worthless it might be; the heart can and will attach itself. We wouldn't be wrong if we were to call the heart an expert 'hanger-on'. This is because it's still unable to rely on itself, and so must depend on outside things, until the end of the body that has led one through the changing situations. It may even forget itself by surrendering to the power of external objects, even though their control is baseless and leads the wrong way.

The Lord Buddha taught that, "self is the protector of self".2 Try to cure the heart of its dependency, of the tendency it has of always hoping to rely on other things. Disengage yourself from such objects and turn inward to rely more on your own resources and abilities. Don't depend on your parents, friends and others, so much that you forget yourself. Our human trait of continually seeking support in other people develops eventually into a personal habit. It's like this all over the world, and in this regard we can hardly even measure up to some kinds of animals. This, then, is why the Lord Buddha taught about self-reliance.

In our commonplace and coarse affairs, like work and other such responsibilities, we should try to be more self-reliant. Coming in towards Dhamma — the practice of meditation in the heart — we need to have had sufficient training under a Teacher to know the right direction in which to proceed. The actual practice though, is the duty of each one of us, to find assurance in our self-reliance following the principles of Dhamma. The Lord Buddha taught, for example, about cultivating goodness and virtue through generosity, precepts3 and meditation. This is so that we can develop self-reliance, which is the heart firmly holding to good and wholesome objects. There is then peace and happiness in both the present and future lives, because they are beneficial things and originate from wholesome actions. They make up fine objects or superior quality food for the heart.

We are taught to meditate, which is a step higher in refinement. This effort to train ourselves in meditation is a way of self-reliance that is steadily taken onto a firmer and more dependable level. We use a meditation-word4 as the means to direct and control the heart. For, as the mind is not yet able to sustain itself, we have to rely on the meditation-word as the object to soothe and bring peace and calm. The settling of the mind in "buddho buddho buddho..." is one example of this. It is an object for the heart to occupy itself with, which is correct and right and appropriate to finding refuge in Dhamma.

In the beginning of the practice the heart is still restless and distracted, still unable to settle itself on Dhamma principles and become self-reliant. It has to depend on a meditation-word to direct it until it merges in with that meditation-word and gathers into stillness. When it enters calm, even the meditation-word itself ceases to be an issue. This is one step towards self-reliance for the meditation-word can be released at this stage, as the heart is well settled in calm. This is a foundation and refuge for the heart that can be clearly seen. Even with just this much, there's calm and ease in the heart that used to be restless and distracted, unable to find any peace. This is because the heart normally does not know peace but only trouble and unrest, hunger and thirst, worries and concerns over affairs that are of no use to it at all. For the most part these affairs are the heart's own thoughts and imaginings, which poison and burn oneself — without anyone else being involved.

The Lord Buddha discovered the correct way to practice and achieved results to his heart's contentment. He was therefore able to explain about the causes, or the way to practice, together with their fulfillment and fruits. He taught us that the way to depend on oneself is through meditation and that this is the direct route to a firmly established self-reliance. Basing the heart in calm, to whatever degree, brings increasingly self-assurance and confidence — without having to ask anyone else about it. You will know from within yourself. This is termed paccata.m or sandi.t.thiko. The knowledge of good or bad, what needs remedying, removing or developing, will then arise in the heart. This will be understood by oneself and for oneself, as the heart is more and more firmly established.

The level of concentration, once reached, is already sufficient to form a foundation for the heart, a home where the heart can find shelter and peace. At the moment when we think so much that we feel faint-hearted and weary, we should turn inwards and meditate. The heart can then rest and be stilled from all its preoccupations, finding peace and calm. This is called going inward for refuge, to find a resting place of comfort and ease. This is one level of refuge for the heart.

The next steps, even though they're still concerned with samadhi, are proceeding into more subtle and refined aspects of the heart. The levels of momentary concentration, access concentration and attainment concentration5 show the refining of samadhi. This culminates in attainment concentration, and beyond that samadhi can't advance.

Once the heart has some degree of calm, according to the level of samadhi achieved, it is stilled and refined. However, without developing mindfulness and wisdom6 it will just remain at that level, lacking wisdom radically to uproot its defilements.7 If we compare the defilements to a tree, although we may have pruned the branches the main trunk remains uncut and is still capable of sending out new branches.

This is why we're taught to investigate by way of wisdom. Wisdom is a keen intelligence and ingenuity. It is able to investigate and follow through without any limitation. The Lord Buddha described wisdom-and-knowledge — being even more refined than wisdom — in the Discourse of Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion. Listen to this:

"Nyaa.na.m udapaadi, panyaa udapaadi, vijjaa udapaadi, aaloko udapaadi."

"Knowledge arose, wisdom arose, higher-knowledge arose, light arose."

Knowledge or vijjaa refers basically to the Threefold Knowledge.8 Wisdom arose, and, with greater refinement, higher- knowledge arose — arising right from this same heart. Wisdom is that which removes the defilements covering the heart, whereas samadhi is simply that which herds the defilements together in quietness within the heart. It is not yet capable of cutting off any defilements. The heart's attachment, which embroils it with various things, remains intact though it's weakening. Once the heart gains some calm and peace, wisdom can come into its own as the important weapon that strikes down and uproots all the different defilements in the heart, step by step.

"Samaadhi-paribhaavitaa panyaa mahapphalaa hoti mahaanisa.msaa."

There! "Wisdom once supported and nurtured in samadhi, is of great fruit and great advantage." Its examination becomes skilled, its scrutiny agile and bold, so that it is able to cut away the defilements one after another.

"Panyaa-paribhaavita.m citta.m sammadeva aasavehi vimuccati."

"The heart nurtured with wisdom gains proper release from the cankers."

Listen to that! It's wisdom alone that can uproot the defilements; it doesn't matter whether they are gross, intermediate or subtle, no defilement lies beyond the scope of wisdom. This is a primary principle that secures the quality and value of our practice, which is the total elimination of the defilements from the heart. It's the same practice which the Lord Buddha and his Noble Disciples have already completed before us.

Thus samadhi and wisdom can't be separated from each other. Whatever our character and tendencies might be, samadhi is always needed as a quiet resting place for the heart. The heart rests from work, by stilling in samadhi its thoughts and preoccupations. Even work in the world requires a period of rest and recuperation — making do without is just not possible. This may certainly use up working-time but, just as eating uses up food and the money needed to buy that food, it is necessary that the body has renewed vigour to continue its work. Resting and sleeping may waste some time but, again, they give the constitution new strength to fulfill its duties and tasks. Otherwise it won't be able to go on.

This use of time and material to provide for and restrengthen the body is certainly not wasted. Rather, they act like fuel for a car, which won't go anywhere without it. Samadhi and wisdom have the same sort of relationship. The mind needs time to be still and calm in samadhi, and, after it has rested, it can then continue its investigation using mindfulness and wisdom in line with its abilities.

This word wisdom describes something very subtle and broad ranging, to accord with the character and tendencies of the person bringing it into use. Any approach we use to investigate for the sake of uprooting the defilements is termed right wisdom.

It's not necessary always to have to go and read the scriptures in order to know how to deal with the defilements; and in order for it to be 'Dhamma'. These texts were extracted from the heart that is Dhamma, which had actually performed the uprooting of the defilements and clearly seen the fruits. Only then was it written down in the scriptures. So it's not the case that the texts originated before the Truth — which is the actual practice.

The Lord Buddha was the first to practice and so no scriptures had been made for him to use. When he taught his disciples the Noble Truths, he didn't write them down in palm leaf texts. He taught them by word of mouth, and then his disciples themselves carried on the Teaching through word of mouth. Where did they get their teachings? — From the reality in their hearts, which they had seen clearly as a result of their own practice.

It is for this reason that the techniques and strategies of mindfulness and wisdom depend primarily on the individual. Each of us needs to think, examine, investigate and work out strategies using our own intelligence and abilities, according to each case. Therefore, there's no need always to go back to retrieve scriptural authority with questions like: "I've thought this up myself so it can't possibly deal with the defilements." This way of thinking is not in accord with the principles of Dhamma and can't be called right wisdom. When those things we remember from the scriptures can't be actualized in ridding our heart of any defilements then this too, for us, isn't right wisdom. It may be right wisdom in the scriptures but it's wrong in the way it's used.

The Dhamma is only explained to a limited extent in the scriptures. It's not really all that much. If we compare it to a medicine, it's a general nonspecific remedy rather than one aimed at a particular illness. Our integrating and formulating a specific approach capable of dealing with each particular defilement is termed medicine. It is a remedy aimed at steadily uprooting a certain defilement. This is why those who are successfully practicing in the way of wisdom have Dhamma, have mindfulness and wisdom with them wherever they are.

Ven. Acharn Mun once said that he "listened to Dhamma day and night". Just think of that! Things keep making contact with our senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch at all times. If the knowledge of this contact doesn't arise at the heart, which is waiting with acknowledgment, where else is it going to occur? What is it that acknowledges? The heart's acknowledging also stirs up mindfulness and wisdom, which must come in to examine the ongoing involvement with a well-founded scrutiny, that accords with cause and effect. It checks out the contact and when it knows, it is able progressively to withdraw or let go. This is what is called, 'listening to Dhamma day and night', listening to Dhamma in the primal principles of nature. Defilements are natural principles together with the heart. Dhamma, with its virtue, samadhi and wisdom are natural principles within the heart. It all depends on how we bring them out to use in our investigating; utilizing them to full advantage according to the ability of mindfulness and wisdom, which is the ideal instrument to use.

The body. Listen! Elements, aggregates, body. The Lord Buddha had them and all his disciples have had them. At one stage they seized hold and attached to those aggregates, just as we do now. Such defilements were the same for them as they are now for us. But by grasping and attaching to, we establish conditions and causes for the accumulation of defilement in our hearts.

The Lord Buddha and his arahant disciples formerly had defilements — just like us now — so why was it possible for them to uproot them? The body is the same, the five aggregates are the same, yet they could release their attachment whereas we can't. Why? We don't seem able to understand, yet how was it that they were able to gain realization? Why can't we also comprehend? The heart is present, and mindfulness and wisdom can be built up in each aspect, according to whatever angle we wish to take up for examination.

This body, which exists right with us here now, is something that can be known and understood. When we say that the heart can't depend on itself, what it all comes down to is that it needs to depend on the body. Moreover, it not only relies on the aggregates but also holds to them as being self. There! We depend on them and unashamedly uphold them as self. What about that then? Even with some measure of shame, they inevitably must be held onto because comprehension is still lacking, and without it any possibility of letting-go. So, it is quite correct to say that we've been shameless and we need to admit to our stupidity. From here, we must endeavor to develop some cleverness that will see these things and let go of them through the strength of our own efforts.

So, for once, let's get down to the facts. These things follow the principles of nature and remain as they are they, whereas we exert ourselves to pull them in as our-self. Now that is going to make problems because it goes against the truth of things. To be in line with the facts you have to investigate to see according to the truth about them. Repeatedly examine and keep on investigating until you can understand. Once you understand, you won't have to order the mind to let go. It will let go on its own because these things are poisonous and harmful to us, owing to our own attachment. There are certainly no benefits in this attachment. If there were any merit or advantage, the Lord Buddha would have told us to grasp hold — but then, such advice would not be needed as the heart would have already involved itself. It is that attachment that is the truly poisonous and harmful thing.

Even though those things may be dangerous to us, we still seize and bring them close in. We hold them by making the assumptions that, I'm like this, I'm like that; they are me; they are mine. The trouble arises right there with these assumptions and notions based in delusion.

None of these aggregates have any meaningfulness in themselves. They exist, in truth, in the same way as trees and mountains and such like. We are conscious of their various aspects and this makes it the affair and concern of the heart. Once dead we can't be aware of them, which shows that it's all mixed up with the heart. If we are here, there is no happiness; if we go, there's no contentment; if we grasp hold, there's no peace. And this goes on and on and on. How exasperating and vexing this can be.

This heart is totally filled with delusion. Whatever aspect it exposes, there is nothing but delusion and harmful attachments. We murmur that, 'the heart can't depend on itself' and so has to go and hang onto this thing or that. Our investigation through wisdom is carried forth so that we can understand this whole situation. Then we can push away, press on out, disentangle and steadily attain to self-reliance.

We give other things a complete looking over and can manage to understand them. We look at building, homes, women, men, animals and material things. We can tell whether they're good or bad, valuable or not, worth keeping or not — yet why can't we realize this about our body? Not only do we fail to understand, but we also love and grasp hold of it in attachment. We wouldn't dare love or hold on to outside things in the same way, especially if we know there's nothing good in them. We wouldn't have anything to do with them. Yet here, we will take it all — the good with the bad. What can one say? This is where we really show our stupidity. These eyes in our head see what the body is like, our heart knows, but it's all on the superficial level of commonplace people. It therefore keeps on going, in a stubborn, unrelenting way without true knowledge, following the commonplace, mundane understanding. This is really the commonplace way of ignorance, the ordinary type of delusion in the circle of knowledge. It's out of line with the truth, which is why we must find a way to introduce truth into the heart; for this is wisdom. Once wisdom is there, we will realize the truth — no longer concealed — about ourselves incorporated in this physical body.

Inspect it carefully. This body is not all that big: a fathom long, a cubit wide and just a hand's span thick. We ought to be able to look it all over — externally it should only take a moment. On the inside, look deeply with a heartfelt examination, following its present state and conditions to its final dissolution. It doesn't really go anywhere; it does nothing but advance towards its disintegration and a return to its original elements. And that's all. Using wisdom make a deep-reaching and heartfelt investigation of this truth. When the truth goes straight to the heart in a way beyond dispute, the grasping and attachment will immediately withdraw. If the truth hasn't yet penetrated, then investigate with wisdom until it does.

This wisdom doesn't appear from anyone else. This profound insight into the body — which is right with us here — is something that arises from your own investigation, your own understanding. When that understanding is complete, you'll completely let go. You're the one who's been holding on, and no one else can let go for you so investigate and free yourself.

Just look on the body as something to lean upon and abide with. If, through your stupidity and lack of wisdom, you see it as your-self or as belonging to you, it will cause you endless suffering. This is especially so at the final breakup of the aggregates. Your worries and regrets, loves and attachments, will all go out of control. Even more than 'a kite with broken string on high', you'll spin along with the wind. No one will know where you'll come down, and all this in spite of the fact that the body is not worth such affection and regret. It is wholly made up of things destined for dissolution.

Are you going to persist in resisting the truth? When the time comes, there's no denying that the aggregates must break apart. This is the truth. Are you going to set yourself against it by still loving and cherishing, not wanting them to fail and fall apart? In this opposition to the truth you will only heap up suffering for yourself, until finally there will be no way out. Unless of course, you take this present moment quickly to dispatch it through wisdom. If you succeed in this then you will receive that great gain — the supreme happiness of Nibbaana: "Nibbaana.m parama.m sukha.m!". However, if you should go against Dhamma, then it's also quite possible that at that moment you'll lose your faculties and wits.

Wisdom is a state of the art weapon system that should penetrate through your investigation to the truth. Release and let go [all attachments] in accordance with the truth, both now while you're still living here and at the time of disintegration. Wisdom will then have clearly appraised the present situation and the future — nothing can now pose a problem.

Pleasures and pains are still present because the aggregates are still functioning. These things arise in dependence on one another. And it's the heart that acknowledges and takes responsibility. It knows but doesn't grasp. You should understand that there are two possible ways in which it can know — either knowing-in-line-with-the-truth or by knowing-and-seizing-hold.

Feelings9 of whatever type or level are present with the aggregates but not in the purified heart. The arahant does not have to bear with the feelings of both aggregate and heart, whereas 'us lot' take up the contract to build the cycle-of-rebirth.10 When this condition of various aggregates tilts and skews, we follow; and when it topples and falls we're knocked sprawling with it. It's because of the reliance we put on them. They lead us to tilt and we tilt, to fall over and we fall too. When they lead us to stand in place, we might be able also to hold up to a certain extent but they aren't willing to stand still. Even if they persist and haven't yet reached death, we are more upset about dying than they are.

It's therefore necessary for us to investigate, clearly to see with wisdom, that these things are solely something to abide with. Days... minutes... time steadily consumes everything. If we see the way time and nature eat away, gnaw away at these things, we'll see that it's like a dog gnawing away on a meaty bone. There's no difference at all. It keeps gnawing away, biting and tearing until there's nothing left to get its teeth into. So, there is the eating away [of the aggregates] in just the same way. They keep disintegrating bit by bit, until they reach their final truth.

Whether we're sitting, standing, walking, lying down or sleeping soundly, time keeps on eating away, gnawing away. Disintegration, diminishing and decline. The continual gnawing and consuming. So you think that you can oppose and stop this? No, there's no halting this. It is the [inevitable] course of nature — something of massive proportions. Our assumptions are wrong, and what's wrong is no match for what's right and true. Disintegration is quite the correct course; it is following their principle of nature. To resist their essential nature is the heart's error that must end in suffering.

Start right now with an all-round investigation of these things. When the time comes finally to go, there will then be no trembling because your investigation and understanding are complete and you'll know that this is the inevitable way of things. There's just no alternative.

So then, let each thing go its own separate way. Whatever happens, let it occur without trying to resist the truth. Painful feelings burn away at the body and it gradually becomes brittle and 'overdone'. It steadily declines until it breaks apart and disintegrates. However, a heart circled with mindfulness and wisdom won't be broken, won't be extinguished and won't 'hang on'. It is its own self by itself, self-reliant, without needing to depend on anything — and infinitely at ease.

Right here is where we see the importance of investigation, its value for the heart. This is why sages, beginning with the Lord Buddha, teach mindfulness and wisdom as their major point — so that we can take the mind, drag the mind, out of the bonfire and release it from danger.

The Teachings of every Buddha are taught in the same way. This is because the natural principles are the same, and the defilements are always the same. No Buddha will teach differently or diverge from this. The practice is always to remove the defilements — whether great or small — from the heart. This follows from the basic principles of Dhamma, which they all teach. If we deviate from these principles, we'll be the laughing stock of the defilements.

Therefore investigate. No matter how broadly or how narrowly — take the whole universe and worldly elements. Is there anything there on which the heart can depend and which offers refuge? Take note of this term 'refuge'. Even those things that are intimately associated with ourself are not safe. Farther out than the body, there's no hope of finding refuge in anything.

Even those things closely connected with us aren't trustworthy. If we can't discern the threat they pose, then where else will we be able to see it? It's here where the danger must be seen and the heart withdrawn from its peril. The quality that then arises in full measure is called:

'Attaa hi attano naatho': 'self is the protector of self.'

It doesn't depend on anything. 'Virtue', 'samadhi' or 'wisdom' in the final stage of release, are also terms no longer needed. Why should a refuge be found in tools and instruments that have successfully done their job of clearing out the defilements. The tools are laid down in accordance with their condition. A knife taken up to chop vegetables or to peel fruit is put aside when we take the food and eat it. It's obvious that we don't eat the knife as well.

Virtue, samadhi and wisdom are tools for dealing with the defilements. When the defilements are eliminated, all the problems for the heart also go. While life remains these tools can be utilized for the sake of the world, in line with conventional notions. However, they won't be needed to correct the defilements ever again. In particular, at the final time when the passage from the elements and aggregates will take place, there's definitely no need for anything. Mindfulness and wisdom are no longer an issue and the body poses no problem, because all problems in the heart are already finished with. Nothing can possible cause concern. So you should move forward to this ending of problems, for this is where all your worries will cease.

If you still have problems — then that is a problem. We hear of problems concerning suffering and hardship, concerning birth, aging, sickness and death. They follow on from what we call 'problems'.

With the ending of problems all issues cease. Investigate and understand. All the things I've mentioned here lie in your own body or heart. Analyze them through the power of your mindfulness and wisdom. Examine day after day. Don't be complacent. It's not that mindfulness and wisdom are something that can be brought in to cook and eat, but they can be brought in to deal with the defilements. By utilizing them in this way the removal can carry on all day long. However, complacency will only lead you to sink — and there's certainly nothing to be gained by that. The final result will be that when you're stuck in a corner, you won't even know where your wisdom has disappeared to. You'll end up banging your head against the walls. That certainly won't do!

We're not disciples of a Tathaagata, the Lord Buddha, who banged his head against the wall. The Lord Buddha didn't do it, neither did the Noble Disciples whom we revere with, "Sangha.m sara.na.m gacchaami". How can we go and bang our heads in this way? You must endeavor, using whatever means and strategies, to find the way that leads out. Try to the best of your ability. Reaching the [present] limit of our capability, then that's all we can manage. Whatever state or level we reach, we accept it — because that's as much as we can do. But as long as it's not beyond our ability we can strive to go further, struggling, crawling and forcing our way through.

Sinking into the cycle of birth and death is similar to when a ship capsizes and everything on board goes down. The ship, the goods and cargo all sink together and the people die. We go down with the elements and aggregates through delusion and ignorance. The body goes down in accordance with its nature, but our heart sinks because of its own stupidity. Do you approve of that? There's nothing good about this fall. The heart goes straight down into the deep under the compulsion of delusion; and that surely isn't good. In fact, it's disastrously bad and unwished for. It's for this reason that we have to make sure that we steadily look for a way out.

Investigate to see the truth, and especially the truth of the painful and unpleasant feelings of the body and heart. This is of great importance. The heart goes in and seizes hold so much that it becomes a mental disease on top of everything else. Realize that the five conditions are not 'me': Body, feelings, memory or perception, mental formations, and consciousness are particular conditions interdependent within the elements and aggregates. The heart is something apart. By successfully analysing and dissecting, using your mindfulness and wisdom, you'll reach safety from all danger.

Death — just let it go along its way. All the things of this world die, they have death built-in. How can you expect them to be constant and enduring — when the time comes for them to die, they have to die. Nothing can constrain or contradict this. Even arahants have to die; for them however, there is the difference that they pass away without concern and worry. As for us, we're worried even before we come to die — perturbed and possessive. On death, the worry and possessiveness intensify so that they pile up into a threat bigger than a mountain. Be careful not to let that happen to you. Make sure you get beyond such anxieties.

As I'm always saying, prepare and establish yourself with sufficient qualities — 'kusalaa dhammaa'11 (meaning) 'enough skill and intelligence'. This is our 'kusalaa'.

"Kusalaa dhammaa akusalaa dhammaa... "

Wherever there's akusalaa — unskillfulness or stupidity — drive it out with kusalaa skillfullness, which is your own mindfulness and wisdom.

This is what is called 'chanting kusalaa for oneself', and it's something you have to do for yourself. Depending on others to track down monks to chant... "kusalaa dhammaa"... after your death causes so much fuss and bother. Something we don't want.

"Kusalaa dhammaa:" prepare yourself enough skillfullness, complete and all encompassing, and there will be no need for anything else. You'll die without turmoil and confusion like a 'sugato'.

So then, that's all for now.

Notes

1. arom (Thai). See Glossary.

2. "Atta hi attano natho, kohi natho paro siya?" (Dhp. verse 160)

"Self is the protector of self, for who else could (one's) protector be?"

3. precepts. See Glossary and Appendix.

4. pari-kamma.

5. samadhi: khanika samadhi; upacara samadhi; appana samadhi. See Glossary.

6. sati-panyaa.

7. kilesa.

8. Remembrance of past lives, knowledge of the decease and rebirth of beings, and knowledge of the extinction of all the cankers.

9. vedanaa.

10. va.t.ta cakka.

11. The prescribed chant at any Thai cremation ceremony.