'Abbhidhamma' means
dhamma which is exceedingly subtle, deep, difficult to comprehend, and vast in
scope. 'Dhamma' means reality and truth. It means the law of
cause and effect, the essence of things and the way things are by nature. It
means knowable reality; a reality in which there are no beings, and which is
fixed in the order of its manifestations. In short, 'Dhamma' means Reality and
Truth in the absolute sense.
That exceedingly subtle, deep,
difficult, excellent and wide Abhidhamma, which is real and correct because it
speaks of the selflessness of beings and the natural essential condition of
things, was taught by the Buddha in the realm of the gods. Because no
distracting objects or hindrances interrupted the mental continua of the gods,
they could immediately listen to this very difficult dhamma with undivided
attention and fully comprehend it. In the human realm, the nuisances of having
to eat, sleep and defecate, etc., interrupt and obstruct the performance of
every task. And because whenever we focus our thoughts upon any given endeavor,
physical weariness, the call of nature, and hunger and thirst always intervene,
our concentration becomes broken even while we work. For this reason, there
would have been no benefit in teaching piecemeal a doctrine so deep as the
Abhidhamma in the realm of human beings.
The time-scale in the ream of the gods
is vastly different from our own. One hundred human years equals only one day
in Tavatimsa heaven, Because of this, the times for eating and sleeping, for
example, are separated by extremely long intervals. Moreover, the gods neither
defecate nor urinate, and they feel no bodily aches or weariness. Therefore,
they were able to listen to the entire exposition of the Abhidhamma in a single
sitting, and - for what was to them only fifteen minutes - to attend to the
discourse with a stream of thought that was undivided and continuous. In
contrast, it took the Venerable Sariputta, who was the most intelligent of the
Buddha's disciples, ninety days and ninety separate trips to Tavatimsa to learn
and then preach in the human realm that Abhidhamma which was taught to
the gods in one uninterrupted sitting.
The Abhidhamma which the
Venerable Sariputta heard in brief from the Buddha he preached to his five
hundred disciples in a way that was neither brief nor extended. The monks who
learned the Abhidhamma from the Venerable Sariputta were newly ordained,
having entered the Order on the day the Buddha ascended to Tavatimsa
heaven. These five hundred sons-of good-family took ordination at that time -
the full moon day of 'Waso' - because they were inspired to faith by a display
of miracles performed at the foot of a white mango tree. On the following day,
they listened to the Abhidhamma; and it was this Abhidhamma which
became for those monks their Vipassana.
And why was this? Those five hundred
monks, all of whom became arahants during the rains-retreat of that year (the
seventh rains-retreat of the Buddha), also became by the end of the retreat,
masters of the seven books of the Abhidhamma (abhidhammika
sattapakaranika). The Buddha first assembled the entire Dhamma and
taught it all together (as the Dhammasangani). He then analyzed it into
separate parts and taught (the Vibhanga). He further analyzed it in
detail according to elements (producing thereby, the Dhatukatha). Again
he assembled it together and again analyzed it into minute parts, this time in
relation to individuals, (and so taught the Puggalapannati). After that,
the Buddha examined and compared the different doctrines existing in the world
and taught (the Kathavatthu). Thereupon, he examined and taught the
Dhamma in pairs (Yamaka); and finally, taught the doctrine of
causal relations in detail (Pathana).
The seven methods of examining
Dhamma presented in the seven books of the Abhidhamma; that is to
say, 1) the analysis of mind (citta), mental factors (cetasika)
and matter (rupa) when taken together, 2) the analysis of the same when
distinguished into parts, 3) the analysis of elements, 4) the analysis of
individuals, 5) the comparison of doctrines, 6) the analysis of Dhamma
into pairs, and 7) the examination of causal relations, are in truth none other
than seven exceedingly deep methods of Vipassana practice. For this reason it
can be said that the day the five hundred monks mastered the Abhidhamma
- this being the teaching of Abhidhamma-Vipassana they had listened to
since their ordination - was the very day they mastered the practice of
Vipassana.
Vipassana is a method of wisdom
that searches for truth and peace in diverse ways by observing, inquiring into,
and penetrating the nature, the essence, the set order, the absence of being,
the selflessness and the ultimately reality of mind and matter. For example,
one method of Vipassana accomplishes this goal through ten kinds of
knowledge whereby one comes to understand the nature of matter as producing
effects in mutual dependence on matter; and similarly, the nature of mind as
producing effects in mutual dependence on mind. Another method which achieves
the same end; that is, the seeking out and penetration of reality, relies on an
ascent through the seven purifications. In both instances, Vipassana and
Abhidhamma are identical.
Since Vipassana meditation takes
the Abhidhamma as its sole object of contemplation, Vipassana and
Abhidhamma cannot be separated. And while it may not be said that one
can practice Vipassana only after one has mastered the Abhidhamma,
Vipassana meditation and the study of Abhidhamma remain one and the
same thing. Because mind, mental factors and matter are forever bound up with
this fathom-long body, the study and learning of this subject, and the
concentrated observation of the nature of mind, mental factors and matter are
tasks which cannot be distinguished.
Since at the very least one would have
to say that there can be no Vipassana without an understanding of mind
and matter, surely then it is not possible to separate Abhidhamma and
Vipassana. It is explained in the Abhidhamma that the root causes
giving rise to the seven elements of mind and matter are ignorance
(avijja), craving (tanha) and volitional action (kamma).
It is further pointed out that the supporting conditions for these same seven
elements are kamma, mind, climate (utu) and nutriment
(ahara). Only by grasping these abhidhammic truths will one
possess the knowledge which comprehends conditional relations
(paccayapariggahanana), and achieve the purification of mind necessary
for overcoming doubt. These excellent benefits are pointed out by
paticcasamuppada and pathana. Therefore, since it is the case
that Vipassana and Abhidhamma are not separate but are mutually
dependent, it is rightly submitted that Vipassana yogis ought not let go
of that wise method of learning about the human condition called the
Abhidhamma.
( Note: - This is the talk , Sitagu
Sayadaw gave on a special occasion of Abhidhamma, translated into
English by the Department of Research and Compilation, International Buddhist
Academy, Sagaing Hill, Myanmar )
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